zwrot w superpharm
Sri Lanka hosts key stakeholdersâ meeting to strengthen Fairtrade Network and promote sustainable exportsLucknow Super Giants Squad for IPL 2025: Abdul Samad Sold to LSG for INR 4.2 Crore at Indian Premier League AuctionBill Shorten represents the best in Australian politics. And the worst. In his valedictory speech to the House on Thursday, ending 17 years in parliament, he spoke of the achievement in government that was âclosest to my heartâ â the National Disability Insurance Scheme. âThe NDIS belongs alongside Medicare and superannuation as examples of Australian exceptionalism.â Illustration by Simon Letch Credit: Shorten is rightly proud of the NDIS. It was a world-first undertaking and instantly set the standard for the way that civilised societies should treat their disabled citizens. It was not all his work. As Shorten acknowledged, it was Kevin Rudd who gave him his start in the field by appointing him as the parliamentary secretary for disabilities in 2007. âI thought I knew hardship, having seen disadvantage representing workers,â Shorten told the House. âBut nothing had prepared me for the way literally hundreds of thousands of Australians with disability and their carers were sentenced to a second-class life of lesser opportunity.â And it was Julia Gillard who committed her government to implementing it. Shorten recalls asking the then prime minister to do just one thing: âI asked her to meet five people in my office and leave her phone outside for an hour and a half.â She heard their stories and was persuaded. Credit must also go to Tony Abbott, the opposition leader who embraced the idea. As he said: âNormally Iâm Mr No, but on this occasion Iâm Mr Yes!â Itâs hard for any major reform to endure without bipartisan support; Abbott gave it that support. Bill Shorten delivers his valedictory speech in the House of Representatives on Thursday. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer But Shorten can take most of the credit for creating the scheme when Labor was in power in 2007-2013, and for repairing it now that Labor is in power once more. By the time Anthony Albanese gave Shorten responsibility for the NDIS in 2022, it had veered out of control. It had become an open secret that it was rife with rorting. Not rorted by the disabled people receiving help, but by the companies and individuals who were supposed to help them and who then billed the government for services provided. The incoming minister was appalled to discover that, if a service provider sent their invoice to the National Disability Insurance Agency between 5pm and 6.30pm, they were paid immediately without any verification. And that 92 per cent of them were unregistered. And that there was no specified list of authorised services. Providers were charging the public purse some outrageous sums for some outrageous supposed needs: âWhat we have seen is the rise of opportunistic, unethical providers,â Shorten said earlier this year. âTheyâre selling snake oil. Theyâre selling stuff which frankly doesnât work and shouldnât be being paid for.â That included airline lounge memberships, sex work, pet costs, cigarettes and vapes, illegal drugs, tarot card reading, clothes, guns and cuddle therapy. So Shorten published a list of approved services, the first one, last month, banning all those categories, among others. Shortenâs awkward munching helped make democracy sausage word of the year in 2016. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Itâs no wonder that the costs of the NDIS blew out spectacularly. Itâs now on track to become the most expensive item on the federal budget, overtaking the age pension, by 2030. The original 2011 estimates for the scheme were that it would cover 411,000 people and cost $13.6 billion a year. This year it has 660,000 participants with budgeted cost of $42 billion. Itâs obvious that the scheme is succeeding in giving life-changing help to many but failing the test of sustainability. Unreformed, the scheme would have to be cut back or shut down. As its father, Shorten was best placed to fix it. And, crucially, the one most trusted to fix it. Last year, the government announced measures to restrain its annual cost growth of 14 per cent to 8 per cent by 2026-27. This is essential to achieve Shortenâs stated aim â to make it âpolitician-proofâ. Among other reforms, he replaced 10 of the 11 top managers and recruited Kurt Fearnley as chair. Shorten persuaded state governments to increase their share of funding from next July. He tripled the number of staff at the Quality and Safeguards Commission to improve scrutiny. He created a Fraud Fusion Taskforce which, over its two-year lifespan, has put 50 people before the courts, prevented $60 million in fraud and currently has more than $1 billion in payments under investigation. Shorten played a key