Labour members have gathered in Christchurch for their annual conference. Leader Chris Hipkins is set to speak at 2pm. The speech will be live-streamed at the top of this story. The party is debating a “captain’s call” ban and Aukus. Labour Party deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni told Labour members the coalition Government needs a “nana, tinā or kuia” to keep its three leaders together . At the Labour Party conference in Christchurch today, Sepuloni adhered to the time-honoured tradition in speeches made by deputy leaders of winding up the coalition Government, saying the fact she’d recently become a grandparent had given her the idea the coalition itself needed a grandparent in the room. A kuia, Sepuloni said, would have stopped Prime Minister Christopher Luxon from giving David Seymour a chance to introduce the Treaty Principles Bill to Parliament or allowing NZ First to take the reins of the Government’s Smokefree strategy. “David wants all the toys,” Seuponi said.None
Green Bay's recent dominance on defense has Packers believing they can make a deep playoff runTara Murray The Sunshine Eagles were able to avoid the crazy weather to record its second win for the week on Saturday in the Baseball Victoria summer league premier 1st nine. Many matches were called off across the competitions on Saturday, following rain falling all morning. Those included the Eagles women’s and reserves matches, which were scheduled at Barclay Reserves before the senior men’s match. Men’s coach Stuart Clayton thought for a while that their match against the Williamstown Wolves was going to suffer the same fate. “We thought we were going to get called off,” he said. “We couldn’t make a decision until 4pm [the time the game started] and it had dried up a bit. “Our field is astro turf so it was in really good condition. The mount and the batter box were a bit sticky, but it was good to get a game in.” The Eagles had to fight hard to get the win against the Wolves, with neither team scoring in the first five innings. The Eagles did enough to win 3-2. Jeremy Young was named player of the match. “They got two runs in the sixth innings,” Clayton said. “We got one in the seventh, one in the eight and one in the ninth to finish it off. “We had a lot of hitters and should have scored some more runs.” The win comes after the Eagles beat Malvern, 9-5, in the midweek game. The Eagles hit four runs in the first, before Malvern took the lead in the third with five runs of its own. Five runs in the fifth innings got the job done for the Eagles. Devin Leahy and Jordan Young scored two runs each. It’s the first time this season the Eagles have won both the midweek game and weekend game in the week. “It sets us up now,” Clayton said. “We are 8-3 and in the top three or four, we’re going really well.” The Eagles, who are in second spot, are back in action on Tuesday night against Geelong which sits in sixth spot. Clayton said with Geelong having also got on Saturday, it means their main pitchers would have had a similar work load to theirs. The Eagles then face a couple of sides down towards the bottom of the ladder before the Christmas break. Clayton said they would just focus on the game in front of them. “We’ll keep plugging away and take it one game at a time as they say.” In the women’s regional west competition, both matches were called off and ended in draws. The Eagles remain in third spot. On Saturday, they are away against Alfredton in their next match.Salesforce president Niles Sabastian sells $319,156 in stock
None
NEW YORK, NY, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vito Coviello is an experienced and accomplished C-level executive, bringing a wealth of expertise in financial control and management, regulatory compliance, strategic planning, internal audit, and tax to Spartan Capital Securities. With over two decades of leadership roles at prominent financial institutions, as well as U.S. and International Government Sponsored Entities, Mr. Coviello’s systemic capital markets knowledge, coupled with technical and innovative approach make him a significant addition to the Spartan team. Mr. Coviello previously served as a Financial Services Consultant, advising firms, and providing support on financial reporting, internal controls, regulatory compliance, internal audit, and tax. His career includes notable tenures at Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, Santander Investment Securities, and Fannie Mae, where he enhanced reporting, regulatory and compliance, internal controls, policy and procedures frameworks, internal audit, tax, streamlined processes, and developed cost-saving solutions. He has successfully reduced month-end close processes by implementing advanced technology solutions, designed financial reporting systems that optimized key performance indicators and achieved significant cost savings. He advised on the implementation of internal controls and regulatory reporting under SEC, FINRA, CFTC, NFA, SOX, FICCA and PCAOB rules. Spartan Capital Securities’ Founder and CEO, John Lowry, commented: “We are very pleased that Vito Coviello has joined the Spartan team. Vito’s extensive financial leadership, deep industry expertise, and proven track record position him as an ideal addition to our Firm, especially as we continue to evolve and grow.” About Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (SCS): Spartan Capital Securities, LLC is a full-service, integrated financial services firm that provides sound investment guidance for high-net-worth individuals and institutions. Their in-depth market knowledge, calculated risk management strategy, and investment acumen have earned them a strong reputation as trusted financial advisors. Spartan Capital’s experienced investment professionals provide highly customized personal service, tailoring an asset allocation program to enable each client to meet their financial goals. Spartan Capital also offers advisory and insurance services through its affiliates, Spartan Capital Private Wealth Management, LLC and Spartan Capital Insurance Services, LLC. If you have any questions, contact: info@spartancapital.com John D. Lowry Spartan Capital Securities +1 (212) 293-0123Trump’s wish to control Greenland and the Panama Canal isn’t a joke
