alpha vit Savvy Senior: What you’ll pay for Medicare in 2025, by Jim Miller

‘CSR, Human Capital Development Pivotal For Nigeria’s Development’ – Adebola

NoneDonald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year

As President-elect Donald Trump promises to take immediate action on a number of fronts once he returns to the White House, he and House Speaker Mike Johnson will continue their talks about the upcoming agenda Saturday at the Army-Navy Game in Landover. The Republican congressional leader, whose son is a plebe at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, is a key Trump ally expected to help push the president’s plans through Congress. “American families are ready to see an American First agenda and we’re excited about that,” Johnson said at a news conference Tuesday. “You hear a lot of talk about the agenda and how it will be formulated and come together right out of the gates in early January. We’re working on that right now. In fact, House Republicans are already working to enact that agenda.” The football game could be one of a few Maryland-based conversations for how that agenda comes together. While the lawmakers have not officially announced other meetings, House GOP leaders are expected to meet for a daylong retreat in the days after Congress begins its next session Jan. 3 — a retreat that is likely to be in Baltimore, the political news organization Punchbowl News reported. Johnson said he and Trump would be talking “in-depth” about their “playbook” this weekend. The top priority, he said, is curtailing the flow of undocumented immigrants at the southern border and tax reform, both of which could be addressed early in 2025. Some of the work is already underway, he noted, began last week with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy visiting with House and Senate Republicans about their plans to significantly cut the federal budget. Trump has named the two wealthy businessmen to run a new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Trump also attended the storied Army-Navy Game as president-elect in 2016, when the 71,600-person crowd greeted him with chants of “USA, USA.” Johnson said Tuesday some of his son’s Naval Academy classmates had recently visited the Capitol. “I guess I got to say ‘Go Navy,’ because my son’s there,” Johnson said. “But President Trump is coming to the game and others, and we’ll all be there together. It’ll be a lot of fun.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Janesch at sjanesch@baltsun.com , (443) 790-1734 and on X as @samjanesch .Screenshots of smartphone text messages have become a common feature in courtrooms, but their reliability is increasingly under scrutiny. A recent case involving eXp Realty founder Glenn Sanford illustrates that screenshots alone are not enough to prove text message authenticity. Sanford has previously submitted dozens of pages of text message screenshots of communications with some of the accused defendants. However, plaintiffs' attorneys contended that this method of "self-collection" was inadequate and failed to meet evidentiary standards, RisMedia reports. In response, Judge Alicia Rosenberg granted a protective order requiring Sanford to collaborate with a digital evidence expert to extract, authenticate, and provide the messages from the physical phone itself, but with privacy guardrails. A cell phone forensic examination can prove if a text message is authentic, but there is still the problem of privacy, which the protective order aims to address. When a digital forensics expert collects the data from a cell phone, they cannot selectively choose data beforehand. All the data has to be collected at the outset, meaning the examiner would have access to everything recoverable from the smartphone, including recovered deleted data. Digital Forensic Experts Cannot Pre-Filter Smartphone Data Before Collecting It Cell phone forensics is a complex process that relies on advanced tools like Cellebrite and Magnet Forensics Graykey to retrieve and analyze data from mobile devices. These tools are designed to capture all available data from a device in a single process called a forensic acquisition or extraction. Pre-filtering, selectively extracting only certain types of data before acquisition, is not possible due to technical, structural and evidentiary reasons inherent to the way mobile devices store and manage data. Smartphone Data Is Interconnected in Complex Databases Modern smartphones store data in highly interconnected databases that are often encrypted. Messages, metadata, app information, and even deleted files are often co-mingled in the same data structures. Here’s why pre-filtering isn’t feasible: To extract any specific data, forensic tools must first acquire the entirety of the smartphone’s recoverable contents, ensuring no connections or context are lost. What Is a Cell Phone Forensic Acquisition? The problem with screenshots of text messages is that they cannot be verified using digital forensic technology. Anyone with a modicum of technical sophistication can create fakes using websites or applications. This is why a cell phone forensic acquisition and examination is always superior. A forensic acquisition is the gold standard for retrieving data from a phone. Unlike a simple screenshot, this process involves accessing the phone directly and creating a digital copy of all recoverable data. This includes messages, timestamps, contact information, and even deleted content that might still reside in the device’s memory. By using specialized digital forensic tools, experts can pull this information without altering the data, preserving its original state. A process called “hashing” ensures that the digital copy is tamper-proof. Hashing generates a unique code—akin to a digital fingerprint—for the data, and any subsequent change to the evidence would alter the hash code, signaling potential tampering. Why Is a Forensic Acquisition Better Than Screenshots? Last month, I explained why screenshots