50 jili super ace

50jili vip withdrawal In the days after the presidential election, Sadie Perez began carrying pepper spray with her around campus. Her mom also ordered her and her sister a self-defense kit that included keychain spikes, a hidden knife key and a personal alarm. It’s a response to an emboldened fringe of right-wing “manosphere” influencers who have seized on Republican Donald Trump ’s presidential win to justify and amplify misogynistic derision and threats online. Many have appropriated a 1960s abortion rights rallying cry, declaring “Your body, my choice” at women online and on college campuses. For many women, the words represent a worrying harbinger of what might lie ahead as some men perceive the election results as a rebuke of reproductive rights and women’s rights. The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App “The fact that I feel like I have to carry around pepper spray like this is sad,” said Perez, a 19-year-old political science student in Wisconsin. “Women want and deserve to feel safe.” Isabelle Frances-Wright, director of technology and society at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank focusing on polarization and extremism, said she had seen a “very large uptick in a number of types of misogynistic rhetoric immediately after the election,” including some “extremely violent misogyny.” “I think many progressive women have been shocked by how quickly and aggressively this rhetoric has gained traction,” she said. The phrase “Your body, my choice” has been largely attributed to a post on the social platform X from Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust-denying white nationalist and far-right internet personality who dined at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida two years ago. In statements responding to criticism of that event, Trump said he had “never met and knew nothing about” Fuentes before he arrived. Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, said the phrase transforms the iconic abortion rights slogan into an attack on women’s right to autonomy and a personal threat. “The implication is that men should have control over or access to sex with women,” said Ziegler, a reproductive rights expert. Fuentes' post had 35 million views on X within 24 hours, according to a report by Frances-Wright's think tank, and the phrase spread rapidly to other social media platforms. Women on TikTok have reported seeing it inundate their comment sections. The slogan also has made its way offline with boys chanting it in middle schools or men directing it at women on college campuses, according to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue report and social media reports. One mother said her daughter heard the phrase on her college campus three times, the report said. School districts in Wisconsin and Minnesota have sent notices about the language to parents. T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase were pulled off Amazon. Perez said she has seen men respond to shared Snapchat stories for their college class with “Your body, my choice.” “It makes me feel disgusted and infringed upon,” she said. “... It feels like going backwards.” Follow CTV News on Snapchat for the top headlines in Canada and around the world Misogynistic attacks have been part of the social media landscape for years. But Frances-Wright and others who track online extremism and disinformation said language glorifying violence against women or celebrating the possibility of their rights being stripped away has spiked since the election. Online declarations for women to “Get back in the kitchen” or to “Repeal the 19th,” a reference to the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote, have spread rapidly. In the days surrounding the election, the extremism think tank found that the top 10 posts on X calling for repeal of the 19th Amendment received more than four million views collectively. A man holding a sign with the words “Women Are Property” sparked an outcry at Texas State University. The man was not a student, faculty or staff, and was escorted off campus, according to the university’s president. The university is “exploring potential legal responses,” he said. Anonymous rape threats have been left on the TikTok videos of women denouncing the election results. And on the far-flung reaches of the web, 4chan forums have called for “rape squads” and the adoption of policies in “ The Handmaid’s Tale ,” a dystopian book and TV series depicting the dehumanization and brutalization of women. “What was scary here was how quickly this also manifested in offline threats,” Frances-Wright said, emphasizing that online discourse can have real-world impacts. Follow CTV News on TikTok for the stories that matter to you Previous violent rhetoric on 4chan has been connected to racially motivated and antisemitic attacks, including a 2022 shooting by a white supremacist in Buffalo that killed ten people. Anti-Asian hate incidents also rose as politicians, including Trump, used words such as “Chinese virus” to describe the COVID-19 pandemic. And Trump’s language targeting Muslims and immigrants in his first campaign correlated with spikes in hate speech and attacks on these groups, Frances-Wright said. The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism reported similar rhetoric, with “numerous violent misogynistic trends” gaining traction on right-wing platforms such 4chan and spreading to more mainstream ones such as X since the election. Throughout the presidential race, Trump’s campaign leaned on conservative podcasts and tailored messaging toward disaffected young men. As Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention over the summer, the song “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown blared from the speakers. One of several factors to his success this election was modestly boosting his support among men, a shift concentrated among younger voters, according to AP VoteCast, survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. But Trump also won support from 44 per cent of women age 18 to 44, according to AP VoteCast. Supporters react to Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump as he wraps up a campaign rally at First Horizon Coliseum, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Greensboro, NC. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo) To some men, Trump's return to the White House is seen as a vindication, gender and politics experts said. For many young women, the election felt like a referendum on women’s rights and Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris ’ loss felt like a rejection of their own rights and autonomy. “For some of these men, Trump’s victory represents a chance to reclaim a place in society that they think they are losing around these traditional gender roles,” Frances-Wright said. None of the current online rhetoric is being amplified by Trump or anyone in his immediate orbit. But Trump has a long history of insulting women, and the spike in such language comes after he ran a campaign that was centered on masculinity and repeatedly attacked Harris over her race and gender. His allies and surrogates also used misogynistic language about Harris throughout the campaign. “With Trump’s victory, many of these men felt like they were heard, they were victorious. They feel that they have potentially a supporter in the White House,” said Dana Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics. Brown said some young men feel they’re victims of discrimination and have expressed mounting resentment for successes of the women’s rights movement, including #MeToo . The tension also has been influenced by socioeconomic struggles. 5 Things to Know newsletter: Get the biggest headlines in your inbox each morning As women become the majority on college campuses and many professional industries see increasing gender diversity, it has “led to young men scapegoating women and girls, falsely claiming it’s their fault they’re not getting into college anymore as opposed to looking inward,” Brown said. Perez, the political science student, said she and her sister have been leaning on each other, their mother and other women in their lives to feel safer amid the online vitriol. They text each other to make sure they got home safely. They have girls' nights to celebrate wins, including a female majority in student government at their campus in the University of Wisconsin system. “I want to encourage my friends and the women in my life to use their voices to call out this rhetoric and to not let fear take over,” she said.

New Delhi: Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, in a first public statement on the US indictment, recalled the "double hit" by America's short-seller Hindenburg Research. Adani, while highlighting that no one from the conglomerate was charged with any violation of the FCPA or any conspiracy to obstruct justice, showed resolve that the Group will bounce back stronger. "As most of you would have read, less than two weeks back, we faced a set of allegations from the US about compliance practices at Adani Green Energy. This is not the first time we have faced such challenges. What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger and every obstacle becomes a stepping stone for a more resilient Adani Group," Adani said at the 51st Gem and Jewellery Awards in Rajasthan's Jaipur. Also Read | Gautam Adani's First Reaction On US Indictment: 'Every Attack Makes Us Stronger' Adani also recalled that allegations levied by the US-based short-seller Hindenburg in January 2023. "... Just as we were getting ready to launch our follow-on public offering (FPO), we faced a short-selling attack initiated from abroad. This was not a typical financial strike; it was a double hit - targeting our financial stability and pulling us into a political controversy. All of this was further amplified by certain media with vested interests. But even in the face of such adversity, our commitment to our principles remained strong," Mr Adani said. Also Read: What MEA Said On US Allegations Against Adani Group "After successfully raising ₹ 20,000 crore from India's largest-ever FPO, we made the extraordinary decision to return the proceeds. We then further demonstrated our resilience by raising capital from several international sources and proactively reducing our debt to EBITDA ratio to below 2.5 times, an unmatched metric in the global infrastructure space. "Moreover, our all-time record financial results in the same year showcased our commitment to operational excellence. Not a single Indian or foreign credit rating agency downgraded us. Finally, the Supreme Court of India's affirmation of our actions validated our approach," Adani said. The industrialist's statement comes days after he, his nephew Sagar Adani, and six others were indicted in the case for allegedly paying Rs 2,029 crore ($265 million) in bribes to Indian government officials. These bribes were allegedly paid between 2020 and 2024. The Adani Group has denied these charges. According to a statement from Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL), the corruption charges against Adani, his nephew Sagar, and senior executive Vneet Jaain under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), filed by the US Department of Justice (DoJ), are "incorrect." Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Companies, Business Economy and around the world.

Christian vote, especially Catholics, critical to Trump's historic winWith the early signing period approaching, Michigan State just pulled off an in-state flip. Zion Gist, a 2025 three-star running back from Lincoln-Way East High School in suburban Chicago, announced his decommitment from Western Michigan and commitment to Michigan State on Monday via social media. He took an official visit to East Lansing last weekend. At 6-foot-0 and 197 pounds, Gist is listed as the No. 141 running back and No. 2,037 player overall in the 247Sports Composite rankings. His other offers include Marshall and Kent State. “Both programs are great, and I have so much respect for Western Michigan, but after visiting MSU, I felt like it was where I could grow the most, both as a player and as a person,” Gist told 247Sports. “The coaches were honest and real with me, and I could see the vision they have for me and the program. It just clicked, and I knew this was the place where I wanted to be a part of something special.” Michigan State now has 16 players committed to its 2025 recruiting class, which ranks No. 58 in the nation. There was already a running back in the group in East Lansing three-star Jace Clarizio, who has been committed since May but recently picked up an offer from Alabama. The early signing period is Dec. 4-6.

The Wanted star Max George has said he is “staying positive” while in hospital waiting for tests that could shine a light on issues with his heart. In a post to Instagram on Thursday the singer, 36, explained that he went to hospital after feeling “really unwell” and added that he needed “a lot more tests” to determine “what surgery I will need to get me back on my feet.” Updating his fans, George posted a video from his hospital bed on Friday, and said he “had a bit of a rough day”. He added: “My heart rate dropped a bit this morning, which was, it was a little bit scary. “But everyone here is amazing, so wanted to get it back up a little bit and get it stable again, which is great. “Reason I’m not... like a lot of friends and family are asking why I’m not just going in and having anything (like surgery) done yet, because there’s so many tests that need to be done before we do anything. “So I just need to get through till, I guess, next week. Get all the tests done, and then they’ll know exactly what to do, because otherwise, obviously, they’ll be able to do something, but it’ll be better doing it with all the information that they need. “But, yeah, it’s shit, but still here and staying positive. “And thanks everyone as well for all the lovely messages and any friends and family and that that have messaged that I haven’t got back to. “I see you all and yeah, means a lot. Much love and have a nice Friday night.” George rose to fame in the 2010s with The Wanted, who had a number of hit songs including All Time Low, Glad You Came and Heart Vacancy. His bandmate Tom Parker died in 2022 at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. George, who helped carry Parker’s coffin at his funeral alongside fellow bandmates Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes, previously said on This Morning that he continued to message his late bandmate following his death as it brought him “a bit of comfort”. He also appeared in the US musical series Glee as Clint and in his band’s reality series The Wanted Life. Over the years, he has competed in a number of competition series including Strictly Come Dancing in 2020, Bear Grylls: Mission Survive and Richard Osman’s House Of Games. George’s girlfriend is former EastEnders star Maisie Smith, who appeared on BBC One dancing competition series Strictly Come Dancing in 2020 at the same time as George, though they have previously said that romantic sparks only began to fly in 2022. He was due to appear on a MasterChef Christmas special before the BBC pulled the show from its festive schedule amid allegations about the conduct of judge Gregg Wallace across a range of shows.Merrimack Valley High School senior Keighen Duppong knows attending the University of New Hampshire would likely cost thousands of dollars less per year than most of the schools on his college list. Duppong, who plans to study applied physics, has sent in his application to UNH but doesn’t expect to enroll there. His top choices are public universities hundreds of miles away. “I would love to stay local if we had a tech school that was comparable to something like Georgia Tech and their program or the University of Michigan, which is currently number one in the country for nuclear fission,” Duppong said. “These colleges have the resources, while UNH is lacking in that regard.” Duppong’s good friend, Gage Caswell, is also a high-achieving student who plans to pursue a college degree in a STEM field. He too anticipates he’ll be in another state next year. “I want to say that I’m considering UNH pretty heavily because it is a really good school,” said Caswell, who hopes to major in applied mathematics. “But honestly I think I would go somewhere like Clarkson University because New Hampshire really isn’t a state designed for young people. It’s just not that appealing.” For Caswell, the choice is also financial: Many of the elite private schools he is applying to, including several in the Ivy League, guarantee full financial aid to those in his family’s income bracket. His mother is also an employee at Southern New Hampshire University, which gives Caswell the opportunity for free tuition through an exchange program at several schools on his list, including Boston University and Tulane University. Duppong and Caswell, who met as second graders at Penacook Elementary School, share the views of many New Hampshire high school students contemplating where they will go to college. The state trails only Vermont in the percentage of students who leave their home state for higher education. In 2020, 57% of college freshmen from New Hampshire left the state to enroll elsewhere. That’s more than double the national average of 26% of students who leave their home state to attend college, according to the National Center for Education Statistics data from 2020, the most recent year for which the numbers were available. Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess The reasons are multi-faceted, but primarily economic. In a survey of 1,000 recent college enrollees conducted by BestColleges in 2023, affordability was considered the most important factor in making a college decision. Professional outcomes, which is a prime factor in Duppong’s decision, came in second. The student life factors that Caswell mentioned were further down the list. New Hampshire ranks last in the country in the amount of per-pupil funding for higher education, according to a study conducted by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute last year that relied on data from 2021-22. That year, New Hampshire’s in-state tuition was the second highest, trailing only Vermont’s, according to Forbes . Geography also plays a role: New Hampshire is a relatively small state in close proximity to a number of universities across state lines. The state’s public university system – comprised of UNH, Plymouth State, and Keene State – has in recent years attempted to make inroads. The Granite Guarantee program, which began in 2018, covers the full cost of tuition at state universities for students who are Pell Grant-eligible, a threshold that varies by family and is calculated via a complex formula. Kim DeRego, UNH’s vice president of enrollment management, said in an interview that the state’s flagship is considering transitioning to a set income threshold instead of employing Pell Granite eligibility to offer families more clarity earlier in the financial aid process. UNH also touts its Hamel Scholars program, which provides merit-based scholarships and special access to faculty to New Hampshire students. In addition, UNH and Plymouth State are also piloting a direct admission program this year, which allows students who meet certain qualifications to be automatically accepted without having to submit a formal application. DeRego said that prospective students sometimes underestimate what UNH has to offer. “Unfortunately, I think people don’t realize what an excellent school UNH is,” DeRego said, citing UNH’s status as the “top value” public university in New England, according to U.S. News & World Report , among other accolades . Though applications to New Hampshire’s flagship university have increased in recent years, undergraduate enrollment has dropped about 8%, from 12,313 in 2019 to 11,365 this year – a trend reflected in declining college enrollment nationally. At an event last month hosted at Merrimack Valley High School’s library by the non-profit higher education and career support organization Granite Edvance, only one student out of six who spoke with the Monitor said she was planning to attend a university in-state. The student, Hannah Walden of Loudon, grew up attending hockey games at UNH in part because her father is an alumnus. “It just feels like home to me,” said Walden, who hopes to head to Durham next fall to study nursing. The event that Walden was at, called ApplyNH, gives students the opportunity to apply to any school in New Hampshire without having to pay the application fee. About 80 high schools across the state held similar days this fall, according to Christiana Thornton, the president and CEO of Granite Edvance. Thornton said the program, which has been ongoing since at least 2014, is not specifically designed to encourage students to stay in New Hampshire. “Our goal really is to provide support to students to pursue either college or career pathways – really just ensuring that they have educational opportunities,” Thornton said. “And whether that’s in-state or out-of-state, you know, we really think it’s an individual choice.” Shanyn Grenier, the college and career counselor at Merrimack Valley High School, said multiple factors – with cost being a primary one – explain why so many students leave New Hampshire for school. “Unless I qualify for a Pell Grant and can get my tuition free, for some kids if they do their research and they’re a little bit adventurous ... they can find deals in other places,” Grenier said. Somewhat counter-intuitively, the deal-searching process has led Caswell – whose family has a lower income – to private schools, and Duppong – whose family won’t qualify for significant need-based aid – to public schools in other states. Though elite private schools generally have the highest sticker price, in recent years some of them have offered free tuition to families who have incomes as high as $140,000. “That was my ethos going into this process: to limit my tuition as much as I can because I don’t want to be a burden to my parents financially,” Caswell said. Duppong’s family will not qualify for those need-based thresholds, he said, so he is targeting merit-based aid at public universities. He estimates that they will cost about one-third more than UNH but he feels that is a worthwhile investment – in part because of the physical amenities, such as nuclear reactors and quantum computers, that they have, and in part because of the people. “If you attend one of these colleges that has a network, then you have far more opportunities,” Duppong said. “You will have a greater chance of getting a job in a field like physics, so I would say that’s worth the extra cost.” Grenier said that Caswell and Duppong have targeted their college lists to their families’ specific financial situations more than most students, but that it makes sense for some students to do so. “What those two children are trying to do is a great example of how to try and make the system that’s kind of gotten out of control work the best for their individual circumstances,” said Grenier, whose own daughter chose to attend a public university in the South this year in part because the merit aid she received made it about as expensive as UNH. Newly-elected state Rep. Sanjeev Manohar, a Nashua Democrat, believes it is time to address that system to incentivize talented students to stay in the state. Manohar, a chemical engineering professor at the University of Massachusetts–Lowell, said he noticed that many of his students were coming from just across the border in Nashua. “Families are moving here, while our students are moving out,” he said in an interview. “It’s kind of weird.” Manohar has filed a legislative service request that he hopes could help. The bill he has proposed would create a monetary incentive of between $500 and $750 for students to attend college in New Hampshire, as well as a monetary incentive for businesses to hire in-state residents after they graduate. “I see this as not political at all,” Manohar said. “I think both parties can benefit from a program like this.” Manohar has a vision that southern New Hampshire – from Concord to Nashua – can ultimately become a biotech corridor for the region. “The attraction of Massachusetts and Connecticut will be diminished a little bit if we become the tech hub ourselves,” he said. Jeremy Margolis can be contacted at jmargolis@cmonitor.com.

Sarnia stands at a pivotal moment in its development, facing challenges that include housing affordability, homelessness, and the growth strain of encampments. As Draft 2 of the proposed zoning by-law is under review—the first major update in decades—its implications for the city’s growth, economy, and housing landscape warrant careful attention. Central to the discussion is the concept of infill development and how zoning policies can either unlock its potential or create unnecessary roadblocks. Here’s why the new by-laws matter and what’s at stake for Sarnia. Sarnia currently ranks 95th out of 100 in housing starts—a stark indicator of how far we need to go to meet the demand for housing. When housing supply is limited, landlords hold significant power, often leading to higher rents and lower housing quality. Scarce supply also drives predatory practices like “renovictions,” where tenants are displaced under the guise of renovations only to see rents increase beyond affordability. On the other hand, an abundance of housing naturally balances this power dynamic. With more options, tenants gain leverage, and landlords are incentivized to maintain and improve their properties to attract and retain residents. Simply put, when housing options are plentiful, everyone benefits. Infill development—the process of building within existing neighbourhoods—offers an efficient, sustainable solution to housing shortages. By utilizing existing infrastructure and increasing population density, infill development can reduce urban sprawl and foster activities that enhance community vibrancy, such as improved access to local businesses and greater opportunities for social interaction. Current zoning regulations in Sarnia introduce complexities for infill projects. While the new Official Plan outlines a vision for progress, some aspects of the draft zoning by-laws include requirements that may pose challenges for development: These restrictions create obstacles to the gradual, incremental growth that’s essential for Sarnia to adapt and thrive. Incremental development—allowing neighbourhoods to grow by small steps, like converting a single-family home into a duplex or adding a granny flat—is a proven method for creating diverse, affordable housing options without disrupting community character. This approach offers several benefits: Zoning policies that enable Missing Middle Housing could have several economic implications for Sarnia: Without significant updates to the zoning by-law, Sarnia risks stifling growth and innovation. The current framework prioritizes single-family homes and restricts the types of housing that meet the needs of a changing population. This “business as usual” approach exacerbates housing shortages and leaves families, seniors, and young professionals with few affordable options. Meanwhile, cities that embrace flexible zoning policies are seeing significant benefits, from revitalized neighbourhoods to thriving local economies. Sarnia must act now to stay competitive and meet its residents’ needs. To address potential challenges in the proposed zoning by-laws, the following changes could be considered: Although the deadline for submitting written comments has passed, residents can still participate in discussions about the proposed zoning by-laws:Bucks reportedly eyeing trade for former playoff enemy

1500 Assam students join science extravaganza as IISF debuts in Northeast

Miami enters the week still stunned after losing its fourth straight game. Next up, the Hurricanes will play host to Arkansas on Tuesday night in Coral Gables, Fla., as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. Miami (3-4) lost on Saturday afternoon to Charleston Southern, a team that entered with a 1-7 record. Arkansas (5-2) is coming off a Thanksgiving loss to Illinois on a neutral floor in Kansas City, Mo. "We've got a lot to learn," said John Calipari, in his first season coaching Arkansas. "We really haven't scrimmaged because we haven't had 10 guys (due to injuries). "But this team is going to be fine." The same thing cannot confidently be said about the Hurricanes. Their first three defeats of the current skid were tough for Miami to take, losing to Drake, Oklahoma State and VCU on a neutral court as part of the Charleston Classic. But the loss to Charleston Southern -- which was a 25-point underdog -- has to be considered among the worst in Miami history. Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga was without point guard Nijel Pack, who missed the contest due to a lower-body injury. Pack leads Miami in scoring (15.2) and assists (4.7). There are no reports on how long he will be out. With Pack unavailable, five-star freshman Jalil Bethea made his first college start. However, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard has not yet played up to his ranking. Bethea is averaging 6.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists. He is also shooting 30.0 percent on 3-pointers. Miami ranks 284th in the nation in rebounds and 259th in blocked shots. "We haven't been able to put together a solid defensive effort," Larranaga said following the loss to Charleston Southern. "Some of it has to do with fundamentals. Some of it has to do with athletic ability. Some of it has to do with size." Tuesday's game will match two veteran coaches: Larranaga, 75, and Calipari, 65. Calipari brought in seven transfers and five freshmen for his first season in Fayetteville. Two of those transfers -- 6-foot-8 wing Adou Thiero and 7-foot-2 center Zvonimir Ivisic -- were signed after leaving Kentucky, Calipari's previous stop. Thiero leads Arkansas in scoring (19.1), rebounds (5.9) and steals (2.9). Ivisic leads Arkansas in blocks (2.7) while ranking third in points (12.1). Freshman Boogie Fland, a McDonald's All-American, has made a quick transition to college ball. The 6-foot-2 point guard is second on the team in scoring (15.9) and steals (1.9) and first in assists (4.9). Among Arkansas' bench pieces are 6-foot-11 Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo and 6-foot-10 Arkansas holdover Trevon Brazile. Their combined 92 college starts illustrate Arkansas' depth. "The ceiling is there," Calipari said. "But we need to be the aggressors." --Field Level MediaRevealed, how voters' trust in the SNP collapsed in just a year (but in future ministers won't even ask about faith in public services!) Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By MICHAEL BLACKLEY, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 22:11, 2 December 2024 | Updated: 23:20, 2 December 2024 e-mail View comments Levels of trust in the SNP government have collapsed amid growing concerns about the state of Scotland’s public services. Figures from the Scottish Government’s own survey show the proportion of people who trust it has plummeted from 55 per cent in 2022 to 45 per cent last year. Levels of trust also declined over the most recent 12-month period for all six institutions of the public sector north of the Border: the police, justice system, education system, health service, civil service and local government. It led to claims that the SNP is ‘systematically dismantling’ Scotland’s public services after 17 years in power. Ministers were also accused of trying to ‘dodge scrutiny’ after it emerged the questions about trust will no longer be asked annually as part of the survey. Decline: How far trust in Holyrood and the institutions it is responsible for fell in one year Tory MSP Rachel Hamilton said Scots had clearly lost faith in the SNP after 17 years of ‘gross incompetence’ Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: ‘This damning survey lays bare the consequences of 17 years of SNP vandalism. ‘It’s no surprise trust in the Scottish Government collapsed as the SNP became embroiled in scandal and infighting, but with trust declining across the board it’s clear the SNP’s failure goes well beyond political psychodrama. SNP incompetence has left every institution in Scotland weaker and Scots are all paying the price. ‘From our NHS to our schools to our justice system, the SNP has systematically dismantled our public services. ‘Now the SNP is attempting to dodge scrutiny of their woeful record by dropping these questions from this year’s survey.’ The figures were contained within a new analysis of responses to questions on trust in institutions in the Scottish Household Survey, which was published yesterday. Just 45 per cent of respondents said they trusted the SNP government, down 10 percentage points compared to 2022. Of the responses, 22 per cent said they distrust it greatly and 23 per cent tend to distrust it, while only 7 per cent said they trust it a great deal and 38 per cent said they tend to trust it. Trust levels were lowest among those aged over 60, at 36 per cent, and highest among those aged 16-34, at 56 per cent. People living in rural parts of Scotland were also less trusting with only 41 per cent of respondents expressing trust. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: ‘After over 17 years of gross incompetence, more and more Scots clearly do not have faith in this SNP government. They do not trust them to act in their best interests or focus on what they are really concerned about. ‘Instead, they see ministers wasting time and taxpayers’ money on fringe issues rather than tackling what matters to people across Scotland. ‘This SNP government, who are addicted to secrecy, are now shamefully running scared from wanting to hear what the public thinks of them, and the services they run, by dropping the question from this year’s survey.’ Other than the government, the justice system saw the next biggest decline in trust, from 65 per cent in 2022 to 56 per cent last year. Trust in education services fell from 68 per cent to 62 per cent while trust in the police declined from 78 per cent to 73 per cent. Health services had the smallest decline, from 79 per cent to 78 per cent. Other aspects of the survey showed that 52 per cent of households said they were managing well financially, compared to 50 per cent in 2022 and 56 per cent prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. A further 39 per cent said they were getting by, while 9 per cent were not managing well. Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: ‘People are fed up with almost two decades of SNP failure. For too many people, it feels like nothing works anymore and that they are being taken for granted.’ NHS SNP Share or comment on this article: Revealed, how voters' trust in the SNP collapsed in just a year (but in future ministers won't even ask about faith in public services!) e-mail Add comment

