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fox fc188 t Adrian Butler Elected to PRA Group Board of DirectorsBY Amarasiri de Silva (Emeritus Professor, University of Peradeniya) We Sri Lankans are facing a spate of karma in climate change, and its consequences are not due to our faults but because of those committed by developed countries. Those developed countries exploit natural resources such as fossil fuels, gases, oil, and coal, in excess. Burning fossil fuels for energy production releases carbon dioxide, methane, fluorinated gases, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. These major greenhouse gases (GHG) contribute to trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere. GHG allows sunlight but traps heat radiating from the Earth’s surface. This process, though natural and necessary as it makes the climate of Earth habitable, has been exaggerated through excessive greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels. The heightened concentration of greenhouse gases, especially the much-emitted ones from burning fossil, relates directly to the rise in global average temperatures that result in changes in climate through increased heat waves, melting of glaciers, rising sea levels leading to flooding, and strong storms. Approximately 15 billion tons of fossil fuels are extracted annually worldwide; this includes coal, oil, and natural gas by the developed world in general. This comes to an average of about 41 million tons per day. Oil alone accounts for around 93 million barrels per day, and there are large additional volumes of natural gas and coal. The United States is among the largest extractors of fossil fuels worldwide. It is responsible for approximately 16% of total world production from fossil fuels and is the second largest producer, next to China. Fossil fuel extraction, refining, and combustion account for approximately 73% of all GHG emissions. For 2023, US energy use from fossil fuels was estimated at 79 quadrillion BTUs. These increased use of fossil fuels led to global warming. It has been recorded that global average surface temperatures have risen by about 1.1°C (2°F) since the late 19th century, while most of this warming occurred during the past 50 years. China and Russia are major contributors to the global production of fossil fuels. China is the largest global producer and consumer of coal, accounting for about 47% of global coal production. Another major contributor is Russia, accounting for about 17% of global natural gas and 12% of global oil production. These two countries are the major contributors in the global energy landscape, and their production level contributes much to worldwide carbon emissions. The most recent climate summit was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, which became a rich country due to fossil fuel extraction. Comparatively speaking, Azerbaijan accounts for around six or five percent of the global generation vis-à-vis key and major producers like the US, China, and Russia. But Azerbaijan is set to expand its production of natural gas massively. Currently, Azerbaijan produces about 37 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year; this is scheduled to rise to 49 bcm by 2033, which means a more than 32-percent increase. During the next ten years, the total gas extraction in Azerbaijan will reach 411 bcm and significantly contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to about 781 million metric tons of CO2. While these facts are actual and megalithic, the contribution of South Asian countries towards the extraction of fossil fuel is nil or not at all. The sub-region of South Asia that contributes a small percentage to the total amount of global fuel extraction includes countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. India is the central extractor in this region, followed by coal, which is considered a way to prevent energy shortages in the economic hubs of this country. The other countries of this sub-region extract a negligible share, and these countries are highly dependent on heavy imports to meet their ever-increasing energy needs. While exact percentages for the whole region’s contribution to the global extraction of fossil fuels are not available, the overall extraction of the area is minor compared to major producers like the USA, China, and Russia. The region’s energy mix is dominated by fossil fuels and coal being an integral part of electricity generation. Moving away from fossil fuels is problematic for these economies, which face high energy demands, economic constraints, and limited funding for renewable energy development. These dynamics illustrate the global disparities in responsibility and action on climate change, as South Asia contributes very little to global fossil fuel extraction but bears enormous consequences of climate change. Historically, developed nations, acting in concert with large extractors like China, Russia, and the United States, have been the primary contributors to greenhouse gas emissions through industrialisation, excessive fossil fuel consumption, and large-scale resource extraction. These activities have given rise to the current global warming crisis, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events, all impacting the Global South far more disproportionately than the developed world. The concept of karma in this context raises moral questions about whether this suffering is a consequence of past actions of individual countries in South Asia or a reflection of ongoing global inequalities in wealth and power. Countries with geographical vulnerabilities, limited resources to adapt, and a minimal historical contribution to global emissions, such as Sri Lanka in South Asia, bear the brunt of these consequences. As the cases, there could be coastal flooding, stronger-than-normal monsoons, or cyclones that engender the consequences of economic losses, dislocations, or a risk to food security. While emitting negligible quantities, such countries have to bear all these financial and sociocultural costs of climatic alteration created by the carbon-based course of growth of more industrialized economies. This inequality creates a climate justice concern. Treaties such as the Paris Accord use words like “common but differentiated responsibilities,” insinuating that countries that are more to blame for historical emissions [should] bear the brunt of mitigation and adaptation burdens. In practice, developing nations still consider many of these responsibilities to be short of satisfactory. The calls keep on coming for reparations, more financial aid, and technology transfers. And that, still, needs to go a whole lot faster”. The “sins” of developed nations in driving climate change have made things particularly difficult for countries like Sri Lanka, calling for urgent international collaboration and accountability to address these inequities. As Naomi Klein, a prominent Canadian political and climate activist and writer says, “All of this is why any attempt to rise to the climate challenge will be fruitless unless it is understood as part of a much broader battle of worldviews, a process of rebuilding and reinventing the very idea of the collective, the communal, the commons, and the civil after so many decades of attack and neglect.” Klein’s