Latest news with #Blazek
LeMonde
2 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Czech justice minister resigns after accepting €40 million in bitcoin from convicted criminal
What was initially presented as a great deal quickly unraveled. On Friday, May 30, Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek, the conservative politician, resigned after two days of controversy over the sale by his ministry of bitcoins "donated for free" by a criminal convicted of drug trafficking. The scandal began with a tweet from the ministry, which boasted, on Wednesday, on X, that it had auctioned off nearly 500 bitcoins two days earlier, raising close to 1 billion Czech koruna (about €40 million). According to Blazek, the money was meant to help fund the digitization of the justice system, fight drug use in prisons, and provide housing for prison staff. But a major problem was quickly pointed out by Denik N. On Thursday, the news site revealed that the bitcoins were donated by Tomas Jirikovsky, a notorious criminal convicted in 2017 of "embezzlement, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of weapons." He had been found guilty of running Sheep Marketplace, a marketplace on the dark web known for dealing illegal products.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Minister of this country resigned over $45 million ‘Bitcoin gift from drug dealer'
Czech Republic's justice minister Pavel Blazek on Friday stepped down amid growing public and political pressure over his ministry's handling of a controversial Bitcoin donation linked to a convicted criminal. The scandal erupted after local media reported that the ministry had accepted a 'cryptocurrency gift' from a convicted drug dealer, later selling the Bitcoin for around 1 billion koruna (approximately $45 million), according to a Bloomberg report. State prosecutors then launched an investigation into the matter. Although Blazek denied any wrongdoing, he announced his resignation on social media platform X, stating that he was unaware of any illegal activity but did not want to tarnish the government's image. "I don't want to damage the reputation of the government, nor the governing coalition," he wrote. Earlier, Czech Republic's justice minister Pavel Blazek defended the transaction, arguing there was no evidence that the cryptocurrency had criminal origins. Nonetheless, the revelation sparked a political storm, especially with national elections looming in October. Prime Minister Petr Fiala, whose coalition is currently lagging behind in the polls, acknowledged Pavel Blazek's intentions and described the resignation as a 'responsible' act. 'I'm convinced Minister Blazek acted in good faith,' Fiala said, while noting the move was necessary to protect the integrity of the government. Elections are due in October in Czech Republic, where its most popular political party has pledged to seek full state ownership in power producer CEZ AS to boost energy security if it returns to government. The ANO group, led by billionaire former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, is weighing three different paths to raise the government's ownership to 100 per cent from 70 per cent, the party's deputy leader Karel Havlicek said in an interview, according to Bloomberg. The buyout of minority stakes in the biggest traded generator in eastern Europe, with a market value of about $29 billion, would be funded by CEZ itself, he said.
Chicago Tribune
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
DuPage youth jazz ensemble to compete at Lincoln Center in New York
The Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage will participate in the 2025 Essentially Ellington Competition & Festival for high school bands, May 7-11, at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. This is the fourth time that the ensemble has been chosen for this highly competitive event. Typically 15 bands are chosen from across the country, but this year, in celebration of the 30th anniversary, 30 bands were selected including three from Australia, Japan and Spain. 'In our third year, in 2001, we went to the Essentially Ellington Festival,' said Director Robert Blazek, who founded the ensemble. The group came in fourth out of the 15 competing bands. They were also selected for the festival in 2008 and 2024. There are 25 regular performers in the ensemble and four alternates representing 12 high schools in DuPage County. They are chosen by audition. In order to become one of the 15 finalists in the Essentially Ellington competition, the bands have to record three pieces from the Essentially Ellington library. 'One piece has to be from a new release this year,' Blazek said. The Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage submitted recordings of Duke Ellington's 'What am I Here for?' which is the new selection, 'Movin' Uptown' by Benny Carter, and 'Happy Go Lucky Locol' by Ellington. Blazek cited the benefits the young musicians get from performing in the festival. 'Yes, it's a competition, but the support that all the kids get from one another is astronomical,' he said. 'When you're on stage and you do a great solo, the other students are all going crazy for you. And they network with each other.' During the festival, Blazek said they will switch out 'What am I Here for?' and replace it with Ellington's 'The Opener.' Drummer Ryan Weaver, 18, a senior at Oswego High School, participated in last year's festival and said he is looking forward to his second time. 