fish gambling app It has been 12 years since the Asean Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) was adopted in 2012 by the 10-member regional grouping, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, embodying the key standards of human rights for the Southeast Asian region. How has it fared after all these years? The AHRD remains a document of relevance and ambivalence. While its adoption helped to integrate the notion of human rights into the Asean mindset, thus being a document of "validation", it was one that was circumscribed by the political nature of Asean itself. Over half of this grouping then and now does not fulfil the conditions of democracy, such as multi-party systems and free and fair elections. This configuration represents much of the Asean psyche, shaping its hesitant response to at least the civil and political angle of human rights, such as freedom of expression, which is heavily constrained in much of Asean. From the outset, the Declaration was vehemently criticised by many quarters for being substandard, and Asean leaders had to issue an accompanying Phnom Penh Statement on the adoption of the AHRD, which stated the bottom line: implementation of the AHRD must be consistent with international law, particularly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the human rights treaties to which Asean countries are parties. Thus the AHRD can never be cited by itself; it must always be accompanied by the Phnom Penh Statement. The AHRD itself was drafted by the overarching human rights body of Asean, namely the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). It is composed of six parts, starting with general principles followed by civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, the right to development and the right to peace and cooperation. The AHRD is credited with including references to non-discrimination against persons with HIV, development and peace. Increasingly, its advocacy of the right to a safe, clean and sustainable environment has taken on a new meaning with the advent of global warming and climate change, especially now that the UN has consecrated a new right in the form of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. It has been cited some twenty times in the current Work Plan of the AICHR (2021-2015) to justify actions, some of which are creative. For instance, the latter has been evolving a draft Declaration on the right to an environment which would not only advocate procedural rights (such as access to information and participation) and substantive rights (evidently health and welfare in a world faced with the triple planetary crisis of global warming, loss of biodiversity and pollution) but also remedies, both formal (such as through the courts) and non-formal (such as through mediation) as part of access to justice. An innovative angle in the draft is to counter the spread of litigation against civil society and other actors who act on behalf of the public interest in such areas as the depletion of natural resources and corruption. These cases are known as Strategic Litigation against Public Participation, and they are increasingly castigated by the international community as undermining human rights protection. AICHR is also undertaking a study on the right to peace, and a good practice to build upon is encouraging Asean countries to send more peacekeepers to help the UN. Reverting to the AHRD itself, various equivocal angles remain inherent to the document. The Declaration is critiqued for referring to human "duties" when it should be emphasising rights. It opens the door to subjecting human rights to the national and regional context, implied "particularities" such as Asian Values which have been touted to enable the collective interest, such as traditional family values, to prevail over individual rights. The AHRD has imposed the constraining condition that various rights must be exercised in accordance with national law rather than international human rights law. It has limited the exercise of human rights excessively by broad notions such as national morality, which has been used to legitimise constraints on women's rights and gender diversity. The Declaration also fails to mention the universal right to freedom of association. And why does it emphasise a cooperative approach when the international setting puts much emphasis on accountability? These are not easy ambiguities to resolve, and at times, it has been incumbent on AICHR to help attenuate the situation. For instance, some members of AICHR have issued statements against excessive limitations on human rights, such as in relation to Myanmar. The quest for solutions has to go beyond Asean itself. This was exemplified most glaringly by the arrest warrant that the international prosecutor has requested from the International Criminal Court recently against the military leader of Myanmar, allegedly responsible for international crimes with cross-border implications. It is thus not surprising that the AHRD has not been cited much outside Asean as an instrument for the substantive protection of human rights. There are at least three possibilities to enable it to move beyond its insular status as a document of "validation" to an instrument of "catalysation". Its provisions must be interpreted creatively to comply with international human rights law, as represented by the various human rights treaties pertinent to member countries and the UN's Universal Periodic Review which is a peer review process among all countries, putting forward recommendations for improved changes per each country. Various rights in the AHRD need to be elaborated upon through effective measures of genuine implementation. For instance, the right to privacy calls upon all Asean countries to have laws on personal data protection. These countries should prepare well to deal with artificial intelligence where it might impinge on that right, including through "social scores" discriminating against various individuals and communities. Internally, the AHRD might act as a tool for a sustained, periodic scorecard to measure whether Asean institutions and member states comply with the bare minimum advocated by the AHRD. Looking ahead, as Asean plans its next steps towards its Vision 2045, it should thus be time for reconfiguration -- to review and adjust well both the functions of AICHR and AHRD for a more progressive future, interfacing with a world of increasing precarity. Vitit Muntarbhorn is a Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. He is currently a UN Special Rapporteur under the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva. He is the author of 'Unity in Connectivity? Evolving Human Rights Mechanisms in the ASEAN Region'.

