Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Great Job & the Team @ Home – CBSNews.com Source link for sharing this story.
One of the hottest gaming stocks to own this year has been Roblox (RBLX -4.37%). The company’s gaming platform is easy for kids to use and has 40 million games, providing users with a wide range of entertainment options. On average, there are also close to 100 million daily active users on Roblox.
The stock has been on fire since early April, with its year-to-date returns now sitting at around 80% (as of June 30). It’s trading near its 52-week high, and it has a market cap of more than $70 billion. With a high valuation and the stock doing so well, is it too late to invest in Roblox right now, or could there still be more gains ahead for investors who buy the stock today?
Image source: Getty Images.
Roblox has a popular gaming platform that appeals to young kids. The vast majority of the revenue the company generates is from the sale of its virtual currency, Robux, which allows users to purchase in-game items and experiences. While that has enabled the business to grow its sales significantly over the years and has now brought in $3.8 billion in revenue over the trailing 12 months, Roblox is still only scratching the surface of its longer-term potential.
One way the gaming company can grow its top line even further is through advertising, and offering companies unique ways to reach users through games. This can be a tricky avenue to navigate, given that most of its users are under the age of 18, but it’s a relatively untapped opportunity for the business. Earlier this year, it announced rewarded video ads, where users can choose to watch 30-second video ads in exchange for receiving in-game benefits.
The company has also been allowing creators to make games targeting older, more mature audiences. Not only can that help grow its user base, it also means it’ll be easier to advertise to a wider range of demographics, which is appealing to more businesses.
A big challenge for Roblox is staying out of the red. In its most recent quarter, which ended on March 31, the company’s net loss totaled $215 million, on revenue totaling just over $1 billion. The good news is that it’s making some progress in the right direction. From a cash flow point of view, there is even better news: its quarterly operating cash flow for the period totaled $444 million, which was close to double the $239 million it brought in over the same period last year.
By strengthening its financials while also expanding its growth opportunities, Roblox will become a more appealing stock to more growth investors in the process. Smaller losses and improved cash flow can make it a less risky investment to own.
Roblox is still in its early growth days, which is why I don’t think the stock is anywhere near hitting a peak. With many young users on its platform, there’s the potential for them to become life-long customers through the company’s immensely diverse games. Even though there are tens of millions of games already, that number can get much bigger, especially as developers make games serving broader audiences.
Plus, a big advantage Roblox has over other gaming companies is that its users can also make games on its platform themselves. This means that it doesn’t have to spend heavily on producing and developing games.
Although the stock has been red-hot in recent months, it’s by no means too late to invest in Roblox. This can be a great growth stock to buy and hold for years. Roblox possesses a lot of upside over the long haul, as its business continues to evolve and diversify.
David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Roblox. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Great Job newsfeedback@fool.com (David Jagielski) & the Team @ The Motley Fool Source link for sharing this story.
“Senate passes GOP’s tax and spending bill with Cornyn, Cruz priorities included” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
WASHINGTON — Following a 26-hour marathon voting session and lengthy, late-night negotiations, the U.S. Senate has passed its version of Republicans’ landmark tax and spending bill with both Texas senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, voting for the legislation.
The upper chamber’s draft is all but certain to face headwinds as it heads back to the House, including from some Texas Republicans, who passed their own version with steeper cuts in late May.
The bill, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” includes a slew of GOP requests and President Donald Trump’s priorities, including cuts to Medicaid, changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that could place a higher spending burden on states and rollbacks of the clean energy tax credits first introduced in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Texas’ senators touted provisions they worked into the bill.
Cornyn pushed for the federal government to reimburse Texas for the billions it spent on Gov. Greg Abbott‘s signature border security program, “Operation Lone Star,” under the Biden administration. The Senate package includes $13.5 billion in state reimbursement grants — up from $12 billion in the House version — with Texas getting the largest claim to the funds.
He also worked to eliminate a tax on select firearms and silencers and incorporated a provision that would ask the NASA administrator to consider relocating the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to Houston.
Cruz also scored two major wins he has framed as integral to the bill’s long-term legacy, including a provision that would grant a $1,000 government-seeded investment account — branded as “Trump accounts” — to every American child. The money could be used for education expenses, a house down payment or starting a small business.