50jili slot register

50jili vom NoneOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by handing out more than $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations Monday, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Buffett has said previously that his three kids will distribute his remaining $147.4 billion fortune in the 10 years after his death, but now he has also designated successors for them because it's possible that Buffett's children could die before giving it all away. He didn't identify the successors, but said his kids all know them and agree they would be good choices. “Father time always wins. But he can be fickle – indeed unfair and even cruel – sometimes ending life at birth or soon thereafter while, at other times, waiting a century or so before paying a visit,” the 94-year-old Buffett said in a letter to his fellow shareholders Monday. “To date, I’ve been very lucky, but, before long, he will get around to me. There is, however, a downside to my good fortune in avoiding his notice. The expected life span of my children has materially diminished since the 2006 pledge. They are now 71, 69 and 66.” Buffett said he still has no interest in creating dynastic wealth in his family — a view shared by his first and current wives. He acknowledged giving Howard, Peter and Susie millions over the years, but he has long said he believes “hugely wealthy parents should leave their children enough so they can do anything but not enough that they can do nothing.” The secret to building up such massive wealth over time has been the power of compounding interest and the steady growth of the Berkshire conglomerate Buffett leads through acquisitions and smart investments like buying billions of dollars of Apple shares as iPhone sales continued to drive growth in that company. Buffett never sold any of his Berkshire stock over the years and also resisted the trappings of wealth and never indulged in much — preferring instead to continue living in the same Omaha home he'd bought decades earlier and drive sensible luxury sedans about 20 blocks to work each day. “As a family, we have had everything we needed or simply liked, but we have not sought enjoyment from the fact that others craved what we had,” he said. If Buffett and his first wife had never given away any of their Berkshire shares, the family's fortune would be worth nearly $364 billion — easily making him the world's richest man — but Buffett said he had no regrets about his giving over the years. The family's giving began in earnest with the distribution of Susan Buffett's $3 billion estate after her death in 2004, but really took off when Warren Buffett announced plans in 2006 to make annual gifts to the foundations run by his kids along with the one he and his wife started, as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Warren Buffett's giving to date has favored the Gates Foundation with $55 billion in stock because his friend Bill Gates already had his foundation set up and could handle huge gifts when Buffett started giving away his fortune. But Buffett has said his kids now have enough experience in philanthropy to handle the task and he plans to cut off his Gates Foundation donations after his death. Buffett always makes his main annual gifts to all five foundations every summer, but for several years now he has been giving additional Berkshire shares to his family's foundations at Thanksgiving. Buffett reiterated Monday his advice to every parent to allow their families to read their will while they are still alive — like he has done — to make sure they have a chance to explain their decisions about how to distribute their belongings and answer their children's questions. Buffett said he and his longtime investing partner Charlie Munger, who died a year ago, “saw many families driven apart after the posthumous dictates of the will left beneficiaries confused and sometimes angry.” Today, Buffett continues to lead Berkshire Hathaway as chairman and CEO and has no plans to retire although he has handed over most of the day-to-day managing duties for the conglomerates dozens of companies to others. That allows him to focus on his favorite activity of deciding where to invest Berkshire's billions . One of Buffett's deputies who oversees all the noninsurance companies now, Greg Abel, is set to take over as CEO after Buffett's death. Even after converting 1,600 Class A shares into 2.4 million Class B Berkshire shares and giving them away, Buffett still owns 206,363 Class A shares and controls more than 30% of the vote.

CHATHAM, N.J. (AP) — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It's unclear if it's drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving, the saga of the drones reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights. This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter: Lawmakers are demanding (but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what's behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey's new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X. But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies — none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they're looking into what's happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else. Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on. In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group. The Facebook page, New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it , has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there. One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.) Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she's glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said. “I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said. She doesn't buy what the governor said, that the drones aren't a risk to public safety. Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” “How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.” Then there's the notion that people could misunderstand what they're seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots. Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they're looking at. Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories. “It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.” Federal officials echo Austin's view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy. That's not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects. For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions. “My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said. “Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added. ___ Golden reported form Seattle. Mike Catalini And Hallie Golden, The Associated PressNew York State Police Issue Warning Over Troubling Drone SightingsState Treasurer Vivek Malek is urging public pension systems to adopt policies to prevent the use of retirement assets for political contributions. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent) Every public pension program in Missouri should adopt policies against making political contributions from retirement funds, State Treasurer Vivek Malek wrote in a letter sent Monday to system managers. In the letter, Malek wrote that contributions this fall by funds set up to pay pensions for sheriffs and prosecutors to the campaign committee promoting passage of Amendment 6 were “ deeply concerning.” Using the money contributed by taxpayers and employees for political purposes rather than market investments does not help the funds pay current and future benefits, Malek wrote. “In fact, these expenditures imprudently risk system resources and erode the public’s trust,” Malek wrote. Missouri state pension board bans use of fund for political donations The letter, sent to 90 state and local pension funds , comes just a few days after the 11-member Board of Trustees of the Missouri State Retirement System voted to prohibit the use of its pension funds for political contributions . Malek is a trustee of MOSERS because of his office. The policy change was presented to the board by MOSERS staff after inquiries from Malek. During the meeting, Malek said the retirement system should be focused on maximizing the return on its investments to pay benefits. “All public employee retirement systems in Missouri, including MOSERS, should not expend any funds supporting or opposing ballot measures or the election of candidates for public office,” Malek said. “Keeping MOSERS free from such activities upholds the trust of those we serve and reinforces our commitment to remaining focused solely on our fiduciary responsibilities.” State Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel who is also on the MOSERS board, said last week he intends to file legislation barring political contributions from public pension funds. Amendment 6 , defeated with 61% of voters opposed, would have imposed fees on criminal cases to fund pensions for sheriffs and prosecutors. On Oct. 2, the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System contributed $30,000 to the campaign, followed on Oct. 8 by a $50,000 contribution from the Prosecuting Attorneys and Circuit Attorneys Retirement System. The fees that had funded the two pension systems were declared unconstitutional in 2021. To shore up its finances, state lawmakers this year appropriated $5 million in general revenue to the sheriffs fund. The various pension funds for state, local and University of Missouri employees hold about $100 billion in net assets and some could, if any substantial portion were used for politics, provide far more than any other potential donor. That is why strict policies are needed, Malek said. “Recent expenditures of public pension funds in direct support of a ballot measure merit serious consideration of the appropriate use of these funds and a thoughtful response that safeguards our public pension systems’ mission,” the letter states. After the MOSERS action, The Independent sent inquiries to five retirement systems authorized by state law. The sheriffs and prosecutors systems did not respond to emails seeking comment on the MOSERS action. The three largest — for educators and public school employees; for local government employees; and for Department of Transportation and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers — all said long-standing policies and state law already prohibit the use of retirement funds for political donations. MOSERS had $8.9 billion in net assets on June 30, according to the latest annual report . It provides benefits to the largest number of former state employees, but it is not the wealthiest retirement fund created in state law. That distinction belongs to the system providing benefits for former educators and school district employees, known as PSRS/PEERS, which held $55 billion in assets on June 30, 2023. “PSRS/PEERS has long had a board policy that prohibits systems’ funds from being used for political purposes,” Executive Director Dearld Snider said. “The systems have never used and will never use systems’ funds to make contributions to political campaigns or ballot initiatives.” The local government system, known as LAGERS, has about $11 billion in assets. “It has been a longstanding practice of LAGERS to not use system assets for political purposes,” spokeswoman Elizabeth Althoff wrote in an email. The retirement system for Missouri Department of Transportation workers and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers has $3.7 billion in assets. Known as MPERS, it is maintained as a separate system because it is mainly funded by fuel taxes and vehicle fees, as are the agencies it serves. MPERS does not have a specific policy mirroring the MOSERS action and is unlikely to consider one, fund director Scott Simon wrote in an email. “What we do have are governing statutes that provide all assets of the fund are dedicated to and held in trust for the members and the purposes set forth in our governing statutes,” Simon wrote. “Nowhere in those statutes does it authorize the use of assets for political purposes (i.e., candidates, ballot initiatives, etc.).”

3 reasons to involve your kids in Small Business SaturdayA discarded hard drive, believed to contain the passkey to 8,000 Bitcoins—valued at over £627 million (approximately $785 million) today—lies buried beneath a Newport landfill. The hard drive, belonging to James Howells, was inadvertently thrown away nearly a decade ago by his ex-girlfriend, Halfina Eddy-Evans, who acted on his request to dispose of unwanted items. Now, as Howells battles to retrieve the device from a 1.4-million-metric-ton landfill, the story has reignited public interest in one of the most infamous cryptocurrency losses. Eddy-Evans revealed she disposed of the hard drive in a black bin bag while clearing out Howells's belongings. According to her, she was reluctant to run the errand but did so to help out after dropping her children off at school. Speaking to MailOnline , she explained, "I had no idea what was in it. Losing it was not my fault. I'm sick and tired of hearing about it." Despite the extraordinary value of the lost Bitcoin, Eddy-Evans says she has no interest in any share of the fortune. Instead, she hopes Howells recovers the hard drive simply so the topic can finally be laid to rest. However, Howells's ongoing legal efforts to excavate the landfill have only intensified, adding strain to the former couple's already fractured relationship. "It looks like he's blaming me, but I don't think he really is—not that we are even talking now," she remarked. Howells's lost fortune originates from his brief foray into Bitcoin mining over a decade ago. In a span of just ten weeks, he successfully mined 8,000 Bitcoins while experimenting with the emerging blockchain technology. However, the mining equipment's constant noise caused tension at home, with Eddy-Evans complaining it disrupted her sleep and daily life. The venture came to an abrupt halt when Howells accidentally spilled lemonade on his laptop, rendering it nearly unusable. While he salvaged and sold parts of the device, he kept the hard drive, transferring personal files like photos and music to his Apple computer. However, due to compatibility issues, he was unable to save the crucial Bitcoin passkey. The hard drive was later forgotten in a junk drawer, and its importance went unrecognised for years as Howells focused on his career and family. For nearly a decade, Howells has been embroiled in a dispute with Newport City Council, seeking permission to excavate the landfill in search of the hard drive. Howells believes the buried device could now be worth as much as £1 billion (approximately $1.25 billion) if Bitcoin prices reach anticipated highs. " This is always going to be a treasure hunt ," he told Fortune . "The treasure is getting more and more valuable by the day, and that isn't going to stop." Howells estimates he would only need to search an area containing 100,000 tons of waste to locate the device. However, the council has repeatedly refused his requests, citing environmental concerns. According to Newport City Council , "Excavation is not possible under our environmental permit and would have a significant negative impact on the surrounding area." Despite the council's refusal, Howells has vowed to continue his fight. In October, he filed a £495 million (approximately $620 million) lawsuit against Newport City Council, alleging that the authority has been withholding his property unlawfully. " This problem is never going to go away ," Howells said, doubling down on his commitment to retrieve the hard drive. While Eddy-Evans supports Howells's determination to retrieve the hard drive for his own peace of mind, she admits she wishes he would move on from the ordeal. " I think the council should let him try, as it's clearly affecting his mental health ," she said. However, she also believes Howells should consider the possibility that the hard drive may never be found. "People keep tagging me online, friends and strangers alike, about his loss, but I tell them, 'Don't ask me about it!'" she added, expressing frustration over the public attention the story continues to attract. Newport City Council has maintained its firm stance against allowing excavation of the landfill. The council stated it has been contacted " multiple times since 2013 " about retrieving the hard drive, but any such operation would pose environmental risks. " Howells's claim has no merit, and the council is vigorously resisting it ," the spokesperson said. While Howells remains undeterred, the chances of recovering the device grow slimmer as time passes. As the story unfolds, it highlights the fragility of digital assets and the profound consequences of a single misstep. Whether Howells will succeed in his treasure hunt or the Bitcoin fortune will remain buried beneath the Newport landfill is a question that only time will answer.

Barrister cleared of misconduct calls on head of Bar Standards Board to resign

Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death

“You need to start dressing your age; you look like a skater,” a co-worker jocularly told me as I let out a whiny chortle to disguise my unease. I felt momentarily disarmed by the comment because the only skater I knew of was pioneering board rider Tony Hawk – and he dressed like a Mormon. Radical, dude: Brendan Foster was left puzzled after some unprompted fashion advice. Credit: WAtoday I wasn’t deeply wounded by the parting barb, but it got me marinating on what toggery was befitting for someone tumbling into their late 50s. Granted, there was something transparently pretentious about the outfit I was wearing that warranted a bit of ribbing: a $100 pair of Converse boots, designer shorts, and a check western shirt from the funky, clothing outlet Get Lucky in Fremantle. There’s a good chance I would punch someone in the ear if they called me an ageing hapless hipster, but if the shoe fits. But is there a cut-off point for men of my vintage when it comes to frocking up like a more sophisticated Dude (minus the bathrobe) from the brilliant Coen Brothers movie The Big Lebowski ? There was probably more symbolic value to my outfit than I was willing to admit, and most psychiatrists would have a field day with my wardrobe. But should I just ungracefully step into a pair of elasticated trousers as my body starts to betray itself? Whatever threads I cobbled together, there was a premeditated plan and that was to feel good. At the risk of sounding reactionary, it’s a pretty harmless way to elevate your style and wellbeing, regardless of your age. I doubt the people who created the labels I sport had my demography in mind when they were coming up with a new summer range. And I haven’t stumbled across any mannequins dressed in homeless chic. (Before I go any further, I just want to sincerely acknowledge the brutal, constant ugliness women have endured from online trolls for donning certain attire. I am nothing more than a non-playing character in the game of fashion cruelties). Loading So, what the hell should I be wearing as I reluctantly wobble into my autumn years? Remarkably, given the endless disappointing dross you can find online, there is bugger-all advice when it comes to age-appropriate apparel for chaps like me. Maybe the lack of meaningful information is because there is just an expectation, hat we decrepit dudes will morph into Alf Stewart from Home and Away . I mean, when you turn 65, does your WA Seniors Card rock up the mail with a free pair of brown sandals, grey supermarket slacks, white singlets, and handkerchiefs? The pants come with clear instructions on how to hitch them above your navel and an ankle bracelet that sets off an alarm if you attempt to enter any designer stores. There is a secret sect of khaki-dressed, police that re-educates Bohemian Boomers who dare rock a bucket hat, knee-length shorts, and old-school Puma runners. Or maybe men don’t grasp what sociologist Julia Twigg calls “the changing room moment” when it comes to us blokes realising we are too old for certain items. Professor Twigg interviewed men aged between 58 and 85 who were surprisingly comfortable in the kit they’d worn most of their lives. “It is clear men have a different relationship to dress from women, and the research shows that this continues into later life,” she said. “There is less in the way of age anxiety in their choices.” It’s not uncommon for the male species to adopt a certain look in their early 20s and be buried in the first suit they bought 60 years ago. If you disregard the nexus to money, which has allowed me to buy clothing that isn’t from charity shops, my style hasn’t changed since the early 90s. I still have an unhealthy amount of corduroy pants and jackets in my wardrobe and retro shirts and sneakers. There is something comforting and reassuring about finding your own style and a certain empowerment for not caring (and caring) about what you wear. We can delude ourselves that the rags we pluck from the cupboard are not calculated pieces of composition because the pair of tracky-dacks and favourite band T-shirt you just reached for, still make you feel content. The right duds give us confidence. No matter what our age. Hey, if you’re unconvinced, here are some scientific facts. Loading In a paper published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , Adam Galinsky and his co-author Hajo Adam coined the term “enclothed cognition”, which describes the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer’s psychological processes. The pair believed our garbs had the power to not only impact our mood but also influence the way we feel and interact with the world. “With enclothed cognition, the key idea is not just the wearing of clothes, but the symbolic meaning of the clothes one is wearing,” Galinsky says. I’m not sure the method worked on existentialist thinker John-Paul Sartre, who spent most of his life dressed as a Parisian bus driver. Adam and Galinsky’s theory could also be applied to the workplace, where our cognitive functions or moods shift when we see a person in certain professional attire. I, for one, would feel more assured about getting a rectal exam from a person wearing a stethoscope and lab coat than someone in high-vis. Despite our persistent denial, our clothes send out signals. They play a critical role in shaping our perceptions of who we are. Whether or not my clobber signified to my colleague that I may have missed the “changing room moment”, it didn’t matter. Whatever our generation, the get-up we choose to wear can make us feel attractive, stylish and jolly. As the Shakespeare saying goes, “apparel oft proclaims the man”. Even if that person chooses not to dress their age. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Style Perth Workplace culture Opinion Brendan Foster is a Fremantle local, former Fairfax journalist and communication professional, with work published in Guardian Australia, The New York Daily, The New York Times, Crikey, WAtoday, News.com.au, The Irish Times and The Sunday Times. Most Viewed in National LoadingFRISCO, Texas (AP) — A rare win as a double-digit underdog came just in time to let the Dallas Cowboys believe their playoff hopes aren't completely gone in 2024. Cooper Rush probably will need three more victories in a row filling in for the injured Dak Prescott for any postseason talk to be realistic. The thing is, the Cowboys (4-7) could be favored in two of those games, and already are by four points as an annual Thanksgiving Day host against the New York Giants (2-9) on Thursday, according to BetMGM. Not to mention the losing record at the moment for each of the next four opponents for the defending NFC East champions, playoff qualifiers each of the past three seasons. The Cowboys have a chance to make something of the improbable and chaotic 34-26 win at Washington that ended a five-game losing streak. “Behind the eight ball,” Micah Parsons said, the star pass rusher acknowledging the reality that Dallas hadn't done much yet. “Let’s see how we can handle adversity and see if we can make a playoff run. But we got a long way to go.” It was a start, though, powered in part by the best 55 minutes from the Dallas defense since the opener, when the Cowboys dismantled Cleveland and looked the part of a Super Bowl contender. The last five minutes for the Dallas defense against the Commanders looked a lot like most of the nine games after that 33-17 victory over the Browns. Which is to say not very good. Jayden Daniels easily drove Washington 69 yards to a touchdown before throwing an 86-yard scoring pass in the final seconds to Terry McLaurin, who weaved through five defenders when a tackle might have ended the game. The Cowboys kept a 27-26 lead thanks to Austin Seibert's second missed extra point, and withstood another blunder when Juanyeh Thomas returned an onside kick recovery for a TD rather than slide and leave one kneel-down from Rush to end the game. Dallas will have to remember it did hold a dynamic rookie quarterback's offense to 251 yards before the madness of the ending in the Cowboys' biggest upset victory since 2010 at the New York Giants. That one was too late to save the season. This one might not be. “We needed it,” embattled coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s been frustrating, no doubt. We’ve acknowledged that. We’ve got another one right around the corner here, so we have to get some wins and get some momentum.” Rush ended a personal three-game losing streak with his best showing since the previous time he won as the replacement for Prescott, who is out for the season after surgery for a torn hamstring. The 117.6 passer rating was Rush's best as a starter, and the NFL's second-worst rushing attack played a solid complementary role with Rico Dowdle gaining 86 yards on 19 carries. KaVontae Turpin's electrifying 99-yard kickoff return did more than lift the Cowboys when it appeared an 11-point lead might get away in the final five minutes. It eased the worst day of special teams for Dallas since John Fassel took over that phase four years ago. Suddenly struggling kicker Brandon Aubrey had one field-goal attempt blocked and missed another. Bryan Anger had a punt blocked. For the second time in five games, Aubrey's attempt to bounce a kickoff in front of the return man backfired. The ball bounced outside the landing zone, putting the Commanders at the 40-yard line to start the second half and setting up the drive to the game's first touchdown. CB Josh Butler, whose NFL debut earlier this season came five years after the end of his college career, had 12 tackles, a sack and three pass breakups. The pass breakups were the most by an undrafted Dallas player since 1994. Rookie LT Tyler Guyton, who has had an up-and-down season with injuries and performance issues, was benched immediately after getting called for a false start in the fourth quarter. His replacement, Asim Richards, could be sidelined with a high ankle sprain that executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones revealed on his radio show Monday. Veteran Chuma Edoga, who was the projected starter at Guyton's position before a preseason toe injury, was active but didn't play against the Commanders. He's awaiting his season debut. The status of perennial All-Pro RG Zack Martin (ankle/shoulder) and LG Tyler Smith (ankle/knee) will be a question on the short week after both sat against Washington. Stephen Jones indicated Smith could be available and said the same of WR Brandin Cooks, who hasn't played since Week 4 because of a knee issue. TE Jake Ferguson may miss at least a second week with a concussion. The short week might make it tough for CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) to return. 75% — Rush's completion rate, his best with at least 10 passes. He was 24 of 32 for 247 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His other game with multiple TDs and no picks was a 25-10 victory over Washington two years ago, when he went 4-1 with Prescott sidelined by a broken thumb. There's some extra rest after the short week, with Cincinnati making a “Monday Night Football” visit on Dec. 9. The next road game is at Carolina on Dec. 15. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

