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☆ Employee Well-Being Programs Can Help Companies Perform Better
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

With a new generation of workers bringing fresh sensibilities and an increasing desire for work-life balance and mental-health support, organizations across the US are scaling up employee well-being programs to meet the demands of the post-pandemic era. Companies need to achieve a balanced mix of well-being offerings to address the shifting needs of their workers, Tharpe said. A retention tool that reinforces company valuesTharpe said many companies view well-being benefit programs as a strategic tool to reinforce the organization's values and make it more attractive as an employer. Combating healthcare costs, boosting mental healthSome companies are adopting well-being initiatives to confront mounting healthcare costs, with the added benefit of improving mental-health support for their employees. AdvertisementChildren's Mercy Kansas City, a pediatric-health facility in Missouri, also made mental health and well-being initiatives a priority for its staff following the pandemic.

Persons: Wellable, they're, Charlie Tharpe, Tharpe, Stephanie Harvie, Harvie, L.L.Bean, WWT, John Rocco, Rocco, Stephanie Burrus, Burrus, VTO, Molly Q, Ford, Salesforce Organizations: Companies, Boston University's Questrom School of Business, WWT, Children's, Research Locations: Maine, St, Louis, Kansas City, Missouri, San Francisco

☆ What Google's decision to keep cookies means for the internet
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In this article GOOGL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTGoogle announced in a surprise move that it would reverse its years-long plan to phase out third-party cookies. The U.S. internet giant said late Monday it is reversing a long-planned move to ditch third-party cookies — the critical text files that track users' web activity for advertisers. And what does Google's decision mean for how you interact with the web moving forward — or, for that matter the advertising industry? Roughly 40.9% of websites globally use cookies to gather data on users, according to data from W3Techs, a web technology research firm. This issue forms the main reason why Google has now decided to terminate its planned depreciation of third-party cookies.

Persons: Daniel Acker, Matthew Holman, Cripps, it's, Google's, Steve Silvers, there's, Silvers, Authority —, Vasiliki, Makou, Jennifer Elias Organizations: Google, Bloomberg, Getty, CNBC, Competition, Authority, ICO, Data Locations: U.S, W3Techs, Europe, London

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☆ A storm chaser on what 'Twisters' gets right and wrong
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Jen Walton, a storm chaser from Denver, has already seen the new film twice and loved many of the nods to the original movie, the accuracy of the tornado science, and the appreciation for storm chasers. But eventually, she got over her fear and has been chasing storms for the last six years. AdvertisementIt mostly happens in Texas and Oklahoma, where storm chasing is the most popular, she said. Many may not remember the 2013 El Reno storm when four storm chasers were killed, she said. That's why Girls Who Chase, the initiative Walton started to support women in STEM fields, offers Storm Chasing 101.

Persons: —, Jen Walton, Walton wasn't, Daisy Edgar, Jones, Tyler, Glen Powell, Melinda Sue Gordon, Amblin Entertainment Walton, Glen, Tyler Owens, Walton, Sue Ogrocki, Owens, Katie Carter, she's, Chase Organizations: Service, Business, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros . Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, YouTube, Storm, El Locations: Denver, Oklahoma, Texas, El Reno

☆ China and Philippines already at odds over South China Sea deal to ease Second Thomas Shoal tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The dilapidated BRP Sierra Madre ship of the Philippine Navy is anchored near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea. Beijing claims “indisputable sovereignty” over almost all of the 1.3 million-square-mile South China Sea, and most of the islands and sandbars within it, including many features that are hundreds of miles from mainland China. Under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, the Philippines has taken increasingly assertive steps to protect its claim to shoals in the South China Sea, leading to several confrontations off the Philippine islands. The US is not a claimant to the South China Sea, but says the waters are crucial to its national interest of guaranteeing free passage through seas worldwide. A close up view taken on March 29, 2014 of the BRP Sierra Madre beached near the Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Shoal, Ren’ai Jiao, ”, Mao Ning, pushback, Ritchie, Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Marcos Jr, Marcos, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, Thomas Shoal, Erik de Castro, Gregory Poling, “, ” Derek Grossman Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, BRP Sierra Madre, Foreign Ministry, The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, BRP, Philippine Navy, coastguard, US Navy, Aspen Security, US National, Reuters, Transparency Initiative, RAND Corporation Locations: Hong Kong, South, Manila, Beijing, Philippine, Spratly, Philippines, China, Palawan, Madre, South China, Second, The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, The Hague, Scarborough, BRP Sierra Madre, Washington, United States, Sierra Madre, BRP Sierra, Asia

