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g;s:*Q6천uǴ^\AB1zTp{ QcZJ.ڢϏcTisp+A new study reveals Dundee as the cleanest city in the UK (or at least according to the sample size), with the highest recorded air and drinking water qualities. With its highest percentage in urban cleanliness and tidiness, Exeter takes second place on the list. Milton Keynes is among the least polluted cities and has the highest quality of green spaces and parks. This is based on a review conducted by Waste Direct . The firm analysed over 40 major cities in the UK to compile a list of the top 10 cleanest ones. As to what constitutes ‘clean’, metrics include air quality, followed by drinking water quality and garbage disposal (as the highest weighted factors). Additional factors, such as the percentage of cleanliness and tidiness, noise pollution, green space quality, and the comfort of public spaces, were weighted equally for each, providing insights into the overall environmental health of the cities. The data was drawn from World Population Review , ensuring reliable measurements across all locations. The top ten were found to be : As indicated above, Dundee is in top spot. The city’s green spaces score of 80 and its high public accessibility reinforce its position as the UK’s cleanest urban centre. Second placed Exeter records the highest score in urban cleanliness metrics, supported by an efficient waste management system. Milton Keynes ranks third with a composite score of 79. The city’s air quality score of 85.71 is among the highest in the study, along with a competitive drinking water quality. The city has the highest rate for green spaces and parks quality at 87.5, ensuring its spot as one of the cleanest cities in the UK. Chester has a composite score of 79.2, ranking fourth on the list. Scoring high in both drinking water at 90 and air quality at 81, the city creates a healthy urban environment supported by a high cleanliness level. Chester exceeds Dundee with a perfect 100 score for its comfortable public spaces, providing plenty of green spaces and parks. Durham ranks fifth with strong drinking water quality. The city achieves a competitive score for cleanliness and offers great green spaces, earning an 86 rating for parks. Durham demonstrates effective environmental management with higher air quality than Exeter and the highest garbage disposal satisfaction rate among all the cities on the list. Oxford holds the sixth position with a composite score of 76.6. The city delivers strong air and good drinking water quality, providing clean and healthy living space. Oxford compensates for its moderate tidiness score with a relatively high percentage of green spaces, earning a score of 88. Belfast ranks seventh with a composite score of 76.2. The city excels in drinking water quality at 86 and earns strong garbage management ratings. Belfast’s well-kept public spaces score high, with one of the highest drinking water quality and accessibility rates, scoring 86.5. The city also has strong results in noise control and maintains high-quality green spaces. York comes eighth among the cleanest UK cities with a 75.9 score. The city has one of the highest public accessibility rates at 88.6 and notable air quality. York gets high marks for excellent noise control, a high public accessibility rating of 87, and quality air standards at 81. Sheffield holds the ninth spot with a composite score of 74. Despite being the largest city in the study with a population of 685,368, Sheffield maintains green space quality at 88 and strong drinking water standards scoring 84.52. Derby completes the list of the cleanest cities in the UK with a composite score of 73. The city has great drinking water quality at 87 and competitive air quality, providing a clean environment. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.
JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Parson cut the ribbon Friday on a new historical exhibit in the state Capitol featuring portraits of most of the state’s 57 governors. Included in the revamped display of previous chief executives is Parson’s portrait, which also was unveiled Friday with little more than a month to go before he leaves office after six years at the helm. “Serving as Missourians’ Governor and First Lady has truly been the honor of our lives, and we are excited to share this official portrait with the thousands of visitors to our magnificent State Capitol,” Parson and first lady Teresa Parson said in a joint statement. The governor’s comments came as he has spent the past year traveling the state, signing his biography and talking about his tenure as governor. He said the unveiling would be his last official function before he leaves Jan. 13. Parson’s portrait was painted by Lisa Ober of St. Louis, who consulted with the governor and first lady about the composition of the painting and its elements. The portrait depicts Parson standing in front of a window inside his office at the Capitol. Ober replaced the background, which normally overlooks the Missouri River, with a rendering of the rolling timber and hay fields of Polk County, where the Parsons have a family cattle operation. Also included in the backdrop of the painting are a John Deere tractor and hay baler, Missouri and U.S. flags and the number “57” hidden in the foliage of a tree. “This portrait may serve as the bookend to our public service careers, but we will forever be humbled and count ourselves truly blessed to have been entrusted by