[NYPost] A federal judge in Texas on Friday said American Airlines violated federal law by basing investment decisions for its employee retirement plan on environmental, social, and other non-financial factors.
The ruling by US District Judge Reed O’Connor appeared to be the first of its kind amid growing backlash by conservatives to an uptick in socially-conscious investing.
O’Connor said American had breached its legal duty to make investment decisions based solely on the financial interests of 401(k) plan beneficiaries by allowing BlackRock, its asset manager and a major shareholder, to focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors. This will be a stake through DEI's heart by ripping the money away from Blackrock and other grifting corporations
Like Moses he led the way, but was never permitted in the Promised Land. Otherwise he was a man of his time, refusing to let go of the common prejudices that are once again doing such damage.
[AFRICANEWS] A funeral was held on Saturday for Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of La Belle France's main far-right party.
Le Pen who was a polarizing figure in French politics, died on Tuesday at 96.
Marine Le Pen and one of her two sisters, Marie-Caroline, walked the few hundred metres between the family home and the small church of Saint-Joseph.
Around 200 people were expected to be seated inside the church. After the ceremony Le Pen will be buried in the vault where his parents rest.
Dozens of police were deployed to implement a ban against any demonstrations that could disturb services for Le Pen, whose death at a care facility in Garches sparked celebrations by those who opposed him.
While Saturday's funeral remained a strictly family-only event, a public ceremony is scheduled for January16th at the Notre Dame du Val-de-Gr ce church in Gay Paree, offering supporters and critics a chance to reflect on his controversial impact on the nation's political landscape.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/13/2025 00:00 ||
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#1
The Western left is all-in-all reprehensible in their enmity to Western Civilization but that doesn't imply that there aren't dubious element on the right.
Le Pen did advocate some sound policies and some bad policies, but IMHO for the wrong reasons.
From a few days ago — catching up to the state of play.
[JustTheNews] About 25 companies have relaxed their DEI policies amid pressure to accept the conventional wisdom of the times: "Get Woke, Go Broke."
Several major companies operating in the U.S. are backing away from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, while educational institutions are continuing to push such initiatives.
McDonald's on Monday became the latest major American corporation to reverse some of its diversity policies. Over the course of about a year, at least 25 companies have relaxed their DEI policies amid pressure.
Republican political activists and advisers have pushed companies to cancel their diversity-oriented policies, including America First Legal President Stephen Miller and conservative activist Robby Starbuck. Miller has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump ...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US... to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor in his second administration.
However,
Caliphornia hasn't yet slid into the ocean, no matter how hard it's tried... while corporate America has started easing off DEI policies, many educational institutions are moving in the opposite direction, according to Goldwater Institute Director of Education Policy Mike Beienburg.
"Fortunately, I think the momentum is starting to run out from this," Beienburg told the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show on Tuesday. "You know, we're seeing companies that are pulling back from this, but when it comes to education, we are seeing full steam ahead.
"They're retreating in some areas, you know, pulling back on these forced diversity statements where they're making, you know, applicants say, ’I support treating students differently based upon race,’ or ’I support battling the so-called, you know, systemic oppression.’ But even as they're making some retreats here, we're still seeing them double down on these issues of putting DEI forward and saying, we're going to force students ... to go in and continue to take these courses."
Some companies, such as Costco and Jaguar, are also doubling down on diversity-focused policies.
According to a report released by The Heritage Foundation in November, almost all Fortune 500 companies still maintain DEI incentives.
Here is a list of the companies that have revised or canceled their DEI policies, or reduced staffing for their programs:
[FoxNews] FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell encouraged families still needing assistance to contact the agency
As I recall, the FEMA office was closed for the long weekend, or the weather or something. But once it opens they’ll assuredly eventually answer the phone.
Western North Carolina families left without homes after Hurricane Helene swept through the Appalachian Mountain region last year received some devastating news earlier this month — their temporary FEMA housing assistance could soon come to an end, leaving them with nowhere to turn as temperatures dip below freezing.
The agency began notifying some families checked into hotel or motel rooms that they are no longer eligible for the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program due to one of the following reasons: an inspection indicated their home is habitable, they declined an inspection or FEMA has been unable to contact them to update their housing needs.
The deadline, initially Friday, now sits on Jan. 14.
That’s tomorrow.
