The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority.y parokya ni edgar 。

Intech Investment Management LLC trimmed its holdings in H&R Block, Inc. ( NYSE:HRB – Free Report ) by 53.0% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 12,588 shares of the company’s stock after selling 14,188 shares during the quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC’s holdings in H&R Block were worth $800,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. CWM LLC lifted its stake in H&R Block by 270.7% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 16,319 shares of the company’s stock valued at $885,000 after buying an additional 11,917 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in shares of H&R Block by 576.5% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 580,227 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,496,000 after acquiring an additional 494,457 shares in the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC lifted its position in shares of H&R Block by 24.5% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 94,270 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,629,000 after acquiring an additional 18,556 shares during the period. Swedbank AB bought a new position in H&R Block during the first quarter worth $10,581,000. Finally, Caxton Associates LP grew its holdings in H&R Block by 280.5% in the second quarter. Caxton Associates LP now owns 39,497 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,142,000 after purchasing an additional 29,117 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.14% of the company’s stock. H&R Block Trading Down 0.1 % HRB opened at $59.29 on Friday. H&R Block, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $42.28 and a fifty-two week high of $68.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.13 billion, a PE ratio of 14.46, a P/E/G ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.46, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.77. The company’s 50-day moving average is $60.87 and its 200 day moving average is $57.95. H&R Block announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback program on Thursday, August 15th that allows the company to buyback $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 16.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued. H&R Block Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 6th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 5th will be paid a dividend of $0.375 per share. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.53%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 5th. H&R Block’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.59%. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, VP Kellie J. Logerwell sold 8,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.41, for a total transaction of $515,280.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 18,474 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,189,910.34. This trade represents a 30.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, CEO Jeffrey J. Jones II sold 9,722 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.07, for a total transaction of $613,166.54. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 893,169 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $56,332,168.83. The trade was a 1.08 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Barrington Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $70.00 price objective on shares of H&R Block in a report on Friday, November 8th. StockNews.com downgraded H&R Block from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, August 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on H&R Block from $39.00 to $44.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, August 16th. View Our Latest Report on HRB About H&R Block ( Free Report ) H&R Block, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides assisted income tax return preparation and do-it-yourself (DIY) tax return preparation services and products to the general public primarily in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It offers assisted income tax return preparation and related services through a system of retail offices operated directly by the company or its franchisees. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HRB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for H&R Block, Inc. ( NYSE:HRB – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for H&R Block Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for H&R Block and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .(CNN) — Senior Biden White House aides, administration officials and prominent defense attorneys in Washington, DC, are discussing potential preemptive pardons or legal aid for people who might be targeted for prosecution by President-elect Donald Trump after he retakes power, multiple sources told CNN. Reports of these conversations have captured the attention of Trump’s legal advisers, who, according to a source familiar with their strategy, believe President Joe Biden would be setting a new precedent in terms of the scope of pardons that they could take advantage of, down the line, to help their own allies. Biden’s senior aides inside the White House have been deliberating for weeks about the possibility of issuing preemptive pardons, according to the sources familiar with the discussions. The move, which would cover people who haven’t ever been formally accused of any crimes, would be an extraordinary step and shows the grave concerns many Democrats have that Trump will prosecute a range of figures that he considers to be his enemies. Trump has publicly called for the jailing of people like Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney, who served as vice chair of the House select committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, as well as special counsel Jack Smith , who brought federal criminal cases against Trump. One former senior White House official said aides inside the White House and across various federal agencies are intensely worried about the possibility that the incoming Trump administration will prosecute anyone deemed as having antagonized the president-elect. Additionally, several prominent white-collar lawyers across Washington have fielded calls in recent weeks from government officials, including investigators from Smith’s office, who are concerned they could be targeted by the incoming Trump administration. Biden and his top aides view Trump’s public threats – particularly against current and former government officials – as unprecedented, and some believe that it would be reckless and irresponsible for Biden to leave office without granting preemptive pardons. “You have got (an incoming) president that has basically said he’s going to go after all these people,” a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. “Why not do it?” A White House spokesperson declined to comment. According to Politico, which first reported on the internal debate, the discussions are being led by White House counsel Ed Siskel and other senior aides to the president, including chief of staff Jeff Zients . The former White House official who spoke to CNN, who is intimately familiar with the workings of the White House counsel’s office, said it would be typical for Siskel and his team to first put together a detailed memo to be presented to Biden. In that situation, that memo would include a list of individuals that Biden might consider pardoning preemptively, the context about any prior legal precedent, and a discussion of the wide range of potential ramifications if the president does move forward with these pardons. The calls among worried government officials and top white-collar defense lawyers in DC, appear, at this point, to be precautionary. One private attorney told CNN that they’re “feeling out what they should do if something happens” once Trump takes over. A spokesman for Smith’s special counsel office declined to comment on whether he would seek a preemptive pardon. CNN previously reported that Smith intends to step down before Trump takes office, instead of being fired, as the president-elect has pledged to do . As Democrats brace for the political and legal scrutiny that could come from the new president, his administration, and the GOP-run Congress , one significant concern for many current and former administration officials is the possibility of mounting legal bills. Multiple sources said there have been discussions about setting up legal funds to help support those who would not be able to afford thousands of dollars in lawyers’ fees. Some of the private practice bar have discussed if influential white-collar practices could work together to help career Justice Department workers – and others who are exiting the federal workforce – to possibly provide them low-cost or pro-bono representation. And at least one progressive group is working on assembling resources – such as lawyers, security experts and communications professionals – who could help government officials placed under investigation during the Trump years, some of the people familiar with the discussions said. A source familiar with Trump legal strategy says his team believes Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter has set a new precedent for presidents to issue expansive pardons to their children – and this could be something Trump chooses to do before he leaves office. The Hunter Biden pardon was notable for not only forgiving the crimes in his tax and gun indictments, but also for protecting him from being charged with any offense he “may have committed or taken part in” between January 2014 and December 2024. There’s also the president’s brother James Biden, who hasn’t faced charges but whose overseas business dealings attracted intense scrutiny from congressional Republicans. Several GOP-run House committees urged the Justice Department to prosecute James Biden in connection with lying to Congress. (He denies all wrongdoing and declined to comment for this story.) If Biden goes even further and grants preemptive pardons to an expansive list of individuals, Trump’s team believes that move would also create a new precedent and give Trump political cover to do the same for his allies, according to the source. CNN reported in 2021 that before Trump left office during his first term, he considered – but did not grant – preemptive pardons for family members , political allies, his personal attorneys, and even for himself , including in the wake of the January 6 insurrection. Attorneys across the political spectrum have raised concerns about blanket pardons to protect against future investigations or prosecution. “It’s just such a different use of the pardon power,” said Neil Eggleston, former White House counsel to President Barack Obama. “You would create the beginning of a tit for tat where, when any administration is over, you just pardon everybody.” Presidential pardons protect against federal Justice Department prosecutions, but do not shield individuals from state-level criminal cases or congressional investigations. While Trump has publicly said he wants his Justice Department to go after his perceived adversaries, the system has built-in checks against abuses of power, such as judges that can throw out charges, grand juries that can refuse to indict, juries that can return “not guilty” verdicts, and other safeguards to protect against purely vindictive prosecutions. Some prominent former Justice Department officials have said they wouldn’t want a preemptive pardon from Biden, because it might imply they’re conceding there was wrongdoing during their work for the federal government, according to a source familiar with their thinking. Trump has a well-documented history of pushing – both publicly and privately – for investigations and prosecutions of his political opponents, almost always based on unproven, baseless and conspiracy-tinged allegations about their supposed activities. Many of his recent threats targeted prosecutors who charged him with crimes: Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. He has publicly called for investigations into prominent lawmakers: Cheney and the rest of the January 6 committee members (who he said “should go to jail”), former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (for her supposed “ties to Russia”), Senator-elect Adam Schiff (for his role in the Trump-Ukraine impeachment saga) and a host of other Democratic lawmakers. Still, members of Congress have immunity from the Constitution’s “speech or debate clause” that offers such broad protections for their legislative work that even members of the defunct January 6 committee would be unlikely to take seriously any legal threats. Trump also has said Vice President Kamala Harris “should be ... prosecuted” for letting undocumented immigrants into the country. After the election, Trump called for probes of Iowa pollster Ann Selzer (for “election fraud,” by releasing a poll with Harris ahead), and into stock traders who spread “illegal rumors” about his investment in Truth Social. During his first term, some of Trump’s calls for probes were apparently heeded, leading to investigations into 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , former FBI director James Comey , and former FBI deputy director Andy McCabe , now a CNN contributor. None of them were ever charged with crimes. Some of Trump’s longtime foes who worked on the Russia probe around the 2016 election may not have much legal exposure now because their government service ended so long ago and statutes of limitations may have lapsed. There are plenty of other figures that, despite Trump’s calls, weren’t investigated during his first term, but could be scrutinized when he returns to power: former President Barack Obama (for “treason”), former Secretary of State John Kerry (for his contacts with Iran), and even MSNBC host Joe Scarborough (based on a conspiracy theory that he was possibly able to “get away with murder” after one of his interns died in 2001). Attorneys who might defend top targets have their own fears, too. Representing Trump administration and political officials had largely gone out of fashion for large DC defense firms in recent years, with few willing to take on clients, especially after January 6. The view at Washington’s elite firms – which tend to lean liberal – may be shifting back toward getting involved, but it’s still not clear how much pushback the next Trump presidency may receive from the capital’s powerful law firms, several prominent attorneys told CNN this week. “There could well be a fear now by law firm leaders that if we take on those cases, could we ourselves be targeted?”one white-collar lawyer who regularly represents high-profile political figures told CNN on Thursday. Some liberal-leaning and criminal justice reform groups are pushing Biden to focus his final clemency efforts less on family members, political allies or Trump’s potential targets – and instead to help incarcerated Americans whom they believe deserve relief. One group, FWD.us , is airing TV ads in the Washington, DC, market, pressing Biden to “give people a second chance,” by granting clemency to Americans with “outdated” prison sentences that they argue would be shorter under today’s laws and policies. They’ve pointed to Obama’s record-setting commutations as a model. He reduced the punishments of more than 1,300 convicts, including 500 people serving life sentences. “The thousands of people serving disproportionately long and racially disparate sentences in federal prison have been waiting for relief long before the politics of this particular moment,” Zoë Towns, executive director of FWD.us , said in an email. “It is our hope that whatever comes next includes a robust clemency effort focused on them.” CNN’s Curt Devine contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.Maxeon Solar Technologies GAAP EPS of -$0.47, revenue of $88.56M beats by $22.96M

Local, independent bookstores have never been more important. With fair access to literature under political attack, bookstores are a bulwark against censorship and an asset to the communities they serve. Each week we profile an , discovering what makes each one special and getting their expert book recommendations. This week we have manager Jennifer Hale of in Stowe, Vermont! was founded in 1970 in Stowe, Vermont on unceded Abenaki territory, and there were several owners before the current family came into ownership. Susan Adams ran this store with love for many years before passing it down to her daughter, Jennifer Hale, who is the current owner. It is a staple of the town with its long, winding shelves that entice tourists and locals alike. One of our staff members, who identifies as queer, has been working hard to bring more LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC books to our shelves, which we are very excited about. We are a community of 7,000 in Stowe, and while not everyone knows the staff's names by heart, they all know Staff Pup Tucker, our French bulldog who lives behind the counter. We have tourists who only come in once a year, and they ask after the dog the moment they walk into the store. As a town that was ranked among , Stowe has a lot of tourists and we strive to balance both books for our tourists and books for our locals. We host many author signings throughout the year and use our entire front room to spotlight local and New England authors and creators. My favorite section is our Staff Picks spot because our staff has such broad interests. There's always something new and interesting going out that even I would never have checked out otherwise, and it's clear that customers really enjoy being able to talk to a real person one-on-one about books, or even just knowing which person they should go to for a recommendation. It fosters a real sense of connection and has led to people coming back asking for a specific employee whose choices they trust. "A Psalm For The Wild Built" by Becky Chambers. If there was one book I could make everyone in the world read, it would be this one. More self help than science fiction, this book follows a Tea Monk in search of the last crickets. This book is for anyone who has struggled with their purpose or with feeling like they don't deserve something. In the words of Mosscap, a character in the book, “It is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don’t need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live." "A Council Of Dolls" by Mona Susan Powers. This book left me speechless. Achingly beautiful and heart-breakingly honest, this book is a work of art. Following three generations of Yanktonai Dakota women and their experiences with “Indian Boarding Schools,” this book is an incredible work about resilience, love, healing, and the different ways trauma can echo through generations. It speaks to a section of our history too many people are not aware of and need to acknowledge. Shopping locally is always important – you know where your money is going and who it's supporting, unlike with big corporations. Local independent bookstores are even more important in this age of surging book bans. We will almost always have a more diverse collection of books, and are always more than happy to track down a book we don't have on our shelves. Bookstores provide community spaces for everyone, and (ideally) are a place where all are welcome to learn about whatever they want. Below is a list of our upcoming Author events for December & January. Author Events typically feature Vermont and New England authors and it allows for customers to meet the author, learn more about their books, ask questions and take home a signed copy. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 14: Gina Tron, author of "Suspect"1 p.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 14: Ellen Parent, author of "After the Fall" 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 25: Susan Edwards Richmond, author or "Night Owl Night"

One of America's largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * One of America's largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? One of America’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from “significant widespread misinformation” about the policy. “To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services,” the statement said. “The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.” Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield would have used “physician work time values,” which is published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as the metric for anesthesia limits; maternity patients and patients under the age of 22 were exempt. But Dr. Jonathan Gal, economics committee chair of the American Society for Anesthesiologists, said it’s unclear how CMS derives those values. In mid-November, the American Society for Anesthesiologists called on Anthem to “reverse the proposal immediately,” saying in a news release that the policy would have taken effect in February in New York, Connecticut and Missouri. It’s not clear how many states in total would have been affected, as notices also were posted in Virginia and Colorado. People across the country registered their concerns and complaints on social media, and encouraged people in affected states to call their legislators. Some people noted that the policy could prevent patients from getting overcharged. Gal said the policy change would have been unprecedented, ignored the “nuanced, unpredictable human element” of surgery and was a clear “money grab.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “It’s incomprehensible how a health insurance company could so blatantly continue to prioritize their profits over safe patient care,” he said. “If Anthem is, in fact, rescinding the policy, we’re delighted that they came to their senses.” Prior to Anthem’s announcement Thursday, Connecticut comptroller Sean Scanlon said the “concerning” policy wouldn’t affect the state after conversations with the insurance company. And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an emailed statement Thursday that her office had also successfully intervened. The insurance giant’s policy change came one day after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, another major insurance company, was shot and killed in New York City. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Advertisement Advertisement

Applying indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) to combat challenges in daily lifeBy Jamie McGeever (Reuters) – A look at the day ahead in Asian markets. India’s central bank interest rate decision grabs the spotlight in Asia on Friday, as investors digest yet another record high for the Nasdaq and adjust positions ahead of the weekend. The U.S. employment report for November later in the day is released after Asia closes, so investors across the continent may be inclined to square positions as best they can in preparation for Monday. The main event in Asia on Friday is in India. The Reserve Bank of India is overwhelmingly expected to hold its key repo rate at 6.50%, after a sharp rise in inflation past the RBI’s 6% tolerance ceiling in October prompted many economists to push back their forecasts for the first cut to early next year. With the rupee at record lows against the dollar, standing pat makes sense. But economists at Nomura, one of the five out of 67 houses in the Reuters poll predicting a rate cut, argue that weakening growth dynamics must be taken into account now. Although the rupee has never been weaker, benchmark bond yields are at their lowest in almost four years, Indian stocks are lagging many of their regional peers, and the economy is growing at its slowest pace in nearly two years. Maybe the RBI should start the easing cycle sooner rather than later? Investors go into the final trading session of the week against a relatively calm global backdrop, all things considered. Any market impact from the political ructions in South Korea and France appears to be fading and contained, and the dollar’s dip on Thursday will be welcomed too. The dollar fell 0.5% on Thursday. It’s probably too early to read anything too deeply into it, but that was its third down day in a row, a losing streak not seen since September. It will take more than that – perhaps a return to the September lows, around 5% below current levels – to really call into question the dollar’s resilience, but could fatigue be setting in? Fatigue is something the U.S. economy doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of yet. The Atlanta Fed on Thursday raised its GDPNow model estimate for Q4 growth to a remarkable 3.3%. As investors fret about growth in Europe, China and many other key economies around the world, America appears to be the exception that continues to prove the rule. This is a double-edged sword for Asia. On the one hand it’s clearly good news as booming U.S. markets should lift all others. But if it lifts the dollar and Treasury yields, then global financial conditions tighten and capital is sucked towards the US. Indeed, net selling of Asian equities by foreigners in November was the highest since June 2022. Here are key developments that could provide more direction to markets on Friday: – India rate decision – Japan household spending (October) – South Korea current account (October) (Reporting by Jamie McGeever; Editing by Deepa Babington) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

Harry Styles returns to work after tragic death of One Direction bandmate Liam PayneNone

