Japan has offered a $108 million to help drive Nigeria’s emergency food security. Yuka Furutani, attache (development Cooperation and ECOWAS), Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, revealed this in her remarks at a demonstration workshop for digital extension service providers held in Abuja on Wednesday. The event, organised by the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), in collaboration with Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), AGRA, Sahel Consulting and Africa Practice, recently launched an initiative on digital extension and advisory services, tagged ‘A Consultative Engagement Exercise for a Product Profile Design for Nigeria’s Public-Private Partnership Digital Extension Delivery System.’ It was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Bell and Melinda Gates-funded activity is an engagement exercise and scoping study that will be conducted in Oyo, Gombe and Kaduna states to identify and profile a digital extension delivery solution that addresses the specific needs. According to Furutani, “The Government of Japan has consistently demonstrated its strong commitment to support food crisis response and sustainable agriculture production in Africa.” She said, “At a Tokyo international conference on agriculture development, Japan and Nigeria signed the food security emergency support loan in April this year for approximately $108 million. “Additionally, Japan extended the grant aid of approximately $4.2 million to enhance the rice seed production system in Nigeria in the same month. This demonstrates our unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s food security. We particularly recognize that these agriculture extension services play a crucial role in realizing food security and sustainable agriculture production,” She said. “One such example we initiated is Japan’s collaboration with the Sasakawa Africa Association, funded by the Government of Japan. This project utilises a digital agriculture expansion service tool called Acropronto, developed by a Japanese company. Acropronto utilizes Japan’s extensive experience in agriculture infrastructure and its advanced technology.” In his remarks, Godwin Atser, country director of SAA Nigeria, which is leading the project’s first workstream, said the Bill and Melinda Gates-funded activity is an engagement exercise and scoping study that will be conducted in Oyo, Gombe and Kaduna states to identify and profile a digital extension delivery solution that addresses the specific needs of SSPs, promotes gender equality, and enhances climate resilience in Nigeria’s agriculture sector, especially in the value chains of Maize, Cowpea, Cassava, Soya bean and livestock. “We have lots of digital apps being developed today, which if we strategically engage farmers and protect them, we will be able to address the issues around extension. And if we are able to do that, it means that farmers’ productivity will increase. And if farmers’ productivity increases, then it means that when we begin to move a lot of the population out of poverty, recognizing that at least 70 percent of people in rural areas rely on agriculture.” In his remarks, Deola-Tayo Lordbanjou, director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services, said some studies conducted found that extension practice in Nigeria is dead, less effective, less impactful, and no longer sustainable. He noted that in the early 80s, Nigeria recorded a higher number of extension service providers compared to now. The Department of Agriculture and Extension is responsible for climate extension service in Nigeria, in terms of policy coordination, state coalition agreement, giving trust and direction and trying to the extension of politics in Nigeria. he added that information is key in the agricultural sector. “And not just information, but advisory services. Someone needs to tell the farmer how better to grow his crops, when to plant them, how to plant them when to harvest, what the likelihood of a disease is, and what should be done.”INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts drafted Anthony Richardson to be their franchise quarterback. On Sunday, they saw how he might be deployed most effectively. Richardson threw only 11 passes in Indy's 38-30 victory over slumping Tennessee , becoming just the third player since 2000 to produce 38 points with fewer than 15 passing attempts. But the second-year quarterback and running back Jonathan Taylor executed the game plan perfectly by combining for 38 carries, 308 yards and four scores. “My job is to pass the ball, deliver the ball, so whenever there’s an opportunity to do so, I’m expected to complete passes, regardless of how long I’ve gone without throwing a pass,” Richardson said. “I’m just trying to do my job the best way I can.” While his stats have not improved dramatically since he regained the starting job, Richardson has made significant progress. He started and finished all five games, the longest stretch of his career. He orchestrated fourth-quarter comebacks on the road against the New York Jets and New England. On Sunday, he broke the franchise record for most TD runs by a quarterback in a season by powering his way in from 5 yards out to tie it at 7 with his sixth TD of the season. And when Indy (7-8) needed a late third-down conversion to close out the victory, Richardson did that, too — firing a 10-yard strike to Michael Pittman Jr. No, he wasn't perfect. A late throw over the middle resulted in yet another interception that cost the Colts a scoring chance in the first half. But Richardson went 7 of 11 with 131 yards and a 27-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs with 15 seconds left in the first half to open up a 24-7 lead. And with Richardson and Taylor increasingly feeding off one another, the Colts may just be starting to unleash the full horsepower of what this dynamic duo can do. At least that's the hope as the regular season winds down. “To add that element of (Richardson's) run game was huge,” coach Shane Steichen said. "He had some good runs for us all day. So, him and J.T. back there is huge.” What’s working Ground game. What else? It has been a rollercoaster season for the Colts offense in general as well as the running game. On Sunday, it looked spectacular. Indy broke a 68-year-old franchise record by rushing for 335 yards. Taylor has 76 carries for 421 yards over the last three games and has his first 1,000-yard season since winning the 2021 rushing crown. What needs help Closing out games. Somehow, the