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell says those who receive the notification who are still in need of housing are still eligible, but they need to contact the agency.
"There's a number of reasons why somebody might have received that notification," Criswell explained Sunday.
"What we do is we call everybody. We call them every two weeks to check in on where they're at, what their status is, and is their home able to be occupied again, but one of the biggest things is when we call them, if we don't hear from them, the only thing we can do is assume that they've been back in their home. One of the things I want to make sure, if somebody has received that notification, but they haven't talked to somebody at FEMA and their situation is still in need, they are still eligible. We just need them to get in touch with us so we can talk to them. Everybody's going to have a unique circumstance. Everybody's going to have a unique situation," she added.
"We need to work with them all individually to make sure we're getting them the right resources so they can continue to stay in a safe place until their home is either rebuilt or it's accessible."
North Carolina residents still needing assistance can contact 1-800-621-FEMA or visit a disaster recovery center to speak to someone face-to-face.
Already strained by the crisis left in Helene's wake, FEMA must now also address the needs of families displaced by southern California wildfires, which continue to burn after creating billions of dollars worth of damage.
Criswell told Fox News' Shannon Bream that California residents needing assistance should register at disasterassistance.gov and contact their personal insurance company to see what they will cover.
"But more importantly, [what they will] not cover so they can be eligible for different programs within our system," she added.
[AFRICANEWS] Emergency crews have begun work to extinguish several wildfires that have broken out in Algeria's northeastern Bejaia and Tizi-Ouzou provinces. The fire is reported to have gained strength and is now threatening hamlets.
The same region was devastated last July by huge forest fires, which claimed around thirty lives. There have as yet been no reports of fatalities or property damage for the present fires; however, responders warn that the blazes are spreading quickly due to strong winds.
Authorities have also warned high temperatures may persist in the affected area over the weekend, and the hot and dry conditions are likely to further wildfire growth.
This summer, Northern Algeria experienced a record heatwave, with temperatures reaching 48C.
The World Meteorological Organization says extreme weather patterns being experienced across the world highlight the need for greater climate action.
You first. Or go talk to China — they’ve become the #1 emitter of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses.
[SDUT] *Knocks on Wood* So far San Diego is not yet hit SDG&E notified nearly 55,000 of its customers Sunday that their power might be temporarily turned off Monday or Tuesday to help minimize the risk of wildfires when the next round of Santa Ana winds begins whipping across much of San Diego County.
Most of the customers are located east of Interstate 15. But notices also went to people in parts of San Diego, and the outages could spread to other parts of the county.
Some of the winds could follow the mountain-to-coast corridor that spread the devastating Witch Creek fire in October 2007, the National Weather Service said. The roughly 100,000-acre blaze was largely responsible for destroying more than 1,100 homes and, at one point, appeared headed directly for San Diego.
The weather service plans to issue a red-flag fire weather warning on Monday, when the Santa Anas begin to blow through the county’s eastern mountains, passes and foothills. The windstorm will peak on Tuesday when winds gust 40 mph to 50 mph in many inland areas and 20 mph to 30 mph at some spots along the coast.
“This is going to be another long duration event because it won’t fully subside until Wednesday,” said Brian D’Agostino, vice president of wildfire and climate science at SDG&E.
“The state of the (vegetation) is very concerning because it is so dry, especially above the 2,000-foot level.”
San Diego International Airport has recorded only 0.16 inches of rain since July 1. A low-pressure system offshore could spin some moisture into the county on Tuesday. But forecasters said it would do little to nothing to tamp down the risk of wildfires.
The incoming winds will largely arrive from the east and have a fairly clearly path to the ocean. Some winds are expected to flow along a path that cuts through Lake Hodges, Olivenhain, Rancho Santa Fe en route to Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar — a route similar to the one involved in the Witch Creek fire. A second corridor could funnel winds through Valley Center and Fallbrook all the way to Oceanside and Camp Pendleton.
“The only natural mechanism for starting wildfires is lightning, and we won’t be having that,” said Phil Gonsalves, a weather service forecaster.
“Almost all wildfires are man-made — something that’s controllable by humans. People need to aware, alert and careful about what could happen. And people should remember that a lot of fires that start in the backcountry — like the 2003 Cedar Creek fire — burn west toward the coast.”
[FoxWeather] Fire Weather Warnings are back in effect across Southern California, including portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties through at least Wednesday.
