superace.com ATLANTA — To improve Georgia’s troubled prison system, the General Assembly should hike correctional officer salaries, consider more private-public partnerships to expand capacity, increase mental health services and move to single-person cells to improve safety. Those are among a slate of recommendations that a state Senate study committee approved Friday, following hours of testimony at a series of meetings that began in August. Other recommendations that won approval include asking for an audit of contracts to identify any excessive vendor costs, ordering a compensation study, prioritizing new technology to improve security at current and new facilities, and taking action to make sure wardens adhere to consistent policies to prevent culture differences among facilities. The committee also recommended that the state seek federal approval to jam cellphone signals at prisons. Prisoners have used cellphones to run criminal enterprises from inside the prisons, including directing drug trafficking networks and operating various fraud schemes. But the committee voted against a recommendation to create an independent oversight department or bureau to monitor the state prison’s system. “Oversight is provided by regular committees, subcommittees and study committees, and I’m not sure we need to create yet another level,” said GOP Sen. John Albers in opposing the recommendation. The study committee chairman, GOP Sen. Randy Robertson also opposed the idea, saying he doesn’t favor an ombudsman process that doesn’t answer to anyone. “I think a part of oversight is what we’re doing right now,” he said. The study committee, created by the Senate in March , reached its recommendation after hearing more testimony Friday morning, primarily from advocates, people whose loved ones had died in custody, and people who had served sentences in Georgia. Most of the previous meetings focused on testimony from the Georgia Department of Corrections. Friday’s testimony included stories of rampant violence, deaths and inadequate health care experienced by those in prison. Suspicious deaths that weren’t properly investigated were also mentioned during the meeting. That included the testimony of Heather Hunt, whose son died at Rogers State Prison in September. She was told the death was a suicide, but she said prison officials were hostile to her questions and delayed providing information that didn’t add up when it was provided. In the wake of hearing the morning testimony, GOP Sen. Timothy Bearden suggested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation should be brought in to investigate all deaths within Georgia’s prisons. Now, the GBI handles autopsies, but the GDC’s internal investigators handle most of the death investigations. Robertson said it’s generally up to GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver to decide whether to call in the GBI. Robertson said it might make sense to routinely rely on the GBI, although the committee did not plan to include the suggestion in its report. “One thing that it does is it takes the suspicion out of the mix and the conspiracy theories tend to go away when that happens,” Robertson said. Homicides within the Georgia prison system have reached record levels this year, the AJC has found. The General Assembly will take up the recommendations when it convenes in January. The Georgia General Assembly has faced increasing scrutiny in recent months in the wake of an AJC investigation , a blistering report issued in October by the U.S. Department of Justice and a highly critical contempt order issued in April by a federal judge in a long-running civil case . Gov. Brian Kemp announced in June that he had hired consultants to conduct a deep study of the prison system and recommend changes to improve conditions. The Georgia Department of Corrections has said it is making progress toward addressing problems within the prison system. ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trump stands by controversial defence secretary pickPolice and Fire Games legacy program to benefit local youth2025 IRS Business Mileage Rate of 70 Cents Powered by Motus Cost Data and AnalysisThe Blockchain Association has filed a lawsuit against the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in response to new regulations imposed on cryptocurrency brokers. According to the Association, these regulations exceed the IRS’s statutory authority and violate the Administrative Procedure Act. The IRS recently introduced rules requiring brokers to report digital asset transactions, including front-end platforms such as decentralized exchanges, starting in 2027. These rules mandate brokers to disclose gross proceeds from digital asset sales and taxpayer information. Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, announced the lawsuit, describing the new rules as unconstitutional and stating that they pose unlawful compliance requirements on software developers involved in building trading infrastructure. The regulations broaden the definition of “broker” to include decentralized finance (DeFi) trading platforms, potentially affecting millions of U.S. taxpayers. Legal experts argue that the new rules infringe on the privacy rights of DeFi users. They worry that these regulations could push innovation and technology offshore. The IRS estimates that these changes will impact between 650 and 875 DeFi brokers and up to 2.6 million U.S. taxpayers.