CHATHAM, N.J. (AP) — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It's unclear if it's drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving, the saga of the drones reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights. This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter: Lawmakers are demanding (but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what's behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey's new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X. But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies — none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they're looking into what's happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else. Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on. In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group. The Facebook page, New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it , has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there. One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.) Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she's glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said. “I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said. She doesn't buy what the governor said, that the drones aren't a risk to public safety. Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” “How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.” Then there's the notion that people could misunderstand what they're seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots. Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they're looking at. Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories. “It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.” Federal officials echo Austin's view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy. That's not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects. For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions. “My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said. “Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added. Golden reported form Seattle.According to the weather department, Mumbai is expected to experience light showers with cloudy skies, while Delhi will remain mostly clear with cooler temperatures on Saturday, December 14. Chennai is likely to witness intermittent rainfall, with the possibility of thunderstorms in some areas. Bengaluru will have mild, partly cloudy weather, with a chance of isolated light rain. Hyderabad is forecasted to stay dry, with pleasant temperatures throughout the day. Kolkata may experience light rain in the evening, accompanied by a drop in temperature. India Weather Forecast: IMD Predicts Light to Moderate Rainfall Over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal With Thunderstorms . (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)

Sunday's 26-21 win over the Jets featured several special teams miscues, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by New York. On the flip side, the Seahawks got their second pick-6 in as many weeks and just enough production by Geno Smith and the offense. The Seahawks' uneven performance was characteristic of a season in which they started 3-0, then lost five of six before winning another three in a row to take command of their underachieving division. Seattle (7-5) leads Arizona by one game, with a matchup against the Cardinals looming next weekend. Zach Charbonnet gave Seattle its first lead of the day on an 8-yard touchdown run with 5:37 to go, and the Seahawks' defense capped another strong outing with a game-sealing stop on fourth down. After a sack by Leonard Williams gave the Jets a fourth-and-15 at the 34-yard line, Aaron Rodgers threw a desperation pass to Garrett Wilson that fell incomplete, giving Seattle the ball with 33 seconds left. Williams is on a tear. After losing out on NFC defensive player of the week honors last week to teammate Coby Bryant despite 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits, “Big Cat” had an even better game. Williams finished with two sacks, three tackles for loss, a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown that was the longest pick-6 in NFL history by a defensive lineman, and a blocked extra point. The touchdown was the first of Williams’ career. He became the first player since 1982 with multiple sacks, an interception return for a touchdown and a blocked kick in a game. Maybe this week the league will agree he was the NFC's best defender. The special teams could not have been much worse in the first half. The Seahawks fumbled three kickoffs, losing two, and allowed Kene Nwangwu's 99-yard kickoff return for a TD. Dee Williams fumbled on a kickoff in the first quarter to give New York the ball at the 27-yard line, and four plays later, Rodgers hit Isaiah Davis for a touchdown to give the Jets a 14-0 lead. Laviska Shenault Jr. muffed two kicks and fumbled at the Seattle 38-yard line in the second quarter. Seattle also had an extra point blocked. Smith led his third game-winning drive of the season and his 11th since he became Seattle’s starting quarterback in 2022. Facing the team that drafted him in 2013, Smith went 20 of 31 for 206 yards and a touchdown. For the first time in five weeks, he was not intercepted. The Seahawks trailed by 14 points on two occasions, but Smith brought Seattle back while avoiding the untimely picks that dogged him recently. He threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Barner in the second quarter, and led the Seahawks on a go-ahead nine-play, 71-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter. Coach Mike Macdonald and his staff have to address the problem with their kick returners, Shenault and Dee Williams. Two lost fumbles and several muffs could have easily cost Seattle the game. WR DK Metcalf left the game briefly with a knee issue but returned. ... P Michael Dickson was unavailable in the fourth quarter because of back spasms. 38 — The Seahawks decided to go for it on fourth-and-6 at their own 33-yard line with 9:34 left in the game. A primary reason was that Dickson was unavailable to punt because of back spasms. The Jets were flagged for having 12 men on the field after sending a punt returner out, which gave Seattle fourth-and-1 at the 38. The Seahawks got a first down after Jets cornerback Quantez Stiggers was flagged for pass interference on Metcalf, and eight players later, Charbonnet scored to put Seattle ahead. Without going for it on fourth down from their own 38, the Seahawks likely would’ve lost. The Seahawks will seek a season sweep of the Cardinals. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

1. Cookie Swap! , a cookbook with 50 recipes: everything from thumbprints and oatmeal to flaky cardamom palmiers and matcha sandwich cookies with almond cream — does anything sound more fun than missing school AND spending the day making cookies?! No way. This snow day is gonna be a core memory you're all sure to treasure forever. I have this book! My husband loves baking and *I* love baking...recipes that are not hard. We make cookie tins for friends every year (I know, how wholesome, right?) and this book was a great way to shake up our ideas! The recipes are clear, the pictures are gorgeous, and this definitely a fun gift. Promising review: "I love the concept for this book! I organize a cookie swap every year for by neighbors at holiday time. This book is absolutely perfect for ideas and recipes. It even tells you how to organize a swap and the recipe yields are all divisible by 12. The author has thought of everything, including advice on a 'bag of tricks,' which includes discussions on chocolate, types of butter, equipment, and types of cookies." — Falmouth Get it from Amazon for $12.09 . 2. And How to Cook Everything Kids — this is a cookbook that'll grow with your kids, encouraging them to participate more and more in the kitchen as they get older. Initially, the book's cute illustrations (such a clever idea!) engage tiny minds and interest them in learning about HOW to cook. After that, the images of kiddos cooking and the meals themselves help readers feel confident that they, too, can make a *real* meal! Promising review: "This book will grow with your children. With it, you can teach them about the utensils used in cooking, how to use a stove, oven, mixer, and food processor. If you have young children they can add and mix some of the ingredients while the adult or older children chop and cook over the stove or oven. This book teaches them how to organize the ingredients needed to make food, prepare it, and cook it. They will enjoy surprising their friends with guacamole, chicken chowder, and chocolate chip cookies! " — Terry Biehl Get it from Amazon for $28 . 3. A 1986 version of Clue , a beloved board game complete with a dark and foreboding mansion, sinister suspects, and hidden weapons sure to be a hit with older kids. You're gonna need to use your powers of deduction to solve the mystery and be the first to identify the killer, the weapon, and the location. Good luck! Number of players: 3-6 Recommended age: 8+ Pieces: Illustrated mansion board, pewter candlestick, knife, wrench, pipe, and gun, plastic rope, weapon cards, character cards, one case file, and six plastic character pawns. Promising review: "We try to get the family one game every Christmas and we chose this one! This retro edition is so fun. My girls love the mystery of this game and we enjoy being brought back to our childhood. Great for family night or rainy day!" — GreenChile33 Get it from Amazon for $21.99 . 4. A portable ping-pong set to turn your dining room table into *the* place to hang out (even when there isn't a crumb of food around). Set includes a retractable net, two paddles, three balls, and case. Promising review: "I got this for my son for Christmas. We don’t have a lot of space for a full ping pong table but I have a long dinning table that is perfect. This is easy to assemble and it changes up family game night. Great fun!!" — Heather Gould Get it from Amazon for $44.99+ (available in three set styles). 5. An indoor-friendly scavenger hunt game that'll save the day when said day is cold, snowy, dreary, and dull. Rather than coming up with specific objects, this game gives your kids a chance to be extra creative by finding things that are "scratchy," "warm," "fuzzy," and more! Promising review: "These are a lifesaver for us during the quarantine. My 7-year-old is enjoying challenges that I time, having to find five things to match five cards in five minutes. There are also two games with instructions that are fun. My kiddos are being so creative finding things. My son found a compact mirror and breathed on it to steam it up for 'steamy.' Hooray for igniting thinking skills. Grandma gets involved finding silly things that make the kids crack up. I love the bag they come in and that it’s a compact card game that can be played anywhere." — Jami Lilo Get it from Amazon for $7.69 . 6. A terribly charming toadstool tent sure to be beloved by imaginative kids who prefer pretend play to structured sets and games. If your family has too much energy for your *regular* house, send your little faeries off into the "forest" and have them scavenge for things to fill up their toadstool home. Promising review: "The mushroom playhouse tent added enchantment to my daughter's 4th fairy-themed birthday party! It became the whimsical centerpiece, creating a magical space where imagination soared. The easy setup was a parent's dream. I will be moving it to her bedroom after the party and probably to the backyard during summer. This mushroom tent playhouse is a must-have for fairy-tale tykes! 🍄✨👧🧚‍♀️" — Gizem Aktan Get it from Amazon for $99.99 . 7. A World Full of Spooky Stories , a compilation of stories that'll give your older kids a cultural world tour *and* keep those little thrill seekers entertained when they're old enough to enjoy a good spooky story. If scary stories aren't your family's thing, you can also get A World Full of Animal Stories and A Year Full of Stories , both are filled with fun folktales from around the world. Promising review: "This book has wonderful short stories from all around the world to broaden a child’s cultural knowledge and imagination." — Jamie Rodriguez Get it from Amazon for $17.97 . 8. Acorn Soup — this cooperation cooking game is sure to be to your *taste* if you're teaching your kids how to take turns. It also provides risk-free family fun because there's no winner (and thus, no frustrated kiddos at the end). To play, pick an ingredient card and place the correct number of each item inside the pot to make Squirrel's favorite meals. Dinner's served! Number of players: 2–4 Recommended age: 2+ Pieces: 8 recipe cards, 1 wooden spoon, 24 wooden ingredients, instructions, and a parent guide Promising review: "My kiddos (3 and 2) love this game! There are a few different ways to play with different instructions and varying degrees of difficulty, so the game grows with your little one. The ingredient pieces are wooden and feel sturdy in your hand. Even the recipe cards are on thick cardboard, so this game will last you a long time even with players who may not be gentle. :) My kids love just 'making soup' with it even if we are not playing the game as directed. I love that it helps with number recognition, counting items, identifying items, and recognizing colors. There is no real 'winner' which is fine as we are working on teaching turn-taking right now and not necessarily the idea of win/lose. This is a great, fun game for toddlers and preschoolers." — CA gal in TX Get it from Amazon for $21.95 . 9. A Dungeons and Dragons essentials kit so you can finally give this cult-classic a chance and expand your kids' gaming skills beyond screens. It's time to put your creativity to the test by controlling all of your family's fates as THE Dungeon Master. Number of players: 2 to 6 Recommended age: 12+ Promising review: "Honestly, this kit is what the original starter kit should have been. The story is easier to follow for a newer DM. The adventure is a lot more streamlined. The breakdown of character creation is amazing and simplified. It doesn't just toss you some generic character that you have no connection too. It simplifies character creation and allows you to ease into more complicated characters later on. The cards that come with this kit are something I wish I had when I first started. They help with initiative, conditions, and the sidekick cards and magic item cards are awesome. I would recommend this kit over the original to any person wanting to start playing DnD." — Bryan Get it from Amazon for $17.69 . 10. Pokko and the Drum , a laugh-out-loud funny book that's sure to be an instant classic loved by both kids and kids-at-heart who need *drumroll please* ATTENTION. Promising review: " This book is clever and cute and unexpectedly hilarious. The kids and I were all a little surprised at one point when one of the members of the friend group spontaneously eats another member of the group, but, well...that's nature? :D This is a great little story with beautiful illustrations." — Tripp Get it from Amazon for $12.39 . 11. Zingo! , which is a new take on Bingo that's gonna be *extra* fun. It's fast paced and the toy does all the hard work for you! Just slide it and watch the tiles fall down...here's hoping you get your bored covered first! Number of players: 2-7 Recommended age: 4+ Pieces: 1 Zinger tile dispenser, 6 double-sided Zingo cards (for two levels of play), 72 double-sided tiles, and a parent's guide Promising review: "My 4-year-old loves Zingo! We play almost every night. Not only is this game fun but it teaches kids patience and to take turns. We love playing this as a family." — Bri Get it from Amazon for $24.97 . 12. A pack of Crayola Globbles (sans sticky residue) — these cling to the wall and slowly drop down...tricking your kids into being patient after they've thrown these as high up as their little arms can manage. Promising review : "Amazing toys! My 1- and 2-year-old LOVE them! They scream 'sticky balls!' and run around throwing them on the fridge, windows, cabinets, walls, etc. Easy to wash and air-dry, and don't lose their stickiness! My new go-to gift! Love them!" — Rachel Get a pack of six from Amazon for $7.49 (also available as a 16-pack). 13. The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine — this'll walk your space rangers through 50 cooperative space missions in a trick-taking format (like Spades) that only gets more difficult as they move along. Spooky! Number of players: 3–5 Recommended age: 10+ Promising review: "I gave this game to my brother for Christmas, and that night we all stayed up until 4 a.m. playing! Takes a little time to learn, but the instructions walk you through it." — Jackie Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 14. A pair of Wackadoo dice for Bluey fans who jump up and dance every time the intro song turns on. One die has a direction, like "dance," "jump," or "floss," and the other has a selection of critters your child will pretend to be while doing the action. Get ready to see a bunch of flossing kangaroos in your basement! Number of players: 1+ Recommended age: 3+ Pieces: 2 large Bluey dice Promising review: "These have provided hours of fun. They are very durable and lots of fun. Gets the kids moving and active." — Kendall & Robyn Nash Get them from Amazon for $19.14 . 15. A jealousy-inducing Melissa & Doug ice cream counter — it'll be a total (ice) scream playing retro soda shop with this fun set. One egg cream please. The wooden ice cream counter comes with eight ice cream scoops, six toppings, two cones, cup, scooper, tongs, wooden spoon, reusable menu card, and six pretend dollar bills. Promising review: " Fun toy set for a creative toddler. My newly-turned-3-year-old daughter instantly fell in love with this set! She loves seeing how high she can stack the ice cream cones and pretending to serve Mom and Dad her creations. She's been obsessed with climbing things around the house, and we *desperately* needed a distraction to get her to stop, and this is working so far — she plays with this thing for HOURS! " — West Family Get it from Amazon for $38.99 . 16. A 100-piece set of Picasso Tiles that reviewers say work with and are comparable to Magna-Tiles (which is helpful if your tiny architect already has that brand), because apparently building blocks are now blasé and kids are going wild for these shiny tiles. Promising review: "I wish I had known about these sooner! PicassoTiles are *exactly* like Magna-Tiles but way more affordable. We just received the 100-tile set today - an early birthday gift for our soon-to-be-four-year-old. We have two sets of Magna-Tiles — one with the grommets (purchased new last year) and one without (purchased secondhand [no idea how old they are]). The PicassoTiles are the same weight and size as the MagnaTiles and have the same exact magnets. They do not have metal grommets, but the old MagnaTiles are indestructible, so I know that these will be too. And PicassoTiles are much prettier, in my opinion, because they are slightly more translucent and have brighter colors. They integrate into the collection seamlessly. I highly recommend this product. And if you are considering buying any kind of magnetic tile toy for your child, I recommend purchasing as big a set as you can for versatility of play. Our son has played with these all day and night off and on every single day since we bought them last year. After integrating the new PicassoTile set, he hugged his enormous structure and declared them his favorite...twice. A wonderful toy!" — skater mom Get it from Amazon for $39.99 . 17. A Barbie Dreamhouse so your child's favorite dolls can live in style with a working elevator, a PARTY ROOM WITH A DJ BOOTH, a slide, puppy area, balcony, and a rooftop deck. If we can't have it all, at least our kids... dolls can. Promising review: "I got this for my granddaughter for Christmas, and she absolutely loves it! Putting it together was very easy, all the pieces just snapped together, no tools required, except a screwdriver for the battery compartment. It comes with a great variety of accessories and realistic sound effects with the push of a button throughout the house! There's so much to do; keeps my granddaughter busy for hours at a time! Her favorite part is the dance music and flashing lights for Barbie and her friends to have dance parties! But it's not just fun for my granddaughter, my daughter and I also have fun playing with it. It did cost a lot but it's well worth every penny , and I would highly recommend it! It makes a great gift that would make any little [kid[ very happy!" — Barbara Gratton Get it from Amazon for $224.99 . 18. A 2-in-1 rocking bike from Strider that'll help your baby become confident on the seat of a bike even before they're able to walk! This grows with your child, starting as a "rocking horse" that'll stay in place as they ride it inside your home. Once they're a little bigger, the base can be removed, and you'll have a classic pedal-free bike for your little tyke! My baby started using this around nine months old (pictured above, right) and she is a HUGE fan. She loves this *practical* "rocking horse." I love its durability (her older cousin used it on our deck and was riding it so wildly we were sure he'd end up doing a front flip...this thing held up - and kept the kid intact - like a champ). The bike can be removed from the rocking base as your child starts walking, making it a prime choice for teaching your kiddo how to balance on a bike. Promising review: "The bike paired with the rocking base has been a favorite since day one! Some days he rocks other days we take it off the stand and ride in the backyard! This is learning how to ride a bike made easy!" — Tracy Get it from Strider for $209+ (available in eight colors). 19. Eatz-A-Lotl , a card game for kids who love (even if they can't spell ) axolotls! This is a fast-paced but simple matching game featuring an axolot eating popcorn, pretzels, pizza, Popsicles...and other food that probably doesn't start with the letter P. Probably. This card game is suitable for kids ages 4+ and works with 2-4 players. Promising review: "This is a super cute and fun game! We love Mudpuppy products and this one was no exception. Super cute game, easy to learn, and fun. My axolotl-loving daughter was so happy to get this as a gift. I would totally buy it again!" — Callie Larson Get it from Amazon for $9.39 . 20. A sushi-making kit that'll keep your family's cooking skills on a roll as your kids continue growing comfortable in the kitchen (without an oven...which is a stress-free win for everyone). It comes with two rolling mats, a rice spreader, a rice paddle, and five pairs of chopsticks, along with a downloadable recipe guide! Promising review: "I got this kit on a whim, basically I just wanted to try to make sushi for the first time. For the price, you can't really go wrong! The mats were great and everything else included was helpful. It comes with an online guide which is nice, but you can also go online and find a ton of videos on how to roll sushi. I've made about four rolls over the course of two nights and am really satisfied. Making rolls is a breeze and fun! A great starter kit for anyone interested in trying this out." — J. Leaver Get it from Amazon for $8.48 . 21. A Blipblox synthesizer — a fully functional synthesizer for kids of parents who laugh in the face of quiet time. This has a learning curve so simple that babies can start jamming right away. Turn it on, twist some (kid-friendly, indestructible) knobs, and you've got a beat! It's intended for ages 3+ and a toddler hit, but it's also a great way for older kids to learn the ins and outs of electronic music — next thing you know, your kindergartener will be lecturing you about oscillators and low pass filters. We bought this toy for my daughter's first birthday and it is now the coolest thing in our entire apartment. Recently we were having a party and while I was looking for my daughter I went into the living room and found her surrounded by our friends who were waiting (impatiently) for their turn with this thing. It's TOO cool. Promising review: "The built-in beats and effects are a blast. Super fun to just mess with. For adults you can learn more about how the signal is impacted by each nob to get to some more reproducible sounds. Lastly you can hook it up to a midi keyboard or sequencer to use it as part of your actual musical kit!" — Dreyco Get it from Amazon for $199 . 22. A magnetic shape-shifting puzzle cube that'll bend your kid's brain as they manipulate it into over 70 different shapes, revealing mesmerizing colors and patterns. It's like instant origami, and I'm INTO IT. You can also collect all 12 puzzle box designs to connect different magnetic cubes to build even larger structures and sculptures. Promising review: " Fun for older teens. I bought one each for my 16- and 19-year-old son and daughter for Christmas. It made a great stocking stuffer. It was very intriguing and they enjoyed linking them together for new shapes. The boxes were sturdy enough for teens to manipulate without breaking and the magnets are strong. Not sure if younger hands would be too rough. If forced to move in the wrong direction they could break. The designs were beautiful. I plan to buy a few more for a bigger variety of shapes!" — Shellbug99 Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in 19 designs). 23. A 5-in-1 gym so your child can get out their energy without turning *you* into their personal jungle gym. It can be configured in various ways so your tiny rock climber can switch up their routine whenever they want. Check out Avenlur's landing page for more gorgeous kid products and see all that they have for sale this Prime Day! Promising review: "This was easy to put together, my husband and I did it in less than an hour. The packaging is nice and doesn’t feel cheap. It feels very solid and the wood smells like wood, so that’s nice. Also all the holes are drilled where they are supposed to be and only two holes (of about 64 total) were slightly stripped once fully tightened, but it doesn’t seem to impact the structural integrity and nothing is loose." — Gullyfluff25 Get it from Amazon for $179+ (available in three colors). 24. A 1,000-piece video game-themed puzzle that'll combine your love of puzzles with your boo's video game addiction. Romantic! Promising review: "Great puzzle of retro games and consoles. Each piece is unique and fit together snuggly. Image is high quality (text and small details are easy to see/read). Finally, it was fun! Glued and mounted." — AJ Koch Get it from Amazon for $19.95 . 25. Azul just might be the only game to convince the craft-lover in your life to put down their crochet and play a game with you! The whole point of this board game is to create gorgeous (and point-scoring) tile mosaics featuring Moorish art-inspired designs. Number of players: 2–4 Recommended age: 8+ Promising review: "This is such a great game for both board game fanatics and non-gamers. It's easy to teach, simple to set up, plays in under an hour, and it's FUN! Azul is an abstract tile placement game that features drafting, set collecting, and pattern building. It's pleasing to look at and the components are well made. The tiles feel especially nice. This is one of those games that everyone we've introduced it to loves and wants to play again right away. It hits the table quite a bit." — Shelly Get it from Amazon for $31.97 . 26. Horizontal Parenting , a laugh-out-loud funny (and surprisingly clever!) book that'll beloved by parents who would happily do ANYTHING if they could lie down for just a minute . Grab this book, draw some roads on one of your old shirts, hand your kid a toy car, and let them play "Back Street" while you fall sound asleep. Promising review: "My kid loves this, and so do I! The games are good and are wonderful for days when you are low energy. It's a must-have." — Miai G. Get it from Amazon for $12.85 . 27. Slapburger — it's sure to be a hit with anyone who has a real appetite for game night! On each turn, a player will lay a card face up in the center of the table, then everyone slaps cards down to make some primo meal combos: like a SlapBurger card, Double Decker or Sandwich. The last player holding all the cards wins. Number of players: 2-6 Recommended age: 4+ Pieces: 52 cards Promising review: "This is a perfect family game. It's a fun card game that is easy to learn. I got it to play with my 4-year-old daughter and she loves it! It's a perfect gift and compact for traveling purposes." — Zoro Get it from Amazon for $12.99 . 28. What Do Machines Do All Day? , a brilliant and bright picture book full of color and information on every machine your child could possibly name. Promising review: "My son LOVES this book. It teaches us so much about various professions and machines and it is a great jumping off point to discuss so many other things !" — Sarah A Get it from Amazon for $13.02 . 29. The Reverse Coloring Book sure to have your child feeling soothed as they sketch out a story about a princess fire-breathing dog living in some watercolor woods...or something like that. Each book includes 50 pages of watercolor art for you to add lines, along with suggestions for what to add if you want a jumping-off point. B onus: the pages are perforated, so you can easily tear them out and frame them! (Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $8.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option!) Check out a TikTok of the Reverse Coloring Book in action. And if you've already tried this copy, there are newer Reverse Coloring Books from the same creator to try! Promising review: "Changed my life. So I get anxious doing the adult coloring books. This was so much fun and made me really think outside of the box. I'm not the best at drawing, but I felt like I was when I was a kid doodling in my textbooks in school." — Carley C. Get it from Amazon for $9.90 . 30. A LeapFrog animal book , which is frequently on the Amazon bestsellers chart. The interactive book teaches kids fun facts about all kinds of critters, and it'll even sing songs in both English and Spanish. Promising review: "This talking book is hands down the best thing I bought my daughter. She was a bit delayed in speech and since buying this book she’s been spitting out new words left and right. It responds well to touch and the pages are very durable which is great in the hands of a toddler!" — ApL Get it from Amazon for $12.97+ (available in six styles). 31. Forest Friends , which is a 3D board game that's sure to shake things up during game nights when you're away. You can play two unique games with this set. First is "Hide and Seek," where players help Mia Mouse guess which hole her animal friends are hiding in. If you guess correctly, you get a wooden star. If not, you shout out what you see, and the other players try to remember that info for their own turn. You can also play "Animal Tracks," where the animal tiles are flipped over to only show their footprints. Then you've gotta figure out which animal that footprint belongs to before your search begins! Number of players: 1-4 Recommended age: 2+ Pieces: 1 3D cube board, 8 star tokens, 1 wooden mouse, and 8 unique animal/footprint chips Promising review: "These games are the best for really young kids! We love the wooden pieces. This is a high quality product overall and lots of fun for the youngest board gamers ." — N. Robinson Get it from Amazon for $23.99 . 32. A pair of toddler-sized Unicorse and Bob Bilby hand puppets for Bluey fans who watch these two mischievous characters on television and would love to play with them for real life . Promising review: "Our daughter, her cousins, and my husband love playing with Unicourse and Bob Bilby. They look just like the cartoon characters and have given us hours of entertainment." — Naturecrazed Get them from Amazon for $15.99 . 33. A giant Jenga set to put everyone's stacking skills to the test. This version is 4 FEET, which makes sense, because finding family-friendly games this fun is a tall order. Promising review: "I purchased this for get togethers with friends and family and this is, and always has been, a party favorite. Good quality as well." — Mark Get it from Amazon for $99.95 . 34. Pancake Pile-Up! for the tiny chef in your home who would love starting up their own brunch spot while the parents go out to dinner. They can get their home restaurant-ready by flipping an order card. Once flipped, they make the pancake shown as fast as they can, using the spatula to place it on their plate, race back to the starting point somewhere in the room, and hand the plate and spatula to the next player (like a relay-race). The team or individual that correctly completes the stack shown on the card wins the round! Number of players: 2-4 Recommended age: 4+ Pieces: 10 plastic pancakes in 5 flavors, 2 plastic patties of butter, 2 plastic plates, 2 plastic spatulas, 10 order cards, and a plastic griddle game board Promising review: " I’m a Preschool teacher and a mom to a 4-year-old and I’ve recommended this game to every parent with young ones! This game is great quality, fun, and teaches so many concepts. Highly recommend" — Chris and Brittany Causey Get it from Amazon for $19.87 . 35. A pop-up tunnel play set — your kids are gonna love crawling in and out of these obstacle course of tunnels. (BTW, it also has a ball pit!) Promising review: "One thing my kids never tire of is hideouts and tents. I'm always hearing, 'Mom can you build us a tent?' So, instead of sticking blankets in drawers and hanging them from bookcases, I ordered this set. They play in them for hours and love them. This play set is great. It has three sections for them to sit and play in and three tunnels." — Stephen schuresko Get it from Amazon for $64.95 (also available in a princess version). 36. An open-ended marble run set for inquisitive kiddos who would love creating a massive marble run all on their own — no rulebook included! Promising reviews: " My 5- and 3-year-olds (and me) have spent hours building towers and watching marbles clatter down these chutes, steps, gears and spirals, HOURS! And they’re not bored yet! It’s also educational learning the physics of slopes by experience. Plus, it comes with enough marbles so that losing a few doesn’t matter." — Joyce Parker " This is a really neat toy that has provided literally hours and hours of enjoyment for my 4-year-old nephew (and me!). The pieces fit well together, it is very sturdy and stands up well even on carpet. There are an infinite number of ways to build these runs, and this toy never gets boring. Highly recommended." — Becca Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in four kit sizes). 37. A modular kids' couch made with sturdy foam and easy-to-clean fabric so you can take your family's play fort skills to the next level, while saving your own sofa from destruction. Promising review: "This 'couch' is wonderful — exactly what we had been looking for. The covers are super soft and the color is gorgeous. We have built several different forts and tunnels so far and the kids love it! We had a tiny problem with one of the arches but customer service took care of it. I would definitely buy from this company again." — Chris and Charly Get it from Amazon for $168.99 (available in 10 colors). 38. A Play-Doh restaurant for parents who can't bear to wait another year for the next season of, well, The Bear . Okay, okay, this is actually gonna be a gift for your kid . But will the two of you have a ton of fun making meals and filling orders together? Yes, Chef! This set includes 2-oz. tubs of red, yellow, blue, green, and brown Play-Doh. It can stamp up to two food shapes at a time and make burgers, pizza, chicken, or spaghetti! Along with the prep table, this comes with a spatula and plate. This is suitable for kids ages 3+. Promising review: "This is a fun activity. Just great overall! It's a fun gift idea or to keep at home. Lots of variety in shapes and molds. And the pieces clean easily. Definitely worth having." — Em Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 39. A children's digital camera with 32 GB of storage, photo and video capabilities, sticker filters they can add to their photos, and even games (watch yourself steal this from your kid to play a nice game of old-school Snake)! After a full charge, your kid can take nonstop photos for 1–2 hours. Enjoy watching your kid run all over the place, taking creative photos of the world from their own special POV. This is suitable for children ages 3–8 and it's a HIT with reviewers! It has over 18,000 five-star reviews . BTW, it's shock-proof and includes a lanyard to keep it secure around your kiddo! Promising review: "I purchased this for my 3-year-old grandson. It is far more high tech than any 3-year-old will fully take advantage of but taking simple photos was accomplished with ease. I was astonished at the quality of the photos as well as the storage capacity. It is a fantastic value for the money. " — KayBee Get it from Amazon for $26.39 (available in five colors). 40. Flushin' Frenzy , a game specifically made for families who are *very* pro potty-humor. Players must plunge away and do their best to catch the, ahem, flying poop before anyone else. Number of players: 2-4 Recommended age: 5+ Pieces: 1 toilet, 1 plunger, 1 die, and 10 score tokens Promising reviews: " My 5-year-old niece loves it! What can be said really? It's a game where you use a toy plunger to make a smiling rubber poop fly through the air to be caught for points. My niece, like many little kids, is going through a phase where anything related to poop is absolutely hilarious, so I thought this game would be just the thing for her. She loves it! The game is very easy to pick up for 4- and 5-year-olds, the components are well-made, and the poop is...oddly realistic, except for its smiling face of course. This is without a doubt the cleanest option for playing with poop on the market. Your kids'll love it." — Brendan Williams Get it from Amazon for $39.86 . 41. Ooko , a clever character you'll be thrilled to introduce your family to. This savvy little fox's heart is searching for something that can't be stored in a tree trunk (which is already full of everything a fox could need; a stick, leaf, and rock)...Ooko simply wants a friend. Promising review: "I want to be Ooko's friend! Esme Shapiro is a very talented artist/writer. In a brief and successful journey, Ooko finds what he's (or maybe he's a she?) been missing his whole little fox life. With fanciful illustrations and the best fox dialogue around, Shapiro takes the reader into the world and psyche of a carnivorous mammal with a yearning heart. " — Brody Madrid Get it from Amazon for $13.85 . 42. And finally, a talking, singing, rainbow poop , which, upon first glance, may not be the toy you want in your house. Think again! This thing plays hide-and-seek with your kids — which means a piece of poop just saved you from hiding inside the bathtub until your five-year-old finds you. Ugh, they are so bad at seeking. Look, potty humor is the funniest thing this side of the second grade. BTW, this runs on two AA batteries (which are included). To play someone hides the toy and it will, ahem, "fart" to give the seeker hints as to where it is. Once it's found, it sings a victory song! Promising review: " I was looking for a game to play at our 5-year-old's b-day party, which had ages 5-15, and this was an absolute hit! All the kids loved it and we even got in on the fun for a few rounds. I can see this being very popular in our house on a regular basis. It's nice to get the kids up and active looking for it rather than just sitting playing a game. Countless people of all ages can play. When it was just the two older boys they timed themselves to see who could find it faster. It was very entertaining just to watch them too!" — Lisa Meade Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (also available as an egg). Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.

Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’

Health authorities in the United Kingdom have warned the public against cheap Brazilian butt lift (BBL) from overseas clinics. The invasive cosmetic procedure is being offered abroad for under £3,000, inclusive of hotel accommodation and flight fare, to entice customers. In contrast, local BBL costs 70 percent higher in the United Kingdom, according to the National Health Service (NHS). However, a spate of deaths and medical complications arising from botched BBL surgeries, with the NHS frequently having to treat patients when they return home, prompted the warning posted on the NHS website on 21 December. In the post, NHS National Medical Director Professor Sir Stephen Powis also said BBL surgery has the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures as the fat injected into the buttocks can lead to a pulmonary embolism, which is a blockage in a blood vessel in the lungs that can be fatal. “While many people’s social media feeds will be full of enticing looking offers in the run up to Christmas, the reality is these bargain basement cosmetic procedures are potentially deadly,” he warned. Meanwhile, a literal case of butt lifting has been remedied using 3-D printing technology. Mystic Aquarium senior veterinarian Dr. Molly Martony revealed that the company Adia measured and scanned Charlotte for the design of a customized prosthetic harness to remedy a “bubble butt syndrome” (BBS). Charlotte, a green sea turtle at the Connecticut aquarium, is suffering from BBS years after it was hit by a boat that damaged her shell and spinal cord. The BBS caused the male green sea turtle to be buoyant and vertical in the water because air in its gastro-intestinal tract lifts its butt up. The position can damage its organs, Claire Bolster, Charlotte’s handler, said, according to ABC News. With the prosthetic harness fitted on Charlotte’s shell, weights can be placed to pull his butt down and let him swim at level and more smoothly.A far-right populist and a reformist will face off in Romania’s presidential run-offLast year, Sony announced its PlayStation Portal – a remote play handheld that streams your PS5 games via Wi-Fi. A far cry from a successor to the legendary PlayStation Portable (PSP) and PS Vita, a new report from Bloomberg News suggests that Sony is considering a full-fledged handheld gaming console that can play full PS5 titles natively. PlayStation Portal According to the rumor, the device can play titles locally without needing an active internet connection, making it a true handheld console and not just a remote-play device. According to people familiar with its development, Sony’s new handheld is reportedly “years away” from launch. The source also warned that Sony may pull the plug on the project before it ever reaches the market as it is still in its early days of development. Gaming handhelds have seen a recent resurgence with the success of the Nintendo Switch line and the more recent wave of devices like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally . Microsoft is also rumored to be developing an Xbox handheld which could make for a very interesting battle for handheld supremacy in the coming years. Source ( paywall )

50jili

50jili voucher code philippines 。

Tai'Reon Joseph scores 28 off the bench to help UTSA defeat North Dakota 95-85GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Tai'Reon Joseph scored 28 points off the bench to lead UTSA over North Dakota 95-85 on Sunday. Joseph shot 8 of 11 from the field, including 6 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 7 from the free-throw line for the Roadrunners (5-5). Primo Spears scored 16 points while shooting 4 for 12 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. Damari Monsanto finished 4 of 4 from 3-point range and 3 for 4 from the line to finish with 15 points. The Fightin' Hawks (4-8) were led by Treysen Eaglestaff, who finished with 24 points, four assists and two steals. Dariyus Woodson added 23 points. Deng Mayar contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds. UTSA took the lead with 19:02 to go in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 39-34 at halftime, with Monsanto racking up nine points. UTSA used a 9-0 run in the second half to build a 13-point lead at 55-42 with 15:16 left in the half before finishing off the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

There are many people out there who are trying to bypass the AI Detector tool. Some of these people are doing this to help train the detection process, while others are doing it to beat the system. You see, these days, teachers are using AI Detector tools in the classroom, and content managers who hire writers use these tools to confirm that their writers are doing the work. There are many reasons why you might be trying to bypass an AI Detector tool, and today this article is going to show you how to do it! To give you a fair warning, this process may not trick every detection tool out there. Remember, as users continue to feed these AI-powered tools data, they continue to learn. As you continue to program the AI Detector tools with data you insert into their detection module, you will eventually find that bypassing an AI Detector tool becomes nearly impossible. These tools are still fairly new, so they’re still glitchy, which means most people could bypass the AI detection using the humanizer tools or other methods this article will lay out for you today. The first option to try to bypass an AI Detector tool involves rewriting the content provided by an AI writer. This means phrasing the content to sound more human-like. You’ll want to get the sentence structures to be varied in length and word usage to be less repetitive. This may take a few tries, but you can rewrite AI content to eventually pass the AI content detectors. With that said, the time involved with this option to bypass an AI Detector tool is better spent just writing the content from scratch. Another option to try to bypass an AI Detector tool is to use the humanizer tool found within many AI generative tools. This new tool is just about as fresh as the AI Detector tools helping others find AI-generated text, but instead, this tool helps make the content more capable of bypassing an AI Detector tool. You will insert your text that isn’t passing the AI detection module and click to have the humanizer tool make the text appear more human. This will more than likely use the perplexity and burstiness check that the detection tool uses against itself by creating higher perplexity and burstiness scores to mimic a human being’s writing. While AI writers tend to use the same words and phrases repeatedly, human beings tend to use different words that the average person speaks. This is why, on a side note, they predict human beings will start to talk like robotic creatures because people are consuming too many AI-generative articles. With that said, if you want to bypass an AI Detector tool, then you’re going to want to adjust your word usage. Consider using different words and writing in a way that you’d naturally speak. This will help the detection module give a lower AI percent when it runs its algorithms to test if the text was created by a human or not. You could also think like a robot and attempt to rework the AI-written content into a human-based form. Just think like a robot, how would they rewrite the content to sound more human-like? The humanizer tool is pretty neat as it can quickly manipulate the AI-written text into human form, but what if you can do that yourself? Just use your creativity and try to exchange some words and sentence structures as minimally as possible to run the scan on the AI Detector tool again. You can continue to do this until it passes the report as a full piece of human-written content, even though you utilized generative AI technology to draft that first copy of this text. Lastly, the best method to bypass an AI Detector tool is to just write the content from scratch. That’s right! If you truly want to pass the detection as a piece of human-drafted content, then draft up the content yourself. Writing unique pieces of content on topics that you’re experienced in or can research to learn more about will help you bypass the AI Detector tools nearly every single time. This will also help you program or train the tool to learn what type of content is human-based and what type of content looks more like a robotically written piece of text. Each of these options featured above will help you bypass an AI Detector tool with ease. The thing is to just understand why you want to bypass the AI Detector tool anyway. If you’re trying to be deceitful to your employer who hires you to draft content, then perhaps you may want to revisit your ethical standards in writing. With that said, you can see how fun it would be to play around with these new AI tools to see just what they’re capable of. This means you can have a fun time evaluating text that was first written by an AI writer like ChatGPT and then rewritten to pass the detection classifiers within a detector tool. The creators of the AI Detector tools will definitely appreciate you using their system to do this, as it will help their AI Detector tool become more reliable. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to learn how to bypass an AI Detector tool, hopefully, you have been inspired by these suggestions today to hand-craft a piece of generative AI text into something that mimics human written form. As you continue to try to bypass AI Detection tools, just remember to have fun with it and not use it as a way to cheat the system or to life to your boss or teacher. These are just some fun ways to find out how far you can adjust a piece of content before the AI Detector tool can no longer recognize its own creations. Get local news delivered to your inbox!The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described the member of the House of Representatives from Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere as a “political hushpuppi produced by part of the aberrations in the party.” The minister was reacting to remarks credited to the former spokesman of the Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP) in Imo State on the current crisis in the PDP. Ugochinyere had in a Channels Television programme, Politics Today, on Friday alleged that Wike and his supporters in G5 are determined to destroy the PDP. He also berated the former Rivers State Governor and members of the G5 for playing childish politics. “I don’t understand why you have a national chairman and secretary of a party who seems to be in bed with the ruling party and people are comfortable with that. “They are filing cases to keep themselves in office, Wike and his G-5 people are working for APC while they are still struggling for control of PDP with us,” the lawmaker stated. In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister urged Ugochinyere to face the reason for which he was elected into the House of Representatives so that his constituents would stop passing votes of no confidence on him. The statement read: “This is one of the things you get when people who joined the PDP today are awarded the ticket of the party tomorrow morning. If not for the aberration in the PDP that produced a character like Ugochinyere, someone who only joined the party in 2022 wouldn’t be the one to lecture us about who is loyal to the party and who’s not. “If PDP had functioned properly, would a ‘political hushpuppi’ like Ugochinyere have gotten the party’s ticket while still in another party? Even today, as a PDP Rep member, Ugochinyere is still holding on to his Action Peoples Party (APP) in Rivers State. “Therefore, we on this side are not bothered because we understand why Ugochinyere must now mount the podium and accuse Wike of playing childish and kindergarten politics. He must satisfy those feeding him from the resources of Rivers State. “In saner climes, such character would have been arrested, tried and jailed for impersonation. “When he got to the House of Representatives and there was no title under which his political hushpuppism would continue, he awarded to himself a non-existing title of ‘Spokesperson of Opposition Lawmakers Coalition in the 10th National Assembly,’ claiming to have been so appointed by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP). “But the question is, is CUPP a political party with members in the House of Representatives? Where and when was CUPP registered? Apart from the positions of Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip, is there anything like a spokesperson for opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly? “Being the political hustler that he has always been, Ugochinyere knew that he would be contravening the rules of the National Assembly by allocating to himself, a non-existent position, but he just must have a title to keep his hustle going, and indeed, it has been booming. “In saner climes, such character would have been arrested, tried, and jailed for impersonation.” The name Hushpuppi was made famous by a convicted fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, who is serving a prison term for high-wired frauds in the United States. Opinions Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development. Donate Now

Barrister cleared of misconduct calls on head of Bar Standards Board to resignSpace Innovation and Dinosaur Discovery: From the Moon to the JurassicIndy Autonomous Challenge Returns To CES 2025

Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/aqYmcE9tXi Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief” and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America’s dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise” speech, even though he never used that word. READ MORE: Rosalynn Carter, outspoken former first lady, dies at 96 After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter’s diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Contributors include former AP staffer Alex Sanz in Atlanta. Bill Barrow, The Associated PressThe Secretive Storm: Kim Jong Un’s Mysterious Plot Against Trump’s America Revealed

With a focus on human rights, US policy toward Latin America under Jimmy Carter briefly tempered a long tradition of interventionism in a key sphere of American influence, analysts say. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, defied the furor of US conservatives to negotiate the handover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control, suspended aid to multiple authoritarian governments in the region, and even attempted to normalize relations with Cuba. Carter's resolve to chart a course toward democracy and diplomacy, however, was severely tested in Central America and Cuba, where he was forced to balance his human rights priorities with pressure from adversaries to combat the spread of communism amid the Cold War standoff with the Soviet Union. "Latin America was fundamental and his global policy was oriented toward human rights, democratic values and multilateral cooperation," political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, told AFP. During his 1977-1981 administration, which was sandwiched between the Republican presidencies of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, the Democrat sought to take a step back from US alignment with right-wing dictatorships in Latin America. An important symbol of Carter's approach was the signing of two treaties in 1977 to officially turn over the Panama Canal in 1999. "Jimmy Carter understood that if he did not return the canal to Panama, the relationship between the United States and Panama could lead to a new crisis in a country where Washington could not afford the luxury of instability," said Luis Guillermo Solis, a political scientist and former president of Costa Rica. Carter called the decision, which was wildly unpopular back home, "the most difficult political challenge I ever had," as he accepted Panama's highest honor in 2016. He also hailed the move as "a notable achievement of moving toward democracy and freedom." During his term, Carter opted not to support Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza, who was subsequently overthrown by the leftist Sandinista Front in 1979. But in El Salvador, the American president had to "make a very uncomfortable pact with the government," said Shifter. To prevent communists from taking power, Carter resumed US military assistance for a junta which then became more radical, engaging in civilian massacres and plunging El Salvador into a long civil war. Carter took a critical approach to South American dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, suspending arms deliveries and imposing sanctions in some cases. But his efforts "did not achieve any progress in terms of democratization," said Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga. The American president also tried to normalize relations with Cuba 15 years after the missile crisis. He relaxed sanctions that had been in force since 1962, supported secret talks and enabled limited diplomatic representation in both countries. "With him, for the first time, the possibility of dialogue rather than confrontation as a framework for political relations opened up," Jesus Arboleya, a former Cuban diplomat, told AFP. But in 1980, a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans to the United States, with Fidel Castro's blessing, created an unexpected crisis. It "hurt Carter politically with the swarm of unexpected immigrants," said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Castro continued to support Soviet-backed African governments and even deployed troops against Washington's wishes, finally putting an end to the normalization process. However, more than 20 years later, Carter made a historic visit to Havana as ex-president, at the time becoming the highest-profile American politician to set foot on Cuban soil since 1959. During the 2002 visit, "he made a bold call for the US to lift its embargo, but he also called on Castro to embrace democratic opening," said McCoy, who was part of the US delegation for the trip, during which Castro encouraged Carter to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cuban All-Star baseball game. "Castro was sitting in the front row and we were afraid he would rise to give a long rebuttal to Carter's speech. But he didn't. He just said, 'Let's go to the ball game.'" In the years following Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) would go on to resume a full-frontal confrontation with Cuba. Decades later, Barack Obama (2009-2017) opened a new phase of measured normalization, which Donald Trump (2017-2021) brought to an end. US President Joe Biden promised to review US policy toward Cuba, but hardened his stance after Havana cracked down on anti-government protests in 2021. "Carter showed that engagement and diplomacy are more fruitful than isolation," McCoy said. bur-lp-rd-jb/lbc/mlr/bfm/sst/bbkTwo upcoming events in the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands have been deemed as municipally significant. The reason is for the purposes of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s (AGCO) Special Occasion Permit process. This took place during Monday’s Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands council meeting in Lansdowne. The first designation was given for the Small Halls Music Event scheduled for Jan. 25. This will be hosted by the Seeley’s Bay Area Residents’ Association (SBARA). Alcohol will be served at the event and Small Halls has been advertising the event on its website, while SBARA has been advertising the event on its social media pages. Now that council has chosen to pass the resolution deeming the event municipally significant, the clerk will provide a letter to SBARA to support their application to the AGCO. Council also deemed the Comedy Night hosted by the St. Lawrence District Medical Centre scheduled for Feb. 22 as municipally significant for the same process. The request for the designation was made by the St. Lawrence District Medical Centre. The object of the comedy event is to fundraise to support the medical centre and to allow community members to enjoy an evening of entertainment. Keith Dempsey is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Brockville Recorder and Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

President-elect Trump backs union in US Gulf-East Coast ports labor disputeSchumer wants US to use advanced tech to identify mysterious drones over NY, NJShould the Boston Bruins trade or re-sign Trent Frederic?

