British businesses criticise Labour tax rises
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 13, 2024-- Digi International (Nasdaq: DGII, www.digi.com ), a leading global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity products and services, announces the nomination of two new members to its Board of Directors: Valerie Heusinkveld and Allison West Hughes. In addition, Sally Smith, a Digi director since 2018, has announced her intention to retire from the Board at the conclusion of the company’s annual meeting to be held on February 3, 2025. The election of Ms. Heusinkveld and Ms. Hughes will be voted on by the company’s stockholders at that same annual meeting. Ms. Heusinkveld served as Chief Financial Officer of Cradlepoint, Inc., a provider of bundled cellular hardware and connectivity and monitoring software solutions, from 2012 until her retirement in 2021. Previously, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Purcell Systems from 2007 to 2012. As a former Chief Financial Officer at high technology companies, she has extensive high technology industry knowledge and leadership experience in both financial and operational matters. The company believes this experience would provide the Board with expertise in such areas as finance, operations, hardware and solutions sales models with a focus on annual recurring revenue (ARR), as well as mergers and acquisitions, internal controls, risk management and auditing. Ms. West Hughes has served as Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Corporation since July 2022, initially focused on digital acquisition and adding responsibility for small and medium business in July 2024. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President, Global Digital Go to Market at ServiceNow, a cloud computing platform software company servicing businesses of varying sizes, from July 2021 to June 2022, after having served as Vice President from April 2020 and previously serving as Area Vice President from 2018. She has extensive high technology industry knowledge and leadership experience and brings expertise in such areas as sales and marketing and operations. The company believes her expertise in marketing and selling subscription-based offerings resulting in annual recurring revenue, as well as working with customers of varying degrees of scale would be valuable as the company executes on the expansion of recurring revenue-based solutions offerings across its business. “We want to thank Sally for her commitment to Digi and her assistance in helping the company grow and advance its mission. While her contributions were significant and will be missed, we are thrilled to nominate both Valerie and Allison to our Board of Directors,” said Satbir Khanuja, Ph.D., Non-executive Chairman of the Board, Digi International. “Their extensive experience in technology, innovation, ARR and financial strategy aligns with Digi's commitment to driving IoT advancements and delivering value to our stakeholders. We are confident their leadership will strengthen our ability to deliver on our vision as we continue expanding our global presence and driving Digi’s renaissance as a leading solution provider in the IoT space.” The nomination of Heusinkveld and Hughes underscores Digi's dedication to fostering innovation and sustaining Digi’s excellence in technology innovation and customer-centricity. Additional Information and Where to Find It Digi International has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Definitive Proxy Statement”) with respect to its solicitation of proxies for Digi International’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2025 Annual Meeting”). The Definitive Proxy Statement contains important information about the matters to be voted on at the 2025 Annual Meeting. STOCKHOLDERS OF DIGI INTERNATIONAL ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT DIGI INTERNATIONAL HAS FILED OR WILL FILE WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DIGI INTERNATIONAL AND THE MATTERS TO BE VOTED ON AT THE 2025 ANNUAL MEETING. Stockholders are able to obtain free copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC by Digi International through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov . In addition, stockholders are able to obtain free copies of these documents from Digi International by going to Digi International’s Investor Relations page on its website at www.digi.com . Participants in the Solicitation The directors, executive officers, and employees of Digi International may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Digi International in connection with 2025 Annual Meeting. Digi International has also engaged Alliance Advisors LLC to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the 2025 Annual Meeting and to provide related advice and informational support. Information regarding the interests of participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the 2025 Annual Meeting is included in the Definitive Proxy Statement. About Digi International Digi International (NASDAQ: DGII) is a leading global provider of IoT connectivity products, services, and solutions. It helps companies create next-generation connected products and deploy and manage critical communications infrastructures in demanding environments with high levels of security and reliability. Founded in 1985, Digi has helped customers connect more than 100 million things and counting. For more information, visit www.digi.