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(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Friday, Dec. 20 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 4 p.m. ESPNU — Chris Paul HBCU Challenge: Norfolk St. vs. Grambling St., Uncasville, Conn. 6:30 p.m. ESPNU — Chris Paul HBCU Challenge: Delaware St. vs. Alabama St., Uncasville, Conn. 8 p.m. FOX — St. John’s at Providence 8:30 p.m. ESPNU — Cincinnati vs. Dayton, Cincinnati COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 8:30 p.m. FS1 — Ohio St. vs. Stanford, San Francisco 11 p.m. FS1 — Creighton vs. UCLA, San Francisco COLLEGE FOOTBALL Noon ESPN — The StaffDNA Cure Bowl: Ohio vs. Jacksonville St., Orlando, Fla. 3:30 p.m. ESPN2 — The Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Tulane vs. Florida, Tampa, Fla. 8:10 p.m. ABC — CFP First Round: Indiana at Notre Dame ESPN — CFP First Round: Indiana at Notre Dame ESPN2 — CFP First Round: Indiana at Notre Dame (Command Center) GOLF 3:30 a.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Second Round, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand-Baie, Mauritius Noon GOLF — PGA Tour: The PNC Championship Pro-Am, Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Fla. 4 a.m. (Saturday) GOLF — DP World Tour: The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Third Round, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand-Baie, Mauritius HORSE RACING 3 p.m. FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races NBA BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. NBATV — Milwaukee at Cleveland NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL 11 a.m. ESPNU — Winter Showcase: Texas vs. Motor City, Orlando, Fla. 1 p.m. NBATV — Winter Showcase: San Diego vs. Long Island, Orlando, Fla. 1:30 p.m. ESPNU — Winter Showcase: Mexico City vs. Rip City, Orlando, Fla. 3:30 p.m. NBATV — Winter Showcase: Cleveland vs. Salt Lake, Orlando, Fla. 4 p.m. ESPNEWS — Winter Showcase: Delaware vs. Santa Cruz, Orlando, Fla. TENNIS 6 a.m. TENNIS — Next Gen ATP Finals: Round Robin 11 a.m. TENNIS — Next Gen ATP Finals: Round Robin The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .Chinese steel giant threatens to withdraw investment Committee comprises members from federal and KP governments ISLAMABAD: In a major blow to foreign investment in Pakistan, Century Steel Group — one of the largest Chinese giants — has warned that it will close down its operation and withdraw investment. A letter written by the Century Steel Group CEO Li Chunjian to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said they had decided to cease their business and withdraw investment from Pakistan due to several issues that could not be resolved by various government entities responsible for handling foreign direct investment in CPEC Rashakai Special Economic Zone in KP. “This will be our last notice to the Government of Pakistan; if the above problems are not resolved immediately, we will start dismantling the plant from the RSEZ,” the letter said. When contacted, a top government official told The News Friday night that the prime minister had constituted a committee led by Aleem Khan to resolve all grievances of the company. The committee comprises members from the federal and KP governments. The company said they came to Pakistan with big dreams and planned to set up the largest steel mill at the first CPEC - Rashakai SEZ in KP province in three phases. The investment of the first phase of the project was $82 million out of which over $30 million investment was already on the ground with a planned annual output of 500,000 ton steel products. The remaining two phases would also bring over $200 million investment in Pakistan for downstream steel products production by transferring state-of-the-art steel technology from China to Pakistan. The ultimate steel products capacity would reach 1.5 million tons within five years. “We aimed to contribute to the GDP of Pakistan and also to create thousands of jobs as well as build exports of steel products to the regional markets. However, due to the following unresolved issues for over five years, we have finally decided to exit from Pakistan and report this matter to the Chinese government/embassy and the international press as a last resort. “We have been waiting for the last five years at RSEZ and maintenance of our staff and expenses has caused us big losses to the tune of $7.5 million. Plot purchase agreement couldn’t be signed with KPEZMC despite our various exchanges and meetings and long-time has passed. Extremely high land prices at RSEZ are impacting our capital investment costs. Power supply, which is the most critical matter for any steel mill operation, couldn’t be arranged by the RSEZDOC due to their pending issues with Nepra for distribution license. We required 100MW stable and cost-effective power which remains elusive despite long-time has passed. We are now forced to look for arranging our own power from other means like investment into solar power plant nearby RSEZ increasing the overall capital investment away from our core steel business. The SEZ policy is extremely weak with no incentives for FDI despite several government and team changes in the bureaucracy. Continuous rise in the price of power has made the business un-viable and we foresee further increase in power prices. Taxes applied on steel industry are adding insult to injury, as two large scale steel mills in Pakistan have already shut down (Amreli Steels/Agha Steels) after failing to sustain the steel industry taxation. Despite incentives and waiver on import duties/taxes given to the small steel mills at FATA/PATA, their sub­standard steel production is spoiling the market in Pakistan, leaving large scale mills out of business. There is no strict implementation of quality steel production in Pakistan and the responsible departments are not bothered about the sub-standard steel being sold across Pakistan. The management and security of CPEC RSEZ instead of helping has created a burden for us forcing us to bear the security personnel expenses and uncalled-for demands. Free movement of our personnel for day to day needs is not possible and even our sick employees cannot go and seek medical attention outside the RSEZ. Some of our in-house employees were