//

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Manslaughter charges were dropped Wednesday against a BP supervisor responsible for safety aboard the rig where an explosion killed 11 workers in 2010, and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating the federal Clean Water Act.

Donald Vidrine appeared in court in New Orleans for the change-of-plea hearing. The judge agreed to prosecutors’ request to drop the manslaughter charges and accepted Vidrine’s guilty plea to the only remaining charge.

In their court filing, prosecutors didn’t give a reason for the request, saying only that dismissing the 11 manslaughter charges against Vidrine and another defendant, Robert Kaluza, is “in the interests of justice.”

Kaluza did not appear Wednesday. No hearing is scheduled for him.

Vidrine will be sentenced April 6. The judge has not indicated whether the recommended sentence — including 10 months of probation, 100 hours of community service and $50,000 in restitution for a project to fix damage from the oil spill — will be accepted.

Neither side gave immediate comment on the case Wednesday.

The Deepwater Horizon rig, which London-based BP PLC leased from Houston-based Transocean Ltd., was about 48 miles from the Louisiana coast at the time of the deadly blast in April 2010. Residents up and down the coast watched in horror as oil from the spill coated birds, fouled beaches and threatened delicate fishing areas.

This summer, the global energy giant agreed to a record settlement of nearly $20 billion to states affected by the spill in hopes of bringing an end to a legal drama that has cost the company billions. At the time, the company said the settlement would bring its full obligations to an estimated $53.8 billion.

But the settlement did not affect ongoing criminal cases such as those of Vidrine and Kaluza.

Prosecutors have said Vidrine and Kaluza botched a key safety test and disregarded abnormally high pressure readings indicating signs of trouble ahead of the blowout of BP’s Macondo well.

Keith Jones, whose son Gordon Jones died in the rig explosion, attended Wednesday’s hearing with his other children. He said he was disappointed that prosecutors could not find any fault with the “company men” beyond the misreading of a test.

“As a result of this court proceeding today, no man will ever spend a moment behind bars for killing 11 men for reasons based entirely on greed,” Jones said.

___

Associated Press writer Michael Kunzelman contributed to this report.

Join the conversation about this story »

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1O3XGOo

//

BERLIN (AP) — A German supermarket chain’s holiday TV ad has prompted floods of tears with its story about an old man whose children never visit, not even at Christmas.

His children finally return home after being told of grandpa’s death only to discover that he didn’t die after all.

The video from the EDEKA supermarket has racked up almost 20 million views online in five days, with “can’t stop crying” among the typical comments.

Elke Schilling says Wednesday the ad addresses a sensitive topic in Germany, where an estimated 8 million people over 60 suffer from loneliness.

Schilling, a retiree who is launching a hotline for lonely older Germans, says using the issue to promote a supermarket was “a bit grotesque” but hopes the chain will support her cause.

____

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6-0kYhqoRo

Join the conversation about this story »

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1O3XBdF

//

LONDON (AP) — The latest developments regarding the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq: All times local:

4 p.m.

Poland’s foreign minister says that the country is mulling how it might support the anti-Islamic State coalition, though it is unlikely that Warsaw would provide troops.

Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said Wednesday that Poland’s Defense Ministry is determining how Poland might help the coalition after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appealed for support during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday.

Waszczykowski said: “We will certainly exchange political and intelligence reports. Everything depends on the abilities of the Defense Ministry.”

Poland sent troops to the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but many Poles feel bitter that its contributions in Iraq did not bring more benefits to the country.

___

3:50 p.m.

British Prime Minister David Cameron says the British government is changing the way it refers to the Islamic State militant group, following the United States in calling it Daesh.

Britain had previously used the acronym ISIL — Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Cameron told lawmakers in the House of Commons that he was making the change “because frankly this evil death cult is neither a true representation of Islam nor is it a state.”

Cameron was kicking off an all-day debate about whether Britain should extend airstrikes against IS from Iraq into Syria.

Daesh is an Arabic acronym for the group’s name that also carries negative associations. The Twitter account U.K. Against ISIL — now rebranded U.K. Against Daesh — said the term is hated by the militants because it sound similar to Arabic words meaning “trample” and “one who sows discord.”

___

3:30 p.m.

The U.S.-led coalition has been pounding Islamic State group targets near the militant-held Iraqi city of Ramadi. Iraqi forces have encircled Ramadi and this week asked the city’s civilian residents to leave — a sign that a major operation could be imminent.

