Efforts to reduce the nation’s persistently high maternal mortality rates involve state panels of experts that investigate and learn from each mother’s death. The panels — called maternal mortality review committees — usually work quietly out of the public eye, but that’s not been the case recently in three states with strict abortion laws. Georgia dismissed all members of its committee in November after information about deaths being reviewed leaked to the news organization ProPublica. Days later, The Washington Post reported that Texas’ committee won’t review cases from 2022 and 2023, the first two years after the state banned nearly all abortions. In Idaho, the state let its panel disband in 2023 only to reinstate it this year. “They’ve become more of a lightning rod than they were before,” said epidemiologist Michael Kramer, director of the Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities at Mercer University in Georgia. Here’s what these committees do and what might happen next: “Maternal mortality review committees are important because they are the most comprehensive source of information about maternal mortality that we have,” said David Goodman, who leads the maternal mortality prevention team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The panels review deaths that occur during pregnancy or within a year after it ends, whether related to the pregnancy or not. Causes of death can range from hemorrhage during childbirth to drug overdoses to traffic accidents. The goal, Kramer said, is to examine maternal deaths and help “decide what we can do about them.” All states, a few cities and Puerto Rico have these committees. Their membership varies and may include OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine doctors, nurses, midwives, mental and public health experts and members of patient advocacy groups. Most have representatives from several areas of expertise, which the CDC recommends. How members are selected also varies; people may apply, submit letters of interest or be invited to serve. The selection shouldn’t be politically motivated, Kramer said, because “if there’s a systematic exclusion of certain data or certain perspectives” it’s difficult to truly understand what’s happening. The panels work with state vital statistics offices and epidemiologists to identify deaths associated with pregnancy by examining death certificates and looking for a pregnancy checkbox or a related cause of death. They also may search for links to birth and fetal death records, or delve into hospital discharge data, media reports and obituaries. Once they identify cases, they collect as much information as possible, such as prenatal care records, hospital and social service records, autopsy reports and interviews with family members. Professional “abstractors” distill all this into case narratives, which committee members pore over. Most use a standardized review process developed by the CDC — and all panels can get help and guidance from the agency. They consider questions such as: Was the death pregnancy- related? What was the underlying cause? Was it preventable? What factors contributed? States generally have privacy rules that protect committee members and people who provide information on the deaths. The groups then issue public reports that don’t name mothers or hospitals but include overall findings, trends and recommendations. Some come out a couple of years or more after the deaths. Across the nation in 2023, Goodman said, 151 recommendations from those reports were implemented by communities, hospitals, medical professionals and policymakers. Georgia will rebuild its committee through a new application process, the state public health commissioner said. Texas’ committee has been reviewing 2021 deaths and will start on 2024 cases at its next meeting, Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Lara Anton said. “Reviewing cases is a lengthy process and legislators have asked for more recent data. Starting the next review cycle with 2024 cases will allow us to provide that in the next report,” Anton said, adding that maternal and child health epidemiologists will continue to analyze and publish data for 2022 and 2023. In Idaho, the reconstituted review committee now falls under the state board of medicine, which licenses doctors, instead of the state’s health and welfare department. It will operate like it always has, said Bob McLaughlin, spokesperson for the medical board. Members met for the first time in November and plan to issue a report by Jan. 31. Because the legislature wanted the most up-to-date information, McLaughlin said the first report will cover only 2023 cases, and the group will review 2022 deaths next.wild ace in greer 。

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell Thursday following some potentially discouraging data on the economy . The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% for its fourth loss in the last six days. It’s a pause for the index, which has been rallying toward one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 234 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report early in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. A separate update, meanwhile, showed that inflation at the wholesale level, before it reaches U.S. consumers, was hotter last month than economists expected. Neither report points to imminent disaster, but they dilute one of the hopes that’s driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year : Inflation is slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, while the economy is remaining solid enough to stay out of a recession. Of the two reports, the weaker update on the job market may be the bigger deal for the market, according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. A surge in egg prices may have been behind the worse-than-expected inflation numbers. “One week doesn’t negate what has been a relatively steady stream of solid labor market data, but the Fed is primed to be sensitive to any signs of a softening jobs picture,” he said. Traders are widely expecting the Fed will ease its main interest rate at its meeting next week. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. A cut next week would have the Fed following other central banks, which lowered rates on Thursday. The European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as many investors expected, and the Swiss National Bank cut its policy rate by a steeper half of a percentage point. Following its decision, Switzerland’s central bank pointed to uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory will affect economic policies, as well as about where politics in Europe is heading. Trump has talked up tariffs and other policies that could upend global trade. He rang the bell marking the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to chants of “USA.” On Wall Street, Adobe fell 13.7% and was one of the heaviest weights on the market despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company gave forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Warner Bros. Discovery soared 15.4% after unveiling a new corporate structure that separates its streaming business and film studios from its traditional television business. CEO David Zaslav said the move “enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities,” raising speculation about a spinoff or sale. Kroger rose 3.2% after saying it would get back to buying back its own stock now that its attempt to merge with Albertsons is off . Kroger’s board approved a program to repurchase up to $7.5 billion of its stock, replacing an existing $1 billion authorization. All told, the S&P 500 fell 32.94 points to 6,051.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 234.55 to 43,914.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 132.05 to 19,902.84. In stock markets abroad, European indexes held relatively steady following the European Central Bank’s cut to rates. Asian markets were stronger. Indexes rose 1.2% in Hong Kong and 0.8% in Shanghai as leaders met in Beijing to set economic plans and targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.6% for its third straight gain of at least 1%, as it pulls back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.33% from 4.27% late Wednesday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

December 3, 2024, in South Korea “will live in infamy” as the nation endured the trauma of martial law on the order of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Without offering evidence, Yoon stated the measure was necessary to root out “anti-state” and “pro-North Korean” forces in the government. He failed to notify the National Assembly, as the Constitution requires, and instead sent special forces into the National Assembly building to arrest leading lawmakers. Eventually the soldiers held back and protesters outside helped enough representatives into the building to vote to rescind the order, as the Constitution allows. After a long, tense wait that has yet to be explained, Yoon lifted martial law. Yoon’s botched self-coup has plunged South Korea into its most severe political crisis in decades. The public wants Yoon out quickly, but the conservative People Power Party blocked the first impeachment attempt on Dec. 7 for inexplicable reasons. Public anger has continued to build and another vote on impeachment scheduled for Dec. 14 now appears likely to pass. Polls show that slightly over 70 percent of the public support impeachment. Impeachment would immediately prevent Yoon from carrying out his duties, which would pass to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president while the Constitutional Court reviews the case. The Constitutional Court has a maximum of 180 days to review the case but would most likely rule earlier than that. If the impeachment is upheld, Yoon would be removed from office and a new election would take place within 60 days. If Yoon resigns, an election would also be held within 60 days. During the election period, the prime minister serves as acting president. A possible problem with impeachment is that the Constitutional Court, which is composed of nine members, has three vacancies, which means that all of the remaining six would have to uphold the impeachment to remove Yoon. Given the evidence and public pressure, chances are high that the Court will back the impeachment, but the possibility of not reaching the required six votes cannot be discounted. If the impeachment is rejected, Yoon would return to his duties, which would inflame public outrage. Meanwhile, the prosecutor’s office has launched a probe into Yoon Suk Yeol and the Ministry of Justice has banned Yoon from leaving the country. Kim Yong-hyun, minister of defense at the time of martial law, has been arrested and the criminal probe is widening to others. The Constitution gives presidents immunity from prosecution, except for “insurrection or treason” (Article 84), which means that, if charged, Yoon could be prosecuted and possibly jailed. That would not mean his removal from office because the only way to remove a president is