mcw casino mexico NoneThe move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a parliamentary election on December 1 a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Mr Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romania’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It is widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Mr Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it is entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns”. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Mr Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the December 8 run-off, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Mr Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Mr Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organise the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighbouring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all politicians from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.Fuel marketers have explained why Nigerians have not started enjoying reduced petrol prices despite announcements and confirmations by both Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). It would be recalled that in a bid to provide relief for Nigerians ahead of the holiday season, Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced a price reduction for its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) product, to ₦899.50k per litre. The NNPC also confirmed a reduction in ex-depot prices to ₦899 per litre in Lagos. Based on these developments, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says fuel stations across the country would sell petrol to customers at the rate of ₦935 as from Monday, 23rd December. Observations across the country, however, show the new price regime has not taken effect in many filling stations. Speaking on the development during Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s breakfast show Sunrise Daily, the president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gilly-Harry, said the delay in effecting the new price is because many stations are still selling the old stock bought at ₦970. He explained that it would not be healthy for the marketers to make a loss on the product but assured that before the week runs out, the reduced price regime would take effect as filling stations get fresh supplies. He assured that as soon as members of the organization start loading from both NNPC and Dangote at the new reduced price, it will reflect in the market. “So, this reduction, if you apply it immediately, don’t forget that some of them bought at ₦970, paid transportation costs and logistics that have taken it quite high,” Gilly-Harry said. “So, by the time it gets to their retail outlets, it’s quite much more than that. And so they must also sell at a profit – minimal marginal profit as provisioned by the PIA. So, That’s the reason,” the PETROAN boss said. Gilly-Harry also commended members of PETROAN in certain locations who have already reduced fuel prices in their stations below ₦1,000. “ But I believe from today when members start loading from both NNPC and Dangote at this new price reduction, it will reflect in the market. “But also I’ll give kudos to some of our members, some of the leaders in PETROAN, you know, that have done so well, especially in Abuja, for even reducing their prices to below ₦1,000 before even this announcement. “So, we don’t encourage our members to try to sell products at a loss because our focus is to serve Nigerians. And the only way we can serve Nigerians is when we have the resources to be able to do that. The resources can only be there if we’re making marginal profit enough to pay for the cost of money and make sure that we continue to do business. So, never mind, you’ll see the translation of this reduction of prices in the retail outlets hopefully within the week,” he said.

MARION, Ind. — Mitchell High School product and Indiana Wesleyan University senior Ben Ziebarth garnered all-Mideast League first-team honors from the Mid-States Football Association, the league announced on Nov. 24. Ziebarth, a 6-foot, 270-pound offensive lineman, helped pave the way for IWU’s No. 3-ranked total offense (518.5 yards per game) and No. 4 scoring offense (49.5 points per game) in the NAIA. A balanced unit, the Wildcats are top-10 in both passing and rushing offense. ADVERTISEMENT Also an honorable mention all-league pick in 2023, Ziebarth was one of 17 first-team selections this season for the Wildcats, who ran away with their third-straight MSFA championship. As the MSFA Mideast Division Champion with a regular-season record of 10-1 — the lone loss by three points on the road to NCAA Division I FCS Valparaiso — IWU earned the No. 3 overall seed in the NAIA football championship series. After a first-round bye, the Wildcats defeated Southwestern College (Kan.) 24-13 in the second round to set up a meeting with Benedictine College (Kan.) in the national quarterfinal round on Saturday, Dec. 7. SIOUX CENTER, Iowa — Scotland native and Dordt University senior Jordan Gall was tabbed