ewin888 EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — J.K. Dobbins will miss at least the next four games after the Los Angeles Chargers placed the running back on injured reserve Saturday. The team also placed safety Alohi Gilman on injured reserve and signed safety Tony Jefferson to the active roster. Dobbins sprained the MCL in his left knee late in the first half of the Chargers’ 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. Dobbins is fourth in the AFC in rushing with 766 yards and averages 4.8 yards per carry, third highest among AFC running backs with at least 100 carries. He has been considered among the candidates for AP Comeback Player of the Year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in last season’s opener. Gus Edwards will be counted on to be the lead back in Dobbins' absence. Edwards missed four games during the middle of the season because of an ankle injury and has 25 carries for 93 yards in three games since returning to the lineup. The Chargers are 7-4 and hold the sixth seed in the AFC going into Sunday's game at NFC South leader Atlanta (6-5). Los Angeles is at Kansas City (10-1) in a prime-time game on Dec. 8, hosts Tampa Bay (5-6) on Dec. 15 and Denver (7-5) on Dec. 19. Gilman suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to the Ravens. He has 47 tackles, which is fifth on the team, along with one sack. Los Angeles also elevated cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — J.K. Dobbins will miss at least the next four games after the Los Angeles Chargers placed the running back on injured reserve Saturday. The team also placed safety Alohi Gilman on injured reserve and signed safety Tony Jefferson to the active roster. Dobbins sprained the MCL in his left knee late in the first half of on Monday. Dobbins is fourth in the AFC in rushing with 766 yards and averages 4.8 yards per carry, third highest among AFC running backs with at least 100 carries. He has been considered among the candidates for AP Comeback Player of the Year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in last season’s opener. Gus Edwards will be counted on to be the lead back in Dobbins’ absence. Edwards missed four games during the middle of the season because of an ankle injury and has 25 carries for 93 yards in three games since returning to the lineup. The Chargers are 7-4 and hold the sixth seed in the AFC going into Sunday’s game at NFC South leader Atlanta (6-5). Los Angeles is at Kansas City (10-1) in a prime-time game on Dec. 8, hosts Tampa Bay (5-6) on Dec. 15 and Denver (7-5) on Dec. 19. Gilman suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to the Ravens. He has 47 tackles, which is fifth on the team, along with one sack. Los Angeles also elevated cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. ___ AP NFL:

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — J.K. Dobbins will miss at least the next four games after the Los Angeles Chargers placed the running back on injured reserve Saturday. The team also placed safety Alohi Gilman on injured reserve and signed safety Tony Jefferson to the active roster. Dobbins sprained the MCL in his left knee late in the first half of the Chargers’ 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. Dobbins is fourth in the AFC in rushing with 766 yards and averages 4.8 yards per carry, third highest among AFC running backs with at least 100 carries. He has been considered among the candidates for AP Comeback Player of the Year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in last season’s opener. Gus Edwards will be counted on to be the lead back in Dobbins' absence. Edwards missed four games during the middle of the season because of an ankle injury and has 25 carries for 93 yards in three games since returning to the lineup. The Chargers are 7-4 and hold the sixth seed in the AFC going into Sunday's game at NFC South leader Atlanta (6-5). Los Angeles is at Kansas City (10-1) in a prime-time game on Dec. 8, hosts Tampa Bay (5-6) on Dec. 15 and Denver (7-5) on Dec. 19. Gilman suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to the Ravens. He has 47 tackles, which is fifth on the team, along with one sack. Los Angeles also elevated cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl‘We’re not drafting the constitution’

Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Mexican Peso Strengthens On Christmas EveNone

By Daily Trust Bishop Matthew Kukah, Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, has said President Bola Tinubu and his predecessors were not ready when they found themselves in governance. Kukah, who lamented that the key element missing in Nigerian leadership is knowledge, said the president and past heads of state and leaders found themselves in power by accident. He said their actions and activities had shown that none of them was fully prepared before assumption of office. The bishop spoke on Sunday in a keynote address at the official commissioning of Start-Rite School’s new building and the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture in Abuja. Oshiomhole mourns as oldest Catholic Priest dies in Edo Dangote Refinery reduces PMS Price ‘to thank Nigerians’ Giving a chronicle of their leadership trajectory, the bishop said, “Almost every