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  • GiveDirectly cash aid fraud led to broken families and mounting debts in DR Congo

    Victims of a $1.2 million fraud scheme perpetrated by staff at cash aid NGO GiveDirectly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo say their lives were upended by debts and broken promises, and remain so long after the fraud was discovered in January 2023.

    “This fraud has complicated the lives of many residents,” said one mother of six who enrolled in the aid programme but received no payments, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear she could be disqualified from any future assistance.

    “Many have plunged themselves into debt that they should have avoided, believing they would pay it off once served by Give,” said the woman, one of 12 victims The New Humanitarian interviewed in late 2023 near the town of Minova in South Kivu province.

    The aid programme they thought would help them was suspended after GiveDirectly staff stole recipients’ SIM cards while setting up their mobile money accounts. The cash aid NGO said the fraud penetrated every department of its DRC office and diverted payments from 1,900 families. 

    More than a year after the programme was put on hold, GiveDirectly says it is now preparing to resume the original payments promised but has no plans to compensate victims for debts or other losses they say they incurred due to the aid that never came.

    “We are unable to provide financial compensation outside of the promised transfers,” Tyler Hall, GiveDirectly’s communications director, told The New Humanitarian. “The primary remedy for negative impacts of the pause is to restart transfers for all recipients as soon as is safely possible.”

    Eight of the victims interviewed said that after the promised payments failed to materialise, they were left coping with debt, loss of property, or broken relationships with family members and neighbours.

    Four victims who did receive several months of payments described improvements in their lives, only to see those cut short when GiveDirectly detected the fraud and suspended payments, leading to debts and disputes with neighbours.

    Although the individuals who spoke with The New Humanitarian represent a small fraction of the nearly 2,000 families whose payments were diverted by fraudsters, most of the victims interviewed said their experiences were common among other GiveDirectly recipients they knew of in their villages.

    The mother of six, who lives about 12 kilometres outside Minova, said that before signing up to receive payments, she earned money transporting crates of drinks on her back from town to town. Believing a payment from GiveDirectly was on the way, she quit the job and took out a loan to start a new business selling her own drinks, which she believed would be more lucrative. But the payment never came.

    She said the person who lent her the money confiscated her phone, which she had received from GiveDirectly, as well as the title to her family’s plot of land, which she gave away without telling her husband.

    After her husband found out she had given away their plot, he left her and their children, whom she said she can no longer provide for.

    Hall said the organisation has been documenting similar reports from recipients.

    “Families suffering financial and emotional strains is an upsetting consequence of having to pause the programme,” he told The New Humanitarian. “Our hope is that as families start receiving funds again, they’ll be able to resolve some of the issues you’ve highlighted.”

    He said GiveDirectly is also attempting to assist affected recipients by referring them to local organisations focusing on domestic conflict, medical and mental healthcare, and malnutrition, as well as to local authorities.

    But while many victims welcome the resumption of funds, others see the lack of compensation for losses as falling short of the principle of “do no harm”.

    “These people are below the position they were when you engaged with them,” said a person familiar with cash transfers in fragile states, who requested anonymity to protect working relationships. “There’s an ethical imperative, if harm has occurred in that process, which can happen, to try and make good, and make good promptly.”

    “Rather than feeding us false promises,” the mother of six told The New Humanitarian, “Give should have left us alone.”

    Read more: How the fraud tore apart families

    Among the 12 victims interviewed by The New Humanitarian, six said either they or people they knew went into debt as a result of the fraud.

    Four said either they or people they knew separated from their spouses as a result of disputes over the missing funds.

    One victim living in a town on the coast of Lake Kivu said she had planned to use the aid from GiveDirectly to buy school supplies for her children. “I fed my children false promises, and today I am ashamed to see them go to school in old uniforms,” she told The New Humanitarian.

    She also said a couple in her village split up after a woman refused to believe that her husband hadn’t received any funds from GiveDirectly, accusing him of hiding the money. 

    Others have gone into debt, she said, including a fisherman who took out a loan to replace a lost fishing net. 

    “[The lender] ended up confiscating both his net and his phone from GiveDirectly,” she said. “Without a net, he no longer knows how to go out on the lake to fish, and he has difficulty feeding his family.” 

    Another victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she received a text message about incoming funds, but when she visited a mobile money agent in Minova, she learned there was no money waiting for her. She believes the message was from the fraudsters. 

    “When I returned home, my husband, who had seen a fake transfer message, did not understand how I could come back without money. He thought I had the money,” she said.

    “Today, my children are no longer in school because my husband stopped all financial support… He strongly believes that I deceived him,” she told The New Humanitarian.

    ‘Weakening social cohesion’

    GiveDirectly’s aid was meant to be life-changing for families in South Kivu facing extreme poverty, malnutrition, food insecurity, and unemployment, the organisation told The New Humanitarian back in May 2023 when it revealed the fraud.

    DRC has one of the world’s largest populations of people living in extreme poverty. In the country’s east, which includes South Kivu province, nearly 6 million people have been displaced by violence involving dozens of armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.

    GiveDirectly had set aside around $7 million for 5,000 households in South Kivu. Recipients were meant to receive one-time transfers of $392, and then $40 per month for the next two years. 

    Christelle Kahindo Maneno, 26, said she had been studying to be a seamstress before GiveDirectly arrived in her village of Kishinji, but her family could not afford to buy her a sewing machine. After her mother received the initial payment from the organisation in September 2022, they immediately bought a sewing machine, which she now uses to make skirts and blouses to sell.

