Latest news with #Kocher
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Kurdistan's salary crisis escalates ahead of Eid
Shafaq News/As Eid al-Adha approaches, more than a million public servants in Iraq's Kurdistan Region face yet another holiday without salaries—caught in the crosshairs of a deepening standoff between Baghdad and Erbil that underscores unresolved constitutional, political, and economic rifts. The Iraqi government recently suspended salary payments for May 2025, accusing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of failing to deliver oil and non-oil revenues as mandated by the federal budget law and a Federal Supreme Court ruling. The Ministry of Finance warned of legal action to hold the KRG accountable, laying blame squarely on Erbil for disrupting monthly payments and social welfare programs. The row has intensified following the KRG's announcement of two major energy deals with American firms worth over $110 billion to develop gas and oil infrastructure in the Region. Baghdad views these agreements as violations of its sovereign authority, while Erbil insists the contracts fall within its constitutional right to enhance local revenues and diversify the Region's economic base. Responding to the federal decision, the KRG's Ministry of Finance and Economy said Baghdad owes Erbil over 4.22 trillion dinars (about $3B) and has yet to release the remaining 9.11 trillion dinars (around $6.5B) of Kurdistan's 2025 allocation. Kurdish officials argue that Baghdad's revenue calculations ignore the KRG's operational expenses and the local funds used to cover salary gaps. They also point to the federal government's failure to compensate victims of the Anfal genocide, which they say adds to long-standing grievances. 'The federal government is trying to create unconstitutional roadblocks,' the KRG stated, citing a February 2025 ruling by the Federal Supreme Court directing Baghdad to disburse salaries directly to Kurdish employees regardless of political disagreements. Erbil has framed the latest salary freeze as a political tactic that targets ordinary citizens and threatens regional stability. Since 2014, salary payments to the Kurdistan Region have shifted from fixed budget allocations to ad hoc 'emergency advances' subject to Baghdad's oversight. Each budget cycle has become a flashpoint for constitutional disputes, driven by the absence of a federal oil and gas law since 2007 and competing interpretations of revenue-sharing rules. For many Kurdish families, the result is a familiar cycle of uncertainty and hardship. Despite multiple court rulings, federal disbursements remain entangled in political maneuvering. Jamal Kocher, a Kurdish member of Iraq's financial committee, criticized Baghdad's decision as 'poorly timed and unjust,' warning that it effectively punishes over 1.2 million employees who are uninvolved in high-level political disputes. Kocher stressed that 'a series of steps must be taken to resolve this issue,' urging Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 'respond to Iraqi citizens in a manner that promotes fairness. It is unacceptable for employees in Iraq to receive their salaries while those in the Kurdistan Region face cuts.' He also emphasized the need to engage the Federal Supreme Court to take further decisions on the matter. Political analyst Hamza Mustafa described the crisis as a symptom of deeper institutional dysfunction. 'The salary crisis is just the tip of the iceberg,' he said. 'The deeper issue is Iraq's failure to pass an oil and gas law for nearly two decades. As always, it's the citizens who pay the price.' The United States has called for calm, urging both Baghdad and Erbil to resolve the standoff through dialogue and constitutional mechanisms. A US State Department official told Shafaq News in an exclusive statement, 'A swift resolution will show that Iraq is prioritizing its citizens' welfare and create an environment attractive to investors.' He added that resolving the crisis could also signal readiness to reopen the suspended Iraq-Turkiye oil pipeline. This appeal follows recent high-level meetings in Washington, where KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials. The salary freeze comes at a delicate moment in Iraqi-Kurdish relations. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani faces competing pressures: demands from political blocs in Baghdad to assert federal control, and calls from international partners to ensure stability and fair treatment for the Kurds. Analysts believe al-Sudani is keen to avoid further escalation ahead of the holidays, with back-channel negotiations possibly underway to explore temporary fixes. However, without structural reforms—such as the long-stalled oil and gas legislation—many fear the cycle of crisis, court rulings, and emergency payments will continue to define Baghdad-Erbil relations. With public frustration mounting and Eid just days away, all eyes are now on whether Baghdad and Erbil can move beyond legal sparring to reach a sustainable fiscal settlement—or whether yet another round of crisis budgeting awaits the Kurdistan Region.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Political Empathy Lab tour returns to Johnstown