leader who came to power in Nigeria did so as a result of one accident or another. “President Tinubu, who said he was prepared for the role, is struggling. We are still trying to get off the ground. He took over from Buhari, who had already given up. “Buhari succeeded Jonathan, who thought he would retire after being deputy governor, but circumstances thrust him into power. Jonathan succeeded Yar’Adua, who had planned to return to teaching at Ahmadu Bello University after his governorship. “Yar’Adua, in turn, succeeded Obasanjo, who was unexpectedly released from prison to become president. Obasanjo took over after Abacha, who was being positioned by five political parties to rule indefinitely until nature intervened. “Abacha succeeded Shonekan, who was a business executive at UAC before being called to serve as Head of State. We can go on and on, but the fundamental issue in governance is knowledge. Leaders need a deep understanding of their environment.” According to him, though the world has changed, the expectations of leadership have not. Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa stressed the importance of instilling leadership qualities at an early age. Marwa attributed the country’s struggles with various societal vices to failures in leadership and accountability. Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. NEWS UPDATE: Nigerians have been finally approved to earn Dollars from home, acquire premium domains for as low as $1500, profit as much as $22,000 (₦37million+). Click here to start. accidental leadership Bola Tinubu Matthew Kukah Muhammadu BuhariIndia is gearing up for a major milestone in its space journey with the launch of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDEX), planned for December 30, 2024. The mission will be carried out by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60). The rocket is set to take off at 9:58 PM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This mission is an important step for ISRO as it will showcase its ability to dock two spacecraft in space. This is a key technology for future space missions. The main goal is to design and test the systems needed for bringing two spacecraft together, docking them, and then separating them again. Mission Summary and Goals The SpaDEX mission will send two identical satellites into space, named Chaser (SDX01) and Target (SDX02) . Each satellite weighs about 220 kilograms . The two satellites will be positioned in a circular orbit 470 km above Earth, at an angle of 55 degrees. The objectives of the mission are: Showing accurate movements needed to bring the satellites close together and connect them. Testing how electricity can be shared between two connected spacecraft. functioning of the payload after the satellites separate, with the mission lasting up to two years. Note : The term "payload" refers to the essential equipment or instruments carried by a spacecraft to perform its mission. It's a critical part of the satellite, as it directly contributes to achieving the mission's goals. ISRO announced that the PSLV-C60 rocket has been fully assembled and moved to the First Launch Pad for final tests before the mission. India's Progress Toward a Space Station The SpaDEX mission is an important step for India's space exploration goals," an ISRO official said. "It will make India the fourth country in the world to develop advanced docking technology." This technology is important for missions that need several launches to work together for a shared goal. It will be useful for tasks like repairing satellites, coordinating multiple spacecraft to fly in formation, and building complex structures in space, such as India’s planned space station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). Creative Use of PSLV’s Fourth Stage : Apart from its docking goals, the mission will make use of the PSLV rocket’s used-up fourth stage, called POEM-4 (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module). Instead of letting it go to waste, this stage will be turned into a platform to carry out experiments in microgravity, helping scientists test and study various conditions in space.The mission will carry 24 payloads onboard, provided by various academic institutions and startups. "PSLV's Fourth Stage Transformed for Experiments" The 4th stage of the PSLV rocket is the final part that helps place satellites into their orbits. Once its job is done, it usually becomes space junk, floating unused in orbit. However, ISRO has found a way to reuse it by turning it into a science platform called POEM. Now, instead of being wasted, it carries small experiments and tests in space, especially in microgravity. This makes better use of the rocket and reduces waste in space. After placing satellites into their desired orbits, the PSLV's 4th stage (PS4) remains in space with leftover fuel and onboard systems like batteries, solar panels, and communication equipment. ISRO modifies this stage to act as a platform for experiments. By attaching scientific instruments and sensors to it before launch, the stage can perform experiments in microgravity, test new technologies, or study space conditions. The fuel helps in minor adjustments, and its power systems keep the experiments running, turning the once-unused