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Procedural issue delays $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot drawing
The highly anticipated $1.3-billion Powerball drawing scheduled for Saturday night has been postponed due to a procedural issue that arose just before the drawing was set to take place.
Shortly after 7:59 p.m., the official announcement came from Powerball, citing the need for additional time to complete required pre-draw procedures to ensure the security and integrity of the game.
According to Powerball officials, the game rules mandate that every ticket sold across the nation must undergo verification against two different computer systems before the winning numbers can be drawn. This meticulous process is designed to guarantee that all sold tickets are accurately accounted for and have an equal chance of winning.
“Tonight, we have one jurisdiction that needs extra time to complete that pre-draw process,” Powerball stated, indicating the specific reason for the delay.
In the meantime, lottery ticket holders are advised to retain their tickets for Saturday’s drawing. Once the pre-draw procedures have been finalized, the drawing will be conducted under the supervision of lottery security officials and independent auditors.
If a lucky winner emerges with the $1.3-billion jackpot, they have the option to receive a one-time lump-sum cash payment of $608.9 million. This substantial prize dwarfs the previous Powerball jackpot of $842.4 million, which was claimed on January 1 by a fortunate ticket holder in Michigan.
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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Protesters reach an agreement to dismantle encampment
Protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have agreed to end their pro-Palestinian encampment following an agreement reached with the school, university officials announced on Sunday. The encampment, which had been in place for two weeks, will be dismantled by Tuesday, marking the end of what was believed to be the last standing encampment at a Wisconsin college.
University officials had allowed the encampment to remain on a patch of lawn between Mitchell Hall and a busy thoroughfare on the campus’s southern boundary, opting not to involve law enforcement. This approach differed from the response at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where police were called in to remove tents after negotiations fell through. Despite initial efforts to disband the encampment, Wisconsin-Madison eventually reached an agreement with protesters to voluntarily dismantle the camp prior to commencement ceremonies.
Chancellor Mark Mone of Wisconsin-Milwaukee stated last Wednesday that the university had exhibited “the widest possible amount of patience and restraint.” However, he also cautioned that patience was wearing thin and hinted at potential action by the school. Following discussions with the UWM Popular University for Palestine Coalition, the university agreed to advocate for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, condemn the destruction of schools and universities in Gaza by Israeli forces, and hold meetings with protest leaders regarding university investments.
Additionally, the university pledged to urge the Water Council, a Milwaukee organization of water technology companies, to sever connections with two Israeli government-owned entities, Mekorot and the Israel Innovation Authority. Chancellor Mone serves as the treasurer on the Water Council’s board of directors.
In return for these commitments, the protesters agreed to dismantle the encampment beginning on Sunday and completing the process by Tuesday. They also agreed not to disrupt the university’s commencement ceremonies scheduled for Sunday. In a statement, the protesters expressed their satisfaction with the agreement, stating, “After hard fought edits and careful consideration by the coalition, we determined we had obtained all possible benefits from the encampment.”
The resolution of the encampment at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represents a successful outcome of negotiations between university officials and protesters. By reaching a compromise that addresses the concerns of both parties, a peaceful resolution has been achieved, allowing for the encampment to be taken down without incident.