As Los Angeles battles the worst wildfires in the city’s history, thousands of people have been displaced or have seen their homes burn to the ground.
Around 130,000 people were ordered to evacuate and some 10,000 structures have been destroyed, according to the Associated Press. At least 10 people have died as a result of the blazes.
The devastation of the fires has undoubtedly taken a grave toll on the psyches of those affected, experts agree. (See the video at the top of this article.)
Fox News Digital spoke with celebrities, mental health experts and others, who offered the following guidance for all those impacted.
Palisades fire now 14% contained.
Eaton Fire 33% contained.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
01/13/2025 9:01 Comments ||
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#4
Good information, but nothing new. The power companies regularly kill the power during high wind events. The hills around Simi Valley CA were shut down for power most of last week.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/13/2025 10:35 Comments ||
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#5
But it's a beautiful day with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. Just don't be running any bulldozers in the back country.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
01/13/2025 12:15 Comments ||
Top||
#6
Mental Health toll
For some it's just a short ride on the bullet train to looneyville.
[AFRICANEWS] A tragic plane crash near Malindi Airport in coastal Kenya on Friday claimed three lives and left a trail of destruction, local authorities confirmed.
The light aircraft crash landed in the town of Kwachocha, along the busy Malindi-Mombasa highway, just meters from the airport. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as the plane struck bystanders and burst into flames upon impact.
Salim Mwayaya, a local witness, recounted the horror: "We were on our way to Malindi when we saw the plane crash. The wing hit a woman who was on a bike and severed her head. The plane then caught fire, and the pilots jumped out and were taken to the hospital alive. That is all I saw."
Authorities identified the victims as a cycle of violence taxi rider who was burned to death and two others struck by parts of the disintegrating aircraft.
The crash has reignited concerns about safety measures in the vicinity of the airport. Rashid Odhiambo, a Member of the County Assembly, emphasized the urgency of enforcing precautions: "This crashed plane is not a commercial plane, so we can say it is an accident that has happened because any accident can happen anywhere. But what I am saying is that safety precautions have to be taken along the airport, especially on this road which is next to the airport."
The Kwachocha neighborhood, where the crash occurred, has been at the center of a legal dispute over the expansion of Malindi Airport. Residents have challenged government plans to extend the airport's boundaries without resolving land compensation issues.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/13/2025 00:00 ||
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[AFRICANEWS] Uganda's chief of defense forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni ...President-for-Life of Uganda. He assumed office in 1985. His primary virtue is being preferable to both his predecessors, Idi Amin and Milton Obote... , has declared his departure from X, where he has been known for sharing provocative messages.
His recent tweet, which included a threat against prominent opposition leader Bobi Wine, drew significant backlash.
In 2022, he stirred controversy by talking about an invasion of neighbouring Kenya, prompting his father to intervene and issue an apology.
In his final message on Friday, he stated that it was time for him to focus on his military responsibilities, although he hinted at a future return to engage with his one million followers.
This is not the first time Gen Kainerugaba has deactivated his X account.
In 2022, he quit the micro-blogging platform only to return days later.
[DW] Russia's Rosatom energy company is building Turkey's first nuclear power plant. But construction has been delayed because of the nondelivery of German-made parts.
The Russian state-owned energy corporation Rosatom reportedly plans to sue a German manufacturer for not delivering equipment meant for the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in southern The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... The plant would be the first of its kind in Turkey. It is also the largest energy project in Turkey's history. On January 4, Rosatom boss Alexey Likhachev made serious accusations against the German supplier and referred to German industrial giant Siemens, even though he was actually talking about another company, Siemens Energy.
"We have noticed media reports about this, but we do not currently have a lawsuit," Siemens Energy's spokesperson Tim Proll-Gerwe told DW.
Siemens Energy was previously the energy technology division of Siemens, but in 2020 it became an independent company and was listed on the stock exchange. Siemens currently owns 17% of Siemens Energy.
Proll-Gerwe confirmed that Siemens Energy was supposed to supply gas-insulated equipment for the nuclear plant's power distribution system, critical equipment needed to connect it to the Ottoman Turkish power grid.
The contract to do so was signed with the Russian company Elektroavtomatika in 2020, two years before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to its website, the St. Petersburg-headquartered company is a regular Rosatom supplier.
