Wednesday, September 25, 2024

TRUMP IS AN ECONOMIC BOZO
Mark Cuban says Trump's call for 200% tariffs on John Deere tractors is 'insane' and a 'good way to destroy a legendary American company'

Kwan Wei Kevin Tan
Updated Tue, September 24, 2024 

Donald Trump wants to impose a 200% tariff on John Deere if it moves its manufacturing to Mexico.

Mark Cuban has said that's a terrible idea.

Cuban said Trump's tariffs would make John Deere's goods more expensive than its Chinese rivals.

The billionaire investor Mark Cuban doesn't think former President Donald Trump's call for 200% tariffs on the agriculture equipment company John Deere is a good idea.

"This Lack of Understanding of Business is insane," Cuban wrote in an X post on Monday.

Cuban was weighing in on the 200% tariff that Trump said he'd impose on John Deere. Trump issued the threat at an agricultural policy roundtable in Smithton, Pennsylvania, on Monday.

"I love the company, but as you know, they've announced a few days ago that they're going to move a lot of their manufacturing business to Mexico. I'm just notifying John Deere right now: If you do that, we're putting a 200% tariff on everything that you want to sell into the United States," Trump said.

"They think they're going to make product cheaper in Mexico and then sell it in for the same price as they did before, make a lot of money by getting rid of our labor and our jobs," the former president added.

In June, John Deere announced that it would shift some of its production — specifically the manufacturing of skid steer loaders and compact track loaders — from Dubuque, Iowa, to Ramos, Mexico, by the end of 2026.

But imposing such a hefty tariff on John Deere, Cuban said, would be counterproductive.

"Put a 200% tariff on the American company moving some production to Mexico," Cuban wrote on X. "But tariff Chinese manufacturers 10 or 20%, so that the Chinese products will be cheaper to sell in the US than the American company."

"Good way to destroy a legendary American company and increase costs to American buyers," he continued.

Cuban's criticism of Trump is unsurprising, considering his staunch support of Trump's rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.

The "Shark Tank" star has endorsed Harris and backed her economic agenda since she became the Democratic nominee.

"Kamala Harris is pro-business," Cuban said in an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box" on September 5.

"She's talked more about entrepreneurs and helping them have access to investment and making it easier for people to invest in startups than any president that I've ever heard talk about startups and entrepreneurs," Cuban told the journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin.


To be sure, Trump has talked about imposing heavier tariffs on China if he wins November's election.

In February, Trump confirmed in an interview with Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" host, Maria Bartiromo, that he'd impose tariffs of more than 60% on Chinese goods.

"You know, obviously, I'm not looking to hurt China. I want to get along with China. I think it's great. But they've really taken advantage of our country," Trump told Bartiromo.

Cuban and representatives for Trump and John Deere didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular office hours.


Trump threatens John Deere with 200 percent tariff if it outsources manufacturing

Brett Samuels
Mon, September 23, 2024 

Trump threatens John Deere with 200 percent tariff if it outsources manufacturing


Former President Trump threatened Illinois-based John Deere on Monday with massive tariffs on its products if it outsources some of its manufacturing to Mexico as it had previously announced, the latest indicator he would use tariffs aggressively if he wins in November.

“I just noticed behind me John Deere tractors. I know a lot about John Deere, I love the company,” Trump said at an event with farmers in Pennsylvania.

“But as you know, they’ve announced a few days ago that they’re going to move a lot of their manufacturing business to Mexico,” he continued. “I’m just notifying John Deere right now, if you do that, we’re putting a 200 percent tariff on everything you want to sell into the United States, so that if I win John Deere is going to be paying a 200 percent — they haven’t started it yet. Maybe they haven’t even made the final decision yet. But I think they have.”

Fox Business Network reported in June that John Deere, which sells tractors, crop harvesters and other large equipment, was laying off roughly 600 staff members at plants in Illinois and Iowa.

The layoffs came amid a broader restructuring of the company’s business that included plans to move its manufacturing of skid steer loaders and compact track loaders to Mexico by the end of 2026, according to Fox Business Network.

John Deere did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Trump’s tariff threats.

Trump has leaned on tariffs as something of a cure-all as he pitches his economic vision for a second term. He has said repeatedly he would impose tariffs on all imported goods; he has threatened to use tariffs to force U.S. companies to base manufacturing domestically, and he suggested the use of tariffs could help bring down the cost of child care, a comment that drew criticism from Democrats.

Experts have warned that tariffs would lead to an increase in inflation, with companies passing on additional costs to consumers. Trump rejected that analysis Monday, and he signaled he would push for tariffs even if Congress did not approve of them.

“I don’t need them. I don’t need Congress, but they’ll approve it,” he said. “I’ll have the right to impose them myself if they don’t. I’d rather get their support.”

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


Trump warns John Deere of ‘200% tariff’ but market shrugs off the threat

Greg McKenna
Tue, September 24, 2024 at 10:18 a.m. MDT·4 min read




John Deere is the latest company to draw the ire of former President Donald Trump for investing south of the U.S. border. At an event Monday in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, the Republican nominee threatened the company with a “200% tariff” if it shifts some production to Mexico as planned, causing the stock to briefly sag in after-hours trading.

Facing rising costs and declining demand, John Deere announced earlier this year that it would lay off over 800 workers across factories in Illinois and Iowa. The company has also bought land in Ramos, Mexico, for a new facility that will take over production currently done at its plant in Dubuque, Iowa.

“I am just notifying John Deere right now that if you do that, we are putting a 200% tariff on everything that you want to sell into the United States,” Trump said at roundtable focused on threats to U.S. farmers, principally from China.

As he did in 2016, Trump has made protectionism key component of his campaign. He’s proposed a worldwide tariff of 10%, as well as a 60% tariff on all Chinese goods. He’s also resumed his attacks on American companies expanding in Mexico, a consistent refrain since his first run to the White House.

“They think they are going to make product cheaper in Mexico and then sell it in for the same prices they did before,” he said Monday of John Deere, “making a lot of money by getting rid of our labor and our jobs.”

