Victoria Fox's Blog, page 255
March 29, 2023
Disney World board picked by DeSantis says predecessors stripped them of power
Enlarge this image People visit Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on April 18, 2022. Ted Shaffrey/AP
Ted Shaffrey/AP
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Board members picked by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to oversee the governance of Walt Disney World said Wednesday that their Disney-controlled predecessors pulled a fast one on them by passing restrictive covenants that strip the new board of many of its powers.
The current supervisors of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District said at a meeting that their predecessors last month signed a development agreement with the company that gave Disney maximum developmental power over the theme park resort’s 27,000 acres in central Florida.
The five supervisors were appointed by the Republican governor to the board after the Florida Legislature overhauled Disney’s government in retaliation for the entertainment giant publicly opposing so-called “Don’t Say Gay” legislation that bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as well as lessons deemed not age-appropriate.
In taking on Disney, DeSantis furthered his reputation as a culture warrior willing to battle perceived political enemies and wield the power of state government to accomplish political goals, a strategy that is expected to continue ahead of his potential White House run.
The new supervisors replaced a board that had been controlled by Disney during the previous 55 years that the government operated as the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The new board members held their first meeting earlier this month and said they found out about the agreement after their appointments.
“We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,” board member Brian Aungst said Wednesday. “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.”
In a statement, Disney said all agreements were above board and took place in public.
“All agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law,” the statement said.
Separately, Disney World service workers on Wednesday were voting on whether to accept a union contract offer that would raise the starting minimum wage to $18 an hour by the end of the year.
The agreement covers around 45,000 service workers at the Disney theme park resort, including costumed performers who perform as Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters, bus drivers, culinary workers, lifeguards, theatrical workers and hotel housekeepers.
Workers could see their hourly wages rise between $5.50 and $8.60 an hour by the end of the five-year contract if it’s approved, according to union leaders.
A contract approved five years ago made Disney the first major employer in central Florida to agree to a minimum hourly wage of $15, setting the trend for other workers in the region dominated by hospitality jobs.
The Manhattan grand jury investigating Trump plans to take a break in April
Enlarge this image The Manhattan grand jury hearing evidence about former President Donald Trump’s role in a hush money scheme plans to take a break. Evan Vucci/AP
Evan Vucci/AP
The Manhattan grand jury considering evidence about former President Donald Trump’s role in a hush money scheme may not take any action until the latter half of April.
That’s due to a pre-planned break beginning next week that coincides with Easter, Passover, and Ramadan, two people familiar with the investigation tell NPR.
Prosecutors earlier this month invited the former president to testify to the grand jury, an offer his lawyers declined. But that prompted observers, including Trump himself, to say that an indictment was imminent. Since Trump posted a statement about what he called, without evidence, an imminent “arrest,” cameras have been stationed outside the courts building in Lower Manhattan. At least two witnesses have testified.
Grand Jury proceedings are secret. Prosecutors are prohibited from speaking about them, and jurors can ask for more evidence, witnesses, or time for deliberations, so uncertainty typically surrounds the end of grand jury investigations.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing
Witnesses, however, are allowed to discuss their testimony, and a result, an outline of Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg’s inquiry has emerged: He is investigating whether Donald Trump committed a crime in New York when he reimbursed his former attorney, Michael Cohen, for making a hush money payment to an adult film actor, Stormy Daniels, in the waning days of Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Cohen pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison in federal court in 2018, when he said he made the payments “at the direction” of Donald Trump. Records show Trump personally reimbursed Cohen for the payment, which his company, falsely, called a “retainer” for legal fees. In New York, that could be a Class E felony, punishable by up to four years in prison.
Trump has denied wrongdoing.
The District Attorney’s office isn’t commenting, but one Trump attorney, Alina Habba, who is working on a separate civil case brought by the New York attorney general, issued a statement saying, “It is not normal to take a three-week break when you are up against a statute of limitations.”
Prosecutors have said the statute of limitations does not apply in this case because Trump has resided out of state since 2017, and because of COVID-19.
The pre-planned break means that prosecutors in other jurisdictions, including Special Counsel Jack Smith in Washington, D.C., and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in Georgia, could be the first prosecutors in the country to criminally charge a former president.
UAE leader appoints son as crown prince
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has named his eldest son Khaled Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday named his eldest son Khaled crown prince of Abu Dhabi, placing him as the next to lead the federation.