stage into a cost-effective space lab. Mission Design and Implementation Strategy The Chaser and Target will be released into orbit at the same time but as separate objects. The PSLV rocket is very accurate, so it will make sure the satellites are placed in orbit with only a small difference in their speeds. This means the satellites will start off moving almost together, making it easier to control and manage their movements in space. The Target satellite will use its onboard thrusters to slowly move away from the Chaser satellite, creating a distance of 10-20 kilometers between them. This phase is called the "Far Rendezvous" (a planned meeting or approach in space), where the satellites are far apart but still close enough to interact or prepare for the next steps in the mission. The Chaser satellite will gradually move closer to the Target satellite in steps, reducing the distance between them to 5 kilometers, then 1.5 kilometers, then 500 meters, 225 meters, 15 meters, and finally 3 meters. At this final distance, the two satellites will connect, or "dock," with each other. Once they are docked, the mission will test the transfer of power from one satellite to the other. After this test is complete, they will separate again to carry out other tasks with their payloads. The Chaser satellite, is equipped with a powerful high-resolution camera. The Target satellite, is equipped with special tools to study Earth and space. It carries a multispectral sensor, which can capture detailed images in different light wavelengths. This helps monitor natural resources, track vegetation health, and study the environment. Additionally, it has a radiation monitor to measure space radiation, which will help scientists collect important data and build a database for future research. Why SpaDEX Matters ? The SpaDEX mission is more than just a technology test; it is an important step toward ISRO's bigger plans. Learning how to dock spacecraft is essential for future goals like bringing back samples from the Moon, exploring other planets, and creating a long-term human presence in space. India is working to join a small group of countries—the US, Russia, and China—that have successfully developed in-space docking technology. This mission highlights ISRO's dedication to creating advanced space technology that is both effective and affordable. For the first time, ISRO is sending a robotic arm into space to test how it can collect space debris. Along with this, India’s first astrobiology experiments (studies related to life in space and how living organisms survive in space conditions) created by students from RV College of Engineering in Bengaluru and Amity University in Mumbai, are also heading to space. These experiments are part of the 24 payloads that the POEM platform will carry. Out of the 24 payloads, 14 come from ISRO’s Department of Space. One of these will focus on developing technologies to grow and sustain plants in space or on other planets. The remaining 10 payloads are from non-government organizations, including contributions from educational institutions. A team of undergraduate students from RV College of Engineering (RVCE) has created India’s first microbiology experiment for space research. Developed by Team Antariksh, the project focuses on studying how gut bacteria behave in space conditions. According to GS Varshini, the 20-year-old mission manager, this research is important for understanding how space affects human health, as this specific gut bacterium plays a key role in maintaining overall well-being. Their experiment will study how gut bacteria grow in microgravity. By adding prebiotics (nutrients that help bacteria grow), they will compare its growth in space with how it grows on Earth. This research is important for astronaut health, as it will help scientists understand how the human microbiome works in space. The findings could also be useful for managing waste in space, cleaning up pollutants (bioremediation), and creating new antibiotics for future space missions. Debris Capture & CROPS Research The CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies) payload is designed to help ISRO explore ways to grow and maintain plants in space in the future. This could be an important step for long-term space missions. Along with this, a robotic arm is being sent to test how it can capture space debris. As part of the experiment, a small cube (called a debris cube) will be attached to the robotic arm with a tether (a rope, chain, or similar device used to attach or secure something).The cube will be released into space, and the robotic arm will try to retrieve it. This test could help develop technology to clean up space debris in the future. Cowpea Seed Growth Experiment The CROPS payload, created by VSSC, is designed as a step-by-step platform to help ISRO develop the ability to grow and support plants in space or other planets. It is a fully automated system that will run a 5 to 7-day experiment to test if seeds can sprout and grow into small plants (up to the two-leaf stage) in microgravity. The experiment will use eight cowpea seeds, which will grow inside a closed box with controlled temperature. Various conditions like oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, humidity, temperature, and