    “I am no longer dependent on my parents,” she told The New Humanitarian. “Sometimes it even helps me feed my family.”

    But even for recipients who received payments, GiveDirectly’s abrupt suspension of funds caused new problems. Two recipients in different villages said they organised joint savings funds – known as likelemba – with their neighbours. The members of the likelemba would pool a portion of their aid payments every month and give the pooled funds to one member on a rotating basis. This was meant to give each member access to a larger amount up front than they would have received from GiveDirectly each month – enabling them to jump-start investments into small business ventures.

    “If Give had respected its commitments, their assistance would have triggered a surge of development in our villages, especially with these savings and mutual credit assistance initiatives, initiated by women.”

    When GiveDirectly suspended payments in early 2023, some members of the likelemba had already received their payouts, but others had not, and there were no incoming funds to continue the rotation.

    “This has created conflicts for us because we no longer know how to serve [the remaining members] to finance their income-generating activities,” Kahindo Maneno told The New Humanitarian, adding that some members of the likelemba in her village asked police to help them get reimbursed.

    “If Give had respected its commitments, their assistance would have triggered a surge of development in our villages, especially with these savings and mutual credit assistance initiatives, initiated by women,” she said.

    Kasongo Kaboyi, a fraud victim who serves as chief of Kanyamitero village, said around 80 households in the village received none of their promised funds, while others who received payments ended up putting them in likelemba that ended prematurely.

    “Some of those who received [payments] mock the others, accusing them of being unlucky,” Kaboyi said. “It may seem trivial, but this matter of stigmatisation is serious, and it risks weakening social cohesion.”

    ‘There was no danger’

    GiveDirectly said the fraud was “only possible because of a specific change we made in our payment process in order to work in this remote, insecure region” of DRC. 

    Instead of allowing recipients to register accounts in person with local mobile money agents, the organisation assigned its own staff to register the accounts on behalf of the recipients, allowing the staff to pocket the SIM cards and divert the transfers.

    “We made this exception in the interest of protecting these recipients, relieving them of an extra journey through potentially dangerous areas,” GiveDirectly said in a statement released in June.

    But while this exception would have saved recipients a single trip to register their mobile money accounts, those who wanted to withdraw cash would still need to travel to mobile money shops, Hall acknowledged.

    “In retrospect, it was clearly the wrong decision given it opened up a vulnerability that allowed for bad actors to target the system.”

    He also said GiveDirectly teams were not instructed to explain to recipients why staff were registering their mobile money accounts.

    When The New Humanitarian informed victims of GiveDirectly’s reason for allowing staff to register their mobile money accounts, several disputed the notion that they needed to be spared a trip at all.

    “There was no danger in going to mobile money shops,” said a victim living in a town on the coast of Lake Kivu, who spoke to The New Humanitarian on condition of anonymity so as not to put future payments at risk. “We go there for other business, and there is no danger.”

    Another victim told The New Humanitarian that there are mobile money shops “everywhere in Minova centre… and you could get there without difficulty”.

    “The villages where the beneficiaries live are not far from the centre of Minova, and the roads are currently safe,” said Jean Pierre Weragi Kalibanya, president of the civil society federation of Buzi, a group of villages near Minova, speaking in September 2023. “You wouldn’t be afraid to move around.”

    Hall clarified that about a quarter of recipients in the South Kivu programme live 1-2 hours by mototaxi from the nearest trading centre. These remote communities, he said, struggle to access trading centres because of road conditions, flooding, costs of travel, and security concerns.

    He said GiveDirectly staff had also been assigned to register recipients’ mobile money accounts in a previous programme in Walungu, also in South Kivu province, where no fraud was detected.

    “Our aim was to create a safer and more streamlined process for recipients to provide them the highest quality experience,” he told The New Humanitarian. 

    “At the time, we thought making this exception was the right decision, on balance,” he said. “But in retrospect, it was clearly the wrong decision given it opened up a vulnerability that allowed for bad actors to target the system. As we’ve emphasised before, we’re committed to learning from this mistake.”

    Restarting payments

    While the area around Minova was relatively safe when the fraud was taking place, the humanitarian situation in South Kivu worsened after GiveDirectly suspended its programme there. As of December 2023, more than 1.5 million people in the province are displaced, many by militia violence and flooding, according to the UN’s emergency aid coordination body, OCHA. 

    Nonetheless, Hall said, “we do not foresee this preventing us from restarting payments this year”, despite the fact that recipients who need to register mobile money accounts will now be required to travel to do so in person.

    “[Recipients] want the programme to resume; they need the programme to resume. They’re frustrated, frankly, that we haven’t been able to restart sooner.”

    Stella Luk, GiveDirectly’s regional director for North and West Africa, said the organisation has strengthened its safeguards against fraud, including introducing machine learning algorithms to detect suspicious behaviour, strengthening community engagement, making whistleblowing channels more accessible, hiring a vice president of safeguarding risk and compliance, and commissioning external reviews of its fraud prevention systems in DRC and across the organisation. 

    “[Recipients] want the programme to resume; they need the programme to resume,” Luk said. “They’re frustrated, frankly, that we haven’t been able to restart sooner. We feel that, and we are committed to restarting. We do need to do so responsibly and safely.”

    With humanitarian crises growing more protracted and complex, most people prefer the flexibility and efficiency of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) over in-kind aid, according to the 2023 State of the World’s Cash report, published by the CALP Network.

