To become a “Dividend Aristocrat,” a dividend-paying company must accomplish an incredible feat: consistently increase shareholder dividends every year for at least 20 consecutive years.
Companies with this kind of track record tend to attract a lot of investor attention —
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/5-dividend-aristocrats-where-analysts-see-capital-gains-22
For the first time in history, the United States has fallen out of the Top 10 on the Henley Passport Index. This marks a significant shift in global travel rankings, reflecting changes in visa-free access and international mobility. The Henley Passport Index, which ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa, is closely watched as an indicator of a country’s travel freedom and global standing.
https://thehill.com/policy/international/5559801-us-falls-out-of-top-10-in-passport-power-rankings/
Two proposed charter amendments aimed at altering the qualifications for key Hawaii County department heads have failed to pass the full County Council. The defeat shelves changes that some officials argued might have helped with recruitment for hard-to-fill leadership roles.
**Bill 64: Public Works Director Qualifications**
Bill 64 sought to ease the qualifications for the director of Public Works by requiring a bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, business, public administration, or a related field, along with at least two years of experience in public works or a related discipline. Currently, the Public Works director is required to be a licensed professional engineer.
The bill also proposed that the deputy director be a licensed professional engineer responsible for overseeing engineering duties. However, the measure fell short on October 8, receiving only four votes in favor—two short of the six required to pass.
Neil Azevedo currently serves as the acting director of Public Works, filling the vacancy left by Hugh Ono, who retired in March. A permanent replacement has yet to be found.
**Councilmember Concerns**
During the Council meeting, differing viewpoints emerged:
– Councilmember Dennis Onishi questioned the practicality of the proposal, stating, “We’re having a hard time finding a director with a license… how are we going to find a deputy at a lower pay with a license?”
– Councilmember Heather Kimball criticized the county’s recruitment efforts for the deputy position, saying, “If the entire intent of this is to respond to the challenges of finding a person to fulfill this position… I do not think substantial efforts have been made to actually find this person.” She added, “I have done some digging and this has not nearly been advertised to the extent that you would expect.”
Kimball also raised concerns about the Council potentially exceeding the time frame set by the County Charter for appointing a new director. She warned, “We are in… the equivalent of a constitutional crisis, a charter crisis, if you will, because we are actively in violation of the charter as it stands. That becomes a legal issue, and we certainly wouldn’t want it to come to that, because that doesn’t present a desirable outcome for anyone.”
Councilmember Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder highlighted engineering oversights under former Public Works Director Ikaika Rodenhurst, a licensed engineer who was sworn in early 2021 and left in 2022. Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder noted, “One piece of very compelling testimony I found very concerning… was from our failed director of Public Works, Mr. Rodenhurst, who also spoke on behalf of the engineering society and spoke to the effect that Bill 64, if passed, would be a public safety concern. I found this paradoxical.”
**Mayor’s Statement**
Mayor Kimo Alameda issued a statement Monday addressing the issue:
“Currently, the County Charter requires the Public Works director to be a registered professional engineer, which unfortunately restricts the pool of applicants. In addition to education, there are other qualifications that should be considered when choosing someone to run a department, such as an individual’s practical experience and leadership abilities.”
“I believe the public deserves a say on whether the existing requirement is truly necessary, and it is disappointing that a majority of the Council members chose not to place this decision before them,” Alameda said. “Still, I hope that this conversation continues and that we can find opportunities to apply a more common-sense approach to our hiring practices.”
**Bill 72: Environmental Management Director Qualifications**
Meanwhile, Bill 72 proposed new qualifications for the director of Environmental Management, including five years of experience in relevant fields. However, it also failed on second reading, receiving only five votes—falling short of the two-thirds majority required.
—
With these charter amendment measures stalled, the challenge of filling critical leadership roles in Hawaii County’s departments remains unresolved, leaving officials and residents alike awaiting further discussions and solutions.
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/10/17/hawaii-news/hawaii-island-lawmakers-reject-effort-to-ease-qualifications-for-key-post/
These are the salad days for the Dallas Cowboys with wide receiver George Pickens. Everything is going great. Pickens, in his first season with the Cowboys after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason, has been lighting up opposing defenses.
Through six games, Pickens leads the NFL with six receiving touchdowns and ranks fourth in the league with 525 receiving yards. He’s coming off a bravura performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6, where he had nine receptions for 168 yards and one touchdown—his second game with over 130 receiving yards this season.
