NASAU Airport Development Company (NAD) revealed yesterday that passenger numbers increased by 9.27 percent during the fiscal year 2024, hitting a record 4.06 million passengers.
Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said LPIA surpassing its pre-pandemic record of 3.99m passengers in 2019 is a result of the “strategic efforts and collaboration with industry partners” to meet tourism demand.
“The Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) and the entire team at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) are to be congratulated for achieving a record-breaking 4.06 million passengers in fiscal year 2024, surpassing the previous pre-pandemic record set in the same frame for 2019,” said Mr Cooper.
“This fantastic accomplishment is a direct result of all our strategic
efforts, and collaboration with industry partners to meet the growing demand for travel to our beautiful Bahamas.”
Mr Cooper, who is also the minister of tourism, investments and aviation, reiterated the Davis administration’s
pledge to make “significant investments” in LPIA and the broader tourism sector.
“LPIA’s ability to adapt and thrive in the post-pandemic environment has demonstrated the flexibility and resilience of our nation’s main gateway and tourism sector. The increase in seat capacity and the expansion of airlift from new and traditional markets shows we are growing and expanding our brand, which is paradise,” said Mr Cooper.
“This demonstrates growth in stopover arrivals even as we continue to grow our room inventory through domestic and foreign investments. We take this moment to recognise the milestone, but we always continue the work.
“I’m excited to reaffirm our government’s commitment to making further significant investments in LPIA and throughout our tourism sector to meet the continued demand. Thank you, NAD and LIPA for your hard work and for handling
Compulsory purchase to end cemetery dispute
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
A PROTRACTED dispute over a proposed 13-acre cemetery on Bernard Road may be nearing a resolution as the government has listed 4.94 acres of the site for compulsory acquisition.
The appeal process for a proposed Bernard Road cemetery near the Budget Convenience store, east of Sands Addition, that has spanned over five years may be concluded shortly as the government has
listed a parcel of the site for compulsory acquisition. Fred Mitchell, minister of foreign affairs, PLP
Six months on and still no ATM in North Andros
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
THE sole bank machine in North Andros has still not been repaired after six months out of action.
Residents in North Andros have grown frustrated that the only automated teller machine (ATM) for the area remains out of service six months after being vandalised.
The prolonged outage has left the community without a crucial banking service, exacerbating challenges for both individuals and businesses.
Darin Bethel, the Andros Chamber of Commerce president, said residents are “disappointed” the area’s only outlet to conduct banking transactions since commercial banks withdrew from the destination has yet to be repaired.
The move has forced residents to rely on digital banking providers which Mr Bethel said has proven a costly alternative.
He said the move to digital banking providers has been “extremely hard” on the bottom line for businesses that have to pay high fees for every transaction they undertake and seniors that are finding it difficult to navigate the platform.
“Residents of North Andros, after being without a bank for over three years with the existence of Scotiabank to just a dropbox is moving to digital payments,” said Mr Bethel.
“The transition has been very hard on seniors and many have said they just don’t understand the system but the overwhelming concern is the cost, each time funds are added to a wallet there is a fee. Every time funds are transferred there is a fee. While some residents are optimistic, this is extremely hard on businesses and their bottom line.
“They have tried the system and the fees and charges just eats up all the money too soon and others have said they are not comfortable with the system
FRED MITCHELL
CHESTER COOPER
Davis: Environment destruction is biggest threat to the world
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business
PRIME Minister Philip Davis said “environmental destruction” is the world’s biggest security threat and made a call to action for a living lands charter.
Giving a keynote address at the Caribbean Ministerial United National Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Pre-Conference of the Parties (COP) 16, Mr Davis said climate change and human activity threaten further degradation to regional lands and stress the importance of increasing efforts to promote sustainable land management.
“Increasingly, however, the changing climate coupled with non-sustainable and destructive human activity threatens to further degrade our lands – at a great economic, social, and environmental cost,” said Mr Davis.
“It is more crucial than ever that we ramp up efforts to promote sustainable land
management at home and abroad. The needs of our people may be dynamic and complex, but sustainability is a simple and lasting truth.
“The world is experiencing a triple planetary crisis. Addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and nurturing ecological restoration of our land has become an urgent priority for us all. The biggest threat to the security of the world is environmental destruction. These threats move the Commonwealth of Nation members through a call to action on a living lands charter.”
Mr Davis said the world is experiencing a “triple planetary crisis” and explained the living lands charter takes a systemwide approach toward implementing climateresilient agriculture for food security; soil and water conservation; sustainable green cover and biodiversity; carbon neutral and climate-resilient livestock rearing and animal husbandry; and engagement with indigenous and local people for climateresilient development.
“Let us protect and replenish the earth beneath our feet. Doing so will have significant payoffs in the short and long term. Healthy lands mitigate climate change, contribute to our economies, and support human health, nutrition, and general wellbeing,” said Mr Davis.
“Proper land preservation also goes hand in hand with combating the rising incidence of drought and desertification in our region. Water scarcity is a pressing concern for the Caribbean, with most –if not all – of our island nations experiencing some form of water stress in the last five years.
“Meanwhile, three quarters of the Caribbean’s population resides in urban areas – and that number only stands to rise. Urbanisation is our reality, my friends, and it will continue to place a strain on water access. Conservation of essential resources will be key as we advance regional development and work toward achieving the seventeen SDGs (sustainable development goals).”
FANTA is joining forces with Pac-Man this summer on a series of limited edition can designs.
The four limited-edition 12oz cans features the iconic Pac-Man and its army of ghosts. You can find Pac-Man and friends on any orange, grape, strawberry or fruit punch Fanta can in The Bahamas and worldwide. Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, said it is proud and excited to be launching the limited edition can and added that there will be an array of promotions, activities and events.
There will also be digital promotions with instant
(FROM RIGHT) Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, Bahamas, David Davis; Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs; Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Vaughn P. Miller; Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Hon. Philip E. Davis; Pastor Mario Moxey; and a distinguished group of Government Ministers and officials from the Caribbean, OECS and the United Nations. Photos:Samantha Black/ MENR Bahamas
CALVIN JAMES, Executive Director of the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) at the UNCCD PreCOP 16 Meeting, Nassau The Bahamas.
HON. ALFRED PROSPERE, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Government of St. Lucia, Chair of the Pre-Cop 16 Meeting, August 8 & 9, 2024.
PRIME Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Hon. Philip E. Davis, addressing the UNCCD Pre-COP 16 official welcome ceremony at SLS Bahamar.
LPIA reaches record 4.06m passengers
LYNDEN Pindling International Airport (LPIA) has achieved a significant milestone, welcoming a record 4.06 million passengers in fiscal year 2024. This remarkable performance surpasses the previous record of 3.99 million passengers set in FY2019, reflecting the airport’s robust and steady post-pandemic recovery.
LPIA also set a previous calendar year passenger record of 4.1 million in 2019 and is on track to surpass that number by December 2024.
