Latest news with #Philadelphia-based
Business Wire
21 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Inverness Graham-Backed Alliant Acquires AnalyticsIQ, Expanding Suite of People-Based Marketing Data & Analytics Solutions
WAYNE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Inverness Graham, a Philadelphia-based buyout firm focused on acquiring innovative companies where technology is transforming traditional industry, announced today that its marketing data and analytics company, Alliant, has acquired AnalyticsIQ. An innovator in predictive analytics and people-based marketing data, AnalyticsIQ blends cognitive psychology with statistical analysis to enhance behavioral targeting and drive marketing performance. The company utilizes survey-based methodology and machine learning to model consumer behavior and intent, enabling advertisers to reach high-value audiences and enhance campaign outcomes through more effective targeting and personalization. The acquisition of AnalyticsIQ strengthens the combined company's market position and establishes it as a top-tier provider of comprehensive data-driven marketing solutions. 'AnalyticsIQ's innovative data solutions strongly complement Alliant's strengths in cooperative data and analytics,' said Michael Morrissey, Managing Principal at Inverness Graham. 'Combining Alliant's proprietary transaction data with AnalyticsIQ's predictive modeling and digital integrations enhances our collective ability to deliver high-performing, insight-driven audiences across both traditional and emerging marketing channels. Together, the combined business enables a differentiated, data-rich platform with more customer applications and deeper market reach. We look forward to supporting Alliant and AnalyticsIQ's next phase of growth together.' As part of the acquisition, Scarlett Shipp, the current Chief Executive Officer ('CEO') of AnalyticsIQ, has been appointed the new CEO of the combined business. JoAnne Monfradi Dunn, Alliant's founder and CEO, has announced her retirement from day-to-day operations and will assume an active Board seat to guide the transition and continue providing strategic leadership at the Board level. 'Our team has spent years building predictive data that helps brands not just understand what people do—but why they do it,' said Scarlett Shipp. 'Joining forces with Alliant enables us to scale that mission and bring even more powerful insights to clients across channels. Together, we're building on our industry leadership to create a data company that raises the bar—delivering an unprecedented combination of differentiated data, trust, and results.' Inverness Graham and Alliant are actively seeking further acquisitions and strategic partnerships with innovative companies that provide high-quality marketing data, analytics and technology. Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP served as legal counsel to Inverness Graham. Stephens Inc. served as exclusive financial advisor to AnalyticsIQ. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About Inverness Graham Investments Inverness Graham is a Philadelphia based firm focused on acquiring innovative companies where technology is transforming traditional industry. The firm's Flagship strategy focuses on high-growth businesses in Healthcare, Tech-Enabled Services / Software and Advanced Manufacturing. The firm's Green Light strategy targets tech-enabled businesses where Environmental Sustainability is a key driver of accelerating growth. Inverness Graham executes a differentiated, repeatable model for value creation through its proprietary Strategic Platform Build approach. Founded by senior executives of the Graham Group, the firm builds upon a 60-year legacy of operational excellence, bringing substantial value creation resources and an innovative mindset to support its portfolio company partners.
Axios
a day ago
- Politics
- Axios
Another House Democrat over 70 says he will retire
Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.) said Monday he won't seek reelection in 2026 after initially telling Axios he planned to run for reelection to his Philadelphia-based seat. Why it matters: The 71-year-old is the latest in what many younger Democrats hope will be a wave of septuagenarian and octogenarian lawmakers opting not to try to hold onto their seats. The party is engaged in an internal civil war over age, with older lawmakers across the country facing primary challenges from younger insurgents tired of waiting for them to retire. Evans, who suffered a stroke last year that kept him from voting at the Capitol for much of 2024 and has since confined him to a walker, has been among the prime targets of those efforts. What he's saying: "I remain in good health and fully capable of continuing to serve," Evans said in a statement. But, he added, "After some discussions this weekend and thoughtful reflection, I have decided that the time is right to announce that I will not be seeking re-election in 2026." The House Democrat, who has served in Congress since 2016 and was previously a state legislator for 35 years, said he will serve out the remainder of his term through Jan. 3, 2027.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Jason Kelce getting naked for r**arded kids': Antonio Brown sparks outrage with offensive tweet