for the Constitutional Court to uphold impeachment. Among the various scenarios in play, resignation would bring the fastest solution to the crisis because it would get Yoon out of office and prompt an election soon. Though the People Power Party has talked about arranging an “orderly departure,” resignation seems unlikely. That leaves impeachment and removal as the most likely scenario with a new election likely in the spring. Current polls show that Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is the overwhelming favorite. Lee has several major strengths. Having barely lost to Yoon Suk Yeol in 2022, he has shown that he is a vote getter. He also led the Democratic Party to expand its majority in the National Assembly elections in April this year. Above all, his social media appeals during martial law for people to gather at the National Assembly have earned him respect. A problem for Lee is that he is a polarizing figure who doesn’t represent a break from the current political situation. The bigger problem for Lee is that he has been convicted of violating election law and has received a suspended prison term. He has appealed the verdict to the Supreme Court and can run for president during the appeal process. He also faces several other trials over corruption and other charges. So far, Lee’s legal troubles and polarizing image have not affected his standing with voters, most likely because of his increased status as a democracy defender. A way out of the crisis is near, and clarity will bring comfort to a nation on edge. Spring will come and, most likely, South Korea will elect a new leader. Hopefully that person will be able to turn the people’s strong desire to protect democracy and overcome polarization into reality. It will require steady, forward-looking leadership with a focus on the common good. Robert J. Fouser Robert J. Fouser, a former associate professor of Korean language education at Seoul National University, writes on Korea from Providence, Rhode Island. He can be reached at robertjfouser@gmail.com. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. -- Ed.Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein was carted off the field with 5:32 left in the first quarter with an apparent left ankle injury during Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference game against host Louisville. The freshman was sacked at the Panthers' 49-yard line by Louisville's Ashton Gillotte, who rolled on the quarterback's ankle. Holstein was in a walking boot as he was helped to the cart. Holstein missed last week's game against Clemson after suffering a head injury in the loss to Virginia two weeks ago. Holstein was 3-for-5 passing for 51 yards and an interception before exiting. Nate Yarnell, who threw for 350 yards in the loss to Clemson, replaced Holstein. --Field Level Media

US stocks experience mixed fortunes on quiet day of tradingCaregiver son struggles with guilt over not doing enoughSaturday Night Live drew criticism for a Weekend Update segment that made light of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Co-host Colin Jost joked about the killing, saying: "The manhunt continues for the assassin who gunned down the CEO of United Healthcare on Wednesday, and it really says something about America that a guy was murdered in cold blood and the two main reactions were, 'Yeah, well health care stinks!' And also, 'Girl, that shooter hot.'" Social media users condemned the segment as insensitive. New sighting of suspect in UHC Brian Thompson's murder Health insurance companies ramp up security after UnitedHealthcare CEO murder Thompson, 50, was married with two sons. "Disgusting. I couldn't watch this segment. The victim's family and friends are very much grieving right now," one YouTube commenter wrote. Michael Che added to the controversial commentary, referencing the suspect's image: " New York City police say that they were able to get the smiling picture of the suspect after the man apparently was caught on camera at a local hostel, flirting with a female employee, whose name has been reported as, 'Lucky S. Bechalive.'" Viewers expressed further outrage. "Long time viewer of SNL. I don't consider myself particularly [sensitive] to any topic, but in today's Weekend Update edition they made jokes about the United Health CEO gunned down in NYC. That was really distasteful and disrespectful," one user wrote. DON'T MISS: New photo unmasks UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson assassin [PICTURES] Inside UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's marriage following his murder [SPOTLIGHT] Chilling message on bullets used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO explained [INSIGHT] Jost also mocked NYPD's response to the crime, joking about the suspect's escape and the police's priorities during the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree lighting. On Saturday New York City mayor Eric Adams has declared "we're going to reveal who he is." The UnitedHealthcare tycoon was shot dead at point-blank range in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday by a masked gunman who has evaded capture ever since. Now Adams has revealed "the net is tightening" and suggested that NYPD detectives now know who the gunman is.Just a few days into the 2024-25 basketball season, it looks like one of the state’s top girls teams is again coming from the Mt. Hood Conference. Clackamas' stellar class of 2025 is now full of seniors and is looking for another deep playoff run. Here’s a preview of the girls basketball teams