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Dec 27 (Reuters) - U.S. officials have added a ninth telecommunications company to the list of entities compromised by a sweeping Chinese-linked cyberespionage operation known as Salt Typhoon, a top White House official said Friday. Anne Neuberger, the U.S. deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology, told reporters on a call that the unnamed telecom was added to the list after the U.S. government shared guidance on how to detect and defend against the operation. Officials have previously alleged that the attackers targeted Verizon, AT&T, Lumen and others. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Dec. 18 urged senior government and political figures to move mobile communications to end-to-end encrypted apps as a result of the Salt Typhoon campaign, which has targeted officials associated with the campaign of former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, according to reports. Officials have said "a large number of Americans' metadata was taken" as part of the campaign. Chinese officials have previously described the allegations as disinformation and said Beijing "firmly opposes and combats cyber attacks and cyber theft in all forms." Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat from New Mexico, called Salt Typhoon the "largest telecommunications hack in our nation's history" during a Dec. 11 hearing, while Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said the U.S. "must plug any vulnerabilities in communications networks." Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Dec. 5 her agency was proposing rules requiring telecommunications carriers to secure their networks in light of the Salt Typhoon revelations. Neuberger said Friday that the "Chinese gained access to networks and essentially had broad and full access," giving them the capability to "geolocate millions of individuals, to record phone calls at will," and that updated FCC rules could help limit the scope and impact of future intrusions. Sign up here. Editing by Chizu Nomiyama Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Cybersecurity correspondent covering cybercrime, nation-state threats, hacks, leaks and intelligenceEric Watkins of Abstrakt Highlights the Challenges of Building Internal SDR Teams‘Escape From Tarkov’ Tests Major Recoil Overhaul Ahead Of Wipesg777 casino 。

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Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-JanuaryLAS VEGAS (AP) — The Broncos are 0-4 in Las Vegas, but in a matchup of teams heading in opposite directions, Denver has more at stake than trying to end a series skid. A victory over the Raiders puts the Broncos that much closer to an unexpected playoff berth, playing with a rookie quarterback and just a year after they went 8-9. The Broncos are 6-5 and coming off a 38-6 victory over the Atlanta Falcons , and would be in the playoff field if the season ended entering Week 12. Not bad for a team given a win total of 5 1/2 games at BetMGM Sportsbook. “Everyone understands the significance of where we are at this point in the season,” Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. The situation is quite different for the Raiders. They are 2-8, on a six-game losing streak and decimated by injuries. Las Vegas could enter this game without its top two running backs and a reshuffled line on offense, and defensively, the Raiders could have two linemen, three cornerbacks and a safety out of action. “Just been having some bad breaks, but nobody feels sorry for us,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. "Nobody feels sorry for me. You’ve got to roll out there with 11 players, and that’s what we’re going to do come Sunday.” The Raiders are badly in a need of a franchise quarterback and are in a logjam for the top pick in next year's NFL draft. Denver showed with this year's draft how valuable landing such a QB can be to an organization. Bo Nix was selected 12th — one spot ahead of the Raiders — and he is pushing for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was this week's top AFC player and rookie after completing 28 of 33 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns in the rout of the Falcons. “I think as we’ve gone on, Coach (Sean Payton) and I have found a good rhythm of what we both like, what we can kind of put out there on the field and what we can execute," Nix said. "Then the guys have kind of adapted to it, found our roles within the offense and executed at a high level. It’s just all about slowing the game down and processing things in a manner that you can handle.” Raiders tight end Brock Bowers also could have a say in who wins the season's top offensive rookie award. He is second in the NFL with 70 catches and his 706 yards receiving is 10th among all receivers. His numbers from a historical perspective are even more impressive. Bowers, the 13th pick in this year's draft , is fourth all time among all tight ends in catches through the first 11 weeks and he and Jeremy Shockey in 2002 are the only rookies at that position to have more than one game with at least 10 receptions. “This week's a brand new week,” Bowers said. “I've always got something to prove.” Payton still isn't entirely comfortable splitting carries between running backs Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime. Asked how he determines the right balance in his rotation, Payton said, “That's the $6 million question. It’s difficult. We know kind of what we have with those three players. I think it’s always hard to feed three. "I'm used to — and it’s easy — to feed two. So we kind of do that a little bit. I thought Javonte had some really good runs (last week). Certainly the game ends and we’re like, ‘Gosh, we have to get Jaleel more touches.’ So it’s a tough, but a good problem to have.” With injuries to running backs Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps), 10-year veteran Ameer Abdullah could get the start for the Raiders this weekend. He has just 17 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown this season and started just one game his previous six seasons. “I see myself as a starter,” Abdullah said. “I think every guy in the room does. I consider myself the best back on this team just like every back does. This is my opportunity to go out there and put my best foot forward.” Patrick Surtain II had a pair of interceptions, including one he returned for 100 yards and a touchdown, in the team's first meeting this season and that fueled the Broncos' 34-18 win in Denver . Both of the passes were intended for Bowers, who caught a 57-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Surtain isn't expecting the Raiders to avoid him Sunday, however. “You don't want to go into a game thinking they're not gonna throw it your way,” Surtain said, “because it's the pros at the end of the day, everybody's ready, everybody's capable.” AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Englewood, Colorado, contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflRIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 27 (Reuters) - The 163 Chinese workers found by Brazil's labor ministry in what it described as " slavery-like conditions " at a factory construction site owned by Chinese electric vehicle producer BYD (002594.SZ) , opens new tab have been removed and taken to hotels, while officials negotiate with BYD and the Jinjiang Group about further measures to protect them, authorities said. The growing controversy in the automaker's biggest overseas market has put a spotlight on immigrant worker conditions in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. A deal with labor prosecutors involving BYD and the Jinjiang Group could be inked as soon as Jan. 7, when they are scheduled to meet. Earlier this week, the labor prosecutor's office described the workers, who had been hired by Chinese construction firm Jinjiang Group, as human trafficking victims . The firm had withheld the passports of 107 of the workers, investigators said. Investigations into slavery can carry powerful consequences for employers in Brazil, including a restriction on their access to bank loans. Jinjiang has denied any wrongdoing, while BYD said it had cut ties with Jinjiang. Both companies are collaborating with authorities on the investigation. Jinjiang said, in a social media post reposted by a BYD spokesperson, that describing the workers' conditions as "slavery-like" was inaccurate, while a BYD executive said media and other groups were "deliberately smearing Chinese brands and the country and undermining the relationship between China and Brazil." If the two companies are charged by labor inspectors with submitting workers to slavery-like conditions, they could be added to Brazil's so-called "dirty list" - a public listing of employers found liable for such charges. While the names of companies are only added to the list after all possibility of appeal is exhausted, which can take years, once a company is included it would stay there for two years. Beyond the substantial reputation risk the "dirty list" carries, companies in it are also barred from obtaining certain types of loans from Brazilian banks. Companies can avoid being included on the "dirty list" by signing a deal with the government committing to change their practices and compensate workers whose rights were abused. Companies and executives are also subject to legal action. Prosecutors who monitor labor affairs can sue companies that are found to have abused workers' rights, unless they agree to pay damages to the Brazilian government and to victims. Separately, federal prosecutors may also pursue criminal charges against executives. Charges of human trafficking and keeping workers in slavery-like conditions carry sentences of up to eight years in prison each. Federal prosecutors have already asked labor authorities to share the evidence they have gathered against BYD and the Jinjiang Group, according to a Thursday statement from the Labor Prosecutor's Office. Labor inspectors are now negotiating with the companies for compensation for the workers whose rights they believe were abused. That could include payment for missed wages and severance. The workers will also receive unemployment benefits. "The efforts of the government bodies at this time are focused on the victims and guaranteeing the victims' rights," said Mauricio Krepsky, a former head of Brazil's Division of Inspection for the Eradication of Slave Labor (DETRAE), a government body staffed by labor inspectors. Victims of human trafficking can choose to stay in Brazil or go back to their home