Berry Petroleum stock hits 52-week low at $3.9 amid downturnThe 23-year-old is top of the league’s goal charts and has produced a staggering 16 goal contributions in 17 league appearances this season. Sainz has already been touted with top tier Spanish clubs and Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray , although Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper revealed at the recent annual meeting discussions are on-going with his camp for a player out of contract at Carrow Road in 2026. The Spaniard grabbed a first home matchball, with Shane Duffy, Anis Ben Slimane and Ante Crnac all on target against Wayne Rooney's woeful Plymouth . “I'm not looking forward to January,” said Thorup. “We have to accept that, and we have to understand that of course, a third season away from the Premier League, it's a different one in terms of budget and financial situation. "Also with the change of strategy here the next ones are also out there in the squad, but maybe on the bench, or maybe just a part of the squad, or playing some under 21 minutes at the moment, but those guys are the next ones, and we have to prepare that so there's a consistent flow in what we do here. “Hopefully when he travels to a bigger destination than here, then another one is ready. Otherwise we haven't done our job good enough. “He has (gone to another level) and that's a part of what we can expect to see with the way that we play. Because if you go back and watch his goals, then you can see that he ends up in more or less the same situation and position every time. "For him then it is to take the right decision and also to show that individual quality where, again, like I've said a couple of times, that’s not my part. I can make sure that the collective structure is there, so we support him the best possible way, so we get him into these areas of the game and on the pitch, and then for him to show that class. But he is, he's definitely taking steps.” Thorup spoke to the media on Tuesday night at Carrow Road.Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey’s killingNovember 27 - Mikaylah Williams poured in 24 points and Aneesah Morrow racked up 20 points as No. 7 LSU strolled to an 82-65 victory over No. 20 North Carolina State on Wednesday in the title game of the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship at Nassau, Bahamas. Flau'Jae Johnson added 16 points and Morrow also grabbed 15 rebounds. LSU (8-0), which led 42-29 at halftime, shot 52.7 percent (29 of 55) from the field. The Tigers held a 22-6 edge in bench scoring, led by Kailyn Gilbert's 12 points. Saniya Rivers had 21 points to lead NC State (4-3), which shot 35.9 percent (23 of 64) from the field and was unable to take full advantage of LSU's 21 turnovers. The Tigers held a 44-24 rebounding advantage. NC State was within 63-53 with seven minutes left in regulation. It was the fourth meeting since 2012, with LSU winning for the third time. No. 9 Kansas State 92, DePaul 66 Ayoka Lee scored 23 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the field and pulled down 10 rebounds as the Wildcats cruised in the third-place game of the Ball Dawgs Classic in Henderson, Nev. Serena Sundell provided 15 points and 11 assists and Zyanna Walker had 13 points for Kansas State (6-1). Temira Poindexter and reserve Taryn Sides both added 11 points. The Wildcats, who were coming off a loss to No. 13 Duke on Monday, rolled up a 53-32 halftime lead on the strength of 31 second-quarter points. Jorie Allen and Taylor Johnson-Matthews each scored 17 points for DePaul (2-5), which shot 33.3 percent (24 of 72) from the field. --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Anthony Albanese suffers huge setback after splurging $4.3million on clifftop mansion he plans to share with his fiancée Jodie Haydon PM struggling to rent out new place Had to reduce selling price otherwise READ MORE: Backlash over PM's extravagant property purchase By DAVID SOUTHWELL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 10:16 AEDT, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 10:16 AEDT, 9 December 2024 e-mail 13 View comments Anthony Albanese has hit his second real estate hurdle in the space of two months. After being forced to reduce his asking price on the inner Sydney townhouse he sold last month, the Prime Minister is struggling to find a renter for his swish new clifftop mansion on the NSW Central Coast and has once again been forced to reduce his expectations. Despite Mr Albanese's $4.3million Copacabana five-bedder having stunning views of the ocean from every room, he has been forced to cut the weekly rent from $1,900 to $1,500 to get someone in as rents slide across the board in the area. The rental listing boasts that a tenant 'will enjoy magnificent sunrises all year round' and is ready to 'move-in now'. 