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Storm Darragh aftermath: Major clean-up underway across Ireland as weather warnings persistWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens were also traveling to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

Justin Thomas with big drives and a few big putts takes 1-shot lead over Scheffler in the Bahamas

Dan Campbell not sounding confident about status of 3 veterans for ThanksgivingLouisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signs income and corporate tax cuts passed by GOP-dominated legislaturePM hails cut in weekly inflation

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks rode their dominant defense to a big win over a division rival to vault into first place in the NFC West. No, it isn’t 2013. These are the 2024 Seahawks, who, after struggling mightily against the run earlier this season, held the visiting Arizona Cardinals to 49 rushing yards in Sunday's 16-6 victory . The defensive line kept Kyler Murray under consistent pressure thanks to a dominant performance from Leonard Williams, the secondary flew around to smack away passes, and safety Coby Bryant scored on a 69-yard pick-6. Sunday's defensive performance was reminiscent of the Seahawks of a decade ago and a promising sign that first-year coach Mike Macdonald’s system is starting to click. Macdonald, who coordinated Baltimore's NFL-best defense last year, was leading one of the worst rush defenses in the league earlier this season. But Seattle consistently stuffed the Cardinals, who came in as the fifth-best running team in the league at 149.4 yards per game. “Three games in a row now we played pretty decent on defense,” Macdonald said. “There is an expectation and standard here throughout the course of our Seahawks history that we’re trying to live up to and build on. So that’s the idea.” At 6-5, the Seahawks drew even with the Cardinals in the tightly bunched division. The teams play each other again in two weeks at Arizona. Last month's trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV has clearly paid off. Seattle hasn't allowed a running back to rush for more than 79 yards since its Week 8 loss to Buffalo, which was Jones' first game in a Seahawks uniform. He has led the team in tackles in every game he's played and has helped resurrect the run defense. The Seahawks' run game continues to underperform. Seattle got 65 yards on the ground Sunday, with the Cardinals holding Kenneth Walker III to 41 yards on 16 attempts. Zach Charbonnet had 22 yards on six carries. Walker hasn’t topped 100 yards since Week 1. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb needs to think of something different to get the running backs involved. Williams single-handedly disrupted the Cardinals with 2 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and one pass defensed. “I thought he was dominant,” Macdonald said. “I knew he played great and then I looked at the stat line and he played out of his mind.” The Seahawks finished with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and six pass deflections against the Cardinals, shutting down a team that had averaged 29.3 points over its previous three games. Geno Smith finished with 254 yards passing and a touchdown, but he threw another momentum-stalling interception. Smith was picked off on a third-and-6 play on the Arizona 18-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter, ending an 11-play, 73-yard drive. Smith has an NFL-most 12 interceptions this season, more than in either of his previous two seasons as the Seahawks' full-time starter. “That was a huge drive for us. ... Obviously made a terrible mistake down there, something I got to clean up,” Smith said. “But it was a big drive. We wanted to put the game ahead at least two scores.” The offensive line has contributed to the problem. Guard Anthony Bradford left with an ankle injury, and the line struggled to protect Smith, who was sacked five times. Macdonald said Bradford is expected to miss next week's game. 77 — Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, marking the fourth consecutive game that Smith-Njigba has led the team in receptions. He topped 100 yards receiving in the previous two games. “He’s getting open,” Smith said. “He’s catching the ball. He’s doing a great job in the screen game. All-around great player. I just think the way that teams are playing us coverage-wise, I feel like it’s the ultimate sign of respect.” The Seahawks play at the struggling New York Jets on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflA 'very disappointed' Bruno Guimaraes claimed Newcastle were a 'mess' as they slumped to a 4-2 loss against Brentford. The fixture began in explosive fashion as both teams scored twice inside the opening 32 minutes. Brentford 's second goal was certainly from a Newcastle perspective, as Harvey Barnes carelessly passed the ball straight to Yoanne Wissa, who gleefully drove at the Magpies backline before firing past Nick Pope. Barnes atoned for his error by scoring the equaliser, but Newcastle could not match Brentford in the second half as goals from Nathan Collins and Kevin Schade wrapped up the three points. Collins' goal came from a free-kick lumped forward by Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken while Sandro Tonali's soft turnover led to Schade's strike, underlining how easily the Magpies gave up goals. The loss was Newcastle's fifth of the season and extended their winless run to a fourth game as they sit 12th on the ladder. It also continued the Magpies' poor away form this term, having won on the road just twice. Speaking to Newcastle's in-house media team after the contest, Guimaraes opened on his frustrations at the defeat as Eddie Howe 's side slipped further away from the European spots. "First half, we have some good moments," Guimaraes said. "But the second [half], we became a mess. After the third goal, we lost our way, we lost control. We became a mess on the pitch. Very disappointed." Worryingly for Newcastle, the four goals shipped against Brentford made it seven goals conceded in two games after the club's pulsating 3-3 draw against Liverpool on Wednesday. Played in front of a raucous St. James' Park, Newcastle appeared to have turned a corner with an impressive performance against the league leaders. But the Bees brought out the worst in Howe's side, sparking serious questions about a defence that just two seasons ago conceded only 33 league goals across the entire campaign, eight more than they have this term after 15 games. However, Guimaraes does not believe it's a problem isolated just to the backline. "We have been conceding a lot this season," Guimaraes said. "We've got Champions League and we didn't concede as much as we have. "This is not a problem about just the defence. It's a problem for the midfield, a problem for the attack. It's the team's problem. "We have to stop this. But our season, being honest, has been very, very disappointing." Howe also pulled no punches in his assessment of his team's performance and bemoaned the string of individual errors that ultimately proved costly. "That's the frustration, because before that we looked tight at the back, the issues were at the other end of the pitch," Howe said. "Now we've scored five in two games and looked a really good attacking team, some of our attacking work was really strong today. "Lo and behold we then we go and concede seven in two games from nowhere really. It's difficult to work out because structurally we've been fine but there were a lot of individual errors today. "We've got work to do in a lot of different areas. There's a very good team in there, I've got no doubts, but we haven't shown it consistently enough, we haven't delivered it anywhere near enough for my liking. "A period of reflection and a period of work, then we'll try to fight back." Howe and his Newcastle side will hope to have found a solution to their defensive woes in time for their next fixture on December 14 as they host Leicester City .Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reverses decision to put a time limit on anesthesia