The coalition says its aircraft conducted 15 airstrikes in Iraq on Wednesday, nine of them on IS targets near Ramadi, including fighting positions, vehicles, weapons and buildings. Also hit were IS group units and vehicles in Iraq’s north, outside the recently liberated town of Sinjar.

In Baghdad, coalition spokesman Col. Steve Warren says the strikes are in support of Iraqi operations to liberate Ramadi.

He says that “with the support of coalition air power, Iraqi forces recently seized the Palestine bridge, which completed the isolation of the city.”

___

2 p.m.

The top NATO commander in Europe, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, says the bulk of Russia’s air operations in Syria are still directed against moderate opposition forces that oppose President Bashar Assad.

He said there’s been some shift in Russian tactics lately but the “vast majority of their sorties” are targeting moderate groups, not Islamic State extremists.

Breedlove said Wednesday that coalition forces “are not working with or cooperating with Russia in Syria” but have devised safety rules with Russia.

He says “we have established a safety regime — a series of tactics, techniques and procedures — by which the two groups, the coalition forces and the Russian forces, communicate and try to maintain safety.”

He says the coalition “is focused almost entirely” on fighting Islamic State extremists.

___

1:50 p.m.

France’s finance minister is calling for tougher rules on imports of art works as part of efforts to dry up financing for the Islamic State group.

Minister Michel Sapin says Wednesday “we perhaps don’t speak enough of financing … by the sale of works of art” of the group. He said that trafficking of art looted by IS isn’t as big a source of money for the extremists as oil, but it is “one element.” He says ultimately it is “people in our developed countries” who buy the looted art, sometimes without knowing.

He said many countries control exports of art works, but there needs to be harmonized rules in Europe and beyond on imports too.

German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble said money-laundering rules should also be expanded to cover art.

___

12:45 p.m.

Russia’s deputy defense minister says the Turkish president and his family are benefiting from illegal oil trade with Islamic State militants.

Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters on Wednesday that Moscow has evidence showing that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family are involved in the oil trade with IS and personally benefit from it.

Antonov and his colleagues at the defense ministry’s headquarters showed foreign defense attaches based in Moscow some satellite images purporting to show IS transporting oil to Turkey.

Erdogan has said he would resign if the accusations against him are proven.

____

12:25 p.m.

Prime Minister David Cameron has opened a critical debate on whether Britain will take part in airstrikes in Syria, insisting that Britain could make a real difference in the fight against Islamic State militants.

But Cameron struggled to get through his opening remarks Wednesday as outraged opposition Labour Party lawmakers demanded he retract remarks at a closed-door meeting Tuesday in which Cameron branded opponents of the measure a “bunch of terrorist sympathizers.”

Lawmakers demanded an apology as the 10½ hour debate got underway, arguing the comment showed a lack of respect to those who disagreed with his policy.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond defended Cameron before the debate started, saying the comments weren’t aimed at long-time opponents of war such as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Hammond says Corbyn’s views were “obviously sincerely held.”

___

12:20 p.m.

Secretary of State John Kerry has lauded British Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to go to parliament and seek approval for British strikes against IS in Syria.

Speaking at NATO headquarters, Kerry says “this is a very important step. We applaud his leadership.” The US envoy urged the British parliament to approve the request.

The British vote would authorize the Royal Air Force to launch air strikes against suspected IS positions inside Syria, allowing it to take a more active role in the U.S.-led coalition seeking to weaken the militants held responsible for attacks in Paris, Beirut, Egypt and elsewhere.

___

11:55 p.m.

Authorities in Russia’s predominantly Muslim republic of Chechnya have organized classes to stave off Islamic State recruitment.

Thousands of Russian Muslim have joined IS in Syria, and some have taken senior positions. Local students in Chechnya say many of their peers are tempted to go to Syria because they believe in a true Islamic state there.

Islamic militancy has engulfed Russia’s North Caucasus region, the republic of Dagestan in particular, following two separatist wars in neighboring Chechnya. While nearly 1,000 people are believed to have left Dagestan for Syria, the number of Chechen recruits is far lower.

Chechnya’s authoritarian leader Ramzan Kadyrov said last month that less than 500 Chechens are believed to have joined IS and about 200 of them have been killed. Kadyrov has even offered to send thousands of Chechen fighters to fight IS.