soil moisture will be monitored. Cameras will also capture images to track the plants' growth. This research could help us understand how to grow food in space in the future. Robotic Arm for Space Debris Debris Capture Robotic Manipulator : Developed by VSSC, this experiment is designed to test how a robotic arm can capture space debris using a tether (a type of cord or cable that keeps objects connected). The robotic arm uses cameras and advanced motion prediction technology to locate and grab the debris, even as it moves in a space-like environment. It will also test a special tool called a parallel end-effector—this is like a robotic hand designed to grab and hold objects securely, making it easier to manipulate debris or other items in space. If this experiment works successfully, the robotic arm could eventually be used for more complex tasks in space. For example, it could capture free-floating debris (objects drifting in space without being tethered) or even refuel spacecraft, whether they are tethered or floating freely. These abilities will be very useful in future POEM missions, helping clean up space junk and making space operations more efficient. This research is a step toward solving the growing problem of space debris and improving how we maintain and use spacecraft in orbit. Spinach Growth Experiment in Space In a unique experiment, Amity University, Mumbai, will study how plants react to microgravity using its Amity Plant Experimental Module in Space (APEMS) payload. Amity University Vice-Chancellor, Santosh Kumar, explained that the experiment will use spinach (Spinacia oleracea) to study how plant cells (called callus, which are a mass of undifferentiated plant cells) grow and change under both space and Earth’s gravity. Sensors and cameras will monitor the growth and color of the callus, helping scientists understand how plants adapt to different gravity conditions. This research is important for figuring out how to grow plants during long space missions and could also benefit farming on Earth. (The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com) (Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA)The restoration of the caretaker government and the introduction of a bicameral system in parliament will be among the recommendations to be proposed by the Constitution Reform Commission. The commission, led by political scientist Ali Riaz, is likely to recommend the inclusion of equality, human dignity, and social justice in the preamble to the constitution. Its proposal, which is currently being prepared along with the rationale, is scheduled to submit its recommendations by January 7. "I would say the biggest consensus we received is on the caretaker government. If I were to say 100 percent, it would not be an exaggeration," Riaz told The Daily Star. Additionally, the commission will propose a two-term limit for the office and curbing the prime minister's absolute power. It will also recommend establishing a balance of power between the prime minister and the president. The commission plans to strengthen the parliamentary standing committees to enhance their ability to monitor and hold the government and the prime minister accountable. It will also recommend repealing Article 70 of the constitution. Asked whether the commission is amending or rewriting the constitution, Riaz clarified that it is not drafting a new constitution but rather compiling recommendations so that the constitution would guarantee that no one can snatch the voting rights of the masses and no potential autocrat can grab power. So far, the commission has received proposals from 28 political entities, including 25 political parties and three alliances. It has also held discussions with 43 organisations, including civil society groups, some of which have provided written submissions. Moreover, the commission consulted seven constitutional experts and sought opinions from 27 prominent citizens. It also took opinions from 10 youths who contributed songs, poems and graffiti during the July uprising. They were not associated with the Student Against Discrimination movement or the Jatiya Nagorik Committee. The commission has undertaken two broader initiatives. Riaz said, "First, we collected public opinions through our website, receiving 50,573 responses. While these inputs were helpful, they had limitations due to the lack of demographic information about the respondents, such as age, gender, location or profession, which weakened their scientific credibility." To address this, the commission collaborated with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics to conduct a household survey using a methodologically sound and scientifically rigorous process. "This survey collected 45,925 opinions, which we are now analysing. This approach ensured a more representative and inclusive understanding of public sentiment," Riaz added. Thus far, the commission has conducted 46 meetings: 23 for consultations and 23 among its members. "Through these efforts, we have extensively and inclusively gathered opinions and analysed 121 countries' constitutions -- we are working toward making well-informed recommendations," Riaz also said. The restoration of the caretaker government and the introduction of a bicameral