Inside Trump's new administration: From business moguls to TV personalitiesJimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100

Throughout his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump heaped scorn on the federal Department of Education, describing it as being infiltrated by " radicals, zealots and Marxists." He has picked Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive, to lead the department. Jeanne Allen, founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform, joined LiveNOW from FOX to discuss. Several more appointees for the incoming Trump administration were announced this week. Among them is Pam Bondi, who was Trump’s second choice for attorney general after former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration. Here’s who else Trump has chosen so far. President-elect Donald Trump announced several more appointments to his administration this week after a setback with his first choice for attorney general. Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump's choice for attorney general, withdrew from consideration Thursday, a day after meeting with Republican Senators who had questions about Gaetz’s multiple misconduct allegations. Trump selected former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to replace Gaetz as attorney general nominee. RELATED: Walmart warns of higher prices if Trump implements proposed tariffs Other new appointees include former NFL player Scott Turner for secretary of housing and urban development and Fox News regular Dr. Marty Makary to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. President-elect Donald Trump looks on during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Here’s who else Trump has picked for his administration so far: Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary. Rollins, who heads the Trump-allies America First Policy Institute, was the director of his office of American innovation in his first term. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack, President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. President-elect Donald Trump named Scott Bessent as his pick to serve as the next secretary of the Department of the Treasury. LiveNOW's Austin Westfall discusses Trump's new pick with economist Dr. Mike Walden. Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. "This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy," he said then. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio to be his secretary of state – a decision that will make the Cuban American senator the first Latino to serve as the nation’s top diplomat and the highest serving Hispanic in American History. Rubio’s appointment was first-reported in the New York Times. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making the critic-turned-ally his choice for top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a "con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence. "I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength," said Trump of Gabbard, who had previously been rumored to be considered for defense secretary and CIA director. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence , another example of Trump prizing loyalty over experience. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall, and she's been accused of echoing Russian propaganda. RELATED: Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to lead US intelligence raises scrutiny over past Russia comments Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated FOX News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defense secretary. Hegseth is a co-host on FOX News’ "Fox & Friends Weekend" show and is a former Army veteran. Hegseth and President-elect Trump reportedly became friendly after Trump appeared on the show a few times. Hegseth, 44, was a co-host of Fox News Channel’s "Fox and Friends Weekend" and has been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. RELATED: Police investigated sex assault allegations against Pete Hegseth in California; here's what they found Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011. He has two Bronze Stars. However, Hegseth lacks senior military and national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free," published earlier this year. Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, was chosen Thursday by Donald Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration after a federal sex trafficking investigation and ethics probe made his ability to be confirmed dubious. Rick Mullaney with Jacksonville University joined LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow to discuss. Bondi, 59, has been tapped by Trump to be Attorney General after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general serving between 2011 and 2019. She was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she has served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that has helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as his nominee to lead the Labor Department. Chavez-DeRemer recently lost her re-election in a close race against Democrat Janelle Bynum in Oregon's fifth Congressional district. She's backed by the Teamsters Union. Sean O'Brien, the president of the Teamsters, thanked Trump for selecting Chavez-DeRemer for the position in a post on X. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid earlier this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the "Protecting the Right to Organize" or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken "right-to-work" laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary. Lutnick heads up the brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and is a cryptocurrency enthusiast. He is co-chair of Trump's transition operation, charged along with Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration, with helping the president-elect build a Cabinet for his second administration. As commerce secretary, Lutnick would play a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. He would oversee a sprawling Cabinet department whose oversight ranges from funding new computer chip factories and imposing trade restrictions to releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms as South Dakota's governor to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state "open for business." Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog. She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. Ratcliffe, a former U.S. House member from Texas, was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. If confirmed, Ratcliffe will have held the highest intelligence positions in the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday he will nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, putting a man whose views public health officials have decried as dangerous in charge of a massive agency that oversees everything from drug, vaccine and food safety to medical research, Medicare and Medicaid. LiveNOW from FOX host Christy Matino spoke to Dr. Richard Besser, Preesident and CEO of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC on the latest. Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent , and then endorsed Trump. He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. RELATED: Is beef tallow healthier than seed oils? Unpacking RFK Jr.'s views The nomination alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, "Fox and Friends Weekend" co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. The governor of North Dakota, once little-known outside his state, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump and then spent months traveling to drum up support for Trump after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump initially announced his choice of Burgum while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. His formal announcement the following day said he wanted Burgum to be Interior secretary and chairman of a new National Energy Council. Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. "energy dominance" in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is "collapsing under its own weight." The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Trump is expected to choose Linda McMahon to serve as secretary of the Department of Education in his new Cabinet. McMahon, a billionaire professional wrestling mogul, would be making a return appearance in a second Trump administration. She led the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 during Trump’s first term and twice ran unsuccessfully in Connecticut as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University. She has expressed support for charter schools and school choice. RELATED: Linda McMahon: A look at the background of Trump’s pick for Education secretary Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X, "We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI." "We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water," he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would "drill, baby, drill," referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide . He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with "helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities." President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the defacto manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold the influential role. Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. She has a background in Florida politics, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary. RELATED: Who is Susie Wiles, Trump's new White House chief of staff? Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns. Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice. Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida. A former Army Green Beret, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. He led the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Trump's first administration and said at a conference over the summer that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen." Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s "zero tolerance" policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as "renew a consensus of America as a nation under God." Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. President-elect Donald Trump named longtime adviser Stephane Miller, known as an immigration hard-liner, to serve as the deputy chief of policy in his new administration. Vice President-elect JD Vance said in a post on X and said, "This is another fantastic pick by the president." Miller was a senior adviser in Trump's first term and has been a figure in many of his policy decisions. Miller, an immigration hardliner, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Scavino was an adviser in all three of the president-elect's campaigns, and the transition team referred to him as one of "Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides." He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. He previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House during his first administration. Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. During the pandemic he routinely appeared on Fox News and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. And he also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. He authored "Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health." Nesheiwat is a general practitioner and medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. And she's a contributor on Fox News. Weldon recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed the other candidate to win. He also spent many years as a Florida Congressman and weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative after cardiac arrest, state should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel, calling for a so-called "one-state solution." President-elect Donald Trump announced on Monday that he picked Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik, who is likely to be confirmed by a Republican-controlled Senate, currently serves as House Republican Conference Chair and has long been one of Trump's most loyal allies in the House. Stefanik is a U.S. representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. A former acting attorney general during Trump's first administration and tight end on the University of Iowa football team, Whitaker, 55, has a background in law enforcement but not in foreign policy. A fierce Trump loyalist, Whitaker is also a former U.S. attorney in Iowa and served as acting attorney general between November 2018 and February 2019 without Senate confirmation, until William Barr was confirmed for the role. That was when special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference was drawing to a close. Whitaker also faced questions about his past business dealings, including his ties to an invention-promotion company that was accused of misleading consumers. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. "In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST," Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. "He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role." President-elect Trump announced on Tuesday that he will nominate Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator in January. "Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake," Trump said in a statement." Our broken Healthcare System harms everyday Americans, and crushes our Country’s budget." Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted "The Dr. Oz Show," a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz’s bid for elected office. RELATED: What to know about Dr. Oz, the TV host tapped to run Medicare and Medicaid This report includes information from The Associated Press.Kuwait City, Dec 22 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday left for home after wrapping up his two-day "successful" visit to Kuwait during which the two countries elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership, marking a new era of bilateral cooperation and growth. "A historic & successful visit to Kuwait concludes! PM @narendramodi emplanes for New Delhi," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. Modi's visit to Kuwait was the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years. During his visit, Modi held extensive talks with the country's top leadership, including Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with whom he discussed boosting ties in information technology, pharmaceuticals, fintech, infrastructure and security. "In line with the close ties between our nations, we have elevated our partnership to a strategic one and I am optimistic that our friendship will flourish even more in the times to come," Modi said in a post on X. Modi held wide-ranging talks with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah with a focus on giving new momentum to the overall bilateral ties. Kuwait also conferred its highest honour - 'The Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer' - on Prime Minister Modi for his role in strengthening the good relations between the two countries. On Saturday, Modi addressed an Indian community event and visited an Indian labour camp. The over one million-strong Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. The Gulf nation is among India's top trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24. Kuwait is India's sixth largest crude supplier, meeting 3 per cent of the country's energy needs. Indian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceeded USD 10 billion. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)Wooley and Cottle each score 32, Kennesaw State knocks off Brewton-Parker 112-77

Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100Nigeria: Experts call for increased funding for malaria intervention

N ear the Anzac Bridge, workers in hi-vis vests and aprons move among crates of stock, greeting regular customers with handshakes and waves. Families weave in and out of stores as pelicans try to sneak scraps of fish. Sydney Fish Market is experiencing its usual bustle for the Friday before Christmas – but this year will likely be the market’s last festive season in this location. Over the sound of the crowd, snippets of conversation about the move can be heard. “Are you excited?” “The last authentic fish market you will see.” “It should have been done 10 years ago!” “Won’t be the same.” Towards the end of next year, the fish market will be moving to a new site along Blackwattle Bay. It’s a huge departure for the venue, which has been at its existing site since 1966. While some patrons and workers are looking forward to a new space with more shops and a modern design, others are disappointed to say goodbye to the traditional market. Evolution of an ‘already iconic’ site Tony Tsiklas, the manager of Claudio’s Seafood in the market’s car park, has been working there for 38 years – he started as an 18-year-old doing deliveries. Over the years, Tsiklas has watched the market grow busier and busier. “From the old days, I remember it wasn’t crazy like this. We were busy, but not like now. Now ... it’s like a stampede.” Tsiklas wonders about the move – he’s not sure it will be easy. He’s worried about space to put containers, scales, windows, freezers and other facilities required to run the business. “I want to transition smoothly,” he says. “We don’t know what it is going to be like, [if] there is a limited space for containers on the other side.” Operating on the harbour close to the CBD as both an authentic fish market and a retail venue, the site is “already iconic”, says Gus Dannoun, the head of Sydney Fish Market’s quota and operations. “You will find it very hard to find that whole combination in the one location, in a fish market, anywhere else.” Dannoun started working in technology for the New South Wales Fish Marketing Authority in 1981, when the market was a “very trade-oriented business”. “You hardly saw any general public come on to the site.” Over time, the number of retailers grew from two to six, and more of the public came to buy their products. “We also started discovering the fish market started having tourist appeal,” Dannoun says. That “truly transformed the business”. “Some might say it happened organically ... by accident, but I think it is the fact that the site was evolving.” The next evolution of the market, he says, is moving into the new precinct. The new market, designed by architects 3XN, has been pitched as “Sydney’s most significant harbourside building since the Opera House” by the NSW government . The site will be both a “purpose-built authentic operating fish market” and a “major food and dining attraction”. ‘I’m actually pretty excited’ Patrons Carla and Craig Waghorn visit weekly to shop for their end-of-week seafood dinners. Craig says he will miss the original fish market. “I’m disappointed,” he says. “I just love the fact that it is actually smelly.” But Carla is looking forward to something more “cosmopolitan”. “I think it will present everything a little bit more nicely, so I’m actually pretty excited. I’m sure they will have other shops and restaurants over there as well.” She adds that she is excited to bring her parents to the new precinct when they visit from Italy. Bill Dawes thinks the move should have happened years ago. “It has gotten busier and busier and busier, and needs a makeover,” he says. Dawes was a chef for 25 years and spent five of those years at the fish market. As a student, he used to visit the market’s auction house. Now he visits as a shopper. “The wife’s always getting me to stop in the place. I’m off to the relos, the in-laws, for Christmas.” He is skipping the Christmas Eve and Day rush this year – when the market is famously open for a marathon 36 hours straight . Last year, he visited, had a look around, then “took off”. “It was too busy,” he says. “Christmas Day rush is go, go, go, even from a packer’s point of view. They are real fast, real quick, and if you know what you want, you’re going to get looked after very quickly. “You’ve got to know what you got, pre-plan what you want, hit them up for a quick fish special, get it, get out.” Dawes has been watching the new site’s development over the last year and a half. “I’m excited to see what is in store,” he says. “It looks big.” Despite Tsiklas’ reservations, he’s certain patrons will flock to the new site. “I’m sure a lot of people are going there. [Even] if they haven’t been before, they will come to have a look because there are a lot more stores in there.” And he is committed to carrying on Claudio’s at the new precinct. “Same name,” he says. “Same name, until I retire.”As President-elect Donald Trump shapes his second administration, the country is getting a preview of what the next four years may look like. Early in December Trump filled the last slot of his core cabinet with Brooke Rollin's Secretary of Agriculture nomination. Now he has started to flesh out different departments and name additional leaders for his upcoming term. Among those named are several celebrity figures like TV show host Mehmet Oz , better known as Dr. Oz, who Trump tapped for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator. There's also former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon who was picked to lead the Department of Education and former NFL player Scott Turner named to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Trump has brought some newer faces to America's top politics with investment company executive and art collector John Phelan and media host Sebastian Gorka. The two have been named as Secretary of the Navy and Senior Director for Counterterrorism, respectively. Other notable names include disbarred attorney Charles Kushner as Trump's pick for Ambassador to France. Kushner is Trump's son-in-law's father and was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after pleading guilty in 2003 to having made false statements to the Federal Election Commission, among other subsequent charges. Trump has announced new roles will be coming in his administration, most notably the Department of Government Efficiency that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been appointed to lead. The group, coined "DOGE," has been tasked with eliminating excess government waste and spending. Trump has also asked technology investor David Sacks to act as his new AI and crypto czar , and has named former acting ICE director Tom Homan as the country's border czar. While nearly 100 positions have been named, many still face what may be a long and arduous Senate confirmation process ahead — one that some may not make it through. Already, some of the picks have caused controversy. Facing opposition over alleged sex trafficking , Trump's initial pick for attorney general, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew from the nomination. Trump has now called former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi up to fill the role. Questions have also circled around Trump's selection of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. The Fox News political commentator has come under scrutiny for a sexual assault allegation , which he has denied, and has been meeting with senators to salvage the nomination.( MENAFN - Robotics & automation News) Mantis Robotics raises $5 million to develop 'human-centric robots' December 22, 2024 by David Edwards Mantis Robotics , a pioneer in“physical AI” for robotic automation, has secured $5 million in new investments led by Emerald technology Ventures with participation from the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. This cash infusion will enable Mantis Robotics to scale its operations, enhance its product portfolio, and expand its presence in the rapidly growing industrial robotics market. Mantis has entered the next frontier in robotics by creating the first adaptive, human-centered robots. The company makes industrial robotic arms that are inherently safe for human interaction, eliminating the need for costly and complex external safeguards such as fences or laser barriers. Mantis' technology learns and understands its environment based on sensor data from a proprietary built-in sensor-suite. This enables Mantis Robots to detect obstacles and humans in its direct environment and adjust the robot's behavior accordingly in real-time, making robot arms safe and autonomous. The robot's intuitive deployment software with 3D real-time Digital Twin, requires no technical or coding knowledge to use, making them accessible for diverse industries and users. By reducing operational complexity, Mantis' robot systems can result in savings of as much as 75 percent in a typical robotic deployment. The company's transformative technology has the potential to advance industries far beyond manufacturing and warehousing, paving the way for a new era of human-machine collaboration. Gerry Vannuffelen, founder and CEO of Mantis Robotics, says:“We built our company on the premise that robots should be an extension of human capability. “Our industry has benefited greatly from many new developments in AI-powered application software. Unfortunately, these systems do not allow for safe human-robot interaction. We provide the link between AI and the physical world, by enabling robots to interact safely and capably with humans.” Michal Natora, senior investment director at Emerald, says:“The investment into Mantis Robotics is another bet of Emerald on the huge potential of physical AI. “We believe Mantis Robotics' unique technology will revolutionize robotics and will enable never-seen before levels of human-machine collaboration. Mantis Robotics unlocks entirely new automation use cases initially in manufacturing and in warehousing, and in soon virtually every other domain.” Franziska Bossart, head of the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, says:“At Amazon, collaborative technology is key to running safe and efficient operations. Technology can serve its best purpose when it's human-centric and able to work seamlessly to support employees as they deliver for our customers. “We are excited about Mantis Robotics' science-driven approach to advancing human-machine collaboration, fostering safer and more ergonomic workplaces.” MENAFN22122024005532012229ID1109021548 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

In an official statement, the MEA stated that during his visit, EAM would meet with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to go on a three-day official visit to the State of Qatar from December 30, the Ministry of External Affairs stated on Sunday. In an official statement, the MEA stated that during his visit, EAM would meet with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The visit also aims to review various aspects of bilateral relations between India and Qatar with discussion on key areas, which include political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural, and people-to-people relations. " EAM's visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations, including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural, and people-to-people, as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest," the MEA stated. Jaishankar will depart from Qatar on January 1. India and Qatar share warm and friendly relations, marked by regular high-level interactions to further strengthen their partnership. Their most recent interaction occurred during Jaishankar's official tour to Qatar and Bahrain from December 6 to 9. During the visit, he met Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Faisal bin Thani Al Thani, and Minister of State, Ahmed Al Sayed, on the sidelines of the Doha Forum. In late October, the two countries held the fifth round of Foreign Office Consultations. Both sides comprehensively reviewed the entire spectrum of India-Qatar bilateral relations, including high-level exchanges, trade, investment, energy, education, culture, and people-to-people ties. Discussions also explored avenues to deepen the relationship in areas such as renewable energy, fintech, start-ups, and technology. They exchanged perspectives on important regional and global issues of mutual interest, as noted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a press release. Earlier, on September 9, Jaishankar met Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Saudi Arabia to discuss advancing bilateral ties. According to the MEA, cooperation between India and Qatar has been steadily growing within an excellent framework provided by their historically close ties and regular, substantive engagement at the highest levels of government. The large, diverse, and accomplished Indian community in Qatar significantly contributes to the country's progress while nurturing the bonds of deep-rooted friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two nations Stay informed on all the latest news , real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world News on Zee News.

President-elect Trump backs union in US Gulf-East Coast ports labor dispute

Roborock Sweeps Into Summer with Qrevo Edge and Qrevo Curv'Democracy and freedom': Jimmy Carter's human rights efforts in Latin America

50jili vip login philippines

How to build (and rebuild) with glassSouth Korea’s President Yoon backs down after briefly declaring martial law50jili withdrawal 。

Mysterious data center company inks deal to buy huge amount of power in MontanaRuhullah leads protest on reservation; PDP, other party leaders participate

Thomas Frank unhappy with officials in game with BrightonNoneAmir highlights Qatar’s mediation efforts on Gaza

This year, Christmas Eve has caused a little confusion among American consumers. Normally, December 24 is considered a regular business day, while December 25, Christmas Day, is a federal holiday. However, President Joe Biden issued an executive order giving federal employees a day off. So, what businesses will still be open in 2024? Find out if you can still send and receive mail, shop at local grocery stores and more on Christmas Eve 2024, below. What Grocery Stores Are Open on Christmas Eve? When it comes to privately owned grocery stores , you’ll need to check your local stores’ Christmas Eve and Christmas Day hours. But according to CNN , large chains such as Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Randalls, Shaw’s and Vons will have limited hours on December 24, 2024. Depending on the location, customers should check with their local grocery store chains. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are open on Christmas Eve with reduced hours as well. Walmart will be closed at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, according to CNN. Meanwhile, Target will closed at 8 p.m. on December 24. Are Pharmacies Open on Christmas Eve? Most pharmacies will be open during regular business hours on December 24. Per CNN, Rite Aid and Walgreens will be open on Christmas Eve, but hours may differ on Christmas Day. CVS informed customers to check their local stores for businesses hours. Mail Delivery on Christmas Eve The USPS will be operating as normal on Christmas Eve 2024, its website indicates. Most UPS and Fedex services will also be functioning on December 24, but not on Christmas Day. Are Banks Open on Christmas Eve 2024? It depends on your local banks , but every customer should check their branches for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day hours. Capital One, Bank of America, PNC, Truist and CitiBank will be open on December 24, they confirmed to USA Today . Some branches of Truist and PNC, however, will close at 2 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve, the outlet reported. Is the Stock Market Open on Christmas Eve 2024? According to USA Today , the stock market will be open on Christmas Eve, but some markets will close at 1 p.m. ET on December 24.Poilievre lambastes Trudeau after violent Montreal protests

Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened weekNone

50jili orig

50jili xom President Emmanuel Macron will announce on Friday his choice for France's next prime minister, his office says, in a bid to end months of political turmoil. or signup to continue reading Macron said two days ago he wanted to name a new head of government within 48 hours. The new team is due to replace the one led by Michel Barnier, who resigned last week after far-right and leftist lawmakers voted to topple his government, plunging France into its second major political crisis in six months. Macron will try to nominate a unifying figure, although media reports say there is no clear frontrunner. Centre-right politician François Bayrou, 73, has been mentioned most often by political commentators after Macron consulted with all parties except the extreme left and right to try to form the broadest possible government. If Bayrou is chosen, it remains to be seen whether the Macron ally will be able to form a majority capable of governing, and there are expectations he could face a similar fate to former Brexit negotiator Barnier. Former Socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve has also been mooted in the press, as well as former defence minister Sébastien Lecornu and former decentralisation minister Catherine Vautrin. Last Wednesday, the opposition brought down Barnier after he had only been in office for three months in a dispute over an austerity budget. Macron is under pressure due to the fall of the government after he called snap elections this year which backfired. Opposition parties have even demanded Macron resign amid the political and economic crisis, with a 2025 budget still not passed by parliament. with DPA Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementLINCOLN, Neb. — The bowl drought is over for Nebraska , but an end to its streak of losing seasons is not secure. The Huskers, at 6-6, need a victory in the postseason to avoid an eighth consecutive sub-.500 finish. Nebraska was selected on Sunday to face Boston College , 7-5, in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 28. Advertisement Get ready for the first meeting between the Huskers and the Eagles, who are led by former Penn State and Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien. The bowl game will mark Nebraska’s first since a visit to Nashville for the 2016 Music City Bowl — and an end to the longest streak without a postseason game among Power 4 teams. Here are 10 things to know about the Huskers’ postseason return. Revisiting New York: Nebraska traveled to New York for its third of 53 bowl games. In December 1962 at the close of coach Bob Devaney’s first season with the Huskers, they ended a seven-year bowl drought by playing in the Gotham Bowl. Nebraska beat Miami 36-34 — the first of 26 bowl victories for Nebraska — at the old Yankee Stadium, which was replaced by the current home of the storied MLB franchise in 2009. The Gotham Bowl, a financial failure, was never again played after 1962. Postseason college football returned to the Bronx in 2010. The Pinstripe Bowl has been contested every year since except 2020. Big Red in the Big Apple 🍎🗽 🏟️ @PinstripeBowl 📅 12.28 📍 Yankee Stadium 🕚 11 AM CST 📺 @ABC #GBR x #WhatsNExt ! pic.twitter.com/cMkjeSAZzG — Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) December 8, 2024 Matt Rhule’s roots: The second-year Nebraska coach was born in New York in 1975 and lived in the Big Apple until his family moved to Pennsylvania in Rhule’s teen years. He said in 2021 that he grew up “dreaming of being Bill Parcells,” the former New York Giants and Jets coach. Rhule coached the Giants’ offensive line in 2012 for Tom Coughlin before Rhule was hired one year later to his first head-coaching post at Temple. In 2020, before the Carolina Panthers hired Rhule from Baylor, he was considered a favorite for the open position with the Giants. GO DEEPER Nebraska coach Matt Rhule on his program after national signing day Pack a coat: Bowl trips for Nebraska and its fans traditionally provide relief from the winter cold. Aside from its 1962 visit to New York, the Huskers have not played in the postseason at a destination north of Santa Clara, Calif. Thirty-four of its 53 bowl games were played in California, Texas, Arizona or Florida. Advertisement Nebraska’s Gotham Bowl was played in frigid weather that contributed to a sparse crowd. Still, the Pinstripe Bowl features a postseason flavor. The teams are scheduled to visit Radio City Music Hall, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and the New York Stock Exchange. Big Ten success: This year marks the 10th consecutive Pinstripe Bowl featuring a participant from the Big Ten. Big Ten teams have won seven consecutive and eight of their nine appearances. Rutgers beat Miami 31-24 last year before a crowd of 35,314. The largest crowd to attend a Pinstripe Bowl was 49,012 in 2014 when Penn State beat Boston College 31-30 in overtime. BC is back: This appearance will mark Boston College’s third since 2014 at Yankee Stadium. The Eagles also were beaten in the 2017 Pinstripe Bowl, 27-20 against Iowa . The Eagles this year finished 4-4 in the ACC. They’ve won three of four games, losing only to College Football Playoff participant SMU , since a three-game losing streak in October. Boston College ranks 22nd nationally in rushing defense and 20th in turnover margin. First-team All-ACC defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku leads the FBS with 16.5 sacks. GO DEEPER Bill O'Brien is where he is supposed to be. Boston College is abuzz about it O’Brien against Nebraska: The 55-year-old Boston College coach lost twice against Nebraska and Bo Pelini while at Penn State in 2012 and 2013. O’Brien, after seven years in the NFL , spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Alabama. He received consideration in 2022 from former Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts in the search to replace fired coach Scott Frost. O’Brien coordinated the offense last year for the New England Patriots before landing back in college with Boston College. The meeting between O’Brien and Rhule will mark the second in college football this year between former NFL head coaches. The first came in Nebraska’s October victory against Rutgers and Greg Schiano. Advertisement A jump start on 2025: Rhule said last week that he doesn’t expect any bowl game opt-outs at Nebraska, other than the players who enter the transfer portal. Defensive lineman Ty Robinson , a projected NFL Draft pick in April, for instance, expressed to Rhule that he wants to play in the bowl game. That said, Rhule plans to use this month on the practice field to prepare young players for next season. The Huskers will practice this week and next week in Lincoln and host potential transfers on official visits during the weekend ahead. Rhule said that Nebraska expects to add as many as 15 players from the portal. An eye on the portal: While attention turns to Boston College and the bowl plans, managing the roster consumes plenty of time in December. The portal opens on Monday for non-graduates to enter. Since the end of the regular season, 13 Huskers have declared their intentions to hit the portal — running backs Gabe Ervin and Emmett Johnson , wide receiver Dae’Vonn Hall, linebackers Stefon Thompson , Mikai Gbayor and Princewill Umanmielen , defensive linemen Jimari Butler , James Williams , Kai Wallin and Vincent Jackson , defensive backs Mason Jones and Dwight Bootle and quarterback Daniel Kaelin . There will be more. If Nebraska adds 15 transfers, more than 40 additional players must exit for the Huskers to meet the 105-player limit in effect for 2025. GO DEEPER Tony White's departure is just the first domino to fall in a long month ahead for Nebraska No impact on redshirts: Nebraska completed the regular season with seven true freshmen who burned redshirt seasons by playing in more than four games — quarterback Dylan Raiola , wide receivers Jacory Barney and Carter Nelson , linebackers Willis McGahee and Vincent Shavers, defensive end Keona Davis and defensive back Mario Buford . Bowl games have no impact on the four-game rule. As a result, defensive backs Donovan Jones and Amare Sanders and second-year defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel , all of whom have played in four games, can participate in the bowl game and maintain their redshirt status. Arrival of early enrollees: Most of Nebraska’s early enrollees in recent years got to Lincoln in January. This year, more than half of the Huskers’ 20-player signing class will arrive this month. Recruits who’ve graduated from high school are allowed to participate in pre-bowl practice sessions, though they cannot play in the game. Rhule said that his chief of staff, Susan Elza, has been working on a plan to take the early enrollees with Nebraska’s travel party to the bowl game. (Photo: Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)JPMorgan Chase & Co. Has $958.54 Million Holdings in JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (NASDAQ:JEPQ)

Scientology Expands Its Impact in Santo André, the Industrial Heart of São Paulo

Wade Taylor IV helps No. 22 Texas A&M get by Texas TechLufkin residents gathered at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center Monday night for the Second Ward Community Connect hosted by Councilman Robert Shankle. The event was aimed at giving residents direct communication with city officials, addressing topics ranging from infrastructure improvements to public safety. Shankle opened the meeting with a prayer led by Bishop M.E. Lyons. Shankle emphasized his goal to “give citizens a voice” and highlighted the importance of city officials engaging with the community. “I have a heart for the community. I want to make sure we improve not just Ward 2, but the entire city of Lufkin,” Shankle said. “I always want to let you all have a voice at city hall.” City manager Kevin Gee provided an overview of Lufkin’s municipal government and outlined the responsibilities of his office, including longterm planning and budget preparations. Gee emphasized the city’s recent investments in street maintenance and drainage. Street department director Scott Cameron shared updates on ongoing projects, including Nexco Highway Solution’s grading system that will assess the condition of Lufkin’s 213 miles of roads. Cameron highlighted recent efforts to repair culverts, address flooding issues and clean up debris. He also highlighted his department’s achievements, such as replacing 353 signs, installing 97 new culverts and sweeping more than 8,000 miles of streets last fiscal year. Park maintenance was another focal point during the meeting. Assistant city manager Brian W. Bray addressed the public’s concerns about disparities in park upkeep across the city. Bray assured the public that improvements were underway, including reorganizing staff and improving the park superintendent’s practices to ensure all parks receive equal attention during peak season. “I’m dedicated to seeing a solution. We’ve worked with our department head at Parks and Recreation to rethink how they do things,” Bray said. “All I can tell you is that we have come up with a plan to make next year a better product, and if that means we have to hire more contractors or staff, then so be it.” Assistant police chief David Cross spoke about the department’s initiatives, including addressing concerns of speeding in neighborhoods and enforcing the new noise ordinance that was recently approved that prohibits any loud or unnecessary noise emanating from an electrical source. He also highlighted the department’s ability to respond to more than 38,000 calls annually, crediting highly trained police officers for maintaining safety within the community. Fire chief Jesse Moody provided updates on the department’s fire and emergency medical services, including a new focus on providing service within city limits only, which has significantly increased cardiac arrest survival rates. Moody encouraged residents to take advantage of their free smoke detector program and emphasized the department’s public education efforts to reduce fire-starting incidents caused by juveniles. “On average, we resuscitated zero to one person per year,” Moody said. “This year in June, we have already resuscitated six people, and that’s a big difference.” Moody added that EMS is tracking many metrics to make sure that each citizen is receiving the best health care that can be rendered. Residents voiced a variety of concerns during the meeting’s question-and-answer portion. One resident inquired about plans to revitalize Lufkin, citing the many vacant buildings and limited business growth in the area. Gee explained that while the city has no control over privately owned property development, the city enforces codes that address building standards. “We have codes that define how far dilapidated buildings can go before we step in to either write a citation or put it on the substandard housing list to be demolished,” Gee said. “As long as all of the developments, houses and old commercial sites are following or within our ordinances, there’s very little a city can do about that.” Other residents raised questions about flooding in streets such as Frank Avenue, Abney Avenue and Raguet Street. Gee noted that some of these streets are maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation and highlighted their efforts in acquiring bids to mill hot-mix asphalt on Frank next February. Gee also said these efforts would have no effect if water has no place to go. “There are areas that the street department is trying to identify blockage, whether it be in a channel or a creek. They’re checking and blasting culverts to try to open them up,” Gee said. “We don’t have a plan for any specific streets.” The meeting also touched on upcoming opportunities for citizen involvement on advisory boards and committees. Communications director Jessica Pebsworth encouraged residents to follow the city’s website and social media for updates and to report issues through the city’s online work order system. Gee closed the meeting by thanking the public for their engagement and offered further help for any other concernsbthe public might have. For more information, residents can contact Lufkin City Hall at (936) 634-8881 or visit cityoflufkin.com .Japanese govtech startup raises 600 million yen (US$4M) in funding

iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:SHV) Stock Position Raised by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com The IRS Direct File program, which lets taxpayers file their federal income tax return directly with the IRS for free, is doubling its reach to 24 states for the 2025 tax season, up from 12 states in 2024, the program’s pilot year. The Direct File program will also accept more types of tax situations for the 2025 tax season. While taxpayers who used the system in 2024 could claim a handful of tax credits, including the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit , that list is expanding in 2025 to include the child and dependent care credit , among others. An estimated 30 million taxpayers will qualify for the Direct File program in 2025, the IRS says. More than 140,000 taxpayers filed their federal tax returns through the Direct File program in 2024. About 90% of users said their experience was excellent or above average, according to a survey of about 11,000 Direct File users in 2024, conducted by the General Services Administration. “We’re excited about the improvements to Direct File and the millions more taxpayers who will be eligible to use the service this year,” said Danny Werfel, the IRS commissioner, in a statement. “Our goal is to improve the experience of tax filing itself and help taxpayers meet their obligations quickly and easily.” The IRS says that taxpayers can use Direct File when the 2025 tax season kicks off in January, and it will be available until Oct. 15, 2025. But the program’s future is somewhat unclear: In December, 29 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, calling for him to end the Direct File program on his first day in office. Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives also introduced legislation in July to end the Direct File program. For now, here’s what you need to know about how the IRS Direct File program works, and how to qualify for it. The Direct File program is a new initiative, about to enter its second year, that allows taxpayers to file their federal tax returns electronically with the IRS. The no-cost tool guides taxpayers through every part of their federal income tax return. Taxpayers can file using a smartphone, computer or tablet. One of the program’s advantages is that, if you have questions as you’re working on your return, you can get live support directly from the IRS via chat or phone. IRS representatives can answer basic tax questions and help with technical issues in English and Spanish. The Direct File program has income limits, as well as limits on the types of income, deductions and credits you can enter on your tax return. For the 2025 tax season: To be eligible for Direct File, your income can come from the following sources: But if you’re self-employed, or have business or rental income, you can’t use Direct File . Same goes for IRA contributions or distributions: If you have either, you can’t use Direct File. You can use the IRS Direct File program only if you claim the standard deduction — the program isn’t available to people who itemize. But you can claim certain above-the-line deductions: student loan interest , educator expenses and health savings account contributions . You can’t use Direct File if you want to deduct your IRA contributions. The Direct File program allows for the following tax credits in 2025: However, if you want to claim education credits , credits for energy efficient home upgrades or the adoption expense credit , you can’t use the Direct File program. More taxpayers will have access to the IRS Direct File program in 2025. In 2024, the IRS kicked off the program with only 12 states; that number has expanded to 24 states for the 2025 tax season. For some of the states that participate in the IRS Direct File program, your federal return information will be transferred automatically to the state tax website, but in some cases you’ll have to re-enter your information. Visit this IRS Direct File page to get the details for your state. Here is a list of the participating states: If you don’t qualify for the IRS Direct File program, you may have other options to file your tax return for free. In addition to Direct File, the IRS offers the Free File program, in which it partners with online tax software providers to provide free federal income tax return filing. Some providers also allow you to file a state income tax return. For the 2024 tax season, your adjusted gross income had to be less than $79,000 to qualify for the Free File program. That dollar threshold is likely to rise slightly for the 2025 tax season. The IRS also offers the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides certified volunteers to prepare basic tax returns if you earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled, or speak limited English. You can find a site near you by visiting this IRS page . ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Travel blogger 'in shock' over Laos backpacker deaths after hostel she recommended for being 'cheap, sociable and offers free alcohol' is revealed as the site of methanol poisoning By RORY FLEMING Published: 21:02, 22 November 2024 | Updated: 21:13, 22 November 2024 e-mail View comments A travel blogger has expressed her shock after six backpackers were revealed to have been poisoned at a Laos hostel she had promoted on social media. Steph Dawson, who runs an Instagram travel account, promoted the hostel on a reel in December last year and has been left in a state of 'complete shock'. The six travelers, including Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from Kent, were taken to a local hospital in the well-known backpacking town of Van Vieng last week after falling ill. White's death was confirmed by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office on Thursday. It is now believed that White and the other travelers suffered from suspected methanol poisoning, with police in Laos having now detained the manager and owner of the hostel. The poisoned backpackers were believed to have been served drinks tainted with the dangerous industrial chemical methanol at the hostel. Methanol has long been used by disreputable bars abroad as a cheaper alternative to ethanol. Dawson told GB News : 'I am literally completed shocked. I did a whole reel on Instagram promoting this hostel as a place to stay'. Travel blogger Steph Dawson expressed her 'complete shock' over the poisoning of six travelers at a hostel she had previously promoted in Laos Travel blogger Steph had made the reel promoting the Nana Backpacker Hostel in December of last year The Nana Backpacker Hostel had been popular with tourists due to its free offerings of alcohol View this post on Instagram A post shared by STEPH DAWSON | Travel Content Creator 📹 (@stephs_world_travels) Read More Brother of British lawyer who died after 'drinking toxic shot' in Laos pays heartbreaking tribute Steph went on to say that the hostel had been the most popular in the area as it served cheap alcohol to travelers every night. 'It was where every backpacker goes. It's cheap, sociable and it offers free alcohol between 7-9pm. They do free vodka and free rum every night. 'Because it's so cheap, you can go down the road and buy a bottle of vodka for £1.60, but it tastes cheap. Everyone out there does it so everyone thinks it's fine, I think that's why it's so shocking'. The detained manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, Duong Duc Toan, has said that staff were informed that a group of women were feeling unwell after they missed their check-out time. The group of six women had reportedly joined a group of over 100 other guests for the hostel's signature free shots just two night's prior. Simone White, 28, from Orpington in Kent, died after drinking free shots at a Laos hostel allegedly laced with methanol The hostel remains open but is not currently accepting new guests (Pictured: Nana's Backpackers bar) However, Mr Toan said that no other guests reported any issues and claimed that the poisoning victims went on a night out of drinking in nearby bars after the free shots function at the hostel had ended. Laos officials are yet to reveal much information regarding the incident, other than confirming the deaths of the travelers. Going on to share details on how backpackers can stay safe when abroad, travel blogger Steph said that travelers should 'trust their instincts'. 'We have to wait for the investigation to be over to pass judgement on the hostel. If you're not into partying or don't want to do shots, don't stay at these hostels doing free shots', she added. Instagram GB News Share or comment on this article: Travel blogger 'in shock' over Laos backpacker deaths after hostel she recommended for being 'cheap, sociable and offers free alcohol' is revealed as the site of methanol poisoning e-mail Add commentIn an exclusive interview with IRNA on Saturday, Hossein Pourfarzaneh noted that Asia has a vast economy with key players such as China, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, and Iran. “We are working to lay the groundwork for Asian aviation regulations, which, if realized, could lead to the creation of a joint aviation company akin to Boeing or Airbus,” he explained. Pourfarzaneh, who also serves as Iran’s deputy minister of roads and urban development, highlighted the historical reliance on US aviation regulations, which bolstered Boeing’s rise. “For years, most countries followed American aviation laws, strengthening Boeing’s position,” he said, adding that twenty years ago, Europe implemented its own aviation regulations, leading to Airbus’s growth and collaborative production of its aircraft components among European nations. Discussing progress on the initiative, Pourfarzaneh noted that preliminary talks with Asian countries have taken place. “We’ve had discussions, prepared groundwork, and even signed some agreements,” he said. “However, this effort needs to mature, with each country’s role and contribution clearly defined. We’ve requested this matter be raised in BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization meetings.” The official also underscored Iran’s capabilities in aviation technology. “Iran has strong expertise in aircraft engines, recognized by both China and Russia. We are acknowledged as a key player in this field,” he remarked. Pourfarzaneh’s comments come amid strengthening ties between Iran and nations in the BRICS and Shanghai blocs, reflecting a broader push to reduce dependency on Western-dominated industries. 4354**4194

The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.A role reversal doomed the No. 22 Xavier Musketeers in their only loss of the season, against Michigan at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Wednesday. Normally a team that avoids committing turnovers and pressures its opponent into making them, Xavier (6-1) will try to recapture its early-season winning form when it hosts South Carolina State on Sunday in Cincinnati. Through their six wins, the Musketeers had just 58 turnovers while forcing 82 by their opponents. But against the Wolverines, they lost the turnover battle 19-10 and the game 78-53. The Musketeers committed 14 turnovers in the first half and fell behind 41-30. Xavier head coach Sean Miller credited his team for typically playing an up-tempo style while avoiding mistakes, while also acknowledging that the turnover bug really bit them against the Wolverines. "We lost to a really good team; no shame in that," Miller said. "We, on top of that, didn't play well." "And that (avoiding turnovers) is something you (usually) do well? That's going to be hard to overcome against a quality team like Michigan." Leading scorer Ryan Conwell (17.6 points per game) gave the Musketeers a boost with 19 points. Zach Freemantle, second on the team at 15.4 ppg, added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Problematically, however, they also contributed to the turnover problem with three apiece. "We didn't play well enough to win the game," Miller said. "The game got out of hand. It's not like our guys quit. Their depth just continued to wear on us." The Musketeers also get 11 points and a team-high 4.4 assists per game from Dayvion McKnight. The guard had just one turnover against Michigan, but he also made just one of his eight shot attempts. Xavier may have an opportunity get right in the turnover area against the Bulldogs (4-4), who are No. 207 in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.11. South Carolina State is fresh off an 82-53 road loss to Marshall on Wednesday, in a game in which turnovers weren't a huge problem. But assists and made shots were hard to come by for the Bulldogs. Leading scorer Drayton Jones (12.0 ppg) again paced his team in points with 10 vs. Marshall, but the Bulldogs as a team managed just six assists and shot terribly at the 3-point (18.8 percent) and the free-throw (47.1 percent) lines. Jones is also the team's leading rebounder with 5.1 a game, but no Bulldogs player is averaging more than two assists. It's all part of the learning process for coach Erik Martin, whose first team went 5-26 in 2022-23. The Bulldogs improved to 14-18 last season, including 9-5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. "The only way you can grow sometimes is by failure or by struggling," Martin said this offseason. "You have to fail in order to learn how to deal with failure and move on and become the person you're supposed to be." --Field Level Media

C&W Business named as a partner for Tech Beach Retreat for 4th year

Green is poised to help scale Mechanized AI's revolutionary technology and drive operational excellence as the company enters a phase of rapid growth. ATLANTA , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mechanized AI , a pioneer in the enterprise AI and application modernization space, proudly announces the designation of Amy Green as its new Chief Operating Officer. With over 15 years of industry experience, Green brings a wealth of expertise in operations, professional services and technology product marketing to the trailblazing enterprise AI and application transformation startup. Her appointment underscores Mechanized AI's commitment to combining groundbreaking technology with top-tier leadership to maintain its competitive edge in the marketplace. Based in Dallas , Green joins the team with an extensive background in operational management and strategic execution at Deloitte Consulting, where she built and grew the Product Engineering group within their Application Modernization & Innovation practice with Charles Wright , CEO of Mechanized AI. Prior to this, Green served on Deloitte's Global Strategy & Innovation team, where she advised teams across the global network on bringing technology products to market and driving scalable growth. A former Executive Search Consultant with Russell Reynolds Associates, Green has advised Fortune 100 clients on complex leadership challenges and recruited top executives to lead transformation at public and private organizations. Previously, Green also served as Strategic Engagement Director at AIG within the Office of the Chief Technology Officer. Green obtained her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her MBA from UC San Diego's Rady School of Management. "Amy's deep expertise in managing world-class organizations will be critical to ensure we have the people, processes and technology in the right places to drive our operations forward," says Wright. "Her mastery of leading companies through transformation journeys and category creations will be invaluable as we roll out new products and strengthen our collaboration with strategic partners. Amy has already hit the ground running as COO and she will be a crucial asset in building a client-centric business as we position ourselves for sustainable growth." As COO, Green will oversee delivery and customer success, human resources, operations and marketing—key areas vital to Mechanized AI's ongoing success and ambitious growth objectives. She joins a veteran team of startup and consulting executives, including Aditya Muralidhar (Chief AI Officer), Matias Kreder (CTO), Ian Easton (CCO) and recently, Jenny Allen (CMO). "I'm honored to join Mechanized AI as COO and to collaborate with such a talented, passionate team in the rapidly evolving AI space," Green remarked. "Having had the privilege of working with Charles in the past, I'm confident in his ability to drive the company's vision and direction. Mechanized AI is uniquely positioned for growth and innovation, so I'm excited to help scale the organization and deliver impactful solutions that drive transformation for our clients." Launched in 2023, Mechanized AI has grown its team of experts by over 50 percent in 2024 and has locations throughout the U.S. and South America . Green's appointment comes at a pivotal moment as Mechanized AI expands its global operations and scales its enterprise AI and application modernization solutions across industries. About Mechanized AI: Mechanized AI was launched in 2023 to help companies unlock the power of enterprise AI and accelerate their application modernization journeys. Built and backed by a team with over four decades of combined AI/ML experience, the product suite enables end-to-end AI development and deployment and transforms traditional modernization workflows by automating complex, manual processes. The AI Factory platform is a turnkey solution to build Fortune 500-quality production AI for both enterprise and mid-market businesses. The mAI Modernize suite of products provides AI-powered code modernization for any tech stack, empowering clients to understand and modernize legacy code in hours versus months. For more information, set up a demo at Mechanized.ai , follow us on LinkedIn and X , and view open positions on our Careers page . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mechanized-ai-announces-expansion-of-executive-team-with-appointment-of-amy-green-as-coo-302330807.html SOURCE Mechanized AI

