Latest news with #Warrick
Shafaq News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Expert: Trump offers Iran 'One Last Chance'
Shafaq News/ Tensions between the United States and Iran are intensifying, and President Donald Trump's recent two-week deadline to Tehran has raised fresh questions about the possibility of renewed diplomacy—or the onset of military confrontation. In an exclusive interview with Shafaq News, Thomas Warrick, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, offered key insights into what Trump's message truly means—and how Iran might respond. A Diplomatic Window, or a Final Warning? According to Warrick, the president's two-week deadline signals three distinct objectives: 'First, it's an opening to get diplomatic negotiations going with Tehran. Trump understands it will take time to bring Iran back to the table, but that's clearly his goal,' Warrick said. Secondly, Trump appears to be allowing time for additional US military assets to reach the region, enhancing the credibility of any threat of force. Warrick cited movements such as the USS Nimitz sailing toward the Arabian Sea and recent sightings of B-2 bombers likely headed toward Guam or Diego Garcia—capable platforms for delivering bunker-busting ordnance. The third element, Warrick noted, is political, 'He wants to show his base—and the world—that he's giving diplomacy one last chance before resorting to force. This is Trump trying to prove that any military action would only come after exhausting peaceful options.' A Flexible Deadline, Trump-Style When asked whether two weeks is enough to defuse the crisis, Warrick offered a nuanced perspective rooted in Trump's communication style. 'In Trump's language, 'two weeks' can mean anything. It could be three days, it could be never. There's a long history of him using this phrase ambiguously.' He added that Trump's spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, had delivered the deadline in the form of a direct presidential quote, implying it came straight from the Oval Office. 'It's a flexible deadline. Not too far removed from Arabic 'Inshallah' or Spanish 'mañana.' But still, this is a serious offer of diplomacy,' Warrick explained. Military Posturing as Pressure Trump's decision to bolster US forces in the region isn't just precautionary—it's strategic. 'Trump is all about leverage. He wants Iran to know that he's not bluffing,' Warrick said. 'The presence of aircraft carriers and bombers capable of striking hardened nuclear facilities like Fordow sends a clear message: if diplomacy fails, force is on the table.' However, Warrick emphasized that Trump would still prefer a negotiated outcome, calling it his 'first option.' Iran at a Crossroads When asked about Iran's likely response, Warrick presented a stark choice facing Tehran's leadership: 'Option one: negotiate, dismantle the nuclear program, and see crippling sanctions lifted. Option two: lose the nuclear program through military strikes—and still face sanctions.' He concluded that Iran's leaders must decide whether to preserve national dignity at great cost or accept a diplomatic deal that could ease decades of economic suffering. 'Either way, they lose the nuclear program. But only one path gives something back to the Iranian people. From that perspective, it's in their interest to take Trump's offer.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lynn Haven Municipal Candidates forum
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Topics like the city's current budget warranted some passionate responses from candidates at Monday's forum. A hearty discussion between the candidates for city commission seat three kicked off the forum with the city's debt being frequently referenced by both Johnnie Beshearse and Jamie Warrick. When asked about funding mismanagement after Hurricane Michael both candidates got a chance to explain how they would improve financial transparency. Warrick says the process could be improved by implementing more budgetary workshops and adding a new position. 'I want to change that process. As far as transparency I actually brought this up to the commission. I was voted down for it. I want to add a city clerk, right now our city clerk is the city manager, and it's important to have that balanced triangle like they do in the federal government. There's an executive branch, legislative branch and judicial branch. The executive is like the city manager. The legislator is like the commission we set the policy. But we're missing a third piece over here,' Warrick said. Both candidates agreed the budget could be more transparent, but Beshearse added that he felt Warrick's city clerk plan was disingenuous. FWC denied entry to conduct dolphin wellness check at Gulf World Marine Park 'He called back saying that he wanted the city manager to do his bidding instead of what the city commission directed him to do. And then after that, he came back wanting a new city clerk position that would report to the commission instead of reporting to the city manager. So I think it may be a little disingenuous there, maybe not. But as far as transparency, I think you should as citizens, you should see everything we do,' Beshearse said. With federal and state budget cuts weighing on local governments, priorities are of those priorities for Lynn Haven will be the wastewater treatment plant expansion. Both candidates agreed the facility is in dire need of updates, regardless if it's state-mandated or not. Non-binding referendums regarding the rebuilding of the city library, a potential partnership with the Northwest Florida Regional Library System, and zoning maps also led back to the discussion of the availability of funds. 'When we first started the debt review committee when i first came in we were told it would project to be $5.2 million out of pocket. Now we're up to $18 million and I've asked the city manager time and time again. How do we go from 5.2 to 18 million? And I still don't have the answer to that,' Warrick said. 'Now I'm gonna go back to Commissioner Warricks thing about the debt difference, between the $5.2 million to the $18 million debt, you can believe if there was a $12 million difference in what I was being told one day to the next day. It wouldn't take me a year and a half to figure out what it was. I talked to the city manager about this and I can tell you where those funds were spent. It may be that the communication was poor or whatever but the information is there,' Beshearse said. Candidates running for city commission seat four Judy Tinder, Jeff Snyder, and Jamie Marler were also asked questions about the city's budget in regard to upcoming funding reduction. To watch their responses and the entire forum, click here. Mexico Beach's candidate forum for council member two will be next Monday at their public works building. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A former Microsoft executive warns Trump's tariffs could send costs 'soaring' across the restaurant industry