in the Mt. Hood Conference, listed in alphabetical order: Barlow Bruins Last season: 15-11 Coach: Nick Hudson Key players: Rachel Jones, G/W, SR; Lizzy Weber, G/W, SR; Addi Knight, W/C, SR; Kinzie Hopkins, G/W, SR Outlook: After consecutive years of deep playoff runs, Barlow graduated several stalwarts ahead of last season and the Bruins were forced to reload with a largely entirely new roster. Despite the turnover, Barlow finished third in the Mt. Hood Conference, behind Clackamas and Nelson. Hudson likes the foundation last year’s given suddenly veteran group. “We have a solid core of returning players who have lots of varsity experience,” he said. “We should be able to score in a variety of ways from outside shooting, slashing to the hoop and scoring in post and paint.” Central Catholic Rams Last season: 11-14 Coach: Sandy Dickerson Key players: Nylah Jae Holt, G, SR; Katherine O’Leary, F, SR; Lillian Jordan, G, SR Coach: The Rams finished last season much stronger than they started it, eventually entering the state’s top 30 despite a 3-9 record in the front half of the season. The bad news is that the Mt. Hood Conference again projects as one of the state’s most loaded. Dickerson said the six-player senior group will lead the way this winter. Holt (second team) and O’Leary (honorable mention) have already proven to be all-conference caliber players. “We have a great mixture of inside and outside presence,” Dickerson said, “as well as defensive tenacity and speed.” Clackamas Cavaliers Last season: 24-4 Coach: Korey Landolt Key players: Jazzy Davidson, G/W, SR; Sara Barhoum, G, SR; Dylan Mogel, W, SR; Reyce Mogel, W, SR; Avery Peterson, G, SR; Allie Roden, G, SR Outlook: Heavy favorites to repeat as state champs last season, the Cavaliers stumbled in the semifinal game against Benson. Though they fell short of their own expectations, they project once more as a top-tier contender entering this year. Full of impact players who have been on varsity since they were freshman, and led by the USC commit and three-time Gatorade Player of the Year, Davidson, Clackamas is the state’s most talented team, featuring six collegiate players. “The group is fast and athletic,” said Landolt, “and plays with cohesion and chemistry. We look to push the ball in transition and apply pressure on defense, looking for our defense to create offensive opportunities.” David Douglas Scots Last season: 10-14 Coach: Aaron Hunt Key players: Coach did not respond to inquiry. Outlook: Coach did not respond to inquiry. Gresham Gophers Last season: 10-14 Coach: Alan Simpson Key players: Lily Schenk, G, SR; Sophia Cardelli, C, SR; JoJo Tubania-Askay, G, JR; Arielle Kagawa, G, SR; Rylee Gaffney, F, SR; Peyton Gaffney, G, FR; Skyla Hansen, G, JR Outlook: After logging their most wins since the 2016 season last year, there’s reason to believe the Lady Gophers could surpass that mark in 2024. An experienced, senior-heavy group has their sights set on the school’s first playoff berth in a decade, said Simpson. With a particularly deep guard group, Gresham should be able to play an up-tempo brand of basketball. Cardelli, the team’s center, is returning from a knee injury that cost her over half of last season. Simpson said she’ll be the focus of much of their half-court offense, and should complement the perimeter pieces nicely. Nelson Hawks Last season: 22-4 Coach: Kasima Knight-Hodge Key players: Love Forde, F, SO; Nylah Webster, G, SO; Sophia Gradwahl, G, SR; Tatiana Harris, G, JR; Simone Sideris, G, JR; Jasmine Nita, G/W, JR Outlook: After five years as head coach for the Westside Christian girl’s basketball program, Knight-Hodge inherits one of the state’s most promising young rosters at Nelson. The Hawks won their first nine games last season, one which ended in a second-round playoff loss to Benson. Nelson’s got four all-conference players back in the fold, including standout sophomores Forde and Webster, both of whom have multiple Division I offers already. They bring high-end talent to a roster which proved last season it was more than happy to win with gritty defensive performances. Reynolds Raiders Last season: 0-25 Coach: Torrey Nelson Key players: Mesaline Genes-Pantin, G/W, SR; Sofia Cordway, G, SR; Jorie Robertson, G, FR Outlook: After a winless season for the Raiders a year ago, the new coach Nelson is attempting to change the culture around the program. “The identity of our team will be lockdown defense,” Nelson said. “We will be a good defensive team that will play together and compete at our highest level.” While the roster is still taking shape, the coach expects seniors Genes-Pantin and Cordway (a David Douglas transfer) to be standouts, alongside the freshman Robertson. Sandy Pioneers Last season: 3-21 Coach: Matt Gist Key players: Laila Kitchen, G, SO; Katy Emerson, G, SR; Dahlena U’Ren, C, SR Outlook: Things aren’t getting any easier in the Mt. Hood Conference. Even so, the second-year coach Gist remains concerned with the bigger picture. “This program is working hard to leave a legacy that can be passed down to the next group players and so on,” he said. “While coaches build the high school program the coaches/players continue to build relationships with youth to make one big unit or as we like to call a family.” On the court, this year’s group is an athletic one. Emerson and U’Ren are talented senior captains, and Kitchen made all-conference honorable mention as a freshman. Subscribe to the High School Sports+ newsletter Sign up here to get exclusive news and insights from high school sports editor Nik Streng.

