Algert Global LLC trimmed its holdings in Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. ( NYSE:HE – Free Report ) by 45.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 91,604 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 75,880 shares during the period. Algert Global LLC owned 0.08% of Hawaiian Electric Industries worth $887,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries by 54.4% in the 1st quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,226 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 1,137 shares in the last quarter. KBC Group NV grew its position in Hawaiian Electric Industries by 34.8% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 3,956 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 1,021 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. acquired a new position in Hawaiian Electric Industries during the third quarter worth about $42,000. Quest Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries by 126.1% in the third quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 7,983 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $77,000 after acquiring an additional 4,453 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake in shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries by 30.8% in the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 8,437 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $76,000 after purchasing an additional 1,986 shares in the last quarter. 59.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, October 4th. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on Hawaiian Electric Industries from $11.00 to $10.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Hawaiian Electric Industries from $14.00 to $11.50 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 30th. Hawaiian Electric Industries Price Performance HE stock opened at $10.41 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.79 billion, a P/E ratio of -0.88 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $10.12 and a 200-day moving average price of $11.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 0.18 and a current ratio of 0.18. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. has a 52-week low of $7.61 and a 52-week high of $18.19. Hawaiian Electric Industries ( NYSE:HE – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Friday, November 8th. The utilities provider reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $983.38 million for the quarter. Hawaiian Electric Industries had a positive return on equity of 11.12% and a negative net margin of 35.38%. The firm’s revenue was up 9.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.37 earnings per share. Hawaiian Electric Industries Company Profile ( Free Report ) Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility businesses in the United States. It operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Bank, and Other. The Electric Utility segment engages in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Hawaiian Electric Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hawaiian Electric Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Saia Partners with Tesla to Launch Two Electric SemisSaturday, November 30, 2024 Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has launched a major overhaul of its AZAL Miles loyalty program, bringing exciting new benefits and features designed to offer passengers greater flexibility and rewards. The updated program now caters to both frequent and occasional travelers, making it easier to earn and redeem miles while unlocking a host of exclusive privileges, such as discounted flights, seat upgrades, and more. The complete rebranding of the AZAL Miles program is part of Azerbaijan Airlines’ ongoing commitment to customer satisfaction, digital innovation, and staying competitive in the global airline industry. The new features reflect AZAL’s focus on adapting to current market trends and offering a loyalty program that meets the needs of modern travelers. Why Was the AZAL Miles Program Revamped? The decision to renew the AZAL Miles program stems from a strategic goal to provide passengers with a more rewarding travel experience. AZAL recognizes the increasing competition in the airline industry, where customer loyalty is more crucial than ever. By enhancing the loyalty program with new features, the airline aims to provide better value to passengers, ensure greater satisfaction, and strengthen long-term customer relationships. With a growing emphasis on digital transformation, AZAL is integrating new technologies to improve the overall experience for loyalty program members. As part of the program’s renewal, AZAL has adopted a customer-centric approach to ensure its members can enjoy both improved benefits and a more seamless journey. Key Features of the New AZAL Miles Program The redesigned AZAL Miles program now offers a competitive edge in comparison to some of the world’s leading loyalty programs. The new features and enhancements aim to provide both tangible rewards and a seamless digital experience for members. Key changes include: How to Join the New AZAL Miles Program Joining the updated AZAL Miles program is quick and easy. Passengers can sign up for free through the official website or mobile app. The program is available to anyone over the age of 18, as well as children aged 2 and above, with parental assistance if necessary. Existing members have been automatically transferred to the new system, with their miles extended for an additional three years, valid until August 2027. New members are welcomed with 300 Welcome Miles upon their first flight, and members who have previously held Classic, Gold, or Platinum status can be upgraded to Elite status depending on their recent flight activity. For those who haven’t flown recently, their previous status will still be honored. What’s Next for the AZAL Miles Program? Looking ahead, Azerbaijan Airlines plans to continue expanding and enhancing the AZAL Miles program based on customer feedback. Future updates will include new offers for different passenger segments, exclusive privileges for various membership levels, and ongoing partnerships designed to make it easier for members to earn and redeem miles. In addition, the airline plans to roll out promotions and personalized services that cater to individual customer needs, further enhancing the loyalty program’s value. Conclusion With its revamped AZAL Miles loyalty program, Azerbaijan Airlines is offering passengers more rewards, flexibility, and opportunities than ever before. By combining competitive membership tiers, a more dynamic miles earning system, and exclusive privileges, the program is positioned to provide a richer and more seamless travel experience. Whether you’re flying frequently or just getting started, AZAL Miles makes it easier than ever to earn miles and enjoy premium benefits with Azerbaijan Airlines.