___

11:15 a.m.

The European Union is trying to close legal loopholes that allow people to travel to Syria or Iraq as foreign fighters and then launch attacks like those in Paris last month when they return home.

Around 5,000 so-called foreign fighters are thought to be in the EU or come from it, but only about 1,500 are listed on Europe’s criminal databases. The EU’s executive Commission unveiled proposals on Wednesday that would criminalize attempts to recruit or train people for extremist activities.

New measures would target those who travel within the 28-nation EU or abroad to work with extremists like the Islamic State group. Others would attempt to choke off access to funds and assets.

The proposals must still be debated and adopted by EU member countries and the European Parliament.

___

11.05 a.m.

Belgian police have raided five more houses in the Brussels area early Wednesday and detained two people for questioning regarding the Paris attacks that left 130 people dead last month.

The raids targeted people who could have a link to Mohamed Abrini, who was seen driving with Paris fugitive Salah Abdeslam two days ahead of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, and Ahmed Dahmani, who is detained in Turkey.

None of Wednesday’s detainees have been charged.

Join the conversation about this story »

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1lvYm7X

//

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Johnny Manziel is still grounded.

Benched for bad behavior, Manziel will remain on the sideline after Browns coach Mike Pettine picked quarterback Austin Davis to start Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Manziel was recently stripped of his starting job by Pettine after a video surfaced of the second-year quarterback partying in Texas during the team’s bye week. With starter Josh McCown done for the season with a broken collarbone, Pettine had to promote one of his backups and chose Davis, who came off the bench in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s loss to Baltimore.

Davis threw a tying touchdown pass and moved the Browns into position for a winning field goal, but Travis Coons’ 51-yard attempt was blocked by the Ravens and returned by Will Hill 64 yards for a TD as time expired.

Davis, who went 3-5 in eight starts for St. Louis last season, completed 7 of 11 passes for 77 yards. The Browns signed the 26-year-old Davis in September and gave him a two-year contract shortly after he arrived.

“Austin took advantage of his opportunity on Monday night. He was prepared, played well and put us in position to win,” Pettine said Wednesday. “He’s been great in the quarterback room all season and he has earned the right to start on Sunday. We expect him to play well.”

Manziel was surprisingly active for Monday’s game, serving as Cleveland’s No. 3 quarterback. He’s moved one spot up the depth chart but the backup role isn’t what the Browns envisioned when they selected him in the first round of the 2014 draft.

Manziel is 1-2 as a starter this season. He faced Cincinnati last month and completed 15 of 33 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown in a 31-10 loss.

___

Online: AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Join the conversation about this story »

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1lvYlRG

//

Along with a changing environment inevitably comes a changing set of animals.

For some, climate change is forcing them to adapt and find new habitats to live in. But for others, their changing environments are seriously threatening their existence.

In a series of images from the November issue of National Geographic magazine, photographer Joel Sartore captured the animals are in the best and worst shape to survive climate change.

CHECK OUT: Giant, ancient viruses are thawing out in Siberia — and they’re changing everything we thought we knew about them

UP NEXT: These 10 cities have the worst air pollution in the world, and it is up to 15 times dirtier than what is considered healthy

Loser: Arctic Fox. This furry creature does best in the coldest of winters. With their Arctic tundra habitat melting, the Arctic foxes will have less of a shot at finding food for their pups.

Winner: American Bullfrog. These amphibians are doing a great job at being an invasive species. The bullfrog has made its way onto other continents, so the threat of climate change may come more as a boost than a hindrance.

Loser: White-Fronted Lemur. National Geographic reports that these lemurs in Madagascar will lose 60% of their habitat in the next 70 years. But, the biggest problem will be the pressure of a growing human population and its ever-more-intensive farming practices.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1RnYalh

//

BALTIMORE (AP) — The latest on the trial of a police officer accused in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who suffered a spinal injury in the back of a transport van (all times local):

11:25 a.m.

A prospective juror for the trial of a police officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray says he was dismissed after telling the judge he had some “unfortunate” experiences with Baltimore police.

Franz Schneiderman said Wednesday he was interviewed individually by Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams after he indicated that he had been accused in or the victim of a crime.

Schneiderman said he told Williams that despite his experiences with Baltimore police, he believed he would be able to render a fair verdict. He was still dismissed.