In FY2024, passenger numbers increased by 9.27% YOY across all sectors: U.S., International and Domestic. A total of 2,863,556 million U.S., 449,988 International, and 747,388 Domestic
THE COUNTRY’s main gateway sets a record in FY2024 with 4.06M passengers.
passengers were recorded. This consistent pandemic recovery began in FY2022 with 2.8 million passengers across all three sectors and continued in FY2023 with 3.7 million. Officials at Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD)
attribute the success to strategic efforts and collaboration with industry partners.
Vernice Walkine, President & CEO of NAD, credited several factors for the record-breaking performance
BARTENDERS create smooth and savoury cocktails with Westland Whiskey at the special launch event at British Colonial Hilton, the newest whiskey is not available at Jimmy's Wines & Spirits.
including new service to the destination, increased seat capacity on existing routes and expanded seasonal routes to provide more access to Nassau/Paradise Island.
“We’re absolutely delighted that for our fiscal year 2024, which encompasses the budget period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 that we’ve actually had our best fiscal year ever,” she said.
“The demand for Nassau/ Paradise Island has continued to be very strong. Post pandemic we’ve seen tremendous growth. Our key airlines have increased their seat capacity into the destination because they are seeing the demand.”
The airport’s total seat capacity reached 6.379M in FY2024, up 18% YOY
and 11% over levels tracked in FY2019. U.S. sector seats accounted for 4.1M, an increase of 16% since FY2019. International sector seat capacity expanded to 1.036M, up 41% over FY2019. Walkine said LPIA also exceeded pre-pandemic airlift numbers during FY2024: “This was due in large part to our partners who worked hand in glove with us to make sure that we could attract the additional airlift that we needed and make sure that we could accommodate it here at the airport. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has done a number of missions to various markets; the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) is very aggressive in meeting with the various airlines
to talk about opportunities and so through all of the efforts of these partners we’ve been able to attract the additional airlift out of new gateways and also have the airlines add more seats out of traditional gateways as well.”
Numbers for July, the first month of FY2025, show strong performance with 412,234 total passengers traveling through LPIA, 2.8% above the previous year. NAD anticipates the same trends in August. As passenger numbers continue to grow, airport stakeholders are committed to enhancing connectivity, improving the overall guest experience, and sustaining growth at the country’s main gateway.
LAUNCH FOR WESTLAND WHISKEY
WESTLAND Whiskey
– an American Single Malt – was introduced to The Bahamian market at the British Colonial last week. It represents the newest addition to the Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits Remy Cointreau portfolio.
The invite-only event saw 60 attendees enjoying a night and sampling Westland Whiskey.
“Guests sampled Westland Whiskey in various cocktails made by local bartenders who, during the week of the launch, were educated on its characteristics, its essence and tasting notes. Quite simply, it was ‘liquid to lips’,” according to Angela Moss, Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits brand manager. On the night, it was unanimous that the favourite cocktail was ‘3000 Miles Away’, a refreshing drink created by Kendall Sands, a bartender at Kyma Seafood Grill.
“I feel we had a great turnout and a fantastic
SPECIALLY
Westland Whiskey, now available at Jimmy's Wines & Spirits.
event,” said Ms Moss. “It was a nice evening of socialising with our partners and vendors. It gave whiskey aficionados an opportunity to enjoy our newest addition to the whiskey family.”
Dozens of bottles of Westland Whiskey were purchased by attendees who were eager to take them home with them to enjoy. They were also able to enjoy great food that paired perfectly with the whiskey. Westland Whiskey’s brand ambassador, Ana Hinz, was also on hand from the US for the night. Westland Whiskey is made in Seattle, owned by Remy Cointreau, and distributed in The Bahamas by Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits.
invited whiskey connoisseur shows off his newly bought bottle of
WESTLAND Whiskey International Brand Manager Ana Hinz engages with attendees, teaching them about the product's properties and the story of how they began their distillery in Seattle. Photos:JWS/Barefoot Marketing
Compulsory purchase to end cemetery dispute
FROM PAGE B1
chairman and Fox Hill MP, confirmed in a written response to Tribune Business that the Acquisitions and Disposition of land listing included a portion of the suggested graveyard site.
The developer’s initial proposal was denied by the Town Planning Committee in 2018 after it was heavily opposed by members of the community.
An appeal of the decision was launched with the Subdivision and Appeals Board.
Mr Mitchell, a staunch opponent of the proposed
cemetery, maintained his support for the Town Planning Committee’s initial decision to reject the project. The compulsory acquisition order should bring the matter “some way toward redress”, Mr Mitchell stated.
“I have indicated time and again from in office, in opposition, and now back in government that I support the decision of town planning to disallow the grave site. I oppose it in the appeal tribunal. I have done so in writing, including advising the tribunal that the land would be subject to government acquisition.”
Mitchell emphasised that his campaign had focused on “redress for the family whose house was demolished most unfairly” and hopes the compulsory acquisition helps address the issue.
He has consistently argued that the cemetery would negatively impact nearby property values and disrupt the community’s way of life.
Mr Mitchell wrote to the Subdivision and Appeals Board on February 19, 2024, urging that the appeal be dismissed “and the status quo maintained” on the basis that permitting the project would devalue
It’s a record: 4 million passengers for LPIA
the booming traffic into our country with such professionalism and excellence.”
He said at the Airports Conference of the Americas last week that LPIA is too small and projected an additional $200m investment for the airport over the next 18 months.
NAD said LPIA had a “strong performance” in July, the first month of the 2025 fiscal year, with 412,234 total passengers, a 2.8 percent from the previous year,
and projected the trend will continue this month.
LPIA’s operator also revealed that passenger numbers increased by 9.27 percent year over year across all sectors with 2.8m US, 449,988 international, and 747,388 domestic passengers.
“This consistent pandemic recovery began in FY2022 with 2.8 million passengers across all three sectors and continued in FY2023 with 3.7 million.
Officials at Nassau Airport Development Company
(NAD) attribute the success to strategic efforts and collaboration with industry partners,” said NAD.
Vernice Walkine, president and CEO of NAD, said 2024 was “our best fiscal year ever” with LPIA seeing “tremendous growth” post pandemic.
“We’re absolutely delighted that for our fiscal year 2024, which encompasses the budget period July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, that we’ve actually had our best fiscal year ever,” said Ms Walkine.
“The demand for Nassau/ Paradise Island has continued to be very strong. Post pandemic we’ve seen tremendous growth. Our key airlines have increased their seat capacity into the destination because they are seeing the demand.”
She said the recordbreaking numbers were due
nearby properties and disturb his constituents’ way of life.
Asserting that roads in the area would be unable to handle the increase in vehicle traffic generated by the cemetery, he added that the government is also “in the early stages” of using its compulsory powers under the Acquisition of Land Act to purchase either the entire property or “pieces and parcels” of it.