He also secured a $1,700 annual tax credit for individuals that contribute to nonprofits that grant scholarships to elementary and secondary school students, a framework supporters call “school choice” and that is similar to private school vouchers. Early Tuesday morning, Cruz and his fellow Republicans voted down a Democratic-led amendment attempting to remove the provision from the bill.
Abbott signed a landmark voucher program bill in May that allows families to use taxpayer funds to pay for private school tuition and other education-related expenses.
Through the GOP megabill, Cruz is also looking to auction off parts of the government-owned wireless spectrum to private companies. Under this provision, the Federal Communications Commission would sell select spectrum frequencies, which are currently under federal control, to bidders to use for wireless communication. Cruz sees it as a tool to spur technological innovation.
Cruz faced backlash from some of his GOP colleagues, Texas lawmakers and outside groups over a provision that would require states to not regulate artificial intelligence for a period of 10 years in order to access a pot of $500 million in federal AI infrastructure funding.
On Monday, Cruz and his chief opponent, GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, struck a deal to shorten the moratorium to just five years while loosening the hardline restrictions on regulation. The deal fell apart Monday evening when Blackburn expressed concern that the compromise language “could allow Big Tech to continue to exploit kids, creators and conservatives.”
The provision was ultimately stripped out on the Senate floor when 99 senators, including Cruz himself, joined forces with Democrats to vote for an amendment that killed the moratorium.
Trump has been adamant that he wants the bill on his desk by July 4, but that self-imposed deadline is already encountering resistance from GOP hardliners, including some Texas Republicans.
U.S. Reps. Chip Roy of Austin, Keith Self of McKinney and other agitators in the House Freedom Caucus have drawn a line in the sand around repealing the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, which they have taken to calling the “green new scam.” Clean energy advocates say the credits provide an important incentive for companies to build more wind and solar farms that create jobs and generate cheap, emissions-free power that is needed to slow climate change.
With a desire to mitigate the federal deficit, Roy and his cadre have homed in on a full repeal of IRA tax credits — which subsidize clean energy projects in Texas and across the country — as an avenue to cut spending. He claims that renewable energy sources the credits incentivize are unreliable and benefit Chinese manufacturers who make products such as solar panels. Wind and solar power generators only operate when the wind blows or the sun shines, unlike gas- or coal-fueled plants that can theoretically run anytime but emit air pollution.
Texas is a top producer of wind and solar power in the nation, and efforts during the state legislative session to hamper the industry largely fell apart. State grid operators have warned that electricity demand is expected to grow significantly in coming years, a need that renewable energy advocates say solar and wind projects can quickly help meet.
But renewable energy trade associations and advocacy groups have been sounding the alarm about potential damage if federal lawmakers drastically alter or cut the credits, which they say generate billions in private sector and manufacturing investments; produce millions in revenue for communities and landowners; and keep consumer electricity costs low.
“This bill, if passed as currently drafted, will destroy projects in active construction and development, killing tens of thousands of jobs across Texas, stranding billions in investment and raising electricity prices at a time of rising (electricity) demand,” said Harry Godfrey, managing director with the industry association Advanced Energy United, early Monday evening.
In its current form, Roy has threatened to vote against the bill because it still didn’t go far enough. With a slim House majority and Democrats unanimously opposing the package, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, cannot afford to lose more than a few votes. This gives Roy and other individual members outsized leverage they could use to bring their priorities to fruition.
Trump has made clear he expects the bill to be affixed with his signature by the July 4 holiday, creating mounting pressure on the holdouts to vote for the bill so as to avoid the president’s ire.
“They need to change it if they want us to be able to support it,” Roy told The Texas Tribune, referring to congressional leadership. The odds the House passes the bill by Trump’s deadline is now “a hell of a lot lower than they were even 48 hours ago or 72 hours ago,” Roy said.
In a statement, Johnson signaled that he intends to keep the July 4 deadline. “The American people gave us a clear mandate, and after four years of Democrat failure, we intend to deliver without delay,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of Richmond is also upset about the Senate’s move to water down taxes on private universities’ endowments. In the House version of the bill, earnings on some institutions’ endowments could be taxed up to 21%. In the Senate draft, the maximum was lowered to 8%.