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213612450/en/ CONTACT: Media Contact: Peter Ramsay Global Results Communications digi@globalresultspr.com 949.307.5908 KEYWORD: MINNESOTA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY IOT (INTERNET OF THINGS) SEMICONDUCTOR SECURITY OTHER TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE NETWORKS INTERNET MOBILE/WIRELESS HARDWARE ELECTRONIC DESIGN AUTOMATION SOURCE: Digi International Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/13/2024 05:50 PM/DISC: 12/13/2024 05:48 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213612450/enAs open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.
First Horizon Names New Head of Investor RelationsNone
NoneLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Allowing two kickoff return touchdowns and missing an extra point all in the final few minutes added up to the a third consecutive game in excruciating fashion. The underlying reason for this slide continuing was a problem long before that. An offense led by that was among the NFL's best for a long stretch of the season put up just nine points and 169 yards for the first three-plus quarters against Dallas before falling behind 20-9 and teeing off on the Cowboys' conservative defense. “We just couldn’t really get it going,” said , whose lengthy touchdown with 21 seconds left masked that he had just three catches for 16 yards through three quarters. “We’ve got to find a way to start faster and sustain drives, and that’s everybody: the whole coaching staff and the offensive players just going out there and figuring out ways that we can stay on the field.” This is not a new problem for Washington, which had a season-low 242 yards in a and 264 yards four days later at Philadelphia. Since returning from a rib injury that last month, Daniels has completed just under 61% of his passes, after 75.6% over his first seven professional starts. Daniels and have insisted this isn't about injury. The coaching staff blamed a lack of adequate practice time, but a full week of it before facing the Cowboys did not solve the problem. It is now fair to wonder if opponents have seen enough film of to figure it out. “I think teams and coordinators are going to see what other teams have success against us and try to figure out how they could incorporate that into their scheme," Daniels said after going 12 of 22 for 80 yards passing through three quarters in the Dallas game. "We’ve been in third and longer a lot these past couple games, so that’s kind of where you get into the exotic pressures and stuff like that. We’ve just got to be better on first and second downs and stay ahead of the chains.” Daniels has a point there, and it predates this losing streak. The Commanders have converted just 36% of third-down opportunities (27 for 75) over their past seven games after 52% (31 for 60) in their first five. That challenge doesn't get any easier with Tennessee coming to town Sunday. The Titans, despite being 3-8, have the second-best third-down defense in the league at 31.6%. What’s working The defense kept the Commanders in the game against Dallas, allowing just 10 points until the fourth quarter and 20 total before kickoff return touchdowns piled on to the other side of the scoreboard. Even Cooper Rush's 22-yard touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker with five minutes left came after a turnover that gave the Cowboys the ball at the Washington 44. The defense spending more than 35 minutes on the field certainly contributed to fatigue as play wore on. What needs help The running game that contributed to a 7-2 start has taken a hit, in part because of The Commanders got 145 yards on the ground because Daniels had 74 on seven carries, but running backs combined for just 57. Daniels could not say how much the rushing attack stalling has contributed to the offense going stagnant. “You’ve got to be able to run the ball, keep the defense honest,” he said. "We got to execute the plays that are called in, and we didn’t do a good job of doing that.” Stock up Linebacker Frankie Luvu keeps making the case to be Adam Peters' best free agent signing. He and fellow offseason addition tied for a team-high eight tackles, and Luvu also knocked down three passes against Dallas. Stock down Kicker Austin Seibert going wide left on the point-after attempt that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left was his third miss of the game. He also was short on a 51-yard field goal attempt and wide left on an earlier extra point. Seibert, signed a week into the season after Cade York struggled in the opener, and was 22 of 22 on extra points before injuring his right hip and missing the previous two games. He brushed off his health and the low snap from Tyler Ott while taking responsibility for not