Targeted News Service

National Taxpayers Union Issues Commentary to Carolina Journal: Protecting NC's Flat Tax for the Next Generation

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Oct. 16 -- The National Taxpayers Union issued the following excerpts of a commentary on Oct. 14, 2026, by policy and government affairs manager Alexander Ciccone to the Carolina Journal:

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Protecting NC's Flat Tax for the Next Generation

For more than a decade, North Carolina's flat tax has fueled growth and prosperity. By ensuring everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of how much they earn, this uniform income tax has given taxpayers and businesses a simple, predictable framework. This November, North Carolinians can protect this stability by capping the income ... Show Full Article

Global movement celebrates International Credit Union Day

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Financial Services] -- America's Credit Unions posted the following news:

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Global movement celebrates International Credit Union Day

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The global credit union movement, serving nearly 420 million members across 93 countries, on Thursday commemorated the 78th Annual International Credit Union Day. An annual occasion to celebrate cooperative finance, this year's theme was "Cooperative Finance: A Steady Signal in a Noisy World," highlighting credit unions as a trusted source of financial stability.

U.S.-based Leagues and credit unions shared messages, videos, ... Show Full Article

F1's Rwanda Race Could Be Bad News for Rights

NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:

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F1's Rwanda Race Could Be Bad News for Rights

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Formula One's decision this week to bring a Grand Prix to Rwanda in the early 2030s could be an important moment for Africa. The continent deserves more prominence on the global sporting calendar.

But the 10-year agreement between Formula One and Rwanda also brings significant human rights risks.

The Rwandan government's repression means journalists and others who challenge the government's relentlessly positive image of the country may be at risk ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news: * * * F1's Rwanda Race Could Be Bad News for Rights * Formula One's decision this week to bring a Grand Prix to Rwanda in the early 2030s could be an important moment for Africa. The continent deserves more prominence on the global sporting calendar. But the 10-year agreement between Formula One and Rwanda also brings significant human rights risks. The Rwandan government's repression means journalists and others who challenge the government's relentlessly positive image of the country may be at riskprior to, during, and after race weekends. The Rwandan government has long targeted independent media and political opponents both within Rwandan and abroad, including through torture, unlawful military detention, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Human Rights Watch has also documented how Rwanda's authorities routinely round up and detain homeless people and street venders before large events. People detained in the capital Kigali are held in a large warehouse--labeled a "transit center"--until foreign visitors have left. For example, some of the city's poorest and most marginalized people were locked up prior to an international conference in 2021.

Rwanda, like other countries, has also used past high-profile sports deals and races to distract from its abysmal human rights record, a tactic known as "sportswashing." Rwanda is currently the power behind the abusive M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and its military forces have been implicated in unlawful displacement, large-scale forced recruitment and arbitrary detention campaigns, and deaths of civilians in violation of international humanitarian law.

Human Rights Watch wrote to Formula One on February 24 to ask how it is addressing the risks of sportswashing and of human rights abuses connected to its events, including regarding Rwanda's bid to host an F1 Grand Prix. We've yet to receive a response.

Prior to giving the green light to racing in Rwanda, Formula One should conduct an in-depth assessment of human rights risks, including by consulting with civil society groups inside and outside the country. Formula One's agreement with the Rwandan government should include commitments, with measurable benchmarks, to protect national and international journalists covering the sport. Formula One should also address the risk of the Rwandan government using motorsport to sportswash its record.

Bringing Formula One back to Africa is good for the sport and for the continent. But the Rwandan government's repression--at home and abroad--means Formula One can't cut corners on human rights.

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Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/16/f1s-rwanda-race-could-be-bad-news-for-rights

Democracy Forward: Court Offers Clarity, Limiting Trump Executive Order and Administration's Crusade Against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, issued the following news release:

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Court Offers Clarity, Limiting Trump Executive Order and Administration's Crusade Against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Court Makes Clear Order Only Prohibits Federal Contractors and Subcontractors From Already-Prohibited Discrimination

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Baltimore - Groups representing nonprofit organizations, university faculty and staff, and federal contractors, subcontractors and ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, issued the following news release: * * * Court Offers Clarity, Limiting Trump Executive Order and Administration's Crusade Against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Court Makes Clear Order Only Prohibits Federal Contractors and Subcontractors From Already-Prohibited Discrimination - Baltimore - Groups representing nonprofit organizations, university faculty and staff, and federal contractors, subcontractors andtheir employees throughout the nation have obtained a court ruling that defangs a Trump executive order and Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council action that many contractors had been concerned could be used by the Trump-Vance administration to undermine efforts designed to promote inclusion and help ensure equal opportunity.

