10 days ago
What percentage of Republicans support DEI as a business priority?
How much did Accenture pay to resolve the Justice Department's allegations?
Why has bipartisan support for DEI increased despite political polarization?
Full Summary
Political pressure during the Trump era forced corporate America to put its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on ice.
#full
How much did Accenture pay to resolve the Justice Department's allegations?
Why has bipartisan support for DEI increased despite political polarization?
Full Summary
Political pressure during the Trump era forced corporate America to put its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on ice.
#full
20 days ago
Regan Hutsell was crowned Miss America on Sept. 6
Speaking with PEOPLE, the new queen shares that she hopes to inspire other women to pursue their dreams and promote diversity on a national stage
Hutsell also shares what legacy she wants her reign to leave as she steps into the next year of responsibilities
Miss America 2027 Regan Hutsell hopes her recent win will inspire young girls across the nation.
Hutsell was crowned on Sept. 6, making her the first Miss America to wear her natural hair while being crowned. Last week, just days before she was crowned the 99th Miss America, the then-Miss Texas **** leholder told PEOPLE about a question she had been asked during preliminary competition rounds about wearing her natural hair as a pageant contestant.
"When I first started [competing], I didn't know what I was going to do with my hair," said Hutsell. "I didn't know if I was going to straighten it, I didn't know if I was going to wear it natural. I had straightened my hair a few years ago, and it didn't bounce back. And coming to this point in my life where I decided, no, I'm going to wear it curly; I'm going to wear it as is.
Wearing her natural hair while competing throughout her pageant career had helped Hutsell redefine what beauty meant for her.
#America #going
Speaking with PEOPLE, the new queen shares that she hopes to inspire other women to pursue their dreams and promote diversity on a national stage
Hutsell also shares what legacy she wants her reign to leave as she steps into the next year of responsibilities
Miss America 2027 Regan Hutsell hopes her recent win will inspire young girls across the nation.
Hutsell was crowned on Sept. 6, making her the first Miss America to wear her natural hair while being crowned. Last week, just days before she was crowned the 99th Miss America, the then-Miss Texas **** leholder told PEOPLE about a question she had been asked during preliminary competition rounds about wearing her natural hair as a pageant contestant.
"When I first started [competing], I didn't know what I was going to do with my hair," said Hutsell. "I didn't know if I was going to straighten it, I didn't know if I was going to wear it natural. I had straightened my hair a few years ago, and it didn't bounce back. And coming to this point in my life where I decided, no, I'm going to wear it curly; I'm going to wear it as is.
Wearing her natural hair while competing throughout her pageant career had helped Hutsell redefine what beauty meant for her.
#America #going
22 days ago
By Jack Queen
NEW YORK, Sept 3 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday proposed new regulations that would strip schools of tax-exempt status if they offer students that consider race in admissions or programs.
The rules proposed by the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are the latest salvo in the administration's campaign to eradicate diversity programs and end what officials say is discrimination against white students in favor of students of color.
Civil rights advocates say diversity practices help address historic inequities for marginalized ethnic minorities who were legally discriminated against for decades.
The proposal, which is subject to a public comment period and would likely draw legal challenges if implemented, draws on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that limited how colleges and universities can consider race in admissions.
#consider #race #admissions #queen
NEW YORK, Sept 3 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday proposed new regulations that would strip schools of tax-exempt status if they offer students that consider race in admissions or programs.
The rules proposed by the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are the latest salvo in the administration's campaign to eradicate diversity programs and end what officials say is discrimination against white students in favor of students of color.
Civil rights advocates say diversity practices help address historic inequities for marginalized ethnic minorities who were legally discriminated against for decades.
The proposal, which is subject to a public comment period and would likely draw legal challenges if implemented, draws on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that limited how colleges and universities can consider race in admissions.
#consider #race #admissions #queen
26 days ago
Two former employees of the Golden State Warriors are suing the franchise, alleging gender and race-based discrimination, workplace harassment and retaliation in regards to their eventual termination. A lawyer for former Warriors **** ociate general counsel Lisa Shelley — professionally known as Lisa Meyer — and former Warriors vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion Jennifer Vasquez filed the lawsuit Aug. 25 in San Francisco County's Superior Court of California. The two are seeking damages on the grounds of emotional distress and lost wages, and ask for "permanent injunctive relief in the form of an order" prohibiting the Golden State franchise from further discriminating against employees.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Two former employees of the Golden State Warriors are …
#employees #franchise #shelley #jennifer
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Two former employees of the Golden State Warriors are …
#employees #franchise #shelley #jennifer
28 days ago
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order on Wednesday requiring city contractors to disclose information about leadership diversity demographics, as well as report whether they have any ties to certain law enforcement agencies such as ICE, as he moves to use the city's purchasing power to impose new contracting standards.
Johnson said workplace data was necessary to identify discrimination and criticized the Trump administration's efforts to end federal reporting requirements.
"If you want to do business with this city, we want to know whether the people leading your company reflect the diversity of the communities whose tax dollars are paying your contracts," Johnson said.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Johnson of punishing American companies for ***** isting federal immigration enforcement.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order imposing new disclosure requirements on companies seeking city contracts.
#diversity #whether
Johnson said workplace data was necessary to identify discrimination and criticized the Trump administration's efforts to end federal reporting requirements.
"If you want to do business with this city, we want to know whether the people leading your company reflect the diversity of the communities whose tax dollars are paying your contracts," Johnson said.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Johnson of punishing American companies for ***** isting federal immigration enforcement.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order imposing new disclosure requirements on companies seeking city contracts.
#diversity #whether
29 days ago
Viola Davis appears willing to move forward with Target after its controversial Halloween costume sparked outrage. The actress initially rejected the retailer's apology. However, she now says rebuilding trust will depend on concrete changes, including renewed DEI efforts and stronger support for Black-owned businesses. Over the years, Davis has been upfront in championing Black causes, advocating for equal pay for Black actresses, and revealing how she's been turned down for roles because of her color.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Viola Davis has finally de-escalated her criticism of Target, opening the door to forgiveness after previously rejecting the retailer's apology over an offensive Halloween costume.
The Oscar winner was approached at LAX on Friday and asked whether Target could regain consumers' trust following the controversy. Davis told TMZ that forgiveness is possible, saying, "There is always room for forgiveness. There is… In my world."
However, the actress said she believes the company needs to demonstrate meaningful change. Among the steps she wants to see are restoring diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and providing greater support for Black-owned businesses.
#forgiveness #costume #actress
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Viola Davis has finally de-escalated her criticism of Target, opening the door to forgiveness after previously rejecting the retailer's apology over an offensive Halloween costume.
The Oscar winner was approached at LAX on Friday and asked whether Target could regain consumers' trust following the controversy. Davis told TMZ that forgiveness is possible, saying, "There is always room for forgiveness. There is… In my world."
However, the actress said she believes the company needs to demonstrate meaningful change. Among the steps she wants to see are restoring diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and providing greater support for Black-owned businesses.
#forgiveness #costume #actress
1 month ago
Target apologized Monday and removed a Halloween costume from sale after critics said it evoked Blackface imagery, sending Target stock down as much as 5% on Tuesday.
The product, sold under Target's Hyde and EEK Boutique brand as the "Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume," ignited social media criticism from shoppers who said its imagery recalled racist caricatures tied to the minstrel show tradition. "As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry," Target said in a statement. "The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our ******* ortment."
Target declined to comment on who designed the costume or to provide details about the product approval process, according to Reuters. In an internal email viewed by Reuters, Chief Merchandising Officer Cara Sylvester told employees the item "never should have been in our ******* ortment."
The apology did not satisfy some stakeholders. Sheletta Brundidge, a Minneapolis entrepreneur who protested Target's DEI rollbacks last year, said Target "keeps showing us who they are." Brundidge, speaking to CNN, framed the costume as a consequence of those rollbacks: "You rolled back diversity," she said, "so who's in the room, now, to say 'hey, this is wrong?'" A post in the BlackPeopleofReddit community, which has 1.6 million members, urged a boycott of the retailer.