the people of Missouri to lead our great state, where the promise of faith, family, and freedom lives on for generations to come,” Parson and his wife said. The oil painting, as was a painting of the first lady that hangs in the Governor’s Mansion, was funded by Sedalia philanthropist Sue Heckart. The gubernatorial display has been under wraps for several weeks as workers installed new signs directing visitors to the “Hall of Governors” on the Capitol’s first floor. The corridors, which lead to the state history museum, had been devoid of artwork before the changes. Most of the pictures had already been displayed in the first-floor museum, but they were located in largely nondescript corners with little fanfare. Some of the portraits had been stored in state archives due to a lack of space in the museum. “You could never have found them all at one time,” said Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, who was on hand for the dedication. Among the portraits are governors who sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War and those who died in office. Not included in the mix is a portrait of former Gov. Eric Greitens , who resigned amid scandal in 2018, paving the way for Parson to be elevated from his position as lieutenant governor. “The Hall of Governors is a testament to the importance of governance and the impact of leadership. It is a reminder of the challenges our leaders have faced, the milestones they’ve achieved, and the collective strength that unites us as one in pursuit of a brighter future,” said Office of Administration Commission Ken Zellers.By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transiton of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. “This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day,” said Susie Wiles, Trump’s designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement comes a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts have emphasized to Trump’s team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. Republican Senators have also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump’s nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers have been particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump’s designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. “That’s why it’s so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing,” said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine on Monday. John Thune, the incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team “understands there’s going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees.” AP congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed.( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (“Zeta” or the“Company”) (NYSE: ZETA) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Zeta securities between February 27, 2024 and November 13, 2024, both dates inclusive (the“Class Period”). Investors have until January 21, 2025 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. Click here to participate in the action. On November 13, 2024, Culper Research published a report alleging that the“integrity of the Company's data collection and reported financials” is severely undermined by two factors. First, the report alleged that“Zeta has formed 'two-way' contracts with third party consent farms wherein the Company simultaneously acts as both a supplier and a buyer of consumer data,” allowing the Company to“flatter reported revenue growth” and indicating possible“round-tripping” of revenue. Second, the report alleged that Zeta collects the majority of its customer data from a network of“sham websites that hoodwink millions of consumers each month into handing their data over to Zeta under false pretenses.” For example, the report alleged the Company and its subsidiaries operate a number of fake job boards which are designed to trick individuals into submitting personal data under the pretense of job applications. The report further alleged that the Company's“most valuable data” comes from these predatory websites, dubbed consent farms, which are“responsible for almost the entirety of the Company's growth.” On this news, the Company's stock price fell $10.46, or 37.07%, to close at $17.76 per share on November 13, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants allegedly failed to disclose to investors: (1) that Zeta used two-way contracts to artificially inflate financial results; (2) that Zeta engaged in round trip transactions to artificially inflate financial results; (3) that Zeta utilized predatory consent farms to collect user data; (4) that these consent farms have driven almost the entirety of Zeta's growth; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Zeta shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Marion Passmore by email at ... , telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form . There is no cost or obligation to you. About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact Information: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Brandon Walker, Esq. Marion Passmore, Esq. (212) 355-4648 ... MENAFN26122024004107003653ID1109033711 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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US actress Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, hostile work environment and embarking on a “multi-tiered plan” to damage her reputation with claims of a targeted social media campaign. The legal complaint states that Baldoni, 40, hired crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, the same publicist who actor Johnny Depp is said to have hired during his high-profile defamation trial against Heard in 2022. In a statement given to NBC News, Aquaman star Heard said: “Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying, a lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on. “I saw this first-hand and up close. “It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.” Depp successfully sued ex-wife Heard over a 2018 article she wrote for The Washington Post about her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, which his lawyers said falsely accused him of being an abuser. At the time, Heard said the jury’s verdict “sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated”. Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni and the other named defendants, said Lively’s claims were “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious”, adding that the studio “made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film”. It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, is about a woman’s pursuit of a loving and healthy relationship, with Lively playing lead character Lily Bloom and Baldoni as her love interest Ryle Kincaid amid a backdrop of domestic violence. After the legal action was filed, Hoover appeared to voice support for 37-year-old Lively, writing on her Instagram stories: “@blakelively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. “Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. “Never change. Never wilt.” Hoover posted a link to a New York Times article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside A Hollywood Smear Machine. Lively’s former cast members from the 2005 film The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants, America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel, also released a joint social media statement to defend their long-time friend. “As Blake’s friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the statement said. “Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice.” They added: “We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment,” the statement continues. “We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.”Offering a unique take on web search, Perplexity has been a hit among its users (and a bane to its sources) since its debut last year . It’s certainly become one of the most popular new AI tools to check out, perhaps second only to ChatGPT itself, which it’s powered by. Here’s how the generative AI “answer engine” works and how to get started on using it. What is Perplexity AI? Perplexity is an AI search engine that scrapes information from the web and synthesizes answers to a user’s query though a chatbot interface. You can ask it just about any question, and it will respond with cited information via a conversational reply. It differs from traditional search engines like Google in that it doesn’t simply provide you a list of sites where you can find the information you’re searching for. Rather, it scrapes those sites and provides said information directly. And, unlike traditional chatbots, Perplexity doesn’t have a knowledge cutoff date, so the information it provides is always up-to-date. However, it is limited by the information in its search results. If the sites it’s pulling data from are not reliable sources, then the answers that Perplexity provides May not be entirely accurate. In October 2024, Perplexity released a pair of new features to improve its functionality: Internal Knowledge Search and Spaces . Internal Knowledge Search enables the AI to search the personal files of users and organizations in addition to the web to peovide more accurate and tailored responses. Spaces, on the other hand, operates as a collaboration hub (much like Anthropic’s Artifacts or ChatGPT’s Canvas) that allows the user to see a preview of the code or content that’s being generated in a window that’s separate from the chat itself. The company announced in November 2024 , that it has begun experimenting with integrating “sponsored follow-up questions and paid media positioned to the side of an answer.” The company has also introduced a shopping tool that it describes as a “one-stop solution where you can research and purchase products.” Perplexity’s format has spawned a copy from rival ChatGPT as well. Released in October 2024, ChatGPT Search does exactly what Perplexity does ; it pulls information from the wider internet and uses it to generate an up-to-date conversational answer to the user’s question. Perplexity AI available through the Perplexity website and the Mac desktop , as well as on iOS and Android . When was Perplexity released? Perplexity the company was founded in August 2022 by Aravind Srinivas (CEO), Denis Yarats (chief technology officer), and Andy Konwinski. That December, the company announced its first commercial product, Perplexity Ask. The following January, Perplexity released new features for Ask, including up-to-date sourcing in its replies and the ability for the user to ask follow-up questions. On Februrary 8, 2023, the company rebranded its chatbot system to just, “Perplexity” and released a Chrome extension of the same name. By March 2023, the company boasted 2 million monthly active users. That figure, as of October 2004, is up to around 15 million monthly actives . Getting started with Perplexity If you want to try Perplexity for yourself, head over to perplexity.ai/ . You