After Sheikh Mohammed, commonly known as MBZ, assumed the presidency last year, rumors swirled that he would make one of his brothers his heir, as tradition dictates.
In this case, the favorites would have been Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, the powerful national security chief, Manchester City club owner Sheikh Mansour, or the foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah.
The official WAM news agency announced the appointment of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as crown prince on Wednesday evening, without providing further details.
Sheikh Khaled was named chairman of the country’s intelligence agency in 2016.
The United Arab Emirates, a close ally of the United States, is best known for hosting Dubai, a major international hub for business and travel.
[image error]
ABC
Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.
Arizona governor’s aide resigns after controversial tweet
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs’ press secretary has resigned after a controversial social media post following a fatal shooting at a Tennessee school.
The governor’s spokesperson, Josselyn Berry, posted a tweet late Monday with an image of a woman holding guns in each hand and the caption, “Us when we see transphobes.” The image is from the 1980 film “Gloria”.
The post was posted hours after a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville left three children and three adults dead. The shooter was killed by police and has been identified as a 28-year-old former Covenant School student who was transgender.
Berry’s post drew widespread criticism for appearing to promote gun violence. Twitter later deleted the post with a notice that it violated the platform’s rules.
Berry reportedly resigned Tuesday night, and the governor’s office said Wednesday that Hobbs had received and accepted the resignation.
“The governor does not condone any form of violence,” a statement from Hobbs’ office said. “This administration puts mutual respect at the forefront of how we engage with one another. The position of press attaché does not reflect the values of the administration.
Yahoo
Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.
March 28, 2023
NC board removes election officials who refused to certify
RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) — The North Carolina State Board of Elections on Tuesday fired two local election officials who refused to certify their county’s 2022 results after officials determined they violated state law.
The state council voted unanimously to remove Surry County Elections Secretary Jerry Forestieri and council member Timothy DeHaan in one of the toughest disciplinary actions taken against local officials in across the United States who have delayed or refused to certify election results. Controversies over election certification have stirred mostly rural counties across the country as conspiracy theories about voting machines have spread widely among conservatives.
Forestieri and DeHaan had questioned the legitimacy of state election law and court rulings banning photo ID checks and voter residency challenges. They falsely claimed in a letter that the vote was “illegal” and “highly uncertain”.
“These rulings stripped the electoral process of the reliability it was meant to protect,” they wrote. “Since then, the general well-being of the citizens of North Carolina has been damaged by a growing lack of confidence in our electoral process.”
The two circulated the letter during a web meeting last fall when county election officials met to certify the accuracy of the vote count. DeHaan eventually signed to certify, while Forestieri did not.
State Council Chairman Damon Circosta said Tuesday that county election officials cannot refuse to implement state council directives or court orders with which they disagree. .
“Those administering elections must follow the law as it is written, not how they want it to be,” Circosta said.
The North Carolina Supreme Court, which at the time had a Democratic majority, upheld a trial court ruling late last year that declared a 2018 voter ID law unconstitutional and tainted of racial prejudice. But the new Republican High Court majority opted to revisit the case earlier this month.
Bob Hall, former executive director of the prominent voting rights group Democracy North Carolina, filed complaints with the state board that prompted Tuesday’s hearing. He said the men’s refusal to accept the legitimacy of state election laws directly conflicts with their oath of office and their responsibility to perform their duties in accordance with those laws.
The story continues
Election conspiracies in recent years have undermined public trust, led to threats against election workers in North Carolina and other states, and inspired efforts to ban voting machines altogether. They have also been used by a small number of local officials across the country to justify refusing to certify election results, as was the case in Surry County.
The ousted county officials had falsely alleged that the court rulings offered “protection against criminal voter fraud” and raised the possibility of “election theft.”
Last year, New Mexico state officials had to get a court order to compel officials from Otero County, a conservative community that backed former President Donald Trump with nearly 62% of votes in 2020, to certify the results of their primary election. No commissioner in New Mexico has been removed from office for refusing to certify the results, according to state election officials.
There is no evidence of widespread fraud or manipulation of voting materials in the 2020 or 2022 elections.
Election experts fear what happened last year could be a preview of what will happen after the 2024 presidential election if a candidate refuses to back down again.
Election officials have spent six years beefing up their cybersecurity defenses and adding equipment and testing to ensure election technology is protected. Much of the country now uses paper ballots, which ensures that a record can be used to recalculate the results in the event of manipulation or error.