overarching argument is that climate change isn’t purely an environmental crisis but more of a crisis in how society is organised. This calls for climate justice. As Klein puts it, the problems we solely have with our environment cannot and will not be fixed until we view them as justice issues and accept that it is time for us to rebuild. “Global capitalism has made the depletion of resources so rapid, convenient, and barrier-free that “earth-human systems” are becoming dangerously unstable in response.” According to Klein, real progress on such matters in developing countries like Sri Lanka, which faces disproportionate effects of climate change, can only be achieved by examining the underlying mindset of resource exploitation in developed countries. Ingrained economic systems that prize profit over sustainability need reimagining in value to protect the environment and equity in resource use. For a country like Sri Lanka, issues related to climate change are multidimensional, from increased sea levels to frequent natural disasters, which would call for an integrated but transformational response. This movement needs to reposition the outlook worldwide, mainly for developed countries, de-link resources from profit-making motives like fracking, and focus on resilience, sustainability, and justice for vulnerable communities. I found most pivotal to Klein’s argument to be, “So climate change does not need some shiny new movement that will magically succeed where others failed. Rather, as the farthest-reaching crisis created by the extractivist worldview and one that puts humanity on a firm deadline, climate change can be the grand push that will bring together all of these still-living movements. A river running from innumerable streams, collecting from their combination at last to the sea.” The passage includes a central argumentative idea- joining all the social justice movements under the key broadened factor of the struggle with climate change. She believes that the only way to address climate change and enact real difference effectively is not by having a multitude of isolated single-issue activist groups but rather by a broad yet unified association capable of fighting all the interconnected issues brought forth by climate change, such as environmental health, social and socioeconomic inequality, and systemic oppression. Klein argues that since climate change is the product of an extractive mentality, real progress can only occur through profound changes in our values and economic systems. Since all the issues concerning climate change are linked, this movement is the only practical way of fighting back, which shall change how the world looks at the world, separating resources from profit. We have to act fast as Southern countries to get the developed nations to adopt a more responsible mindset towards climate change. We must unite together in some coalition and demand accountability and just compensation for the damages that we go through, such as the floods and cyclones, among other disasters caused mainly by irresponsible fracking, coal mining, and fossil fuel dependence on the developed nations. The United Nations should unite the Southern nations and form a strong international organisation to advocate for climate justice and just reparations. Together, we can ask for systemic changes that will benefit the well-being of our populations and ensure equitable global progress. In this respect, what is achieved by the Sri Lankan representatives attended the Baku conference is unknown. A key passage from Patel and Moore’s -A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things- reveals that “World ecology has emerged in the past several years as a framework to think through human history within the web of life. Rather than start with a notion of human separation from the web of life, we ask: How do humans have power and violence and the work and inequality in which they are organised? Capitalism is not just part of ecology but is an ecology-a set of relationships integrating power, capital, and nature.” This quote shows the gravity of Patel and Moore’s argument because it frames capitalism as a complex and integrated system exploiting people and the environment. A “world-ecology” framing of capitalism places capitalism within the social and ecological. It illustrates that environmental and social injustices are intertwined. Such an understanding of capitalism would, therefore, mean that global environmental justice will be realised only when consideration is taken of the role of capitalism in forming these exploitative structures of power that take advantage of people and the Earth. By placing capitalism in the “web of life,” Patel and Moore argue for a unified response targeting the roots of ecological and social inequality- a more holistic approach than traditional environmentalism in and of itself, which only attacks one aspect of capitalism. This form of activism, they say, is called for in the quest for justice in times of global crisis. Patel and Moore do not see the current system as broken but rather fundamentally flawed to the point where its removal, rather than traditional activism, is needed. They refer to the current period as the “Capitalocene” to emphasise capitalism’s leading role in driving environmental destruction, which suggests that simple reforms are insufficient to stop climate injustice. The idea of world-ecology allows us to see how the modern world’s violent and exploitative relationships are rooted in five centuries of capitalism.” To Naomi Klein, dystopia is a catastrophic state of the world created by unregulated climate change, abetted by an economic system that values profit and growth more than ecological and social well-being. Underpinning this is the global reliance on fossil fuels and extractive industries impelled by a neoliberal economic framework resistant to systemic change. She believes this accelerates environmental collapse and entrenches inequality in nations whose corporations continue their exploitation while less developed countries like Sri Lanka bear dire outcomes such as heavy floods, and extended droughts. There is nothing inevitable about Klein’s dystopia; it’s a call to action. Suppose humanity were to address the root causes of climate change and begin making systemic changes, such as transitioning to renewable energy, adopting sustainable practices, and engaging in collective action. In that case, she thinks it will be able to avoid further decline and build a just and sustainable future. (To be continued)

Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street