Due to this intervention, Khalil Parker KC, attorney for the developer, suggested that as the matter is a land dispute a representative of the Attorney General’s
Office should appear for the appeal hearing. At the last appeal hearing in July, Perry McHardy, representing the Attorney General’s Office, indicated that an application to acquire the property under the Acquisition of Land Act had not yet been filed as it is still awaiting a final response from the Office of the Prime Minister, which is responsible for compulsory land acquisitions.
Dawson Malone, the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board’s chairman, while acknowledging the busy schedule of the Attorney General’s office expressed
the “disappointment” of the board that documents providing the government’s input on the matter had not been received after almost six months.
He added that the input of the Attorney General’s Office is “critical” in resolving a matter that has dragged on for more than five years with all parties deserving “closure”. The proceedings have been adjourned until September, with stakeholders and the community eagerly awaiting a resolution.
to various industry partners including the ministry tourism and the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) who collaborated with airlines to attract additional airlift.
“This was due in large part to our partners who worked hand in glove with us to make sure that we could attract the additional airlift that we needed and make sure that we could
Six months on and still no ATM in North Andros
FROM PAGE B1
and wants to see a brick and mortar institute back on the island.”
The Central Bank recently held a digital expo
on the island encouraging residents to embrace digital banking as the “way forward” but Mr Bethel said North Andros cannot rely on digital payments as their sole banking alternative
accommodate it here at the airport,” said Ms Walkine.
“The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has done a number of missions to various markets; the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) is very aggressive in meeting with the various airlines to talk about opportunities and so through all of the efforts of these partners we’ve been able to attract the additional airlift out of new
as it is “too costly for an already dying economy”.
“We at the chamber started this campaign to bring about resolution to the challenges of transferring money considering we have no ATM. Scotiabank has failed to repair the existing ATM or bring in another to take away the strain as Central Andros
Turkey suddenly reinstates access to Instagram after more than a week
ISTANBUL Associated Press
TURKEY reinstated access to Instagram on Saturday night, after more than a week of being blocked nationwide.
The Information and Communication Technologies Authority barred access to Instagram on Aug. 2 without providing a specific reason. Government officials later said the ban was imposed because the social media platform failed to abide by Turkish laws.
"In our talks with Instagram officials, we were assured our requests would be met, especially those regarding criminal activity, and given a promise that we would work together on a means of censoring users," Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Turkey's transportation and infrastructure minister wrote on the social media platform X Saturday.
Uraloglu elaborated in a video also posted on X, saying that the platform "was to establish compliance with Turkish law and that in instances where the law was violated, there would be quick and effective intervention."
gateways and also have the airlines add more seats out of traditional gateways as well.”
NAD said LPIA’s total seat capacity reached 6.379m in 2024, an 18 percent increase over the previous year and 11 percent over 2019 numbers.
US seats saw a 19 percent increase and international seats increased 41 percent over 2019 numbers.
uses the machine also,” said Mr Bethel.
“We at the chamber have determined based on feedback that the way forward for the community of North Andros can’t be digital pay alone, it’s too costly for an already dying economy and it doesn’t operate effective enough for key residents which is the elderly.”
He added that all accounts owned by "terrorist" organizations would be banned and all content promoting such organizations would be removed, singling out the PKK, PYD and FETO.
The PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, is an outlawed group that has waged a decades-long insurgency within Turkey to establish an autonomous region in southeastern Turkey. The PYD is a Syrian Kurdish political organization that Turkish officials claim is an arm of the PKK. FETO is the movement led by Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that the government blames for a failed coup attempt in 2016.
NOTICE is hereby given that all persons having any claim or demand against the abovenamed Estate are required to send the same to the Undersigned on or before the 13th day of September, A.D., 2024, and if so required by notice in writing from the undersigned to come in and prove such demand or claim or in default thereof be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.
- High School Diploma Required - One year of clerical experience - Minimum of two years’ experience working in a fast-paced financial service industry
AND NOTICE is hereby given that all persons indebted to the said Estate are requested to settle their respective debts at the Chambers of the undersigned on or before the date hereinbefore mentioned.
Dated the 12th day of August, A.D., 2024. Campbell Chase Law Chambers, Nora Leonie 71 Mount Royal Avenue at Rosetta Street P. O. Box N-4447, Nassau, Bahamas Attorneys for
LYNDEN PINDLING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LPIA)
Rollercoaster week
By Chris Illing CCO @ ActivTrades Corp
The stock market crash from last week Monday brought back memories of the “Black Monday” of 1987 and sent shock waves into the global financial markets. Alarmed by the events in the Far East, too many customers worldwide wanted to sell their shares that the systems of some brokerages temporarily failed.
Economists blame a toxic cocktail of different factors for the crash. Take an unfortunate interest
rate hike in Japan, give poor labour market data from the United States and disappointing company figures. Add the fear of further escalation in the Middle East. Stir the whole thing once, and you have a cocktail that spoiled shareholders’ desire for shares.
At the end of July, the Japanese central bank raised interest rates from 0.1 to 0.25 percent. It
also announced further interest rate hikes. Many investors were surprised by the central bank’s interest rate hike. They had relied on the so-called “carry trade”. In this trading strategy, you borrow money in a currency with low interest rates. Then you invest it in another currency area where interest rates are higher or higher yields are tempting, such as on the
stock market or in cryptocurrencies. The Japanese central bank’s interest rate hike made the yen more expensive compared to the dollar and other currencies,
FDA approves first nasal spray to treat dangerous allergic reactions
By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer
U.S. health officials on Friday approved a nasal spray to treat severe allergic reactions, the first needlefree alternative to shots like EpiPen.
The Food and Drug Administration said it approved the spray from drugmaker ARS Pharmaceuticals Inc. as an emergency treatment for adults and older children experiencing life-threatening allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis occurs when the body's immune system develops a sudden, unexpected reaction to a foreign substance, such as food, insect stings or medications. Common symptoms include hives, swelling, itching, vomiting and difficulty breathing.
The device, marketed as Neffy, could upend treatment for the 33 million to 45 million Americans with severe allergies to food and other triggers. Anaphylaxis sends more than 30,000
people to emergency rooms and results in more than 2,000 hospitalizations and more than 230 deaths in the U.S. each year. Of the 6 million prescriptions written for auto-injectors each year, more than 40% are never filled, Dr. Thomas Casale, an allergist at the University of South Florida, told an FDA advisory panel last year. Even when they are available to caregivers, many auto-injectors are used incorrectly, he said.
"There's a real unmet medical need for a large portion of the population," he said.
Neffy is intended for people who weigh at least 66 pounds. It is given in a single dose sprayed into one nostril. A second dose can be given if the person's symptoms don't improve.
The new treatment could be life-changing for people with severe food allergies, said Dr. Kelly Cleary, a pediatrician and director with the Food Allergy Research & Education, a nonprofit advocacy group.
