747 1 live casino Business leaders share 5 ways they're taking AI from pilot to use caseIn August 2024, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) initiated the recruitment process through the lateral entry scheme by issuing a notification for the recruitment of 45 Joint Secretaries, Directors, and Deputy Secretaries as specialists in government departments. The initiative faced significant opposition from various groups, particularly political parties, which argued that the scheme compromised the reservation rights of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The strong opposition compelled the government to shelve the plan. This was not the first time that the Union Government has recruited specialists through the lateral entry scheme. In 2018, 63 specialists were appointed through lateral entry in various ministries. Currently, around 57 specialists are working with the government. Even then, recruitment through the lateral entry scheme was excluded from the reservation system. The decision to withdraw the notification has reignited the debate on the need for domain experts within the civil service and highlights the necessity of developing an appropriate approach to civil service reform. Need for domain experts It has long been recognised that specialised skills are much needed in the civil service. In fact, the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005) recommended the need for lateral entry into the higher echelons of the government to bring in specialised knowledge and skills, though it did not specify a method of recruitment. The ongoing representation issues of SCs and STs within the civil service further complicate the narrative. Despite existing reservations, the number of SC and ST officers in higher positions remains low. SCs and STs constitute only around 4% and 4.9% of top bureaucratic positions in the Union government at the level of Deputy Secretaries, Directors, Joint Secretaries, and beyond. One reason is that the entry age of officers during the recruitment process is often higher than that of general category candidates, and these officers frequently retire before reaching the top positions. The lateral entry scheme is likely to further limit the representation of these marginalised communities, as the scheme is unlikely to attract domain experts from these communities due to their limited access to such positions in the private sector. For better or worse, the lateral entry debate has been politicised. With caste-based reservations being significant factors in elections, the government is unlikely to reignite this debate, as doing so could have substantial political repercussions. For now, the discussion around lateral entry appears to have reached an impasse. But there is no denying the reality that there is a need for domain experts in the public sector, as each sector is becoming specialised, requiring close collaboration with technical experts. Civil servants are generally generalists, not specialists. Lateral entry, with or without reservation as it existed, was essentially a short-term solution. The need is for domain experts within the civil service itself. It is these domain experts who would cultivate a resilient and effective civil service. To realise this objective, there is a need to develop long-term strategies that prioritise academic-industry-civil service collaboration, capacity building, and institutional development. Integrated model for domain expertise In order to effectively develop domain expertise within the civil service in India and address the ever more complex needs of governance, a collaborative framework that brings together civil service, academia, and industry is needed. This collaboration would facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices, allowing civil servants to engage with the latest developments in their respective fields and develop much-needed domain expertise. Civil servants with public sector experience and decision-making capabilities would imbibe insights from academia and industry about emerging trends, skills, and technologies. But this collaboration must differ from the current refresher and mid-career training offered to civil servants. These training programmes for civil servants often act as temporary fixes. Even though such programmes inculcate valuable skills, they fail to create a robust framework for domain expertise. Domain expertise, unlike training programmes, is not an isolated event but must be an integral part of a civil servant’s career trajectory. For domain expertise, an integrated model that aligns with individual career paths and areas of interest is essential. The critical components of an integrated model for developing domain expertise among civil servants include strategic planning, memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with institutions, a rigorous selection process, and specialised postings with fixed tenures. Strategic planning Domain expertise starts with the drafting of a strategic plan to create efficient public policy analysts within the civil service, with locus in the public sector and focus on skills and knowledge from the private sector/industry, facilitated by academia. The objective is to enhance the capacity of civil servants in terms of technical expertise and strategic vision to formulate and implement policies efficiently and effectively in specific sectors, contributing to good governance and improved public service delivery. Strategic planning represents a long-term vision for the civil service and requires identifying the number of sector-specific domain experts needed for better alignment of resources and priorities. Academic institutions must be involved in the strategic planning at the initial stages only. This integrated model has significant advantages for academic institutions as well, as they would receive fresh impetus and motivation to contribute richly to public service delivery. One critical aspect of domain expertise is staying focused on ever-changing innovations and technologies in industry and incorporating these into the public sector. Strategic planning would include an element of circular response planning, with feedback and adjustments continuously incorporated. This element promotes flexibility and adaptability in the face of changing circumstances. MoUs with institutions The second component of the integrated model for developing domain expertise is the framing of MoUs with institutions. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, along with other cadre-controlling ministries, will establish MoUs with premier institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management, Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Indian Institute of Public Administration, and the top central universities based on the National Institutional Ranking Framework. This collaboration’s primary objective is to formulate tailored courses and training programmes laced with industry experience for transforming current mid-level and top-level officers into domain experts. To start with, each ministry of the Government of India could target developing around four to five domain experts in sector-specific areas over the next few years and ensure the smooth and steady infusion of specialised knowledge and skills into the civil service. The MoUs must ensure that these courses are not usual academic courses, but, specifically, domain expert skill courses. The institutions involved must necessarily engage industry experts for the long term and have their own collaboration with them. Selection process, specialised posting The third but critical component of developing domain experts within the civil service is the establishment of rigorous selection processes for specialised training programmes. This should be jointly done by the ministries concerned and the institutions concerned. Herein, consideration can be given for adequate representation of SCs, STs and OBCs for domain expertise. The selection process should involve submission of a Statement of Purpose (SoP) detailing their motivations for domain expertise and past experiences and interview process to assess a civil servant’s alignment and potential for a domain expertise programme. Through this selection process, and subsequent training, a pool of civil servants would be developed who are not only domain experts but also deeply invested in making a meaningful impact. The last component of the integrated model for domain expertise is specialised posting in their respective areas of expertise, much like the existing lateral entry framework, which appoints personnel based on ministry needs. There should be no transfer of the trained domain experts outside their specialised sector. This targeted approach would address the long-standing issue of “the right minds aren’t in the right places” by ensuring that individuals with the most relevant knowledge and skills are assigned to roles where they can make the greatest impact. Further, irrespective of their years left in the service, a fixed tenure system post training should be set up that allows all domain expert officers equal chances to reach senior roles and contribute richly. Transforming the civil service in India through the integrated model for domain expertise is necessary to strengthen governance and improve public service delivery by developing a resilient and responsive civil service. In today’s market-based economy, the role of government has shifted from being a service provider to that of a facilitator and regulator. Through a cadre of domain experts, the government can build institutional capacity, enabling civil servants to serve effectively as regulators, facilitators, and even service providers. The model also allows civil servants to step away from the daily grind of government machinery to focus on skill development and specialisation. From a psychological perspective, this break from the routine can significantly reduce monotony, re-energising civil servants and enhancing their motivation. By engaging in capacity-building programmes, civil servants can rejuvenate their professional drive, thereby avoiding the “deadwood” effect that often arises in a prolonged career within the government sector. Zubair Nazeer is an Assistant Professor (Public Administration) at the Amar Singh College, Cluster University, Srinagar. He was previously a faculty member at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal Published - November 24, 2024 04:40 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit civil and public service / public officials / government / political parties / Reservation / government departments / election / industrial production / universities and colleges / technology (general) / ministers (government) / scientific institutions / management institutes / economy (general)

Netflix will have one of its biggest days Wednesday since the site launched in 1998 when it airs two NFL games for the first time. "NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix" begins with a two-hour pregame show at 11 a.m., before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in the second game. The streaming giant agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games. Netflix's 282.3 million subscribers in over 190 countries will be able to stream the games, marking the first time one outlet has distributed an NFL game globally. Netflix will have the games available in five languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. The games will also air on CBS affiliates in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. NFL policy dictates that games on cable or being exclusively streamed must also be on an over-the-air station in the competing teams' markets. It will also be available on mobile devices in the U.S. for those who have NFL+. The biggest reason is money. The league is getting $150 million from Netflix for the two games this season. It also continues the NFL's moves into streaming — Thursday night games are in their third season on Amazon Prime Video and the "Sunday Ticket" package moved to YouTube TV last year. But Christmas is on a Wednesday when games usually aren't played. That's true, but the league wasn't about to give up Christmas after seeing the ratings. Last year's three games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon contest between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way, averaging 29.48 million. The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens and Texans played on Saturday, giving them the same turnaround they would have if they played on Sunday and then Thursday. All four have clinched playoff spots in the AFC, but seeding remains up for grabs. Kansas City (14-1) can clinch the top seed — which would mean a first-round bye and home field throughout the playoffs — with a win over the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied atop the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker due to a better conference record. Houston (9-6) has wrapped up the AFC South and holds the fourth seed. Netflix hopes so. Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of nonfiction series and sports, said the system was stress tested, and then some, during the Nov. 14 bout, along with internet service providers reporting they were also overwhelmed by the surge that occurred before and during the fight. The bout peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, including 38 million concurrent streams in the United States. According to the website Down Detector, nearly 85,000 viewers logged problems with outages or streaming leading up to and during the fight. Possible? Yes. Likely? No. The largest audience for a streamed-exclusive NFL game was 23 million on Peacock for last season's AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins and Chiefs. Nielsen will measure the ratings for the Christmas Day games, with early numbers expected late afternoon on Thursday. It will probably be at kickoff for both games, but especially around 5:45 p.m. EST. That would be near halftime of the Ravens-Texans game, and when Beyoncé will be performing. Mariah Carey will kick off the day with a taped performance of "All I Want for Christmas is You." There is no word if Taylor Swift will make the trip to Pittsburgh to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour two weeks ago. How many Christmas games will Netflix carry in the next two seasons? The NFL will have at least two games on Dec. 25 in 2025 and '26, with Netflix slated to have at least one each year. Amazon Prime Video will have a night game with Christmas on a Thursday next year. Netflix's worldwide partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment will begin on Jan. 6 when "Monday Night Raw" moves to the streaming service. On Friday, Netflix secured the U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup.AGL Energy Limited (OTCMKTS:AGLNF) Short Interest Update

Royce Micro-Cap Trust (NYSE: RMT) as of Nov 30, 2024

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Absa Group Limited ( OTCMKTS:AGRPY – Get Free Report ) was the target of a large decline in short interest in the month of November. As of November 15th, there was short interest totalling 200 shares, a decline of 33.3% from the October 31st total of 300 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.1 days. Absa Group Price Performance Shares of AGRPY stock opened at $19.75 on Friday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $19.34 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $18.34. Absa Group has a 1 year low of $14.36 and a 1 year high of $20.53. Absa Group Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Absa Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Absa Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ASTS – Get Free Report )’s share price fell 0.4% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $23.06 and last traded at $23.29. 6,944,095 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 35% from the average session volume of 10,634,587 shares. The stock had previously closed at $23.39. Analysts Set New Price Targets ASTS has been the topic of several analyst reports. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of AST SpaceMobile from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 15th. Scotiabank lowered their target price on shares of AST SpaceMobile from $45.90 to $44.70 and set a “sector outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on AST SpaceMobile from $22.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, B. Riley boosted their price objective on AST SpaceMobile from $26.00 to $36.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on ASTS AST SpaceMobile Price Performance Insider Buying and Selling at AST SpaceMobile In related news, President Scott Wisniewski sold 2,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.12, for a total value of $62,424.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 712,660 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,476,699.20. The trade was a 0.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, Director Adriana Cisneros purchased 4,934 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 6th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $26.32 per share, with a total value of $129,862.88. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 774,772 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $20,391,999.04. The trade was a 0.64 % increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . Insiders sold 127,700 shares of company stock valued at $3,220,524 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 41.80% of the company’s stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On AST SpaceMobile Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of AST SpaceMobile by 49.9% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,663,760 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,325,000 after buying an additional 2,217,531 shares in the last quarter. Privium Fund Management B.V. bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile in the 3rd quarter valued at about $21,476,000. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. purchased a new position in AST SpaceMobile in the second quarter worth about $9,270,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in AST SpaceMobile by 228.9% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,131,705 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,594,000 after purchasing an additional 787,566 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of AST SpaceMobile in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $4,757,000. Institutional investors own 60.95% of the company’s stock. AST SpaceMobile Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) AST SpaceMobile, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops and provides access to a space-based cellular broadband network for smartphones in the United States. Its SpaceMobile service provides cellular broadband services to end-users who are out of terrestrial cellular coverage. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Midland, Texas. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for AST SpaceMobile Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AST SpaceMobile and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

