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Category Archives: Freedom

Texas A&M Creating A Task Force To Work On Academic Freedom – Navasota News

Posted: December 28, 2023 at 11:54 pm

December 28, 2023 by Kenny Graves

Since the first week of August, a Texas A and M task force has been working on multiple issues related to academic freedom. Decembers meeting of the A and M faculty senate was dominated by a task force update. One of the task force members, Heather Lench of the faculty affairs office, said one of the outcomes is creating an academic freedom task force.

The elected council could review allegations of what is said or presented by faculty and staff.

The council could also provide advice to the university administration about academic freedom.

In an online message posted by university president Mark Welsh before Christmas break, he wrote that the academic freedom council would be composed of faculty, at least one librarian, and one research scientists.

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H.S. BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Freedom teams advance to Christmas tournament title games – Morganton News Herald

Posted: at 11:54 pm

JUSTIN EPLEY Sports editor

Down 11 points after three quarters, the Freedom girls basketball teams hopes for advancing to the championship game of its home holiday tournament looked slim.

But the Lady Patriots put together a 27-15 fourth quarter to rally past Asheville School 63-62 in Wednesday evenings semifinal game in Morganton, sending FHS into the first-place game versus Concord Academy at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening.

For Freedom (8-4), the comeback started with a Sydnie Demiter 3-pointer just 9 seconds into the fourth quarter and was followed by her 2 for 2 trip to the foul line. Junior Peyton Caldwell then went on a tear for the hosts, scoring the teams next 11 points, including going 5 for 5 at the foul line, to bring the Lady Patriots within 56-52 with 3:45 left to play.

Three straight points from Ava Whitaker, followed by two more free throws from Caldwell, tied the game with 1:43 left to play. Another pair of makes from the stripe by Caldwell gave Freedom a 59-57 lead with 1:21 left, its first lead since late in the second quarter.

The Lady Blues retook the lead, 60-59, with 59 seconds left, but Cheryllana Cunninghams 3 with 51 ticks left on the clock made it 62-60. Another tie came on an Asheville School steal-and-score with 37 seconds left.

Caldwell set the final margin with a free throw with 13 seconds left before both teams proceeded to miss a pair of free throws in the final 9 seconds, and the Lady Blues turned over the ball on an inbound pass with 0.3 seconds left.

Caldwell (25 points) and Demiter (16) led the way for FHS. The rest of the hosts scoring came from Ava Cooke (seven points), Cunningham (five), Whitaker (five), Haven Gladden (four) and Ava Whisnant (one).

Asheville School, which slotted into Thursday afternoons third-place game versus Hibriten, was led by Ryann Hernandez (27 points), Alisha Watkins (15) and Maya Robinson (11).

Both teams encountered foul trouble late as the Lady Blues lost Robinson, Sarah Cutshaw and Carmen Perez Aparicio and Whitaker fouled out for the Lady Patriots.

The Lady Wildcats (4-7) collected their first win of the tournament with a consolation bracket victory in mercy-rule fashion over the Lady Stars on Wednesday morning in Morganton, leading 21-6 after a quarter, 42-14 at halftime and 62-19 after three periods.

A trio of players finished in double figures for Draughn. They included Zoe Rector (18 points), Kenley Berry (16) and Jenna Abernathy (14). The rest of DHS offensive output came from Emilee Cook (seven points), Rylee Woody (six), Ambria Blalock (two) and Jacey Davis (two).

It was Rising Stars Preps first game of the tournament after travel problems caused them to forfeit Tuesday evenings first-round game versus host Freedom. With the loss, the Lady Stars fell into Thursday mornings seventh-place game against T.C. Roberson.

The Patriots (6-6) gradually distanced themselves from the Wildcats (3-8) in Wednesday nights semifinal matchup in Morganton, using a 27-14 third period to pull away for good after leading 15-11 and 31-27 after the first two periods.