Children and their parents are being told in an Usborne book that refugees “enrich our country”. Usborne has published a book for ages seven and up called Lift the Flap: Questions and Answers About Refugees, which informs readers that “we all have roots in other countries”. Teaching material has been provided alongside the book which sets out classroom activities including having children write to MPs to express how much refugees “enrich our countries”. Further guidance seeks to educate mothers and fathers on the importance of their children learning about the “array of multicultural foods” and “population numbers” provided by refugees who also drive “growth”. The book, which has been branded “indoctrination” by critics, has been stocked by local council libraries, and free copies have been distributed to schools following its release in 2023. The children’s book was created with help from the Refugee Council, and contains 14 illustrated pages with lifting flaps providing answers to questions about issues . One page covers the “big risks” faced by those in small boats, while another page is titled “Refugees Welcome”, and shows a crowd with placards stating “our home is your home” and “bridges not borders”. The final page urges children to talk about how “we all have roots in other countries”, and how refugees “enrich our countries”. Usborne teaching resources paired with the book outline lesson objectives, including “to know that positive action is possible”, with one activity stating: “People in power can do a lot to help – but they don’t always choose to. “Governments want to be popular with their own people, so one way to encourage them to support refugees is by showing them how important refugees’ safety is to you.” It adds: “You could also write a letter to your local MP or councillor. Try to include some facts about why refugees need our help and how they can enrich our countries.” Usborne has also created “notes for grown-ups to help explain why it’s important to talk to children about refugees”. These notes urge parents to drill home to their children the point that “without migration we would not have access to the vast array of multicultural foods that we are lucky to enjoy”. Parents are assured that there are “so many” positives to the arrival of refugees, who “fill gaps in the labour market”. The material claims it is cheaper to recruit foreign doctors than train British medical staff. Low-skilled arrivals additionally “do dirty, difficult, dangerous or dull jobs that locals do not wish to do”, adding that “ageing societies with a shrinking native working-age population benefit from the arrival of younger refugees” who “support population numbers, and thus investment and growth”. Around via small boats in 2024, most of whom claim asylum. The total cost for maintaining the system of migrant hotels is now estimated at £5.4 billion a year. The notes further claim that “people who have been uprooted from one culture and exposed to another tend to be more creative” and they can “help spark new ideas and technologies”. The Arts Council-backed Books Trust has since supported a promotion which promised to distribute 500 copies to UK schools to mark an occasion called “Empathy Day”. The children’s book and the accompanying material has been criticised by Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, who has pushed for transparency on the costs of migration. He said: “This is disgraceful indoctrination, which is sadly widespread in schools across the country. “Parents need to be incredibly cautious about what is being shown to their children in schools - I would advise parents to take a far more proactive role in monitoring their school’s curriculum where possible. “We need to remove activist teachers, remove activist material and remove all political activism from British schools. Teach children how to think, not what to think.” Usborne has been contacted for comment.None
Algert Global LLC lessened its stake in shares of Vicor Co. ( NASDAQ:VICR – Free Report ) by 44.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 16,339 shares of the electronics maker’s stock after selling 13,290 shares during the quarter. Algert Global LLC’s holdings in Vicor were worth $688,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of VICR. Eastern Bank acquired a new stake in Vicor during the third quarter worth approximately $42,000. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in shares of Vicor by 202.4% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,001 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 670 shares during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in Vicor by 98.8% during the 2nd quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 1,147 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 570 shares during the last quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd boosted its stake in Vicor by 66.7% in the 2nd quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd now owns 2,191 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $73,000 after purchasing an additional 877 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC grew its holdings in Vicor by 226.6% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,283 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $96,000 after buying an additional 1,584 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 47.45% of the company’s stock. Insider Buying and Selling at Vicor In other news, VP Alex Gusinov sold 856 shares of Vicor stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.01, for a total value of $50,512.56. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 16,018 shares in the company, valued at approximately $945,222.18. This trade represents a 5.07 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Company insiders own 31.00% of the company’s stock. Vicor Stock Performance Vicor ( NASDAQ:VICR – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 22nd. The electronics maker reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.13 by $0.13. Vicor had a net margin of 6.08% and a return on equity of 4.00%. The firm had revenue of $93.17 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $85.23 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.37 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 13.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth VICR has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Vicor in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Craig Hallum increased their target price on shares of Vicor from $35.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Read Our Latest Analysis on VICR About Vicor ( Free Report ) Vicor Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets modular power components and power systems for converting electrical power in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company offers a range of brick-format DC-DC converters; complementary components provide AC line rectification, input filtering, power factor correction, and transient protection; and input and output voltage, and output power products, as well as electrical and mechanical accessories. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Vicor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vicor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .By KAREEM CHEHAYEB BEIRUT (AP) — In 2006, after a bruising monthlong war between Israel and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militant group, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted for a resolution to end the conflict and pave the way for lasting security along the border. But while there was relative calm for nearly two decades, Resolution 1701’s terms were never fully enforced. Now, figuring out how to finally enforce it is key to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal approved by Israel on Tuesday. In late September, after nearly a year of low-level clashes , the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah spiraled into all-out war and an Israeli ground invasion . As Israeli jets pound deep inside Lebanon and Hezbollah fires rockets deeper into northern Israel, U.N. and diplomatic officials again turned to the 2006 resolution in a bid to end the conflict. Years of deeply divided politics and regionwide geopolitical hostilities have halted substantial progress on its implementation, yet the international community believes Resolution 1701 is still the brightest prospect for long-term stability between Israel and Lebanon. Almost two decades after the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, the United States led shuttle diplomacy efforts between Lebanon and Israel to agree on a ceasefire proposal that renewed commitment to the resolution, this time with an implementation plan to try to bring the document back to life. What is UNSC Resolution 1701? In 2000, Israel withdrew its forces from most of southern Lebanon along a U.N.-demarcated “Blue Line” that separated the two countries and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, which most of the world considers occupied Syrian territory. U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL , increased their presence along the line of withdrawal. Resolution 1701 was supposed to complete Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and ensure Hezbollah would move north of the Litani River, keeping the area exclusively under the Lebanese military and U.N. peacekeepers. Up to 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers would help to maintain calm, return displaced Lebanese and secure the area alongside the Lebanese military. The goal was long-term security, with land borders eventually demarcated to resolve territorial disputes. The resolution also reaffirmed previous ones that call for the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon — Hezbollah among them. “It was made for a certain situation and context,” Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese army general, told The Associated Press. “But as time goes on, the essence of the resolution begins to hollow.” Has Resolution 1701 been implemented? For years, Lebanon and Israel blamed each other for countless violations along the tense frontier. Israel said Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and growing arsenal remained, and accused the group of using a local environmental organization to spy on troops. Lebanon complained about Israeli military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there was no active conflict. “You had a role of the UNIFIL that slowly eroded like any other peacekeeping with time that has no clear mandate,” said Joseph Bahout, the director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy at the American University of Beirut. “They don’t have permission to inspect the area without coordinating with the Lebanese army.” UNIFIL for years has urged Israel to withdraw from some territory north of the frontier, but to no avail. In the ongoing war, the peacekeeping mission has accused Israel, as well as Hezbollah , of obstructing and harming its forces and infrastructure. Hezbollah’s power, meanwhile, has grown, both in its arsenal and as a political influence in the Lebanese state. The Iran-backed group was essential in keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power when armed opposition groups tried to topple him, and it supports Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Yemen. It has an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided missiles pointed at Israel, and has introduced drones into its arsenal . Hanna says Hezbollah “is something never seen before as a non-state actor” with political and military influence. How do mediators