In response, the company has pointed reporters to a statement on its website that touts the company’s commitment to U.S. manufacturing, including $2 billion invested in domestic plants since 2019.

“In order to position our U.S. factories to undertake these highly value-additive activities it is sometimes necessary to move less complex operations, such as cab assembly, to other locations,” the statement said.


John Deere shares recovered by Tuesday afternoon, trading slightly above the previous day’s close. While the stock is up just 2.5% this year, trailing the 21% gain for the S&P 500, it’s beating the index over the last five years roughly 150% to 93%, respectively.
John Deere may learn from past Trump targets

The company is far from the first targeted by Trump over moving production to Mexico, though the former President's claims of job displacement have often been exaggerated. Trump famously called for a boycott of Oreos in 2016 after Nabisco-parent Mondelez said it would be shutting some production lines at its Chicago factory while boosting output in Mexico. The future president falsely claimed the factory was being closed.

That year, Trump also attacked U.S. automakers like Ford and General Motors. He went after climate and energy company Carrier for its plans to shutter two Indiana plants and move manufacturing to Mexico. At one point, he called on Americans to stop buying iPhones.

John Deere may be reassured from past examples, however, that the former President can be placated if he returns to the White House. After winning in 2016, Trump took credit for several decisions by Ford to scrap or adjust plans in Mexico and add jobs in the U.S. The company said those moves would have been made even if he had not been elected, though then-CEO Mark Fields did characterize them as a "vote of confidence" in Trump's tax and regulatory proposals.

Trump did undoubtedly convince Carrier to change course, calling the CEO of its then-parent, United Technologies, shortly after being elected. A few days later, the company and president-elect announced a deal to keep roughly 1,100 jobs in the U.S., though The Washington Post later reported a greater number of positions in the state were cut in the years that followed.

If past examples are any indication, John Deere can expect to stay in Trump's crosshairs throughout election season. Whether the results on Nov. 5 could push the company to change its plans, however, remains unclear.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
EU

Northvolt lays off 1,600 workers, but it’s not the end for Europe’s battery champion

THE PERVERSITY OF CAPITALI$M

Tim De Chant
Tue, September 24, 2024 



When is raising $14 billion not enough? When you’re a battery startup.

Northvolt, Europe’s attempt at building a competitor to Asia’s battery manufacturing powerhouses, announced on Monday that it had halted work on a factory expansion and laid off 1,600 employees, or about 20% of the workforce.

The company was planning to expand its Ett factory in northern Sweden to scale production to 30 gigawatt-hours annually. The expansion would have supplied cathode active material (CAM), a key component required to make completed cells. On September 9, the company also axed another CAM production site in Sweden. Without those factories, Northvolt will almost certainly have to buy it elsewhere, likely from overseas.


The cost cutting is the result of lower-than-expected demand growth, Northvolt said, as automakers trim their forecasts for electric vehicle production. Execution problems are probably also to blame. In June, the company was unable to fulfill an order for BMW on time, leading the German automaker to cancel the €2 billion contract. Northvolt did not immediately reply to TechCrunch’s request for comment, though it’s hard to see how that didn’t influence the company’s cost-cutting measures.

Ultimately, Northvolt faces two challenges.

For one, all battery startups face significant execution risk. Though batteries appear simple from the outside, the chemistry inside is fiendishly complex. It isn’t easy to develop materials that can store energy safely at high densities, that can be recharged at increasingly higher rates, and that can survive for more than a decade inside an automobile. Producing them at a massive scale only compounds the challenge. Just ask GM and LG what happens when you don’t get it right.

Northvolt has additional hurdles to surmount. It’s essentially building a copy of what Asian countries like China and South Korea already possess: a mature, scaled battery-manufacturing sector. Both China and South Korea have been working on it for decades, with consistent government support along the way. By comparison, Northvolt is only eight years old, and it only recently received substantial assistance from the EU and other governments.

The U.S. tried something similar nearly 20 years ago with A123 Systems. The startup pioneered production of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, which stored less energy than other chemistries but were more durable and safer to charge. It started by selling to power tool manufacturers and then began courting automakers, who even in the late 2000s were projected to buy the sort of volumes that would support large-scale domestic manufacturing.

A123 was in the running to make battery packs for the Chevrolet Volt, but after losing out to LG, its only customer ended up being the first iteration of Fisker, which was also making a plug-in hybrid. After one of those cars caught fire during Consumer Reports’ testing, A123’s fate was all but sealed.

What those high-profile stumbles don’t reveal were the other obstacles A123 faced, most of which revolved around standing up a battery supply chain where there was none. Northvolt has been a bit more successful, in part because there is some political appetite to make it happen. But the Swedish company’s announcements about curtailing CAM production show it’s still not easy to accomplish.

The second challenge that Northvolt faces is that automakers, its key partners, haven’t been able to decide where they stand on EVs. After years spent talking up the transition to all-EV lineups, they’ve since backed off the most aggressive targets. Most automakers’ early forecasts proved overly optimistic, and they appear to have underestimated the amount they’d need to invest to produce successful products. In the face of weaker-than-expected tailwinds, they have plunged into developing hybrids and plug-in hybrids, which require far fewer batteries.

To succeed in early markets requires all players to have conviction. Automakers, parts manufacturers, and investors all need to have bought into an EV future. If any one of them blinks, they all suffer. Northvolt is feeling that pain today.

Does it spell the end of battery manufacturing in Europe or North America, where Northvolt has plans to expand? Hardly. Demand for EVs is still strong and growing. And because batteries are heavy and expensive to ship, it makes sense to produce them near EV factories. Strong incentives courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act and the European Green Deal help tip the scales further. That doesn’t mean Northvolt can be complacent — it still has to prove it can execute. But by the time that gets sorted, it’s likely the market will be ready for it.
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Northvolt restructures in Sweden

David Leggett
Mon, September 23, 2024 



EV battery firm Northvolt has outlined a review of operations in Sweden which will result in the loss of 1,600 jobs.

The move comes amid slowing sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Europe. The company cited headwinds in the automotive market.