In a decision issued today, the U.S. District Court for Maryland made clear that contentions by the government that the executive order had far-reaching consequences are not accurate. Rather, under the court's opinion, the challenged executive order "only prohibits contractors from engaging in conduct that is already prohibited by federal law," bars only intentional discrimination based on race or ethnicity under existing disparate treatment law, and applies only to work the contractor is performing for the government pursuant to the contract. Further, the court confirmed that "there is absolutely DEI activity that falls comfortably within the confines of the law."

The court's opinion also clarified that activities such as researching disparate negative health outcomes for particular races or teaching, researching, or publishing materials about diversity, equity, and inclusion are not, without more, prohibited under the executive order or the agency's action. Moreover, the court stated that a threat of False Claims Act enforcement by the government based on those activities would both be unauthorized by the executive order and likely unconstitutional and unlawful.

In response to the court's decision, the coalition of plaintiffs and co-counsel issued the following statement:

"This ruling provides crucial clarity for federal contractors and subcontractors: at bottom, the executive order challenged in this case means nothing more than 'follow the well-settled law.' And the court confirmed that order reaches no further than the work a contractor performs for the government on the specific contract where the language appears -it cannot reach activities outside the work the contractor does for the government. Federal contractors and subcontractors are crucial to the safe, effective, and efficient functioning of the country and should not have to fear that their lawful efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion will put them at risk of political prosecution by the Trump-Vance administration. Today's ruling gives much-needed reassurance to thousands of federal contractors and subcontractors across the country."

The lawsuit was filed on April 20, 2026 by the National Association of Diversity Officers of Higher Education (NADOHE); American Association of University Professors (AAUP); United Academics of Maryland-University of Maryland, College Park (UAM-UMD); National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC); and the NAMC, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia Chapter (NAMC-DMV), and sought to prevent implementation of the president's unlawful directive, which would directly harm and disrupt the work of Plaintiffs, their members, and other federal contractors and subcontractors, and their employees, throughout the nation. The coalition is represented in the matter by Democracy Forward. NAMC and NAMC-DMV are also represented by the Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund (MBELDEF).

The case is NADOHE et al v. Trump, and the legal team at Democracy Forward in this case includes Brooke Menschel, Andrea Matthews, Briana Clark, Steven Bressler, and Brian Netter. The legal team at MBELDEF includes Sarah von der Lippe.

Read the full complaint here (https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NADOHE-et-al-v.-Trump-complaint.pdf), and dig deeper into the executive order with this overview (https://democracy2025.org/tool/understanding-the-federal-contractor-executive-order/) from Democracy 2025, a program of Democracy Forward.

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Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.

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Original text here: https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/court-offers-clarity-limiting-trump-executive-order-and-administrations-crusade-against-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/

[Category: Political]

Common Defense Endorses Slate of 2026 Gubernatorial Candidates

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Common Defense, an organization of veterans and military families, issued the following news:

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Common Defense Endorses Slate of 2026 Gubernatorial Candidates

October 15, 2026

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Common Defense, a grassroots organization of veterans and military families, announced its endorsement of an expanded slate of candidates running for governor across the country: Amy Klobuchar (MN), Aaron Ford (NV), and Gina Hinojosa (TX). These three candidates join our already endorsed gubernatorial candidates of Deb Haaland (NM) and JB Pritzker (IL).

Naveed Shah, ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Common Defense, an organization of veterans and military families, issued the following news: * * * Common Defense Endorses Slate of 2026 Gubernatorial Candidates October 15, 2026 Washington, D.C. -- Today, Common Defense, a grassroots organization of veterans and military families, announced its endorsement of an expanded slate of candidates running for governor across the country: Amy Klobuchar (MN), Aaron Ford (NV), and Gina Hinojosa (TX). These three candidates join our already endorsed gubernatorial candidates of Deb Haaland (NM) and JB Pritzker (IL). Naveed Shah,U.S. Army veteran and Political Director at Common Defense, released the following statement:

"Common Defense is proud to endorse a slate of three new gubernatorial candidates who have demonstrated what public service looks like in practice: U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN), Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford (NV), and former Texas State Rep. Gina Hinojosa (TX). As veterans and military families, we understand that decisions made by state leaders have a direct impact on the communities we call home. From Amy Klobuchar's work to expand health care and benefits for veterans, to Gina Hinojosa advocating for veterans in the Texas legislature, Aaron Ford protecting service members through consumer-protection initiatives, and Deb Haaland expanding land opportunities for Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans, these leaders have demonstrated a commitment to honoring the promises of those who served. That record of service is why Common Defense is proud to stand alongside them as they seek to bring that commitment to state leadership."

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About Common Defense

Common Defense Civic Engagement (501c4) is a grassroots organization of veterans and military families. Founded in 2016, we organize to defend the Constitution, oppose Forever Wars, and fight for a democracy where liberty and justice truly exist for all. For more information, visit commondefense.us.

