Latest news with #Day
New York Post
19 hours ago
- New York Post
Texas man confesses to ‘snapping' and strangling his missing flight attendant roommate: cops
A grizzled Texas man confessed to strangling his flight attendant roommate during an argument — then tossing her remains from a bridge, according to reports. Dennis William Day, of Fort Worth, was arrested and charged Thursday with the murder of 47-year-old Rana Nofal Soluri, a flight attendant for Envoy Air who was missing for months, CBS News reported. 3 Dennis William Day, of Fort Worth, was arrested and charged with the murder of 47-year-old Rana Nofal Soluri, a flight attendant for Envoy Air who vanished in March. Tarrant County Jail Advertisement Soluri was reported missing on June 11 by a coworker at the American Airlines regional carrier, who had not spoken to her since March 19 when a text conversation was suddenly cut off, according to an arrest warrant obtained by the outlet. The flight attendant had been living with Day for about a year and had recently taken a leave of absence for a minor surgery. She was expected to return to work on March 31 but never returned, authorities detailed. After a series of visits to Day and Soluri's home, detectives began to piece together a disturbing timeline. Advertisement On May 8, officers went to the residence to tow Soluri's car, a 2023 Mazda she had purchased just a week before going missing. Day reportedly told them the vehicle had been sitting out front for nearly two months, and he hadn't seen Soluri in that time, the arrest warrant said. 3 Day allegedly confessed to strangling Soluri on the kitchen floor after 'snapping' when she threatened to call the police. Facebook During another welfare check a month later, he told detectives that he hadn't seen Soluri in months and showed little concern, according to the document. Advertisement On June 23, detectives searched Day's home and found surveillance footage of him dragging what appeared to be a lifeless body into his backyard, the arrest warrant stated. In a follow-up interview, Day allegedly confessed to 'snapping' and strangling Soluri on the kitchen floor because she threatened to call the police, the document detailed. It is not immediately clear why Soluri had threatened to call the police. He then allegedly moved her body outside and disconnected the surveillance system after realizing the sick act was caught on camera. Advertisement 3 Footage captured Day dragging a lifeless body into his backyard. FOX News Day allegedly told detectives he put Soluri's body in a black trash bin, drove it to an area near Bowie, Texas, and dumped it off a bridge. On the way, he allegedly tossed her phone into a river near Interstate 35 and later got rid of many of her belongings and tossed a revolver down a storm drain, the warrant said. Cell phone data showed Soluri's last outgoing call happened on March 21 and had pinged just before midnight near Scott Avenue, which matched where Day claimed to have dumped it, the outlet reported. A revolver matching one owned by Soluri was also recovered by police. Despite Day directing officers to multiple locations, Soluri's remains have not been recovered. Flooding in the area may have swept her body away, the outlet said. Day was booked into Tarrant County Jail and has been held on $200,000 bond.
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
Why business incubations often falter
Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni addresses the Joint Neeve Centre media briefing on Spaza Shop and Food Outlet registration deadline. Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises contribute 34% to the GDP and 60% to employment, according to the Small Enterprise Development Agency, says the writer. Image: GCIS MICRO-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) Day is observed on 27 June to recognise the important role of MSMEs in economic growth and development. They represent 90% of businesses globally, while their contribution to employment is more than 50% and 40% to GDP according to the World Bank. In South Africa, MSMEs' contributions to GDP and employment are 34% and 60% respectively, according to the Small Enterprise Development Agency. Given their substantial economic role, supporting MSMEs is a strategic public investment that can unlock inclusive and sustainable growth and development. Since 1995, the South African government has implemented various policy measures to support the development and promotion of small businesses. Over time, these mechanisms have become more targeted and streamlined to enhance the impact and accessibility of support. Current support instruments include mentorship and coaching, training programmes, access to finance (through loans or grants), general business advisory services, market and trade facilitation, and business incubation and acceleration programmes. Business incubation, in particular, has gained prominence in both policy and academic discourse for its potential to accelerate the growth, innovation, and sustainability of MSMEs in South Africa. Several success factors for business incubation have been identified, including access to appropriate technology and facilities, stringent selection criteria, the quality of entrepreneurs, stakeholder support, supportive policy frameworks, competent and motivated management, and sustainable financial support. However, recent research highlights persistent performance disparities among South African business incubators. Many incubators fall short when benchmarked against best practices, pointing to ongoing challenges in service quality and effectiveness. Others struggle to survive due to chronic financial constraints. This has led to a pattern of decoupling, where organisational activities become disconnected from core developmental goals, often prioritising legitimacy over impact. Furthermore, research reveals that incubators frequently suffer from limited resources, obsolete and dated machinery and technology, as well as a shortage of skilled practitioners, including gaps in critical areas such as marketing strategy. Compounding these issues, many incubatees admitted into programmes do