connecting. “I made the decision to play, and here we are,” Seibert said. “I just wasn’t striking it well. But it means a lot to me to be here with these guys, so I just want to put my best foot moving forward.” Injuries Robinson's sprained ankle and fellow running back from a late kickoff return that led to him being hospitalized for further evaluation are two major immediate concerns. Quinn said Monday that Ekeler and starting right tackle Andrew Wylie are in concussion protocol. It's unclear if Robinson will be available against Tennessee, which could mean Chris Rodriguez Jr. getting elevated from the practice squad to split carries with Jeremy McNichols. The Commanders still have not gotten cornerback Marshon Lattimore into a game since from New Orleans. from a hamstring injury, and the secondary could use him against Calvin Ridley, who's coming off at Houston. Key number 17 — Handoffs to a running back against Dallas, a significant decrease from much of the season before this losing streak. Next steps Don't overlook the Titans with the late bye week coming immediately afterward. The Commanders opened as more than a touchdown favorite, but after the results over the weekend, BetMGM Sportsbook had it as 5 1/2 points Monday. ___ AP NFL: Stephen Whyno, The Associated PressSINGAPORE — Denmark-based shipping and logistics giant Maersk unveiled its latest dual-fuel methanol vessel in the Southeast Asian country on Thursday as the industry ramps up decarbonization efforts. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are The newly named A.P. Møller is a 350-meter-long ship that adds to a growing fleet of Maersk vessels that are able to run on methanol as well as traditional marine fuels. Speaking to CNBC's " Squawk Box Asia, " Maersk's Asia-Pacific president, Ditlev Blicher, said the vessels represent the latest technology that is ready to decarbonize shipping. "[This technology] allows the industry to shift from black fuels or fossil fuels into what we call e-methanol, or green methanol, significantly reducing the carbon outlets of normal shipping," he said. Maersk broadly defines green fuels as fuels with a minimum 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle basis compared with fossil reference fuels. Although largely produced from fossil fuels, methanol can also be made from sustainable, renewable-based energy sources, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency . Maersk says ships running on green methanol can save up to about 280 tons of CO2 per day, making it a key step in the company's goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. Green methanol also has a lower sulfur content, reducing emissions of sulfur oxides, which contribute to air pollution and acid rain, according to the World Economic Forum . Blicher said the A.P. Møller is Maersk's ninth dual-fuel vessel out of an order of 25 planned to be completed by 2027. According to the company, replacing just 12 of its "normal" vessels with ones running on green methanol could save 1.5 million metric tons of CO2 — almost double the CO2 emissions that the Municipality of Copenhagen produced in 2022. As the largest maritime shipper in the world, Maersk is a significant trendsetter for global trade, with many other companies following suit on methanol adoption. According to Blicher, about 170 dual-fuel methanol vessels are on order from the entire industry, which is helping to build scale. "Maersk, the industry and our client base are pushing forward and investing in this technology," Blicher said, noting that clients are increasingly trying to meet their own decarbonization goals. Still, while building economies of scale is vital, he believes more will be needed in order to shift the industry away from black fuels, with methanol presenting higher production costs. Blicher expects this tipping of the scales to come from regulations that disincentivize black fuels. "We're talking about adding to the price of black fuel to make sure that the black fuel price is reflective of the impact that it has on the economy," he said. Singapore, the world's largest bunkering port, has led various initiatives to promote sustainable shipping. In October, Maersk raised its full-year forecasts after reporting strong third-quarter results, heavy demand and higher prices resulting from disruptions in the Red Sea. Revenue was $15.8 billion, up from $12.1 billion a year prior.Aston Villa had a stoppage-time goal disallowed as they drew 0-0 with Juventus in the Champions League. Morgan Rogers looked to have given Unai Emery’s side another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home at the death, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Diego Carlos to have fouled Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the goal was chalked off. It was a disappointment for Villa, who remain unbeaten at home in their debut Champions League campaign and are still in contention to qualify automatically for the last 16. Emiliano Martinez had earlier displayed why he was named the best goalkeeper in the world as his wonder save kept his side level in the second half. The Argentina international