'I started on classical percussion when I was around 6, but I was also taking drum set lessons at 6,' Weaver said. 'I'm mainly sticking to my jazz drum set now.' He said he joined the Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage because he knew it was made up of all-star musicians. 'I wanted to be immersed in that community so that I could be with other musicians who were better than me so I could become better,' he said. Weaver called the chance to perform 'a surreal experience.' He also praised the opportunity to connect with musicians from across the country who share his passion for music, and said he remains in touch of some of them. Weaver said this year he is interested in connecting with musicians from Australia, Japan, and Spain. 'Music is the universal language,' he said, noting he looks forward to 'being able to communicate with each other through the music.' Weaver plans to pursue jazz studies in college but hasn't yet confirmed what school he will attend. While Blazek's group is in New York, they will have time to see a production of the musical 'Hadestown' and visit two jazz clubs, Birdland and Dizzy's Club. The celebration in honor of the band's acceptance at Essentially Ellington will start early with a sendoff concert, featuring guest saxophonist John Wojciechowski, at 4 p.m. on May 4 at Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church, 10805 Main St., Huntley. 'John's a great saxophonist, he's a high school band director and he does a lot of outside playing at jazz clubs around the city,' Blazek said. 'I think he's going to bring a neat perspective.' 'They could have asked a lot of different musicians to come and be a part of that concert,' Wojciechowski said. 'I'm honored that Rob invited me to come and do that.' Wojciechowski praised the Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage. 'They're an outstanding group. We're talking about some of the best young musicians in the western suburbs,' he said. 'The fact that they were invited to go to New York to participate in their Ellington Festival speaks volumes because a lot of bands try to do that and very few get invited.' At the sendoff concert, Wojciechowski will join the band in performing Bill Holman's arrangement of 'Out of Nowhere,' John Coltrane's 'Central Park West,' and an arrangement of Stevie Wonder's 'Overjoyed.' For more information, go to
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
How to transform your garden this spring and take it from so-so to stunning
Spring has finally sprung, which means it's time to dig out your gardening gloves, dust off those pruners and make your way to a nursery for some fresh flowers. You don't have to be an expert to prep your garden for warm weather and turn it into a beautiful retreat. And nothing beats relaxing in the sun, enjoying the fruits (blooms?) of your labor. To get the dirt on how exactly to transform a garden for spring, we consulted with four experts, including a landscape designer and the executive director of the National Garden Bureau. Anyone can try their tips, whether you have a palatial property or a yard the size of a postage stamp. Take it from me: Though I'm a longtime home and garden editor, I haven't always had the greenest of thumbs (please don't ask about the Great Veggie Garden Disaster of 2021). But I can definitely throw some mulch on my flower beds and hang a cute new hummingbird feeder! More sage advice right this way ... Of course it depends what kind of plants you have — and your tolerance for mess. But in general, you should pick up winter debris, such as fallen branches, and prune dead material from shrubs, so long as they don't bloom on old wood, like certain hydrangeas, says Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau. You can also use a rake to clean up some of the fallen leaves (but most pros agree it's fine to ignore them and let them decompose! "Dead foliage actually acts as a really good mulch to protect the soil," points out Linda Ly of the gardening blog Garden Betty). Blazek likes to break out the power washer and clean her siding, sidewalk and driveway. "It creates this beautiful contrast between the clean concrete and your garden," she says. 2. Condition your soil Now's a great time to make sure your soil is healthy, says Tamony. "Dig some amendment into your soil, so it's more nutritious for planting. That way, when you go to the garden center and buy plants and get them planted, your chances of success will really improve." One of her favorite products is E.B. Stone Soil Booster, which you can get at most local garden centers. Another option? Ly says one of the easiest ways to amend your soil is to just add a couple inches of compost right on top. "You don't have to dig it in or anything. It's the most low-maintenance thing you can do." "Spreading mulch covers all a garden's sins," says Blazek. "It's the perfect low-effort, high-impact way to make a garden look great and is an excellent spring thing to do because it saves you from having to clean up all of those fallen leaves. If you spread mulch over them, then it's all going to decompose and it's so much better for your soil. At the same time, it's giving you a nice tidy look at the beginning of the season." Use it around trees and flower beds to help the soil retain moisture and block weeds. No need to do anything fancy: Just take a spade or an edger and go in and dig. "The landscapers do this to make a nice, defined edge," says Janney, who says you can either cut a line into the earth or dig a little of the soil out to create a narrow