49ers' visit gives Packers a chance to damage the playoff hopes of their postseason nemesis GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — After losing to San Francisco in the playoffs three of the last five seasons, the Green Bay Packers wouldn’t mind seeing the 49ers get left out of the postseason entirely. Steve Megargee, The Associated Press Nov 22, 2024 2:57 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Green Bay Packers' Jayden Reed celebrates his touchdown catch with John FitzPatrick and Christian Watson during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — After losing to San Francisco in the playoffs three of the last five seasons, the Green Bay Packers wouldn’t mind seeing the 49ers get left out of the postseason entirely. The Packers (7-3) could damage San Francisco’s playoff hopes Sunday by beating the 49ers at Lambeau Field. San Francisco (5-5) dropped to .500 after losing at home to the Seattle Seahawks, though the 49ers remain just a game behind the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West. “I think we’re motivated to keep winning more than anything,” Packers center Josh Myers said. “Obviously, they have knocked us out quite a bit. There’s that extra motivation behind it, but at this point, we’re just trying to churn out wins.” The 49ers will be playing this game without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, who injured his right shoulder in the Seahawks game. Although an MRI showed no structural damage, Purdy's shoulder didn't improve as the week wore on. Brandon Allen will start in Purdy's place. Green Bay is third in the NFC North and two games behind the Detroit Lions, but the Packers appear on track to at least earn a wild-card playoff berth. History suggests their path to a potential Super Bowl would get much clearer if the 49ers aren’t standing in their way. The 49ers trailed 21-14 in the fourth quarter before rallying to beat the Packers 24-21 in the divisional playoffs last year on Christian McCaffrey’s 6-yard touchdown run with 1:07 left. Now, it’s the 49ers who are struggling to protect late leads, as they’ve blown fourth-quarter advantages in three games against divisional opponents. “You could look at, ‘Hey, we’re three possessions away from being 8-2,’ but you can’t really live like that,” 49ers tight end George Kittle said. “Those are the mistakes that we’ve made to be 5-5. It’s not exactly where we want to be. It is frustrating. The nice thing is we have seven games left to go out there and play Niners football and take advantage of those opportunities.” Green Bay’s recent history of playoff frustration against the 49ers also includes a 13-10 loss at Lambeau Field in the 2021 divisional playoffs and a 37-20 road defeat in the 2019 NFC championship game. Even the Packers players who weren’t around for last season’s playoff loss realize what this game means. “I think one of the first meetings that I was in here, we had a conversation about the Niners beating us,” said Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney, who joined the Packers this season. “So I understand how important it is, and we all do.” Red-zone concerns Both teams must figure out how to convert red-zone opportunities into touchdowns. The 49ers are scoring touchdowns on just 48.8% of their drives inside an opponent’s 20-yard line to rank 27th in the NFL. The Packers are slightly worse in that regard, scoring touchdowns on 48.7% of their red-zone possessions to rank 28th. In their 20-19 victory at Chicago on Sunday, Green Bay drove to the Bears 5 without scoring on two separate series. Injury issues Purdy isn't the only notable player who won't be participating in Sunday's game. San Francisco won't have four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Nick Bosa available after he hurt his left hip and oblique against the Seahawks. Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) also have been ruled out. Kittle expects to play for the 49ers on Sunday after missing the Seahawks game with a hamstring injury. 49ers left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable. Seeking takeaways Green Bay’s defense feasted on turnovers the first part of the season, but hasn’t been as effective in getting those takeaways lately. The Packers have 19 takeaways – already exceeding their 2023 total – but haven’t forced any turnovers in their last two games. Heavy load 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan hasn’t eased McCaffrey back into the lineup in his return after missing the first eight games with Achilles tendinitis. McCaffrey has played 91% of the 49ers’ offensive snaps the past two weeks. Jordan Mason, who rushed for 685 yards during McCaffrey’s absence, has just five snaps on offense the last two games. Shanahan said he’d like to get Mason more opportunities, but it’s hard to take McCaffrey off the field. Delivering on third down Green Bay nearly lost to the Bears because of its third-down struggles on both sides of the ball. The Packers were 1 of 5 on third-down opportunities, while the Bears went 9 of 16. The Packers’ defense could have a tough time correcting that problem against San Francisco, which has converted 45.4% of its third-down situations to rank fourth in the league. ___ AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Steve Megargee, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game for the 49ers with a shoulder injury Nov 22, 2024 3:28 PM 49ers attempt to bounce back and boost their postseason chances as they visit Green Bay Nov 22, 2024 3:09 PM Winston's performance in snowy win over Steelers adds new layer to Browns' quarterback conundrum Nov 22, 2024 2:58 PMBy KAREEM CHEHAYEB BEIRUT (AP) — In 2006, after a bruising monthlong war between Israel and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militant group, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted for a resolution to end the conflict and pave the way for lasting security along the border. But while there was relative calm for nearly two decades, Resolution 1701’s terms were never fully enforced. Now, figuring out how to finally enforce it is key to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal approved by Israel on Tuesday. In late September, after nearly a year of low-level clashes , the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah spiraled into all-out war and an Israeli ground invasion . As Israeli jets pound deep inside Lebanon and Hezbollah fires rockets deeper into northern Israel, U.N. and diplomatic officials again turned to the 2006 resolution in a bid to end the conflict. Years of deeply divided politics and regionwide geopolitical hostilities have halted substantial progress on its implementation, yet the international community believes Resolution 1701 is still the brightest prospect for long-term stability between Israel and Lebanon. Almost two decades after the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, the United States led shuttle diplomacy efforts between Lebanon and Israel to agree on a ceasefire proposal that renewed commitment to the resolution, this time with an implementation plan to try to bring the document back to life. In 2000, Israel withdrew its forces from most of southern Lebanon along a U.N.-demarcated “Blue Line” that separated the two countries and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, which most of the world considers occupied Syrian territory. U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL , increased their presence along the line of withdrawal. Resolution 1701 was supposed to complete Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and ensure Hezbollah would move north of the Litani River, keeping the area exclusively under the Lebanese military and U.N. peacekeepers. Up to 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers would help to maintain calm, return displaced Lebanese and secure the area alongside the Lebanese military. The goal was long-term security, with land borders eventually demarcated to resolve territorial disputes. The resolution also reaffirmed previous ones that call for the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon — Hezbollah among them. “It was made for a certain situation and context,” Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese army general, told The Associated Press. “But as time goes on, the essence of the resolution begins to hollow.” For years, Lebanon and Israel blamed each other for countless violations along the tense frontier. Israel said Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and growing arsenal remained, and accused the group of using a local environmental organization to spy on troops. Lebanon complained about Israeli military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there was no active conflict. “You had a role of the UNIFIL that slowly eroded like any other peacekeeping with time that has no clear mandate,” said Joseph Bahout, the director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy at the American University of Beirut. “They don’t have permission to inspect the area without coordinating with the Lebanese army.” UNIFIL for years has urged Israel to withdraw from some territory north of the frontier, but to no avail. In the ongoing war, the peacekeeping mission has accused Israel, as well as Hezbollah , of obstructing and harming its forces and infrastructure. Hezbollah’s power, meanwhile, has grown, both in its arsenal and as a political influence in the Lebanese state. The Iran-backed group was essential in keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power when armed opposition groups tried to topple him, and it supports Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Yemen. It has an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided missiles pointed at Israel, and has introduced drones into its arsenal . Hanna says Hezbollah “is something never seen before as a non-state actor” with political and military influence. Israel’s security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday. Efforts led by the U.S. and France for the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah underscored that they still view the resolution as key. For almost a year, Washington has promoted various versions of a deal that would gradually lead to its full implementation. International mediators hope that by boosting financial support for the Lebanese army — which was not a party in the Israel-Hezbollah war — Lebanon can deploy some 6,000 additional troops south of the Litani River to help enforce the resolution. Under the deal, an international monitoring committee headed by the United States would oversee implementation to ensure that Hezbollah and Israel’s withdrawals take place. It is not entirely clear how the committee would work or how potential violations would be reported and dealt with. The circumstances now are far more complicated than in 2006. Some are still skeptical of the resolution’s viability given that the political realities and balance of power both regionally and within Lebanon have dramatically changed since then. “You’re tying 1701 with a hundred things,” Bahout said. “A resolution is the reflection of a balance of power and political context.” Now with the ceasefire in place, the hope is that Israel and Lebanon can begin negotiations to demarcate their land border and settle disputes over several points along the Blue Line for long-term security after decades of conflict and tension.

NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution's suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea "absurd." The Manhattan district attorney's office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to "pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful," Trump's lawyers wrote in a 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump's lawyers filed paperwork this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won't include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn't sentenced and his appeal wasn't resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined comment. It's unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump's request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution's suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump's parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution's suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the "ongoing threat" that he'll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. The prosecution's suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they contend. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump tapped for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution's novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to "fabricate" a solution "based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump" who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September "and a hypothetical dead defendant." Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what's already a unique case. "This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding," prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn't "precipitously discard" the "meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers." Prosecutors acknowledged that "presidential immunity requires accommodation" during Trump's impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury's verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Other world leaders don't enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation's wars in Lebanon and Gaza. Trump has fought for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. Trump's hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith ended his two federal cases, which pertained to Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in each case. Trump was scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November, but following Trump's Nov. 5 election win, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president's sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

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5 pambansa DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City (AP) — For Gaza’s women, the hardships of life in the territory’s sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy. Women struggle to dress modestly while crowded into tents with extended family members, including men, and with strangers only steps away in neighboring tents. Access to menstrual products is limited, so they cut up sheets or old clothes to use as pads. Makeshift toilets usually consist of only a hole in the sand surrounded by sheets dangling from a line, and these must be shared with dozens of other people. Alaa Hamami has dealt with the modesty issue by constantly wearing her prayer shawl, a black cloth that covers her head and upper body. “Our whole lives have become prayer clothes, even to the market we wear it,” said the young mother of three. “Dignity is gone.” Normally, she would wear the shawl only when performing her daily Muslim prayers. But with so many men around, she keeps it on all the time, even when sleeping — just in case an Israeli strike hits nearby in the night and she has to flee quickly, she said. Israel’s 14-month-old campaign in Gaza has driven more than 90% of its 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of them are now living in squalid camps of tents packed close together over large areas. Sewage runs into the streets , and food and water are hard to obtain. Winter is setting in. Families often wear the same clothes for weeks because they left clothing and many other belongings behind as they fled. Everyone in the camps searches daily for food, clean water and firewood. Women feel constantly exposed. Gaza has always been a conservative society. Most women wear the hijab, or head scarf, in the presence of men who are not immediate family. Matters of women’s health — pregnancy, menstruation and contraception — tend not to be discussed publicly. “Before we had a roof. Here it does not exist,” said Hamami, whose prayer shawl is torn and smudged with ash from cooking fires. “Here our entire lives have become exposed to the public. There is no privacy for women.” Wafaa Nasrallah, a displaced mother of two, says life in the camps makes even the simplest needs difficult, like getting period pads, which she cannot afford. She tried using pieces of cloth and even diapers, which have also increased in price. For a bathroom, she has a hole in the ground, surrounded by blankets propped up by sticks. The U.N. says more than 690,000 women and girls in Gaza require menstrual hygiene products, as well as clean water and toilets. Aid workers have been unable to meet demand, with supplies piling up at crossings from Israel. Stocks of hygiene kits have run out, and prices are exorbitant. Many women have to choose between buying pads and buying food and water. Doaa Hellis, a mother of three living in a camp, said she has torn up her old clothes to use for menstrual pads. “Wherever we find fabric, we tear it up and use it.” A packet of pads costs 45 shekels ($12), “and there is not even five shekels in the whole tent,” she said. Anera, a rights group active in Gaza, says some women use birth control pills to halt their periods. Others have experienced disruptions in their cycles because of the stress and trauma of repeated displacement. The terrible conditions pose real risks to women’s health, said Amal Seyam, the director of the Women’s Affairs Center in Gaza, which provides supplies for women and surveys them about their experiences. She said some women have not changed clothes for 40 days. That and improvised cloth pads “will certainly create” skin diseases, diseases related to reproductive health and psychological conditions, she said. “Imagine what a woman in Gaza feels like, if she’s unable to control conditions related to hygiene and menstrual cycles,” Seyam said. Hellis remembered a time not so long ago, when being a woman felt more like a joy and less like a burden. “Women are now deprived of everything, no clothes, no bathroom. Their psychology is completely destroyed,” she said. Seyam said the center has tracked cases where girls have been married younger, before the age of 18, to escape the suffocating environment of their family’s tents. The war will “continue to cause a humanitarian disaster in every sense of the word. And women always pay the biggest price,” she said. Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Its count does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israel launched its assault in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted around 250 others. With large swaths of Gaza’s cities and towns leveled, women wrestle with reduced lives in their tents. Hamami can walk the length of her small tent in a few strides. She shares it with 13 other people from her extended family. During the war, she gave birth to a son, Ahmed, who is now 8 months old. Between caring for him and her two other children, washing her family’s laundry, cooking and waiting in line for water, she says there’s no time to care for herself. She has a few objects that remind her of what her life once was, including a powder compact she brought with her when she fled her home in the Shati camp of Gaza City. The makeup is now caked and crumbling. She managed to keep hold of a small mirror through four different displacements over the past year. It’s broken into two shards that she holds together every so often to catch a glimpse of her reflection. “Previously, I had a wardrobe that contained everything I could wish for,” she said. “We used to go out for a walk every day, go to wedding parties, go to parks, to malls, to buy everything we wanted." Women “lost their being and everything in this war," she said. "Women used to take care of themselves before the war. Now everything is destroyed.” Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.The Congress on Tuesday, 24 December, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the recent amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 and expressed hope that the apex court will help restore the "fast eroding" integrity of the electoral process. The government has tweaked an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates to prevent their misuse. AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who filed the petition, said, "The integrity of the electoral process is fast eroding. Hopefully the Supreme Court will help restore it." "A writ has just been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the recent amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961," he said in a post on X. Ramesh said the Election Commission, a Constitutional body charged with the conduct of free and fair elections cannot be allowed to unilaterally, and without public consultation, amend such a vital law in such a brazen manner. "This is especially true when that amendment does away with public access to essential information that makes the electoral process more transparent and accountable," he said. Based on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India, the Union law ministry on Friday amended Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of "papers" or documents open to public inspection. Ramesh said that the Election Commission, a Constitutional body, charged with the conduct of free and fair elections cannot be allowed to unilaterally, and without public consultation, amend such a vital law in such a brazen manner. "The integrity of the electoral process is fast eroding. Hopefully the Supreme Court will help restore it," he said. Follow us on: Facebook , Twitter , Google News , Instagram Join our official telegram channel ( @nationalherald ) and stay updated with the latest headlinesMercury Retrograde in 2025: How Scorpios can navigate these disruptive phases

Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president who led the nation from 1977 to 1981, has died at the age of 100. The Carter Center announced Sunday that his father died at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by family. His death comes about a year after his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, passed away. The Carter Center will provide updates about ceremonies and activities to honor the life of President Carter as they become available here and soon on the official Carter Family Tribute Site ( https://t.co/Tg5UZt7kPV ). Read our statement: https://t.co/CNBUBpffPz — The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) December 29, 2024 Despite receiving hospice care at the time, he attended the memorials for Rosalynn while sitting in a wheelchair, covered by a blanket. He was also wheeled outside on Oct. 1 to watch a military flyover in celebration of his 100th birthday. The Carter Center said in February 2023 that the former president and his family decided he would no longer seek medical treatment following several short hospital stays for an undisclosed illness. Carter became the longest-living president in 2019, surpassing George H.W. Bush, who died at age 94 in 2018. Carter also had a long post-presidency, living 43 years following his White House departure. RELATED STORY: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: A love story for the ages Before becoming president Carter began his adult life in the military, getting a degree at the U.S. Naval Academy, and rose to the rank of lieutenant. He then studied reactor technology and nuclear physics at Union College and served as senior officer of the pre-commissioning crew on a nuclear submarine. Following the death of his father, Carter returned to Georgia to tend to his family's farm and related businesses. During this time, he became a community leader by serving on local boards. He used this experience to elevate him to his first elected office in 1962 in the Georgia Senate. After losing his first gubernatorial election in 1966, he won his second bid in 1970, becoming the state’s 76th governor. As a relative unknown nationally, Carter used the nation’s sour sentiment toward politics to win the Democratic nomination. He then bested sitting president Gerald Ford in November 1976 to win the presidency. Carter battles high inflation, energy crisis With the public eager for a change following the Watergate era, Carter took a more hands-on approach to governing. This, however, meant he became the public face of a number of issues facing the U.S. in the late 1970s, most notably America’s energy crisis. He signed the Department of Energy Organization Act, creating the first new cabinet role in government in over a decade. Carter advocated for alternative energy sources and even installed solar panels on the White House roof. During this time, the public rebuked attempts to ration energy. Amid rising energy costs, inflation soared nearly 9% annually during Carter's presidency. This led to a recession before the 1980 election. Carter also encountered the Iran Hostage Crisis in the final year of his presidency when 52 American citizens were captured. An attempt to rescue the Americans failed in April 1980, resulting in the death of eight service members. With compounding crises, Carter lost in a landslide to Ronald Reagan in 1980 as he could only win six states. Carter’s impact after leaving the White House Carter returned to Georgia and opened the Carter Center, which is focused on national and international issues of public policy – namely conflict resolution. Carter and the Center have been involved in a number of international disputes, including in Syria, Israel, Mali and Sudan. The group has also worked to independently monitor elections and prevent elections from becoming violent. Carter and his wife were the most visible advocates for Habitat for Humanity. The organization that helps build and restore homes for low- and middle-income families has benefited from the Carters’ passion for the organization. Habitat for Humanity estimates Carter has worked alongside 104,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build 4,390 houses. “Like other Habitat volunteers, I have learned that our greatest blessings come when we are able to improve the lives of others, and this is especially true when those others are desperately poor or in need,” Carter said in a Q&A on the Habitat for Humanity website. Carter also continued teaching Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown well into his 90s. Attendees would line up for hours, coming from all parts of the U.S., to attend Carter’s classes. Carter is survived by his four children.

President-elect Donald Trump wants the U.S. to take over Greenland and take back control of the Panama Canal. Trump said in social media posts he wanted to take ownership of Greenland from Denmark and the Panama Canal back from Panama. “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump said in a post. Greenland has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1814. It now operates as an autonomous territory. Officials from Greenland and and Denmark said they are not interested in selling or turning over the Arctic island "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede said in a written comment, according to Reuters and other outlets. Danish officials echoed the sentiment. “In a complex security political situation as the one we currently experience, transatlantic cooperation is crucial,” the Danish prime minister’s office told media outlet Anadolu Ajansı "As far as statements about Greenland, the Prime Minister's Office has no comments other than reference to what was stated by the Premier of Greenland about Greenland not being for sale, but open for cooperation,” the Danish statement continued. The U.S., Russia and China have all had increased strategic and military interests in the Arctic region. Climate change and melting ice packs could open up more shipping channels. FILE - Large Icebergs float away as the sun rises near Kulusuk, Greenland, Aug. 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File) Trump also wants the U.S. to take back control of the Panama Canal. The U.S. built the crossing connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It opened in 1914. Former President Jimmy Carter gave the canal to Panama in 1978. Trump wants it back. “The Panama Canal is considered a vital national asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s economy and national security,” Trump said “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question. To the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly,” Trump said. There have been concerns about China’s influence over Panama and the canal and the fees charged to U.S. and other ships. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off everywhere else,” Trump said. Panama President José Raúl Mulino said the canal is “not negotiable” “I want to express precisely that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to Panama, and will continue to,” Mulino said in a statement. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Trump replied on social media, “We’ll see about that.” Trump, who takes office next month, has also mused about Canada joining the U.S. and will press for European NATO members to contribute more to the alliance’s military budgets. Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.

Northwestern rallies from 13 down to beat NortheasternHUMA Lead Plaintiff Deadline Approaching – Contact Robbins LLP For Information About The Class Action Against Humacyte, Inc.Iowa cornerback Jermari Harris has opted out of the remainder of the 2024 season in order to prepare for the NFL draft, according to a report by 247Sports.com . The 6-foot-1 sixth-year senior from Chicago has recorded 27 tackles, three interceptions and a team-high seven pass breakups in 10 games for the Hawkeyes this season. That includes a pick-6 in a 38-21 win over Troy earlier this season. Iowa (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) plays at Maryland on Saturday before closing out its regular season at home against Nebraska on Nov. 29. The Hawkeyes are already bowl eligible, so Harris is likely opting out of three games in total. After missing the entire 2022 season due to an ankle injury, Harris was suspended for two games of the following season for his involvement in the gambling investigation into Iowa athletics. He later emerged as the Hawkeyes' top cornerback, earning the team's comeback player of the year award after compiling 42 tackles, one interception and eight pass breakups. Harris will finish his college career with 105 tackles and eight interceptions. --Field Level Media

SARGODHA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Dec, 2024) The of new and used warm clothes has significantly increased in and its tehsils, including , , , , and Kotmomin. Various winter essentials, such as gloves, woolen hats, mufflers, pullovers, sweatshirts, and jackets, are prominently displayed outside shops and on stalls in different localities. Markets and weekly bazaars are bustling with crowds of shoppers bargaining with retailers. In addition to clothing, heaps of quilts, bed covers, blankets, and rugs are also available for . The sudden onset of chilly , particularly during the night over the past 10 days, has compelled people to stock up on winter apparel and other necessities. Used winter items, including quilts and blankets, are a popular choice for budget-conscious buyers. A local visitor, Ghulam Rasool, commented, "Although the is taking steps to curb inflation and provide relief to the , a nearly 20pc increase in the of winter clothing compared to last year has been observed." Vendors and shopkeepers are experiencing a surge in , with winter apparel selling rapidly. “Our is thriving these days as the demand for warm clothes has skyrocketed,” said Suleman Ahmed, a second-hand clothing dealer at Shaheen Chowk Bazaar. Another dealer on Station expressed similar sentiments, stating, "Our sales have doubled, and we anticipate further growth in the coming days." Shoppers are becoming increasingly selective, focusing on quality and affordability when purchasing used clothing. “Customers not only look for the quality but also aim to get items at the lowest possible prices,” said Ali Ahmed, a shop owner at Al Munir in . He noted that international brands are particularly popular among buyers, with many seeking slightly used items renowned labels. Traders typically purchase second-hand clothing in bulk, sorted by categories for men, , and children. “Some customers have a keen eye for quality products, picking them out like hawks heaps of used clothing,” Ali Ahmed explained. “Even at fixed-price shops, bargaining is common, as people strive to find affordable yet durable options.” As the cold persists, bazaars across are teeming with shoppers searching for practical and budget-friendly winter essentials, signaling a profitable season for vendors and stall-holders.

1 2 3 Nagpur: Ramchandra Harichandra Adware has been conferred PhD by Nagpur University for his groundbreaking research in electrical engineering. He completed his doctoral studies at GH Raisoni College of Engineering , Nagpur, in the faculty of science and technology. His thesis, titled ‘ Power quality improvement in power system by using hybrid STATCOM', explores innovative solutions for enhancing power quality in modern electrical systems. Adware expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his guide, Dr VK Chandrakar, for his invaluable mentorship throughout the research journey. He also acknowledged the support of HoD Dr Prema Daigavane and director Dr Sachin Untawale. Special thanks were extended to Dr Avichal Kapur and Dr Vivek Kapur for their expert guidance and encouragement. Adware credited his family for their unwavering support and motivation, which played a crucial role in his success.

