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NEW YORK CITY, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Thursday, November 21, 2024, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) celebrated the achievements of the historic Capital Readiness Program (CRP) at the NASDAQ Tower in Times Square. Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development Eric Morrissette joined Capital Readiness Program awardees as they uplift underserved entrepreneurs across the nation. “One of the greatest obstacles facing underserved entrepreneurs is access to capital, which is why the CRP is so essential. With this landmark program, MBDA is working to address the root problem of that issue by supporting businesses and communities that have been historically overlooked or left behind,” said Deputy Under Secretary Eric Morrissette. “The CRP has and will continue to open doors for entrepreneurs looking to start and scale their businesses.” Since its inception in 2023, CRP awardees, incubators, and accelerators have already served 6,326 entrepreneurs and helped raise $263 million in capital, form 2,636 new businesses, develop 1,726 business pitches, and host 2,486 networking events for diverse business owners and entrepreneurs across America. Awardees in attendance included The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Ventures, the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the National Urban League, the National Asian/Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce, and the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center. “The Capital Readiness Program has empowered the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to unlock critical capital opportunities, driving growth for businesses and reshaping regional economies,” said USHCC Educational Fund Senior Vice President Evelyn Barahona, one of the awardees present at NASDAQ. “Through the program, we've catalyzed expansion and new ventures for small business owners, strengthening not only the Hispanic community but the nation's economy. Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, the USHCC is excited to collaborate with the MBDA and partners to further elevate the possibilities for businesses across the country.” These centers have unique expertise to assist, and train underserved entrepreneurs seeking resources, tools, and technical assistance to start or scale their businesses in high-growth industries such as healthcare, climate resilient technology, asset management, infrastructure, and more. For more information on active Minority Business Development Agency initiatives, visit www.mbda.gov . About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority business enterprises (MBEs). For more than 50 years, MBDA’s programs and services have better equipped MBEs to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues, and expand regionally, nationally, and internationally. ### Attachment Gabriel Cushing Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) gcushing@mbda.govDecember 4, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Diamond Light Source In today's world, the fight against counterfeiting is more critical than ever. Counterfeiting affects about 3% of global trade, posing significant risks to the economy and public safety. From fake pharmaceuticals to counterfeit currency, the need for secure and reliable authentication methods is paramount. Authentication labels are commonly used—such as holograms on bank notes and passports—but there is always a need for new unfalsifiable technologies. This is where research recently published in Applied Sciences comes into play. Led by a team of scientists from Oxford University, the University of Southampton, and Diamond Light Source, the UK's national synchrotron, the work focuses on developing a new technology for writing and reading covert information on authentication labels. This technology leverages the unique properties of Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 thin films, which can change their structure when exposed to specific types of laser light. By using circularly or linearly polarized laser light, the researchers can encode hidden information in these thin films. This information can then be revealed using a simple reading device, making the technology both advanced and accessible. The paper is called "Application of Photo-Induced Chirality in Covert Authentication" and explains how photo-induced chirality in Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 thin films can be exploited to improve authentication. The significance of this research lies in its potential applications. Authentication labels are essential in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, and currency. The ability to encode and read covert information securely can help prevent counterfeiting and ensure the authenticity of products. Moreover, the technology's reliance on existing manufacturing methods makes it a practical solution for widespread use. To create these new authentication labels, the authors deposited 55 nm thick film on a disk substrate. After that, author Dr. Konstantin Borisenko, Research Computing Administrator at University of Oxford explained, "We 'wrote' a predesigned pattern of spots using a laser and a polarizer. Then we used the B23 beamline at Diamond Light Source to 'read' the film using circular dichroism (CD), a type of spectroscopy, and recorded the CD spectra in transmission mode." The spectra were acquired using a highly collimated and focused synchrotron beam of about 100 μm in diameter in a 200 nm to 600 nm wavelength range with 5 nm intervals. The spectra showed that the highest magnitude was observed at 520 nm. The authors