of text messages along are inferior evidence , and are often dismissed in court because they are inherently unreliable. They can be cropped, edited, or taken out of context. In contrast, a forensic acquisition provides: What Does the Protective Order Do in This Case? When courts issue protective orders to limit the scope of discovery, they create a framework for balancing privacy rights with the need for relevant evidence. Digital forensic experts cannot filter cell phone data before collecting it. Instead, they must perform a forensic acquisition of the phone’s contents, capturing everything recoverable on the device, and then carefully filter the data afterward to comply with the court’s instructions. The protective order in this case prevents a full forensic examination of Sanford's cell phone. Instead of allowing unrestricted access to the entire contents of the smartphone, the court has limited the scope of discovery to ensure only relevant data is disclosed. Here’s how it works and why it matters: Restricts Unnecessary Intrusions: Cell phones hold a wealth of personal information, much of which may have no connection to the legal case. The protective order safeguards Sanford’s private data—such as personal communications, photos, or unrelated files—from being exposed during discovery. Ensures Relevance of Evidence: The court directed that only specific types of electronically stored information, or ESI, relevant to the case—such as text messages, timestamps, and deleted communications—be extracted and reviewed. This ensures that discovery is focused and not a “fishing expedition” into unrelated matters. Mandates Use of an Electronic Evidence Expert: To strike a balance between privacy and the need for evidence, the judge required the parties to collaborate with an electronic evidence expert. The expert’s role is to extract and authenticate the relevant data while filtering out extraneous information. This process reduces the risk of misusing private data and enhances the reliability of the evidence. Protects Against Abuse of Discovery: Without a protective order, unrestricted smartphone forensic examination could lead to the exposure of sensitive information unrelated to the case. This could be used improperly to pressure or embarrass the opposing party. The protective order ensures that discovery remains proportional and fair. But What About Phone And Call Detail Records: Can They Prove Screenshot Authenticity? Short Message Service, or SMS, and Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, messages are sent through the cellular carrier's network. When these messages are transmitted, the carrier generates records of these messages in call detail records , or CDRs. These records provide metadata about the communication, including timestamps, sender and recipient phone numbers and the cell tower used to make the call. However, CDRs do not capture the actual content of the message—just that it was sent or received. The contents of the messages exist for a short period of time before being erased by telecommunication service providers. Because of this, while the existence of an SMS or MMS message can sometimes be corroborated through carrier logs, the only way to confirm the content of the message is by examining the sender’s or receiver’s phone directly . Without access to the device, the conversation contents are unrecoverable. In other words, CDRs can prove a SMS or MMS message was sent or received, but you can only recover the actual conversations that took place from the phone itself with cell phone forensics. In contrast, messages sent through platforms like iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram Messenger, Facebook Messenger, and all other chat apps rely on internet data connections—either Wi-Fi or mobile data. These messages bypass the carrier's network entirely, meaning they are not logged in CDRs. Carriers cannot verify their existence, metadata, or content because these messages are outside their domain. For data-based messages, the only record typically resides on the phones of the sender or recipient. In some cases, the platforms themselves may retain encrypted copies of the data, but these are generally inaccessible without specific legal requests and cooperation from the service provider. Screenshots can be easily manipulated, cropped, or fabricated, and they lack the metadata necessary to prove a message’s origin, timing, and context. For traditional SMS and MMS, screenshots cannot be cross-referenced with carrier logs to confirm the contents of a message, since the message contents are not recorded in the CDRs. For data-based messages, where no carrier logs exist, screenshots are even more problematic—they offer no mechanism for independent verification. Court Responds: Privacy and Authenticity Matter The only way to authenticate a message reliably is through a digital forensic examination of the physical smartphone. This process can retrieve not only the visible messages but also the underlying metadata and, where possible, deleted messages and other supporting artifacts. It provides a comprehensive and verifiable record, ensuring that the evidence stands up to scrutiny in court. The eXp Realty case highlights this reality. By seeking a forensic examination to access text messages and metadata, the plaintiffs aimed to move beyond potentially unreliable screenshots to establish a full and accurate picture of the communications, and the court agreed. As a digital forensics expert, I have witnessed firsthand how courts are relying on protective orders like this with increasing commonality. With the protective order, the court is signaling that privacy matters, but so does proper evidence authentication. This case illustrates the necessity of digital forensic methods to ensure the integrity of electronic evidence in the modern legal system. In a world where digital communications are central to many disputes, screenshots of smartphone text messages alone are no longer sufficient.