paraded his two Yashin Trophies on the pitch before kick-off at Villa Park and then showed why he won back-to-back FIFA awards when he denied Francisco Conceicao. Before Rogers’ moment of drama in the fourth minute of added time, the closest Villa came to scoring was in the first half when Lucas Digne’s free-kick hit the crossbar. But a draw was a fair result which leaves Villa out of the top eight on goal difference and Juventus down in 19th. Diego Carlos was adjudged to have fouled the Juventus goalkeeper (David Davies/PA) Before the game Emery called Juventus one of the “best teams in the world, historically and now”, but this was an Italian side down to the bare bones. Only 14 outfield players made the trip from Turin, with striker Dusan Vlahovic among those who stayed behind. The opening 30 minutes were forgettable before the game opened up. Ollie Watkins, still chasing his first Champions League goal, had Villa’s first presentable chance as he lashed an effort straight at Di Gregorio. Ollie Watkins could not find the net (Nick Potts/PA) Matty Cash then had a vicious effort from the resulting corner which was blocked by Federico Gatti and started a counter-attack which ended in Juventus striker Timothy Weah. Villa came closest to breaking the deadlock at the end of the first half when Digne’s 20-yard free-kick clipped the top of the crossbar and went over. Martinez then produced his brilliant save just after the hour. A corner made its way through to the far post where Conceicao was primed to head in at the far post, but Martinez sprawled himself across goal to scoop the ball away. Replays showed most of the ball went over the line, but the Argentinian got there with millimetres to spare. At the other end another fine goal-line block denied John McGinn as Manuel Locatelli got his foot in the way with Di Gregorio beaten. The game looked to be petering out until a last-gasp free-kick saw Rogers slam home, but whistle-happy official Gil Manzano halted the celebrations by ruling the goal out.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Alabama faces a tougher roadblock than it might appear in its quest to maintain positioning for the College Football Playoff. Sure, Oklahoma has struggled in its first Southeastern Conference season. The Sooners (5-5, 1-5 SEC) have lost four straight conference games. The Sooners have fired their offensive coordinator and they have the worst offense in the league. But they have a tough defense, too. Linebacker Danny Stutsman, a midseason AP All-American, anchors a nasty unit that has kept the Sooners competitive in losses at Ole Miss and Missouri. He ranks second in the SEC with 96 tackles. Defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. has scored four defensive touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season, tied for the most nationally. Defensive end R Mason Thomas has seven sacks, with six coming in the fourth quarter of close games. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is paying attention. “It’s going to take a great week of preparation,” DeBoer said. “A physical football team all around. Their defense is, I think, an extremely tough defense in all ways — just what they do with their scheme and then with their personnel, the way they fly around.” Plus, Oklahoma is motivated. It’s Senior Day for a program that would become bowl eligible with a win. Beating the seventh-ranked Crimson Tide could cure a lot of ills for the Sooners. “I think they know they could be a great example for what fight and what belief and what finishing and what improving and what proving people wrong looks like,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “And I think this is a group of guys that are committed to doing that.” Alabama (8-2, 4-2) has more answers than most. Jalen Milroe has passed for 15 touchdowns and rushed for 17. Freshman receiver Ryan Williams has 40 catches for 767 yards and eight touchdowns. “Yeah, incredibly explosive, and they have great playmakers everywhere," Venables said. “Certainly, it starts — everything goes through the quarterback.” There has been much talk about what a third loss would do to Alabama's playoff hopes. DeBoer said his team isn't focused on that. “I think we're really honed in and the guys really believe on and have understood the significance of really focusing on where we’re at right now,” he said. “We talk about the next play is the most important play, the next game is the most important game. We haven’t thought about anything beyond Oklahoma.” Milroe is only the fourth SEC quarterback since 2007 to have at least 15 passing touchdowns and 17 rushing touchdowns in a single season. The others won the Heisman Trophy during their seasons — Florida's Tim Tebow in 2007, Auburn's Cam Newton in 2010 and Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel in 2012. “I think it just starts with doing what’s best for the team, and that’s what Jalen is all about," DeBoer said. Since returning to the lineup early against South Carolina four games ago, Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold has completed 70 of 112 passes for 705 yards with five touchdowns with no interceptions. Still, his fumble that was returned for a touchdown in the final minute against Missouri was the difference in a 30-23 loss. Arnold has dealt with significant criticism all season. “That goes along with that position at a place like the University of Oklahoma,” Venables said. “That’s a position that’s a little bit ... it’s a bit like the head coach position. There’s a different type of microscope and there’s a different type of focus and that’s okay he’s got broad shoulders to handle that.” Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes ran for career highs of 203 yards and three touchdowns against Maine two weeks ago, then he sat out last week's loss to Missouri. He's listed as questionable on this week's injury report. He leads the Sooners with 577 yards rushing this season. Venables is impressed with what DeBoer has done in his first year at Alabama since taking over for Nick Saban. “One of Kalen’s strengths as a football coach — a very successful coach — is he takes a group of players that he has, and their staff figures out what they can do,” Venables said. “They major in that, put them in position to be successful based on the players’ strengths. They’ve done a nice job of doing that throughout the course of the season.” Oklahoma beat heavily favored Alabama 45-31 in the Sugar Bowl to cap the 2013 season, a game that helped pump energy into the Sooner program under Bob Stoops. Alabama got revenge in 2018, beating the Sooners 45-34 in the College Football Playoff. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballMatt Gaetz Mocked With Scaramucci Comparisons After AG Withdrawal
Maidwell Cleaning: Transforming Perceptions in the Cleaning Industry 12-13-2024 11:56 PM CET | Politics, Law & Society Press release from: ABNewswire Maidwell Cleaning Cleaning in Asheville Maidwell Cleaning is a referral agency headquartered in Asheville, NC, dedicated to connecting clients with experienced local cleaners. With a focus on trust, quality, and convenience, Maidwell Cleaning delivers exceptional services tailored to meet the needs of homes, offices, and rental properties. Maidwell Cleaning [maidwell.co], a premier referral agency for cleaning services, is setting a new standard in the cleaning industry. By connecting clients with highly skilled, background-checked, and locally-based cleaning professionals, Maidwell Cleaning is not just offering cleaning solutions but redefining how the world views this essential service. With a steadfast commitment to quality, convenience, and trust, Maidwell Cleaning is poised to transform the industry one spotless home and office at a time. Elevating the Standard of Clean In an industry often associated with traditional methods and inconsistent service, Maidwell Cleaning is paving the way for innovation. Focused on personalized solutions, the company offers a comprehensive range of services, including: House Cleaning Service: Perfect for regular upkeep, ensuring homes stay in pristine condition. Deep Cleaning Service: A thorough, top-to-bottom cleaning for those hard-to-reach spaces. Move-In/Move-Out Cleaning: Designed for seamless transitions during relocations. Office Cleaning Services: Helping businesses maintain professional and organized workspaces. Post-Construction Cleaning Service: Cleaning up the dust and debris left after building projects. Short-Term Rental Cleaning: Preparing vacation rentals for new guests with speed and precision. Maid Service: Customized scheduling for ongoing cleaning needs. Each of these services reflects the company's dedication to professionalism, reliability, and a personal touch that sets it apart in a crowded market. Seamless Booking for Busy Lives In a fast-paced world, Maidwell Cleaning understands the value of time. That's why their booking process is designed to be effortless and transparent: Call or Book Online: Clients can quickly customize their cleaning needs and schedule via an intuitive online form or a simple phone call.Receive Confirmation: Maidwell Cleaning ensures prompt communication, providing clients with clear service details and expectations. Enjoy a Sparkling Clean Space: Trustworthy and experienced cleaners arrive on time, ready to transform living or working spaces into pristine environments. This streamlined process ensures that clients receive not only exceptional cleaning services but also a hassle-free experience from start to finish. A Commitment to Community Rooted in Asheville, NC, with additional service offerings in Wilmington, NC, Maidwell Cleaning prioritizes working with local professionals. By fostering partnerships with trusted, background-checked cleaners in these communities, the company supports the local economy while ensuring the highest standards of service for its clients. Industry Leadership Through Innovation Beyond exceptional service, Maidwell Cleaning is leading the way with innovative practices that challenge traditional norms in the cleaning industry. By combining technology, community partnerships, and client-focused solutions, the company is transforming perceptions and raising expectations. The company also emphasizes