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Professor Lia Howard and student Noah Kocher visited Johnstown last year during the hyper-political time of a president election. On Tuesday, they returned to the city as part of a University of Pennsylvania Political Empathy Lab tour during a slower-moving, off-year municipal election cycle. Although the political environments were different, the goal was the same. They and other participants set out to travel across the commonwealth, talking to people to learn about their concerns, beliefs, communities and political opinions. Howard, Kocher and seven other students from the Philadelphia school met for over an hour with Penn Club of Western Pennsylvania President and Johnstown native Donald Bonk, Johnstown City Councilwoman Laura Huchel and a reporter from The Tribune-Democrat at Balance Restaurant. They also toured the downtown neighborhood after the luncheon. 'Part of the reason I wanted to do it again was because the first group had such an amazing experience,' said Howard, with Penn's SNF Paideia Program. 'It was over 10 weeks. It was a lot longer. I wanted to do a concentrated experience (this year). It's not a national election, so I was really interested in what Pennsylvania was thinking 100-plus days into (President Donald) Trump's administration and what does it feel like when it's not the pressure of a national election. Do people go back to normal?' Kocher, a resident of Chester County in suburban Philadelphia, is the only student to participate in the lab both years. 'I feel like we're getting kinda similar conclusions in terms of it's really rewarding and good to go around and talk to people and hear from lots of people about how their lives are and what they care about,' Kocher said. He added: 'People are really willing to talk and eager to be listened to.' The students, including Wesley Liu, a philosophy major from the San Francisco Bay area, come from backgrounds that include living in major metropolitan regions. The weeklong tour is scheduled to include about a dozen stops in major cities, such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and towns such as Bedford and Connellsville, Fayette County. 'It's been really great. I think I've learned a lot about communicating to a wide variety of people from Pennsylvania,' Liu said. 'I think I came in with a certain impression of what Pennsylvania was going to look like – blue-collar, working-class, et cetera. (Monday), we visited Hazleton, and Allentown and all these places. There's just a wide array of people, whether it's Hispanic- speaking migrant population, or a group of firefighters or a family walking their dog in Scranton late at night. It's talking to a wide array of people and seeing what works and what doesn't in getting them to talk about what issues are important to them both locally and nationally.' Bonk talked to the students about Johnstown's history, the steel industry, immigration, eds and meds development, population decline, and culture. Huchel, a Princeton University graduate, provided insight into local government. 'For me, a group of highly educated students who are really caring about the political situation, it's invaluable to have them come to a place like Johnstown,' Huchel said. 'Johnstown, of course, is a political enigma in many ways. It's certainly a nexus of influence. Obviously during the last presidential election we saw numerous visits from both campaigns. 'I think people trying to understand Johnstown and understand what the needs of our people are is a prevalent question. I think taking that message out where more people can hear it is important.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
30 years after man's disappearance, authorities announce arrest in HamCo cold case
Decades after the disappearance of a Hamilton County man, authorities announced an arrest in his gruesome death. Tony Bledsoe was reported missing on March 16, 1992, by his wife, who he lived with in Arcadia. The 24-year-old father left home that day in his gray 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass and was never seen again. On May 20, authorities announced the arrest of Thomas Anderson Jr., 53. He is charged with murder in Bledsoe's death. More crime news: Docuseries spurs interest in Westfield's Fox Hollow Farm case as coroner looks to ID more victims Remains that were identified as Bledsoe's through DNA testing in 2018 were found a few weeks after Bledsoe was reported missing. The body, which was missing Bledsoe's head, hands and feet, was found at a 'dump site' in Putnam County, according to the probable cause affidavit for Anderson's arrest. Bledsoe had an 'ongoing grudge' with a friend of Anderson's stemming from a dispute over an auto parts trade, the probable cause affidavit reads. Hamilton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Josh Kocher said the investigation into Bledsoe's death remains active. 'We are still looking for potential other suspects,' Kocher said. Bledsoe is survived by his wife, mother, father, three children and three siblings, Kocher said. 'We will never stop seeking accountability for the victims and their families of these horrible crimes,' Kocher said. Contact Jake Allen at Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @Jake_Allen19. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Authorities announce arrest in Hamilton County cold case
Indianapolis Star
20-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
30 years after man's disappearance, authorities announce arrest in HamCo cold case
Decades after the disappearance of a Hamilton County man, authorities announced an arrest in his gruesome death. Tony Bledsoe was reported missing on March 16, 1992, by his wife, who he lived with in Arcadia. The 24-year-old father left home that day in his gray 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass and was never seen again. On May 20, authorities announced the arrest of Thomas Anderson Jr., 53. He is charged with murder in Bledsoe's death. More crime news: Docuseries spurs interest in Westfield's Fox Hollow Farm case as coroner looks to ID more victims Remains that were identified as Bledsoe's through DNA testing in 2018 were found a few weeks after Bledsoe was reported missing. The body, which was missing Bledsoe's head, hands and feet, was found at a 'dump site' in Putnam County, according to the probable cause affidavit for Anderson's arrest. Bledsoe had an 'ongoing grudge' with a friend of Anderson's stemming from a dispute over an auto parts trade, the probable cause affidavit reads. Hamilton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Josh Kocher said the investigation into Bledsoe's death remains active. 'We are still looking for potential other suspects,' Kocher said. Bledsoe is survived by his wife, mother, father, three children and three siblings, Kocher said. 'We will never stop seeking accountability for the victims and their families of these horrible crimes,' Kocher said.