Jason Kelce at Charity fundraiser event On June 26, Jason Kelce appeared at the Eagles Autism Foundation event, an annual initiative by the Philadelphia Eagles aimed at raising money and awareness for autism research and services. Known for his charisma and unwavering community presence, Kelce showed up shirtless, wearing a rainbow 'Eagles Autism Foundation' cap, and interacted with fans in classic Kelce fashion, lively, silly, and full of heart. Clips of the event were shared widely, with many praising the former Eagles center for continuing to advocate for inclusivity and neurodiverse communities even after retirement but Antonio Brown had something else to say. Antonio Brown's tweet turns a charitable moment into controversy Not long after the video was posted, Antonio Brown, retweeted the clip with a disturbing caption. In it, Brown used a slur widely recognized as ableist and offensive, taking a jab at Kelce's appearance at the autism event and suggesting he was the one being treated unfairly. — AB84 (@AB84) Without quoting the tweet directly (to avoid further amplification of harmful language), Brown's post implied hypocrisy in how the public reacts to his own controversies compared to Kelce's light-hearted gesture. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo But his use of outdated and harmful terminology shifted the conversation entirely, toward the insensitivity of his words. Why Brown's words are deeply inappropriate especially in this context The term Brown used in his tweet is no longer socially acceptable and hasn't been for a long time. Once commonly used in clinical language, it is now understood as a deeply harmful slur when used colloquially, especially in contexts that involve individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. To use that term while commenting on an autism awareness event not only disrespects the organizers and participants, it disrespects the broader community the event was built to support. That's what makes Brown's tweet especially problematic. Kelce's actions reflect years of advocacy and public goodwill While Antonio Brown's post sparked backlash, Jason Kelce's role at the Eagles Autism Foundation event was just one of many examples of his long-running commitment to service. Throughout his career, Kelce has supported numerous Philadelphia-based causes and has been celebrated for his leadership both on and off the field. This event, in particular, is one he has championed for years, helping raise millions for autism-related initiatives through appearances, auctions, and community outreach. What should've remained a wholesome, community-first moment was clouded by a tweet that didn't need to be made. Jason Kelce showed up for a cause that matters. Antonio Brown showed up online, again, with language that harms more than it helps. And in doing so, he reminded everyone that words, even a single post can either lift a community up or bring the focus down to negativity that never belonged there in the first place. Also read - Saquon Barkley credits Christianity for unlocking the best year of his NFL career Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
NBA draft 2025: How Trump travel ban impacts Duke's Khaman Maluach
"I watched his movie," Maluach said, referencing the 2002 film, "Rise," that chronicles Antetokounmpo and his brothers' journey to the United States and the NBA. "But just his story, his background coming from Greece and then coming to America." Maluach didn't linger long on that last part, as his advisors prefer given the geopolitics now swirling around the beginning of his career. He is not just an intriguing player in this year's NBA draft class because of his 9-foot-6 standing reach, readymade rim protection skills and rapid ascent into an elite prospect. This 18-year-old is also the only potential draftee hailing from a country currently facing a visa and travel ban by the United States. He's both the next potential face for the NBA's decades-long investment in an African basketball developmental pipeline and an unintended consequence of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. "They're trying to use leverage against these countries, and oftentimes it's through visa issuance," said Philadelphia-based immigration attorney Adam Solow. "This kid is caught up in the middle of that." NBA MOCK DRAFT 2025: AI predictions roundup for first round picks Trump travel bans: How they impact 2025 NBA draft, Khaman Maluach A quirk related to Maluach's visa situation will play out on Wednesday night at the 2025 NBA Draft. The NBA is preparing for the complicated scenario that would be triggered if Maluach were to be taken by the Toronto Raptors with the No. 9 overall pick. Given the current Trump administration policy related to South Sudan, two NBA league officials familiar with Maluach's visa status told USA TODAY Sports that he would have to apply for a United States tourism visa and a waiver to South Sudan's travel ban any time he enters the United States if he plays for the Raptors. That would also be in addition to having to obtain a Canadian work visa. The Raptors had to cross the United States border from Canada for road games 19 times based on their 2024-25 schedule. If Maluach were to be drafted by any of the 29 other NBA teams, the two league officials said he would only have to apply for a waiver upon re-entering the United States each time his future team played at Toronto. "This would be among the more complicated (situations) for a draftee," said one of the NBA league officials familiar with Maluach's situation and granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic. "This is representative of a more difficult global environment." The NBA's evolution into an international business, with MVP winners from outside the United States the past seven years, has often put the league at the forefront of immigration issues that arise due to events and policies occurring around the world outside the realm of sport. Maluach became the league's most prominent case of this in 2025 on the same day Duke played in the Final Four in April. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa and travel restrictions on South Sudan that remain in place ahead of the start to the NBA draft. "Enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States," a State Department spokesperson wrote in a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports on June 20. "In accordance with the April 5 decision made by Secretary Rubio, the Department took appropriate steps to revoke visas held by South Sudanese passport holders. South Sudanese passport holders who were notified of their visa revocation are not required to depart the United States before their Admit Until Date. Any future travel to the United States will require a new visa application." The spokesperson added that the State Department does not generally comment on actions related to specific visa cases due to concerns about privacy and visa confidentiality. More details about the policy related to South Sudan have emerged in court. A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled on May 21 that the Trump administration violated a previous order when it attempted to send migrants convicted of serious crimes in the United States to third countries - in this case, South Sudan - without providing clear information and ample time to raise any concerns about being sent to that country. But the Supreme Court agreed on Monday, June 23 to pause that order in a 6-3 decision, allowing migrants to be deported to third countries, including South Sudan. An executive action issued by President Trump on June 4 stated entry into the United States is fully suspended for those from South Sudan because the country "lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures." It also included a clause providing an exemption for "any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State." The two NBA officials told USA TODAY Sports the league does not believe Maluach is in danger of being deported and it is comfortable with the process to apply for a waiver to the Trump administration travel ban based on how often it runs into complex international visa situations, including the travel bans Trump instituted during his first term in the White House. "The NBA has a voice in this that is bigger and louder and more influential," said Ksenia Maiorova, an Orlando, Florida-based immigration attorney who works extensively with international college athletes to obtain visas. Maluach, according to the NBA officials familiar with the matter, had been playing at Duke on a student visa and the university has been helping him during the transition between his college season and the draft. Upon being drafted Wednesday, Maluach would be eligible to apply for an O1 or P1 visa given by the United States to professional athletes and those with "extraordinary abilities." Duke, through an athletics department spokesperson, declined to comment when USA TODAY Sports sought comment on its role in Maluach's visa situation. Maluach told USA TODAY Sports at the NBA Draft combine in May that his representatives at Klutch Sports are dealing with any potential visa issues. A spokesperson at Klutch Sports declined to comment when reached by USA TODAY Sports. "I let them handle that and focus on what's important to me and what's ahead of me," Maluach said. Why Khaman Maluach is so important for NBA in Africa They all use some variation of the same phrase to describe Khaman Maluach, even the biggest star of the 2025 NBA Draft. "Everything about him is so pure," said Cooper Flagg, Maluach's teammate at Duke this past season and the presumptive No. 1 pick this year. "Some people you can just tell their intentions and whether they are pure. Khaman is one of those people." The NBA sees a model for future African players in Maluach. He joined the NBA Academy Africa as a 14-year-old, leaving his family in Uganda to join a first-of-its-kind elite basketball training center in Senegal despite having never played organized basketball before. In just a few years' time, he blossomed in a program the NBA began in 2017 to "double down on a new way of player development and investment on the continent," according to Troy Justice, the NBA's senior vice president of international basketball. Maluach eventually competed against professionals for three seasons in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) through a partnership between the league and NBA Academy Africa, and also impressed scouts at Basketball Without Borders camps and G League showcases. He then played for South Sudan's first Olympic basketball team at the 2024 Paris Games. Maluach said the NBA Academy program "not only shaped me on the basketball court, but ... I had to learn to be a man off the basketball court and the Academy helped me through all that." More than 50 African basketball players have earned Division-I scholarships through NBA Academy Africa, with two already in the NBA. But none of them are the level of prospect Maluach became in short order. He is expected to be the first first-round draft pick to emerge from NBA Academy Africa. "Draft night is going to be life-changing for him," Justice said. "His (journey) has been very unique, special in a lot of ways because it connects all his dots. It literally shows the NBA's complete pathway." Maluach is part of a wave of players that has seen multiple generations of Africans like them make it to the NBA from seemingly remote circumstances. He believed those around him when they said he could do it, too. Only how quickly he got here seems far-fetched to him at this point. Maluach is still considered a work-in-progress by NBA scouts because of his limited experience, with an offensive skill set and on-court instincts that will require patience from the team that drafts him. But his length and defensive potential, and the reality he's much closer to the start of his career than any other prospect on the board, could make him a top-10 pick if the mock drafts are correct. Maluach thinks about the possibility with wonder, unbothered by the conflicts going on around him, just like when he arrived at that first basketball camp and his road to the NBA draft really began. "I saw a lot of tall people happy, and I was like, 'This is where I belong,'" Maluach said.