### Pickens Tries to Deflect Blame to Steelers
“That’s been such a vastly different Pickens experience than the Cowboys appear to be having,” Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney wrote on October 16. “Pickens has repeatedly talked about the closeness of the team and the wide receiver room. And his teammates and coaches have pointed out how much fun he is to have around in the locker room. He insists he was the same way with the Steelers, but that there were elements in the organization that sought to damage his image.”
So, what conspiracy or cabal sought to take down Pickens? That part isn’t totally clear.
“Especially off the cameras,” Pickens said. “I mean, I can’t record myself. Definitely, people can put stuff out there that can tarnish your image but I always feel like I was having fun.”
For several reasons, those are some wild things for Pickens to say. That begins with the fact that anyone with a smartphone knows you can record yourself, and ends with the idea that anyone but Pickens himself, all on his own, tarnished his image.
### Steelers’ Christmas Day Nightmare With Pickens
Imagine this: you’re an NFL team getting ready to play on Christmas Day, at home. Not only that, but you’ll be playing in front of tens of millions of people. At home, tens of millions will watch you in the first NFL regular-season games to stream on Netflix. And you’re doing it all against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
That was the situation the Steelers found themselves in on Christmas Day in 2024. And in the time they should have been the most laser-focused and dialed in in the hours leading up to kickoff, they found themselves dealing with a much different issue—that their star player, Pickens, was nowhere to be found.
“After the Steelers’ Week 13 win in Cincinnati, during which Pickens was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct, the coach said the wideout needed to ‘grow up,’” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo wrote in January 2025. “Pickens sat out the next two games with a hamstring injury. When he was finally healthy, how did he respond? By showing up late for the Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs.”
Coach Mike Tomlin asks players to report to games at least two hours before kickoff. On December 25, Pickens walked through the media entrance just an hour and 25 minutes before kickoff—after inactive players were announced.
—
George Pickens is undoubtedly thriving with the Dallas Cowboys, but his past in Pittsburgh is shrouded in controversy and missed opportunities. Only time will tell how his career continues to unfold.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/george-pickens-own-worst-enemy/
That should be all the information you need to solve for the group that hosts an annual Mind Games board game competition crossword clue!
If you’re working on this puzzle, be sure to check out more clues and answers on our Crossword Answers page for additional help.
The post **Group that hosts an annual Mind Games board game competition | LA Times Crossword Clue** appeared first on Try Hard Guides.
https://tryhardguides.com/group-that-hosts-an-annual-mind-games-board-game-competition-crossword-clue/
That should be all the information you need to solve the “Bygone Apple gadgets” crossword clue!
Be sure to check out more clues on our Crossword Answers page for additional help and resources.
The post **Bygone Apple gadgets LA Times Crossword Clue** appeared first on *Try Hard Guides*.
https://tryhardguides.com/bygone-apple-gadgets-crossword-clue/
Después de que Donald Trump anunciara que autorizó a la CIA a realizar operaciones secretas en Venezuela, llegó la respuesta de Nicolás Maduro.
“Ellos con su guerra psicológica quieren atemorizar, dividir, desmoralizar al pueblo, quieren hacerle daño a nuestro país. Aquí el pueblo está firmemente unido”, sostuvo Maduro este jueves en el Congreso Nacional de Cocineros de la Patria.
Desde Miraflores, en Caracas, Maduro criticó la política exterior de Estados Unidos hacia Venezuela, a la que calificó de “burda y grosera política intervencionista” que busca “cambiar el régimen”.
“Eso nunca se ha visto. Siempre lo han hecho, pero ningún gobierno anterior -desde que la CIA existe- dijo públicamente que mandaba a la CIA a matar, derrocar y acabar a los países”, sostuvo en un discurso transmitido por el canal estatal VTV.
Maduro comparó la situación con los golpes de Estado de las décadas de 1960 y 1970 en América Latina.
“Todos los golpes de Estado en América Latina, comprobado por los documentos desclasificados por el gobierno de Estados Unidos, fueron derrocados y los presidentes asesinados por la CIA”, afirmó.
Sin embargo, aseguró que “por primera vez en la historia, un gobierno en Estados Unidos dice que ha dado autorización y orden para ir a atacar a un país”.