The company said it will focus on accelerating production in large-scale cell manufacturing at Northvolt Ett. As part of that strategy, it is planning the redundancy of approximately 1,600 Northvolt employees, split across Skellefteå (1,000 positions), Västerås (400 positions) and Stockholm (200 positions). All redundancies are subject to ongoing union negotiations, the company said.

In adjusting its near-term ambitions and focusing on the ramp-up of the first 16 GWh phase of Northvolt Ett, Northvolt said it is positioning itself to prioritize commitments to its current automotive customers.

Peter Carlsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Northvolt, said: “While overall momentum for electrification remains strong, we need to make sure that we take the right actions at the right time in response to headwinds in the automotive market, and wider industrial climate.

“We now need to focus all energy and investments into our core business. Success in the ramp-up of production at Northvolt Ett is critical for delivering to our customers and enabling sustainable business operations. Recent production records at Northvolt Ett show that we are on the right path, but the decisions we’re taking today, however tough, are required for Northvolt’s future.”

Rescoped operations

In Skellefteå, Sweden, the development of Northvolt Ett expansion project will be suspended. The construction project was intended to provide an additional 30 GWh of annual cell manufacturing capacity. The decision follows the announcement earlier this month to place the Northvolt Ett cathode active material facility into ‘care and maintenance’.

In Västerås, Sweden, programs and expansion will be slowed at Northvolt Labs. The fundamental platforms hosted at Northvolt Labs will be maintained, enabling Northvolt Labs to retain its position as Europe’s ‘leading campus for battery innovation and product development’.

As it reduces the scope of its operations and programs in Sweden, Northvolt will also reduce the size of its corporate support functions, which today are largely located in Stockholm.

Northvolt said the rescoping of operations is critical to ensure a ‘sustainable operation and cost base’. In order to achieve this a workforce reduction of approximately 20% at a global level, and 25% in Sweden is required, it said.

"Northvolt restructures in Sweden" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




Another blow for electric vehicle drive as battery startup Northvolt lays off 1,600 workers

Tom Carter
Mon, September 23, 2024 



European battery firm Northvolt said on Monday it would lay off 1,600 workers.


The startup, founded by two former Tesla execs, builds batteries for electric vehicles.


Northvolt has struggled financially, with BMW pulling out of a $2.1 billion order in June.


A European battery startup founded by two former Tesla executives is cutting a fifth of its workforce amid a darkening outlook for electric vehicles.

Swedish battery maker Northvolt announced on Monday it would lay off 1,600 employees and scale back on expansion plans, citing efforts to prioritize its existing customers.

Peter Carlsson, CEO and cofounder, said in a press release that the company needed to make "tough" decisions to respond to "headwinds in the automotive market, and wider industrial climate. We now need to focus all energy and investments into our core business."

The company was founded in 2016 by Carlsson and Paolo Cerutti and has been backed by investors including Goldman Sachs, Baillie Gifford, and Spotify cofounder Daniel Ek. It aimed to revolutionize battery manufacturing but has struggled in recent months.

BMW pulled out of a $2.1 billion order for battery cells for its EVs in June, outlets including Reuters reported.

Northvolt has also faced a series of deaths among workers at one of its factories near the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden.

In late 2023 the company asked investment banks to pitch for roles in a listing as soon as this year that could have valued Northvolt at about $20 billion. It's unclear when, or even if, the company will go public.

EV companies have slashed jobs over the past year as demand for electric vehicles has slowed. Tesla laid off more than 10% of its global workforce in April, and rivals Rivian and Lucid have also cut workers.

Northvolt did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.


Swedish battery maker Northvolt to slash 1,600 jobs, quarter of staff

Etienne FONTAINE
Mon, September 23, 2024
AFP

Northvolt Ett factory in Skelleftea will see 1,000 jobs cut as part of cost savings plan by the Swedish company (Jonathan NACKSTRAND) (Jonathan NACKSTRAND/AFP/AFP)


Sweden's beleaguered electric car battery maker Northvolt said Monday it would cut a quarter of its staff in the country, as it struggles with strained finances and a slowdown in demand.

The loss of 1,600 jobs in Sweden comes as electric car sales slump in Europe and the continent lags far behind China in battery production.

"While overall momentum for electrification remains strong, we need to make sure that we take the right actions at the right time in response to headwinds in the automotive market, and wider industrial climate," Northvolt CEO Peter Carlsson said in a statement.

He added that Northvolt needed to "focus all energy and investments into our core business."

Northvolt, which warned on September 9 that cuts were coming, said that following "initial steps" of a strategic review it estimated that proposed cost-saving measures would result in about 1,000 redundancies at its primary Skelleftea plant -- where an expansion project would be suspended.

The company had intended to expand the capacity of the facility to provide an annual output of 30 GWh, but will now focus on ramping up to 16 GWh.

In July, it said it hoped to reach an annual production of over one GWh this year -- still far from the facility's capacity.

One GWh is enough to equip 20,000 average sized cars.

"Success in the ramp-up of production at Northvolt Ett is critical for delivering to our customers and enabling sustainable business operations," Carlsson said in a statement.

Another 400 positions would be cut in the city of Vasteras and 200 in the Swedish capital Stockholm.

"The rescoping of operations is critical to ensure a sustainable operation and cost base," Northvolt said.

It added that "to achieve this a workforce reduction of approximately 20 percent at a global level, and 25 percent in Sweden is required."

- Cornerstone -

The company employs 6,500 people, according to its website.

Northvolt has been seen as a cornerstone of European attempts to catch up with China and the United States in the production of battery cells, a crucial component of lower-emission cars.

Europe accounts for just three percent of global battery cell production, but has set its sights on 25 percent of the market by the end of the decade.

But the battery maker has also been plagued by production delays, which in May led BMW to drop an order worth 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion).

Northvolt still reports to have contracts worth $55 billion with customers such as Scania, Volvo and Volkswagen.

Volkswagen is also Northvolt's largest shareholder, with a 21 percent stake.

Production delays and lower demand from automotive customers have led to a rapidly deteriorating financial situation, which accelerated at the end of the summer, according to the business daily Dagens Industri.

According to Swedish media reports, Northvolt is trying to organise a new share issue to raise 7.5 billion kronor.

