PARIS (AP) — France’s president and prime minister managed to form a new government just in time for the holidays. Now comes the hard part. Crushing debt , intensifying pressure from the nationalist far right, wars in Europe and the Mideast: Challenges abound for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou after an already tumultuous 2024. What’s wrong with French finances? The most urgent order of business is passing a 2025 budget. Financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission are pushing France to bring down its deficit, to comply with EU rules limiting debt and keep France’s borrowing costs from spiraling. That would threaten the stability and prosperity of all countries that share the euro currency. France’s debt is currently estimated at a staggering 112% of gross domestic product. It grew further after the government gave aid payments to businesses and workers during COVID-19 lockdowns even as the pandemic depressed growth, and capped household energy prices after Russia invaded Ukraine. The bill is now coming due. But France’s previous government collapsed this month because Marine Le Pen’s far-right party and left-wing lawmakers opposed 60 billion euros in spending cuts and tax hikes in the original 2025 budget plan. Bayrou and new Finance Minister Eric Lombard are expected to scale back some of those promises, but the calculations are tough. “The political situation is difficult. The international situation is dangerous, and the economic context is fragile,” Lombard, a low-profile banker who advised a Socialist government in the 1990s, said upon taking office. “The environmental emergency, the social emergency, developing our businesses — these innumerable challenges require us to treat our endemic illness: the deficit,” he said. “The more we are indebted, the more the debt costs, and the more it suffocates the country.” How long will this government last? This is France’s fourth government in the past year. No party has a parliamentary majority and the new Cabinet can only survive with the support of lawmakers on the center-right and center-left. Le Pen — Macron’s fiercest rival — was instrumental in ousting the previous government by joining left-wing forces in a no-confidence vote. Bayrou consulted her when forming the new government and Le Pen remains a powerful force. That angers left-wing groups, who had expected more influence in the new Cabinet, and who say promised spending cuts will hurt working-class families and small businesses hardest. Left-wing voters, meanwhile, feel betrayed ever since a coalition from the left won the most seats in the summer’s snap legislative elections but failed to secure a government. The possibility of a new no-confidence vote looms, though it’s not clear how many parties would support it. What about Macron? Macron has repeatedly said he will remain president until his term expires in 2027. But France’s constitution and current structure, dating from 1958 and called the Fifth Republic, were designed to ensure stability after a period of turmoil. If this new government collapses within months and the country remains in political paralysis, pressure will mount for Macron to step down and call early elections. Le Pen’s ascendant National Rally is intent on bringing Macron down. But Le Pen faces her own headaches: A March court ruling over alleged illegal party financing could see her barred from running for office. What else is on the agenda? The National Rally and hard-right Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau want tougher immigration rules. But Bayrou wants to focus on making existing rules work. “There are plenty of (immigration) laws that exist. None is being applied,” he said Monday on broadcaster BFM-TV, to criticism from conservatives. Military spending is a key issue amid fears about European security and pressure from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for Europe to spend more on its own defense. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who champions military aid for Ukraine and ramping up weapons production, kept his job and stressed in a statement Tuesday the need to face down ‘’accumulating threats’’ against France. More immediately, Macron wants an emergency law in early January to allow sped-up reconstruction of the cyclone-ravaged French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean off Africa. Thousands of people are in emergency shelters and authorities are still counting the dead more than a week after the devastation. Meanwhile the government in the restive French South Pacific territory of New Caledonia collapsed Tuesday in a wave of resignations by pro-independence figures — another challenge for the new overseas affairs minister, Manuel Valls, and the incoming Cabinet. ___ Associated Press writer David McHugh in Frankfurt contributed.London honored for supporting student mental health and eliminating barriers to care NATICK, Mass. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Business Journal honored Uwill founder and CEO Michael London as part of its 2025 Innovators in Healthcare list . Honorees represent a cross-section of Boston -based innovators addressing some of the most urgent and pressing challenges in the health care industry. London is the founding CEO of Uwill , the leading mental health and wellness solution proudly supporting more than 3 million students at 400 institutions globally. Utilizing its proprietary technology and counselor team, Uwill pioneered the first student and therapist matching platform. The solution offers an immediate appointment with a licensed counselor based on student preferences, all modalities of teletherapy, a direct crisis connection, wellness programming, realtime data, and support. "It's truly an honor to be recognized among this incredible group of innovators," said Michael London , Uwill founder and CEO. "At Uwill, our mission is to break down barriers to mental health care, delivering immediate and accessible support to students worldwide. This recognition reflects more than innovation—it underscores our unwavering commitment to addressing a vital need for students everywhere." London is a recognized thought-leader and pioneer within social impact entrepreneurship, having created more than one billion dollars in company value throughout his career. In 2013, he founded Examity, a leader in learning validation and online proctoring. Prior, London led Bloomberg Institute, an EdTech start-up funded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg . Earlier in his career, he founded College Coach and co-founded EdAssist, both acquired by Bright Horizons Family Solutions. In 2019, he was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award and held a position on the Massachusetts Governor's Commission for Digital Education and Lifelong Learning. Michael is a current Trustee at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is a Member of the Advisory Board at Babson College where he graduated with honors. He also received his MBA from Boston University . About Uwill: Uwill is the leading mental health and wellness solution for colleges and students. As the most cost-effective way to enhance a college's mental health offering, Uwill partners with more than 400 institutions, including Princeton University , the Ohio State University , Santa Fe Community College , and University of Alabama - Online. Uwill is also the exclusive teletherapy education partner for the Online Learning Consortium and teletherapy education partner of NASPA. For more information, visit uwill.com . Contact: Brett Silk bsilk@uwill.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uwill-founder--ceo-michael-london-named-innovator-in-healthcare-302338655.html SOURCE Uwill, Inc