But given his alliance with the president, Nehls admitted he’d get behind the push if Trump asked him to.
In a call with reporters, Roy dismissed the deadline, saying, “I’m not going to vote for something just because they’ve set up a pressure cooker.” He told the Tribune on Tuesday that he was unafraid of facing a primary challenger, a threat Trump routinely invokes when GOP lawmakers do not fall in line with his priorities.
Roy and other Freedom Caucus members threatened to oppose the bill on the floor when the House passed its original version in May before eventually backing down.
“The only reason I voted for the House bill in the end was that we got those significant wins on the Inflation Reduction Act,” he said. “You take those away and water those down, and I’m out.”
Democrats remained uniformly opposed to the bill, criticizing its cuts to health care and tax breaks for high earners.
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, blasted Vice President JD Vance, who cast the tie-breaking vote, saying his rhetoric about helping the working class was hypocritical.
“When it mattered, he was the deciding vote to slash Medicaid to bits to pay for billionaire tax breaks,” he said.
Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth called the bill “a full display of chaos and corruption” and said Republicans “voted to defund your health care to give billionaires a tax cut.”
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/01/senate-reconciliation-bill-texas-cornyn-cruz-border-reimbursement/.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
Great Job & the Team @ Houston Public Media Source link for sharing this story.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Great Job & the Team @ Home – CBSNews.com Source link for sharing this story.
When it comes to vocal brilliance and emotional depth, Minnie Riperton stands in a class all her own. With a five-octave range and a voice that could float like silk or soar like a rocket, Riperton brought an ethereal beauty to soul and R&B that has never been duplicated. Best known for her breathtaking hit “Lovin’ You,” she infused every note with tenderness, passion, and a touch of magic. But Minnie was far more than just one unforgettable song—she was a fearless artist, a vocal innovator, and a storyteller whose music still resonates deeply today.
In this article, we celebrate the Top 10 Most Popular Minnie Riperton Songs of All Time—a dazzling collection of tracks that capture her artistry, vulnerability, and unmistakable sound. From dreamy ballads to groovy, funk-infused gems, each song showcases the brilliance of a voice that could melt hearts and move mountains.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer discovering her magic for the first time, this list will take you on a journey through the highlights of a truly remarkable career. Get ready to experience the warmth, the wonder, and the whisper-to-a-scream power of Minnie Riperton—one of music’s most extraordinary voices.
A true hidden gem, Les Fleurs is a stunning orchestral soul masterpiece from Riperton’s debut solo album Come to My Garden. Produced by the legendary Charles Stepney, the track blends psychedelic soul, jazz, and classical elements into an otherworldly experience. Riperton’s vocals soar effortlessly over sweeping strings and a hypnotic rhythm, creating a sense of transcendence. Over time, Les Fleurs has been rediscovered by new generations, frequently sampled in hip-hop and electronic music, ensuring its legacy as a timeless classic.
The title track from Perfect Angel is a warm, uplifting tribute to love and devotion. Co-written by Riperton and her husband Richard Rudolph, with production by Stevie Wonder, the song seamlessly fuses folk and soul influences. The gentle acoustic guitar melodies and heartfelt lyrics give the track a sweet, almost childlike sincerity. Riperton’s airy vocals float effortlessly over the instrumentation, making it a standout moment on the album. It’s a song that radiates warmth and tenderness, embodying the purity of love in its simplest form.
Perhaps one of Riperton’s most poignant and heartbreaking songs, Memory Lane captures the essence of nostalgia and love in its purest form. Released on Minnie, her final studio album, the song is deeply personal, reflecting on past relationships and cherished moments. The rich orchestral arrangement, paired with Riperton’s deeply emotive vocals, creates a powerful listening experience. The song carries an added layer of melancholy, as it was recorded while she was battling cancer, making it even more heart-wrenching. Its raw honesty and soul-stirring melody continue to resonate with listeners decades later.