Disagreement between the U.S. and China is increasing across trade and global influence issues. Reports from the recent Asian economic summit show a bitterness in it. Established economies like the U.S. and Australia want to develop a naval base in Papua New Guinea to contain China. The U.S. is cautioning poorer countries from borrowing money from China. Excerpts below from a BBC report show the deep levels of enmity. Apec summit ends without statement over US-China division - BBC News An Asian economic summit has ended without a formal leaders' statement for the first time because of US-China divisions over trade. The US and China revealed competing visions for the region at the summit. The two countries have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war this year. During the summit, the US said it would join Australia in developing a naval base in Papua New Guinea, in an apparent move to curb China's growing influence. Mr Pence later said he was prepared to "more than double" the tariffs imposed on Chinese goods. He also criticised China's massive Belt-and-Road infrastructure programme, warning smaller countries that "opaque" Chinese development loans led to "staggering debt". He urged countries to work with the US instead, saying the US did not "coerce, corrupt or compromise your independence". Old economies are never pleased to see emerging economies that are more flexible, energetic, and pro-active in creating new trade models. The Belt and Road Initiative is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in Silk Road countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa on both overland and sea routes. Building infrastructure in these countries is a much sounder economic model than locating mobile multi-national enterprises or military bases or occupation. The downside is that it can involve incurring substantial debt which eventually requires getting a country’s finances into better shape to afford repayments in order to own the assets. Beijing’s multi-billions dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been called a Chinese Marshall Plan, a state-backed campaign for global dominance, a stimulus package for a slowing economy, and a massive marketing campaign for something that was already happening – Chinese investment around the world. Between 2014 and 2016, China's total trade volume in the countries along the Belt and Road exceeded $3 trillion, created $1.1 billion revenues, and 180,000 jobs for the countries involved. Is the U.S. losing ground to China? Should countries refrain from borrowing from China? What are the implications for Europe of a prosperous Silk Road economy? The Silk Road really is an attempt to extend Chinese soft power utilising exactly the same free market principles much espoused by the west for much of the last two centuries. Building a base in Papua New Guinea, which I believe is somewhat North of Australia, seems to be out of the strategic plan of drawing new lines further and further back and issuing dire warnings if China dare cross that new line. It was hugely funny watching the Americans in particular warning of China's attempted influence in the South China Sea. The irony was magnificent. It was the equivalent of the Chinese or Russians warning of increased American naval activity off Hawaii. To answer the question- the new Silk Road plans are a solid indicator that Beijing understands exactly what Washington was preaching through World Trade Organisation talks for many decades middleground said: Disagreement between the U.S. and China is increasing across trade and global influence issues. Reports from the recent Asian economic summit show a bitterness in it. Established economies like the U.S. and Australia want to develop a naval base in Papua New Guinea to contain China. The U.S. is cautioning poorer countries from borrowing money from China. Excerpts below from a BBC report show the deep levels of enmity. Apec summit ends without statement over US-China division - BBC News An Asian economic summit has ended without a formal leaders' statement for the first time because of US-China divisions over trade. The US and China revealed competing visions for the region at the summit. The two countries have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war this year. During the summit, the US said it would join Australia in developing a naval base in Papua New Guinea, in an apparent move to curb China's growing influence. Mr Pence later said he was prepared to "more than double" the tariffs imposed on Chinese goods. He also criticised China's massive Belt-and-Road infrastructure programme, warning smaller countries that "opaque" Chinese development loans led to "staggering debt". He urged countries to work with the US instead, saying the US did not "coerce, corrupt or compromise your independence". Old economies are never pleased to see emerging economies that are more flexible, energetic, and pro-active in creating new trade models. The Belt and Road Initiative is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in Silk Road countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa on both overland and sea routes. Building infrastructure in these countries is a much sounder economic model than locating mobile multi-national enterprises or military bases or occupation. The downside is that it can involve incurring substantial debt which eventually requires getting a country’s finances into better shape to afford repayments in order to own the assets. Beijing’s multi-billions dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been called a Chinese Marshall Plan, a state-backed campaign for global dominance, a stimulus package for a slowing economy, and a massive marketing campaign for something that was already happening – Chinese investment around the world. Between 2014 and 2016, China's total trade volume in the countries along the Belt and Road exceeded $3 trillion, created $1.1 billion revenues, and 180,000 jobs for the countries involved. Is the U.S. losing ground to China? Should countries refrain from borrowing from China? What are the implications for Europe of a prosperous Silk Road economy? Click to expand... There are two types of people those who have money and those who don't. Guess who always comes out on top. Lumpy Talbot said: To answer the question- the new Silk Road plans are a solid indicator that Beijing understands exactly what Washington was preaching through World Trade Organisation talks for many decades Click to expand... Agree China has learned well and are developing quickly and quietly. There should be export opportunities for many European countries if their enterprises are willing to do the work required to develop new markets. A strong Asian-European gateway would be welcome. Is there any region that the US hasn't insulted or attacked recently (apart from Saudi Arabia)? Thinking further on the dynamics of the new Silk Road policy it certainly makes sense from the Chinese point of view. The outlay and scope of the project matches a series of Trade Agreements, with such huge amounts of Chinese infrastructure investment they get to influence the voting patterns at the UN with many countries along the route while simultaneously the US is retracting its spend outside the US and becoming more internally focused (the Chinese have the money to spend, the US doesn't). It is clever in that it is a mix of Monopoly and Risk at exactly the right time. If you think back to Reagan's supercharging the US economy in the 80s which effectively drove the Soviet Union into financial collapse the Americans are in no position to get into an economic pissing match with Beijing so it is the right thing for Beijing to do in filling the international vacuum. They have such huge reserves of foreign currency and the Yuan about to emerge as an exchange currency, along with the ability to directly intervene in domestic economics way beyond any level that could be contemplated in the west, that they really are the bankers in the Monopoly game now. And the Silk Road project gives them a strategic spending target allied to both economic and political gains. As for the winners and losers, the countries along the route closest to Chinese interests probably won't feel any different. It gets interesting as you get to Pakistan and India, where India is fuming about the Chinese infrastructure spend in Pakistan and refusing to have anything to do with the Silk Road project accordingly, which doesn't bother China or Pakistan all that much. The western European plans will be interesting- I believe significant infrastructure projects and new links are planned right through to Rotterdam. Might give some European countries a bit more hesitation in following the US line on voting at the UN ultimately. Heh- just remembered that the High Speed Rail Line between London and the Channel Tunnel is already owned by a subsidiary company owned ultimately by Li Ka-Shing, the multibillionaire who is a senior economic advisor to the politburo in Beijing. Socratus O' Pericles said: There are two types of people those who have money and those who don't. Guess who always comes out on top. Click to expand... Those who print it! Socratus O' Pericles said: There are two types of people those who have money and those who don't. Guess who always comes out on top. Click to expand... Yes two types of persons but three types of empire: past, present, and future. It will be future empires that will have the money! Around 90 countries in the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) so it is much different than more recent bilateral engagements by the U.S. Infrastructural projects deliver employment at local level even if it is only housing and feeding the workers. The Belt and Road Initiative: Country Profiles | HKTDC The future will be a bullet train across Europe and Asia. middleground said: Yes two types of persons but three types of empire: past, present, and future. It will be future empires that will have the money! Around 90 countries in the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) so it is much different than more recent bilateral engagements by the U.S. Infrastructural projects deliver employment at local level even if it is only housing and feeding the workers. The Belt and Road Initiative: Country Profiles | HKTDC Click to expand... I agree. The Chinese have money and lots of it and are posseors of a model that will make many trillions more. Exaggeration of THEIR debt problem is nonsense: Most people think of China's growth coming from its burgeoning export sector. But it has a very strong domestic economy and a large public spending program – its called ‘nation building’. ... [T]here is no discussion [in China] about the country drowning in debt and all of that nonsense. [The Chinese] know full well that they are sovereign in their own currency and can deficit spend to further their sense of public purpose." : From "The government really is instrumental in creating growth" by Bill Mitchell, 20 January 2016 Click to expand... Here is the start of the EU strategic response to the Belt Road Initiative: Europes Belt and Road | The Diplomat Reminds me of a man at the post-Christmas sales rush, quietly queueing while all the goods are being snatched up by experienced shoppers Not everyone happy about the possible economic changes that the One Belt Initiative may bring to traditional communities according to a BBC website report: Gunmen have killed at least four people in an attack on the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi. Gunshots were heard at about 09:30 local time (04:30 GMT) outside the consulate in the upmarket Clifton area. Police shot dead three attackers. Separatist militants who oppose Chinese investment projects in western Pakistan say they carried out the attack. China's ambition widens to include Greenland in the One Belt initiative: How Greenland could become China's Arctic base - BBC News middleground said: Yes two types of persons but three types of empire: past, present, and future. It will be future empires that will have the money! Around 90 countries in the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) so it is much different than more recent bilateral engagements by the U.S. Infrastructural projects deliver employment at local level even if it is only housing and feeding the workers. The Belt and Road Initiative: Country Profiles | HKTDC The future will be a bullet train across Europe and Asia. Click to expand... Except China is a nasty totalitarian dictatorship that eats people up and spits them out. Any comparison between it and western democracies are fraudulent. middleground said: Not everyone happy about the possible economic changes that the One Belt Initiative may bring to traditional communities according to a BBC website report: Gunmen have killed at least four people in an attack on the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi. Gunshots were heard at about 09:30 local time (04:30 GMT) outside the consulate in the upmarket Clifton area. Police shot dead three attackers. Separatist militants who oppose Chinese investment projects in western Pakistan say they carried out the attack. Click to expand... We have a tale of two ports, 100km apart: Chabahar in Iran, developed with Indian support, and China’s Gwadar port in Pakistan. There are teething troubles with both: https://www.newdelhitimes.com/suicide-bomber-attack-irans-chabahar-port/ Karachi attack: A gunfight in Karachi shakes up Pakistan and China's all-weather alliance - The Economic Times China’s relationship with Pakistan involves a lot more money but also far more resentment. The Pakistanis are well aware of Chinese attitudes to Muslims and South Asians and, given Pakistani levels of paranoia never being much being much below 11/10, we should be in for quite the show. In a way the Belt & Road initiative is really just marketing for what has been going on for a long time. For instance in Africa while the West has long walked away it is China that has stepped in to build infrastructure, power plants, ports, railways and healthcare etc. This has been going on for so long now, that it is what was really behind George W Bush suddenly professing concern over Africa and boosting AIDS spending, if any of you remember that far back. But as usual with the US it was too little, too late, with no strategic long-term commitment and follow-through. In another sense it is an interesting throwback 2000 years to the era of the Roman and Han empires, except with modern technology, telecoms and transport links, which could have interesting and unforeseeable consequences. There's also more than a touch of Mackinder's century-old Heartland/World-Island theory of geo-political dominance. Definitely one to watch - though, as with Mao and the French Revolution, we'll all be long dead before the full implications and consequences of this become obvious. It's way too big and complicated to make specific predictions about the project as a whole. Its success or otherwise will be based on the extent to which the projects service existing demand or create new demand. Chinese infrastructural investment is massively inefficient in some respects and utterly awe-inspiring in other respects. It's hard to apply a hard and fast rule to something that is half-politics and half-economics. However I hope it works out as economic growth on that scale is definitely not a zero sum game. Maybe the U.S. will make it illegal for countries to cooperate together on the Silk road? Congress beating a drum about NOPEC with threat of sanctions against countries that collaborate to work together for a stable oil market: Bill allowing U.S. to sue OPEC drawing renewed interest | Reuters What's next will the EU be sanctioned as an illegal cartel? middleground said: Maybe the U.S. will make it illegal for countries to cooperate together on the Silk road? Congress beating a drum about NOPEC with threat of sanctions against countries that collaborate to work together for a stable oil market: Bill allowing U.S. to sue OPEC drawing renewed interest | Reuters What's next will the EU be sanctioned as an illegal cartel? Click to expand... The US would be outraged by a similar infringement of its own sovereignty.Mr Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker”. Mr Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former senior Trump adviser who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Mr Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was co-operating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Mr Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Mr Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison – the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the US attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Mr Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Mr Trump’s transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushner’s offences “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was US attorney”. Mr Trump and the elder Mr Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.US billionaire Elon Musk has backed Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a guest opinion piece for Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper, prompting the commentary editor to resign in protest. In the commentary, published in German by the flagship paper of the Axel Springer media group, Musk expanded on his post on social media platform X last week claiming that "only the AfD can save Germany". "The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party's leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!" Musk said in the piece. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD at the national level as a suspected extremism case since 2021. Shortly after the piece was published online, the editor of the opinion section, Eva Marie Kogel, wrote on X that she had submitted her resignation, with a link to the commentary. "Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression. This includes dealing with polarising positions and classifying them journalistically," the newspaper's editor-in-chief designate Jan Philipp Burgard and Ulf Poschardt, who takes over as publisher on 1 January, told Reuters. They said discussion about Musk's piece, which had around 340 comments several hours after it was published, was "very revealing". Underneath Musk's commentary, the newspaper published a response by Burgard. "Musk's diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally false," he wrote, referencing the AfD's desire to leave the European Union and seek rapprochement with Russia as well as appease China. The AfD backing from Musk, who also defended his right to weigh in on German politics due to his "significant investments", comes as Germans are set to vote on 23 February after a coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed. The AfD is running second in opinion polls and might be able to thwart either a centre-right or centre-left majority, but Germany's mainstream, more centrist parties have pledged to shun any support from the AfD at national level. - Reuters

Former Portugal, Manchester United and Melbourne Victory winger Nani has announced his retirement at the age of 38. Nani joined United in 2007 and went on to make 230 appearances for the English Premier League club, scoring 41 goals. He won the Champions League in his first season and went on to win four EPL titles and two League Cups in eight seasons. Nani later played 10 games for A-League Men side Melbourne Victory in the 2022-23 season. "The time has come to say goodbye, I have decided to finish my career as a professional player," Nani wrote on social media. "It's been an amazing ride and I wanted to thank every single person who has helped me and supported me through the highs and lows during a career which lasted over 20 years and gave me so many unforgettable memories. Time to turn a new leaf and focus on new goals and dreams. See you soon!" Nani, who has been playing in the Portuguese top flight this season for his hometown club Estrela Amadora, played his last game against his former club Sporting last month. He also played for Valencia, Lazio, Orlando City, Venezia and Adana Demirspor. Nani scored 24 goals in 112 caps for Portugal, winning the European Championship in 2016.

Manulife announces Subordinated Debenture issueMacron set to announce new French prime ministerKINGSTON, Jamaica- C&W Business has returned as a partner for the 2024 staging of Tech Beach Retreat (TBR), scheduled to begin on Wednesday. The three-day summit will welcome scores of founders, global executives, and investors in technology at the Secrets Resort in Montego Bay. This marks C&W Business’ 4th year as a partner. Senior Director for C&W Business, Delroy McLean, notes that a key pillar of C&W Business participation in the conference will be its cybersecurity suite of products being offered in partnership with Fortinet. In a press release on Tuesday, C&W said during TBR, both entities will leverage real world examples on the fundamental role online safety plays in the successful expansion of the digital landscape. “Preparing our clients for a secure and productive digital future is at the core of what we offer at C&W Business, as this creates stronger economies, a more productive workforce, and operational efficiency. During the conference we look forward to sharing our innovations and key developments in our offering with the cadre of movers, shakers, and decision-makers in the regional technology space,” said McLean. McLean in lauding the efforts of the TBR founders and organisers, said “this conference has again significantly highlighted the Caribbean’s rapidly increasing potential as a nexus for technological innovation. We are incredibly happy to be able to continue our support again and look forward to ground-breaking advancements that will undoubtedly emerge from this vibrant community.” “Partnerships and collaboration are key to driving the future of technology in the Caribbean and Tech Beach provides a great platform for us to share our expertise and insight with people who have the ability to impact change,” McLean added. Co-founder of TBR, Kirk Anthony-Hamilton, described “C&W Business as an ‘invaluable partner’ in driving Tech Beach Retreat’s mission to empower the next wave of tech leaders and innovators.

Cobre hits new copper mineralisation 7.5 kilometres along strike from Comet Prospect at Ngami in Botswana

Taiwan's Products For Modern Households Focus On Customization, Health, And WellbeingFreedom of Model Town carnage perpetrators led to ‘Islamabad massacre’: PTINone

www 50jili tv

https www 50jili ph NRI stock crashes in Telugu wedding market

Bayan al-Hinnawi, who spent years behind bars in Bashar al-Assad's Syria, joined crowds in the heartland of the Druze minority on Friday to celebrate the president's fall, "a dream" come true for the former prisoner. Hundreds of people descended on Sweida's main square, singing and clapping in jubilation, just days after Islamist-led rebels took the capital Damascus, sending Assad fleeing. The Druze-majority city in Syria's south has been a focal point of renewed anti-government demonstrations over the past year and a half. On Friday, residents waved Syria's pre-Assad flag of white, green and black with three stars, and raised olive branches in a sign of peace. Some of them have lost family members during the anti-government uprising that began in 2011 and spiralled into civil war. Others, like Hinnawi, had languished in prison under the Assad family's five-decade rule. "It was a dream," said 77-year-old Hinnawi of Assad's ouster. Decades ago, a few years after Hafez al-Assad seized power -- which he later handed over to his son Bashar -- a 23-year-old Hinnawi was jailed. He was released 17 years later. The grey-haired man said he had "dreamed that one day the regime would fall", but did not believe that he would live to see the day. "It's a wonderful sight. Nobody could have imagined that this could happen", he said. But his joy was incomplete, remembering the many who have died in jail. "I wish that those who died when I was imprisoned in Mazzeh or Saydnaya could see this scene," said Hinnawi. Since Assad's fall, rebel forces and residents have broken into both detention centres, freeing political prisoners and searching for long-missing loved ones. Activists and rights groups say the Assad government tortured and abused inmates at both facilities. "I got out when I was 40, I missed out of my whole life," said Hinnawi, who served in the Syrian army before being jailed. Recalling torture behind bars, he said that "no oppressor in history has done what they did to us." Since Sunday, the ousted government's security forces were nowhere to be seen in Sweida, and the office of Assad's Baath party has been abandoned, as have army checkpoints on the road to Damascus. Local armed men are present, but not the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham which spearheaded the rebel offensive against Assad. Siham Zein al-Din, who lost her son in 2014 after he defected from the national army to join rebel fighters, said he had "sacrificed his life... for freedom, for dignity". The family was still searching for Khaldun's remains, said his 60-year-old mother. Like her son, some members of the Druze community took up arms against Assad's forces during the war. The Druze, who also live in Lebanon, Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, make up about three percent of Syria's population, around 700,000 people. Beyond defending themselves from attacks in the areas where they live, Syria's Druze largely stayed on the sidelines of the civil war. Many managed to avoid compulsory conscription since 2011. Residents of Sweida have long complained of discrimination and the lack of basic services. Many buildings in the city are constructed from black volcanic stone that can be found in the area, and its roads have fallen into disrepair. Sheikh Marwan Hussein Rizk, a religious leader, said that "Sweida province has been marginalised" for decades, with most of its residents living in poverty. But, surrounded by the joyful protesters, Rizk said better days may be coming. "Today, we look to the future and ask for a helping hand... Our hand is extended to all Syrians." Next to him, resident Hussein Bondok held up a poster of his brother Nasser, a journalist and opposition activist who was last heard from in 2014 when he was arrested. Bondok, 54, said he believes his brother was likely killed under torture in one of Damascus's prisons. Nasser struggled for freedom, Bondok said. "I want to congratulate him now, because the seeds he had planted with his brothers-in-arms has become a tree." lk/ami/itSyria's Druze hope for better future without AssadBob and Linda Taylor’s Christmas lights are back in Vallejo

Nehemiah Benson scores 28 and Binghamton defeats LIU 75-70 in OTRentokil Initial plc (NYSE:RTO) Receives Average Rating of “Hold” from Analysts

NO. 20 TEXAS A&M 81, RUTGERS 77Syria's Druze hope for better future without AssadNone

By Usman Bello The Executive Director, Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), Honestus Ayo Obadiora, has said the organisation disbursed over N1,903, 098,000 to 1,466 poultry farmers across the country. He said the funds were disbursed between August 2022 and 2024 to the farmers under the LAPO’s Household Poultry Initiative (LAHPI), aimed at empowering poultry farmers. Obadiora disclosed this in Benin at the 2024 Chicken Fair organized by the LAHPI. “LAHPI has disbursed over N1,903,098,000 to 1,466 poultry farmers across the country since its inception till date”. Police fault Amnesty International’s report on #EndbadGovernance killings Democratic system failed to meet citizens’ expectations in 25 years –Bugaje “Over 50 poultry farmers turned up for the fair, and this presents opportunity to for consumers to buy chicken for Christmas at reduced prices”. “The 2024 Chicken Fair, with the theme,v”Enhancing Livelihood”, was a testament to the organisation’s shared commitment to empowering farmers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria. He said the empowerment of the farmers has enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability in poultry farming through the provision of financial support, modern inputs, and extension services. “The Chicken Fair 2024 serves as a dynamic platform for collaboration and innovation with the objectives to connect stakeholders in the poultry value chain to foster meaningful partnerships. “It also Showcase innovations in modern farming practices and technologies, provide capacity-building training to equip farmers with the tools they need for success, and promote sustainable agriculture to support Nigeria’s food security agenda”,he said. The farmers however commended LAPO for the initiative, which they said gave residents the opportunity to buy Chicken for Christmas celebration at a reduced price. Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. 3 years disbursed LAPO poultry farmers