REDMOND, Wash. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share. The dividend is payable March 13, 2025 , to shareholders of record on Feb. 20, 2025 . The ex-dividend date will be Feb. 20, 2025 . Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/microsoft-announces-quarterly-dividend-302321718.html SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
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New Delhi [India], December 24 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a review meeting on the implementation of three new criminal laws in Uttarakhand and urged Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to ensure their full implementation as soon as possible. Highlighting that the new laws are victim- and citizen-centric and must be implemented with this spirit, Shah directed the Uttarakhand Chief Minister to review the progress of the laws' implementation every 15 days. Additionally, he advised the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) to conduct weekly reviews with officials from all relevant departments. Shah also instructed the DGP to ensure thorough investigations by all Superintendents of Police. Also Read | Mahakumbh Mela 2025: Super Deluxe and Villa Tent Houses Ready in Prayagraj, Online Bookings for Stays at 'Mahakumbh Gram' Set To Begin From January 10. The Home Minister emphasised that the Uttarakhand government should address technological and other deficiencies to achieve 100 per cent implementation of the new laws. He stressed prioritising the complete enforcement of the laws in police stations and jails, particularly in areas with higher numbers of FIRs. Also Read | Pushkar Singh Dhami Meets Amit Shah in Delhi, Discusses Implementation of 3 Criminal Laws in Uttarakhand (See Pics). Underscoring the importance of technology, Shah stated that each district should have more than one forensic mobile van. "For forensic operations, teams should be categorised as serious, normal, and less urgent, enabling better utilisation of resources. A protocol should also be established to designate locations for video conferencing, ensuring cameras installed at all sites are of excellent quality," the Home Ministry statement quoted Shah as saying. Shah called for regular and continuous monitoring of Zero FIRs, including tracking how many have been resolved and how many have been transferred to other states. The meeting reviewed the implementation and current status of various new provisions related to policing, jails, courts, prosecution, and forensics in Uttarakhand. The Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary, DGP of Uttarakhand, Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Director General of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and several senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Uttarakhand government attended the meeting. The new criminal laws--Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)--were implemented nationwide on July 1, 2024, to make India's legal system more transparent, efficient, and adaptable to contemporary societal needs. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)None
Dean McCullough ‘looks fuming’ as Ant McPartlin takes another swipe at him after fans spot I’m A Celeb feudAP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:49 p.m. EST
India captain's wife posts bizarre social media message claiming her husband's 'booty' is better than his bowlingKeshaun Singleton caught a game-winning two-point pass from Bryce Archie in the fifth overtime to help South Florida post a dramatic 41-39 victory over San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl on Tuesday night in Honolulu. The Spartans' attempt to force a sixth overtime came up empty when Walker Eget's pass toward Justin Lockhart fell incomplete. "That was a heck of a football game," San Jose State coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "We had our chances in regulation. ... Our kids battled. Super proud of our kids." Ta'Ron Keith scored on a touchdown run in overtime and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown for South Florida (7-6). Archie was 24-of-35 passing for 235 yards and one interception for the Bulls, who traveled nearly 4,700 miles for the game. Kelley Joiner and Nay'Quan Wright rushed for touchdowns. Archie got the start over Byrum Brown, who had been sidelined due to a lower leg injury. Prior to kickoff, Bulls coach Alex Golesh wasn't sure who was going to be under center, but he commended both quarterbacks following the victory for their unselfishness. "Byrum tried all the way through warmups," Golesh said. "As much of a game-time decision as I've ever had in my career." Sean Atkins had 11 receptions for 104 yards for USF. Atkins became the program's all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,167, passing Andre Davis (2,136 from 2011-14). Eget completed 33 of 58 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the Spartans (7-6), who lost their fourth straight bowl game. Matthew Coleman had 12 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown and Jackson Canaan had a scoring reception while Floyd Chalk IV and Lamar Radcliffe rushed for touchdowns. San Jose State played without consensus All-American receiver Nick Nash, who opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. USF's John Cannon forced overtime with two seconds left in regulation when his 41-yard field-goal attempt hit the right goalpost and went through the uprights to tie the score at 27. In the first overtime, Keith scored on a 2-yard run for the Bulls, and Eget tossed a 4-yard scoring pass to Coleman for the Spartans. Kyler Halvorsen kicked a 24-yard field goal for the Spartans in the second overtime before Cannon answered with a 36-yard field goal to tie the contest at 37. In the third overtime, where teams look to convert two-point conversions, Archie's shovel pass to Payten Singletary put the Bulls ahead before Eget connected with Coleman to tie the game. Both teams came up empty in the fourth overtime. Radcliffe's 2-yard TD run gave the Spartans their first lead of the game at 27-24 with 11:14 left in regulation. The Spartans trailed by 11 at halftime but later moved within 21-20 on Eget's 5-yard scoring pass to Canaan with 3:41 left in the third quarter. The Bulls increased their lead to four on Cannon's 33-yard field goal with 13 minutes left in the fourth. USF struck first on Wright's 3-yard scoring run with 45 seconds left in the opening quarter. The Bulls pushed the lead to 14-0 on Joiner's 4-yard TD run with 6:53 left in the second period. Chalk scored on a 3-yard run to get the Spartans on the board with 2:09 left in the first half. Keith fielded the ensuing kickoff, broke two tackles and eluded a late tackle attempt on a 93-yard touchdown to give the Bulls a 21-7 lead. --Field Level Media