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, Virgin Islands (AP) — Trey Autry scored 16 points off of the bench to help lead George Washington over Illinois State 72-64 on Monday night to claim a fifth-place finish at the Paradise Jam tournament in the Virgin Islands. Autry had five rebounds for the Revolutionaries (6-1). Gerald Drumgoole Jr. scored 16 points while going 4 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 6 for 7 from the line. Darren Buchanan Jr. shot 3 of 11 from the field and 9 for 11 from the line to finish with 15 points, while adding 10 rebounds. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekAmanda Hernández | (TNS) Stateline.org CHICAGO — Shoplifting rates in the three largest U.S. cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a report last month from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice. The sharp rise in retail theft in recent years has made shoplifting a hot-button issue, especially for politicians looking to address public safety concerns in their communities. Since 2020, when viral videos of smash-and-grab robberies flooded social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have expressed fears that crime is out of control. Polls show that perceptions have improved recently, but a majority of Americans still say crime is worse than in previous years. “There is this sense of brazenness that people have — they can just walk in and steal stuff. ... That hurts the consumer, and it hurts the company,” said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, in an interview. “That’s just the world we live in,” he said. “We need to get people to realize that you have to obey the law.” At least eight states — Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New York and Vermont — passed a total of 14 bills in 2024 aimed at tackling retail theft, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures range from redefining retail crimes and adjusting penalties to allowing cross-county aggregation of theft charges and protecting retail workers. Major retailers have responded to rising theft since 2020 by locking up merchandise, upgrading security cameras, hiring private security firms and even closing stores. Still, the report indicates that shoplifting remains a stubborn problem. In Chicago, the rate of reported shoplifting incidents remained below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2023 — but surged by 46% from January to October 2024 compared with the same period a year ago. Shoplifting in Los Angeles was 87% higher in 2023 than in 2019. Police reports of shoplifting from January to October 2024 were lower than in 2023. Los Angeles adopted a new crime reporting system in March 2024, which has likely led to an undercount, according to the report. In New York, shoplifting rose 48% from 2021 to 2022, then dipped slightly last year. Still, the shoplifting rate was 55% higher in 2023 than in 2019. This year, the shoplifting rate increased by 3% from January to September compared with the same period last year. While shoplifting rates tend to rise in November and December, which coincides with in-person holiday shopping, data from the Council on Criminal Justice’s sample of 23 U.S. cities shows higher rates in the first half of 2024 compared with 2023. Researchers found it surprising that rates went up despite retailers doing more to fight shoplifting. Experts say the spike might reflect improved reporting efforts rather than a spike in theft. “As retailers have been paying more attention to shoplifting, we would not expect the numbers to increase,” said Ernesto Lopez, the report’s author and a senior research specialist with the council. “It makes it a challenge to understand the trends of shoplifting.” Impact on retailers, communities In downtown Chicago on a recent early afternoon, potential shoppers shuffled through the streets and nearby malls, browsing for gifts ahead of the holidays. Edward Johnson, a guard at The Shops at North Bridge, said that malls have become quieter in the dozen or so years he has worked in mall security, with the rise of online retailers. As for shoplifters, Johnson said there isn’t a single type of person to look out for — they can come from any background. “I think good-hearted people see something they can’t afford and figure nothing is lost if they take something from the store,” Johnson said as he patrolled the mall, keeping an eye out for lost or suspicious items. Between 2018 and 2023, most shoplifting in Chicago was reported in the downtown area, as well as in the Old Town, River North and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, according to a separate analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice. Newly sworn-in Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke this month lowered the threshold for charging retail theft as a felony in the county, which includes Chicago, from $1,000 to $300, aligning it with state law. “It sends a signal that she’s taking it seriously,” Rob Karr, the president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told Stateline. Nationally, retailers are worried about organized theft. The National Retail Federation’s