The result sent Freedom into Thursday nights championship game versus West Caldwell and Draughn into Thursday evenings third-place game versus T.C. Roberson.

It was still just a five-point lead, 43-38, with 2:15 left in the third before FHS caught fire at the end of the frame. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Braxton King suddenly made it a double-digit game, and a basket by Jaiveon Belin and back-to-back scores by Kris Creekmore made it 55-39. Another 3, this one by Amare Williams, let the Patriots end the quarter with a 58-41 lead.

Williams (two) and King combined for three more 3s in the first three minutes of the fourth frame to put the hosts up 22 points, 67-45, and they maintained things from there.

Kobe Johnson (15 points), who did much of the earlier damage, and King (14) finished in double figures for Freedom. Williams (nine points), Gavin McNaughton (eight), Elijah Davidson (seven), Belin (four), Creekmore (four), King Johnson (four), Jonah Griggs (two), Kayden Lytle (two) and Max Taylor (two) filled out the rest of the scoresheet.

DAndre Moore (26 points) and Eli Tillery (13) led the way for DHS. Also scoring for the Wildcats were Ethan Miller (six points), Blaine Blackwell (two), Connor Houston (two) and Blake McElyea (one).

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Gow cites freedom of expression in defending porn videos which led to his firing as UWL chancellor – WIZM NEWS

Posted: at 11:54 pm

Gow cites freedom of expression in defending porn videos which led to his firing as UWL chancellor  WIZM NEWS

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Sound Of Freedom: All Updates & Controversies Since It Released – Screen Rant

Posted: at 11:54 pm

Summary

Sound of Freedom premiered in July 2023 and was a surprise hit at the box office. But in the months following its release, the movie, the people behind the making of it, and its inspiration have been at the center of numerous controversies. The 2023 Angel Studios crime thriller film is based on Tim Ballard's work to combat sex trafficking and revolves around one of his missions to save a girl from a trafficking ring in Columbia. However, the truth behind the movie (and Ballard's accounts of his missions) has been questioned by many after its premiere.

The cast of Sound of Freedom featured Jim Caviezel as Tim Ballard, Mira Sorvino as Katherine Ballard, Bill Camp as Vampiro, Eduardo Verstegui as Paulo Delgado, Javier Godino as Jorge, Jos Ziga as Roberto Aguilar, Kurt Fuller as Frost, Gary Basaraba as Earl Buchanan, and Gerardo Taracena as El Alacrn. They came together to adapt Ballard's tale for the big screen with a script written by Alejandro Monteverde (also the director) and Rod Barr. Despite its shocking success (the movie grossed $250.3 million against a $14.5 million budget), there is much debate concerning the story's validity, especially since Ballard and others have been accused of several controversial actions.

Shortly after the release of Sound of Freedom on July 4, 2023, Operation Underground Railroad the Utah-based anti-sex trafficking organization that Tim Ballard founded in 2013 announced that Ballard had left the nonprofit in June 2023. He was the CEO, and given his recent increase in publicity due to the film about his life, it was surprising to learn that Ballard was no longer attached to Operation Underground Railroad. However, in the weeks following the news about his disassociation with the organization, it became clear why Ballard parted ways with the nonprofit (which has also been at the center of controversy regarding its methods, funding, and alleged false claims).

According to Vice, Operation Underground Railroad performed an investigation into sexual misconduct claims from seven women within the organization concerning Ballard's behavior. Following the investigation, Ballard resigned, and Operation Underground Railroad released a statement that read:

"O.U.R. is dedicated to combatting sexual abuse, and does not tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination by anyone in its organization. O.U.R. retained an independent law firm to conduct a comprehensive investigation of all relevant allegations, and O.U.R. continues to assess and improve the governance of the organization and protocols for its operations."