☆ President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid. What's next?
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In today's big story, President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid . The president ended his reelection campaign on Sunday, the culmination of mounting pressure from his party after a disastrous debate last month. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President." Biden's reelection campaign has quickly pivoted to serve Harris, making it an uphill battle for any Democrat looking to challenge her , writes Business Insider's Brent D. Griffiths. Many have made comparisons to the 1968 Democratic convention , which was a contested convention after President Lyndon B. Johnson ended his reelection campaign earlier that year.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Biden, Alyssa Powell, BI Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Harris, Jared Siskin, Biden's, Insider's Brent D, Griffiths, Hillary Clinton, BI's Bryan Metzger, Lyndon B, Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Humphrey, Richard Nixon, Brent, Here's, Sieg, Merrill Lynch, Abanti Chowdhury, Andy Sieg, Warren Buffett's, Buffett, Paul Chinn, Andrew Caballero Reynolds, Marc Andreessen, he'd, Andreessen, Trump, BI's Adam Rogers, OpenAI, Sam Altman's, slowdowns, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, Annie Smith, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Democratic, Madison, Park Conservancy, Citi Wealth, BI Citi Wealth, Bank of Montreal, Buffett Locations: Park, Plenty, Washington, Chicago, Southern, New York, London

☆ Uganda’s President Museveni warns citizens they are ‘playing with fire’ over planned protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

… We are busy producing … cheap food, other people in other parts of the world are starving… you here want to disturb us. You are playing with fire because we cannot allow you to disturb us…”, Museveni said in the three-hour-long wide-ranging address. However, those agitating for a protest are unimpressed with the government’s handling of corruption, urging Ugandans to “#March2Parliament” on July 23 to “#StopCorruption.”’. She was among high-profile Ugandan politicians sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom for corruption earlier this year. “Among is designated due to involvement in significant corruption tied to her leadership of Uganda’s Parliament,” according to the US State Department.

Persons: CNN —, Yoweri Museveni, Museveni, ”, “, Ashiraf Hector, X, Bobi Wine, Wine, ” Museveni, Ugandans, Anita Annet Organizations: CNN, National Commission, Human Rights, Uganda Police Force, ”, of Government, US State Department, Locations: Kenya, East, Uganda, United States, United Kingdom, ”

☆ An FCC ruling has cut prison phone bills in half, disrupting the correctional telecommunications industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Narimes Parakul | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In order for people in prison to use phone or video calls to chat with family, the person on the other line must pay. As of 2021, according to research by the Prison Policy Initiative, they've paid an average of $3 for a 15-minute phone call. The new rules will force a business model change for correctional telecommunications companies as they contend with an estimated $500 million loss in revenue, according to Worth Rises. Only five states have passed legislation to make jail phone calls free, according to Prison Legal News. Wanda Bertram, a communications strategist for the Prison Policy Initiative, said prisons tend to negotiate better contracts with telecommunications companies and, therefore, tend to have better rates for prisoners.

Persons: —, they've, Peter Wagner, Viapath, ICSolutions, –, Bianca Tylek, Wanda Bertram, Paul Wright Organizations: Service, Federal Communications Commission, Business, FCC, Correctional, Worth, Connect, PBS, Companies, Human Rights Defense Center Locations: ICSolutions, New York , Ohio, Rhode

☆ Google scraps plan to remove cookies from Chrome
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Google logo is seen in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 10, 2024. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tabCompanies Google Inc FollowAlphabet Inc FollowJuly 22 (Reuters) - Google is planning to keep third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, it said on Monday, after years of pledging to phase out the tiny packets of code meant to track users on the internet. "Advertising stakeholders will no longer have to prepare to quit third-party cookies cold turkey," eMarketer analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf said in a statement. "Google's decision to continue allowing third-party cookies, despite other major browsers blocking them for years, is a direct consequence of their advertising-driven business model," Cohen said in a statement. Reporting by Yuvraj Malik and Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Steve Marcus, they'd, Anthony Chavez, Chavez, Evelyn Mitchell, Wolf, Lena Cohen, Cohen, Yuvraj Malik, Jeffrey Dastin, Devika Organizations: REUTERS, Google, Markets Authority, European Union, General Data Protection, CMA, Office, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, San Francisco

☆ Silicon Valley billionaires press pause on plans for $800 million utopian city amid growing tensions with county
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The billionaires backing a new utopian city outside San Francisco have put their plans on hold. The California Forever company said it won't put forward a planned ballot initiative this year. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email.