then compared the signal obtained from reading the CD intensity at 520 nm on the B23 beamline, and on a standalone label reader, using a green LED as a light source. The results showed that the polarization of a laser beam can be successfully recorded on an authentication label. Dr. Rohanah Hussain, Senior Beamline Scientist at Diamond explained, "This information was read using the synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) imaging at Diamond B23 that validated a simple, standalone, in-house built instrument which gave very similar results and could be used as an affordable reading device." The prepared label showed no deterioration in signal when retested after being stored under ambient conditions for at least six months. Preliminary experiments also indicated that the label and the polarization signal remained stable even after short heat treatment at 100°C, suggesting longer-term stability. Dr. Borisenko concluded, "We have demonstrated a new technology for writing a covert code invisible to the naked eye. This code can only be revealed if the direction of rotation of the polarization of light encoded in the label during laser writing is measured by a suitable reading device. "A prototype of the simple reading device is outlined, which qualitatively provides the same reading outcome as more sophisticated approaches using circular dichroism spectroscopy and imaging. The observed strong signal from the reading device supports further miniaturization of the labels. This feature may enable this approach to be integrated with the technology used in existing holographic security labels to increase the level of security." More information: Konstantin B. Borisenko et al, Application of Photo-Induced Chirality in Covert Authentication, Applied Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.3390/app14219743 Provided by Diamond Light Source
QuickFee and Mango Partner on Payment Plans for Accounting FirmsNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Friday after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation . The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 123.19 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8% to set its own record. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The United Nations raised the death toll of a recent massacre in which dozens of older people and Vodou religious leaders were killed by a gang in Haiti, and called on officials to bring the perpetrators to justice. The U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti said in a report published on Monday that between Dec. 6 and 11 more than 207 people were killed by the Wharf Jeremie gang. The gang took people from their homes and from a place of worship, interrogated them and then executed them with bullets and machetes. Earlier this month, human rights groups in Haiti had estimated that more than 100 people were killed in the massacre, but the new U.N. investigation doubles the number of victims. “We cannot pretend that nothing happened” said María Isabel Salvador, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative in Haiti. “I call on the Haitian justice system to thoroughly investigate these horrific crimes and arrest and punish the perpetrators, as well as those who support them," she said in a statement. Human rights groups in Haiti said the massacre began after the son of Micanor Altès, the leader of the Wharf Jeremie gang, died from an illness. The Cooperative for Peace and Development, a human rights group, said that according to information circulating in the community, Altès accused people in the neighborhood of causing his son’s illness. “He decided to cruelly punish all elderly people and (Vodou) practitioners who, in his imagination, would be capable of casting a bad spell on his son,” the group said in a statement released shortly after news of the massacre emerged. In Monday's report, the United Nations said that people were tracked down in their homes and in a place of worship by Altès’ gang, where they were first interrogated and then taken to an execution site. The United Nations said that the gang tried to erase evidence of the killings by burning bodies, or by dismembering them and throwing them into the sea. The massacre is the latest humanitarian tragedy in Haiti, where gang violence has intensified since the nation’s president was killed in a 2021 coup attempt . Haiti has struggled to organize an election that will fill the power vacuum and restore democratic rule. The Caribbean nation is currently governed by a transitional council that includes representatives from the business community, civil society and political parties, but its government has no control over many areas of the capital city, and gangs are constantly fighting over ports, highways and neighborhoods. According to the United Nations, more than 5,350 people have been killed in Haiti’s gang wars this year. The Haitian government acknowledged the massacre against older people in a statement issued earlier this month, and promised to persecute those responsible for this act of “unspeakable carnage.”By MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won’t include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn’t sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump” who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.NC Supreme Court candidate challenges loss using theory even election deniers deem extreme