As mentioned above, some experts allege that Sound of Freedom is primarily a work of fiction rather than a true tale of Tim Ballard's mission to save children from sex trafficking in Columbia. They claimed that the 2023 crime thriller's depiction of child sex trafficking and how the government combats it was inaccurate. These statements led to others revisiting investigations into Operation Underground Railroad and how truthful the organization had been when reporting figures concerning how many people its members had saved from sex trafficking. Plus, the nonprofit has been criticized for its methods. As a result, the truthfulness behind the movie has been widely debated.

In the months following the release of Sound of Freedom, NBC News reported that Tim Ballard was "very seriously considering" running for a vacant United States Senate seat in 2024. Mitt Romney, the junior Senator from Utah, previously announced that he would not run for reelection and would retire following the conclusion of his current term in 2025. So, Ballard was interested in running for Romney's Utah seat, but that might change due to recent events.

After the sexual misconduct allegations concerning Tim Ballard's behavior within Operation Underground Railroad became public, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints excommunicated him. It also didn't help that Ballard had previously claimed that M. Russell Ballard, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Mormon Church until his death in November 2023, approved of his work with his nonprofit. The Church released a personal rebuke of Ballard that stated:

"[We] never endorsed, supported or represented OUR, Tim Ballard or any projects associated with them. Once it became clear Tim Ballard had betrayed their friendship, through the unauthorized use of President Ballard's name for Tim Ballard's personal advantage and activity regarded as morally unacceptable, President Ballard withdrew his association."

In October 2023, five anonymous women filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Tim Ballard that alleged the former CEO of Operation Underground Railroad had manipulated and abused them during undercover missions. The lawsuit also claims that the higher-ups at Operation Underground Railroad were aware of the misconduct and did nothing about it. Quickly after the lawsuit became public, a sixth woman came forward and filed her own lawsuit. The Slate article goes into more detail concerning the troubling allegations, but most of them revolve around Ballard taking advantage of women while they were undercover as sex trafficking victims.

Tim Ballard wasn't the only figure associated with Sound of Freedom who has been the subject of sexual misconduct investigations Paul Hutchinson, a producer and Operation Underground Railroad employee, was caught on camera groping the breasts of an underage girl during a mission in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, according to Newsweek. Hutchinson claimed that the sex trafficking victim was over 18 years old at the time, but the FBI's investigation report suggests otherwise. Nevertheless, Mexican authorities did not press charges against Hutchinson.

Fabian Marta, one of the patrons who donated to Sound of Freedom, was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, and charged with accessory to child kidnapping a few weeks after the 2023 film's premiere. A few months following his arrest, though, the Missouri Circuit Court dropped the charges and released a statement that revealed there was no sufficient evidence to prove Marta was guilty. Despite his release, the arrest certainly didn't quiet the controversies surrounding the movie.

Following the release of the 2023 crime thriller, Eduardo Verstegui, the executive producer and star of the film, announced he had filed the paperwork to run as an independent candidate for the upcoming presidential race in Mexico. Verstegui played Paulo Delgado, a wealthy man who funded Ballard's mission in the movie, and now he wants to be the President of Mexico. However, he has not been immune to the controversies surrounding Sound of Freedom. Verstegui previously posted a video on social media that seemingly threatened the LGBTQ+ community and climate change activists, which led to much criticism.

Sound of Freedom is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Source: Vice, NBC News, Slate, Newsweek

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Im ready for freedom, Gypsy Rose Blanchard says as she gets early release from jail after role in moms… – The US Sun

Posted: at 11:54 pm

Im ready for freedom, Gypsy Rose Blanchard says as she gets early release from jail after role in moms...  The US Sun

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Turkish Airlines Hasn’t Applied For Permission to Operate Crucial Fifth-Freedom Flights From Singapore to Australia – paddleyourownkanoo.com

Posted: at 11:54 pm

Turkish Airlines is yet to apply for permission to operate so-called Fifth Freedom flights from Singapore, which are necessary for the airline to launch flights to Australia something that the Istanbul-based carrier wants to do in just over three months time.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has confirmed to the Straits Times that Turkish Airlines is yet to submit an application to operate Fifth Freedom flights and the airline wont be allowed to operate these flights until it has received approval.