system in parliament will be among the recommendations to be proposed by the Constitution Reform Commission. The commission, led by political scientist Ali Riaz, is likely to recommend the inclusion of equality, human dignity, and social justice in the preamble to the constitution. Its proposal, which is currently being prepared along with the rationale, is scheduled to submit its recommendations by January 7. "I would say the biggest consensus we received is on the caretaker government. If I were to say 100 percent, it would not be an exaggeration," Riaz told The Daily Star. Additionally, the commission will propose a two-term limit for the office and curbing the prime minister's absolute power. It will also recommend establishing a balance of power between the prime minister and the president. The commission plans to strengthen the parliamentary standing committees to enhance their ability to monitor and hold the government and the prime minister accountable. It will also recommend repealing Article 70 of the constitution. Asked whether the commission is amending or rewriting the constitution, Riaz clarified that it is not drafting a new constitution but rather compiling recommendations so that the constitution would guarantee that no one can snatch the voting rights of the masses and no potential autocrat can grab power. So far, the commission has received proposals from 28 political entities, including 25 political parties and three alliances. It has also held discussions with 43 organisations, including civil society groups, some of which have provided written submissions. Moreover, the commission consulted seven constitutional experts and sought opinions from 27 prominent citizens. It also took opinions from 10 youths who contributed songs, poems and graffiti during the July uprising. They were not associated with the Student Against Discrimination movement or the Jatiya Nagorik Committee. The commission has undertaken two broader initiatives. Riaz said, "First, we collected public opinions through our website, receiving 50,573 responses. While these inputs were helpful, they had limitations due to the lack of demographic information about the respondents, such as age, gender, location or profession, which weakened their scientific credibility." To address this, the commission collaborated with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics to conduct a household survey using a methodologically sound and scientifically rigorous process. "This survey collected 45,925 opinions, which we are now analysing. This approach ensured a more representative and inclusive understanding of public sentiment," Riaz added. Thus far, the commission has conducted 46 meetings: 23 for consultations and 23 among its members. "Through these efforts, we have extensively and inclusively gathered opinions and analysed 121 countries' constitutions -- we are working toward making well-informed recommendations," Riaz also said.

The 10 most bizarre celebrity Christmas traditions: From Chrissy Teigen's annual McDonald's to the Royal Family's time out at breakfast Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By CAROLINE PEACOCK Published: 19:58, 24 December 2024 | Updated: 20:12, 24 December 2024 e-mail 5 shares View comments Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year - but not everyone celebrates it the same way. When you think of festive traditions, it's hard not to picture the classics: a turkey with all the trimmings, a singalong at the local carol service, and a cheeky glass of mulled wine with mince pies. Families across the world love these staples, but not everyone sticks to the traditional script - especially in the world of celebs. The stars are known for doing things their own way, and Christmas is no exception. Forget the glitz and glam, some of your favourite celebs have surprisingly quirky ways of marking the big day. From unusual rituals to over-the-top extravagance, MailOnline reveals the famous faces who like to do something a little bit different from the norm. Chrissy Teigen and John Legend With Chrissy Teigen famed for her cooking, you might expect her to be stuck in the kitchen over the festive period, yet instead she orders McDonald's for her family With Chrissy Teigen famed for her cooking, you might expect her to be stuck in the kitchen over the festive period. The social media savvy stunner has authored cookbooks including 2018's Cravings: Hungry for More: A Cookbook and Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat: A Cookbook,. Yet when it comes to food at the festive period, Chrissy's husband John Legend revealed it's the time of year they treat themselves to a fast food delivery. John explained that for several years now, the family has ordered McDonald's on Christmas Eve as a late-night snack. 