A masterclass in sensuality, Inside My Love is one of Riperton’s most emotionally charged songs. Released in 1975 on Adventures in Paradise, the song is an exquisite blend of soul, jazz, and raw intimacy. Produced by Stevie Wonder under the pseudonym “El Toro Negro,” it features lush instrumentation and lyrics that walk a fine line between passion and vulnerability. Riperton’s soaring high notes and smooth, sultry delivery make this song an undeniable R&B classic. Over the years, it has become a favorite for sampling in hip-hop and electronic music, further solidifying its influence across generations.
“Lovin’ You” is the song that defines Minnie Riperton’s legacy—a breathtaking ballad that showcases her ethereal vocals and unparalleled range. Released in 1974 on her Perfect Angel album, the track soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing its place as one of the most iconic love songs of all time. The minimalist arrangement, featuring her husband Richard Rudolph on guitar, allows Riperton’s delicate voice to take center stage. A signature element of the song is its serene backdrop of chirping birds, adding to its dreamlike quality. The highlight, however, is Riperton’s mesmerizing use of the whistle register, which remains one of the most stunning vocal feats in music history.
The title track from her 1975 album, Adventures in Paradise encapsulates the dreamy, laid-back aesthetic that defined Riperton’s sound. With a smooth jazzy bassline, gentle percussion, and warm harmonies, the song creates a tranquil, almost hypnotic atmosphere. Riperton’s voice glides effortlessly over the melody, making it one of her most soothing and mesmerizing performances. It’s the kind of song that transports listeners to another world, where love and serenity reign supreme.
A hidden treasure from Perfect Angel, Seeing You This Way is an elegant mid-tempo groove that blends jazz, funk, and soul effortlessly. The song’s syncopated beat and sophisticated arrangement provide the perfect backdrop for Riperton’s velvety vocals. Her performance is both emotionally charged and effortlessly smooth, making this track a testament to her vocal artistry. Though often overlooked, Seeing You This Way deserves recognition as one of her finest and most beautifully crafted songs.
Riperton’s take on The Doors’ classic Light My Fire is a sultry, jazz-infused reimagining of the psychedelic rock staple. Featured on Minnie, her version strips down the song’s rock elements and transforms it into a slow-burning, soulful groove. Her airy yet powerful vocals add an entirely new dimension to the song, making it feel both fresh and intimately familiar. It’s a bold reinterpretation that showcases Riperton’s versatility and ability to bring new life to an already iconic track.
An upbeat anthem of confidence and independence, Young, Willing and Able is one of the standout tracks from Stay in Love. The song features an infectious rhythm, a lively brass section, and Riperton’s signature playful yet commanding vocals. With its flirtatious energy and empowering lyrics, the track perfectly captures the essence of self-assured femininity. Whether it’s the catchy melody or Riperton’s undeniable charisma, this song remains a testament to her ability to balance sensuality with strength.
One of Riperton’s more underrated songs, Can You Feel What I’m Saying? is a vibrant, groove-driven track from her final album Minnie. A fusion of R&B and jazz, the song features an infectious rhythm and playful, confident lyrics. Riperton’s vocal delivery is both smooth and dynamic, showcasing her ability to make even the most intricate melodies sound effortless. The track exudes a sense of joy and empowerment, making it a must-hear for those looking to explore beyond her biggest hits.
Samuel Moore is a frequent contributor to Singers Room. Since 2005, Singersroom has been the voice of R&B around the world. Connect with us via social media below.
Great Job Samuel Moore & the Team @ Singersroom.com Source link for sharing this story.
UNDISPUTED PRESENTS ALL FACTS NO BRAKES
Trending
MLB
NFL
Gold Cup
UEFA Women’s EURO
INDYCAR
NASCAR
LIV
NBA
PGA
NCAAFB
Great Job & the Team @ FOX Sports Digital Source link for sharing this story.
EL PASO—U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to build a 1.3-mile border barrier on Mount Cristo Rey, an iconic mountain rising above the Rio Grande and the neighboring cities of Juárez and El Paso.
Most of the mountain lies in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. Its southern flank is in Mexico, near the Anapra neighborhood of Juárez. CBP plans to build a 30-foot-high steel barrier alongside an existing patrol road and construct an additional one and a half miles of road.