role in removing Kevin Rudd as PM in 2010 and then reinstalling him, at Julia Gillardâs expense, in 2013. Credit: Andrew Meares Heâs not quite finished, but he has put the scheme on âtrain tracksâ to sustainability , as he puts it. Compared with the outlay growth anticipated in 2022, Shortenâs reforms will have saved the taxpayer well over $100 billion over the course of a decade. In creating â and then repairing â such an important improvement to the lives of Australiaâs people, Shorten shows Australian politics at its best. But he was also one of the faction chiefs who connived to destroy two elected Labor prime ministers, ushering in the âcoup eraâ of Australian politics, the rampant regicide of the ârevolving doorâ prime ministership that made Australia a laughing stock for a decade. If that only damaged Labor governments and destabilised the political system, that would be bad enough. But it did much more. We can now see that the factional fun and games in the corridors of Canberra inflicted enduring harm on the peopleâs trust in democracy. Shorten wasnât the instigator of the threshold event, the 2010 lightning coup against Kevin Rudd. The motive force was Mark Arbib with sidekicks Karl Bitar, David Feeney, Stephen Conroy and Don Farrell. And, of course, the willing participation of Julia Gillard; you canât have a challenge without a challenger. Shorten, with wife Chloe, concedes defeat after the 2019 election. Credit: AP But Shorten, as leader of elements of the Victorian Right faction, energetically joined the execution of the elected prime minister. He said at the time that he feared that he and his little gang would be cut out of the victorsâ circle if the coup succeeded. His motives were self-interested and unprincipled. So he helped remove Rudd and install Gillard. Only to then connive against Gillard and help restore Rudd to the prime ministership as electoral oblivion loomed. The madness, of course, soon infected the Liberals, too. Rudd-Gillard-Rudd was followed by Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison. One consequence is that John Howard was the last Australian prime minister to be re-elected. But democracy is much bigger than politics, politicians, factions, parties, prime ministers and even elections. It is, at core, an act of the peopleâs confidence in the virtue of collective decision-making, of trust in our fellow citizens and submission to the greater good. So what happens when the people who are supposed to model these ideals expose themselves to be self-interested thugs, grasping opportunists and self-involved narcissists? Unsurprisingly, Australians have been discouraged and disgusted. Peopleâs trust in democracy has not recovered from the era of the disposable leader. The ANU and Griffith Universityâs Australian Election Study shows that the public disapproved of every leadership coup, regardless of party or personality. The proportion of Australians saying they are âsatisfied with democracyâ was in a healthy 80 per cent range in the late Howard and early Rudd years, the highest at any time since 1969. It peaked at 86 per cent in 2007, the year Rudd was elected. From the moment he was torn down, this proportion started to shrink non-stop until it hit bottom at 59 per cent in 2019. For perspective, this was its lowest since the dismissal of the Whitlam government. When the pandemic struck, trust in government recovered somewhat. But, to this day, satisfaction with democracy has not recovered to the pre-coup era, according to the Australian Election Study. Does Shorten regret his part in the destruction of two Labor prime ministers, the onset of the coup mania and the enduring damage to Australiansâ confidence in democracy? âYou do regret your mistakes, you donât forget your failures,â Shorten said in his valedictory on Thursday, and for a moment the House held its breath in anticipation. Shorten resumed: âOh, what I would give to go back to election day 2016 and turn that sausage in bread around the right way.â He got a laugh as the audience recalled that much-publicised lapse in democracy sausage etiquette when he approached it from the side instead of the end. But this was not any metaphor for political remorse, however. Asked for his political regrets, Shorten falls back on Frank Sinatra: âRegrets. Iâve had a few, but then again too few to mention.â When I ask him straight whether he regrets his part in the downfall of two Labor prime ministers, he disavows responsibility and only replies: âI regret that the instability occurred.â The journalist David Marr wrote a 2016 assessment of Shorten in the Quarterly Essay . It was titled âFaction Manâ. Today, Marr looks back on Shortenâs political career and concludes that âhe never ceased being a man of factionsâ. The best and the worst of Australian politics. Peter Hartcher is political editor.