"I have seen the look of worry or fear," said Cleary, whose 11-year-old son has multiple food allergies. "I worry about what happens if someone hesitates."
Requiring an injection in an emergency is as scary to some children as the allergic reaction itself. Some parents have had to restrain thrashing children to inject them, sometimes causing cuts that require stitches. About 3,500 caregivers a year are injured when they accidentally inject themselves in the hands, ARS said.
Priscilla Hernandez, of Pasadena, California said her 12-year-old son, Zacky, who is allergic to sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, avocado and other foods, was traumatized when he had a reaction at school about six years ago and a nurse treated him with an auto-injector.
"Having to do a shot creates this whole different level of anxiety," she said. She said, "we are over the moon" about the FDA's approval of the spray, which
THOUSANDS PROTEST LITHIUM MINING IN SERBIA. OFFICIALS SAY IT'S A PLOT AGAINST POPULIST PRESIDENT
By JOVANA GEC Associated Press
TENS of thousands of protesters rallied on Saturday against lithium mining in Serbia, despite officials' warnings of their alleged plot to topple populist President Aleksandar Vučić and his government. Vučić said earlier he had been tipped off by Russian intelligence services that a "mass unrest and a coup" were being prepared in Serbia by unspecified Western powers that wish to oust him from power.
The crowd chanted:
"There will be no mining" and "Treason, treason."
After one of the biggest protests in downtown Belgrade in years ended, some people in the crowd marched toward the capital's two main railway
stations, pledging to block train traffic until their demands that lithium mining be officially banned are met.
Government officials and state-controlled media have launched a major campaign against the rally, comparing it to the Maidan uprising in Ukraine's capital, Kiev, that led to the toppling of the country's then pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych in 2013. Organizers of the Belgrade protest have said the protest would be peaceful.
"Our rally today is ecological and has no political ambitions, but the government has accused us of seeking to stage a coup," actor Svetlana Bojković said.
"We came here today to raise our voice against
something that is beyond politics," she said.
The demonstration came after weeks of protests in dozens of cities throughout Serbia against a government plan to allow lithium mining in a lush farming valley in the west of the country.
This plan had been scrapped in 2022 after large demonstrations were held that included the blocking of key bridges and roads. But it was revived last month and received a boost in a tentative deal on "critical raw materials" signed by Vučić's government with the European Union.
The Balkan nation is formally seeking EU membership while maintaining very close ties with both Russia and China. The EU memorandum on the mining of lithium and other
forcing traders to liquidate their positions. Weak growth, mixed corporate results and geopolitical risks are no good news for investors.
The Volatility index VIX, which is a measure of fluctuation expectations on the stock market reached a four-year high last week.
But the major indices worldwide had recovered significantly from their lows on Monday during the week. On Thursday, thanks to strong data from the US labour market, there was a strong recovery. However, such price fluctuations on the stock market are not a reason to sell all shares. Investors should think long-term and only use money that they can do without for several years.
Zacky will start carrying when it becomes available. First marketed in 1901, epinephrine predates the FDA itself. Products like the EpiPen auto-injector, approved in 1987, were authorized based on chemistry and manufacturing data and were not required to prove safety and efficacy. Clinical trials of people experiencing potentially deadly reactions are difficult for ethical and pragmatic reasons. Instead, ARS officials compared the effect of the nasal spray on biological markers to existing epinephrine treatments. Results showed Neffy worked about as well as injected epinephrine to boost heart rate and blood pressure, which counter severe reactions. The drug is combined with a patented agent that allows it to be easily absorbed through nasal membranes.
Other needle-free epinephrine devices are being developed to treat allergic reactions. In the pipeline are nasal sprays from Bryn Pharma, of North Carolina,
and Nausus Pharma, of Israel; a needle-free autoinjector from Crossject of France; and an epinephrine film that is administered under the tongue from Aquestive Therapeutics, of New Jersey. Neffy is designed to be easy to carry and easy to use, especially for children, said Richard Lowenthal, president and chief executive of San Diego-based ARS.
"We don't want fear. There's no needle, there's no pain with this product," he said. "It's basically like spraying saline into your nose."
ARS didn't immediately disclose a list price, but said it would make the spray available through certain discount programs for about $200 per two-pack. Insurance plans must still decide whether to cover the product and at what price.
THIS image provided by ARS Pharmaceuticals on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, shows the company’s Neffy nasal spray to treat severe allergic reactions. Photo:ARS Pharmaceuticals/AP
Donald Trump's campaign says its emails were hacked
By BILL BARROW Associated Press
FORMER President Donald Trump's presidential campaign said Saturday that it has been hacked and suggested Iranian actors were involved in stealing and distributing sensitive internal documents.
The campaign provided no specific evidence of Iran's involvement, but the claim comes a day after Microsoft issued a report detailing foreign agents' attempts to interfere in the U.S. campaign in 2024.
It cited an instance of an Iranian military intelligence unit in June sending "a spear-phishing email to a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign from a compromised email account of a former senior advisor."
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung blamed the hack on "foreign sources hostile to the United States." A spokesperson for the National Security Council said in a statement that it takes any report of improper foreign interference "extremely seriously" and condemns any government or entity that attempts to undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions, but said
it deferred to the Justice Department on this matter. Iran's mission to the United Nations, when asked about the claim of the Trump campaign, denied being involved. "We do not accord any credence to such reports," the mission told The Associated Press. "The Iranian government neither possesses nor harbors any intent or motive to interfere in the United States presidential election."
However, Iran long has been suspected of running hacking campaigns targeting its enemies in the Middle East and beyond. Tehran also long has threatened to retaliate against Trump over the 2020 drone strike he ordered that killed prominent Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
The U.S. Justice Department this past week unsealed criminal charges against a Pakistani national with ties to Iran alleged to have plotted assassination attempts against political figures in the United States, including potentially Trump, and to have sought to hire purported hitmen who were actually undercover law enforcement officials. Court documents in that case pointedly noted a desire by Iran to conduct operations against
perceived enemies of the regime and to avenge the killing of Soleimani.
Politico first reported Saturday on the hack. The outlet reported that it began receiving emails on July 22 from an anonymous account. The source — an AOL email account identified only as "Robert" — passed along what appeared to be a research dossier the campaign had apparently done on the Republican vice presidential nominee, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. The document was dated Feb. 23, almost five months before Trump selected Vance as his running mate.
"These documents were obtained illegally" and "intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process," Cheung said.
He pointed to the Microsoft report issued Friday and its conclusions that "Iranian hackers broke into the account of a 'high ranking official' on the U.S. presidential campaign in June 2024, which coincides with the close timing of President Trump's selection of a vice presidential nominee."