Tejal Patel, executive director of Target shareholder SOC Investment Group, called the costume "another example ... where Target has lost trust with its consumer base." Morningstar ******* yst Brett Husslein said the selloff exposed how precarious Target's market standing has become, pointing out that the chain must win customers through experience and goodwill rather than the low prices that drive shoppers to Walmart and Costco.
#target #brundidge #imagery #shoppers
The product, sold under Target's Hyde and EEK Boutique brand as the "Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume," ignited social media criticism from shoppers who said its imagery recalled racist caricatures tied to the minstrel show tradition. "As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry," Target said in a statement. "The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our ******* ortment."
Target declined to comment on who designed the costume or to provide details about the product approval process, according to Reuters. In an internal email viewed by Reuters, Chief Merchandising Officer Cara Sylvester told employees the item "never should have been in our ******* ortment."
The apology did not satisfy some stakeholders. Sheletta Brundidge, a Minneapolis entrepreneur who protested Target's DEI rollbacks last year, said Target "keeps showing us who they are." Brundidge, speaking to CNN, framed the costume as a consequence of those rollbacks: "You rolled back diversity," she said, "so who's in the room, now, to say 'hey, this is wrong?'" A post in the BlackPeopleofReddit community, which has 1.6 million members, urged a boycott of the retailer.
Tejal Patel, executive director of Target shareholder SOC Investment Group, called the costume "another example ... where Target has lost trust with its consumer base." Morningstar ******* yst Brett Husslein said the selloff exposed how precarious Target's market standing has become, pointing out that the chain must win customers through experience and goodwill rather than the low prices that drive shoppers to Walmart and Costco.
#target #brundidge #imagery #shoppers
1 month ago
This story was originally published on QSR. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily QSR AM Jolt.
Delaware North, one of the largest and most diversified hospitality and food service companies in the world, has partnered with TipHaus to streamline and automate tip management across its portfolio of venues.
For an operator of Delaware North's scale and diversity, spanning stadiums, arenas, resorts, destination restaurants, and entertainment venues, tip management has traditionally meant a patchwork of manual, location-by-location processes, each with its own rules and reconciliation headaches. Since bringing TipHaus on board in March 2025, Delaware North has replaced that fragmented approach with a single automated system that handles hundreds of distinct tip-pooling and distribution use cases across its operations. Today, TipHaus supports more than 40 locations for Delaware North.
"Partnering with TipHaus has helped Delaware North streamline and modernize our tip management process, reducing administrative effort while improving accuracy and transparency for our leaders," said Michele Seaver, Director of Payroll and Workforce Management at Delaware North. "What used to take a full day of coordination now takes just a couple of hours to pull a single enterprise-wide export. Given the diversity and complexity of our portfolio, the flexibility of the TipHaus platform, and the collaborative partnership we have built with the TipHaus team have been extremely valuable. Their willingness to adapt solutions and get creative to meet our unique operational needs has helped us drive greater consistency across our business while supporting a better experience for all involved," Seaver said.
TipHaus integrates directly with the systems Delaware North already runs, including Oracle Simphony, Toast, and UKG Dimensions, pulling sales, shift, and labor data automatically so that tip calculations run without manual data entry from each location. Rather than forcing a rigid, one-size-fits-all model, TipHaus configures to the specific rules of each property, allowing Delaware North to standardize oversight at the enterprise level while honoring the operational realities of each individual venue.
#Delaware #location
Delaware North, one of the largest and most diversified hospitality and food service companies in the world, has partnered with TipHaus to streamline and automate tip management across its portfolio of venues.
For an operator of Delaware North's scale and diversity, spanning stadiums, arenas, resorts, destination restaurants, and entertainment venues, tip management has traditionally meant a patchwork of manual, location-by-location processes, each with its own rules and reconciliation headaches. Since bringing TipHaus on board in March 2025, Delaware North has replaced that fragmented approach with a single automated system that handles hundreds of distinct tip-pooling and distribution use cases across its operations. Today, TipHaus supports more than 40 locations for Delaware North.
"Partnering with TipHaus has helped Delaware North streamline and modernize our tip management process, reducing administrative effort while improving accuracy and transparency for our leaders," said Michele Seaver, Director of Payroll and Workforce Management at Delaware North. "What used to take a full day of coordination now takes just a couple of hours to pull a single enterprise-wide export. Given the diversity and complexity of our portfolio, the flexibility of the TipHaus platform, and the collaborative partnership we have built with the TipHaus team have been extremely valuable. Their willingness to adapt solutions and get creative to meet our unique operational needs has helped us drive greater consistency across our business while supporting a better experience for all involved," Seaver said.
TipHaus integrates directly with the systems Delaware North already runs, including Oracle Simphony, Toast, and UKG Dimensions, pulling sales, shift, and labor data automatically so that tip calculations run without manual data entry from each location. Rather than forcing a rigid, one-size-fits-all model, TipHaus configures to the specific rules of each property, allowing Delaware North to standardize oversight at the enterprise level while honoring the operational realities of each individual venue.
#Delaware #location
1 month ago
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter.
S&P 500 companies that maintained their diversity, equity and inclusion commitments performed as well as or better than their peers that rolled back DEI commitments in the face of political pressure, University of California, Berkeley public policy scholar Jacob Grumbach posited in a recently published report.
Grumbach determined the health of the companies by looking at both company revenue and abnormal stock returns to measure company performance relative to the broader market trends. Both metrics indicated that organizations that retained DEI programs performed as well as or better than their competitors.
These findings come contrary to the current corporate logic du jour, which maintains that DEI programming presents a legal risk under the current presidential administration.
"Markets Do Not Punish Firms for Maintaining DEI," published on Aug. 14, highlighted the performance of companies such as Apple, Cisco, Costco, Delta Airlines, Dollar Tree, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft and Pfizer, which maintained their DEI commitments — compared to companies such as Citigroup, Dollar General, IBM, Target and Walmart, which all scaled back.
#dollar
S&P 500 companies that maintained their diversity, equity and inclusion commitments performed as well as or better than their peers that rolled back DEI commitments in the face of political pressure, University of California, Berkeley public policy scholar Jacob Grumbach posited in a recently published report.
Grumbach determined the health of the companies by looking at both company revenue and abnormal stock returns to measure company performance relative to the broader market trends. Both metrics indicated that organizations that retained DEI programs performed as well as or better than their competitors.
These findings come contrary to the current corporate logic du jour, which maintains that DEI programming presents a legal risk under the current presidential administration.
"Markets Do Not Punish Firms for Maintaining DEI," published on Aug. 14, highlighted the performance of companies such as Apple, Cisco, Costco, Delta Airlines, Dollar Tree, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft and Pfizer, which maintained their DEI commitments — compared to companies such as Citigroup, Dollar General, IBM, Target and Walmart, which all scaled back.
#dollar
1 month ago
Miss USA will celebrate its 75th Diamond Anniversary on Thursday, Aug. 27.
Contestants touched down in Miami in the week leading up to the pageant, representing all 50 states and Washington, D.C., as they prepared to vie for this year's ******* le.
This year's pageant theme is "75 Years of Icons," which the Miss USA website says is meant to represent the organization's legacy as one of the most "recognized and enduring platforms for women in the world. It is a cultural institution woven into the fabric of American entertainment, fashion and media."
"For 75 years, the organization has showcased dynamic, accomplished women who reflect the confidence, diversity and ambition of modern America," the website reads.
This year, over 40 legacy ******* leholders from around the U.S. are set to take part in the activities leading up to the historic reunion. In addition, the 44th iteration of the Miss Teen USA pageant will also take place throughout the week in Miami.
On Aug. 27 at 8 p.m., a new queen will be crowned, taking over from last year's winner Audrey Eckert, who represented Nebraska at the 2025 pageant.
Audrey Eckert is crowned Miss USA on Oct. 24, 2025.
