Latest news with #OurFuture
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Beto O'Rourke Defiant After Legal Blow in Texas Redistricting Standoff
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Beto O'Rourke was defiant after a judge temporarily barred him and his political group from helping fund Texas Democratic lawmakers who left their home state to block redrawn congressional maps, which President Donald Trump has backed. The ruling marks a victory for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who alleged O'Rourke's group Powered by People engaged in bribery and deceptive fundraising. Paxton "wants to silence me and stop me from leading this organization," O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman who ran unsuccessfully for governor and Senate, wrote on X after the ruling on Friday. "He wants to stop us from fighting Trump's attempt to steal the five congressional seats he needs to hang on to power. But I'm not going anywhere." Newsweek has contacted Paxton's office and O'Rourke through Powered by People for comment via emails sent outside regular business hours. Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke speaks to attendees during a "Our Fight, Our Future" rally at The Millennium bowling alley on October 02, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke speaks to attendees during a "Our Fight, Our Future" rally at The Millennium bowling alley on October 02, 2024 in Austin, It Matters The Democratic lawmakers who left Texas have denied their Republican colleagues the quorum needed for a vote on the redrawn maps that could net the GOP five additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections. They face thousands of dollars in out-of-state lodging and dining costs. They also face fines of $500 for each day they are absent and these cannot be paid from their office budgets or political contributions under Texas House rules. Those who left have declined to say how long they'll hold out. What To Know Powered by People gave money to the Texas House Democratic Caucus to help cover their up-front costs, a spokesperson for the group told The Associated Press earlier this week. Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey, a Republican who was appointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in 2019 and has since won reelection, granted Paxton's request for a temporary injunction. "Defendants have and will continue to engage in unlawful fundraising practices and utilization of political funds in a manner that either directly violates or causes Texas Democratic Legislators to violate" state law and House procedures, she wrote in her ruling. Her order bars Powered by People from using political funds to pay for travel, hotel or dining costs for the Texas Democrats who left the state or fundraising on their behalf. Powered by People filed a responding lawsuit against Paxton on Friday, alleging his investigation violates the group's right to association, free speech and equal protection, the Houston Chronicle reported. "The true motivation behind defendant's action thus appears to be an unlawful desire to retaliate against Mr. O'Rourke," it said. What People Are Saying Paxton celebrated the judge's ruling, saying in a statement on Friday: "Today, I stopped his deceptive financial influence scheme that attempted to deceive donors and subvert our constitutional process. They told me to 'come and take it,' so I did.'" O'Rourke responded to Paxton on X, saying: "Actually, you didn't. Still here, still raising and rallying to stop the steal of 5 congressional seats in Texas. Ironic that you'd accuse someone of bribery when you were impeached in Texas for taking bribes from Nate Paul." (Paxton was acquitted of bribery and corruption charges by the Republican-led Texas Senate in 2023 after the GOP-controlled House voted to impeach him). In another post, he wrote: "They want to make examples out of those who fight so that others won't. Paxton is trying to shut down Powered by People, one of the largest voter registration organizations in the country, because our volunteers fight for voting rights and free elections... the kind of work that threatens the hold that Paxton, Trump and Abbott have on power in Texas." What's Next O'Rourke is set to speak at a rally—dubbed "The People vs. The Power Grab"— in Fort Worth on Saturday afternoon. Fahey's order is to remain in effect for two weeks. She has scheduled a hearing for August 19.
