superphosphate fertiliser

By DAVID A. LIEB Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. Related Articles National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ A Florida law bans children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also requires parental consent for minors to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create fabricated images or videos in political ads . In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification . The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. Many states have passed laws limiting or protecting abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents to cover abortions with no deductible , copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with “binary triggers” that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use marijuana for medical purposes . To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn’t banned texting while driving , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay tax on their monthly rent , thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona’s nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is cutting individual income taxes by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. “I think it’s very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens,” Young said. Associated Press writers Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed.

Mikaela Shiffrin's bid for a milestone 100th alpine World Cup victory was on hold after the US superstar crashed out of the Killington giant slalom won by Sweden's Sara Hector on Saturday. Shiffrin, already the owner of the most World Cup victories in history, was poised to claim a once unimaginable century after topping the first-run times. She looked on course for the win when she crashed heavily in the second leg and Sweden's Olympic gold medaallist Hector emerged with the victory with a total of 1min 53.08sec. Shiffrin, whose mistake rounding a turn caused her to lose her balance and slide through a gate, lost one ski and careened into the catch-fencing. She was taken from the course on a sled, offering a wave to fans on her way. The extent of any possible injuries she might have suffered was not immediately known. "Mikaela took the sled down and is currently being evaluated," USA Ski & Snowboard said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. "More info to come, but take solace in the fact that she asked about her splits." Shiffrin, 29, already has 13 more World Cup wins than the most successful man, Ingemar Stenmark, and 17 more than the second woman, compatriot Lindsey Vonn. Needing three wins to hit 100 to start the season, she bagged her 98th and 99th career titles with back-to-back slalom wins in Levi, Finland, and Gurgl, Austria. That gave her a chance to complete her century in front of home fans in Killington, not far from where she attended Burke Mountain Academy as a youngster. Shiffrin -- who has won six slaloms at Killington but never a giant slalom -- was greeted by ecstatic cheers as she crossed the finish line of the first leg atop the times. She was 17-hundredths of a second ahead of Hector after the second sector of her second run. But her day ended not in celebration but in the 21st "Did Not Finish" in her 274 career starts. Vonn, who has just announced plans to come out of retirement, posted on social media: "Hope @MikaelaShiffrin is OK." Hector was delighted with her win, while sympathetic to Shiffrin. "I'm very happy, after going through a difficult period," she said. "Obviously, I'm very sad for Mikaela who was skiing so well. "I saw her fall. My heart goes out to her," she added. Croatia's Zrinka Ljutic finished second, 54-hundredths of a second behind Hector, and Switzerland's Camille Rast was third, 1.05 seconds back. The women are scheduled to race a slalom on Sunday. bbPurdue Fort Wayne earns 77-57 win against Texas A&M-CommerceNew 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire gunsThey’re not exactly Aggie maroon, but the 361,000 bricks that will make up the facade of Texas A&M-Fort Worth’s Law and Education Building are metroplex-made. At its Denton plant, Fort Worth-based Acme Brick Company is manufacturing what will literally be the building blocks for the new downtown building. The brick design that made the final cut to grace the eight-story building’s exterior is Quorum , a standard brick in the Acme line. It is a mix of burgundy and gray, variegated by a lot of texture. “This is a sand-coated brick. That’s kind of the intent of that design, you don’t want one monochromatic color,” said Ed Watson, CEO and president of Acme Brick. “You’ve got all the splendid, different colors.” To get the stacks of brick ready for their ride south on a flatbed truck takes a process. Workers mine for clay, sand and silt, blend it in what Watson describes as a big “Play-Doh machine” and then put the clay through an extruder to form a column of brick. Next, it’s time to finish the brick with textures and sand coatings before the final trial by fire: formation in a kiln that burns to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Earlier this month, the final steel beam painted with a monochromatic Aggie maroon was placed on the top of the skeleton structure of the Law and Education Building in southeast downtown. The Quorum, the brick with a burgundy hue, will make its debut on the outside of the building late this year or early next year. The building will be completed in 2026. Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. “The design of the building is a fairly modern design. We thought that the brick component of it really created connectivity with a lot of historic structures, and even the roads,” said Robert Ahdieh, chief operating officer at Texas A&M-Fort Worth. “(Once the) brick will begin to go on to the building and wrap around the building, it will even more tangibly reflect the progress.” But Ahdieh, who is also the dean of Texas A&M School of Law and an educator at heart, likes to view the brick metaphorically. To him, it’s aspirational. It’s about students building their futures, brick by brick, one level to the next. Shomial Ahmad is a higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, in partnership with Open Campus . Contact her at shomial.ahmad@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Your support makes TWICE the impact today. As November draws to a close , time is running out to double your impact. Thanks to the generosity of the Nicholas Martin Jr. Family Foundation, every dollar you give will be matched—up to $15,000. Will you give today to help trusted, local reporting thrive in Fort Worth and Tarrant County? Related Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism . Republish This Story Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). Do not copy stories straight from the front-end of our web-site. You are required to follow the guidelines and use the republication tool when you share our content. The republication tool generates the appropriate html code. You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you use our stories in any other medium — for example, newsletters or other email campaigns — you must make it clear that the stories are from the Fort Worth Report. In all emails, link directly to the story at fortworthreport.org and not to your website. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. You have to credit Fort Worth Report. Please use “Author Name, Fort Worth Report” in the byline. If you’re not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: “This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report” and include our website, fortworthreport.org . You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by Shomial Ahmad, Fort Worth Report November 30, 2024

Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingGENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Bank of America became FIFA’s first global banking partner in August and sealed a separate deal for a second event also being played in the United States, two days before the group-stage draw in Miami for the revamped 32-team club event . It features recent European champions Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea. “FIFA is going to take America by storm and we’re going to be right at their side,” the bank’s head of marketing, David Tyrie, said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Bank of America joins 2026 World Cup sponsors Hisense and Budweiser brewer AB InBev in separately also backing the club event, and more deals are expected after Saudi Arabia is confirmed next week as the 2034 World Cup host. While games at the next World Cup, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico, will be watched by hundreds of millions globally mostly on free-to-air public networks, the Club World Cup broadcast picture is unclear. RELATED COVERAGE AC Milan and Bologna reach Italian Cup quarterfinals with convincing wins USWNT beats Netherlands 2-1 in goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher’s final match Neuer gets sent off for 1st time and Bayern Munich exits German Cup early again FIFA has promised hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money for the 32 clubs to share but is yet to announce any broadcast deals for the month-long tournament. It is expected to land on a streaming service. “You have to think about how you are going to connect with these fans,” Tyrie told the Associated Press from Boston. “TV is one, sure, social media is a big avenue. “The smart marketing capabilities are able to say ‘Hey, we need to tilt this one a little bit more away from TV-type marketing into social-type marketing.’ We have got a pretty decent strategy that we’re putting in place to do activation.” Engaging Bank of America’s customers and 250,000 employees are key to that strategy, Tyrie said. “It’s going to be for our clients, and entertainment, it’s going to be for our employees in creating excitement. All of the above.” The Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums across 11 cities, including Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C, and Lumen Field where the hometown Seattle Sounders play three group-stage games. European powers Madrid, Man City and Bayern Munich lead a 12-strong European challenge. Teams qualified by winning continental titles or posting consistently good results across four years of those competitions. The exception is Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, who FIFA gave the entry reserved for a host nation team in October based on regular season record without waiting for the MLS Cup final. LA Galaxy hosts New York Red Bulls playing for that national title Saturday. Messi’s team opens the FIFA tournament June 15 in the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium and will play its three group games in Florida. “The more brand players you bring in, the bigger the following you have got,” Tyrie acknowledged, though adding Messi being involved was “not a make or break for the event.” The Club World Cup final is July 13 at Met Life Stadium near New York, which also will host the World Cup final one year later. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies from cancer at age 78These Black Friday TV deals are still going strong