'Pets considered on application,' the listing states without giving a length of tenure. Mr Albanese was also forced to shave $150,000 off the price he originally wanted for a t hree-bedroom property in the inner west Sydney suburb of Dulwich Hill after it spent months on the market without a buyer. Eventually he sold it for $1.75million in October, having originally listed it at $1.9milllion. This still represented a handy mark-up from the $1.17million that Mr Albanese paid for the property in 2015 with property values in the area skyrocketing by 92.8 per cent since then. Despite its prime location Anthony Albanese is having trouble renting out his his new clifftop home on the NSW Central Coast The median price of a Dulwich Hill home is $2.28million. Mr Albanese's purchase of the clifftop mansion sparked backlash with a number of Aussies pointing out the PM was buying his luxury digs during a severe housing shortage, with rents soaring and high interest rates hurting many mortgage holders. 'I don't begrudge a person who can afford to buy a house worth that much, what I do begrudge is that same person trying to tell the general population he represents that he understands the pressures we are under,' one wrote on social media platform X. 'Labor politicians are simply too rich and too detached to understand real Australians everyday struggles,' a second added. The PM had been announcing new measures to tackle the housing shortage when he was asked in October whether he thought his expensive new purchase was a 'good look'. Mrr Albanese said buying a home with a soon-to-be spouse Jodie Haydon was very much in keeping with the experiences of ordinary Australians. 'Jodie and I are getting married. Jodie's a Coastie. She's a proud Coastie,' he said. 'There are three generations of Haydons on the coast there and when your relationship changes, your life changes and you make decision. Mr Albanese told a Sydney radio station that the bought the NSW Central Coast property to live in with his fiancee Jodie Haydon 'But what I'm focused on is making sure everyone can get a roof over their head. I'm focused on increasing public housing and social housing investment.' The reporter pointed out Mr Albanese's sprawling house with ocean views and cathedral-style roofs was 'very different' to the modest new marital home. 'I am much better off as prime minister. As prime minister, I earn a good income. I understand I've been fortunate,' Mr Albanese said. 'I also know what it's like to struggle. My mum lived in the one public housing (flat) that she was born in for all of her 65 years. 'I know what it's like which is why I want to help all Australians into a home, whether it be public homes or private rentals, or home ownership.' Mr Albanese said the beachside property was not a hint toward early retirement, as he planned to be in his current job 'for a very long period of time'. Jodie Haydon Sydney Anthony Albanese Share or comment on this article: Anthony Albanese suffers huge setback after splurging $4.3million on clifftop mansion he plans to share with his fiancée Jodie Haydon e-mail Add commentSt. Petersburg council approves $23M repair to hurricane-ravaged Tropicana Field roof

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Hundreds of Sunni Muslims gather in celebration, marking the fall of Mr Bashar al-Assad’s long and brutal reign in Syria. PARIS - World powers vowed on Dec 8 to work for stability in Syria and the surrounding region after Islamist-led rebels toppled its longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. Here is a round-up of key reactions: High alert: Russia Mr Assad’s ally Moscow said Russian troops in Syria were on high alert but that the rebels had “guaranteed” the security of its army bases in the country. Prior to reports that Mr Assad had fled to Moscow, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that Syria must not be allowed to fall into the hands of a “terrorist group”. ‘Assad should be held accountable’: US “We will engage with all Syrian groups... to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward independent, sovereign” Syria, US President Joe Biden said. Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Mr Biden said that “Assad should be held accountable.” ‘Return to stability’: China Beijing “is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible”, the foreign ministry said. ‘Friendly relations’: Iran Iran’s foreign ministry said it expects “friendly” relations with Syria to continue. It said it would adopt “appropriate approaches” towards Syria in accordance with the behaviour of “effective actors” in Damascus. ‘Heal wounds’: Turkey Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country, which has supported rebel movements in Syria, would help “to heal Syria’s wounds and guarantee its unity, integrity and security”. ‘Cautious hope’: UN The UN envoy for Syria called the rebel takeover “a watershed moment” for the country marred by nearly 14 years of civil war. “Today we look forward with cautious hope to the opening of a new (chapter) – one of peace, reconciliation, dignity and inclusion for all Syrians,” special envoy Geir Pedersen said. End to ‘barbaric’ state: France French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the fall of Mr Bashar al-Assad’s “barbaric state” in