NoneAdministrator Guzman Launches SBA's AI for Small Businesses Resource Hub, Participates in Summit Fireside Chat ATLANTA, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman , head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden's Cabinet for America's more than 34 million small businesses, traveled to Atlanta to host the inaugural SBA AI Small Business Summit and officially launch SBA's AI for Small Businesses Resource Hub . SBA's first AI Small Business Summit, held in conjunction with Georgia Tech and in collaboration with leading technology companies, innovators, and investors, highlighted the launch of SBA's AI for Small Businesses Resource Hub - a space for small business owners to learn about AI and AI innovators to learn about the resources available to them at the SBA and across the federal government. "Artificial intelligence has the capacity to drive exponential growth for the United States economy and for small businesses across the country,” said Administrator Guzman. "From Main Street shops to manufacturers, staying up to date with the latest technology is essential for business growth and resilience. And it is our nation's innovative startups that will help deliver AI for the future. So, whether you are creating the next tech solution or leveraging it, SBA's AI for Small Businesses Resource Hub can provide you with a launch point to access partners, tools and resources for a seamless integration of AI.” In addition to SBA Administrator Guzman, the AI Small Business Summit's speakers included Microsoft, Google, Mailchimp, and OpenAI, as well as small businesses and experts from co-host Georgia Tech. The summit discussions were an opportunity for small business owners to hear from experts and gain a greater understanding of the possibilities AI has within the daily operations of their businesses. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the country has seen more than 20 million new business applications filed nationwide - including over one million in Georgia alone. The SBA just released new data showing significant spikes in SBA lending including a continued upward trend doubling small dollar loans under $150,000 and increased lending to underserved communities: Black-, Latino-, minority, rural and women-owned small businesses, as well as lending in rural communities . ### About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov . CONTACT: SBA HQ Press Team U.S. Small Business Administration [email protected]

In the past three years , News Corp’s executive chairman Australia, Michael Miller , has featured in the top 10 of the Mediaweek 100 list. For the 2024 list, he has edged his way higher to occupy the top spot. Arguably, he could have received that recognition two years ago when he noted that News Corp Australia had its best year in a decade. He has been placed at the top this year though for steering the giant publisher through a tougher market. When the economy goes south, News Corp Australia feels it all over. In Australia, the company has deep tentacles into the news business via investments in print, digital and broadcast. The company was an early adopter in digital and news.com.au has been a leader in the commercial online space almost since inception. At a time when others are experimenting with paywalls, news.com.au has steadfastly kept the site free to view. When News Corp decided to get into audio, it did so with a growing range of podcasts. Leading the way was the incredible success Hedley Thomas had first with The Teacher’s Pet . Now he is doing it again with the Bronwyn series. The print titles initially offered free access to their digital versions. They all now sit behind paywalls and they have a combined subscription audience of 1m. Miller was not able to attend the Mediaweek 100 Lunch, and he sent the managing director & publisher, The Australian and prestige titles, Nicholas Gray , to accept the award on behalf of the company. Before he left Australia on his recent trip, Miller spoke to Mediaweek . See the complete list: MEDIAWEEK 100 – 2024 Our discussion started around the business climate in 2024. “It’s been a tougher year for the country,” stated Michael Miller. “ It’s not just interest rates that are on hold. It feels like Australia is on hold. People face cost pressures and aren’t spending like they were. As a result, companies have been more constrained and that has impacted all in the media.” When asked about what Miller and his teams are forecasting in terms of 2025, he explained: “We are going to have to work our way through uncertainty around the economy. It will be an election year too which outs some people on pause. We expect the first half to be challenging, but we are hopeful the second half sees some normalisation.” Mediaweek reported on a number of organisational changes within the Australian business in recent times. “I would say that every major company this year has restructured,” said Miller. “Some are still going through that. You’re seeing what’s happening at Seven and Nine in terms of their news divisions. “We’ve seen changes in the sales leadership at Seven and their structures changed. Southern Cross has gone through its own evolution. “ The industry has gone through a lot of change and we’ve probably made bigger changes because we better planned it than