Colts went from a 38-7 rout to needing an interception on the game's final play. Maybe that explains why the Colts have played 12 one-possession games this season. If Indy could find a solution, it might not be on the cusp of making the playoffs instead of missing them for a fourth straight year. Stock up C Ryan Kelly. When the three-time Pro Bowl selection went on injured reserve in October, some thought Kelly may have played his last game in Indy. He's in a contract year and rookie Tanor Bortolini played well in Kelly's absence. But Kelly proved his value by making a big difference in the ground game. Stock down RG Dalton Tucker. The undrafted rookie moved into the starting lineup when Will Fries was sidelined with a season-ending leg injury. Then the Colts brought back veteran Mark Glowinski and plugged him into Tucker's spot. Tucker was a healthy scratch Sunday. Injuries WR Alec Pierce (concussion) and LB E.J. Speed (knee) were both inactive in Week 16 and it's unclear what their status will be next weekend. ... Two defensive backs — Jaylon Jones (throat) and Tre Flowers (shoulder) — left and did not return. ... Indy may have avoided a more concerning loss when Pro Bowl LG Quenton Nelson hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter. After slamming his helmet on the sideline, he returned for Indy's last drive. Key number 18 — According to The New York Times, Indy has an 18% chance of making the playoffs heading into its final two games. Next steps Indy still has a manageable schedule with a trip to the New York Giants (2-13) next weekend before a rematch with Jacksonville (3-12) in the regular-season finale. If they replicate their play from the first three quarters Sunday, they're likely to finish with a winning record and maybe get lucky enough to make the postseason. If they play like they did in the fourth quarter, the opposite could happen. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL Michael Marot, The Associated Pressfortune gems apk 。

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DALLAS — Delta and United became the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning back a significant share of travelers on a tight budget. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines , which recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Some travel-industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate that travelers on a budget will be left with fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on much better financial footing than Spirit, but they too are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic . Most industry experts think Frontier Airlines and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks , and that there is still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. Spirit Airlines lost more than $2.2 billion since the start of 2020. Frontier has not reported a full-year profit since 2019, though that slump might end this year. Allegiant Air’s parent company is still profitable, but less so than before the pandemic. Those kind of numbers led United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to declare recently that low-cost carriers were using “a fundamentally flawed business model” and customers hate flying on them. Kirby’s touchdown dance might turn out to be premature, but many analysts are wary about the near-term prospects for budget airlines, which charge cheaper fares but more fees than the big airlines. A traveler speaks with a Spirit Airlines agent May 24 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of Memorial Day in Atlanta. Mike Stewart, Associated Press Low-cost airlines grew in the last two decades by undercutting big carriers on ticket prices, thanks in large part to lower costs, including hiring younger workers who were paid less than their counterparts at Delta Air Lines, United and American Airlines . Wages soared across the industry in the past two years, however, narrowing that cost advantage. The big airlines rolled out and refined their no-frills, “basic economy” tickets to compete directly with Spirit, Frontier and other budget carriers for the most price-sensitive travelers. The budget airlines became less efficient at using planes and people. As their growth slowed, they wound up with more of both than they needed. In 2019, Spirit planes were in the air an average of 12.3 hours every day. By this summer, the planes spent an average of two more hours each day sitting on the ground, where they don't make money. Spirit's costs per mile jumped 32% between 2019 and 2023. Another issue is that airlines added too many flights. Budget airlines and Southwest Airlines were among the worst offenders, but full-service airlines piled on. To make up for a drop in business travel, the big carriers added more flights on domestic leisure routes. The result: Too many seats on flights into popular tourist destinations such as Florida and Las Vegas, which drove down prices, especially for economy-class tickets. Rows of seats are shown Sept. 26 on a retrofitted Southwest Airlines jet at Love Field in Dallas. Tony Gutierrez, Associated Press Low-cost airlines are responding by following the old adage that if you can't beat them, join them. That means going premium, following the rapidly growing household wealth among upper-income people. The top one-fifth of U.S. households by income added $35 trillion in wealth since 2019 and holds nearly nine times the wealth of the middle fifth, according to the Federal Reserve . Frontier Airlines organized its fares into four bundles in May, with buyers of higher-priced tickets getting extras such as priority boarding, more legroom and checked bags. The airline dropped ticket-change or cancellation fees except for the cheapest bundle. Spirit followed in August with similar changes, blocking middle seats and charging passengers more for the comfort of aisle and window seats. Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie received a $3.8 million retention bonus a week before the Florida-based carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Christie will retain the bonus if he remains with the company for another year. The airline's stock has dropped over 90% this year. It has faced challenges including a blocked $3.8 billion merger with JetBlue and failed talks with Frontier. The pandemic disrupted Spirit's operations and travel patterns, reducing its daily aircraft utilization and increasing costs. Demand has shifted to full-service airlines as higher-income travelers vacation more, while inflation impacts lower-income consumers. Benzinga - News JetBlue Airways , which began flying more than 20 years ago as a low-cost carrier but with amenities, is digging out from years of steady losses. Under new CEO Joanna Geraghty, the first woman to lead a major U.S. airline, JetBlue is cutting unprofitable routes, bolstering core markets that include the Northeast and Florida, and delaying deliveries of $3 billion worth of new planes. Starting next year, Southwest Airlines will toss out a half-century tradition of “open seating” — passengers picking their own seat after boarding the plane. Executives say extensive surveying showed 80% of customers preferred an assigned seat, and that's especially true with coveted business travelers. More crowded planes also might be pushing passengers to spend more to escape a middle seat in the back of the plane. A Frontier Airlines jet takes off July 5, 2022, from Denver International Airport in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press In other parts of the world, budget carriers are doing just fine. They bounced back from the pandemic just like their more highbrow competitors. Some industry experts say low-cost carriers in Asia and Europe have always attracted a more diverse mix of passengers, while in the U.S., affluent and middle-class travelers look down their noses at low-cost carriers. Jamie Baker, an analyst for JPMorgan, says he has many college friends who work in London and fly Irish airline Ryanair all the time, but he hardly knows anyone who has ever been on a Spirit or Frontier plane. A small plane tows a banner April 13, 2016, over Flint Bishop International Airport as part of ceremonies marking Allegiant Air joining the airport. Conor Ralph, The Flint Journal Delta CEO Ed Bastian is less dismissive of the “lower-end carriers” in the U.S. than United's Kirby. "I don’t see that segment ever disappearing,” Bastian said after Spirit’s bankruptcy filing. “I think there’s a market for it.” At the same time, he said the upscale moves by ultra-low-cost carriers are having no effect on his airline. Delta targets upscale travelers but also introduced basic-economy fares a decade ago, when discounters emerged as a growing threat to poach some of Delta's customers. “Just calling yourself a premium carrier and actually being a premium carrier are two totally different things,” Bastian said “It's not the size of the seat or how much room you have; it's the overall experience.” Based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the above chart shows inflation-adjusted average airline fares over the past 25 years. The least and most expensive airports to fly from For this report, we compared domestic airfares from the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. using data published by the U.S. Department of Transportation . FinanceBuzz Orlando International Airport (MCO) had the lowest airfare cost in the country at $265.58 on average. Home to iconic theme parks like Universal Studios, Sea World, and most notably, Walt Disney World, Orlando is one of America's top tourist destinations. This is welcome news for those bracing for expensive park tickets and food prices at the House of Mouse. Beyond saving with a Disney credit card on park-related purchases, visitors can also maximize savings by using a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve which offers an annual travel credit, or even using a 0% APR credit card if you don't want to pay for your entire vacation at once. Another Florida-based airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), has the second-lowest average airfare cost in the country — tickets here are only about $5 more expensive than Orlando's. Just a few dollars behind FLL is Las Vegas's Harry Reid International (LAS), where fares cost $272.15 on average. LAS is also the last airport on our list where average airfare costs are less than $300. Oakland International Airport (OAK) has the fourth-lowest average airfare costs in the country at $303.79. And the fifth-least expensive airport, Chicago Midway International (MDW), comes in at $308.27. FinanceBuzz For the third year in a row, Dulles International Airport (IAD) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have the two highest average fares in the country. Flights from Dulles cost $488.40 on average in 2023, while flights from San Francisco cost $444.59. Some silver lining for travelers who need to travel through Dulles: IAD is home to some of the best airport lounges in the country, including the recently-opened Capital One Lounge, available to Capital One Venture X or Venture Rewards credit card holders. With free food, drinks, and recharging stations, lounges can be one easy way to offset otherwise-expensive airport costs. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has the third-highest average airfare in the country, with an average cost of $438.34. Last on our top-five list of the most expensive airports are Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). Average airfare from Charlotte cost $436.80 last year, while flights from Detroit had an average price tag of $427.05. Biggest jumps in affordability rankings Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was the biggest affordability winner over the last year, dropping prices by more than $18 on average. SEA jumped from 36th most-affordable place last year to 28th place this year — an increase of eight spots. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Portland International Airport (PDX) experienced similar jumps, rising by seven spots each. RDU went from 24th place in 2022 to 17th in 2023, while PDX went from 42nd to 35th. Biggest drops in affordability ranking Two different airports fell by eight spots in our affordability rankings, tied for the biggest drop of the year. The average fare at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) rose by $18.66 year-over-year, which led SMF to go from 18th in last year's affordability rankings to 26th this year. Prices rose even more at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), going up by $19.64 on average from one year to the next. Consequently, STL fell from 21st to 29th place in terms of affordability. How to save when you fly As you plan your travel, you'll find costs can vary widely at a single airport. With a little research and smart planning, you can find a deal at any airport. Here are a few tips to save on airfare: One way to save on airfare is to use airline credit card points , or travel cards, to book your travel. For newer