The U.S. restaurant industry is bracing for a massive financial hit as a result of the new round of Trump tariffs set to take effect on March 4. The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has warned that a proposed 25% tax on food and beverage imports from Mexico and Canada could cost the sector up to $12 billion. With already narrow profit margins, the industry fears that higher menu prices and supply chain disruptions will make dining out more expensive for consumers. 'A tariff of this magnitude would send costs soaring across the industry,' David Warrick, former head of global supply chain at Microsoft (MSFT), told Quartz in an interview. 'This ultimately means higher consumer prices.' Warrick, now EVP at Overhaul, a supply chain risk management company, explains that restaurants will likely have no choice but to raise prices to offset ingredient costs. The proposed tariffs could also disrupt supply chains, particularly for restaurants that rely on imports from Mexico. According to Warrick, this could lead to shortages of key ingredients, forcing restaurants to seek alternative suppliers – often at higher prices. 'Any disruption will create ripple effects across the supply chain, complicating day-to-day operations,' he added. Smaller restaurants, which have limited buying power, are particularly vulnerable, Warrick said. Without the purchasing scale of larger chains, they may struggle to secure locally sourced ingredients in a more constrained market. This could lead to reduced menu options or price hikes. For example, Domino's has already hinted at higher prices, partly due to the cost of cheese. 'Tariffs could mean financial hardship, or even closure,' Warrick warned. Recent data from the U.S. Labor Department Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows food-at-home prices rose 0.5% in January, while food-away-from-home prices increased 0.2%. With food costs rising and ingredient shortages likely, Americans could cut back on dining out, especially as price increases become more noticeable. If restaurants are forced to reduce menu variety or quality, customer satisfaction could decline, impacting foot traffic. Warrick suggests that some restaurants may turn to locally sourced or farm-to-table models to absorb costs. However, these strategies may still face financial challenges. Ultimately, he believes restaurants will need to focus on providing 'exceptional service and unique dining experiences' to retain customer loyalty despite higher prices. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Sign in to access your portfolio
Reuters
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Arkansas erases 2nd-half deficit, upends No. 15 Missouri to keep tourney hopes alive
February 23 - Zvonimir Ivisic scored a game-high 20 points and the Arkansas Razorbacks claimed a crucial 92-85 victory over the No. 15 Missouri Tigers on Saturday night in Fayetteville, Ark. Slotted in ESPN's "Last Four In" category ahead of the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas (16-11, 5-9 SEC) got a big showing from transfer guard Johnell Davis, who notched 18 points and was a defensive standout with four steals. D.J. Wagner registered 17 points, while Karter Knox added 14. Hampered by a late-game injury, leading scorer Adou Thiero totaled 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Arkansas shot 54.7 percent from the floor, recorded 11 steals and held a 44-28 edge in points in the paint. Mark Mitchell totaled 17 points and seven rebounds as Missouri (20-7, 9-5 SEC) had its three-game winning streak snapped. Marques Warrick scored 16 points. Caleb Grill and Jacob Crews had 13 and 10, respectively, but both long-distance shooters were held scoreless in the second half. A 15-point winner over the Razorbacks on Jan. 18, the Tigers did not find the going as easy on the road as the home team barged out to a 10-4 advantage nearly five minutes into the return matchup. However, Grill's 3-pointer at 12:11 lifted Missouri to the lead for the second time. The Tigers, who got 33 bench points in the first half, shot 51.4 percent and led 48-41 after Warrick canned a trey at the buzzer as the squad led by as many as eight points. Arkansas was actually better from the floor and made 53.6 percent of its shots, but coach John Calipari's team missed 9 of 10 attempts from long range. In the second half, Davis' pair of free throws at 15:33 made it 55-54 to put the Razorbacks ahead for the first time since they led 25-22. The game continued its back-and-forth tussle until Knox's layup created the largest lead, 76-65, at 6:07. Warrick's second trey in 45 seconds cut it to 89-84 inside the last minute, but the visitors could get no closer as the Razorbacks won for the first time in three games. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nearly $30 million in ARPA funds for small Wisconsin businesses remain unspent