Amazon workers and their allies are participating in a series of global actions aimed at holding the online retailer “accountable for labor abuses, environmental degradation, and threats to democracy,” according to the labor group UNI Global Union. Dubbed “Make Amazon Pay,” the campaign is set to last from November 29 to December 2 and will include strikes and protests across six continents, according to the group — and is timed to disrupt Black Friday (or “Make Amazon Pay Day”) and Cyber Monday, two of the busiest online shopping days of the year. “When we announced our intention to protest today, our management attempted to stop us in multiple ways. We want to say to Amazon — you could not stop us today, you cannot stop us in the future,” said the general secretary of the Amazon India Workers Union during a demonstration held in India on Friday. Make Amazon Pay Day was launched in 2020 by UNI Global Union and the left-leaning movement group Progressive International. It has expanded each subsequent year, say organizers, and today the coalition behind Make Amazon Pay Day brings together a wide range of groups , including climate, racial, and economic justice organizations. According to Progressive International, actions taking place as part of the campaign include but are not limited to: strikes at multiple warehouses in Germany; direct actions in French towns and cities led by the justice group Attac; a rally in India by Amazon workers over unsafe working conditions; and a protest by trade unionists at an Amazon call center. All told, actions are supposed to take place in over 30 countries. “This fight is global. Every picket, every strike, every action of solidarity matters. Another world is possible, and we are building that world one strike, one conversation at a time. Together, we are unstoppable,” said Christy Hoffman, UNI Global Union’s general secretary, on Friday while speaking to striking workers in Germany. The campaign alleges that Amazon “squeezes” workers, communities, and the planet. For example, “while tripling profits in early 2024, Amazon surveils and pressures drivers and warehouse workers at the risk of severe physical and mental harm,” according to campaign materials. Responding to the campaign, an Amazon U.S. spokesperson told Newsweek: “The fact is at Amazon we provide great pay, great benefits, and great opportunities — all from day one. We’ve created more than 1.5 million jobs around the world, and counting, and we provide a modern, safe, and engaging workplace whether you work in an office or at one of our operations buildings.” Online, progressive political figures lent their support to the effort. “Today, I stand with Amazon workers in over 30 countries around the world striking and protesting to #MakeAmazonPay ,” wrote Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the British Labour Party. “While billionaire Bezos tours the world on his $500m yacht, Amazon workers in 20+ countries are rising up this Black Friday to demand fair wages, union rights, and climate action. Amazon must pay its fair share and respect workers. I stand with #MakeAmazonPay ,” chimed in U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on X. Following the inaugural Make Amazon Pay campaign in 2020, hundreds of lawmakers from dozens of countries endorsed the effort with an open letter to Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. “The world knows that Amazon can afford to pay its workers, its environmental cost, and its taxes. And yet — time and again — you have dodged and dismissed your debts to workers, societies, and the planet,” the letter alleged. U.S. signatories included Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).Miami-Dade County, which President-elect Donald Trump flipped to red this presidential election, is honoring him by renaming one of their streets in his name. Hialeah’s Palm Avenue will now be called President Donald J. Trump Avenue. “President Donald J. Trump Avenue is official in Miami-Dade County!” County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera announced on Tuesday. “Today, we ratified the City of Hialeah’s initiative to honor President Trump’s legacy of championing freedom and opportunity by co-designating Palm Avenue—a vital artery in our community—as ‘President Donald J. Trump Avenue,'” he announced alongside a photo of Trump signing a sign. “Miami-Dade County strongly supported President Trump during the election, and this designation serves as a lasting tribute to his leadership and vision for our nation,” he added: It was not just that, however, that inspired Americans. Trump made gains with key demographics, including Hispanic voters. One of those examples can be seen right in Miami-Dade –traditionally a blue county. The New York Post notes that Hialeah has “one of the largest Hispanic populations per capita in the US.” Days ahead of the election, the county flipped from Democrats leading to Republicans leading in early and mail-in voting combined. And ultimately, it turned red in the presidential election for the first time in over 30 years. A final report from Miami-Dade County shows 1,104,596 voters casting their ballot. Of those, Trump got 605,590 of those votes to Vice President Kamala Harris’s 480,355 votes. In other words, Trump won the county with 55.19 percent of the vote to Harris’s 43.78 percent — a double-digit victory. “Today, our community has spoken,” Cabrera said at the time, announcing the county flipping for Trump. “They have voted for their families, their livelihoods, and a future that promises to thrive under conservative leadership. This is more than a victory – it’s a realignment that demonstrates that Miami-Dade voters agree with the principles of the Republican Party: lower taxes, less government and more freedom!” he added. All in all, Trump broke a Republican record for Hispanic support with his common sense policies, and he has actually increased his favorability among Hispanic voters after the election as well. Trump won the election with 312 electoral votes and a national popular vote victory, further solidifying his America First mandate from the American people.Fashion retailer Quiz issues warning of cash issues after poor Christmas trading