    The volume of CVA has increased every year since 2015, totalling $10 billion in 2022, or 21% of international humanitarian assistance, the report said.

    However, the practice comes with its own risks. And fraud, corruption, and diversion of assistance were listed as the third-highest risk associated with CVA, behind inflation and targeting challenges.

    Since 2009, GiveDirectly has delivered more than $700 million in cash to over 1.5 million people, and currently runs programmes in Bangladesh, DRC, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and the United States, according to its website.

    In its June statement, the organisation explained its decision to provide aid in the “remote and insecure environment” of eastern DRC: “It’s not enough to be able to safely deliver donations in stable states like Kenya or Malawi when we know most people in extreme poverty will soon live in much harder environments.”

    Charlie Goldsmith, a senior consultant at the management consulting firm Abyrint who has experience designing and running cash programmes, said GiveDirectly’s response to the fraud, including the organisation’s decision to report it quickly and proactively, was a sign of competence. 

    “Not everyone would even have known something like this had happened to them, nor had the guts to take on the access, security, targeting, and payment delivery challenge of paying people in eastern DRC in the first place,” he told The New Humanitarian.

    Some of the victims and recipients who spoke to The New Humanitarian said they wanted payments to resume, but others had already lost hope.

    The mother of six said she contacted GiveDirectly’s office in Goma multiple times in the months she was supposed to receive payments to report the problem.

    “They are only calling on us to be patient,” she said in late September. “But a whole year of patience? It’s too much, we have fallen into despair.”

    Claude Muhindo Sengenya reported from Minova in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Jacob Goldberg provided additional reporting from Bangkok, Thailand. Edited by Paisley Dodds, Josephine Schmidt, and Andrew Gully.

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  • Expedia Cuts 1,500 Positions By 2024 As New CEO Takes Charge

    Expedia has conducted an operational review that has resulted in a plan to cut 1,500 jobs over the course of 2024. The company aims to streamline its operations and focus on core strategic areas. The deepest cuts are expected to be in Expedia’s product and technology teams, where the company may seek to reallocate resources and invest in areas crucial to its future growth.

    The reduction of 1,500 jobs represents a 9% decrease in Expedia’s global workforce of 17,100 employees. The affected employees will be informed about the changes in the coming week, according to a memo from outgoing CEO Peter Kern. However, it remains unclear whether all 1,500 employees will receive notifications at once or if the impact will primarily be felt by employees based in Seattle.

    Expedia’s decision to cut jobs is part of its broader strategy to invest core strategic areas. By streamlining operations and reallocating resources, the company aims to enhance its competitiveness and adapt to the changing dynamics of the travel industry. While the specific details of the core strategic areas are not mentioned, Expedia is likely seeking to strengthen its market position and drive growth in key segments.

    The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted the travel industry, leading Expedia to take on significant debt amounting to $3.2 billion. As the company looks towards recovery and growth, it recognizes the need to make strategic adjustments to its workforce. Expedia’s business-to-business division, led by Cyril Gorin, has emerged as a significant source of growth. In 2023, this division witnessed a 33% increase in revenues compared to the previous year, showcasing its potential for further expansion and revenue generation.

    Expedia has not provided specific details on the support it will offer to the affected employees. However, as the company undergoes these changes, it is essential for Expedia to prioritize employee welfare and provide resources for transitioning or reemployment opportunities. The new CEO will play a crucial role in shaping the future direction of the company and ensuring a smooth transition during this challenging time.

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  • Army National Guard Hit With “Aviation Safety Stand Down” After Two Crashes


    The decision for the grounding came after two crashes of AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters, one near Salt Lake City during a training exercise on Feb. 12, killing the two pilots aboard, and the other during a Feb. 23 training exercise in Mississippi, with both pilots surviving.

    The director of the Army National Guard ordered an “aviation safety stand down” of all helicopter units until a safety review is completed following two deadly crashes involving rotary wing aircraft. 

    The decision for the grounding came after two crashes of AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters, one near Salt Lake City during a training exercise on Feb. 12, killing the two pilots aboard, and the other during a Feb. 23 training exercise in Mississippi, with both pilots surviving. 

    The stand-down to “review safety policies and procedures” went into effect on Monday, the National Guard said. 

     “We are a combat force with helicopters training or on mission worldwide every day,” said Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, director of the Army National Guard. 

    Jensen continued: “Safety is always at the top of our minds. We will stand down to ensure all of our crews are prepared as well as possible for whatever they’re asked to do.”

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    The causes of both crashes have not been publicly released, but the Army’s Combat Readiness Center is investigating the incidents. 

    One of the deadliest training incidents in the service’s history occurred about one year ago when two Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters collided near Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 

    BREAKING: Dan Bongino Breaks Spy Story Of The Century, Alex Jones Sends Emergency Message

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  • Aba 188MW Geometric Power: Atiku Hails Abia Gov Otti For Attractive Investment Policy

    Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has applauded Abia State Governor, Alex Otti for engendering investment friendly policy that led to the development of the 188MW Geometric Power Plant in the state.

    Atiku said Otti’s commitment to the power project is remarkable being that he had been involved as a private sector person in the project before being governor.

    Atiku stated this on Thursday in a statement he personally signed highlighting Otti’s remarkable job in less than one year in power while noting that such policies in the state are what Nigeria needed and should be replicated in the centre.

    He said Otti’s style of leadership especially in solving key infrastructure deficits through attractive policies to woo investors tallies with his overall objective why he sought to be Nigerian president.