Politico
6 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Trump's war on the courts intensifies
Presented by Bayer Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook: Remaking Government, your guide to Donald Trump's unprecedented overhaul of the federal government — the key decisions, the critical characters and the power dynamics that are upending Washington and beyond. Send tips | Subscribe | Email Sophia | Email Irie | Email Ben| Email Kyle President DONALD TRUMP's administration is in a full-blown war with the federal courts, with the fate of American governance on the line. That's the only way to read the increasingly confrontational, bare-knuckle tactics that the administration is deploying against the judiciary — and the steady, pointed resistance from judges. On Tuesday night, the Justice Department filed an unusual lawsuit against the entire bench of the federal district court in Maryland — where dozens of cases against the administration are pending — over a blanket, automatic two-day pause on deportations in cases brought by detained immigrants. A department spokesperson said the lawsuit was intended to 'rein in unlawful judicial overreach.' In an increasingly pointed Supreme Court showdown with immigration advocates, Solicitor General JOHN SAUER labeled a federal district judge's order reimposing restrictions on the deportation of eight men to South Sudan a 'lawless act of defiance.' Advocates for the men say the fight is even larger than their clients: It is about whether the high court will countenance the administration's defiance of the courts altogether. While the justices ruminate, skirmishes between the courts and the administration are proliferating and intensifying. In the most high-profile case of all, the criminal prosecution of KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA, a magistrate judge in Texas ripped the Justice Department for allegations that 'defy common sense' and relied on flimsy evidence. In another prominent legal showdown, a federal judge ordered the release of pro-Palestinian activist MAHMOUD KHALIL after determining that his continued detention was an unconstitutional attack on free speech. But even in cases that are off the national radar, judges are expressing shock and dismay at mass deportation tactics that stretch the bounds of the law and Constitution: The clearest distillation of this clash of co-equal branches comes in Trump's attempt to place a staunch loyalist onto the Philadelphia-based bench of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals. After leading Trump's defense in three criminal cases, EMIL BOVE has become Trump's brashest Justice Department enforcer. He has directed purges of purportedly disloyal prosecutors and attacked the integrity of those who refused to follow orders to drop DOJ's corruption case against New York City Mayor ERIC ADAMS or who participated in the investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. A day before Bove's confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, a former Justice Department attorney alleged that Bove spearheaded a drive to sidestep adverse court orders in crucial deportation cases. Those allegations were at the center of Democrats' questions today for Bove, who pledged to be an impartial interpreter of the law, despite his track record as a pro-Trump bulldog. Attorney General PAM BONDI, who will have a role in reviewing the whistleblower complaint against Bove, told senators today that she would 'run through a wall for Emil Bove.' And after testifying, she filed into the Senate Judiciary hearing room to catch the end of Bove's confirmation proceedings. Minutes after it ended, Bondi issued a statement slamming courts that had ruled against Trump, saying their orders were 'designed to halt his agenda.' But the courts so far seem undeterred. This afternoon, a judge rejected DOJ's argument to keep Abrego behind bars while he awaits trial on immigrant smuggling charges in Tennessee. The judge, WAVERLY CRENSHAW, JR., said DOJ's position — that DHS might deport Abrego if he is not detained on his criminal charges — 'defies logic,' since the Trump administration controls both agencies. 'If the Government finds this case to be as high priority as it argues here, it is incumbent upon it to ensure that Abrego is held accountable for the charges in the Indictment,' Crenshaw said. 'If the Department of Justice and DHS cannot do so, that speaks for itself.' MESSAGE US — West Wing Playbook is obsessively covering the Trump administration's reshaping of the federal government. Are you a federal worker? A DOGE staffer? Have you picked up on any upcoming DOGE moves? We want to hear from you on how this is playing out. Email us at westwingtips@ Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe! POTUS PUZZLER Which former president was buried with a copy of the Constitution under his head? (Answer at bottom.) Knives Out LAKE MAKES HER CASE: KARI LAKE, senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, today defended the Trump administration's dismantling of the agency and its independent outlet Voice of America, where more than 600 full-time staffers received termination notices last week, telling the House Foreign Affairs committee that USAGM 'is not needed.' Democratic lawmakers questioned whether Lake was qualified to lead the agency due to her repeated false claims that Trump did not lose the 2020 presidential election and that she did not lose her own gubernatorial and Senate races in 2020 and 2024, respectively. 'I can't imagine how people fighting for democracy today around the world could trust someone who so shamelessly lied about her own election,' said Rep. GREG STANTON (D-Ariz.). One House Republican expressed concern related to the conflict between Israel and Iran, which prompted the agency's Farsi-language service to be hastily called back to work. 