as a Great Plains Athletic Conference honorable mention pick as the conference announced its annual honors on Nov. 19. Gall, a 6-foot-4, 253-pound defensive lineman, played in all 10 games for the Defenders this season, collecting 23 total tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, and one forced fumble. Gall’s best individual performance of the season came on Oct. 19 at Dakota Wesleyan, as he finished with five total tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack. From his spot along the defensive front, Gall was part of a Dordt defense that ranked No. 5 nationally in scoring defense (12.2 points allowed per game) and total defense (256.4 yards allowed per game). Overall, the Defenders forced 16 turnovers and amassed 28 sacks this season. Though Dordt finished its season with an 8-2 record, the Defenders were not chosen as an at-large into the NAIA football championship series. SIOUX FALLS — Augustana University football player Jacob Wagner, a native of Salem, was among the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference all-academic team selections for the fall season. ADVERTISEMENT Wagner, a 6-foot-6, 310-pound offensive lineman, was a member of the Vikings' squad, which won the NSIC title outright for the second year in a row. The Vikings finished 8-4 on the season. Wagner played in four games this season, including in the Vikings' NCAA first-round playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 23, against Minnesota State. The Mavericks knocked off the Vikings 20-19 on a last-second field goal. To be eligible for the NSIC All-Academic team, members must have a 3.20 cumulative GPA or higher. Other all-academic NSIC fall sports selections from the Mitchell area included Wessington Springs’ Dylan Schimke (Northern State University men’s cross country), Canistota’s Josiah Schroeder (University of Sioux Falls men’s cross country), Gregory’s Emma Thomas (USF women’s cross country) and Mitchell’s Caroline Titze (USF women’s soccer).

The Cessna Citation Ascend is the latest edition to the Cessna Citation 560XL family, manufactured by Textron Aviation. The aircraft was announced at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition EBACE in 2023. A cabin mock-up was unveiled at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)-BACE convention in October 2023. It costs $16.7 million and offers increased performance, a greater range, and improved passenger comfort. It is a mid-size private jet category. The Cessna Citation Ascend testing process The aircraft is expected to be fully certified and in service in 2025. The Federal Aviation Administration has already completed human factors testing as part of the certification process. The Cessna Citation Ascend prototypes, Proto and P1, have already completed over 200 flights and accumulated over 600 flight hours. The prototypes are used for systems testing, including propulsion, human factors, environmental control, and avionics. Textron Aviation is working towards securing an amended type certificate for the Citation Ascend because it is a variant of the popular Citation Excel. “Of the Citation family, there’s none more flown than the Citation 560XL series. With a 560XL aircraft taking off or landing every two minutes somewhere in the world, this aircraft will be part of the most successful business jet family. On behalf of our teams, we are proud to announce the latest innovation in the Citation family — the new Cessna Citation Ascend. We asked customers what they wanted in the next evolution of this iconic aircraft, and we believe the Citation Ascend will deliver.” Ron Draper, president and CEO, Textron Aviation. An introduction to the Cessna Citation Ascend aircraft The Cessna Citation Ascend features the Garmin G5000 avionics suite with autothrottles and new, more powerful Pratt and Whitney Canada PW545D engines. The cabin has a flat floor, larger windows, and new ergonomic swiveling seats. It can accommodate up to 12 passengers. Its range is 1,900 nautical miles, and with four passengers and a high-speed cruise, it can reach a maximum cruise speed of 441 knots. The aircraft is designed to balance range, cost efficiency, and comfort and be a leader in the mid-size market. The luxurious cabin and state-of-the-art avionics are taken from the best-selling Citation Latitude and Citation Latitude. It also has an impressive range and high payload capacity for an aircraft of its size. It is an ideal jet for transcontinental flights and competes with the Embraer Phenom 300E and the now ceased Bombardier Learjet 75. The PW545D engines have improved fuel efficiency and provide an impressive 4,213 pounds of thrust. They are dual-charged and FADEC-controlled and increase the aircraft's range and thrust while being eco-friendly. The aircraft can also run on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).Textron refined the aircraft's aerodynamics, including the wing design, with advanced materials that promote better handling at high altitudes and lower drag for better performance. The Citation Ascend has the ability to carry a higher combination of payload and fuel load whilst still retaining its access to short runways. Its range allows passengers to travel coast to coast in the United States with ease, and in Europe, city pairs could include: London City, UK to Athens, Greece Helsinki, Finland to Porto, Portugal La Môle (St. Tropez), France to Prague, Czech Republic "Citation business jets are renowned for their superior performance and productivity. Including the Garmin G5000 in the Citation Ascend demonstrates our continued commitment to designing and delivering the best aviation experience for our customers. We can’t wait to see this aircraft deliver to customers.” Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president of Global Sales & Flight Operations, Textron Aviation Inside the Cessna Citation Ascend cockpit The Garmin G5000 avionics suite, which also features in the Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude, has the Synthetic Vision System for increased situational awareness. It features the latest software and hardware innovations. The autothrottle-equipped cockpit significantly reduces pilot workload, ensures a smooth flight, and enhances the flying experience. There is also TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System), TWAS (Terrain Awareness Avoidance System), autopilot to reduce pilot workload and touchscreen flight displays for better safety and efficiency. The avionics also have the Synthetic Vision Guidance System (SVGS), SafeTaxi, Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) and Cockpit Assisted Visual Separation (CAVS) which increases the pilots' traffic awareness and assists them in maintaining separation during visual approaches to landing. The common Garmin G5000 cockpit is an important feature for operators who have multiple Citations in their fleet. Textron Aviation wants to amend the 560XL certification of the aircraft instead of gaining new certification, so that pilots can transition more easily to the Citation Ascend through taking an approved differences course. This makes training easier and more cost-effective. Aircraft specifications (Data from Textron Aviation) Dimensions Length: 52 ft 8 in (16.05 m) Height: 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m) Wingspan: 55 ft 8 in (16.97 m) Wing Area: 370 sq ft (34.35 sq m) Wing Sweep: 0.0 degrees Wheelbase: 21 ft 11 in (6.68 m) Cabin Interior Height: (Optional)60 in (68 in) 1.52 m (1.73 m) Width: 66 in (1.68 m) Length: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m) Maximum Passengers: 12 Baggage Capacity Weight: 800 lb (363 kg) Volume: 90.2 cu ft (2.55 cu m) Weights Maximum Ramp Weight: 20,700 lb (9,389 kg) Maximum Takeoff Weight: 20,500 lb (9,299 kg) Maximum Landing Weight: 18,700 lb (8,482 kg) Maximum Zero Fuel Weight: 15,500 lb (7,031 kg) Usable Fuel Weight: 6,740 lb (3,057 kg) Usable Fuel Volume: 1,006 gal (3,808 l) Basic Operating Weight: 13,110 lb (5,947 kg) Useful Load: 7,590 lb (3,443 kg) Maximum Payload: 2,390 lb (1,084 kg) Full Fuel Payload: 850 lb (386 kg) Performance Maximum Cruise Speed: 441 ktas (817 km/h) 4 Passenger Range: 1,900 nm (3,519 km) Takeoff Field Length: 3,660 ft (1,116 m) Landing Distance: 3,220 ft (981 m) Maximum Operating Altitude: :45,000 ft (13,716 m) Time to Climb: (Direct)FL450 in 30 min Maximum Limit Speed: 0.75 Mach (0.75 Mach) Powerplant Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney Canada Model: PW545D Thrust: 4,213 lb (18.74 kN) The Cessna Citation Ascend has longer maintenance intervals of up to 800 hours or 18 months, so there is less downtime and more cost savings. The Textron Aviation ARes system offers real-time system diagnostics, recording more than 900 parameters in flight. Inside the Cessna Citation Ascend cabin The flat floor in the cabin enables passengers to move around more and have extra legroom. It can seat up to twelve passengers but is typically configured for nine passengers. The seats are ergonomic, can swivel and are especially designed for optimal seated posture, even the cushion firmness can be customized. Side-facing seats have additional seatback space for extra storage. It is the perfect cabin for comfort and productivity. The windows are 15% larger, offering natural light and mood lighting. The cabin is much quieter due to advanced acoustic treatments and quiet cabin technology, like those in the Citation Latitude. There is an inflight entertainment system, satellite phone, and an optional Bongiovi sound system. There are power and phone charging points at every seat, and there is GoGo US Avance L3 Max WiFi to stream movies or keep up with work. You can also find a small galley for all meal and drink needs and an enclosed lavatory and baggage compartment. Read More: What Makes Harrison Ford's Cessna Citation Sovereign So Unique? Textron Aviation listening to their customers Textron Aviation worked with a customer advisory board of pilots, mechanics, passengers, and owners through the design process to really understand what they seek in the perfect private jet experience. The Cessna Citation Ascend