Arsenal thump West Ham in chaotic, great showcase for Premier League

For most Americans this election has brought exhaustion, divisiveness and, for many, fear and deep pain. After the election Tom Nichols wrote in The Atlantic: “Americans must stay engaged and make their voices heard at every turn.” And Liz Cheney tweeted, “Citizens across this country ... must now be the guardrails of democracy.” But most Americans still wonder how, and even if, they can make a difference between elections. What are the options? 1) Protesting? Important, but usually not the long game. 2) Signing email form letters, which only 3 percent of Congressional staffers say is highly effective? Just gestures. 3) Taking a two-year nap until the next election? Sadly, the preferred route for many. But few Americans know about option 4) transformational advocacy, which helps you change an issue and changes you in the process. If transformational advocacy can have an impact on issues we care about and on our own souls, why do so few of us engage? Let’s be honest — almost everyone shies away from advocacy as a way to make a difference. We donate to climate change organizations, but we don’t meet with a member of Congress or write a letter to the editor. We donate to groups working to end gun violence, anti-hunger organizations, groups dedicated to racial justice and many others, but we don’t become advocates on those issues beyond signing an online petition or going to an occasional rally. Why? Because most of us see advocacy as too hard or too frustrating, too complicated or too partisan, too dirty or too time-consuming, too ineffective or too costly. But what if that’s all wrong? What if deep engagement dissolves discouragement and can actually bring joy? What if you can become an advocate for a cause you care about and feel fulfilled, not frustrated? And what if engaging as an advocate is essential to protecting our democracy? It is essential, but we’re constantly receiving the wrong signals from people who should know better. In a 2023 Salon interview, a University of Pennsylvania political science professor said, “Few people can meaningfully participate in national politics beyond voting (this is just as true of political scientists as it is of regular folks).” Really? We should just hang up our hats? No thank you! “People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” said Bill O’Keefe, executive vice president of mission, mobilization and advocacy at Catholic Relief Services. With that realization, in 2019 CRS launched a program to develop chapters that would deeply engage their members in transformational advocacy and fundraising. CRS wanted to support their members in doing much more than just voting and signing petitions. During President-elect Donald Trump’s first term, chapter members began working to pass the Global Child Thrive Act, a bill that would require the administration to integrate early childhood development techniques into all child-focused international aid programs — activities like reading and singing to children, playing with colorful objects and providing better nutrition. The simple things we do to help our own children and grandchildren thrive would make a world of difference for children globally, especially those living in refugee camps and in other difficult circumstances. At the end of a grueling campaign, one CRS volunteer shared how she felt when her House member, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., spoke during passage of the bill in 2020: “When (we met with the congressman in 2019 to ask him to introduce the bill), I was a nervous wreck. It was my first time truly advocating ... and I wanted to get it right ... (but) seeing him speak today (on the House floor) and knowing that he actually listened, learned and worked for something that meant so much to the people he represents has given me renewed hope in the future of our government. I feel privileged to be a part of this experience.” The Global Child Thrive Act passed with veto-proof majorities in the House and Senate as part of the much larger National Defense Authorization Act. The bill was vetoed by Trump, but the veto was overridden by Congress, and the bill became law on Jan. 1, 2021. Most Americans still wonder how, and even if, they can make a difference between elections. It’s time for nonprofits to offer transformational advocacy and help us save our democracy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China’s hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of “a limited number of individuals.” Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Neuberger said officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but a “large number” were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are “primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking.