hope to implement 1701 almost two decades later? Israel’s security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday. Efforts led by the U.S. and France for the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah underscored that they still view the resolution as key. For almost a year, Washington has promoted various versions of a deal that would gradually lead to its full implementation. International mediators hope that by boosting financial support for the Lebanese army — which was not a party in the Israel-Hezbollah war — Lebanon can deploy some 6,000 additional troops south of the Litani River to help enforce the resolution. Under the deal, an international monitoring committee headed by the United States would oversee implementation to ensure that Hezbollah and Israel’s withdrawals take place. It is not entirely clear how the committee would work or how potential violations would be reported and dealt with. The circumstances now are far more complicated than in 2006. Some are still skeptical of the resolution’s viability given that the political realities and balance of power both regionally and within Lebanon have dramatically changed since then. “You’re tying 1701 with a hundred things,” Bahout said. “A resolution is the reflection of a balance of power and political context.” Now with the ceasefire in place, the hope is that Israel and Lebanon can begin negotiations to demarcate their land border and settle disputes over several points along the Blue Line for long-term security after decades of conflict and tension.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Commerce Department's efforts to curb China's and Russia's access to American-made advanced computer chips have been “inadequate” and will need more funding to stymie their ability to manufacture advanced weapons, according to a report published Wednesday by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The Biden administration imposed export controls to limit the ability of China and Russia ability to access U.S.-made chips after Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. The agency's Bureau of Industry and Security, according to the report, does not have the resources to enforce export controls and has been too reliant on U.S. chip makers voluntarily complying with the rules. But the push for bolstering Commerce's export control enforcement comes as the incoming Trump administration says it is looking to dramatically reduce the size and scope of federal government . President-elect Donald Trump has tapped entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” to dismantle parts of the federal government. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. BIS’s budget, about $191 million, has remained essentially flat since 2010 when adjusted for inflation. “While BIS’ budget has been stagnant for a decade, the bureau works diligently around the clock to meet its mission and safeguard U.S. national security,” Commerce Department spokesperson Charlie Andrews said in a statement in response to the report. Andrews added that with “necessary resources from Congress” the agency would be "better equipped to address the challenges that come with our evolving national security environment.” In a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Wednesday, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, chair of the subcommittee, pointed to an audit of Texas Instruments that showed the Russian military continued to acquire components from Texas Instruments through front companies in Hong Kong to illustrate how the export controls are failing as an effective tool. The committee's findings, Blumenthal said, suggest that Texas Instruments “missed clear warning signs” that three companies in its distribution chain had been diverting products to Russia. Texas Instruments did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “While Congress must provide BIS more resources to undertake its critical mission, it is long past time for BIS to make full use of the enforcement powers Congress has conferred upon it and take aggressive steps to cut the flow of U.S. semiconductors into the Russian war machine,” Blumenthal wrote. It's not just Texas Instruments that's the issue. The subcommittee in September published a report that found aggregated exports from four major U.S. advanced chip manufacturers nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022 to Armenia and Georgia. Both of those countries are home to front companies known to assist Russia in acquiring advanced chips made in the U.S. despite export controls. China, meanwhile, has created “vast, barely disguised smuggling networks which enable it to continue to harness U.S. technology,” the subcommittee report asserts. Washington has been gradually expanding the number of companies affected by such export controls in China, as President Joe Biden’s administration has encouraged an expansion of investments in and manufacturing of chips in the U.S. But Chinese companies have found ways to evade export controls in part because of a lack of China subject matter experts and Chinese speakers assigned to Commerce's export control enforcement. The agency's current budget limits the number of international end-use checks, or physical verification overseas of distributors or companies receiving American-made chips that are the supposed end users of products. Currently, Commerce has only 11 export control officers spread around the globe to conduct such checks. The committee made several recommendations in its report, including Congress allocating more money for hiring additional personnel to enforce export controls, imposing larger fines on companies that violate controls and requiring periodic reviews of advanced chip companies’ export control plans by outside entities. Boak reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.