The halls of Montrose School were transformed into a shopping mall — makeshift food court and all — this week as elementary students opened their own storefronts to sell homemade treats and wares in support of local charities. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * The halls of Montrose School were transformed into a shopping mall — makeshift food court and all — this week as elementary students opened their own storefronts to sell homemade treats and wares in support of local charities. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The halls of Montrose School were transformed into a shopping mall — makeshift food court and all — this week as elementary students opened their own storefronts to sell homemade treats and wares in support of local charities. Instead of a holiday-themed concert, teachers planned an end-of-year market in River Heights and spent the start of the 2023-24 school year teaching students what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Every classroom at the nursery-to-Grade 6 school brainstormed businesses and then held votes to determine their shop’s products. Students prepared presentations to pitch their parent council for a startup loan. MAGGIE MACINTOSH / FREE PRESS “The Calm Store,” stocked with plant pots and putty made by Grade 1 and 2 students at Montrose School, was the first to sell out on Thursday. “They all learn the basics of a business and the roles. Where they take it depends on their age group, but the buy-in is incredible and the learning is quite cool to see,” said Tracy Fish, a multidisciplinary teacher who works with all ages in her role as the school’s resident expert in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). Throughout the process, children were tasked with researching, budgeting, making, pricing and marketing their ideas, which included lollipops, keychains, pet bowties, fire starters, and beaded bracelets, which sold between $1 to $8 apiece. Parents, grandparents and other community members packed into the school on Thursday evening to see — and in the case of the “Hot Cocoa to Go-Go” startup in support of CancerCare Manitoba, smell — the final results. Dozens of shoppers browsed student-made items, from “Krazy Korn” at a flavoured-popcorn fundraiser for the Main Street Project to clay pots and putty at “The Calm Store,” the first stand to sell out at the community event. “We wanted to help kids that were either injured or sick,” said Abbi, a Grade 2 student who, alongside her classmates, decided “The Calm Store” earnings should go to the Children’s Hospital Foundation. The nearby “Party Animals” booth was stocked with cat grass, pet treats and stuffed dog toys in support of Winnipeg Pet Rescue. “Keychain Krew” entrepreneurs learned how to use resin and created trinkets with sprinkles inside them as part of their mission to raise money for Assiniboine Park Conservancy’s Polar Bear Rescue and Care Team. “We were just taking order by order by order, and I learned how to have really good teamwork and work together with my friends,” said Aidyn, a Grade 6 student who doubled as a cashier at the “Rainbow Road” candy store for K9 Advocacy Manitoba on Thursday night. The sixth-grader, who has a reputation as a tech wizard among his peers and teachers, was tapped to be part of his class business’ research and development team. While noting his classroom startup’s chocolate bark was a bestseller, Aidyn said he was particularly pleased with how “insanely unreal” the student-made caramels turned out. Taste-testing sweets was a welcome part of a role that also required researching recipes and evaluating which ones could be made in large batches and would be both the cheapest and easiest to bake, he said. Fish assigned every child a designated position, be it on their shop’s marketing team, set-up team or otherwise, based on resumés they submitted to her outlining their strengths and interests at the start of the year. MAGGIE MACINTOSH / FREE PRESS Proceeds from the “Krazy Korn” stand, which sold gourmet popcorn in flavours ranging from dill to caramel, are going to Main Street Project. The STEAM teacher said she hopes participants have become “smarter consumers” and developed new skills and knowledge about how to make products, in addition to feeling the pride that comes with giving to others. Following the event, every student group’s financial team is expected to itemize expenses, tally earnings, and have a representative request a cheque from Montrose’s front office to learn how to repay their loan, none of which exceeded $300, to the parent council. Students raised more than $5,000 for various charities during the inaugural “Mall in the Hall” event in 2022. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The hands-on activity, inspired by the defunct learning partnership’s entrepreneurial adventure program, is slated to run every other year at Montrose as one of the elementary school’s two major annual events. Principal Suzanne Mole said it is already beloved — so much so that alumni who launched the first round of businesses two years ago came back to visit as junior high students on Thursday. “Not all children are performers. Not all children want to stand on stage and sing, but they have gifts and talents that they want to share with everybody,” Mole said. “This is another way for children who might not be (keen on schoolwide concerts) to shine and find their own way to be successful.” maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the . Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she joined the newsroom as a reporter in 2019. . Funding for the education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the . Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the . Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she joined the newsroom as a reporter in 2019. . Funding for the education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the . Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement Advertisement