Munatsi Manyande has met several asylum seekers in his lifetime, each looking to call the U.S. home. Some are fleeing their own country due to religious persecution, while others are seeking protection from being targeted for their race, nationality, social group or political opinion. As the executive director of the DASH Network, Manyande leads other members of the Fort Worth faith-based nonprofit to help asylum seekers while they wait to be granted a work permit . Once they receive a permit, the asylum seekers can look to the DASH Network to help them find a job, housing and modes of transportation as they transition into independent life over a period of five to six months. When the DASH Network works with a family seeking asylum, there are some words of comfort the nonprofit always offers, Manyande said. “We’ll say, ‘Hey, we know navigating this process is really hard, and the process doesn’t move nearly as fast as you would like it to move and we can’t really do much about that,’” Manyande said. “‘But what we can do is guarantee you that you’re going to have a roof over your head (while you wait).’” Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. In the past, the DASH Network has provided housing to asylum-seeking families by renting apartments. As tenants, the nonprofit navigated rising rent costs and changes of ownership, Manyande said. But, on Nov. 15, the nonprofit had a “breakthrough,” Manyande said. The DASH Network purchased an apartment complex of their own in Fort Worth. The nonprofit’s 14-unit complex will host English classes, store grocery deliveries and hold social events all under one roof, Manyande said. Owning a building also means that staff can work where residents live, helping to build and strengthen a sense of community, he added. “We’re up close and seeing them every day and having conversations every day with these families. I think it makes it a lot easier to figure out pain points and come up with solutions for them,” Manyande said. The building purchase came just a day after Manyande received the 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Award during the Fort Worth Sister Cities’ Mayor’s International Dinner and Global Awards. The plaque, awarded to him by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and Fort Worth Sister Cities, was in recognition of the DASH Network’s efforts to help asylum seekers in the community. “The award for me just kind of put me in a place where I could pause for a little bit and kind of remember the journey that we’ve been on,” Manyande said. DASH got its start caring for asylum seekers as a ministry in 2012 and became a stand-alone nonprofit in 2017. The nonprofit has served more than 270 asylum seekers since its inception, according to a 2023 impact report . Texas was ranked second out of the six states with the largest immigrant population in the U.S., at 1.6 million people, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center study . The DASH Network is preparing all the units for move-in, Manyande said, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony expected in early 2025. Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . Your support makes TWICE the impact today. As November draws to a close , time is running out to double your impact. Thanks to the generosity of the Nicholas Martin Jr. Family Foundation, every dollar you give will be matched—up to $15,000. Will you give today to help trusted, local reporting thrive in Fort Worth and Tarrant County? Related Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism . Republish This Story Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). Do not copy stories straight from the front-end of our web-site. You are required to follow the guidelines and use the republication tool when you share our content. The republication tool generates the appropriate html code. You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you use our stories in any other medium — for example, newsletters or other email campaigns — you must make it clear that the stories are from the Fort Worth Report. In all emails, link directly to the story at fortworthreport.org and not to your website. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. You have to credit Fort Worth Report. Please use “Author Name, Fort Worth Report” in the byline. If you’re not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: “This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report” and include our website, fortworthreport.org . You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by Marissa Greene, Fort Worth Report November 30, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated his son-in-law Jared Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, for a major diplomatic position as he gears up to assume office in January 2025. Trump, 78, announced on Saturday afternoon that pending Senate approval, Charles Kushner would be appointed as the United States Ambassador to France. Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump, the former president's daughter, have decided to stepped back from active roles during this election cycle and upcoming administration, choosing instead to concentrate on their personal goals and family life in Florida. Trump also highlighted during his announcement some of Charles's major achievements, such as founding Kushner Companies, a privately held real estate enterprise. Trump's Special Gift to Son-in-Law "He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, [and] dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," the former president wrote on Truth Social. "Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren," the family-first politician wrote. "Together, we will strengthen America's partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest!" Jared Kushner previously played a key role in the Trump administration, contributing to initiatives such as Operation Warp Speed, criminal justice reform, and the Abraham Accords. Charles Kushner, Jared's father and the son of a Holocaust survivor, was one of 26 people granted a full pardon by Trump during his presidency. Charles had been embroiled in a federal investigation stemming from a family dispute with his business partner, Murray, over campaign contributions. Investigators later uncovered that Charles had defrauded the IRS of amounts ranging from $200,000 to $325,000 by falsely categorizing campaign donations as "office expenses" on 16 tax returns, according to NJ.com. A prominent fundraiser, Charles organized events supporting political figures like President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and Senator Joseph Lieberman. He also backed Governor James McGreevey, becoming the largest donor to McGreevey's 2001 campaign. Charles Kushner on a New Role However, his legal troubles escalated with a witness tampering charge. Charles paid $25,000 to hire a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, recording the encounter and sending the footage to his sister as retaliation, NJ.com reported. This charge was among 18 counts to which Charles pled guilty in 2005. At the time, then-U.S. Attorney Chris Christie condemned Charles' actions, calling them "some of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he had ever prosecuted. Christie said, "No matter how rich and powerful you are or poor and unpowerful, if you have violated the federal law in the district of New Jersey or if you are corrupting our political system, this office will bring you to justice. "Today, Charles Kushner was brought to justice." Charles Kushner, a 1976 graduate of New York University, earned both an MBA and a law degree before embarking on a successful career. He practiced law for four years before partnering with his father and brother-in-law to establish a real estate business. Under their leadership, the business grew to amass a portfolio valued at over $3 billion, spanning properties in New Jersey and beyond. When granting Charles a pardon, Trump commended him for his dedication to numerous charitable organizations and causes, highlighting his philanthropic contributions following the completion of his prison sentence in 2006.

IF we are going to have some sort of a title race, then it is up to Arsenal to really raise their game. But without Bukayo Saka in their team, you really have to wonder whether Mikel Arteta’s mob are capable of giving Liverpool manager Arne Slot some sleepless nights. On this evidence, they may as well drive the Premier League trophy up to Merseyside now. Kai Havertz scored his 12th goal of the season against an Ipswich side who failed to land a glove on their opponents but defended stubbornly. The fact Arsenal made a meal of beating such a limited team does raise some questions over whether they can close this enormous gap at the top. The fact Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the Premier League - with a game in hand - merely underlines how much better Slot’s team have been this season . READ MORE ON FOOTBALL While Arsenal have to keep on plugging away, they must still hope for a major blip from the leaders and at this stage, it still seems unlikely. After squeezing past Kieran McKenna’s team, Arsenal now have away trips to Brentford and Brighton and once again, Saka’s genius on the right will be sorely missed . Maybe, this game was further evidence for Arteta to persuade his board to dip into the January transfer market. Arteta switched Gabriel Martinelli to the right with Leonardo Trossard, who delivered the assist for the first goal, starting out on the left. Most read in Football FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS But this was still not particularly impressive stuff from an Arsenal team who really hoped that this year, would be THEIR year. Former midfield favourite Santi Cazorla was welcomed on to the pitch before the game and the crowd sang his name at regular intervals. By Katherine Walsh ARSENAL leapfrogged Chelsea back into second in the Premier League table with a 1-0 win over Ipswich. Kai Havertz's close-range finish midway through the first half proved to be the difference between the title-chasing Gunners and relegation-threatened Tractor Boys. Here's how SunSport's Katherine Walsh rated the Arsenal players at the Emirates Stadium... David Raya - 5 Cut a lonely figure and must have been cold standing on his goal-line for most of the first half as his team-mates enjoyed 84 per cent possession. Had his first touch on 31 minutes but was called upon more in the second half as Ipswich grew