can play around with the AI for free and without needing to sign in. However, if you want to save your chat search history for future reference, you’ll need to sign up for a free account. Just click the Sign Up button in the lower-left corner of the screen, link either your Google or Apple account (or use a single sign-on with your company email account), and away you go. On your first login, you’ll need to scroll through the site’s introductory screens, which go over the basics of the AI and also shows ads for its Pro service and mobile apps. On the left-hand navigation bar, you can choose between the home tab, which is where you can chat with the AI directly; the Discover tab that rounds up news stories for you to peruse; Spaces, which allows you to upload your documents and set behavioral instructions for the AI to follow; and Library, where you can manage your threads (“a full back-and-forth conversation with Perplexity” that “includes your initial question, any follow-up queries, and all of Perplexity’s responses,” per the company ). The focus menu under the prompt window enables you to dictate where the AI searches for its information, whether that’s the wider web, academic publications, or video and social media sites. There’s also an option for math-specific questions and text-generation requests. The attach button to the right of the focus menu does what it says it does and allows you to upload files and PDFs to augment your prompt. Just note that free tier users are limited to three file uploads per day. The Pro search toggle allows you to run up to three Pro searches per day that dig through twice the number of websites that regular “quick” searches do. What is Perplexity Pro? Perplexity Pro is the premium subscription tier of the AI. It costs $20 per month (which is in line with the rest of the industry) and offers unlimited quick searches and 300 Pro searches per day; your choice of foundational model including GPT-4o, Claude-3, and Sonar Large (LLama 3.1); unlimited file uploads; access to image generators like Playground AI, DALL-E, and SDXL for data visualizations; and a $5 monthly API credit. Perplexity controversies Perplexity’s data-scraping practices has not made it any friends among the websites and publications it cites. In 2024 alone, the AI startup has been accused of “willful infringement” by Forbes’ Chief Content Officer Randall Lane, and has been sent cease-and-desist orders from both Conde Nast and the The New York Times . The company is also currently being sued by NewsCorp over allegations that Perplexity has committed copyright infringement on a “massive scale.”Thousands flee as Syrian insurgents advance to the doorstep of the country's third-largest city
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g;s:*Q6천uǴ^\AB1zTp{ QcZJ.ڢϏcTisp+A new study reveals Dundee as the cleanest city in the UK (or at least according to the sample size), with the highest recorded air and drinking water qualities. With its highest percentage in urban cleanliness and tidiness, Exeter takes second place on the list. Milton Keynes is among the least polluted cities and has the highest quality of green spaces and parks. This is based on a review conducted by Waste Direct . The firm analysed over 40 major cities in the UK to compile a list of the top 10 cleanest ones. As to what constitutes ‘clean’, metrics include air quality, followed by drinking water quality and garbage disposal (as the highest weighted factors). Additional factors, such as the percentage of cleanliness and tidiness, noise pollution, green space quality, and the comfort of public spaces, were weighted equally for each, providing insights into the overall environmental health of the cities. The data was drawn from World Population Review , ensuring reliable measurements across all locations. The top ten were found to be : As indicated above, Dundee is in top spot. The city’s green spaces score of 80 and its high public accessibility reinforce its position as the UK’s cleanest urban centre. Second placed Exeter records the highest score in urban cleanliness metrics, supported by an efficient waste management system. Milton Keynes ranks third with a composite score of 79. The city’s air quality score of 85.71 is among the highest in the study, along with a competitive drinking water quality. The city has the highest rate for green spaces and parks quality at 87.5, ensuring its spot as one of the cleanest cities in the UK. Chester has a composite score of 79.2, ranking fourth on the list. Scoring high in both drinking water at 90 and air quality at 81, the city creates a healthy urban environment supported by a high cleanliness level. Chester exceeds Dundee with a perfect 100 score for its comfortable public spaces, providing plenty of green spaces and parks. Durham ranks fifth with strong drinking water quality. The city achieves a competitive score for cleanliness and offers great green spaces, earning an 86 rating for parks. Durham demonstrates effective environmental management with higher air quality than Exeter and the highest garbage disposal satisfaction rate among all the cities on the list. Oxford holds the sixth position with a composite score of 76.6. The city delivers strong air and good drinking water quality, providing clean and healthy living space. Oxford compensates for its moderate tidiness score with a relatively high percentage of green spaces, earning a score of 88. Belfast ranks seventh with a composite score of 76.2. The