Latest news with #Status
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Most Americans think undocumented immigrants should stay
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Bloomberg Bloomberg Bloomberg For more than a decade, President Donald Trump has been scapegoating immigrants, decrying them as criminals and vermin and vowing to deport them by the American people, by and large, aren't buying it, nor should they.A new Pew Charitable Trust poll shows that 65% of Americans support having undocumented immigrants stay legally if certain requirements are met. About half of those say a green card should be possible, and the rest say a path to citizenship should be available. The poll also showed that majorities oppose suspending most asylum applications, curtailing the Temporary Protected Status program, and conducting workplace raids — all actions the Trump administration has reality is that Trump is out of step with Americans on this issue. After years of pounding away at immigrants, he has failed to persuade Americans that they are an invading force threatening their jobs and safety. When asked whether there should be a national effort to deport undocumented immigrants, only 31% of Americans replied Shah, who leads the American Civil Liberties Union's immigration policy work, told me that 'people are questioning the disconnect between Trump's rhetoric on public safety and what's happening on the ground.''You're seeing ordinary communities subjected to these violent, scary ICE operations,' she said. 'This is not what people signed up for and it's starting to show up in poll numbers.' ACLU polling shows 56% of Americans oppose deploying troops to quell protests, as Trump has done in Los although Americans want strong border security, they have little taste for an indiscriminate approach that sweeps up legal immigrants and citizens border czar Tom Homan, enforcement in the early months of Trump's second term focused heavily on immigrants with criminal records and pre-existing deportation orders. Homan, who had performed a similar duty for the Obama administration, knew that while the numbers would not be huge, the impact would meet with public was openly dissatisfied with the results. There just aren't enough criminals to come anywhere close to the numbers Trump wants. For that, you need to go after everyday workers — the line cooks, construction workers, farmhands and landscapers that fill myriad jobs across the late May, Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump's immigration policies, dressed down ICE's top field directors. One official told the Washington Examiner that 'Stephen Miller wants everybody arrested. 'Why aren't you at Home Depot? Why aren't you at 7-Eleven?'' the official said. Instead of the 660 arrests they'd been averaging daily, the new goal was 3, broader, far more brutal enforcement that followed has exposed to Americans the ugly reality of mass deportations. They don't like what they see: A recent Fox News poll shows that 53% now disapprove of Trump's immigration approach just doesn't work in an age of social media, which now is flooded daily with up-close videos of what on-the-street enforcement looks like. One recent video shows the middle-aged father of three Marines arrested at his landscaping job and beaten about the head and neck by masked agents. One of his sons, Marine veteran Alejandro Barranco, said his father, Narciso Barranco, 56, had lived in California since the '90s without legal status, but also without any criminal record. 'He always taught us to respect, to love our country, to always give back,' the younger Barranco said, adding that he feels 'betrayed.'Polls also have some tough realities for Democratic leaders. The number of voters who support a border wall has been ticking up, the Pew survey found. Trump introduced the notion of a border wall (that Mexico would pay for) in his first campaign and has continued to extol it. Now, 56% of Americans favor it — a 10 percentage point increase from are not the same as votes and should not dictate public policy, but they can reveal some elements of a long-needed overhaul of immigration practices. That would require both sides to look past their talking having succeeded at dramatically lowering border crossings, should shift his focus back to criminal removals. It would also serve him well — particularly among his modest but growing support among Hispanic voters — to create a limited path to legal status for those who have worked in the US and stayed on the right side of the should acknowledge the legitimate strains imposed on border states and ports of entry during the Biden years, the public's growing desire for a wall, and the need to find effective ways of dealing with visa overstays, which are responsible for a significant share of those here of failure to hammer out a functional immigration policy have led to where we are today: masked agents snatching anyone suspected of being here illegally, National Guard soldiers putting down protests, fields empty of workers, and raids that can leave lasting wounds in a community left wondering who will be taken next. That's bad enough; our elected leaders shouldn't wait to see what's next.