into the game. Jurrien Timber - 6 Got the fans on their feet with a glorious run through the middle of the park inside 19 minutes, but his limp long range shot was easily kept out by Muric. Clearly had a licence to roam, cutting in from full-back and driving up the pitch. William Saliba - 7 Joined Gabriel in the highest line set-up of the season. The pair of them were at the edge of Muric's box for most of the first half. The Frenchman was solid in dealing with a boisterous Liam Delap. Gabriel - 8 Great game for the Brazilian to ease back into 90 minutes after starting against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Caused his usual nuisance in the opposition area from corners but missed a sitter from a Rice set-piece in the 64th minute. Myles Lewis-Skelly - 7 Getting more and more impressive each week. The way he moves with that low centre of gravity makes him so hard to dispossess. But a poor clearance saw Ipswich enjoy a first spell of possession before the hour mark. The 18-year-old was poked and prodded by Ipswich striker Delap and Kalvin Phillips at times but dealt with it well. Declan Rice - 7 Rice was pushed into a defensive No6 role but didn't have to stay there long. Energetic as always and added another level of attack he got his foot on the ball and won a dangerous free kick on the edge of the area. Kai Havertz - 8 Officially back in midfield in Saka's absence after having played most of the season up top. But the German was in the perfect elusive centre-forward’s position to tap home with a breakthrough opener inside 23 minutes. Rotated and exchanged the No9 role - perhaps Arteta has found a new partnership that may see them through this spell without Saka. Martin Odegaard - 6 Rare off evening for the Arsenal captain but nothing too drastic. Uncharacteristic air ball inside six minutes and wasn't as sharp in his passing. Perhaps missing the chemistry he has with Saka and lost the ball cheaply at times. Gabriel Martinelli - 6 All eyes were on the winger as he filled in for Saka on the right-hand side. The Brazilian perhaps lacks the directness of the Gunners’ starboy, but he saw plenty of the ball and linked up well with Jesus. Whipped the first ball in for Havertz's goal which came out to Trossard who provided the assist. Leandro Trossard - 7 Started on the left and kept the ball alive to steal a yard on Ben Johnson and provide Havertz with a wicked cross and his 12th goal of the season. Troubled Ipswich's Johnson with his direct running and tireless work rate throughout. Gabriel Jesus - 5 Jesus clearly had the bit between his teeth at the moment after last week’s goal rush. Couldn’t quite hold his run well enough when breaking through after 34 minutes for his offside goal. Perhaps over eager at that moment. Looked disappointed when he was subbed off with 20 minutes remaining. Although now aged 40, he is - remarkably - still playing in the second tier of Spanish football for Real Oviedo and is only over here because he is on a winter break. He picked up a couple of FA Cup winners’ medals with Arsenal and would dearly love it if his former team-mate - and close friend - Arteta was finally able to win the title. Such was the pace of the game throughout that Cazorla could easily have slotted into the home team’s midfield without any problems. This was Ipswich’s first-ever Premier League trip to the Emirates although their last win at Arsenal came way back in 1979 when Arnold Muhren and Allan Hunter were the scorers in a 2-0 victory. Those were heady days for Ipswich when seasons in European competition were standard but now all they would love is a second successive season in the Premier League. Yet the 4-0 loss at Newcastle on Saturday was their best proper hammering so despite being dominated, at least they avoided another battering. McKenna reverted to the back-three system which sprung a surprise for a 2-1 win at Spurs on November 10 but a repeat never looked likely. To illustrate Arsenal’s dominance in the first quarter of the game, they had a staggering 91 per cent of possession. Yes, 91 per cent. The problem was that they kept trying to walk the ball into the net and their only chance was a long-range shot by Jurrien Timber straight at Ipswich goalkeeper Aro Muric. Yet finally, and predictably, Arsenal found a way past all the blue shirts who were blocking the goal. Visiting defender Ben Johnson failed to cut out a decent cross from Trossard and Havertz was literally standing on the line for a simple tap-in. Yet while he did not have much of a chance for that one, keeper Muric got lucky when he was somehow beaten at his near-post by Gabriel Jesus who was then flagged offside. In the second half, Ipswich had a bit more of the ball without really hurting Arteta’s team. Arsenal somehow failed to make it 2-0 when Gabriel Magalhaes headed wide from a couple of yards out. Martin Odegaard danced his way past a few Ipswich players before seeing his shot deflected for a corner, Declan Rice’s volley was blocked by Dara O’Shea and sub Mikel Merino had a shot well saved by Muric. READ MORE SUN STORIES This was hardly a sitter for Arteta. But even so, you get the feeling that if he is to win a trophy this season it will be the Cup... Liverpool look home and dry in the Premier League.