2 Strong Reasons to Buy Magna Stock Like There’s No TomorrowHUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Jonah Pierce had 20 points in Presbyterian's 67-42 win against Youngstown State on Friday night. Pierce added nine rebounds for the Blue Hose (4-3). Kory Mincy scored 12 points, shooting 5 for 11, including 2 for 5 from beyond the arc. Kobe Stewart had 11 points and finished 4 of 9 from the field.SHAKEN Pep Guardiola admitted “fragile” Manchester City are in crisis after suffering a FIFTH successive defeat. The four-in-a-row champions’ title defence is in tatters after Guardiola’s heaviest home loss as City boss — days after signing a new two-year deal. Guardiola said: “Of course everything is not fine. In eight years we have never lived this kind of situation. In this moment we are fragile. “There are no fairytales in life and sport. Sometimes you have to live through these situations. “You have to accept it. You can’t blame each other, you have to stay together. “It would be a mistake to change. Run away? Absolutely not, we have to stand up more than ever. What will define us is when we fail , we stand up and face it.” READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS Guardiola, who suffered a FIFTH successive defeat for the first time in his managerial career, added: “We are concerned when we don’t win. It’s normal. “There would be a problem if my players were not worried or that I wasn’t worried. “I don’t know what will happen this season, but not for one second will I not believe in the players. “There is no team in the world that can sustain success for eight, nine, ten years in a row. Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS “We will analyse it, go to the next game and see what happens.” A double from birthday boy James Maddison , plus goals from Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson sealed Spurs’ Etihad rout. The defeat leaves City five points behind Prem leaders Liverpool , who play at rock-bottom Southampton today. It was the first time since Chelsea in 1956 that the top-flight champions have lost FIVE games in a row. Spurs’ stunning victory also ended City’s 35-match unbeaten home Prem run. A defeat to Liverpool at Anfield next Sunday could see them 11 POINTS adrift and, asked if that gap would be too big to overcome, Guardiola said: “Yep, because Liverpool keep winning.” Delighted Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou said: “I’m proud of the lads. To come to City is a daunting prospect. It challenges every part of you. “We had to be disciplined and work hard — and play decent football — and we did that.” And he heaped praise on two-goal Maddison. Postecoglou said: “He was outstanding. Madders was great.” Maddison, 28, added: “That’s a birthday I’ll look back on quite fondly. “To come here to the champions and perform like that and get the result. You have to cherish these ones, they don’t come around often. READ MORE SUN STORIES “We were brilliant. It was everything we wanted to show of a top Spurs team. “We were clinical, we pressed at times. We weathered the storm, had determination and scored four brilliant goals.”

Happy Days may not have been the first TV experiment in nostalgia. But co-creators Michael Eisner and Tom Miller definitely knew they were taking a risk when they pitched the show to Paramount. Not surprisingly, the concept didn’t fare well with execs, and the studio passed. The market research department said a coming-of-age sitcom about the idealism and innocence of 1950s youth would never work in the trippy 1970s. But over time, with a little push from George Lucas, Happy Days made history as one of the most significant nostalgia-based shows of all time. And ever since Fonz and Richie Cunningham showed us how to laugh at our childhood, TV audiences have had a love affair with nostalgic TV shows. Many new TV shows also followed the Happy Days formula, whether it was The Wonder Years, set in the late 1960s while airing in the late 1980s, or That 70s Show, which showed us the glee of the 1970s while airing in the 1990s. Even in the 2020s, we’ve never really stopped loving nostalgia and using “period pieces” as a storytelling technique. Today, with Gen X and Millennials at the wheel of modern culture, we’re tapping back into the 1980s and 1990s and remembering how boomers and slackers saw the world. We were disconnected and barely scratching the surface of modern technology. But the memories were powerful enough to stick with us and symbolize the lives of whole generations. Here are eight TV shows that recreate or recapture yesterday’s nostalgia without being too cringe in that Revenge of the Nerds kind of way. Matlock Kathy Bates is back on television, and although Matlock takes place in the modern era, it’s easy to see how this rebooted and gender-swapped version of Matlock is a tribute to the 1980s. Kathy Bates plays, and seemingly channels, the Andy Griffith character of 1986, Ben Matlock. But she’s not just a country bumpkin. She’s also a bit sneaky, a bit disarming, and above all, genteel and charming, as expected. Bates played a similar role in The Office as Jo Bennett. However, it’s easy to see how this modern retelling of Matlock has more secrets than it’s letting on, especially regarding why Matlock is going undercover at a law firm and solving a much bigger mystery. While taking down giants with a smile, her “I’m just a harmless old lady” shtick just gets better with age. Watch Matlock Online Bel-Air Ironically, most people remember the 1990s hit sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for