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Nebraska's auditor on Wednesday questioned the creation of a private foundation that has helped fund the secretary of state's overseas trade missions for two years but is "beholden to no one." Established in 2022, the Nebraska Secretary of State Foundation has raised and spent relatively modest amounts in support of Secretary of State Bob Evnen's official trips to faraway nations and domestic dinners where Evnen hosted foreign diplomats. Still, Auditor Mike Foley questioned the foundation's apparent mixing of private and public resources and wasteful use of taxpayer dollars in an audit released Wednesday that raises broader questions about the foundation's role in state government. "No one has access to their books. No one knows when they meet. And they're helping to fund a core function in state government," Foley told the Journal Star. "And I'm nervous about that. I really want the Legislature to take a look at this. Even though it's a fairly new foundation and the monies are small right now, this could develop into something more serious." In a statement, Evnen, a Republican who was first elected secretary of state in 2018 and reelected in 2022, said his office appreciates "the professionalism of the auditor’s office in conducting this review of our international trade mission work." "We have clarified for the auditor’s office some of the questions that were raised, and we will give serious consideration to their other suggestions," Evnen said. Nebraska's secretary of state serves myriad roles in state government, but Wednesday's probe focuses on the Secretary of State Foundation's involvement in Evnen's role as the state's chief diplomat responsible for promoting commercial, educational and cultural exchanges between the state and foreign countries. In that role, Evnen has traveled abroad five times since February 2022, including a February trip to Kenya that is the subject of the bulk of Foley's office's audit. Ahead of the trip, a deputy secretary of state in Evnen's office sent an email to the director of Nebraska's Corn Board asking the state-funded board to sponsor a reception Evnen's office planned to host at a hotel in Nairobi. The board's director agreed to give $500 to pay for food costs at the reception but specifically said the money should not be used to purchase alcohol. Evnen's office sent the Corn Board a $500 invoice on state letterhead Feb. 5 directing the board to make checks payable to the private Secretary of State Foundation. But it was ultimately the state that paid for the food at the reception, not the foundation, which instead paid $1,514.52 for alcohol and other beverages at the reception, including wine, whisky, gin, vodka, lager, sodas, water and juices, according to Wednesday's audit. In a response to Foley's office's findings included in the published audit, Evnen's office said it "does not have control over the Secretary of State Foundation" but said the foundation had confirmed that it did not use the funds provided by the Corn Board for alcohol. The auditor's office, in response, questions "the notion that the Secretary of State’s office lacks any control over the foundation," noting that state employees in Evnen's office were "clearly directing what invoices were to be paid by the foundation — including negotiating specific payment terms." In fact, the audit suggests Evnen and his staff appear to have played "an active role in both creating the foundation and managing its ongoing financial affairs." At least once, the foundation issued a check to Evnen himself, paying Nebraska's top election official $3,855.16 in December 2022, apparently reimbursing Evnen for a dinner at an Omaha steakhouse where Evnen's office hosted the Kuwaiti ambassador. That payment came early in the Secretary of State Foundation's existence. Among the first deposits into the foundation was $9,335.73 from the NebraskaLand Foundation, a separate private nonprofit that had received $12,200 from state agencies the year before it poured money into the Secretary of State Foundation, suggesting the initial deposit included at least some taxpayer dollars. Foley's office's audit also raises questions over inconsistent registration fees that Evnen's office has charged varying state entities to attend trade missions and the purchase of expensive business class plane tickets for the trip to Kenya that cost nearly three times as much as coach tickets. The audit also questioned why Evnen's office paid for five hotel rooms for two nights in Nairobi while the delegates who had occupied the rooms spent those nights on a personal safari in Maasai Mara. Those costs were ultimately reimbursed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — but were nonetheless a frustration for Foley, who said state actors sometimes tend to think of federal dollars as "monopoly money." "Well, I file a federal tax return, too," the auditor said. 2024 Nebraska high school football state championship matchups Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com . On Twitter @andrewwegley Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.United Airlines' Use Of Generative AI Results In 6% Improvement In Overall Customer Satisfaction