    Recall the 188MW was launched on Monday in Aba, Abia State, to light up the business centre, which has been applauded and hailed by all.

    By this weekend, Aba Power Limited, a subsidiary of Geometric Power, will commence the electricity supply to a section of Enyimba City.

    Atiku said, “It has taken a long, two decades in coming. But soon, the much-needed electricity to unleash the full potential of Aba, the industrial and commercial nerve centre of Abia, will surely make up for the long wait.”

    While hailing the CEO of the company, Prof Barth Nnaji, who shrugged off “all the (political and) business environment obstacles,” to launch the project, Atiku added, “It is remarkable that the governor of Abia state had stayed the course of the project that he had made an initial contribution to as a private sector person.”

    Significance Of The Power Project

    Atiku, who described the power project as a milestone said it’s significant as it will improve the “people’s access to electricity – thereby improving the overall quality of life in Abia.

    “This is a privilege the people of Abia must be thankful for. As we all know, more than 40% of Nigeria’s 220 million people do not have access to electricity.

    “Secondly, it is a big boost to businesses. Aba is one of Southeast’s industrial nerve centres. The other is the Nnewi axis.

    “Inadequate power infrastructure is identified as the most problematic factor for doing business in Nigeria. More than 70% of firms in Nigeria use generators.

    “Thirdly, the project is delivered by the private sector – and an indigenous one to boot!

    “It demonstrates the resilience of the private sector despite all the business environment issues. It also demonstrates the capacity of the local private sector to deliver on such huge and complex projects,” Atiku said.

    Why I’m Excited Over The Power Project

    The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said he is excited to see the project come alive because he had been concerned that, “The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) has over the years suffered from inadequate investments, failure of generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

    “Nigeria’s core infrastructure stock is very low, estimated at 35-40% of GDP, below the international benchmark of 70% and below South Africa 87%, Indonesia 70%, China 76% and India 58%.

    “The finances required to bridge Nigeria’s infrastructure gap are in the region of US$100 billion per annum – over the next 30 years.

    “Nigeria does not have the resources to provide all of its infrastructure needs without sacrificing investments in education, health, and other social services. It should be remembered that Nigeria struggles to budget no more than US$30 billion annually.

    “For these reasons, I have been an ardent advocate of private sector presence in Nigeria. I have all along advocated for a private sector friendly business environment so we could leverage its enormous resources, including finance, skills, and technology.

    “I doubt if the Abia state government would have been able to execute this mega project with the resources at its disposal,” he said.

    Abia Power Boost: Geometric Power’s 188-MW Plant Nears Commissioning

    Otti’s Vision Tallies With Mine For Nigeria

    He emphasised that his policy document outlines how Nigeria could prioritise investments to increase the stock and improve the quality of economic and social infrastructure across the country, same as what Otti is doing that has led to the power project.

    “We believe that narrowing the enormous gap that exists between the demand and supply of key infrastructure facilities in Nigeria is key to improving the competitiveness of our businesses, opening new economic and entrepreneurial opportunities, and promoting enterprise growth.”

    He argued that to achieve this, “we pledged to undertake far-reaching institutional reforms and introduce innovative infrastructure financing models that will be appealing to the private sector to take risks and invest capital.

    “To this end, we pledged to facilitate the establishment of a private sector-led Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF) to mobilise domestic and international private resources for the financing and delivery of large infrastructure projects across all sectors of the economy.

    “Establish an ‘Infrastructure Development Unit’ (IDU) in the Presidency, with a coordinating function and a specific mandate of working with the MDAs to fast track and drive the process of infrastructure development in the country.

    “Strengthen the capacity of the ICRC to promote Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the construction and management of infrastructure across the country.

    “Broaden the scope of InfraCredit to complement the operation of the IDF by de-risking investments in infrastructure to build investor confidence in taking risks and investing capital,” Atiku said.

    He also said he had hoped to “open up the entire power sector from generation to transmission for private investments.”

    Going Forward

    Atiku said going forward every country hopes to attain sufficient power supply, provide education, healthcare and other needs that stimulate economic growth.

    He stressed that providing these key policies is “in line with the SDG 7 (Sustainable Development Goal 7), which aims to ensure affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.”

    Consequently, he said “Nigeria must double efforts to support the likes of Prof Nnaji. Nigerian governments both federal and state must provide the Business environment that will make the private enterprises more competitive by (1) reducing their costs of set-up and operations (2) improving their margins and (3) making government policies more predictable.”

    In particular, he said “the authorities must create an environment that will enable distribution companies to recover full costs for power supplied to their consumers with firm commitment to a metering program for all customers.

    “The scourge of electricity theft must be dealt with through a viable partnership between investors in the distribution companies and the government with legislative support for prompt action against electricity theft.

    “Attention must be paid to improve access to Credit by enterprises willing to invest in the power sector.

    “Government must incentivize the private sector to increase greenfield investments in the development of off-grid solutions to intensify electrification, particularly of rural communities not yet serviced by the grid,” Atiku said.

    Aba 188MW Geometric Power: Atiku Hails Abia Gov Otti For Attractive Investment Policy is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

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  • Fact Check: Which state has the longest voting period in the nation?

    A Democratic congresswoman from North Carolina says the battleground state offers voters more time to participate in elections than in any other state. 