Soak it in, Nebraska fans. The long wait is finally over. The Nebraska football team is going bowling for the first time since 2016, and those who saw it happen live on Saturday couldn’t wait any longer to start the celebration. Fans rushed the Memorial Stadium field for the second time this fall, and who could blame them? As Nebraska’s one-time pregame anthem, “Can You Feel It,” blasted from the stadium’s loudspeakers, the answer was undoubtedly yes — everyone could feel the energy and the joy present on the field. Fans jumped together, screaming into the November night sky as Nebraska staffers milled around and players received congratulations, applause and handshakes. That such a breakthrough moment would happen for the Nebraska football this fall was not always certain, especially after the Huskers dropped a fourth straight game to USC last week. Following that game, quarterback Dylan Raiola boldly proclaimed he felt the Huskers would win their next game — but why? “I’m a big vibes person, and when I came back in the locker room even though we lost, I just got the vibe that we were about to take off,” Raiola said. On Saturday night inside Memorial Stadium, the vibes were immaculate. Let’s drop into coverage: When Nebraska walked off the field at the 2016 Music City Bowl, no one would’ve predicted that it’d be eight years before the Huskers would themselves back in the postseason. Year after year and season after season followed — each with its own promise and potential, only to end in heartbreak. There was the defensively challenged 2017 team, and the 2018 team that started 0-6 but put things together late. The 2019 team showed flashes but stumbled late, especially in one-score games. The 2020 team actually got the option to go to a bowl game but turned it down. The 2021 team earned the unfortunate moniker of perhaps being the best three-win team ever. The 2022 team once again found itself on the wrong end of one-score games. The 2023 team had an elite defense but couldn't get the job done in four tries. In the end, it was the 2024 Huskers who got it done, true freshman quarterback and all. It was impossible to see the accomplishment of Saturday night and not think of the hundreds of Huskers whose playing careers came to an end not during a bowl game but during the regular season. Players like Ethan Piper, Garrett Nelson, Luke Reimer or Trent Hixson — Nebraskans who shed blood, sweat and tears for the program with little to show for it. “It’s for the guys that came before us and stuck through it all,” senior Isaac Gifford said of making a bowl game. Head coach Matt Rhule was paid the big bucks to deliver such a moment, but he’s still deserving of credit for getting the job done. An inability to get over the line in 2023, combined with a swing and a miss at a transfer portal quarterback, raised pressure on Rhule as other programs found their quick fix and instant success. Rhule, who earned a reputation as a program-builder from his time at Temple and Baylor, was always going to focus on long-term, not short-term success. “The future of Nebraska football is not hanging on one decision; it’s hanging on an accumulation of great recruiting, great development, great coaching and great teaching,” Rhule said in November 2022. The Nebraska administrators who stood alongside Rhule on that day — Chancellor Ronnie Green, President Ted Carter and Athletic Director Trev Alberts — all left their posts before seeing the process through. Rhule, however, hasn't wavered. Nebraska fans can have their gripes about clock management, playing time, offensive play calls or any of the other places where NU still has room for improvement — but who can deny that Rhule has made strides in each and all of those areas? “It’s relief in that I’ve gotten the benefit of doing this twice before,” Rhule said Saturday of snapping the bowl game streak. “I look at the weight room, I look at the training room, sports science, sports psychology, player development, recruiting and I look at all the things we’re doing and believe it’s all right and that it’s all going to pay off in a big way.” Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is cooking up something special. Facing a Wisconsin defense that allowed just 16 points against No. 1 Oregon last week, Nebraska ran the ball effectively, threw the ball into tight windows and strung together drives with impressive consistency. It’s not just the 44-point output that stands out — the way Nebraska played on offense has simply looked different with Holgorsen calling the plays the last two weeks. “Credit to coach Holgorsen and what he’s brought to the offense,” Rhule said. “Maybe it’s playcalling, but I think the biggest thing he’s brought is a little bit of swagger to them.” Let’s give Holgorsen his flowers while remembering something as well: this is still the offense designed and built by Marcus Satterfield over the last two seasons. Holgorsen hasn’t reinvented the wheel since taking over, but what he has done is shake up the rhythm and timing of play calls within the offense and the personnel trusted to execute them. In order to run the ball, you have to commit to it, and Holgorsen has done an excellent job thus far of making sure Nebraska gets plenty out of its ground game. Playing the most snaps (52) of any Husker running back this season, sophomore Emmett Johnson also ran for the most yards (113) any player has all year. Nebraska also debuted a nifty two-back look where Dante Dowdell and Johnson lined up alongside Raiola in the backfield, a formation that gave the Wisconsin defense trouble to defend. Credit the blocking, up front and on the perimeter — where NU has looked much better in recent weeks — for springing the big running day. 20 of NU’s 38 rushing attempts went to the right side of its offensive line, with the Huskers averaging over 6 yards per carry on those plays. Holgorsen also dialed up the right mixture of passing plays for Raiola, who played his first interception-free game since late September. Nebraska got the ball out quickly with Raiola often firing to his first read for short gains, a setup senior Jahmal Banks said was “just like practice.” “The ball went where it was supposed to be,” Rhule said of Nebraska’s pass game, adding that the Huskers did well in pass protection. Also of interest in NU’s offensive personnel was senior wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda getting on the field to record his first catch since the 2023 season opener. And at tight end, usual starter Thomas Fidone II spent much of the game on the sidelines after committing an early false start penalty. Fidone played just three snaps, ceding playing time to Nate Boerkircher (49 snaps played) and Luke Lindenmeyer (44 snaps). Many of the players who powered the Nebraska offense on Saturday are the same who the Huskers will hope to build around moving forward. Johnson in particular stands out as the running back of the future for Nebraska, having averaged 4.6 yards per carry a year ago and 5.4 yards per attempt this fall in addition to his skills as a pass-catching back. “We’re changing Nebraska football,” Johnson said after the game. Raiola, of course, has gone through his own learning curves and should come back stronger as a sophomore in 2025 as a result. His favorite target this fall, freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr., also continues to impress as the season progresses. In addition to his work on special teams, Barney has 49 receptions, 10 rushing attempts, three touchdowns and over 500 yards to his name this season. “Jacory runs a route as hard if he’s the first progression as if he’s the fourth progression; he runs every play like it’s the last play of his life,” Rhule said. Nebraska’s depth of talent on offense runs much deeper than those players, with some who’ve not even seen the field this fall set to make their impact moving forward. Knowing that this Wednesday will not be their final practice of the season with bowl game practices to