Keanu Reeves might be ready to suit up for John Wick 5 , but there's just one little problem: his knees. The actor, who has brought the iconic hitman to life since 2014, recently opened up about the possibility of returning for a fifth instalment of the action-packed franchise. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for In an interview with CBS News, Reeves admitted that while his heart is all in, his knees are not so enthusiastic about the idea. "You can never say never," he said, "but my knees right now are saying, 'You can't do another 'John Wick.' So my heart does (want to), but I don't know if my knees can do it." Since the release of the fourth film in 2023, fans have been eagerly awaiting news on a potential fifth movie, especially after Lionsgate teased its development last year. However, an official announcement is still pending. While Reeves may be uncertain about returning to the franchise, he's not entirely stepping away from the John Wick universe. The actor is set to make a cameo in the upcoming Ballerina , a spinoff starring Ana de Armas . But that’s not all—Keanu will also lend his voice to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 , where he’ll portray the mysterious and menacing Shadow the Hedgehog. It seems Reeves' action-packed days are far from over, even if his knees might need a little rest. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Two Oregon men were found dead in a Washington state forest after they failed to return from a trip to look for Sasquatch, authorities said Saturday. The 59-year-old and 37-year-old appear to have died from exposure, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office said via Facebook. The weather and the men’s lack of preparedness led the office to draw that conclusion, it said. Sasquatch is a folkloric beast thought by some to roam the forests, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. The two men were found in a heavily wooded area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which is about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Portland. A family member reported them missing at around 1 a.m. on Christmas Day after they failed to return from a Christmas Eve outing. Sixty volunteer search-and-rescue personnel helped in the three-day search, including canine, drone and ground teams. The Coast Guard used infrared technology to search from the air. Authorities used camera recordings to locate the vehicle used by the pair off Oklahoma Road near Willard, which is on the southern border of the national forest. More articles from the BDNJessica Tisch, whose public service spans three mayoral administrations, took the oath of office Monday, becoming the fourth NYPD commissioner to serve under Mayor Eric Adams. Adams called Tisch a "battle-tested leader." Until last week, she served as head of the city Sanitation Department, leading Adams’s “war on rats” and his “trash revolution,” using the agency to implement curbside composting and clean up city streets. Sanitation's First Deputy Commissioner Javier Lojan will take the helm of that agency, department spokesperson Josh Goodman said. She takes the helm of the country’s largest police force at a difficult moment. She will succeed interim Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon, a former FBI agent whose home was raided by the FBI soon after his appointment. Donlon’s predecessor, Edward Caban, stepped down amid an FBI investigation. Adams’s first commissioner, Keechant Sewell, left after speaking out about sexism within the department. After Sewell resigned, several policing experts told Gothamist that Sewell struggled to set her own agenda with Adams, a former NYPD captain, in the mayor's office. But in her speech Monday, Tisch said that – at least in her prior role at the Sanitation Department – she was given autonomy. “You’ve trusted judgment, given me incredible latitude and, yes, independence to be thoughtful and creative,” she told Adams. Tisch was sworn in on a Bible held by her mother Merryl and standing beside her two children and her nephew. Former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton attended the ceremony. Afterward, he told reporters that Adams must allow Tisch to choose her own team. “I was very fortunate as commissioner to be allowed — even under [former Mayors Rudolph] Giuliani and under [Bill] de Blasio — to pick my team,” he said. “The good news is [Tisch and Adams] are experienced at working with each other and quite obviously he's very comfortable with her.” Tisch declined to take questions after her swearing in. Department officials said she went with her family to check out her new office and her schedule was still in flux. They also said she is not yet ready to announce any staffing decisions. Tisch is a Harvard graduate and lifelong New Yorker