Dec 13 (Reuters) - Australia's Insignia Financial (IFL.AX) , opens new tab said on Friday it has received a non-binding takeover all-cash proposal from private equity Bain Capital, valuing the 178-year-old wealth manager at A$2.67 billion ($1.70 billion). Under the offer, Insignia shareholders will receive A$4.00 per share, which represents a 17.6% premium to the stock's closing price of A$3.40 on Thursday. The stock shot up more than 10% in the last 10 minutes of trade settlements on Thursday following local media reports about the offer. The company's board is considering the proposal to assess whether to engage with Bain, it said. Founded in 1846, Insignia provides financial advice and asset management services. It had A$319.6 billion worth of funds under management and administration at the end of September. In August, the Melbourne-based company had swung to a full-year statutory net loss after tax, and paused its dividend payments. Its stock has gained over 45% this year, based on Thursday's close. ($1 = 1.5711 Australian dollars) Sign up here. Reporting by Aaditya Govind Rao in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Next Generation Sequencing Data Analysis Market to Exhibit a Remarkable CAGR of 16.7% by 2030, Size, Share, Trends, Key Drivers, Demand, Opportunity Analysis and Competitive Outlook 12-12-2024 08:43 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: Data Bridge Market Research Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the next generation sequencing data analysis market which is USD 778.46 million in 2022, is expected to reach USD 2677.94 million by 2030, at a CAGR of 16.7% during the forecast period 2023 to 2030. Market Definition: NGS, also known as high throughput sequencing, is a term that refers to a number of advanced sequencing technologies. Researchers can investigate biological processes in depth for next-generation sequencing's high throughput, scalability, and speed. A higher level of understanding than that provided by traditional DNA sequencing methods is now required because of the complexities involved in genomic science. Browse More About This Research Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-next-generation-sequencing-data-analysis-market Some of the major players operating in the next generation sequencing data analysis market are: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), QIAGEN (Germany), Illumina, Inc. (U.S.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Agilent Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), Pierian (India), Precigen (Germany), Partek Incorporated (U.S.), Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg), PacBio (U.S.), DNASTAR (U.S.), Congenica Ltd. (U.K.), Fabric Genomics, Inc. (U.S.), DNAnexus Inc. (U.S.). Competitive Landscape and Next Generation Sequencing Data Analysis Market Share Analysis : The next generation sequencing data analysis market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies' focus related to next generation sequencing data analysis market. Browse Trending Reports: https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/photogrammetry-software-market-industry.html https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/digital-asset-management-market.html https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/automotive-refinish-coatings-market.html https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/data-center-construction-market.html About Data Bridge Market Research: An absolute way to predict what the future holds is to understand the current trend! Data Bridge Market Research presented itself as an unconventional and neoteric market research and consulting firm with an unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are committed to uncovering the best market opportunities and nurturing effective information for your business to thrive in the marketplace. Data Bridge strives to provide appropriate solutions to complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. Data Bridge is a set of pure wisdom and experience that was formulated and framed in 2015 in Pune. Contact Us: - Data Bridge Market Research Email: - sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com This release was published on openPR.

Girls basketball season preview: Who is stepping up to Clackamas in the Mt. Hood Conference?

TORONTO - CBC is restoring its live New Year’s Eve celebration. A year after the national broadcaster cancelled the 2024 countdown due to “financial pressures,” it says the special event is back on the TV schedule to mark the dawn of 2025. Festivities begin Dec. 31 with the one-hour “22 Minutes New Year’s Eve Pregame Special,” a satirical reflection on the events of 2024 with the cast of the political comedy series “This Hour Has 22 Minutes.” It will be followed by “Canada Live! Countdown 2025,” a special hosted by news anchor Adrienne Arsenault and singer Jann Arden broadcasting live from Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, and anchor Ian Hanomansing and comedian Ali Hassan at Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden. A representative for the CBC says the coast-to-coast show will feature reporters at more than a dozen community events across the country while a countdown to the new year will take place in each of the six time zones. Throughout the seven-and-a-half-hour program, “many Canadian celebrity guests” will appear in live and pre-taped messages. “Canada Live! Countdown 2025” begins at 8 p.m. ET on CBC News Network and CBC Gem with CBC-TV and CBC Radio picking up the feed at 9 p.m. in local markets. Last year, the CBC replaced its live New Year’s Eve programming with a taped Just For Laughs special hosted by comedian Mae Martin. That left Canadians without a homegrown countdown on any of the major networks, which sparked blowback on social media from some viewers. The CBC began its annual specials in 2017 to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial year. Some of the more recent broadcasts were hosted by comedian Rick Mercer and featured fireworks and musical performances in key cities. But when CBC paused those plans last year, it said the show had become “increasingly expensive to produce.” The decision to sideline the program was made shortly after members of Parliament summoned outgoing CBC president Catherine Tait to testify about job cuts and her refusal to rule out bonuses for CBC executives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024.‘Social revenge attacks’ raising concerns about deeper societal issues in China. What can be done?