The battery maker has also faced scrutiny in Sweden over concerns about work safety at its sites, with Swedish police currently investigating a number of unexplained deaths of factory workers, who died after working at the plant in Skelleftea.

In mid-September, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that "there are no plans for the Swedish state to become a part owner of Northvolt or anything like that".

Since its creation, the Swedish company has secured $15 billion of credit and capital.

EV Battery Maker Will Cut Some 1,600 Jobs as Demand Slows

Jay Ramey
AUTO WEEK
Tue, September 24, 2024 

EV Battery Maker Will Cut Jobs as Demand Slows
John Walton - PA Images - Getty Images

Northvolt reveals plans to cut some 1,600 jobs in Europe, reducing its global workforce by 20%, amid cost-cutting measures and efforts to slow expansion.


The Swedish battery supplier has cited headwinds in the EV sphere for forcing it to slow its output and expansion, after several years of rapid growth.


EV demand is seen as slowing, according to several automakers, and has already resulted in curtailed model plans, plant downtime, and slashed development budgets in Europe and the US.

Swedish EV battery startup Northvolt signaled weeks ago that a significant pullback in its planned operations was on the horizon, amid a growing sense in the industry that the EV momentum of the early pandemic is showing signs of running out of steam.

The company has hinted in recent months that it expanded too quickly over the past few years, in line with industry expectations of the late 2010s, embarking on an ambitious plant building effort in northern Europe.

Now, Northvolt has specified just how many jobs cuts it will face amid what its CEO called "headwinds" in the EV business.

The company said it plans to cut 1,000 positions at its main site in Skellefteå, Sweden, with an additional 400 cuts planned for Västerås, and 200 in Stockholm.

Overall, the cuts will represent 20% of its current global workforce, and 25% in Sweden alone.


"While overall momentum for electrification remains strong, we need to make sure that we take the right actions at the right time in response to headwinds in the automotive market, and wider industrial climate," said Peter Carlsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Northvolt.

Not all automakers in Europe now share an optimistic view of the rate of EV adoption, after a couple years of fast-paced growth.

In the past few years a number of European automakers including Volvo and VW had struck deals with Northvolt for EV batteries for cars and heavy trucks, including Scania, anticipating a quicker pace of EV adoption.

Now, both VW and Volvo have pared down their EV lineup expectations, with Volvo backing off its earlier goal to go EV-only by 2030. Volvo has not specified just what percentage of its vehicles are likely to be BEV by the end of the decade, but collectively its BEV and PHEV offerings already reached 59% of its sales in Europe in 2023.

Northvolt also reiterated its plans to halt expansion of its Northvolt Ett plant; those additions were aimed at building an extra 30 GWh of annual cell capacity. The company will place the cathode active material production line there into care and maintenance.


Northvolt Labs, located in Västerås, will see a slowdown in expansion as well, as the company hinted earlier this month. Its corporate support personnel in Stockholm will also see reductions in headcount.

"Recent production records at Northvolt Ett show that we are on the right path, but the decisions we're taking today, however tough, are required for Northvolt's future," Carlsson added.

Will the annual percentage of EV sales reach 20% nationwide by 2030? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
MMIW

Family launches their own search for a missing Indigenous woman and make grim discovery in the California desert

Mike Bedigan
Tue 24 September 2024 

Detectives in the California desert, following the discovery of the body of a missing Indigenous woman Amy Porter, who was found after her family launched their own search (OnScene.TV)

A family who launched their own search for a missing Indigenous woman after becoming frustrated with authorities’ perceived lack of action found her body over a week later in the Californiadesert.

Amy Porter, 43, had been missing since September 14 in Lake Elsinore, in Riverside County and had reportedly fled an abusive relationship.

At around 9am on September 22, deputies from the Yucaipa Sheriff’s Station responded to a medical aid call in an area near to the Interstate 10. A body was later identified to be Porter and an autopsy was due to be conducted to determine the manner of her death.


Porter was a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the subject of a Feather Alert for an at-risk/ missing person over the weekend.

“Unfortunately, authorities haven’t been as helpful as we would like them to be,” Angelina Lyons, Porter’s cousin, told OnScene.TV on Sunday morning. “We feel like things weren’t taken seriously.”

Amy Porter, 43, a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians was found dead on Sunday September 22 (San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department)

Lyons said she had discovered blood on a mattress and clothing in Porter’s bedroom, but she said authorities did not investigate properly.

“Now they want to do their jobs, they want to investigate, want to go to the house,” she added. “They want to finally take what we’ve seen. We knew better.”

Porter’s cousin Shannon Quesada and Lyons said they believed she was trying to flee from danger when she was involved in a car accident.

“She was seen running from a hotel that they were both at, on foot, barefoot, running to her Suburban,” Quesada said.

Porter’s boyfriend, whose name was unavailable late Monday, has not been linked to the case, according to The Los Angeles Times. He was taken into custody by police in Pomona on Friday on an unrelated parole violation, local news stations reported.

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with further information about this case is asked to contact Detective Daniel Berumen of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department at (909) 890-4904.
Alaska Governor Signs Bill to Establish MMIP Commission


By Elyse Wild 
NATIVE NEWS ONLINE
 September 11, 2024

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy signed legislation last week to address the state's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis.

Senate Bill 151 will establish a nine-member commission tasked with reviewing unsolved MMIP cases and making policy, practice, and service recommendations to the state legislature and the Department of Public Safety.

The commission will seat representatives from victim advocacy groups and Alaska Native Tribal organizations, police departments, village public safety departments, two members from the legislature, and a prosecutor with experience in homicide cases.

The commission meetings will be closed to the public.

The MMIP crisis is prevalent across the country, with Indigenous peoples being murdered at a rate up to ten times the national average. Homicide is one of the leading causes of death for Native women. While the Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates there are 4,200 unsolved MMIP cases, the actual number is likely higher, Native advocates say.