EXPORT PERMISSIONS GRANTED
Siemens Energy had been waiting a "long time" for export permissions from the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control, or BAFA, Proll-Gerwe told DW, adding that the company adheres to all local regulations.
The necessary permits for exporting the components have, in the meantime, been obtained, Proll-Gerwe said, adding that Siemens Energy could meet its contractual obligations in Akkuyu "if the customer still wants."
However,
if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... substitute products have apparently already been found for the delayed Siemens Energy components, and Rosatom could be seeking compensation for its losses. That's what Likhachev seemed to allude to in comments about additional expenses and the "adjustment of installation dates" for the power plant.
It appears the Russian firm would like to blame construction delays in Turkey at least partially on Siemens Energy and on German bureaucracy. The contract for the construction of nuclear power plants in Turkey was first signed in 2010. The cornerstone for the first section of the plant was laid in 2018, and the first reactor is supposed to go online, at the earliest, this year. The whole project is supposed to be finished by 2028.
The substitute components in Turkey appear to be Chinese.
Oboy. Not a choice I’d have made, but my national pride is not on the line.
Last September, Ottoman Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Rosatom had ordered alternative parts from China. According to Russian news agency Interfax, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak explained that substitute components had been purchased from "friendly countries" and that some had already reached the power plant in Akkuyu.
In the time it took for German authorities to approve the exports, permission to export other equipment was granted much faster, German news outlet ntv reported in September 2024.
SECURITY ISSUES?
But is it permissible for German companies to work with Russian businesses in a sector as sensitive as nuclear energy, given current tensions between Russia and the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... ?
"Siemens Energy ended all activities in Russia earlier and no longer has any contractual relationships there," Siemens Energy spokesperson Proll-Gerwe told DW. "Siemens Energy now only has to fulfill older, outstanding contracts, concluded before the start of the war in Ukraine. But, of course, this should always take place in accordance with any applicable sanctions and export control restrictions."
If BAFA has now issued an export license, it means Siemens Energy's equipment delivery to the Ottoman Turkish nuclear power plant violates neither German export rules nor EU sanctions on Russia.
It seems unlikely, however, that Rosatom would replace Chinese deliveries with the delayed German equipment. So, there is a chance Siemens Energy could end up in court across from the Russian energy firm.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
01/13/2025 00:00 ||
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[11137 views]
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#1
I guess Siemens Energy was smart enough to have a "force majeure" clause in its contract regarding government approval (would be foolish not to have it), so Rosatom will simply pound sand.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
01/13/2025 5:45 Comments ||
Top||
#2
The substitute components in Turkey appear to be Chinese.
New nuclear reactor from Temu for $327.00. S&H separate
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/13/2025 6:21 Comments ||
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#3
Who knew chinesium worked as a neutron moderator!
[DW] Germany's military is to carve out a new land forces division responsible for homeland security. The unit will be dedicated to securing critical infrastructure and key military facilities in preparation for possible war.
Gearing up for Russia?
On Saturday, Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, confirmed that it would establish a major new land forces unit dedicated to securing vital infrastructure and military facilities inside the country..
As part of the new structure, the homeland defense forces will be placed under the army's command from April.
The move anticipates Germany's existing army divisions being deployed to NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis.... 's external borders under NATO command as a deterrent or to defend against external aggression.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING NOW?
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius last year ordered a Bundeswehr reorganization to strengthen its defense capabilities with a unified operational command.
Its establishment comes in line with the Osnabruck Decree, which aims to make Germany combat-ready for war against Russia in light of the invasion of Ukraine.
At the time, the minister referred to the changed situation and the need to survive militarily in a defensive war.
While Germany already has homeland defense units, these are generally non-active and made up of reservists, coming under the control of commands from Germany's individual states.
The latest move would make them semi-active, under the command of the army. The division is to consist of active soldiers and reservists.
The decree, the fourth regulation to restructure the Bundeswehr in its history, means that "national and alliance defense is once again the focus" due to heightened concerns about Russian aggression. It provides "the formal basis for a war-ready leadership organization."
HOMELAND DEFENSE DIVISION TO STAFFED BY MORE THAN 6000
Military planners expect the unit to be formed in mid-March and to number some 6,000 personnel by the summer before being expanded further.
The Bundeswehr currently has more than 260,000 personnel, including civilian staff. This comprises the army, navy and air force, as well as medical and other support services.