“¿Alguien se puede creer que la CIA no está operando en Venezuela desde hace 60 años? ¿Alguien se puede creer que la CIA no ha conspirado desde hace 26 años contra el comandante Chávez y contra mí?”, se preguntó el mandatario antes de referirse al anuncio de Trump sobre la autorización dada a la CIA como un acto “de honestidad macabra”.
Desde Caracas, Maduro señaló que Venezuela cuenta con “millones de ojos y de oídos” para “derrotar esta conspiración abierta contra la paz en Venezuela”.
Por su parte, Delcy Rodríguez, sentada a la derecha de Maduro, calificó horas antes como falsa la información del medio estadounidense Miami Herald, que afirmaba que ella habría ofrecido a Estados Unidos liderar un gobierno de transición sin Maduro.
### Denuncia ante la ONU
Las acusaciones de Maduro contra EE. UU. se producen en un momento de alta tensión entre ambos países.
El gobierno estadounidense ordenó en agosto el despliegue de una flotilla militar en el Caribe, cerca de las costas de Venezuela, en una operación formalmente destinada a combatir el narcotráfico en la zona.
Al mismo tiempo, la Casa Blanca ha declarado que Maduro no es un presidente legítimo, sino el jefe del Cartel de los Soles, al que califica de organización narcoterrorista.
En las últimas semanas, las fuerzas estadounidenses realizaron al menos cinco ataques contra lanchas sospechosas de transportar drogas en el Caribe, matando a 27 personas.
Un funcionario estadounidense aseguró que las fuerzas militares de EE. UU. llevaron a cabo un nuevo ataque este jueves contra otra embarcación en el Caribe, en lo que sería el sexto ataque de este tipo en las últimas semanas.
El gobierno de Maduro rechaza todas estas acusaciones y señala a EE. UU. de buscar excusas para forzar un cambio de régimen en el país sudamericano.
Venezuela informó que entregó una carta al Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas donde menciona las “ejecuciones extrajudiciales contra civiles” por parte de Estados Unidos y solicita que la ONU “determine el carácter ilegal”.
Expertos en derechos humanos nombrados por esta organización internacional han definido a las incursiones como “ejecuciones extrajudiciales”.
—
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WASHINGTON Former House Leader Steney Hoyer (D-MD) warned this week that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) could be slow-walking Congress into an era where he refuses to swear in more members of the Democratic caucus. Speaking to Raw Story on Thursday about Johnson’s refusal to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), Hoyer said that if Johnson hadn’t already sworn in two Republicans, he might have a valid argument. “It is a dictatorship,” said Hoyer. “You cannot do that. The people of Arizona elected her by a very substantial vote. And he won’t swear her in! This business of not swearing in a member of Congress. What if he decided in the next Congress, he’s an elected Speaker, and then he decides not to swear in 25% of our people?” Raw Story also spoke with Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Jim Banks (R-IN), all of whom dismissed the issue as either unimportant or claimed they don’t know who she is. “Nope,” Graham said simply when asked if he’d heard about Grijalva. “Who?” asked Scott when Raw Story mentioned her name. “They’re not in session.” Raw Story mentioned the two lawmakers from Florida who were also sworn in during a pro-forma session, which is how Grijalva would be sworn in if Johnson chose to. “I don’t know. I can’t imagine there’s any politics involved,” said Scott. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) added her name to the list of furious Democrats. “The people of her district are being denied representation,” Warren said, harkening back to the rallying cry from American colonists protesting British taxes. “The speaker of the House is too frightened to swear her in. That’s not how democracy works. There was an election. The election has been certified. She needs to be sworn in. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has been one of the outspoken voices from the Arizona delegation demanding that Grijalva be seated. He and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) confronted Johnson in the Capitol last week, demanding answers. Kelly recalled that Johnson had previously said he would swear in the winner of the race as soon as they wished. Now, however, he’s changed his story. He also agreed it was related to the discharge petition that would be approved if Grijalva were sworn in. A discharge petition would mandate a vote on a measure that would require the Justice Department to release the investigation files of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. As it stands, the petition requires one additional vote to bring the legislation to the House floor for a vote. “He should embrace the term rip off the bandaid,” quipped Kelly, noting that Johnson will eventually be forced to swear Grijalva into her seat and that the discharge petition is coming even if he wants to stop it. “Just get it done and over with. But there are a lot of women out there who deserve for there to be some accountability,” said Kelly.
https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/adelita-grijalva-2674206538/
Paul Jones / Android Authority
It wasn’t that long ago that the horror of a bloated phone bill when traveling abroad meant the first thing we did was disable data roaming—and to be extra safe, put our phones in airplane mode. Hotel Wi-Fi isn’t always reliable, and local SIM cards may be difficult to find or incompatible with your phone.