ZAGREB, Croatia Croatia's incumbent President Zoran Milanovic, supported by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), fell just short of winning in the first round of presidential elections Sunday despite leading his closest rival by around 30 percentage points. According to unofficial results announced by the State Electoral Commission (DIP), 99.67% of the votes have been counted. Although exit polls initially showed Milanovic with more than 50% of the vote, the yet-to-be-finalized results indicate he secured 49.1%. His opponent in the second round will be Dragan Primorac, the candidate of the ruling center-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and former education minister, who received 19.4% of the vote. While the SDP experienced both joy and disappointment, HDZ representatives acknowledged that they did not expect such a significant gap but emphasized that the second round represents a fresh start. If the results are confirmed, Milanovic and Primorac will face off in a run-off on Jan. 12. *Writing by Merve BerkerSocceroos lose Harry Souttar for 2025 World Cup quals

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After another close loss, No. 14 Gonzaga opens WCC play at PepperdineLily Geiger launched her “zero-proof” aperitif brand, Figlia (Italian for “daughter”), in April 2021 from her family’s Ashley Falls home during the pandemic. The business was motivated by her father’s untimely death in 2016 due to alcoholism and inspired by the Italian culture she immersed herself in for the five months that followed. “The aperitivo hour was a thoughtful ritual, a little something to open the palate and a coming together to enjoy conversation—nothing overdone,” she describes observing while living in Rome. In starting her company, she sought to create a nonalcoholic alternative that had the sophistication of a Campari or Aperol but didn’t try to mimic the taste of alcohol (which can be triggering for those struggling with addiction). She also wanted to open up the conversation around healthy drinking, fostering “moments to remember” rooted in integrity and community without the adverse effects of alcohol—or, as her website puts it, “a modern non-alcoholic beverage that brings everyone to the party.” “We’re still one of the only brands talking about addiction,” Geiger notes. Those conversations happen on Instagram and TikTok, in interviews and podcasts, and on her website via links to Partnership to End Addiction . While the message is clearly sobering, balance is vital to her. “We try to be honest, not too hardcore, to encourage people to become more conscious and intentional in their intake,” she stresses, adding, “The most important question a person can ask is ‘What is healthy for me?’” Four years later, Figlia is thriving—and helping to change the drinking culture. Since we first wrote about Figlia in January 2023 (scroll down for the full original article), Geiger’s product has moved from a regional distribution base of roughly 400 in Massachusetts and New York to, within two years, a national distribution of close to 600 in New York, Texas, and Washington. Geiger attributes much of her success to Community Health Programs (CHP), a “small, loyal community that has actively sought out new vendors with the simple question “Why don’t you carry Figlia?” Figlia expanded into Whole Foods Market in the metro New York area in 2024, followed by Central Market in Texas and Faire in Washington. Figlia’s current distribution represents “a pretty good split between coffee shops and bodegas, grocery stores, specialty stores, and wine and beer spots,” Geiger notes. Sales are strong, thanks to a good sales rep and publicity in some major newspapers and magazines, including Forbes, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Figlia was most recently included in Wirecutter’s Best Nonalcoholic Drinks (December 2024). Despite the growth, Figlia is still run by a three-woman team—Geiger (who is based in New York City and “pretty much involved in everything”), Riley Johansson (digital marketing, based in Miami), and Vivien Brown (sales and operations, based in San Francisco). “We’re trying to grow organically and regionally as well as get into bigger retailers and chains while demo-ing to ensure we can manage the conversation,” Geiger maintains. Figlia is now available in restaurants in New York and California but is looking to expand gradually to other states. “I want to keep our operation sustainable, with a limited amount of production (still only in Utah) to keep the quality high,” she states. Even more exciting, Figlia is developing a new flavor—with the help of a Brooklyn-based team—which will launch this spring. “We’re using customer feedback about what they’d like to see next as well, and what they don’t like about Figlia currently, to fine-tune the recipe,” Geiger explains. That feedback has come via emails, surveys, media pitches, and social media comments. She’s likely also consulting with her chef friend, who recommended adding clove to the rose and bitter orange in Fiore, her original flavor. “This will be a big year for non-alcoholic brands,” she predicts. “The space is only growing as more research comes out showing that no amount of alcohol is actually good for you.” [Editor’s note: The following Spotlight was initially published on January 16, 2023. We are rerunning it now with the update above to coincide with the increasing popularity of non-alcoholic drinks and the growing trend toward Dry January and then Sober October.] “So I decided to create Figlia for those who are going zero proof, for whatever reason. To create an active community and a place for fun. The type of dinner table that always has an open seat for all experiences and stories. Where no one is an outsider and there is something special to sip for all...” —Lily Geiger, Founder & CEO, Figlia According to Mental Floss , there is good precedent for people being creative and productive beyond their usual capacity during a quarantine. Shakespeare wrote “ King Lear”, Isaac Newton developed his theory of gravity, and Edvard Munch painted his “Self-Portrait with the Spanish Flu”—all during pandemic periods. Lily Geiger, who was living in Los Angeles pre-COVID, moved to her mom’s house in Ashley Falls during the lockdown of August 2020 and started working on an idea she had for a new non-alcoholic beverage. By September, she had an LLC, and in April 2021 she launched Figlia, a non-alcoholic aperitivo, making $13,000 in her first week. Geiger was born and raised in New York City. After graduating from Wake Forest University, she moved to L.A. and worked in brand marketing at Beautycounter, followed by a job at a small boutique retail consulting agency, gaining experience with brands like Summer Fridays, APL, and Heyday. She was 24 (and living in the Berkshires) when she first conceptualized the Figlia product and then developed it with the help of RoAndCo, a design-focused branding agency based in L.A. They met over Zoom and shipped samples back and forth. At the age of 25, she launched the brand with one flavor—Fiore (Italian for flower ), made with rose, bitter orange, and clove—that is now sold in 400 locations throughout the U.S. and has been featured in The New York Times , Vogue , and GQ (to name just a few publications). “I’ve always felt inspired to do something that meant something to me,” Geiger states. “When I asked myself what I was passionate about, this was the idea that stayed with me.” Geiger grew up with an alcoholic father and knew from a young age that her family was different. “There was a lot of embarrassment and shame.” Growing up in Manhattan, she also observed “an accelerated rate of drinking”— how social settings tended to revolve around alcohol. While in college, she began to think about how the habits kids started to foster during those years were carried into adult life. A few years later, Geiger noted the increase in drinking habits and alcohol sales during the pandemic. “Everyone was bored during COVID and wanted some rituals to help them get through it. Drinking was one of them.” She used 2020 as a time to re-evaluate her own drinking habits, to notice how she felt waking up after drinking the night before. “I wanted to find a nightly ritual that didn’t make me feel bad and also tasted great.” The non-alcoholic options offered at most restaurants and events felt juvenile and demeaning. “Being the one drinking a soda when everyone else has a glass of wine can separate you from the conversation and the people you’re with,” Geiger explains. “I wanted to provide something up to the caliber of what everyone else was drinking—something sophisticated, with an edge, that was meant to be savored. There wasn’t anything like that out there.” She’s not alone in that thinking—besides proponents of Dry January and Sober October movements, plenty of folks are interested in foregoing booze these days, and Geiger is eager to tap that audience. “There’s a wide range of people who want non-alcoholic options,” she notes, “and for lots of different reasons.” Whether you’re pregnant, struggle with addiction, have a medical or health condition, or the usual drinks just aren’t working for you, Figlia offers a fresh, new alternative to change things up. The zero-proof elixir helps you create “sophisticated drinks meant for memorable, leisurely moments.” It’s for “sipping with intention. Not for hangovers” (per the website). Based on her past jobs, Geiger had some confidence when thinking about starting her own business. But with no experience in food and beverages, she relied heavily on doing her homework. She stresses, “To be successful, you have to do a ton of research, but then it’s about trusting yourself and keeping going.” She credits her creative team at RoAndCo with helping her create her brand (images, colors, mood) and her copywriter with helping her develop her story and identify keywords to guide the marketing. “I’m all bootstraps, no investors—yet,” Geiger says. But considering the fact that she launched with only an Instagram account ( @drinkfiglia ) and website ( drinkfiglia.com ), those straps have proven to be pretty strong. “My own community expanded to all of these other communities,” she says. “We’ve broken our sales record for the past four consecutive months, and that’s with no paid magazine ads, just some ads on social media.” And as for investors, can we take the “yet” as a clue to future financing? “Definitely. I want to scale alongside our competitors in a healthy way,” she smiles. With one full-time employee and one part-time contractor, it’s still a small enough operation that you might wonder how Geiger keeps up with the increasing demand. “I just work more,” she answers. “Everyone I work with, I went to college with. We’re all women and we enjoy working together. We know who we are as a company and have a stance that won’t be easily changed.” What sets Fiore apart? The taste, for one, which isn’t meant to mimic wine or other spirits the way many nonalcoholic products do. The description: “ Fiore bottles the lushness of Italian gardens and the energy of sidewalk dinners in New York City. It is an ode to the spritz, a token of leisure and a reminder to take your time...We recommend Fiore poured over ice, adorned with an orange peel.” The bright red color. The beautiful bottle. The name ( Figlia means daughter in Italian), a nod to her inspiration in creating it and the culture the drink comes from. The way it is produced in Utah—the only place that could do the special hot-fill process Figlia requires (sterilizing with heat and then hand-closing it). And the fact that they don’t use any serotonin-altering ingredients (which people on antidepressants need to avoid). Beyond creating a beverage, Geiger is committed to encouraging people to have honest and inclusive conversations around alcohol consumption. “Figlia aims to better support our best selves, our community, and our planet,” the website explains. “But we can’t do it alone. That is why we support non-profits who are working diligently to help end addiction and support the environment.” One such nonprofit is the Partnership to End Addiction (committed to empowering families through a unique public health approach to addressing addiction, rooted in science and compassion). Figlia calls this act “sipping for good.” The business also donates to local New York City-based nonprofit environmental organizations through 1% for the Planet . So for everyone out there who is finding it hard to get through dry January (or dry forever), hang in there. Help is on the shelves, or you can order online. Try something new that promises to give you “all the glam, without the regrets.” Who knows? Maybe Fiore will become your new nightly ritual, too—and your drink of choice “for all the moments you want to remember.”Stephen Baxter blasts 'trial by television' after Paul Heatley is latest player hit by retrospective action

International Non-Profits Call For Mandatory Device-Based Age VerificationAs her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche. Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke, and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara said, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body.” Lara, an avid runner and gym-goer couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” said the 50-year-old mom from North Miami and former high school math teacher. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved-nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke, with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System — the device implanted in Lara’s chest — could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where Lara underwent the procedure. The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger,” Lara said in September. “I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand.” Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivistim therapy program and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors usually can recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years after their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10 to 15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression. For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge, so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Differences between Vice-President Michael Usi and UTM Party leadership have taken a new turn with the former party leader snubbing summons to appear before a disciplinary committee purportedly because the new team is illegal. In his address to scores of his followers at Mudi State Resistance in Blantyre yesterday, he said appearing before the UTM disciplinary committee would be a waste of time and resources. Said Usi: “In as far as I am concerned, they [UTM leadership] don’t exist because they are not legitimate. “They did not follow the [UTM] constitution. So, to appear before them it’s like I am telling the nation that I am recognising them as leaders of UTM.” In a letter summoning Usi to the hearing, UTM Party director of legal affairs Charles Dokera Thole said the country’s Vice-President faced charges of behaving in a manner likely to provoke or has the potential to provoke divisions or impact negatively on the unity in UTM Party. During yesterday’s briefing, Usi also asked UTM leadership to disclose publicly condolence money collected in the wake of former vice-president Saulos Chilima’s death in a military plane crash on June 10 2014 alongside eight others. He said the party leadership should detail how the money was used. He claimed that during Chilima’s funeral, most UTM supporters lacked food and transportation. Ironically, Usi was party president at the time of the funeral service. Meanwhile, a Commission of Inquiry Report into the Plane Crash indicated that UTM Party and other parties in the Tonse Alliance as well as United Democratic Front received funding from Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs for various activities during the State funeral. Usi, who was accompanied by Umodzi Party president Thomas Kaumba, claimed that there are more political parties willing to work with him, but could not disclose the details of the said parties. He also did not indicate under which platform the other parties would want to work with him after a UTM Party national delegates conference in Mzuzu ushered in a new team led by former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Dalitso Kabambe. But reacting to Usi’s position, UTM Party national spokesperson Felix Njawala said it was clear that Usi was bent at creating confusion. He said it was shocking that Usi maintains his stand of not recognising the party leadership when he chaired all the party meetings ahead of the UTM convention. Said Njawala: “But the party will find the way forward on Dr. Usi. On the K61 million which the party received for condolences, he [Usi] is supposed to present the report because that time he was our president. “So, as our president that time, he was leading in everything, including finances.” However, in a follow-up interview, Usi laughed off Njawala’s sentiments that he is the one to present a report on the funds, arguing that the UTM constitution give power to the treasurer general to handle finances. Said Usi: “It is strange that they are saying I should present the said report. Was I the party’s treasurer general?” Commenting on the UTM Party squabbles, political analyst Sainala Kalebe, who teaches political science at Catholic University of Malawi, said what is happening between the party and Usi is an indication of lack of intra-party dialogue. Usi shunned the UTM Party presidential race by not submitting his nomination papers, citing gross violation of the party’s constitution by the national executive committee. In an earlier interview, private practice lawyer Christon Ghambi said Usi lost the plot when he failed to contest during the convection, as such, cannot challenge the legitimacy of the leadership because he was not a participant in the election. Gift Sambo, a legislative, electoral politics and public policy expert from the University of Malawi, also argued in The Nation last week that Usi was creating unnecessary confusion. President Lazarus Chakwera appointed him as Vice-President on June 20 2024 following the death of Chilima. In the 2019 Presidential Election, Chilima picked Usi as his running mate. At the time, Usi had a movement Wodya Zake Alibe Mlandu , but was working with the UTM Party.

A cell phone ban during school hours is on the horizon for Knoxville High School. At Monday’s Knoxville School Board meeting, a recommendation was presented to the board by the School Improvement Advisory Committee that cell phones would not be permitted for students to use during school hours. After significant research and discussion by the committee, they felt that this policy would benefit the future of education and well being of students in the district. In the presentation given, it stated that research shows phones continue to be a distraction in the classroom and contribute to limited social interaction, cyberbullying, and stress/anxiety. The new policy would mean that phones can’t be used during the school day, have to be stored in lockers, and there will be clear consequences for violations. The board was unanimously in favor of this, along with 87% of high school staff members. The district is also looking to get out in front of this policy change as Governor Kim Reynolds has stated that one of her top legislative priorities for 2025 is to ban phone use by students in schools statewide. Students already are not allowed to use phones during instructional time in the classroom and Superintendent Cassi Person says they have seen success with other technology policies that have been implemented. “Earlier this year we had modified our technology policy so students couldn’t have their cell phones in class with them during instructional time and they could not have ear pods or earphones with them either and we have seen great success with that. Many school districts in Iowa also went a step further and said no devices from the beginning of the school day to the end of the school day and our SIAC felt like that was the direction we should go.” This policy is expected to be implemented for term three of the school year and will look to be officially approved by the board on January 13th. The district hopes some benefits from the cell phone ban will include improved student focus and engagement, enhanced teacher-student interaction, increased opportunities for social interaction, and a reduction of distractions.

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Blair issues alert over ‘high taxes’ after Starmer’s National Insurance raidAPA Corporation Declares Cash Dividend on Common Shares

Wild first season in expanded Big 12 comes down to final weekendTHOUSAND OAKS, Calif. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) will present at Citi's 2024 Global Healthcare Conference at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday , Dec. 5, 2024. Peter Griffith , executive vice president and chief financial officer at Amgen, Jay Bradner , executive vice president of Research and Development and chief scientific officer at Amgen, and Susan Sweeney , executive vice president of Obesity and Related Conditions at Amgen, will participate in a fireside chat at the conference. The webcast will be broadcast over the internet simultaneously and will be available to members of the news media, investors and the general public. The webcast, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen's business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen's website, www.amgen.com , under Investors. Information regarding presentation times, webcast availability and webcast links are noted on Amgen's Investor Relations Events Calendar. The webcast will be archived and available for replay for at least 90 days after the event. About Amgen Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases. In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions . Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® , and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index ® , which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also part of the Nasdaq-100 index. In 2023, Amgen was named one of "America's Greatest Workplaces" by Newsweek, one of "America's Climate Leaders" by USA Today and one of the "World's Best Companies" by TIME. For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube and Threads . Amgen Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla ® (apremilast) (including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of non-GAAP EPS accretion), our acquisitions of Teneobio, Inc., ChemoCentryx, Inc., or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition, and any projected impacts from the Horizon acquisition on our acquisition-related expenses going forward), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico , and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, such as COVID-19, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our environmental, social and governance objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks Elissa Snook , 609-251-1407 (media) Justin Claeys , 805-313-9775 (investors) View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amgen-to-present-at-citis-2024-global-healthcare-conference-302319891.html SOURCE AmgenNone

For “Hysteria!” actresses Anna Camp and Julie Bowen, horror is harder than comedy. “Horror is really hard actually because there is a fine line you have to walk; you have to make it feel grounded and you’re put in these extreme circumstances: You’re being possessed or pulled through the air, there’s nothing you can do to relate to that,” explained Camp of “Pitch Perfect” fame. “With comedy, you can have a relatable situation and go, ‘I’ve been in situations like that.’ There’s nothing you can compare (horror) to, so you have to use your imagination. I find it harder. Your imagination goes home with you at the end of the day. You’re still thinking crazy thoughts.” Bowen, best known for playing Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family,” agreed. “Comedy’s pretty binary because it’s like either you can make people laugh or you don’t. I can’t watch horror. I’m terrified, terrified! I am the easiest scare in the world, so as far as doing (horror), I want to make it as real as possible. It was hard because I had to be really, really crazy. There were times when I’d get back to my hotel room at 3 a.m., I didn’t want to be alone in my head,” said Bowen, laughing. Camp, Bowen, Royal Oak native Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead”), showrunner David A. Goodman (“Futurama”), and Ypsilanti native/creator Matthew Scott Kane (“American Horror Story”) were promoting “Hysteria!” at the New York Comic Con in October. The horror series is streaming on Peacock. Set in the fictional Michigan town of Happy Hollow, the first episode of “Hysteria” begins with a popular quarterback’s disappearance and a pentagram is discovered on a garage door. As a result, rumors of the occult and satanic influence run rampant through the town. A trio of outcasts in a heavy metal band called Dethkrunch exploit this by rebranding themselves as a satanic metal band, which leads to them becoming the targets of the town’s witch hunt. “Something on my mind a lot in 2019 was we’re living in this post-factual age with social media. It seemed like decades and decades ago, you could trust the news. Now everything is in question. When lies end up getting disseminated as truth, that starts to warp people’s version of reality. Suddenly, they’re living in a world other people are not. That was going on in the world I was living in and I very quickly connected it to the 1980s satanic panic. It’s not really that different because people were saying Ozzy Osbourne, Jason Voorhees (of ‘Friday the 13th’), and the Smurfs were going to turn your kids into satanists and kill you in your sleep. That didn’t happen. It wasn’t true, but so many people got worked up into such a fervor over it, bad things happened. ... It was smoke without fire,” Kane said. “Disinformation is not new,” Campbell said. “Disinformation will tear a town apart.” Campbell portrays Happy Hollow Police Chief Ben Dandridge. “This guy’s a reasonable cop; he’s a rational person who doesn’t treat the teenagers like they’re idiots. It’s all very refreshing,” he said. “I want to play that guy again. I want cops to be that guy. I’m playing the cop (that) cops need to be. That’s my whole motivation for playing this guy: How would you like cops to be, especially the guy in charge, the chief of police? They’re lucky to have Chief Dandridge.” “It was truly an exciting moment when Bruce signed on,” Goodman said. By the end of the first episode, a supernatural phenomenon happens to Linda Campbell, played by Bowen. “Linda seems like one thing, then you realize she’s bananas. She’s either bananas or she’s possessed. Either way, it’s a complicated thing to play,” Bowen said. “With Julie, you can have your cake and eat it too,” Kane said. “She’s this fun, quirky mom. ... As the episode goes on, she’s pulled deeper into this thing and crazy stuff starts happening. That final act of the first episode was my favorite moment with her because this announced that this is not Claire Dunphy. We’re not doing that again; we’re pushing her as a performer. “Julie was so excited about doing stunts. She told us on many occasions she’s very sturdy and can take it. The same goes for Bruce and for Anna. We didn’t ask anyone to give us a flavor of the thing they did before. We cast people we loved so much (in their famous projects) that we wanted to give them the opportunity to do the exact opposite.” Added Bowen: “I got this script and was like, ‘Oh great. She’s a mom. How fun.’ I love moms. I’m a mom, but I felt this was not worth flying out of town to Georgia and being away from my kids. Then I got to the end of the pilot and was like, ‘She’s crazy!’ Is she possessed? There’s a lot more questions. It’s fun to just stretch again and do things I haven’t done in a while, which I found really exciting.” Kane said he felt lucky Bowen signed on at the beginning. “She was the first adult actor to sign on. That gave us such credibility to have a two-time Emmy-winning actor leading this show. Suddenly, it goes from this script from a relatively unknown writer into the new Julie Bowen show,” he said. It was the quality of the writing that attracted Camp, Bowen and Campbell to “Hysteria!” “I loved the script; it was incredibly well-written. It was immersed in the time period. It was such a good coming-of-age story, too — the feeling of being in high school again, being in the 1980s,” Camp said. “I talked to Matt who said my character (Tracy) was incredibly pivotal to the series and we’ll learn about why she is the way she is. So I was like, ‘I’d love to do this!’” For Campbell, the writing is everything. “A lot of times, I’ll get a script that could make the words interchangeable with every other character because the writing is very bland and just doesn’t have the detail you need. This was different. Every character was pretty distinct and pretty well-drawn,” he said. “It’s quality. It’s not a (expletive) show. It’s a real show that’s playing around with interesting themes. A lot of it is still relevant to this day.” “Hysteria!” has other Michigan connections, including University of Michigan alumnus Jonathan Goldstein (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Dondero High School alumnus Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“Kong: Skull Island”), who both serve as executive producers. Kane explained why he set “Hysteria!” in Michigan. “You write what you know. I grew up in Ypsilanti, so that had a lot to do with it. More importantly, when you’re in a small town in the Midwest — somewhere like Michigan — these things don’t ever happen and word spreads fast and paranoia spreads quickly and (everything’s) blown out of proportion and takes up a lot of people’s minds,” he said. “Whether or not something is real doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if there are people willing to believe it does and willing it into the world. What does it matter if it’s objectively real or living rent-free in someone’s head?”

