Two charged in South Bruce Peninsula break-and-enter
2024-25 N.J. indoor track preview guide (with plenty more to come)WASHINGTON >> The House Ethics Committee said today that its lengthy investigation had found that former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., President-elect Donald Trump’s initial choice for attorney general, had regularly paid women for sex, had sex with an underage girl and used illegal drugs. The report was released weeks after Gaetz withdrew from consideration to be the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and resigned from Congress, and after years in which he had spawned enemies on both sides of the aisle with his bellicose political style. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing. The panel found that from at least 2017 to 2020, Gaetz “regularly paid women for engaging in sexual activity with him.” The report said that in 2017, Gaetz had “engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl,” who was paid. From 2017 to 2019, the report said, Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and Ecstasy “on multiple occasions,” and accepted lavish gifts, including transportation to and lodging in the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts. “Rep. Gaetz has acted in a manner that reflects discreditably upon the House,” the report stated. The Ethics Committee concluded that Gaetz violated state sexual misconduct laws, including Florida’s statutory rape law, and violated House rules concerning gifts and misuse of his official office. However, the committee said it did not find conclusive evidence that Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws. “Although Rep. Gaetz did cause the transportation of women across state lines for purposes of commercial sex, the committee did not find evidence that any of those women were under 18 at the time of travel, nor did the committee find sufficient evidence to conclude that the commercial sex acts were induced by force, fraud, or coercion,” the panel wrote. The Justice Department had conducted its own extensive investigation of the allegations about Gaetz, but disclosed nearly two years ago that it would not bring charges after prosecutors decided that they could not make a strong enough case in court. But the House panel, under Republican leadership, proceeded with its inquiry, and the release of its report ended a contentious debate over whether its findings should be made public. Gaetz’s resignation from the House meant that the panel no longer had jurisdiction, and the report made clear that the committee’s Republican chair objected to its release. “While we do not challenge the committee’s findings, we take great exception that the majority deviated from the committee’s well-established standards and voted to release a report on an individual no longer under the committee’s jurisdiction, an action the committee has not taken since 2006,” the chair, Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., wrote. Gaetz mounted a last-ditch effort to block the report’s release today, filing an emergency motion in U.S. District Court in Washington. But shortly after he did, the court clerk posted a note online telling him he had filed it improperly. “This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied,” the note read. When that effort failed, Gaetz began posting on social media, arguing he was being unfairly maligned. “Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn’t ask for — and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” he wrote on the social platform X. “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.” Last week, Gaetz denied some of the central allegations against him, including that he had paid an underage girl for sex and solicited prostitutes, dismissing them as a distortion of youthful indiscretions. “In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18,” he wrote, adding: “My 30’s were an era of working very hard — and playing hard too. It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.” On Saturday, Gaetz was already fundraising off the news of the report’s release. “After the House Ethics Committee committed to not releasing their report on me, the Uniparty Traitors have gone back on their word and plan to attempt to take me down with their sham witch-hunt report,” he wrote in a solicitation email. “I’m about to get into the fight of my life, and I need your help ASAP.” Gaetz resigned from Congress on the day last month that Trump tapped him to lead the Justice Department, but the news soon leaked that the secretive House Ethics Committee was poised to release its long-awaited investigation into Gaetz’s conduct. As Senate opposition rose against his selection, Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general. He is now set to join the conservative One America News Network as an anchor in January. The House panel interviewed more than a dozen witnesses, issued 29 subpoenas and reviewed nearly 14,000 documents. The committee said in June that it was continuing to investigate the allegations that Gaetz may have engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct. It said it was closing its inquiry into allegations that Gaetz may have shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and accepted a bribe or improper gratuity. After Trump made public his plans to choose Gaetz as attorney general, senators in both parties quickly called on the committee to release its findings. Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., a member of the Ethics Committee, said he believed it was important the report be released so that the public could see the evidence the panel collected and reach its own conclusions. “It doesn’t reflect favorably on Donald Trump’s vetting process,” Ivey said of the pick of Gaetz for attorney general. “I think it makes it very clear that the Senate should be very careful and concerned when it moves forward with confirmation hearings on the nominees. The Gaetz incident, I think, shows that there was no vetting that took place.” The report released today focuses on events that began in 2017, when, shortly after Gaetz was sworn into office, he became friendly with Joel Greenberg, a county tax collector in Florida. Greenberg and Gaetz frequently attended parties and other gatherings with young women in attendance, the report stated. Many of those women were initially contacted by Greenberg via the website SeekingArrangement.com, which advertised itself as a “sugar dating” website that primarily connected older men and younger women seeking “mutually beneficial relationships.” The website was generally understood by many of the women interviewed by the committee to involve, at minimum, an exchange of companionship for money, the report stated. “Many of the women interviewed by the committee were clear that there was a general expectation of sex,” the report stated, adding that one woman who testified to the committee and was paid more than $5,000 by Gaetz said that sex was involved “99% of the time.” The committee interviewed several of the women involved with Gaetz, all of whom described the encounters as consensual but in some cases described considerable drug and alcohol use. “The women also discussed instances where Rep. Gaetz would try to convince them to have sex with him or Mr. Greenberg,” the report said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . © 2024 The New York Times Company
Online consumer behaviour evolvingWalmart Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsMorsa Images Protara Therapeutics ( NASDAQ: TARA ) was able to report positive phase 2 results using its drug TARA-002 to treat high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer [NMIBC] patients. This mid-stage study is known as ADVANCED-2 and used this drug to treat these This article is published by Terry Chrisomalis, who runs the Biotech Analysis Central pharmaceutical service on Seeking Alpha Marketplace. If you like what you read here and would like to subscribe to, I'm currently offering a two-week free trial period for subscribers to take advantage of. My service offers a deep-dive analysis of many pharmaceutical companies. The Biotech Analysis Central SA marketplace is $49 per month, but for those who sign up for the yearly plan will be able to take advantage of a 33.50% discount price of $399 per year. Terry Chrisomalis is a private investor in the Biotech sector with years of experience utilizing his Applied Science background to generate long term value from Healthcare. He is the author of the investing group Biotech Analysis Central which contains a library of 600+ Biotech investing articles, a model portfolio of 10+ small and mid-cap stocks with deep analysis for each, live chat, and a range of analysis and news reports to help Healthcare investors make informed decisions. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Solar step forward for green hydrogen Another advance has been made by experts in nano-scale chemistry to propel further development of sustainable and efficient generation of hydrogen from water using solar power. In a new international collaborative study – led by Flinders University with collaborators in South Australia, the US and Germany – experts have identified a novel solar cell process to potentially use in future technologies for photocatalytic water splitting in green hydrogen production. Combined with a catalyst – developed by US research led by Professor Paul Maggard – for water splitting, the study found the new class of kinetically stable ‘core and shell Sn(II)-perovskite’ oxide solar material could be a potential catalyst for the critical oxygen evolution reaction in producing pollution-free hydrogen energy in future. The results, published in the peer-reviewed , pave the way for further inroads into carbon-free ‘green’ hydrogen technologies using non-greenhouse-gas-emitting forms of power with high-performing, affordable . Lead author , from the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology at the College of Science and Engineering, says : from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Baylor University, adds : Already these tin and oxygen compounds are used in a variety of applications, including catalysis, diagnostic imaging and therapeutic drugs. However, Sn(II) compounds are reactive with water and dioxygen, which can limit their technological applications. Solar photovoltaic research around the world is focusing on developing cost-effective, high performance perovskite generation systems as an alternative to conventional existing silicon and other panels. Low-emission hydrogen can be produced from water through electrolysis (when an electric current splits water into hydrogen and oxygen) or water splitting, a process which also can be powered by concentrated solar power or waste heat from nuclear power reactors. can be produced from diverse resources including fossil fuels such as natural gas and biological biomass, but the environmental impact and energy efficiency of hydrogen depends on how it is produced. Solar-driven processes use light as an agent for hydrogen production and is a potential alternative for generating industrial-scale hydrogen. The new study was built on earlier work led by Professor Paul Maggard, now based at the Baylor University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in Texas, and previously North Carolina State University. The new article in American Chemical Society (ACS) features input by Flinders University and University of Adelaide experts, including coauthor Professor of Chemistry Greg Metha, who is also involved in exploring the photocatalytic activity of metal clusters on oxide surfaces in reactor technologies, and Universität Münster in Germany. the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Solar step forward for green hydrogen, Green Hydrogen Prices Will Remain Stubbornly High for Decades (Bloomberg) — Green hydrogen has been touted by politicians and business leaders alike as a key fuel for a carbon-free future. But it will remain far... Green hydrogen from waste: ‘Zero-Gap’ tech breakthrough boosts clean fuel production Scientists at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) have achieved a major breakthrough in the production of clean hydrogen... Novel solar cell process advances green hydrogen production Another advance has been made by experts in nano-scale chemistry to propel further development of sustainable and efficient generation of hydrogen from water...