Syria. “I pay tribute to the Syrian people, to their courage, to their patience. In this moment of uncertainty, I send them my wishes for peace, freedom, and unity,” he wrote on X. ‘Contribute’: Germany German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who welcomed the fall of Mr Assad as “good news”, said Germany was ready to “bring its contribution” to a political solution to bring peace back to the war-stricken country, without specifying further. “Bashar Al-Assad has oppressed his own people in a brutal manner, he has countless lives on his conscience,” said the German head of state. ‘Work together’: UAE A senior United Arab Emirates official urged Syrians to collaborate in order to avert a spiral into chaos. “We hope that the Syrians will work together, that we don’t just see another episode of impending chaos,” presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain. ‘Peace and stability’: UK Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for a peaceful and stable Syria, urging the protection of civilians and minorities. Arriving in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, the premier said he was “talking to regional allies”, calling the removal of Mr Assad a “real opportunity”. ‘Long-awaited’: EU European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen likewise said the EU would help to rebuild “a Syrian state that protects all minorities”. The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas hailed Mr Assad’s fall as “a positive and long-awaited development” which “also shows the weakness of Mr Assad’s backers, Russia and Iran”. Blow to Iran: Israel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Mr Assad’s overthrow as the fall of a “central link in Iran’s axis of evil”. He called it “a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah”, the militant group that Israel has been bombarding in Lebanon. Don’t rely on Putin: Ukraine Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga welcomed Mr Assad’s departure, saying that authoritarians who rely on support from Mr Putin are destined to fall, while stressing Kyiv’s support for Syria’s people. ‘Relief’: Netherlands Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof called Assad’s overthrow “a relief to all those who suffered under his cruel dictatorship”. Schoof urged a “peaceful transition and the restoration of stability, while ensuring respect for all the country’s minorities”. Independent Islamic government: Taliban Afghanistan’s Taliban government congratulated the Syrian people and rebels, hoping a transition would lead to “an independent and service-oriented Islamic government” and a Syria “free from external interference”. ‘Free will’: Iraq Iraq urged respect for the “free will of all Syrians and emphasises that the security, territorial integrity and independence of Syria are of paramount importance”, government spokesman Basim Alawadi said. ‘Immense needs’: Red Cross The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said that Syrians faced “immense and urgent needs” after “immense suffering” caused by more than a decade of conflict. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

has responded to swirling online speculation that was paid significantly more than for their roles in , the highly anticipated film adaptation of the . Wicked pay disparity rumors debunked Rumors had emerged on social media, with claims that , who stars as , earned , while , in the lead role of , received only . In a statement released to the media, a Universal spokesperson dismissed the claims as baseless. the spokesperson said, adding that However, the studio did not disclose specific salary figures. The rumors sparked intense debate online, with one viral post on X garnering over and 120,000 likes. Many fans expressed outrage at the alleged pay gap, particularly given central role in the story. Some described the rumored disparity as and Others defended the idea of earning more, citing her larger fanbase and potential to draw audiences to theaters. The leaked salary list also included figures for other cast members, with Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum reportedly earning $2 million each, while Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater were said to make $450,000 and $350,000, respectively. Wicked is a box office hit Despite the controversy, is making waves at the . After a opening weekend in the U.S. and a global debut of , the film is setting records for a Broadway musical adaptation. Its current global total stands at around , with analysts predicting a strong performance through Thanksgiving weekend. Directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked is one of the most expensive productions ever, with a combined two-part budget of before marketing. The film's financial success may lead to additional bonuses for cast members, though Universal has yet to confirm any such arrangements. As fans debate the allegations and Wicked continues to perform, Universal's denial seeks to quash rumors while keeping the focus on the movie's achievements.