follow simply adds to the growth potential of NU’s young offense. “There’s a lot of guys that if they just stop at the end of the year, catch their breath and look up, they’ve really gotten better over the course of the year,” Rhule said. “Now we have a couple extra weeks of bowl practice to try and get them to another one.” A veteran-heavy Nebraska defense, excellent throughout the 2023 season, hasn’t necessarily been at the same level this fall. Remember, that unit essentially dragged the team to five wins; earning more than that is the reward for their hard work this time around. Wisconsin struggled to finish drives off but still chewed up more than 400 yards of offense as Nebraska allowed 20-plus points for the fifth week in a row. Still, NU’s early season success — particularly in the nonconference slate — has allowed the Huskers to put together a solid campaign at home. Nebraska allowed just 15.7 points per game inside Memorial Stadium this season, a number which rose to 28.8 points per game on the road. Nebraska’s Black Friday matchup against Iowa will pit the Huskers against a team that is down to its fourth-string quarterback. If there’s one thing Iowa knows how to do, it is win with defense, special teams and the ground game. Sophomore walk-on Jackson Stratton completed 10-of-14 passes for 76 yards in Iowa’s win over Maryland, with head coach Kirk Ferentz saying Stratton is likely to start against Nebraska as well. NU fans can now begin looking at bowl game projections with the knowledge that the Huskers will be a part of the postseason. CBS Sports’ projection, updated after Nebraska’s win over Wisconsin, has the Huskers set for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Texas Tech on Dec. 26 in Phoenix. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Medina-Pingree/Buchanan upends Central McLean in ND Class B volleyball quarterfinals

Kris Gaines is on a nonproliferation mission: to make it easier for more countries to eliminate highly enriched uranium, or HEU, thus neutralizing the inherent threat of its potential for nefarious use. As a nuclear nonproliferation specialist and project manager at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Gaines leads aspects of an important project designed to eliminate spent HEU fuel from Kazakhstan. Developed through a collaboration with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Idaho National Laboratory, ORNL, and the National Nuclear Center (NNC) of the Republic of Kazakhstan—owner of the Impulse Graphite Reactor (IGR) and its fuel, on which the project is centered—this new technology is a promising solution for safeguarding spent HEU fuel around the world. Fueling reactors such as the Kazakh IGR requires HEU, which has been "enriched" to contain greater than or equal to 90% of the fissile U-235 isotope, as opposed to low-enriched uranium, or LEU (equal to or less than 20%). This more potent HEU enables a range of vital materials research and scientific exploration. However, once this fuel has been used and is removed from the reactor, it is known as "spent" fuel, which remains radioactive and must be safely stored or reprocessed into safer forms. Once it is spent, or irradiated, the ability to down-blend it into otherwise useful material is complicated. To address these challenges and decrease risks posed by the IGR's spent fuel, NNSA, DOE and the Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy collaborated to find a solution for in-country elimination of the spent HEU fuel. The result is a unique new down-blending and cementation technology that readies the fuel for safe, long-term storage. "Due to the type of fuel, other down-blending technologies like 'melt dilute' aren't feasible options because graphite fuel won't melt," said Gaines. "This fuel will be repackaged for batch operations and sent through a large crusher/grinder until it is ground into very fine particles and mixed with natural or depleted uranium to down-blend it from ≥90% to ≤5% enrichment. The fuel is then transferred to a sealed drum at the mixing and cementation station, where it will be mixed with cement and other additives by in-drum mixing paddles to create unrecoverable, uniformly dispersed low-level waste as a concrete-filled drum." This first-of-its-kind technology helps to dramatically decrease risks posed by the spent HEU, lowering its enrichment level far below the LEU threshold of 20%. Down-blending irradiated graphite fuel removes the need for IAEA safeguards and renders it virtually unrecoverable through cementation. Though the new technology is not yet in place permanently, the necessary equipment has been fabricated and installed at a temporary location in Kazakhstan. Plans for the new technology's use there include continued development of the permanent destination facility, ongoing operator training programs and continual fabrication of mixing drums for further use in the process before the system is moved to its intended site. Gaines is encouraged by the new process and its potential for use elsewhere with other types of fuels. "This technology is already being considered for the fuel from Kazakhstan's other reactor, IVG.1M. We are currently working with NNC to conduct experiments on both melt-dilute and oxidation of this fuel. Preliminary results show that oxidation may be the best option, as the oxidized powder would then be run through the same system we are using for the IGR fuel," he said. Prior to implementation and wider use of the new technology, however, the team needed to convince key stakeholders that their solution was effective, safe and affordable. An idea to communicate these benefits through a scaled-down, 3D-printed physical model set the stage for an impressive partnership at ORNL—one with significant international impact. At the NNSA sponsor's suggestion, Gaines teamed up with ORNL's Amiee Jackson, a at the lab's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, or MDF, to deliver an accurate scale model of the Kazakh NNC's IGR, highlighting its new down-blending and cementation technology. Over the span of a month, Jackson painstakingly converted the IGR's original engineering files into printable, 1:16th scale files. Jackson then oversaw the process of printing the models. "The original models were a blend of solid and surface geometry, with all sorts of hollow bits and far more detail than was necessary," Jackson said. "My work was to 'Boolean union' everything [create a new shape from many others, with stable intersections preserving overall integrity], getting rid of any hollow areas, ensuring that scaled wall thicknesses were thick enough to be printable, and then coordinating printing." The resulting 3D model was displayed at the International Conference on Nuclear Security, or ICONS, in Vienna in May. Attendees indicated they were impressed, not only by the accuracy of the 3D model itself, but also by the news of the system's effectiveness, affordability and ease of assembly and deployment. "How to eliminate irradiated/spent graphite fuel has long been an issue. This technology answers that question and is now being considered for eliminating other types," Gaines said. "It offers a previously unavailable, safe and effective solution to a longstanding problem. Its affordability and cost-effectiveness are a bonus."