others. “Unfortunately, those plans became a bit more public than we would have liked. But to get it right, sometimes you’ve got to engage with groups of people.” A major concern when any media group cuts staff is the impact it could have on the product. How has News Corp gone in that regard? “Others have commented on this, that there’s been less impact on frontline journalists. We’re doing far better at sharing our journalism around the group.” He added investing in the product remains a priority. “ If I was able to get any extra dollars, I would put them into better journalism. ” Keeping the news brands fresh can be difficult with shrinking teams. Yet Miller said they have plenty up their sleeves for 2025. “We do, but we probably won’t flag them with you just yet, sorry.” “This week we launched health as an example on The Australian . You’re seeing a lot more video journalism. Things like ‘Charlotte’s Wish’ around the network his month. “If you look at what happened in Queensland, Voter Verdict [in The Courier- Mail] was a new way of reality TV on elections. The 5 @ 5 on The Daily Telegraph has done remarkably well. So they’re examples of the areas we’re leaning into.” Michael Miller with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and editor-in-chief of The Australian Michelle Gunn at the newspaper’s 60th anniversary Miller marks nine years in the role at News Corp Australia this year. In 2015 there were a number of changes at the top of News Corp Australia. Julian Cark retired and his role of CEO was taken over by Peter Tonagh , formerly COO. Michael Miller, was CEO of APN, but rejoined the company as executive chairman of News Corp Australasia. Tonagh soon handed over his responsibilities to Miller when Tonagh was appointed Foxtel CEO. Miller reports to News Corporation CEO Robert Thomson , head of the global operations. Having a period of stable leadership at News seems to have been beneficial. “I compare ourselves to football teams – and we own a share of the Brisbane Broncos,” explained Miller. “When you’ve got consistency, you tend to play better. “In both the player group and leadership group, back office, front office. News has shown that we perform consistently well through consistency of strategy and leadership . Whenever people change, they want to change things. “That doesn’t always build upon what you’ve already got, those foundations. I’m lucky I work for a company that has that mantra and that is part of our DNA.” As to media coverage about News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch spending more time in Australia these days, Miller commented: “I would say he’s been spending more time in Australia now for many years. It’s no different now to how it was four or five years ago. He spends a lot of time travelling as well. “We know that all the Murdochs are very passionate about news media and are great supporters of journalism.” There’s been a good supply of Australians to head office too in New York. That has been highlighted by the recent decision of group CFO Susan Panuccio to step away. Miller reminded Mediaweek there are a few others still there in addition to Robert Thomson – Damian Eales (now the CEO of Realtor.com) and Ruth Allen (chief human resources officer). “It’s good to have Aussie accents in the head office,” grinned Miller. Both Miller and Thomson have spoken about the dangers of big tech on both the industry and consumers, young and old. Miller called out The Sydney Morning Herald for what he said was its good work in the investigation it titled The 101 ways Google serves up Australians to known scammers . “One of the things that does trend is scams. Australians are waking up every morning to another hoax or fake message. “We are also very concerned about youth suicide. And also the broader impacts on all businesses. With search and social now, if you’re not on it and you’re not prominently on it and not paying to be prominent on it, it’s hard to have a business. Is that right in terms of a functioning competitive market? “I’d argue no, and I think that’s where our government’s starting to show some movement. There’s been a policy launch every week now, and I suspect there’s a few more in the coming few weeks.” Michael Miller with News Corp’s Lou Barrett and Pippa Leary Miller might have complimented Nine on their recent Google investigation, but they remain fierce competitors. Nine recently fired a broadside at News Corp when they labelled a campaign a “vendetta” to oust Kevin Rudd as US ambassador. An editorial in The SMH called the campaign a “disgrace”. Miller wasn’t about to join the fray. “I’d say as an industry, we’re working really well. We print and distribute for Nine, for example. “ Our competition is probably not each other any more. “We’re seeing that [our competition] is the tech platforms. We’re aligned on the importance of trusted media. “As an industry, we are probably far closer than what many would consider. We might have different audiences and different stories to run. I understand that if they have a different opinion, they should be able to write that. “I have lived with that sort of niggle for a good 40 years, and I’m not going to start worrying about it now.” News Corp and Nine Entertainment Co are still heavily in the print business seven days a week. When asked if News Corp