Bodhi, the Shiba Inu who rose to internet stardom as the “ Menswear Dog ,” has passed away at 15 years old. His dog mom, Yena Kim, announced his death on Monday in an Instagram post. “I lost my soul dog,” she began the post, which featured several images of Bodhi dressed stylishly in an array of men’s clothing . “Bodhi was not just a fashion dog, or a pet to me. He was the fork in the road in my life that pivoted everything about who I was, where I was, who I met and the career I chose. He was my heart, my center, my everything,” Kim wrote. Bodhi became a viral sensation in 2013, when Kim and her husband David Fung dressed up their dog in Ralph Lauren menswear and posted the result on Tumblr. Since then, he’s gained 375,000 followers on Instagram with the username @mensweardog. Bodhi has also modeled in campaigns for Coach and Salvatore Ferragamo , and even released a capsule collection with Nike. Kim adopted the Shiba Inu from a New York City pet store in 2009, when she was a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, according to the The New York Times . She named the dog after Patrick Swayze’s character in the 1991 movie Point Break. “Even as he experienced cognitive decline, he would find me, his little body leaning and pressing against my leg. He was my place of comfort, my ultimate peace,” the caption read. “I toggle between crying and smiling thinking of him and it’s safe to say that I will never recover from this loss but if I could do it all again, I know I would in a heartbeat.” Bodhi struggled with kidney illness and spinal issues in the last two years of his life, Kim told The New York Times . He reportedly died in Brooklyn in his owner’s arms. On Instagram, fans of the “Menswear Dog” rushed to the comments section to share their condolences and pay tribute to the fashion icon. The official account for Brooks Brothers commented: “We always loved collaborating with Bodhi. We know he will be missed by so many.” “He was a legend,” wrote the popular dog-themed account We Rate Dogs. “Rest easy Bodhi.” Just last year, another viral Shiba Inu — Cheems Balltze, who inspired the “doge” meme — died at the age of 12 after a battle with cancer. The internet-famous dog, known for his adorable smile and love of cheeseburgers, passed away in August 2023 after falling asleep during a thoracentesis surgery, his owner wrote on social media. Balltze rose to internet fame in 2010, when a photo of a Shiba Inu dog crossing its paws was overlaid with scattered comic sans text — depicting what could be the pet’s inner monologue. Internet users quickly started referring to the image as “doge,” and it even spawned the new cryptocurrency “Dogecoin” in 2013.

Luke Williams feels Swansea ‘lost grip’ on game despite sealing victory at Derby

President-elect Donald Trump’s latest threat to slap huge tariffs on countries that try to move away from the “mighty U.S. dollar” inadvertently highlights the intractable contradiction at the heart of U.S. trade and economic policy. Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants to boost U.S. competitiveness and reduce its yawning trade deficit, which he blames on other countries’ unfair economic practices. But how can he do that while simultaneously preserving the dollar’s strength and unrivaled status as the world’s reserve currency, which has for decades helped fuel American consumers’ purchasing power? His “America First” goals of expanding domestic energy production and deepening the country’s status as the world’s leading tech hub could, all else being equal, lead to an appreciating exchange rate. But this would be at odds with his other “America First” goal: boosting U.S. manufacturing. This isn’t a partisan conundrum. President Joe Biden has spent trillions of dollars over the last four years in an effort to boost U.S. manufacturing, green energy production, and other key sectors. Meanwhile, the greenback has continued to strengthen, which hasn’t made U.S. exports more attractive. Vice President Kamala Harris would be facing the same dilemma had she won last month’s presidential election. But it’s especially tricky for Trump, who has been more vocal in his criticism of countries like China, Mexico and Canada which run huge trade surpluses with the U.S., and more bombastic about his ability to fix those imbalances. A weaker dollar and lower interest rates would be two of the most obvious tools to do that. But as he made clear in his social media post on Saturday, he also wants to protect the dollar’s global hegemony and preserve its relative value. Something has to give. The U.S. has run a trade deficit for nearly 50 years, consistently sucking in more imports than it exports. Manufacturing has been declining as a share of the economy for almost as long, notably since China was admitted into the World Trade Organization in 2001. The U.S. trade deficit last year was around 3.0% of GDP, much smaller than the record 5.7% of GDP reached in the mid-2000s, but still large. And in nominal terms, which Trump focuses on more, it is an even bigger at $773 billion. The deficit is consistent with the dollar’s status as the preeminent currency in global trade, financial market