Fifth Freedom rights allow a foreign airline to operate an international flight via a third country and sell tickets on both segments. In this case, Turkish Airlines would be allowed to sell tickets for the flight from Istanbul to Singapore, and the flight from Singapore to Australia, as well as the direct service from Istanbul to Australia.

Earlier this month, Turkish Airlines chairman, Ahmet Bolat, made it known that the carrier hoped to launch its eagerly anticipated flights to Australia at some point between March 15 and March 2024 and that the flights would operate via Singapore.

Bolat also said the airline was in advanced talks with Hollywood superstar Margot Robbie to become the celebrity face of Turkish Airlines ahead of the inaugural flight, although few other details are yet to be released.

Turkish Airlines hasnt confirmed which city or cities it plans to fly to in Australia, although the Australian government will initially allow Turkish Airlines to operate up to 21 weekly flights to Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Brisbane and Perth.

From late 2024, capacity will increase to 28 weekly flights and by late 2025, up to 35 weekly flights will be allowed.

The Straits Times attempted to reach out to Turkish Airlines about its plans, but multiple emails went unanswered.

The Australian government is keen to get Turkish Airlines to launch flights to the country in an effort to increase competition on key international routes and drive down airfares.

Transport Minister Catherine Kinghas faced criticism over her decision to reject an application from Qatar Airways to increase its quota of flights to Australia as it is stifling competition.

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Turkish Airlines Hasn't Applied For Permission to Operate Crucial Fifth-Freedom Flights From Singapore to Australia - paddleyourownkanoo.com

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New ballot language submitted for proposed changes to Arkansas Freedom of Information Act – Mountain Home Observer

Posted: at 11:54 pm

A nonpartisan group of government transparency advocates has revised its proposal for a citizen-initiated act that would alter the states Freedom of Information Act.

On Thursday, Arkansas Citizens for Transparency again submitted ballot language for the proposed 2024 initiative. Attorney General Tim Griffinrejected a previous iterationof the popular name and ballot title on Monday, saying it lacked enough clarity and parts of it would be unconstitutional.

The revised Arkansas Government Transparency Act did not fulfill Griffins request for more detailed definitions of public meeting and communication between members of a governing body. The proposed definitions are part of ACTs efforts to codify a definition of a public meeting, which has long been unclear and frustrating to members of government and the news media, and broaden the legal definitions of a governing body and communication among members.

The new ballot language did include a definition of government transparency, the governments obligation to share information with citizens. Griffin previously said this term needed a definition in his rejection of both the first proposed act and acompanion amendmentthat would enshrine the right to government transparency into the state Constitution.

ACT disagreed and defended its use of the phrase in its submission to Griffins office Thursday.

As you can see, there is no better word to encompass the breadth of rights we are addressing than transparency, the group said in its email provided to the Arkansas Advocate. The other synonyms do not fully embrace meetings, records, and notice.

Another change to the proposal is the addition of a section that would specify how records custodians must contact requesters and inform them whether the records are disclosable or not.

The proposed act would also:

ACT formed in response to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signing of a law enacted during a special session in September thatshields the security records in questionfrom public access. Sanders advocated forseveral more exemptionsto the FOIA that metbipartisan pushbackand did not advance in the Legislature.

The act would also create the Arkansas Government Transparency Commission to help citizens enforce their right to obtain public records and observe public meetings. The initial proposal sought to put some appointments to the commission in the hands of the Arkansas Supreme Court, but Griffin wrote Monday that requiring justices to appoint commissioners violates the separation of powers clause in the state Constitution.

The revised proposal would instead require the Speaker of the House, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Senate Minority Leader, the House Minority Leader and the Lieutenant Governor to each appoint a commissioner.

The act would also put the commission in charge of handling challenges to FOIA requests from records custodians. The previous version of the proposal would have given circuit courts this responsibility, but Griffin said this would have violated Arkansas ConstitutionalAmendment 80, which governs procedural rules of the courts.