Powys County Times
27-07-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Llandrindod's Samaritans branch could be under threat
UNCERTAINTY clouds the future of Powys' sole Samaritans branch, after the suicide prevention charity announced that at least half of its offices in the UK will close. The proposals were revealed in a video message to staff earlier this month, sent by the leadership of the charity. It is believed there is no definitive view on how many branches the charity will close, but chief executive Julie Bentley said: 'It's likely that within the next seven to 10 years our branch network will have (been) reduced by at least half. 'With less branches, we'll look to move to fewer but bigger regions.' Samaritans has more than 200 branches across the UK. Llandrindod Wells is the only one in Powys and one of 10 in Wales. The list of branches which could close has not been decided; though if the charity's board agrees to the plans at a meeting in September, the changes will begin in April in the UK and 2027 in Ireland. In response to the closures, Plaid Cymru health spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor, expressed particular concern on the impact the closures will have on the Welsh Government's suicide prevention strategy. He called for 'urgent explanations' from the Welsh Government. 'The work that the Samaritans do day in, day out is invaluable,' he said. 'The news of so many branches closing will be met with disappointment and fear in Wales and across the UK. 'We need urgent explanations from the Welsh Government about what this means for Wales' mental health and suicide prevention strategy. 'We must also recognise the invaluable service offered by the Samaritans through the medium of Welsh – a service that we must try to protect.' Founded in 1953, the Samaritans focus on preventing suicides by connecting trained volunteers with people who are struggling. The charity estimates it answers a call for help every 10 seconds. The news comes as the charity launched a groundbreaking project at the Royal Welsh Show to reduce suicide in farming communities. Samaritans Cymru is setting out to break the cycle of suicide risk in rural Wales by launching the 'Our Farming, Our Future' project. The project will work closely with Wales Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) in Ceredigion, Brecknock, Montgomery and Radnorshire to develop peer-led activities and resources that can be cascaded across farming communities to reduce the risk of suicide in rural areas. Powys Samaritans is the youngest Samaritans branch (premises based) in the UK and was set up in the wake of the foot and mouth outbreak in 1994. Over the last 31 years the branch has moved from a one-bedroomed flat to renting a larger premises; and it now owns an entire building on the spa town's High Street, comprising of upstairs rooms for listening volunteers and training, in addition to a charity shop on the ground floor which brings in the majority of funding.
Technical.ly
24-07-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Maryland money brings significant upgrades to longtime Baltimore life sciences facility
Infrastructure technology projects across Maryland this summer nabbed millions in funding from the state, and a handful are centered around a former bus depot in Baltimore. City Garage, a life sciences hub housing labs and manufacturing capacity in the region developers rebranded from Port Covington to the Baltimore Peninsula, is getting upgrades thanks to grants from the Build Our Future program out of the Maryland Department of Commerce. One of the involved recipients is the nonprofit Blackbird Laboratories, which focuses on converting academic research in new medicine and therapeutics to be commercially viable entities. Blackbird Laboratories is building a 35,000 square-foot life sciences incubator and wet lab at City Garage to boost early-stage companies. That's about a quarter of the 120,000 square foot site. To do this, it received $2 million from Maryland as part of the grant program. 'We're extremely grateful for that support and partnership,' Emily Wilkinson, the director of finance and operations at Blackbird Laboratories, told 'and that the state's belief in what we're doing is a helpful asset to the biotech community in Baltimore and the larger Maryland region.' Maryland granted up to $2 million to other infrastructure projects, including one for cybersecurity training in Howard County and another to build a food entrepreneurship and agricultural sustainability technologies hub in Kent County. Diagnostic firm Novel Microdevices, also based in City Garage, got $633,757 to establish a manufacturing facility for its cartridges. City Garage stood out for this development because of the mutual life sciences focus across the facility, per Wilkinson. 'It's this whole tech hub of like-minded neighbors,' Wilkinson told 'all working for sort of the same goals.' Practical perks go a long way Bob Storey, the managing partner at the medical device manufacturing accelerator LaunchPort, attested to that same idea. LaunchPort received $700,000 for manufacturing capabilities at its site in City Garage. Storey claims he was the first medical technology entrant in 2018, and pushed for more life sciences organizations and companies to move into City Garage. He started with a 10,000 space, and now he has a 30,000 square-foot space there. It's also been rare to find facilities that house medical device manufacturing and wet labs at a single facility, Storey said. Storey has constantly worked with fellow tenants on different projects, and he's seen workers jump from one of the facility's companies to another. 'People will move within that in a collaborative way, not raiding each other,' Storey said. 'You know, find ways to share resources.' City Garage is also 'agnostic' to the higher education institutions in the Baltimore region. The site is close to both Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Medical System, Storey explained, meaning access to research and work without silos. Plus, it's close to the airport and I-95, he noted, and is a single-story building to easily move in equipment. Those pragmatic factors are valuable. 'There was a practical element of it being the right single-story space that we'd get in and out easily. We had room to expand,' Storey said. 'Then we liked how it fit into the ecosystem that we envisioned was going to be developing here.' Plans for labs, 3D printing capabilities Blackbird Laboratories' incubator will house 10 early-stage companies, per Wilkinson. There will be a mix of private labs, offices, public workstations, a vivarium and a suite of shared equipment — part of that is 70 desks and 90 benches, she said. 'It's really designed for people who are working on drug discovery projects to be able to come in, set up shop and utilize equipment that would otherwise be difficult to obtain,' she said. The nonprofit was founded in 2023 with a $100 million grant from the Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation (Stephen also owns the Ravens). The new incubator is projected to cost $12 million, per Wilkinson. This funding from Maryland helps both offset the cost and prove the backing of the state. Blackbird Laboratories moved its offices from the Clipper Mill area to City Garage at the end of 2024, she said, ahead of an open date for the incubator space in early 2026. With the grant, Storey at LaunchPort is working with Baltimore investment and industrial tech commercialization firm Early Charm to boost 3D printing capabilities and electrospinning nanofiber operations — all of which can be used to tech for drug delivery and wound healing, he explained. The state funds were announced in June, during a chaotic moment for government funding of tech ecosystems. LaunchPort and a group of other Maryland entities like the state's flagship university went after a grant from the National Science Foundation, which was focused on the intersection of neuroscience and quantum computing. The bid, valued at up to $160 million in investment, was ultimately not selected by the federal government. Still, all of this investment in boosting US manufacturing comes at an opportune time, Storey said, as political turmoil and trade wars continue. He's involved in a program with sovereign economic development programs in other countries to help companies abroad figure out the need for certain products in the US market, and bring manufacturing for those needs onshore. 'They can produce here,' he said. 'You start to work [on] that supply chain issue that we kind of let slip out of our hands a little bit over the past decades.'