Yet that hasn’t stopped the spread of false allegations by Trump and his allies, who continue to travel the country meeting with local officials and holding community forums exposing election conspiracies.
___
Hannah Schoenbaum is a member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places reporters in local newsrooms to report on underreported issues.
___
Associated Press writer Christina Cassidy contributed from Atlanta.
Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.
Reviews | Alexander Skarsgard explains the answer to everything. (This involves doing calculations.)
Partha Dasgupta is a Cambridge University economist who in 2021 prepared a 600+ page report for the UK government on the financial value of nature.
Not your average bedtime reading.
But believe us when we say that his report, the culmination of decades of scholarship, is incredibly important. Or at least believe the United Nations, which awarded him the title of Champion of the Earth for his work. Or King Charles III, who this year named Mr Dasgupta a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire – an extremely rare honor – for his services to the economy and the natural environment.
Mr. Dasgupta’s voluminous study is so important that we decided to publish a short film about it, the opinion video above. To make its complex review digestible, the film uses old-school cartoons, swear words, a clip of Boris Johnson in a safety helmet hanging from a cable, a very appropriate football metaphor, a bit of Strauss and a title which could be viewed. as an exaggeration.
We even hired Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard to help simplify its concepts and explain why the report is, if not required reading for everyone, then at least something everyone should know.
Ny
Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.
Harris ready to reframe U.S. views on Africa and foster partnership
Accra, Ghana — If US Vice President Kamala Harris has a favorite number on her trip to Africa, it’s undoubtedly 19. This is the median age on this continent, and she repeats it at every opportunity.
For Harris, this is not child’s play, but the driving force behind reinvigorated US outreach in Africa. Washington is racing to establish partnerships on the oldest inhabited continent with the youngest population, a test that could reshape the economy here and, by extension, the rest of the world.
As part of that effort, Harris plans to unveil more than $1 billion in public and private funding for women’s economic empowerment on Wednesday, according to her office. The money is expected to come from a mix of nonprofit foundations, private companies and the federal government, and is intended to expand access to digital services, provide skills training and support entrepreneurs.
The US vice president is expected to make the announcement during a meeting with six Ghanaian women entrepreneurs, her last event in Ghana before continuing her week-long tour of Tanzania and Zambia.
Harris is the most high-profile member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit Africa this year as the United States steps up outreach amid global rivalry on the continent. She paid particular attention to economic development and youth during her stay in Ghana.
Harris visited a skate park and recording studio, posted a Spotify playlist of African musicians, spoke to a crowd of thousands of young people and invited a coterie of celebrities, civil rights leaders and d businessmen to join her at a banquet in her honor.
It’s a carefully calibrated campaign to reframe the way Americans see opportunity in Africa. New investments could not only benefit American businesses, but also alleviate one of the most pressing challenges here.
“If we don’t find jobs – because that’s what it is – for this growing young population, it will be dangerous for political stability on the continent,” said Rama Yade, senior director of the Atlantic Council Africa Center. “Because they will attack institutions if they cannot afford to live.
The desire for investment was on full display Monday night at the presidential palace known as Jubilee House, where Washington officials ditched their usual attire for vibrant dresses and sharp tuxedos for the state banquet. Hollywood stars Spike Lee, Idris Elba and Rosario Dawson were among the attendees.
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo entered with Harris, he in a dark double-breasted suit and she in a white dress and a cape adorned with a purple flower on the right shoulder.
Although the atmosphere was festive, the message was commercial. A large screen at the end of the banquet tent showed a computer-generated animation of Accra’s future development, a vision of a modern African metropolis.
“We are encouraged that more American companies than ever are looking to invest in Ghana,” Akufo-Addo said. “And we will continue to create and maintain the right investment atmosphere that will ensure not only the safety of their investments, but also good returns on those investments.
By diversifying the country’s economy beyond the export of natural resources, Akufo-Addo said, he envisioned “a Ghana beyond aid”.
Ghana is grappling with soaring inflation and a ballooning debt burden, and Akufo-Addo noted the impact of “pernicious developments” like the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We want to work together to change the African narrative, which has largely been characterized by a focus on disease, hunger, poverty and mass illegal migration,” he said. “Together, we must help make Africa the place of investment, progress and prosperity.”
It’s a change Harris is eager to help foster.
“As we face some real challenges, I look around tonight and I’m truly more optimistic than ever,” Harris said in his own toast. “And I know that by working together, the United States and Ghana, alongside the diaspora and the people of this beautiful continent, will share and share our future for the better.”
Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, also joined in the effort. He visited a girls’ basketball clinic and spoke to female students in a town hall with the cast of the local TV series ‘You Only Live Once’, which tackles public health issues and other challenges facing young Ghanaians.
Emhoff said the message was about “having the confidence to know that you can do whatever you want in this world.”
But this hope for the future is not necessarily generalized.
Adwoa Brentuo, who graduated with a degree in information science four years ago, is among those who fear their education has been of no help.
“I have now given up on finding jobs because they don’t exist,” she said. “I also realized that writing apps had become a waste of time.”
Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Yussif, estimated that only one in 10 university graduates gets a job.
“Others won’t be able to find jobs for a long time,” Yussif said.
This is a problem across the continent. The African Development Bank estimates that there are on average about 11 million people entering the labor market while at the same time only about 3 million jobs are created.
Harris’ stops in Ghana included a youth center in Accra which includes a skate park and recording studio. Young skaters were sliding back and forth as he arrived, their boards sometimes slamming against the sidewalk.
Inside, a staff member said teens can learn things like bookkeeping in addition to playing music.
“We’re all learning from scratch,” the staffer told Harris. “Let’s hope for the next generation here.”
Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.
Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: 50% Off Clinique, Urban Decay, and More
Washing your face can be a spa-like experience every morning with the PMD Clean Pro device. It is a gentle device that breaks down dirt and oil within the pores. There’s much more though to this compact device beyond cleansing. It also has the ActiveWarmth Facial Massage function which allows for the deeper absorption of your skincare products, the brand claims. Additionally, the rose quartz reduces visible signs of inflammation, according to PMD.
A shopper said, “I wanted to wait before writing my review. I’ve been using the PMD Clean Pro Rose Quartz for 2 weeks and can say there has been a significant improvement to my skin. My skin is GLOWING and appears more youthful. If you are on the fence, it’s definitely worth the cost. There’s no need for replacement heads and I love that. The warming feature is so pampering, I use it when applying serums. And the color and rose quartz. Sooo cute!”
Another gushed, “Wow! I am beyond impressed by my PDM Clean Pro RQ!! I have been using the PDM facial cleaning device for two weeks and have noticed a significant difference in my skin!! The combination of the sonic vibrations and heat therapy has my skin clean and ready to absorb my serums and lotions!!”
Hilary Duff’s Son Luca Comrie Is All Grown Up in Rare London Outing
Great Scott! We’re giving this one-of-a-kind outing a standing ovation.
Hilary Duff recently accompanied her 11-year-old son Luca Cruz Comrie—who the actress shares with ex Mike Comrie—to a London West End production of Back To The Future: The Musical, and the trip was everything dreams are made of.
For the occasion, the Lizzie McGuire actress donned a silk blouse and black bottoms, while Luca sported a camo-print jacket, olive shirt and red pants. To make the evening at the Adelphi Theatre even more special, the duo also took photos with cast members Cory English and Will Haswell, both of whom were dressed in costume, as Doctor Emmett Brown and Dave McFly, respectively.
The post comes a week after Hilary shared a sweet tribute to Luca, who recently turned 11.
“Getting into double digits just happen, how are we already at 11,” Hilary wrote on Instagram March 21. “it’s only been a day but 11 looks good on you my boy. I know you will kick this years butt! (Sorry for my day late…, you keep us all very busy) love you beyond how my brain and heart can compute.”
California driver jumps from stolen CHP cruiser during police chase
The driver of an allegedly stolen California Highway Patrol cruiser jumped while being chased on a desert highway on Tuesday.
The driver hit the curb hard and stood still in the middle of the road as the scene was broadcast by Southern California Television news helicopters.
The cruiser veered off course and crashed through a utility pole before coming to a stop on State Route 138 in the high desert north of Los Angeles.
SHOT ON INTERSTATE 5 STOPS TRAFFIC NORTH LOS ANGELES, TRUCKER INJURED
A California driver jumped from a stolen CHP cruiser during a police chase on Tuesday. (FoxNews)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A law enforcement officer quickly pulled the driver out of the roadway. Officers then carried the person alongside another cruiser and appeared to administer first aid.
The driver jumped shortly after a tire came off the stolen cruiser, apparently after driving over a strip of spikes.
The CHP Southern Division office was gathering information on the incident and had no immediate details.
Fox Gt
Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.
Victoria Fox's Blog
- Victoria Fox's profile
- 137 followers