    U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross on Jan. 25 announced a bill to make each state’s congressional redistricting processes more transparent — an effort that follows a contentious redistricting effort in her home state. North Carolina legislators on both sides of the aisle have a history of drawing new election maps behind closed doors, raising suspicion among opponents that they’re influenced by outside political groups. 

    Ross concluded a recent press conference by addressing the media, “Please remind your readers and your viewers that you can start voting in the primary already.”

    She added, “North Carolina has the longest voting period in the country, because we’re a military state, and we have the most ways of voting.”

    North Carolina is home to several military bases. To comply with federal voting laws accommodating members of the military, the state mails absentee ballots to eligible U.S. citizens overseas at least 45 days before an election. 

    We wondered about the timeframe for civilian voters, though. Does North Carolina offer the longest voting period in the nation? 

    The answer: for one major type of election — but not for the other.

    General versus primary absentee voting periods

    To judge voting periods, Ross measured the length of time between two dates: when absentee ballots are mailed to voters, and the final day a ballot can be postmarked. PolitiFact North Carolina also considered the final day an absentee ballot could be accepted. 

    To check Ross’ claim, we relied on information from the National Conference of State Legislators, a bipartisan organization advocating for the interests of state governments. The NCSL tracks election laws in each state. We also contacted election officials in states that appeared to have some of the longest voting periods.

    General elections: When it comes to general elections — typically held in November on even-numbered years — North Carolina stands out.

    North Carolina is the only state that mails absentee ballots to voters 60 days before the general election. North Carolina elections officials will begin mailing out absentee ballots on Sept. 6 for the Nov. 5 general election.

    Delaware state law allows for absentee ballots to be sent up to 60 days in advance of a general election, as the NCSL noted. But that’s not what happens in practice, according to the office of Delaware’s state election commissioner. Absentee ballots are typically mailed 30 to 45 days before an election, a spokeswoman for the Delaware office told PolitiFact.

    North Carolina also stands apart from Delaware and other states because it’s a “no-excuse” absentee state — meaning any voter can request an absentee ballot without providing a reason, such as being sick or out of town.

    In other words, for general elections, North Carolina has the longest voting period in the nation that’s open to every registered voter.

    Primary elections: North Carolina’s absentee voters have comparatively less time to fill out their ballot during primary elections. 

    North Carolina state statutes instruct elections boards to mail absentee ballots 50 days before a primary and allow the state elections board to shorten the window to 45 days. That’s what the board voted to do this year to account for the federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Jan. 15. North Carolina started mailing out absentee ballots Jan. 19 for the March 5 primary. 

    Compared with other states, North Carolina’s 45-day primary voting period is long — but it’s not the longest. Here are some states that caught our attention:

    • Alabama allows absentee voting to start 55 days ahead of its elections. Eligible absentee voters started receiving ballots on Jan. 10 for the March 5 primary, Jeff Elrod, the state’s director of elections, told PolitiFact.

    • Wisconsin separates its presidential primary from others. Although absentee ballots will be mailed to civilians less than a month before the April 2 presidential preference election, they’ll go out 47 days ahead of the Aug. 13 primary for congressional and legislative races. 

    • South Dakota’s absentee voting window is 46 days long. The state will begin mailing ballots on April 19 for its June 4 primaries, said Rachel Soulek, director of elections for the Secretary of State’s office.

    • Elections officials in Michigan and Pennsylvania told us that it’s possible for absentee ballots to be mailed 50 days before a primary, but that delivery dates vary by county and ballots don’t always go out that early.

    • Like North Carolina, Minnesota and Virginia began mailing out ballots on Jan. 19 ahead of their March 5 primaries. However, they allow ballots to arrive later than North Carolina does. In North Carolina, absentee and mail-in ballots must arrive before polls close at 7:30 on Election Day. In Minnesota, they’re due by 8 p.m. on Election Day. In Virginia, they must be postmarked by Election Day but can be received as late as noon on the Friday following the election.

    Ways to vote

    Ross also said North Carolina offers the “most ways of voting.” North Carolina does offer a wide range of voting methods: absentee-by-mail, absentee through online portal (for military, eligible overseas and visually impaired voters), in-person early voting, in-person Election Day, curbside and provisional.

    At least a half dozen states — including Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Rhode Island, South Carolina and South Dakota — offer a similar menu of voting options as North Carolina, according to researchers for the U.S. Vote Foundation, a voter education nonprofit.

    But offering the most voting options doesn’t necessarily mean that a state offers the easiest ballot access, said Andrew Garber, counsel for the Brennan Center’s Voting Rights and Elections Program.

    “It’s difficult to compare the number of ‘ways’ different states have to vote because the voting rules across states differ in many nuanced ways,” Garber said in an email. “A state that has a lot of ‘ways’ to vote may still not be that accessible for its voters.”

    For example, a state may have in-person early voting but limit voting hours or offer only a few voting sites. North Carolina’s same-day voting registration rules offer another example, Garber said. The state offers same-day registration — which lets eligible residents register to vote at an early voting site and vote the same day. But new laws enacted last year instruct election officials to scrap a voter’s ballot if the county’s address verification form is returned to the elections board as undeliverable.

    The law, which is being challenged in court, disqualifies ballots from registered voters “even after they (present) photo ID and proof of residence” at the polls, Garber said.

    Our ruling

    Ross said “North Carolina has the longest voting period in the country … and we have the most ways of voting.”

    For general elections, that’s accurate. North Carolina is the only state that requires absentee ballots to be sent 60 days before Election Day. But this year, the state’s voting window for this year’s primary elections does not stand out.