Greetings CIPAWorld! I’m back with the latest scoop to lead you all into a fantastic Thanksgiving Holiday. The United States District Court for the Northern District of California has issued a significant ruling in Williams v. DDR Media, L.L.C. , No. 22-cv-03789-SI, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 211342 (N.D. Cal. Nov. 20, 2024) , granting summary judgment to defendants in a closely watched privacy case. The dispute began when Loretta Williams visited snappyrent2own.com on December 10, 2021, where her interactions were processed by TCPA Guardian, a software product developed by Jornaya to help companies comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”). TCPA Guardian is specifically ‘designed to help companies comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which restricts how companies contact consumers using autodialing technology without prior consent.’ This critical detail helps explain why the hashing process is necessary and legitimate. In fact, this case was previously covered by the one and only Baroness located here . So, I’m excited to share this update. The case has evolved substantially since its initial filing. Williams originally filed suit against DDR Media and Jornaya, alleging violations of the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”), Penal Code § 631(a) , Invasion of Privacy under the California Constitution, and California’s Unfair Competition Law. After several rounds of motions and amendments, Williams filed a Second Amended Complaint focusing specifically on her claim under Penal Code § 631(a) , part of CIPA. She alleged that TCPA Guardian captured her keystrokes, clicks, and other interactions, including her name, email address, and phone number, constituting wiretapping under CIPA. Williams alleged that TCPA Guardian captured her keystrokes, clicks, and personal information, including her name, email address, and phone number, constituting wiretapping under CIPA. CIPA Section 631(a) prohibits the unauthorized “reading,” “attempting to read,” or “learning” of the contents of communications while they are in transit. Here, the judicial analysis relied heavily on detailed testimony from Jornaya’s Chief Technology Officer, Manny Wald, regarding the technical functionality of TCPA Guardian. Let’s get technical for a minute for clarity. According to Wald, TCPA Guardian uses LeadiD Create, a JavaScript that generates a unique numerical reference for each website visit and collects basic data about the website itself, including consent disclosures and user interactions. This information is associated with the unique LeadiD. The hashing process creates a fixed-size output regardless of the input size, meaning the hash code from a single word would be the same length as one from an entire dictionary. As Wald explained, identical inputs always produce the same hash code, while even minor differences like ‘Main St.’ versus ‘Main Street’ create entirely different hashes. This verifies data matches without needing to read or understand the original content. Importantly, Wald explained that the collected data is immediately subjected to a one-way cryptographic hashing algorithm that transforms the input into a fixed-size alphanumeric string. This hashing process is automatic, irreversible, and occurs within milliseconds, with the original data being stored only temporarily in volatile memory before being overwritten. A crucial aspect of TCPA Guardian’s functionality is how it operates in the lead marketplace. Lead sellers operate websites offering information about products or services and collecting visitor information. When a lead buyer later purchases this information, they can use TCPA Guardian to verify that the data matches what was originally collected, particularly regarding consent to receive communications, without Jornaya ever accessing the original data. Whew, okay, now that we get the technical aspect out of the way, let’s dig into the Court’s analysis and reasoning. First, Judge Illston evaluated whether hashing constitutes “reading” or “learning” the contents of communications under CIPA. Because the statute does not define “reading,” the Court applied its ordinary meaning as outlined in DeGeorge v. U.S. Dist. Court , 219 F.3d 930, 936 (9th Cir. 2000) and the Oxford English Dictionary, which requires “understanding what is meant by the letters or signs.” The Court’s analysis was informed by Davis v. Facebook, Inc. ( In re Facebook Inc. Internet Tracking Litig. ), 956 F.3d 589, 598 (9th Cir. 2020) , which emphasized that CIPA was meant to protect historical privacy rights, and Javier v. Assur. IQ, L.L.C. , No. 21-16351, 2022 WL 1744107 (9th Cir. May 31, 2022) , which noted that Section 631 codified the common law tort of invasion of privacy. The Court found that TCPA Guardian’s hashing process involves no comprehension or interpretation of the original data and is, therefore, not “reading” under CIPA. This conclusion aligned with similar rulings, such as Gutierrez v. Converse Inc. , 2024 WL 3511648 (C.D. Cal. July 12, 2024) , where the Court granted summary judgment for a defendant when the third-party vendor’s encryption of chat messages did not involve substantive interpretation. The Court emphasized that hashing serves as a verification tool for data integrity rather than a method of accessing or understanding content. This critical distinction set TCPA Guardian apart from cases where vendors actively intercepted and analyzed