"The Iranians know that President Trump will stop their reign of terror just
like he did in his first four years in the White House," Cheung said, adding a warning that "any media or news outlet reprinting documents or internal communications are doing the bidding of America's enemies and doing exactly what they want."
Cheung did not immediately respond to questions about the campaign's interactions with Microsoft on the matter. Microsoft said Saturday it had no comment beyond its blog post and Friday report.
The analysis continued:
"Iranian cyber-enabled influence operations have been a consistent feature of at least the last three U.S. election cycles. Iran's operations have been notable and distinguishable from Russian campaigns for appearing later in the election season and employing cyberattacks more geared toward election conduct than swaying voters."
"Recent activity suggests the Iranian regime — along with the Kremlin — may be equally engaged in election 2024," Microsoft concluded.
In that report, Microsoft stated that "foreign malign influence concerning the 2024 US election started off slowly but has steadily picked up pace over the last six months due initially to Russian operations, but more recently from Iranian activity."
Specifically, the report detailed that in June 2024, an Iranian military intelligence unit, Mint Sandstorm, sent a phishing email to an American presidential campaign via the compromised account of a former adviser.
"The phishing email contained a fake forward with a hyperlink that directs traffic through an actor-controlled domain before redirecting to the listed domain," the report states.
Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported hacking or on the Democratic nominee's cybersecurity protocols.
SUSAN WOJCICKI, FORMER YOUTUBE CEO AND LONGTIME GOOGLE EXECUTIVE, HAS DIED AT 56
By KEN MILLER and MAE ANDERSON Associated Press
SUSAN Wojcicki, a pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube, has died, her husband said. She was 56. Wojcicki played a key role in Google's creation and served nine years as
YouTube's CEO, stepping down last year to focus on her "family, health, and personal projects I'm passionate about," she said at the time. She was one of the most respected female executives in the male-dominated tech industry.
Her collaboration with Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin began shortly after they incorporated their search engine into a business in 1998.
Wojcicki rented the garage of her Menlo Park, California, home to them for $1,700 a month, cementing a formative partnership. Page and Brin — both 25 at the time — continued to refine their search engine in Wojcicki's garage for five months before moving Google into a more formal office and later persuaded their former landlord to come work for their company.
Wojcicki joined Google, now known as Alphabet, as its marketing manager in 1999 and served in various positions as Google grew its online advertising presence by acquiring YouTube in 2006 and DoubleClick in 2008. She served as Google's senior vice president of advertising and commerce from 2011 to early 2014 and CEO of YouTube from 2014 to 2023.
"Her loss is devastating for all of us who know and love her, for the thousands of Googlers she led over the years, and for
millions of people all over the world who looked up to her, benefited from her advocacy and leadership, and felt the impact of the incredible things she created at Google, YouTube, and beyond," Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said in a note to employees.
Former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, who was vice president of Google's sales and operations from 2001 to 2008 before decamping to Facebook, said in a Facebook post that Wojcicki was formative in her tech career.
"She taught me the business and helped me navigate a growing, fairly chaotic organization at the beginning of my career in tech," Sandberg wrote. "She was the person I turned to for advice over and over again. And she was this person for so many others too."
Her husband, Dennis Troper, announced her death in a social media post late Friday.
"My beloved wife of 26 years and mother to our five children left us today after 2 years of living with non small cell lung cancer," he wrote.
"Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many," Troper said. No other details of her death were immediately provided.
Pursuant to the Provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, (As Amended) NOTICE is hereby given that GAVIOTA ASSETS LIMITED has been dissolved and that the name has been struck from the Register of Companies with effect from the 15th of May 2024.
REPUBLICAN vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, left, and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, shake hands at a campaign rally at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.
Photo:Ben Gray/AP
US colleges are cutting majors and slashing programs after years of putting it off
By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Associated Press
CHRISTINA Westman
dreamed of working with Parkinson's disease and stroke patients as a music therapist when she started studying at St. Cloud State University.
But her schooling was upended in May when administrators at the Minnesota college announced a plan to eliminate its music department as it slashes 42 degree programs and 50 minors.
It's part of a wave of program cuts in recent months, as U.S. colleges large and small try to make ends meet. Among their budget challenges: Federal COVID relief money is now gone, operational costs are rising and fewer high school graduates are going straight to college.
The cuts mean more than just savings, or even job losses. Often, they create turmoil for students who chose a campus because of certain degree programs and then wrote checks or signed up for student loans.
"For me, it's really been anxiety-ridden," said Westman, 23, as she began the effort that ultimately led her to transfer to Augsburg University in Minneapolis. "It's just the fear of the unknown."
At St. Cloud State, most students will be able to finish their degrees before cuts kick in, but Westman's music therapy major was a new one that hadn't officially started. She has spent the past three months in a mad dash to find work in a new city and sublet her apartment in St. Cloud after she had already signed a lease. She was moving into her new apartment Friday.
For years, many colleges held off making cuts, said Larry Lee, who was acting president of St. Cloud State but left last month to lead Blackburn College in Illinois.
College enrollment declined during the pandemic, but officials hoped the figures would recover to pre-COVID levels and had used federal relief money to prop up their budgets in the meantime, he said.
"They were holding on, holding on," Lee said, noting colleges must now face their new reality.
Higher education made up some ground last fall and in the spring semester, largely as community college enrollment began to rebound, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data showed.
But the trend for fouryear colleges remains worrisome. Even without growing concerns about the cost of college and the longterm burden of student debt, the pool of young adults is shrinking.
Birth rates fell during the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 and never recovered. Now those smaller classes are preparing to graduate and head off to college.
"It's very difficult math to overcome," said Patrick Lane, vice president at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, a leading authority on student demographics.
Complicating the situation: the federal government's chaotic overhaul of its financial aid application. Millions of students entered summer break still wondering where they were going to college this fall and how they would pay for it. With jobs still plentiful, although not as much as last year, some experts fear students won't bother to enroll at all.
"This year going into next fall, it's going to be bad," said Katharine Meyer, a fellow in the Governance Studies program for the Brown Center on Education Policy at the nonprofit Brookings Institution. "I think a lot of colleges are really concerned they're not going to make their enrollment targets."
Many colleges like St. Cloud State already had started plowing through their budget reserves. The university's enrollment rose to around 18,300 students in fall 2020 before steadily falling to about 10,000 students in fall 2023.
St. Cloud State's student population has now stabilized, Lee said, but spending was far too high
IRAN’S NEW PRESIDENT REAPPOINTS UN-SANCTIONED OFFICIAL AS HEAD OF THE COUNTRY’S NUCLEAR AGENCY
AMIR VAHDAT
IRAN'S newly-elected president reappointed a U.S.-educated official who came under United Nations sanctions 16 years ago as head of the country's nuclear department, state TV reported Saturday.