The new construction would close a gap in what is otherwise a nearly continuous stretch of border wall. Environmental advocates are raising concerns that the new border barrier could cause erosion, cut off wildlife corridors and cause lasting ecological damage to the mountain.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued waivers of federal laws on June 5 to ensure “expeditious construction” of border barriers at Mount Cristo Rey and six other locations. The waivers lift the requirements of laws including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. CBP is seeking public comment until July 3 on the construction at Mount Cristo Rey.
“The Mount Cristo Rey area is a major smuggling route,” said Landon Hutchens, CBP’s public information officer for West Texas and New Mexico. “The border barrier will discourage illegal border crossings.”
Border crossings in the El Paso-Sunland Park area, along with the rest of the border, have dropped precipitously in recent months. U.S. troops are currently deployed to the border. The Mount Cristo Rey area also falls under the National Defense Area established in Southern New Mexico and West Texas.
Mount Cristo Rey has long drawn the religiously faithful for biannual pilgrimages. People travel from across Texas, New Mexico and Northern Mexico to walk past the Stations of the Cross, which depict the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, to the mountain’s pinnacle. At the top, a 29-foot-limestone monument of Jesus Christ looks out over panoramic views of three states and two countries. Mountain bikers and runners also use the winding trail throughout the year.
From the Mexico side of the mountain, migrants trek through the inhospitable desert terrain to attempt to enter the United States. Border Patrol keeps watch from their white and green trucks, and occasionally helicopters pass overhead, in pursuit of undocumented border crossers. Since 2022, the number of deaths of border crossers in the Sunland Park area has hit all-time highs.
The Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces owns the New Mexico side of the mountain. CBP’s Hutchens said he could not comment on any potential easements for construction. Inside Climate News has contacted the diocese for comment.
The Mount Cristo Rey Restoration Committee organizes events on the mountain. Ruben Escandon, a member of the committee, said he only learned about CBP’s announcement this week. Escandon supports construction of the barrier, which he says would help protect the historic monument.
Existing border fencing in other parts of the region already limits wildlife movement. The new wall at Mount Cristo Rey would have four-inch gaps between the steel bollards, which would prevent larger animals from passing through.
Environmental advocates including Ray Aguilar have called for a biological corridor between the Sierra de Juárez mountains in Juárez and the Franklin Mountains in El Paso.
Our nonprofit newsroom provides award-winning climate coverage free of charge and advertising. We rely on donations from readers like you to keep going. Please donate now to support our work.
“Putting in a physical barrier will disconnect biological processes,” he said. “The Sierra de Juárez is going to be completely isolated from the exchange of species.”
Rick LoBello of El Paso said that a wall on Mount Cristo Rey could impact wildlife, including javelina, deer and coyotes. LoBello is a board member of the Texas Lobo Coalition that aims to reintroduce the Mexican wolf to Texas.
In 2017, Mexican scientists tracked an endangered Mexican wolf that traveled north from Chihuahua into New Mexico and reentered Mexico at Mount Cristo Rey, LoBello said.
“If Mexican wolves were ever to try and come here again they would not be able to make it through,” he said. “The goal of the Mexican wolf recovery program is for animals to be able to go back and forth to maintain the highest possible genetic diversity.”
Managing water flows has been a challenge in other sections of the border wall. Border fencing can essentially serve as a grate that catches debris and blocks water, and monsoon floods have damaged border fences in Arizona, requiring costly repairs.
At Mount Cristo Rey, monsoon rains flow down the steep slopes to reach the Rio Grande.
Manually-operated flood gates between eight to 10 feet wide will be installed in the fence to manage water flows, according to CBP. These gates would be opened during the summer monsoon to allow water to pass through (which has led to false claims on other parts of the border that the gates were open during the Biden administration, but not during Trump’s first term). Concrete or block walls, roadside ditches and earth retaining systems may also be necessary to prevent flooding and erosion.
CBP’s Hutchens said that he could not comment on “hypotheticals” like flooding but said there are already flood gates in some sections of the wall near Juárez’s Anapra neighborhood.