Officer William Porter is the first of six officers to go on trial in the death of Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died after suffering a spinal injury in custody.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby arrived at the courthouse during a brief recess after a jury was seated. Opening statements are expected to begin shortly.

___

11:10 a.m.

A jury has been seated in Baltimore for the trial of a city police officer facing manslaughter and other charges in the death of Freddie Gray.

The jury was seated Wednesday in trial for Officer William Porter, the first of six officers to go to trial.

The jury is made up of eight women and four men. The four alternates are men.

Gray was a 25-year-old black man who died in April from a spinal injury he suffered while riding in the back of a police transport van.

Opening statements may be heard as early as Wednesday.

Porter faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. He’s accused of failing to render aid after Gray asked for medical assistance.

Porter is also black.

___

10:30 a.m.

Jury selection has resumed for a third day in the trial for a Baltimore police officer facing manslaughter and other charges in the death of Freddie Gray.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams has so far called in 150 prospective jurors. Williams asked jurors who had been called back Wednesday whether they had anything to report that might affect their ability to be fair and impartial. Only four said they did.

A jury could be seated Wednesday afternoon.

Officer William Porter is the first of six officers to go on trial in the death of Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died after suffering a spinal injury in custody.

Porter is accused of failing to render aid to Gray, who was handcuffed and shackled but not buckled into a seatbelt in the back of a police transport van. Prosecutors say Gray repeatedly asked for medical attention.

Porter is expected to take the stand in his own defense.

Join the conversation about this story »

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1O3P1vh

//

Mike Cagney, the chief executive of online lending startup SoFi, has America’s biggest banks in his sights.

“I’m sitting here trying to figure out how I go after Wells Fargo, how I go after BofA, how I go after JPMorgan,” he said in an interview.  “Those are the guys we think are the most vulnerable.”

In addition to competing for mortgage customers and other borrowers, SoFi has ambitions to offer checking accounts and a wealth management business, Cagney said.  

The company got its start by refinancing student loans and has since expanded into other lending businesses. It raised $1 billion in September, the biggest financing round by any company in the financial technology – or fintech – industry.

To be sure, SoFi’s still tiny compared with the huge banks. But it’s growing fast. The $4 billion in loans its made this year account for roughly 80% of its total lending since its 2011 launch. 

‘Crappy deals’

Though banks, which buy up loans that SoFi originates, have had a huge part to play in that growth, SoFi doesn’t have much of a relationship with the biggest banks, Cagney said. 

“We have a lot of banks that buy loans, and we love that. And it’s good for the banks, because they need the assets, and it’s good for us, because we need the funding, and it’s a very symbiotic relationship.”

“We get along pretty well with everyone else,” he added. “The big four megabanks, we don’t really get along with, and that’s 75% of the banking market.” 

That distrust extends to investment banking, according to Cagney, who said SoFi had a capital markets relationship with Citigroup, but that the other three banks have never done any work with SoFi.

“They’ve made overtures, and the overtures have always been pretty crappy deals for us. A lot of the overtures involve them coming over and figuring out everything that we do, and then leaving, which we don’t think is a fun way to spend time. So we’ve said ‘No.’”

“I don’t think we’ll ever have good relationships with the mega-banks in any form,” he said.

“I think they look at us as an absolute competitor, as we do them.” 

Wells Fargo didn’t reply to a request for comment, while Bank of America and JPMorgan declined to comment. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How a successful investment banker used insider information to bankroll his mistress and child

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1RmTMp8

//

WASHINGTON (AP) — Talks on a massive, government-wide spending bill have hit a snag as Republicans press demands for policy provisions on the environment, regulation of the financial services industry and making it more difficult for Syrian and Iraqi refugees to enter the U.S.

An initial end-stage offer from top Republicans was flatly rejected by Democrats whose votes will be needed to carry the $1.1 trillion measure through the House.

Lawmakers hope to pass the measure in little more than a week to avert a government shutdown, though it’s becoming more and more apparent that a short-term funding bill will be needed to keep the government open past a Dec. 11 deadline.

Republicans aides characterized Tuesday night’s offer from House Speaker Paul Ryan and top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell as an opening move.

Join the conversation about this story »

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1lvYjJt

//

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House was ready to vote Wednesday on a long-sought rewrite of the 2002 No Child Left Behind education law that would roll back the federal government’s authority to push academic standards and tell schools how to improve.

