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Middle East latest: Syria's forces withdraw from Homs, a key link between the capital and coast
Months after a trip to the 2022 NFC Divisional Round, the New York Giants made the decision to extend quarterback Daniel Jones and franchise tag running back Saquon Barkley. In the two years since, the Giants crashed back down to earth. Jones’ struggles defined the mundanity of New York football, and on Friday, the 2-8 Giants finally closed the book on the six-year starter. New York released Jones – at the request of the quarterback – after he was benched for Tommy DeVito . © Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK While social media took turns dunking on the quarterback and the national media took shots at the Giants, former teammates stood by Jones. Among the supporters was Barkley, who’s headlining the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles. “Sucks to see how everything went down for him over there,” Barkley said . “It didn’t work for me over there and I’m doing well over here. Hopefully he can find the same kind of fresh start and success.” Barkley, of course, is enjoying his fresh start. After signing a three-year, $37.75 million deal in March, Barkley found himself on the best team – with the best quarterback and offensive line – of his career. He’s returned the favor. Related: Giants' Tommy DeVito Must Improve One Skill In 10 games, Barkley leads the league in attempts (197) on the way to 1,137 yards and eight scores. He’s more efficient than ever before, is posting more yards per game than anyone in the sport, and has 210 yards through the air, too. It’s possible Jones does find a little more success in his next stop. Both because of his role in the compensatory formula and his track record as a starter, teams will be interested in his services – especially for the league minimum. If nothing else, Jones garnering this much support is telling of the man wearing the jersey. From various defensive players, to head coach Brian Daboll, receiver Darius Slayton, and now Barkley, the impact the quarterback left on his teammates is obvious. On the field, a hard decision had to be made. Off of it, Jones seems unimpeachable. That should matter in how the fan base remembers the 2019 first-round pick. Related: WATCH: Daniel Jones Says GoodbyeWith a focus on human rights, US policy toward Latin America under Jimmy Carter briefly tempered a long tradition of interventionism in a key sphere of American influence, analysts say. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, defied the furor of US conservatives to negotiate the handover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control, suspended aid to multiple authoritarian governments in the region, and even attempted to normalize relations with Cuba. Carter's resolve to chart a course toward democracy and diplomacy, however, was severely tested in Central America and Cuba, where he was forced to balance his human rights priorities with pressure from adversaries to combat the spread of communism amid the Cold War standoff with the Soviet Union. "Latin America was fundamental and his global policy was oriented toward human rights, democratic values and multilateral cooperation," political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, told AFP. During his 1977-1981 administration, which was sandwiched between the Republican presidencies of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, the Democrat sought to take a step back from US alignment with right-wing dictatorships in Latin America. An important symbol of Carter's approach was the signing of two treaties in 1977 to officially turn over the Panama Canal in 1999. "Jimmy Carter understood that if he did not return the canal to Panama, the relationship between the United States and Panama could lead to a new crisis in a country where Washington could not afford the luxury of instability," said Luis Guillermo Solis, a political scientist and former president of Costa Rica. Carter called the decision, which was wildly unpopular back home, "the most difficult political challenge I ever had," as he accepted Panama's highest honor in 2016. He also hailed the move as "a notable achievement of moving toward democracy and freedom." During his term, Carter opted not to support Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza, who was subsequently overthrown by the leftist Sandinista Front in 1979. But in El Salvador, the American president had to "make a very uncomfortable pact with the government," said Shifter. To prevent communists from taking power, Carter resumed US military assistance for a junta which then became more radical, engaging in civilian massacres and plunging El Salvador into a long civil war. Carter took a critical approach to South American dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, suspending arms deliveries and imposing sanctions in some cases. But his efforts "did not achieve any progress in terms of democratization," said Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga. The American president also tried to normalize relations with Cuba 15 years after the missile crisis. He relaxed sanctions that had been in force since 1962, supported secret talks and enabled limited diplomatic representation in both countries. "With him, for the first time, the possibility of dialogue rather than confrontation as a framework for political relations opened up," Jesus Arboleya, a former Cuban diplomat, told AFP. But in 1980, a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans to the United States, with Fidel Castro's blessing, created an unexpected crisis. It "hurt Carter politically with the swarm of unexpected immigrants," said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Castro continued to support Soviet-backed African governments and even deployed troops against Washington's wishes, finally putting an end to the normalization process. However, more than 20 years later, Carter made a historic visit to Havana as ex-president, at the time becoming the highest-profile American politician to set foot on Cuban soil since 1959. During the 2002 visit, "he made a bold call for the US to lift its embargo, but he also called on Castro to embrace democratic opening," said McCoy, who was part of the US delegation for the trip, during which Castro encouraged Carter to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cuban All-Star baseball game. "Castro was sitting in the front row and we were afraid he would rise to give a long rebuttal to Carter's speech. But he didn't. He just said, 'Let's go to the ball game.'" In the years following Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) would go on to resume a full-frontal confrontation with Cuba. Decades later, Barack Obama (2009-2017) opened a new phase of measured normalization, which Donald Trump (2017-2021) brought to an end. US President Joe Biden promised to review US policy toward Cuba, but hardened his stance after Havana cracked down on anti-government protests in 2021. "Carter showed that engagement and diplomacy are more fruitful than isolation," McCoy said. bur-lp-rd-jb/lbc/mlr/bfm/sst/bbkInsurgents advance in Syria: Army Withdraws, Assad Denies Fleeing
NoneBOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Tommy Mellott threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns and top-seeded Montana State tied a school record with its 13th straight win, dominating Tennessee-Martin 49-17 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Scottre Humphrey ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, one of three rushing touchdowns for the Bobcats (13-0), who are home next weekend against the winner of Saturday’s late game between Lehigh and eighth-seeded Idaho. MSU, which has scored at least 30 points in every game this season, won 13 games in 1975-76. Mellott threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the first half and the Bobcats rolled to a 28-10 lead. Mellott had touchdown passes of 24 yards to Hunter Provience and 12 yards to Taco Dowler in the first quarter and 39 yards to Ty McCullouch in the second. McCullouch also had a 6-yard touchdown run. The pass to McCullouch ended a six-play, 73-yard drive that took just 53 seconds, and came immediately after Trevonte Rucker took a pass from Kinkead Dent 78 yards to the end zone that made it 21-10. The Bobcats only allowed only 10 total points in the first half of home games in the regular season. Humphrey had a 36-yard TD run and Mellott hit Dowler for a 29-yard score in the third quarter Adam Jones contributed a 30-yard scoring run in the fourth. Mellott finished 22-of-25 passing and the Bobcats had 501 total yards. Dent threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns, both to Rucker, who had six receptions for 107 yards. The Skyhawks (9-6) finished with 264 yards. ___ AP college football: and . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter:
READY to wave goodbye to 2024 and see what lies in store for the next 12 months? The Sun’s astrologer shares twists and turns for the different zodiac signs in 2025 when it comes to work, finances and good fortune. 13 Sun astrologer Maggie Innes shares twists and turns for the different zodiac signs in 2025 Find out if it will be a year of celestial celebration for you. And don’t miss tomorrow’s paper, when Maggie maps out events that await at home, in health and on new horizons. ARIES March 21 – April 20 13 Saturn’s steady hold on Aries from May to September chairs great negotiations CAREER: Your “take charge” Mars magic swells throughout spring and, by mid-June, you can make your boldest move. Work-based new moons on August 23 and September 21 rejig false starts into genuine opportunities. READ MORE ON HOROSCOPES MYSTIC MEG Love deepens where new looks and sounds are sampled MYSTIC MEG The perfect partner can be waiting quietly for you to notice them CASH: Saturn’s steady hold on Aries from May to September chairs great negotiations – you possess a prime poker face! February 4 and April 30 are rich dates for finding lost tickets, accounts or legacies. Answer questions honestly in November. CHANCE: Neptune enhances intuition in everything from number choices to lucky colours from March onwards. Most read in Fabulous MIND THE GAP I'm 32 years younger than my man, trolls call me a gold digger but it's love FAUX PAS Bride bans wedding guests from wearing smart WATCHES and some say it’s 'a sign' NO EXPENSE SPARED Sue and Noel Radford accused of Christmas 'overkill' for kids' gift haul JETS GO The celebs racking up the most holidays in 2024 & Nicole Scherzinger's 18 trips Teams of three, packs of four, and any talking or rapid-response challenge, are Aries-significant. TAURUS April 21 – May 21 13 An October choice is a key decision CAREER: Friends or family who dream together can make a great business team, taking shape over the summer. Who should a Leo date? Discover the best and worst zodiac matches! With Pluto set for 20 years in your success sector, your future can break records. An October choice is a key decision. CASH: Until June, Jupiter spotlights smart ways into and out of some big money situations. Your smile can be worth a fortune! Around July 4, you can identify earning potential in a learning scenario. CHANCE: Staying