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Thomas R. “yank” Eustis Oct. 20, 2024 Thomas Eustis, 79, passed away October 20th at his home in Crossville Tennessee, surrounded by family. Thomas was born in Farmington, Maine and had lived and worked in Nacogdoches, Syracuse, NY and Portland, Maine as well as a short stint in Israel. He retired after 35 years with Lucent technologies/AT&T. After retirement, he enjoyed traveling, motorcycles and woodworking. He retired back to Nacogdoches in 2002 where he lived until 2020 when he and his wife moved to Crossville, TN. He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Marilyn Redden Eustis, his children, Yvonne Kittredge and her husband Jim, Scott Eustis, James K Eustis, Darren Eustis, his wife Stacy, and William Eustis, 8 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held at a later date with burial service in Strong Maine.

Biden opens final White House holiday season with turkey pardons and first lady gets Christmas treeMinister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal reviews 'New Pakistan Country Partnership Framework of World Bank'

After rough start under coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks' defense has become a strengthWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is weighing whether to issue sweeping pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, a preemptive move that would be a novel and risky use of the president’s extraordinary constitutional power. The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But Biden himself has discussed the topic with some senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all. Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes – and usually those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for those who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. They fear that Trump and his allies, who have boasted of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for their targets even if they don’t result in prosecutions. While the president’s pardon power is absolute, Biden’s use in this fashion would mark a significant expansion of how they are deployed, and some Biden aides fear it could lay the groundwork for an even more drastic usage by Trump. They also worry that issuing pardons would feed into claims by Trump and his allies that the individuals committed acts that necessitated immunity. Recipients could include infectious-disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was instrumental in combating the coronavirus pandemic and who has become a pariah to conservatives angry about mask mandates and vaccines. Others include witnesses in Trump’s criminal or civil trials and Biden administration officials who have drawn the ire of the incoming president and his allies. Some fearful former officials have reached out to the Biden White House preemptively seeking some sort of protection from the future Trump administration, one of the people said. It follows Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter — not just for his convictions on federal gun and tax violations, but for any potential federal offense committed over an 11-year period, as the president feared that Trump allies would seek to prosecute his son for other offenses. That could serve as a model for other pardons Biden might issue to those who could find themselves in legal jeopardy under Trump. Biden is not the first to consider such pardons — Trump aides considered them for him and his supporters involved in his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in a violent riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But he could be the first to issue them since Trump’s pardons never materialized before he left office nearly four years ago. Gerald Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” in 1974 to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal. He believed a potential trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States," as written in the pardon proclamation. Politico was first to report that Biden was studying the use of preemptive pardons. On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on those who prosecuted him or crossed him. Trump has talked about “enemies from within" and circulated social media posts that call for the jailing of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. He also zeroed in on former Rep. Liz Cheney, a conservative Republican who campaigned for Harris and helped investigate Jan. 6, and he promoted a social media post that suggested he wanted military tribunals for supposed treason. Kash Patel, whom Trump has announced as his nominee to be director of the FBI, has listed dozens of former government officials he wanted to “come after.” Richard Painter, a Trump critic who served as the top White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said he was reluctantly in support of having Biden issue sweeping pardons to people who could be targeted by Trump's administration. He said he hoped that would “clean the slate” for the incoming president and encourage him to focus on governing, not on punishing his political allies. “It’s not an ideal situation at all,” Painter said. “We have a whole lot of bad options confronting us at this point.” While the Supreme Court this year ruled that the president enjoys broad immunity from prosecution for what could be considered official acts, his aides and allies enjoy no such shield. Some fear that Trump could use the promise of a blanket pardon to encourage his allies to take actions they might otherwise resist for fear of running afoul of the law. “There could be blatant illegal conduct over the next four years, and he can go out and pardon his people before he leaves office,” Painter said. "But if he’s going to do that, he’s going to do that anyway regardless of what Biden does." More conventional pardons from Biden, such as those for sentencing disparities for people convicted of federal crimes, are expected before the end of the year, the White House said.Kellanova stock rises Thursday, outperforms market

