Latest news with #Yee
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Yee challenges Horne in GOP primary for state superintendent
State Treasurer Kimberly Yee is taking on state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne in the Republican primary, challenging him from the right over Arizona's school choice system. State of play: Yee, who is termed out, will attempt to wrest the GOP nomination from Horne as he seeks reelection. She announced her candidacy from the state Capitol Wednesday, touting her career-long dedication to education issues and pledging to "build a stronger and higher-achieving school system." Yee criticized Horne for what she called "government overreach" in his administration of the voucher-style Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program and argued that he's exceeded his legal authority in imposing restrictions on it. She also dismissed the types of excesses by some ESA parents that critics focus on as a minute fraction of a percentage of the total program. Background: Yee chaired the Senate Education Committee and focused on education issues during her 2010-2018 legislative career, as a legislative staffer and as an aide to former California Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pete Wilson. The intrigue: State Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), who leads the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus, told reporters last month he wanted to find a GOP primary challenger for Horne, whom he called "the single greatest threat" to the ESA program. Hoffman is backing a slate of candidates for statewide offices and introduced Yee at Wednesday's press conference. Yee said parents in the school choice community had been asking her to run for superintendent well before Hoffman's recruitment efforts. Between the lines: The superintendent proposes changes to the handbook that governs the ESA program. Horne's Arizona Department of Education in March proposed changes to require a curriculum for supplemental materials; impose spending caps for expenses like computers, musical instruments and home economics appliances; and ban expenses like smartwatches, multi-person kayaks, Amazon Prime fees and certain appliances like espresso machines and freeze-dryers. The State Board of Education postponed a vote on the new handbook after about three dozen ESA parents spoke out against the changes. Horne last month asked the board to again push back the vote, saying he wanted to meet with state lawmakers who had voiced concerns to him. The other side: Horne, a longtime school choice advocate who previously served as superintendent from 2008-2011, said in a press statement Wednesday that the state education department is strongly in favor of parental choice and ESAs. But he rejected the notion that the program should be unrestricted, pointing to expenditures he's rejected like a $5,000 Rolex watch, a $24,000 golf simulator and a vasectomy testing kit. If the department approved such expenditures, it would provoke a negative public reaction and threaten the program's survivability, he said. Horne added he has a duty to responsibly manage taxpayer funds, which includes limiting ESA expenses to reasonable educational purposes.
CNBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
These biotech stocks will benefit as generative AI speeds up drug discovery, Jefferies says
Investors are underappreciating the impact generative artificial intelligence will have on biotech stocks, according to Jefferies. Biotech stocks have had a challenging couple of years, falling into a correction after an initial surge at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, as they navigated a higher interest rate environment. More recently, tariffs and staffing reductions at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have also hit the sector. The SPDR S & P Biotech ETF (XBI) is down more than 11% in 2025, while the S & P 500 has eked out a slight gain. XBI YTD mountain XBI Nevertheless, the sector is set to get a boost from the adoption of generative AI in drug discovery, which Michael Yee, senior biotech analyst at Jefferies, said will save companies years and billions of dollars in getting new drugs to market. "We know that biotech is a billion dollars to find a drug, up to 10 years to get a drug to market, and 90% of drugs fail," Yee told CNBC's David Faber on "Squawk on the Street" on Wednesday. "So, we think that based on analysis and some of the technologies these companies are doing, you can cut the drug time by years, and cut the probabilities significantly in half to get drugs to market, and that can save billions of dollars and increase the odds of success and return on investment for companies and investors." "It is very early stage, and we're out there saying, five years from now, we think we'll see tremendous progress in drugs that are in the clinic from test tubes today that were basically done using generative AI," Yee continued. "We can cut a 10 year process, we'd be down to seven of eight years." To be sure, there are some near-term regulatory challenges the sector is facing, but Yee said he expects that any downside from negative headlines is already priced into the stocks. "We're actually optimistic for the rest of the year," he said. Here are some stocks poised to benefit: Amgen , one of the world's largest biotech companies, is one firm integrating generative AI to analyze human datasets for its research. The buy-rated stock is up 7% this year, according to the CNBC analyst consensus tool. Software company Schrodinger is set to benefit from increased research and development spending, using machine learning in drug discovery programs. The stock is up 11% this year. Illumina , which develops systems for genetic variation analysis, and Danaher, a life sciences and diagnostics company, are two other companies to benefit. The stocks are down 38% and 17% this year, respectively.