Electoral reform: money out of politics or a gift for the major parties?Getting TAFE right would be a boon for the countryWhy Donald Trump Can't Actually Buy Greenland, According to ExpertsDebifi Secures Funding in Successful Seed Round 12-24-2024 12:44 AM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: ABNewswire Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/uploads/7947a4df07ae2bd776f34ac1416ad513.png Lugano - December 23, 2024 - Debifi [ https://debifi.com/ ], the leading platform for secure, non-custodial Bitcoin-backed lending solutions, is pleased to announce the successful closure of its seed round. Led by Timechain, this round brings together a diverse group of esteemed investors and visionary individuals who share Debifi's commitment to transforming the Bitcoin lending market. Empowering Bitcoin Holders: "Don't Sell, Borrow" Debifi's mission is deeply aligned with the principles of long-term Bitcoin holders. As Michael Saylor famously said: "Bitcoin is a long-term asset, and the key to preserving its value is to never sell it." Key Participants in the Investment Round * Lead Investor: Timechain * Other Participating Investors: Axiom BTC Capital Fulgur Ventures Plan B Fund Epoch VC Cep Private Equity Exodus I GmbH Willy Woo Brad Mills Chris Hunter Giacomo Zucco Investors' Perspective Alexander Mann, Partner at Timechain: "At Timechain we are delighted to be leading the seed round for Debifi. As we have seen, Bitcoin backed loans are easy to get wrong. Therefore, it is important to architect a solution with integrity and Debifi, a true pioneer in the space, have done exactly that. We expect their implementation to become the standard, globally." Allen Farrington, Partner at Axiom BTC Capital: "Bitcoin is gradually becoming integrated into capital markets, and Debifi is well-positioned to capitalize on this shift, if not drive it forward. Their approach to scaling up the overcollateralized Bitcoin-backed lending market is thrilling to Axiom, and we are proud to support their journey." Eric Yakes, Epoch VC: "Bitcoin lending will be one of the most rapidly growing markets in the world and Debifi provides a solution in the goldilocks zone with ideal UX and ideal counterparty assurances." Willy Woo "Bitcoin is the world's fastest growing asset, both in adoption and in returns. With a return profile that easily outstrips the cost of borrowing by a factor of 8x, holders want borrow against their BTC rather than selling. My investment in Debifi is a vote towards building robust BTC loan infrastructure without rehypothecation." Debifi's Vision Max Keidun, CEO of Debifi, expressed his excitement over this milestone: "Debifi's mission is to revolutionize Bitcoin-backed lending by making it secure, transparent, and globally accessible. We are happy to successfully close our seed round. Although Debifi.com is at the very beginning of its journey, we already have solid results and have been generating revenue since week one of our launch. This fundraiser will help us speed up our development, promote our solution and more importantly launch new Bitcoin-backed credit products. Some of them are already coming out of stealth mode in Q1 2025. Our vision for Debifi is that there is a need to match institutional liquidity with Bitcoin holders all over the world and we are working relentlessly to make this vision come true. We believe that there is a need for non-custodial, no-rehypothecation Bitcoin-only lending solutions, and we are here to ensure that we can provide the best service on the market. Bitcoin lending must be transparent and globally accessible. Bitcoin is a super collateral, and we want to put every lender on Bitcoin standard by providing them with a simple, non-custodial lending solution. And of course we want to ensure that Bitcoin holders have options not to sell their Bitcoin and keep holding. Strategic Use of Funds The raised capital will support several strategic priorities: * Team Growth: Expand technical and business development teams to meet growing demand. * Market Expansion: Establish a presence in new markets globally. * Product Innovation: Launch new Bitcoin-backed credit products, focusing on non-custodial and no-rehypothecation solutions. * Marketing Initiatives: Drive awareness and user adoption through targeted campaigns. Impressive Market Traction Since its beta launch, Debifi has demonstrated remarkable growth: * Loan originations have doubled every quarter, both in quantity and size. * The launch of the Debifi iOS app accelerated growth further, showing 2x monthly user expansion in recent months. Institutional Lender Growth * During the last quarter, we observed a 4.5x increase in requests from institutional lenders. * Additionally, our onboarding rate surged by 250% compared to Q3. Broader Market Alignment As the financial world increasingly embraces Bitcoin, Debifi is strategically positioned to capitalize on key trends: 1. Bitcoin as a "Super Collateral": With Bitcoin's price appreciation, holders are seeking alternatives to selling their assets, preferring to borrow against them instead. 