'It's a Chrissy tradition, for sure,' John told Postmate's The Receipt. He then added: 'We've decided that Beef Wellington is our go-to Christmas main dish from now on.' Mariah Carey Mariah Carey heads to Aspen with her twins where they get 'one or two horse-drawn sleighs, and we bundle up and go riding in the snow under the stars' She's unofficially known as the Queen Of Christmas, with her hit All I Want for Christmas Is You - the bestselling Christmas song of all-time in the US. So it's unsurprising that Mariah Carey pulls out all the stops in December. Mariah - who famously kicks off the festive season by 'defrosting' and warbling 'It's tiiiiiime' in honor of her festive hit - lost her trademark battle to officially own the phrase Queen Of Christmas, but still goes all out. She usually heads to Aspen with her twins Morocco and Monroe and explained: 'Depending on how many of us are up in [Aspen], we get one or two horse-drawn sleighs, and we bundle up and go riding in the snow under the stars.' But her OTT festivities don't stop there, with the singer adding: 'We always drink cocoa with butterscotch schnapps to keep warm, and we sing at the top of our lungs.' Kate Middleton According to Royal insiders, the women and the men of the Royal Family spend breakfast time apart and only unite to go to Church later in the day (pictured: Kate Middleton) While many families will wake up on Christmas morning surrounded by their loved ones - the same can't be said for Kate Middleton and Prince William. According to Royal insiders, the women and the men of the family spend breakfast time apart and only unite to go to Church later in the day. Former Royal chef Darren McGrady explained: 'On Christmas Day, the ladies generally opt for a light breakfast of sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast, and coffee delivered to their rooms.' He added to the Daily Mail back in 2017: 'The male royals, meanwhile, come downstairs to the dining room for a hearty breakfast at 8:30 am, with eggs, bacon and mushrooms, kippers, and grilled kidneys, to set them up for the 11:00 a.m. church service at St Mary Magdalene.' The Jonas Brothers Many mark Christmas morning with a hearty feast of eggs, bacon, toast or biscuits for their festive breakfast - but not the Jonas family, who enjoy tamales Many mark Christmas morning with a hearty feast of eggs, bacon, toast or biscuits for their festive breakfast - but not the Jonas family. The boy band likes to treat themselves to a Mexican tradition in the morning and will scoff at hot tamales before opening their presents. Speaking to InStyle, Nick, 32, admitted: 'Every year we eat tamales on Christmas morning and it's pretty awesome,' He went on to reveal: 'My mom started it and I think it's special because we've grown up doing it and it's very like us to have tamales on Christmas.' A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is then steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves. Julia Roberts Julia Roberts revealed she and husband Danny Moder don't allow anyone into the living room on Christmas Day alone, and they have to enter as a family Julia Roberts, 57, has a number of holiday traditions she can't wait to get stuck into. The star previously gave a glimpse of how she, her husband Danny Moder and their three kids celebrate Christmas. The actress shared that she loved waking up on Christmas morning, saying her family had a tradition where 'nobody goes into the living room until everybody goes into the living room.' The mother of three said the holidays wouldn't be complete without 'a good hearty Christmas dinner' as well as figuring out just how much to feed everyone before the festive meal. 'I do enjoy the practical challenge of Christmas morning mealtime because you don't want too much, you don't want to spoil them off the bat,' she explained. 'You want to keep a steady blood level going where you don't get crazy before the big meal.' Reese Witherspoon Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon, 48, has revealed she gets her Academy Award involved in the Christmas celebrations Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon, 48, has revealed she gets her Academy Award involved in the Christmas celebrations. As well as lavishly decorating her home, Reese previously confessed that her statuette gets a little bit of festive love. The mum-of-three revealed that the Best Actress Oscar, which she took home back in 2006 for her role in Walk the Line, looks completely different on the big day. And that's all thanks to her children Ava, Deacon and Tennessee. 'At Christmastime, they put a little hat on him and a little scarf, so he doesn't get cold,' The Morning Show actress previously said in an interview. Stacey Solomon Stacey Solomon whips up an unusual breakfast on Christmas for her husband and children Stacey Solomon has very much become the epitome of Mrs Christmas herself. While she gets into the spirit nice and early, the British TV star, who is married to Joe Swash and has five children, likes to go against the grain on Christmas. Rather than tucking into a full English, the 35-year-old presenter rustles up a very different morning meal, which even she has admitted is rather strange. 'This is going to sound really weird... my mum every Christmas morning used to cut a grapefruit in half, put some sugar on it and that was our breakfast,' Stacey revealed. 