Advocates and lawmakers have identified multiple drivers of the MMIP crisis:Egregiously underfunded tribal law enforcement
Jurisdictional confusion between tribal, local, state police and the BIA
Exclusion of Indigenous people in data
Underwhelming media coverage

According to the National Missing Persons Database (NamUS), in 2021, Alaska topped the list of states with the most unsolved missing person cases among American Indian and Alaska Native cases at 292.

SB 151 was first introduced last May and received support from various Alaska Native groups.

In January 2024, a letter from the Alaska Native Women's Resources Center suggested the bill include language to: "create a review of the commission and reports before sunsetting these two programs to ensure that there has been an adequate amount of time to address all the needs, ideas and solutions. 2) include mandatory cultural training provided by an Indigenous organization, tribe or contractor for all law enforcement."

The bill also requires the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS) to file a missing persons report to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System within 60 days of a report being filed at the local level. DPS will also employ at least two full-time MMIP investigators.

Along with the Alaska Native Women's Resources Center, the bill was supported by Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates and the Fairbanks Native Association.

The law will take effect on January 1, 2025.
GOP Montana Senate Candidate Caught on Tape Comparing His Experience in Afghanistan to Dealing with Montana Native Americans
DID HE BRING HIS TRANSLATER WITH HIM

NATIVE NEWS
Yahoo News
NATIVE VOTE 2024
September 24, 2024

GOP U.S. Senate Candidate Tim Sheehy speaks to the Fort Peck Tribal Council. Photo/Video)By Levi Rickert September 24, 2024

There he goes again.

Already in hot water with Native American tribes in Montana for his racist and disparaging remarks about members of the Crow Nation, Montana Republican Tim Sheehy who is running to replace three-term U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), has been caught on tape making a false comparison to Indigenous Afghans and Indigenous people of Montana.

Speaking in front of the Fort Peck Tribal Council last month, Sheehy said: “You know, I lived amongst the Indigenous folks there who were colonized, lived in mud huts for months and years on end, eating their food, learning their culture, learning their language.”

A former Navy Seal, while serving time in Afghanistan, Sheehy apparently spent time with some Indigenous people of the war-ravaged country.

Perhaps, Sheehy feels his time spent among the Afghans has prepared him for working with the eight tribes in Montana. However, his previous comments don’t reflect his ability to maintain a trusting relationship with the Montana tribes.

In an audio clip recorded at a fundraiser on November 6, 2023, Sheehy brags about roping and branding with members of the Crow Nation. He says “it’s a great way to bond with the Indians while they’re drunk at 8:00 a.m.”

Four days later, while speaking at a Hamilton campaign event, Sheehy told the audience he rode in the Crow Fair parade. “They’ll let you know when they like you or not, if Coors Light cans flying by your head…They respect that,” was heard on another audio clip.

On September 5, the National Congress of Americans (NCAI) condemned the Republican candidate’s racist comments in a statement:

“The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) strongly condemns the remarks made by Montana GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, in which he used offensive language to stereotype Native people. Such harmful rhetoric has no place in public discourse, especially from those seeking elected office. These derogatory comments are a stark reminder of the persistent racism that Native communities continue to face.”

Crow Nation Chariman Frank Whiteclay said in a September 8 letter said Sheehy's comments reflect a discriminatory and racially prejudiced belief about all Native Americans. Whiteclay called Sheehy's comments "highly unprofessional."

Last week Friday, September 20, Sheehy made an appearance on FOX News and was given a chance to clarify those comments, but instead told the host that they are old recordings, and suggested they were edited to make him sound poorly. He offered no apology to Montana tribal leaders or tribal citizens.

“As you know, they’ll take recordings from years ago, chop them up and make them sound, you know, evil,” Sheehy said.

The recordings from last November obviously were not from years ago.

In a Napolitan News survey released on Tuesday, Sept. 24, Sheehy leads incumbent Tester 50 percent to 43 percent, conducted by RMG Research, of 491 potential voters. This is a flip of a Napolitan poll conducted in August that showed Tester with five point lead.

It was not clear if the survey included Native Americans in the state.

    Banner encouraging voters to get to the polls in 2018. (Photo/PLAN Nevada)

    Guest Opinion. As a retired chairman of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles and triumphs of our people as we have fought to protect our lands, our sovereignty, and our way of life. Today we stand at a critical crossroads - The Project 2025 Plan and Agenda, a conservative blueprint developed by The Heritage Foundation and other aligned groups, poses a threat to everything we have fought for. It seeks to roll back decades of progress in safeguarding our rights, our lands, and the keystone cultural species and sacred places that are integral to our identity and first peoples of Nevada.

    The time has come for Nevada's Native Nations to unite - not only to defend our sovereignty but also to forge alliances with communities of color, equity advocates and environmental justice movements. Together, we can resist this agenda, and protect our cultural heritage, and mobilize our communities with a powerful "Get Out the Native Vote" campaign to ensure our voices are heard and our future is safeguarded.

    Protecting Sovereignty: A Collective Imperative

    For Native Nations like ours, the principles of sovereignty and self determination are not abstract concepts - they are the bedrock of our existence. The Project 2025 agenda's push for deregulation and smaller government might seem distant from our day-to-day lives, but its impacts will be felt deeply in our communities. By reducing federal oversight and empowering states to prioritize deregulated resource extraction, the agenda threatens to strip away the protections that safeguard our lands, waters, and keystone cultural species - those plants, animals, and places that are central to our cultural identity and survival.

    As Indigenous peoples, we must stand firm in asserting our sovereignty. Our right to govern our lands, resources, and communities is non-negotiable. This responsibility includes the sacred responsibility to protect the species and ecologies that are integral to our cultural heritage. But this fight is not our's alone. We must seek common cause with other communities of color who have been marginalized and exploited. Our struggles are interconnected, and our strength lies in unity. By joining forces with equity and social justice movements, we can amplify our voices to ensure that the defense of Indigenous sovereignty and cultural heritage becomes a rallying cry for all who believe in biodiversity, equity and justice.

    But we cannot achieve this without political power: Get Out the Native Vote Now must be our battle cry. Our vote is our voice, and it is key to ensuring that our leaders respect our sovereignty, protect our lands, and honor our histories. By turning out in record numbers, we can make sure that our interests are represented and that those who seek to undermine our rights are held accountable.