city excels in drinking water quality at 86 and earns strong garbage management ratings. Belfast’s well-kept public spaces score high, with one of the highest drinking water quality and accessibility rates, scoring 86.5. The city also has strong results in noise control and maintains high-quality green spaces. York comes eighth among the cleanest UK cities with a 75.9 score. The city has one of the highest public accessibility rates at 88.6 and notable air quality. York gets high marks for excellent noise control, a high public accessibility rating of 87, and quality air standards at 81. Sheffield holds the ninth spot with a composite score of 74. Despite being the largest city in the study with a population of 685,368, Sheffield maintains green space quality at 88 and strong drinking water standards scoring 84.52. Derby completes the list of the cleanest cities in the UK with a composite score of 73. The city has great drinking water quality at 87 and competitive air quality, providing a clean environment. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.
JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Parson cut the ribbon Friday on a new historical exhibit in the state Capitol featuring portraits of most of the state’s 57 governors. Included in the revamped display of previous chief executives is Parson’s portrait, which also was unveiled Friday with little more than a month to go before he leaves office after six years at the helm. “Serving as Missourians’ Governor and First Lady has truly been the honor of our lives, and we are excited to share this official portrait with the thousands of visitors to our magnificent State Capitol,” Parson and first lady Teresa Parson said in a joint statement. The governor’s comments came as he has spent the past year traveling the state, signing his biography and talking about his tenure as governor. He said the unveiling would be his last official function before he leaves Jan. 13. Parson’s portrait was painted by Lisa Ober of St. Louis, who consulted with the governor and first lady about the composition of the painting and its elements. The portrait depicts Parson standing in front of a window inside his office at the Capitol. Ober replaced the background, which normally overlooks the Missouri River, with a rendering of the rolling timber and hay fields of Polk County, where the Parsons have a family cattle operation. Also included in the backdrop of the painting are a John Deere tractor and hay baler, Missouri and U.S. flags and the number “57” hidden in the foliage of a tree. “This portrait may serve as the bookend to our public service careers, but we will forever be humbled and count ourselves truly blessed to have been entrusted by the people of Missouri to lead our great state, where the promise of faith, family, and freedom lives on for generations to come,” Parson and his wife said. The oil painting, as was a painting of the first lady that hangs in the Governor’s Mansion, was funded by Sedalia philanthropist Sue Heckart. The gubernatorial display has been under wraps for several weeks as workers installed new signs directing visitors to the “Hall of Governors” on the Capitol’s first floor. The corridors, which lead to the state history museum, had been devoid of artwork before the changes. Most of the pictures had already been displayed in the first-floor museum, but they were located in largely nondescript corners with little fanfare. Some of the portraits had been stored in state archives due to a lack of space in the museum. “You could never have found them all at one time,” said Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, who was on hand for the dedication. Among the portraits are governors who sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War and those who died in office. Not included in the mix is a portrait of former Gov. Eric Greitens , who resigned amid scandal in 2018, paving the way for Parson to be elevated from his position as lieutenant governor. “The Hall of Governors is a testament to the importance of governance and the impact of leadership. It is a reminder of the challenges our leaders have faced, the milestones they’ve achieved, and the collective strength that unites us as one in pursuit of a brighter future,” said Office of Administration Commission Ken Zellers.By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transiton of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. “This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day,” said Susie Wiles, Trump’s designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement comes a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts have emphasized to Trump’s team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. Republican Senators have also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump’s nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers have been particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump’s designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. “That’s why it’s so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing,” said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine on Monday. John Thune, the incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team “understands there’s going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees.” AP congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed.( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (“Zeta” or the“Company”) (NYSE: ZETA) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Zeta securities between February 27, 2024 and November 13, 2024, both dates inclusive (the“Class Period”). Investors have until January 21, 2025 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. Click here to participate in the action. On November 13, 2024, Culper Research published a report alleging that the“integrity of the Company's data collection and reported financials” is severely undermined by two factors. First, the report alleged that“Zeta has formed 'two-way' contracts with third party consent farms wherein the Company simultaneously acts as both a supplier and a buyer of consumer data,” allowing the Company to“flatter reported revenue growth” and indicating possible“round-tripping” of revenue. Second, the report alleged that Zeta collects the majority of its customer data from a network of“sham websites that hoodwink millions of consumers each month into handing their data over to Zeta under false pretenses.” For example, the report alleged the Company and its subsidiaries operate a number of fake job boards which are designed to trick individuals into submitting personal data under the pretense of job applications. The report further alleged that the Company's“most valuable data” comes from these predatory websites, dubbed consent farms, which are“responsible for almost the entirety of the Company's growth.” On this news, the Company's stock price fell $10.46, or 37.07%, to close at $17.76 per share on November 13, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants allegedly failed to disclose to investors: (1) that Zeta used two-way contracts to artificially inflate financial results; (2) that Zeta engaged in round trip transactions to artificially inflate financial results; (3) that Zeta utilized predatory consent farms to collect user data; (4) that these consent farms have driven almost the entirety of Zeta's growth; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Zeta shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Marion Passmore by email at ... , telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form . There is no cost or obligation to you. About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact Information: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Brandon Walker, Esq. Marion Passmore, Esq. (212) 355-4648 ... MENAFN26122024004107003653ID1109033711 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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US actress Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, hostile work environment and embarking on a “multi-tiered plan” to damage her reputation with claims of a targeted social media campaign. The legal complaint states that Baldoni, 40, hired crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, the same publicist who actor Johnny Depp is said to have hired during his high-profile defamation trial against Heard in 2022. In a statement given to NBC News, Aquaman star Heard said: “Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying, a lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on. “I saw this first-hand and up close. “It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.” Depp successfully sued ex-wife Heard over a 2018 article she wrote for The Washington Post about her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, which his lawyers said falsely accused him of being an abuser. At the time, Heard said the jury’s verdict “sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated”. Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni and the other named defendants, said Lively’s claims were “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious”, adding that the studio “made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film”. It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, is about a woman’s pursuit of a loving and healthy relationship, with Lively playing lead character Lily Bloom and Baldoni as her love interest Ryle Kincaid amid a backdrop of domestic violence. After the legal action was filed, Hoover appeared to voice support for 37-year-old Lively, writing on her Instagram stories: “@blakelively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. “Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. “Never change. Never wilt.” Hoover posted a link to a New York Times article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside A Hollywood Smear Machine. Lively’s former cast members from the 2005 film The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants, America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel, also released a joint social media statement to defend their long-time friend. “As Blake’s friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the statement said. “Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice.” They added: “We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment,” the statement continues. “We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.”Offering a unique take on web search, Perplexity has been a hit among its users (and a bane to its sources) since its debut last year . It’s certainly become one of the most popular new AI tools to check out, perhaps second only to ChatGPT itself, which it’s powered by. Here’s how the generative AI “answer engine” works and how to get started on using it. What is Perplexity AI? Perplexity is an AI search engine that scrapes information from the web and synthesizes answers to a user’s query though a chatbot