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Young holds 3-shot lead over Scheffler in Bahamas“People are afraid to buy because they don’t know what might happen next. The gain is too fast in just three days,” said a Bureau de Change (BDC) operator who prefers to remain anonymous. The last three days have been remarkable for the exchange rate between the naira and the dollar, which, as of Friday, December 6, 2024, had gained 8.9% in one week. Starting the week at N1,672, the exchange rate closed at N1,535 on Friday, December 6, 2024. Related Stories Greece faces urgent need for over 300,000 foreign workers to support economic growth Tinubu rejigs nominees for South East Development Commission board, names Emeka Nworgu as new chairman While the official market experienced rapid gains in the exchange rate, the parallel market, where forex is sold unofficially, presented an even more unsettling scenario for speculators. The naira was gaining faster than they could sell. By the end of the week, operators informed Nairametrics that the exchange rate was trading at N1,570/$1, a sharp decline from N1,700/$1 earlier in the week, as the naira continued its strong recovery against the dollar. Unbeknownst to many Nigerians, the Central Bank of Nigeria recently launched a new trading system called the Enhanced Foreign Exchange Market System (EFEMS). EFEMS essentially consolidates all previous official foreign exchange windows into one unified system. This consolidation replaces the fragmented structure of multiple windows, such as the Investors & Exporters (I&E) FX Window, the SME Window, and the Invisible Window. But how does this explain why the naira is gaining against the dollar? EFEMS Introduces transparency: According to the CBN, EFEMS is expected to simplify operations and improve price discovery, thereby ensuring that trades are more transparent and easier to monitor. This has largely contributed to the positive outcomes currently being recorded in the official exchange rate. For example, one person familiar with the operation of the market suggests that the market is experiencing more supply than demand. With supply outstripping demand, the naira has gained against the dollar. However, it is unclear where the supply in the market is coming from, as there is no official data to explain this. For instance, the dynamics of pricing might change if the supply is primarily driven by the central bank. The new system also mandates a minimum trade value of $100,000 for all interbank FX transactions, which seems to have curtailed speculative activities in the market. Quoting System: Another plausible reason is the format for placing orders and pricing the exchange rate. Unlike the previous opaque system, forex dealers informed Nairametrics that the current system is order-based, similar to the way stocks are traded on the NGX. For example, bids (buying requests) are displayed on the system along with their bid prices, while offers (selling requests) are also shown with their corresponding prices. This makes it easier to determine how much forex is available in the market and the prevailing prices. Another stakeholder suggests that EFEMS also implements a two-way quote system, meaning dealers are expected to display both bid and offer prices. T his ensures that when trading forex, participants must indicate how much they are willing to buy and sell, regardless of their position in the trade. EFEMS/Guidelines Still New: Analysts also opine that the nascent nature of EFEMS creates some uncertainty among traders. According to one trader, “As a new system, people are obviously wary and do not want to be on the receiving end,” suggesting that the need to comply with market rules is ensuring transparency for now. The CBN’s new guidelines for forex trading also introduce rigorous reporting requirements. For example, Authorized Dealers must report FX transactions to the CBN within 10 minutes via an API-based system. BDCs are required to submit daily activity reports through automated portals, while Commercial and Merchant Banks must adopt real-time reporting to enhance monitoring and oversight. BDC role – The role of Bureau De Change (BDC) operators is critical under the new regulations, fostering further transparency in the functioning of the market. For instance, under the new guidelines, licensed BDC operators are allowed to buy foreign exchange (FX) from Authorized Dealers to meet customer needs. This measure aims to balance market accessibility with effective monitoring and control. The BDC segment, which had previously been excluded from certain FX market activities, is now positioned to play a more active role in meeting retail FX demand. This inclusion is expected to provide a buffer against the FX pressures faced by individuals and small businesses reliant on BDC services. If BDCs are sourcing FX from the same market, their pricing is unlikely to diverge significantly from official rates, reducing the wide disparities previously observed. This marks a