Author: Nola Duke

Republican governor is anti-abortion, anti-trans and a ‘nightmare’ for DemocratsIt looked, sounded and felt like the start of a US presidential campaign. “The stakes are high and the consequences couldn’t be greater,” said Glenn Youngkin in a glossy video that showed the Virginia governor walking in Ronald Reagan’s footsteps at the 40th president’s library in Simi Valley, California, complete with Air Force One and a fragment of the Berlin wall. The ad, “It’s Time to Usher in a New Era of American Values,” was released by Youngkin in May, fuelling speculation of a White House run that never came. With Republican candidates…

The Alleghany Highlands Visitor Center, which also serves as the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, was recently named a Certified Tourist Information Center by Virginia Tourism. The Chamber had to meet several requirements to become a Tourist Information Center including being open a certain amount of days per week, offer a location that is convenient and easily accessible for travelers, provide brochures and literature that includes information on destinations and their amenities, adequate interstate signage and much more. “We are excited to have been designated as a Certified Tourist Information Center by Virginia Tourism. Many travelers plan their…

The state Public Service Commission balked at efforts by renewable energy projects to land more subsidies from New York ratepayers Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration Thursday rejected a request from companies for bigger payments to complete large-scale wind, solar and offshore wind projects — leaving the developments in doubt and threatening New York’s ability to meet its climate goals The dismissal by the Public Service Commission sets off a scramble for developers to decide whether to cancel contracts with NYSERDA, sacrificing millions of dollars in security payments. It also places New York’s clean-energy ambitions in peril. The state’s landmark climate law requires 70…

Brussels (3/11 – 34) Dubai is calling for a united front to spur the development of generative artificial intelligence to maximise its potential and reap economic benefits, the chief executive of the Dubai Future Foundation has said. Countries need to come together to prepare society for the innovation and to help bridge the gap between policies and the advancement of the emerging technology, which has a reported business opportunity of as much as $4.4 trillion, Khalfan Belhoul said at the Dubai Assembly for Generative AI conference on Wednesday. The industries with highest AI potential include banking, software and platforms, energy, communications and media, and health, according to the DFF.…

Berlin (22/10 – 75) UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, reported during his trip to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan, he met with representatives of civil society and residents of the region. Varennes arrived in Tajikistan for a working visit on October 9 till October 20. The UN Special Rapporteur told journalists that the residents of Gorno-Badakhshan informed him about violations of their rights in 2021-2022, particularly concerning the rights of detainees and cases of harsh treatment by law enforcement agencies. He stated, “People are complaining about religious restrictions as well as limitations on the use…

The counterterrorism expert and author of “Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday Massacre: Lessons for the International Community” explains how religious extremism manifested in Sri Lanka’s deadliest terror attack. On April 21, 2019 – Easter Sunday – a coordinated series of bombings ripped through Sri Lanka, targeting churches and luxury hotels. Over 260 people were killed, making it the deadliest terrorist attack ever suffered by Sri Lanka. The attack has continued to resonate in Sri Lankan society and politics, as the public demands to untangle questions of responsibility: Why was the attack not prevented, and what can be done to stop the…

‘No Family is Safe from Phil Murphy’s Sex Ed Mandates!’ a recent political cartoon read A political cartoon targeted at Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s education agenda has piqued the interest of concerned parents across the state. The cartoon, commissioned by the Sussex County Republican Committee, depicts Murphy tearing a child away from his parents, while demon-looking aides poke him with needles and present him with a dress. The cartoon is captioned, “No Family is Safe from Phil Murphy’s Sex Ed Mandates!” and comes on the heels of the state’s controversial guidance that schools do not have to notify parents if students decide to change…

Anderson Cooper has mixed feelings about the time he briefly shared a stage with Madonna. The CNN anchor was in the audience at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center back in 2015 when the Queen of Pop brought him on stage for a dance during her “Rebel Heart” tour performance. While speaking with Kelly Ripa for a recent episode of her Sirius XM podcast “Let’s Talk Off Camera,” the two friends shared a laugh about Cooper’s shyness on stage. “I’m mortified,” Cooper said. “I mean, I loved the whole idea, but I love the experience of it. I don’t love the video that exists of it, the reality.”…

After dominating the nationwide markets for rental price growth over the pandemic, cities in Florida are showing signs of a slowdown. Eight of the nine measured cities in Florida saw yearly rent increases at or below the national average in June, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University and two other schools. Nationally, rents increased 4% percent year-over-year in June, while yearly rents in metros across Florida saw increases at or below that. Rents in Palm Bay rose 4%; Deltona, 3.9%; North Port, 3.7%; Miami, 3.4% percent; Tampa, 3%; Lakeland, 2.5%; Jacksonville, 2.4%; Orlando, 2.3%, according to the Waller, Weeks and Johnson…

Currently, at least 20% of a Georgia high schooler’s final grade for a class hinges on their final exam. The state board of education recently voted to allow individual districts to lower the weight to as low as 10%. The final vote was nine to three. Individual school districts will have the opportunity to adopt this change or keep the current grading system. The Georgia Association of Educators is in support of the decision. Director Lisa Morgan said lowering the threshold encourages teachers to focus on teaching, instead of gearing their lessons to individualized tests. “We do not believe that…