After backlash to some minor brand changes over the past year, M&M Mars has decided to temporarily retire its M&Ms "spokescandies," and will replace them with an ad campaign fronted by Saturday Night Live veteran Maya Rudolph. After making some minor design changes to the Green M&M, the company also introduced a purple M&M "spokescandy" last year, followed by an all-female packaging promotion earlier this month. Of course, given the timing, it's easy to assume that Rudolph's first appearance in an M&Ms ad will be a Super Bowl commercial next month.
Even if that's true, it's hard to guess whether that means the whole thing is a joke, or if they really are pausing the use of the candies. We'll have to see what comes next.
"America, let's talk. In the last year, we've made some changes to our beloved spokescandies. We weren't sure if anyone would even notice. And we definitely didn't think it would break the internet. But now we get it -- even a candy's shoes can be polarizing. Which was the last things M&M's wanted, since we're all about bringing people together," the brand said in a statement posted to social media. "Therefore, we hvae decided to take an indefinite pause from the spokescandies. In their place, we are proud to introduce a new spokesperson America can agree on: the beloved Maya Rudolph. We are confident Ms. Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong."
You can see the tweet below.
A message from M&M'S. pic.twitter.com/EMucEBTd9o— M&M'S (@mmschocolate) January 23, 2023
Along with the debut of Purple in September, a song called "I'm Just Gonna Be Me" was released to on all major music streaming platforms. For every stream of the song, M&M's pledged $1 (up to five hundred thousand dollars) will be made to Sing for Hope, a non-profit that harnesses the power of the arts to bring hope, connection, and purpose to millions of people around the world through music. The charitable aspect of Purple's debut is a part of M&M's FUNd, the brand's global initiative intended to track the brand's impact on its mission to increase a sense of belonging for ten million people by 2025. They did a virtually identical promotion with the all-female packaging, donating money to women's causes via partnerships with She Is the Music and We are Moving the Needle.


Two former MAE undergraduates, Frances Arnold and John Dabiri have been named to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). Frances is the Linus Pauling Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biochemistry at Caltech; she won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2018 (she was the first American woman to do so). John is the Centennial Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering at Caltech; previously he received a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Fellowship. Members of PCAST advise the President of the United States on science and technology.
Two Princeton University faculty members, Andrea Goldsmith, Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Arthur LeGrand Doty Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Steve Pacala, Frederick D. Petrie Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, were also named to serve on PCAST.


A state appeals court in New Jersey issued a vehement rebuke of a judge’s earlier court decision in a rape case, in which the judge had given leniency to the defendant—reasoning that he was from “a good family” and was a good student whose future would be ruined by a rape trial.
The defendant was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl who was heavily intoxicated at a party in 2017 and then widely sharing a video he had filmed of the attack. When prosecutors asked family court Judge James Troiano to grant a waiver allowing them to try the defendant as an adult due to the “sophisticated and predatory” nature of the alleged attack, they presented evidence including texts he had sent to friends showing the video along with the comment, “When your first time having sex was rape.”
“The judge’s decision has been overruled—but how many more judges do we have to hear this damaging rubbish from before we retrain and recast senior judiciary?”
—Sophie Walker, Young Women’s TrustIn July 2018, Troiano ruled that G.M.C. should not be tried as an adult, citing his background as an Eagle scout and his high test scores in school.
The judge had “decided the case for himself” instead of considering the facts of the case, the appeals court ruled.
Troiano expressed doubt that the victim was truly incapacitated at the time of the alleged rape and questioned whether the girl and her family had considered the effect a rape trial would have on the defendant’s life.
“The judge expressed concern that the prosecutor did not indicate in the memorandum that she had explained to Mary and her mother the devastating effect a waiver would have on G.M.C.’s life,” the appellate court wrote in its ruling on Troiano’s decision.
Troiano also noted in his 2018 decision that the alleged attack did not fit his personal definition of rape, which he considered to involve “generally two or more…males, either at gunpoint or weapon, clearly manhandling a person into…an area where…there was nobody around, sometime in an abandon[ed] house, sometimes in an abandon[ed] shed, shack,” according to the appeals court.
On social media as the appeals court’s decision was reported on Wednesday, critics expressed shock that a judge presiding over a court in 2018 would hold such views of rape.
The appeals court sided with prosecutors who in 2017 had argued that because of the “sophisticated and predatory” nature of the alleged assault, G.M.C. should be tried as an adult.
“At the time he led [the victim] into the basement gym, she was visibly intoxicated and unable to walk without stumbling,” the prosecutors wrote at the time. “The door was barred by a foosball table. Filming a cell phone video while committing the assault was a deliberate act of debasement. And, in the months that followed, he lied to [the victim] while simultaneously disseminating the video and unabashedly sharing the nature of his conduct therein. This was neither a childish misinterpretation of the situation, nor was it a misunderstanding. [G.M.C.’s] behavior was calculated and cruel.”
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Rejecting Troiano’s reasoning for dismissing the evidence presented by the prosecutors, the appeals court accused him of granting leniency to the defendant only because of his privileged background.
“That the juvenile came from a good family and had good test scores we assume would not condemn the juveniles who do not come from good families and do not have good test scores from withstanding waiver application,” the court wrote.
The court also recently reversed the 2017 decision of family court Judge Marcia Silva, who had denied a motion to try another 16-year-old male as an adult after he was accused of raping a 12-year-old girl.
The case, Silva argued, was not “an especially heinous or cruel offense beyond the elements of the crimes that the waiver statute intends to target,” and “beyond losing her virginity, the State did not claim that the victim suffered any further injuries, either physical, mental, or emotional.”
The appeals court admonished Silva, who it said had “mistakenly applied her judgment” when deciding the case, including “minimization of the harm wrought on a twelve-year-old child by [the defendant] assuming her claims are true.”
New Jersey state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg called for both Silva and Troiano’s removal from their seats and decried the display of “privilege, bias, prejudice, and bigotry” in the state’s justice system.
“Any example of [these] displayed by the people in charge of issuing justice in our state should be intolerable,” Weinberg said.
“There is no space for judges of this character,” she added. “Judge Troiano and Judge Silva should never again be given the privilege of presiding over a New Jersey court, that is clear. But we should also use these examples of alarming behavior in a way that curtails this conduct in the future.”