runs the numbers on the print model about not publishing every paper, every day, Miller replied: “I do run the numbers and they’re still profitable. “I’ll continue to run the numbers. When it gets to a point where it becomes evident they’re not profitable [we will reconsider]. There are close to a million papers consumed every day in Australia on the weekends. Most categories would be pretty happy with that sort of day-to-day penetration.” The ad loads in those products indicate marketers still find many of the products as a useful way to reach an audience. “All traditional mass media, and TV particularly, even radio through streaming, have been disrupted. For some categories, print is still reaching a pretty defined audience, being older, wealthy Australians. ” Keeping the product daily is key to maintaining that audience. “It’s a bit like TV programming. It’s about habit, regular scheduling. Some people are in the habit of reading the printed product every day. You change it and you put that at risk. While there are some days that people are more likely, like the weekends, to consume, they’re still consuming in those large numbers, Monday to Friday, and we’ll still continue to serve that need.” See also: Michael Miller on News Corp revenues, growth targets and growing client solutions

Stock market today: Wall Street gets back to climbing, and the Nasdaq tops 20,000LEXINGTON, Va. — The Middlebury College field hockey team scored twice in the second half and held off a strong Tufts squad to capture the NCAA Championship with a 2-1 triumph. The Panthers secured their seventh straight crown and ninth overall as the program finishes the season with a 19-2 mark. Middlebury manufactured a great opportunity on the first penalty corner with 5:49 elapsed. Grace Keefe blasted a rising shot off an insert that Tufts goalie Lydia Eastburn deflected away with her blocker. The Jumbos countered at the 6:36 mark as Claire Gavin took a redirection off a Panther stick and raced toward the left side of the cage. Goalie Madeline DiLemme thwarted Gavin's backhanded attempt to keep the score 0-0. The Panthers had two final chances in the opening quarter off penalty corner inserts from Caroline Segal. Each shot attempt from Emily Stone (9:39) and Megan Fuqua (14:32) was blocked by Jumbo defenders as the score read 0-0 after one. Middlebury continued its relentless pressure just 50 seconds into the second stanza. Georgianne Defeo grabbed possession in a group of Jumbos and Panthers and blasted a bid toward the left post that was stopped by Eastburn. Lilly Branka nearly put the Panthers ahead at the 18:18 mark by sliding around two Tufts defenders on the endline and launching a bid near the left post. Eastburn stood her ground, pinning herself to the post and knocking the bid away. Lainie Person looked to put the Jumbos on the board just 2:04 into the second half, but her bid sailed wide left. Middlebury took the lead with 2:10 left on its first shot of the second half. Branka dribbled the ball near the Tufts endline and flicked a pass toward the middle of the cage. Segal sprawled out and tapped the ball in while diving to the ground for the 1-0 edge. The Panthers extended their lead at the 50:44 mark. Claire McMichael ran down the right side of the field and slid a pass toward the middle of the circle. Eastburn came off her line to kick the ball away, but Defeo got to the ball a second earlier and poked it underneath Eastburn's pads to make it 2-0. Tufts responded 22 seconds later off a penalty corner. Kylie Rosenquest found the cage after a great pass from Pearson to cut the deficit to one with 8:54 showing on the clock. Tufts tried to muster up some momentum, but Middlebury's defense stepped up to the task, not allowing a single shot over the remainder of action to earn the 2-1 triumph. Branka was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player after tallying two assists during the playoffs. Branka also earned a spot on the all-tournament squad alongside Amy Griffin (2G, 2A), Keefe (1G, 1A) and Segal (6G, 1A). With one goal today, Segal moves into fifth all-time in single-season points (57). Her tally is her fifth game-winner this season and the 10th of her career. Segal's marker caps her season with 24 goals, which is tied for fifth in program history over one campaign. The Panthers close the season with 105 goals scored, good for second all-time behind the 107 scored by the 2022 and 2023 National Championship teams. Tufts and Middlebury battled for the 35th time and the fourth time in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers have won each of the last two meetings in the postseason, including a 2-0 victory in the 2018 title tilt. Middlebury made its 21st postseason appearance and played in the championship game for the 13th time. This marked the fifth time that the NCAA Championship took place between a pair of NESCAC squads. The Panthers have appeared in each of those five contests, claiming three of them. Middlebury caps the season with a 19-2 record, marking the 13th-consecutive season that the program has tallied 15 or more triumphs.A panel of three appellate judges issued a ruling this week reversing part of the preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Idaho’s abortion trafficking statute, which criminalizes the act of helping