Wilona Young, owner of Chicago's House of Hoagies in Menasha, was counting on a grant from the African American Chamber of Commerce to help her recover from some hefty maintenance expenses. She was told the application process was supposed take around 90 days. Instead, the process dragged on 10 months. Young took on a part-time job to stay afloat. The chamber ultimately denied Young's application the week of Thanksgiving due to "inconsistent financial documentation," according to emails shared with Public Investigator. "They are being so tedious," Young said. "Even if they're not doing anything wrong, I feel like the fact that they're asking for so much unnecessary paperwork is probably one of the reasons the process is taking so long." Young's experience could explain why $25.8 million in federal COVID relief dollars meant to support small businesses remains unspent months after the December 2024 deadline. Since announcing the Diverse Business Assistance Grant program more than three years ago, the state has awarded the African American Chamber of Commerce and 37 other organizations more than $73.5 million to distribute to small businesses. The money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. The taxpayer-funded program is meant to support business owners from underserved communities who were disproportionately affected by the pandemic and have historically faced difficulty accessing credit and capital. Young and two other business owners contacted Public Investigator after reading an article last year about delays in the disbursement process at the African American Chamber of Commerce and other groups. Each say the African American Chamber of Commerce made accessing the taxpayer-funded grant frustrating and time consuming. Their effort didn't pay off — all were denied after months of waiting. Takeyla Spear, owner of KMT Accounting Services LLC, says she and 25 of her clients applied for the chamber's grant. She said the chamber frequently asked her and her clients for documents they'd already supplied. "It was absolutely horrendous," Spear said. Wisconsin Department of Administration spokesperson Tatyana Warrick said grantees have faced a variety of challenges, including difficulty hiring and retaining experienced staff. "Some grantees needed to acquire familiarity with the federal funding process and build in-house expertise in this area," Warrick said in an email. "Such capacity building takes time and fulfills one of the purposes of the grant program itself." She said the African American Chamber of Commerce and 24 other grantees have received extensions. One other grantee is still having its extension request processed. Unspent dollars will ultimately return to the federal government, Warrick said. Nikki Purvis, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce, didn't respond to requests for comment. The chamber has until June to spend the remaining $2.7 million of its $5 million grant. In a Jan. 6 email to applicants viewed by Public Investigator, Purvis told applicants the chamber hired "additional support" to expedite the process. Glencora Haskins, a research associate for the Brookings Institution, says the state Department of Administration's compliance and reporting process could be slowing down these grantees. Haskins tracks how local governments across the country are investing ARPA funds. Across the board, she's seen that getting the funding out the door to nonprofits and small businesses has been slower than other programs because of the strict monitoring requirements. "It's important to make sure that we're not engaging in waste and that the funding isn't being missed used," Haskins said. "That level of caution does create additional constraints on awardees." Haskins added that agencies like the Department of Administration could streamline things by providing more technical assistance and grant planning assistance to grantees. For the Wisconsin Chinese Chamber of Commerce, delays stemmed from the grant arriving later than anticipated, said its CEO Ziming Wu. Wu said the department approved the chamber's application in March 2022, but the chamber didn't have access to the grant until November 2022. The chamber used its $1.5 million grant to provide business support and digital marketing assistance to more than 150 businesses statewide. The Department of Administration gave the chamber an extension until June to spend its remaining $280,000, but the chamber hopes to have until the end of the year. "We are evaluating the possibility of extending the program through December 2025 to maximize impact and ensure businesses continue receiving necessary resources and support," Wu said. Many other grantees haven't responded to the Journal Sentinel's requests for comment. The Wisconsin Indigenous Housing and Economic Development Corporation declined to comment on how it spent its $4 million grant or how much of the grant remains. The corporation's application for an extension was approved, according to Fern Orie, the corporation's chief executive officer. The Business Council Milwaukee, which was awarded $5 million, didn't respond to the Journal Sentinel's calls and emails for comment. To this day, Young said she still doesn't understand why she was rejected by the African American Chamber of Commerce. She said she provided receipts for her repair expenses, tax transcripts, six months of bank statements and more. Her business is staying above water thanks to an alternative funding source. Young said she submitted those same invoices to Heinz's Black Kitchen Initiative. She had zero issues, she said. Heinz awarded her $20,000. However, Young is still out $150. To be eligible for the African American Chamber of Commerce grant, all applicants were required to pay a membership fee. The fee depends on how many people the business employs and ranges from $150 to $500 annually. In September, Purvis said the chamber received applications from 340 businesses. "They're supposed to help small business owners financially," Young said. "You (the chamber) put us under more hardship than anything." Gina Castro is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at gcastro@ Government corruption. Corporate wrongdoing. Consumer complaints. Medical scams. Public Investigator is a new initiative of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its sister newsrooms across Wisconsin. Our team wants to hear your tips, chase the leads and uncover the truth. We'll investigate anywhere in Wisconsin. Send your tips to publicinvestigator@ or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: $30M in ARPA funds for small Wisconsin businesses still unspent