Persons: — Organizations: California Forever, Service, The East Solano Plan, Business Locations: San Francisco, Bay

☆ ‘Barbie’ Was Supposed to Change Hollywood. Many See ‘No Effect.’
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was the top box office film of the year, earning $1.4 billion worldwide, and it became Warner Bros.’s highest-grossing film ever, outpacing both “Dark Knight” movies, “Wonder Woman” and every chapter in the “Harry Potter” franchise. It was a DayGlo-pink rebuttal to decades of conventional Hollywood thinking, and its success seemed to herald a new paradigm for the film industry. Movies written and directed by women and focused on female protagonists could attract enormous audiences to multiplexes around the world. Yet in the 12 months since the movie’s release, little has changed in Hollywood. The box office is down 17 percent from last year at this time, and studios spooked by a fickle audience (yes to “Twisters,” no to “Fall Guy”) are again questioning the reliability of the theatrical marketplace.

Persons: “ Barbie ”, Harry Potter ”, Guy ”, Barbie ”, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie Organizations: Warner Bros, Films, University of Southern California’s, Hollywood Locations: Hollywood

☆ A U.K. Deportation Plan Cost $900 Million. Only Four People Left.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Megan Specia | More About Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The previous British government spent far more than previously announced on a contentious plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, it was announced on Monday. The policy, which called for sending asylum seekers to the African nation for processing and resettlement, was championed by successive Conservative prime ministers as their flagship plan to tackle irregular migration. But no asylum seekers were ever deported to Rwanda under the initiative. Four people were put on planes to the central African nation this year, but they were asylum seekers who went voluntarily after being offered £3,000 each. The policy cost the government some £700 million, or just over $900 million, Britain’s new home secretary, Yvette Cooper, told Parliament on Monday.

Persons: Yvette Cooper Locations: Rwanda, African

☆ Russia and China are gaining ground on the US in Latin America, US commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewRussia and China are trying to compete with the US for influence in Latin America, according to the US Southern Command commander. Kevin Riehle, a former FBI counterintelligence officer, told BI last December that Russia was using South America to obtain fake identities for its spies. AdvertisementDaniel P. Erikson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Western Hemisphere, also warned of Chinese and Russian threats in Latin America at an Atlantic Council event in February. Latin America, in the post-Cold War era, has not seen major wars, the prospect of nuclear weapons, or US rivals seeking to establish military bases and alliances directly, he said. "Nonetheless, the economic needs of Latin America and weak governance in many cases have opened the door for predatory, non-transparent deals, particularly with the PRC, which has expanded its influence," he said, using the initials of the People's Republic of China.

Persons: —, Laura J, Richardson, Vyacheslav Volodin, Craig Faller, Kevin Riehle, Daniel P, Erikson, Evan Ellis, Ellis Organizations: Service, US Southern Command, Aspen Security, Initiative, Business, Russian, Institute for, West . Belarus —, US Special Operations Command, FBI, Strategic, International Studies, Atlantic Council, US Army, Strategic Studies Institute, Southern Command Locations: Russia, China, Latin America, Colorado, America, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, West . Belarus, Belarus, South America, Washington, DC, Caribbean, East, Ukraine, People's Republic of China, Iran, United States

☆ The war in Ukraine has 'opened Pandora's box' in Europe, and now new strike weapons are on the way, nuclear weapons expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The impact of these deep strikes has been eye-opening for Europe and the US, opening "Pandora's box" for more of these capabilities, a nuclear weapons and arms control expert told Business Insider. The conventional weapons include SM-6, Tomahawk, and developmental hypersonic weapons, "which have significantly longer range than current land-based fires in Europe." "The war in Ukraine shows that long-range strikes are a key issue for the defense of Europe," Lecornu posted on X. "These countries knew that long-range weapons were important even before Russia invaded Ukraine, but Russia's war in Ukraine has opened Pandora's Box to more and more military steps," explained Hans Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jonathan WordPoland, Germany, France, and Italy's new long-range missile plans follow work in the US to quickly develop new long-range strike systems.