Richard Parsons, prominent Black executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76Father, son Subway operators expand to in-home senior care
Calgary Flames fans were quite upset today to learn that Justin Kirkland will miss the remainder of the season due to an ACL injury. and was ruled out shortly after with what the Flames had then deemed a lower-body injury. This afternoon, they announced that he recently underwent successful ACL surgery. This is devastating news for Kirkland, who had established himself as a full-time NHLer for the first time this season at the age of 28. Kirklandâs story of carving out a role at a rather late age resonated well with fans, who quickly came to know him by his nickname, âCostco.â He had done a solid job providing secondary offence in a fourth-line centre role and . To no surprise, Flames fans were absolutely devastated upon hearing todayâs news. This now casts doubt over Kirklandâs future, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at seasonâs end. An extension may not be out of the cards, however, as the Flames have made it an emphasis to keep their cap space lowered while in this retooling stage, and he would be a cheap option to bring back.20 classic movies audiences think are perfectArbroath man takes in dog abandoned outside Pie Bobs bakers
Malik Nabers explodes on âsoft as fâkâ Giants, furious about not getting the ball
Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina KhanBoxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Softwareâs OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this yearâs data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first âproper Christmasâ period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found ÂŁ4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: âWeâve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. âFigures have come out that things have stabilised, weâre almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.â There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: âItâs the shift to online shopping, itâs the convenience, youâve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.â People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: âWe see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so theyâve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they donât really need to go out again until later on in that week. âWe did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.â Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and âa lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own homeâ, she said. She added: âI feel like itâs becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.â Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend ÂŁ236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still ÂŁ50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store â an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: âDespite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. âThis year, weâre likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.â Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.
MINOT â Gov. Doug Burgum will be the governor for only 11 more days. Despite this, he was obliged to deliver a budget address to a joint session of the North Dakota Legislature, which is in Bismarck meeting for its organizational session. This makes no sense. The budget address represents Burgum's priorities, which, while there is no doubt a significant amount of overlap, are not necessarily those of Gov.-elect Kelly Armstrong, who voters chose to replace Burgum in November. Which means that Burgum's address to lawmakers was a colossal waste of time. This isn't Burgum's fault, as, again, the budget address is obligatory, but the degree to which he indulged himself during the speech sure is. Burgum joked at the beginning of the address that he'd been given an hour to speak but would talk for as long as he wanted to anyway. Boy, did he, speaking for nearly one hour and 45 minutes. No wonder this guy has had such a rocky relationship with the Legislature (you can watch the full address here). Burgum's speech was one part self-congratulatory victory lap and one part detailed budget proposal. The latter is pointless because, again, Burgum will only be in office for 11 more days, so the whole thing was an exercise in Burgum patting himself on the back. Don't get me wrong, Burgum has accomplished some meaningful things during his time in office and deserves credit for them. He was also, I'll admit, open-handed with his praise for other state officials and the lawmakers. I don't want to come off as mean. Anyone familiar with my work knows I've been deeply disappointed with Burgum since he decided to further his political career by betraying his moderate inclinations and going full-on MAGA. It's just that I'm not sure going the better part of an hour over the schedule with a superfluous budget address is all that couth, whoever it is that's doing it. And I'm not sure why we're spending time and taxpayer dollars on a budget address that, as a practical matter of policy, doesn't amount to a hill of beans. It's time for lawmakers to put an end to this, so that in four years hence (or eight years, if he's reelected) we're not subjected to outgoing Gov. Kelly Armstrong standing before the Legislature delivering a budget address that may or may not reflect the priorities of his just-elected successor. We need to shake up the timing so that we aren't wasting time on a pointless budget address from a lame-duck governor who won't be involved in the budget and policy decisions of the upcoming legislative session. Section 54-03.1-02 of the North Dakota Century Code requires the Legislature to meet for an organizational session no earlier than Dec. 1 and no later than Dec. 15 of even-numbered years. In cycles when we elect a new governor (or reelect an incumbent), the