The first round of the 2024 women’s NCAA tournament is wrapping up Saturday.
Top-seeded Iowa rolled into the second round as Caitlin Clark scored 27 points. No. 1 seed USC handled business as JuJu Watkins scored 23 points leading the Trojans to a win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Catch the final action of the night on ESPN networks and the ESPN App.
We’re breaking down every game as the field is cut in half, and 32 teams are eliminated. And be sure to check out everything we learned Friday on Day 1.
Is there a concern about Hannah Stuelke not playing in the second half for Iowa? The Hawkeyes’ starting forward played just over 10 minutes in the first half and didn’t score. She didn’t play in the second half. Stuelke said she was dealing with a migraine and tried to play through it, but just didn’t feel well. She said she expects to be fine for Monday’s second-round game. Stuelke is Iowa’s second-leading scorer (14.6 PPG) and rebounder (6.8 RPG) this season. But the Hawkeyes didn’t have any issues defeating the Crusaders without her, as Clark led the way with 27 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. And reserve post player Addison O’Grady had 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting, plus five rebounds. “She came off the bench and did some nice things for us,” coach Lisa Bluder said of O’Grady.
What it means for Iowa: The Hawkeyes are now 30-4 and did a pretty good job dealing with Holy Cross’ attempts to frustrate them defensively. The Crusaders packed in the paint, so Iowa made 10 3-pointers. And the Hawkeyes won the rebounding battle 50-37.
What it means for Holy Cross: The Crusaders, 21-13, finished their season as Patriot League regular-season and tournament champions. They also got a First Four victory in the NCAA tournament, beating UT Martin. — Michael Voepel
JuJu Watkins smacks away the layup for USC
JuJu Watkins gets it done on the defensive end after she swats away the layup attempt.
Is McKenzie Forbes USC’s new go-to player? Of course, this question is mostly tongue-in-cheek. JuJu Watkins remains as “go-to” as any player in the country this side of Caitlin Clark. But Forbes’ play of late is worth examining. If she continues to play this well, the Trojans will have a significantly improved shot at winning the national title. Against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, her 23 points (9-of-14 shooting in 29 minutes) tied her with Watkins for the team-high mark. And Forbes is coming off a 26-point performance in the Pac-12 tournament championship game and 17 points against UCLA in the semifinals.
What it means for USC: The Trojans made sure there was no stress in their first-round game after a 21-4 first quarter. But taking the court as a No. 1 seed for the first time since 1986 is a big deal for a program that, because of Watkins, will be part of the national conversation for years to come.
What it means for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: To call themselves Southland Conference tournament champs and NCAA tournament participants for the first time makes this the best season in Islanders’ program history. –Charlie Creme
Hannah Hidalgo threads a pass to Sonia Citron for 2
Hannah Hidalgo makes a magnificent bounce pass to Sonia Citron, who lays in the rock for two.
How far can Notre Dame’s Big Three take the Irish? With just six healthy scholarship players, Notre Dame must rely heavily on Hannah Hidalgo, Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld. In the ACC tournament championship game, it was Hidalgo and Westbeld that carried Notre Dame to the title. Today, it was almost exclusively Citron who pushed the Irish to the second round. Her 29 points allowed the Irish to beat the Golden Flashes despite Hidalgo and Westbeld shooting a combined 9-of-27 from the field. Notre Dame got out ahead early and was never really threatened by Kent State, but for the team to make a deep run, every member of the big three will have to deliver.
What it means for Notre Dame: This was the art of shutting down a potential upset early. Notre Dame scored 18 straight points in the first quarter and never looked back. Even though Kent State outscored the Irish in the second half, the outcome of the game was never in jeopardy. Despite Citron, Hidalgo and Westbeld all still playing to the final buzzer because Niele Ivey simply has no other options, the minutes weren’t intense, so Notre Dame should be rested enough for the second round.
What it means for Kent State: The Golden Flashes finished third in the MAC and made their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2002. This was a successful season by any measure. — Charlie Creme
Paige Bueckers notches 28-point double-double in tournament return
Paige Bueckers puts up 28 points and 11 boards to power UConn to a win in her return to the women’s NCAA tournament.
How did the shorthanded Huskies fare in their NCAA tournament opener? Jackson State went 10 deep and played a 6-foot-6 post in Angel Jackson, but the Huskies — who are down to eight active players (two posts) with six out for the year because of injury — rolled early in Saturday’s opener. UConn used a 17-0 first-quarter run to build its advantage and held a comfortable lead for the last 25 minutes of the game. Against a defensive-minded squad, the Huskies were impressive offensively, besting the Lady Tigers in the paint and from the 3-point arc as redshirt junior Paige Bueckers, senior Aaliyah Edwards and freshman Ashlynn Shade each hit the 20-point mark, and the team shot 50% as a whole.
Coach Geno Auriemma played four players for 34 or more minutes despite his squad being comfortably ahead for most of the game. UConn would benefit from having Qadence Samuels able to play more minutes (she played just seven Saturday) as the tournament goes on.
What it means for UConn: Lots of positives all the way around. Bueckers shined in her first NCAA tournament game since April 2022, finishing with 28 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and 0 turnovers. Shade’s big game (her 26 points were the most by a UConn player in their NCAA tournament debut) has to give Auriemma, who turned 70 on Saturday, confidence moving forward with his younger squad. He’ll need Shade’s classmates KK Arnold, Ice Brady and Samuels to continue to gain confidence as the Huskies look ahead to Monday and whatever lies beyond.
What it means for Jackson State: Returning to the NCAA tournament was a goal for the Lady Tigers after missing out last season with their SWAC tournament loss to Southern — and they achieved that while compiling a 21-game winning streak along the way. She has a senior-heavy squad, but coach Tomekia Reed has shown she knows what it takes to win, and that her teams will never back down from the challenge of playing more highly ranked programs. — Alexa Philippou
NC State Wolfpack vs. Chattanooga Mocs – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from NC State Wolfpack vs. Chattanooga Mocs
What has happened to NC State’s offense? Scoring has become hard to come by in Raleigh as of late. The Wolfpack have hit the 70-point mark just twice in their past seven games. A 33.3% shooting day against the Mocs didn’t ease any concerns. Aziaha James paced the way with 19 points today and did make 5 of 10 3-pointers, but consistency behind her has been missing. Saniya Rivers failed to reach double figures in any ACC tournament game and despite 16 points against Chattanooga, she was only 4-of-11 from the field and had just one assist. With a Tennessee team up next that scored 92 points earlier in the day, the Wolfpack may need to regain their earlier-season form when they scored 92 against UConn and 78 against Colorado, quickly.
What it means for NC State: The term “Survive and Advance” was born in Raleigh, and that is exactly what the Wolfpack did against Chattanooga. In NCAA tournament play that is enough. After losing in the first round a year ago, this should feel good. These games are tough for coaches meeting their former programs, like Wes Moore was. He coached at Chattanooga from 1998 to 2013, getting the Mocs to nine NCAA tournaments.
What it means for Chattanooga: NC State did shut down the Mocs’ best player, Jada Guinn, holding her to 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting. With Guinn’s eligibility gone, earning a third straight trip to the NCAA tournament gets more difficult. — Charlie Creme
Yvonne Ejim floats in and-1 for Gonzaga
Yvonne Ejim floats in and-1 for Gonzaga
Will Gonzaga get its 3-point shooting mojo back for the second round? The Bulldogs entered the NCAA tournament second in 3-point shooting percentage (40.0) and sixth in 3s per game (9.5) in Division I. But they missed their first 10 attempts from behind the arc Saturday, finishing 7-of-23 (30.4%).
Overall, Gonzaga started slow Saturday; it felt a little like a hangover from its unexpected loss to Portland in the West Coast Conference tournament final March 12. Gonzaga trailed the Anteaters 17-10 after the first quarter. But the Bulldogs switched to zone defense and took control of the second and third quarters to get the victory.
What it means for Gonzaga: The Bulldogs got their 31st win Saturday. That ties the 2010-11 Gonzaga squad — which was led by current New York Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot — for the most in program history. Yvonne Ejim had 25 points and 14 rebounds, her 14th double-double of the season. That’s the most double-doubles by a Gonzaga player in a season since 18 by — you guessed it — Vandersloot in 2010-11.
What it means for UC Irvine: The Anteaters got off to a good start Saturday, but struggled when Gonzaga moved to zone defense, as UC Irvine shot just 26% against it. Still, it was a terrific season for the Anteaters: They won the Big West tournament and made their second NCAA tournament appearance; the first was in 1995. — Michael Voepel
Jordan Harrison sinks it from downtown
Jordan Harrison sinks it from downtown
Can the Mountaineers slow down Iowa’s offense in the second round? West Virginia averages 74.2 PPG compared to Iowa’s 92.8. If the Mountaineers hope to upset the No. 1 seed Hawkeyes in Monday’s second round, they need a big defensive effort. West Virginia entered the NCAA tournament second in the Big 12 in scoring defense.
West Virginia had 11 steals in Saturday’s game and averages 13.7 per game this season. The Mountaineers beat Big 12 regular-season champion Oklahoma on Feb. 17; the Sooners — like Iowa — are a guard-oriented, quick-strike offensive team. West Virginia had 12 steals and forced 25 turnovers against the Sooners.
“There are some similarities in terms of how good they are in transition, how free they play on the offensive end,” West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg said of the Hawkeyes and Sooners.”So it will probably be a similar conversation from our game plan that we can use again.”
West Virginia needs to improve its free throw shooting against the Hawkeyes; they were 18-of-36 from the line Saturday against Princeton.
What it means for West Virginia: Last year, Georgia guard Diamond Battles played well against Iowa in the second round, scoring 21 points and helping push the Hawkeyes before falling 74-66. This year, it’s West Virginia guard JJ Quinerly who hopes to lead the way in upsetting Caitlin Clark and Iowa. Quinerly had 29 points vs. Princeton, tying the West Virginia program record for most points in an NCAA tournament game.
“I hope we can put the game away a little faster and don’t have to go shot-for-shot,” Quinerly said when asked if she was prepared to do that against Clark, the leading scorer in Division I. “But whatever happens, happens.”
What it means for Princeton: The Tigers won the Ivy League tournament and finished 25-5. It was another strong season for the program that has led the way for the Ivy League in women’s basketball. — Michael Voepel
Lauren Jensen’s shiftiness rewards her the bucket
Lauren Jensen uses her handles to create space, then she rises to score the runner for Creighton.
How did Creighton dismantle one of the hottest teams in the nation? UNLV had the nation’s fourth-longest win streak (15) at the time of this game, following FGCU’s and Jackson State’s losses earlier Saturday. The Lady Rebels led early but Creighton used its hot 3-point shooting to go up by as many as 18 points. The Bluejays’ 15 3s (on 34 attempts, no less) were the most in a NCAA tournament game in program history and the second-most they’ve converted in a game this season. UNLV, on the other hand, nearly doubled up Creighton in the paint (46-24), with senior Desi-Rae Young managing 30 points and the team as a whole finishing with a better shooting percentage (51% vs. 48%). But 3 is more than 2, and UNLV managed just 5-for-20 shooting from beyond the arc.
What it means for Creighton: Coach Jim Flanery has to like what he saw after his squad’s semifinal upset loss in the Big East tournament to Georgetown, particularly on the offensive end — this was Creighton’s sixth-highest scoring output of the season. After last year’s first-round upset defeat, the Bluejays are back in the second round and, if chalk holds, will face 2-seeded UCLA. The last time they made the second round was the year they went on their magical Elite Eight run in 2022. The Bruins, and 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts, would pose a host of problems, but Creighton does have the edge in experience.
What it means for UNLV: The Lady Rebels have been a Mountain West power under fourth-year coach Lindy La Rocque, with three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances following a 20-year hiatus. The next step is to win a tournament game under La Rocque; none of their three losses have been blowouts, so they’re not all that far off. Young deciding to come back for her fifth year would help in that effort. — Alexa Philippou
What a shot by Kennedy Todd-Williams
What a shot by Kennedy Todd-Williams
How far can the Ole Miss defense take the Rebels? In the NCAA tournament in the past two years, Ole Miss has allowed 55 points to Marquette, 48 points to Gonzaga, 49 points to Stanford — all good offensive programs. Only Louisville scoring 72 seemed to figure out Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s scheme. The Golden Eagles were the latest team to have the clamps put on them. Marquette scored just 22 second-half points and shot 34.5% from the field for the game. Coach Yo says that the Ole Miss defense is its best offense. The Rebels turned 17 turnovers into 13 points, a big number in such a low-scoring game. This also puts a stamp on a good first few days of the NCAA tournament for the SEC, which is 6-3 through the first round.
What it means for Ole Miss: Coach Yo vowed to turn the Ole Miss program around, and she has not only gotten the Rebels to three straight NCAA tournaments, she’s now 3-2 in them. This game was also an Ole Miss blueprint to success. Defense is the foundation. Let Madison Scott and either Marquesha Davis or Kennedy Todd-Williams drive the offense. Scott (20) and Todd-Williams (15) scored more than half the Rebels’ points. This is also the 328th-ranked 3-point shooting team in the country. Ole Miss only took five shots from beyond the arc.
What it means for Marquette: A promising season fizzled down the stretch as the offense disappeared. But this was the program’s third trip to the NCAA tournament in four years under Megan Duffy. — Charlie Creme
Oklahoma survives as Florida Gulf Coast misses tying shot
Florida Gulf Coast gets a good look from deep, but Uju Ezeudu clanks her shot and Oklahoma moves on in the NCAA tournament.
How does Oklahoma hit the reset button? The Sooners themselves play one of the most unique styles of offense among the major conference teams. But Florida Gulf Coast might be THE most unique offense in the country — shooting 3-pointers, layups and free throws are the only acceptable ways to score. Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk remarked after the game how difficult it is to play against the Eagles. At their essence, both teams like to spread the floor and either shoot 3-pointers or get cuts to the basket. There were 48 3’s taken in this game, 30 by FGCU. The Sooners only made six of their 18, but where they finally started to deliver was in the paint, outscoring the Eagles, 34-26. Oklahoma didn’t take a lead until there was 2:46 left in the third quarter and then had to hold off a late FGCU rally, which included a good look to tie the game at the buzzer by senior Uju Ezeudu. Indiana plays a more conventional style even if the Hoosiers will be happy to run at Oklahoma’s pace. The Sooners will have to shake off the mental strain of playing a team as challenging as the Eagles.
What it means for Oklahoma: Despite winning the Big 12 regular-season title, there were some questions about the Sooners because of a loss to Kansas in the regular-season finale and their decisive defeat to Iowa State in conference tournament semifinals. This win, given the challenge, has to be gratifying, and now Oklahoma has an NCAA tournament win for the third time under Baranczyk. Skylar Vann scored 14 of her 24 points in the second half, including two key fast-break layups in the fourth quarter.
What it means for Florida Gulf Coast: That FGCU got an open look at a 3-pointer with under a second to play speaks to the coaching acumen of Karl Smesko. This wasn’t even a typically great 3-point shooting team for Smesko (175th in the country at 30.8%), but he adjusted and got the Eagles to this place again. He was three points from winning a first-round game as No. 12 for the third consecutive year. — Charlie Creme
Dyaisha Fair shines with 32 pts in win vs. Arizona
Dyaisha Fair helps bring Syracuse to a first round NCAA tournament win with 32 points vs. Arizona.
How far can Dyaisha Fair take Syracuse this March? Somewhat lost in the shuffle this season has been that there are two active players who rank in the top five of the NCAA DI women’s all-time scoring list: Caitlin Clark and Dyaisha Fair.
Fair led the Orange in scoring the whole night Saturday, but her fourth-quarter heroics — she scored 13 points in the final frame to help Syracuse pull ahead — added to the fifth-year senior’s still-growing legacy in her final NCAA tournament. Especially considering she went down with an apparent knee injury at the end of the third quarter and had to be helped off the floor before returning in the fourth.
Fair’s 32 points are the most by a Syracuse player in an NCAA tournament game in program history. With 3,383 points for her career, she’s now 11 away from passing Jackie Stiles (3,393) for fourth on the all-time scoring list. She also got it done on the defensive end, with her six steals also a program-best for an NCAA tournament game.
Fair next faces a UConn team that has a history of letting guards go off. Can she put together more heroics to catalyze Syracuse to a historic upset?
What it means for Syracuse: Syracuse is back in the second round for the first time since 2019, and the first time since second-year coach Felisha Legette-Jack took over. The Orange have a chance to make their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016; Legette-Jack took her Buffalo team to the second weekend in 2018. Legette-Jack’s Buffalo and Geno Auriemma’s UConn met in the tournament the year after in the second round, coincidentally, with the Huskies winning by 12.
What it means for Arizona: The Wildcats’ up-and-down season — they were left with just seven scholarship players because of injuries and midseason departures — still ended on a high note. After all, their chances of making the NCAA tournament didn’t look so hot a month ago. Once they got to the Big Dance, they showed they belonged, with their win over Auburn in the First Four making them the first 15-loss team to win an NCAA tournament game. While Esmery Martinez and Helena Pueyo have finished out their collegiate careers, Adia Barnes now gets to build around her promising freshmen in Jada Williams, Breya Cunningham and Skylar Jones, plus top-10 recruit Montaya Dew, who was lost for the year because of injury. — Alexa Philippou
Taiyanna Jackson drives in for the go-ahead Kansas bucket
Wyvette Mayberry finds Taiyanna Jackson to give the Jayhawks the early overtime lead.
Isn’t this better than the WNIT? The Jayhawks won the WNIT a year ago but throughout that run seemed like a team that belonged in the NCAA tournament. A strong finish to this season left no doubt about a bid and an even stronger finish to this first-round game puts Kansas in the second round for the second time since 2013. Michigan appeared to have complete control with a 10-point lead with six minutes remaining, but a 17-7 run sparked by Zakiyah Franklin to end regulation sent the game to overtime. A Wolverines offense that was already sputtering down the stretch, completely faded in an overtime that Kansas dominated.
What it means for Kansas: Kansas’ best player this year was freshman S’Mya Nichols, but the Jayhawks also have four fifth-year seniors who do not want to see their careers end. Franklin is one of those super seniors and her 22 points marked only the third 20-point game of her final season. Taiyanna Jackson and Holly Kersgieter are also trying to extend their careers, and they combined for 23 points and 17 rebounds. With size, experience and the willingness to grind in a slow-pace game, the Jayhawks could be a difficult matchup in round two for No. 1 seed USC.
What it means for Michigan: Letting this one slip away will sting. The inconsistency of an entire season played out in one 10-minute stretch for the Wolverines. But if Laila Phelia, one of the Big Ten’s best players, Jordan Hobbs and Cameron Williams return, the Wolverines will be set up for a return to the NCAA tournament next season. —Charlie Creme
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Fairfield Stags – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from Indiana Hoosiers vs. Fairfield Stags
Can Indiana take this shooting into the later rounds? The Hoosiers lifted their energy a level toward the end of the first half and a 12-3 run gave them a four-point lead at the break. That energy turned to execution in the second half, leading to a blowout win over Fairfield. With Sara Scalia leading the way, Indiana made seven of its 14 3-point attempts in the second half and more impressively assisted on 14 of 17 field goals. Scalia scored 18 of her 27 points in the second half and made five 3’s. The Hoosiers’ 10 3-pointers were the most they have made in a game in a month.
What this means for Indiana: Health has been a problem late in the season with injuries to Mackenzie Holmes, Sydney Parrish and Lilly Meister. Teri Moren said that even practicing has been a challenge. But all looked well in Bloomington on Saturday afternoon. All three of those players played double-figure minutes. Most importantly, Holmes seemed to move well and even blocked three shots to go with her 13 points and six rebounds.
What it means for Fairfield: The Stags played well in the first half. For stretches, they were the better team. Their 31-2 record won’t soon be forgotten and with coach Carly Thibault-DuBonis signing a contract extension this week, Fairfield should be playing more meaningful games in March very soon. — Charlie Creme
Jewel Spear buries a 3 from the top of the key for Tennessee
Jewel Spear pulls up and knocks down a triple from the top of the key for the Lady Volunteers.
How well did the Lady Vols bounce back from the loss to South Carolina in the SEC tournament? As the saying goes, time heals all wounds. At least, it did for Tennessee. Having two weeks to recover from the heartbreak of losing to the Gamecocks in the SEC tournament semifinals on Kamilla Cardoso’s banked-in 3-pointer did the Lady Vols well. They dominated Green Bay. Sometimes one team is just bigger, stronger and faster. That was the case for Tennessee against the Phoenix. Green Bay’s tallest player is 6-foot-2. Tennessee has five players that tall. And the Lady Vols dominated in all the associated categories — rebounding (43-26), points in the paint (40-26) and second-chance points (14-10). Having the best player on the court also helps. Rickea Jackson, whose pro stock seems to be rising with every game, did whatever she wanted on her way to 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting in 29 minutes.
What it means for Tennessee: The Lady Vols’ rebounding dominance was not surprising against Green Bay. Tennessee’s hot shooting was. Before the benches emptied with the game out of reach, Tennessee was shooting nearly 65% overall and 50% from 3-point territory. This from a team that was 43.0% and 31.9%, respectively, on the season. A Tennessee team that shoots like this and has Jackson playing at this elite level is a threat to make its first Elite Eight since 2016 or first Final Four since 2008.
What it means for Green Bay: The Phoenix are well established as one of the top mid-major programs in the country under Kevin Borseth, but this was their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2018. After beating Washington State and Creighton in the regular season, losing by 29 points will certainly come as a disappointment. — Charlie Creme