trench. Just make sure to decide in advance if you want straight edges for your flower bed or curves. "It's easier on the eyes if it's curving," says Blazek. "But it's easier on the lawn-mowing person of the family if it's straight. So, you might have that marital discord, but it's all up to you!" "If you want to keep the color going, I always say invest a few hours every season in planting annuals," says Janney. "A lot of people roll their eyes. They say they don't want to plant them every year. They complain about the cost — but some annuals are probably cheaper than dinner! They're how you get a garden from pretty to off-the-charts." For the biggest impact, buy more of fewer types of plants. It sounds like a brain teaser, but the idea is very straightforward: Instead of getting two violets, three pansies, two impatiens and a marigold, focus your plant picks on two or three flower types, each type the same color, and buy lots of them. "You'll create a more cohesive, more stunning look," says Tamony. As far as where all those annuals should go? "I always try to put some in the front of a border, but I like mixing them all through the garden," says Janney. "They play nicely with perennials because they have shallow roots." Just make sure to layer your plants' heights, from the tallest in the back of your bed to the shortest in the front. "That way you can create this really nice depth," says Ly. Instead of lots of little containers, which can look cluttered, says Blazek, go for a few large, statement-making pots. "When I think about taking a garden from plain to stunning, I think about scale. Larger containers with larger-scale, taller plants will make more of an impact," she explains. Use them to punctuate different parts of your yard, like the beginning of a walkway, your front door or the edge of your patio. "I always say two containers by your front door changes everything," adds Janney. Tamony loves planting containers with roses because many newer varieties are more compact and "bloom like crazy." Other shrubs work well in pots, too: "Sometimes we get to the garden center and we look for small cheerful annuals, but there are a lot of shrubs that do well in a containers and they're going to flower for longer," she says. Make sure the plant tag says "long-blooming" or "blooms from spring to first frost," she advises. That way you'll get color all season. And make it solar. "There are so many cool solar lights now. You don't have to run electricity," says Blazek, who suggests taking a look at the front of your house or around your patio when you have people visiting — where they congregate should be where the lights go. Tamony adds, "If you have any sort of stairs or pathway, you want lighting." Both pros also love the idea of uplighting a tree or other statement plant. "It's beautiful but also really easy to do," says Tamony. After all that hard work, you deserve a spot where you can relax and enjoy the final result. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate, just a few Adirondack chairs and a tree stump. At her own home, Ly set up a lounge area right in the middle of her vegetable garden! "Having some kind of seat, even if it's as simple as a log, is important and definitely adds to the decor," she says. "Even if you don't have room for full-sized outdoor patio furniture, you can incorporate something as simple as a stool." To complete the scene, add a few accessories — just like you would for a room inside your house. Bird feeders, sculptures and throw pillows can give your garden so much personality. "A lot of times people don't realize that having these non-organic objects is just what you need to fill up a space. It doesn't always have to be a living thing," says Janney. "Those details are what make it special."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Last week showed the stock market has moved on from obsessing about inflation. Here's the new playbook.
A shortened week could kick off with a new record for the S&P 500. Last week marked the best since late January for the index SPX, which broke a two-week losing streak despite a couple of hot inflation reports – consumer and producer prices. Last week showed the stock market has moved on from obsessing about inflation. Here's the new playbook. What drove this Vanguard fund to just top the U.S.'s oldest and largest ETF by $1.5 billion 'I have fear of financial insecurity': I'm 58, recently widowed with $1 million saved for retirement. What if the economy tanks? I want to leave my home to my children from my first marriage — not to my second husband. Is that ethical and fair? 'She's bleeding her retirement dry': My friend earns $9 an hour, but wastes money on vacations and massages. What can I do? This brings us to our call of the day from Neuberger Berman co CIOs Jeff Blazek and Erik Knutzen, who write that after two years, inflation is no longer the big data to watch and a 'new dynamic is at play.' 