swearing-in happens on Dec. 15. It seems like we could tweak this timing. Maybe the law could establish the swearing-in date for new governors as the first day of the organizational session. However we do it, we should ensure that the person delivering the budget address â who spent what is likely a not-small amount of state resources on crafting the complicated speech â is the same person who will be in office while the budgets and policies for the next biennium are set.Spain unemployment hits 17-year lowEnzo Maresca savoured chants of âweâve got our Chelsea backâ from travelling fans following a 5-1 Premier League thrashing of 10-man Southampton at St Maryâs. Blues supporters also sang the name of head coach Maresca during the closing stages of an emphatic success sealed by goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and substitute Jadon Sancho. Bottom club Southampton briefly levelled through Joe Aribo but were a man down from the 39th minute after captain Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling the hair of Marc Cucurella. Chelsea, who have endured an underwhelming period since Todd Boehlyâs consortium bought the club in 2022, climbed above Arsenal and into second place on goal difference, seven points behind leaders Liverpool. âWe work every day to keep them happy and tonight was a very good feeling, especially the one that they can see that Chelseaâs back. This is an important thing.â Maresca rotated his squad in Hampshire, making seven changes following Sundayâs impressive 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Following a sloppy start, his side, who stretched their unbeaten run to six top-flight games, could easily have won by more as they hit the woodwork three times, in addition to squandering a host of chances. âIâm very happy with the five we scored,â said the Italian. âAfter 15, 20 minutes we adjust that and the game was much better. For sure we could score more but five goals they are enough.â Southampton manager Russell Martin rued a costly âmoment of madnessâ from skipper Stephens. The defenderâs ridiculous red card was the headline mistake of a catalogue of errors from the beleaguered south-coast club as they slipped seven points from safety following an 11th defeat of a dismal season. âI havenât got to sit down and talk with him about that at all. He will be hurt more than anyone and itâs changed the game for us tonight, which is disappointing. âI think they have to describe it as violent conduct; itâs not violent really but thereâs no other explanation for that really. Itâs a moment of madness thatâs really cost us and Jack.â Southampton repeatedly invited pressure with their risky attempts to play out from defence, with goalkeeper Joe Lumley gifting Chelsea their second goal, scored by Nkunku. While Saints were booed off at full-time, Martin, who was missing a host of key players due to injuries and suspensions, praised the effort of his depleted team. âItâs football, itâs emotive, people feel so much about it, itâs why itâs such a special sport in this country and so big. âI understand it but I feel really proud of the players tonight, some of the football we played at 11 v 11 was amazing. âFor an hour with 10 men weâve dug in so deep, there were some big performances. Iâm proud of them for that and Iâm grateful for that because thatâs not easy in that circumstance.â
KANSAS CITY, Mo. â Taylor Swift once raved about the sweet potato casserole served at a New York City restaurant and now that recipe pops up every now and again at Thanksgiving. The holidays encourage many of us to try new recipes. Social media right now is flooded with recipes for appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Anyone making that cornbread casserole from TikTok? While we might not get to share a Thanksgiving feast with Swift â is your name Blake Lively? â or other celebrities beloved by Kansas City, we can eat like them. So hereâs the recipe for that casserole Swift loved so much, and favorite family side dish recipes from Donna Kelce and Eric Stonestreet. Enjoy. Travis Kelce's mother, Donna Kelce, seen here last year at her son's music festival, dined on a cheesesteak made by actor Bradley Cooper at QVC festivities in Las Vegas this week. (Emily Curiel/Kansas City Star/TNS) If we tried to guess how many holiday dinner rolls Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, have scarfed over the years, would it be in the hundreds? Thousands? Their mom has spoken often about the batches of holiday crescent rolls she has baked over the years. Based on the recipe that won the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off, Pillsburyâs Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs , theyâre now known as Mama Kelceâs Dinner Rolls. They blend the crescent roll pastry with marshmallows, cinnamon and sugar. Dinner roll or dessert? We bet they didnât last long enough in front of Travis and Jason for that debate. Ingredients Rolls â˘1/4 cup granulated sugar â˘2 tablespoons Pillsbury Best all-purpose flour â˘1 teaspoon ground cinnamon â˘2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count) â˘16 large marshmallows â˘1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted Glaze â˘1/2 cup powdered sugar â˘1/2 teaspoon vanilla â˘2-3 teaspoons milk â˘1/4 cup chopped nuts Directions Make the rolls 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 16 medium muffin cups with nonstick baking spray. 2. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon. 3. Separate the dough into 16 triangles. For each roll, dip 1 marshmallow into melted butter; roll in the sugar mixture. Place marshmallow on the shortest side of a triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Completely cover the marshmallow with the dough; firmly pinch edges to seal. Dip 1 end in remaining butter; place butter side down in muffin cup. 4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. 