travelers, some welcome bonuses on beginner travel credit cards can be enough to earn you a free flight (or two). As we all know, flights aren't the only expensive part of traveling. Save money on baggage fees by understanding your airlines and prepping for the hidden costs of air travel. Methodology We looked at 2023 airfare data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation in May 2024 to compare domestic airfares by origin city. This report calculated average fares based on domestic itinerary fares. "Itinerary fares" consist of round-trip fares, unless only a one-way ticket was purchased. In that case, the one-way fare was used. Fares are based on total ticket value, including the price charged by the airline plus any additional taxes and fees levied at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at booking and do not include fees for optional services like baggage fees. Averages also do not include frequent-flyer or "zero fares" or a few abnormally high reported fares. This stor y was produced by FinanceBuzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. FinanceBuzz As frequent flyers know, air travel isn't cheap. With the summer months in full swing, demand for air travel is expected to reach record numbers in 2024 as airlines continue to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily for those who are looking for ways to save on travel , one way to cut costs on your next vacation may be in finding the right places to fly in and out of. FinanceBuzz looked at average domestic airfares from the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. to learn which airports are best for travelers on a budget, as well as which ones to avoid if you are trying to travel affordably. Overall, the national average airfare cost decreased by 3.1% from 2022 to 2023 when adjusted for inflation (which translates to a 0.9% increase in non-adjusted dollars). The last time inflation-adjusted airfare costs dropped year-over-year was during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it fell 18% between 2019 and 2020. Largely, this is good news for consumers who can spend less on airfare and have more room in their budget for hotels , restaurants, and other travel fees. In addition to earning rewards on airfare, most travel credit cards offer rewards for spending in these areas, which can offset overall vacation costs. Sergieiev // Shutterstock

Peppers missed seven games since being placed on the list on Oct. 9 after he was arrested and charged with shoving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choking her. The league said its review is ongoing and is not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster status. Braintree, Massachusetts, police said they were called to a home for an altercation between two people on Oct. 7, and a woman told them Peppers choked her. Police said they found at the home a clear plastic bag containing a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine. Peppers, 29, pleaded not guilty in Quincy District Court to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class “B” substance believed to be cocaine. At a court appearance last week a trial date was set for Jan. 22. “Any act of domestic violence is unacceptable for us,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said after the arrest. “With that being said, I do think that Jabrill has to go through the system, has to continue to go through due process. We’ll see how that works out.” A 2017 first-round draft choice by Cleveland, Peppers spent two seasons with the Browns and three with the New York Giants before coming to New England in 2022. He was signed to an extension this summer. He played in the first four games of the season and missed one with a shoulder injury before going on the exempt list, which allows NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to place a player on paid leave while reviewing his case. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflMors 3-4 2-3 8, Cluff 8-11 3-3 20, Garry 3-6 2-2 9, Larson 3-8 0-0 8, Sayler 1-6 2-2 5, Hadnot 3-4 1-2 7, Jackson 2-5 0-0 5, Barnhart 2-2 0-0 5, Lindsey 0-3 0-0 0, Whorton 2-3 2-2 6, Wilkinson 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-54 12-14 75. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

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Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites against Wigan Athletic heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. The Tykes, 14 places higher than their opponents in the standings, are undefeated in five league fixtures and aim to extend that run against a side without maximum points since the start of October. When Barnsley were twice beaten 2-0 by Huddersfield Town on October 5 and 8, there was a sense that Darrell Clarke 's men could spiral into a worse run of results. Those losses extended the club's winless run to three in League One (two draws, one defeat) and four in all competitions (two draws, two defeats), leaving them looking down rather than up in the table entering last month's international break. Since that hiatus, the South Yorkshire club have experienced a turnaround, highlighted by avoiding a loss in their recent five league fixtures, claiming maximum points in three and playing out two stalemates. The ongoing run also includes consecutive clean sheets in 2-0 wins against Shrewsbury Town and Rotherham United, ending the club's eight-match wait for a shutout and going back-to-back league games without conceding for the first time since October 2023 when the Reds beat Cambridge United (2-0) and Exeter City (2-0). The Tykes' unbeaten run places them in the division's playoff positions in fifth, level with Lincoln on 26 points and two clear of Mansfield in seventh. Although Clarke's men might drop out of the coveted places if they fail to win, the Reds could rise as high as third if Wrexham (28 points) and Stockport (27) drop points in round 17. Barnsley are favourites to outwit this weekend's visitors, whose results suggest Saturday's outcome could be a walk in the park for the South Yorkshire hosts. Wigan's last league success was a 3-0 triumph at home to Peterborough United at the start of last month, but the next five have seen a downturn in results. The Latics were not in sparkling form when they notched that win on October 1, as evidenced by that victory ending a three-game run of stalemates and the next result ending in a tie. However, Shaun Maloney 's biggest worry at the time was getting his players firing in attack, seeing as they secured six clean