put on the black list by the agencies for reasons unknown to us despite our requests for resolving this matter. Overall, the demand for steel has contracted in Pakistan due to several factors including high inflation, currency instability and economic downturn. The government has no focus on the special economic zones success and nothing is being done to protect the already arrived foreign direct investors from China. The recent orders for security protocols have significantly increased the business costs and impacted the business. Lastly, the local banks do not cooperate even on approved SBP Policy of FOC for plant and machinery imports and ask us to deposit large sums of money in their accounts. We are forced to bring all the above to your notice so that you are in knowledge of what really is happening to the Chinese foreign direct investment coming to Pakistan and take immediate corrective measures. We would request to meet you in person at your earliest convenience to discuss the above in detail, it concluded.HONG KONG, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hola Prime , the world's most transparent prop trading firm, has announced the appointment of Himanshu Chandel as its new Marketing Director. This marks a significant step in the company's continued growth and its commitment to funding traders with transparency, giving them a fair chance to succeed. Mr. Chandel brings an exceptional background in digital marketing, strategic brand development, and performance-driven campaigns. He has held prominent roles at leading organizations, including ITC Limited, one of India's largest and most diversified conglomerates. At ITC, a $70 billion enterprise spanning FMCG, Hotels, Paperboards and Specialty Papers, Packaging, Agri-Business, and Information Technology, Mr. Chandel managed performance marketing for over five major brands. The Personal Care division, with a revenue base of $300 million, served as a dynamic environment where innovative marketing strategies played a crucial role in driving growth and strengthening brand presence." Besides ITC, Mr. Chandel has excelled in consumer-tech startups, particularly in the gaming sector. He holds a Master's degree in Technology specializing in Machine Learning and brings a strong foundation in innovation, backed by a year of R&D experience in Neuro-Marketing Analytics at the prestigious CSIR Lab. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, one of India's top-ranked institutes, Mr. Chandel embodies a unique blend of academic excellence and practical expertise. His strategic mindset and comprehensive knowledge of emerging marketing trends will allow him to amplify Hola Prime's efforts to enhance its offerings, focusing on key elements like price transparency reports, 1-hour payouts, and no hidden rules, all of which define the company's core value. "I'm thrilled to join Hola Prime at such an exciting time," said Himanshu Chandel. "The firm's commitment to transparency and empowering traders aligns with my own values, and I look forward to helping Hola Prime expand its global reach and strengthen its position as a leader in prop trading." As the new Marketing Director, Chandel will oversee all aspects of marketing strategy, communications, and community engagement, ensuring that Hola Prime continues to resonate with its growing base of traders and partners. "In an industry marked by constant ups and downs, with firms closing one day and others emerging the next, trust has become a rare commodity for traders. Mr. Himanshu emphasized that at Hola Prime , we are committed to rebuilding that trust. We aim to redefine the industry by staying true to our values. In our marketing, we will avoid false promises and gimmicks. Instead, we will focus on transparency, delivering exactly what we say and providing real value to our traders." With this appointment, Hola Prime is set to enhance its innovative offerings further and continue building trust and transparency within the trading industry, as it sets its sights on future growth. About Hola Prime Hola Prime is a global proprietary trading firm with a presence in the UK, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Dubai, and India, renowned for its commitment to transparency. Serving prop traders across 175+ countries with access to over 50 trading instruments, Hola Prime provides a reliable and efficient trading environment. With a presence in key locations worldwide and a selection of multiple trading platforms, the firm is bringing a breath of freshness to the prop trading industry. Social Media https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565158992654&sk=about_contact_and_basic_info https://www.instagram.com/holaprime_global/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVEJa1Ml132Be7tnk-DjeQ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hola-prime/?viewAsMember=true https://x.com/HolaPrimeGlobal https://discord.gg/TJ7TcHPXBf https://www.quora.com/profile/HolaPrime/ https://www.reddit.com/user/HolaPrime/ https://medium.com/@social_46267 Media contact Brand: Hola Prime Contact: Media team Email: [email protected] Website: https://holaprime.com/

A senior White House official on Thursday said nuclear-armed Pakistan is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets outside of South Asia, including in the United States. In his stunning revelation about the onetime close U.S. partner, deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said Islamabad's conduct raised "real questions" about the aims of its ballistic missile program. "Candidly, it's hard for us to see Pakistan's actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States," Finer told the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace audience. "Pakistan has developed increasingly sophisticated missile technology, from long-range ballistic missile systems to equipment that would enable the testing of significantly larger rocket motors," he said. If those trends continue, Finer said, "Pakistan will have the capability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States." His speech came a day after Washington announced a new round of sanctions related to Pakistan's ballistic missile development program, including on the state-run defense agency that oversees the program.