is designed to lead the market in terms of performance and its luxurious cabin, and it will undoubtedly attract private owners, charter operators, and corporate flight departments alike. “The Citation Ascend will offer all the best features of the 560XL series, and elevate the experience for both pilots and passengers. We designed the aircraft based on customer feedback and there’s nothing else like it.” Christi Tannahill, senior vice president of Customer Experience, Textron Aviation In the last 25 years of manufacture, over 1000 Cessna Citation 560XL have been delivered and are popular aircraft for charter operators and fractional ownership. The aircraft has always offered a combination of performance, comfort, and ease of operation and covers a wide range of missions. The new Cessna Citation Ascend will undoubtedly follow this tradition, improve the private jet experience, and take it to a whole new level of expertise. This game-changing aircraft has already been designed with perfect precision and surprising sophistication, and the fifth-generation jet certainly looks like it will elevate the private jet experience. It will be a front-runner in the future of private jet travel. It will certainly lead the market in the mid-size sector, especially with operators and those offering fractional ownership, such as NetJets, who have already shown interest in the Cessna Citation Ascend. “The Cessna Citation Ascend builds upon more than 20 years of the 560XL series success in the market. It’s designed to outperform and take our customers further in style.” Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Global Sales and Flight Operations, Textron Aviation Related: What Is The Cost To Operate A Cessna Citation Latitude?

(The Center Square) – The Biden administration on Monday instituted a new round of restrictions targeting the export of advanced semiconductor chips and manufacturing equipment to China. This move by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security builds on previous measures aimed at curbing China's ability to develop cutting-edge technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and military applications.Union home minister Amit Shah asks IB to stay ready for 'challenges of future'

Not to those who had witnessed the president’s shared anguish over his two sons after the boys survived a car crash that killed Biden's first wife and a daughter more than a half-century ago. Or to those who heard the president regularly lament the death of his older son, Beau , from cancer or voice concerns — largely in private — about Hunter’s sobriety and health after years of deep addiction. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president — who had pledged to restore a fractured public’s trust in the nation’s institutions and respect for the rule of law — has raised new questions about his already teetering legacy. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado's Democratic Gov. Jared Polis wrote in a post on X. He added that while he could sympathize with Hunter Biden’s struggles, “no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.” Biden aides and allies had been resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn't see time behind bars, especially after Donald Trump ’s win. The president's supporters have long viewed Biden's commitment to his family as an asset overall, even if Hunter's personal conduct and tangled business dealings were seen as a persistent liability. But the pardon comes as Biden has become increasingly isolated since the loss to Trump by Vice President Kamala Harris , who jumped in to the race after the president’s catastrophic debate against Trump in June forced his exit from the election. He is still struggling to resolve thorny foreign policy issues in the Middle East and Europe. And he must reckon with his decision to seek reelection despite his advanced age, which helped return the Oval Office to Trump, a man he had warned time and again was a threat to democratic norms. Trump has gleefully planned to undo Biden’s signature achievements on climate change and reverse the Democrat's efforts to reinvigorate the country’s alliances, all while standing poised to take credit for a strengthening economy and billions in infrastructure investments that are in the pipeline for the coming years. And now, Biden has handed the Republican a pretext to carry through with sweeping plans to upend the Department of Justice as the Republican vows to seek retribution against supposed adversaries. “This pardon is just deflating for those of us who’ve been out there for a few years yelling about what a threat Trump is,” Republican Joe Walsh, a vocal Trump critic, said on MSNBC. “‘Nobody’s above the law,’ we’ve been screaming. Well, Joe Biden just made clear his son Hunter is above the law.” Jean-Pierre said Monday from Air Force One that the president wrestled with the decision but ultimately felt his son’s case had been tainted by politics, though she tried to thread the needle — insisting he had faith in the Justice Department. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” she said. But Trump has already made very clear his intent to disrupt federal law enforcement with his initial nomination of outspoken critics like former Rep. Matt Gaetz to be attorney general and Kash Patel to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , who nominally still has more than two years left in his term. (Gaetz ended up quickly withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.) Reacting to the pardon, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement: “That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people." In a social media post, the president-elect himself called the pardon “such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.” “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump asked. He was referring to those convicted in the violent Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters aiming to overturn the 2020 presidential election result. Biden and his spokespeople had repeatedly and flatly ruled out the president granting his son a pardon. In June, Biden told reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case, “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.” In July, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: “It's still a no. It will be a no. It is a no. And I don’t have anything else to add. Will he pardon his son? No." In November, days after Trump's victory, Jean-Pierre reiterated that message: “Our answer stands, which is no." Neither Biden nor the White House explained the shift in the president's thinking, and it was his broken promise as much as his act of clemency that was a lightning rod. He is hardly the first president to pardon a family member or friend entangled in political dealings. Bill Clinton pardoned his brother Roger for drug charges after he had served his sentence roughly a decade earlier. In his final weeks in office, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner , the father of his son-in law, Jared Kushner, as well as multiple allies convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Yet Biden held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns — trying to draw a deliberate contrast with Trump, who tested the bounds of his authority like few predecessors. Inside the White House, the timing of the pardon was surprising to some who believed Biden would put it off as long as possible, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. It came just after Biden spent extended time over the past week with Hunter and other family members on Nantucket in Massachusetts, a family tradition for Thanksgiving. “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” Biden said in a statement announcing the pardon. Some in the administration have privately expressed anguish that the substance of Biden’s statement, including his claim of an unfair politically-tinged prosecution of his son resembled complaints Trump — who faced now-abandoned indictments over his role in trying to subvert the 2020 election — has been making for years about the Justice Department. Biden said the charges in his son's cases "came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” Many legal experts agreed that the charges against the younger Biden were somewhat unusual, but the facts of the offenses were hardly in dispute, as Hunter wrote about his gun purchase while addicted to illegal drugs in his memoir and ultimately pleaded guilty to the tax charges. The pardon too was unusual, coming before Hunter Biden was even sentenced and covering not just the gun and tax offenses against his son, but also anything else he might have done going back to the start of 2014. It's a move that could limit the ability of the Trump Justice Department to investigate the younger Biden's unsavory foreign business dealings, or to find new ground on which to bring criminal charges related to that time period. Biden, in his statement, asked for consideration: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."HAS Deadline: HAS Investors with Losses in Excess of $100K Have Opportunity to Lead Hasbro, Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit

US urges push for Syria de-escalation

F1 expands grid, adds Cadillac brand and new American team for '26A woman stares back at me from a small painting, with soft eyes that never saw the age of 27. Her blue dress stands out gently against the teal background, a gold cross hanging from her neck, an engagement ring glittering on the hand resting at her side. The painting is Amy Sherald’s portrait of Breonna Taylor, commissioned for the cover of the September 2020 issue of Vanity Fair . Stylistically, the painting is entirely Sherald’s signature blend of minimalist figuration infused with hints of pop-surrealism, but it is in its cultural context that it delivers all the gravitas of religious painting. Taylor is a martyr. The portrait hangs alongside nearly 50 other paintings in Sherald’s first major museum survey, “American Sublime,” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The exhibit runs through March 9, 2025. The