sheets on the trot — two wins (4-0 at Bristol Rovers and 3-0 against Peterborough) and four goalless matches against Lincoln City, Stevenage, Exeter City and Stockport County. Losing three of the next four in the league means the seemingly dependable rearguard is creaking, and the attack continues to misfire, posing problems for the Greater Manchester outfit, who sit 19th in League One, two places and a point outside the bottom four. Defeat for Wigan at Barnsley could see the Latics slide into the relegation places, even if that outcome is contingent on Crawley Town defeating Rotherham on Saturday. Barnsley captain Luca Connell should return to the XI following his suspension for picking up five yellow cards. However, Fabio Jalo is reported to be an injury doubt, and the 19-year-old will be assessed before this weekend. Former Latics man Stephen Humphrys has scored in consecutive games for the hosts, taking him to four league goals for his new side, and he aims to add to that tally by punishing old friends. Due to different problems, Wigan could be without Jensen Weir (ankle), Luke Chambers (back) and Callum McManaman (muscle). Thelo Aasgaard (three goals) and Joe Hugill (two) are Maloney's leading goalscorers entering this weekend's visit to Oakwell, and the Latics will look to the pair to take responsibility for the struggling away side. Barnsley possible starting lineup: Killip; Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O'Keeffe, Humphrys, Phillips, Russell, Gent; Watters, Keillor-Dunn Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup: Tickle; Carragher, Kerr, Aimson, Sessegnon; Aasgaard, Adeeko, Francois; Rankine, Hugill, Thomas Although Barnsley are clear favourites, the hosts drawing three of their last four matches in South Yorkshire and Wigan playing out three draws in four recent road games suggest a close encounter at Oakwell. We back the Tykes to record their third league win on home turf, thus extending their five-match unbeaten run in this fixture. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .

LINCOLN — There’s a cost to Nebraska football embracing its 34-year tradition of Black Friday games. A chance to reflect much, for one thing. Or celebrate, for another. NU on Saturday ended a 10-game losing streak to Wisconsin and a seven-season bowl drought in one fell swoop, but when the Huskers reconvened Monday, a short week of preparation for a nasty rival stared them right in the face. “We haven’t even had a team meeting since the game,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said at his weekly press conference. “We walked in today, 8 o’clock, and it’s Iowa special teams (prep). No time for ‘hey, great job.’ There’s no time for it.” Bad memories still linger in the Huskers’ minds, though. The Hawkeyes have won eight of the last nine in this series — six of those by one score, including last year, a 13-10 gut punch that kept Nebraska from making a bowl. If Iowa blew kisses at NU in 2019 on a game-winning field goal, they did something else in 2023. “Their players are waving at our guys — ‘hey, have a good Christmas!’ — that was painful,” Rhule said. “That was really painful. So I don’t doubt that our guys will be ready. But their guys will be ready. It really just comes down to football.” Win the turnover battle. Block and tackle well. Make plays when they’re available. Execute the way offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen wants. To focus on those things — without the psychological pressure of a long December hanging over the program’s head — is a nice bonus to clinching the bowl before heading to Kinnick Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. game on NBC. The temps will be in the 20s; Nebraska, practicing outside most of the year, is prepared for that. Iowa’s offense, though fitted with a new coordinator, resembles a more effective version of the Hawkeyes’ recent attacks, with a blend of power and zone runs executed by running back Kaleb Johnson, second nationally in rush yards. Iowa ranks first in the Big Ten — and 13 th nationally — in rushing yards per game. “They’ve run some people off the field just by running the football down their throat,” Rhule said. So, Iowa is Iowa is Iowa. It was Iowa 10 years ago, when it lost 37-34 to Nebraska two days before the firing of Bo Pelini. It was Iowa two years ago on the day it lost to NU just as the school was finalizing a deal for Rhule. And at 7-4 overall — 5-3 in the Big Ten — this season, it is Iowa now. Nebraska, on the other hand, moved from a program with no bowl berths this decade to at least one this winter. It saw, in its win over Wisconsin, a work ethic rewarded, a process confirmed and a rare midseason offensive coordinator hire vindicated. “They know that they can do it, they know they’re capable of it,” Rhule said. “So let’s continue to do it. That’s the expectation now. What was once possible, now we know we can do it, so let’s do it.” Rhule anticipates Nebraska’s roster will be healthier after the flu ran through the team last week, and NU’s offense now manages playing time the way the Husker defensive coaches have — by who practices well during the week. That translated into backups who got more snaps against Wisconsin than other games this season — Emmett Johnson, Luke Lindenmeyer and Nate Boerkircher — and who stood more often on the sideline. That’s Holgorsen’s effect, to some degree, and it’s the new price of success. "Dana's brought a standard, offensively, that, I'm not going to say we didn't have before,” Rhule said, “but he has the experience to kind of follow through on it that will be good for us all to learn from.” The lessons learned in a game are the lessons learned in a season, Rhule said. The week is short, the prep is detailed and Iowa is Iowa. Who might Nebraska be? “We have to make sure the football’s right,” Rhule said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Australia news LIVE: Bills on the brink in final sitting week of the year; Social media giants slam ‘rushed’ ban consultationDespite Mary Lou McDonald’s confidence around shaping a coalition without Fine Gael and Fianna Fail – the two parties that have dominated the landscape of Irish politics for a century – the pathway to government for Sinn Fein still appears challenging. With counting following Friday’s election still in the relatively early stages – after an exit poll that showed the main three parties effectively neck-and-neck – there is some way to go before the final picture emerges and the options for government formation crystalise. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, has dismissed talk of a Sinn Fein surge and said he was “cautiously optimistic” about where his party will stand after all the votes are counted. Meanwhile, Ireland’s deputy premier and Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, insisted his party has a “very clear route back to government” as he predicted seat gains. The counting process could last days because of Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. The early indications have turned the focus to the tricky arithmetic of government formation, as the country’s several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockey for a place in government. Ms McDonald told reporters at the RDS count centre in Dublin that she would be “very, very actively pursuing” the potential to form a government with other parties on the left of the political spectrum. The smaller, left-leaning parties in Ireland include the Social Democrats, the Irish Labour Party, the Green Party and People Before Profit-Solidarity. Ms McDonald said her party had delivered an “incredible performance” in the election. “I think it’s fair to say that we have now confirmed that we have broken the political mould here in this state,” she said. “Two party politics is now gone. It’s consigned to the dustbin of history and that, in itself, is very significant.” She added: “I am looking to bring about a government of change, and I’m going to go and look at all formulations. “If you want my bottom line, the idea of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for another five years, in our strong opinion, is not a good outcome for Irish society. “Obviously, I want to talk to other parties of the left and those that we share very significant policy objectives with. So I’m going to do that first and just hear their mind, hear their thinking. But be very clear, we will be very, very actively pursuing entrance into government.” In Friday night’s exit poll, Sinn Fein was predicted to take 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of outgoing coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively. Prior to the election, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both ruled out entering government with Sinn Fein. Fine Gael leader Mr Harris rejected suggestions Sinn Fein had broken new ground. He told reporters in his count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow: “Certainly we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it. “I mean, it looks likely, on the figures that we’ve seen now, fewer people, many fewer people would have voted Sinn Fein in this election than the last one. “In fact, I think they’re down by around 5% and actually the parties, particularly the two parties, the two larger parties in government, are likely to receive significant support from the electorate. So definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented.” He said it was too early to tell what the next government would look like. “I think anybody who makes any suggestion about who is going to be the largest party or the construct of the next government, they’re a braver person than I am,” he said. “Our electoral system dictates that there’ll be many, many transfers that will go on for hours, if not days, before we know the final computations at all. “But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead, and I’m cautiously optimistic and excited.” Fianna Fail’s Mr Martin told reporters at a count centre in Cork he was confident that the numbers exist to form a government with parties that shared his political viewpoint. Mr Martin said it “remains to be seen” whether he would return to the role of Taoiseach – a position he held between 2020 and 2022 – but he expressed confidence his party would outperform the exit poll prediction. “It’s a bit too early yet to call the exact type of government that will be formed or the composition of the next government,” he said. “But I think there are, there will be a sufficiency of seats, it seems to me, that aligns with the core principles that I articulated at the outset of this campaign and throughout the campaign, around the pro-enterprise economy, around a positively pro-European position, a government that will strongly push for home ownership and around parties that are transparently democratic in how they conduct their affairs.” Asked if it would be in a coalition with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Social Democrats, he said that would be “racing a bit too far ahead”. The final result may dictate that if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are to return to government, they may need more than one junior partner, or potentially the buy-in of several independent TDs. Mr Martin said it was unclear how quickly a government can be formed, as he predicted his party would gain new seats. “It will be challenging. This is not easy,” he added. The junior partner in the outgoing government – the Green Party – looks set for a bruising set of results. Green leader Roderic O’Gorman is in a fight to hold onto his seat, as are a number of party colleagues, including Media Minister Catherine Martin. “It’s clear the Green Party has not had a good day,” he said. The early counting also suggested potential trouble for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party’s only candidate in the constituency, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, is considered to have a battle ahead, with the risk of losing his seat. Meanwhile, there is significant focus on independent candidate Gerard Hutch who, on Saturday evening, was sitting in fourth place in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central. Last spring, Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge described Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and said he had engaged in “serious criminal conduct”. The constituency will be closely watched as other hopefuls wait to see if transfers from eliminated candidates may eventually rule him out of contention. In the constituency of Louth, the much-criticised selection of John McGahon appeared not to have paid off for Fine Gael. The party’s campaign was beset by questioning over footage entering the public domain of the candidate engaged in a fight outside a pub in 2018. The Social Democrats have a strong chance of emerging as the largest of the smaller parties. The party’s leader, Holly Cairns, was already celebrating before a single vote was counted however, having announced the birth of her baby girl on polling day.