Credit: S92 Photography
The 75th Annual Miss USA pageant will take place at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami. Events will take place inside the Ziff Ballet Opera House, per a release from the Miss USA organization. Additionally, the 44th Miss Teen USA competition will take place throughout the week in the same venue.
Noelia Voigt won Miss USA 2023 on Sept. 9, 2023.
Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
The Miss USA finals will take place on Aug. 27 at 8 p.m. ET. The Miss Teen USA pageant will take place the day prior at 8 p.m. on Aug. 26.
#eckert #credit
Contestants touched down in Miami in the week leading up to the pageant, representing all 50 states and Washington, D.C., as they prepared to vie for this year's ******* le.
This year's pageant theme is "75 Years of Icons," which the Miss USA website says is meant to represent the organization's legacy as one of the most "recognized and enduring platforms for women in the world. It is a cultural institution woven into the fabric of American entertainment, fashion and media."
"For 75 years, the organization has showcased dynamic, accomplished women who reflect the confidence, diversity and ambition of modern America," the website reads.
This year, over 40 legacy ******* leholders from around the U.S. are set to take part in the activities leading up to the historic reunion. In addition, the 44th iteration of the Miss Teen USA pageant will also take place throughout the week in Miami.
On Aug. 27 at 8 p.m., a new queen will be crowned, taking over from last year's winner Audrey Eckert, who represented Nebraska at the 2025 pageant.
Audrey Eckert is crowned Miss USA on Oct. 24, 2025.
Credit: S92 Photography
The 75th Annual Miss USA pageant will take place at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami. Events will take place inside the Ziff Ballet Opera House, per a release from the Miss USA organization. Additionally, the 44th Miss Teen USA competition will take place throughout the week in the same venue.
Noelia Voigt won Miss USA 2023 on Sept. 9, 2023.
Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
The Miss USA finals will take place on Aug. 27 at 8 p.m. ET. The Miss Teen USA pageant will take place the day prior at 8 p.m. on Aug. 26.
#eckert #credit
1 month ago
Serena Williams made sure more Black women have a seat at the table at Nike.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, has been signed to Nike for more than two decades. In a conversation at Invest Fest with "Earn Your Leisure," in early August she acknowledges her relationship with the company has changed throughout the years.
"Nike has grown a lot with me, and I feel like we've grown apart in the past and then we grew together, and then we got lock and step, and now I have a building and all the things," Williams expressed at the Atlanta event.
She provides further insight into the period when she didn't feel she was connected to, or growing with, the company. For her, it came down to not seeing enough people who looked like her in meetings. Nike later addressed that concern, then led by President and CEO Mark Parker, according to Williams' remarks. Parker served from 2006 to 2020 and was succeeded by John Donahoe (2020-2024), who was succeeded by Elliott Hill in 2024, per Reuters.
"I see so many people that don't look like me, and it is exhausting. I don't see enough women. It was with Mark Parker, and it was a very interesting conversation. Kudos to Mark 'cause he literally changed what Nike is internally," Williams said. "If you guys were to see Nike internally, it is so different than what it used to be. And all because of those conversations that I continue to push, and now it's just like I'm like, 'OK, we need a little diversity still, too.'"
#women #time #company #changed
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, has been signed to Nike for more than two decades. In a conversation at Invest Fest with "Earn Your Leisure," in early August she acknowledges her relationship with the company has changed throughout the years.
"Nike has grown a lot with me, and I feel like we've grown apart in the past and then we grew together, and then we got lock and step, and now I have a building and all the things," Williams expressed at the Atlanta event.
She provides further insight into the period when she didn't feel she was connected to, or growing with, the company. For her, it came down to not seeing enough people who looked like her in meetings. Nike later addressed that concern, then led by President and CEO Mark Parker, according to Williams' remarks. Parker served from 2006 to 2020 and was succeeded by John Donahoe (2020-2024), who was succeeded by Elliott Hill in 2024, per Reuters.
"I see so many people that don't look like me, and it is exhausting. I don't see enough women. It was with Mark Parker, and it was a very interesting conversation. Kudos to Mark 'cause he literally changed what Nike is internally," Williams said. "If you guys were to see Nike internally, it is so different than what it used to be. And all because of those conversations that I continue to push, and now it's just like I'm like, 'OK, we need a little diversity still, too.'"
#women #time #company #changed
1 month ago
By Ross Kerber
Aug 14 (Reuters) - The top U.S. financial regulator on Friday made permanent its decision to cease judging whether companies may exclude shareholder resolutions from votes at annual meetings, leaving investor activists concerned about diminishing influence.
In practice, the change announced by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission extends a freeze put in place last November on deciding whether to approve corporate requests to skip votes on shareholder proposals.
The responses were known as "no-action" letters because they answered corporate requests for **** urance the agency would take no action if executives skipped votes on proposals that often deal with hot-button issues like carbon emissions or workforce diversity.
Executives claimed such measures may micromanage operations or deal with ordinary business undeserving of investors' attention.
#executives #proposals #ross
Aug 14 (Reuters) - The top U.S. financial regulator on Friday made permanent its decision to cease judging whether companies may exclude shareholder resolutions from votes at annual meetings, leaving investor activists concerned about diminishing influence.
In practice, the change announced by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission extends a freeze put in place last November on deciding whether to approve corporate requests to skip votes on shareholder proposals.
The responses were known as "no-action" letters because they answered corporate requests for **** urance the agency would take no action if executives skipped votes on proposals that often deal with hot-button issues like carbon emissions or workforce diversity.
Executives claimed such measures may micromanage operations or deal with ordinary business undeserving of investors' attention.
#executives #proposals #ross
2 months ago
Sands Capital, an investment management company, released its "Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund" Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, global equities rebounded sharply, with the MSCI ACWI posting its strongest quarterly gain since 2020, supported by broad market strength, easing geopolitical tensions, and continued enthusiasm for AI infrastructure. Information technology led the advance, with semiconductor and hardware companies accounting for most of the index's rise. The fund returned 26.9% (net) in the second quarter of 2026. The portfolio benefited from strong gains across memory, software infrastructure, cybersecurity, and other AI-related holdings, although its concentrated exposure to mega-cap chip designers and manufacturers weighed on relative performance as leadership broadened into CPUs, networking, and memory. Vertical software, internet, and financial holdings were modest detractors amid macro concerns and uncertainty over AI disruption. The fund remains focused on critical AI bottlenecks, including compute, memory, manufacturing, networking, and power, while retaining selected businesses that may use AI to strengthen their competitive positions. You can check the fund's top five holdings to learn more about its leading investment ideas for the year.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund highlighted Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) as a new holding. Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) is a UK-based technology company that develops and licenses central processing unit designs and related technologies for semiconductor companies and original equipment manufacturers. On August 7, 2026, Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) closed at $282.57 per share. The one-month return of Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) was -10.03%, and its shares gained 90.72% over the past 52 weeks. Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) has a market capitalization of $301.78 billion.
Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund stated the following regarding Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Advanced Micro Devices, Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM), and Intel increased the portfolio's exposure to rising CPU demand driven by agentic AI. While GPUs remain central to training and token generation, CPUs are increasingly important for scheduling, memory management, tool execution, and the orchestration of agentic workflows. As AI workloads evolve toward inference, agentic workflows, and more complex data center architectures, we believe the need to coordinate, feed, and manage accelerated compute could drive stronger CPU demand than investors previously expected. AMD and Arm provide exposure to supplier diversity, open standards, and more efficient compute architectures, while Intel adds exposure to server CPUs and potential foundry optionality as customers seek additional sources of advanced manufacturing supply. While execution risk remains meaningful, particularly for Intel, we b
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund highlighted Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) as a new holding. Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) is a UK-based technology company that develops and licenses central processing unit designs and related technologies for semiconductor companies and original equipment manufacturers. On August 7, 2026, Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) closed at $282.57 per share. The one-month return of Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) was -10.03%, and its shares gained 90.72% over the past 52 weeks. Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) has a market capitalization of $301.78 billion.
Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund stated the following regarding Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Advanced Micro Devices, Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM), and Intel increased the portfolio's exposure to rising CPU demand driven by agentic AI. While GPUs remain central to training and token generation, CPUs are increasingly important for scheduling, memory management, tool execution, and the orchestration of agentic workflows. As AI workloads evolve toward inference, agentic workflows, and more complex data center architectures, we believe the need to coordinate, feed, and manage accelerated compute could drive stronger CPU demand than investors previously expected. AMD and Arm provide exposure to supplier diversity, open standards, and more efficient compute architectures, while Intel adds exposure to server CPUs and potential foundry optionality as customers seek additional sources of advanced manufacturing supply. While execution risk remains meaningful, particularly for Intel, we b
2 months ago
Sands Capital, an investment management company, released its "Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund" Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, global equities rebounded sharply, with the MSCI ACWI posting its strongest quarterly gain since 2020, supported by broad market strength, easing geopolitical tensions, and continued enthusiasm for AI infrastructure. Information technology led the advance, with semiconductor and hardware companies accounting for most of the index's rise. The fund returned 26.9% (net) in the second quarter of 2026. The portfolio benefited from strong gains across memory, software infrastructure, cybersecurity, and other AI-related holdings, although its concentrated exposure to mega-cap chip designers and manufacturers weighed on relative performance as leadership broadened into CPUs, networking, and memory. Vertical software, internet, and financial holdings were modest detractors amid macro concerns and uncertainty over AI disruption. The fund remains focused on critical AI bottlenecks, including compute, memory, manufacturing, networking, and power, while retaining selected businesses that may use AI to strengthen their competitive positions. You can check the fund's top five holdings to learn more about its leading investment ideas for the year.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund highlighted Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) as anew holding. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and services computing and related end products and services. On August 7, 2026, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) closed at $101.65 per share. One-month return of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) was -1.43% and its shares gained 392.25% over the past 52 weeks. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) has a market capitalization of $512.72 billion.
Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund stated the following regarding Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Advanced Micro Devices, Arm Holdings, and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) increased the portfolio's exposure to rising CPU demand driven by agentic AI. While GPUs remain central to training and token generation, CPUs are increasingly important for scheduling, memory management, tool execution, and the orchestration of agentic workflows. As AI workloads evolve toward inference, agentic workflows, and more complex data center architectures, we believe the need to coordinate, feed, and manage accelerated compute could drive stronger CPU demand than investors previously expected. AMD and Arm provide exposure to supplier diversity, open standards, and more efficient compute architectures, while Intel adds exposure to server CPUs and potential foundry optionality as customers seek additional sources of advanced manufacturing supply. While execution risk remains meaningful, particularly for Intel, we believe these businesses provide differentiate
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund highlighted Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) as anew holding. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and services computing and related end products and services. On August 7, 2026, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) closed at $101.65 per share. One-month return of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) was -1.43% and its shares gained 392.25% over the past 52 weeks. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) has a market capitalization of $512.72 billion.
Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund stated the following regarding Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Advanced Micro Devices, Arm Holdings, and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) increased the portfolio's exposure to rising CPU demand driven by agentic AI. While GPUs remain central to training and token generation, CPUs are increasingly important for scheduling, memory management, tool execution, and the orchestration of agentic workflows. As AI workloads evolve toward inference, agentic workflows, and more complex data center architectures, we believe the need to coordinate, feed, and manage accelerated compute could drive stronger CPU demand than investors previously expected. AMD and Arm provide exposure to supplier diversity, open standards, and more efficient compute architectures, while Intel adds exposure to server CPUs and potential foundry optionality as customers seek additional sources of advanced manufacturing supply. While execution risk remains meaningful, particularly for Intel, we believe these businesses provide differentiate
2 months ago
Sands Capital, an investment management company, released its "Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund" Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, global equities rebounded sharply, with the MSCI ACWI posting its strongest quarterly gain since 2020, supported by broad market strength, easing geopolitical tensions, and continued enthusiasm for AI infrastructure. Information technology led the advance, with semiconductor and hardware companies accounting for most of the index's rise. The fund returned 26.9% (net) in the second quarter of 2026. The portfolio benefited from strong gains across memory, software infrastructure, cybersecurity, and other AI-related holdings, although its concentrated exposure to mega-cap chip designers and manufacturers weighed on relative performance as leadership broadened into CPUs, networking, and memory. Vertical software, internet, and financial holdings were modest detractors amid macro concerns and uncertainty over AI disruption. The fund remains focused on critical AI bottlenecks, including compute, memory, manufacturing, networking, and power, while retaining selected businesses that may use AI to strengthen their competitive positions. You can check the fund's top five holdings to learn more about its leading investment ideas for the year.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund highlighted Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) as a newly added position. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) is a leading semiconductor company that designs and manufactures AI accelerators, microprocessors, and graphics processing units, which contributed to the fund's performance in the quarter. On August 7, 2026, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) closed at $483.36 per share. One-month return of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) was -14.80% and its shares gained 178.94% over the past 52 weeks. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) has a market capitalization of about $789.07 billion.
Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund stated the following regarding Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), Arm Holdings, and Intel increased the portfolio's exposure to rising CPU demand driven by agentic AI. While GPUs remain central to training and token generation, CPUs are increasingly important for scheduling, memory management, tool execution, and the orchestration of agentic workflows. As AI workloads evolve toward inference, agentic workflows, and more complex data center architectures, we believe the need to coordinate, feed, and manage accelerated compute could drive stronger CPU demand than investors previously expected. AMD and Arm provide exposure to supplier diversity, open standards, and more efficient compute architectures, while Intel adds exposure to server CPUs and potential foundry optionality as customers seek additional sources
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund highlighted Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) as a newly added position. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) is a leading semiconductor company that designs and manufactures AI accelerators, microprocessors, and graphics processing units, which contributed to the fund's performance in the quarter. On August 7, 2026, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) closed at $483.36 per share. One-month return of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) was -14.80% and its shares gained 178.94% over the past 52 weeks. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) has a market capitalization of about $789.07 billion.
Sands Capital Technology Innovators Fund stated the following regarding Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), Arm Holdings, and Intel increased the portfolio's exposure to rising CPU demand driven by agentic AI. While GPUs remain central to training and token generation, CPUs are increasingly important for scheduling, memory management, tool execution, and the orchestration of agentic workflows. As AI workloads evolve toward inference, agentic workflows, and more complex data center architectures, we believe the need to coordinate, feed, and manage accelerated compute could drive stronger CPU demand than investors previously expected. AMD and Arm provide exposure to supplier diversity, open standards, and more efficient compute architectures, while Intel adds exposure to server CPUs and potential foundry optionality as customers seek additional sources
2 months ago
Ashley Banjo MBE said it could have been more difficult if his dance group Diversity were starting out today due to the way the world had changed.
In 2007, the street dance troupe was formed with 11 members from London and Essex, before winning ITV's Britain's Got Talent two years later.
The 37-year-old, who worries that the next big dance group could be missed due to rising living costs and reduced opportunities, has backed a programme to support 20 individuals in professional dancing.
It came as the number of working dancers and choreographers has been cut by a third since 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Banjo, who grew up in Wickford, Essex, said the world is "very different" from when he started out and thinks the costs can be overwhelming.
#World #costs
In 2007, the street dance troupe was formed with 11 members from London and Essex, before winning ITV's Britain's Got Talent two years later.
The 37-year-old, who worries that the next big dance group could be missed due to rising living costs and reduced opportunities, has backed a programme to support 20 individuals in professional dancing.
It came as the number of working dancers and choreographers has been cut by a third since 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Banjo, who grew up in Wickford, Essex, said the world is "very different" from when he started out and thinks the costs can be overwhelming.
#World #costs
2 months ago
After making several moves this year to win back customers, Home Depot is making headlines again over a lawsuit that alleges it violated customers' rights.
In 2025, the home-improvement giant had a ******* py year, marked by several consumer boycotts over its decision to cut its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies; its alleged cooperation with ICE's immigration crackdown; and price hikes to address tariff pressures.