There will not be a Republican primary in the 50th Senate District.
Rick Guy said in a statement provided to The Citizen Thursday that he will not appeal the state Board of Elections' decision to remove him from the ballot. The agency determined Guy, a Republican, submitted 779 valid signatures — less than the 1,000 need to qualify for the primary.
Following the state Board of Elections' vote Wednesday, Guy had three days to appeal the ruling in court.
"After seeking the advice of counsel I have decided that I will not pursue judicial review of the NYS Board of Election's determination that I have insufficient signatures for my name to appear on the primary ballot for the 50th Senate District seat," Guy said.
Guy was one of two Republicans in the 50th district race. With his exit, the GOP nominee is Onondaga County Comptroller Bob Antonacci.
Supporters of Antonacci filed objections to Guy's petitions. The main issue found was that Guy's son, Joseph, collected nearly 360 signatures for his father. But the younger Guy isn't a registered Republican.
To circulate petitions for a Republican candidate, the individual must be a GOP voter.
The state Board of Elections' review team and a hearing officer determined the signatures collected by Joseph Guy weren't valid and ruled them out.
Rick Guy believes the signatures should be valid because his son is a notary public. Notaries can pass petitions, but they must administer an oath to each signer.
"I remain convinced that a technical error like the one that has caused me to have too few signatures that are considered valid should not prevent petition signers from having their say," Guy said. "I believe the election laws in New York state are too burdensome and easily manipulated by the party leaders to prevent candidates from challenging their control."
He added, "I would like to thank everyone who helped us."
Guy's departure clears the field for Antonacci, who will face Democratic candidate John Mannion in the general election.
Antonacci and Mannion are running to succeed state Sen. John DeFrancisco, a Republican who has held the seat since 1993. DeFrancisco announced earlier this year that he will not seek re-election.