silent and keeping secrets is a challenge, but with potential rich rewards. You can also find 2025 luck with music played by trios and dates that include a three. GEMINI May 22 – June 21 13 A saving goal can come closer by September CAREER: Closing a decision around January 13 can lead to open doors by September 7. You see many clever ways to pivot your career profile in 2025, guided by mentor Mercury. Late November, surf a success wave straight into 2026. CASH: You have Jupiter financial flair all year – but build in Saturn common sense, too. A saving goal can come closer by September. Vintage records hide new value. CHANCE: Number two, twinned towns or cities and second-time-around entries can all have a Gemini luck link. Uranus, with its “try anything” vibe, finds success for you in contests with unusual settings, or hi-tech themes, July to November. CANCER June 22 – July 22 13 Mars boosts risk taking from day one CAREER: Your work journey speeds up from January and Saturn-strong shoots push through in June and July. Yes, you can learn and lead. An unusual ambition around the time of October 7 deserves your full attention. CASH: Mars boosts risk taking from day one – April to June you reap rewards. Then Mercury steps in with smart strategies to double that. Stick to a money plan in September, even when temptation is strong. CHANCE: As Jupiter’s number one, by June you can feel personal luck flow. First answers, especially under pressure, your first initial and any list of number ones, past or present, can be winners. LEO July 23 – August 23 13 Number 12, December dates/birthdays and following clue trails can lead to luck CAREER: Take the first three months to suss out what you really need from work – in April and May, Mars encourages action. Saturn supports learning all summer to ace any test or interview, however many times you’ve tried. CASH: The March 14 eclipse mixes emotions and finances – and people who love each other can enrich each other. Double new money moons in August and September show that you can start again, no matter what. Believe in better! CHANCE: Number 12, December dates/birthdays and following clue trails can lead to luck. Team up with your least-likely friend or colleague for summer success. VIRGO August 24 – September 22 13 From March to May, you have crystal clear future vision CAREER: Look for Mercury career guidance and intelligence and it’s there for you, all year. From March to May, you have crystal clear future vision. Your personal moon shines so bright in August and September, nothing can stop you. CASH: Pluto’s new position underlines that people matter more than possessions – review 2025 spending plans accordingly. Wellbeing businesses, tests of patience and “H” addresses carry cash potential. CHANCE: A silly family game, a new social media connection and a local celebrity challenge can all be luck-linked for Virgo. So can football teams, November journeys and someone who changes their name in 2025. LIBRA September 23 – October 23 13 Pluto’s willingness to break rules and be creative brings rich Libra chances all year CAREER: Valentine’s Day to mid-April, you hit your Mercury progress stride, pushing obstacles aside and embracing challenges. June to late August, your best friend at work can be your best promotion ally. “Six” dates are career firsts. CASH: Set high saving/spending standards as the year begins, and Mars helps you meet them, maybe exceed them. Pluto’s willingness to break rules and be creative brings rich Libra chances all year, but especially when things feel toughest. CHANCE: Jackpots that double daily, sets of ten questions and a person or place first encountered in October can all add extra luck to 2025. SCORPIO October 24 – November 22 13 Creative skills – your own or others’ – can boost your 2025 bank balance CAREER: Planet leader Pluto transforms what job security means to you – for the next 20 years, you can run risks, aim for the sky. The solar eclipse makes March 29 super-special. Neptune endows summer insight to read bosses’ lips – and minds. CASH: Creative skills – your own or others’ – can boost your 2025 bank balance as soon as Saturn gets involved. Productivity is off the scale. Minor plans that start around August bank holiday build to major profits by Christmas. CHANCE: Old maps, new languages and a decision to believe in your ability to learn, no matter what, enhance Scorpio’s winning streak. SAGITTARIUS November 23 – December 21 13 In July, only invest in people and projects that mean something CAREER: Saturn helps secure success where you are in 2025, with roles or responsibilities you may not have considered. But big offers can be irresistible in August and September. On October 29 and December 11, follow facts, not fantasy. CASH: Start 2025 taking stock of what you have, as financial genius Venus backs you until summer to build on this brilliantly. In July, only invest in people and projects that mean something. Mars goes big or goes home around December 15. CHANCE: Fortune flows from feelings, so trust yours implicitly. Figures of eight and August trips can also have lucky influence. CAPRICORN December 22 – January 20 13 Combining birthday dates, wedding planning and brokering deals can spell 2025 luck CAREER: Talk your way to success in March, put in extra hours in June. Maverick planet Uranus upends your career chart from July to November, and cautious Capricorn is no more. Get ready to surprise everyone, especially yourself. CASH: Your inner voice counts most from January to June, so ignore external spending pressures. Two travel moons, in August and September, spot some big cash chances on the move. Pluto