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq Private Market (NPM) , a leading provider of secondary liquidity solutions to private companies, employees, and investors, announced today that it has promoted Rotem David, Parul Dubey, Sharif Khaleel, and Chris Setaro to new roles on its Executive Leadership Team. Rotem David has been promoted to Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO). At NPM, he is an active member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team. In Mr. David’s new role, he will lead NPM’s product and technology divisions worldwide, responsible for setting and executing the product roadmap as well as effectively bridging the gap between product vision and technical feasibility. He will oversee tech infrastructure, engineering, QA, and product. Mr. David has spent more than 10 years building out NPM’s portfolio of products which offers liquidity and data across various transaction and client types. Prior to NPM, he held lead engineering roles at SecondMarket and Nasdaq, Inc and is credited with helping to pioneer the first tender offer solution revolutionizing the way private companies provide secondary liquidity to their shareholders. Parul Dubey has been promoted to Managing Director and Head of the Private Client Group. In her new role, she now joins the Executive Leadership Team. Ms. Dubey will lead the development of NPM’s retail business to service individuals, family offices, and mid-sized entities. Previously, she was General Manager of the Capital Markets division, where she helped build the business from inception. Ms. Dubey was instrumental in launching several capstone products, including buy-side auctions and SecondMarketTM. Prior to NPM, she worked at Wellington Management as an Investment Specialist responsible for global fund launches and distribution for private equity and healthcare hedge funds. Ms. Dubey also held investment roles at a buyout firm and served on the Board of Steven Feller P.E. (a portfolio company). She started her career at PIMCO, servicing managed separate accounts for sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and family offices in the Middle East and Africa. Sharif Khaleel has been promoted to Managing Director and Head of Institutional Trading. At NPM, he is an active member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team. In his new role, Mr. Khaleel will lead the trading desk, overseeing relationships with institutional clients and broker-dealers. He has nearly 25 years of financial services experience. Prior to NPM, Mr. Khaleel was a Managing Director at Zanbato, where he specialized in executing institutionally sized blocks of private securities. Earlier in his career, he served as a Senior Portfolio Trader at BNY Mellon. Mr. Khaleel has also held various roles on the buy side, including Derivatives and Risk Analyst at Stillwater Investment Management, Senior Trader at Farallon Capital Management, and International Portfolio and Macro Trader at BlackRock, where he spent over four years. Chris Setaro has been promoted to Chief Compliance, Regulatory, and Risk Officer. At NPM, he is an active member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team. Mr. Setaro will now oversee all compliance, regulatory affairs, and risk management functions for the company worldwide. Prior to NPM, he was a Senior Vice President and the Head of Global Risk at Forge Global Inc. Previously, Mr. Setaro was the Global Chief Compliance Officer of SharesPost, Inc. and Chief Compliance Officer for its broker-dealer subsidiary SharesPost Financial Corporation. Earlier in his career, he was a Vice President at Nasdaq, Inc. serving as the Chief Compliance Officer for several of its broker-dealers. “As our business continues to evolve, we are focused on adding talented people and valuable resources to strengthen our company and core products. I am confident that Rotem, Parul, Sharif, and Chris will each position us for continued success and accelerate our ambitions to be a key partner to participants across the private market ecosystem,” said Tom Callahan, Chief Executive Officer, Nasdaq Private Market. “I am proud of their commitment to NPM thus far and look forward to their future contributions.” NPM partners with some of the world’s fastest-growing, venture-backed private companies to facilitate company-sponsored liquidity programs. Its electronic SecondMarketTM trading marketplace is gaining adoption by sellers and buyers who trade private company shares. The company’s Transfer and Settlement product efficiently manages share transfer activity from match through settlement for some of the most sophisticated private companies and investors. Its private market premium data product Tape DTM helps investors and entities better evaluate global investment opportunities. As an industry-leading provider in the secondary market, NPM has executed $55+ billion in transactional value across 760+ company-sponsored liquidity programs for venture-backed private companies as well as 200,000+ individual eligible shareholders and investors. About Nasdaq Private Market Nasdaq Private Market provides liquidity solutions for private companies, employees, and investors throughout each stage of the pre-IPO lifecycle. In 2013, the company was founded within Nasdaq, Inc. Today it is an independent company with strategic investments from Nasdaq, Allen & Company, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Citi, DRW Venture Capital, Goldman Sachs, HiJoJo Partners, Morgan Stanley, UBS, and Wells Fargo. Learn more at www.nasdaqprivatemarket.com . Visit LinkedIn and X for the latest company news. Media Contacts Nasdaq Private Market Amanda Gold Chief Marketing Officer Amanda.Gold@npm.com Disclosures and Disclaimers NPM is not: (a) a registered exchange under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; (b) a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; or (c) a financial or tax planner and does not offer legal or financial advice to any user of the NPM website or its services. Securities-related services are offered through NPM Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer and alternative trading system, and member FINRA/SIPC. Transactions in securities conducted through NPM Securities, LLC are not listed or traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, nor are the securities subject to the same listing or qualification standards applicable to securities listed or traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. Please read these other important disclosures and disclaimers about NPM found here: https://www.nasdaqprivatemarket.com/disclosures-disclaimer/

Winter season officially begins in Saudi Arabia, lasting 89 days

Marine engineers and Naval architects under the auspices of Nigerian Institution of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (NIMENA) have said that Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure need $1 billion upgrade. The Marine engineers and Naval architects, who converged for 13th Annual Conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, noted that going by increasing decay and infrastructure deficits in the maritime sector, $1 billion would be required to bridge the gap in the maritime sector. While identifying inadequate power supply, steel production, and financial support as the bane of development in maritime industry, NIMENA added that banks’ refusal to accept vessels as collateral due to their classification as movable assets further compounded problems in the sector. Speaking through a communiqué, NIMENA lamented dormancy of Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) and lack of funds to acquire vessels and compete with foreign vessel owners. They also worried about the waiver system which allows the Minister of Transportation to issue waiver to foreign vessels to do what Nigerian vessels ought to do, just because Nigerian maritime operators do not have the vessel. Read also: Indigenous ship acquisition hindrances, vessel financing crisis, reecho at marine engineers summit The stakeholders noted the problems of maritime industry and the blue economy on how limited access to capital hampering indigenous operators and minimal disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financial Fund (CVFF). On maritime safety compliance, NIMENA said with over 90% of global trade reliance on maritime transport, safety standards are paramount for safeguarding lives and the environment. The Body of Marine engineers and Naval architects called for stengthening certifications and standards to drive professionalism, enhance safety, and stimulate economic development. Delivering a keynote address, Andrew Aligbe, a Marine Engineer and Managing Director of Gelose Marine Services Limited, dwelt on the Cabotage Act and the Role of Waivers in Advancing the Maritime Industry; He mentioned Technological Innovations in Naval Architecture; Maritime Safety Compliance; Establishing Marine Classification Standards for Shipbuilding; and Welding Standards and Regulations in Maritime Engineering as part of variables needed for a robust development in the maritime industry.

Investors have been enamored with artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. Quantum computing stocks may be next. Companies such as Quantum Computing Inc. ( QUBT 16.38% ) , IonQ ( IONQ 17.64% ) , and Rigetti Computing ( RGTI 25.43% ) are up big in the last few months. Investors are betting on these quantum computing companies as the technology hits the mainstream again, with recent breakthroughs from Alphabet 's research division. If commercialized, quantum computing could disrupt just about every industry in the world, but especially cloud computing, making it a technology potentially on par with the recent developments in AI. Should you buy quantum computing stocks like Rigetti and IonQ in 2025? Let's dig in further and find out. Betting on technological breakthroughs Quantum computing has the chance to disrupt many parts of the economy. But why? Simply put, quantum computers can offer a steep change in the complexity of problems that can be solved with computers. By using the uncertainty of quantum mechanics, the computers operate differently than traditional transistor-based systems, allowing a user to figure out problems instantly that would take a traditional supercomputer years. The technology promises to help a wide range of industries, from self-driving cars and agriculture to physics simulation and drug discovery. The problem is getting these computers to work reliably. With hypersensitive quantum bits -- otherwise called Qubits -- that can get disrupted by the outside environment and introduce errors in the computing process, quantum computers have remained small for the time being and in the early stage research process. Recently, researchers have made progress in this area. For example, Alphabet's quantum computing division came out with a new quantum computer chip called Willow that reduces the errors in the quantum system as it scales up. Other companies are working hard to solve these issues, including Rigetti Computing, IonQ, and Quantum Computing Inc. All three of these stocks are up hundreds of percents or more in the last few months. Quantum Computing Inc. is up over 4,000% in the last six months, bringing in some incredible returns for shareholders this year. Big losses, high valuations Investors are falling over themselves with these quantum computing growth stocks. However, if we look under the hood, the financials are not pretty. IonQ generated $37.5 million in revenue over the last 12 months, with a $171 million net loss. Rigetti generates just $12 million in revenue and loses $60 million a year. Quantum Computing Inc. is even worse, generating less than $1 million in annual revenue and losing $23 million a year. All three of these stocks now have market caps in the billions and a price-to-sales ratio ( P/S) above 100. Bulls and management may argue that the stocks reflect the future potential of these companies. If quantum computing is solved, revenue and earnings for some of these businesses will soar. That's a big caveat, though -- "if" quantum computing can be brought to the masses. Who is to say it will ever happen, or if it will occur within the next few years? QUBT PS Ratio data by YCharts. Should you buy quantum computing stocks? I have no qualms with investors betting on an emerging sector. There was a lot of money to be made from the AI boom of the last few years, and it likely will be in the future. There is a difference between AI and quantum computing: Companies have already figured out how to bring AI tools to the individual and to businesses through software. It is still unclear whether progress in quantum computing will get far enough to make the technology mainstream. If it does, who is to say what companies will be the ones to do it? They could be the three hot stocks listed above, but it could also be Alphabet with its vast resources and unlimited budget, or a new company. Expectations for these stocks have soared, making it even more difficult to rationalize where they trade. These are companies with barely any revenue that have market caps in the billions. The numbers don't make sense. An unproven technology in the early stages, uncertainty around who the winning company will be, and nosebleed valuations: These are not the characteristics that indicate strong future returns for shareholders. Avoid buying quantum computing stocks for your portfolio in 2025.

A wild first season of the expanded Big 12 is down to what should be a chaotic final weekend. Through all the upsets, unexpected rises and falls, there are nine teams still in the mix to play in the conference championship game. No. 14 Arizona State and No. 17 Iowa State have the best odds, yet a multitude of scenarios could play out — 256 to be exact. There's even the possibility of an eight-team tie. It may take a mathematician to figure out which teams are in the Dec. 7 game in Arlington, Texas — even for the ones who win. Travis Hunter, Colorado. The Buffaloes' two-way star has excelled on both sides of the field, making him one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Cam Skattebo, Arizona State. The senior running back can do a little of everything, but excels at punishing would-be tacklers. He's one of the nation's leaders in yards after contact and the focal point of the Sun Devils' offense. Shadeur Sanders, Colorado. If it weren't for Hunter, Sanders might be the Heisman favorite. The son of coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur is fifth nationally with 3,488 yards passing and has been a big part of the Buffaloes' turnaround. DJ Giddens, Kansas State. The Wildcats' running back is one of the nation's most versatile players. He is ninth nationally with 1,271 rushing yards and has added 21 receptions for 258 yards. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona. The Wildcats have struggled this season, but McMillan has not. He is third nationally with 1,251 receiving yards with seven touchdowns on 78 catches. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders' junior linebacker leads the Big 12 with 68 tackles, averaging 10.2 per game. He also has four sacks. Brendan Mott, Kansas State. He's a menace to opposing quarterbacks, leading the Big 12 with 8 1/2 sacks. The Big 12 has nine teams already bowl eligible and two more a win away. The winner of the Big 12 championship game will be in the mix for a College Football Playoff spot. Arizona State, Iowa State, No. 19 BYU, Colorado, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia have already clinched bowl berths. Kansas and Cincinnati can get into the postseason with wins this weekend. Gus Malzahn, UCF. Despite successes in recruiting, the Knights are 10-14 in two seasons since moving to the Big 12. Maybe not enough to get shown the door this year, but another mediocre season could lead UCF to make a change. Kyle Whittingham, Utah. Whittingham was one of the Pac-12's best coaches, leading the Utes to consecutive conference titles. Utah was expected to contend for the Big 12 title its first year in the league, but enters the final weekend 1-7 in conference play, which could push Whittingham toward retirement since it's doubtful he'd be fired. Neal Brown, West Virginia. The Mountaineers' coach was in a precarious spot at the end of last season and West Virginia hasn't lived up to expectations this season. The Mountaineers are eligible to go to a bowl game for the second straight season, but Brown could be on the hot seat even after signing a contract extension before the season. Josiah Trotter, West Virginia. The redshirt freshman is the latest Trotter to have success at the linebacker position, following the footsteps of his father, former Philadelphia Eagles player Jeremiah Trotter, and brother Jeremiah Trotter Jr., a current Eagles linebacker. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State. The Michigan State transfer has been just what the Sun Devils' needed: an agile quarterback who extends plays with his legs and rarely makes bad decisions. Bryson Washington, Baylor. The Bears' running back has rushed for 812 yards — 196 against TCU — and 10 TDs. TCU has the Big 12's highest rated 2025 recruiting class with six four-star players among 26 commitments, according to the 247 Sports composite. Receiver Terry Shelton of Carrollton, Texas, is the highest-rated recruit at 71st nationally. Baylor is next with five five-star players among its 20 commitments, including running back Michael Turner, rated 13th at his position out of North Richland Hills, Texas. Texas Tech is ranked seventh in the Big 12, but has four four-star recruits. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

DEI Made the Democratic Party Less Diverse | Opinion

3 panauhan Detroit-area library says Chicago man can keep overdue baseball book — 50 years laterLooking ahead, China's foreign trade is expected to continue its upward trajectory in the coming months. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of global trade, and China is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend. E-commerce, cross-border e-commerce, and other forms of digital trade are likely to play an increasingly important role in China's foreign trade in the future.

The presence of the gourd in the promotional photos sparked a wave of speculation and curiosity among fans. Some speculated that the gourd could be a reference to one of the iconic weapons or symbols associated with the Monkey King in Chinese folklore. Others speculated that it could be a nod to a specific element or power in the game itself. Whatever the significance of the gourd may be, it added an extra layer of mystery and allure to the already captivating collaboration.

Hao Shuai, a legend in the world of table tennis, has long been admired for his precision, agility, and strategic prowess. Despite his age and the emergence of a new generation of talented players, he continues to prove that he still possesses the competitive spirit and determination that made him a champion in his prime.Human Rights Day is observed annually on December 10th around the world. It marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), one of the most groundbreaking global pledges in history. This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights to which every person is entitled, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. “The Universal Declaration shows the way to common values and approaches that can help resolve tensions and create the security and stability our world craves,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Human rights empower individuals and communities to build a better tomorrow. By embracing the full power of human rights as the path to the world we desire, we can become more peaceful, equal, and sustainable. This year’s theme, “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now”, is a call to recognize the importance and relevance of human rights in our daily lives. In Myanmar, the constitutional framework — specifically Sections 347, 348, and 349 — serves as a bulwark in safeguarding the fundamental rights of its citizens. This commitment ensures that all Myanmar citizens not only have the right to enjoy fundamental freedoms but are also bound by the responsibility not to infringe upon the rights of others, regardless of the circumstances. The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, in line with its mandate, is actively promoting and protecting human rights. As part of this effort, it has translated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into Myanmar and 21 indigenous languages. The Declaration has also been printed as posters and made into animated films for distribution. These initiatives aim to raise awareness and understanding of human rights among indigenous communities. The National Human Rights Commission Law was enacted by the Union Parliament on 28 March 2014, as Law No 21. Subsequently, the MNHRC was established in accordance with this law, marking the first such commission in Myanmar’s history. Although the commission was initially established on 5 September 2011, through Notification 34/2011, it was restructured under the law on 24 September 2014. In line with the objectives set forth in the Commission Law, efforts to establish a human rights organization that upholds and protects human rights are being carried out. These efforts include safeguarding human rights, investigating violations, and implementing relevant recommendations. Furthermore, the Commission conducts inspections and audits of prisons, detention centres, lock-ups, and holding facilities. Based on its findings, the Commission submits pertinent recommendations to the appropriate government departments.

The outcome of this case has further highlighted the deep-rooted divisions within society when it comes to issues of law enforcement, racial justice, and civil liberties. The debate over police and military conduct during protests and demonstrations is far from over, with calls for reform and accountability continuing to grow louder.Professional societies have a responsibility to maintain rigorous admission standards to ensure that their members are truly dedicated to the advancement of the profession and committed to upholding the values and ethics of the society. By prioritizing quality over quantity, these societies can foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration that benefits both their members and the broader community.

One of the biggest challenges the former host has faced in this new role is the requirement to truly inhabit a character. While hosting often requires a certain level of persona and charisma, acting demands a deeper level of emotional connection and authenticity. The actor must delve into the inner workings of their character, exploring their motivations, fears, and desires in order to portray them convincingly on stage.Herbert tosses 3 TD passes and Chargers secure a playoff spot with a 40-7 rout of Patriots FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Justin Herbert threw three touchdown passes and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their second playoff appearance in three seasons with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots. The win also secured the fourth postseason appearance in Jim Harbaugh’s five seasons as an NFL coach, adding to the three he made during his stint with tAshe San Francisco 49ers. Herbert finished 26 of 38 for 281 yards to become the third player in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes in each of his first five seasons. The Patriots have lost six straight games, their second such losing streak of the season. They are now 2-14 the last two seasons at home. Dallas' Naji Marshall gets 4-game suspension, Phoenix's Jusuf Nurkic is banned 3 games for fight The NBA has suspended Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall for four games and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic for three games for their roles in an on-court fight during Friday night’s game. Dallas forward P.J. Washington was suspended for one game. All of the suspensions are without pay. Nurkic was called for an offensive foul while being guarded by Daniel Gafford with 9:02 left in the third quarter before the altercation quickly escalated. Nurkic confronted Marshall before taking an open-handed swing at his head and then Marshall responded with a punch. Washington quickly shoved Nurkic to the ground before the teams were separated. The NBA said Marshall “attempted to further engage Nurkic in a hostile manner in the corridor outside the locker rooms.” Shohei Ohtani to become a father for the 1st time in 2025 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is adding a newcomer to his family lineup. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar has posted on his Instagram account that he and wife Mamiko Tanaka are expecting a baby in 2025. The photo shows the couple's beloved dog, Decoy, as well as a pink ruffled onesie along with baby shoes and a sonogram that is covered by a baby emoji. Ohtani announced in February that he had married Tanaka, a former professional basketball player from his native Japan. The news from the intensely private player stunned Ohtani's teammates and his fans. Eli Manning and Antonio Gates are among the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, and prolific tight end Antonio Gates are among the finalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The Hall on Saturday announced the names of the 15 modern-era finalists who advanced from a group of 25 to the final stage of voting. The selection committee will vote next month to pick the class of between three and five modern-era players that will be announced the week of the Super Bowl. Georgia QB Carson Beck announces plan to enter NFL draft after season-ending elbow injury Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has announced his plans to enter the NFL draft, five days after having season-ending elbow surgery. The fifth-year senior made his NFL plans official on social media. Beck suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 7. Beck had surgery on Monday to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. He is expected to begin throwing next spring. Backup Gunner Stockton will make his first start in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame on Wednesday. Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. And people began showing up almost immediately. Mavs star Luka Doncic is latest pro athlete whose home was burglarized, business manager says DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized. The star guard’s business manager tells multiple media outlets there was a break-in at Doncic’s home Friday night. Lara Beth Seager says nobody was home, and Doncic filed a police report. The Dallas Morning News reports that jewelry valued at about $30,000 was stolen. Doncic is the sixth known pro athlete in the U.S. whose home was burglarized since October. Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati are among them. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to players over the break-ins. Panthers place 1,000-yard rusher Chuba Hubbard on IR for final 2 games with strained calf CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have shut down leading rusher Chuba Hubbard for the final two games of the season because of a strained calf. He was placed on injured reserve Saturday. Hubbard was limited in practice Friday with a knee injury and was listed as questionable to play Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After practice, Hubbard complained of pain and had an MRI, which revealed a grade two calf strain, according to the team. Hubbard ran for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. He becomes the third Panthers running back to be placed on injured reserve this season, joining Miles Sanders and rookie Jonathan Brooks. Corbin Burnes and Arizona Diamondbacks agree to $210 million, 6-year deal, AP source says PHOENIX (AP) — Corbin Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a successful physical. The 30-year-old Burnes was perhaps the top free agent pitcher on the market after going 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA for Baltimore last season. The Orioles acquired the right-hander in a February trade after he spent his first six major league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. Miami's Cam Ward sets NCAA's Division I record with 156th career touchdown pass ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward has made NCAA history in his final college game. The Miami quarterback has thrown a record-setting 156th touchdown pass of his college career, connecting with Jacolby George for a 4-yard score with 4:12 left in the first quarter of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. That’s the Division I — FBS and FCS — record, one more than Houston’s Case Keenum threw for from 2007 through 2011. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In conclusion, Omdia's forecast of small and medium-sized OLED shipments surpassing 1 billion units in 2025 underscores the industry's optimistic outlook and the increasing significance of OLED technology in the display market. With ongoing advancements in OLED technology and the expanding adoption of OLED displays across multiple industries, the future looks bright for small and medium-sized OLED displays as they continue to redefine visual experiences in a wide range of electronic devices.