Persons: —, Andrew Dickson, Sebastien Lecornu, Lecornu, Hans, Thierry Wurtz, " Kristensen, Jonathan, Zachary Anderson There's, it's, Kristensen, Trump, he'd Organizations: Service, Business, NATO, Army, Artillery, U.S, French, Russia, Federation of American Scientists, Rafale, US, Attack Missiles, US Navy, Jonathan Word, Trump Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Germany, Australia, Poland, Italy, Moscow, Jonathan Word Poland, France

☆ Charli XCX called Kamala Harris a ‘brat.’ Here’s why that’s a strong endorsement for the candidate
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

British pop singer Charli XCX has entered the virtual chat, posting “kamala is BRAT” on X on Sunday. kamala IS brat — Charli (@charli_xcx) July 22, 2024If you don’t understand what that means, you are both not alone and in a safe space. Charli XCX Explains 'BRAT' Bright Green Inspiration "Boo To Cool Vibes" | Billboard Cover #ShortsThere is even a “brat” color, a very specific shade of chartreuse, which the internet has all but declared as the color of the summer. Gen Z votersIf Harris secures the Democratic nomination, she’ll be working for every vote in the race against former President Donald Trump. Soon after President Biden endorsed Harris, the internet was flooded with meme photos and videos of everything from Harris dancing to coconut trees.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Kamala Harris, Charli XCX, kamala, ”, — Charli, Charli, “, Kamala, Harris, she’ll, Donald Trump, David Hogg, Marjory Stoneman, ” Hogg, VyQQVZnKmE — David Hogg 🟧 Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Younger, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, ust, ard Locations: British, Parkland , Florida

☆ Silicon Valley Investors’ Plans for a New City Put on Hold
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Conor Dougherty | More About Conor Dougherty | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Silicon Valley’s plans for a start-up city are on hold. The delay was announced as part of a joint agreement between California Forever, the company behind the development, and a member of the Solano County’s Board of Supervisors. The agreement means that a ballot initiative, which the company had hoped to put before Solano County’s voters this year, will not appear on the November ballot as planned. California Forever said it would instead spend the rest of this year and next preparing an environmental impact report and trying to craft a development agreement with the county. The project would still have to go before voters to win final approval.

Persons: San Francisco —, Solano County’s Organizations: East Solano Plan, Solano County’s, Supervisors, Solano Locations: San Francisco, California

☆ Google cancels plans to kill off cookies for advertisers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

After years of delay, Google says it will no longer cancel and replace third-party cookies — a practice long used by advertisers — for its internet browser Chrome. Cookies are small pieces of code that websites deliver to a visitor's browser and stick around as the person visits other sites. To do so, Google launched its "Privacy Sandbox" initiative to find a solution that protects user privacy and lets content remain freely available on the open web. But in June 2021, Google pushed back the timeline, giving the digital advertising industry more time to iron out plans for more privacy-conscious targeted ads. In a blog post on Monday, the company said it has received feedback, from both advertisers and regulators, that informed its latest decision to cancel the plan to kill off third-party cookies in its browser.

Persons: —, they'd, Anthony Chavez Organizations: Google

You can get down payment assistance through CHFA's Down Payment Assistance Program or the Time To Own program. VermontThe Vermont Housing Finance Agency offers mortgages, down payment assistance, a first generation homebuyer program, and a mortgage credit certificate. NebraskaThe Nebraska Investment Finance Authority is another state housing finance agency that offers programs for first-time and repeat buyers alike. State first-time homebuyer programs FAQsHow do first-time homebuyer programs differ by state? You may be able to combine multiple forms of state-backed first-time homebuyer assistance, or get state assistance in addition to other, unrelated programs.