power helps focus on the financial future, so ditch the past. CHANCE: Combining birthday dates, wedding planning and brokering deals can spell 2025 luck. An old family story can scoop a unique prize. AQUARIUS January 21 – February 18 13 Reinventing yourself can start with the full moon on January 13 CAREER: The positive vibes of Jupiter are zooming in on your work zone, so you approach serious ambitions with a lighter touch. Reinventing yourself can start with the full moon on January 13, alongside the “never say no” spirit of Mars. You’ve got this. CASH: Saturn has been on call in your money chart for years – but 2025 is the last one. So spend it finishing what you have started with a cool, clear head. April 7 and October 22 are crucial cash decision dates. CHANCE: Six o’clock, contests in three rounds and an event that has been postponed until next June can be Aquarius luck-finders. PISCES February 19 – March 20 13 Pluto toughens up secret ambitions, giving an inner shine CAREER: Mercury focuses your work mind from July to September, when you can visualise yourself in an exciting new role. February 28 and September 7 are Pisces push harder days. Pluto toughens up secret ambitions, giving an inner shine. CASH: Go your own way until May, when Saturn’s six-month shift encourages pooling money plans, working and winning as part of an “F” team. Pisces’ key money moon is October 7, so swap distractions for determination. Read more on the Scottish Sun GHOST TOWN Former Scots shopping hotspot 'decaying' as multimillion pound revamp ‘failing’ VAX HORROR Striken Scots 'gaslit' by health bosses after complications from Covid vaccine CHANCE: Neptune’s natural number-choosing and success-seeking instincts kick in strongest April to October. Families of five and locations to the east can be lucky all year.WASHINGTON — Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as U.S. president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, has died, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Sunday. He was 100. A Democrat, he served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 U.S. election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. ADVERTISEMENT Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other U.S. president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president -- a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on Nov. 19, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th U.S. president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. "I'm Jimmy Carter and I'm running for president. I will never lie to you," Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: "The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader." ADVERTISEMENT Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Center in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency - walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David Accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbors. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unraveling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and the establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20% and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter's presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term. ADVERTISEMENT On Nov. 4, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a U.S. hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight U.S. soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on Jan. 20, 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the U.S. Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full U.S. ties with China. Carter created two new U.S. Cabinet departments -- education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America's "energy crisis" was "the moral equivalent of war" and urged the country to embrace conservation. "Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth," he told Americans in 1977. ADVERTISEMENT In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his "malaise" speech to the nation, although he never used that word. "After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America," he said in his televised address. "The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America." As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behavior of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: "I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer." Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigorous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, "There you go again," when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan's views during one debate. ADVERTISEMENT Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called "the most important thing in my life." They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration," despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states -- 27 to Carter's 23. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter's freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. ADVERTISEMENT In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called George W. Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialog with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant's spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton's administration by announcing the deal with North Korea's leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labor for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children's book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book "Faith: A Journey for All," was published in 2018. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Syrian insurgents reach the capital's suburbs. Worried residents flee and stock up on supplies