In 2026, it turned a new leaf by making several moves to lure shoppers back to its stores and offerings. Home Depot made a major expansion of its "Pro" ecosystem with high-tech tools such as an AI-powered Material List Builder and a first-of-its-kind real-time GPS delivery tracker for bulky materials. It also improved the physical store experience with Wahlburger's food trailers and expanded its rewards program.
Now, the home improvement retailer is facing legal challenges after being accused of using its customers' personal data without their consent.
A new class action lawsuit accuses Home Depot of selling customers' personally identifiable information (PII) to third parties without providing notice or obtaining their consent.
#year
In 2025, the home-improvement giant had a ******* py year, marked by several consumer boycotts over its decision to cut its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies; its alleged cooperation with ICE's immigration crackdown; and price hikes to address tariff pressures.
In 2026, it turned a new leaf by making several moves to lure shoppers back to its stores and offerings. Home Depot made a major expansion of its "Pro" ecosystem with high-tech tools such as an AI-powered Material List Builder and a first-of-its-kind real-time GPS delivery tracker for bulky materials. It also improved the physical store experience with Wahlburger's food trailers and expanded its rewards program.
Now, the home improvement retailer is facing legal challenges after being accused of using its customers' personal data without their consent.
A new class action lawsuit accuses Home Depot of selling customers' personally identifiable information (PII) to third parties without providing notice or obtaining their consent.
#year
2 months ago
PORTLAND, Ore. — Speaking for the first time since ralliers began ******* embling in support of her stance against transgender participation in women's sports, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said this was an opportunity for the WNBA to uphold its values of diversity and inclusion.
Cunningham called the ralliers "bold" and "courageous" before Friday night's game against the Portland Fire at the Moda Center, but denied having any direct ******* ociation with organizers of the rallies that have sprung up at the Fever's last two road games.
"I think it's people just practicing their rights of freedom of speech and doing what other fans have been doing since the WNBA has started, and so props to them, props to everyone who was able to be confident and be bold and courageous enough to speak their truths," Cunningham said Friday.
She added: "I think this is a great opportunity for the WNBA. You know, they preach diversity and being inclusive. So, what a great opportunity for them to actually be that."
A few dozen individuals gathered outside the arena Friday in support of Cunningham, who recently said keeping transgender athletes out of women's sports is "common sense" after ESPN published an article in which she originally shared her views. Counterprotesters were also present. This was the second time a rally gathered before a game, following a protest ahead of a Fever game in Seattle earlier this week.
#WNBA #fever
Cunningham called the ralliers "bold" and "courageous" before Friday night's game against the Portland Fire at the Moda Center, but denied having any direct ******* ociation with organizers of the rallies that have sprung up at the Fever's last two road games.
"I think it's people just practicing their rights of freedom of speech and doing what other fans have been doing since the WNBA has started, and so props to them, props to everyone who was able to be confident and be bold and courageous enough to speak their truths," Cunningham said Friday.
She added: "I think this is a great opportunity for the WNBA. You know, they preach diversity and being inclusive. So, what a great opportunity for them to actually be that."
A few dozen individuals gathered outside the arena Friday in support of Cunningham, who recently said keeping transgender athletes out of women's sports is "common sense" after ESPN published an article in which she originally shared her views. Counterprotesters were also present. This was the second time a rally gathered before a game, following a protest ahead of a Fever game in Seattle earlier this week.
#WNBA #fever
2 months ago
Felicia, the flagship brand of Andriani Societa Benefit, announces a multi-year partnership with Juventus Football Club, becoming the Club's Official Healthy Food Partner. The agreement brings together two organisations that share values, including innovation, the pursuit of excellence and a strong focus on quality of life.
Felicia and Juventus aim to promote increasingly conscious consumption habits, highlighting the role of a balanced diet as an integral part of an active lifestyle.
Felicia will be present throughout the Juventus ecosystem through a structured program that includes brand visibility, digital content and dedicated experiences for supporters and the Bianconeri community. The agreement includes a presence at Allianz Stadium during Serie A and Italian Cup matches, activities at the Juventus Training Center and the production of exclusive content developed in collaboration with Juventus Creator Lab, providing direct access to Juventus' extensive global social media audience of more than 190 million followers.
The project will also directly involve the Club's sporting operations. Felicia products will become part of the Men's First Team's nutritional plan, confirming the shared focus on quality, innovation and wellbeing. The decision is consistent with the brand's commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle inspired by the Mediterranean diet and biodiversity at the table, through products that are naturally gluten-free, rich in plant-based protein and whole grains and also suitable for athletes.
"This partnership marks an important milestone in Felicia's journey to strengthen its presence in the world of sport through the promotion of a positive and responsible approach to nutrition," said Marco Lentini, Marketing Director of Andriani Societa Benefit. "Working with an organisation such as Juventus means helping to raise awareness of issues related to wellbeing, taste, and the value of food biodiversity. It is the meeting of shared values and a common ability to create authentic connections between people, generations and communities.
#societa
Felicia and Juventus aim to promote increasingly conscious consumption habits, highlighting the role of a balanced diet as an integral part of an active lifestyle.
Felicia will be present throughout the Juventus ecosystem through a structured program that includes brand visibility, digital content and dedicated experiences for supporters and the Bianconeri community. The agreement includes a presence at Allianz Stadium during Serie A and Italian Cup matches, activities at the Juventus Training Center and the production of exclusive content developed in collaboration with Juventus Creator Lab, providing direct access to Juventus' extensive global social media audience of more than 190 million followers.
The project will also directly involve the Club's sporting operations. Felicia products will become part of the Men's First Team's nutritional plan, confirming the shared focus on quality, innovation and wellbeing. The decision is consistent with the brand's commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle inspired by the Mediterranean diet and biodiversity at the table, through products that are naturally gluten-free, rich in plant-based protein and whole grains and also suitable for athletes.
"This partnership marks an important milestone in Felicia's journey to strengthen its presence in the world of sport through the promotion of a positive and responsible approach to nutrition," said Marco Lentini, Marketing Director of Andriani Societa Benefit. "Working with an organisation such as Juventus means helping to raise awareness of issues related to wellbeing, taste, and the value of food biodiversity. It is the meeting of shared values and a common ability to create authentic connections between people, generations and communities.
#societa
2 months ago
Muay Thai, a combat style with roots in close-quarter fighting from 7th Century Southeast Asia, has evolved over two millennia into a brutally effective means of self-defense. Today, it's often called "the Art of Eight Limbs." The wealth of diversity that started flourishing in Northern California in the wake of the Vietnam War meant that an array of Muay Thai masters were now living and teaching in cities from San Francisco to Stockton. Gyms fine-tuning the method's array of punches, kicks, knee-strikes and elbow-strikes have become plentiful enough – including in Northwest Nevada – that a robust competition circuit has become increasingly popular in the Sacramento Valley. On Saturday night, Hard Rock Live in Wheatland, working with World Fighting Championships and Rising Stars Muay Thai, will bring the first-ever, lightning-placed Muay Thai throw-down to the Yuba-Sutter Region.
The action starts at 7 p.m.
The night's main event is a championship match between Antonio Martinez (12-4) of Monster Muay Thai in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Eddie Abasolo (11-7) of Combat Sports Academy in Dublin, California. The winner will walk away with the WFC Professional Muay Thai Championship.
The co-main event will see undefeated Garrett Boyer (5-0) of Vital Force Muay Thai taking on Sacramento's Alberto Montano (11-2), with the victor getting crowned both the WFC Amateur Muay Thai Champion and Rising Stars Muay Thai Amateur Champion.
Organizers say the professional undercard features several compelling matchups, including Caley Scott (0-1) of Omni Movement taking on Sacramento's Cy Hanson (0-0) of Sit Thongsai, as well as undefeated Joe Kimbrough (4-0) of Black Flag Kickboxing facing hometown fighter Marcos Jimenez (1-0) of Collective Combat Academy.
#thai #amateur
The action starts at 7 p.m.