trading and international foreign exchange reserves. No other currency comes close to being as dominant, even as the dollar’s share of global FX reserves has eroded in recent years. The trade deficit is offset by a surplus in the U.S. capital account, as China and others have plowed their surpluses back into U.S. bonds and stocks. If the trade deficit were reduced, so too would the capital account surplus and attendant demand for U.S. assets from abroad. All else being equal, this would put upward pressure on bond yields and interest rates. Nodding to the symbiotic relationship between the U.S. trade deficit and capital account surplus, Michael Pettis, a senior fellow at Carnegie China, pointed out on the platform X on Saturday that the U.S. cannot simultaneously cut its trade deficit and increase the global dominance of the dollar, because these impose “diametrically opposed” conditions. Rebalancing the global economy so that the U.S. runs smaller trade deficits and has a stronger manufacturing sector, while China and other large net exporters increase domestic consumption and cut their trade surpluses, would ultimately require major global FX adjustments. And U.S. consumers might not be pleased with this outcome, having benefited enormously in recent decades as the trade deficit has sucked in cheap goods from abroad, from clothes to electrical appliances and everything in between. “You are implicitly asking U.S. consumers to accept a loss of purchasing power and a willingness to pay more for imported goods in order to give support to the manufacturing sector,” says Joe Brusuelas, principal and chief economist at RSM. That’s a tall ask. And given the role purchasing power played in the recent election, it’s likely one the president-elect won’t actually want to make. Source: Reuters (By Jamie McGeever; Editing by Paul Simao)Vehicles drive near damaged buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect [Source: Reuters] With the bodies of its fighters still strewn on the battlefield, Hezbollah must bury its dead and provide succour to its supporters who bore the brunt of Israel’s offensive, as the first steps on a long and costly road to recovery, four senior officials said. Hezbollah believes the number of its fighters killed during 14 months of hostilities could reach several thousand, with the vast majority killed since Israel went on the offensive in September, three sources familiar with its operations say, citing previously unreported internal estimates. One source said the Iran-backed group may have lost up to 4,000 people – well over 10 times the number killed in its month-long 2006 war with Israel. So far, Lebanese authorities have said some 3,800 people were killed in the current hostilities, without distinguishing fighters from civilians. Hezbollah emerges shaken from top to bottom, its leadership still reeling from the killing of its former leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and its supporters made homeless en masse by the carpet bombing of Beirut’s southern suburbs and the destruction of entire villages in the south. With a ceasefire taking hold on Wednesday, Hezbollah’s agenda includes working to re-establish its organisational structure fully, probing security breaches that helped Israel land so many painful blows, and a full review of the last year including its mistakes in underestimating Israel’s technological capabilities, three other sources familiar with the group’s thinking said. For this story Reuters spoke to a dozen people who together provided details of some of the challenges facing Hezbollah as it seeks to pick itself up after the war. Most asked not to be named to speak about sensitive matters. Hassan Fadallah, a senior Hezbollah politician, told Reuters the priority will be “the people.” Israel’s campaign has focused largely on Hezbollah’s Shi’ite Muslim heartlands, where its supporters were badly hit. They include people still nursing casualties from Israel’s attack on its mobile communications devices in September. The Israeli offensive displaced more than 1 million people, the bulk of them from areas where Hezbollah has sway. A senior Lebanese official familiar with Hezbollah thinking said the group’s focus would be squarely on securing their return and rebuilding their homes: “Hezbollah is like a wounded man. Does a wounded man get up and fight? A wounded man needs to tend to his wounds.” The official expected Hezbollah to carry out a wide-ranging policy review after the war, dealing with all major issues: Israel, its weapons, and the internal politics of Lebanon, where its weapons have long been a point of conflict. Iran, which established Hezbollah in 1982, has promised to help with reconstruction. The costs are immense: The World Bank estimates $2.8 billion in damage to housing alone in Lebanon, with 99,000 homes partially or fully destroyed. The senior Lebanese official said Tehran has a variety of ways to get funds to Hezbollah, without giving details. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a close Hezbollah ally, is urging wealthy Lebanese Shi’ites in the diaspora to send funds to help the displaced, two Lebanese officials said.