latest report attributed 36% of the $112.1 billion in lost merchandise in 2022 to “external theft,” which includes organized retail crime. Organized retail crime typically involves coordinated efforts by groups to steal items with the intent to resell them for a profit. Commonly targeted goods include high-demand items such as baby formula, laundry detergent and electronics. The same report found that retailers’ fear of violence associated with theft also is on the rise, with more retailers taking a “hands-off approach.” More than 41% of respondents to the organization’s 2023 survey, up from 38% in 2022, reported that no employee is authorized to try and stop a shoplifter. (The federation’s reporting has come under criticism. It retracted a claim last year that attributed nearly half of lost merchandise in 2021 to organized retail crime; such theft accounted for only about 5%. The group announced this fall it will no longer publish its reports on lost merchandise.) Increased penalties Policy experts say shoplifting and organized retail theft can significantly harm critical industries, drive up costs for consumers and reduce sales tax revenue for states. Those worries have driven recent state-level action to boost penalties for shoplifting. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of 10 bills into law in August aimed at addressing retail theft. These measures make repeated theft convictions a felony, allow aggregation of crimes across multiple counties to be charged as a single felony, and permit police to arrest suspects for retail theft even if the crime wasn’t witnessed directly by an officer. In September, Newsom signed an additional bill that imposes steeper felony penalties for large-scale theft offenses. California voters also overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes. Under the new law, people who are convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value. “With these changes in the law, really it comes down to making sure that law enforcement is showing up to our stores in a timely manner, and that the prosecutors and the [district attorneys] are prosecuting,” Rachel Michelin, the president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, told Stateline. “That’s the only way we’re going to deter retail theft in our communities.” In New Jersey, a bipartisan bill making its way through the legislature would increase penalties for leading a shoplifting ring and allow extended sentences for repeat offenders. “This bill is going after a formally organized band of criminals that deliver such destruction to a critical business in our community. We have to act. We have to create a deterrence,” Democratic Assemblymember Joseph Danielsen, one of the bill’s prime sponsors, said in an interview with Stateline. The legislation would allow extended sentences for people convicted of shoplifting three times within 10 years or within 10 years of their release from prison, and would increase penalties to 10 to 20 years in prison for leading a retail crime ring. The bill also would allow law enforcement to aggregate the value of stolen goods over the course of a year to charge serial shoplifters with more serious offenses. Additionally, the bill would increase penalties for assaults committed against retail workers, and would require retailers to train employees on detecting gift card scams. Maryland legislators considered a similar bill during this year’s legislative session that would have defined organized retail theft and made it a felony. The bill didn’t make it out of committee, but Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, said the group plans to propose a bill during next year’s legislative session that would target gift card fraud. Retail theft data Better, more thorough reporting from retailers is essential to truly understanding shoplifting trends and its full impact, in part because some retail-related crimes, such as gift card fraud, are frequently underreported, according to Lopez, of the Council on Criminal Justice. Measuring crime across jurisdictions is notoriously difficult , and the council does not track organized retail theft specifically because law enforcement typically doesn’t identify it as such at the time of arrest — if an arrest even occurs — requiring further investigation, Lopez said. The council’s latest report found conflicting trends in the FBI’s national crime reporting systems. The FBI’s older system, the Summary Reporting System, known as SRS, suggests that reported shoplifting hadn’t gone up through 2023, remaining on par with 2019 levels. In contrast, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, shows a 93% increase in shoplifting over the same period. The discrepancy may stem from the type of law enforcement agencies that have adopted the latter system, Lopez said. Some of those communities may have higher levels of shoplifting or other types of property crime, which could be what is driving the spike, Lopez said. Despite the discrepancies and varying levels of shoplifting across the country, Lopez said, it’s important for retailers to report these incidents, as doing so could help allocate law enforcement resources more effectively. “All law enforcement agencies have limited resources, and having the most accurate information allows for not just better policy, but also better implementation — better use of strategic resources,” Lopez said. Stateline staff writer Robbie Sequeira contributed to this report. ©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Salesforce president Niles Sabastian sells $319,156 in stockChina's Xi to lead Macau handover anniversary celebrationsUS restrictions on outbound investments to China hang in balance amid spending bill talks