Hutchens declined to comment on the environmental waivers and referred to the Department of Homeland Security’s statements. When granting the waiver, the agency said they were “critical steps to secure the southern border and reinforce our commitment to border security.”
Erick Meza, the Arizona-based Borderlands Coordinator for the Sierra Club, said that border wall construction in mountainous, steep areas can lead to soil erosion and compaction. In addition to the barrier itself, Meza said roads and staging areas would create “permanent scars on the mountain.” Based on his experience documenting border wall construction in the southwest, he said that CBP does not consider itself responsible for restoring that damage.
The environmental waivers give the agency “free reign to do whatever they want in regards to the environment,” Meza said.
Perhaps you noticed: This story, like all the news we publish, is free to read. That’s because Inside Climate News is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. We do not charge a subscription fee, lock our news behind a paywall, or clutter our website with ads. We make our news on climate and the environment freely available to you and anyone who wants it.
That’s not all. We also share our news for free with scores of other media organizations around the country. Many of them can’t afford to do environmental journalism of their own. We’ve built bureaus from coast to coast to report local stories, collaborate with local newsrooms and co-publish articles so that this vital work is shared as widely as possible.
Two of us launched ICN in 2007. Six years later we earned a Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting, and now we run the oldest and largest dedicated climate newsroom in the nation. We tell the story in all its complexity. We hold polluters accountable. We expose environmental injustice. We debunk misinformation. We scrutinize solutions and inspire action.
Donations from readers like you fund every aspect of what we do. If you don’t already, will you support our ongoing work, our reporting on the biggest crisis facing our planet, and help us reach even more readers in more places?
Please take a moment to make a tax-deductible donation. Every one of them makes a difference.
Thank you,
Martha Pskowski covers climate change and the environment in Texas from her base in El Paso. She was previously an environmental reporter at the El Paso Times. She began her career as a freelance journalist in Mexico, reporting for outlets including The Guardian and Yale E360. Martha has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Hampshire College and a master’s degree in Journalism and Latin American Studies from New York University. She is a former Fulbright research fellow in Mexico. Martha can be reached on Signal at psskow.33.
Great Job By Martha Pskowski & the Team @ Inside Climate News Source link for sharing this story.
The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to ban transgender athletes, resolving the civil rights case sparked by swimmer Lia Thomas, the Department of Education said Tuesday.
Penn agreed to a number of “action items” to resolve what the department calls Title IX violations, the Education Department said in a statement. Those items include restoring “to female athletes all individual UPenn Division I swimming records, titles, or similar recognitions which were misappropriated by male athletes allowed to compete in female categories;” issuing a public statement saying the university will comply with Title IX and will not “allow males to compete in female athletic programs;” and sending a “personalized letter of apology” to any female swimmers who were affected.
CBS News Philadelphia has reached out to the University of Pennsylvania for comment. CBS News Philadelphia is working to connect with Thomas for a statement or an interview.
Penn posted a statement on its website Tuesday that said, in part, that the school “will comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 … as interpreted by the Department of Education, in all of its athletics programs.” The statement also said Penn Athletics locker rooms and bathrooms will be “strictly separated on the basis of sex and comparably provided to each sex.”
That post appears to be the public statement required in the agreement with the Education Department.
Penn also said in a separate statement attributed to University President J. Larry Jameson that the agreement “brought to a close an investigation that, if unresolved, could have had significant and lasting implications for the University of Pennsylvania.”
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement, “Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes.”
McMahon continued, “Today is a great victory for women and girls not only at the University of Pennsylvania, but all across our nation. The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law.”
Before this agreement, the Trump administration said Penn violated Title IX, the law that guarantees women equal opportunities in university athletics, by allowing Thomas to compete on the women’s swim team and use team facilities.
Penn’s statement about the agreement also said the school “has always followed – and continues to follow – Title IX and the applicable policy of the NCAA regarding transgender athletes. NCAA eligibility rules changed in February 2025 with Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 and Penn will continue to adhere to these new rules.”
Thomas racked up notable achievements in Division I women’s swimming in the 2022 NCAA season, coming in first in the 500-meter freestyle at the Swimming and Diving Championships that year. She had other first-place finishes in events at the Ivy League Championships held that year at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool.