Mohammad Eslami, 67, will continue his work as chief of Iran's civilian nuclear program and serve as one of several vice presidents. Eslami's reappointment by President Masoud Pezeshkian comes as Iran remains under heavy sanctions by the West following the collapse of the 2015 deal that curbed Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Pezeshkian had said during his presidential campaign that he would try to revive the nuclear deal.
The United Nations sanctioned Eslami in 2008 for "being engaged in, directly associated with or providing support for Iran's proliferation of sensitive nuclear activities or for the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems", when he was the head of Iran's Defense Industries Training and Research Institute.
He was appointed as the chief of Iran's nuclear department for the first time by late President Ebrahim Raisi in 2021,
before that, from 2018, in moderate former President Hassan Rouhani's era, Eslami served as Transport and Urban Development Minister.
He has experience working in Iran's military industries, for years, most recently as deputy defense minister responsible for research and industry.
Eslami holds degrees in civil engineering from Detroit University of Michigan and the University of Toledo, Ohio.
The U.S., France, Britain and Germany accused Iran of escalating its nuclear activities far beyond limits it agreed to in the 2015 deal and of failing to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran accused the U.S. and its allies of continuing to apply economic sanctions that were supposed to be lifted under the deal, and insisted its nuclear program is peaceful and geared towards generating electricity and producing radioisotopes to treat cancer patients and remains under constant oversight by the IAEA.
Iran is building two nuclear power facilities to supplement its sole operational 1,000-megawatt reactor at the southern port town of Bushehr, which went online with Russia's help in 2011.
for the reduced number of students. The college's budget shortfall totaled $32 million over the past two years, forcing the sweeping cuts.
Some colleges have taken more extreme steps, closing their doors. That happened at the 1,000-student Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama, the 900-student Fontbonne University in Missouri, the 350-student Wells College in New York and the 220-student Goddard College in Vermont.
Cuts, however, appear to be more commonplace. Two of North Carolina's public universities got the green light last month to eliminate more than a dozen degree programs ranging from ancient Mediterranean studies to physics.
Arkansas State University announced last fall it was phasing out nine programs. Three of the 64 colleges in the State University of New York system have cut programs amid low enrollment and budget woes.
Other schools slashing and phasing out programs include West Virginia University, Drake University in Iowa, the University of Nebraska campus
in Kearney, North Dakota State University and, on the other side of the state, Dickinson State University. Experts say it's just the beginning. Even schools that aren't immediately making cuts are reviewing their degree offerings.
At Pennsylvania State University, officials are
looking for duplicative and under-enrolled academic programs as the number of students shrinks at its branch campuses.
Particularly affected are students in smaller programs and those in the humanities, which now graduate a smaller share of students than 15 years ago.
"It's a humanitarian disaster for all of the faculty and staff involved, not to mention the students who want to pursue this stuff," said Bryan Alexander, a Georgetown University senior scholar who has written on higher education.
"It's an open question to what extent colleges and universities can cut their way to sustainability."
"We were just unable to really effectively teach music online, so there's a gap," he said. "And, you know, we're just starting to come out of that gap and we're just starting to rebound a little bit. And then the cuts are coming."
For St. Cloud State music majors such as Lilly Rhodes, the biggest fear is what will happen as the program is phased out. New students won't be admitted to the department and her professors will look for new jobs.
"When you suspend the whole music department, it's awfully difficult to keep ensembles alive," she said. "There's no musicians coming in, so when our seniors graduate, they go on, and our ensembles just keep getting smaller and smaller.
"It's a little difficult to keep going if it's like this," she said.
For Terry Vermillion, who just retired after 34 years as a music professor at St. Cloud State, the cuts are hard to watch. The nation's music programs took a hit during the pandemic, he said, with Zoom band nothing short of "disastrous" for many public school programs.
UNIVERSITY student Christina Westman poses at St. Cloud State University, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in St. Cloud, Minn. Photo:Adam Bettcher/AP
Summer tourists flock to boardwalks and piers while sticking to their budgets
By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer
SMALL businesses along popular vacation destinations like boardwalks and piers in the U.S. say the number of tourists flocking to the waterfront is back to normal, meaning pre-2020 levels. But while the affluent are spending freely, lower-income vacationers are sticking to carefully planned-out budgets.
Sean Bailey, marketing manager of the SkyWheel observation wheel by the Myrtle Beach, S.C., Boardwalk and Promenade, said ticket sales for the 13-year-old attraction have exceeded 2019 levels since 2021, and so far this year are tracking slightly above 2023 levels.
Bailey has noticed that tourists buying the cheaper tickets – which increased from $18 to $21 this year — are planning ahead and buying online instead of walking up to the 200-foot attraction. A regular ride, or "flight," on the SkyWheel, which has glass
enclosed gondolas that seat up to six, takes 10 to 15 minutes. On the other end of the spectrum, the costlier tickets have become more popular. There are $35 sunrise tickets and $109 VIP tickets which include up to four people and get the buyer a flight that lasts 30 minutes. SkyWheel also offers a $250 gender reveal package which includes a light show and a ride for up to six.
"People are looking for more enhanced experiences beyond just the regular flight," Bailey said. According to the U.S. Travel Association's forecast, 2024 tourism volume is expected to top 2019's numbers for the first time since the pandemic began, with 2.45 billion trips taken, up from 2.38 billion in 2023 and 2.40 billion in 2019. Domestic tourism is rebounding faster than international tourism. U.S. domestic travel spending, which includes general travel spending and passenger fares, is expected to be
$975.6 billion in 2024, 98% of 2019 levels. International travel spending of $153.9 billion is about 83% of 2019 levels. Both are adjusted for inflation, per the USTA.
Similar to the CEOs of large, consumer-focused companies, owners of small businesses say they see a divide in spending between affluent Americans, who have maintained their spending levels, and those in lower income brackets who are being more careful. Wall Street racked up double-digit gains last year and so far this year — even with some recent volatility — while wage increases have slowed and inflation remains a burden even though price pressures on consumers have eased.
At Navy Pier, which juts out into Lake Michigan in Chicago, Robin Harris, owner of Confidence Apparel, which sells clothing with affirmations on it, says foot traffic and sales are up this year compared with last year. She says customers are being more conscious about their
Stellantis warns union of 2,000 or more potential job cuts at an auto plant outside Detroit
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ANNEICIA MENICE FOGAH of P. O. Box SS-19543, #12 Warwick Street, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 12h day of August, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
spending, picking things they can wear more than once and choosing quality over quantity. Her top sellers are a $30 T-shirt in a variety of colors that says "Inhale confidence, exhale doubt," and a $75 jacket with a recipe-like list of ingredients including "Love, kindness, courage and resilience." "(Customers) are starting to be a little bit more intentional about what they purchase instead of just purchasing anything and everything," she said.
Elsewhere on Navy Pier, Robert Gomez owns Beat Kitchen Cantina, a Mexican concession stand, and Bar Sol, a full restaurant with a patio. He says sales at the concession stand are up 30% compared with last year, with customers content to spend $8 on a taco, up $1 from last year. Gomez expanded his more upscale restaurant Bar Sol and made other improvements so sales aren't comparable.