2. Institutional Adoption of Bitcoin: A growing number of corporations are adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets, recognizing its unmatched qualities as collateral for borrowing. What's Next for Debifi Debifi plans to launch a suite of groundbreaking Bitcoin-backed credit products, coming out of stealth mode in early 2025. These products will redefine the standard for non-custodial lending, further cementing Debifi's reputation as a pioneer in the industry. For more information on Debifi's solutions or to learn about investment opportunities, visit Debifi.com [ http://www.debifi.com/ ]. About Debifi Debifi is a non-custodial lending platform designed to unlock Bitcoin's true potential as a superior form of collateral. Through secure multisig escrow arrangements and a focus on transparency, Debifi provides unmatched borrowing solutions for individuals and institutions alike. Founded by Bitcoin industry leaders, Debifi is setting the standard for Bitcoin-only lending. Press release URL: https://debifi.com/publications/funding-round-success Our social media: https://x.com/debificom and https://linkedin.com/company/debifi Media Contact Company Name: Debifi SA Contact Person: Sergejs Ponomarjovs PR & Media Relations Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=debifi-secures-funding-in-successful-seed-round ] Country: Switzerland Website: https://debifi.com This release was published on openPR.

No. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streak

JENKINTOWN, PA — National Philanthropic Trust (NPT) has announced the addition of Warren Thaler and Tamara Watts to its Board of Trustees, bringing their wealth of expertise to the organization’s mission of advancing charitable giving globally. “On behalf of National Philanthropic Trust, I am delighted to welcome Warren Thaler and Tamara Watts to our Board of Trustees,” said Holly Welch Stubbing, CEO of NPT. “Warren’s significant investment expertise and Tamara’s extensive tax-exempt legal knowledge will prove valuable to NPT’s mission of increasing charitable giving worldwide. Recently, NPT surpassed 800,000 grants to charitable organizations in the U.S. and more than 50 countries by supporting our donors’ philanthropic objectives. We look forward to Warren and Tamara’s contributions to our Board of Trustees as NPT prepares for the future of philanthropy while helping donors support what means most to them, every day.” About Warren Thaler Warren Thaler brings decades of investment experience as a private investor and former president of Gund Investment Corporation, where he managed the capital of Gordon Gund and his family for 27 years. Notably, he was instrumental in the early success of Align Technology, serving on its board for 19 years while investing in other innovative healthcare companies. Thaler has a strong history of nonprofit leadership, which includes serving on the board of the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB). While there, he played a key role in creating and leading the organization’s venture philanthropy initiative, The Retinal Degeneration Fund, to advance research and early-stage developments in retinal degeneration. Additionally, Thaler has served on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Board of Directors and as the team’s representative at NBA Board of Governors meetings. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. About Tamara Watts Tamara Watts brings 25 years of legal expertise in advising tax-exempt organizations. Currently, she serves as Vice President, Legal and General Counsel for The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. Her previous roles include Managing Deputy Director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she supported global health and development initiatives. Watts also has experience as a partner and co-leader of K&L Gates’ Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice Group. For more than a decade, she co-chaired the American Bar Association’s International Philanthropy Subcommittee of the Tax Section. Her knowledge further extends to her frequent speaking engagements on legal issues tied to philanthropy. Watts earned her undergraduate degree in History from Stanford University and her Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School. By adding Thaler and Watts to its leadership team, NPT is taking steps to enhance its ability to support donors’ philanthropic goals. Their diverse backgrounds underscore NPT’s commitment to fostering innovation and expertise in the philanthropic sector as it continues to shape the future of giving. For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN .

The Department of Health spent the most on consultants for a second year, as federal government agencies report varied progress on a mission to slash outsourced labour. Black Friday Sale Subscribe Now! Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue Analysis of 2023-24 financial year annual reports shows Health handed out $70.8 million worth of new consultancy contracts, spending $13.9 million more than it had in the preceding year. Including expenditure on ongoing consultancy contracts, the department spent $125.9 million. Health says its use of consultants as a proportion of overall activity has remained relatively stable over the past two financial years. "The amount associated with consultancies is around 0.3 per cent of overall appropriations over the past two financial years," a spokesperson said. "This increase in the department's activity levels is related to the delivery of significant government priorities such as improving the aged care system and 'Strengthening Medicare'." Parliament House. Picture by Gary Ramage Defence trailed Health, entering into consultancy contracts worth $38.3 million in 2023-24, but topped the list for total consultancy contracts, spending $159.9 million. The figures reflect the period before the Albanese government mandated agency heads slash outsourced labour and bring core work back in-house. Reducing outsourcing bills is crucial for Labor, which is under pressure from the opposition to prove that its 36,000-place increase to the public service has been cost-effective. The latest data shows just over half of the 16 departments and two major agencies (Services Australia and the Australian Taxation Office) reduced their spending on new consultancy contracts in the 2023-24 financial year. It does not include all APS agencies, of which there are more than 100. Eight departments spent more on consultancies in the past financial year, with Services Australia, Industry and Social Services spending multi-millions on new contracts. This graph shows expenditure on new consultancy contracts in the past two financial years but does not include spending on contracts already in place. Agencies also award a broad range of contracts for other reasons, which they report as non-consultancy contracts. Non-consultancy contracts reflect a broader picture of government spending, incorporating much more than just outsourced labour. Defence soared above the rest on this measure, spending about $7.6 billion on contracts for projects such as building Australia's fleet of nuclear submarines and Defence aircraft, technology and property. This graph shows new non-consultancy contracts entered into in the past two financial years. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher said the government had substantially reduced consultancy contracts compared to the former Coalition government. Agencies expect to cut $527 million worth of outsourced labour in 2024-25, most of which will come from contractors and labour hire rather than consultancies. "We have followed through on our promise to get this outsourcing under control and instead invest in the capability of the public service to perform this important work," Senator Gallagher said. "The facts speak for themselves. Today, there are 500 fewer consultancy contracts than there were in 2021-22. This totals a reduction of more than $130 million." READ MORE PUBLIC SERVICE NEWS: It started as a joke, but Musk's crusade to slash US public service is getting serious Big business will be required to set targets for executive boards, pay gap 'I disagree with it': Brereton pressed on robodebt mistake by parliamentary committee Spending on the big four firms, plus Accenture and Scyne Advisory, has also fallen from about $2.4 billion in 2021-22 to $1.5 billion in 2023-24. "The job of rebuilding the public service after a decade of neglect from the Liberals and Nationals is not done, but we are up for the task of making sure Australians are served by a well-resourced and community-focused APS," the Public Service Minister said. This table shows each department's total expenditure on contracts for 2023-24, and whether they spent more or less than in 2022-23. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Miriam Webber Public service and politics reporter Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with an interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with an interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au More from Canberra Police will investigate alleged bus driver fish head assault 6m ago No comment s Job-sharing: Can two people share a Senate seat? 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WEEKLY Motoring Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Loading... TWICE WEEKLY Voice of Real Australia Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Loading... AS IT HAPPENS Breaking news alert Be the first to know when news breaks. Loading... DAILY Today's Paper Alert Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Loading... DAILY Your favourite puzzles Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Loading...Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim hailed Arsenal as one of the best set-piece teams he has ever faced following the 2-0 defeat at Arsenal. The Gunners took two points out of Liverpool’s lead at the summit of the Premier League after Jurrien Timber and William Saliba struck in the second half – both from corners – to condemn Amorim to his first defeat as United boss. The hosts’ second-half strikes took their goals-from-corners tally to 22 since the start of last season – a statistic that is unmatched by any other team in the division. Asked if Arsenal are one of the best teams he has come up against on corners, Amorim replied: “If you follow the Premier League for a long time you can see that. “They are also big players and you see every occasion when (Gabriel) Martinelli and (Bukayo) Saka have one-on-ones, a lot of times they go outside and they cross, and they know that if the cross goes well, they can score, and if it is a corner they can score, too, so we have to be better on that. “You have seen in all Arsenal games that every team have had problems with that (corners). And the difference today was the set-pieces. “You see a goal and then the momentum changed, and it is really hard for us to take the full control of the game after that.” Timber leaned into Rasmus Hojlund at the front post before diverting Declan Rice’s set-piece into the back of Andre Onana’s net after 54 minutes to send Arsenal into the lead. Thomas Partey’s header from Saka’s corner then deflected in off Saliba’s shoulder with 17 minutes left. Arteta and the club’s set-piece guru Nicolas Jover embraced on the touchline as Amorim was left with his head in his hands. The Arsenal supporters cheered raucously every time they won a corner – landing 13 in all without reply. However, Arteta moved to play down the significance of Arsenal’s set-piece threat. “We need that, but we want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play,” said Arteta. “Today we could have scored from open play like we did against West Ham and Sporting. Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club. Arsenal have won four consecutive Premier League matches against Man Utd for the first time ever! 