'None of my kids will eat it, Joe won't eat it, it's not even that great, but I just have to every single Christmas.' She added on an episode of Loose Women: 'I don't eat grapefruit all year but on Christmas morning, I sit there with my half a grapefruit and sugar and I really enjoy it.' Peter and Emily Andre Emily Andre makes stockings from cutting up old tights (pictured with husband Peter) Peter Andre and his wife Emily are set to have a magical Christmas as they prepare to celebrate with their newest addition, baby Arabella, who was born this April. While discussing her family Christmas traditions, Emily revealed that her favourite festive custom involves cutting up old tights - a quirky tradition passed down from her parents, Rebecca and Ruaraidh. 'It's my favourite tradition, we do weird stockings, stockings in tights,' she told OK! Magazine . 'We cut tights in half and fill them. We've always done it since I was a child – no idea why, but we love it.' Chrissy Teigen Kate Middleton Joe Jonas Share or comment on this article: The 10 most bizarre celebrity Christmas traditions: From Chrissy Teigen's annual McDonald's to the Royal Family's time out at breakfast e-mail 5 shares Add comment

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Columnist {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. I had no doubt Dennis Connors would share the feeling. He is a deeply respected upstate historian, curator emeritus for the Onondaga County Historical Association, but a part of him is always a Lackawanna guy. The steel industry brought his family to that lakefront community, where he grew up in a classic double across the street from the towering Our Lady of Victory Basilica. As a kid, Connors embraced the same point I hope to make this morning about light and wonder − and where so many of us, since our Western New York childhoods, have found it at Christmas. The Electric Tower, built in 1912, is framed by holiday lights in a nearby tree in downtown Buffalo on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. Connors remembers nighttime Yuletide rides with his parents through downtown Buffalo, looking out at window displays and decorated streets and a magnificent landmark that in December always burned in reds and greens: The Electric Tower, skyline monument to the season. Dennis Connors, curator of history emeritus from the Onondaga Historical Association: A sensibility shaped by a Lackawanna childhood. Touching off our conversation was an email I received a few weeks ago from Jared Paventi, who works in public affairs for National Grid. The company, he told me, was formally relighting the Niagara Mohawk Building in Syracuse – which the late Ada Louise Huxtable, renowned critic of the New York Times, saw as one of the great examples of art deco in the nation. The connection to Buffalo lies in the hands of the designers. Deco was an exuberant and wildly eccentric style, intertwined with the breakout of electric-powered technology in the 1920s and '30s − which means this region, home to the hydroelectric pioneers of Niagara Falls, was often a treasury for the form. An international audience was treated to firsthand views of the Electric Tower, illuminated for the Yuletide, a skyline icon unique to Buffalo, on Sunday night. The soon-to-be-called-NiMo building went up in 1932 as headquarters for Niagara Hudson, which brought together many power companies under one roof. Electricity was transforming everyday life, and the designers sought to capture that feeling in Syracuse with an Oz-like explosion of stainless steel, aluminum, chrome, black glass and much more. Those features were made to be amplified by light. It was a philosophical statement involving Buffalo architects Lawrence Bley and Duane Lyman. For this landmark, they helped create rippling patterns of white light, soon extinguished due to of fear of World War II bombing raids. The Niagara Mohawk Building − regional headquarters of National Grid in Syracuse − at Christmas. Those lights weren't truly restored until 2000, when NiMo brought in the late international lighting master Howard Brandston – the guy who lighted the Statue of Liberty – to illuminate the building in a stop-in-your-tracks array of color. An image of the Electric Tower, more than 60 years ago, at Christmas. Brandston’s system “started experiencing problems” two years ago, Paventi told me. A deco monument abruptly went dark. National Grid, which took over the building decades ago, hired a group of design specialists to update and reignite a vast system of LED lights, all centered around a stunning deco sculpture called “The Spirit of Light.” The result reaffirms what Brandston told me decades ago, when I wrote for the Post-Standard in Syracuse. “You have no idea how special this building is.” With respect, I gently told him: I think I do. That story – with Christmas at the heart of it – begins in Buffalo, with a building architect Mike Chadwick of Iskalo Development affectionately calls a "wedding cake rocketship." My central Yuletide memories involve that “Electric Tower,” though when I was a kid we knew it as the Electric Building − because that is the way my dad and his co-workers described it. My father spent his career moving coal along the waterfront for Niagara Mohawk. He started at the now-shuttered Huntley station in Tonawanda and then became a coal handler at Dunkirk's now-long-closed steam station. Every year, not long before Christmas, we would head to Buffalo, where the first stop was always the tower. My father would go into the deco lobby to pick up his savings, and then we would hit Sears and Roebuck on Main Street and