Latest news with #Barrett
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Surfin' in the USA: Kulani Kinis Rides the Wave with Barrett Distribution Centers to Anchor USA Fulfillment
FRANKLIN, Mass., May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Barrett Distribution Centers, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider specializing in eCommerce and omnichannel fulfillment, is excited to announce that Australian swimwear brand Kulani Kinis has selected Barrett as its exclusive third-party logistics (3PL) partner for the United States. This decision marks a pivotal milestone in Kulani Kinis' global expansion strategy and reflects the brand's continued investment in operational excellence and customer-centricity. "From the beginning, partnering with Barrett just felt right," said Karolina Coggan, Head of Operations and Sustainability at Kulani Kinis. "There was a clear alignment in our business values, and the connection between our teams created a positive energy that allowed for smooth and natural communication. The Barrett team has shown responsiveness and genuine care - they've taken the time to learn our 'why' and what matters most to us. They've been flexible and adapted processes around our needs and timelines without hesitation. It isn't always easy to find a logistics partner who not only delivers great service but also truly 'gets' your brand — and with Barrett, we've found exactly that." Founded in 2015, Kulani Kinis quickly emerged as a digitally native, high-growth swimwear label with a cult following across international markets. The brand's decision to partner with Barrett—recognized for its deep expertise in omnichannel fulfillment, automation-driven warehouse solutions, and customer-first culture—underscores the company's commitment to scaling responsibly while preserving brand integrity and service standards. Barrett's ability to offer flexible, tech-enabled logistics tailored to high-SKU, fast-moving consumer goods was a critical factor in Kulani Kinis' selection process. "Kulani Kinis is one of the most incredible DTC brands around," said Bryan Corbett, VP of Sales & Marketing. "Amazing people, amazing culture, instant world-wide brand recognition with a completely obsessed and loyal customer base – what's not to love? We are very proud to represent their iconic swimwear products and brand image in the United States as they embark on their next stage of growth." The decision to localize fulfillment within the United States was heavily influenced by mounting regulatory uncertainty surrounding international trade policy—particularly the rollback of Section 321 de minimis exemptions, which previously allowed duty-free entry of low-value goods. As scrutiny over tariff classifications and cross-border eCommerce intensifies, Kulani Kinis recognized the strategic imperative of proximity: bringing inventory stateside not only mitigates customs risk and potential cost volatility, but also places the brand closer to its growing base of American consumers. Partnering with Barrett enables Kulani Kinis to build a more resilient, responsive, and regulation-ready supply chain in an environment where geopolitical and trade dynamics are increasingly fluid. For other beach-born, digitally native brands looking to paddle out into new markets and ride the eCommerce waves with confidence, Barrett offers the ideal partnership. Dive into a tailored supply chain consultation and discover how Barrett can help you stay ahead of the current. About Kulani Kinis Kulani Kinis is an Australian-born swimwear brand founded by beach-loving duo Dani and Alex in 2015. Inspired by their travels to Hawaii and a shared passion for vibrant colors and carefree living, they set out to create bikinis that were both flattering and fun. What began as a modest operation in their Sydney garage has blossomed into a global label, known for its bold prints, cheeky cuts, and inclusive sizing. With a commitment to ethical manufacturing and a deep connection to their community, Kulani Kinis continues to spread sunshine and confidence to women around the world. About Barrett Distribution Centers Since 1941, Barrett has provided customized third-party logistics (3PL), direct-to-consumer (DTC) eCommerce fulfillment, omnichannel distribution, managed transportation solutions and retail compliance for clients across all industries, with a focus on apparel & footwear, health & beauty, consumer packaged goods (CPG) and education. Barrett continues to be a leading 3rd party logistics provider in North America, known for superior execution, customer engagement and direct access to senior leadership decision makers. As a member of Inc's fastest growing companies list 15+ times, Barrett is big enough to do the job and still small enough to deeply care about your business. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Barrett Distribution Centers Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
John Barrett of Great Plains Communications Named Chairman of Nebraska Telecommunications Association Board of Directors