'Last Wednesday's unexpectedly high U.S. inflation data was a significant test for this analysis, and the market took it largely in stride. That underlines our view that investors need to shift from an 'inflation mindset' to a 'growth mindset' to understand current dynamics,' Blazek and Knutzen told clients in an investor note. And that means a market that now places more importance on growth expectations, they said. That's a shift they have been already predicting for the fixed-income market. They noted how the past three years shorter-term bonds were volatile due to shifting inflation and interest-rate expectations. Neuberger Berman's global head of fixed income, Ashok Bhatia, predicted at the start of 2025 that volatility would switch to longer-term bonds, as the market shifted its focus to fiscal policies and their impact on interest rate and growth expectations. The yield on the 10-year Treasury BX:TMUBMUSD10Y has seen some choppy action so far this year, currently trading back where it was in mid-December, around 4.5%. As for equities, they said a heavy concentration in strongly performing large technology stocks offset the fact that most stocks underperformed last year. The investors noted the new year is seeing more optimism in the economy, owing to consumer confidence, falling unemployment, rising wages and positive manufacturing surveys. Added to that is a budding rebound in China's economy and positive signs from Europe as well. 'The result since the start of the year, has been notable outperformance from U.S. value stocks, industrials, financials, higher-quality U.S. midcaps and, especially, European equities,' said Blazek and Knutzen, who expected this setup for 2025. In December, their positive outlook for stocks came with advice for clients to approach the S&P 500 cautiously and diversify for a broadening market performance. They note the broadening performance comes as worries about inflation haven't died down, with market expectations on prices creeping higher and plenty of commentary out there about the inflationary impact of tariffs. 'And yet, aside from the prospect of tariffs, none of those things have knocked equity markets off course. And note that the sell-off triggered by President Trump's tariff announcements was accompanied by falling bond yields, affirming…that their growth implications are far more important for market prices than their inflation implications,' Blazek and Knutzen said. 'We think the initial sell-off following Wednesday's inflation release was quickly erased for the same reason. Investors know that January's inflation data has a seasonal tendency to overshoot, but we see the growth mindset at work here, too.' U.S. stocks DJIA SPX COMP are struggling at the start of trading with Treasury yields BX:TMUBMUSD10Y BX:TMUBMUSD02Y rising and the dollar DXY up 0.4%. Gold GC00 is climbing — both Goldman and UBS lifted their forecasts. Key asset performance Last 5d 1m YTD 1y S&P 500 6114.63 1.47% 1.97% 3.96% 22.16% Nasdaq Composite 20,026.77 2.58% 2.02% 3.71% 26.95% 10-year Treasury 4.513 1.50 -11.70 -6.30 22.89 Gold 2926.1 -0.36% 7.12% 10.87% 44.47% Oil 71.49 -1.35% -6.39% -0.53% -8.63% Data: MarketWatch. Treasury yields change expressed in basis points Intel INTC shares are climbing on a report that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing TSM and Broadcom AVGO are each considering deals for parts of the chip maker's business. Constellation Brands STZ stock is rallying after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway revealed a new stake via fourth-quarter 13-F filings, and upped stakes in Domino's Pizza DPZ and Pool Corp. POOL. Ulta Beauty ULTA is slipping after it exited the beauty supply group. Shares of several U.S.-listed China tech stocks are higher — Alibaba BABA, PDD PDD, XPeng XPEV, Li Auto LI and NetEase NTES — after President Xi Jinping's rare public meetup with the country's tech entrepreneurs. Baidu BIDU is weaker after reporting falling profits in its core business. Southwest Airlines LUV is cutting 1,750 corporate positions, the first nonvoluntary layoffs in its 53-year history. A Delta Air Lines DAL jet flipped over while landing in snowy Toronto on Monday. All 80 persons aboard survived, with some injuries. Delta shares are slipping. The Empire State manufacturing survey came in stronger than expected, and a U.S. home builder confidence survey is due at 10 a.m. Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said interest rates should be kept on hold for now. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly is scheduled to speak on Tuesday. Why Tesla drivers may see higher insurance costs. Investors haven't been this pessimistic about stocks since 2023. There goes my hero. Financial blogger's ode to his late brother. The chart from Bank of America's latest global fund manager survey shows that a speeding up of China growth would be the most bullish development for risk assets in 2025. That's been at the top of the list for global managers since December. AI productivity gains are at No. 2 and Fed rate cuts at No. 3. Also read: Buffett's been hoarding cash. The rest of the market is doing the opposite. These were the top-searched tickers on MarketWatch as of 6 a.m.: Ticker Security name NVDA Nvidia TSLA Tesla GME GameStop PLTR Palantir Technologies SMCI Super Micro Computer TSM Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing INTC Intel BABA Alibaba AAPL Apple NIO NIO The hardest-working penguin in the Antarctic. Robotics whiz kid builds limb for three-legged shelter dog. Famed Chinese 'Snow Village' apologizes over cotton-wool pull. Super Micro's stock is its most overbought in a year. Here's why that's bullish. 20 stocks of companies expected to put up numbers to back investors' new 'growth mindset' The biggest U.S. stocks haven't been this expensive since the dot-com era. That's making investors nervous. My friend, 62, may only have weeks to live. How does he prevent his second wife from inheriting everything? 'They are as different as day and night': My son is upset that his brother got more financial support. Now it's payback time. What should I do?