Months of meticulous planning and painstaking preparations had led to this moment, sparking excitement and anticipation amongst the team behind the scenes. As the clock struck twelve, the server was officially brought online, signaling the beginning of a new era in the digital realm.

As the investigation into the alleged cabbage scam continues, it is essential for all stakeholders to remain vigilant and uphold the principles of honesty, integrity, and responsibility in agricultural practices. Trust is paramount in ensuring the sustainability and credibility of government support programs, and any breach of that trust undermines the foundation of cooperation between farmers and policymakers.Barry Jenkins truly is a miracle worker. The Oscar-winning director of the intimate indie “Moonlight,” the romantic period drama “If Beale Street Could Talk” and the Amazon series “The Underground Railroad” isn’t the first filmmaker who comes to mind to tackle the prequel to Jon Favreau’s poorly received 2019 remake of the beloved animated feature “The Lion King.” And yet, somehow, Jenkins and his creative team — including his longtime collaborators, cinematographer James Laxton and editor Joi McMillon — make magic with “Mufasa: The Lion King,” offering up a visually dazzling and emotionally affecting coming-of-age story about Simba’s father, whose death traumatized an entire generation of kids in 1994. There were elements of the 2019 “The Lion King” that were traumatizing too, having to do with the conceit of transposing this familiar story (“Hamlet” for kids) onto photorealistic animals, who then sang. It’s simply not right for a startlingly lifelike, digitally conjured apex predator to open their jaws and belt out a Broadway-style tune, though French philosopher Jean Baudrillard would certainly have had a field day with the horrific apparition. That mental hurdle still presents as an obstacle in “Mufasa,” as we’re jarred into the reality of this cinematic world where stunningly accurate representations of African wildlife speak — nay, elocute — and of course, sing (songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda). It’s a long leap to make, but it’s a testament to the absorbing story and soaringly gorgeous and beautifully staged visuals that the leap isn’t so difficult to land. The script is also by 2019 “The Lion King” writer Jeff Nathanson, but liberated from penning a line-for-line remake of the original, he is able to imagine the story of how Mufasa and Scar became brothers, and then how they became enemies. We’re plunged into the action right away, so there’s not much time to dwell on the speaking or the singing, as we keep up with the harrowing journey of the tiny lion cub Mufasa (Braelyn Rankins; Aaron Pierre voices the grown Mufasa). Mufasa’s coming of age is framed by Rafiki (John Kani), the mystical mandarin, imparting the tale to Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), the cub of Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter). Much like the other blockbuster fantasy film of this fall, it’s the story of how two famous enemies were once friends, or in this case, brothers. A young Mufasa is separated from his parents in a great flood, and is rescued by young lion Taka (Theo Somolu; later, Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and his mother, Eshe (Thandiwe Newton). As a stray, Mufasa is not accepted by Obasi (Lennie James), their pride’s king, so he is trained to hunt with the lionesses, while Taka is groomed to take over his royal birthright, though the young cubs quickly become brothers. Their pride’s uneasy harmony is disrupted when an invading pride of menacing white lions, led by Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen) begins to stalk and hunt them, seeking revenge for a young prince killed in combat. So begins Mufasa’s journey to his destiny, which he never imagined, and to his rift with his brother, fueled by jealousy and bitterness. What Jenkins does so well with Nathanson’s script is make it emotionally palpable to an audience, with an intense focus on the faces of the lions. The technology allows for nuanced micro-expressions in the brows and eyes, while incorporating the animal behaviors that big cats use to communicate: nuzzling, swatting, clawing, caressing. We’re able to connect with these animal characters during their harrowing adventure, and relate to the entire range of emotions along the way. There are smaller moments and big betrayals, and elements that make the story much more human and compelling in terms of the love triangles and double-crosses; the disappointments and the grief; the triumph and the joy. And like the other big blockbuster musical of the fall, it’s a story about standing together to fight tyranny. This may feel a bit deflating (and even dated) in light of recent national events, but the message of uniting to fight each other’s battles because the next one could be ours could not be more bracing and potent, even if it feels already defeated in times like these. But the true message of “Mufasa” is to never doubt Jenkins, even when he makes a choice that seems outside of his wheelhouse. As a kid, he said he watched “The Lion King” at least 150 times. He knows the characters and the story intimately, and in “Mufasa,” he expands the scope and range of this world, offering up a story that exists in the realm of “The Lion King” but doesn’t retread on old material (or desecrate it). Let’s pretend that the 2019 version never existed, because “Mufasa: The Lion King,” is the boundary-pushing prequel that the beloved original film deserves. ‘MUFASA: THE LION KING’ 3 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: PG (for action/violence, peril and some thematic elements) Running time: 2:00 How to watch: In theatersTitle: Evan Kyle's Love Affair with Chinese Cuisine: A Culinary Exploration on His Travels

In conclusion, the A-share market experienced a mixed morning trading session characterized by high opening levels, subsequent pullbacks, and sustained downward pressure on the three major indexes. While early optimism fueled by positive external factors initially drove the market higher, concerns over profit-taking and market uncertainties led to a reversal in the trend. Investors are advised to exercise caution and stay informed about the evolving market dynamics to navigate through the challenges and opportunities ahead.Ghana opposition leader Mahama officially wins electionSarah, who had initially been captivated by Max's charismatic demeanor, now found herself torn between empathy and skepticism. On one hand, she admired Max's ambition and determination to succeed as a graduate student. On the other hand, she could not ignore the nagging feeling that something about his story did not quite add up.

Can Trump persuade the Supreme Court to stand aside so he can solve the TikTok problem?Chandigarh: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against eight people, including four officials, three contractors, and their associates, for alleged manipulation in awarding a tender for outsourcing manpower by Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) 16 years ago. The FIR was filed on the recommendation of a DSP-level officer posted in the Gurugram bureau, who conducted a preliminary investigation into the allegations against former power minister Randeep Singh Surjewala . However, Surjewala’s name was referred for the probe only and is neither in list of accused nor in any observation made by the officer in his report while recommending the registration of case under sections 13 (1 and 2) and 13 D of Prevention of Corruption Act and section 12 0B of IPC. Other accused named in the case include Sumer Singh Yadav, now retired superintending engineer, operations circle, DHBVN Gurugram, two former DGMs, V K Aggarwal and Daljit Singh, and Ashok Mehta, former accountant, DHBVN. The accused contractors are Ajay Singh Sandhu and Ishwar Singh Nain, the owner and partners of Sandhu Security Services, and unidentified persons. The cause of action dates back to April 2021 when, acting on a complaint moved by Sandhu, the ACB began the probe, with one of the seven points of the complaint linked to DHBVN, Gurugram. Acting on the report of then-investigation officer, the bureau tasked the DSP-level officer in Gurugram to head the probe. Sandhu is also one of the accused in the case. The issue relates to outsourcing work for the contractual employment of 156 assistant linemen and 12 shift attendants to be attached to DHBVN’s operation circle in Gurugram. For this purpose, the DHBVN called for bids by floating the tender for hiring the manpower in 2009. The tender was awarded to Sandhu Security Services allegedly in violation of terms in the contract. We also published the following articles recently ACB to probe corruption charges against CRDA officials The Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) commissioner in Vijayawada ordered a corruption probe following complaints from Amaravati farmers about bribery and delays in plot registrations. One data entry operator was fired after a video surfaced of him soliciting a bribe. Despite additional staff, registration processing remained slow, fueling allegations of deliberate delays and demands for bribes by CRDA officials. Tender scam: Discharge pleas of accused rejected A Ranchi court rejected discharge pleas from two defendants, Ram Prakash Bhatia and Neeraj Mittal, accused of laundering Rs 4.5 crore in a rural development tender fraud case. This follows the rejection of all other discharge petitions in the case involving former minister Alamgir Alam and ex-chief engineer Veerendra Ram. Hema report: Probe into SIT-filed cases in limbo Kerala police face a dilemma investigating 35 FIRs stemming from the Hema Committee report on film industry sexual harassment. Victims are hesitant to cooperate, hindering progress despite a special investigation team's efforts. The cases, dating back to the early 2000s, lack sufficient evidence beyond victim statements. Actor Mala Parvathy challenges the probe in the Supreme Court, citing harassment. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

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Ryan Clark tears up in emotional tribute to 'superhuman' Randy Moss amid major health scare READ MORE: Tom Brady's heartfelt message to Randy Moss amid health scare By LEOCCIANO CALLAO Published: 20:30, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 20:58, 13 December 2024 e-mail 11 shares View comments ESPN's Ryan Clark had watery eyes as he extended his thoughts to Randy Moss and his family amid the legendary wide receiver's health scare. Earlier in December, Moss rallied fans in prayer on social media after revealing he had been 'battling something internally'. The remarks came as he explained why he wore sunglasses during Sunday NFL Countdown. Viewers also noticed Moss' eyes appearing yellow during an airing of the program, leading to him making a public statement without revealing what he is dealing with. Speaking on The Pivot podcast, Clark paid a heartfelt tribute to his fellow football analyst and revealed that he had reached out to Moss following the news. 'My prayers are with them. I reached out to Randy... I mean, just to check in,' Clark said. 'Not so he replies or to be in his business. 'But I would hope if I'm going through something, that I have at least made public that I'm going through something, that people who cared about me would reach out to say they care,' he added. Randy Moss is a hero to many. He was a tall, lean, ultimately talented, speed receiver from Rand, West Virginia with Super Human skill! He was no bigger hero to anyone than his son Thaddeus & his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as he takes time to get his health... pic.twitter.com/ZU4sJfvvW0 — Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) December 13, 2024 Ryan Clark paid a heartfelt tribute to Randy Moss following news of his ongoing health scare Read More ESPN analysts pay emotional tribute to Randy Moss at start of NFL Countdown 'Would reach out to say that 'I heard your call for prayers and as a prayer warrior myself, I'm joining you in reaching out to God for help.'' Clark then cited how much he looked up to his father and the strength he found in him, despite not being 'superhuman' like Moss. 'I can only think about my dad,' Clark shared. 'I remember being a little kid and I was about to fight this kid down the street. His dad was outside egging me on, teasing me. Because my mom was down there and she didn't want me to fight. ' 'And I remember saying 'You wouldn't say that to my dad.' I remember being so brave because my pops would whip him,' he continued. 'I didn't know if he could but he was my dad. And my dad wasn't one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.' 'I couldn't imagine having Randy Moss as my dad and believing that he is superhuman, and being blessed with all of these traits that mere mortals aren't blessed with... then having to be faced with his mortality. That would be very hard for me.' Clark also addressed how Larry Fitzgerald Sr. and Brett Favre disclosed Moss' supposed condition. 'Whether I knew what was wrong with him or we knew what's wrong with him or not, I would be so protective of him, I would want that to be his to disclose,' Clark said. In a video posted on Instagram, Moss said: 'Throughout the week of the holidays, your boy has been battling something internal. Last week, fans were concerned for Moss as they saw his eyes appearing yellow on TV Moss was wearing sunglasses on NFL Countdown due to an 'internal' health issue 'I just ask for all the prayer warriors to put their blessings on me and my family in these hard times. 'People were asking about my eyes last week. If you see these on in Sunday NFL Countdown (puts on glasses) Adam Schefter calls them the Michigan turnover glasses that they sent from Ohio last night. 'Your boy is going to get through it. I got a great team of doctors, and I got a great family around me. On December 6, ESPN announced that Moss stepped away from his duties with the network to deal with his condition. 'So many times, we were just taught to go through everything and be strong and be tough,' Clark said. 'But we can't beat it all. And time waits on no man. And Father Time is undefeated.' 'From my family to my Pivot family, Randy, we love you. You are, to many of us, superhuman and a superhero - I know for your family, for sure. Our prayers are definitely with y'all.' Across his career, Moss led the NFL in receiving touchdowns five times - including in 2007 when he set the all-time record for touchdown catches in a season. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame in 2018, and was named to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team and the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Share or comment on this article: Ryan Clark tears up in emotional tribute to 'superhuman' Randy Moss amid major health scare e-mail 11 shares Add comment( MENAFN - The Rio Times) Rwanda has officially declared its ambition to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, a significant move for the country in the realm of international sports. President Paul Kagame announced this during the FIA General Assembly in Kigali, thanking F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali for their ongoing discussions. This bid comes after a long absence of Formula 1 in Africa, with the last race held in South Africa in 1993. Rwanda aims to change this narrative and leverage the potential economic benefits of hosting such a prestigious event. An F1 race could draw thousands of international visitors, boosting local businesses in hospitality and services. This influx may lead to increased tourism and foreign investment, vital for Rwanda's economic growth. The country has already seen successes through its "Visit Rwanda" campaign. It increased tourism revenue by 36% in 2023, totaling $636 million. Collaborations with major sports teams like Arsenal FC and PSG have also enhanced Rwanda 's global image. However, the path to hosting an F1 race is fraught with challenges. Analysts estimate that building a new Grand Prix track could cost around $270 million, not including additional infrastructure expenses such as grandstands and safety measures. Economic Implications and Regional Competition The annual maintenance budget could reach $18.5 million. Financial feasibility is a critical concern. Hosting fees paid to Liberty Media can range from $15 million to over $50 million per race. Most revenues from sponsorships and broadcasting rights go directly to Liberty Media. This leaves local track owners with limited financial returns. Rwanda faces competition from South Africa and Morocco, both of which are also interested in hosting rights. South Africa had been in talks for a return but encountered political setbacks. Morocco has hosted F1 events before but lacks recent activity. Support from figures like Lewis Hamilton bolsters Rwanda's bid. Hamilton has publicly endorsed bringing F1 to Africa, highlighting the potential benefits for tourism and global recognition. Rwanda's pursuit of an F1 Grand Prix is more than just a sporting event; it represents a strategic effort for economic transformation. While significant challenges remain, the potential rewards make this initiative noteworthy. As discussions progress between Rwandan officials and F1 executives, Kigali stands at a pivotal moment that could redefine its role in global sports and set a precedent for future events across Africa. MENAFN13122024007421016031ID1108991727 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. The company filed in documents in Federal Court in Vancouver on Thursday. The government ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business in November after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform. That means TikTok must "wind down" its operations in Canada, though the app will continue to be available to Canadians. TikTok wants the court to overturn the government’s order and to place a pause on the order while the court hears the case. It is claiming the minister's decision was "unreasonable" and "driven by improper purposes." The review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to harm national security. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement at the time the government was taking action to address "specific national security risks," though it didn’t specify what those risks were. TikTok’s filing says Champagne "failed to engage with TikTok Canada on the purported substance of the concerns that led to the (order.)" The company argues the government ordered "measures that bear no rational connection to the national security risks it identifies." It says the reasons for the order "are unintelligible, fail to reveal a rational chain of analysis and are rife with logical fallacies." The company's law firm, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, declined to comment, while Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the order would "eliminate the jobs and livelihoods of our hundreds of dedicated local employees — who support the community of more than 14 million monthly Canadian users on TikTok, including businesses, advertisers, creators and initiatives developed especially for Canada." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. Darryl Greer and Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press

Hammer and axe-wielding suspect wanted over attempted pub ATM cash snatchWASHINGTON – Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump. Recommended Videos Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday that those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column. Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon's DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. “You will drive people out,” Hagel said. “It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything — it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization." The list, which was first reported by The New York Post, includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines. One female Navy officer was named because she gave a speech at a 2015 Women’s Equality Day event, where she noted that 80% of Congress is male, which affects what bills move forward. The officer also was targeted because she said “diversity is our strength.” The phrase is a widely distributed talking point that officers across the Pentagon have used for years to talk about the importance of having a military that reflects different educational, geographic, economic, gender and racial backgrounds in the country. An Air Force colonel, who is white, was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following the death of George Floyd, saying, “Dear white colonel, we must address our blind spots about race.” A female Air Force officer was targeted because of “multiple woke posts” on her X feed, including a tweet about LGBTQ rights, one about “whiteness” and another about honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on a stamp. Another female Air Force officer was on the list because she “served as a panelist for a diversity, equity and inclusion” discussion in 2021. The list names an Army officer who traveled to 14 historically Black colleges to expand the military’s intelligence recruitment efforts, and an Air Force officer partly because he co-chairs the Asian-Pacific Islander subgroup of the service’s diversity task force. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” But in an interview Wednesday for Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM satellite radio show, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a “warfighter” who would clean out the “woke crap.” Hegseth got a boost Friday from Trump, who posted on his social media site that Hegseth “will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president-elect added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Jones told the AP in June that his American Accountability Foundation was investigating scores of federal employees suspected of being hostile to Trump's policies. The work aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s far-reaching Project 2025 blueprint for a conservative administration. A letter Jones sent to Hegseth containing the list, dated Tuesday, says “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” The letter points to tensions with Iran, Russia and China and says “we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Our nation’s security is at stake.” Conservatives view the federal workforce as overstepping its role to become a power center that can drive or thwart a president’s agenda. During the first Trump administration, government officials came under attack from the White House and congressional Republicans, as Trump's own Cabinet often raised objections to some of his more singular or even unlawful proposals. ___ AP writer Courtney Bonnell contributed from Washington.Is it possible for cats to get bird flu? Popular pet food brand issues emergency recall

Issues Sri Lanka should take up with New DelhiR emember the old story, perhaps apocryphal, that upon first encountering cameras, some native Americans refused to pose for photographs, fearing their souls might be stolen? The other day I looked at social media and knew how they felt. Someone had recorded a film of me locked in passionate embrace with an attractive woman. With a feeling of queasy surreality, I watched myself swoop in for a kiss. It was me, all right — my face, my hair and even my shirt. Except it wasn’t. For this was a deepfake: a digitally generated film of something that never took place, designed with the help of AI to look convincing. And it was on the internet, where others could see it too. In a promo released this week, the Instagram head Adam Mosseri, sporting a number of rapidly changing outfits, against multiple backdrops, described how the platform would soon be introducing AI tools “to help realise your ideas” and “do anything you want with your videos”. Emphasising the point, in one frame a hyperrealistic hippo lounged about in a swimming pool behind him.WASHINGTON , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's audio storytelling reached new frontiers in 2024, with Spotify Wrapped revealing the agency's podcasts as a favorite among listeners worldwide. In celebration of the milestone, NASA astronaut Nick Hague spoke with Spotify about what space sounded like this year. "Music is one of those things that connects us to the planet," said Hague, in the video released on Spotify and NASA social accounts . "Music is a vital part of life up here. The soundtrack up here, it's just going all the time. Everybody's got their own flavor of music. Every Friday night the crew gets together, we turn on music and we stream things that we like. Whether they're into pop or hard rock, it's an international mix. When I think of space walks, I think of classical music, slow, methodical tunes, because that is the way that we conduct spacewalks. Slowly and methodically. Classical music captures the essence of, just floating in space." With listeners in more than 100 countries, NASA podcasts reached new audiences and inspired people around the world on Spotify this year. Other 2024 highlights included: Ranked as a top choice for thousands of listeners seeking to learn about science and space. Spent a combined 37 weeks in Spotify's top charts for science podcasts. The top streamed podcast was "NASA's Curious Universe", and the top streamed episode was "A Year in Mars Dune Alpha" "We're thrilled to have our space-centric content featured in Spotify Wrapped 2024," said Brittany Brown , director of digital communications, NASA Headquarters in Washington . "Our collaboration with Spotify is a testament to NASA's commitment to producing innovative and engaging content. We're excited to see how audiences continue to respond to this unique listening experience only NASA can provide." The agency's podcasts cover a wide range of topics, including in-depth conversations with NASA astronauts, stories that take audiences on a tour of the galaxy, and Spanish-language content. "Music, just like space, connects us all," said Katie Konans , audio program lead, eMITS contract with NASA. "Our partnership with Spotify has allowed NASA to share the wonder and excitement of space with music and podcast lovers globally. This year, we're thrilled to take this connection to new heights by bringing the Spotify Wrapped 2024 conversation beyond planet Earth." NASA released its collection of original podcasts on Spotify in 2023, furthering the agency's mission to engage the Artemis Generation in the science, space exploration, and discovery. In addition to Spotify, users may find NASA podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Soundcloud. Discover all of NASA's podcasts at: https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/ SOURCE NASA