'I worry about the U.S. government's ability to win in the information domain during the next crisis, which could be just around the corner,' said Rep. YOUNG KIM (R-Calif.). Agenda Setting EVERY SINGLE STATE: Ahead of the Office of Management and Budget Director RUSS VOUGHT's testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee this afternoon on the $9.4 billion rescissions package, Vice Chair Sen. PATTY MURRAY (D-Wash.) released a map of the 1,500 local radio and TV stations that would lose funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Some Republicans including Sen. MIKE ROUNDS (R-S.D.) have raised concerns about public broadcasting cuts. 'UNNECESSARILY CHAOTIC': Sen. MITCH McCONNELL, the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, sharply criticized how the administration has executed its plan to root out government waste, our HASSAN ALI KANU writes in. 'There's plenty of absolute nonsense masquerading as American aid that shouldn't receive another bit of taxpayer funding, but the administration's attempt to root it out has been unnecessarily chaotic,' McConnell said to Vought. 'In critical corners of the globe, instead of creating efficiencies, you've created vacuums for adversaries like China to fill.' McConnell has been sharply critical of some of the Trump administration's foreign policy moves, chiefly on its handling of Ukraine. But his comments today raise new questions about his support for the administration's rescissions package. PAGING DR. CASSIDY: The newly formed vaccine advisory committee chosen by HHS Secretary ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. announced today that it would review childhood vaccines and shots not studied in more than seven years, our SOPHIE GARDNER and DAVID LIM report. The decision by the new group, tasked with reviewing the childhood immunization schedule, could open the door to changes on how and when children are vaccinated. The chair of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices said the committee would maintain existing working groups tasked with examining vaccines and that new work groups will also be established. MORE ON VACCINES: Kennedy announced today that the U.S. will withdraw financial support for Gavi, a global organization that helps purchase vaccines for children in poor countries, NYT's STEPHANIE NOLEN reports. Kennedy accused the group's leaders of having 'ignored the science' in immunizing children globally. Kennedy argued that Gavi's leaders had been selective in their use of science to support vaccine choices and said that the U.S. would not deliver on its $1.2 billion pledge to support the program until it changed its processes. Gavi's leaders rejected the suggestion that its vaccine purchases were driven by anything other than scientific evidence. In the Courts WIN FOR UNIONS: A federal judge in San Francisco today blocked Trump's executive order seeking to terminate the collective bargaining rights of workers whose unions have opposed and sued the administration, Hassan writes in. Judge JAMES DONATO's order restores the status and rights of about 950,000 federal workers at 21 agencies who are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees and four other unions, according to the AFGE. Trump sought to abruptly revoke collective bargaining rights from much of the public sector in March, relying on a law that allows agencies to be excluded from coverage if the president determines their primary function is national security work. But Donato held that the White House's own statements are fairly clear that at least part of the motivation is unlawful 1st Amendment retaliation. Trump's anti-union policies have survived a separate challenge before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which temporarily revived the executive order last month in a case brought by the National Treasury Employees Union. THE WHOLE GANG'S ON BOARD: Almost two dozen Democratic attorneys general are challenging the Trump administration's argument for cutting billions of dollars in federal grant funding for states and other recipients, POLITICO's E&E News' NIINA H. FARAH reports. The new lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts federal district court on Tuesday, is the latest challenge to the administration's 'slash-and-burn campaign' to freeze congressionally mandated funding for an array of programs. The lawsuit does not ask the federal court to restore canceled grant funding, unlike previous, pending challenges. Instead, it asks for a judge to weigh in on the administration's reliance on a clause in a 2020 regulation that says agencies can cancel grant funding that 'no longer effectuates … agency priorities.' WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT (BIG) BALLS TO THE WALL: The infamous EDWARD CORISTINE, the 19-year-old DOGE staffer known as 'Big Balls,' has left his government role, WIRED's JAKE LAHUT, MAKENA KELLY, VITTORIA ELLIOTT and ZOË SCHIFFER report. 'Edward Coristine resigned yesterday,' a White House official told WIRED. Coristine received full-time employment status at the General Services Administration late last month, but as of Tuesday, his Google Workspace account with GSA was no longer active. His name no longer appears on a White House contact list of current DOGE employees on the federal payroll maintained by a senior administration official. Coristine, according to another former DOGE staffer, 'was one of a small group of technologists who were highly trusted within DOGE and deployed across multiple federal agencies, and given multiple federal laptops,' WIRED writes. What We're Reading The Self-Deportation Psyop (The Atlantic's Nick Miroff) U.S. Textile Makers, Feeling Forgotten by Trump, Hope Boom Days Are Ahead (NYT's Alan Rappeport) A Military Ethics Professor Resigns in Protest (The Atlantic's Tom Nichols) POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER Former President ANDREW JOHNSON was buried in 1875 with a copy of the Constitution under his head and his body wrapped in an American flag, according to the National Park Service.