    Ross’ claim about having the “most ways” of voting could also give North Carolinians the impression the state offers the easiest ballot access. That’s not necessarily the case as other states have similar offerings.

    Ross’ claim is partially accurate. We rate it Half True.



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  • Mike Yastrzemski debuts, Bob Melvin upset after loss

    MESA, Ariz. — Both sides of the San Francisco Giants’ planned right field platoon have been hampered by health issues to begin spring training, but both players appear to be turning a corner and on track for the regular season, with Mike Yastrzemski making his Cactus League debut Wednesday.

    Yastrzemski, 33, pointed to the outcome of the two times he put the ball in play as evidence of why he isn’t concerned by his delayed start.

    In a 7-4 exhibition loss to the A’s, he came to the plate three times as the designated hitter, drawing a walk and twice flying out to left field.

    “I got beat a little bit, but the fact that I’m executing what I’m trying to do on day one is really promising for me,” Yastrzemski said. “It’s one of those things that as you get older and you go through spring training multiple times … you start to understand what your process is versus everyone else’s. When you come out here and you’re working on things, kind of like what I was just talking to (hitting coach Pat Burrell) about, really working on staying behind the ball.”

    Like Austin Slater, Yastrzemski was delayed to start camp and has not yet been cleared to play the field.

    While Slater has been slow in his recovery from offseason elbow surgery, the origin of Yastrzemski’s shoulder ailment remains a mystery.

    One morning in December, he said, he woke up with a sore shoulder. When it didn’t improve after a couple weeks off over the holidays, “I said, ‘All right, we’ve gotta get into some (physical therapy) and get this thing strengthened up and ready to go,’” Yastrzemski said.

    On Wednesday, Yastrzemski accelerated his throwing program, playing catch out to 200 feet. He began camp by throwing from short distances two out of every three days, and when his shoulder responded well, progressed to playing catch every day leading up to his debut this week.

    “I felt like I was physically ready to try to get air under the ball, versus throwing intently from a shorter position,” Yastrzemski said. “Wanted to see how I respond from that, so we’ll see how it feels tomorrow, but it feels good right now.”

    While the Giants would love to have their expected Opening Day right fielder ready when they break camp, there is one early season series that Yastrzemski surely will not want to miss. The Giants travel to Boston for three games at Fenway Park, his Hall-of-Fame grandfather’s home ballpark, at the end of April.

    “I think I started getting (ticket requests) like two years ago,” Yastrzemski chuckled. “I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be fun.”

    Homer happy

    The ball was jumping off the bats under the Wednesday afternoon sun, with the teams combining for five home runs.

    Two came from the first two A’s batters to step to the plate against Giants starter Spencer Howard, who’s no stranger to the long ball. In camp as a non-roster invitee, Howard has appeared in 38 games for the Phillies and Rangers but is 3-11 with a 7.20 ERA and has allowed 26 homers in 115 career innings.

    The 27-year-old right-hander is trying to make his case as a depth option for the rotation — which is looking increasingly important — but given the start in place of Mason Black, who was moved up to cover for the injured Tristan Beck, Howard was bitten by the same issues that have led him to his fourth organization in two years.

    Leadoff man Ryan Noda deposited the second pitch he saw, a 94-mph fastball, onto the berm in left field, and the next batter, Zack Gelof, gave the same treatment to another heater to right field.

    “We’re taking a look at everybody with some of the injuries we’ve had,” Melvin said. “If he wants to go out and make an impression, it was only gonna be an inning today, but when the first two guys hit homers, it gets your attention a little bit.”

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  • Top Jobs For The Gig Worker

    Finances FYI Presented by JPMorgan Chase

    The gig economy has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years, offering individuals expansive, diverse, and flexible job opportunities. Gig workers, often referred to as freelancers or independent contractors, can choose roles that align with their skills, interests, and lifestyle preferences. 

    Find out if gig work is a good fit for you and some of the top jobs for gig workers in the current economy.

    Why Enter the Gig Economy?

    Entering the gig economy offers various benefits and opportunities that could align with your lifestyle, preferences, and career goals. Here are some top reasons to enter the gig economy:

    • Flexibility, Autonomy, and Adaptability. The gig economy provides unparalleled flexibility, allowing you to set your schedule and choose when and where you work. This autonomy is particularly appealing if you value work-life balance, prefer to work from home or while traveling, face health or mental health challenges, or have additional responsibilities such as caring for young children or older parents. 
    • Quick Entry and Low Barriers. Getting started in the gig economy is often more accessible than traditional employment or starting a brick and mortar business. Many gig platforms allow you to begin working relatively quickly, and the barriers to entry are often lower, requiring less formal education or experience.
    • Income Supplement or Side Hustle. One of the top reasons people engage in gig work is to supplement existing income. This can be particularly beneficial if you want to pay off debts, save for specific goals, or handle unexpected expenses.
    • Opportunity for Entrepreneurship, Skill Building, and Challenge. Gig work allows you to operate as a small business, and this entrepreneurial aspect is appealing if you want to build a company with limited risk. This work also offers opportunities to diversify your skill sets and build a versatile portfolio to enhance your professional development and increase marketability in a rapidly evolving job market. Engaging in diverse projects prevents monotony and offers regular new challenges. 

    What are Some Top Gig Jobs for 2024?

    In 2024, there is a gig opportunity for just about anyone. Whether you want to provide a service, teach online, sell items, or rent out your property, there are plentiful opportunities and platforms to connect you with interested buyers.