user data. As a countering measure, Williams attempted to argue that the hashing process itself constitutes “reading,” likening it to translating a letter into Pig Latin. The Court dismissed this analogy, explaining that while human translation involves understanding the meaning of words, TCPA Guardian’s hashing process is purely algorithmic and lacks the capacity for comprehension . Expanding further, the Court further distinguished this case from D’Angelo v. Penny OpCo, LLC , 2023 WL 7006793 (S.D. Cal. Oct. 24, 2023) , where third-party software actively analyzed communications to create live transcripts, and Valenzuela v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. , 686 F. Supp. 3d 969 (C.D. Cal. 2023) , where the vendor’s business model relied on intercepting data for mass analysis. Conversely, TCPA Guardian facilitates hashed comparisons between lead sellers and buyers without accessing or interpreting the original data. The Court also relied on California precedent emphasizing CIPA’s broad interpretation, including Ribas v. Clark , 38 Cal. 3d 355, 359 (1985) , highlighting the Legislature’s intent to safeguard privacy rights. However, it concluded that the automated hashing process lacked the human or machine effort to interpret or learn the contents of communications , distinguishing it from the conduct CIPA aims to regulate. With this in mind, the Court ultimately ruled that “Jornaya is more akin to a tape recorder vendor than an eavesdropper,” reinforcing its prior dismissal of Williams’ claims under the UCL and the California Constitution. As noted in our earlier blog, the Court found that Defendant’s use of hashed data was “benign” and posed no serious invasion of privacy. So what’s the key takeaway? Well, this is big for anyone involved in the telecommunications space and those using automated data processing tools. By clarifying that purely algorithmic processes without content interpretation fall outside CIPA’s reach, the Court has provided essential guidance for compliance in California. This is particularly significant for lead buyers, lead sellers, and the broader lead generation industry, where verifying consent and data integrity is crucial. Businesses that employ hashing technology can now operate with greater confidence, knowing that such safeguards do not constitute “reading” or “learning” under privacy laws. THIS IS HUGE. Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. As always, Keep it legal, keep it smart, and stay ahead of the game. Talk soon!

UTICA — For decades, Varick Street was considered the heart of Utica’s nightlife. With the numerous bars and establishments that surround Utica’s historic brewery district, people from both near and far would flock to Varick Street and revel in what the iconic destination had to offer. And then came the COVID-19 pandemic. “COVID rocked us,” said Fred Matt, president of F.X. Matt Brewing Company. “After COVID, people didn’t really want to be together immediately. You get people out of habits, they don’t go back to that habit.” One of the biggest crowd drawers for Varick Street pre-COVID-19 was Saranac Thursdays, which held concerts and sold Saranac drinks outside the brewery every summer. Saranac Thursdays was a time-honored tradition and rooted deep in Utica’s culture, with many saying that it was also a rite of passage for those who recently became of drinking age. “Varick Street really came alive when we were doing Saranac Thursdays. We were getting 3,000 people a week,” Matt said. “If you go back 25 years when we started that, there weren’t a lot of outside bars and there weren’t things to do outside during the summer, so we created this event where people could come down and be outside.” While Saranac Thursdays would draw people in, Matt credits ambitious entrepreneurs with keeping those people on Varick Street over the years, as other nearby bars and establishments would offer more options for people in close proximity all year round. In the few years that followed the pandemic, social distancing regulations became more relaxed and businesses were opening back up. Thinking about the other businesses that were also affected by the pandemic, Matt made the decision to not bring back Saranac Thursdays in an effort to support the surrounding establishments and not take away customers and revenue from them. The COVID-19 pandemic was just one of a few contributing factors that officials say was a “perfect storm” altering the heart of Utica’s nightlife. Additional factors included the removal of some parking spaces when finding parking was already a difficult task, as well as a string of recent crime incidents around the vicinity. While Varick Street isn’t frequented as much today as it was before the pandemic, significant changes have taken place in an effort to draw people back. Under Utica’s former mayor Robert M. Palmieri, nearly $3 million in funding from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allotment was allocated for the beautification of Varick Street. This included decorative string lighting over the roadway, a new tree canopy, and reconstructed sidewalks. Utica’s current mayor, Michael P. Galime, and his administration have continued those efforts and have been keeping their eyes on Varick Street. According to the mayor, his administration has been very active in reining in longstanding code violations around the brewery district and establishing a police presence to deter crime. “Longstanding