who served in various city roles under Mayors Michael Bloomberg and de Blasio. She never served as a uniformed police officer. She first came to the department in 2008, when she served as director of counterterrorism, counsel to the police commissioner and deputy commissioner of technology. She is credited for introducing body-worn cameras to the department and overhauling how crime stats are reported to the public. In her opening comments after being sworn in, she credited four female, three-star chiefs for “taking a sledgehammer to the glass ceiling” of the NYPD. She earned a chuckle from the crowd when she described the first time she came to work at police headquarters mentioning the “outrageously repetitive paperwork,” an environment she is largely credited with modernizing. This story has been updated with new information.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Tuesday formally inaugurated the 2025 Holy Year , reviving an ancient church tradition encouraging the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome, amid new security fears following a Christmas market attack in Germany. At the start of Christmas Eve Mass, Francis pushed open the Holy Door on St. Peter’s Basilica, which will stay open throughout the year to allow the estimated 32 million pilgrims projected to visit Rome to pass through. The first Holy Year was called in 1300, and in recent times they are generally celebrated every 25 to 50 years. Pilgrims who participate can obtain “indulgences” — the centuries-old feature of the Catholic Church related to the forgiveness of sins that roughly amounts to a “get out of Purgatory free” card. The last regular Jubilee was in 2000, when St. John Paul II ushered in the church’s third millennium. Francis declared a special Jubilee in 2015-2016 dedicated to mercy and the next one planned is in 2033, to commemorate the anniversary of the crucifixion of Christ. According to church teaching, Catholics who confess their sins are forgiven and therefore released from the eternal or spiritual punishment of damnation. An indulgence is designed to remove the “temporal” punishment of sin that may remain — the consequence of the wrongdoing that might disrupt the sinner’s relationships with others. Martin Luther’s opposition to the church’s practice of selling indulgences inspired him to launch the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s. He was excommunicated, and the practice of buying and selling indulgences has been illegal since the 1562 Council of Trent. But the granting of them has continued and is an important element in Holy Year pilgrimages. According to the norms issued for the 2025 Jubilee, Catholics can obtain an indulgence if they: — Undertake a pious pilgrimage, participating in Masses and other sacraments, at any of the four papal basilicas in Rome or the Holy Land, or other sacred Jubilee sites “so as to manifest the great need for conversion and reconciliation.” — Participate in works of charity, mercy or penance, such as visiting prisoners, sick people or elderly people or undertaking corporal works of mercy “to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead.” — Abstain, in a spirit of penance, for at least one day of the week from “futile distractions,” such as social media, or from “superfluous consumption,” such as fasting; or donating the proportionate sum to the poor or to help migrants. Francis has long made ministry to prisoners a hallmark of his priestly vocation, and a Holy Year dedicated to a message of hope is no exception. In fact, the only other Holy Door that Francis will personally open this year is located at the chapel of Rome’s Rebibbia prison, to draw attention to the need to give prisoners in particular hope of a better future. The final big event of the Holy Year before it closes on Jan. 6, 2026, is the Jubilee of Prisoners on Dec. 14, 2025. The Jubilee calendar is a compilation of official and unofficial Holy Year events that will test the stamina of Francis, who just turned 88 and went into the Christmas season with a cold that made it hard for him to catch his breath. Every month has two, three or four official Jubilee events that Francis is expected to attend which are designated for particular categories of people: the armed forces, artists, priests, poor people, volunteers and teachers. Then there are the unofficial Jubilee events, in which individual dioceses and other groups have organized their own pilgrimages to Rome. One item on the Jubilee’s unofficial calendar, Sept. 6, has made news because it has been organized by an Italian association, “La Tenda di Gionata” or “Jonathan’s Tent,” which is dedicated to making LGBTQ+ Catholics feel more welcome in the Catholic Church. Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri has said the security plans call for a mix of traditional policing — a reported 700 extra officers — plus high-tech surveillance using drones and closed-circuit cameras that, thanks to algorithms informed by artificial intelligence, can keep track in real time of crowd sizes and congestion points. “There will be more vehicles, more men, and very, very, shall we say, robust and important security devices,” Gualtieri told reporters last week. The Vatican has tried to reduce congestion for pilgrims by allowing them to reserve their visits to St. Peter’s Basilica online in advance. After a driver plowed into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany , killing five people, Italian authorities last week sent a circular to police stations around the country recommending “maximum” investigative efforts and to immediately boost surveillance and police patrols around Christmas markets and displays and tourist attractions. The Vatican, with its life-sized creche and giant Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square and outdoor exhibit of nativity scenes in the Bernini colonnade ringing it, qualifies as an at-risk target. Rome has had two years of intense preparations for the Holy Year that involved major public works projects and artistic renovations that have coincided with separate initiatives paid for by the European Union’s COVID-19 recovery funds. Fewer than a third of the 323 Jubilee projects have been finished or will wrap up by next month, meaning the traffic headaches and eyesores will continue well into 2025 and even 2026. But Romans and visitors are beginning to see some of the finished products. Bernini’s fountains in Piazza Navona are glistening white again after a monthslong cleaning. A spiffed-up Trevi Fountain reopened over the weekend, and on Monday the main Jubilee project was unveiled: A pedestrian piazza linking Castel St. Angelo to the Via della Conciliazione, the main boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Square.
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Pat Brown, the founder and CEO of plant-based meat company Impossible Foods , is the subject of a new documentary about his attempt to turn cattle ranches into forests. Read more: Plant-Based Meat Cuts Environmental Impact by 89%, Study Finds The film, titled WILD HOPE: Mission Impossible , follows Brown and scientist Michael Eisen as they investigate how to convert former cattle ranches into biodiverse, carbon-capturing forests on a thousand-acre property in Arkansas they name “The Carbon Ranch.” Brown is a pioneering biochemist and former Stanford professor who shifted his focus to the production of plant-based foods over a decade ago. Brown founded Impossible in 2011 after trying to figure out what “the most important” way to improve the world would be. After noting the huge negative impact of animal agriculture on the climate crisis , biodiversity , and the planet, he created the Impossible Burger as a sustainable alternative to meat. Having successfully helped to reduce meat consumption, Brown explores the reclamation of former farm land. WILD HOPE: Mission Impossible is directed by Andrew Balmford, produced by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, and was released as an episode of the Wild Hope TV series about “heroic stories of biodiversity.” Its available on PBS’s Nature Channel, WildHope.tv, and YouTube. “My purpose in participating in the documentary was to make people aware that it’s essential to eliminate the use of animals [and] technology for producing meat, fish, and dairy foods,” Brown told Plant Based News . “And then to restore native ecosystems on the vast land area currently used for animal agriculture in order to put the brakes on global heating and halt and reverse the catastrophic global collapse of biodiverse ecosystems.” Read more: New Study Latest To Find Men Favor High-Impact, Meat-Heavy Diets American consumers swap meat for Impossible Foods Brown’s Impossible products are high in protein and have a hyper-realistic taste and texture. This makes those products particularly popular with meat-eaters and flexitarians, the brand’s core demographic and the primary drivers of the modern plant-based food market. A 2021 analysis by BVA Nudge Consulting suggested that Impossible Foods had converted 33 million Americans to plant-based meat at the time of writing. Around 72 percent of the brand’s sales replace would-be meat purchases, significantly reducing overall consumption. Thirty percent of all purchasers of meat alternatives in the US buy Impossible products. Since October, Impossible has launched several new products , gained new health certification for its “ Lite ” plant-based beef, and is moving closer to EU approval . “I decided 15 years ago to devote the remainder of my scientific career to replacing humanity’s most destructive invention (the use of animals as a food technology),” said Brown. “I believed then that eliminating the use of animals in the global food system and repairing the damage it’s done was the most important thing I could do with my life and I’m just as optimistic and determined and excited about the project today.” Read more: ‘Fake News About Fake Meat’: New Guide On Alternative Proteins
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