Before she began transitioning in 2019, Thomas competed on the men’s swimming team and followed NCAA and Ivy League rules for the process. Thomas had support from the Ivy League and Penn at the time, along with several teammates. But other athletes penned an anonymous letter asking the NCAA to bar Thomas from competing on the women’s team.
Penn’s statement explaining the agreement with the Education Department said the school complied with NCAA rules regarding athlete eligibility in the 2021-2022 swim season, but also said, “We acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules. We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.” School officials will review school records from that time and indicate who will hold the records under the new rules.
In a statement, Philadelphia councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Rue Landau and state Rep. Rick Krajewski said they were “deeply disappointed in the University of Pennsylvania’s decision to reward a politically motivated campaign that seeks to erase Transgender athletes under the narrative of equity in sports.”
The statement says Penn’s promise to rewrite its record books and send personalized apologies to athletes “is not about equity. It is about appeasing the Trump Administration. It is about deliberately targeting a vulnerable community for political points. It is about continuing to push the infiltration of the Republican extremist agenda to erase LGBTQ people—specifically Trans people—from daily life.”
Great Job & the Team @ Home – CBSNews.com Source link for sharing this story.
The bill, if also passed in the House, would increase the deficit while delivering tax cuts to the rich and historic cuts to social programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Murkowski, a last-minute holdout, caved after being presented with handouts to make the bill slightly less ruinous for Alaskans—such as one temporarily waiving provisions requiring Alaska to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits.
The decision process, Murkowski told reporters after the vote, had been “agonizing,” and she “struggled mightily with the impact on the most vulnerable in this country, when you look to Medicaid and SNAP.”
She also expressed hope that the House would alter the bill she voted for, saying she wants the House to “look at this and recognize that we’re not there yet.”
Why did she vote for it, then? “Kill it, and the provisions that are going to be very helpful for economic development in my state would no longer be available,” Murkowski replied, pointing directly to the handouts.
In an interview with NBC’s Ryan Nobles, Murkowski addressed suggestions that she’d accepted a “bailout,” saying, “When people suggest that federal dollars go to one of our fifty states in a quote, ‘bailout,’ I find that offensive. I advocated for my state’s interests.”
“Do I like this bill? No,” Murkowski said, lamenting that, “in many parts of the country, there are Americans that are not going to be advantaged by this bill.”
But, she continued, “When I saw the direction that this is going, you can either say, ‘I don’t like it,’ and not try to help my state, or you can roll up your sleeves, and do so.”
The senator now faces intense criticism, including from Democratic Representative Jim McGovern who, during a House Rules Committee meeting, asked if Murkowski really hopes it’s improved in the house, “Why the hell did you vote for this bill? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Great Job Edith Olmsted & the Team @ The New Republic Source link for sharing this story.
Great Job Felicia Ray Owens & the Team @ Felicia Ray Owens Source link for sharing this story.
In potentially the biggest threat to Starbucks since other companies figured out that they, too, could market pumpkin-spice flavored treats, Luckin Coffee, China’s biggest coffee chain, opened its first US stores yesterday with two outposts in New York City.
If you haven’t heard of Luckin, it’s probably because you’ve never tried to get a cup of joe in China, where it’s grown massive by offering super cheap drinks and quirky flavors.
Meanwhile…things haven’t looked so good for Starbucks in China recently, and not just because its baristas can’t spell names in Chinese characters, either. The chain positioned itself as the high-end option, and sales dipped as customers turned to cheaper alternatives like Luckin. Last week, Starbucks denied reports it planned to sell off its Chinese business.
Big picture: Starbucks has a 50-year headstart in the US market, but it’s recently been struggling here, too. The chain is trying to turn around five quarters of slowing sales by bringing back traditional coffeehouse vibes and smiley faces on cups.—AR
This report was originally published by Morning Brew.
Great Job Abigail Rubenstein, Morning Brew & the Team @ Fortune | FORTUNE Source link for sharing this story.
Stay Connected to Independent News in Hill Country
Get the latest stories, events, and updates from FROUSA.org delivered straight to your inbox.