countries, said Ludmila Paiva, co-founder of I-MiGRa, a non-profit that develops projects and research on human trafficking. During a meeting on Thursday, BYD has labor prosecutor's office.already agreed to purchase tickets and cover up to $120 in travel expenses for the return trip to China of seven employees scheduled to return on Jan. 1, according to a statement from Brazil's Negotiations between labor authorities and companies that are suspected of submitting workers to degrading conditions can take months to come, depending on the complexity of the case, the number of victims involved and whether the firms cooperate with authorities or not, experts told Reuters. If the firms are charged, it could still take years for their names to be added to the list, as companies can appeal internally to the government or file lawsuits to keep their names out of the registry. Sign up here. Reporting by Fabio Teixeira, Editing by Manuela Andreoni and Aurora Ellis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy , who will lead a new " Department of Government Efficiency " in Donald Trump ‘s administration joined Tesla CEO Elon Musk in sharply criticizing the SEC following a federal court decision. The Fifth Circuit Court ruled that the SEC acted unlawfully in approving Nasdaq's diversity quota policy, a move that critics argue represents government overreach. Ramaswamy's pointed criticism came in response to a tweet summarizing the court's decision. "When an agency like the SEC is so repeatedly & thoroughly embarrassed in federal court for flouting the law, it loses its legitimacy as a law enforcement body,” he said . The court's ruling, authored by Judge Andrew Oldham , deemed the SEC's approval of Nasdaq's policy as exceeding its legal authority. The policy required corporate boards to meet diversity quotas based on race, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity—or provide written explanations for failing to comply. The court's opinion pointed out that the SEC's mandate is to ensure fair and honest markets, not to enforce politically motivated identity politics. Also Read: BlackRock: ‘Reasonable Range’ Of Bitcoin Allocation In Multi-Asset Portfolios Is Between 1-2% (UPDATED) Musk added to the chorus of criticism, replying to a tweet by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), who labeled the SEC as an "independent commission" that "cannot be trusted." Musk described the SEC as "just another weaponized institution doing political dirty work." This backlash against the SEC coincides with the announcement of SEC Chair Gary Gensler 's resignation , effective Jan. 20, 2025, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. Gensler, who was appointed by President Biden in April 2021, has faced significant criticism for his regulatory approach, particularly toward cryptocurrencies . During his tenure, Gensler likened the crypto industry to the "Wild West" and pursued aggressive enforcement actions against major players like Coinbase COIN and Binance , accusing them of operating unregistered securities exchanges. While Gensler emphasized investor protection and market integrity, critics argued that his actions stifled innovation and failed to provide clear regulatory guidelines. Read Next: Shiba Inu Whale Shibtoshi Turned 37 ETH Into $5 Billion With SHIB: Here’s What Happened Next Photo: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Andy Murray-Novak Djokovic Partnership Announcement Makes Tennis Influencer Brag About His Random Prediction Coming Trueon Thursday, the White House told reporters that they had not gathered any evidence that reported swarms of drones flying off the Eastern Seaboard of the United States pose any type of national security threat. Reported sightings of the drones began popping up in November, with a high concentration coming in and off the coast of New Jersey. Biden administration officials had previously shot down reports that an Iranian "mothership" was operating in the Atlantic Ocean and coordinating the drone flights. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RULEMAKING BLITZES AIM TO TRUMP-PROOF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby briefed reporters Thursday afternoon, giving an update on the federal government's investigation into the sightings. "We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign Nexus," he claimed. "Upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully." Kirby added that the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigations are assisting New Jersey officials in investigating the sightings, "using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin. BIDEN’S ‘TRUMP-PROOFING’ FOREIGN POLICY REVOLVES AROUND UKRAINE AND NATO "Using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to, and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities, corroborate any of the reported visual sightings," he continued. Kirby did say that the reported drone flights highlight a "gap in authorities." He urged Congress to "pass important legislation that will extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities so that we are better prepared to identify and mitigate any possible threats to airports or other critical infrastructure." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER You can watch Kirby's remarks in full below.

Mumbai: The Indian economy is recovering from the slowdown in momentum witnessed in the September quarter, driven by strong festival activity and a sustained upswing in rural demand, according to a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) bulletin released on Tuesday. An article on the ‘State of the Economy’ in the December bulletin noted that the global economy continues to exhibit resilience with steady growth and moderating inflation. “High frequency indicators (HFIs) for the third quarter of 2024-25 indicate that the Indian economy is recovering from the slowdown in momentum witnessed in Q2, driven by strong festival activity and a sustained upswing in rural demand,” it said. The article further said the growth trajectory is poised to lift in the second half of 2024-25, driven mainly by resilient domestic private consumption demand. “Supported by record level foodgrains production, rural demand, in particular, is gaining momentum. Sustained government spending on infrastructure is expected to further stimulate economic activity and investment,” the authors said. Global headwinds, however, pose risks to the evolving outlook for growth and inflation, said the article authored by a team led by RBI Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra. India’s GDP growth slowed to a seven-quarter low of 5.4 per cent during the July-September period of the current fiscal year. The article said that from the expenditure side, the major factor contributing to the decline in the growth rate of the economy is fixed capital formation and from the production side, the main concern is manufacturing. “Undermining both is inflation. The erosion of purchasing power due to repeated inflation shocks and persisting price pressures is starkly reflected in weakening sales growth of listed non-financial nongovernment corporations,” it said. Their outlook on demand conditions also remains subdued as no let-up in the incidence of price shocks seems to be in sight; they will increasingly be inclined to pass on input costs to selling prices. Consequently, there is no robust capacity creation by investing in fixed assets. Instead, corporations are churning and utilising existing capacity to meet the inflation-dented consumer demand, the article said. “The result is lacklustre private investment. The slowdown in consumer demand seems to be associated with slower corporate wage growth,” it said. The authors further said another headwind emerging is the slowing rate of nominal GDP growth, which could hinder fiscal spending, including on capex, to achieve budgetary deficit and debt targets. The article also noted that as per the projections based on the in-house Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE), real GDP growth is likely to recover to 6.8 per cent and 6.5 per cent in Q3 and Q4 of 2024-25, respectively. Growth for 2025-26 is projected at 6.7 per cent while headline CPI inflation (retail) is projected to average 3.8 per cent in 2025-26. In the December monetary policy, the RBI had projected the GDP growth for 2024-25 at 6.6 per cent with Q3 at 6.8 per cent; and Q4 at 7.2 per cent. GDP growth for the April quarter of 2025-26 was projected at 6.9 per cent; and Q2 at 7.3 per cent. The RBI said the views expressed in the bulletin are of the authors and do not represent the views of the central bank.

Boise State's legacy includes winning coaches and championship momentsStates, Locals Fail to Meet Recommended Cybersecurity GoalsThe Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”

Natixis Advisors LLC Sells 1,200 Shares of CareTrust REIT, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTRE)Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) went all out for uncapped cricketer Naman Dhir as they bought him for INR 5.25 crore at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Initially, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai started the bidding war before Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings also joined them. Royals won the bidding war but the Mumbai Indians used their RTM to retain their star cricketer. IPL 2025 Mega Auction Day 1 Live Updates: Naman Dhir Goes to Mumbai Indians for INR 5.25 Crore . Mumbai Indians Retain Naman Dhir! Naman Dhir is SOLD to @mipaltan for INR 5.25 Crore 🙌 @mipaltan exercised the Right to Match option 👌 Base Price - INR 30 Lakh Final Price - INR 5.25 Crore #TATAIPLAuction | #TATAIPL — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 24, 2024 (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.)

'Bit late for apology': Opposition criticise Harris's tense encounter with carerDaniel Gizinski has moved into the role of president for the company’s satellite and space communications segment amid an ongoing pivot there. In October, Comtech announced its plans to evolve into a “pure-play satellite and space communications company” and shed noncore assets. A 15-year satellite market veteran, Gizinski first joined Comtech in 2019 and most recently worked as the company’s chief strategy officer. His career also includes roles at General Electric, Sierra Nevada Corp. and L3Harris Technologies. Daniel Yuly has joined the IT services provider as chief financial officer and brings two decades of federal market experience to the role. Yuly most recently worked in the CFO role at Agile Defense, where he helped manage four of that company’s acquisitions. DecisionPoint is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business that started in 2012 and is looking to move further up the market’s middle tier. Kevin Bearden has joined the technology and consulting services company as senior vice president and division leader for transformation, security and social services. The 25-year market veteran will oversee ICF’s work for federal agencies in the national security and social services community, as well as state and local government clients. His career prior to ICF includes roles at Cherokee Federal, The Providencia Group, SOS International, General Dynamics IT and Booz Allen Hamilton. A pair of new hires are joining the senior leadership team at this cybersecurity provider that is pushing what it calls a “structural expansion” effort into business divisions aligned with major clients. Manohar Kumar is now senior vice president of operations and portfolio director, a role that sees him responsible for SkyePoint’s delivery and performance functions. He also supports growth initiatives across the company and customer engagement efforts. The two-decade veteran most recently worked as vice president of operations at VMD. In addition, Durriya Badani was hired as vice president of strategic accounts and brings two decades of experience to that role. She most recently worked as chief strategy officer at ClearAvenue. Lisa Wilkinson has joined the global government services company as chief human resources officer after 17 years in the aerospace and defense industry. Wilkinson most recently worked as vice president of people and culture at SES Space & Defense, where she helped lead the integration of the DRS GES satellite services business. Her areas of responsibility at SOSi will include workforce planning and development, talent acquisition and retention, learning and development, employee engagement, compensation and benefits, performance management, diversity and inclusion programs, and compliance. Debra Dial will become the 12th member of Booz Allen’s board of directors on Jan. 2 and join the panel’s audit committee. She retired from AT&T in mid-2023 after a 28-year career there, including her most recent role as chief accounting officer and controller. Dial spent 10 years at KPMG’s audit practice prior to AT&T. Booz Allen cited Dial’s background in long-term financial and business planning, reporting and digital transformation. John Tien, a former deputy homeland security secretary, will become the 12th member of SAIC’s board of directors on Dec. 2 and join the panel’s committee for nominating and corporate governance. Tien served as the Homeland Security Department’s second-highest position from June 2021 to July 2023. Prior to that, he was a senior executive at Citigroup for 10 years. He also served in three other presidential administrations in leadership roles as an Army officer in seven different U.S. states, three countries and three combat tours.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday extended the stay on trial court proceedings against former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini till January 21 in connection with the disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani in 1991. The detailed order is awaited. Saini’s counsel Sant Pal Singh Sidhu confirmed the development. Saini has sought from the high court quashing of the FIR and the subsequent chargesheet filed by the Punjab Police. The trial court proceedings were stayed on November 25. Multani, then employed by the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO), was allegedly picked up by two officers in 1991 after a terrorist attack on Saini, who then was Chandigarh senior superintendent of police (SSP), in which four policemen in his security were killed. The police later claimed that Multani escaped from the custody of the Qadian police. Saini was booked in May 2020, almost 30 years after Multani went missing, during the regime of the Congress government in Punjab. Saini and six others were booked on the complaint of Multani’s brother Palwinder Singh Multani who is a resident of Jalandhar. In the chargesheet, murder charges were also invoked. Saini secured anticipatory bail from the Supreme Court on December 3, 2020. Saini has claimed in his plea that the case was instituted with malafide and with the ulterior motive of “wreaking vengeance at the behest of political dispensation” ruling at the time of FIR registration. The Punjab Police, in response to his plea, said that allegations against him stands duly proved during the course of investigation and a challan has been submitted before the trial court. The registration of the FIR is not an outcome of the political vendetta as alleged by the petitioner, the police have claimed, adding that even though allegations have been levelled against the then chief minister of the Congress government and officials, they have not been roped in as parties in the case. On the other hand, Multani’s brother, in response to Saini’s plea, has submitted that the petition is not maintainable as the prayer made is for quashing of the FIR as well as the chargesheet, which is contrary to the liberty granted by the Supreme Court. Only chargesheet could have been challenged, the affidavit of the complainant brother says.Viral video shows delivery driver receiving massive holiday tip

The government’s new furnace and water heater rules are coming for youThis week sees a five-hour debate in Parliament that could lead to one of the most consequential laws this century when MPs hold a free vote on a Private Members’ bill to allow medically assisted suicide in Britain. The reform has previously been backed by Sir Keir Starmer, enjoys popular support and is often claimed to be progressive. It has been promoted by the admirable Dame Esther Rantzen, suffering terminal cancer, with her usual campaigning zeal. There are strong arguments on both sides of this moral minefield that merit respectful examination. Yet there should be no delusions over the impact of unleashing state-sanctioned killing in our healthcare system. I would have preferred to write on almost any other issue this week, returning to work after the anguish of my own daughter’s death. But I have investigated assisted dying in Europe and North America , as well as campaigned on patient safety and for the rights of citizens with learning disabilities, inspired by her. So it felt wrong to duck such a seismic proposed change to society. However the legislation is framed, however limited the intention, this reform would tip Britain over a slippery slope. Already some campaigners argue that the bill’s proposal to allow terminally ill adults with six months or fewer to obtain medical help to end their lives is too limited. Read Next The assisted dying bill answers few questions - but raises bigger, scarier ones Experts expect challenges under human rights laws from patients whose terminal conditions leave them unable to take their own lives, rightly arguing this is discriminatory. There will be emotive cases of parents pleading that suffering children cannot access similar “treatment”. We have seen elsewhere how the number of assisted deaths keeps rising after legalisation. And how rules can get widened over time – to include children, couples wishing to die together, old folks with dementia and young people suffering mental illness – despite initial promises to the contrary. As one prominent ethicist said in the Netherlands, which pioneered reform in 2002, their desire to help patients suffering the most agonising of deaths led them to launch “something that we have now discovered has more consequences than we ever imagined”. Legalised euthanasia frees a genie from the bottle, while fundamentally altering the nature of doctoring with its oath of first do no harm. It sends a message that killing is an acceptable form of treatment. Yet we know doctors find it difficult to predict the timing of death with terminal illnesses – and that they, along with judges, are fallible humans who can make mistakes, be swayed by pressure or fail to detect coercion amid daily clinical stresses. Some will become zealots for the cause – such as a former maternity specialist in Canada that I interviewed earlier this year who has assisted more than 400 deaths since they introduced euthanasia eight years ago. Canada exposes the danger – and political irresponsibility – of inserting such procedures into a struggling health system such as our own with its long waiting times, poor treatment outcomes and inadequate care support. I have spoken to patients pushed by doctors to accept medically assisted death when life-saving treatment was available – and to an analyst who warned British MPs euthanasia is used to cut healthcare costs. Almost two-thirds of their assisted deaths involve cancer – yet they have shorter waiting times and better outcomes for this disease than Britain. The Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, bravely opposes this bill on the grounds that it might harm existing services, while pointing out how the state of end-of-life care means the NHS cannot always deliver “a real choice on assisted dying”. I have seen the incredible support offered in times of distress and pain by palliative care medics. Yet one in four patients fail to get such help – and as the palliative care doctor Rachel Clarke argues, it is “unconscionable” to offer citizens a choice to die if we fail to offer them also the care that can make life worth living. Studies show places that permit assisted death increase provision of palliative care significantly less than other states. If Westminster really wants to demonstrate it is progressive, how much better to boost this brilliant branch of medicine pioneered in Britain – along with the shamefully underfunded hospice movement – to ensure decent end-of-life care for everyone. And perhaps our politicians might finally like to fix the overwhelmed social care system instead of continually sweeping it aside? Then there is the issue of trust – and whether we can really have faith in politicians and regulators to protect sick, elderly or disabled people who might face pressure to end their lives after so many disturbing scandals revealing abuse of the weakest in society. Bert Keizer, a Dutch practitioner of assisted dying, has said that British experts were right to be sceptical when Holland pioneered reform since their predictions came true. “Those who embark on euthanasia venture down a slippery slope along which you irrevocably slide down to the random killing of defenceless sick people” he wrote in a medical journal. Bear in mind we live in a nation where several of the worst negligence scandals involved mass killing of elderly patients and the care system has been allowed to rot. A land that still locks up autistic people and citizens with learning disabilities in psychiatric hellholes with the connivance of doctors. Meanwhile, there are confirmed cases abroad of people euthanised as a consequence of their autism or learning disabilities. And significant evidence – even from places such as Oregon praised for stringent protections – suggesting people choosing to die often feel a burden on families. As an atheist and a liberal, my concerns over euthanasia are practical rather than ethical. But having seen the stark realities of assisted death abroad and reported on health scandals at home, I have deep fears over the consequences of introducing it here with our inept legislators, creaking public services and societal contempt for groups that might find themselves in the crosshairs. Fix the NHS, fund palliative medicine properly, sort out social care – and then we can debate this issue with less fear.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) exists to improve regional air quality. I recently joined its Governing Board, eager to support the cause. Following my first meeting, though, I am deeply concerned, not only for my Orange County constituents, but also for all residents of the four-county SCAQMD service area. The SCAQMD is considering two rules that are far-reaching in scope and expense but will seemingly do little to clean the air. If implemented, these rules would impose ruinous expenses on already stretched residents and businesses, potentially cause people to lose housing, and strain an already stretched electricity grid. SCAQMD intends to adopt two rules on all homeowners, multi-family residents, and businesses – more than 17 million people in all. The goal: eliminate natural gas appliances. Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121 require homeowners, landlords, and businesses to replace furnaces and water heaters with costly new “zero-emission” electrical units. Fortunately, anyone potentially affected by the rules has time to weigh in. As proposed under Rule 1121, if your water heater breaks after January 1, 2027, the government will force you to replace it with an electric model. These contraptions are prohibitively expensive, would require major home or business electrical upgrades, and likely impose lengthy permit wait times. Likewise, Rule 1111 targets natural gas furnaces – if your furnace fails in 2028 or beyond, you must replace it with electric technology. The cost to implement these rules? We’re talking potentially tens of thousands of dollars per unit for every homeowner, landlord, and business forced to make these purchases. The overall cost to implement the rules is at least $20.4 billion throughout the entire SCAQMD “Service” area. While staff promises that “costs will come down over time,” that won’t help consumers today or tomorrow. These rules make life in Southern California even more unaffordable. And make no mistake: You will be forced to comply. The old technology – the water heaters and furnaces you are using today – will be illegal to purchase or install. Only the wealthiest of Southern California residents can afford such extravagance. Don’t even think about buying replacement units in other states and importing them. You will not be allowed to get a permit to install non-complying appliances, nor can you sell a property containing unpermitted units. You will have to comply. For new construction, these rules would take effect in 2026, further elevating construction costs and housing prices, thereby putting homeownership even more out of reach for many Southern Californians. But the story takes a darker turn. The new zero-emission water heaters and furnaces require a substantial increase in electricity usage, further challenging California’s already stressed electric grid. We know how vulnerable, erratic, and costly our power supply is. Water heaters and furnaces aren’t luxury items – they are essential. With millions of new electric devices pulling power from the grid, we risk even more frequent brownouts or outages. How much will this