Persons: you'll, CHFA, DSHA, MaineHousing, NJHMFA, MHDC, UHC Organizations: Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, FHA, Housing Authority, Maine MaineHousing, Loan, Massachusetts MassHousing, New Hampshire New Hampshire Housing, New Jersey Housing, Mortgage Finance Agency, New Jersey Police, New York Mortgage Agency, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority, Vermont Housing Finance Agency, Alabama Housing Finance Association, Arkansas, Finance Authority, of Columbia Homebuyers, DC Housing Finance Agency, D.C, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia, Plus, Kentucky Housing Corporation, Louisiana Housing Corporation, Maryland Department of Housing, Community Development, Mississippi The Mississippi Home Corporation, North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, Carolina South, Carolina South Carolina Housing, Palmetto, SC, South Carolina National Guard, Tennessee Housing Development Agency, Virginia Virginia Housing, Virginia Department of Housing, West, West Virginia The West, West Virginia The West Virginia Housing Development Fund, Illinois Housing, Authority, Indiana, Indiana Housing, Community Authority ., Iowa Finance Authority, IFA, Kansas Housing, Assistance, Michigan, Housing Development Authority, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Missouri Housing, Commission, Nebraska, Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, North, North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, South Dakota Housing Development Authority, Economic Development Authority, Arizona The, Arizona The Arizona Industrial Development Authority, New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, Texas The, Affordable Housing Corporation, Texas, Homes, Texas Heroes, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, California Housing Finance Agency, Colorado, Colorado Housing, Hawaii Housing Finance, Development Corporation . Idaho, Idaho Housing, Finance Association, Montana, Montana Montana Housing, Nevada Housing Division, Oregon Oregon Housing, Community Services, Utah Housing Corporation, Washington, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Wyoming Community Development Authority Locations: Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire New Hampshire, New Jersey, York The State, Pennsylvania, Rhode, Vermont, Alabama, Arkansas, Washington ,, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Carolina, Carolina South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Virginia, West Virginia, West Virginia The West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana Indiana, Community Authority . Iowa, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, NIFA, North Dakota, North, Ohio, OHFA . South Dakota, Wisconsin, WHEDA . Southwest, Arizona, Arizona The Arizona, Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas The Texas, TSAHC ., Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana Montana, Nevada, Oregon Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Chevron

☆ Psychedelic therapy with ketamine aims to ease PTSD for Ukrainian soldiers coming back scarred from front-line fighting
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Ella Sherman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewAdministered ketamine is being used in concert with therapy to treat Ukrainian veterans who experience post-traumatic stress disorder from fighting on the battlefield. AdvertisementA study published earlier this year focused on the treatment of depression among veterans using ketamine taken through an IV. The doses provided at least partial relief to many of the test subjects and after six weeks of ketamine infusions, depression scores dropped significantly. "Soldiers, for them, it's natural to consider themselves like a strong man," Matrenitsky said, explaining that the effects of the ketamine therapy allow individuals to overcome defensive barriers over their emotions. In partnership with Heal Ukraine Trauma, Matrenitsky along with other healthcare professionals have teamed up to form the Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy initiative in hopes of educating Ukrainian therapists on Ketamine-Assisted Therapy.

Persons: —, Elaine Klein, Julia Rendleman, Dr, Vladislav Matrenitsky, Yulia Brockdorf, Wolfgang Schwan, Matrenitsky, Bandura, Paula Reynal, Klein Organizations: Service, Business, Heal, Washington, Center, Psychotherapy, 24th Brigade, Getty, Strategic, International Studies Locations: American, Ukraine, US, Kyiv, Anadolu, That's, Washington

☆ South African police discover multimillion-dollar meth lab on farm
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Amarachi Orie | Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Police in South Africa arrested four people including two Mexican nationals after uncovering a multimillion-dollar drug manufacturing lab on a farm in the country’s north. After searching four structures on the property, police found large quantities of chemicals used to make illicit drugs including acetone and crystal meth, with an estimated street value of 2 billion South African rand ($109.4 million). Police found large quantities of chemicals used to make illicit drugs including acetone and crystal meth. South African Police ServiceThe four suspects detained on Friday include the farm owner and two Mexican nationals, the police service said, adding that the Hawks are not ruling out the possibility of further arrests. The suspects will appear at Groblersdal Magistrate’s court on Monday on charges of manufacturing, dealing and possessing illicit drugs, according to the police service.

Persons: SAPS, ” Katlego Organizations: CNN — Police, South African Police Service, Police, African Police Service, Hawks, Reuters, Global, Transnational, United Nations Office, Drugs Locations: South Africa, Groblersdal, ”

☆ How Project 2025 could impact your tax bracket and capital gains under a second Trump term
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

More from Personal Finance:Lower capital gains tax, SNAP cuts: What Project 2025 could mean for your walletMany Americans think they're insulated from climate change. On a website dedicated to Project 2025, the Biden campaign describes the plan as a "blueprint for Trump." However, several former Trump officials have been directly affiliated with Project 2025 and Trump praised the Heritage Foundation in April 2022 in a recently resurfaced video. "As President Trump said, he has nothing to do with Project 2025," said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign. Earlier this month, the group told CNBC: "As we've been saying for more than two years now, Project 2025 does not speak for any candidate or campaign.