Blair, Nebraska, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great Plains Communications (GPC), the leading Midwestern telecommunications provider, is proud to announce that John Barrett, the Company's Vice President of Government Affairs, has been elected Chairman of the Nebraska Telecommunications Association (NTA) Board of Directors. In this leadership role, Barrett will help guide and shape strategic initiatives aimed at expanding broadband access across Nebraska. 'John has been a thoughtful and effective leader of our government affairs efforts at GPC, working to support the expansion of broadband and the long-term benefits of fiber connectivity,' said Todd Foje, CEO of Great Plains Communications, who served as NTA Chairman from 2013-2015. 'His natural leadership ability, experience and understanding of public policy make him well-suited for this role.' With more than 30 years of experience in government affairs, Barrett plays a critical role at GPC, working closely with elected officials in Nebraska, Indiana and Washington D.C. to advocate for policies and funding programs that expand broadband access including the Nebraska Universal Service Fund (NUSF) and other state and federal broadband initiatives. His efforts help drive the deployment of high-speed fiber infrastructure that supports economic development, education, healthcare and overall quality of life across the Midwest. 'I'm honored to serve as Chairman of the NTA Board of Directors,' said John Barrett, Vice President of Government Affairs at GPC. 'Expanding reliable, high-performance broadband to all areas of Nebraska requires coordinated policy, smart investment and ongoing collaboration. I look forward to working with fellow NTA members to strengthen programs like the Nebraska Universal Service Fund and support infrastructure development that meets the long-term connectivity needs of our state.' 'We are excited to have John Barrett as the new NTA Chairman,' said NTA President Tip O'Neill. 'He is well-known by policymakers in Lincoln, Nebraska and Washington, D.C. and will be an effective spokesperson and leader for the NTA's efforts to provide advanced and sustainable service to our customers.' About Nebraska Telecommunications AssociationThe Nebraska Telecommunications Association represents the local telecommunications industry in Nebraska. Members of the Nebraska Telecommunications Association (NTA) provide quality, affordable, and reliable communications services to all Nebraskans. From urban to rural areas, the services we provide enhance our communities by investing in the critical communications infrastructure that empowers Nebraskans to connect and compete on a global level. NTA members are committed to accelerating the deployment of broadband across Nebraska. About Great Plains Communications Great Plains Communications (GPC) is the leading privately-owned communications and fiber technology provider in the Midwest. The company prides itself on a high performing network and high performing people, delivering world-class technology solutions that connect, inspire and empower customers, communities, employees and partners. With over a century of experience, the company delivers fiber-based services including high-speed internet, Ethernet, GPC Cloud Connect, SD-WAN, video and voice solutions to business and residential customers in over 200 communities in Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Nebraska while also meeting the unique needs of regional and national telecommunications carriers, LECs, ISPs, wireless carriers, hyperscalers and other service providers. All services are powered by the company's growing MEF-certified 19,000+ mile fiber network that reaches 13 states, monitored by the company's 24/7/365 Network Operations Center. Learn more at CONTACT: Laura Kocher Great Plains Communications 4024566429 lkocher@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Guns bought in the US and trafficked to Mexican drug cartels fuel violence in Mexico and the migration crisis
The Mexican security forces tracking Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes – the leader of a deadly drug cartel that has been a top driver of violence in Mexico and narcotic addiction in America – thought they finally had him cornered on May 1, 2015. Four helicopters carrying an arrest team whirled over the mountains near Mexico's southwestern coast toward Cervantes' compound in the town of Villa Purificación, the heart of the infamous Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel. As the lead helicopter pulled within range, bullets from a truck-mounted, military-grade machine gun on the ground struck the engine. Before it reached the ground, the massive helicopter was hit by a pair of rocket-powered grenades. Four soldiers from Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense were killed in the crash. Three more soldiers were killed in the firefight that followed, and another 12 were injured. The engagement was the first known incident of a cartel shooting down a military aircraft in Mexico. The cartel's retaliation for the attempted arrest was swift and brutal. It set fire to trucks, buses, banks, gasoline stations and businesses. The distractions worked. Cervantes, also known as 'El Mencho,' escaped. The Browning machine gun that took down the helicopter was traced to a legal firearm purchase in Oregon made by a U.S. citizen. And a Barrett .50-caliber rifle used in the ambush was traced to a sale in a U.S. gun shop in Texas 4½ years before. Many military-grade weapons like these are trafficked into Mexico from the U.S. each year, aided by loose standards for firearm dealers and gun laws that favor illicit sales. We – a professor of economic development who has been tracking gun trafficking for more than 10 years, and an investigative journalist – spent a year sifting through documents to find the number, origins and characteristics of weapons flowing from the U.S. to Mexico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – the agency known as ATF tasked with regulating the industry – publishes the number of U.S. guns seized in Mexico and traced back to U.S. dealers, but it doesn't provide an official trafficking estimate. The 2003 Tiahrt Amendments bar the ATF from creating a database of firearm sales and prohibit federal agencies from sharing detailed trace data outside of law enforcement. To estimate weapons flow, we gathered trafficking estimates, including leaked data, previous research, firearm manufacturing totals and the ATF trace data. The model we generated gave us a conservative middle estimate: About 135,000 firearms were trafficked across the border in 2022. In contrast, Ukraine, engaged in a war with Russia, received 40,000 small arms from the United States between January 2020 and April 2024 – an