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
SIMPLY SOLVENTLESS ANNOUNCES RECORD "STATUS" BRAND MONTHLY SALES & REVOCATION OF MANAGEMENT CEASE TRADE ORDER
CALGARY, AB, /CNW/ - Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd. (TSXV: HASH) (" SSC" or the " Company") is pleased to announce that its Status brand has achieved record monthly sales and increasing sales velocity. SSC is also pleased to advise that due to SSC filing its Q1 2025 financial statements, the related management discussion and analysis, and the related CEO and CFO certifications, (the " Filings"), the previously announced management cease trade order (" MCTO") under National Policy 12-203 – Management Cease Trade Orders (" NP 12-203") initially issued by the Alberta Securities Commission (" ASC"), the Company's principal regulator, on May 5, 2025, and subsequently updated by SSC through press releases issued on April 30, 2025, May 14, 2025, May 20, 2025, and June 2, 2025, has been revoked. Copies of the required Filings are available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at Status Brand Launched in late 2024, SSC's Status brand, acquired as part of the ANC Inc. acquisition in October, 2024, continues to gain traction across Canada. Unit sales have increased by 115% since January 2025, and June 2025 marked the first month that the Status brand's sales exceeded $1.0 million. Status currently has 12 total product listings in Ontario and Alberta. The following 8 new product listings are launching in the coming months, bringing total Status product listings to 20: Ontario June: Bubble Bubble Liquid Diamond Infused Kief Coated Blunt. Alberta July: Grape Blast Liquid Diamond Infused Kief Coated Pre-Rolls. Alberta July: Mellonaire Liquid Diamond Infused Kief Coated Pre-Rolls. Alberta July: Tigers Bleed Liquid Diamond Infused Kief Coated Pre-Rolls. Ontario August/September: Lamborkiwi Cannagar. Ontario August/September: Bubble Bubble Cannagar. Ontario September/October: Lamborkiwi Liquid Diamond Disposable. Ontario September/October: Grape Blast Liquid Diamond Infused Kief Coated Blunt. With the success of Status, SSC's current suite of brands and products, including Astrolab, Frootyhooty, Roilty, and Lamplighter, and the upcoming launch of the legendary Sluggers brand in Canada (as previously announced), SSC is encouraged by the potential for organic revenue growth in the coming quarters. About Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd. SSC is a public company incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). SSC's mission is to provide pure, potent, terpene-rich ready to consume cannabis products to discerning cannabis consumers. For more information regarding SSC, please see Notice on Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends", "expects", "projected", "approximately" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning Stats brand product launches, increasing velocity of Status SKUs, initial Sluggers product launches and revenue growth, and revenue growth of SSC's current brands and products. SSC cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of SSC, including expectations and assumptions concerning SSC, the timing and market acceptance of products, competition in SSC's markets, SSC's reliance on customers, fluctuations in interest rates, SSC's ability to maintain good relations with its customers, employees and other stakeholders, changes in law or regulations, SSC's ability to protect its intellectual property, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those described in SSC's filings available on SEDAR+ at including its most recent annual information form. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of SSC. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and SSC does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Meet 19 startups in social networking, dating, and AI that investors have their eyes on
AI has venture capitalists back on the prowl for new consumer social startups. "We're on the brink of another big consumer wave," Vanessa Larco, a former NEA partner, told Business Insider. She's launching a new consumer-focused venture firm called Premise. Larco's eyeing consumer-focused AI startups like Midjourney (a generative AI image maker), Tolan (an AI companion platform), and Sitch (an AI-powered dating app). Larco said she is not an investor in Midjourney or Tolan, but is an angel investor in Sitch. For some consumer startup founders, AI feels like a must-have in any pitch meeting. "There's been no real crazy big raises in many consumer verticals unless it is a really strong gen AI angle," said Paul Warren, CEO of the book community app Margins. But while it's true that VCs love an AI story, they've also been drawn to upstarts building loyal communities in a particular category, whether that's books, restaurants, or clothing. "People are retreating away from the general platforms toward much smaller things, cozier things, much more niche-oriented things," Warren said. BI asked nine VCs about what startups they are eyeing in consumer social tech in 2025. They highlighted new AI startups with a social layer, niche social networks, and apps that facilitate in-real-life (IRL) connection. What startups are standing out? Swsh, a Gen Z-focused photo-sharing app for events, is an example of a consumer social startup catching the attention of investors. Three VCs — Rhian Horton at Stellation Capital (which invested in Swsh), as well as Derek Chu at FirstMark Capital and TJ Taylor at Hobart Ventures, who are not investors — named it as a consumer social startup to watch. Founded in 2022 by Alexandra Debow, Weilyn Chong, and Nathan Ahn, the startup has been partnering with large music festivals like Rolling Loud and EDC Vegas to use its photo-album sharing tech. Swsh leverages AI to help users find photos of themselves from