not meet established selection criteria, indicating systemic weaknesses in the selection process. Business incubation, as a specialised support mechanism for small business development, is clearly not delivering on its potential and not being used for its purpose. It serves clients that should not be selected for incubation; it is not well-resourced; business development skills are deficient; and strategic competence is lacking. To address these shortcomings, we need to shift our focus from providing basic support to cultivating higher-order capabilities that equip incubatees for long-term adaptability, innovation, and competitiveness. Improving the chances of small business success depends not just on acquiring basic resources, but also on developing higher-order capabilities that enable adaptability, innovation, and strategic renewal. Studies have shown that firms with dynamic capabilities, such as marketing agility and integrated management approaches, tend to proactively respond to change, leveraging technology and organisational learning to build complex systems that drive sustained performance. Unlike threshold-level resources that support daily operations and survival, higher-order resources empower firms to sense opportunities, seize them effectively, and transform continuously for long-term competitive advantage and sustainability. Additionally, in the small business context, innovation capability rests with the owner as they are the primary decision makers. Their personal, behavioural and environmental contexts are key aspects to be considered, and they should therefore be the unit of analysis when developing small businesses. To meaningfully enhance the role of MSMEs in South Africa, three strategic shifts are required with specific reference to business incubation: collaboration between academia, industry, and government for effective knowledge transfer and spillover towards sustainable development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth; utilising business incubation as a specialised MSME development mechanism; and moving from a survival mindset to one of higher-order capabilities— the ability to respond strategically to change or the ability to recognise, assimilate, and apply new knowledge. These capabilities are what allow MSMEs to innovate, compete, and thrive sustainably—not just survive from grant to grant. As scholars have noted, it is not just resources but the ability to leverage them strategically that enables long-term success. In the context of MSME development, the entrepreneur is the engine of innovation. Their individual characteristics, context, and decision-making approaches matter deeply. As such, we must build ecosystems that invest in the entrepreneur's capacity, not just their business infrastructure. If we are serious about building a more inclusive and resilient economy, then enabling MSMEs with the right capabilities and support is not optional—it is essential. As we celebrate MSMEs Day, let us also reflect on business incubation—a key mechanism for developing and promoting small businesses in South Africa and around the world. Solomon is a lecturer in the Department of Business Management at Stellenbosch University.
The Print
a day ago
- Business
- The Print
MSMEs are foundation of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat': CM Yogi Adityanath
'MSME units are the foundation of an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat',' the chief minister said in a post on his official X handle. He made the remarks on the occasion of International MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) Day. Lucknow, Jun 27 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said MSMEs are the backbone of a self-reliant India. 'Heartfelt wishes to all entrepreneurs who, through their tireless efforts, are advancing Uttar Pradesh towards self-reliance,' Adityanath said. Further, he said, 'Under the guidance of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the double-engine government is continuously working to promote enterprise and entrepreneurship.' According to an official, the chief minister is scheduled to launch several schemes at a programme being held at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Friday as part of the International MSME Day celebrations. The event is aimed at boosting employment, entrepreneurship, and giving global recognition to local products. Special benefits will be provided to youth and artisans, the official said. Adityanath will also launch the CM-Yuva Mobile App during the event. PTI KIS SHW SHW This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
AI data-centre boom could destroy Big Tech's net-zero plans
WASHINGTON: The fast-rising energy demands of Big Tech are undermining the ambitious climate pledges that Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft have all made in recent years, according to a report from the nonprofit NewClimate Institute. The research says the tech sector faces a "climate strategy crisis" as its data centres demand ever more electricity and water to power growing fields, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing. "These companies seem to have lost their way with regard to climate strategies," report co-author Thomas Day told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. "The narrative has changed from 'we're fixed on the target' to 'we're really not sure, but we'll get there somehow.'" The picture is further complicated, he said, by ongoing negotiations over how to count and report future emissions. Big Tech has pledged to fight climate change and says it is striving to be sustainable in all aspects of its business. Day though points to Microsoft, which in February described its sustainability goals – made in 2020 – as a "moonshot". It then noted: "We have had to acknowledge that the moon has gotten further away." The company's electricity demand has tripled since 2020, the report found, as it invested in giant warehouses that house the computer systems which let users store photos, stream music, talk with AI chatbots and more. Microsoft declined to comment. Data hubs The proliferation of data centres has leapt