Tom's Mailbag, Nov. 27, 2015

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB BEIRUT (AP) — In 2006, after a bruising monthlong war between Israel and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militant group, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted for a resolution to end the conflict and pave the way for lasting security along the border. But while there was relative calm for nearly two decades, Resolution 1701’s terms were never fully enforced. Now, figuring out how to finally enforce it is key to a U.

By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U. S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority.

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI informant who is charged with fabricating a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden’s family has been indicted in a new case on federal tax charges. The tax indictment against Alexander Smirnov was unsealed this week in California federal court, months after his arrest on charges that he fabricated a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving Joe Biden, his son Hunter and a Ukrainian energy company. The indictment brought by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss charges Smirnov with tax evasion and filing false tax returns, accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income he earned between 2020 and 2022. Smirnov’s attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in an email Tuesday that their client “intends to vigorously fight these allegations with the same intensity as he has fought the original indictment.” Related Articles National News | Walmart’s DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump’s election victory National News | Bird flu virus was found in raw milk.

By JONEL ALECCIA President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the nation’s top health job, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has vowed to allow wider distribution of raw milk across America. But the detection of bird flu virus in unpasteurized milk sold in California stores underscores what health experts say are the known and potential risks. “You have to assume that raw milk, unpasteurized milk, has potential infectious agents that can cause serious illness in the people who drink it,” said Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious disease researcher who has investigated foodborne illness outbreaks. Raw Farm LLC, of Fresno, California, voluntarily recalled one lot of “cream top” whole raw milk after Santa Clara County health officials found the bird flu virus in a sample last week.

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS NEW YORK (AP) — A ransomware attack that hit a major software provider last week caused disruptions for a handful of companies over recent days, from Starbucks to U. K. grocery giant Morrisons. Blue Yonder, which provides supply chain technology to a range of brands worldwide, said that it experienced disruptions to services it manages for customers on Thursday, which the third-party software supplier determined to be “the result of a ransomware incident.” Some systems went offline, impacting clients using Blue Yonder’s software.

Columnist, sports writer, playwright, musician: Author Mitch Albom has many talents, including penning his latest novel, a work of historical fiction that he will be discussing at Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach. Emanu-El is cohosting the talk, set for Tuesday, Dec. 10, with inSIGHT Through Education, which funds Holocaust education in South Florida.