Currently, the army comprises three divisions, the addition of a fourth major unit dedicated to homeland defence marks a significant enhancement of the Bundeswehr's capabilities.
While the move was initially put on ice after the collapse of the coalition government in November, preparations are continuing.
Germany's CDU/CSU conservative alliance, currently leading the polls ahead of a February 23 parliamentary election, says it wants to go further than the model already put forward by the center-left-led outgoing government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
WHAT WILL THE FORCE DO?
The Bundeswehr says the homeland defense division will be charged with the protection of ports, railway facilities and freight shipment points, as well as pipelines.
It will also guard roads for troop deployment, bridges, transport hubs and digital infrastructure, the military said.
Such capabilities are seen as particularly crucial should the rest of Germany's army be deployed to countries on the eastern flank of NATO, such as Poland or the Baltic states.
The division will also safeguard Germany's role as an operational base and hub for NATO. As such, it will be tasked with defending both national and alliance property in times of crisis or conflict.
It could also be used to give administrative assistance in the event of major accidents, terrorist attacks or future pandemics.
An army front man on Saturday said the division would "lead its own and, if necessary, other troops as part of national territorial defense, in the event of assistance, in civil-military cooperation and in the implementation of joint Bundeswehr tasks in the area."
#1
"Chinese government is prepositioning on U.S. civilian critical infrastructure to lie in wait on those networks to be in a position to wreak havoc and inflict real world harm at a time & place of their choosing" - FBI, C. Wray
No reason Germany wouldn't feel the same about Russia.
[IsraelTimes] Jordan, one of the world’s driest countries, has signed an agreement with French-led investors to build one of the world’s largest desalination plants.
Jordan’s official Petra news agency calls it the country’s biggest-ever infrastructure project, which Prime Minister Jafar Hassan has told Parliament is valued at more than $5 billion.
Jordan is poor. Where will they get the money?
French infrastructure specialist Meridiam led the project in partnership with SUEZ, Orascom Construction and VINCI Construction Grands Projets.
On its website, Meridiam says the project will supply more than 300 million cubic meters of drinking water to Amman and Aqaba, serving more than three million people.
The project will take about four years to complete, the prime minister said last month.
It follows Jordan’s withdrawal in 2021 from a 2013 agreement signed by Jerusalem, Amman, and Ramallah that would have linked the Dead Sea and Red Sea by pipes in Jordan.
Did they walk away because Joooos ae icky or because Palestinians are?
#4
In a week the opportunities for betterment will begin to coalesce again. A necessary prerequisite to achieving progress is to discover who is trying to hamstring those opportunities, out the malevolent entities and remove their roadblocks.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
01/13/2025 8:17 Comments ||
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"It was Elon Musk, with the help of private citizens like former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and the Cajun Navy that delivered Starlink routers to every crevice of Western North Carolina, connecting us with the outside world."
[GEO.TV] Huge asteroid (887) 'Alinda' has made its closest approach towards Earth in decades and is about to peak in brightness in a rare once-in-a-decade event.
The event can be observed this weekend from home with basic stargazing binoculars or in a free livestream, reported Live Science.
The near-Earth asteroid named as (887) Alinda measures an estimated 2.6 miles (4.2 kilometres) wide — roughly the width of Manhattan, according to Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Moreover, the chunky space rock made its closest approach to Earth on Wednesday in decades, swooping to within 7.6 million miles (12.3 million km) of our planet, or about 32 times the average distance between Earth and the Moon.
It is important to note that Alinda isn't predicted to make another close approach to Earth until 2087.
Its large size also makes it a great target for curious stargazers while an asteroid this big could trigger a mass extinction event if it were to collide with Earth.
Alinda will peak in brightness at a magnitude of 9.4 on Sunday. The asteroid will be visible moving through the constellation Gemini.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/13/2025 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US...
SDG&E notified nearly 55,000 of its customers Sunday that their power might be temporarily turned off Monday or Tuesday to help minimize the risk of wildfires when the next round of 
President-for-Life of Uganda. He assumed office in 1985. His primary virtue is being preferable to both his predecessors, Idi Amin and Milton Obote...
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
[GEO.TV] Huge asteroid (887) 'Alinda' has made its closest approach towards Earth in decades and is about to peak in brightness in a rare once-in-a-decade event.