University of Utah Hospital officials say 23-year-old Derrick E. Martinez of Garden City, Kan., died Wednesday.
Martinez was found unconscious in a mobile testing trailer at the plant on Saturday.
Martinez was taken to a Pocatello hospital and then flow to the Utah hospital.
Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in the air causes burning of the nose, throat and respiratory tract.
Martinez worked for a Simplot subcontractor, Blick's Phosphate Conversion. Blick's spokesman Kenny Kalb says the cause of the man's exposure is still being investigated.
More Northwest Headlines
Spokane utility customers receive gift cards after long power outage 3 arrested in Spokane supermarket abduction and assault 3:54 p.m. Most WWU students return to Bellingham campus after hate speech 3:19 p.m. Washington struggling to meet foster care goals for children 12:51 p.m. Weather temporarily halts search for body of Oregon climber 3:34 p.m. Ex-judge reviews how Spokane handled police chief complaints 1:57 p.m. Bellingham man found guilty of assault for shooting neighbor 12:54 p.m. Woman accused of fatal shooting in Yakima to appear in court 12:52 p.m.
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The 60 Minutes host says we know Epstein is dead because the body’s fingerprints matched Epstein’s prints on record. [Now that proves it, doesn’t it? If Epstein truly was murdered, that means the prison staff was in on it. In that case, why would we so quickly believe the story about finger prints?]
Sixteen Republican congressmen are asking the General Services Administration (GSA) to reevaluate a contract with Citibank to facilitate $700 billion in payment transactions as a result of the the financial institution’s anti-Second Amendment policies. Last month, Citibank announced that companies using Citibank financial services are required to restrict the sale of firearms for individuals under 21 years of age and stop selling “bump stocks or high-capacity magazines.


Stephen Foley: Spectre of sub-prime lending is still haunting Bank of America
Stephen Foley is a former Associate Business Editor of The Independent, based in New York. He left in August 2012. In a decade at the paper, he covered personal finance, the UK stock market and the pharmaceuticals industry, and had also been the Business section's share tipster. Between arriving with three suitcases in Manhattan in January 2006 and his departure, he witnessed and reported on a great economic boom turning spectacularly to bust. In March 2009, he was named Business and Finance Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards.
Saturday 13 August 2011
US Outlook: Anyone searching for terrifying echoes of the 2008 financial crisis need have looked no further than what happened to Bank of America this week.
How much of this sounds familiar? Shares in one of the biggest banks in the US are pinging about as if they were a penny stock, and the cost of insuring its debt is soaring. Analysts openly speculate about a "black hole" in its finances, where mounting and unquantifiable mortgage losses may force it into an emergency fundraising. Most terrifying of all, the chief executive finds it necessary to go on business television to calm frayed nerves.
Who can forget Bear Stearns's boss Alan Schwartz going on CNBC in March 2008 to deny aliquidity crisis at his firm, a declaration of complacency that only exacerbated the run and sank the bank within days?
These were the similarities that got everyone's attention whenBrian Moynihan, BofA's chief executive, took to the airwaves. Thedifferences were actually more apparent – BofA is not facing an existential crisis, and it has many more sources of liquidity than a pre-crisis investment bank like Bear ever did – but my goodness, Mr Moynihan is in a mess.
BofA is the quintessential "systemically important financial institution" (Sifi is the new jargon term for banks popularly known as too big to fail). It touches one out of every two households in the US. Its branches are on almost every street corner in the nation and it owns Merrill Lynch, the powerhouse investment bank.
Importantly for understanding why it is in such a state, it also bought America's largest subprime lender, Countrywide Financial, in 2007. Countrywide is now the imploding star at the heart of the company.
Four years after the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, we still don't know the total losses involved. How can we? Banks have resisted a once-and-for-all programme of loan forgiveness for underwater borrowers, and are instead pursuing piecemealrefinancings and foreclosures, all of which are gummed up in paperwork. Meanwhile, the ailing economy threatens to bring about another drop in house prices (which BofA worryingly claimed this week it was not planning for).
What is becoming clearer is where the bulk of the losses are going to be concentrated.
Almost since the first overstretched borrower defaulted on his first payment in 2007, everyone in the chain has been suingeveryone else. Remember, these outrageous and frequently fraudulent mortgages were pooled first into mortgage-backed securities, then into collateralised debt obligations and then even more exotic derivatives.
The buyers, sellers and insurers at each stage are in dispute over who lied to whom – and the bulk of the financial penalties look set to fall on the underwriters of the original mortgages.
This is as it should be. These were the firms that made a packet by flipping mortgages, careless of whether the borrower would ever be able to keep their house and careless of the toxic sludge they were pumping into the system.
Unfortunately, Mr Moynihan has repeatedly claimed that BofA has fully provisioned for its mortgage losses and legal settlements, yet they keep costing more. An $8.5bn settlement in June with hundreds of investors, the last attempt to draw a line in the sand, is now being challenged by AIG, which insured Countrywide-based derivatives and which wants a $10bn (£6.1bn) settlement of its own.
At the moment, it looks as if BofA can earn enough to top up its legal fund and stay ahead of the rising capital requirements being imposed on Sifis by federal and international regulators – but if shareholders want a dividend soon, they may have to pay for it themselves by stumping up some new equity in a refinancing.
And if the June settlement does not hold or the US economy takes a tumble, matters may come to a head even sooner and shareholders can expect more pain.
Ken Lewis, Mr Moynihan's predecessor, lost his job because BofA came close to collapse in 2009 as a result of losses at Merrill Lynch. It turns out his other empire-building purchase, Countrywide, was by far the more reckless. It would be unfair if Mr Moynihan pays with his job for that one, but sometimes that is how the cookie crumbles.
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- 4 Scottish independence: Andy Murray backs Yes campaign in eleventh hour decision
- 5 Have you heard about the film Singapore has banned its people from watching? Well, you have now
Thailand beach murders: Thai PM suggests 'attractive' female tourists cannot expect to be safe wearing bikinis
Scottish independence referendum live: Latest news as Scotland decides Yes or No
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The political class is doing what Hitler couldn’t – destroying Britain
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(WXYZ) — Virginia cops were able to stop a Michigan grandma from being a victim of a scam targeting the elderly.
The Utica Police Department contacted Richmond Police Thursday for help with an investigation.
A man, posing as an attorney in Richmond's jurisdiction, called an 81-year-old Utica grandmother and said her grandson was locked up in a Tennessee jail near his school.
The scammer told the woman she must send $9,800 in cash to a Richmond address to get her grandson out of jail on bond.
According to RPD, the package containing the cash was due to arrive at the home just two hours from the time they received the call from Utica Police. Two officers quickly called the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, but UPS failed to intercept the package. Officer Crain and Officer Waldron were then able to recover the package at a city address – with all the money still inside.
Richmond Police say the money will soon be returned to the Utica grandmother. Their investigation is ongoing.


Spain’s solar and wind sector has had a horrific go of it lately. Financial support and political will have all but vanished over the last year, culminating in a full suspension of government funding at the end of January. The renewable sector, Spain's hope for its desperately needed economic recovery and next best chance to secure a position of real economic leadership in Europe, has all but evaporated. The future is just about surviving.
The country went bust by overrelying on real estate and construction over the last decade. Those two industries remain in deep crisis here. That has shifted the burden to renewables to reverse Spain's plight. If enough companies can manage to navigate through the storm ahead, the renewables industry in Spain would come out far stronger.
The Path to Now
For a number of renewable energy actors in the country, the blame for the shutdown falls on the new government. The clean-energy subsidies that began under the last Socialist administration have become a frustrating mess under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s handling.
“Its an absolute zero,” said Ramon Carbonell, a vice president at Copisca Corp, a Spanish infrastructure firm with a focus on wind energy. He added that the new government had unfairly presented the energy deficit, holding strong at $27 billion, as an immediate, urgent problem that required a quick solution, when it was really just a sector issue that could have been dealt with in a less sweeping way. Others have taken a longer view of the sector’s demise.
“Shareholders have been losing confidence in the state and it doesn’t matter if it’s the Socialists or the (Partido Popular),” said Joesph Font, Director of Renewable Energy at COMSA EMTE, a Barcelona-based infrastructure firm with a focus on solar energy. “They have been changing the rules of the game.”
While the precise reasons vary as to why the sector ground to a halt (it depends based on whether you’re talking to those on the giving or receiving end of government subsidies), what everyone seems to agree on is that the state is almost certainly not going to be a lifeline. The political will to support green energy under Rajoy is not there. Critics say the state has been dragging its feet toward a new regulatory system for the energy sector, attributing the delay to the power of the coal and hydrocarbon lobbies in Madrid or the notion that the country is far enough along to reach the European goal of having renewables be 20% of the nation's energy production by 2020. The new government, according to Bloomberg News, has promised a new tax and incentive system for the energy sector by June 30, but few feel that it will include anything beyond more cuts aimed at chipping away at that $27 billion.
Surviving the Storm
Conversations with those with money in the region suggested a hiatus of three or four years on new projects. There will be far fewer companies when and if the sector ever gets back on its feet. For larger operations intent on staying put, surviving the months ahead means relying on non-renewable crutches where they can find them and, more importantly, seeking out opportunities far from Spain or even Europe.
For Font and COMSA EMTE, this means restructuring to take the burden off their renewable efforts for the time being and building on existing offices that offer the connections, financial markets and political stability necessary to set up shop. Mostly, though, they are looking for places with the political will now lacking in Madrid. In practice, this opens the door to emerging markets in South America.