Cision Canada
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
United in Treaty Conference - Asserting Our Rights, Protecting Our Future
Inspire Event Management (a division of Inspire Group of Companies Ltd.) proudly presents the inaugural United in Treaty Conference – Asserting Our Rights, Protecting Our Future EDMONTON, AB, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ - The United in Treaty Conference will take place on June 25–26, 2025 at the Edmonton Inn, Edmonton, Alberta. This landmark gathering will bring together First Nation leaders, Treaty Elders, scholars, and community members from across Canada for two days of impactful dialogue, education, and unity. We are honoured to welcome keynote speakers including Dr. Leroy Little Bear, Sol Sanderson, Wallace Fox, and Minor Chief Regena Crowchild—all highly respected voices in the advancement of Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and Treaty education. Elder participation will guide the spirit and direction of the conference, including the presence of Elder Brian Littlechief and Dr. Mike Bruised Head, fluent Blackfoot speaker and ceremonial leader from the Kainai Nation. United in Treaty will address the foundational significance of Treaties in Canada, while focusing on urgent issues such as Alberta's provincial separation narratives and their implications on Treaty rights. The gathering will explore the legal, political, and spiritual responsibilities of Treaty Peoples, and how to assert inherent rights through internationally recognized systems and frameworks. Panels will feature Indigenous legal experts, Elders, youth leaders, and political representatives, all working to highlight the collective responsibility to uphold and protect Treaty rights related to land, water, air, and resources. Inspire Event Management is proud to host the United in Treaty Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. We invite all Nations, organizations, and all individuals committed to Indigenous sovereignty and Treaty education to attend. Sponsorship opportunities and registration details can be found at: Inspire Event Management is a Division of Inspire Group of Companies Ltd
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
United in Treaty Conference - Asserting Our Rights, Protecting Our Future
Inspire Event Management (a division of Inspire Group of Companies Ltd.) proudly presents the inaugural United in Treaty Conference – Asserting Our Rights, Protecting Our Future EDMONTON, AB, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ - The United in Treaty Conference will take place on June 25–26, 2025 at the Edmonton Inn, Edmonton, Alberta. This landmark gathering will bring together First Nation leaders, Treaty Elders, scholars, and community members from across Canada for two days of impactful dialogue, education, and unity. We are honoured to welcome keynote speakers including Dr. Leroy Little Bear, Sol Sanderson, Wallace Fox, and Minor Chief Regena Crowchild—all highly respected voices in the advancement of Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and Treaty education. Elder participation will guide the spirit and direction of the conference, including the presence of Elder Brian Littlechief and Dr. Mike Bruised Head, fluent Blackfoot speaker and ceremonial leader from the Kainai Nation. United in Treaty will address the foundational significance of Treaties in Canada, while focusing on urgent issues such as Alberta's provincial separation narratives and their implications on Treaty rights. The gathering will explore the legal, political, and spiritual responsibilities of Treaty Peoples, and how to assert inherent rights through internationally recognized systems and frameworks. Panels will feature Indigenous legal experts, Elders, youth leaders, and political representatives, all working to highlight the collective responsibility to uphold and protect Treaty rights related to land, water, air, and resources. Inspire Event Management is proud to host the United in Treaty Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. We invite all Nations, organizations, and all individuals committed to Indigenous sovereignty and Treaty education to attend. Sponsorship opportunities and registration details can be found at: Inspire Event Management is a Division of Inspire Group of Companies Ltd SOURCE Inspire Group of Companies Ltd View original content to download multimedia: 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