NEW YORK , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to: Altair Engineering Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTR)'s sale to Siemens for $113.00 per share in cash. If you are an Altair shareholder, click here to learn more about your legal rights and options . Sandy Spring Bancorp (NASDAQ: SASR)'s sale to Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation for 0.900 shares of Atlantic Union common stock for each share of Sandy Spring . If you are a Sandy Spring shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation (NYSE: AUB)'s merger with Sandy Spring Bancorp. If you are an Atlantic shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Cyclo Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTH)'s merger with Rafael Holdings, Inc. If you are a Cyclo shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Halper Sadeh LLC may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders. We would handle the action on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses. Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com . Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Halper Sadeh LLC Daniel Sadeh, Esq. Zachary Halper, Esq. (212) 763-0060 sadeh@halpersadeh.com zhalper@halpersadeh.com https://www.halpersadeh.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-investigation-halper-sadeh-llc-investigates-altr-sasr-aub-cyth-on-behalf-of-shareholders-302338489.html SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP
College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta. Alabama left out of playoff as committee rewards SMU's wins over Crimson Tide's strong schedule The College Football Playoff committee took wins over strength of schedule, taking SMU over Alabama for the final at-large spot in the field. The field was expanded from four to 12 teams this season, but that didn’t save the committee from controversy. SMU showed it could compete against a traditional power, losing to Clemson 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal in the ACC title game on Saturday. Alabama had some ups and downs in its first season under coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide had quality wins against Georgia and South Carolina, but lost at Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma. Big Ten wins playoff selection derby, followed by SEC despite notable Alabama omission College football’s conference shakeup left concerns about two super conferences dominating the playoff field. They weren’t totally unfounded, or 100% born out. The Big Ten, not the Southeastern Conference, was the biggest winner. The ACC scored, too. The Big Ten led the initial 12-team playoff field with four making the cut, topped by a No. 1 Oregon team that was part of the Pac-12 exodus. Then came the SEC — and one notable omission. ACC runner-up SMU got the nod over college football blue-blood Alabama, another blemish in Kalen DeBoer’s first season as Nick Saban’s championship-or-bust successor. Darnold delivers for Vikings with career-high 347 yards and 5 TDs to beat Falcons, Cousins 42-21 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 for their sixth straight victory. Darnold added another highlight to his brilliant first season with the Vikings following Cousins' departure in free agency to Atlanta with a 22-for-28 performance and no turnover-worthy plays despite heavy first-half pressure. Jordan Addison had eight catches for 133 yards and three scores and Justin Jefferson racked up seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Cousins threw two more interceptions without a touchdown in his return to Minnesota. Saquon Barkley sets Eagles season rushing record and has Dickerson's NFL mark in his sights PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley has broken LeSean McCoy's Eagles franchise record for rushing yards in a season. Barkley has 1,623 yards. He surpassed McCoy's mark of 1,607 yards with a 9-yard run in Sunday's 22-16 win over Carolina. Barkley finished the game with 124 yards, within a yard of his season average. He has four games left and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's 40-year-old NFL record of 2,105 yards. Dickerson set that record in a 16-game season and Barkley has one more game. Eagles fans serenaded Barkley with “MVP!” chants and McCoy congratulated him on social media. Saints QB Derek Carr injures left hand on dive in 4th quarter of win over Giants EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr injured his left hand late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 14-11 victory over the New York Giants when he went airborne while trying for a first down and crashed to the turf. Carr tried to leap over a Giants tackler and landed at the New Orleans 39-yard line, extending his non-throwing hand to break his fall. He was on the turf for a minute or two before walking to the medical tent. He was examined and slowly walked to an area where X-rays are done. The injury could hurt the already slim playoff hopes of the Saints. Tamar Bates scores 29 points to help Missouri beat No. 1 Kansas 76-67 COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Tamar Bates had 29 points and five steals to help Missouri beat Hunter Dickinson and No. 1 Kansas 76-67. Mark Mitchell scored 17 points in Missouri’s first win over Kansas since a 74-71 victory on Feb. 4, 2012. Anthony Robinson II had 11 points and five steals for the 8-1 Tigers. Dickinson had 19 points and 14 rebounds, but he also committed seven turnovers. The 7-2 Jayhawks have lost two straight on the road after falling 76-63 against Creighton on Wednesday night. Scottie Scheffler ends his big year in the Bahamas with his 9th victory NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler ended his biggest year with another victory. Scheffler was coming off a two-month break and looked as good as ever. He shot 63 in the Hero World Challenge and set tournament records at Albany with a 72-hole total of 263 and a six-shot victory. Tom Kim was the runner-up and Justin Thomas finished third. Scheffler ends his year with nine victories in 21 tournaments. That includes the holiday tournament in the Bahamas and the Olympic gold medal in Paris. It's