show chronicles Sherald’s artistic development over the last decade-and-a-half: stylized portraits of Black people either posed casually or recreating historical images, all sharing the same desaturated gray skin tone, a hallmark she hit on around 2008 which harkens back to the Renaissance. Coincidentally, the timeframe of “American Sublime” also coincides a striking arc of American politics, from the election of the country’s first Black president to the defeat of the first Black woman to secure a major-party nomination for that same office, and with the Black Lives Matter movement and the Supreme Court’s reversal of affirmative action nested in between. In 2018, Sherald was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to create the official portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama . The resulting, regal likeness is sequestered in its own viewing space at SFMOMA, lending a reverence to the piece similar to the portrait of Taylor. Overall, overtly political associations aren’t ones Sherald or the curators announce directly, but they churn beneath the surface of the exhibition, creating a distinct tension around the artist’s vision of Black America. Maybe that schism is where the sublime comes into play. In art history, the “sublime” describes the indescribable — the overwhelming majesty of the natural landscape, incomprehensible to the human mind. But skew your perspective of American sublimity from Thomas Cole’s Hudson River landscape paintings and Ansel Adams’s photographs of Yosemite mountain ranges, and reapply the definition to the current moment in American politics. I think it could be perfectly described by an overwhelming sense of scale that outstrips my comprehension: the return of former President Donald Trump, now a convicted felon and found liable for sexual abuse , to the White House. “American Sublime” wasn’t mounted in response to, or necessarily in anticipation of, Trump’s victory. Certainly, it would be a different viewing experience if Kamala Harris had won the race . But Sherald offers both a revisionist history to our nation’s troubled past and a counternarrative to four more years of Trump’s America. One approach to this is the scale at which Sherald paints her subjects. Some paintings are life-sized or slightly smaller, lending to a personal rapport with the viewer. Others are larger than life, towering against the gallery walls. Both approaches create and hold space for the people and the vision they represent. Some of the paintings also reinterpret the past to reveal the uncelebrated Black and queer histories that are the bedrock of American history. “For Love, and For Country” samples Alfred Eisenstaedt’s iconic 1945 photograph of a sailor kissing a woman in Times square in celebration of the United States’ victory over the Japanese. Sherald’s version features two Black men playing out the scene, reinterpreting the image of nationalist celebration through a queer lens. “If You Surrendered to the Air” shows a solitary man straddles an I-beam, again playing with an historical image of white immigrant ironworkers breaking for lunch atop the skeletal frame of the Empire State Building by suggesting the role of Black Americans in building the nation. Both make use of the expansive blue background common across many of Sherald’s canvases. Perhaps this is a signifier of upward mobility or potential historically withheld. But the emptiness also helps to focus all attention on the central figure and when other elements come into play they are spare and carefully curated. Clothing is the most consistent contributor to the narrative of each painting, carefully individualizing each subject in bright colors and distinctive patterns. Elsewhere, Sherald incorporates elements of Americana iconography to further her character’s stories, from a John Deere tractor to picket fences and a rocket launch. The final gallery in the exhibition expands its bid for representation to include transgender and disabled characters. “Trans Forming Liberty” shows a trans woman striking the iconic pose of the Statue of Liberty, brandishing a bouquet of flowers in place of the typical torch and crowned with pink curls in place of the usual spiked halo. In “American Grit,” a legless boxer stares with stoic pride while perched on a ringside stool. “American Sublime” feels like an elegy for a recent possible version of America it now seems difficult to imagine. One that is diverse and inclusive and, in a word, human. It’s a version of the future that now seems like the relic of a distant, naïve past, subsumed by incumbent inhumanity. Perhaps it is in this reverence that Sherald’s paintings can help us remember the hope we had for a future we can one day return to. Max Blue is an art critic whose “State of the Arts” column appears monthly in The Examiner.The European Union also called on "all sides to de-escalate", while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "alarmed" by the violence and called for an immediate halt to the fighting. Syria has been at war since Assad cracked down on democracy protests in 2011. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and jihadists, and left 500,000 people dead. The conflict had been mostly dormant with Assad back in control of much of the country, until last week when the Islamist-led rebel alliance began its offensive. The attack has seen swathes of Syria fall to rebel control, including second city Aleppo for the first time since the start of the civil war. "We want to see all countries use their influence -- use their leverage -- to push for de-escalation, protection of civilians and ultimately, a political process forward," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. In a statement issued by EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni, the European Union also called for de-escalation and the protection of civilians, while also condemning Assad backer Russia for conducting air strikes in his support. Russia first intervened directly in Syria's war in 2015 with strikes on rebel-held areas. Its help, along with that of Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, were instrumental in propping up Assad's rule. On Monday President Vladimir Putin and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian both pledged "unconditional support" for their ally, according to the Kremlin. Aleppo is home to two million people and saw fierce fighting earlier in the war. The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies took the city at the weekend, except for neighbourhoods controlled by Kurdish forces, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. They also seized Aleppo International Airport. HTS, led by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, has faced accusations of human rights abuses including torturing detainees. Abu Sufyan, a rebel commander, told AFP: "God willing, we will continue, go into Damascus and liberate the rest of Syria." One Aleppo resident spoke of panic. "There were terrible traffic jams -- it took people 13 to 15 hours to reach Homs" in central Syria, which is under government control. Normally, he said, it would take a couple of hours. AFPTV footage showed rebels patrolling the streets, some burning a Syrian flag and others holding the flag of the revolution. On Monday, Assad branded the rebel offensive led by HTS an attempt to redraw the regional map in line with US interests. His comments came in a call with Iran's Pezeshkian, who in turn pledged continued support and said Iran hoped "Syria will pass through this stage with success and victory". On Monday, Syrian and Russian air raids on several areas of Idlib province in the northwest killed 11 civilians including five children, the Observatory said. "The strikes targeted... families living on the edge of a displacement camp," said Hussein Ahmed Khudur, a 45-year-old teacher who sought refuge at the camp from fighting in Aleppo province. Other strikes in Aleppo killed four civilians, two of them children, the Observatory said, adding that air raids also targeted a Christian-majority neighbourhood. AFPTV footage showed rebels pushing into Hama province in central Syria. Syria's defence ministry said troops were clashing with "terrorist organisations" in the northern Hama countryside. Islamist-led rebels killed six civilians on Monday in a rocket attack on the government-held city of Hama, the Observatory said. Aron Lund of the Century International think tank said a major question hangs over possible Turkish involvement. "I have a hard time imagining that Turkey-backed groups could launch a major rebel offensive out of Turkey-held areas without Turkey being very significantly involved," he said. "But I also don't think Turkey necessarily wanted the rebels to get this far." Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an end to the "instability" in Syria and an agreement to stop the civil war. On a visit to Ankara, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said it was crucial "to protect the achievements" of the so-called Astana process to end Syria's civil war, which involves Turkey, Russia and Iran. Several hours later, he said the respective foreign ministers would meet on the matter next weekend in Qatar. "We will try to activate this process again," he said. While the current fighting is rooted in a war that began more than a decade ago, much has changed since then. Millions of Syrians have been displaced, with about 5.5 million now in neighbouring countries. Most of those involved in the initial anti-Assad protests are either dead, in jail or in exile. Russia is at war in Ukraine, and Iran's militant allies Hezbollah and Hamas have been massively weakened by more than a year of conflict with Israel. Lebanon's Hezbollah played a key role in backing government forces particularly around Aleppo, but it withdrew from several positions to focus on fighting Israel. HTS and its allies launched their offensive on Wednesday, the day a Lebanon ceasefire began. The violence in Syria has killed 514 people, mostly combatants but also including 92 civilians, according to the Observatory. burs-srm-ser/smw