The night's main event is a championship match between Antonio Martinez (12-4) of Monster Muay Thai in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Eddie Abasolo (11-7) of Combat Sports Academy in Dublin, California. The winner will walk away with the WFC Professional Muay Thai Championship.
The co-main event will see undefeated Garrett Boyer (5-0) of Vital Force Muay Thai taking on Sacramento's Alberto Montano (11-2), with the victor getting crowned both the WFC Amateur Muay Thai Champion and Rising Stars Muay Thai Amateur Champion.
Organizers say the professional undercard features several compelling matchups, including Caley Scott (0-1) of Omni Movement taking on Sacramento's Cy Hanson (0-0) of Sit Thongsai, as well as undefeated Joe Kimbrough (4-0) of Black Flag Kickboxing facing hometown fighter Marcos Jimenez (1-0) of Collective Combat Academy.
#thai #amateur
2 months ago
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday officially unveiled the 12 host venues for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, confirming the cities across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia that will stage the 50-over showpiece when it returns to Africa for the first time in 24 years.
The announcement was made during a grand ceremony in Johannesburg, where the ICC also revealed the tournament's official brand identity, 'Three Nations, One Heartbeat', symbolising the shared spirit of optimism, diversity and unity among the three co-hosts.
The 14th edition of the World Cup will feature 57 matches and 14 teams, with eight cities in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe, and Namibia's capital Windhoek selected as host venues.
The tournament marks Africa's first Men's ODI World Cup since the 2003 edition, which was jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
ICC chairman Jay Shah described the venue announcement as a major milestone on the road to the global tournament.
"This marks an exciting milestone on the road to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The unveiling of the host cities and the tournament brand signals the start of a journey that will unite fans around the world and build anticipation for one of our sport's biggest global events," he said.
Shah also highlighted the significance of bringing cricket's flagship ODI tournament back to Africa.
"The return of this prestigious tournament to Africa after 24 years is a landmark moment for cricket. We are confident that South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will deliver an unforgettable event, showcasing the warmth, passion and rich diversity that make this region truly unique," he added.
ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said the event would celebrate both cricket and the continent's unique identity.
"The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup represents the legacy and spectacle of Limited Overs Cricket," he said. "It also marks the return of the pinnacle event to Africa after more than two decades and will celebrate a continent defined by extraordinary people, vibrant cultures, breathtaking experiences and deep love for Sport."
Gupta added that the tournament's vibrant branding reflects the energy of the host nations while inspiring future generations of fans.
The 2027 edition will be built around the African philosophy of 'Ubuntu' — "I am, because we are" — and the campaign theme 'Make the Circle Bigger', celebrating compassion, togetherness and cultural diversity across the region's 29 officially recognised languages.
The tournament logo draws inspiration from the traditional African wire bowl, while its colour palette includes shades such as Zimbabwe Chilli, African Root, Fynbos Pop, Namib Dune, Harare Dawn and Two Oceans.
The 2027 edition will feature a three-stage competition format.
It will feature 57 matches and a three-stage format designed to increase competitiveness. Teams ranked 12th to 14th will first compete in a Super Series, with the winner
The announcement was made during a grand ceremony in Johannesburg, where the ICC also revealed the tournament's official brand identity, 'Three Nations, One Heartbeat', symbolising the shared spirit of optimism, diversity and unity among the three co-hosts.
The 14th edition of the World Cup will feature 57 matches and 14 teams, with eight cities in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe, and Namibia's capital Windhoek selected as host venues.
The tournament marks Africa's first Men's ODI World Cup since the 2003 edition, which was jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
ICC chairman Jay Shah described the venue announcement as a major milestone on the road to the global tournament.
"This marks an exciting milestone on the road to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The unveiling of the host cities and the tournament brand signals the start of a journey that will unite fans around the world and build anticipation for one of our sport's biggest global events," he said.
Shah also highlighted the significance of bringing cricket's flagship ODI tournament back to Africa.
"The return of this prestigious tournament to Africa after 24 years is a landmark moment for cricket. We are confident that South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will deliver an unforgettable event, showcasing the warmth, passion and rich diversity that make this region truly unique," he added.
ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said the event would celebrate both cricket and the continent's unique identity.
"The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup represents the legacy and spectacle of Limited Overs Cricket," he said. "It also marks the return of the pinnacle event to Africa after more than two decades and will celebrate a continent defined by extraordinary people, vibrant cultures, breathtaking experiences and deep love for Sport."
Gupta added that the tournament's vibrant branding reflects the energy of the host nations while inspiring future generations of fans.
The 2027 edition will be built around the African philosophy of 'Ubuntu' — "I am, because we are" — and the campaign theme 'Make the Circle Bigger', celebrating compassion, togetherness and cultural diversity across the region's 29 officially recognised languages.
The tournament logo draws inspiration from the traditional African wire bowl, while its colour palette includes shades such as Zimbabwe Chilli, African Root, Fynbos Pop, Namib Dune, Harare Dawn and Two Oceans.
The 2027 edition will feature a three-stage competition format.
It will feature 57 matches and a three-stage format designed to increase competitiveness. Teams ranked 12th to 14th will first compete in a Super Series, with the winner
2 months ago
Prince William received support from Prince Albert of Monaco after both royals addressed Europe's devastating wildfires. Albert echoed William's environmentalist concerns while expressing solidarity with families affected by the dangerous fires. Their statements highlighted growing concerns about the extreme weather and the need for stronger environmental action.
Prince Albert released a statement supporting communities affected by wildfires across France, Spain, and the U.K. He shared the message alongside his wife, Princess Charlene, offering support to families forced to evacuate. Albert also praised firefighters and emergency workers protecting communities and threatened natural environments.
"Protecting our environment is an emergency that must bring us all together," Albert wrote. He connected the devastating fire to wider climate disruptions affecting natural environments and biodiversity. His comments closely echoed Prince William's recent warning about increasingly extreme climate conditions.
William previously shared a statement alongside his wife, Kate Middleton, addressing the ongoing wildfire crisis. "Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires across France, Spain and the U.K," he wrote. He also thanked emergency workers and volunteers facing "extraordinarily difficult conditions."
William and Albert have previously worked together on environmental issues and commitment to conservation. In June 2025, William traveled to Monaco for the Blue Economy and Finance Forum.
#william #wildfires #emergency #monaco
Prince Albert released a statement supporting communities affected by wildfires across France, Spain, and the U.K. He shared the message alongside his wife, Princess Charlene, offering support to families forced to evacuate. Albert also praised firefighters and emergency workers protecting communities and threatened natural environments.
"Protecting our environment is an emergency that must bring us all together," Albert wrote. He connected the devastating fire to wider climate disruptions affecting natural environments and biodiversity. His comments closely echoed Prince William's recent warning about increasingly extreme climate conditions.
William previously shared a statement alongside his wife, Kate Middleton, addressing the ongoing wildfire crisis. "Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires across France, Spain and the U.K," he wrote. He also thanked emergency workers and volunteers facing "extraordinarily difficult conditions."
William and Albert have previously worked together on environmental issues and commitment to conservation. In June 2025, William traveled to Monaco for the Blue Economy and Finance Forum.
#william #wildfires #emergency #monaco
2 months ago
Conservationists defending a historic tree standing in the way of President Donald Trump's border wall in Arizona began staging a "tree sit" on July 29 to keep contractors from tearing down the towering cottonwood.
The cottonwood is the last of four hardwood trees from a species that's believed to have stood alongside the U.S.-Mexico border in Lochiel, Arizona, for between 100 and 200 years. Department of Homeland Security contractors tore down the first of the three trees on July 27.
Conservationists in the area have rallied around the remaining tree, slamming Homeland Security for not picking an alternative route that does not involve cutting down the trees.
The cottonwoods have provided people a shady gathering place for generations, conservationists say. And for local wildlife, the trees are essential for the area's diverse and rare species, including potentially the few jaguars that range into the United States.
"Destroying these ancient cottonwoods is a death sentence for an entire ecosystem," said Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit founded in 1989 focused on protecting endangered species. "These magnificent cottonwoods survived centuries, nourishing wildlife through floods and drought, only to be bulldozed for the Trump administration's disastrous border wall."