“It kind of fell into my lap one day,” said 22-year-old Wisconsinite Hannah Gold, describing the opportunity to represent the United States in women’s ice hockey at Israel’s Maccabiah Games, the one of the greatest sporting competitions in the world.
From July 14 to 28, 2022, the Games welcomed 10,000 athletes from 60 countries to Jerusalem. The games are sometimes referred to as the “Jewish Olympics” and are a multi-sport event open to Jewish athletes worldwide and to all Israeli citizens, regardless of religion.
Gold grew up in Mequon and has been skating since she was 3 years old. “I’ve played with boys since high school, so it helped me stay tough,” Gold said. In high school, Gold played hockey at Milwaukee University School and trained for three years at the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in Whitefish Bay. “It was good to have this community here.”
Asked to recruit Jewish female hockey players to US teams, Gold’s coach at the University of Augsburg sent her an email telling her that she had been selected to play. Since this was Gold’s first time in Israel and she had other Jews on her team, it would be a meaningful experience.
“Our team had a very good bond. We all wanted great things to come out of the trip, so I think that really helped,” Gold said.
While at the University of Augsburg in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Gold played hockey for the past four years, she was the only Jew on her team. Then in Israel, she was surrounded by Jews from everywhere, from Turkey to Brazil. Most exciting, however, was the fact that no Jewish athlete celebrated in the same way. “It was cool to see everyone’s different take on everything and how there are different ways to be Jewish.”
Gold said Shabbat was a way to examine these differences. Even just going around the challah, Gold and his teammates were able to connect the many cults present in the room.
American athletes spent the week leading up to the Games learning about some of Israel’s cultural pillars. They visited Masada, the Western Wall, the Dead Sea, listened to a Holocaust survivor speak and went to Yad Vashem.
The programming coordinators even threw a party for the American athletes. “It was in an amphitheater outside, everyone was wearing white…the energy was really cool there. Everyone was dancing,” Gold said.
From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, Gold and his mates stayed busy practicing, getting to know each other, and playing.
“It’s important that women’s hockey be part of the games because people have been trying to get it for years. I’m so grateful he was able to be there,” Gold shared.
The women’s ice hockey category hosted three teams: the United States, Israel and Canada. After a double round robin, Gold’s team won silver. For the entire tournament, Gold herself won the title of the team’s most valuable player.
When asked how her Jewish identity played a role in her hockey career, Gold replied, “It’s always part of your identity, never separated. »


The United States citizens have the right to speak freely, only if it does not have an effect on the status quo. Since the 1960's where there were authentic social movements, there has been a loss in the demonstration movement. Recently, there have been many instances where people or activists who disagree are being quieted by US law enforcement.
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“Letting go of anger is the right thing,” he wrote, according to prosecutors. “But it makes me feel so strong I dream about your ending You burn up in flames You suffocate on your own blood Your soul completely drained.”
The 46-year-old Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempting to acquire a chemical weapon and identity theft. The sentence came after he admitted to making the 2018 purchase while using the name of one of two juveniles the state had placed in his custody, in hopes of avoiding detection.
The amount that he chose to buy, prosecutors said, was capable of killing as many as 300 people.
In an interview Wednesday, Siesser’s attorney, Christopher Slusher, said that his client had “expressed tremendous remorse” for his actions. He said Siesser, a former member of the military who had served overseas, had never before gotten in trouble and was reeling from mental health issues at the time he sought out the toxic chemical.
“He understands why people might see this differently, but he doesn’t believe in his heart he would have gone further with anything,” Slusher said.
According to federal court records, Siesser’s first attempt at getting his hands on the chemical came in June 2018. An affidavit filed by prosecutors redacted the name of the substance he was seeking. But once the text of the filing was pasted into another document, it identified the chemical as dimethylmercury, a rare organic mercury compound.
The danger of the colorless liquid was demonstrated in the highly publicized 1997 death of Karen Wetterhahn, a Dartmouth College professor. The 48-year-old scientist had been using the compound to study the effects of toxic metals on human cells when a few drops spilled onto her latex glove. She died of mercury poisoning 10 months later.
Siesser told investigators he had read an article about a scientist who died after exposure to the compound; it was not clear from court documents whether he was referring to Wetterhahn. He said he had initially tried to get it from a legitimate chemical supplier, telling the seller that it was for “a gifted chemistry student.” But lacking the required permit, he was rejected.
In July of 2018, he sent bitcoin to an Internet seller after acknowledging that he understood the chemical posed a risk of death to anyone who came into contact with it. When it didn’t ship, Siesser told the seller, “I plan to use it soon after I receive it. I don’t really have any concerns. If you have any tips or care to offer advice feel free.”
He tried again a month later, paying the equivalent of $150 in bitcoin. This time, authorities intervened with an undercover operation. He signed for a package on Aug. 23, 2018, believing the toxic chemical was inside, authorities say.
Officers knocked on the door after watching Siesser accept the delivery.
He told the authorities that he bought a speaker, but then he later said in an interview that he purchased dimethylmercury using the names of the minors in his care. Although he told investigators that he had bought the vials for experiments related to bio-hacking, a form of gene editing through protein manipulation, he could not explain how the evolving science worked.
One of the juveniles told officers that Siesser said he wanted to be an assassin and kill those who wronged him, including an ex-wife, according to the affidavit. The woman, and another woman whom he went on three dates with but felt a strong connection to, “left him heartbroken,” prosecutors said.
When authorities searched the home for what Siesser thought was dimethylmercury, they found other substances, including cadmium arsenide, a toxic compound. They also found his writings, which prosecutors said “articulated heartache, anger, and resentment over a breakup and a desire for the unidentified cause of the heartache to die.”
“Right now your happy,” he wrote in one entry. “But that won’t last My anger is coming And you won’t die fast!”


TARENTUM (KDKA) – A man had to rush out of his home in Tarentum early Monday morning after it caught fire.
According to officials, the fire started around 12:45 a.m. along West 8th Avenue.
The fire chief said it started on the first floor and spread up to the third floor.
The man living in the home got out, but he ran back in several times to try to rescue his cats.
“The gentleman did get out of the house. He did make two, three attempts to go back in for his cats,” Tarentum Fire Department Chief John Hudec said.
The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire at this time.


Academic Study Underscores How Big Pharma’s Price-Gouging on Treatments for Diseases Like Cancer Drives Crisis of Affordability
An academic analysis published this week in Health Affairs examines Medicare enrollees’ habits when prescribed new, high-price specialty drugs for four specific conditions. The analysis compares the difference between the number of prescriptions filled and picked up for patients who receive low-income subsidies versus those without these subsidies, which lower out-of-pocket spending. The analysis looked at more than 17,000 prescriptions issued between 2012 and 2018 and found that seniors were almost twice as likely to pick up or fill their prescriptions when they had this low-income subsidy.
Further, the analysis reveals that Medicare beneficiaries without subsidies did not fill or pick up almost 30 percent of prescriptions written for high-cost cancer-fighting drugs, 22 percent of hepatitis C treatments, and more than 50 percent of disease-modifying therapies for either immune system disorders or hypercholesterolemia.
The findings underscore the importance of market-based solutions to crack down on brand name pharmaceutical manufacturers’ egregious pricing practices that are the underlying cause of out-of-control drug prices.
THE CAUSE: BIG PHARMA’S PRICE HIKES AND SKY-HIGH LAUNCH PRICES
The root causes of the affordability crisis for drugs used to treat serious conditions, like cancer, are the egregious pricing practices of brand name drug companies, including repeated price hikes on existing treatments and sky-high launch prices on new medications being introduced to the market.
Prices On 54 Cancer Drugs Increased 40 Percent Over Eight Years: “The affordability problem is worsened by soaring list prices for many specialty drugs used to treat cancer and other serious diseases… For instance, prices for 54 orally administered cancer drugs shot up 40 percent from 2010 to 2018, averaging $167,904 for one year of treatment, according to a 2019 JAMA study. Bristol Myers Squibb, the manufacturer of Clark’s drug, Pomalyst, has raised the price 75 percent since it was approved in 2013, to about $237,000 a year.” (“Seniors Face Crushing Drug Costs as Congress Stalls on Capping Medicare Out-Of-Pockets,” Kaiser Health News, January 4, 2021, Harris Meyer)
Cancer Drug Price Hikes Outpace Inflation: “The cost of oral cancer drugs increased by almost six percent over inflation from 2010 to 2018, leading to increases in out-of-pocket costs for Medicare patients despite reductions in the Part D coverage gap, according to an analysis of formulary and pricing data.” (“Costs of Oral Cancer Drugs Rising Faster than Inflation,” MDedge, May 28, 2019, Richard Franki)
List Prices for New Cancer Drugs Rose More Than 50 Percent In Five Years: “It wasn’t all that long ago that a six-figure price on a debut cancer drug was big news. Now, it would be more surprising if an oncology launch didn’t carry a price tag of $100,000 or more—and the high cost of those new rollouts is helping drive cancer treatment costs toward $100 billion annually in the U.S. alone. According to a new IQVIA report, U.S. cancer drug spending climbed to almost $50 billion last year, about twice the $24.8 billion spent in 2012. Along the way, median U.S prices for new therapies climbed above $160,000 last year, more than double the median $79,000 launch price in 2013.” (“Super-Pricey New Cancer Drugs Drive Mega Increases in Treatment Spending,” FiercePharma, May 24, 2018, Eric Sagonowsky)
Every New Cancer Drug Brought To Market In 2017 Cost $100,000 Or More: “Spending on cancer drugs has doubled over the past five years, and little wonder: Every new cancer drug brought to market last year cost $100,000 or more, according to a new report. The average cost of a new drug released in 2017 was $150,000, according to the report from The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, formerly IMS Health and Quintiles. Those drug costs are expected to double again by 2022, the report finds. That compares to the average $79,000 cost of new cancer drugs that hit the market in 2013.” (“Cancer Drug Spending Doubled In Last 5 Years, Report Says,” NBC News, May 24, 2018, Maggie Fox)
Drug Companies’ Price Hikes Costing Patients And Taxpayers: “Drugmakers raised prices on more than 400 drugs in the early days of 2020, including two blockbuster cancer treatments that have been top-expenditure drugs in Medicare Part B, according to healthcare analysts and CMS data… Two of the 10 physician-administered drugs that Medicare spent the most money on in 2018 have seen price increases this January, healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors found… Merck instituted a price increase of 1.5 percent for Keytruda, the second-highest expenditure Medicare Part B drug in 2018. Bristol-Myers Squibb increased the price for Opdivo, a drug used to treat small cell lung cancer, by 1.5 percent. Opdivo was the third-highest Part B expenditure drug in 2018.” (“Two Blockbuster Cancer Drugs see New Year Price Hikes,” Modern Healthcare, January 3, 2020, Rachel Cohrs)
Breaking Down Big Pharma’s Pricing Of Blockbuster Cancer Drugs
THE KICKER: PRICES RISE WHILE VALUE LAGS
Big Pharma’s price increases are not connected to increases in clinical value. That is the consensus of multiple studies that find drug companies price hikes on cancer products in their portfolios are unjustified and carry little to no connection to clinical improvements.
Big Pharma’s Prices Have “No Association” With Clinical Benefit: “The cost of cancer drugs continues to escalate with each new product that comes on the market, often presenting formidable challenges to both patients and healthcare systems. But a new analysis suggests these high costs cannot be justified with respect to clinical benefit. The analysis considered 65 oncology drugs launched in the past decade and found no association between clinical benefit and monthly treatment cost… ‘Prices of cancer drugs should be better aligned with their clinical benefit to improve access to beneficial medicines and enable limited resources to be used for treatments that offer patients improved outcomes,’ said lead author Kerstin Noëlle.” (“High Cost Of Cancer Drugs Does Not Reflect Clinical Benefit,” Medscape, May 13, 2020, Roxanne Nelson)
Cancer Drug Pricing “Not Aligned With The Actual Benefit:” “A new analysis found that costs for dozens of cancer drugs in the U.S. were 2.3 times higher than in four wealthy European nations. And at the same time, there was generally no association between the clinical benefits of the drugs and the monthly treatment costs in most of the countries. In other words, pricing was not aligned with the actual benefit.” (“What Value? Costs For Dozens of Cancer Drugs Aren’t Tied To Better Clinical Benefits,” STAT News, April 30, 2020, Ed Silverman)
Price Increases on Cancer Medications Outpacing Value: “The cost of new anti-cancer drugs increased more than five-fold from 2006 to 2015, but a new analysis suggests that cancer patients and insurers may be getting less for their money. Anticancer medications account for the lion’s share of global drug spending, and the average price per month of these drugs is known to have more than doubled in recent years, Dr. Kelvin Chan of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto and colleagues note in the Journal of Oncology Practice.” (“As Cancer Drug Prices Climb, Value Not Keeping Pace,” Reuters, April 12, 2018, Anne Harding)
Learn more about market-based solutions to hold Big Pharma accountable and lower drug prices HERE.