Māori Sports Awards: Tauranga rugby player hopes to follow in footsteps of All Black Sam Cane

OTTAWA — A Liberal MP said he was threatened with unspecified “consequences” if he votes against the government’s proposed $250 cheques, an affordability measure that continues to face an uncertain path through the House of Commons. Hamilton MP Chad Collins said earlier this week that he would vote against the government’s cash rebates because they leave out seniors and people with disabilities. As proposed, the Liberals’ measure would go to anyone who worked in 2023 and made less than $150,000. The government is also putting forward a two-month GST holiday that would remove the tax from all groceries, as well as children’s clothes and toys, beer and wine, and restaurant meals. Collins said it doesn’t make sense to send out cheques but leave out some people who really need the help. “It’s incomprehensible as to how we create an affordability package that leaves out some of our most vulnerable in our society,” he said. Collins said he first notified Liberal leadership he would vote against the measure this past weekend. He was told there would be consequences, but it was unclear what those would be. “Coming from the city of Hamilton, where politics can be a bit of a blood sport, for someone to say that there will be consequences, that really doesn’t make the top 10 or probably even the top 20 worst things I’ve heard over the years,” Collins said. On Wednesday, several of Collins’s Liberal colleagues said they also have concerns the cheques will not go to seniors, but those MPs said they would still vote for the measure as it stands. New Brunswick MP Jenica Atwin said she would support the current measure when it comes to a vote, even though she believes it is too restrictive. “There’s extremely vulnerable groups that are feeling very left out of this, so hopefully we’ll have those discussions and see what happens,” she said ahead of the Liberal caucus meeting Wednesday. Newfoundland MP Ken McDonald said he would like to see the cheques expanded to include seniors who receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement, but would support it as is because he doesn’t want to cut off help for Canadians. Collins said the threat of punishment for speaking out against government legislation runs counter to what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been saying in the House of Commons. Trudeau has accused Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of “muzzling” his MPs, refusing to let them speak to the media, and preventing them from advocating for their constituents. Collins said while the prime minister was attacking Poilievre, he was also silencing his own MPs. “Those comments couldn’t be more opposite or more in contrast to what the prime minister bragged about last week in the House of Commons,” he said. “It says a lot about where our government is at right now and it says a lot about some of the shackles that have been put around MPs.” Not all Liberal caucus members agreed Wednesday that qualifications to receive the government cheques should be expanded. St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle said the benefit should be “targeted,” and said the Liberals have already enacted measures to help seniors, such as Ottawa’s dental coverage program, which prioritized older Canadians. “This is about (seniors’) kids,” he told reporters. Nevertheless, the Liberals continue to face pushback from opposition parties, who succeeded Wednesday in punting the fate of the cheques — which were planned to land in Canadians’ bank accounts next April — down the line. Following growing demands to expand eligibility to more vulnerable groups, the Trudeau government opted to split the proposed GST holiday and the cheques into separate pieces of legislation. The Liberals tabled one bill Wednesday dedicated to the two-month GST cut, creating an opening to temporarily pause a that has put almost all parliamentary business on ice. The Conservatives initiated the stalemate in late September in an effort to force the Liberals to release more documents tied to a scandal-plagued and now-shuttered green technology funding agency. The lower chamber has been preoccupied with the matter for weeks, preventing new legislation from being debated and passed. The New Democrats had refused to help the Liberals pause the filibuster because they wanted to see the $250 cheque extended to others including seniors, people with disabilities and those newly entering the workforce. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet told reporters Wednesday that he opposes the rebate as is. He wants the measure opened up to more Canadians and the income limit of $150,000 to receive the benefit lowered. Now that the rebates have been separated from the GST vacation, which the NDP supports, the Liberals and New Democrats are expected to initiate a process to pause the parliamentary standoff Wednesday night. That pause, which would last for a single day before plunging the Commons back into paralysis, would allow for the GST bill to be debated — and potentially passed — on Thursday evening. The Liberals have proposed that the GST break would be in place from mid-December until Feb. 15, 2025. That still leaves the future of the $250 cheques unclear, with the Liberals buying themselves more time to decide which demands — if any — they will consider. Poilievre has thus far remained mum on his vision for the cash rebates, but on Wednesday slammed the GST holiday as a “tiny, two-month tax trick.”By COLLEEN SLEVIN DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note had been left behind. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. “What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come into detectives,” he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the “media circus” surrounding the case. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet’s clothing that pointed to the involvement of an “unexplained third party” in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys “victims of this crime.” Related Articles National News | Northern lights may be faintly visible across parts of the US this Thanksgiving National News | Trump transition says Cabinet picks, appointees were targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks National News | White House pressing Ukraine to draft 18-year-olds so they have enough troops to battle Russia National News | Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime National News | Travelers who waited to make Thanksgiving trips are hitting the biggest crowds so far John Ramsey has continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado’s governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he has been advocating for several items that have not been prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators have identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn’t been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be “consumed” if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review had ended but that police continue to work through and evaluate a “lengthy list of recommendations” from the panel. Amy Beth Hanson contributed to this report from Helena, Montana.Fluence Energy, Inc. Announces Closing of Offering of $400.0 Million of Convertible Senior Notes due 2030