    Environmental Justice: Our Sacred Responsibility

    The landscapes of Nevada are not just places of natural beauty, they are sacred spaces that hold deep cultural and spiritual significance to our people. Many of these landscapes are homes to cultural keystone species - like the pinion pine, which has sustained our peoples for generations, or the salmon that are essential to the life ways of many tribes. The Project 2025 agenda emphasis on deregulation poses a direct threat to these sacred lands and species, as it seeks to open them up to unregulated mining, drilling, and other forms of exploitation. This is not just an environmental issue - it is a violation of our rights as Indigenous peoples.

    But we are not alone in this fight. Communities of color across Nevada, from the urban centers of Las Vegas and Reno to the rural heartlands, are also on the front lines of environmental injustice. Polluted air, contaminated water, and toxic waste dis-proportionately impact our communities, making the fight for environmental justice a shared responsibility. By aligning with these communities, we can build a powerful coalition that demands accountability and prioritizes the health and well being of all Nevadans while also protecting the species and ecologies that are central to our cultures. Getting Out the Native Vote Now is crucial to this effort. Elected officials who support environmental justice, protect sacred places, and respect Indigenous peoples rights are more likely to be held accountable when we show up at the polls. By voting, we ensure that our voices are heard in the halls of power, where decisions about our lands and our futures are made.

    Equity and Social Justice: A Unified Movement

    In the face of the Project 2025 agenda, it is clear that the fight for Indigenous Rights cannot be separated from the broader struggles for equity and social justice. Our histories are intertwined with those of other marginalized communities, and our futures are equally connected. Whether it is the fight for affordable housing, access to healthcare, educational opportunities, or fair wages, the issues that impact our neighbors also impact us. Moreover, the protection of cultural keystone species and places is not just an Indigenous concern; it is a matter of equity and justice for all who value the preservation of cultural heritage and biodiversity.

    By building alliances with equity advocates, labor unions, and civil rights organizations, we can create a unified movement that is stronger than the sum of its parts. Together, we can challenge the systematic inequalities that have kept our communities oppressed for too long. This is not just about resisting the Project 2025 agenda - it is about envisioning and working toward a Nevada where all people, regardless of race or background, can thrive and where our cultural heritage and ecological treasures are safeguarded for future generations.

    Our Vote is a critical tool in this fight. By coming together to Get Out the Native Vote Now, we can ensure that our elected officials prioritize equity and social justice. When we vote, we make it clear that we will not stand for policies that harm our communities and that we will hold our leaders accountable for their actions.

    Indigenous Rights: Leading the Way Forward

    As Indigenous peoples, we have a unique role to play in this movement. Our deep connection to the land and our long history of resistance to colonialism give us the moral authority to lead the fight against the Project 2025 agenda. But leadership does not mean going it alone. It means reaching out to others, and building bridges, and fostering solidarity across lines of race, class, and geography. Central to this leadership is our commitment to protecting the cultural keystone species and places that are vital to our identity and survival.

    The challenges we face are daunting, but they are not insurmountable. By coming together - Tribal Nations, communities of color, equity advocates and environmental justice warriors - we can resist this agenda and create a Nevada that honors the Rights of all its people, protects the lands and species we hold sacred, and upholds the principles of justice and equity for all. But this vision will only become a realty if we make our voices heard at the ballot box. Get Out the Native Vote Now is not just a slogan; it is our Call to Action. It is our way of ensuring that our leaders respect our rights, protect our lands and work for the wellbeing of all Nevadans.

     Conclusion: A Call to Action

    The Project 2025 agenda represents a clear and present danger to the future of Nevada's Native Nations and to all who value justice, equity, environmental stewardship, and cultural heritage. But we have the power to resist. By uniting with our allies and building a broad-based movement that centers Indigenous rights and the protection of cultural keystone species, we can protect our sovereignty, defend our lands, and create a future where all Nevadan's can live with dignity, respect, and a deep connection to the natural world.

    And we can only do this if we Vote! Get Out the Native Vote Now is our path to ensuring that our voices are heard and that our rights are protected. The time to act is now. Let us stand together, in solidarity and in strength, to ensure that Nevada remains a place where justice, equity, and the protection of our cultural and ecological treasures are not just ideals, but realities for all.

    A Legacy of Harm: The Navajo Nation Demands Justice for Uranium Mining Victims



    By Dr. Buu Nygren
     September 18, 2024
    Guest Opinion. 


    The Navajo Nation, its workers and families, have carried the heavy burden of uranium mining’s toxic legacy for decades. They have suffered the devastating consequences of exposure to radiation. Our land has been scarred by the extraction of an element that was once considered critical to our national security.

    The harm it left did not end with the closing of the mines. It has continued for generations. Many Navajo citizens developed serious illnesses such as cancer and respiratory diseases. The toll of uranium mining is a profound chapter of our people’s history. It demands immediate and comprehensive justice.

    As President of the Navajo Nation, it’s my duty to protect the health and wellness of my people. I have said enough is enough. We now face a repeat of history with this country’s renewed interest in uranium mining, and with uranium ore being transported across my people’s sacred land.

    The Navajo Nation stands united with the affected uranium miners, Downwinders and their families. Together, we will march to the U.S. Capitol later this month alongside other tribal leaders and impacted communities to demand Congress act with urgency.

    In August, I worked with our Navajo Nation Council to strengthen laws regarding uranium transportation to prevent more disasters from occurring from this deadly element.

    Despite our concerns, laws, testimony and declarations, Congress failed in June 2024 when it allowed the 1990 Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to expire. This failure in leadership left thousands of workers and their families in limbo. They were left without access to the critical health screenings or minimal compensation once provided by RECA. This is not a failure in policy. It is a failure in responsibility.

    My message to Congress and the uranium mining industry is clear: do not start new mining and transport uranium across our lands when you haven’t even addressed the last crisis you caused.

    The federal government and private companies knowingly exploited the Navajo people during the uranium boom. It concealed the dangers of radiation exposure from workers. It failed to provide my people with proper protective equipment.