sustainability, aiming to adopt eco-friendly cleaning methods and reduce its environmental impact. This forward-thinking approach demonstrates Maidwell Cleaning's commitment to not only its clients but also the planet. Expanding Horizons Maidwell Cleaning's success in Asheville has led to the expansion of services to Wilmington, NC, offering the same trusted and tailored solutions. As the company continues to grow, its mission remains the same: to redefine what a cleaning service can be. Join the Movement Maidwell Cleaning invites homeowners, renters, and businesses to experience the difference. With services that go beyond the surface, the company is proving that the cleaning industry can be a model of excellence, trust, and community connection. For more information or to book a service, visit https://maidwell.co [maidwell.co] or call (828) 560-5609. Let Maidwell Cleaning transform your space-and your expectations. About Maidwell Cleaning Maidwell Cleaning is a referral agency headquartered in Asheville, NC, dedicated to connecting clients with experienced local cleaners. With a focus on trust, quality, and convenience, Maidwell Cleaning delivers exceptional services tailored to meet the needs of homes, offices, and rental properties. Location: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Maidwell%20Cleaning%2018%20Hilldale%20Rd,%20Asheville,%20NC%2028803,%20United%20States&t=&z=13&ie=UTF8&iwloc=&output=embed Maidwell Cleaning, Phone: 828-560-5609, 18 Hilldale Rd Asheville, NC 28803 Media Contact Company Name: Maidwell Cleaning Contact Person: Devin Jenkins Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=maidwell-cleaning-transforming-perceptions-in-the-cleaning-industry ] Phone: (828) 560-5609 Address:18 Hilldale Rd City: Asheville State: NC Country: United States Website: https://maidwell.co/ This release was published on openPR.By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times (TNS) LOS ANGELES — Each day, an army of trucks delivers tens of thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables to Mexico City’s Central de Abasto, one of the world’s largest wholesale food markets. Most of the produce finds its way to people’s kitchens, and eventually their stomachs. But around 420 tons goes bad each day before it can be sold. It ends up, like so much food around the world, in a landfill. Globally, a staggering one third of all food that is produced is never eaten. That waste — more than 1 billion tons annually — fuels climate change. As organic matter decomposes, it releases methane , a greenhouse gas that is much more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to warming the planet. The United Nation estimates that up to 10% of all human-produced greenhouse gases are generated by food loss and waste. That’s nearly five times the emissions from the aviation industry. For many years, scientists and policy makers have been largely focused on addressing other drivers of climate change, especially the burning of fossil fuels, which is by far the largest contributor to global emissions. But food waste has recently been drawing more international attention. The issue was on the agenda at this month’s United Nations climate summit in Azerbaijan, where for the first time, leaders signed a declaration calling for countries to set concrete targets to reduce methane emissions caused by organic waste. Only a handful of the 196 countries that have signed the Paris Agreement on climate change have incorporated food waste commitments into their national climate plans, according to the UK-based nonprofit Waste & Resources Action Program. Many more nations are like Mexico, which is just beginning to assess how it can reduce the 20 million tons of food wasted annually here. A recent report by the World Bank identified several waste hotspots in the country, including the Central de Abasato, which stretches across 800 acres on the south side of the capital. In the dense warren of stalls, the best-looking produce is displayed prominently: ripe bananas, glistening limes and orderly rows of broccoli and asparagus. In the back are fruits and veggies that no longer look perfect: mushy papayas, wilting spinach and bruised tomatoes. A few years ago, market organizers launched an initiative to collect the produce that looks too old to sell but is still perfectly usable. They donate it to food banks and soup kitchens. Organizers say they’ve reduced the amount of food that is thrown out by about a quarter since 2020 — and have provided meals to tens of thousands of hungry people. “It’s much better to donate,” said Fernando Bringas Torres, who has sold bananas at the market for more than four decades. “This food still has value.” Environmental activists say reducing food waste is one of the most attainable climate solutions, in part because its not politicized. Asking companies and consumers to cut back on the food they send to landfills is far less charged than urging a reduction in meat consumption, energy use or the number of gas-fueled cars on the road. “People on the left and the right both have a gut reaction to it because it is a waste of resources,” said Christian