The Greens have launched a bid to enshrine access to housing as a human right in the ACT, part of the crossbench party's effort to drive greater government involvement in fixing the housing crisis. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said the move would be a practical way to force the government to consider the impacts of its decisions on housing affordability. "It is my hope this legislation will start a conversation both within and outside the government about the level of change that is needed to prioritise building homes for people over the private profit of property investors and companies," Mr Rattenbury said. The Greens have released a consultation draft of a bill that would insert the right to adequate housing into the ACT's human rights laws. "Over the long term, we hope this would start a conversation both within and outside government about what level of change is needed to prioritise people over profit. This could include greater government focus on market interventions or broader provision of publicly owned housing to boost the rental market with affordable places to live," the party said. Mr Rattenbury said the law change was a practical way to focus the government's attention on fixing the housing crisis. "For too long, politicians across the nation have treated the government's role in the housing market as providing for private profit, rather than safeguarding our community from the skyrocketing cost of finding and keeping a home," Mr Rattenbury said. Greens leader Shane Rattenbury. Picture by Karleen Minney "Now more than ever, in the middle of the most urgent housing crisis in living memory, we need to think about housing differently." A discussion paper published by the Greens said the adoption of a housing right would reframe government decisions about housing to be about social need rather than private profit. The right would not immediately require the government to provide everyone in the ACT with a home, the paper said. "Express consideration of the right to housing will provide a clearer framework to ground the government's commitment to provide services in the area of housing, in the same way it is already called upon to do for health care, education and, shortly, the environment," the paper said. The Greens' bill would insert clauses into the Human Rights Act to say, "Everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing" and "everyone is entitled to enjoy this right without discrimination". The bill would also introduce a clause that says no one can be unlawfully or arbitrarily evicted from their home or have an essential service unlawfully or arbitrarily withdrawn. The Greens said they did not believe their proposed law would result in an increase in court action against the government. Australia already had an obligation to ensure access to adequate housing under international law but this did not do enough, the Greens' discussion paper said. "The right to housing is enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), a treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966. As a party to this treaty since 1975, Australia has an obligation under Article 11 to take steps to realise the right to adequate housing. It sets out three components of an adequate standard of living: food, clothing and housing," the paper said. The paper said adequate housing had been interpreted to include adequacy, protection against forced evictions, prohibition against discrimination and the provision of emergency housing for vulnerable people. The Greens said a human right to housing had been expressly protected in Belgium, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, India, Argentina, and Russia. "In 2008, Finland introduced a human-rights-based policy aimed at ending homelessness. It focused on placing community members in stable, long-term accommodation, rather than short-term accommodation. Today, there are almost no rough sleepers in Finland," the discussion paper said. The Legislative Assembly last term voted to adopt the right to a healthy environment in the territory's human rights laws, giving people the power to complain about failures to protect and maintain the environment in the ACT. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Jasper Lindell Assembly Reporter Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter. Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter. 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LINCOLN — There’s a cost to Nebraska football embracing its 34-year tradition of Black Friday games. A chance to reflect much, for one thing. Or celebrate, for another. NU on Saturday ended a 10-game losing streak to Wisconsin and a seven-season bowl drought in one fell swoop, but when the Huskers reconvened Monday, a short week of preparation for a nasty rival stared them right in the face. “We haven’t even had a team meeting since the game,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said at his weekly press conference. “We walked in today, 8 o’clock, and it’s Iowa special teams (prep). No time for ‘hey, great job.’ There’s no time for it.” Bad memories still linger in the Huskers’ minds, though. The Hawkeyes have won eight of the last nine in this series — six of those by one score, including last year, a 13-10 gut punch that kept Nebraska from making a bowl. If Iowa blew kisses at NU in 2019 on a game-winning field goal, they did something else in 2023. “Their players are waving at our guys — ‘hey, have a good Christmas!’ — that was painful,” Rhule said. “That was really painful. So I don’t doubt that our guys will be ready. But their guys will be ready. It really just comes down to football.” Win the turnover battle. Block and tackle well. Make plays when they’re available. Execute the way offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen wants. To focus on those things — without the psychological pressure of a long December hanging over the program’s head — is a nice bonus to clinching the bowl before heading to Kinnick Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. game on NBC. The temps will be in the 20s; Nebraska, practicing outside most of the year, is prepared for that. Iowa’s offense, though fitted with a new coordinator, resembles a more effective version of the Hawkeyes’ recent attacks, with a blend of power and zone runs executed by running back Kaleb Johnson, second nationally in rush yards. Iowa ranks first in the Big Ten — and 13 th nationally — in rushing yards per game. “They’ve run some people off the field just by running the football down their throat,” Rhule said. So, Iowa is Iowa is Iowa. It was Iowa 10 years ago, when it lost 37-34 to Nebraska two days before the firing of Bo Pelini. It was Iowa two years ago on the day it lost to NU just as the school was finalizing a deal for Rhule. And at 7-4 overall — 5-3 in the Big Ten — this season, it is Iowa now. Nebraska, on the other hand, moved from a program with no bowl berths this decade to at least one this winter. It saw, in its win over Wisconsin, a work ethic rewarded, a process confirmed and a rare midseason offensive coordinator hire vindicated. “They know that they can do it, they know they’re capable of it,” Rhule said. “So let’s continue to do it. That’s the expectation now. What was once possible, now we know we can do it, so let’s do it.” Rhule anticipates Nebraska’s roster will be healthier after the flu ran through the team last week, and NU’s offense now manages playing time the way the Husker defensive coaches have — by who practices well during the week. That translated into backups who got more snaps against Wisconsin than other games this season — Emmett Johnson, Luke Lindenmeyer and Nate Boerkircher — and who stood more often on the sideline. That’s Holgorsen’s effect, to some degree, and it’s the new price of success. "Dana's brought a standard, offensively, that, I'm not going to say we didn't have before,” Rhule said, “but he has the experience to kind of follow through on it that will be good for us all to learn from.” The lessons learned in a game are the lessons learned in a season, Rhule said. The week is short, the prep is detailed and Iowa is Iowa. Who might Nebraska be? “We have to make sure the football’s right,” Rhule said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

“Relentless demand, inadequate supply, surging rents, and growing concerns around affordability make this the most challenging rental environment in Peterborough’s history.” That is just one finding of a housing report released in early December by the United Way Peterborough & District that explores the challenges with securing a place to call home in Peterborough and area. Year-over-year Peterborough’s rental market continues to be tighter and more expensive, notes author Paul Armstrong in the 19th edition of the “Housing is Fundamental” report. The report provides an analysis of Peterborough’s worsening rental market and “underscores the ongoing challenges posed by housing affordability and accessibility,” stated a press release about the document. “Affordability” is defined as spending no more than 30 per cent of total before-tax income on housing. But with the average market rent in the Peterborough area now $1,325, that means a household has to make $53,000 for a rental unit to be “affordable.” The report states this means there’s little, if any, affordable housing for people who have low incomes. A significant portion of renter households are in “core housing need,” with some spending well in excess of 50 per cent of their household incomes on rent, the report found. “Meagre” additions to the Peterborough CMA rental stock in 2023 mean hundreds of units are still required, with the demand for rental units far exceeding supply. Meanwhile, Trent University and Fleming College place a substantial demand on the city’s rental market, the report notes. New immigrants and foreign students to the area require housing. Housing suitable to transition people out of homelessness is also needed. According to the report, the housing and homelessness crisis has been mainly caused by governments withdrawing from providing public housing, leaving it to the for-profit market to provide housing. “Governments will need to return to direct provision of social housing and render additional support for non-profit housing,” the report states. “We need to build more, much more. We need to make it more affordable. And greater density will likely result. All of this calls upon governments to assert a leading role.” The document also points out that the maximum benefit for people receiving Ontario Works is $733 per month, but the average rent in Peterborough in 2023 for the smallest unit — a bachelor — was $877 per month. A single bedroom unit went for $1,173 while a two-bedroom apartment was $1,411, and a three-bedroom unit cost, on average, $1,640. On a broader scale, the Canada-wide vacancy rate was 1.5 per cent as of October 2023, which was a new low, with Peterborough’s vacancy rate standing at one per cent. Recent renter households (43.2 per cent) were also more likely to live in unaffordable housing than existing renter households (30.5 per cent), with unaffordable housing meaning more than 30 per cent of pre-tax household income is spent on shelter costs. “When inadequate supply of rental units produces a one per cent vacancy rate in Peterborough, something has to change,” Amstrong notes. “When housing costs are now the primary driver of inflation and 20 per cent of Canadian rental stock is owned by large capital enterprises, something’s inequitable. When homelessness grows, but social housing builds don’t materialize, something’s unjust. The housing crisis deepens with little indication of relief.” On the other end of the scale, high ownership prices have prevented renter households from making the move to jp,eownership. And, finally, 2023 saw an unprecedented period of multiple converging crises, which included homelessness, housing precarity, food insecurity, income precarity, mental health challenges, and addictions. “Flawed government policy has resulted in profound crises in an otherwise prosperous country,” Armstrong states. “Clearly, the government’s chosen, market-driven model for housing provision and personal security has failed.” To read the report and learn more about the call to action, visit .

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