Representational U.S. News has unveiled its nationwide rankings of nearly 25,000 public high schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The rankings encompass traditional high schools, as well as charter, magnet, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) institutions. According to the official website, approximately 17,660 schools were ranked based on six key factors, including performance on state assessments and college readiness. In addition to the national rankings, U.S. News has also identified the best public high schools in each state. Today, we spotlight the top 10 public high schools in New Jersey, recognized for their academic excellence and student success. Top 10 public high schools in New Jersey as per the rankings Name of the school New Jersey Ranking National Ranking Graduation Rate College Readiness Enrollment (9 to 12) High Technology High School 1 24 100% 100 285 Edison Academy Magnet School 2 42 100% 93.8 175 Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health 3 58 100% 97.6 286 Bergen County Academics 4 62 99% 95.7 1,116 Bitechnology High School 5 72 100% 98.4 317 Dr. Ronald E McNair High School 6 79 100% 88.0 701 Bergen County Technical High School- Teterboro 7 90 100% 93.3 675 Union County Magnet High School 8 95 100% 86.6 303 Academy for Information Technology 9 111 100% 88.5 297 Academy for Allied Health Science 10 193 100% 74.1 303 New Jersey's top public high schools showcase excellence in academics, college readiness, and graduation rates, reflecting their dedication to shaping future-ready students. At the pinnacle is High Technology High School, ranked 1st in the state and 24th nationally, with a perfect graduation rate and college readiness score, catering to just 285 students. Similarly, Edison Academy Magnet School and Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health secure the 2nd and 3rd spots, demonstrating remarkable college readiness scores of 93.8 and 97.6, respectively, along with perfect graduation rates. Larger schools like Bergen County Academies, ranked 4th in New Jersey, stand out for balancing academic excellence and high enrollment, boasting 95.7 college readiness and 99% graduation rates among 1,116 students. Schools like Biotechnology High School and Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School also shine, with their college readiness scores above 88% and commendable graduation rates. Interestingly, all ten schools achieve a 100% graduation rate, reflecting their commitment to student success. However, college readiness scores vary, with schools like Academy for Allied Health Science slightly trailing at 74.1. These rankings highlight a mix of specialized and technical curricula, preparing students for competitive college admissions and high-demand careers. Get the latest news that takes place in the education sector in India. Find the extensive coverage of various topics including top universities and colleges in India, school reopening, in-depth exam analysis, and more. Stay up to date with The Times of India for the newest updates on CBSE, ICSE, Board exams, competitive exams, date sheet, admit card, exam analysis, results, admissions, colleges, etc.Detroit Auto Show unveils speakers for Mobility Global ForumAre real Christmas trees more expensive this year in Maryland? It depends
Hackers have taken over the website of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), underscoring increased cyberattacks in the country. According to Check Point Software Technologies, a cyber security platform provider, Nigerian industries have seen a sharp rise in cyberattacks. In July, the country ranked 19th in the global rankings for attacks. It noted that government agencies face 1,791 weekly attacks. A visit to the NBS’s website reveals ‘Page Hacked’ on an otherwise blank page. Confirming the attack, the NBS tweeted on Thursday night, “This is to inform the public that the NBS Website has been hacked, and we are working to recover it. Please disregard any message or report posted until the website is fully restored.” Growing digitisation has exposed government agencies and other sectors to cyber attacks. Nigeria’s growing digital economy is facing escalating threats from hackers, prompting the Federal Government to issue at least 33 cyberattack advisories in the past year. “The rapid digitalisation of Africa’s key sectors has positioned the continent as a prime target for sophisticated cyber threats,” stated Lionel Dartnall, acting Country Manager for South Africa at Check Point Software Technologies. Kashifu Inuwa, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency, recently stated, “As we digitise, we know that there is a big threat to our cyber security. There are a lot of criminal activities happening in cyberspace, so as we build, we need to build with security in mind.” Attacks on government agencies usually become ransomware attacks, with hackers exchanging hacked data for money. In 2024, South Africa’s government entities saw a 90 percent surge in ransomware attacks, with 3,312 weekly attacks.By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff National Politics | Rudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke National Politics | Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration National Politics | Expecting challenges, blue states vow to create ‘firewall’ of abortion protections National Politics | Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.
Man City blows 3-goal lead and gets booed by fans in draw with Feyenoord in Champions League