average of 9,000 per year. Our analysis also found: This flow of weapons is connected to the drug trade in the U.S. and enables increased gang violence in Mexico, causing more people to flee across the border. An increase in guns trafficked to Mexico from the U.S. relates to an increase in Mexico's homicide rate. More of the most destructive weapons come from independent gun dealers versus large chain stores – 16 times as many assault-style weapons and 60 times as many sniper rifles. The trafficking flow drives an arms race between criminals and Mexican law enforcement; the U.S. gun industry profits on sales to both. ATF oversight of dealers reduces the likelihood their guns are resold on the illicit market. Since 2008, the U.S. has spent more than US$3 billion to help stabilize Mexico through the rule of law and stem its surges of extreme violence, much of it committed with U.S. firearms. Many programs are funded through the U.S. State Department, which is facing budget cuts, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has sustained deep cuts. Meanwhile, the gun industry and its supporters have undercut these efforts by fighting measures to regulate gun sales. From 2015-2023, 185,000 guns linked to crimes in Mexico were sent to the ATF to be traced – the process of using a firearm's serial number and other characteristics to identify the trail of gun ownership. About 125,000 of those weapons have been traced back to the U.S. Our analyses show that U.S.-Mexico firearms trafficking has dire implications for ordinary Mexicans – and that U.S. regulatory actions can have an enormous impact. This adds to a growing body of research tying U.S.-sold guns to Mexico-based gangs and cartels, illegal drug trafficking, homicide rates, corruption of Mexican officials, illicit financial transactions and migration trends. The Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel is poised to be the biggest player in the drug cartel game. El Mencho, still at large, is one of the most powerful people directing the flow of heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamines into the United States, while orchestrating campaigns of fear, intimidation and displacement in Mexico. The Browning .50-caliber rifle that aided El Mencho's evasion in 2015 was manufactured by a company based in Morgan, Utah, and legally sold to Erik Flores Elortegui, a U.S. citizen. Elortegui fled the country after he was indicted in Oregon for smuggling guns into Mexico and is now at the top of the ATF's most wanted list. He wasn't alone in his gunrunning schemes. According to a grand jury indictment, Elortegui purchased 20 firearms through an accomplice, Robert Allen Cummins, in 2013 and 2014. Cummins was straw purchasing – buying weapons under his name for Elortegui. Before she gave Cummins a 40-month prison sentence in 2017, Judge Ann Aiken admonished him for the pain and suffering his weapons were likely going to cause. She told him to read 'Dreamland,' which chronicles America's opioid crisis and its connection to Mexican drug cartels. In 2021 the ATF teamed up with academics to produce the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment. It showed that the share of firearms trafficked to Mexico, already the top market for illegal U.S.-to-foreign gun transfer, increased by 20% from 2017 to 2021. Gun sales are strictly regulated within Mexico. But homicides have risen to disturbing heights – three times that of the U.S. – since the lapse of the U.S. assault weapons ban in 2004. Research suggests the two are linked. After their mother was killed by organized crime five years ago, Emylce Ines Espinoza-Alarcon's sister's family migrated to the States, she said. Espinoza-Alarcon, her children and other relatives were more recently driven from their homes by violence. 'As a parent, you try to flee to a different place where they might be safe,' Espinoza-Alarcon said. She said she believes American weapons are to blame, but there 'is nowhere else for us to go.' A 2023 survey found that 88% of the 180,000 Mexican migrants to the U.S. that year were fleeing violence – a flip from 2017 when most were coming for economic opportunity. ATF inspections keep illicit guns in check, our analysis shows. The agency's primary enforcement tools are inspections, violations reports, warning letters and meetings, and, when inspectors find violations that are reckless or willfully endanger the public, revocation notices. But the bureau's 2025 congressional budget request points out that it would need 1,509 field investigators to reach its goal of inspecting each dealer at least once every three years. The ATF is 'focusing on identifying and addressing willful violations,' a spokesperson wrote in a November 2024 email, referring to the zero-tolerance revocation policy the Biden administration put in place in 2021 that dramatically increased the number of revocations. Meanwhile, the ATF announced in April 2025 that it was repealing the revocation policy and reviewing recent rules, including one that clarifies when a gun is a rifle. The webpage listing revocations, including detailed reports, was also removed from the ATF site. This is a condensed version. To learn more about the connections between U.S. gun sales, U.S. regulations, Mexican drug cartels and migration, read the full investigation This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Sean Campbell, The Conversation and Topher L. McDougal, University of San Diego Read more: For opioid addiction, treatment underdosing can lead to fentanyl overdosing – a physician explains Gun trafficking from the US to Mexico: The drug connection US gun trafficking to Mexico: Independent gun shops supply the most dangerous weapons The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
3 days ago
- Climate
- Business Standard
Global temperature likely to breach 1.5°C in next five years: WMO