Travel-friendly eSIMs have made these concerns a thing of the past. You no longer have to scramble to get a local SIM card. Instead, you can guarantee data connectivity even before you get on the plane.
With seamless connectivity, easy setup, and affordable data plans, Nomad eSIM is one of the best in the business—and now you can save 30% on Nomad eSIM plans with code NOM30 until 30 October 2025. Here’s what you need to know!
Nomad
There are plenty of reasons why choosing Nomad eSIM is the best way to make your travels easier. But the biggest is, of course, reliability. Nomad eSIM partners with top-tier global telcos to ensure you’ll never run into connectivity problems when traveling in an unknown place.
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Paul Jones / Android Authority
Finally, it makes accessing and setting up your eSIM a breeze. eSIMs can seem complicated if you aren’t particularly tech-savvy or are new to the process, but Nomad eSIM provides clear, easy-to-follow instructions that help you activate your eSIM in just a few minutes. This ensures a seamless experience from installation to deactivation.
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Nomad
Many competitors tend to offer only regional and global bundles. But if you’re traveling to only one place, why pay extra for coverage in countries you have no plans to visit?
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Nomad eSIM offers single-country data plans for more than 200 countries, providing affordable and reliable data connectivity during your trip. Plus, because the plan covers only one country, it’s often much cheaper than purchasing a regional bundle.
Nomad
If you need coverage for multiple destinations—whether across an entire region, worldwide, or smaller multi-country groups—you don’t have to pay separately for every location you visit.
Since travel often spans multiple destinations, Nomad eSIM offers bundled plans that streamline your connectivity needs and reduce the associated costs. You won’t need to worry about switching eSIMs at each stop, making these bundles ideal for multi-city trips, regional exploration, and extended travel.
Nomad eSIM offers a variety of customized bundles to keep prices low. For example, there’s a Europe bundle covering 36 countries. You can also choose region-specific options such as the Balkans bundle for 13 countries, or smaller multi-country groups including just Italy, France, and Germany.
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For world travelers, Nomad eSIM offers two global plans: the GLOBAL bundle, which covers up to 112 countries, and the GLOBAL-EX plan, providing data coverage in up to 82 locations. The latter is particularly handy for digital nomads, with term lengths ranging from 30 days up to a year.
Nomad
Unless you’re traveling alone, making sure your friends or family have easy access to data is essential.
While this normally means each individual would sign up for their own data plan, that’s not the case with Nomad eSIM. You can easily share your data through a mobile hotspot with others in your group, allowing you to manage a single plan with shared data hassle-free.
If you prefer individual plans, Nomad eSIM’s convenient checkout lets you add multiple eSIM plans to the cart at once. This means you won’t have to worry about everyone shopping for an eSIM individually—streamlining the purchasing process, saving time, and making group travel planning easier.
Paul Jones / Android Authority
Whether you’re planning a big move, a quick vacation, or an extended trip around an entire continent, you already have a hundred things to worry about. Staying connected online shouldn’t be one of them.
With multiple options ranging from single-country plans to a wide array of customized regional and global bundles, Nomad eSIM has something to fit everyone’s specific travel needs.
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For the next two weeks, you can enjoy up to 30% off all single-country, regional, and global plans from Nomad eSIM by applying the code NOM30 at checkout. This discount, valid until 30 October 2025, applies to every eSIM plan you purchase—even if you buy multiple plans at the same time for friends and family traveling with you.
Travel smart and stay connected with Nomad eSIM!
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and his girlfriend, Olivia Dunne, are currently enjoying a vacation in Italy.
The All-Star pitcher wrapped up his regular season last month, making this the perfect time for the couple to unwind and explore.
Their Italian getaway offers a well-deserved break after a successful season on the mound.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/baseball/news-paul-skenes-girlfriend-olivia-dunne-radiates-vacation-glow-donning-white-bikini-dreamy-italian-getaway