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Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouse ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggled with deputies and shouted while arriving for a court appearance in Pennsylvania a day after he was arrested at a McDonald’s and charged with murder. Luigi Nicholas Mangione emerged from a patrol car, spun toward reporters and shouted something partly unintelligible while deputies pushed him inside Tuesday. At the brief hearing, the defense lawyer informed the court that Mangione would not waive extradition to New York but instead wants a hearing on the issue. Mangione was denied bail. Brian Thompson, who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. From wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn Luigi Nicholas Mangione was apparently living a charmed one: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-od Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy.” Pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators are working to piece together why Mangione diverged from a path of seeming success to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. Key details about the man accused of killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO The 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO in New York City has appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday after a worker at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, notified police that he resembled the suspect in last Wednesday's killing of Brian Thompson. While being led into court to be arraigned Tuesday, Mangione shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” During the hearing in Hollidaysburg, Mangione was denied bail and his attorney said Mangione would not waive extradition. DA suggests unusual idea for halting Trump’s hush money case while upholding his conviction NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors are trying to preserve President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money conviction as he returns to office, and they're suggesting various ways forward. One novel notion is based on how some courts handle criminal cases when defendants die. In court papers made public on Tuesday, the Manhattan district attorney’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books. The proposals included freezing the case until he’s out of office, or agreeing that any future sentence wouldn’t include jail time. Another idea: closing the case with a notation that acknowledges his conviction but says that he was never sentenced and that his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. There's no immediate response from Trump's lawyers. Middle East latest: Israel bombs hundreds of sites across Syria as army pushes into border zone Israel says it bombed more than 350 military sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wave of strikes was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s stunning collapse. Israel also acknowledged its troops were pushing into a border buffer zone inside Syria, which was established after the 1973 Mideast war. However, Israel denied its forces were advancing Tuesday toward the Syrian capital of Damascus. Life in the capital was slowly returning to normal. People celebrated for a third day in a main square, and shops and banks reopened. Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they were also prime trolling opportunities. Throughout his first term in the White House and his recent campaign to return there, the Republican has dished out provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. Report on attempts to kill Trump urges Secret Service to limit protection of foreign leaders WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional task force looking into the assassination attempts against Donald Trump during his presidential campaign is recommending changes to the Secret Service. These include protecting fewer foreign leaders during the height of the election season and considering moving the agency out of the Department of Homeland Security. The 180-page report was released Tuesday. It constitutes one of the most detailed looks so far into the July 13 assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and a second one in Florida two months later. South Korea's ex-defense minister is formally arrested over brief imposition of martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's previous defense minister has been formally arrested over his alleged collusion with President Yoon Suk Yeol and others in imposing martial law last week. Kim Yong Hyun resigned last week and has been detained since Sunday. He is the first person arrested in the case. Prosecutors have up to 20 days to determine whether to indict him. A conviction on the charge of playing a key role in rebellion carries the maximum death sentence. Kim is accused of recommending martial law to Yoon and sending troops to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting on it. Homes burn as wind-driven wildfire prompts evacuations in Malibu, California MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of Southern California residents are under evacuation orders and warnings as firefighters battle a wind-driven wildfire in Malibu. The flames burned near seaside mansions and Pepperdine University, where students sheltering at the school’s library on Monday night watched as the blaze intensified. Officials on Tuesday said a “minimal number” of homes burned, but the exact amount wasn’t immediately known. More than 8,100 homes and other structures are under threat, including more than 2,000 where residents have been ordered to evacuate. Pepperdine University on Tuesday morning said the worst of the fire has pushed past campus. It was not immediately known how the blaze started. More beans and less red meat: Nutritionists weigh in on US dietary guidelines Americans should eat more beans, peas and lentils and cut back on red and processed meats and starchy vegetables. That's advice from a panel of expert nutritionists charged with counseling the U.S. government about the next edition of the dietary guidelines. The panel did not weigh in on the growing role of ultraprocessed foods that have been linked to health problems or alcohol use. But they did say people should continue to limit added sugars, sodium and saturated fat in pursuit of a healthy diet. Tuesday’s recommendations now go to federal officials, who will draft the final guidance set for release next year.The Pittsburgh Penguins were not happy with themselves Saturday after losing to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. Defenseman Erik Karlsson said the team wasn’t emotionally or physically engaged. Coach Mike Sullivan said the team talked about playing a simple game, but they weren’t good enough. For most of the game, the Penguins were obviously the better team. A good goal and a fluky bounce put New York within striking distance, but a diving clear by Cody Glass ended any threats in the final seconds as the Penguins beat New York 3-2 at PPG Paints Arena. Sunday was the reverse of Saturday. The Penguins showed some backbone and executed so many of the things they didn’t less than 24 hours earlier. They got back to the better hockey they were playing before the holiday break and are now 10-4-1 in their last 15. There was plenty to build on. Again. Play simply? Check. Play straight ahead and get to the net? Yep. Defend their own net? You betcha. “We just knew it had to be a good bounce-back game. It was a quick turnaround, and you can have all the excuses in the world that you’re tired and whatnot, but we didn’t do that,” Michael Bunting said. “I think we played a complete game. You know, they got (a) six-on-five goal, but I thought we defended hard and showed (well) tonight.” The Penguins lost all of those battles Saturday, especially around their own net. However, with a makeshift blue line on Sunday due to Kris Letang’s injury and the insertion of 26-year-old Nate Clurman making his NHL debut, there weren’t many frills to the Penguins game. And that helped. Tight defense. Net-front scoring, including a power play goal. Good goaltending. It’s a simple formula but difficult to execute. Yet the Penguins did so for their 10th win in 15 games, and get this–at the conclusion of the game, the Penguins vaulted into a playoff spot. No joke. “I mean, it’s important. Just the way we’ve played over the last month or so, I think we’ve given ourselves an opportunity to be back in the mix. We’re competing with a lot of teams, and we know we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Crosby said. “This is hopefully a position that we’re in for the rest of the year–competing, and that’s what it’s all about. So to be back in that spot compared to where we were a month ago, I think it’s important.” Oh, by the way, Crosby broke Mario Lemieux’s franchise record for most assists (again) in the first period when he set up Michael Bunting’s goal. For the most part, the Penguins maintained a better attitude with the lead than the score may have indicated. With a 1-0 lead in the second period, the Penguins ripped 20 shots at New York goalie Magnus Hogberg, who was making his first start since 2021. The team sagged late in the period, giving up a spate of shots on a power play and the subsequent even-strength time. Fortunately for the Penguins, Alex Nedeljkovic held his ground with a couple of sparklers, including a windmill glove save on Anthony Duclair later in the second period. The Penguins didn’t defend their lead in the third. They attacked again. In the first 12:59 of the third period, the Penguins outshot New York 11-3 until Anders Lee broke the shutout. And then Anders Lee scored when an errant shot hit him and caromed into the net at 16:10, but the Penguins clamped down. Penguins Xs and Os The Penguins didn’t cautiously establish neutral zone traffic in the first period; they set the tone with an aggressive forecheck attack. With multiple forecheckers in the zone, the Penguins struggled to generate dangerous puck possession while the New Yorkers buzzed around the net. The shots were 6-6 after 20 minutes, but the Penguins pressure buckled New York in the second period. The Penguins had a commanding 12-7 scoring chance advantage, which would have been much greater if not for New York’s late period flourish. The Penguins also held a 10-5 scoring chance advantage in the third period. Lest anyone thinks the Penguins tried to sit on the lead, that was not the case. In addition to the hard forecheck, the Penguins were not shy at the net. Michael Bunting and Evgeni Malkin were around the net for much of the game. The Penguins also defended well. As a double “Get This:” Erik Karlsson killed penalties and blocked shots. With 26-year-old Nate Clurman making his NHL debut, the Penguins made a conscious effort to keep the defending simple, too. Those ghastly sort-out problems of Saturday vanished. Penguins Grades Team: B+ It wasn’t their high-energy A game, but it was a hard-nosed, workman-like game. Of course, playing two games 22 hours apart took something out of both teams, but the Penguins were the better team. Alex Nedeljkovic: A The Penguins goalie cleaned up a couple of high-danger opportunities. The contest may have gone differently if Nedeljkovic hadn’t made a few key saves on the Islanders’ power plays–they had a few, and they pressed. His final tally was 28 saves on 30 shots, but New York’s second goal wasn’t really a shot as much as a perfect bounce. Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin: A Bunting was the best Penguins forward on Sunday. He was ever present and noticeable, a constant threat to score and a thorn in the Islanders’ defense. Malkin is flying. He was the second-best Penguins forward Saturday. Malkin isn’t trying anything fancy but instead playing the simplest game he’s ever played. He had a couple of steals by defending the Islanders’ breakouts, and he stayed between the dots. It’s different than vintage Malkin, but it’s a pretty good version. Erik Karlsson: A In a tough situation, he dug in and defended hard. This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.Nvidia Market Cap Plummets by $88.9 Billion Overnight Following Antitrust Investigation by Chinese Regulators

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff National Politics | Rudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke National Politics | Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration National Politics | Expecting challenges, blue states vow to create ‘firewall’ of abortion protections National Politics | Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.The news has sparked speculation about the direction in which Manchester United are heading. Without a sporting director in place, many believe that the club's transfer strategy and overall footballing structure could suffer. It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the team's performance on the pitch in the coming seasons.

Eddie Howe says ‘a lot more to come’ from Newcastle striker Alexander Isakag panaloko 。

Zonta Club of the Pikes Peak Area has participated in the international organization’s annual initiative, “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” for years. This year, the 35 members of the local club have gone big, said President Lisa Rice. The organization that helps women and girls succeed with various projects and scholarships considered buying a billboard to raise awareness about the worldwide issue of violence against women, in homes and public places. “We started with a billboard and ended with advertising on 12 bus benches and bus shelters to reach more people in Colorado Springs and get the message out,” Rice said. The message this year, and since 1991 when the campaign originated at the Women’s Global Leadership Institute coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership, is that violence against women and girls needs to be prevented and stopped. Local chapters do their part in different ways, Rice said. In addition to the bus stop promotion, the Pikes Peak Area chapter will raise awareness through social media and resource materials, she said. The campaign begins Monday and concludes on Dec. 10, however the bus stop messaging will continue through December, Rice said. The club paid $3,500 for the advertising and still has $1,500 to go toward the project. Donations can be made at zontapikespeak.org . About one in three women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organization. And on a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide, as per data from the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Domestic-violence hotlines see increases as the holidays approach, Rice said, likely because the time of year is stressful for many families. “We do feel like it’s having an impact locally because we hear from people, ‘Thank you for sharing resources and books so I can learn more’ and ‘Thank you for putting up signs,’” Rice said of the upcoming campaign. Zonta Club also provides scholarships totaling $8,000 to $12,000 annually in general areas of study as well as business, aerospace and technology. Resources are available to anyone needing immediate assistance and more information: • National domestic violence crisis line: (800) 799-7233 • TESSA of Colorado Springs’ emergency hotline: (719) 633-3819 • Kingdom Builders Family Life Center in Colorado Springs: (719) 247-8190

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BRISBANE, Australia, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVONIX Limited (NASDAQ: NVX, ASX: NVX) ("NOVONIX”), a leading battery materials and technology company, today announced that the company is scheduled to host and participate in the following upcoming investor events in December 2024: This announcement has been authorized for release by NOVONIX Chairman, Admiral Robert J. Natter, USN Ret. About NOVONIX NOVONIX is a leading battery technology company revolutionizing the global lithium-ion battery industry with innovative, sustainable technologies, high-performance materials, and more efficient production methods. The company manufactures industry-leading battery cell testing equipment, is growing its high-performance synthetic graphite anode material manufacturing operations, and has developed a patented all-dry, zero-waste cathode synthesis process. Through advanced R&D capabilities, proprietary technology, and strategic partnerships, NOVONIX has gained a prominent position in the electric vehicle and energy storage systems battery industry and is powering a cleaner energy future. To learn more, visit us at www.novonixgroup.com or on LinkedIn and X . For NOVONIX Limited Scott Espenshade, [email protected] (investors) Stephanie Reid, [email protected] (media)

The 25-year-old Sweden international took his goal tally for the season to 12 in the 3-0 Boxing Day win over Aston Villa at St James’ Park, 10 of them in his last 10 Premier League games, after a challenging start to the new campaign. Isak managed 25 goals in a black and white shirt last season to further justify the club record £63million the club paid to bring him to Tyneside from Real Sociedad during the summer of 2022, but as delighted as he is with his big-money signing, head coach Howe is confident there is even more to come. Murph 🔗 Alex Isak Different game. Same link up. 💪 pic.twitter.com/OMhZf7dtKZ — Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 27, 2024 Asked where the former AIK Solna frontman currently ranks in world football, he said: “My biggest thing with Alex is I am evaluating his game on a daily and weekly basis and I just want to try to push him for more. “Everyone else can say where he is in the pecking order of world football. His game is in a good place at the moment. “My job is to not sit back and appreciate that, my job is to try and find areas he can improve, push him towards that and never stop pushing him. He has all the ingredients in there. Football never stops evolving and changing and he has to evolve with it. “There is a lot more to come from him. Our job is to help him deliver that. “Of course the main responsibility is for Alex to keep his focus, ignore the plaudits and keep helping the team, not be selfish. It is about Newcastle and he plays his part.” It is no coincidence that Newcastle have prospered as Isak has rediscovered his best form, and they will head for Manchester United – where they have won only once in the top flight since 1972 – on Monday evening looking for a fifth successive win in all competitions. He has scored in each of the last five league games having grown into the mantle of the Magpies’ main man, a role performed with such distinction in the past by the likes of Jackie Milburn, Malcolm Macdonald and Alan Shearer, and he has done so with the minimum of fuss. Asked about his character, Howe said: “He is calm, cool – he is what you see on the pitch. “He doesn’t get overly emotional, which for a striker is a great quality because that coolness you see and calmness in front of goal is part of his personality, part of what he is. He seems to have an extra half a second when other players don’t. “With Alex, the beauty of his attitude is that he wants to improve. We give him information and he is responsive. He is not a closed shop. “He is in no way thinking he has arrived at a certain place. He knows he has to keep adding to his game. The challenge is great for him to keep scoring freely as he is now.”

Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference case against Donald Trump

Cauliflower is, arguably, one of the most versatile vegetables. It can be everything from wings to sauce to a delicious roast centerpiece, but it’s not the only vegetable that can take pride of place in the middle of the plate. Jump to the recipes Just like cauliflower, several vegetables can be cooked whole. There’s the cruciferous vegetable’s green cousin, for example, broccoli, as well as cabbage, eggplant, and another vegan roast favorite, squash. Below, we’ve picked out some of our favorite whole vegetable recipes for you to try next. Sorry cauli, but you’ve got some seriously delicious competition. Why cook vegetables whole? Cooking vegetables whole comes with many benefits. Firstly, it may help to retain more of their nutrients. When vegetables are cut into smaller pieces, more surface area is exposed to heat and air, which may lead to nutrient loss through oxidation and leaching. But it’s also a good choice flavor-wise—By cooking the vegetable in its entirety, its natural flavors are preserved and intensified. RELATED: Not Sure How To Roast Vegetables? Ina Garten’s Method Is a Masterclass Karolina Grabowska | Pexels It’s also relatively simple, as there’s no need to spend time chopping and slicing, and arguably, it looks better. During the holidays or on special occasions, whole vegetables look impressive and visually appealing in the middle of the table. How to cook vegetables whole: 8 vegan recipes to try Check out some of our delicious vegan recipes below. Sara Kiyo Popowa 1 Roasted Sweet Basil Squash With Wild Rice and Mustard Greens Salad From the Mind Food: Plant-Based Recipes for Positive Mental Health cookbook, this recipe perfectly demonstrates how delicious, and show-stopping, a simple onion squash can be. It’s slow-roasted with tamari, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, and lime, and then served with a tasty wild rice salad. Get the recipe Micah Siva 2 Vegan Za’atar-Seared Broccoli Steaks Cauliflower steaks are a popular choice for many, but broccoli deserves the spotlight in this area, too. Once you’ve tried these za’atar-seared vegan steaks by Nosh with Micah , we can confidently say you’ll firmly be on the side of broccoli. For a truly succulent dish, serve with yogurt, hazelnuts, and olive oil. Get the recipe Simon Smith 3 Vegan Stuffed Squash Roast With Cranberry-Orange Sauce If the first squash recipe didn’t convince you, then this one Gaz Oakley’s Vegan Christmas cookbook certainly will. It looks great, is easy to cook, and tastes delicious, largely thanks to the added cranberry-orange sauce. Get the recipe Lauren Lovatt 4 Vegan Sizzling Zucchini With Creamy Tzatziki and Vinegary Chimichurri If you weren’t sure if zucchini could be an elegant centerpiece, this recipe, again from the Mind Food: Plant-Based Recipes for Positive Mental Health cookbook, is all the proof you need. It’s perfect for date night, especially when drizzled with plenty of chimichurri and served with tzatziki on the side. Get the recipe Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer 5 Smoky Grilled Eggplant Vegan Ballpark Hot Dogs Yep, whole vegetables can be great comfort food, too. These smoky grilled eggplant hot dogs from VBQ: The Ultimate Vegan Barbecue Cookbook are the perfect snack for game day. Load them up with plenty of sauerkraut, ketchup, and mustard, just like you would a regular hot dog. Get the recipe Epicurious 6 Whole Roasted Cabbage With Grapefruit and Campari Salsa We promise this charred, whole-roasted cabbage looks as good as it tastes. But while it may look impressive, it’s pretty easy to pull together. The cabbage is boiled and blanched before it is roasted for over an hour. The resulting flavor is delicious and perfect with the accompanying grapefruit and Campari salsa. Get the recipe Hannah Sunderani 7 Black Bean-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes With Coconut Sour Cream and Guacamole As well as cauliflower, sweet potatoes are another popular vegetable that often gets cooked whole. And it’s not surprising. When baked, sweet potatoes have a tender creamy texture, as well as a pleasant caramelized flavor. While delicious on their own with a slab of vegan butter , they’re arguably even better when stuffed with black beans and loaded with coconut sour cream and guacamole. Get the recipe Alexandra Shytsman 8 Miso-Mustard Tempeh With Roasted Baby Bok Choy In this flavor-packed recipe, the baby bok choy is cut in half, but it remains intact during the cooking process, so we think it counts as being cooked whole. Preparing the vegetable this way allows it to retain its structure and develop a tender yet crispy texture. Once you’ve tried it, you won’t want to cook it any other way. Get the recipe DON'T MISS OUT : Get breaking news, recipes, and our weekly vegan deal by signing up for our FREE VegNewsletter Get the Best Out of Your Potatoes With These 40 Delicious Recipes Artichokes Deserve a Spot in Your Diet: Here’s Why What Are Collard Greens? Plus, 8 Tasty Vegan Recipes to Try JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast. Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.Analysis: Week 12 full of sloppy play, especially on special teamsForrest's 30 lead N.C. A&T past North Carolina Central 85-72

Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelationsThe lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said that nobody approached the National Assembly with a request for a new presidential jet before the purchase was eventually made. The Presidency had in August unveiled a new Airbus A330 purchased for President Bola Tinubu. Following the new jet purchase, the Presidency faced so many criticisms from Nigerians who felt the President prioritized his luxury while neglecting the economic hardship faced by the masses. READ ALSO: Nigeria Would Probably Have Been Better If Peter Obi Won 2023 Election – Sen Abaribe Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga had in one of his explanations, said that what was purchased was not a new jet as was reported but a “refurbished jet.” National Assembly members were not spared in the criticisms regarding the jet purchase, as many labelled them as rubber stamp easy approval of the Presidency’s request to purchase a new jet. However, Senator Abaribe, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, said such a request was never brought to the National Assembly. “I am in the national assembly, but I can tell you for a fact that nobody, quote me, nobody brought anything to the national assembly to say please approve this for purchase of a new plane,” Abaribe said on the programme. “It was done without my knowledge, nobody brought anything. I never saw any document and I have always been in the national assembly. Ask anyone, none.” He said that the failure of the Presidency to approach the National Assembly with a request means that part of the job of the legislator to be a check on the executive is not being efficiently carried out. The senator said he is worried that the public perceives the National Assembly members as rubber-stamped noting that it is like that because the lawmakers feel that they have fought a lot without much, yet it has not yielded much to the public and tried to have some cooperation with the executive.As Americans are beyond burned out, Tricia Hersey’s Nap Ministry preaches the right to rest

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Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, C.R. Patil, Chirag Paswan, K. Ram Mohan Naidu, and Jayant Chaudhary, along with three Chief Ministers—Devendra Fadnavis, Chandrababu Naidu, and Revant Reddy—are set to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, a renowned ski resort in Switzerland, next month. The event will run from January 20, 2025, and will attract hundreds of global government and business leaders. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu will be accompanied by his son and senior minister Nara Lokesh. Other notable attendees from India include Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Tamil Nadu Minister TRB Rajaa, and Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Khanna. Among the attendees is also actor Bhumi Pednekar, famous for her performances in films such as “Dum Laga Ke Haisha,” “Toilet: Ek Prem Katha,” and “Saand Ki Aankh.” The meeting is expected to draw over 50 heads of state and government, alongside officials from major international organizations, including the United Nations, IMF, World Bank, Interpol, NATO, European Central Bank, and WTO. Senior ministers from Pakistan and Bangladesh will also be present, including Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser and interim government head, Muhammad Yunus. Vaishnaw, who serves as the Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, participated in last year’s meeting alongside fellow ministers Smriti Irani and Hardeep Singh Puri. This year, he will be joined by Minister of Jal Shakti Patil, Minister of Food Processing Industries Paswan, Minister of Civil Aviation Naidu, and Minister of State for Skill Development and Education Chaudhary. Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attended the meeting in the past, his participation this year has not yet been confirmed. The overarching theme for the summit will be “collaboration for the intelligent age.” This edition of the annual meeting will take place amid notable global transitions, including a change in U.S. leadership and ongoing geopolitical challenges, such as the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. Both Modi and Donald Trump attended the Forum for the first time as India’s and the U.S.’s leaders, respectively, in 2018. Modi, serving his third consecutive term since earlier this year, and Trump, preparing for his second term, are expected to be key discussion points at Davos. Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu are seasoned attendees of the event, while Telangana Chief Minister Reddy participated in the 2024 meeting as well. In addition to government representatives and civil society members, India’s presence will include executives from major business conglomerates like Reliance, Tata, Adani, Birla, Bharti, Mahindra, Godrej, Jindal, Bajaj, and Vedanta. Notable figures like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani will be there, along with next-generation leaders from their groups. Technology leaders like Salil Parekh from Infosys, Rishad Premji from Wipro, Sumant Sinha from ReNew, Vijay Shekhar Sharma from Paytm, and Adar Poonawalla from the Serum Institute are also expected to attend. The Geneva-based WEF describes itself as an international organization for public-private cooperation and will convene its 55th annual meeting under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.” This gathering aims to be a trusted global forum for dialogue, bringing together diverse stakeholders to navigate complex global challenges with a future-focused approach. Several sessions will feature Indian leaders, including discussions on “India’s Economic Blueprint.” As one of the fastest-growing major economies, India has been achieving over 8% growth, spurred by initiatives promoting local innovation and startups in technology and manufacturing, moving away from traditional export-driven models. Leaders will explore how India can leverage this new strategy to sustain global growth. The annual meeting will occur during a time of geo-economic fragmentation, geopolitical polarisation, and value-based divisions affecting societies globally. Concurrently, there is immense potential for productivity enhancement through exponential advancements in interconnected technologies—ranging from AI and quantum computing to energy tech, biotech, and health tech. Reviving and reshaping growth is essential for developing more robust and resilient economies, and the meeting will address strategies for transcending fragmentation in favor of a collaborative, people-centered agenda for the Intelligent Age. Participants will also discuss how to foster collaborative innovation to navigate today’s low-growth, high-debt economic landscape and tackle shared challenges, including climate change and ethical AI use. Bagheera takes over Disney+ Hotstar: What makes this Kannada film a game-changer? India’s 9 richest have wealth equal to 50% of population, richest 1% have 51% of wealth Trump changes tone: America First but not alone WEF 2018: India Ranked Fourth Worst In Tackling Pollution Hazard In EPI Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.Drone experts rule out US government experiment, unsure of other New Jersey drone phenomenon theories

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"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.