5. When done, remove from the oven and let the puffs cool in the pan for 1 minute. Remove rolls from muffin cups; place on cooling racks set over waxed paper. Make the glaze and assemble In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve warm. Eric Stonestreet attends 'Eric Stonestreet visits The SiriusXM Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles' at SiriusXM Studios on Oct. 8, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM/TNS) Thanksgiving is one of the âModern Familyâ starâs favorite holidays. Three years ago, as part of a campaign honoring hometown heroes , he shared one of his favorite recipe with McCormick Spices: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Butternut Squash . This recipe serves eight. Ingredients â˘1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved â˘1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes â˘1 tablespoon olive oil â˘1/2 teaspoon garlic powder â˘1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves â˘1/2 teaspoon salt â˘1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper â˘5 slices bacon, chopped â˘1 shallot, finely chopped â˘1/2 cup dried cranberries â˘1/4 cup balsamic vinegar â˘1 teaspoon whole grain mustard â˘1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional) â˘1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, (optional) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Spray large shallow baking pan with no stick cooking spray; set aside. Place Brussels sprouts and squash in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on prepared pan. 2. Roast 16 to 18 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through cooking. 3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in medium skillet on medium heat about 6 minutes or until crispy. Remove using slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Add shallot to same skillet; cook and stir 2 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in cranberries, vinegar and mustard until well blended. Transfer mixture to small bowl; set aside. 4. Arrange roasted Brussels sprouts and squash on serving platter. Drizzle with cranberry balsamic glaze and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and crumbled blue cheese, if desired. Serve immediately. Donna Kelce, left, mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce watched the game with pop superstar Taylor Swift, center, during the first-half on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. (Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS) Swift gushed about the sweet potato casserole served at Del Friscoâs Grille in New York City, a dish crowned with a crunchy candied pecan and oatmeal crumble. âIâve never enjoyed anything with the word casserole in it ever before, but itâs basically sweet potatoes with this brown sugary crust,â she told InStyle. âOh my God, itâs amazing.â The media rushed to find the recipe, which Parade has published this Thanksgiving season . âSimilar to T. Swift herself, we think this recipe is a mastermind, especially if youâve been asked to bring the sweet potato side dish to this yearâs Thanksgiving feast. It seriously begs the question: who needs pumpkin pie?â the magazine writes. Ingredients â˘4 lbs sweet potatoes â˘1â3 cup oats â˘12 oz unsalted butter, divided â˘1â2 cup packed brown sugar â˘1â2 cup toasted pecans â˘1â2 cup granulated sugar â˘1 tsp kosher salt â˘2 tsp vanilla extract â˘4 large eggs, beaten Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. 1. Scrub sweet potatoes. Pierce each several times with a fork and wrap tightly in foil. Place on a sheet pan. Bake 90 minutes or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 2. Meanwhile, place oats in a food processor; process 1 minute. Add 4 oz butter, brown sugar and pecans; pulse five times to combine. Spread mixture on a baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, crumble. Bake 5 minutes or until golden brown. 3. Melt remaining 8 oz butter. Remove skin from cooled sweet potatoes. In a large bowl, whisk sweet potatoes, melted butter, granulated sugar and remaining ingredients until slightly lumpy. Transfer to a greased baking dish, smoothing surface evenly. Top with oat mixture. Bake 12 minutes or until heated through. Make-ahead tips â˘Sweet potato filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Prepare the sweet potato filling, cool, place in a casserole dish and keep refrigerated. â˘Oat-pecan crust can also be made up to 2 days ahead. Make the crust according to recipe directions, cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Sprinkle over the sweet potato filling just before baking. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., breaks down her role as Chair of the DOGE House subcommittee and how it will identify and cut government spending. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Sunday said leaders of sanctuary states and cities should have to explain why they deserve federal dollars to a new congressional subcommittee bent on cutting government waste. Greene, who was tapped to lead a subcommittee working with the Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), laid out how she hopes to cut government spending during an appearance on "Sunday Morning Futures." One area Greene said she wants the subcommittee to investigate is tied to the immigration crisis. "I'd like to talk to the governors of sanctuary states and the mayors of sanctuary cities and have them come before our committee and explain why they deserve federal dollars if they're going to harbor illegal criminal aliens in their states and their cities," she said. âWOULD LOVE TOâ: REPUBLICANS JOSTLE FOR OPEN SPOTS ON MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE-LED DOGE PANEL Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is leading a new congressional subcommittee dedicated to cutting government waste. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images, File ) Greene specifically noted the death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally murdered while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in Athens in February. Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant , was convicted in her murder. Ibarra had been granted a "humanitarian flight" from New York City to Atlanta in September 2023. Jose Ibarra listens through an interpreter during his trial at Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Athens, Georgia. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool) Greene also laid out a slew of other areas that could face the chopping block under the subcommitteeâs plan to cut government spending. "The way to do that is to cut programs, contracts, employees, grant programs, you name it, that are failing the American people and not serving the American people's interests," Greene said. The congresswoman said government-funded media programs like NPR, which she claimed "spread nothing but Democrat propaganda," will be under the subcommitteeâs microscope. âEFFICIENT AND ACCOUNTABLEâ GOP-LED DOGE BILL AIMS TO SLASH OUTFLOW OF FEDERAL DOLLARS She also said it will investigate active government contracts and programs to see if they still "make sense" or if "their purpose has expired." Greene mentioned government workers who have been working remotely since the COVID-19 pandemic â which forced many across the workforce, both in the government and private sectors, to work from home. "We're also looking at many â we have thousands â of buildings that the federal government owns and pays for with over $15 billion a year, but yet those government buildings stood empty and these government employees stay at home." Greene called these points "failures" in the governmentâs service to the American people. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "And we don't care about people's feelings," Green said. "We're going to be searching for the facts and we're going to be verifying if this is worth spending the... American people's hard-earned tax dollars on."
WASHINGTON â A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could grow. The U.S. believes the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. âWe donât believe any classified communications has been compromised,â Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House âmade it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.â US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. âThe U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,â embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the âlow, couple dozen,â according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . âSo, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,â Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nationâs aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafeĚs. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a survey by ExpressVPN . Spokeo consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelersâphysical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. Hackers canâand doâtarget public Wi-Fi networks at cafeĚs and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. Pickpockets, scammers, and flagrant, snatch-your-phone-right-out-of-your-hand thieves can be found pretty much everywhere. In London, for instance, a staggering 91,000 phones were reported stolen to police in 2022 , breaking down to an average of 248 per day, according to the BBC. Whether you're visiting a crowded tourist attraction or just want peace of mind, travel experts advise taking precautions to make sure your phone isn't physically stolen or compromised while traveling. There are several antitheft options to choose from. If you want a bag that will protect your phone from theft, experts recommend looking for features like slash-resistant fabric, reinforced shoulder straps, hidden zippers that can be locked, and secure attachment points, like a cross-body strap or a sturdy clip. For tethers, look for those made of tear-resistant material with a reinforced clip or ring. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, there's a good chance you won't be getting it back. Out of those 91,000 phones stolen in London in 2022, only 1,915 (or about 2%) were recovered. The good news is that you can take precautions to make the loss of your phone less devastating by backing up your data before you travel. With backed-up data, you can acquire a new device and still access your photos, contacts, messages, and passwords. Moreover, if you have "Find My Device" or "Find My Phone" enabled, you can remotely wipe your stolen phone's data so the thief cannot access it. It's safest to back up your data to a hard drive and not just the cloud. That way, if you have to wipe your device, you don't accidentally erase the backup, too. In order for the previous tip on this list to work, "Find My Phone" must be turned on in advance, but remotely wiping your device isn't the only thing this feature allows you to do. The "Find My Phone" feature enables you to track your device, as long as it's turned on and not in airplane mode. This is particularly helpful if you misplaced your phone or left it somewhere since it can help you retrace your steps. While this feature won't show you the live location of a phone that has been turned off, it will show the phone's last known location. With "Find My Phone," you can also remotely lock your phone or enable "Lost Mode," which locks down the phone, suspends any in-phone payment methods, and displays contact information for returning the phone to you. If your phone was stolen, experts caution against taking matters into your own hands by chasing down the thief, since this could land you in a potentially dangerous situation and is unlikely to result in getting your phone back. Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.