events, like parties or concerts. Users can also connect with people (like other party-goers) on the app in group chats. Debow told BI that the startup has raised $3 million to date. Meanwhile, Status, an app that uses AI to simulate a social media experience with fictional characters, was highlighted by two VCs: FirstMark's Chu and Amber Atherton at Patron, both of whom are not investors. Status was cofounded by Fai Nur, Amit Bhatnagar, Pritesh Kadiwala, and Blossom Okonkwo. The founders went through Y Combinator in 2022 and launched the Status app in 2025. The app has over 2.5 million users, Nur told BI. "We've been meeting a lot of founders who are building next-gen social networks that blend real-life people with agents," Atherton said about how some founders are utilizing AI. Watching how much time young people spend gaming, Atherton also believes "the next generation of social networks will feel more like a game." Here are 14 other startups investors have their eyes on: AI is fueling a new wave of consumer-focused internet startups Bible Chat is an AI chatbot trained on the Bible that allows users to ask questions about scripture and spirituality. The company said it has 25 million users and has raised $16 million to date. VCs interested in the startup include Fawzi Itani at Forerunner, which is not an investor. Itani pointed to the company's focus on religious content, and its plans to layer on community features for users and religious leaders, as a differentiator from other AI startups. Doji is a virtual try-on platform that uses AI to make lifelike avatars of its users, who can then try on designer clothes. The startup recently announced it raised a $14 million seed funding round led by Thrive Capital. VCs interested in the startup include Cristina Apple Georgoulakis at Seven Seven Six, which invested in the startup. Gigi is a dating and networking app that sells itself as "the AI who knows everyone. " It uses AI to learn about each user and connect them to relevant matches. VCs interested in the startup include Intuition VC's Hugo Amsellem, who invested in Gigi as an angel investor. (Amsellem is also in a relationship with Gigi's founder, Clara Gold.) Lore is an AI-powered social platform focused on online fandoms, founded by ex-Headline investor Zehra Naqvi. While the platform is still in beta testing mode, it's already gotten the attention of VCs like Hobart Ventures' TJ Taylor, who is not an investor. Series is an AI-powered professional networking startup cofounded by Yale students Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow in 2024. The startup uses AI agents to connect young professionals over text messages. VCs interested in the startup include Intuition VC, which is not an investor. Niche social networks are gaining traction with users and investors Cosmos is a Pinterest-style platform that describes itself as a "discovery engine for creatives" where users can save and share images. Cosmos cofounder Andy McCune previously cofounded Unfold, a photo-editing startup that was acquired by Squarespace. VCs interested in the startup include FirstMark Capital's Chu, who is not an investor. Mansa is a streaming platform that features stories from creators of color. Beyond hosting videos, the company allows users to see what their friends and neighbors are watching. Mansa said its users streamed 3 million hours of content last year, with an average view time of 60 minutes per session. VCs interested in the startup include Marlon Nichols at MaC Venture Capital, which led the startup's seed investment round. Margins is a social reading app built for the BookTok generation. The company launched in December and said it's grown to around 130,000 users. VCs interested in the startup include Rhian Horton at Stellation Capital, which is not an investor. Perfectly Imperfect (also known as is a social network for recommendations and is also a pop-culture newsletter that interviews musicians, actors, and other buzzy creatives. VCs interested in the startup include Kathryn Weinmann at FirstMark Capital, which is not an investor. Spillt describes itself as a "Goodreads for recipes," where users can clip recipes from across the internet and see what their friends or food creators are saving. The company said it has over 300 recipe creators and that its users have clipped over 400,000 recipes in its app. VCs interested in the startup include FirstMark Capital's Weinmann (FirstMark is not an investor). Then there are the apps that get people out into the real world Beli is a restaurant tracking platform that allows users to keep tabs on where they, and their friends, have had meals. The company, which said it's raised roughly $12 million to date, launched in the summer of 2021. Cofounder Eliot Frost told BI the app has driven over 65 million restaurant ratings across 30,000 cities globally. VCs interested in the startup include FirstMark, which invested in Beli. FirstMark's Chu said he liked that Beli "gamifies IRL dining rankings and discovery," creating a network effect. Kndrd is a social app designed to help women connect for in-real-life (IRL) meetups. The app has accepted more than 10,000 women and set up over 2,000 hangouts, founder Isabella Epstein told BI. VCs interested in the startup include Hobart Ventures, which is not an investor. Partiful is an invitation app that allows users to see RSVPs from their peers and perform other tasks like sharing photos after an event. VCs interested in the startup include MaC Venture Capital, which is not an investor. Pie is an IRL social platform founded by Bonobos' Andy Dunn. The app lets people discover plans happening near them in cities like Chicago, San Francisco, and Austin. VCs interested in the startup include Forerunner, which led Pie's $11.5 million Series A. The startup has raised a total of $24 million, according to the company.