Online Citizen
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Online Citizen
Yee Jenn Jong slams Critical Spectator's ‘ignorant' post, defends WP's NCMP choices as inclusive
On 23 May 2025, former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Yee Jenn Jong from the Workers' Party issued a pointed rebuttal to an article by Polish blogger Michael Petraeus, widely known as 'Critical Spectator'. The article, published on 19 May, accused the Workers' Party (WP) of 'abandoning Muslim voters' in its selection of NCMPs following the 2025 General Election. Petraeus alleged that WP sidelined its vice-chairman and three-time Member of Parliament, Faisal Manap, who had contested in Tampines GRC. He framed this decision as evidence of identity politics within the party. He further claimed that WP was refocusing its efforts on Mandarin-speaking constituencies, citing the appointment of Eileen Chong—who joined the party in December 2024—as a shift in strategy. Petraeus claimed that this was influenced by Terry Xu of The Online Citizen (TOC), who had previously advocated for greater outreach to older Chinese-speaking voters and new citizens from China. In his op-ed, Xu argued that the WP would benefit more from appointing Chong as an NCMP, given the current lack of a strong Mandarin speaker among the party's parliamentary representatives and the opportunity to further its efforts toward gender diversity. Adding to the controversy, Petraeus's post attracted a 'like' from Ho Ching, spouse of former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, further amplifying its reach and raising eyebrows. On the same day, WP confirmed the appointment of Andre Low and Eileen Chong as NCMPs. The party reaffirmed its commitment to represent all Singaporeans, hold the Government accountable, and engage in reasoned parliamentary debate. 'Many senior WP members have historically declined NCMP appointments' Yee, who led the WP team in East Coast GRC during GE2025, responded to Petraeus's commentary via Facebook, calling the article 'trash'. He said he 'could not believe what [he] was reading', and described Petraeus's writing as ignorant and lacking proper analysis. Yee expressed frustration with so-called political observers who presume insight into the opposition landscape without insider knowledge. He clarified that it was likely Faisal Manap had declined the NCMP post, as other senior WP members had done in the past. Yee cited historical precedent, noting that Gerald Giam, Lee Li Lian, and Low Thia Khiang had either declined NCMP roles or expressed views on how they would have passed them on. Yee noted that when Lee rejected the NCMP appointment, it was offered to Daniel Goh, following a rather 'unpleasant parliamentary debate in which the PAP attempted to gain political mileage from the situation'. He added that even Tan Cheng Bock, after GE2020, declined the post, and it was passed to another team member. Yee argued there was no need for a senior WP figure to take the NCMP role when strong candidates are available, especially in a Group Representation Constituency (GRC). 'Nothing about race or religion' – Yee affirms inclusivity Yee firmly rejected Petraeus's racial insinuations, saying: 'Nothing about race or religion as alleged in this ignorant post, not even by a Singaporean.' He expressed confidence in Chong's ability to represent all Singaporeans, and emphasised Faisal's legacy as a well-loved MP serving residents of all races in Kaki Bukit. Yee pointed out widespread misconceptions about how NCMP appointments are handled. He explained that if a team declines an NCMP post, the seat does not automatically go to the next highest-losing team. Instead, a parliamentary motion must be raised and passed to appoint another candidate. He cautioned that public calls for Tampines GRC to reject the position would not necessarily result in a reassignment, and could instead lead to the seat being left vacant—as occurred in 1984. Yee criticised external attempts to dictate WP's internal decisions, asserting the party's autonomy. He also reiterated his broader stance against the NCMP scheme, which he and political researcher Loke Hoe Yeong argue should be abolished in favour of deeper democratic reforms. Petraeus responds with more criticism Following Yee's statement, Petraeus escalated the exchange by accusing him of breaking his word about retiring from politics after 2020. He interpreted Yee's return as evidence of a 'very limited pool' within WP. Petraeus further claimed WP publicly criticises the NCMP scheme while privately benefiting from it, referencing the party's historical use of NCMP seats since 1984. He also accused WP leader Pritam Singh of 'hypocrisy', citing Singh's allegations of gerrymandering while supposedly benefiting from constituency changes. Lawyer Yeoh Lian Chuan questions if PM Wong will repudiate foreign blogger's racial remarks On 22 May, a day before Yee's statement, Singaporean lawyer Yeoh Lian Chuan called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to address Petraeus's comments. Yeoh asked whether Wong and the People's Action Party (PAP) would repudiate the statements, which many criticised as racially and religiously insensitive. His call added to the growing pressure on the Government to confront divisive political rhetoric circulating online. Edit: A clarification has been made regarding Yee's quote about the transfer of the NCMP seat to Daniel Goh, after Lee Li Lian declined her NCMP seat following the conclusion of GE2015.