Jefferson Avenue − my parents somehow trying to shop, without us seeing − before going downtown to find Santa Claus at the department stores. The spiritual highlight, each December, was when night fell and Yuletide lights snapped on atop the Electric Tower. This was long before the tower, owned now by Iskalo, became the centerpiece of New Year's Eve celebrations. I was a little kid. I had no idea it had been designed in 1912 by Esenwein & Johnson, who were inspired by a similar landmark at the Pan-American Exposition and by an ancient lighthouse in Alexandria. M&T Bank's gold dome branch, left, the Hiker statue, center, and the Electric Tower are lit up by lights in downtown Buffalo on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. I didn’t know the original lighting was a design statement by W. D'Arcy Ryan, a global pioneer in outdoor illumination – both at Niagara Falls and the Manhattan skyline. And I didn’t know a guy named Paul Schoellkopf, as president of Niagara Hudson in the early 1930s, brought in Bley and Lyman to do extensive deco work in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Syracuse. In this regard, Michael Kless speaks for much of Buffalo. He is chief engineer at the Electric Tower, the Washington Street landmark owned by Iskalo Development. That means he has 14 floors worth of equipment and wiring to deal with every day, creating a building that to an engineer almost becomes a living thing. Yet this is no ordinary They were "maybe the leading deco firm in the city,” said architectural historian Martin Wachadlo – though he gave a respectful nod to John J. Wade, architect of City Hall. Wachadlo noted Bley and Lyman created a 1930s pamphlet about deco style, available in the research library of the Buffalo History Museum, in which they wrote: “The public’s attention is attracted to a building at night, it is true, by brilliant illumination, but where a number of buildings are equally striving for attention that building which exhibits an ingenious and imaginative use of light will finally win the attention of the public. Cars drive by the Electric Tower in downtown Buffalo on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. “Such a building,” they wrote, “will fix itself in the mind of the public more strongly and will be remembered long after the others have been forgotten.” Certainly they saw proof in the Electric Tower, graceful beaux arts neoclassical design elevated by what Ryan did with lights at night. Bley and Lyman put their deco principles to work in a smaller but striking Niagara Hudson building, in Niagara Falls. Yet the dizzying apex of their deco vision was part of what became known as the Niagara Mohawk Building in Syracuse. Melvin King was listed as supervising architect. Still, as Chuck LaChiusa’s Buffalo Architecture and History site asserts, Bley and Lyman were “listed as consulting architects but they had designed other structures for the company ... and it is thought that the design came out their office.” The building was a vessel for the entire idea of how power could transform the world, and the design took that notion, as Dennis Connors said, “to the nth degree.” The Niagara Mohawk building, burning pure white in Syracuse. “It was kind of this unique and specific aspect of upstate New York, this idea of electricity and power and so much starting with the Falls, and it all fits right into the whole stream of art deco,” he said. In their 1930s essay, Bley and Lyman reflected on how deco architects could utilize the way light and shadow play with intensity "upon different materials,” as well as “command (of) not only color but movement.” All of it is evident, today, in the NiMo Building. Paventi said it's coincidence that the relighting happened during the holidays, but the building's shifting array of colors included reds and greens of the season when my son and I stopped by a few days ago. How beautiful is it? At 65, I felt the kind of awe I felt at 5, beneath the Electric Tower. The effect was so spectacular that many motorists, overwhelmed, pulled over, parked their cars and tried to somehow capture what they were feeling, with their phones. Erie Bouelvard entrance to a Bley and Lyman masterpiece, the NiMo building in Syracuse. The enduring love and passion of Buffalo fans – dogged, raucous loyalty that's now part of the international football persona of this city – helps explain why these championship Bills still live in greater Buffalo, six decades later. It left me thinking of the dreams of Bley and Lyman, how Bley died in 1940 and Lyman in 1966, though their hope − in Buffalo and beyond − was to do something that would be "remembered long after." Standing there last week, I thought: They pulled it off. We talk a lot, with good reason, about the scholarly legacy of great architects. But the real gift of a truly stunning building is something more elemental, the power to raise a child’s eyes toward the sky and to cause that kid to realize – in a sudden communion of light and structure, with a spark of genius – the daily presence of unexpected, soul-lifting beauty. In Buffalo, looking up, I call that Christmas. Sean Kirst is a columnist with The Buffalo News. Email him at skirst@buffnews.com . 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