The Market Online
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Market Online
SunOpta's strong Q1 makes it Thursday's top gainer on the TSX
SunOpta (TSX:SOY) reported value-accretive financial results for Q1 ended March 29, 2025, earning it the top return on the TSX on Thursday at the time of writing SunOpta is a supply chain solutions provider for top food brands SunOpta stock is up by 28.71 per cent trading at C$8.07 as of 11:10 am ET, adding 3.86 per cent year-over-year and 77.75 per cent since 2020 SunOpta (TSX:SOY) reported value-accretive financial results for Q1 ended March 29, 2025, earning it the top return on the TSX on Thursday at the time of writing. Q1 2025 highlights Revenue of US$201.6 million, up by 9.3 per cent from US$184.4 million year-over-year (YoY), driven by 12.2 per cent volume growth. Operating income of US$10.5 million, up from US$10.1 million YoY, reflecting lower stock-based compensation. Earnings from continuing operations of US$4.8 million, up from US$3.8 million YoY. Adjusted earnings from continuing operations of US$5.3 million, up from US$1.9 million YoY. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations of US$22.4 million, up by 2.4 per cent from US$21.9 million YoY. Cash contribution from continuing operations of US$22.3 million, up from US$7.4 million YoY. Check out Thursday's news release for a full set of results. Leadership insights 'First quarter results exceeded our expectations, and we again delivered double-digit volume growth driven by broad-based gains across segments, products and customers,' Brian Kocher, SunOpta's chief executive officer, said in a statement. 'Efforts to unlock latent capacity are ahead of schedule and our margin-improvement initiatives are expected to deliver quarterly sequential margin increases throughout 2025. We are also seeing growth in our sales pipeline, reflecting incremental opportunities from both existing and potential new customers. In addition to our focus on improving margins, we remain tightly focused on optimizing cash flow and deleveraging – efforts that provide optionality and flexibility, positioning us to drive higher returns and long-term value for shareholders.' 'Based on the Q1 results and the notable increase in our sales pipeline, I'm very confident in our 2025 outlook and in achieving 2026 revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth rates that approximate the midpoints of our long-term algorithm of 10 pr cent and 15 per cent, respectively,' Kocher added. 2025 outlook (US$ millions) Prior outlook Revised Outlook Revenue $775 – 805 $788 – 805 Adj. EBITDA $97 – 103 $99 – 103 Revenue growth 7% – 11% 9% – 11% Adj. EBITDA growth 9% – 16% 12% – 16% (Source: SunOpta) About SunOpta SunOpta is a supply chain solutions provider for top food brands. SunOpta stock (TSX:SOY) is up by 28.71 per cent trading at C$8.07 as of 11:10 am ET. The stock has added 3.86 per cent year-over-year and 77.75 per cent since 2020. Join the discussion: Find out what everybody's saying about this food and beverage technology stock on the SunOpta Inc. Bullboard and check out the rest of Stockhouse's stock forums and message boards. The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. For full disclaimer information, please click here.
