General news

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Google has stopped accepting political advertisements in Singapore months before a widely expected election, according to documents shared by a small political party which said it was angered by the decision that denies it voter reach. FILE PHOTO: A man passes a Google signage outside their office in Singapore May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo In email correspondence between the Singapore Democratic Party and a senior Google public policy official, the tech firm said it “will not accept advertising regulated by the Code of Practice for Transparency of Online Political Advertisements”. A spokeswoman for Alphabet Inc’s Google told Reuters the email exchange was authentic but declined to comment further. The new code of practice, part of a controversial ‘fake news’ law introduced in October, requires advertising intermediaries to maintain detailed records of political adverts and their sponsors and make those records … [Read more...] about Google halts political ads in Singapore as election looms: documents

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The University of Oregon Board of Trustees plans to meet Tuesday to consider awarding a $100,000 bonus to president Michael Schill. Students and staff have seen Schill’s $720,000 salary and annual bonuses as being at odds with the university’s statements that it does not have sufficient funds, the Register-Guard reported. There have been protests against the university administration over such things as tuition costs and program cuts. Schill’s employment contract states his salary will remain at $720,000 through July 1. It will increase after that to $738,000. The contract includes yearly bonuses of up to $200,000 and other provisions. Board Chair Chuck Lillis and Vice Chair Ginevra Ralph are recommending approval of a $100,000 bonus this year based on Schill’s performance. At its meeting, the board also is scheduled to hear an update on the tuition and fee setting process, projected cost drivers for 2020, such as retirement costs, … [Read more...] about University board of trustees to consider bonus for Schill

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A new federal rule could push at least 19,000 people in Oregon off food stamps next year, according to projections released by the state Department of Human Services. The projection was released in response to a request from the Statesman Journal, which reported Such adults typically can only get food stamps for up to three months in a 36-month period. But states can get waivers to provide aid longer if the recipient is in an economically depressed area. The new rule, which takes effect April 1, would put in place more stringent requirements for when states can receive waivers for counties. Between January and April, Oregon would go from having 31 counties eligible for a waiver to six. State officials have criticized the planned change. “This is unfortunately just the latest in a string of unnecessarily punishing policies from the Trump administration, aimed to push down hard-working people doing their best to get themselves on their feet,” said … [Read more...] about Food stamp change could affect at least 19,000 in Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon state officials have only identified about half of the $40 million they’ve committed to the 2021 World Athletics Championships to be held in Eugene. The Register-Guard reports “I’m confident we will have the resources we need to pull this event off,” Gov. Kate Brown reassured while speaking to reporters after the event’s Oct. 10 kickoff at the University of Oregon. “We have a number of legislators who are, shall we say, all in.” So far, Travel Oregon, the state’s tourism commission, has authorized Oregon21, the event’s local organizer, to receive a $10 million grant paid from an increase in the state’s hotel tax that lawmakers approved in 2016. The commission has provided $5 million of that grant funding so far and will pay Oregon21 the remaining $5 million over the next two years, according to the agreement. Travel Oregon also has committed another $10 million from the commission’s … [Read more...] about Funding still needed for 2021 athletic event in Eugene

PORTLAND, Ore (AP) — Multnomah County commissioners have agreed to cuts across departments to ensure that they can send money to the Joint Office of Homeless Services, which coordinates housing assistance, outreach and other needs for struggling people. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that Mayor Ted Wheeler has complained for years that he doesn’t expect to be able to match previous contributions to the Joint Office using existing city revenues alone. Even with a $72 million budget for this fiscal year, elected officials have warned that they might ask the public to help out more to maintain or increase those services. And now that rallying cry has reached a new pitch. At last month’s annual meeting of the city and county, Portland Commissioner Nick Fish made a plug for a campaign called Here Together, which aims to ask voters on the November 2020 ballot to fund likely hundreds of millions of dollars for increased social services to complement two current affordable … [Read more...] about Portland-area residents may vote on funding for homeless