As the BJP-led NDA is all set for a convincing win in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, analysts predict an assertive spill-over impact on the Indian stock market when the trade resumes on Monday. Political stability, connected with a continuance of pro-business policies, makes it possible to switch the investor strategy from ‘defensive’ to ‘aggressive’. It shifts focus to the infrastructure and banking sectors, given the successful implementation of projects. The BJP-led alliance’s victory may boost investor sentiment, according to Palka Arora Chopra, Director of Master Capital Services. “Political stability in Maharashtra will boost confidence, especially in infrastructure and manufacturing sectors . They are aligned with the growth-driven policies of the BJP,” she said. This alignment is expected to trigger investments in urban development and real estate. Market analysts believe this could spur the risk of a pullback rally in Maharashtra election-adjusted stock market activity. Santosh Meena, Head of Research at Swastika Investmart, noted the positive reaction to election predictions last Friday. The clear mandate for NDA in Maharashtra may further strengthen the market sentiment. Investors are expecting fast movement in infrastructure projects, which would benefit key sectors such as construction and banking. Maharashtra elections impact on Indian stock market will be positive, says experts A change in investment strategies is also awaited. Mahesh M. Ojha, AVP-Research at Hensex Securities, pointed out that with the aftermath of election results, investors would possibly move from FMCG and pharma stocks to railways, infrastructure, and finance sectors. “This strategic change reflects confidence in long-term economic growth under a stable government,” he added. Avinash Gorakshkar, Head of Research at Profitmart Securities, said: “BJP policies are in full swing at both state and central levels.” Infrastructure-related companies will see higher credit demand, which will lead to more interest in banking stocks. Such news can make markets even more optimistic. The markets prepare to respond to the Maharashtra elections’ impact on stock market trends. Hence, Nifty’s performance will be closely monitored. Analysts predict key resistance levels at 24,550, with banking and infrastructure stocks likely to lead the charge. Monday’s trading session could set the tone for a robust market rally, underpinned by political clarity and investor optimism. Also, see: Gold Prices Drop to Lowest: Should You Invest in Gold in India Now?The dismissal of a class-action lawsuit over rules governing the cross-border live bee trade is casting a spotlight on political division within Canada's beekeeping community. A federal judge has ruled against awarding commercial beekeepers damages from a decades-old partial ban on shipping live honeybees across the Canada-U.S. border, which is in place out of concerns that could bring in aggressive pests and diseases. Beekeepers from Western Canada involved in the suit claim the government's risk assessments that inform the tight restrictions are hurting their businesses and are blown out of proportion. Michael Paradis of Paradis Honey Ltd., a seven-generation family beekeeping business based in Girouxville, Alta., and one of the representative plaintiffs in the case, said he's disappointed with the ruling, saying it puts beekeepers in a "dangerous position" since the industry is already in crisis mode. "Canada does not have enough bees and cannot replenish its own stock at all," he said. "It's going to mean a lot more hardship for the industry if we cannot get access to the U.S. bees." Beekeepers were slammed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when fewer airline flights made it harder to import bees and they suffered a nightmare year of winter losses in 2022. Manitoba commercial beekeeper Brent Ash, one of the witnesses in the case, said the ruling will hamper the industry, and makes it especially tough for apiaries in colder parts of the country like the Prairies, where most of Canada's beekeepers are located. "Climate makes the regional divide difficult to keep those bugs alive over the course of the winter," he said, noting honeybees are not native to North America. But Steve Moore, president of the Ontario Beekeepers' Association, said his group worries about the risks of accidentally bringing in antibiotic resistant mites, the import of Africanized honeybees commonly known as killer bees, and a small hive beetle that's capable of damaging colonies. "In Ontario here, we feel quite strongly that we don't want to take the risk of it becoming even more challenging if some of these new and emerging threats come into the country in packages," he said. But he empathizes with the plaintiffs. "When we go into our apiaries, we get stung by our bees. When we come home, we might be stung by a low honey price, stung by rising cost of production or stung by high overwintering losses, with the threat of new and emerging pathogens. So, we're all facing the same challenges and it's a challenging time to be a beekeeper," he said. Even though a ban on U.S. live bee imports expired in 2006, Ottawa has not issued permits for the live worker bee boxes to be brought over the border since. The plaintiffs argued Ottawa owes them duty of care — and hundreds of millions in damages. The judge disagreed. "There is no duty of care owed and no negligence," Justice Cecily Strickland wrote in a lengthy ruling, adding the plaintiffs failed to establish that Ottawa hurt their businesses. The case has