interface. You can ask it just about any question, and it will respond with cited information via a conversational reply. It differs from traditional search engines like Google in that it doesn’t simply provide you a list of sites where you can find the information you’re searching for. Rather, it scrapes those sites and provides said information directly. And, unlike traditional chatbots, Perplexity doesn’t have a knowledge cutoff date, so the information it provides is always up-to-date. However, it is limited by the information in its search results. If the sites it’s pulling data from are not reliable sources, then the answers that Perplexity provides May not be entirely accurate. In October 2024, Perplexity released a pair of new features to improve its functionality: Internal Knowledge Search and Spaces . Internal Knowledge Search enables the AI to search the personal files of users and organizations in addition to the web to peovide more accurate and tailored responses. Spaces, on the other hand, operates as a collaboration hub (much like Anthropic’s Artifacts or ChatGPT’s Canvas) that allows the user to see a preview of the code or content that’s being generated in a window that’s separate from the chat itself. The company announced in November 2024 , that it has begun experimenting with integrating “sponsored follow-up questions and paid media positioned to the side of an answer.” The company has also introduced a shopping tool that it describes as a “one-stop solution where you can research and purchase products.” Perplexity’s format has spawned a copy from rival ChatGPT as well. Released in October 2024, ChatGPT Search does exactly what Perplexity does ; it pulls information from the wider internet and uses it to generate an up-to-date conversational answer to the user’s question. Perplexity AI available through the Perplexity website and the Mac desktop , as well as on iOS and Android . When was Perplexity released? Perplexity the company was founded in August 2022 by Aravind Srinivas (CEO), Denis Yarats (chief technology officer), and Andy Konwinski. That December, the company announced its first commercial product, Perplexity Ask. The following January, Perplexity released new features for Ask, including up-to-date sourcing in its replies and the ability for the user to ask follow-up questions. On Februrary 8, 2023, the company rebranded its chatbot system to just, “Perplexity” and released a Chrome extension of the same name. By March 2023, the company boasted 2 million monthly active users. That figure, as of October 2004, is up to around 15 million monthly actives . Getting started with Perplexity If you want to try Perplexity for yourself, head over to perplexity.ai/ . You can play around with the AI for free and without needing to sign in. However, if you want to save your chat search history for future reference, you’ll need to sign up for a free account. Just click the Sign Up button in the lower-left corner of the screen, link either your Google or Apple account (or use a single sign-on with your company email account), and away you go. On your first login, you’ll need to scroll through the site’s introductory screens, which go over the basics of the AI and also shows ads for its Pro service and mobile apps. On the left-hand navigation bar, you can choose between the home tab, which is where you can chat with the AI directly; the Discover tab that rounds up news stories for you to peruse; Spaces, which allows you to upload your documents and set behavioral instructions for the AI to follow; and Library, where you can manage your threads (“a full back-and-forth conversation with Perplexity” that “includes your initial question, any follow-up queries, and all of Perplexity’s responses,” per the company ). The focus menu under the prompt window enables you to dictate where the AI searches for its information, whether that’s the wider web, academic publications, or video and social media sites. There’s also an option for math-specific questions and text-generation requests. The attach button to the right of the focus menu does what it says it does and allows you to upload files and PDFs to augment your prompt. Just note that free tier users are limited to three file uploads per day. The Pro search toggle allows you to run up to three Pro searches per day that dig through twice the number of websites that regular “quick” searches do. What is Perplexity Pro? Perplexity Pro is the premium subscription tier of the AI. It costs $20 per month (which is in line with the rest of the industry) and offers unlimited quick searches and 300 Pro searches per day; your choice of foundational model including GPT-4o, Claude-3, and Sonar Large (LLama 3.1); unlimited file uploads; access to image generators like Playground AI, DALL-E, and SDXL for data visualizations; and a $5 monthly API credit. Perplexity controversies Perplexity’s data-scraping practices has not made it any friends among the websites and publications it cites. In 2024 alone, the AI startup has been accused of “willful infringement” by Forbes’ Chief Content Officer Randall Lane, and has been sent cease-and-desist orders from both Conde Nast and the The New York Times . The company is also currently being sued by NewsCorp over allegations that Perplexity has committed copyright infringement on a “massive scale.”Thousands flee as Syrian insurgents advance to the doorstep of the country's third-largest city
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