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HAMILTON - A woman is facing nearly 100 charges in the deaths of five dogs and the distress of two dozen other canines at a Hamilton boarding service. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * HAMILTON - A woman is facing nearly 100 charges in the deaths of five dogs and the distress of two dozen other canines at a Hamilton boarding service. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? HAMILTON – A woman is facing nearly 100 charges in the deaths of five dogs and the distress of two dozen other canines at a Hamilton boarding service. Ontario’s solicitor general says 96 charges have been laid against the woman under the province’s animal welfare legislation. The province says the charges stem from concerns about the care provided at a dog-boarding business. A person is silhouette as they walk their dog along the board walk on a fall evening overlooking Lake Ontario during in Toronto on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette It says five dogs died and 24 others were in distress. The charges were laid on Nov. 15 and the woman is set to appear in provincial offences court in Hamilton on Jan. 15. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The province says cruelty to any animal is “not tolerated” and should always be reported. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. AdvertisementOne week into a new Syria, rebels aim for normalcy and Syrians vow not to be silent again DAMASCUS (AP) — A transformation has started to take place in the week since the unexpected overthrow of Syria’s President Bashar Assad. Suddenly in charge, the rebels have been met with a mix of excitement, grief and hope. And so far the transition has been surprisingly smooth. Reports of reprisals, revenge killings and sectarian violence are minimal, looting and destruction has been quickly contained. But there are a million ways it could go wrong. Syria is broken and isolated after five decades of Assad family rule. Families have been torn apart by war, former prisoners are traumatized, and tens of thousands of detainees remain missing. The economy is wrecked, poverty is widespread, inflation and unemployment are high. Corruption seeps through daily life. Christians in Syria mark country's transformation with tears as UN envoy urges an end to sanctions DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — In churches across long-stifled Syria, Christians have marked the first Sunday services since Bashar Assad’s ouster in an air of transformation. Some were in tears, others clasped their hands in prayer. The U.N. envoy for Syria is calling for a quick end to Western sanctions as the country’s new leaders and regional and global powers discuss the way forward. The Syrian government has been under sanctions by the United States, the European Union and others for years as a result of Assad’s brutal response to what began as peaceful anti-government protests in 2011 and spiraled into civil war. Israel will close its Ireland embassy over Gaza tensions as Palestinian death toll nears 45,000 DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel says it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorate over the war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials say new Israeli airstrikes have killed over 30 people including children. Israel's decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister has described as Ireland's “extreme anti-Israel policies.” Ireland earlier announced that it would recognize a Palestinian state. And the Irish cabinet last week decided to formally intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll in the war is approaching 45,000. The GOP stoked fears of noncitizens voting. Cases in Ohio show how rhetoric and reality diverge AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio's Republican secretary of state and attorney general sought to reassure voters before the November election that the state's elections were being vigorously protected against the possibility of immigrants voting illegally. That push coincided with a national Republican messaging strategy warning that potentially thousands of ineligible voters would be voting. The officials' efforts in Ohio led to charges against just six noncitizens in a state with 8 million registered voters. That outcome and the stories of some of those now facing charges show the gap both in Ohio and across the United States between the rhetoric about noncitizen voting and the reality that it's rare and not part of a coordinated scheme to throw elections. South Korean leaders seek calm after Yoon is impeached SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s opposition leader has offered to work with the government to ease the political tumult, a day after the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law. Liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the Constitutional Court to rule swiftly on Yoon’s impeachment and proposed a special council for policy cooperation between the government and parliament. Yoon’s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Storms across US bring heavy snow, dangerous ice and a tornado in California OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Inclement weather has plagued areas of the U.S. in the first half of the weekend, with dangerous conditions including heavy snow, a major ice storm and unusual tornado activity. An ice storm beginning Friday created treacherous driving conditions across Iowa and eastern Nebraska. More than 33 inches of snow was reported near Orchard Park, New York, which is often a landing point for lake-effect snow. On Saturday, a tornado touched down in Scotts Valley, California, causing damage and several injuries. In San Francisco, a storm damaged trees and roofs and prompted a tornado warning, which was a first for a city that has not experienced a tornado since 2005. Small businesses say cautious shoppers are seeking 'cozy' and 'festive' this holiday season With a late Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season is five days shorter than last year, and owners of small retail shops say that people have been quick to snap up holiday décor early, along with gifts for others and themselves. Cozy items like sweaters are popular so far. Businesses are also holding special events to get shoppers in the door. But there’s little sense of the freewheeling spending that occurred during the pandemic. Overall, The National Retail Federation predicts retail sales in November and December will rise between 2.5% and 3.5% compared with same period a year ago. US agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify and ultimately stop the airborne pests. The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy advanced technology to identify and track drones back to their landing spots. That is according to briefings from his office. Federal authorities have said that the drones do not appear to be linked to foreign governments. West Africa regional bloc approves exit timeline for 3 coup-hit member states ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS has approved an exit timeline for three coup-hit nations. It comes after a nearly yearlong process of mediation to avert the unprecedented disintegration of the grouping. The president of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, said in a statement: “The authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025 as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period." In a first in the 15-nation bloc’s nearly 50 years of existence, the military juntas of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced in January that they decided to leave ECOWAS. Pope Francis makes 1st papal visit to France's Corsica awash in expressions of popular piety AJACCIO, Corsica (AP) — Pope Francis on the first papal visit ever to the French island of Corsica on Sunday called for a dynamic form of laicism, promoting the kind of popular piety that distinguishes the Mediterranean island from secular France as a bridge between religious and civic society. The one-day visit to Corsica’s capital Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon, on Sunday is one of the briefest of his papacy beyond Italy’s borders, just about nine hours on the ground, including a 40-minute visit with French President Emmanuel Macron. It is the first papal visit ever to the island, which Genoa ceded to France in 1768 and is located closer to the Italian mainland than France.

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Broadcom Inc., a chip supplier for Apple Inc. and other big tech companies, surged to a $1 trillion market valuation for the first time after predicting a boom in demand for its artificial intelligence chips. Share Market View All Nifty Gainers View All Company Value Change %Change Sales of AI products will gain 65% in the fiscal first quarter, far faster than its overall semiconductor growth of about 10%, the company said during a post-earnings conference call. The chipmaker also predicted that the addressable market for AI components that it designs for data center operators would reach as high as $90 billion by fiscal 2027. Like Nvidia Corp., Broadcom is positioning itself to be a major beneficiary of the AI spending frenzy. And Chief Executive Officer Hock Tan said his company had won two major new hyperscaler customers — the biggest operators of data centers. The stock rose 24% to $224.80 in New York on Friday, its biggest one-day rally since August 2009 — the month when precursor company Avago Technologies Ltd. held its initial public offering. That business merged with Broadcom Corp. in 2016 to form the current company. Investors have piled into Broadcom’s stock this year, lured by AI optimism. The Palo Alto, California-based company had predicted that it would get more than $10 billion in annual revenue from that market, outpacing other parts of its business. Ultimately, the number reached $12.2 billion in the last fiscal year. AI revenue grew 220% during the year, fuelled by demand for processors and networking components, Tan said. Demand for non-AI chips, meanwhile, will be down in the first quarter. Total sales will be $14.6 billion in the period, which runs through January, in line with estimates. Tan has assembled one of the most valuable companies in the chip industry through a string of acquisitions. He also has built a software unit that’s approaching the scale of its semiconductor operations. That reach makes the company’s forecasts a bellwether for demand over a broad swath of the technology industry. Profit was $1.42 a share in the fourth quarter, excluding some items, the company said. Revenue rose to nearly $14.1 billion in the period, which ended Nov. 3. Analysts had estimated $1.39 a share in earnings and revenue of $14.1 billion on average, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Data center providers rely on Broadcom’s custom-chip design and networking semiconductors to build their AI systems. The company also sells components for cars, smartphones and internet access gear. Its push into software, meanwhile, includes products for mainframe computers, cybersecurity and data center optimization. Broadcom’s semiconductor division had revenue of $8.23 billion billion in the fourth quarter, up 12%. Software sales grew nearly 200% to $5.82 billion. The company is much larger than it was a year ago, partly because of its acquisition of VMware Inc., which it bought for roughly $69 billion. Prior to the report, analysts raised concerns that Broadcom’s chip design business was suffering from weaker demand. They cited the slower introduction of a new version of a Broadcom processor for Alphabet Inc. Apple is a top customer of Broadcom, which provides components for the iPhone. During earnings calls, Tan typically gives updates on Broadcom’s often-contentious relationship with that company, which he refers to as his “large North American customer” or another vague term. Bloomberg News reported earlier that Apple would start switching away from a key Broadcom wireless chip starting next year. The iPhone maker has been replacing suppliers’ components with in-house versions, a trend that’s also set to hit chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. Tan said during the call that Broadcom continued to be highly engaged with Apple on multiyear road maps for various technologies. He also said that Broadcom remained open to acquisitions. “That has been a core part of our strategy and business model of this company for the last 10 years,” he said.

THIS Is How Son Barron Helped Donald Trump Win US Election, Melania Trump RevealsIsraeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in the northernmost part of Gaza on Friday, forcing many of the staff and patients out of the facility, the territory’s health ministry said. The Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighbourhoods, according to staff. Advertisement The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel’s military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and fighters in the area of the hospital, without providing details. It repeated claims that Hamas fighters were operating inside Kamal Adwan, though it provided no evidence. Advertisement Hospital officials have denied the accusations. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the hospital yard and remove their clothes amid the winter temperatures. Advertisement They were led out of the hospital, some to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid earlier this week. The ministry said troops set fires in several parts of Kamal Adwan, including the hospital’s lab and surgery department. It said 25 patients and 60 health workers remained in the hospital out of 75 patients and 180 staff who had been there. The ministry’s account could not be independently confirmed, and attempts to reach hospital staff were unsuccessful. Israel’s military said there was only a small fire in an empty hospital building, and was unaware that the blaze was caused by Israeli fire. Advertisement “Fire is ablaze everywhere in the hospital,” an unidentified member of the staff said in an audio message from the hospital posted on the social media accounts of its director Hossam Abu Safiya. The worker said some evacuated patients had been unhooked from oxygen. “There are currently patients who could die at any moment,” she said. In raids, Israeli troops frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men down to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. Since October, Israel’s offensive has virtually sealed off the north Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and levelled large parts of the districts. Advertisement Last week, the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders accused Israel of systematically attacking Gaza’s healthcare system and restricting essential humanitarian assistance. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced out, but thousands are believed to remain the area, where Kamal Adwan and two other hospitals are located. Troops raided Kamal Adwan earlier in October, and on Tuesday troops stormed and evacuated the nearby Indonesian Hospital. The area has been cut off from food and other aid for months, raising fears of famine. The UN says Israeli troops had only allowed four humanitarian deliveries to the area from December 1-23. The Israeli rights groups Physicians for Human Rights-Israel earlier this week petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice seeking a halt to military attacks on Kamal Adwan. It warned that forcibly evacuating the hospital would “abandon thousands of residents in northern Gaza.” Before the latest deaths on Thursday, the group documented five other staff members killed by Israeli fire since October. Israel’s nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives in Gaza have devastated the territory’s health sector. A year ago, it carried out a wave of raids on hospitals in northern Gaza, including Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and nearby al-Awda Hospital, saying they served bases for Hamas, though it presented little evidence. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most of them now sheltering in sprawling, squalid tent camps in south and central Gaza. Israel launched its campaign vowing to destroy Hamas after the group’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third of whom are believed to be dead.

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Dhaka-Delhi ties must be defined by respect and fairnessFormer NJ Gov. Chris Christie hit the overall government response to the New Jersey drone sightings on Sunday after Secretary Mayorkas told residents they had nothing to worry about. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' dismissal of the drone activity and said that to suggest it wasn't unusual activity was ridiculous. "Is this a mass hysteria of some sort?" ABC News host George Stephanopoulos asked the former governor. The ABC News host also just spoke to Mayorkas, who said the public had no reason to be concerned about the drones and that they hadn't seen any unusual activity. Dozens of drones have been spotted flying throughout New Jersey over the last few weeks, as government officials have yet to determine where they're coming from or who operates them. "Here’s why, George," Christie said. "Because of answers like the secretary just gave. They’re not answering the questions." Chris Christie joined ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday to react to the drones that have been spotted flying through New Jersey. (Screenshot/ABC) MORE THAN 20 DAYS INTO PHENOMENON, PENTAGON STILL HAS NO ANSWERS ABOUT ORIGINS OF MYSTERIOUS NJ DRONES "To say this is not unusual activity, it’s just wrong. I’ve lived in New Jersey my whole life. This is the first time that I’ve noticed drones over my house. And I was in a restaurant in Monmouth County on Friday night, had people at the bar coming up to me and saying, ‘Gov. Murphy won’t tell me anything. The president won’t tell me anything,’" Christie said. Christie detailed his own experience, and said he had stopped drones flying over his house in New Jersey a couple of days ago. "The Biden Administration and state authorities have to be more vocal and let people know exactly what they’re doing. This interview this morning was a bit of a better step, but I think much too little too late, and when people see this kind of activity, it’s a new-ish technology to most people, and they’re worried about it and concerned," he added. Stephanopoulos asked, "so you don't think it's the kind of thing where once people become focused on it, they actually see things that they wouldn’t necessarily pay attention to in the past?" George Stephanopoulos speaks during ABC's "This Week." (ABC/Paula Lobo via Getty Images) CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE Christie said it might be "some of that," but said people, including himself, were seeing drones fly above their homes for the first time in their lives. The former governor said if he was still governor he'd want "our state police to be able to have the authority to bring those drones down and find out why they’re doing what they’re doing, and of course, you would have to coordinate with the FAA." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "What we’re going to find, George, is you’re going to have individuals acting as drone vigilantes, and they’ll start taking them down. That’s not what they want, because they’re now an important part of commerce and law enforcement uses them frequently for surveillance and other things. We need to be able to operate in a safe way, and we’re not doing that," he added. Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.

Just as you can never be sure how a sporting contest will finish, so you never quite know where you might end up as a sports reporter. Here’s one place: a walled-off patch of incongruously green lawn at the top of the Khyber Pass, the barren landscape falling away in all directions, eating cucumber sandwiches with the uniformed commandant of the Khyber Rifles in their barracks. In 1994, I did that. It was in a break between Test matches. Neither our minibus driver, nor our armed guard with a Kalashnikov on his lap said anything on the way up. But at the top, they shared a couple of big fat joints, which made the return journey terrifying. It was at dusk, down a sinuous mountain road, unlit, unmarked and with no guard rails, but any number of overladen and equally unlit trucks, looming out of the gloom like prehistoric creatures. Our protectors thought it all uproariously funny, but the AAP reporter sitting behind the rear axle, unsighted and swaying wildly, failed to see the humour. “We’re all going to die,” he shrieked. Fortunately, we survived and in due course, he became a senior backroom boy at the AFL. Our hosts treated us on our return to Peshawar by taking us shopping – in a gun bazaar. Finally, back at our hotel, we hastily retired to a room behind a smoky glass door that did not officially exist: a bar. Dangers lurk everywhere. If not in the lawless North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, then in the stranglehold of Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin in a bar in Johannesburg late one night in 2011. Though Australia had won, I wasn’t sure if his hug was meant playfully or murderously. I don’t think he was either. There had been friction. Then there was a small-hours shout with David Boon in a bar off London’s Regent Street. You might think that was as perilous a place as any other I’ve been. But he’d made a big Lord’s hundred and Australia had won handsomely and all was well in the world, or only a little unwell when I woke up later that morning. In Mick Malthouse’s sight line after a loss, beware. In Merv Hughes’ sight line after a win, beware. I also survived a ball from Michael Holding, the West Indian who was not known as Whispering Death for nothing. OK, it was a tennis ball on a beach in Antigua, where Holding had come across a ragtag group of Australian journos, and asked for a bowl, and delivered it with a mercifully gentle roll of his arm, but still ... As life-threatening experiences go, these pale beside the pickles many of my long-term reporter colleagues in other fields have found themselves in. Apart from anything else, none were life-threatening. My upper threshold is merely hair-raising. There was the time on the back of a motorcycle, clinging to the rider as he swerved through the dusty streets of Gwalior, trying to get me to a post office to plug the modem of my newfangled four-line display computer terminal into a phone before the dying battery carked it. I filed half a story, which was probably plenty enough. It was not unusual at that time to file from laptops by jury-rigging connections between incompatible plugs. Once in Mumbai, my last resort was to hold two bare wires together between thumb and forefinger, close my eyes, pray and press “send”. It worked – and was not the first or last time a story slipped through my hands. The wild frontiers are not all far-flung. In 1990, I found myself on a bus with Collingwood’s newly crowned premiership players, travelling from the Southern Cross Hotel to Victoria Park through backstreets because the main roads were choked with euphoric fans, who mobbed the bus, causing it to rock. Staring through the windows at the sea of supporters stretching off into the dark, coach Leigh Matthews self-mockingly repeated his finals-long mantra: “We’re not talking premierships.” Then he added, sotto voce: “We’re accumulating them.” Another time at Waverley Park, a team manager invited me to step outside to settle some differences. His nickname was Middy, short for Midnight. As it happened, I preferred daylight and quickly put it between him and me. The enmity did not outlive the night. Sports reporting does take you to the damnedest places. At Junction Oval many moons ago, I listened as a podgy young leg-spinner, not yet capped by Victoria, canvassed opinions about what he should do with an offer to move to NSW. My two bobs’ worth was that he should do as his heart told him. As it happened, Shane Warne stayed in Victoria, and the rest, you well know. About that time, it fell to me to inform a young NSW cricketer that he had been picked to debut for Australia. Long before mobile phones and the internet, the team was phoned through to my newspaper office and I tracked the NSW Sheffield Shield team down to a restaurant in Flinders Lane. They had been well-beaten by Victoria that day.I was able to lighten the sombre mood, but only after one missed heartbeat. “Are you sure it’s the right Taylor?” the manager asked. Two years previously, when Mark Taylor had been widely expected to be picked, his little-known state teammate Peter Taylor was instead, prompting a Fleet Street newspaper to manufacture a quote from chairman of selectors, Laurie Sawle, admitting to a “clerical error”. Now, though, my notes confirmed that there was no ambiguity, and Mark was on his way to his illustrious career. As you might imagine, nearly all the most improbable places a reporter might find himself are in Asia. There was the night in Sri Lanka when I was in a taxi with some administrators who compared notes about a new concern: match-fixing. One, realising he had spoken carelessly, warned me not to repeat what I’d heard. It corresponded with something I’d heard the previous night from an Indian journalist and punter who’d been cautioned not to waste his money on a certain match. Overhearing this, a Pakistani cricketer nodded mutely. A skeleton was starting to tumble out of a cupboard. But far from home and without internet or mobile phones, I could not add flesh to the bones at that time. In due course, the ’s arch newshound Phil Wilkins did. It was a story that ran for 10 years. The best seat in the house comes in a range. For the spellbinding Freeman night at the Sydney Olympics, my media seat was directly aligned with the finishing line, maybe 15 rows back. I spent three hours in a poolside deckchair alongside Steve Waugh in Bangalore as he contributed generously and thoughtfully to an anatomical dissection of one Test innings; it became a cover. A hunch led me rinkside at Salt Lake City in 2002 when skater Stephen Bradbury became, as an American commentator put it, a spectator at a safe distance to his freak gold medal. That story was like his skates; it ran and ran. Where else? There was ringside at Festival Hall, looking down at my notebook and finding blood spatters on it. Oh, the glamour. There was the achingly poignant moment in the Bulldogs’ rooms in 2016 as blubbering old men declared they never thought they’d live to see the day – and that was just the preliminary final. The grand final was something again. There was the bus with a police escort at 3am in Colombo in 1996, where I stared silently at the floodlit site of a massive bomb the previous week that had spooked Australia into bypassing their World Cup match there. The bus was carrying the Solidarity XI, a hastily gathered troupe of Indians and Pakistanis who went to play a symbolic match there in lieu. There was the cockpit of a Trans Australia Airlines plane flown by a cricket contact for a landing in Hobart. Qantas’s Presidents Lounge once, but I can’t tell you where or with whom. There was a desk in a temporarily converted library in Cape Town in 2000 as the King inquiry laid bare the money-grubbing duplicity of South African captain Hanse Cronje and a barrister dismissed Cronje’s upstanding Christian alibi as “theological ventriloquism”. Judge Edwin King barred electronic media from the inquiry, so the world came to learn about each explosive revelation only as quickly as we could tap them into our rudimentary laptops. There was The Lodge. I always knew I’d get there. It was for a PM’s XI reception, but I wasn’t the first or last to make it there without winning the popular vote. Sportswriters dwell on courage, but generally don’t have to practise it – other than in the form of a question you don’t want to ask, but must. I saw courage of a different order in Pakistan in 1994. During a Test match in Rawalpindi, ABC commentator Peter Walsh’s father died back in Australia. Walshie thought to go home, but after a conversation with his mother decided to stay. This was Australia’s last-ever tour behind closed doors. There was no live broadcast and the internet, as we know it, was still in the future. Fans in Australia could follow proceedings only through the scribblings of four print journos and the ABC’s hourly crosses to Walshie. He was a mess, but at the top of the hour would dry his eyes, swallow hard, clamp on his headphones and deliver an update in an unwavering voice, then after switching off the mic dissolve into tears again. He was heroic. Early morning a couple of days later, I found myself in yet another unlikely place, with Walshie and others in the long, cool shadows of Islamabad’s impressive Faisal Mosque. None of us were especially religious, but the place emanated peace. In 2011 in Cape Town, death came closer still. Infamously, Australia had been bowled out for 47 and lost the Test match in three days. On the fourth evening, ’s Peter Lalor and I were dining on the waterfront when I received a call from the ABC’s Jim Maxwell. There’d been an accident, he said. Peter Roebuck. Come. Only slowly did I realise that Maxwell did not mean that Roebuck was badly injured. He’d gone over a fifth-floor balcony and . This is not the place to , nor to again try to psychoanalyse the complex writer and broadcaster who was also a friend. For a couple of hours, Maxwell, Lalor, Geoff Lawson, Drew Morphett and I sat in the foyer of their hotel near the Newlands ground, trying to make sense of the senseless. The hotel manager dug up some beers, but we hardly touched them. In the very small hours, I caught a taxi back to my hotel and tried to sleep, but was conscious of the time difference and knew all hell would be breaking loose in Australia. In the pre-dawn dullness of my tiny hotel room, I to run on the front page. The next few days were a blur. I was offered the chance to come home, but did not. In a way that’s hard to explain, it made more sense to stay . Lalor, bless him, did the honours at the morgue. A walk up Table Mountain was arduous but cathartic, maybe like that mosque in Islamabad. Jim Maxwell displayed courage, too, paying affectionate tribute to Roebuck in an unfaltering voice at the start of the broadcast of the next Test in Johannesburg a couple of days later. To fill the special comments void, some of us pressmen were drafted in. It was the middle of the night in Australia – who would be listening anyway? Someone was, and on social media bemoaned my mumbling inadequacy beside the great Roebuck. He was right, of course. That was the tragedy. It still is.