💫 pic.twitter.com/biv1kvsJEP — Premier League (@premierleague) December 4, 2024 “Not because of only set-pieces, but because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments, too.” Arsenal’s win against United – the first time they have recorded four victories in a row against the Red Devils in the league – was their fourth in succession since the international break. They will head to Fulham on Sunday bidding to keep the momentum going. Arteta continued: “The will to win is there. We try our best to do that. We won four in a row, but it doesn’t matter. We have to go to Fulham now, try to be better than them and try win the game. “It’s every three days that we play. It’s a crazy schedule. We’re going to need everybody and to mentally be very strong.”RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — The New York architect facing murder charges in a string of deaths known as the Gilgo Beach killings was charged on Tuesday in the death of a seventh woman. Rex Heuermann pleaded not guilty to killing Valerie Mack, whose remains were first found on Long Island in 2000. Mack, 24, had been working as an escort in Philadelphia and was last seen by her family that year in New Jersey. Some of Mack’s skeletal remains were initially discovered in Manorville, New York; authorities found more of her remains about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west, in Gilgo Beach, more than 10 years later. They were unidentified until genetic testing revealed her identity in 2020. Human hair found with Mack’s remains was sent for testing earlier this year and found to be a likely match with the genetic profile of Heuermann’s daughter, prosecutors said in court papers. His daughter is not accused of any wrongdoing and would have been 3 or 4 years old when Mack died. Heuermann, 61, is charged with killing six other women whose remains were found on Long Island. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. “The lives of these women matter,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said at a news conference with Mack's parents and other victims' relatives. “No one understands that more than the families.” Mack's parents didn't speak. Four other victims' relatives gave the Macks roses and hugs and, through an attorney, expressed their sadness and solidarity. “They were, and they are, loved. And they are missed every day by those who knew them and who had a strong bond with them,” said Gloria Allred, who represents the families of Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor and Megan Waterman. Outside of court, Heuermann’s lawyer Michael Brown disputed evidence presented in Mack’s death, saying the DNA technology used to connect her and other victims to Heuermann has never been deemed reliable in a New York case. He also argued that Tierney’s office has yet to produce proof any victims’ DNA was found in Heuermann’s home, including the many weapons and tools seized during recent searches of the property. “There’s something a little weird about these allegations,” Brown said. “Something that doesn’t sit right.” The investigation into the Gilgo Beach killings dates back to 2010, when police searching for a missing woman found 10 sets of human remains in the scrub along a barrier island parkway, prompting fears of a serial killer. Over the years, investigators used DNA analysis and other clues to identify the victims, many of whom were sex workers. Police also began reexamining other unsolved killings of women on Long Island. The case has dragged on through five police commissioners, more than 1,000 tips, and doubts about whether there was a serial killer at all. Heuermann, who lived with his wife and two children in Massapequa Park on Long Island and commuted to a Manhattan architecture office, was arrested on July 13, 2023. At that point, he was charged with murdering Barthelemy, Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello. Earlier this year, he was charged in the deaths of three other women — Brainard-Barnes , Taylor and Sandra Costilla . In a June court filing, prosecutors said they had recovered a file on a hard drive in Heuermann’s basement that he used to “methodically blueprint” his killings — including checklists with tasks for before, during and after, as well as lessons for “next time.” In court papers on Tuesday, prosecutors said the document, which was created the same year as Mack’s murder, includes details that align with her case. For example, it names “Mill Road” — a road near where Mack’s first remains were found — under the heading “DS,” which investigators believe stands for “dump site.” The document also lists “foam drain cleaner” under “Supplies.” Prosecutors say that on Oct. 3, 2000, Heuermann’s phone records appear to show him making two calls to a Long Island plumbing company, and he paid another company the following month to check his mainline drain. In recent searches of Heuermann’s home and office, authorities say they found old magazines and newspapers with articles about the Gilgo Beach killings and investigation that prosecutors believe he kept as “souvenirs” or “mementos.” Among them was a July 29, 2003, copy of the New York Post that included an article about the investigation into Mack and Taylor’s remains. Tierney said Tuesday that evidence points to Heuermann’s home as the scene of the killings — in most cases, when his family was out of town. Heuermann’s estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, said in a statement that she still does not believe her husband was capable of committing the crimes he’s accused of. The couple’s now grown children said in a separate statement they remain “steadfast in observing the legal process play itself out, no matter how long it takes or how difficult it is.” Authorities have still not charged anyone in the deaths of some other people whose remains were found on Long Island. Among them is an unidentified male victim who died in 2006 and likely presented outwardly as a female, and Karen Vergata , whose remains were discovered in 1996 but only identified through new DNA analysis in 2022. ___ Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed from New York.

Suspect in Gilgo Beach serial killings charged in the death of 7th woman

The Liberal government is pulling out the federal wallet to put more money into people’s pockets over the holidays, but its recently announced affordability measures create winners and losers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday that the federal government will remove the goods and services tax on a slew of items for two months, starting Dec. 14. But in provinces where the provincial and federal sales taxes are blended together into a harmonized sales tax, Canadians will get a larger break. The federal government also plans to send $250 cheques to Canadians who were working in 2023 and earned up to $150,000. That means Canadians who were not working in 2023, including those who were receiving social assistance or were in retirement, will not be sent a cheque in April. In the House of Commons on Friday, NDP MP Peter Julian called the government out for not including Canadians with fixed incomes. “Why are Liberals excluding seniors and people with disabilities from the real help they need this holiday season? Why won’t Liberals help them, too?” Julian asked during question period. At a news conference on Friday, Trudeau said that the federal government has already stepped up to help the most vulnerable Canadians and that it is now time to give a hand to workers. “Over the past number of years, we have been extraordinarily present in helping the most vulnerable Canadians,” Trudeau said, mentioning the boost to old-age security for seniors aged 75 and older and the Canada Child Benefit. “But as I travel across the country, I do regularly hear from working Canadians who are having trouble making ends meet, but saying, ‘look, I don’t have kids. I’m not a senior yet, and I’m facing challenges.’” The GST break, which is expected to cost the federal government $1.6 billion, will apply to a number of items including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals and beer and wine. It also applies to Christmas trees — both natural and artificial — along with a variety of snack foods and beverages, and video game consoles. Meanwhile, 18.7 million people will receive a check this spring, costing the government about $4.7 billion.Super Micro executives sound upbeat but the stock is still a sell, analyst says