a minor obtain an abortion without parental permission. The judges said the state can enforce the law when it comes to transporting or harboring a minor for that purpose, but not for giving a minor information about their options, which they said infringes on free speech rights. BOISE — While some abortion access advocates viewed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling this week in a case over so-called “abortion trafficking” as another dismal development in their fight against anti-abortion laws, those representing the plaintiffs say it’s a clear win in the ongoing case. A panel of three appellate judges issued an opinion Monday reversing part of the preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Idaho’s abortion trafficking statute, which became law in 2022. The law originated from House Bill 242 and states that an adult who helps a minor procure or obtain an abortion by “recruiting, harboring or transporting” them without parent or guardian permission can be charged with a felony and face two to five years in prison. It includes those who go out of state, where the procedure is legal, such as Oregon, Washington and Montana. Idaho is the only state in the Northwest with a near-total ban on abortions. The appellate panel said Idaho can enforce the law as it relates to “harboring or transporting” a minor, but it cannot prosecute individuals who simply provide information about where to obtain an abortion, or who provide other types of financial or logistical assistance to receive an abortion where it is legal. Those activities, the court said, could have fallen under the “recruiting” portion of the statute. Plaintiffs’ attorney Wendy Heipt said the ruling is especially significant because it will ensure people can give accurate information to minors about their options. The minors who need that assistance the most are often the most vulnerable, she said, such as those with abusive caregivers. “This is the first case at this level to (acknowledge that right), and that is a major victory,” Heipt said. Legislation crafted with similar language as HB 242 became law in Tennessee earlier this year, but a judge blocked its enforcement in September with a preliminary injunction. That case is ongoing. Lawmakers in Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma also introduced similar legislation in 2024 that failed to advance, and the New Hampshire Bulletin reported a state Republican representative filed a similar bill ahead of the 2025 legislative session. Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said the decision was a “tremendous victory for Idaho” in a statement on Monday. “Idaho’s laws were passed specifically to protect the life of the unborn and the life of the mother,” he said. “Trafficking a minor child for an abortion without parental consent puts both in grave danger, and we will not stop protecting life in Idaho.” He pointed out that the judges decided to reverse parts of the injunction because they think the plaintiffs are unlikely to succeed in court, which he views as a positive indication for the state’s case. Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said a decision reversing part of the preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Idaho’s abortion trafficking statute was a “tremendous victory for Idaho." Idaho attorney Lourdes Matsumoto and two advocacy organizations, the Northwest Abortion Access Fund and the Indigenous Idaho Alliance, filed the lawsuit in July 2023 alleging the law restricts freedom of speech and the right to freely associate, and arguing it was too vague to be constitutional. Matsumoto and the staff within the advocacy organizations said the law interfered with their ability to counsel minors who are facing unplanned pregnancies, including any financial or logistical help in obtaining the abortion in another state. U.S. 4th District Court Magistrate Judge Debora K. Grasham issued the injunction in November 2023, and Labrador appealed to the regional circuit court, which determined the injunction could only hold on the “recruiting” aspect of the law. Heipt, of the gender equity organization Legal Voice, said there were several big wins for them in the 63-page ruling, including the affirmation that the groups have the right to sue, that the state attorney general is the right defendant, and that the recruiting part of the statute is unconstitutionally broad. Heipt said while some took the ruling as confirmation that Idaho could restrict interstate travel through the law, that part of the statute hasn’t actually been argued in court yet and wasn’t part of the injunction or the circuit court’s opinion. “This is a preliminary step. We have not yet had our full day in court, nor have we had a chance to explain the third prong of our argument (on) interstate travel,” she said. “That’s still coming, and I’m looking forward to it.” Judge Margaret McKeown, the lead author of the 9th Circuit opinion who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, wrote that the recruiting piece of the law was broad enough that it presented potential conflicts with First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. The judge said courts have deemed that protesters who try to dissuade people from entering abortion clinics are also protected under free speech laws. “Even expressions of persuasive encouragement might be prosecuted under the statute,” McKeown wrote. “Imagine an Idaho resident who lives near the border of Oregon and displays a bumper sticker that reads: ‘Legal abortions are OK, and they’re right next door. Ask me about it!’ A minor sees the sticker and, feeling desperate, approaches the driver to request a ride across state lines.” In that scenario, if the driver offered the minor cash for the procedure, the driver could be prosecuted for “recruiting.” McKeown added that the language also seems to encompass the ability to get a legal abortion in Idaho under one of the few exceptions, including rape and incest. “That is, an adult concerned for the wellbeing of an underage victim of incest would be prohibited from counseling and then assisting that victim in obtaining an abortion without informing a parent — who may well be the perpetrator,” McKeown wrote. Others in the advocacy space, such as Planned Parenthood Great Northwest Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, called the decision “devastating.” Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman, state director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates in Idaho, said the law has created a massive chilling effect among Idahoans, and the ruling is unlikely to change that problem. “We are hearing from Idahoans out at restaurants who find out you work for Planned Parenthood and ask, ‘If I go to Oregon for an abortion and come back to Idaho, will I be arrested?’” DelliCarpini-Tolman said. “These laws, the way they interplay, are confusing to the average Idahoan, and it’s important to point out that it is intentional, to help create that chilling effect.” DelliCarpini-Tolman added that data from an organization called Jane’s Due Process in Texas has found more than one-third of young women seeking abortions there said they feared physical, emotional or sexual abuse if their parents found out about their pregnancy. “The numbers are there, they don’t lie, they show us the position that we’re putting young people in in Idaho,” she said. “For proponents of the bill to act like they’re trying to protect young Idahoans is the utmost hypocrisy, because those are the very people that it’s going to harm the most.” Wendy Olson, an Idaho-based attorney who is also representing the plaintiffs, said both sides have two weeks to appeal the decision with the 9th Circuit, and her clients are still weighing their options. Dan Estes, spokesperson for Labrador’s office, told States Newsroom they are also considering their next move, which could include asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case. If neither side appeals, the case will proceed in district court for full arguments, but it’s unclear when that hearing would be held. Given the judges’ comments about their likelihood of victory in the case, Olson said they expect to spend time developing further evidence to strengthen their arguments for their day in court. Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com . Follow Idaho Capital Sun on Facebook and X . Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

With the rise of the internet and smartphones, various dangers have emerged alongside the conveniences these technologies offer. While smartphones have simplified many tasks, they've also provided scammers and cyber criminals with new avenues to deceive people. In light of this, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has implemented several measures recently to safeguard individuals against scams and online fraud. One significant step TRAI has taken is to instruct telecom companies to enforce message traceability. This major decision was first announced in August, focusing on commercial messages and OTPs (One-Time Passwords). Initially, telecom companies were given a deadline of October 31 to enact these traceability measures, but this deadline was extended to November 31 following requests from major players like Jio, Airtel, VI, and BSNL. As the new deadline approaches, these companies must comply with TRAI's rules on tracking commercial and OTP messages. It's important to note that if Jio, Airtel, VI, and BSNL start implementing these traceability measures on December 1, OTP messages may experience delays. Consequently, if you are engaged in activities like banking or booking reservations, you could find yourself waiting longer for your OTP. TRAI's initiative stems from the realisation that scammers often exploit fake OTP messages to gain access to individuals' devices, resulting in significant financial losses. By enforcing this rule across all telecom companies, TRAI aims to protect consumers more effectively. In other news, Beginning January 1, 2025, a that will affect customers of Jio, Airtel, Vi, and BSNL. These regulations are aimed at accelerating the development of 5G infrastructure across the country. The government has recently introduced additional regulations under the Telecom Act, requiring all states to comply with these changes. This new guideline, referred to as the Right of Way (RoW), establishes standardised costs for telecom companies when deploying infrastructure nationwide. Currently, RoW rules differ from state to state, leading to varied charges for permissions and the establishment of infrastructure across the country.