businesses are starting to change hands, but I don’t want that shuffle to make it seem like things are going in the wrong direction,” Galime said. “I do recognize a change, but I don’t think it’s necessarily negative. I see the neighborhood evolving for the good.” “The city has made Varick Street look phenomenal. We’re sticking with that commitment as far as this administration goes,” he added. Today, businesses along Varick Street are still being frequented in good numbers, including popular bars like Nail Creek Pub and Celtic Harp, as well as eateries like Lukin’s Pizzeria and Zeina’s Café. New experiences are also bringing people in, like The Biergarten and Five Points Public House and Events Center. In addition to places to visit, there have been apartment developments keeping people in the district, including The Lofts at Globe Mills and the recently developed Speaks at Faxton Hill. “I think this area will come back,” Matt said. “It’s at a low right now, but it’ll come back.”

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A U.S. senator has called for mysterious drones spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region to be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft. “We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Thursday, as concerns about the drones spread across Capitol Hill. People in the New York region are also concerned that the drones may be sharing airspace with commercial airlines, he said, demanding more transparency from the Biden administration. The White House said Thursday that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully. White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said there were no reported sightings in any restricted airspace. He said the U.S. Coast Guard has not uncovered any foreign involvement from coastal vessels. “We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” Kirby said, echoing statements from the Pentagon and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh has said they are not U.S. military drones. In a joint statement issued Thursday afternoon, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said they and their federal partners, in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police, “continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate this situation and confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or are instead manned aircraft or otherwise inaccurate sightings.” The agencies said they have not corroborated any of the reported sightings with electronic detection, and that reviews of available images appear to show many of the reported drones are actually manned aircraft. “There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space,” according to the statement. The drones appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once. The worry stems partly from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey appeared to be larger than those typically used by hobbyists. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency, saying it could help spread fear and misinformation. “We should know what’s going on over our skies,” he said Thursday. John Duesler, president of the Pennsylvania Drone Association, said witnesses may be confused about what they are seeing, especially in the dark, and noted it’s hard to know the size of the drones or how close they might be. “There are certainly big drones, such as agricultural drones, but typically they are not the type you see flying around in urban or suburban spaces,” Duesler said Thursday. Duesler said the drones — and those flying them — likely cannot evade detection. “They will leave a radio frequency footprint, they all leave a signature," he said. "We will find out what kind of drones they were, who was flying them and where they were flying them.” Fantasia, a Morris County Republican, was among several lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the sightings from the New York City area across New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. It is unknown at this time whether the sightings are related. Duesler said the public wants to know what's going on. “I hope (the government agencies) will come out with more information about this to ease our fears. But this could just be the acts of rogue drone operators, it’s not an ‘invasion’ as some reports have called it,” Duesler said. “I am concerned about this it but not alarmed by it.” Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and reporter Darlene Superville and videojournalists Serkan Gurbuz and Nathan Ellgren in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.Tweet Facebook Mail A man has been charged over the alleged murder of Bol Deng in Sydney's south-west earlier this year. Police found Deng, 20, shot dead on the road of Stella Street, Fairfield, just after 8.30am on Tuesday, February 27. Following inquiries, at about 6.40am yesterday, detectives carried out two search warrants in Auburn. READ MORE: Estranged husband used homemade spear to murder wife, police allege  A 25-year-old man has been arrested over the alleged murder of Bol Deng in Fairfield, Sydney. (NSW Police) In one search, a 25-year-old man was arrested and charged with multiple offences, including accessory to murder. He was refused bail and will appear in court today. Police will allege the man was hired to arrange the cars and loaded the gun used in the murder of Deng. The investigation continues. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .