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gstar28 legit Manchin, Sinema prevent Democrats from locking in majority on labor board through 2026 WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats failed in their bid to confirm a Democratic member of the National Labor Relations Board after the Senate rejected a razor-thin vote that hinged on the pivotal rejections of independent Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. If the nomination had been successful, the board would have had a Democratic majority until 2026. President-elect Donald Trump will now have a chance to nominate a replacement. The NLRB is a government agency that handles labor relations and unionization in the workplace. It also has the power to investigate potential unfair labor practices, meaning its leadership is highly scrutinized by business interests and labor groups. The failed vote is another blow to Senate Democrats and outgoing President Joe Biden's agenda. Arizona AG sues Saudi firm over 'excessive' groundwater pumping, saying it's a public nuisance PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says she is suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness over what she calls “excessive pumping” of groundwater. She alleges that the Fondomonte alfalfa farm in western Arizona is violating a public nuisance law even though the area has no groundwater pumping regulations. Mayes said Wednesday that Fondomonte's use of groundwater threatens the public health, safety and infrastructure of local communities in rural La Paz County. It's Arizona's latest action against foreign companies that use huge amounts of groundwater to grow thirsty forage crops for export. The Associated Press emailed Fondomonte seeking a response to the lawsuit. US inflation ticked up last month as some price pressures remain persistent WASHINGTON (AP) — Fueled by pricier used cars, hotel rooms and groceries, inflation in the United States moved slightly higher last month in the latest sign that some price pressures remain elevated. Consumer prices rose 2.7% in November from a year earlier, up from a yearly figure of 2.6% in October. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core prices increased 3.3%. Measured month to month, prices climbed 0.3% from October to November, the biggest such increase since April. Wednesday’s inflation figures are the final major piece of data Federal Reserve officials will consider before they meet next week to decide on interest rates. The November increase won’t likely be enough to discourage the officials from cutting their key rate by a quarter-point. Albertsons sues Kroger for failing to win approval of their proposed supermarket merger Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history has crumbled. The two companies have accused each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through, and Albertsons pulled out of the $24.6 billion deal on Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after a federal judge in Oregon and a state judge in Washington issued injunctions to block the merger, saying that combining the two grocery chains could reduce competition and harm consumers. Albertsons is now suing Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee, as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger says the legal claims are “baseless.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Supreme Court allows investors' class action to proceed against microchip company Nvidia WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing a class-action lawsuit that accuses Nvidia of misleading investors about its past dependence on selling computer chips for the mining of volatile cryptocurrency to proceed. The court’s decision Wednesday comes the same week that China said it is investigating the the microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. The justices heard arguments four weeks ago in Nvidia’s bid to shut down the lawsuit, then decided that they were wrong to take up the case in the first place. They dismissed the company’s appeal, leaving in place an appellate ruling allowing the case to go forward. Apple's latest iPhones get the gift of more AI as holiday shopping season heats up SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is pumping more artificial intelligence into the latest iPhones during the holiday shopping season. It comes in the form of a free software update that includes a feature that enables users to create customized emojis within a matter of seconds. The Wednesday release of the iPhone’s upgraded operating system extends Apple’s expansion into AI months after rivals such as Samsung and Google began implanting the revolutionary on their devices. The update builds upon another one that came out in late October. The latest round of AI tricks includes “Genmojis,” Apple’s description of emojis that iPhone users will be able to ask the technology to create and then share. EU targets Russia's ghost fleet shipping oil in a new round of sanctions BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union envoys have agreed a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine. The EU's Hungarian presidency said Wednesday that the measures will target in particular a vast shadow fleet of ships that Moscow is exploiting to skirt restrictions on transporting oil and fuel. The sanctions are aimed at about 50 of what are routinely decrepit ships. The sanctions will hit more officials and entities alleged to be helping Russia to improve its military technology by evading export restrictions. EU foreign ministers are set to formally adopt the sanctions package on Monday. Can ordinary citizens solve our toughest problems? BEND, OREGON (AP) — Research shows Americans are frustrated with what they perceive as aloofness and gridlock within civic institutions. Citizen assemblies may be able to help. The groups which have direct involvement in decision-making can help “overcome polarization and strengthen societal cohesion,” says Claudia Chwalisz, founder of DemocracyNext. Her nonprofit, launched in Paris in 2022, champions such assemblies worldwide, hoping they can “create the democratic spaces for everyday people to grapple with the complexity of policy issues, listen to one another, and find common ground.” In Europe, examples of such changes abound. In the United States, results are spottier. Making a $1B investment in the US? Trump pledges expedited permits — but there are hurdles WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is promising expedited federal permits for energy projects and other construction worth more than $1 billion. But like other Trump plans, the idea is likely to run into regulatory and legislative hurdles, including a landmark law that requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impact before deciding on major projects. Environmental groups called the plan a clear violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. The chief policy advocacy officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council says Trump should be careful what he wishes for. She said, "What if someone wants to build a waste incinerator next to Mar-a-Lago or a coal mine next to Bedminster golf course?”How have Palestinian groups reacted to the ouster of Syria’s al-Assad?

Craigwood Youth Services to cease operations after more than 70 yearsNearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used – 90 percent said they watched videos on the site, down slightly from 95 percent in 2022. Nearly three-quarters said they visit YouTube every day. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Bill Belichick Won't Attend UNC vs. UConn in Fenway Bowl; Will Be HC in 2025 Season

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Military courts' verdicts announced under law enacted by parliament: FO

Most Americans think that health insurance profits and claim denials played a role in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to a new survey by NORC at the University of Chicago. Since his killing on December 4, social media users have repeatedly expressed their anger with the health insurance industry and thirsted over the person charged with the crime, Luigi Mangione . Evidence suggests that the killer’s motive was related to the health insurance industry. According to law enforcement, the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition from the crime scene. These words appear to be a reference to the health insurance industry’s playbook to avoid paying for health care — “delay, deny, defend.” UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest health insurer, made $16 billion in profit last year. As Rolling Stone recently noted , the company helps explains why America’s health care system is unusually expensive and produces poor outcomes . Corporate parent UnitedHealth Group is the fourth-largest company in America by revenue. UnitedHealth is an insurer, a major health care provider, and a middleman between patients and pharmacies. It also offers its allegedly very faulty AI claims-handling software to other insurers. The NORC poll finds a staggering percentage of Americans attributed Thompson’s death, at least in part, to the health insurance industry’s business practices. Sixty-nine percent said that denials for health care coverage by health insurance companies bear a “great deal” or a “moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s killing. Sixty-seven percent said profits made by health insurance companies played a great or a moderate role in his killing. More broadly, about half of Americans said that wealth inequality played a great or moderate role in his killing. (Thompson made $10.2 million annually.) Younger Americans, according to the Associated Press, were more likely to believe that multiple factors contributed to his killing. Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time Somehow, the poll found a significant number of Americans think the killer played no role at all in Thompson’s murder: 11 percent said that the individual who committed the killing played no role at all in the murder, while 9 percent said “a little.” However, 78 percent said that the shooter played a great deal or a moderate amount in the killing. Some respondents reported having negative experiences with health insurance themselves. Fifteen percent of Americans said they had had a claim denied by an insurance company in the past year. Sixteen percent said they had a problem finding a suitable provider within the insurance company’s network. Respondents reported similar numbers for friends and family. Among those who reported having issues with their health insurance, 43 percent said they had to pay for some or all of the related health care costs, 28 percent said they were unable to receive recommended care, and 39 percent said the issue had not yet been resolved. Seven percent had no health insurance at all, which makes it even more difficult for people to receive necessary medical care. The poll, conducted between December 12-16, was based on interviews with 1,001 adults across the country from a variety of economic backgrounds. In the weeks since Thompson’s killing, the conversation around health care reform has been reinvigorated. Patients, as well as their friends and families, have voiced their frustration about the costs of health care, their claims being denied, and having difficulty finding a provider within their insurance networks.NoneGreg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. "He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten," his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. A statement from the family of Greg Gumbel pic.twitter.com/oAkSrW8EtJ — @CBSSportsGang David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. "A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time," said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS' coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. In 1995, he hosted the World Figure Skating Championships and the following year hosted NBC's daytime coverage of the Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS' NFL studio show, "The NFL Today" from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network's lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season. He won local Emmy Awards during his long career and was the recipient of the 2007 Pat Summerall Award for excellence in sports broadcasting. Outside of his career as a sportscaster, Gumbel was affiliated with the March of Dimes for three decades, including as a member of its board of trustees. He also was a member of the Sports Council for St Jude's Children's Research Hospital for 16 years.

RA Capital Management Announces Close of $1.4 Billion Acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics by AbbVieTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli soldiers raided a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. The war was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.

Lucid CEO: Talking With "A Couple" Of Auto Brands On PartnershipHouse approves $895B defense bill with military pay raise, ban on transgender care for minors

By MATTHEW BROWN and JACK DURA BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Donald Trump assigned Doug Burgum a singular mission in nominating the governor of oil-rich North Dakota to lead an agency that oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore: “Drill baby drill.” That dictate from the president-elect’s announcement of Burgum for Secretary of Interior sets the stage for a reignition of the court battles over public lands and waters that helped define Trump’s first term, with environmentalists worried about climate change already pledging their opposition. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who grew up on his family’s farm. He represents a tame choice compared to other Trump Cabinet picks. Public lands experts said his experience as a popular two-term governor who aligns himself with conservationist Teddy Roosevelt suggests a willingness to collaborate, as opposed to dismantling from within the agency he is tasked with leading. That could help smooth his confirmation and clear the way for the incoming administration to move quickly to open more public lands to development and commercial use. “Burgum strikes me as a credible nominee who could do a credible job as Interior secretary,” said John Leshy, who served as Interior’s solicitor under former President Bill Clinton. “He’s not a right-wing radical on public lands,” added Leshy, professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. The Interior Department manages about one-fifth of the country’s land with a mandate that spans from wildlife conservation and recreation to natural resource extraction and fulfilling treaty obligations with Native American tribes. Most of those lands are in the West, where frictions with private landowners and state officials are commonplace and have sometimes mushroomed into violent confrontations with right-wing groups that reject federal jurisdiction. Burgum if confirmed would be faced with a pending U.S. Supreme Court action from Utah that seeks to assert state power over Interior Department lands. North Dakota’s attorney general has supported the lawsuit, but Burgum’s office declined to say if he backs Utah’s claims. U.S. Justice Department attorneys on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject Utah’s lawsuit. They said Utah in 1894 agreed to give up its right to the lands at issue when it became a state. Trump’s narrow focus on fossil fuels is a replay from his 2016 campaign — although minus coal mining, a collapsing industry that he failed to revive in his first term. Trump repeatedly hailed oil as “liquid gold” on the campaign trail this year and largely omitted any mention of coal. About 26% of U.S. oil comes from federal lands and offshore waters overseen by Interior. Production continues to hit record levels under President Joe Biden despite claims by Trump that the Democrat hindered drilling. But industry representatives and their Republican allies say volumes could be further boosted. They want Burgum and the Interior Department to ramp up oil and gas sales from federal lands, in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Alaska. The oil industry also hopes Trump’s government efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk can dramatically reduce environmental reviews. Biden’s administration reduced the frequency and size of lease sales, and it restored environmental rules that were weakened under Trump . The Democrat as a candidate in 2020 promised further restrictions on drilling to help combat global warming, but he struck a deal for the 2022 climate bill that requires offshore oil and gas sales to be held before renewable energy leases can be sold. “Oil and gas brings billions of dollars of revenue in, but you don’t get that if you don’t have leasing,” said Erik Milito with the National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore industries including oil and wind. Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind energy projects. But Milito said he was hopeful that with Burgum in place it would be “green lights ahead for everything, not just oil and gas.” It is unclear if Burgum would revive some of the most controversial steps taken at the agency during Trump’s first term, including relocating senior officials out of Washington, D.C., dismantling parts of the Endangered Species Act and shrinking the size of two national monuments in Utah designated by former President Barack Obama. Officials under Biden spent much of the past four years reversing Trump’s moves. They restored the Utah monuments and rescinded numerous Trump regulations. Onshore oil and gas lease sales plummeted — from more than a million acres sold annually under Trump and other previous administrations, to just 91,712 acres (37,115 hectares) sold last year — while many wind and solar projects advanced. Developing energy leases takes years, and oil companies control millions of acres that remain untapped. Biden’s administration also elevated the importance of conservation in public lands decisions, adopting a rule putting it more on par with oil and gas development. They proposed withdrawing parcels of land in six states from potential future mining to protect a struggling bird species, the greater sage grouse. North Dakota is among Republican states that challenged the Biden administration’s public lands rule. The states said in a June lawsuit that officials acting to prevent climate change have turned laws meant to facilitate development into policies that obstruct drilling, livestock grazing and other uses. Oil production boomed over the past two decades in North Dakota thanks in large part to better drilling techniques. Burgum has been an industry champion and last year signed a repeal of the state’s oil tax trigger — a price-based tax hike industry leaders supported removing. Burgum’s office declined an interview request. In a statement after his nomination, Burgum echoed Trump’s call for U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. The 68-year-old governor also said the Interior post offered an opportunity to improve government relations with developers, tribes, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts “with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.” Related Articles National Politics | Attorneys want the US Supreme Court to say Mississippi’s felony voting ban is cruel and unusual National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now Under current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the agency put greater emphasis on working collaboratively with tribes, including their own energy projects . Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe in New Mexico, also advanced an initiative to solve criminal cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and helped lead a nationwide reckoning over abuses at federal Indian boarding schools that culminated in a formal public apology from Biden. Burgum has worked with tribes in his state, including on oil development. Badlands Conservation Alliance director Shannon Straight in Bismarck, North Dakota, said Burgum has also been a big supporter of tourism in North Dakota and outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. Yet Straight said that hasn’t translated into additional protections for land in the state. “Theodore Roosevelt had a conservation ethic, and we talk and hold that up as a beautiful standard to live by,” he said. “We haven’t seen it as much on the ground. ... We need to recognize the landscape is only going to be as good as some additional protections.” Burgum has been a cheerleader of the planned Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. Brown reported from Billings, Montana.Spokesman of the Emeka Beke-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State, Mr Darlington Nwauju, has warned the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje of the dangers of disregard for the rule of law. This is as he accused the National Chairman of APC, of alleged disregard for court orders, injunctions and judgments relating to the party both in Rivers State and others warning that such contributed to the huge election losses suffered by the party in Rivers State in 2015, 2019 and 2023 He added that Ganduje was frustrating efforts of lasting peace in the leadership of the party in the state. Speaking with Journalists on Monday, Nwauju accused Ganduje of dictatorial leadership style, urging him and Okocha’s leadership to stop desecrating the judiciary and de-marketing the party. Nwauju expressed sadness over an alleged conspiracy to delete the memories of the supporters of Emeka Beke’s leadership of APC “who unfortunately lost their bid to rewrite the history of the party here in Rivers and ensure that justice is not served on sponsors and perpetrators of those barbaric crimes that took place in 2015, 2019 and 2023”. Recall that a Port Harcourt High Court last week nullified the party’s recent LG and State congresses organised by the Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee, saying they were in utter disrespect of court order and Court judgment. The High Court, presided over by Justice Godswill Obomanu, nullified the LGA and State congresses and awarded a cost of N10 million against the defendants (APC & Alhaji Ganduje), the National Chairman of the party. Nwauju regretted that the party had suffered avoidable media bashing in recent weeks and months “due to the dictatorial leadership style of Alhaji Ganduje who seems to be in such a hurry to rewrite our painful history”. He said “It would not be out of place for any journalist in this room today to confidently construct beautiful headlines that will pull by the nose given the notorious fact that, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, who promised internal democracy for the party on August 3, 2023 after his ratification by NEC, has managed the Rivers State chapter exactly like a workman quarrelling with his tools. “We are worried that Alhaji Ganduje is doing everything possible to bully the very principles of progressivism upon which our party was founded and to even imagine the peculiarity of the Rivers state chapter of the party where tons of human beings had their lives cut short for their membership of the APC“. Nwauju stressed that since the High Court judgement is on appeal and the Court of Appeal fixed 4th and 12th February 2025 to hear the matter, “what is the rush in countering the order of Court? He said that if the APC under Ganduje had any respect for the rule of law, it would have waited for the determination of the cases in court before going on with the congresses again and injunction of the court. Speaking about the alleged plan to suspend their supporters, he said “expelling Chief Emeka Beke and the rest of us who are rightful officers of the party in the state and accusing us of collaborating with the Governor of Rivers State to embarrass the APC? If we may ask which of the APCs? The one they sabotaged in 2015, 2019 and 2023? Is it the same APC that they abandoned to join the SDP and jumped ship to openly campaign for the PDP and Governor Fubara? Nwauju questioned. READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNEVERMILLION — Opportunities for siblings to compete alongside one another at some of the highest levels of college football don’t always present themselves. However, it’s a unique scenario in the University of South Dakota offensive line room. ADVERTISEMENT The sibling rivalry is alive and well for two sets of brothers that operate in the Coyote offensive trenches. Sioux Falls’ Ben and Sam Kohls along with Harrisburg’s Josh and Jordan Larsen have been together for their entire athletic lives and continue that journey together by representing one of their in-state institutions. Both brothers’ journey to Vermillion went a bit different. For the Kohls, Ben was a year ahead of Sam. He originally enrolled as a walk-on and played his first season in the shortened 2021 spring season of COVID-19. The following season, after encouragement from Ben, Sam joined his older brother at USD. The duo's journey has certainly been a memorable one with both saying the constant rivalry between them has played a huge role in their receptive developments. “It's been a very competitive ride,” Ben said. “We like to get on on each other, kind of push each other, call each other out when they're doing something bad and bring them back up if they’re doing something good, too. It's really like a back-and-forth kind of competition. That's how brothers are and that's how the whole team is.” “I think iron sharpens iron is something that comes to mind,” Sam said. “It's really nice, especially in my case having an older brother to look up to pretty much all these years. Since he's a year older than me, next year he's not going to be here. So moving on, he's kind of taught me the way and taught me things that I wouldn't have known coming in and stuff like that.” For the Larsens, they both entered the program in 2022 after successful high school careers at Harrisburg. They both had scholarship offers, mostly at the Division II level, but there was the desire to represent the red and white. “We both had kind of the same offers. This was really the only Division I opportunity,” Jordan said. “We would both be walk-ons here and then we had a bunch of Division II offers. It kind of felt like all these coaches were asking us, ‘Would you go here if your brother couldn't go here?’ I always told him, yeah, but really it probably would have been a no. It always kind of felt like we would probably go to the same school together, we both got the opportunity here and we both committed.” ADVERTISEMENT Josh may have not shared that same sentiment at first but felt USD was the best place for both of them to further their career. “I didn't really care about if we ended up together or not, but this being the best opportunity for each other, it was a nice little gift I guess.” All four of the brothers have been able to make impacts over their careers and have been part of the program’s rise to national prominence over the last few seasons. Ben has primarily been a special teams mainstay along the offensive line but has also gotten some run at center as well. Sam made 11 consecutive starts at left guard last season and has been one of the first options off the bench this year. However, he was called into action in USD’s playoff game against Tarleton State and finished the game at that same left guard position he controlled for most of the 2023 season. For the Larsens, Jordan has been one of the breakthrough players on offense this season. He’s started every game at the left guard spot and had played almost every snap until he suffered a first-quarter injury last week against Tarleton State and was subsequently replaced by Sam. Josh has played in four games this season and hasn’t gotten as many opportunities, but he’s almost always been listed on USD’s two-deep depth chart for most of the season at right guard. What makes it all the more special is that both sets of brothers continue to grow together and make use of the time they still have left to compete alongside each other. With less time together than the Larsens, Sam said the Kohls have just been soaking in the time they have left, especially after reflecting on how enjoyable and special playing together in college has been. ADVERTISEMENT “I didn't know not only that we'd both be playing at the Division I level, but together,” Sam said. “D-I is a really big thing. There are a lot of different schools that can bring you in. A lot of things have to fall in place correctly for both of us to end up here. We wouldn't have any other way. It's awesome and we love it here.” The Larsens still have multiple seasons ahead of them, but the experience has already been memorable, to say the least. “It's just been awesome always being next to a guy you know, you always have someone to block in drills,” Jordan said. “It’s always having that partner there.” “We still do everything together pretty much, not much separation at all in our lives,” Josh said. “It's been nice just having a guy, having a roommate you've been living with for 18 years at this point.” One thing that always exists between brothers is the burning question that usually results in disagreement, perhaps even sometimes one that eventually becomes a bit more physical: who’s better? Sam was quick to bestow the mantle upon himself with an immediate ‘me’ response. He did add on a bit afterward though explaining that it can be a two-way street at times. “There's things he's better at, there's things I'm better at, and it makes us better in the long run,” Sam said. ADVERTISEMENT And for the Larsen brothers, both did agree that Jordan had the edge. However, Josh said that could easily change in the near future. “Stats would say Jordan is [better], but we’ll see what happens soon,” Josh said.

Nearly half of US teens are online 'constantly,' Pew report finds

NonePennsylvania State University will not charge ex-NFL star over an on-campus incident where he smashed a fan’s phone. The incident took place in November when the retired Philadelphia Eagles center was at Penn State University’s Beaver Stadium for ESPN’s broadcast as they took on Ohio State University. A viral video on X/Twitter showed a man yelling: “Hey, Kelce. How does it feel your brother’s a f***** dating Taylor Swift?” Kelce angrily , saying: “Who’s the f***** now?” A public information officer with the Penn State University Campus Police Department, Jacqueline Sheader, confirmed in a statement to that the investigation is now closed. “The individual in the video footage circulating on social media has not been identified, and no one has come forward to University Police with a related complaint about damage to personal property,” Sheader told the outlet. Following the incident, Kelce appeared on ESPN to for his actions. “I think everybody’s seen on social media everything that took place this week,” he said. “Listen, I’m not happy with anything that took place. I’m not proud of it. In a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate and I just don’t think that’s a productive thing, I really don’t. I don’t think it leads to discourse and it’s the right way to go about things. In that moment I fell down to a level that I shouldn’t have.” “The bottom line is, I try to live my life by the golden rule, that’s what I’ve always been taught,” he said. “I try to treat people with common decency and respect, and I’m going to keep doing that moving forward.” During an episode of his podcast with his younger brother, Travis Kelce, featured the two of them also . “You had some f***ing clown come up to you talking about your family,” the Kansas City Chiefs tight end said. “You reacted in a way that was defending your family and you might have used some words that you regret using.” Travis admitted at the time that the incident was “weighing on him” as more people continued to post about what had happened in addition to giving their opinion on it. Jason mentioned that he would only be talking about the incident one more time because he wanted to “stop talking about this really stupid situation.” The retired NFL player admitted he should have stayed quiet and kept walking to avoid giving the man any kind of attention. He said his biggest regret from the situation was repeating the slur that the fan had used. “It’s dehumanizing and it got under my skin and it elicited a reaction. In the heat of the moment, I thought, ‘Hey, what can I say back to him? I’m gonna throw this s*** right back into his face. F*** him,’” Jason said.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Willy Adames wasted little time making one thing clear: He wants to play all 162 games for the San Francisco Giants. So when introduced as their new shortstop Thursday, Adames looked to his left and gently put a hand on manager Bob Melvin's right shoulder, smiled and said, “if he lets me.” Melvin might not need much convincing, thrilled to suddenly have stability at a position that lacked continuity this year in his first season as skipper. Adames didn't hesitate to also offer a thought to new boss Buster Posey: He plans to win a few championships with the Giants just like the catcher-turned-executive did here. Surrounded by his parents and other family and friends, Adames was formally introduced and welcomed at Oracle Park after signing a $182 million, seven-year contract — the first big, splashy move made by Posey since he became President of Baseball Operations in late September. “There’s no words to describe my feeling right now to be here in this beautiful city, I’m just so happy to be here,” Adames said. "... This is a dream come true for me. I’m thrilled to be here, I’m so excited. Hopefully we can win a few championships like you did, and that’s one of the main reasons I’m here.” Everyone who has encountered Adames so far can’t wait for him to get to work as an example both on the diamond and in the clubhouse. “He’s a unique connector of people,” Posey shared from Craig Counsell's description of the 29-year-old infielder from the Dominican Republic. “That really struck me because I think to win championships you have to have personalities like Willy that they're able to identify with everybody in the clubhouse, and that's not just players. I heard from multiple people that Willy treats everybody with the utmost respect. He plays with energy, he plays with joy and I know that our fans are just going to be thrilled to watch him compete on a daily basis.” Adames' deal marks the richest contract for San Francisco since Posey reached a $167 million, nine-year pact in 2013. “I didn’t know 'til it was done. I was like ‘wow,’" Adames said. From afar, Adames watched the legacy left by his hero Derek Jeter that went far beyond the baseball diamond. And that's as important to Adames as playing all 162 after he appeared in 161 games last season for Milwaukee. He considers part of his role to help the young players learn “to be a professional" and lead a club that has missed the playoffs the past three years in winning the right way. “For me that comes first, it comes first to be a great human being. I've got to thank my parents for that, they raised me the right way, to try to treat everybody the same, it doesn't matter what you're doing,” Adames said. “I think that's something that I'm really proud of, just to be the same guy every day, to be kind, just to give love back to people because there's a lot of hate out there and I don't really like that.” The Giants know Adames' positive influence could go far. Asked about the instability at shortstop, Melvin noted, “Well, it's not a problem now.” Adames gives the Giants a power bat and reliable defense at his position. This year for the Brewers, he produced his best offensive season in the big leagues, batting .251 with a career-high 32 home runs and 112 RBIs. “Look, every team wants a Willy Adames on their team. I think the thing that strikes me the most is when I'd watch him play a couple times a year on the other side was he never looked like he had a bad day,” Melvin said. “It always looked like every day was opening day to him. That enthusiasm when your best players are like that — Matt Chapman is like that, too — it's easy for everybody to have to fall in and play in that type of style. It's easier said than done but really for me that's the thing that struck me most is how much he loved playing baseball.” Adames is close friends with former Giants third baseman Matt Duffy, who shared his own experiences being part of the San Francisco franchise. It all became real when Adames pulled on his new cream-colored Giants jersey and buttoned it up, saying, “I'm a little nervous about this." A few moments later, the cap went on his head and he felt right at home. “It looks amazing.” AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBTwo senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada’s new border plan with Donald Trump’s transition team, a day after Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Both Trudeau and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who Trudeau has been courting to become Canada’s next finance minister, shared posts on X Thursday, a day after Trump’s latest jab at Canada in his Christmas Day message. It isn’t clear if Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has repeatedly insisted Trump’s 51st state references are a joke, will raise the issue with Trump’s team when he and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly meet with them in Palm Beach. The two are there to discuss Canada’s new $1.3 billion border plan with just under four weeks left before Trump is sworn in again as president. He has threatened to impose a new 25 per cent import tariff on Canada and Mexico the same day over concerns about a trade imbalance, as well as illegal drugs and migration issues at the borders. The broad strokes of Canada’s plan were made public Dec. 17, including a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of the border, and improved efforts using technology and canine teams to seek out drugs in shipments leaving Canada LeBlanc’s spokesman, Jean-Sébastien Comeau, said the ministers will also emphasize the negative impacts of Trump’s threatened tariffs on both Canada and the U.S. Comeau said the ministers will build on the discussions that took place last month when Trudeau and LeBlanc met Trump at Mar-a-Lago just days after Trump first made his tariff threat. It was at that dinner on Nov. 29 when Trump first raised the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, a comment LeBlanc has repeatedly since insisted was just a joke. But Trump has continued the quip repeatedly in various social media posts, including in his Christmas Day message when he said Canadians would pay lower taxes and have better military protection if they became Americans. He has taken to calling Trudeau “governor” instead of prime minister. Trudeau had not directly responded to any of the jabs, but on Thursday posted a link to a six-minute long video on YouTube from 2010 in which American journalist Tom Brokaw “explains Canada to Americans.” The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, including their founding based on immigration, their trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian Army in World War 2 and other modern conflicts. “In the long history of sovereign neighbours there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada,” Brokaw says in the video. Trudeau did not expand about why he posted a link to the video, posting it only with the words “some information about Canada for Americans.” Carney, who is at the centre of some of Trudeau’s recent domestic political troubles, also called out Trump’s antics on X Thursday, calling it “casual disrespect” and “carrying the ‘joke’ too far.” “Time to call it out, stand up for Canada, and build a true North American partnership,” said Carney, who Trudeau was courting to join his cabinet before Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister last week. Freeland’s sudden departure, three days after Trudeau informed her he would be firing her as finance minister in favour of Carney, left Trudeau’s leadership even more bruised than it already was. Despite the expectation Carney would assume the role, he did not and has not made any statements about it. LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister instead the same day Freeland quit. More than two dozen Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign as leader, and Trudeau is said to be taking the holidays to think about his next steps. He is currently vacationing in British Columbia. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian PressLawyer says ex-Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller met with NCAA for hours amid gambling probe

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