in recent years. North America housed fewer than 1,500 in 2014; by this year, the United States alone had more than 5,400, according to Statista. Their average size and power usage has also jumped. The world's biggest tech firms have nearly all pledged to reach net zero by as soon as 2030, but environmental campaigners are concerned their growing reliance on data centres will bust those ambitions by consuming ever more energy and water. With AI expected to use about 12% of US energy by the end of the decade, according to consultancy firm McKinsey, this could make it increasingly difficult for companies to transition from planet-heating fossil fuels to clean energy. Growing gap Based on publicly available information, the new report outlines massively increased emissions among the companies, alongside apparently minor changes in sustainability plans. Several of the plans, rather than resulting in net zero, appear to address only half of projected emissions, though NewClimate says hazy accounting makes the gap hard to pin down. While Meta's emissions have more than doubled since 2019, and Amazon's have nearly done so, Amazon's pledge to be net zero by 2040 "omits large portions of its business and remains unsubstantiated", relying on market-based solutions such as carbon credits to do the work. And while many of the companies contract out for a significant proportion of their business, using data centres they don't own, firms such as Meta and Microsoft don't tally these third-party operations in their overall emissions count. Apple and Google did not respond to requests for comment. Meta declined to comment on the report, but a spokesperson said the company reports transparently on emissions and energy consumption, and pointed to a 2024 blog on its energy approach. Amazon said the report "mischaracterizes our data and makes inaccurate assumptions throughout – its own disclaimer even acknowledges NCI cannot guarantee its factual accuracy. "By contrast, we have a proven, independently audited, seven-year track record of transparently delivering facts that follow global reporting standards.' It also called AI a transformative technology that is prompting energy demand to rise across industries and homes. The company listed a host of sustainability initiatives underway at Amazon, be it more efficient delivery routes, lower water use or eliminating plastic from packaging. "We're excited about what's ahead and will continue to share our progress openly," it said in a statement. NewClimate's report also flagged up a much broader concern, given how these companies undergird the wider digital economy, said Nick Dyer-Witheford, a professor of information and media studies at the University of Western Ontario. He pointed to the role that Big Tech firms play worldwide "through digitally-targeted advertising, online shopping and influencer culture" which drives carbon-dioxide emissions. "It is the role of giant digital corporations in sustaining a global regime of ceaseless production and hyper-consumption that needs attention." AI In the United States, more than half of the 5,400 data centres operating in March ran on fossil fuels, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, a US think tank. Data centre-driven energy demand rose by 12% from 2017 to 2024 and is expected to double again by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. Furthermore, within three years almost half of that demand will be for AI data centres, which will then drive how utilities and grid operators have to respond, said Anurag K. Srivastava, a computer science professor at West Virginia University. That is because AI use is expected to fluctuate quickly and at scale, depending on the time of day or even as a particular meme or digital trend rocks the Internet, Srivastava said. "Gas is one (source of energy) that can ramp up and down quickly – you can't do that with nuclear or others," he said. "Solar can be done in the same way, but only if it's located there," he said, noting that large storage batteries could help. That raises the stakes for local communities, Srivastava said, with a gas-powered system that could handle such peaks and troughs coming at a high financial and environmental cost. Whatever the ramp-up in power looks like, it will unfold at unprecedented speed, said Srivastava, adding: "The rate of load change is probably one of the fastest we have seen." – Thomson Reuters Foundation
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Council Awards $180,000 In Grants To Local Community Groups
Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has awarded $180,000 in grants through its Community Fund 2025-2026 to support 28 groups across the district. QLDC Community Partnerships Manager Marie Day said the funding round focused on supporting local initiatives that deliver strong wellbeing outcomes and reflect community needs. 'This year's fund of $180,000 was allocated through the Annual Plan. Despite the relatively limited funding, we were delighted to be able to support an impressive range of projects and organisations that look to make a meaningful impact, enhancing the wellbeing and connectivity of our community,' said Ms Day. 'From youth and environmental initiatives to arts, culture and social services, the 28 successful applicants represent the vibrant diversity of our district and the dedication of those working to make it better,' she said. Applications for the 2025-2026 round closed on 30 April and were assessed by a panel of elected members and staff, with the final decisions made by Full Council in late June. Groups had the option to present their applications in person in May, offering valuable insight into their work and impact. Ms Day acknowledged the challenging environment many community groups continue to face. 'We recognise that rising costs and economic pressures make it tough for many groups to sustain their services. While this year's fund was smaller, the demand for support remains high, and we're committed to ensuring community voices remain at the heart of our funding priorities,' she said. Full details of the fund recipients are available on the Council's website at