    Workers were not warned of the dangers as they drank water contaminated by mining operations and as families built homes from mining debris. They were unaware that these materials were poisoned. But others knew.

    Governments have a duty to protect their people. In this case, the U.S. failed to do that.

    Navajo uranium miners were men and women who were asked to serve their country by working in the uranium mines. They now suffer from debilitating illnesses. They have waited too long for justice. Further delay is unconscionable.

    Thankfully, Congress has a solution available. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act, S. 3853, has passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support with a vote of 69-30.

    Critically, this bill extends RECA benefits to those affected by uranium mining operations beyond 1971. It addresses the broader impact on Downwinders and other communities.

    Uranium mines on the Navajo Nation remained operational until 1990. Any viable RECA extension must include uranium workers through that time. Any earlier cut-off date would leave a significant number of Navajo uranium workers without the recognition or compensation they deserve.

    For over 30 years, the Navajo Nation has tirelessly advocated for these workers. It is unacceptable to leave them behind.

    RECA has been sitting at the House Clerk’s desk since March 2024 awaiting action from Speaker Mike Johnson and House leadership. The House could act to reinstate RECA today.

    Sadly, Speaker Johnson has prioritized dollars and cents over justice for the communities poisoned by our government. He has rejected every compromise solution, shortening the duration of the program from 19 years to just six years with reduced compensation. The speaker has refused to meet with us to share his objections directly with those affected.

    The U.S. has spent untold billions on foreign aid and wars. Yet when it comes to protecting the lives of American citizens – specifically the Navajo people, who contributed so much in the interest of national security – the federal government turns its back.

    We call upon Speaker Johnson to bring the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act to the House floor for a vote. The time for action is now.

    Our march to the U.S. Capitol is not just about policy. It is about human live. It is about the countless Navajo families who have lost loved ones to cancer, who have watched their health deteriorate, and who continue to live in fear of what tomorrow may bring. It is about honoring the sacrifices made by uranium workers to ensure that their suffering is not forgotten.

    We are not asking for favors. We are asking for justice. Congress has the opportunity to do what is right and rectify a historic wrong. The Navajo Nation will not rest until justice is secured for our people and for all those impacted by uranium mining. It is time for Congress to listen, to act, and to bring an end to this dark legacy.

    Buu Nygren is the president of the Navajo Nation.


    Apache Stronghold Takes Oak Flat Fight to Supreme Court

    NATIVE NEWS ONLINE
    09/23/24

    Wendsler Nosie has led the fight to protect Oak Flats for almost a decade.

    NATIVE N(Photo/Apache Stronghold)By Kaili Berg September 12, 2024

    Apache Stronghold, a Native American advocacy group, has made a final legal plea to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the development of one of the world’s largest copper mines on sacred Arizona land.

    The group, representing the San Carlos Apache tribe, has long opposed the efforts of mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP to gain access to Oak Flat, known to the Apache as Chi’chil Biłdagoteel, arguing that the project would destroy a key religious site.


    Chi’chil Biłdagoteel, or Oak Flat, is a federally owned piece of land located in Arizona. It holds deep spiritual significance for the San Carlos Apache people and other tribes for time immemorial.

    However, Oak Flat is also home to a vast copper reserve, estimated to contain over 40 billion pounds of the metal. Copper is a crucial material for the production of electric vehicles and electronics, making the land a prime target for resource extraction in the global shift toward renewable energy.

    If a mine is built, the site would be transformed into a crater two miles wide and 1,100 feet deep, devastating the land’s sacred and ecological value.

    The conflict over Oak Flat began in 2014 when Congress, under President Barack Obama, approved a land swap deal that would allow the federal government to transfer Oak Flat to Rio Tinto and BHP in exchange for other parcels of land.

    This deal quickly sparked backlash from Apache Stronghold, which argued that the mining project would desecrate a sacred Apache worship site.

    By 2015, the group had launched legal challenges and organized protests, raising awareness about the cultural and religious importance of Oak Flat. The case gained national attention as it became a flashpoint for the broader debate over Indigenous land rights and environmental justice.

    In 2021, when President Joe Biden took office, he temporarily froze the land swap. However, the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice later argued in court that the federal government has the right to dispose of its land for national purposes, even if it interferes with religious practices.

    The situation took a significant turn in March 2024 when the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the mining companies, allowing the land swap to proceed. Apache Stronghold vowed to continue their fights, taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

    In September 2024, Apache Stronghold delivered their appeal to the Supreme Court, following a months-long caravan from their Arizona reservation to Washington, D.C. The group then held a ceremony of prayer and dance on the steps of the Supreme Court.

    For Apache Stronghold’s appeal to move forward, at least four Supreme Court justices must agree to hear the case. If the court accepts, oral arguments could begin as early as the next term, which starts in October 2024, with a decision potentially being issued by June 2025.
    Canadian Medical Association Apologizes for Harming First Nations People

    By Native News Online Staff September 20, 2024

    The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) apologized for its role and the role of the medical profession in past and ongoing harms to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in the health system.

    In presenting the apology at a ceremony held on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Victoria on the ancestral lands of the lək̓ʷəŋiʔnəŋ-speaking people of Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations., CMA President Dr. Joss Reimer spoke of the organization's commitment to being accountable and working together with Indigenous Peoples to do better in the spirit of humility and reciprocity.

    “We have not lived up to the ethical standards the medical profession is expected to uphold to ensure the highest standard of care is provided to patients and trust is fostered in physicians, residents and medical students,” she said. “We realize we have left Indigenous Peoples out of that high standard of care.”

    The ceremony also included singers, drummers, dancers, musicians and storytellers.

    Approximately 225 guests, including local and national Indigenous leaders, members of the CMA Indigenous Guiding Circle and Indigenous Survivors listened as CMA leadership outlined the organization’s path to an apology.

    “Today, we turn the first page of a new chapter in the CMA’s history,” said Dr. Alika Lafontaine, CMA president (2022–23). “It's a chapter that we hope First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples can write with us together, as we work toward a health system that provides Indigenous Peoples
    with the right care, at the right time, in the right place, in a good way.”