A new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Wednesday warned that there is a 70 per cent chance of global temperatures exceeding the 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels between 2025 and 2029. The warning comes at a time when 180 of the 195 UNFCCC countries have yet to submit their next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), or national climate plans, for 2031–35 before the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30). Climate plans are crucial to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The warning follows the European Union's Earth Observation Programme, Copernicus Climate Change Service's March forecast on the global average temperature breaching the 1.5°C long-term global warming threshold by September 2029 if the current trend continues. The annually averaged global mean near-surface temperature for each year between 2025 and 2029 is predicted to be between 1.2°C and 1.9°C higher than the average over 1850–1900, the report titled WMO Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update (2025–2029) said, emphasising the need for continued climate monitoring to inform decision-making and adapt to the growing effects of climate change. It also said that there is an 80 per cent chance that at least one of the next five years will surpass 2024 as the warmest on record. Although exceptionally unlikely, there is now also a 1 per cent chance of at least one year exceeding 2°C of warming within the next five years. However, long-term warming (averaged over decades) remains below 1.5°C. Citing the 10 warmest years on record, WMO deputy secretary general Ko Barrett said the new report provides no sign of respite in the coming years. '...this means that there will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems and our planet,' she said. 'Continued climate monitoring and prediction is essential to provide decision-makers with science-based tools and information to help us adapt,' Barrett added in a statement. The 1.5°C threshold is a target that countries agreed to at the Paris climate conference in 2015 to avoid the worst effects of climate change. A permanent breach of the 1.5°C limit under the Paris Agreement refers to long-term warming over 20 years. The WMO warned that temporary exceedances of such levels are expected to occur with increasing frequency as the underlying rise in global temperatures approaches the threshold. 'Every additional fraction of a degree of warming drives more harmful heatwaves, extreme rainfall events, intense droughts, melting of ice sheets, sea ice and glaciers, heating of the ocean, and rising sea levels,' the WMO report said. Arctic warming in the next five extended winters (November to March) is likely to be over 3.5 times the global average, at 2.4°C above the average temperature during the 1991–2020 baseline. Further reductions in sea-ice concentration in the Barents Sea, Bering Sea, and Sea of Okhotsk are expected for March 2025–2029. Predicted precipitation patterns for May–September 2025–2029, relative to the 1991–2020 baseline, suggest wetter-than-average conditions in the Sahel, Northern Europe, Alaska, and northern Siberia, and drier-than-average conditions in the Amazon. In the case of South Asia, the WMO forecast indicated that the region—which was wetter than average in recent years, except 2023—will continue to experience such conditions till 2029, though this may not apply to every individual monsoon season in the period.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Global warming target unlikely to be reached, UN says
United Nations (AP) The chance that average warming from 2025 to 2029 is to exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) benchmark stands at 70%, the united nations (UN) said. As a result, the Earth is expected to remain at historic levels of warming. This comes after the planet experienced the two hottest years ever recorded in 2023 and 2024, according to a report published by the world meteorological organization (WMO), the un's climate agency WMO deputy secretary-general Ko Barrett said the past ten years have been the "the warmest on record," adding a warning that no respite is expected. "This means that there will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems and our planet," Barrett warned. What is the 1.5C target? The 1.5-degree target was set as part of the 2015 Paris climate accords, which aimed to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celcius above pre-industrial levels. It was calculated in relation to the 1850-1900 average, before humanity began industrially burning coal, oil and gas, all of which emit carbon dioxide (CO2), the greenhouse gas largely responsible for climate change. A growing number of climate scientists now hold the 1.5-degree target to be impossible to achieve due to the increasing levels of CO2 emissions. The WMO forecasts that the global mean near-surface temperature for each year between 2025 and 2029 will be between 1.2 and 1.9 degrees Celcius above the pre-industrial average. What else are climate researchers predicting? Peter Thorne, director of the Irish climate analysis and research units group at the University of Maynooth, was cited by the AFP news agency as saying he expects the probability of passing 1.5 degrees Celcius on a long-term basis in the late 2020 or early 2030s to reach 100% in the next two to three years. According to the WMO, the chance of at least one year between 2025 and 2020 being warmer than 2024, the warmest year on record, stands at 80%. There is also an above-zero chance of at least one year in the next five exceeding 2 degrees of warming, despite it being "exceptionally unlikely," the report said. Adam Scaife of the British met office, which compiled the report based on forecasts from multiple global centers said it is the first time such a possibility arises in the organization's computer predictions, which he calls "shocking." "That probability is going to rise," he added.