First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. ( NASDAQ:FIBK – Get Free Report ) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $34.56 and last traded at $34.36, with a volume of 71552 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $33.83. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research analysts have recently commented on FIBK shares. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of First Interstate BancSystem from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $30.00 to $28.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Barclays downgraded shares of First Interstate BancSystem from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $32.00 to $30.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on First Interstate BancSystem from $38.00 to $36.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 28th. StockNews.com cut First Interstate BancSystem from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $36.00 price target on shares of First Interstate BancSystem in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $32.50. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on First Interstate BancSystem First Interstate BancSystem Stock Up 1.7 % First Interstate BancSystem ( NASDAQ:FIBK – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The financial services provider reported $0.54 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by ($0.04). First Interstate BancSystem had a net margin of 15.94% and a return on equity of 7.48%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.70 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. will post 2.28 EPS for the current fiscal year. First Interstate BancSystem Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 4th were paid a $0.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 4th. This represents a $1.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.47%. First Interstate BancSystem’s dividend payout ratio is currently 82.46%. Insider Transactions at First Interstate BancSystem In other news, Director Jonathan R. Scott sold 6,500 shares of First Interstate BancSystem stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.18, for a total transaction of $222,170.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 958,710 shares in the company, valued at approximately $32,768,707.80. The trade was a 0.67 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Also, major shareholder Julie A. Scott sold 20,220 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.78, for a total value of $662,811.60. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 635,069 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,817,561.82. This trade represents a 3.09 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders sold 48,770 shares of company stock worth $1,630,272. 6.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Interstate BancSystem A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of FIBK. Point72 DIFC Ltd acquired a new stake in First Interstate BancSystem during the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of First Interstate BancSystem during the third quarter worth about $69,000. CWM LLC grew its holdings in shares of First Interstate BancSystem by 16.0% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 3,123 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $87,000 after buying an additional 430 shares during the last quarter. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new position in First Interstate BancSystem in the 2nd quarter valued at about $106,000. Finally, nVerses Capital LLC raised its stake in First Interstate BancSystem by 412.5% during the 2nd quarter. nVerses Capital LLC now owns 4,100 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $114,000 after acquiring an additional 3,300 shares during the last quarter. 88.71% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About First Interstate BancSystem ( Get Free Report ) First Interstate BancSystem, Inc operates as the bank holding company for First Interstate Bank that provides range of banking products and services in the United States. It offers various traditional depository products, including checking, savings, and time deposits; and repurchase agreements primarily for commercial and municipal depositors. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for First Interstate BancSystem Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Interstate BancSystem and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki addressed the opening ceremony of the reprovisioned Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok today. A pilot scheme for facial recognition technology has been introduced at the new checkpoint, enabling people living or working at Chung Ying Street to access the area unimpeded through “contactless channels” without having to stop and produce their Closed Area Permit (CAP) or use their fingerprint to verify their identity. Addressing the opening ceremony, Mr Chan noted that to facilitate entry to and exit from Chung Ying Street, the Government has replaced the former checkpoint made up of marquees with a permanent structure, and for the first time introduced facial recognition technology, allowing people living and working on Chung Ying Street to be the first to use “contactless channels” for unimpeded access. He said the Government will continue to explore the application of relevant technology to complement the future opening of Chung Ying Street for tourism, adding that in the future, holders of valid CAPs for access to Chung Ying Street may, upon prior enrolment, pass through the checkpoint via “contactless channels”. The Chief Secretary highlighted that in adopting the pilot scheme, the Government hopes to replace the current mode of manual inspections through applying innovative technology to assist users of the checkpoint, enhance its capacity and highlight Hong Kong's high-quality digital technology as an international metropolis. Mr Chan also thanked the various government departments and organisations for their joint efforts in the successful completion of the reprovision project, providing better facilities for Chung Ying Street, an area rich in unique historical and cultural value. The checkpoint's design has integrated historical and modern elements, showcasing the characteristics of Hong Kong's traditional train stations. Its exterior wall is decorated with copper plate engravings featuring a historical train, preserving the history of the branch line. Multiple energy-saving designs have also been incorporated in the checkpoint.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Corey McKeithan scored 28 points as La Salle beat Temple 83-75 on Saturday night. McKeithan shot 10 of 19 from the field, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 5 from the line for the Explorers (6-2). Demetrius Lilley added 13 points while shooting 5 for 12, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc while he also had six rebounds. Jahlil White shot 3 of 13 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 11 points, while adding 12 rebounds. Quante Berry led the Owls (4-3) in scoring, finishing with 18 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. Temple also got 15 points from Jamal Mashburn Jr.. William Settle had 13 points and seven rebounds. La Salle took the lead with 14:45 to go in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 42-33 at halftime, with McKeithan racking up 16 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Demonstration of seed germination in outer space, a robotic arm to catch a tethered debris there, and testing of green propulsion systems are some of the experiments planned on the POEM-4 -- the fourth stage of ISRO's PSLV rocket that remains in orbit after launching a satellite. The PSLV-C60 mission, slated for an yearend launch, is scheduled to place the twin satellites 'Chaser and Target' to demonstrate the space docking technologies that are crucial for building India's space station. The PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM) will carry 24 experiments -- 14 from various ISRO labs and 10 from private universities and start-ups -- to demonstrate various technologies in space. ISRO plans to grow eight cowpea seeds from seed germination and plant sustenance until the two-leaf stage in a closed-box environment with active thermal control as part of the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS) developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. The Amity Plant Experimental Module in Space (APEMS), developed by Amity University, Mumbai, plans to study the growth of spinach in a microgravity environment. Two parallel experiments will be carried out simultaneously -- one on POEM-4 in space and one on the ground at the university. The experiment's outcome will provide insights into how higher plants sense the direction of gravity and light. The Debris Capture Robotic Manipulator, developed by VSSC, will demonstrate the capturing of tethered debris by a robotic manipulator using visual serving and object motion prediction in the space environment. The robotic manipulator will be capable of capturing free-floating debris and refuelling tethered and free-floating spacecraft in future POEM missions. Mumbai-based start-up Manastu Space will test Vyom-2U, the green propulsion thruster, that uses a blend of hydrogen peroxide and in-house additives as fuel, with the goal of providing a safer and higher-performing alternative to hydrazine for space applications. The Varuna payload, developed by Piersight Space-Ahmedabad, is an in-orbit demonstration of a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) in a CubeSat form factor. This mission marks the initial step towards establishing a constellation of SAR and Automatic Identification System (AIS) satellites, aiming to provide persistent, near real-time monitoring of all human and industrial activity at sea. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stepwell, Likely 150-Year-Old, Discovered During Excavation In UP's Sambhal ISRO ISRO PSLV C60 mission ISRO PSLV rocket ISRO Drafts Its First 'POEM' To Study How Life Works In Space ISRO-European Space Agency Sign Deal For Cooperation In Astronaut Training ISRO Begins Assembly of Human-Rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3 for Gaganyaan Mission Is Safe Car Enough? Volvo Crash That Killed CEO, Family Sparks Big Question "Nothing Short Of Nightmare": Woman Misses Life Event, Slams Air India Snack Food Epigamia Founder Rohan Mirchandani Dies Of Cardiac Arrest At 41 India, Kuwait Sign 4 MoUs To Strengthen Cultural, Defence Cooperation Couple Caught Smuggling Luxury Watches Worth Rs 13 Crore In Gujarat "Saw Bouncers Behaving Recklessly": Cops On 'Pushpa 2' Premiere Stampede Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world . MORE Cricket Match Called Off After Ravindra Jadeja-Hindi Press Conference Row Is Safe Car Enough? Volvo Crash That Killed CEO, Family Sparks Big Question "Nothing Short Of Nightmare": Woman Misses Life Event, Slams Air India Snack Food Epigamia Founder Rohan Mirchandani Dies Of Cardiac Arrest At 41 Rahul Gandhi's Family Lunch At Iconic Delhi Restaurant "When Sundar Played In Perth, Ashwin Said...": Ex India Star On Retirement Tomatoes Thrown, Protest Outside Allu Arjun's Home Over Stampede Death India To Play Champions Trophy 2025 Matches At This Venue: Report Tea For Rs 10 At Kolkata Airport Soon, Raghav Chadha Says "Change Brewing" AAP vs BJP As Delhi Tableau Rejected For Republic Day Parade Yet Again Stepwell, Likely 150-Year-Old, Discovered During Excavation In UP's Sambhal Amid Stampede Row, CCTV Shows Cops Escorting Allu Arjun Out Of Theatre Jeff Bezos To Marry Lauren Sanchez In A Lavish $600M Ceremony: Report Smriti Mandhana Scripts History, Becomes First-Ever Woman Cricketer To... BJP Leader Who Lost To Priyanka Gandhi Challenges Election, Congress Reacts Blake Lively Sues Her Co-star Justin Baldoni For Sexual Harassment Retired Indian Army Dogs Get New Lease Of Life In Schools, Homes Real Madrid vs Sevilla Live Streaming, La Liga 2024/25 Live Telecast After Jadeja, Another Star Accused Of Refusing To Speak With Aussie Media ISRO Drafts Its First 'POEM' To Study How Life Works In Space

Upheaval. Chaos, confusion. Radical change. The “New World Order.” The “new normal? However we frame it, we are in turbulent times — and are headed for more of the same. Do we need to adjust to it? Or do we make the changes needed to maintain our course, our democratic republic, our ethics and morals? Wherever we turn, we can simply not afford to ignore the red flags and warning signs we read about and see everywhere every day. So many of us care deeply about humanity and being humane. We work toward the preservation of our environment and world. We strive to put into daily actions values such as equality, equity, respect, truth, honesty, and DEIB. Above all, it is my feeling that we have no choice but to remain steadfast in the work we do to create hope and peace. Now is not the time to give up and let negativity fester. Whatever the reasons, the ethnocultural and sociopolitical needles seem to have backslid to what feels like the 1950s. Those of us on the side of positivity must continue to pursue our vision of building a safer and saner society. Our energy and “never-quit” attitude are needed now more than ever. “The fight” is on — a battle, as President Joe Biden has said, for the soul of our country. It is an ongoing struggle to maintain the core and roots of our democracy. These next years will severely test our personal and collective resiliency. It’s been said that the measure of any relationship or life event is not when things are sailing smoothly. Rather, it is when there is conflict, confusion and chaos that we get to know who we are and who our neighbors are. Four score or so years ago, Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do ... and do one thing every day that scares you.” Acting boldly in the face of fear takes courage. It is of paramount importance that we find this courage while acknowledging and acting on our fears, whatever they are. Beyond the vote count of a month ago, now is the time to stand up (once again) and be counted — using our voices, our collective sense of goodness for all. My hope is that we will continue to develop tactics and strategies to regain kindness. We know that the journey of life is a long and winding road. No matter how embittered one may feel, we cannot step off that road. To the contrary, we must continue to strengthen and reinforce it. No matter what our politicians and leaders say or do, I will continue to serve my communities through my volunteer work, training and consulting on the local and larger levels. Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess Rather than capitulate to food insecurity in one of the poorest counties of our commonwealth, I will continue to cook for and serve on the board of The Stone Soup Café. Rather than give into the wanton and random acts of violence that occur daily on our neighborhood streets, I will continue to conduct trainings and workshops and support the work of Training Active Bystanders. I imagine many of us have similar examples of facing the challenges we experience to better the life circumstances of others. One of the biggest challenges of progressive organizations is that they seem to have to compete with similarly minded groups simply to survive in tough financial times in an era of political strife and turmoil. This “divide and conquer” mentality keeps these groups distant and separate from one another. Since one of the larger goals of human rights organizations is to support those with fewer opportunities, we should acknowledge that those doing this work are headed in a similar direction. As has been said innumerable times by others, “We’re all in this together.” One key word to emerge from all of this is critical: collaboration. To “co-labor” is to work peaceably and respectfully with others for the betterment of all. This is not only the road map to survival, but the path toward enabling those who struggle to thrive. The myths of the “survival of the fittest,” “to each their own,” and “the rugged individual” are no longer helpful — if indeed they ever were. Enter John Donne’s oft-quoted words: “No one (man) is an island.” Research and life experience have shown us that we are better and stronger together than apart. I believe we are at our best and strongest when we can hold the big picture of things. No one wants to have our world rocked by the inevitability and certainty of change. Change is an inherent and inherited condition of all humanity. Learning to move forward in the face of it is about grace, love, and unyielding hope. I urge that we do our best to maintain ourselves, using our skills of emotional regulation, social and emotional intelligence, and the perspective of “I = We” in pursuing healthy and healing visions of a future that is anything but knowable. We need each other to create meaningful community. Steadiness and a sense of calm will be one of the many balms that propel us forward into this future. Engaging in active collaboration and listening are high among the skill sets that we’ll need to rebuild a safer and saner society. Daniel Cantor Yalowitz writes a regular column in the Recorder. A developmental and intercultural psychologist, he has facilitated change in many organizations and communities around the world. His two most recent books are “Journeying with Your Archetypes” and “Reflections on the Nature of Friendship.” Reach out to him at danielcyalowitz@gmail.com.

None

50jili app download apk

Tories urge PM to reject Netanyahu arrest warrant and alter ‘nonsensical’ stancehttps www 50jili ph download 。

Pyxis Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYXS) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .

NoneWorld number one Luke Humphries retained his Players Championship Finals title with an 11-7 victory over teenager Luke Littler in Minehead. Littler, who won the Grand Slam of Darts last week, hit checkouts of 170, 164 and 136 as he threatened to overturn an early deficit, but Humphries held his nerve to win the last three legs. “I’m really, really proud of that one to be honest,” Humphries told Sky Sports. “I didn’t feel myself this week playing-wise, I felt like I was a dart behind in a lot of the scenarios but there’s something that Luke does to you. He really drives me, makes me want to be a better player and I enjoy playing him. “He let me in really early in that first session to go 4-1 up, I never looked back and I’m proud that I didn’t take my foot off the gas. These big games are what I live for. “Luke is a special talent and he was right – I said to him I’ve got to get these (titles) early before he wins them all. “I’d love to be up here and hitting 105 averages like Luke is all the time but he’s a different calibre, he’s probably the best player in the world right now but there’s something about me that never gives up. “This is a great way to go into the worlds.” Littler, who lost the world championship final to Humphries last year, said: “It was tough, missed a few doubles and if you don’t take chances early on, it’s a lot to come back. “I hit the 170 and the 164 but just didn’t have enough in the end. “It’s been a good past two weeks. I just can’t wait to go home, chill out, obviously practice at home for the worlds. That’s it now, leading up to the big one.”

50jili vip

( MENAFN - IANS) New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Rais Shaikh has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urging the state government to hold the long-overdue elections to local bodies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), before March 7, 2025. The letter, also addressed to Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, highlights the prolonged delay in restoring Democratic governance to local bodies across Maharashtra. In his letter, Shaikh stressed that the BMC, the largest local government body in Asia, has been functioning without elected representatives since March 7, 2022, when its previous term ended. The current administrator is set to complete three years in office by March 7, 2025. "It is not a matter of pride for Indian democracy that the financial capital of the country has been run for so long without people's representatives," he stated. Shaikh also pointed out that elections to 29 municipal corporations, 228 municipal councils, 29 Nagar Panchayats, 26 Zilla Parishads, and 289 Panchayat Samitis in the state remain pending. He demanded that these elections, including those for the BMC, be conducted without further delay to uphold democratic principles. Following the state Assembly elections, political parties are preparing for local body elections, including those for the BMC, which is the wealthiest civic body in the country. On February 2, it presented a Rs 59,954.75 crore budget for the year 2024-25. However, sources indicate that these elections are unlikely to take place before April due to ongoing Supreme Court cases concerning the number of wards, the number of councillors per ward, and the process for the wards' formation. Elections for all 29 municipal corporations in the state, as well as approximately 280 nagar parishads and nagar panchayats, are still pending. These local bodies are currently being managed by administrators. In some cases, elections for municipal corporations have been delayed for 2 to 3 years. Notably, the BMC has been under the administration of an appointed official for two and a half years, following the expiration of its term in March 2022. MENAFN29122024000231011071ID1109040156 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.phil 50jili 。

One period drama that has really caught the world’s attention is a German show called The Empress . It premiered in 2022, and judging by the reactions after the release of its second season in November 2024, it’s starting to gain more traction. The series portrays a love affair between Elisabeth von Wittelsbach and Emperor Franz Joseph in 19th-century Austria, according to Radio Times. Is Season 3 Confirmed? Netflix has not officially confirmed whether The Empress will proceed with a third season. The release of the second season occurred just yesterday, and renewal decisions typically follow after assessing the reception of the latest episodes. With fans having waited two years for new episodes, Netflix cannot determine whether it will renew the show yet. However, considering its growing popularity, the show could be renewed in a short time. According to Radio Times, fans may need to wait a few months for official confirmation. When Will Season 3 Premiere? If The Empress is renewed for a third season, viewers should brace themselves for a lengthy wait, as the show has a very long production timeline. Season 1 premiered in September 2022, while Season 2 released two years later in November 2024. Based on this pattern, Radio Times predicts that the third season will likely premiere toward the end of 2026. Cast Expectations for Season 3 If the show returns for a third season, most of the leading cast members are expected to reprise their roles. Devrim Lingnau would return as Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, and hopefully, Philip Froissant will continue his role as Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria . Melika Foroutan may also return as Sophie, Archduchess of Austria; Johannes Nussbaum as Archduke Maximilian; and Almila Bagriacik as Countess Leontine von Apafi. New characters introduced in Season 2 include Josephine Thiesen as Princess Marie Charlotte of Belgium and Christophe Favre as Napoleon III, depending on the historical events the third season chooses to explore. The Empress Season 2 Trailer: Svenja Jung, Melika Foroutan and Philip Froissant Starrer The Empress Season 2 Official Trailer What to Expect from Season 3 If The Empress continues with a third season, it will likely further explore the love story between Elisabeth and Franz Joseph. In Season 2, their relationship was tested by the pressures of royal life, including the birth of their first child and Franz's increasing political challenges. A potential third season would likely delve deeper into how their personal lives intersect with the political demands of the court and European affairs. Since The Empress is based on real historical events, the third season would probably feature key moments in history that could complicate the couple’s relationship and the dynamics at court. However, no official details about the storyline or focus of a third season have been released, leaving fans to speculate about what might come next for Elisabeth and Franz. Does Elisabeth Get Pregnant in The Empress? In Season 1, Elisabeth conceals her pregnancy from Franz until revealing it to everyone at the very end of the season. During that season, their wedding faces many challenges and emotional ups and downs, with the couple's personal struggles taking center stage.Referee David Coote will not appeal against termination of contract

It was fitting the fog should partially clear at the final whistle because Liverpool have put daylight between them and the chasing pack in the title race. Arne Slot’s side have moved seven points clear at the top of the table - and have a game in hand on their closest challengers Chelsea. This was just as important as Liverpool’s 4-0 romp over Leicester on Boxing Day 2019 on their way to their last title, even if it was achieved without the same panache. Liverpool dug out this win when it seemed everything was initially against them. Slot will have been delighted by the character his side displayed as they refused to accept this would not be their night. It might have been so different and Leicester sensed an upset when they scored an early opener, partly through some sloppy defending by Liverpool, and soaked up everything the Reds could throw at them. The Reds kept going and got their reward in first-half stoppage time with a peach of a strike from Cody Gakpo to bring up 10 goals this season. Leicester’s resolve was broken and Curtis Jones scored Liverpool’s second just after half-time before Mohamed Salah netted his customary goal with his 19th strike of his phenomenal season. There is no stopping Salah and he now has 27 Premier League goal involvements. Leicester showed pluck and boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will have seen positives, even if they have slipped into the bottom three on the back of a run of just one win in 10 league games. Jakub Stolarczyk made his first appearance of the season for Leicester and the Pole made a fine double save, first from Salah and then from Jones from the rebound. Those stops became even more critical when Leicester stunned Anfield to take a shock lead on six minutes. Stephy Mavididi crossed from the left and Jordan Ayew turned Andy Robertson far too easily to shoot home into the near corner off Virgil van Dijk. Liverpool cranked up the pressure and Darwin Nunez, one of two changes with Jones to the side which thumped Tottenham on Sunday, headed wide from Robertson’s cross. It was like the Alamo and Salah had a shot deflected over onto the roof of the net as Liverpool laid siege to their goal. Leicester rode their luck and Robertson’s header from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross beat Stolarczyk, but not the far post. Liverpool kept pressing and Salah curled a trademark left-foot shot against the bar with Stolarczyk, who was on loan at League Two Hartlepool 19 months ago, grasping fresh air. The Reds’ pressure finally paid off in the final seconds of the first half when Gakpo cut in from the left, past James Justin, and curled home an exquisite right-foot shot. Liverpool took the lead on 49 minutes after an interminable wait for VAR to check for offside. It was a sweet move and Alexis MacAllister, who also found Gakpo for his leveller, picked out Jones with his centre from the right and he slotted home from five yards. Liverpool switched to cruise control and Salah wrapped up the win eight minutes from time with an assured finish from the right. The one negative for Liverpool was a fifth booking for Dominik Szoboszlai, just minutes after coming on, and he will be suspended for Sundays trip to West Ham. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Amazon's Prime Video is broadcasting the Premier League Boxing Day round of fixtures on December 26-27. Each match can be streamed free with an Amazon Prime subscription or by signing up for an Amazon Prime 30-day free trial .

Eric Adams’ son holds holiday bash at Gracie Mansion despite scandals hanging over mayor’s head

No. 24 Arizona is coming off consecutive defeats for the first time in the Tommy Lloyd era when it faces undefeated Davidson on Wednesday to begin the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas. Arizona (2-2) lost at Wisconsin 103-88 on Nov. 15 and followed that with a home loss against Duke 69-55 on Friday. The Wildcats have dropped 15 spots in the Associated Press Top 25 poll in two weeks. Arizona's record is .500 this early in a season for the first time since it was 3-3 to start the 2017-18 schedule. "I've got work to do, so let's get to work," said Lloyd, in his fourth year as Arizona's head coach. "Let's see where we're at in a month, and if we're still struggling, you know what I'll do? I still got work to do, but I'm gonna get to it." Arizona shot 39.6 percent from the field against Duke, and just 26.1 percent (6 of 23) from 3-point range. The Wildcats were outrebounded by 43-30 and their 15 turnovers led to 19 points. Jaden Bradley led Arizona with 18 points and KJ Lewis added 12. Preseason All-American Caleb Love had eight points on 3-of-13 shooting from the field, including 1-of-9 from 3-point range. Arizona made only one field goal in the last 5:39 as Duke pulled away after its lead was trimmed to six points. "We didn't play great," Lloyd said. "Now we need to take a step back and figure out why. Are there some schematic problems? Are there some problems with how our personnel is kind of put together? "We got to figure out what our certainties are, and the things we have to have, and then over the course of the next couple of days, if there's adjustments we need to make, we need to figure out what those are." Davidson is 4-0 after a 15-17 record last season, in which it lost its last six games to put an end to postseason hopes. A 93-66 win over visiting VMI on Friday followed a 91-85 win at Bowling Green and 76-70 victory over visiting East Tennessee State. The two wins by 10 points or fewer are important because Davidson was 6-12 in such games last season. It was 4-11 in games decided by five points or fewer. "The goal (is) to get better," Davidson head coach Matt McKillop said after the season opener. "We talk about fighting to win every possession. I think we had to figure out what that really felt like with the lights on." Davidson made 13 shots from 3-point range in the win over VMI. Reed Bailey had 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Bobby Durkin added 19 points, including 17 of them and a career-best five 3-pointers in the first half. Bailey leads Davidson in scoring (19 points per game) and rebounding (7.8). Durkin is shooting 57.9 percent (22 of 38) from the field and 54.2 percent (13 of 24) from 3-point range. By contrast, Arizona's Love is shooting 32 percent (16 of 50) from the field and 21.4 percent (6 of 28) from beyond the arc. Bradley leads Arizona with 15.5 points per game. He is shooting 50 percent (24 of 48) from the field and is 35.7 percent (5 of 14) from 3-point range. --Field Level MediaNone

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are back in first place in the NFC South and again in control of their playoff hopes. Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. showed the poise in his first NFL start the Falcons will need to take advantage of their opportunity to end a six-year playoff drought. Powered by a big-play defense that produced two pick-6s, a solid starting debut by Penix and two rushing touchdowns by Bijan Robinson, the Falcons cruised past the hapless New York Giants 34-7 on Sunday. On Sunday night, the Falcons (8-7) received the assist they needed when Tampa Bay lost at Dallas . Because the Falcons swept the Buccaneers, they hold the tiebreaker advantage if they remain tied atop the division. The Falcons have games remaining at Washington on Sunday night and at home against Carolina to close the regular season. If Atlanta wins both games, it would win the division and have a home playoff game. The Falcons are assured of their best record since a 10-6 finish under coach Dan Quinn in 2017, their most recent playoff season. Quinn is in his first season as Washington's coach and has led the Commanders (10-5) to three straight wins, including Sunday's 36-33 victory over Philadelphia. Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, was promoted after coach Raheem Morris benched Kirk Cousins. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards with one interception on a pass that should have been caught by tight end Kyle Pitts. Penix is not a dual-threat quarterback, but he showed the ability to escape pressure in the pocket that Cousins lacks following his 2023 Achilles tendon injury. The left-hander's superior arm strength also was immediately obvious. What’s working Robinson's production provided a safety net for the offense which helped make for a smooth transition to Penix. Robinson had scoring runs of 2 and 4 yards. Robinson has rushed for 10 touchdowns this season. He's the first Atlanta player with 10 more more rushing touchdowns since Devonta Freeman during the 2016 Super Bowl season. Robinson ran for 94 yards on 22 carries and had 103 yards from scrimmage. His 11th game this season with at least 100 yards from scrimmage are the most for the Falcons since Warrick Dunn's 11 in 2005. Morris said Robinson deserves to be considered with Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley in discussions regarding the league's top running backs. “Bijan has been outstanding all year in the things that he’s able to do," Morris said. “He’s special. If it wasn’t for this other guy out in Philly, he’d get a lot more recognition across the league. But that guy is having a special year, and Bijan’s not far behind him.” What needs help With kicker Younghoe Koo on injured reserve and watching from the sideline, Riley Patterson was wide left on his first field-goal attempt from 43 yards. Patterson rebounded to make attempts from 52 and 37 yards. Stock up Jessie Bates III and Matthew Judon each had a pick-6 to highlight a day of big plays for the defense. Arnold Ebiketie had his fifth sack of the season and added a fumble recovery. Kaden Ellis added a strip-sack. He also has five sacks this season, including sacks in four consecutive games. It is the longest streak for Atlanta since Patrick Kerney had sacks in five straight games in 2001. Stock down There was some thought that a change at quarterback could be good news for Pitts, who often seemed to be missing in action with Cousins running the offense. After all, a tight end often is a natural target for quick passes from a rookie making his first start. Instead, Pitts had a poor start to the Penix era when he bobbled his first pass from the left-hander, creating an interception by cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. Pitts caught a 7-yard pass on his only other target. For the season, Pitts has 41 catches for 543 yards and three touchdowns. Injuries There will be much interest in this week's injury report after WR Drake London (hamstring) was hurt in the second half. Morris provided an optimistic postgame outlook on London. CB Antonio Hamilton (quad) did not return after leaving the game in the first half. Key number 8: Bates has four interceptions and four forced fumbles. His combined eight forced turnovers lead the NFL. Next steps The game against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders is a reminder Penix was only the fourth of six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Daniels, from LSU, was the No. 2 overall pick behind Caleb Williams by Chicago. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflThe Darnold-Jefferson connection is thriving for the surging Vikings