Cardinal Vincent Nichols is the latest in a stream of Christian leaders calling for the re-opening of churches in the UK.
The Archbishop of Westminster has questioned why places of worship have not been prioritised in the Government's latest measures to ease lockdown restrictions.
Starting on Monday, commercial businesses including car showrooms and outdoor markets will be allowed to re-open their doors with all non-essential retailers free to follow suite from 15th June.
Speaking at his homily for Pentecost Sunday, Cardinal Nichols said this decision by the Prime Minister "questions directly the reasons why our churches remain closed".
"We are told that these openings, which are to be carefully managed, are based on the need to encourage key activities to start up again. Why are churches excluded from this decision?" he added.
This week's announcements by the PM that some indoor sales premises can open Monday and most shops on 15 June, questions directly the reasons why our churches remain closed. It is now time to move to the phased opening of our churches. https://t.co/MXPboGyegd— Cardinal Nichols (@CardinalNichols) May 30, 2020
As churches including Westminster Cathedral remain closed across the UK, Nichols remarked of the important role faith plays in our society, particularly during the current crisis: "as a motivation for the selfless care of the sick and dying; as providing crucial comfort in bereavement; as a source of immense and effective provision for those in sharp and pressing need; as underpinning a vision of the dignity of every person, a dignity that has to be at the heart of the rebuilding of our society."
He reasoned that the opening of church buildings "even if just for individual prayer", would help to "nurture this vital contribution to our common good".
"Opening churches must be done safely", he stressed and explained that expert guidance had been developed to ensure Government recommendations could be followed and no person would be at risk.
"The benefits of being able to access places of prayer is profound, on individual and family stability and, significantly, on their willingness to help others in their need.
"It is now time to move to the phased opening of our churches, he added."
This comes as a number of UK Bishops and church leaders have written to the government seeking an urgent review of lockdown measures that uniformly ban churches from opening.
The letter warns that the group intend to take legal action if the ban is not addressed.


Sophie Ellis-Bextor has revealed that she is eager to have more children with husband Richard Jones.
The 'Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)' singer, who already has boys Sonny, five, and Kit Valentine, five months, admitted that she wants to further extend her brood.
"I would love to have more children one day," she told Now magazine. "But I'm going to leave another gap so I can enjoy them."
In February, the star gave birth to Kit Valentine nine weeks early after being diagnosed with the potentially life-threatening condition pre-eclampsia.
The couple's eldest child Sonny was also born prematurely.


Activist investor Ryan Cohen has exited his position in retailer Bed Bath & Beyond, according to a securities filing released Thursday afternoon.
The filing shows that Cohen’s RC Ventures dumped its stock on Tuesday and Wednesday at a range of prices between $18.68 per share and $29.22 per share. The firm also sold its call options. Cohen said in a filing earlier this week that he intended to sell his holdings of the meme stock.
Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond have rocketed higher this month, fueled in part by retail traders in an apparent revival of the meme trading craze.
Cohen, who co-founded Chewy and is the chairman of GameStop, purchased more than 7 million shares and call options of Bed Bath & Beyond earlier this year. The company added board members of Cohen’s choosing and pushed out its CEO after RC Ventures revealed its stake.
Shares of the stock fell 20% in extended trading.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.


The researchers thought that being overweight could lead to depression and was thought to be largely psychological.
Although earlier studies have found that people with obesity are more likely to suffer from depression, it is not clear whether this is in contrast to weight change or in contrast to depression.
Now, in its largest study of its species, experts say that genetic variants associated with high body mass index (BMI) can lead to depression that has a stronger impact on women than men. Moreover, they say that the research suggests that the effect can be reduced to factors such as the body image.
Bun People with more population are more depressed, and at least in part. [a] BMI causal effect [on] Depression, Dep he said. One of the co-authors of the study is Prof Tim Frayling, Exeter Medical School.
In the International Journal of Epidemiology, researchers in the United Kingdom and Australia describe how they used data from the UK Biomark, a research study involving 500,000 participants between the ages of 37-73 employed in 2006 and 2006.
Researchers have also examined 73 genetic variants associated with a high BMI which are also associated with a higher risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. They also examined 14 genetic variants that were associated with a high percentage of body fat but were associated with a lower risk of such health problems.
The team then examines the participants' hospital data and answers to a series of questionnaires – including a GP or their reports on psychiatric referral for anxiety or depression. The team found that about 49,000 respondents were confident in their depression.
Overall, the team found that people with a higher BMI were more likely to be depressed.
Researchers found that predisposition to a genetically higher BMI was associated with depression by showing a stronger effect on women than men. The results were maintained when individuals with a family history of depression were excluded and the analysis performed additional tests even when the analysis was repeated with data from a large international project called the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium.
73 focusing on genetic variation and taking into account factors including age and gender, it was found that the increase in depression for each 4.7 point increase in BMI increased by 18% in general and 23% in females.
When collecting data from different sources, the team found 14 genetic variants that increased body fat but were not associated with metabolic disability, and increased the chance for depression.
Bileşen If the psychological component is as strong as any physiological component [the latter] there is no, ğ Frayling said, suggesting that a weak body image might be a mechanism in play.
The study has some limitations: it looked primarily at individuals with white European ancestors and some contained their own reported data.
While the study did not show that for other reasons weight gain would increase the risk of depression, Frayling said this was possible. "They're giving permission [one] He said the larger impacts in the BMI could have a greater impact on depression. BM
Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, welcomed the study. ”These new findings are perhaps the strongest to suggest that higher weights may actually contribute to depression,“ he said. ”Of course, many other factors can lead to depression, but they can even help in weight loss in some people, while the weaker should help reduce the likelihood of depression in general.“