    Contract Work for Small Business Owners or Large Companies

    Companies increasingly turn to gig or freelance workers to access specialized skills on demand, enabling them to tap into a global talent pool without the constraints and costs of a traditional office setting and hiring full-time employees. 

    These gigs include:

    • Graphic Design and Multimedia Production
    • Digital Marketing and Social Media Management
    • Web Development and Programming
    • Freelance Writing and Content Development
    • Virtual Assistance

    Gig platforms include Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, and Toptal

    Personal and Home Services

    Gig work for house and personal services provides a convenient and flexible solution for service providers and consumers seeking assistance with a range of specialized solutions for their personal and household needs.

    These gigs include:

    • Household Repairs and Maintenance
    • Petsitting
    • House Sitting
    • Childcare
    • Eldercare
    • Meal Preparation

    Gig platforms include Taskrabbit, Rover, HouseSit Match, Care.com, Visiting Angels, CookUnity

    Photo: pitinan via 123RF

    Online Tutoring, Education, and Fitness Services

    The online education and fitness sector accelerated when people were stuck at home during the pandemic. Platforms connect educators with students seeking assistance in various subjects through personalized one-on-one sessions or the creation of comprehensive courses. 

    These gigs include:

    • Online Tutoring
    • Test Preparation
    • Teaching Classes for Youth
    • Teaching Classes for Adult Learners
    • Fitness Coaching and Classes

    Gig platforms include Outschool, VIPKID, Udemy, and Trainerize

    Transportation and Delivery Services

    Transportation platforms like Uber are some of the original gig economy pioneers. They revolutionized transportation and delivery services while opening our minds to the benefits of work opportunities with flexible hours and supplementary income. 

    These gigs include:

    • Ride-Share Services
    • Food and Grocery Delivery

    Gig platforms include Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Grubhub, Instacart

    E-commerce and Freelance Marketplace Selling

    Entrepreneurs and creatives can utilize e-commerce platforms to sell items and digital products to local or global customer bases.

    Items to sell include:

    • Handmade Crafts
    • Pre-Owned or Refurbished Items
    • Photography
    • Digital Products

    Seller platforms include Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Shutterstock

    Home, Vehicle, and Storage Rentals

    Monetize your assets by renting out your homes, car, RV, or other properties for short-term use. This sharing economy maximizes the utility of underutilized assets while offering renters unique and often more affordable alternatives to traditional accommodations and transportation services. 

    Rental platforms include Airbnb, VRBO, Turo, RVshare, Stow It.

    The gig economy continues to redefine traditional employment models, offering individuals unprecedented flexibility and autonomy. As the diversity of gig work opportunities expands across various industries, there are increasing opportunities for workers to thrive in the modern economy. As technology advances and new platforms emerge, gigonomics will likely remain a dynamic force, providing individuals with the freedom to choose their paths and create meaningful careers or additional income on their terms.

    Finances FYI is presented by JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan Chase is making a $30 billion commitment over the next five years to address some of the largest drivers of the racial wealth divide. 

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  • Navalny widow: Putin ‘must answer for what he has done’

    Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, said Russian President Vladimir Putin “must answer” for what he has done with Russia, and for her husband’s death, in an emotional speech Wednesday.

    “Putin must answer for what he has done with my country. Putin must answer for what he has done to a neighboring peaceful country. And Putin must answer for everything he has done to Alexei,” she said in her impassioned speech to the European Parliament.

    Russian officials announced Navalny’s death on Feb. 16, explaining that Putin’s top rival felt unwell after a walk and lost consciousness. Attempts to revive him after an ambulance was called were unsuccessful, the officials said.

    Navalny’s mother was later told her son died from “sudden death syndrome” — a vague term used to describe various cardiac syndromes that can prompt sudden cardiac arrest and death. Following his death, Navalny’s family had pressed Russian officials for his body, after they said they would be holding it pending further investigation.

    Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, confirmed over the weekend that Navalny’s body had been returned to his mother. His funeral has been scheduled for Friday — which Navalnaya said has sparked worries that people could be arrested for honoring his life.

    “I thought that in 12 days since Alexei’s murder, I would have time to prepare for this speech. But first we spent a week — a week getting Alexei’s body and organizing funeral. Then I choose the cemetery and coffin. The funeral will take place the day after tomorrow,” Navalnaya said.

    “And I’m not sure yet whether it will be peaceful or whether police will arrest those who have come to say goodbye to my husband,” she added.

    Hundreds of people were detained across Russia for mourning Navalny in the days following his death. She also vowed again in her speech to continue the work of her late husband, who was serving a a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism.

    “My husband will never see what a beautiful Russia of the future will look like, but we must see it,” she said before being met with applause. “I will do my best to make his dream come true. The evil will fall and the beautiful future will come.”

    Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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  • In Blow To Special Counsel Smith, SCOTUS Agrees To Hear Trump Immunity Appeal

    With the presidential immunity case stalled for nearly three months and will miss the originally scheduled March 4 trial date — cue the liberal meltdowns!

    The Supreme Court granted certiorari of former President Donald Trump’s presidential immunity claim in the federal criminal case charging him for actions on Jan. 6, 2021.

    The presidential immunity defense has stalled the case for nearly three months and will miss the originally scheduled March 4 trial date.

    The high court’s decision automatically stays lower courts from moving forward in the case.