Persons: Donald Trump applauds, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Trump, Steven Cheung, we've Organizations: Republican National Convention, Heritage Foundation, Finance, Lower, SNAP, Federal, Trump, GOP, CNBC Locations: Milwaukee , Wisconsin, U.S

☆ Ukraine's Air Force must ditch its Soviet-style approach to get the most out of F-16s
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But only if the battered Ukrainian Air Force is capable and willing to drastically change the way it fights in the middle of the war. Finally, Ukrainian Air Force leadership must be incorporated into the Ukrainian General Staff to foster and facilitate integrated, all-domain concepts, planning, and employment." "The bottom line is that it will not be easy," Deptula, a retired US Air Force lieutenant general, told Business Insider. "It will take years for the Ukrainian military culture to shift from the model based on their Soviet military history, to Western military doctrine." For example, ground-based artillery and rockets can destroy Russian air defense systems, which enables Ukraine's air force to operate over the battlefield, and thus provide close air support to the army.

Persons: David Deptula, Christopher Bowie, Nichols, Goldwater, interservice, —, Mitchell, Deptula, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Ukrainian Air Force, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Mitchell Institute, Ukrainian, Staff, US Air Force, Russian Air Force, Goldwater, Navy, Joint Chiefs, Missions, Army, Marines, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Soviet, Grenada, Ukrainian, Forbes

☆ The Data That Powers A.I. Is Disappearing Fast
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Kevin Roose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Over the past year, many of the most important web sources used for training A.I. models have restricted the use of their data, according to a study published this week by the Data Provenance Initiative, an M.I.T.-led research group. The study, which looked at 14,000 web domains that are included in three commonly used A.I. training data sets, discovered an “emerging crisis in consent,” as publishers and online platforms have taken steps to prevent their data from being harvested. The researchers estimate that in the three data sets — called C4, RefinedWeb and Dolma — 5 percent of all data, and 25 percent of data from the highest-quality sources, has been restricted.

☆ Droughts are threatening California's water supply. The state is racing to save what's left.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Leila Jordan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

In 2012, San Francisco's Public Utilities Commission began developing the Onsite Water Reuse Program to investigate whether water reuse, also known as water recycling, in buildings could be a solution to California's water problem. The adoption of on-site water reuse can also be a sensible decision for developers. Water reuse to overcome hurdlesWhile large plants and on-site water systems in major buildings have been California's more established methods of water reuse, the state's biggest hurdle is retrofitting systems for existing buildings. During times of drought, the state has encouraged water conservation and water recycling, such as the use of recycled water for plants. In 2023, California made progress toward establishing recycled water for direct potable reuse and allowing recycled water to be used in the state's drinking-water supply.

Persons: —, Paula Kehoe, Kehoe, Aaron Tartakovsky, Tartakovsky, Cleantec, They're, Phoenix's Aquacell, Cleantec Erik Porse, Porse, It's Organizations: Infrastructure, Service, Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, California Institute for Water Resources, Brewing, Texas Locations: California, Silicon, San Francisco, San Francisco's, Beverly Hills, San, Iowa, States, Virginia, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, East Coast, Southern California, In Texas

☆ The Voices Young Conservatives Are Listening to Online
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Rachel Janfaza | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

By the time that former President Donald J. Trump joined TikTok in June, conservative content was flourishing on the social media platform, known for its grip on young people. That environment has had an effect on many voters, particularly members of Generation Z, for whom Mr. Trump has been a consistent presence on presidential ballots since they became eligible to vote. The appetite for conservative-leaning content online inspired CJ Pearson, 21 and a chairman of the Republican National Committee’s Youth Advisory Council, to develop a digital initiative called Influence America. “People follow people,” said Mr. Pearson, a veteran of the youth-focused conservative platform PragerU. “They don’t follow organizations; they don’t follow parties.”

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, CJ Pearson, ”, Pearson Organizations: TikTok, Republican National, Advisory Council

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