a long history, dating back to a court filing from 2012, and was only certified as a class action in 2017. The problem is even older. Headlines from the 1980s screamed about fears that deadly infectious mites from U.S. states could level Canadian bee populations. Risks to bee health have only compounded since then. A 2003 risk assessment by the regulator found that importing queen bees was less risky, since they are easier to inspect. So, Canada allows imports of queen bees and their worker-bee attendants from the U.S., Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy and Malta. "Bee packages carry a higher risk of disease introduction because they are shipped with the contents of their hive, which may include mites, parasites and bacteria," said a statement from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that welcomed the judge’s ruling. Canada does, however, also allow imports of worker bee packages from Italy, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, which sent Canada some 69,364 kgs of packaged bees in 2023, according to statistics from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. But importing from these countries also dramatically drives up import costs due to transportation. One of the plaintiffs, John Gibeau, wrote to CFIA a decade ago complaining that importing more than 1,200 packages for $170,000 would have cost half that if he could have purchased them from California instead. Gibeau said he wasn't ready to comment since he hasn't yet digested the ruling. Paradis said the larger issue for him than cost, though, is the quality of the bee stock and the timing of when shipments arrive. "We are looking at bees in the U.S. that are spring bees — young, invigorated bees," he said, adding that gives them longer lifespans in Canada. While he was disappointed, Paradis said one of the main reasons for the lawsuit was to "bring CFIA to the table and to actually have some discussions" on the import ban, something he said has only happened recently. Canada's honeybee pollination is estimated to contribute $3.18 billion directly to the economy, but that rises to $7 billion a year when canola pollination is factored in. Canada has some 794,341 beehives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2024.AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:24 p.m. EST
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Naidu flags cyber crimes, mobile addiction at education eventPresident-elect Donald Trump wasted little time selecting another candidate for attorney general after Matt Gaetz dropped his bid amid sexual misconduct allegations. Pam Bondi, Florida's attorney general for eight years, was part of Trump's defense team during his first impeachment trial and supported his false claims of fraud following the 2020 election. She's remained in Trump's orbit since then, continuing to advise him on legal matters. Despite the shake-up, Bondi seems easily positioned to pick up the mantle on Trump's goal of overhauling the Justice Department and his pledge for retribution against political opponents. "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore," Trump wrote in his official announcement of Bondi for attorney general. "Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again." MORE: Trump announces Pam Bondi as his AG pick to replace Matt Gaetz In August 2023, during an appearance on Fox News, Bondi railed against the criminal indictments against Trump and what Fox host Sean Hannity described as a "two-tiered system of justice." "When Republicans take back the White House, and we will be back in there in 18 months or less, you know what's going to happen? The Department of Justice, the prosecutors will be prosecuted -- the bad ones -- the investigators will be investigated," she said. "Because the deep state last term for President Trump, they were hiding in the shadows," Bondi continued. "But now, they have a spotlight on them and they can all be investigated ... We can clean house next term and that's what has to happen." She also implied action could be taken against President Joe Biden amid Republican allegations that Biden was personally involved in and benefited from his family's overseas business dealings, which have yet to be supported by direct evidence. "When we have a new administration, absolutely, Sean. It has to," Bondi said at the time. The comments echo Trump's own vows on the campaign trail to go after his perceived political enemies, intelligence officers, prosecutors and more. Trump in 2016 led chants of "lock her up" against Hillary Clinton, though he never went after her legally once in office. Bondi, at the 2016 convention, when the crowd shouted "Lock her up," responded: "'Lock her up,' I love that." MORE: Trump's dark 'retribution' pledge at center of 2024 bid, but can he make it reality? Bondi was also a supporter of Trump's false claims regarding the 2020 election, helping file several unsuccessful lawsuits alleging voter fraud. She appeared alongside Rudy Giuliani in Philadelphia the day after the 2020 race declaring Trump "won Pennsylvania" while votes were still being counted. The state went for President Biden by roughly 80,000 votes. Critics say the comments raise questions as to whether she could be trusted to enforce the law. "As AG, would she drop cases against violent insurrectionists? Continue pushing the Big Lie under oath?" Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who next year will join the Senate, wrote on X. "She will have to answer those questions and a lot more during her confirmation hearings." ABC News' Soorin Kim and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report.