significant departure from earlier years when the black market often influenced official rates. However, this expanded operational scope comes with a caveat: the total monthly transactions for BDCs are subject to an aggregate cap as determined by the CBN. It is also worth noting that the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) informed Nairametrics that the permission for BDCs to purchase foreign exchange directly from Authorized Dealers is not automatic. Only BDC operators that meet the current capital requirements are permitted to participate in this market. “We received the news with mixed reactions,” said Gwadabe, a representative of ABCON. “While it is intended to increase liquidity at the retail end of the forex market, it is contingent on meeting the new recapitalization requirements of either ₦500 million or ₦2 billion as stated in the May guidelines. However, it does not specifically permit all currently licensed BDCs to purchase foreign exchange from the interbank market.” He added, “It is tied and subject to meeting the new capitalization guidelines introduced by the CBN in May 2024. This also addresses questions about the sources of funds under the new BDC guidelines raised by many applicants. It is not automatic but conditional on meeting these new requirements.” Panic Selling – Panic selling is widely regarded as a significant factor behind the sharp appreciation in the exchange rate between the naira and the dollar. Traders who spoke to Nairametrics anonymously suggested that many of their suppliers were in a hurry to sell, as no one wanted to hold on to a currency rapidly losing value against the naira. One trader disclosed that they even sold at rates as low as N1,500/$1 on the parallel market, despite it being much lower than the rates obtainable on the official market. These actions have been attributed to panic selling, particularly by speculators who had hoarded dollars for months in anticipation of the naira’s continuous depreciation. Several economic reports have suggested that the exchange rate of N1,600/$1 is not reflective of the naira’s true value, a sentiment echoed by CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso at the Bankers’ Committee annual dinner. If this is indeed what is happening, more losses could await speculators who are uncertain about when the market will bottom out. Some speculators also point to the December period, which, according to historical data, is often associated with the naira strengthening against the dollar. This trend is partly attributed to increased dollar inflows from diaspora Nigerians returning for the Christmas holidays. Finally, it is worth noting that similar boosts in Nigeria’s forex market have been observed before, where the naira suddenly gains strength before depreciating again. For example, in April this year, the naira appreciated to as high as N1,072/$1 before it started to weaken again. At the time, the central bank had just lifted the suspension of forex sales to BDC operators, injecting liquidity into the system.HOUSTON — Dillon Brooks scored a season-high 28 points and led the Houston Rockets to a 116-88 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in an NBA Cup game on Friday night. Brooks matched a career-high with six 3-pointers on eight attempts, and the Rockets made 15 of 39 (38.5%) from beyond the arc. Tari Eason scored 22 points off the bench, Jalen Green had 17 and Alperen Sengun added 14 as the Rockets won for the seventh time in eight games. Six of those wins were by double figures. Houston is 2-0 in NBA Cup play For Portland, Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe scores 13 points apiece and Toumani Camara had 11. Portland has lost two straight games to open a four-game trip. They previously won three straight at home. The Trail Blazers are 1-1 in the in-season tournament. Takeaways Trail Blazers: Portland was missing two of its five leading scorers in Scoot Henderson, out for the first time with a left quad contusion, and Deandre Ayton, who remained sidelined with a deep contusion in his right index finger. Rockets: Houston, at 12-5, has outscored opponents by 163 points through 17 games, the highest total through the first 17 games of a season in franchise history. The previous record of 131 was held by the defending champion 1996-97 Rockets, who started the season 15-2. Portland Trail Blazers guard Rayan Rupert, right, defends against Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Houston, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. Credit: AP/Ashley Landis Key moment The Rockets were trailing early when Eason checked in and provided a spark, scoring 12 points in an energetic 13 minutes in the first half. Eason finished with a game-best plus-minus of +33 points. Key stat Houston outscored Portland 23-7 in fast-break points and generated 28 points off Portland’s 21 turnovers. Up next The Trail Blazers and the Rockets will meet again Saturday night in Houston for the second half of a back-to-back.None