eNCA
6 days ago
- Business
- eNCA
WhatsApp introduces first major advertising features
SAN FRANCISCO - WhatsApp announced it will introduce its boldest advertising features yet, marking a significant shift for the messaging platform that has largely remained ad-free since its launch. The move is a sensitive one for WhatsApp, whose chief firmly denied a report in 2023 that said the Meta-owned app was exploring advertisements as it sought to boost revenue. Unlike Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms, WhatsApp has maintained minimal advertising since Meta acquired it in 2014. Users and regulators have kept a close watch on whether the social media giant would seek to monetise an app that was primarily used to chat with friends and family, and was appreciated for its privacy. Until now, the platform's advertising consisted primarily of WhatsApp Business promotional messages to opted-in customers and some limited Status ad testing in select markets. The messaging app has no display ads in chat feeds or conversations. The company said it will roll out three new monetisation features exclusively within its Updates tab, which houses both Channels and Status features used by 1.5 billion people daily and became widely available last year. The company stressed that users who only use WhatsApp for personal messaging will see no changes to their experience, as all new features are confined to the separate Updates tab. "We've been talking about our plans to build a business that does not interrupt your personal chats for years and we believe the Updates tab is the right place for these new features to work," WhatsApp said. The new features include paid channel subscriptions, promoted channels in the Discovery directory, and advertisements within Status, WhatsApp's version of Instagram Stories. WhatsApp emphasised that the new advertising features are designed with privacy safeguards. "I want to be really clear about one thing: Your personal messages, calls and statuses will remain end-to-end encrypted. This means no one, not even us, can see or hear them, and they cannot be used for ads," Nikila Srinivasan, vice president of product management at Meta, told reporters. The company committed to never selling or sharing phone numbers to advertisers and said personal messages, calls, and group memberships will not influence ad targeting. "To show ads in Status or Channels, we're going to use basic information like your country or city, your device language and your activity in the Updates tab," Srinivasan said. The introduction of advertising represents Meta's effort to monetise WhatsApp's massive user base of over two billion monthly active users. Industry analysts have long speculated that Meta would eventually bring advertising to WhatsApp given its scale and engagement rates. The timeline for these features was not specified in the announcement. "They're going to be rolling out slowly over the next few months, so it might be a while until you see them in your countries," Srinivasan said.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Epic Games to remove this controversial game even if it's downloaded in your library
Representative Image Epic Games is set to remove the game Dark and Darker from the libraries of all owners starting November 1. This action follows the game's earlier removal from sale on the Epic Games Store due to ongoing legal disputes. Dark and Darker, developed by Ironmace , was initially pulled from the Epic Games storefront earlier this year. The removal stems from legal claims by Nexon , alleging theft of assets by Ironmace. While the game has remained available on Steam, Epic Games is proceeding with its complete removal from user libraries. The game distribution platform has started emailing users who have Dark and Darker in their library, informing them that the game will be removed and that partial refunds will be issued. What Epic Games said to players about removing Dark and Darker from their libraries In the email sent to users (uploaded on Reddit), Epic Games writes: 'We removed Dark and Darker from sale on the Epic Games Store on March 5 in consideration of a court decision in Korea between Nexon and the game's publisher, Ironmace. On November 1, 2025, we will be removing Dark and Darker from your library, at which point it will no longer be playable via the Epic Games Store. Effective immediately, players can no longer purchase Redstone Shards or the Legendary Status upgrades via the Epic Games Store. Players can continue to use the Redstone Shards that they have previously purchased until November 1, 2025. We will issue a refund to all players who have purchased the Legendary Status upgrade. Refunds will be issued to the player's original payment method, and where that's not possible, players will receive a refund to their Epic account balance. We are unable to provide refunds on Redstone Shards. If you have not received a refund by July 1, please contact player support.' The outcome of the situation will likely depend on the result of the ongoing legal dispute. While Steam has not yet taken similar action, that could change. Dark and Darker is a multiplayer action RPG and dungeon crawler set in a dark fantasy world, released in early access in 2023 for both PC and mobile. The game received a mixed response upon launch. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