ACT submittedfourpossibleballottitles, all worded similarly, to Griffins office with the proposed act. The group did the same thing with itssecond submission of the proposed amendmenton Wednesday.

ACT initially planned to submit only a constitutional amendment but later realized that it would best be able to create enforceable government transparency policy by proposing an act to amend the FOIA and an amendment that would make the Constitution support the law, theytold an audiencein November.

Griffin has until Jan. 8 to approve or reject the new amendment proposal and Jan. 9 to approve or reject the new act proposal.

With Griffins approval, ACT may begin canvassing the state for signatures from registered voters with a deadline of July 5 for the measures to qualify for the ballot. 90,704 signatures are required for proposed constitutional amendments, and 72,563 signatures are required for initiated acts.

Both the act and amendment would go into effect Nov. 6, 2024, the day after the general election.

Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. This article was published with permission from the Arkansas Advocate. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: [emailprotected]. Follow Arkansas Advocate on Facebook and Twitter.

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The SRFOE calls on States to guarantee freedom of expression as a fundamental right for gender equality and the … – Organization of American States

Posted: at 11:54 pm

The SRFOE calls on States to guarantee freedom of expression as a fundamental right for gender equality and the ...  Organization of American States

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Irene Crcoles releases ‘Closet’, a single that screams freedom – WECB

Posted: at 11:54 pm

Irene Corcoles it show us Closet, his latest single in which he shouts out the freedom of feeling free to love anyone, leaving behind what they will say. The young singer from Alicante releases her fifth single to say goodbye to the year and position herself as one of the emerging artists with the most projection on social networks.

With lyrics in English and a video clip in which she gives off a very good vibe while doing the laundry, Irene exposes how outdated the step of coming out is but that, on many occasions, it is still something necessary for people in the that you surround yourself with, just accept who you are.

The one from Alicante moves between several genres, but above all pop and rock and usually combines Spanish with English. Without a doubt, one of the strong and distinct points of her as an artist is that, despite her youth, she is very clear about the messages and values that she wants to transmit with her music. Among the topics that she usually discusses are, for example, mental health or overcoming personal challenges.

Before ClosetIrene launched 5015in reference to his casting number Operation Triunfo 2023 and that has managed to have a great impact on TikTok, with more than a hundred videos with the audio of the song. In fact, ones own Ruslanacontestant of O.T.created a dance for the social network trend.

140k views on spotify!! THANK YOU #ot2023 #5015irene #otcastingfinal #otgala3 #trend #parati #viral #operaciontriunfo

5015 Irene Crcoles

Irene Corcoles was one of the thousands of people who showed up in the summer for the casting of Triumph operationHowever, she was one of the lucky few who achieved the Prime Pass and made it to the final phases. And in one of the many tests that the contestants have to do, the woman from Alicante was the protagonist of a funny anecdote that went viral on TikTok.

After the performances of several colleagues, it was finally Irenes turn who, before starting to sing, introduced herself with this particular confession: My name is Irene Crcoles. I am from the Pase Prime generation, although today I forgot my neck brace at home. Its just that I got up at six in the morning. Oh, my goodness! But it doesnt matterBut here I am! Lets go for it.

As @NoeGalera says: What an edition awaits us! #OTValencia #OTCasting2023 #MusicaEnTikTok

original sound Operacin Triunfo

What Noemi Galeracasting and Academy director, responded with: Get ready for an incredible edition!

Finally, Irene Corcoles failed to enter Operation Triunfo 2023 but with his recent singles he is showing that he has plenty of talent and that he can go very far with his music.

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Sound of Freedom Is Now Streaming: Heres Where to Stream the Controversial Crime Thriller Online for Free – Hollywood Reporter

Posted: at 11:54 pm

Sound of Freedom Is Now Streaming: Heres Where to Stream the Controversial Crime Thriller Online for Free  Hollywood Reporter

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