The legislation, a compromise reached by House and Senate negotiators, would continue the No Child law’s requirement for annual reading and math testing of children in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school. But it would shift back to the states the decision-making power over how to use students’ performance on the tests to assess teachers and schools. The measure also would end federal efforts to tie test scores to teacher evaluations.

“I think that we will have a strong majority of the majority, and we’ll have a strong majority of the minority,” said Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., who led the House-Senate conference committee on the legislation. “The big picture here is that the bill moves from this massive intrusion of the federal government, moves back to state and local control.”

A compromise bill was a long time coming. No Child Left Behind, which was passed by Congress in 2002 during President George W. Bush’s first term, ushered in a new era of accountability standards for the nation’s public schools. But subsequently fell into disfavor in some quarters, widely criticized as unworkable, unrealistic and too punitive for public school educators.

The law has been due for renewal since 2007, but it got caught up in the broader debate over the federal role in public education.

“It’s been a long road and it’s a good bill,” said Kline’s Democratic counterpart on the committee, Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia. “We don’t tell states what to do … but it’s clear that they have to have high standards and address in a meaningful way any achievement gaps.”

Despite the bipartisan support, some conservative lawmakers have said they won’t support it.

Under the bill, there would no longer be federal sanctions for schools labeled as underperforming. However, states would be required to intervene in the nation’s lowest-scoring 5 percent of schools, in high school dropout factories and in schools with persistent achievement gaps — something Democrats fought hard to ensure in any bill.

The Senate is expected to vote on the measure next week.

The White House had threatened to veto an earlier version of the bill that passed the House in July. Officials called the compromise now in play an improvement over the House bill — and a version passed by the Senate. But the administration also stopped short of saying that President Barack Obama would sign it.

No Child Left Behind was signed into law by Bush after passing Congress with broad partisan support. But it quickly became clear that its lofty goals for student achievement could not be met. Unions and more liberal voices in the education universe criticized it for placing too much of an emphasis on testing. Among conservatives, the law was assailed for allowing too much federal intrusion in public schools.

The compromise bill, among other things, would:

—Bar the Education Department from mandating or giving states incentives to adopt or maintain any particular set of standards, such as the college and career-ready curriculum guidelines known as Common Core. The standards were created by the states, but have become a lightning rod for those who sought a reduced federal role in education. The administration offered grants through its Race to the Top program for states that adopted strong academic standards for its students.

—End waivers the Obama administration has granted to more than 40 states. These waivers offered exemptions to the more onerous parts of No Child when it became clear the standards set forth there would not be met.

—Would not permit portability — allowing money to follow low-income students to public schools of their choice, an idea embraced by Republicans. Those dollars would remain at struggling schools, under the bill. But it would allow for a small pilot program that would let some federal money move with students in some school districts.

—Encourage testing caps. An amendment from Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, says states should set caps on the total amount of time kids spend taking tests. Bennet says federal testing requirements have resulted in additional layers of state and district level tests, and some of those may be redundant or unnecessary.

Join the conversation about this story »

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1YH7dm4

//

Google CFO Ruth Porat has a work ethic that puts most employees to shame. 

Before she joined Google in May 2015, Porat was the CFO of Morgan Stanley. She is known for leading some of the technology sector’s biggest funding and IPO rounds, including work for eBay, Priceline, and Amazon.

She has said in no uncertain terms that she doesn’t believe in “work-life balance,” and her actions on many occasions have proven that point.

From working through childbirth and breast cancer to spending her free time flipping houses, she never sits still. 

Scroll down to read seven examples of Porat’s incredible drive.

SEE ALSO: Meet the top 50 female CFOs in America

Childbirth doesn’t stand in the way of her work schedule.

According to The New York Times, when Porat was giving birth to her first son in 1992, she was making calls to clients from inside the delivery room. 

Back problems are no problem for Porat.

During a meeting with management at Ziff Davis, The New York Times revealed that Porat threw her back out and was unable to stand up and move around the room. Her solution? She laid down on the boardroom table and continued to give her full presentation without missing a beat.

Breast cancer didn’t stop her full-time work schedule.

In an interview with Big Think, Porat spoke about her fight with breast cancer. In 2001, Porat was working overseas when she moved home for treatment. She refused to slow down and said of her decision to keep working long banker hours: “For me, going to work meant that I was in control of my life.” 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

from Business Insider http://ift.tt/1OjnIST