New Paper
21-05-2025
- New Paper
Amos Yee violated terms of release from US jail; parole delayed till Nov
Convicted child sex offender Amos Yee will remain in a US jail for another six months, with the possibility of being monitored by the US authorities for life. A search on the Illinois Department of Corrections website showed that the 26-year-old's projected parole date is set for Nov 7, exactly two years after his rearrest. The Singaporean's projected discharge date, meanwhile, is now set at three years to life, with the length to be determined. He was originally set to be released on April 24. Under Illinois state law, an individual's projected discharge date indicates when the person will be let off parole, which is also known as mandatory supervised release. "Amos Yee is not eligible to resume mandatory supervised release until Nov 7, 2025, due to the Prisoner Review Board determining he violated the terms of his release," a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Corrections said, without providing additional information. Yee fled to the US in December 2016, a day before he was supposed to report for a medical examination ahead of his national service enlistment in Singapore. He was granted political asylum in the US in 2017 after citing persecution for his political opinions. The former teenage blogger was jailed twice in Singapore over separate incidents. While in the US, he again ran afoul of the law. In February 2019, he repeatedly asked a 14-year-old girl living in Texas to send him nude photos of herself, which he reciprocated with nude photos of his own. In message exchanges that numbered in the thousands, he engaged in role-play and sexual fantasies with the girl, even though she mentioned her age multiple times in WhatsApp correspondence with Yee. He was arrested in October 2020 and sentenced to six years' jail at Illinois River Correctional Centre, a medium-security state prison, over grooming a teenage girl and possessing child pornography. He was initially released on parole on Oct 7, 2023, three years ahead of his original release date in 2026. However, just a month later, he was sent back to prison for undisclosed reasons. Currently, he is housed in Danville Correctional Centre, a medium-security adult male prison located about a 2h 40min drive away from Chicago. He has been listed on the sex offender registry in the US because of his offences, and his name, crime and home address are available to the public online.
Online Citizen
20-05-2025
- Online Citizen
Amos Yee to remain in US prison until November, faces lifetime monitoring for parole breach
UNITED STATES: Amos Yee, a former Singaporean YouTuber convicted of sex offences in the United States, will remain behind bars until 7 November 2025 after breaching parole conditions. The Illinois Department of Corrections listed the 26-year-old's new projected parole date as two years after his re-arrest in November 2023. His projected discharge date now ranges from three years to life, meaning he may remain under US authorities' supervision indefinitely. Originally, Yee was expected to be released on 24 April 2025. However, due to a ruling by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, he was deemed to have violated parole conditions and is no longer eligible for mandatory supervised release until November. A spokesperson from the Illinois Department of Corrections confirmed the parole breach but did not provide further details, as reported by Singapore state media The Straits Times. Yee is currently held at Danville Correctional Centre, a medium-security male prison located approximately two hours and forty minutes from Chicago. He was initially released on parole on 7 October 2023, three years before the end of his original six-year sentence. Amos Yee sentenced in 2021 following his guilty plea to charges of grooming and possessing child pornography His early release followed a guilty plea in December 2021 to charges of grooming a minor and possessing child pornography. Sixteen additional charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement. The court retroactively applied his sentence to his October 2020 arrest. US marshals arrested Yee at his residence in Chicago's Norwood Park East in 2020 after it was discovered that he had engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl via WhatsApp. Despite the victim repeatedly stating her age, Yee persisted in soliciting nude photos and reciprocated with explicit images. He also distributed the images online. The crimes occurred between February and July 2019, and Yee's communications with the girl spanned thousands of messages. Yee fled to the US in December 2016, the day before he was scheduled to report for his national service medical examination in Singapore. He was granted political asylum in March 2017 by a Chicago immigration judge, who ruled he had been persecuted in Singapore for his political views. The US Department of Homeland Security's appeal against the ruling was dismissed in September 2017. Prior to his relocation, Yee was jailed twice in Singapore. In 2015, at age 16, he was arrested after posting a video criticising the late Lee Kuan Yew shortly after the former prime minister's death. The video and an obscene image led to his conviction for wounding religious feelings and obscenity. He was released in May 2015, having served more time in custody than the sentence required. In 2017, Yee was jailed again after pleading guilty to six charges of wounding religious feelings of Christians and Muslims in his blog and video posts. His re-incarceration in the US is believed to be linked to new online activity while on parole, which violated conditions barring internet use by sex offenders. According to the US Courts' guidelines, individuals on sex offender parole are prohibited from internet access. Yee allegedly breached this by posting on his blog. In a controversial post titled 'Amos Yee's Update after 3 Years in American Prison', Yee denied manipulating his victim and expressed continued support for paedophilia. He wrote that if he again formed a relationship with a minor he was attracted to, he would 'break the law again'. Yee also discussed returning to Singapore, acknowledging the possibility of losing his asylum status, facing charges for evading national service, and risking further prosecution for criticising the government. Despite these threats, he said he remained committed to political activism and believed he could still contribute to society. In another blog entry dated 5 November 2023, Yee outlined provocative goals, including creating a popular platform to defend paedophilia and promoting illegal protests in Singapore. These posts, deemed a breach of parole conditions, likely prompted US authorities to revoke his early release. Yee remains listed on the US sex offender registry, with his offence details and residential information publicly accessible.