We should send food and medicines, not sanctions
After four weeks of delays, the election results are finally set to be announced in Zimbabwe following intense international and domestic pressure. The past month has witnessed violence and arrests that the opposition parties as well as foreign observers and human rights agencies claim are politically motivated. The main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has claimed that at least 10 of its members have been killed, 800 houses belonging to its party workers have been burnt, and hundreds of its supporters have been arrested on fraudulent charges.2 However amidst the recount, delays, and intimidation the official results expected to be released later this week are likely to result in a victory for the opposition parties. People of Zimbabwe have voted for change and to put an end to the 28 year long rule of Robert Mugabe.3
Yet Zimbabwe’s problems will not end with a regime change and a smooth and peaceful transfer of power—which seems unlikely given Mugabe’s desperate attempts to cling onto power. The country faces extreme inflation exceeding 100,000 percent 4 this year, the worst for any country in the world. A U.S. $100 bill now buys 44 lbs of Zimbabwean currency. while a loaf of bread costs 7 million Zimbabwean dollars. And it only gets worse: current trends suggest inflation will spiral even further out of control in the upcoming months.5
Inflation represents only one of the problems of the country. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Zimbabwe has had negative GDP growth rate for the past decade, with GDP per capita falling by 40 percent in the past seven years. During the same time Zimbabwe has experienced a 51 percent drop in agricultural output, a 47 percent fall in industrial production, and a 35 percent decline in resources output.6 The alarming warning signs of the late 1990s led foreign investors to withdraw funds from Zimbabwe further aggravating the economic crisis and unemployment. Today, four in every five Zimbabweans looking for work are unable to find it even the the country’s literacy rate is highest in all of Africa. 7
Until last year Zimbabwe was self-sufficient in canned and processed food. 8 However, this year, according to UN World Food Programme estimates, 4.2 million Zimbabweans—a third of the population—will face serious food shortages.9 Many Zimbabweans have been forced to survive on one meal a day. Aid agencies are unlikely to gather enough support from the rest of the world as Zimbabwe has an appalling credit history. After defaulting on its foreign loans in 2004, Zimbabwe was suspended from the International Monetary Fund. Few countries would risk loaning money to Zimbabwe today. Already having substantial difficulty in handling the economy, the government has been unable to attend to other social needs of its citizens, which has resulted in poor health. Thanks in part to its appallingly high HIV/AIDS infection rate, Zimbabwe has the lowest average life expectancy in the world .10
Zimbabwe’s current situation is not representative of its resources or the abilities of its people. Not so long ago, the country was known as the bread basket of Africa11 for its bounteous exports of corn and other staples to the rest of the continent.12 Being rich in minerals, the nation exports copper, platinum, gold and other metals. The workforce too is one of the most educated and talented in the region.
Nor is the current crisis indicative of a greater regional trend. Neighboring countries, while not doing great, are still in much better shape than Zimbabwe. For instance, Zambia grew by 6 percent in 2007. Other neighboring countries have shown similar positive growth.
Even if the transfer of power does take place smoothly, the new government will have many challenges on its plate. This is the first time there has been a regime change in Zimbabwe, and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has no prior experience running a government. Seasoned policy makers would find revitalizing Zimbabwe an ordeal beyond imagination. In this time of grave humanitarian and economic crises, Zimbabwe definitely deserves international support and attention.
The U.S. State Department seems to disagree. Top U.S. diplomat for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, pushed for UN sanctions on Zimbabwe as a world response to violence in the region.13 What Frazer does not realize is that the time lag in the execution of the legislation would result in it hitting the beleaguered Tsvangirai government, rather the oppressive Mugabe regime. Furthermore, sanctions can produce more harm than good in Zimbabwe right now. Pressure applied through sanctions may decrease political turmoil but this could potentially come at the cost of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans dying from hunger. The great world economic powers must play their role in recovering Zimbabwe from this doomsday scenario by offering substantial humanitarian aid and support. Hopefully, the U.S. State Department will gain some common sense.


On September 19th 2017, an earthquake of 7.1 devastated Mexico and shook the foundation of our NPH Mexico family. Although our children and staff are thankfully safe, the earthquake permanently destroyed or damaged an unprecedented number of NPH Mexico properties. Casa San Salvador (Miacatlan), home for 430 children has been damaged. The school needs urgent repair in order to provide our children a safe environment and programs for their future!
Following the recent series of earthquakes in Mexico, Fondo Semillas created the "Women Rebuilding their Communities" Fund to provide grants and technical assistance to local women's groups working on recovery efforts in their communities. The spirit of collaboration that emerged in response to the earthquakes makes this an ideal time to not only re-build, but also promote sustainable development and better living conditions in communities throughout Mexico.
While the September 2017 earthquakes in Mexico no longer make international news, one of the many places that has been left forever changed by the event is Tultitlan, State of Mexico. From the darkness of the crisis came a rally of support and trust in the Amextra Community Center. One year after the quake, we are working with the strengthened social fabric to increase the value of education, provide access to more mental and physical health resources, and create new opportunities for income.
The historic community of San Gregorio in Xochimilco suffered significant damage in the earthquake on September 19. Of the 4000 homes in the town, 1000 are uninhabitable and reconstruction will take months. The schools are damaged have no plan to reopen soon, and the families who have lost their homes and livelihoods have been eating donated meals amidst the rubble. We have secured the use of a local property and are working with local leaders to transform it into a school and community kitchen
Last September 7 a devastating 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico. Approximately 2.3 million people were affected and the number of deaths increased to 90. In addition, the tropical storms and hurricanes that have impacted this area have complicate the situation. Thousands of people have lost their homes and are living with no roof in raining, with high health risk.
Mexico is living the worst disaster in history, two earthquake on September 7 (8.2M) and September 19 (7.1M) has devastated many families. Your support will help TECHO to build transitional houses to those families (in Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos, Mexico City and Mexico State) These emergency houses has an area of 32mts2, are of fiber cement and wood and has a lifespan of 20 years. This is just a breath of hope and relief, a new beginning, to many families who become homeless by the disaster.
After the earthquakes recorded on September 7 and 19 in several states of the country, which have been seriously affected, the civilian population is suffering damage in their homes, food and water shortages, affectations in Infrastructure and services. The Proyecto Caracol project seeks to repair structural damage in schools in vulnerable communities, work with the commmunity and offering Workshops to the school community to provide knowledge about natural disaster prevention.
FORWARD/ADELANTE Puerto Rico, a fund created by the network of Puerto Rican foundations, collected and quickly distributed funds to vetted local grassroots organizations that provided direct assistance to communities affected by Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Now, longer term support will strengthen their response capacity, promote transparency in government, equitable distribution of disaster recovery funds, and generate data to promote access to housing, jobs, and resilient communities.
40% of high school students in Puerto Rico are out of school. NUESTRA ESCUELA successfully serves this population since the year 2000 with over 1500 graduates. Our primary function is to support socio-economically disadvantaged youth who for various reasons drop out of school. To continue providing these students an alternative model of education that grants them a high school diploma in a healthy and proper environment, we must rebuild our school premises in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
When Irma & Maria hit Puerto Rico, poor and vulnerable neighborhoods were among the most affected. In the 8 communities along the Caño Martín Peña, winners of the World Habitat Awards,~1,000 families lost the roofs to their homes and a safe place to sleep. Temporary tarps already have filtrations, leading to mold related diseases. Roofs for the Caño, a community-based project, will help ~12 families in dire conditions return to normalcy by transitioning from tarps to permanent, resilient roofs.
Intercambios has an opportunity to emerge from the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria stronger than ever. By transforming our headquarters into a safe space to offer lifesaving care and emergency relief, Intercambios will ensure that the most vulnerable people in Puerto Rico, including people who use drugs, people with HIV, and people who face other health disparities, can access urgent assistance now and never face another crisis alone.