Reynolds, a researcher at the Center for Food Policy at City University in London. Reducing waste “is not a silver bullet” to stop global warming, Reynolds said. “But it’s up there with the things you’ve got to solve, and it’s a useful way to open doors around climate change.” Related Articles Scientists say cutting back on waste is valuable because methane traps heat at a much higher rate than carbon dioxide. Methane emissions are to blame for about 30% of the recent rise in global temperatures. U.N. climate leaders say slashing them is a vital “emergency brake” that will help curb the extreme weather already seen across the world today. About 20% of methane emissions come from food loss and waste, an umbrella term that describes all food that is produced but not eaten. It includes crops destroyed by pests or extreme weather, produce or meat that spoils in transport because of faulty packaging and food that goes bad at market before it can be sold. It also includes all food purchased by individuals or served at restaurants that ends up in the trash. The data on food waste are stunning: Experts say some food waste in inevitable. Humans need food to survive and it degrades quickly. Modern food systems are built around the transport of products across long distances, increasing the likelihood that some things will spoil. But they say there are relatively pain-free ways to reduce waste at all stages — from producer to consumer. The simplest thing is to reduce the amount of extra food being produced in the first place. But other solutions include fixing inefficient machinery that makes it hard to harvest all of a crop, bettering poor roads that prevent food from making it from farm to table and improving packaging, so food stays good for longer. At the end of the chain, restaurant workers can be better trained to prepare food in a way that avoids waste. Retailers can be encouraged to avoid over-buying and to stop the practice of stocking only perfect-looking produce and discarding the rest. And consumers can be encouraged to eat all of what they buy and lower the temperatures on their refrigerators to delay food from going bad. There has also been a major push to get retailers to change how they label foods, given that many consumers throw out products if they are past their sell-by date. “We should be making sure that our food safety policies are not getting in the way of our climate goals,” Reynolds said. California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill, AB 660, that would bar food-sellers from using the term “sell by” on packages, requiring them to switch to “use by” or “best if used by.” Advocates say it would dissuade Californians from throwing away food that is still good. Other efforts are focused on recovery and redistribution — getting food that is about to spoil into the hands of hungry people. Each year 783 million people around the world go hungry, with a third of the global population facing food insecurity. World leaders “are starting to make the connection between the the climate impact and social impact,” said Ana Catalina Suárez Peña, an advocate with the Global FoodBanking Network, which works with food banks in more than 50 countries. Her organization recently developed a calculator for food banks and businesses that allows them to measure the volume of methane avoided by curbing food waste. The group found that six community-led food banks in Mexico and Ecuador prevented a total of 816 metric tons of methane over a year by redistributing food that would otherwise have gone to landfill. That is the equivalent of keeping 5,436 cars off the road for a year. Tools to measure food waste — and the savings generated from avoiding it — are an important part of tackling the problem, said Oliver Camp, a food systems adviser at the COP summit. Though he was heartened by the summit declaration calling on countries to set targets for avoiding food waste in their climate plans, he said there was still much progress to be made. Countries need to implement a “comprehensive, costed national strategy based on data as to where food loss and waste is occurring, and evidence-based interventions to avoid it,” he said. The World Bank analysis of Mexico found that most of the country’s emissions come from the energy and transportation sectors, but that the food wasted here is the fifth biggest contributor. “There is an overproduction by farmers,” said Adriana Martínez, 48, who runs a stall at the Central de Abastos that she inherited from her late father. She said customers “only want food that looks perfect.” Each week, about 30% of her product begins to go bad. In the past, she would have sent it to the overflowing dumpsters that sit behind the market. But now she calls up a market organizer who connects her with a local food bank. Martínez said her father, who grew up poor, would be happy knowing that food from the stand is helping other people instead of decomposing in a dump. “He knew hunger,” she said. “And he hated waste.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
St. Petersburg council approves $23M repair to hurricane-ravaged Tropicana Field roof