    That path included an in-depth review of more than 150 years of archives, which revealed the role the CMA, and the medical profession, have played in the mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples, whether through action or inaction. These harms include the devastating impacts of Indian hospitals, forced medical experimentation, forced sterilization, child apprehensions, systemic racism, neglect and abuse within the health care system.

    The CMA’s first Indigenous president, Dr. Lafontaine announced the association’s commitment to an apology in June 2023, as an important part of the CMA’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. With the goal of creating meaningful change in health care and in the relationship between physicians and Indigenous Peoples, the CMA is hoping the apology inspires members of the profession and medical organizations to begin their own reconciliation journeys.

    Building on past reconciliation work, the CMA’s ReconciliACTION Plan outlines how it will advance health and well-being for Indigenous Peoples, support the medical profession’s journey toward truth and reconciliation, and promote internal reconciliation as an organization.

     


      Mona Lisa, by Artificial intelligence (with my prompts, so do I own it?) (Photo/Professor Victoria Sutton)

      Guest Opinion. The U.S. Constitution provides for the protection of the arts, which has been implemented through statutory and regulatory protections for authors and inventors:

      “promote the [p]rogress of . . . Arts”

      ——U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 8.

      The entire quote from the Constitution reads, “To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.” But it is the “promote the progress of . . . “ clause that is having difficulty with courts that do not see artificial intelligence as “progress” but that the arts are in need of protection from it.

      “Artists” who are using artificial intelligence (AI) are a challenge to the copyright office. In response, the Copyright Office officially published a “statement of policy to clarify its practices for examining and registering works that contain material generated by the use of artificial intelligence technology for the use of AI in copyright applications,” effective March 16, 2023.

      In August 2023, in a case where the applicant was denied copyright protection for his “autonomously” created artwork, the D.C. District Court held that the artificial intelligence function was the sole creator of the art it created. But because only a person can hold a copyright, this and any AI art is ineligible for registration.

      The copyright applicant in this case, Thaler, filed an application to register a creation called “Entrance to Paradise” (see below) created by artificial intelligence which he identified as his “Creativity Machine,” which he included as a claimant. Thaler admits that the art “was autonomously created by a computer algorithm running on a machine” in his claim notes. He also writes in a note to the Copyright Office that he is “seeking to register this computer-generated work as a work-for-hire to the owner of the Creativity Machine” which is Thaler.

      In August 12, 2019, the Copyright Office sent Thaler a letter denying registration to Thaler finding that it “lacks the human authorship necessary to support a copyright claim.” 

      After a series of administrative appeals, the Office's Review Board issued a final determination affirming that the work could not be registered because it was made “without any creative contribution from a human actor.” 

      This week, on September 19, 2024, the D.C. Circuit Court heard an appeal from the D.C. District Court opinion last year, affirming the Copyright Office decision not to register the AI created work. The question before the court is whether the Copyright Office "correctly denied a registration application that claimed on its face that the work was autonomously generated by an AI [system]." But Thaler argued he had more to do with it than previously argued, confusing the judges panel about what question was before them, according to one account. It is likely that the lower court’s opinion will be affirmed, but we will see.

      Art competitions

      In 2022, Jason Michael Allen entered his AI created art using Midjourney in the Colorado State Fair category for digitally created art, and won the top prize, marking the first time AI had won in a competition.

      The Copyright Office also rejected Allen’s application for copyright of his award-winning work, citing that there was more than a de minimis contribution from artificial intelligence (the office had asked Allen to provide which elements were his, and he declined).

      Argument of Artists

      Artists who create works of art argue that artificial intelligence functions are based on training they received by ingesting their works, thus using the work of others to make their own. However, it seems that is exactly what human minds do by being human and living in the world of art. They are inspired and so create based on their “training” of seeing the Masters who have painted and created great works of art, as well as those that are lesser known artists. Having a machine assist you in that process is human enhancement of a sort.

      How far does the Copyright Act extend?

      There is some question as to whether the Copyright Act extends to tribal lands, because the Act is silent on its application beyond the “states”. Native American scholar, Trevor Reed, argues that each Tribe should decide whether it applies within their jurisdiction. Tribes are also free to create their own copyright laws.

      Further conflicts with AI in Indigenous Cultures

      Where art is depicting sacred objects or ideas, the use of artificial intelligence to generate “aboriginal art” can be offensive and misappropriating indigenous culture. In this example, a law firm in Australia used this to show how indigenous art can be stolen for artificial intelligence art generation in a potentially offensive way:

      The use of artificial intelligence can also be used to police copied, misappropriated or even stolen indigenous art. A Google image search can find similar images and artificial intelligence can enhance that function.

      Artificial Intelligence for Artists Today

      Many AI applications like two of them in the title of this article, are created for artists to use in the generation of art that can be used commercially or sold, but still not copyrighted.

      Some competitions like the Colorado Fair competition where one of the first AI generated artworks won the digital division competition, have now required disclosure as to whether the artist used artificial intelligence in the creation of their entry in the competition.

      Until we hear from the D.C. Circuit Court, these works will continue to be ineligible for registration at least to AI ownership because AI is not a person; and not to the human “prompt artist” because they did not create the work.

      Ultimately, when the U.S. Congress catches up on the plight of artists and copyright, they may be able to fashion legislation for another category of AI generated art that has some limitations on its infringement just like human-generated art. “Prompt artists” will need to direct it not to “copy” other works, and that may be a challenge.

      So do I own the Mona Lisa-like image created with artificial intelligence at the beginning of this article? Obviously it was trained on the original Mona Lisa created by Da Vinci in 1503-1506.

      Yes, I own it but I am not the creator yet I can use it royalty free. It is not, however, eligible for copyright protection—yet.

      To read more articles by Professor Sutton go to:  https://profvictoria.substack.com/ 

      Professor Victoria Sutton (Lumbee) is a law professor on the faculty of Texas Tech University. In 2005, Sutton became a founding member of the National Congress of American Indians, Policy Advisory Board to the NCAI Policy Center, positioning the Native American community to act and lead on policy issues affecting Indigenous communities in the United States.