#down
The cottonwood is the last of four hardwood trees from a species that's believed to have stood alongside the U.S.-Mexico border in Lochiel, Arizona, for between 100 and 200 years. Department of Homeland Security contractors tore down the first of the three trees on July 27.
Conservationists in the area have rallied around the remaining tree, slamming Homeland Security for not picking an alternative route that does not involve cutting down the trees.
The cottonwoods have provided people a shady gathering place for generations, conservationists say. And for local wildlife, the trees are essential for the area's diverse and rare species, including potentially the few jaguars that range into the United States.
"Destroying these ancient cottonwoods is a death sentence for an entire ecosystem," said Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit founded in 1989 focused on protecting endangered species. "These magnificent cottonwoods survived centuries, nourishing wildlife through floods and drought, only to be bulldozed for the Trump administration's disastrous border wall."
#down
2 months ago
By Ross Kerber, Bianca Flowers and Simon Jessop
July 28 (Reuters) - As U.S. President Donald Trump intensifies his campaign against diversity programs, appointments of women and racial minorities to S&P 500 boards have dropped to their lowest level in more than a decade, threatening to unwind years of gains in corporate boardroom diversity.
The shift is evident in new research by recruiting firms that study leadership diversity and Reuters interviews with more than a dozen boardroom recruiters, investors and human resource ******* ysts.
It follows a series of Trump administration actions targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives known as DEI. Across corporate America, major investors who once pressed companies to diversify their boards have retreated, while legal challenges have upended DEI policies in recent years.
RECORD DIVERSITY MASKS SHIFT IN NEW APPOINTMENTS
#Trump #shift #boards #investors
July 28 (Reuters) - As U.S. President Donald Trump intensifies his campaign against diversity programs, appointments of women and racial minorities to S&P 500 boards have dropped to their lowest level in more than a decade, threatening to unwind years of gains in corporate boardroom diversity.
The shift is evident in new research by recruiting firms that study leadership diversity and Reuters interviews with more than a dozen boardroom recruiters, investors and human resource ******* ysts.
It follows a series of Trump administration actions targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives known as DEI. Across corporate America, major investors who once pressed companies to diversify their boards have retreated, while legal challenges have upended DEI policies in recent years.
RECORD DIVERSITY MASKS SHIFT IN NEW APPOINTMENTS
#Trump #shift #boards #investors
2 months ago
The Tennessee ***** ans will take to the field for their first training camp practice on Wednesday, and four new faces will help head coach Robert Saleh get the team ready for the regular season.
Ahead of their first practice, the team announced the addition of four new coaches who have joined head coach Robert Saleh's staff for training camp as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program: D'Anthony Batiste (offensive line), Malik Davis (defensive line), Ben Wilkerson (special teams) and Lucy Phan (performance).
These coaches were selected by Saleh and running backs coach Randy Jordan, the ***** ans' Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship Coordinator, to help them gain experience and potentially work toward full-time NFL coaching.
Batiste will return to the organization after serving in a similar role during offseason activities. A former NFL offensive tackle, he currently serves as an intern strength and conditioning coach for the University of Las Vegas.
Davis will come to the ***** ans to work with the defensive line, a position he is familiar with, currently serving as a defensive line ***** yst/defensive graduate ***** istant at Texas A&M. After starting his career as a student defensive ***** istant at Georgia Southern, he has also held defensive coaching roles with the University of Cincinnati and at South Alabama.
#Titans #line #bill #diversity
Ahead of their first practice, the team announced the addition of four new coaches who have joined head coach Robert Saleh's staff for training camp as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program: D'Anthony Batiste (offensive line), Malik Davis (defensive line), Ben Wilkerson (special teams) and Lucy Phan (performance).
These coaches were selected by Saleh and running backs coach Randy Jordan, the ***** ans' Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship Coordinator, to help them gain experience and potentially work toward full-time NFL coaching.
Batiste will return to the organization after serving in a similar role during offseason activities. A former NFL offensive tackle, he currently serves as an intern strength and conditioning coach for the University of Las Vegas.
Davis will come to the ***** ans to work with the defensive line, a position he is familiar with, currently serving as a defensive line ***** yst/defensive graduate ***** istant at Texas A&M. After starting his career as a student defensive ***** istant at Georgia Southern, he has also held defensive coaching roles with the University of Cincinnati and at South Alabama.
#Titans #line #bill #diversity
2 months ago
By Maggie Fick
LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca's long-time CEO Pascal Soriot has rarely put a foot wrong. The company's shares have more that quadrupled in price during his 14-year tenure, soaring above the wider FTSE 100 index and main British rival GSK.
AstraZeneca's huge diversity and number of drugs on the market and success in clinical trials in different therapeutic areas set it apart from peers, giving Soriot the golden touch in the eyes of investors.
Now, though, investors have some cause for concern after news this month of the unexpected failure of nerve drug Wainua in a late-stage heart disease trial, which hammered the shares and turned attention on the firm's drug R&D pipeline.
AstraZeneca's shares are down 10% this year and trail GSK and the wider London stock index over two years, with attention now on two other late-stage trials that could shape confidence in AstraZeneca's research engine and long-term growth outlook.
#soriot
LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca's long-time CEO Pascal Soriot has rarely put a foot wrong. The company's shares have more that quadrupled in price during his 14-year tenure, soaring above the wider FTSE 100 index and main British rival GSK.
AstraZeneca's huge diversity and number of drugs on the market and success in clinical trials in different therapeutic areas set it apart from peers, giving Soriot the golden touch in the eyes of investors.
Now, though, investors have some cause for concern after news this month of the unexpected failure of nerve drug Wainua in a late-stage heart disease trial, which hammered the shares and turned attention on the firm's drug R&D pipeline.
AstraZeneca's shares are down 10% this year and trail GSK and the wider London stock index over two years, with attention now on two other late-stage trials that could shape confidence in AstraZeneca's research engine and long-term growth outlook.
#soriot
2 months ago
Because not even the off-day can come without some ****** mer Mariners news, Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports that the Mariners are parting ways with ****** istant hitting coach Bobby Magallenes.
Magallanes joined the staff prior to the 2025 season along with hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, both of whom had been unceremoniously fired by Atlanta after the 2024 season when the Braves finished the season 89-73. That mark was good for second place in the AL East, but broke the Braves' streak of six consecutive division ****** les, even though Atlanta still qualified for the playoffs, where they were swept by the Padres in the Wild Card series. It was a surprising move at the time, and looked on with consternation by many Atlanta fans as Seitzer and Magallanes went on to help the 2025 Mariners get deeper into the playoffs than any other Mariners team in history, making it all the way to the ALCS.
But baseball is often a sport of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, and the Mariners, floundering after a 3-3 homestand against two of the worst teams in the NL, opted to make a move to try to spark some offense. While bold staffing changes is a common mid-season move among teams that are dramatically failing to live up to expectations, it's curious that Seitzer and Magallanes – long regarded as a package deal and sharing a similar hitting philosophy – weren't both let go. The ineptitude of the Mariners offense, last or near the bottom of the list in most offensive categories, is obvious, but like the 2024 Braves, Seattle's lineup has been wracked by injuries that have affected, at least temporarily, basically every member of the Opening Day roster except second baseman Cole Young [knocks on wood, pours salt circle, extends giant protective umbrella over Cole]. Furthermore, the bilingual Magallanes was a popular figure in the clubhouse, known for his "heck yeah, shoot yeah!" exclamation after wins or offensive outbursts; the deeply religious Magallanes was also a faith leader on the staff, something that resonated with hitters and pitchers alike.
While Seitzer preached an overall hitting mindset and approach, Magallanes's role on staff was to be responsible for more of the nuts-and-bolts mechanical adjustments, something Director of Hitting Edgar Martinez (who remains on staff) also focuses on, so the team might be looking for a new voice to fill that particular role and hopefully create some better on-field results.