Gomez also owns two live music venues that serve food, located away from the
The Associated Press
STELLANTIS is warning that it could lay off as many as 2,450 of the 3,700 union workers employed at
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that SONIA OCTHEUS of Sixth Street, Coconut Grove, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 12h day of August, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
touristy areas. He said that while tourists on the Pier seem more than happy to pay $40 for an entrée at Bar Sol, those neighborhood restaurants, which mainly attract local Chicagoans, aren't seeing the same level of spending. "Tourists come in (to Bar Sol), expecting to spend too big, whereas a local patron is looking for better deals," he said. "It's much more price sensitive, it's almost the other extreme. And so, it's been a struggle for me with the neighborhood businesses in comparison."
At Laura's Fudge in Wildwood, N.J., which has been around since the 1920s, owner Dave Roach said sales of fudge, saltwater taffy and chocolate-covered turtles have risen each year since 2020. He said many customers, often families that have been going to the boardwalk for generations, save up all year to have money to spend at Wildwood.
a truck plant just outside of Detroit.
The job cuts would be at the Stellantis Warren Truck Plant, which builds an older version of the Ram 1500 pickup called the Tradesman, sold mainly to commercial businesses. The company came out with a new version of the truck in 2018, and for the 2025 model year there's a new Tradesman. It's likely that job cuts will be lower than that because of early retirement offers that are under way already, and due to seniority bumping rights, said
Michelle Rutkowski, who owns Boardwalk Best and Five Mile Marketplace on the Wildwood, N.J., boardwalk, which sell beach goods and souvenirs, has seen business ebb and flow for decades since her family has had businesses there since the 1980s. Rainy weekends slowed business in April and May. But things have picked up since, particularly once school ended in mid-June. Rutkowski said she feels positive about sales momentum this year, with shoppers spending on souvenirs like keychains and magnets and T-shirts with the unofficial Wildwood, N.J., mascot, a seagull with a French fry in its mouth.
"People have allotted a reasonable budget for vacation, and they're spending it," she said. "Maybe this won't be the year for back to 100% of that where it was, but definitely we are on that trajectory."
"They know what it's going to cost them, and they don't mind spending the money," he said.
Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson.
Stellantis is shifting production of the new Tradesman to the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan. So the company will lay off one shift of workers at the Warren facility, where the Jeep Wagoneer SUV is still built.
Tinson says the layoffs could begin as soon as Oct. 8. The company said indefinitely senior union employees that are let go will receive 52 weeks of supplemental unemployment benefits and 52 weeks of transition assistance.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that LORS-RIMESKA LOUIS-GENE of Roberta Drive, Robinson Road, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 12h day of August, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
N O T I C E
EXXONMOBIL SAUDI ARABIA LNG LIMITED
N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows:
(a) EXXONMOBIL SAUDI ARABIA LNG LIMITED is in dissolution under the provisions of the International Business Companies Act 2000.
(b) The dissolution of the said Company commenced on the 8th day of August 2024 when its Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.
(c) The Liquidator of the said Company is Michael J. Gilroy, of 22777 Springwoods Village Parkway, Spring, Texas 77389, U.S.A.
Dated the 12th day of August, 2024
HARRY B. SANDS, LOBOSKY MANAGEMENT CO. LTD. Registered Agent for the above-named Company
N O T I C E
EXXONMOBIL SAUDI ARABIA LNG LIMITED
Creditors having debts or claims against the above-named Company are required to send particulars thereof to the undersigned c/o P.O. Box N-624, Nassau, Bahamas on or before 3rd day of September A.D., 2024. In default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made by the Liquidator.
Dated the 12th day of August, A.D., 2024.
Michael J. Gilroy Liquidator 22777 Springwoods Village Parkway Spring, Texas 77389 U.S.A.
Iran is accelerating cyber activity that appears meant to influence the US election, Microsoft says
By ALI SWENSON Associated Press
IRAN is accelerating online activity that appears intended to influence the U.S. election, in one case targeting a presidential campaign with an email phishing attack, Microsoft said Friday.
Iranian actors also have spent recent months creating fake news sites and impersonating activists, laying the groundwork to stoke division and potentially sway American voters this fall, especially in swing states, the technology giant found.
The findings in Microsoft's newest threat intelligence report show how Iran, which has been active in recent U.S. elections, is evolving its tactics for another election that's likely to have global implications. The report goes a step beyond anything U.S. intelligence officials have disclosed, giving specific examples of Iranian groups and the actions they have taken so far. Iran's United Nations mission denied it had plans to interfere or launch cyberattacks in the U.S. presidential election.
The report doesn't specify Iran's intentions besides sowing chaos in the United States, though U.S. officials have previously hinted that Iran particularly opposes former President Donald Trump. U.S. officials also have expressed alarm about Tehran's efforts to seek retaliation for a 2020 strike on an Iranian general that was ordered by Trump. This week, the Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against a Pakistani man with ties to Iran who's alleged to have hatched assassination plots targeting multiple
officials, potentially including Trump.
The report also reveals how Russia and China are exploiting U.S. political polarization to advance their own divisive messaging in a consequential election year.
Microsoft's report identified four examples of recent Iranian activity that the company expects to increase as November's election draws closer.
First, a group linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard in June targeted a high-ranking U.S. presidential campaign official with a phishing email, a form of cyberattack often used to gather sensitive information, according to the report, which didn't identify which campaign was targeted. The group concealed the email's origins by sending it from the hacked email account of a former senior adviser, Microsoft said.
Days later, the Iranian group tried to log into an account that belonged to a former presidential candidate, but wasn't successful, Microsoft's report said. The company notified those who were targeted.
In a separate example, an Iranian group has been creating websites that pose as U.S.-based news sites targeted to voters on opposite sides of the political spectrum, the report said.
One fake news site that lends itself to a left-leaning audience insults Trump by calling him "raving mad" and suggests he uses drugs, the report said. Another site meant to appeal to Republican readers centers on LGBTQ issues and gender-affirming surgery.
A third example Microsoft cited found that Iranian groups are impersonating U.S. activists, potentially
laying the groundwork for influence operations closer to the election.
Finally, another Iranian group in May compromised an account owned by a government employee in a swing state, the report said. It was unclear whether that cyberattack was related to election interference efforts.
Iran's U.N. mission sent The Associated Press an emailed statement: "Iran has been the victim of numerous offensive cyber operations targeting its infrastructure, public service centers, and industries. Iran's cyber capabilities are defensive and proportionate to the threats it faces. Iran has neither the intention nor plans to launch cyber attacks. The U.S. presidential election is an internal matter in which Iran does not interfere."