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Original text here: https://commondefense.us/news/common-defense-endorses-slate-of-2026-gubernatorial-candidates/

[Category: National Defense]

Ascension St. Vincent's hospitals recognized for environmental sustainability and energy efficiency

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:

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Ascension St. Vincent's hospitals recognized for environmental sustainability and energy efficiency

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Ascension St. Vincent's Southside and Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County have earned national recognition for their efforts to reduce energy use, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and operate more sustainably while continuing to provide quality care to the communities they serve.

Both hospitals received the following:

* 2026 American Society for Healthcare ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release: * * * Ascension St. Vincent's hospitals recognized for environmental sustainability and energy efficiency * Ascension St. Vincent's Southside and Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County have earned national recognition for their efforts to reduce energy use, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and operate more sustainably while continuing to provide quality care to the communities they serve. Both hospitals received the following: * 2026 American Society for HealthcareEngineering Sustainability Champions Award

* 2026 Sustained Performance Award

* 2026 ENERGY STAR Certification

"Responsible stewardship extends to every part of how we serve our community, including how we operate our facilities," said Scott Kashman, CEO, Ascension St. Vincent's Health System. "By finding ways to use energy more efficiently and reduce our environmental impact, we are demonstrating our commitment to being thoughtful stewards of our resources while maintaining our focus on providing compassionate, quality care for Northeast Florida. I'm incredibly proud of the associates across our health system whose dedication and hard work made these achievements possible. Their efforts reflect a shared commitment to our Mission and a genuine desire to make a lasting difference for the communities we serve."

The Sustainability Champions Award recognizes healthcare facilities demonstrating leadership in reducing energy use, cutting emissions, and advancing decarbonization.

The Sustained Performance Award recognizes facilities that demonstrate long-term environmental leadership by maintaining or further reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions and energy use intensity.

Ascension St. Vincent's Southside earned an ENERGY STAR score of 79, while Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County earned a score of 76. ENERGY STAR-certified hospitals rank among the top 25% nationwide for energy efficiency compared with similar healthcare facilities. Scores are calculated on a scale of 1 to 100 using 12 months of verified utility data.

The recognition reflects ongoing efforts across Ascension St. Vincent's to operate its facilities efficiently and responsibly. Reducing unnecessary energy consumption can help control operating costs, conserve resources, and support the health system's broader commitment to environmental stewardship.

To learn more about St. Vincent's, visit our website.

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Original text here: https://about.ascension.org/news/2026/10/fljac-ascension-st-vincents-hospitals-recognized-for-environmental-sustainability-and-energy-efficiency

Ascension St. John Hospitals Recognized for Perinatal Excellence and Dignity in Birthing

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:

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Ascension St. John Hospitals Recognized for Perinatal Excellence and Dignity in Birthing

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Ascension St. John Owasso and Ascension St. John Medical Center were named Spotlight Hospitals by the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (OPQIC).

The OPQIC Maternity Care Spotlight Hospital Award recognizes Oklahoma birthing facilities that demonstrate a strong culture of excellence in perinatal care. Both Ascension St. John Medical Center and Ascension ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release: * * * Ascension St. John Hospitals Recognized for Perinatal Excellence and Dignity in Birthing * Ascension St. John Owasso and Ascension St. John Medical Center were named Spotlight Hospitals by the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (OPQIC). The OPQIC Maternity Care Spotlight Hospital Award recognizes Oklahoma birthing facilities that demonstrate a strong culture of excellence in perinatal care. Both Ascension St. John Medical Center and AscensionSt. John Owasso met rigorous clinical criteria designed to reduce preventable maternal morbidity and mortality, enhance postpartum care, and promote infant health.

In addition to OPQIC Spotlight recognition, and underscoring its commitment to patient-centered maternal care,Ascension St. John Owasso achieved TeamBirth certification. TeamBirth is an evidence-based care model that integrates structured team huddles, a visual shared planning tool, and open communication channels between patients. TeamBirth ensures women giving birth and the clinicians who are caring for them have shared input and understanding into decisions during birth and postpartum.

"Every mother deserves a safe and empowered birthing experience where her voice is heard at every step of her care," said Evelyn Radichel, Senior Director of Women's Services at Ascension St. John. "Being recognized by OPQIC and achieving TeamBirth certification demonstrates the dedicated work of our clinical teams to support mothers in their birth experience and beyond."

Ascension St. John's network of women's health providers, including midwives and OB-GYNs, are committed to providing high quality, personalized care at every stage including pregnancy and birth. For more information about pregnancy, birth services and women's health at Ascension St. John, visit ascension.org/stjohnwomens.

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Original text here: https://about.ascension.org/news/2026/10/oktul-ascension-st-john-hospitals-recognized-for-perinatal-excellence-and-dignity-in-birthing

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