To do that, they've promoted Ed Paparella, the Mariners' minor-league hitting coordinator, to a major-league role. The Mariners actually signed Paparella back in 2021 as a free agent out of South Alabama, and while he never played professionally, he quickly ascended the ranks of the minor leagues. At 31, Paparella is more than two decades younger than the 56-year-old Magallanes, and three decades younger than Martinez or Seitzer, perhaps providing more of a peer-adjacent perspective for the Mariners and creating some age diversity on the hi
Magallanes joined the staff prior to the 2025 season along with hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, both of whom had been unceremoniously fired by Atlanta after the 2024 season when the Braves finished the season 89-73. That mark was good for second place in the AL East, but broke the Braves' streak of six consecutive division ****** les, even though Atlanta still qualified for the playoffs, where they were swept by the Padres in the Wild Card series. It was a surprising move at the time, and looked on with consternation by many Atlanta fans as Seitzer and Magallanes went on to help the 2025 Mariners get deeper into the playoffs than any other Mariners team in history, making it all the way to the ALCS.
But baseball is often a sport of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, and the Mariners, floundering after a 3-3 homestand against two of the worst teams in the NL, opted to make a move to try to spark some offense. While bold staffing changes is a common mid-season move among teams that are dramatically failing to live up to expectations, it's curious that Seitzer and Magallanes – long regarded as a package deal and sharing a similar hitting philosophy – weren't both let go. The ineptitude of the Mariners offense, last or near the bottom of the list in most offensive categories, is obvious, but like the 2024 Braves, Seattle's lineup has been wracked by injuries that have affected, at least temporarily, basically every member of the Opening Day roster except second baseman Cole Young [knocks on wood, pours salt circle, extends giant protective umbrella over Cole]. Furthermore, the bilingual Magallanes was a popular figure in the clubhouse, known for his "heck yeah, shoot yeah!" exclamation after wins or offensive outbursts; the deeply religious Magallanes was also a faith leader on the staff, something that resonated with hitters and pitchers alike.
While Seitzer preached an overall hitting mindset and approach, Magallanes's role on staff was to be responsible for more of the nuts-and-bolts mechanical adjustments, something Director of Hitting Edgar Martinez (who remains on staff) also focuses on, so the team might be looking for a new voice to fill that particular role and hopefully create some better on-field results.
To do that, they've promoted Ed Paparella, the Mariners' minor-league hitting coordinator, to a major-league role. The Mariners actually signed Paparella back in 2021 as a free agent out of South Alabama, and while he never played professionally, he quickly ascended the ranks of the minor leagues. At 31, Paparella is more than two decades younger than the 56-year-old Magallanes, and three decades younger than Martinez or Seitzer, perhaps providing more of a peer-adjacent perspective for the Mariners and creating some age diversity on the hi
2 months ago
The Trump administration has accused UC San Diego's medical school of illegally discriminating against White and Asian applicants in favor of admitting less qualified Black and Hispanic students, putting nearly $1 billion in federal funding at risk.
The findings stem from a months-long Justice Department Civil Rights Division investigation launched in March and come as the Trump administration intensifies its effort to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
According to a letter sent to the school by **** istant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, the admissions committee used applicants' responses to a "hardship" essay question to determine their racial and ethnic backgrounds, using the essays as a proxy for race in deciding who advanced in the admissions process. The investigation found that from 2019 to 2025, Black applicants to UC San Diego Med were admitted at more than twice the rate of White applicants, even though White applicants, on average, had higher MCAT scores and GPAs.
"Rather than rely on MCAT scores or GPA, San Diego Med's shadow application process unlawfully judged applicants for admission based on their race," Dhillon said in a statement. "San Diego Med's blatant efforts to prioritize race are illegal, and we will end these practices."
Justice Department Zeroes In On Ucla For Alleged Illegal Dei Admissions As Elite School Crackdown Expands
#school #Trump
The findings stem from a months-long Justice Department Civil Rights Division investigation launched in March and come as the Trump administration intensifies its effort to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
According to a letter sent to the school by **** istant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, the admissions committee used applicants' responses to a "hardship" essay question to determine their racial and ethnic backgrounds, using the essays as a proxy for race in deciding who advanced in the admissions process. The investigation found that from 2019 to 2025, Black applicants to UC San Diego Med were admitted at more than twice the rate of White applicants, even though White applicants, on average, had higher MCAT scores and GPAs.
"Rather than rely on MCAT scores or GPA, San Diego Med's shadow application process unlawfully judged applicants for admission based on their race," Dhillon said in a statement. "San Diego Med's blatant efforts to prioritize race are illegal, and we will end these practices."
Justice Department Zeroes In On Ucla For Alleged Illegal Dei Admissions As Elite School Crackdown Expands
#school #Trump
2 months ago
FC Bayern is lighting up its Allianz Arena in the colours of Disability Pride Month, which is taking place for the first time in Munich, from 21-23:00 CEST on Friday. Red represents physical disabilities, yellow stands for cognitive disabilities, white signifies invisible disabilities, blue symbolises mental illnesses, green represents sensory disabilities and black is in memory of people who died due to discrimination. It’s a visible sign of respect, self-determination and an inclusive society. Together with the state capital of Munich, the German champions are sending out a clear signal: people with disabilities are, of course, an integral part of society – including in sport and in the stadium.
“FC Bayern stands for diversity and does a lot to raise awareness of the lives of people with disabilities,” explained disability officer Kim Krämer. “The club has been carrying out various inclusion-focused projects for many years. The fact that FC Bayern and the City of Munich are now sending out a visible sign in Disability Pride Month is another step on the road towards a natural coexistence. The illumination of the Allianz Arena is a strong signal that everyone belongs at FC Bayern, and that they can get involved and help to shape the club – regardless of disability.”
FC Bayern is constantly working on making the Allianz Arena and its general offerings as accessible as possible, in consultation with the fans. For example, there are now 324 wheelchair ******* es in the stadium, as well as commentary for the blind, a delivery service to the seats, live subtitles for people with hearing impairment and the presentation of the line-ups in sign language for men’s, women’s and basketball matches on the website. Information in simple language also makes it easier for people to find their way around. The club is continuously optimising its digital offerings to enable as many people as possible to access them independently.
FC Bayern and Alzheimer's ******* ociation provide dementia care training
#people #allianz #pride
“FC Bayern stands for diversity and does a lot to raise awareness of the lives of people with disabilities,” explained disability officer Kim Krämer. “The club has been carrying out various inclusion-focused projects for many years. The fact that FC Bayern and the City of Munich are now sending out a visible sign in Disability Pride Month is another step on the road towards a natural coexistence. The illumination of the Allianz Arena is a strong signal that everyone belongs at FC Bayern, and that they can get involved and help to shape the club – regardless of disability.”
FC Bayern is constantly working on making the Allianz Arena and its general offerings as accessible as possible, in consultation with the fans. For example, there are now 324 wheelchair ******* es in the stadium, as well as commentary for the blind, a delivery service to the seats, live subtitles for people with hearing impairment and the presentation of the line-ups in sign language for men’s, women’s and basketball matches on the website. Information in simple language also makes it easier for people to find their way around. The club is continuously optimising its digital offerings to enable as many people as possible to access them independently.
FC Bayern and Alzheimer's ******* ociation provide dementia care training
#people #allianz #pride
2 months ago
Choosing between Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:VOOG) and Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:MGK) involves weighing a slightly lower cost against a broader portfolio of S&P 500 growth stocks.
Both Vanguard funds provide low-cost exposure to the U.S. growth market but differ in their underlying index methodology. While MGK targets only the largest market-capitalization names, VOOG casts a wider net across the entire S&P 500, offering a different balance of concentration and diversity.
Metric
MGK
VOOG
Both Vanguard funds provide low-cost exposure to the U.S. growth market but differ in their underlying index methodology. While MGK targets only the largest market-capitalization names, VOOG casts a wider net across the entire S&P 500, offering a different balance of concentration and diversity.
Metric
MGK
VOOG