The Microsoft report said that as Iran escalates its cyber influence, Russialinked actors also have pivoted their influence campaigns to focus on the U.S. election, while actors linked to the Chinese Communist Party have taken advantage of pro-Palestinian university protests and other current events in the U.S. to try to raise U.S. political tensions.
Microsoft said it has continued to monitor how foreign foes are using generative AI technology. The increasingly cheap and easy-to-access tools can generate lifelike fake images, photos and videos in seconds, prompting concern among some experts that they will be weaponized to mislead voters this election cycle.
While many countries have experimented with AI in their influence operations, the company said,
those efforts haven't had much impact so far. The report said as a result, some actors have "pivoted back to techniques that have proven effective in the past — simple digital manipulations, mischaracterization of content, and use of trusted labels or logos atop false information."
Microsoft's report aligns with recent warnings from U.S. intelligence officials, who say America's adversaries appear determined to seed the internet with false and incendiary claims ahead of November's vote.
Top intelligence officials said last month that Russia continues to pose the greatest threat when it comes to election disinformation, while there are indications that Iran is expanding its efforts and China is proceeding cautiously when it comes to 2024.
Iran's efforts seem aimed at undermining candidates seen as being more likely to increase tension with Tehran, the officials said. That's a description that fits Trump, whose administration ended a nuclear deal with Iran, reimposed sanctions and ordered the killing of the top Iranian general.
The influence efforts also coincide with a time of high tensions between Iran and Israel, whose military the U.S. strongly supports.
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said last month that the Iranian government has covertly supported American protests over Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
Groups linked to Iran have posed as online activists, encouraged protests and provided financial support
to some protest groups, Haines said.
America's foes, Iran among them, have a long history of seeking to influence U.S. elections. In 2020, groups linked to Iran sent emails to Democratic voters in an apparent effort to influence their votes, intelligence officials said.
AN IPHONE displays the Facebook app, Aug. 11, 2019, in New Orleans. Photo:Jenny Kane/AP
Vance hails Trump’s Fed idea and pushes back against criticism over past words on American families
BY BILL BARROW Associated Press
REPUBLICAN
vice
presidential nominee JD Vance used a round of Sunday news show appearances to disparage the Democratic ticket and promote Donald Trump's record and second-term plans and defend himself from criticism over past remarks that have become a campaign issue.
The Ohio senator, in a series of taped interviews, said there was merit to Trump's suggestion that presidents have more control of U.S. monetary policy and kept up the GOP line that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democrats' vice presidential candidate, had exaggerated his military record.
Vance, who shadowed Vice President Kamala Harris and Walz during their visits to several battleground states last week, was quizzed about abortion and his past comments about American family life, among other topics.
Some highlights from his appearances: Trump is right on Fed independence, Vance says
Trump recently suggested that presidents "should have at least a say" on monetary policy set by the Federal Reserve. He did not offer specific proposals.
Curtailing the Fed's independence from political interference as it determines interest rates would be a fundamental change. Even as he tried to argue that Trump said nothing about taking "direct" control of rates, Vance endorsed Trump's general idea.
"President Trump is saying I think something that's really important and actually profound, which is that the political leadership of this country should have more say over the monetary policy of this country," Vance said. "I agree with him. That should fundamentally be a political decision. Agree or disagree, we should have America's elected leaders having input about the most important decisions confronting our country."
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan questioned the wisdom of such a major change. "I think if you look around the world's economies and you see where Fed central banks are
independent and operate freely," he said, "they tend to fare better than the ones that don't."
Mining Walz's military record
Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard and was once deployed to Europe, though never to an active war zone. In a video from 2018, he referred to carrying weapons "in war." The Harris campaign said last week that Walz misspoke.
"Scandalous behavior," said Vance, a military veteran. When it was noted that Trump avoided Vietnam with dubious claims of bone spurs, Vance said that "obviously a lot of people have reasons for not serving. I criticize somebody for embellishing their record, for lying, saying, 'I went to war.'"
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a combat veteran and a top Harris ally, said Republicans are circulating "the one time"
that a long-serving veteran "slipped up" talking about his military service.
Medical abortion and Florida's referendum Vance dodged when asked about his position on an upcoming Florida referendum that would repeal Republican-passed abortion restrictions and ensure more access to abortion services.
Speaking broadly about states and reproductive rights, Vance said Trump "has said explicitly they're going to make this decision on a state-by-state level." Vance struggled to clarify Trump's position on whether he would support federal limits on the medical abortion drug mifepristone.
Trump said in his June debate with Biden that he would not block it. At his Florida news conference last week, he offered a disjointed answer and said, "You also have to give a vote" on the matter. Vance suggested that "maybe" Trump had difficulty hearing and understanding a reporter's question.
Walz responded in a statement through the Harris campaign that Trump and Vance "are
going to ban medication abortion. ... Vice President Harris and I will make sure that you make your health care decisions because we have a rule, whether you'd make the same decision as someone else: Just mind your own damn business."
Vance and Buttigieg's back-and-forth on family
During Vance's Senate campaign in 2021, he said in a Fox News interview that "we are effectively run in this country via the Democrats," and referred to them as "a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too."
He said that included Harris, who has two adult children, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is gay and a married father of twins but had no children at the time of Vance's comment.
The senator said a "sarcastic remark I made three years ago" has obscured a serious debate about "profamily" policies, explaining that "I criticize people for being anti-child" in their policy pursuits.
REPUBLICAN vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at a campaign event at Wollard International, Aug. 7, 2024, in Eau Claire, Wis. Photo:Alex Brandon/AP
Shandong Delegation Highlights Growth Opportunities in The Bahamas
A DELEGATION from China has been visiting The Bahamas to promote links between the nation and the Shandong province.
The Shandong province is a region of China that is home to more than 100 million people, and an exhibition at Margaritaville on Saturday showcased the region both in terms of tourism and business potential.
Sun Licheng, head of the Chinese delegation, said the region was “a land of opportunities and great potential”, noting policies for green, lowcarbon development and trade cooperation.
He said: “Shandong highly values exchanges and cooperation with The Bahamas.”
He added: “Today’s conference will bring us closer through mutual learning between our culture.”
He noted Shandong had been “building a broad stage for deepening cooperation with The Bahamas and other Caribbean countries and achieving a win-win future”.
He said: “We hope to take this opportunity to work hand in hand with our friends in The Bahamas, deepen cooperation, jointly explore the path of development and achieve mutual benefit. We look forward to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with The Bahamas in the fields of culture and tourism, and jointly writing a new chapter of friendly exchanges between the two sides.”
Donovan Moxey, the president of the Bahamas-China Friendship Association, said there has been progress in developing links between the two nations. A kite day held last year is to become an annual event, while there have been trade visits, including another scheduled for later this year.
The recently appointed Chinese Ambassador, Yan Jiarong, also attended the event, as did Ministry of Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Jamahl Strachan and Bahamas Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Jamaal Rolle.