    As Catherine Yang reports at The Epoch Times, the court also granted special counsel Jack Smith’s request that President Trump’s petition for a stay be treated as a petition for review.

    “The case will be set for oral argument during the week of April 22,” the order reads.

    • Save 40% on DNA Force Plus NOW! Try it today and see why so many listeners have made it an essential part of their daily routine!

    The parties have been instructed to limit arguments to the question:

    “Whether and if so to what extent does a former President enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office.”

    The Supreme Court’s framing combines the various questions the former president and special counsel had presented to the court.

    Prosecutors argued that presidents enjoy no immunity from criminal prosecution, while defense attorneys argued that official acts of a president during his tenure are protected by presidential immunity.

    Read the full one-page order from SCOTUS below:

    President Trump had originally filed a motion to dismiss the case based on presidential immunity last year.

    When U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected the motion in December, the defense took the case to appeals court, putting the pretrial schedule in limbo.

    A federal appeals court panel rejected this defense on Feb. 6, and in an atypical order withheld its mandate on the condition that President Trump take his case to the Supreme Court by Feb. 12.

    Normally, the appellants would be allowed to petition for a rehearing with the whole bench of the appeals court, which might have drawn out the process for a few more months. The appeals panels expressly ordered that a rehearing petition would not stay the case.

    President Trump’s attorneys then asked the high court to stay all lower court proceedings in a petition to the Chief Justice, and prosecutors responded by asking that the Supreme Court reject the petition for a stay.

    Prosecutors had argued the court was unlikely to grant certiorari, as they declined to hear this same case last year when the special counsel petitioned the high court last year when the motion was appealed.

    They also asked the court to schedule a hearing in March if it did grant certiorari, or review of a lower court’s actions.

    The Supreme Court has dismissed the application for a stay as moot because granting certiorari would effectively halt lower court proceedings.

    “Without expressing a view on the merits, this Court directs the Court of Appeals to continue withholding issuance of the mandate until the sending down of the judgment of this Court,” the new order reads.

    President Trump’s briefs and any amicus curiae briefs need to be filed by March 19, and prosecutors have until April 8 to respond. President Trump can then file a reply brief by April 15, and arguments will be heard the week of April 22. A specific date for the hearing was not set.

    This is the second case President Trump has brought before the Supreme Court this year.

    The high court is also set to rule on whether President Trump is eligible to appear on the ballot after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled he was disqualified under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, finding the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol breach an “insurrection.”

    Jonathan Turley said on X that “the order setting argument on immunity for April 22 is a blow to Smith on the calendar.”

    “Rather than granting a stay, it has constructively created such a stay by scheduling the argument. Keep in mind, even if Smith prevails, pre-trial work must wait for the return of the mandate…

    …Even if the Court issues a decision before June in favor of the government, the trial court must hash out discovery and other motions. That would push the trial closer to the November election in tension with existing DOJ policies.”

    The mainstream media is distraught…

    Epoch Times’ Catherine Tang notes that the concept of presidential immunity was defined by the Supreme Court in a 1982 case where a fired military contractor sued former President Richard Nixon after he lost his job.

    The high court ruled a president’s immunity from civil suit was “absolute” and that it extended to the “outer perimeter” of his office.

    President Trump’s attorneys argue that his actions on Jan. 6 were part of his official duties as president, pointing to his record of taking election integrity seriously.

    Prosecutors argue that President Trump has no immunity in this case because it is a criminal case.

    The Supreme Court has never addressed whether presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution, making the issue untested legal territory.

    President Trump’s attorneys say that to open presidents up to criminal prosecution in this way will only invite partisan retaliation by opposing administrations and opens up former presidents to prosecution for official acts.

    They argued in court filings that criminal prosecutions have never been pursued against presidents in or out of office because it was understood to “dimish” the office the way a civil suit would. They added that the court has said that the proper redress would be through impeachment.

    Prosecutors, meanwhile, argue that no criminal prosecutions have been brought against other presidents because Jan. 6 was unique, but a case could have been brought against President Nixon, who was pardoned.



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  • Payroll Officers Delaying Payment Of Wage Award Approved By Otti- Abia Govt

    The Abia state government says payroll officers in Local Government Areas and MDA’s are responsible for the delay in the implementation of N25,000 wage award approved by Governor Alex Otti to cushion the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy.

    The Director-General, Abia state Debts Management Office, Dr Kingsley Nwigburu, who disclosed this in a Flo FM radio program, said the workers would start enjoying the package once the documentation is received from the payroll officers.

    Speaking on the controversies arising from the ongoing verification of workers, especially in LGAs, Nwigburu pointed out that some of the affected workers have issues with their bank details.

    Recall that Governor Otti had late last year disclosed that plans had been concluded to increase the salaries of the Abia State workforce.

    Otti, who stated this in Umuahia during a media parley with journalists, revealed that he was engaging with stakeholders to improve the minimum wage of the state workers and that soon, the package would be made public.

    The reason for adjusting the package, he said, was in line with the realities at hand, especially the economy.

    “We do understand that things are a bit more difficult for the people. We are engaging with stakeholders to see how we can improve on the pay of civil servants in line with the present economic realities, where exchange rates have converged upwards and fuel subsidy has been removed and inflation is heading to 30 per cent.

    “We are already working to see how we can improve on not just the minimum wage but also across the line, and announcement to that effect will be made in due course,” he said.

    Payroll Officers Delaying Payment Of Wage Award Approved By Otti- Abia Govt is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

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