The breached 20,000 for the first time on Wednesday after November's inflation data revived momentum into the equity rally. Tech stocks led the way, pushing the index up 1.7%. The S&P 500 rose about 0.8% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped. Stocks moves were muted in the prior two sessions as investors held back ahead of Wednesday's Despite fears of a potential negative market reaction on an , CPI came in as expected, bringing traders off the sidelines. Tech leaders such as Nvidia and Tesla drove the market higher. Shares of Elon Musk's carmaker hit a record on Wednesday. The stock has shot up nearly 70% , far outpacing the gains of the rest of the mega-cap Magnificent Seven stocks as investors cheer on CEO Elon Musk's rising role in the Trump administration and a brighter outlook for Tesla car sales. Musk billion this year alone. Inflation came in at 2.7% on an annual basis in November, slightly outpacing October's 2.6% rise. The slightly hotter reading hasn't rattled Wall Street, which has viewed the data as greenlight for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by a quarter point next week. "The headline CPI was consistently above 3% in the beginning of the year and now it is consistently below 3%, so despite the fact that the series is a little noisy from month-to-month, we believe the Fed is likely to look through these fluctuations and continue on their easing path," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for Northlight Asset Management. The shows markets see the chance of a 25-basis point cut at the Fed's December meeting at 94.9%. Wall Street is less certain of what comes next year, given the cloudier outlook for inflation in Donald Trump's second term and the Fed's potential response. "With the incoming Trump administration likely to impose tariffs on imports and significantly tighten immigration policies, prices could re-accelerate further. If that's the case, December could represent the last cut in the easing cycle," said Ronald Temple, Chief Market Strategist at Lazard. Read the original article onMan smashes Ola scooter after receiving Rs 90,000 bill for repairsNumber of women who are state lawmakers inches up to a record high

Irish showband legend Dickie Rock dies aged 88

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Left-wing politician Yamandú Orsi is poised to become the next president of Uruguay after his main challenger in the runoff conceded defeat Sunday and even the outgoing leader of the South American country congratulated him. His victory marks the return of a center-leftist government to Uruguay's presidency after five years of a conservative administration. But who is Yamandú Orsi? From a working-class family to heir of the left A teacher of history, folk dancer and former mayor, the 57-year-old politician is considered the political heir of former President José Mujica, who accompanied him in his campaign and praised him as a new leader able to find the right balance between the complex dynamics on the social, political and economic chessboard. Orsi was born on June 13, 1967, in the rural area of the Canelones department. His father was a vineyard farmer and his mother a seamstress. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . He has several similarities with his political godfather, such as the love for the countryside and a quiet lifestyle. Throughout the campaign, he was often photographed drinking mate, walking his dog and wearing casual suits. His administration is to take office next March, and like Mujica, he has said that he will not live in the presidential residence. He turned to the left after the dictatorship While living in the countryside, his sister taught him to read and write. But the young Orsi began to shape his political views and desires in the middle of the dictatorship in Uruguay, which lasted from 1973 to 1983. Yamandu Orsi, candidate for the Broad Front (Frente Amplio), addresses supporters after winning the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Credit: AP/Natacha Pisarenko After the end of the dictatorship, Orsi joined the Popular Participation Movement led by Mujica, the ex-guerrilla leader who became president in 2010. He promises a renewed left in Uruguay Orsi focused his campaign on promoting friendly-environmental policies, promises to support small producers and social inclusion policies. He has also promised a renewal of the left by favoring dialogue with everyone, and he insisted during the campaign that he’s not planning any dramatic changing in the country of 3.5 million people. Although he says it’s important to promote social welfare, Orsi has had used a friendly tone toward the market and private sector.