cost? Surprisingly, SCAQMD has yet to provide an accurate and comprehensive assessment of the rules’ overall cost. Despite lacking this important information, and whether the marginal costs of whatever cleaner air might result is worth the cost, the rules move forward towards final adoption. Here are examples of the impact in the real world. The owner of one 500-unit apartment complex in my district, built in 2008, expects the compliance cost to be a staggering $19 million – over $37,000 per unit! Landlords will, by necessity, have to pass along as much of these costs as possible to their tenants. For older properties, the numbers are worse. A 300-unit apartment building in Newport Beach, built in the 1970s, faces compliance costs of $24 million, or over $72,000 per unit. The expenses for individual homeowners will likely be similarly eye-watering. Housing affordability is already in crisis. Adding these steep, unexpected costs will make it even more difficult for families to afford a place to live, for young people to enter the housing market, and for builders to create much-needed affordable housing units. Related Articles Commentary | Reparations return to the California Legislature Commentary | 50 years of economic policy killed American Dreams Commentary | Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons could address some real injustices Commentary | Michael Huemer: Confronting progressive myths Commentary | Newsom’s ‘Trump-proof’ plan raises more questions than answers for Black Californians I support efforts to improve the region’s air quality, but question whether these rules accomplish that goal at anything close to a reasonable cost. The elimination of natural gas water heaters and furnaces promises miniscule regional air quality benefits while imposing maximum consumer pain and taxing an already over-extended electricity grid. I joined in the SCAQMD board vote to delay action on these proposed rules until February 2025 – hopefully to make the public aware of these rules. You can make your voice heard so as to better inform staff and SCAQMD decision makers of the public’s position at: ClerkOfBoard@aqmd.gov . Increased housing is among the region’s top priorities; Rules 1111 and 1121 run counter to this priority. They achieve minimal air quality improvements, are prohibitively expensive and ignore the region’s energy challenges. I look forward to seeing staff’s final reports and recommendations after public input on these rules, before the final vote. Donald P. Wagner is Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and a member of the Governing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.Trump says fate of TikTok should be in his hands when he returns to White House

Chuck Woolery , whose game-show hosting career included tenures at Wheel of Fortune and Love Connection , has died at age 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s friend and podcast cohost, shared the news on X on Saturday. “It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away,” Young wrote. “Life will not be the same without him. RIP, brother.” Young told TMZ he was at Woolery’s home in Texas when the former TV host reported not feeling well and went to lie down. When Young checked in later, Woolery was having trouble breathing, and despite a 911 call, Woolery died shortly thereafter. Woolery was born on March 16, 1941, in Ashland, Kentucky, to a business owner and a homemaker, according to The Hollywood Reporter . After stints at the University of Kentucky, in the U.S. Navy, and at Morehead State University, Woolery moved to Nashville to start a music career. He and singer Elkin “Bubba” Fowler formed the psychedelic pop duo The Avant-Garde, and their song “Naturally Stoned” peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. Lorimar Television/ Everett Collection A singing performance on The Merv Griffin Show led Woolery to audition for a new game show, originally titled Shopper’s Bazaar , that Merv Griffin was developing at the time. After some tinkering, Wheel of Fortune debuted on NBC on January 6, 1975. Griffin earned a Daytime Emmy for his Wheel work and hosted the show until 1981, when a salary dispute led producers to replace him with Pat Sajak . Woolery moved on with a job hosting the syndicated dating game show Love Connection from 1983 to 1994, pulling in 4.5 million viewers a day at one point. He also emceed the game show Scrabble from 1984 to 1990, and between the two shows, he was earning $1 million a year by 1986, as People reported at the time. Woolery also hosted the game show Greed on Fox from 1999 to 2000 and Lingo on Game Show Network from 2002 to 2007. In recent years, Woolery stoked controversy with his political views, posting a tweet that sparked antisemitism accusations in 2017 and then claiming in 2020 that “everyone [was] lying” about the coronavirus pandemic , as Newsweek reported. He also argued that minorities didn’t need civil rights, according to the Associated Press . Woolery was married four times, and his ex-wives included actor Jo Ann Pflug. He had eight children and stepchildren, per THR . More Headlines:Logility Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results

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