the third-highest winning percentage in the last 40 years. Tournament host Tiger Woods had two better years. Lindsey Vonn is encouraged by how close she is to being competitive in ski racing return at age 40 COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — Lindsey Vonn is encouraged by how close she is to being competitive again in her ski racing return at 40 years old. Vonn is still getting her ski equipment dialed in and getting used to going full speed again on her new titanium knee. That’s why all that she's reading into being more than two seconds behind in a pair of lower-level super-G races Sunday is that she’s right there. This after nearly six years away from ski racing and an abbreviated prep period. She was 2.19 seconds behind in the first race and 2.06 in the second. Both were won by her American teammate Lauren Macuga. Plane circles MetLife Stadium with message to co-owner John Mara to fix the Giants' 'dumpster fire' EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — A small plane circled MetLife Stadium roughly 90 minutes before New York was to play host to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, asking Giants co-owner John Mara to overhaul the team that has made the playoffs twice since winning the Super Bowl in February 2012. “Mr. Mara, enough. Please fix this dumpster fire!” the message read as it was towed behind the rear of a small plane.Justin Adams and Mauro Durante's second album Sweet Release (Ponderosa Records) tops the Transglobal World Music Chart for December. This fusion album carries on the collaboration from the success of their debut Still Moving, in 2021. The recording seems to be the result of taking the first album on the road for three years, during which time the musicians refined and developed what was a world fusion project into a tight, edgy sound, based on Adams' raw guitar riffs and Durante's Italian folk taranta frame drum rhythms. Standouts on the album include the title track, the uptempo Ghost Train and a terrific cover of Lebanese superstar Fairuz's Wa Habibi. Some notable recent entries into the World Chart include Seun Kuti & Egypt 80's Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head); Sami singer Mari Boine's Alva; Analog Africa's compilation of Mexican dance and disco, Super Disco Pirata De Tepito Para El Mundo 1965-1980; Sekou Keita's Homeland (Chapter 1), which showcases the guitarist people called "Diamond Fingers" in West Africa during the 1970s and Qawwali maestro, Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, which I reviewed recently. You can find most of these albums on the usual online sources, especially Bandcamp. The Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain died at the age of 73, as announced on Dec 15. He was one of India's top classical musicians and is credited with introducing the tabla, a set of clay pot hand drums used in Indian classical and popular music, to global audiences. He collaborated with George Harrison, Van Morrison, Earth, Wind and Fire, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and formed the Indian fusion group Shakti with jazz guitarist John McLaughlin. He was widely recognised as one of the foremost Indian classical musicians of his generation. A multi-Grammy award winner, this year Hussain became the first Indian musician to win three Grammys in the same year. He won the award for Best Global Music Album for his album Shakti, Best Global Music performance for a collaboration with bluegrass banjo player Bela Fleck and flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, as well as Best Contemporary Instrumental album. Nayan Ghosh said that he had known Hussain for 60 years. "He was a pathbreaker, a game-changer, an icon who put tabla and Indian music on the world map by transcending the boundaries of genre and inspiring generations of artistes." Papa Noel, the master Congolese guitarist and founder of Orchestre Bantour, or Les Bantous de la Capitale, in Brazzaville (across the Congo River from Kinshasa) has died at the age of 83. He established his reputation as the third school of Congolese guitar wizardry, after Franco and Dr Nico. A self-taught and precocious young guitarist, Noel was born in Kinshasa in 1940 and recorded his first song at just 17. He was reportedly given the name Noel as he was born on Christmas Day. He played with the influential and legendary bandleader Joseph Kabasele but left to form several bands, working with top session musicians like Bopol Mansiamina and Wuta Mayi (who would later set up Les Quatres Etoiles) and later played with Franco's band OK Jazz until the latter died in 1989. His solo work resulted in hits like Bel Ami in 2000. And it was around that time that he founded an acoustic-driven super group, Kekele, which released Rumba Congo in 2001 and drew comparisons to the famed veteran Cuban group Buena Vista Social Club. Look out for any of the band's three albums, all of which well worth checking out. John Clewley can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com. Transglobal World Music Chart December 2024 (Artist/band, Album name, Record label) 1. Justin Adams & Mauro Durante · Sweet Release · Ponderosa Music 2. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party · Chain Of Light · Real World 3. Mari Boine · Alva · By Norse Music 4. Afro Celt Sound System · Ova · Six Degrees 5. Buzz' Ayaz · Buzz' Ayaz · Glitterbeat 6. BaBa ZuLa · İstanbul Sokakları · Glitterbeat 7. Lucibela · Moda Antiga · Lusafrica 8. Lo'Jo · Feuilles Fauves · Yotanka / Integral 9. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 · Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head) · Record Kicks 10. Jake Blount & Mali Obomsawin · Symbiont · Smithsonian Folkways Recordings 11. Seckou Keita · Homeland (Chapter 1) · Hudson 12. El Khat · Mute · Glitterbeat 13. Ruşan Filiztek · Exils: De La Mésopotamie A L'Andalousie · Accords Croises 14. Manu Chao · Viva Tú · Because Music 15. Ayom · Sa.Li.Va · Ayom / Believe 16. Moana & The Tribe · Ono · Black Pearl Ltd 17. Aboubakar Traoré & Balima · Sababu · Zephyrus 18. Vigüela · We · Mapamundi Música 19. Sinimuso · Nouskaa Sisaret · Sinimuso 20. África Negra · Antologia Vol. 2 · Les Disques Bongo Joe