Donald Trump’s views concerning the involvement of transgender athletes in organised sport – specifically, the participation by trans-male athletes in women’s sport – are nothing if not simplistic and clear. “Men” must be kept out of women’s sport. Full stop, new paragraph. According to the incoming US president, the “problem” of transgender athlete participation in women’s sport is easy to solve. The fundamental flaw in Trump’s invective is that policy born as a by-product of fear and loathing is invariably bad policy. Trump draws no distinction between transgender athletes competing in the Olympics and transgender athletes competing in a game of under-10s pee-wee football. However, the imperatives that are relevant to protecting the integrity of Olympic competition aren’t determining factors when it comes to participation sport. The rules governing transgender participation in Saturday morning sport have no correlation to how, for example, US Swimming should handle transgender women swimming against cisgender women in national championships. The next Olympic Games will be staged in Los Angeles in 2028 during the final year of Trump’s presidency. Just as America’s culture wars could implode a whole nation before the opening ceremony, the Olympic movement itself may be in for a reckoning before the end of the next Games cycle. Credit: Simon Letch Designing, implementing and enforcing transgender policy in sport at any level, from the grassroots to Olympic competition, isn’t about fear and isn’t about division for the sake of dividing. Instead, it’s the complicated process of balancing the interests of transgender athletes with all other competitors and the paramount importance of the core integrity of sport. This is all relevant not only because Trump will be back in the White House but also because by this time next year the International Olympic Committee will be under new leadership (an election for the IOC’s presidency will take place in less than four months’ time).

For Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, President-elect Donald Trump ’s pledge to end birthright citizenship is more than just a provocative anti-immigrant policy likely to be blocked by courts. It’s personal. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Tong, 51, a Democrat who has served as the state’s top legal official since 2019, is the son of immigrants who came to the United States from China and Taiwan. He is the first member of his family to have been born on U.S. soil and is the first Asian American to be elected to statewide office in Connecticut. “I grew up working side by side with my parents in our family’s Chinese restaurant, and in one generation I’ve gone from that Chinese restaurant kitchen to be the attorney general of the state of Connecticut,” he said in an interview. “That only happens one place in this world, and that’s in America.” On the campaign trail, Trump promised to take action to end birthright citizenship on day one of his second term in office, a move that would immediately prompt legal challenges. “I would be the first to sue,” Tong promised. He is one of 23 Democratic state attorneys general who are likely to be regular opponents of Trump on various issues, ranging from immigration and LGBTQ rights to environmental policy and abortion, just as many were in the first Trump administration. Likewise, Republican attorneys general routinely sued to block President Joe Biden’s policies, notching up major victories on issues like student loan debt forgiveness and a Covid vaccine-or-test mandate for businesses. The fight over birthright citizenship might be one that challengers have a good chance of winning, even with a conservative Supreme Court that includes three justices appointed by Trump. The vast majority of legal scholars think there is no genuine legal dispute over the guarantee of birthright citizenship as enshrined in the Constitution’s 14th Amendment. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States,” the amendment states. James Ho, now a Trump-appointed judge on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who is considered a contender for the Supreme Court if Trump has a vacancy, wrote an article in 2006 rejecting the claim that the children of undocumented immigrants should not be considered citizens. “Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. That birthright is protected no less for children of undocumented persons than for descendants of Mayflower passengers,” he wrote. Ho himself was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States with his parents. Trump has said he will sign an executive order that would ensure children born to parents who do not have legal status in the U.S. will not be considered U.S. citizens. At least one parent would need to be a citizen or legal resident for a child to receive birthright citizenship, Trump said in a video announcing the plan last year. He indicated the policy would not apply retroactively. A Trump spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about the brewing plans to counter his efforts. The administration could try to implement the policy, thereby kicking off a legal fight, by ordering federal agencies to prevent people from obtaining passports or Social Security numbers. Supporters of limiting birthright citizenship say the language in the 14th Amendment referring to citizenship being awarded to people “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States does not include the children of undocumented immigrants. Conservatives have embraced the idea of declaring the act of migrants crossing the southern border as a form of invasion — a move that could have them treated more like enemy combatants than migrants. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has taken that approach , leading to conflicts with the Biden administration. A declaration along those lines by Trump could be used to defend a policy seeking to end automatic birthright citizenship, an approach Judge Ho outlined in remarks made after the November election that seem to backtrack on his earlier view. He said that “birthright citizenship obviously doesn’t apply in case of war or invasion.” Cecillia Wang, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is also gearing up to sue Trump on birthright citizenship and other policies, said calling immigration a form of invasion reflects “a white nationalist view” that is not supported by the facts. “I don’t think that anyone’s theory about so-called invasion ... should fly in the courts,” she added. From Tong’s perspective, any limitation on birthright citizenship would be a violation of the 14th Amendment. It is “beyond clear” what the law states, he said, and it will “get real when people’s lives and communities are impacted, or worse, destroyed” if Trump’s plan goes into effect. He was quick to cite the experience of his parents, who “ran for their lives” before reaching the United States and settling in Connecticut. “Let’s just cut the crap and acknowledge that we’re Americans. Everybody is as American as anybody else,” Tong added. “I mean, it strikes to the core of our constitutional foundation, the 14th Amendment.” This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:Gilles, Poirier struggle at Grand Prix final after fall in rhythm danceBrighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six Premier League games by a frustrating goalless draw against away-day strugglers Brentford. Albion dominated for large periods on a foggy evening at the Amex Stadium and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Advertisement Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken also made a string of important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Thomas Frank’s visitors a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Brighton have plummeted from second place to mid-table amid a poor run of form which has increased scrutiny on head coach Fabian Hurzeler. Advertisement Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber called for perspective from fans in his programme notes after revealing he revealed emails “full of doom and gloom” following the recent 3-1 home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace. Enciso, one of two players recalled by Hurzeler following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, almost gave Albion a dream start. A poor pass from Bees goalkeeper Flekken was intercepted by Carlos Baleba and, following a neat layoff from Joao Pedro, Paraguay forward Enciso curled against the right post. Brentford arrived in Sussex with the worst away record in the division, having previously taken a solitary point from 24 available this term. Advertisement Flekken saved well from Baleba and then collected a tame header from the unmarked Enciso before the away side thought they had snatched a 13th-minute lead. After being slipped in by Mads Roerslev at the end of a swift counter-attack, Wissa thumped high into the net beyond Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen only to be ruled marginally offside. Flekken made further saves from Brajan Gruda and Matt O’Riley before hurting himself keeping out a deflected Kaoru Mitoma cross and being replaced by 23-year-old Iceland international Valdimarsson. Brentford remained on the back foot and, aside from Wissa’s disallowed effort, offered little going forward in a one-sided opening period which somehow ended level. Advertisement Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke produced a crucial block to deny Wissa as the west London club began the second half brightly before Christian Norgaard’s ambitious effort deflected wide amid groans from increasingly restless home fans. Hurzeler responded with a triple change, introducing Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh in place of O’Riley, Gruda and Mitoma. Albion forward Pedro then escaped punishment in the 76th minute after swinging an arm at Bees substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact before defender Ben Mee became the second visiting player to depart injured. The introduction of Solly March in the 88th minute for his first appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in October last year briefly lifted the mood on the terraces. Advertisement But, following a frantic five minutes of added time, some Seagulls supporters vented their displeasure at full-time as their club’s wait for victory goes on.

Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there's a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here's a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: FILE - Director of Photography Jac Cheairs and his son, actor Wyatt Cheairs, 11, take part in a rally by striking writers and actors outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) Hollywood stars and child influencers California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. People are also reading... Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. FILE - In advance of Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri's Congressional testimony, to illustrate the harms children face on social media, parent activists brought an "Instagrinch" to the Capitol building in Washington, Dec. 7, 2021. (Eric Kayne/AP Images for ParentsTogether, File) Social media limits New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. A Florida law bans children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also requires parental consent for minors to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create fabricated images or videos in political ads. FILE - Parents, students, and staff of Chino Valley Unified School District hold up signs in favor of protecting LGBTQ+ policies at Don Antonio Lugo High School, in Chino, Calif., June 15, 2023. (Anjali Sharif-Paul/The Orange County Register via AP, File) School rules on gender In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification. The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. FILE - Christian F. Nunes, president of National Organization for Women speaks as abortion rights activists and Women's March leaders protest as part of a national day of strike actions outside the Supreme Court, Monday, June 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) Abortion coverage Many states have passed laws limiting or protecting abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents to cover abortions with no deductible, copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. FILE - Gov. Tim Walz speaks before a crowd gathered for a rally on the steps of the state Capitol in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday evening, Aug. 7, 2019. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, center left, and his wife Gwen Walz, center right, stand by him. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP, File) Gun control A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with "binary triggers" that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Medical marijuana Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use marijuana for medical purposes. To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wages Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. FILE - A man talks on his cell phone while driving in Los Angeles, Monday June 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File) Safer traveling In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn't banned texting while driving, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. FILE - Surrounded by members of the legislature and signs touting saving families money, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announces her 'Axe the Food Tax' campaign at Dillons grocery store in Topeka, Kan., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 by holding an axe. (Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal via AP, File) Tax breaks Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay tax on their monthly rent, thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona's nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is cutting individual income taxes by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. FILE - Election board inspector Pat Cook readies "I Voted" stickers for voters during early voting in Oklahoma City, Friday, Oct. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File) Voting rights An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. "I think it's very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens," Young said. Associated Press writers Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed. PHOTOS: The top images from the 2024 elections Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Joe Biden walks to the Oval Office after attending the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrive during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) A delegate looks at her phone during the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jocardo Ralston, 47, from Pennsylvania, looks up to a television to watch the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Tillie's Lounge on Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Supporters of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump look on as a bus carrying Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris passes by following a campaign event, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Rochester, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Attendees look on at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Annie Mulligan) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive to speak during a campaign rally, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Mich. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A supporter greets Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump after a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A political advertisement for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is displayed on the Sphere, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris walks toward reporters to speak before boarding Air Force Two, as she departs Las Vegas from Harry Reid International Airport, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, en route to Arizona. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A voter works on her ballot at a polling place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Simi Valley, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Former President Donald Trump waits for the start of proceedings in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in New York. Before testimony resumes Tuesday, the judge will hold a hearing on prosecutors' request to sanction and fine Trump over social media posts they say violate a gag order prohibiting him from attacking key witnesses. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump dances after speaking at a campaign event Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Savannah, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a monitor of the event from backstage, just before taking the stage for her final campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump is prayed over with Pastor Paula White during the National Faith Summit at Worship With Wonders Church, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Powder Springs, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Forgiato Blow wears a necklace with a likeness of former President Donald Trump before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Elon Musk jumps on the stage as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Voters stand in line outside a polling place at Madison Church, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hugs President Biden during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Lee's Family Forum, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump is reflected in the bullet proof glass as he finishes speaking at a campaign rally in Lititz, Pa., Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, bottom center, greets supporters after speaking during a campaign rally Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Mich. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) A young girl holds a "Black Voters for Harris-Walz" sign outside of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris' election night watch party at Howard University, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, shares a laugh with second gentleman Doug Emhoff, after reuniting in Pittsburgh, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, aboard Air Force Two, just before taking off from Pittsburgh for her final campaign rally in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) With tears streaming down her face, a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris applauds as Harris delivers a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, on the campus of Howard University in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Bikers show their support for President-elect Donald Trump while riding on I-84, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, near Lords Valley, Pa. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump stands on stage with steelworkers as he speaks during a campaign rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Latrobe, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Supporters cheer as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Erie, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris appears on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," with Maya Rudolph, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A delegate wearing a small American flag on his ear watches as Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hugs a child after speaking during a campaign event at Washington Crossing Historic Park, in Washington Crossing, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Joe Biden pauses before he addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump departs after speaking at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A voter watches the stage before former first lady Michelle Obama speaks at campaign rally in support of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in College Park, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Why is the Brainchip share price rocketing 14% today?One week into a new Syria, rebels aim for normalcy and Syrians vow not to be silent again DAMASCUS (AP) — A transformation has started to take place in the week since the unexpected overthrow of Syria’s President Bashar Assad. Suddenly in charge, the rebels have been met with a mix of excitement, grief and hope. And so far the transition has been surprisingly smooth. Reports of reprisals, revenge killings and sectarian violence are minimal, looting and destruction has been quickly contained. But there are a million ways it could go wrong. Syria is broken and isolated after five decades of Assad family rule. Families have been torn apart by war, former prisoners are traumatized, and tens of thousands of detainees remain missing. The economy is wrecked, poverty is widespread, inflation and unemployment are high. Corruption seeps through daily life. Christians in Syria mark country's transformation with tears as UN envoy urges an end to sanctions DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — In churches across long-stifled Syria, Christians have marked the first Sunday services since Bashar Assad’s ouster in an air of transformation. Some were in tears, others clasped their hands in prayer. The U.N. envoy for Syria is calling for a quick end to Western sanctions as the country’s new leaders and regional and global powers discuss the way forward. The Syrian government has been under sanctions by the United States, the European Union and others for years as a result of Assad’s brutal response to what began as peaceful anti-government protests in 2011 and spiraled into civil war. Israel will close its Ireland embassy over Gaza tensions as Palestinian death toll nears 45,000 DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel says it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorate over the war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials say new Israeli airstrikes have killed over 30 people including children. Israel's decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister has described as Ireland's “extreme anti-Israel policies.” Ireland earlier announced that it would recognize a Palestinian state. And the Irish cabinet last week decided to formally intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll in the war is approaching 45,000. The GOP stoked fears of noncitizens voting. Cases in Ohio show how rhetoric and reality diverge AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio's Republican secretary of state and attorney general sought to reassure voters before the November election that the state's elections were being vigorously protected against the possibility of immigrants voting illegally. That push coincided with a national Republican messaging strategy warning that potentially thousands of ineligible voters would be voting. The officials' efforts in Ohio led to charges against just six noncitizens in a state with 8 million registered voters. That outcome and the stories of some of those now facing charges show the gap both in Ohio and across the United States between the rhetoric about noncitizen voting and the reality that it's rare and not part of a coordinated scheme to throw elections. South Korean leaders seek calm after Yoon is impeached SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s opposition leader has offered to work with the government to ease the political tumult, a day after the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law. Liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the Constitutional Court to rule swiftly on Yoon’s impeachment and proposed a special council for policy cooperation between the government and parliament. Yoon’s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Storms across US bring heavy snow, dangerous ice and a tornado in California OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Inclement weather has plagued areas of the U.S. in the first half of the weekend, with dangerous conditions including heavy snow, a major ice storm and unusual tornado activity. An ice storm beginning Friday created treacherous driving conditions across Iowa and eastern Nebraska. More than 33 inches of snow was reported near Orchard Park, New York, which is often a landing point for lake-effect snow. On Saturday, a tornado touched down in Scotts Valley, California, causing damage and several injuries. In San Francisco, a storm damaged trees and roofs and prompted a tornado warning, which was a first for a city that has not experienced a tornado since 2005. Small businesses say cautious shoppers are seeking 'cozy' and 'festive' this holiday season With a late Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season is five days shorter than last year, and owners of small retail shops say that people have been quick to snap up holiday décor early, along with gifts for others and themselves. Cozy items like sweaters are popular so far. Businesses are also holding special events to get shoppers in the door. But there’s little sense of the freewheeling spending that occurred during the pandemic. Overall, The National Retail Federation predicts retail sales in November and December will rise between 2.5% and 3.5% compared with same period a year ago. US agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify and ultimately stop the airborne pests. The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy advanced technology to identify and track drones back to their landing spots. That is according to briefings from his office. Federal authorities have said that the drones do not appear to be linked to foreign governments. West Africa regional bloc approves exit timeline for 3 coup-hit member states ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS has approved an exit timeline for three coup-hit nations. It comes after a nearly yearlong process of mediation to avert the unprecedented disintegration of the grouping. The president of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, said in a statement: “The authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025 as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period." In a first in the 15-nation bloc’s nearly 50 years of existence, the military juntas of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced in January that they decided to leave ECOWAS. Pope Francis makes 1st papal visit to France's Corsica awash in expressions of popular piety AJACCIO, Corsica (AP) — Pope Francis on the first papal visit ever to the French island of Corsica on Sunday called for a dynamic form of laicism, promoting the kind of popular piety that distinguishes the Mediterranean island from secular France as a bridge between religious and civic society. The one-day visit to Corsica’s capital Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon, on Sunday is one of the briefest of his papacy beyond Italy’s borders, just about nine hours on the ground, including a 40-minute visit with French President Emmanuel Macron. It is the first papal visit ever to the island, which Genoa ceded to France in 1768 and is located closer to the Italian mainland than France.