ATHENS – With wildly varying estimates of how many people – from 100,000 to 1.5 million – at a demonstration protesting government plans to give away the name Macedonia in a new composite for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Greece’s ruling Radical Left SYRIZA said it fizzled out and failed to impress, or change its mind.
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, the driving force to let FYROM keep the word Macedonia – the name of an abutting ancient Greek province – tweeted his disdain for the protest effort he said wouldn’t dissuade him and said the major opposition New Democracy (ND) was behind the attempt to roil the government.
“Today, the opinion polls of vested interests were refuted; ND was exposed to all, as well as those (protesters) that did not heed the Ecumenical Patriarch’s address … Millions of Greek patriots made their choice. I, therefore, continue, with a clean conscience and responsibility, to negotiate for the good of the country,” was his Tweet.
Tsipras’ office put out a statement that said the government’s “compass is the patriotic best interest (of the country), moderation, consensus and a perseverance on clear positions, with the target being cooperation, understanding and mutual development … any other stance will only lead to national defeats.”
“The overwhelming majority of the Greek people…irrespective of their opinions (on the issue) agree that major foreign policy issues cannot be solved through fanaticism and intolerance,” he added.
“Their hopes to exploit the demonstration for political gain were dashed,” the statement went on to say although Tsipras, who does not hold news conference, was not available to reporters for questioning.
The statement also said that New Democracy’s hopes of “millions of protesters” were shattered but there was no comment from SYRIZA’s junior coalition partner, the pro-austerity, marginal, jingoistic Independent Greeks (ANEL) of Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, who is opposed to the giveaway, as is the Church of Greece which allowed clerics to attend.
With New Democracy holding a big lead in polls after Tsipras reneged on anti-austerity promises, the Conservatives leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis – whose late father was the Premier in 1992 who let the newly-emerging country breaking off from Yugoslavia use the word Macedonia – said Tsipras was using the name issue to distract attention from the economy and his faltering in polls.
Mitsotakis tweeted that, citizens had “expressed their anxiety and lack of trust in a government that did everything to divide Greeks on a crucial national issue.”
His sister and former foreign minister Dora Bakoyanni, in an interview with Real News, said any deal reached by SYRIZA will be over the name only and let force FYROM to renounce claims on Greek territory, including the second-largest city and port of Thessaloniki.
“We’ll (Greek side) be paying in cash, and Skopje (FYROM on credit. At the same time, we’ll have lost a lever of pressure, namely, the acquis of the (2008) Bucharest (NATO summit).”
She was referring to Greece blocking FYROM’s entry into NATO – as well as European Union hopes – which could continue unless the name issue is settled, leaving Greece with nothing in return except FYROM Premier Zoran Zaev’s promise to change the name of his country’s airport and major highway, named for Alexander the Great, but not remove a statue of the Greek conqueror in the capital of Skopje.
United Nations Special Envoy Matthew Nimetz, an American lawyer who’s failed for two decades to find an answer, has resumed talks after a three-year break and reportedly proposed five names for a new composite, but all include Macedonia and he said Greece has no choice but to go along.
Tsipras has also said that and that he wants to open the door for FYROM to get into NATO and the EU with critics saying he’s trying to aid an American hope to build up the defense alliance as a bulwark against Russian interests even though SYRIZA came to power on a promise to take Greece out of NATO and remove a US military base on Crete.
The most likely solution will be to add a modifier such as “new” or “north” to the republic’s name. But the proposals have triggered protests in both countries.
Kotzias earlier hit out at Nimetz, who said he believed Greece was “not denying the identity” of the people of FYROM. “I clearly and sternly stressed that it is not within his competence to talk about what Athens’ policy is, much less to describe it incorrectly,” Kotzias said.
THE MAIN EVENT
At the rally, featuring Greek flags flying and being waved everywhere and draped over people’s shoulders, there was unbridled patriotism and scorn for Tsipras, SYRIZA and Kotzias.
Hundreds of chartered buses brought protesters in from around the country to the Greek capital, while more people arrived on ferries from the islands. Traffic was blocked throughout the city center and three major subway stops were closed.
Chanting “Hands off Macedonia!” and “Macedonia belongs to Greece!” the protesters converged on Syntagma Square in front of Parliament, many waving flags bearing the Star of Vergina, the emblem of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia.
Police officials estimated the attendance at 140,000. Organizers, who claimed 1.5 million were at the rally, used a crane to raise a massive Greek flag over the square.
“We are trying to show the politicians … that they must not give up the name ‘Macedonia’,” said 55-year-old protester Manos Georgiou.
In Skopje, a spokesman for the FYROM government said he didn’t know whether his government would react to the rally. FYROM opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski said in a TV interview that the rally hurt the prospects of a deal on the name issue.
About 700 left-wing and anarchist protesters set up a counter-demonstration nearby, bearing banners calling for Balkan unity. “Macedonia belongs to its bears” read one banner.
Dozens of riot police were deployed to keep the two demonstrations separate.
Suspected far-right supporters attempted to attack the counter-demonstration, but were prevented by police who used stun grenades and tear gas to hold them back. The far-right side responded by throwing rocks at police.
There were also reports alleging that anarchists attacked a biker carrying a Greek flag and a person wearing a T-shirt commemorating the participation of Greek mercenaries in the massacres of Muslim civilians in Bosnia during the 1990s.
The name dispute broke out after Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
The country is recognized by international institutions as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, even though about 140 countries refer to it simply as Macedonia. Many Greeks refer to it by the name of its capital, Skopje.
Greece argues use of the name implies territorial claims on its own province of Macedonia, home of one of the most famous ancient Greeks, Alexander the Great.
SUN OF JUSTICE
Officials in Skopje counter that their country has been known as Macedonia for a long time.
Composer and former minister Mikis Theodorakis, 92, the keynote speaker at the rally, repeated the controversial claim that Greece’s neighbor wants to expand into Greek territory.
“Using the name Macedonia as a vehicle and twisting historical events to a ridiculous extent, they actually seek to expand their borders at the expense of ours,” Theodorakis said.
Rejecting any compromise on Greece’s part, Theodorakis called for a referendum on the issue.
“There is only one Macedonia,” he said. “It is, was and will always be Greek.” In an apparent dig at the leftist-led coalition he broke with after Tsipras reneged on its alleged principles and imposed more brutal conditions on workers, pensioners and the poor, Theodorakis also hit out at “left-wing fascism.”
Earlier in the day, an anarchist group claimed responsibility for vandalizing Theodorakis’ home on the eve of the rally, accusing him of supporting “nationalistic and patriotic riffraff.”
The crowd at the rally in Athens jeered when speakers mentioned Nimetz’s name.
“We’re expecting them to hear us,” protester Maria Iosifidou said of Greece’s politicians. “We don’t want Skopje to take the name … let them have another name.”
About 100,000 people attended a similar protest last month in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, the capital of Greece’s province of Macedonia.
According to police estimates, some 140,000 people joined the Feb. 4 protest. Organizers, however, put the turnout closer to 1 million people and even 1.5 million.
Right-wing lawmakers and clerics joined farmers, pensioners as well as young Greeks in a large crowd outside Parliament. Members of the extreme-right Golden Dawn were also in attendance.
Despite its size the rally was mostly peaceful, thanks largely to some 20,000 police officers who were deployed across the capital.
Self-styled anarchists, who organized a counter-demonstration a few blocks from the main rally in Syntagma Square, briefly clashed with police who fired tear gas to disperse them.
Citizens’ Protection Minister Nikos Toskas said the Greek police (ELAS) estimate of 140,000 was correct and that aerial video footage at the height of the rally proved it, although he said the time and date weren’t working.
In comments to ANT1 television, Toskas said that the estimate given by ELAS was “entirely accurate” and “has nothing to do with political expediency.”
The minister insisted that the demonstrators’ estimate was way off. “If there had been a million people, they would have reached Ambelokipi,” he said, referring to a neighborhood farther away.
(Material from the Associated Press was used in this report)


Since the Bush/Obama bailouts of General Motors in 2008 and 2009, respectively, the government has been badgered by fiscal conservatives and business-minded people to divest of its shares in General Motors. Unfortunately, as Rick Newman writes at US News, losses to the taxpayers could near $40 billion even as divestment begins taking place.
Back in June, a paper by Heritage Foundation Senior Labor Policy Fellow James Sherk found losses to the taxpayer were entirely due to special treatment given to the United Auto Workers (UAW). According to Sherk in an e-mailed statement on Dec. 20, “Virtually none of these losses were necessary to keep GM operating; they came from subsidizing union compensation. The taxpayers spent over $12 billion to give the United Auto Workers far better terms than bankruptcy law calls for. Had the government not given the UAW preferential treatment it could have kept GM running without losing money.”
At the end of the day, the auto bailout has at least three major flaws with it that highlight why bailouts are at best risky policy, and too often horrible policy. Consider:
1. As Sherk pointed out in his paper, and as he told me in an interview shortly after the paper came out, traditional bankruptcy procedures were not followed by the Obama Administration. When the government is in charge, rules often don’t matter, and in this case the UAW got special treatment that put it above investors.
2. When then-CEO Ed Whitacre said GM had paid back its government loans in 2010, it was quickly found out this was a lie. Yet Whitacre was not held responsible for this manipulation of taxpayer trust, including his appearance in this April 2010 ad.
Again, when government is involved in this way in the private sector, one has to look under every rock to make certain all facts are being presented.
3. Taxpayer losses are unacceptable when it comes to bailouts. First, the free market does the best job of deciding which companies survive. Second, should government wish to bail out special interests – whether it be through subsidies, straight-up bailouts, tariffs, etc. – it should do its duty to taxpayers and make certain losses are not realized.
According to Newman, losses on the GM “investment” will be around $30 billion in this first round of divestments. In the end, losses could be billions more. Which means while millions of Americans struggle to find jobs and provide for their families, the federal government’s friends at General Motors are sitting pretty.


A study by 247 Sports using Spotrac shows that the 41 Miami football alums active in the NFL rank seventh in the league with career earnings of $594,503,460. Miami is seventh in career earnings despite being tied for 14th with Mississippi State and Texas A&M with the 41 active players in the NFL.
The 41 active Miami football alums in the NFL have average career earnings of $14,500,084.3902. Alabama as to be expected leads the list with 81 active players and $958,028,048 in earnings. The Crimson Tide alums earned $11.8275068 million in average career earnings. Miami players earned about $300,000 more per player.
The list from Spotrac includes transfers at their former schools. That largely helps Miami who has quite a few alums who transferred after beginning their collegiate careers at other schools. That number will be added to in 2021 with former transfers Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche beginning their NFL careers.
Spotrac lists Calais Campbell as the active leader among Miami alums with career earnings of $118,091,393 in 13 seasons. Campbell has earned $71,750,000 in salary during his career with the rest spread out over option, signing and workout bonuses and incentives. Campbell will earn $13 million in 2021.
"7. MIAMIActive players in league: 41Overall earnings: $594,503,460Ah, yes … The U. While the Hurricanes don’t put as many players in the league as they did in the 1990s and 2000s, Miami’s presence in the NFL is still felt, especially in terms of dollars and cents. Despite having just 30 active players, Miami is approaching $600 million in combined active earnings.Topping the list is Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell, who will have made just north of $118 million once the upcoming season is complete."
After tying the 2004 Miami draft with six first-round picks in 2021, Alabama will continue to pad its number in earnings during the upcoming season. With Phillips and Greg Rousseau being selected in the first round the Miami football program will continue to stack earnings from their alums in 2021.
Tight end Brevin Jordan was a fifth-round pick of the Houston Texans and Roche in the sixth round to Pittsburgh. Kicker Jose Borregales signed with the defending Superbowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. Miami will continue sending players to the NFL for the foreseeable future.


Tough competition for a job in the mainland's civil service, in which some posts attract more than 4,000 applications, has not diminished applicants' desire, reports China Daily. According to official figures, the number of applicants registering to take next year's national civil servants' examination surpassed one million. A total of 137 central authorities and institutions plan to recruit 16,000 civil servants next year, 1,000 more than this year.
Happiness leads to success
Being happy doesn't just make you feel good, it can also make you more successful, according to Shawn Achor, a Harvard University lecturer and author of The Happiness Advantage. Positive thinkers have a biological advantage over people who are neutral or negative, and the good news is that being happy is a skill we can all learn, says Achor, who gives tips in his book on how to retrain the brain to improve productivity and performance. AAP
Directory giant looking to dial up greater earnings
Yellow Pages Group, New Zealand's biggest provider of directory information, has added 100 workers to boost earnings through more direct contact with customers. The jobs will cost NZ$8 million (HK$48.88 million) a year, with workers located throughout the country and will also help form a new outbound call centre, the Auckland-based company says. Bloomberg