its dramatic moments involving family conflict, rather than its many lighthearted moments. Years after the show came to an end, fan Morgan Cooper made a short film and reimagined The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a dramatic TV series he called Bel-Air. It was such a natural evolution that it caught the attention of Will Smith, who wanted to revisit nostalgic characters like Vivian, Uncle Phil, House Manager Geoffrey, Carlton, and Hilary. Bel-Air is a bit dark, but who can deny the 1990s took on dark themes with a jaded grin? Watch Bel-Air Online Cobra Kai Cobra Kai was less of a reboot and more of a “repair” of the hatchet job that was The Karate Kid reboot of 2010. Will Smith’s kid learning Kung-Fu? Come on! Cobra Kai actually revisited the original characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence (played by original cast members Ralph Macchio and William Zabka) and picked up where the movies left off. And before it’s all over, we also get more cameos from original cast members from the first three Karate Kid films. No, Hilary Swank never returned to revisit “Julie”, but hey — we still get feels hearing Daniel talk about his mentor. Watch Cobra Kai Online Walker True, Walker was unceremoniously canceled despite its good ratings. (Another TV first!) But it’s hard to deny that producer and actor Jared Padalecki made a genuine and valiant attempt to recreate 1990s nostalgia with a 2020-era lens. Family conflict was low, while gang-police conflict was high. And while Cordell Walker did not exactly tribute Chuck Norris (he didn’t even kick anyone’s butt with savage kicks), he did give fans a taste of 1990s nostalgia. Walker’s troubled but good-natured family steals the show, while Jared balances between cowboy stoicism and a moralistic community leader. Walker, Texas Ranger wasn’t just about beating up bad guys. Ultimately, it was about remembering the forgotten Western genre in the spirit of films like Lone Wolf McQuade. Watch Walker Online That ’90s Show That ’90s Show reminds us how great the 1990s actually were while we slacked and remembered how cool the 1970s sounded. Set in 1996, the show revisits iconic 1970s parents Red and Kitty, but through the lens of Leia Forman, the teenage daughter of Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti. The show is double nostalgic in the sense that it remembers the 1990s while also remembering distinctive 1970s characters. Most of those characters come back, too, such as Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), and even Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark). Even legends like Eric Forman (Topher Grace), Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis), and Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) show up, reminding us that you usually CAN go home again — as long as you’re not in jail. Sorry about that, Hyde. Watch That '90s Show Online Night Court The original Night Court captured the madness and uninhibited comedy that defined the 1980s. It was one part burlesque show, one part dad jokes, and one part sad commentary on fatherless boys — a recurring motif throughout its nine seasons. It seems impossible to revisit such a “you had to be there” moment in time. Not only because of the madcap and politically incorrect comedy, but just the simple fact that most of the original cast was resting in peace. Except John Larroquette. The same John Larroquette who always comes back to TV in some capacity, usually playing sidekicks or irritable B-sitcom protagonists. But this time, he gets it right. On Night Court, the reboot, he revisits his greatest role as Dan Fielding, who bonds with Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of his late friend, Harry Stone. While Harry Anderson’s presence is sorely missed, it’s impossible not to follow Dan Fielding, all grown up and bitter — until he meets a gang of old friends, including former bailiff Roz, played again by Marsha Warfield. Night Court might well set a record for a sitcom actor inhabiting the same character for decades if it wasn’t for one other guy. Watch Night Court Online Frasier Kelsey Grammar has always teased his desire to revisit Frasier Crane after retiring the character in 2004. And if Grammar has learned anything in his four-decade sitcom career, it’s that you can’t take your ensemble cast with you. In the 1990s, he didn’t get the luxury of inviting back Ted Danson or Bebe Neuwirth until Frasier was a hit. Likewise, in the 2020s, he couldn’t get David Hyde Pierce to return as Niles Crane. Some ”ships” have sailed. But to his credit, Grammar is eager to return to a world that has surpassed him in technology, culture, and, of course, new family members. This time, Frasier moved back to the Boston, Massachusetts, area, taking a job as a Harvard University professor, hoping to reconnect with his son Frederick Crane. The original Frasier always felt nostalgic, especially in scenes involving Kelsey Grammar and the late John Mahoney, who played Frasier’s irritable but earnest father, Martin Crane. They talked about the past. They shared introspective monologues. They thought about the 1980s and how a drink at the end of the day was everything. Grammar spent so much of the 1990s finding neuroses and avoiding happiness that it is refreshing to see him as a fully realized character. This new Frasier loves more, gives more, and supports his friends and family in a way Frasier of old could never comprehend. Watch Frasier Online Stranger Things Stranger Things is the most successful nostalgic show and is the one exception on this list, in that it feels dynamic and “in the moment” and is never just a trip down memory lane. Stranger Things gives us Gen X’s aesthetics while creating its own universe of terror, intrigue, and happy endings. (Or shall we say, Happy For Now endings, at least until the final season) While the show references many 1980s culture riffs and movie tributes, its premise and execution are also distinctly 1980s. The series plays with classic tropes and themes from 1980s movies, such as children going on adventures, dungeons and dragons, government conspiracies, and paranormal discoveries. The cinematography is influenced by 1980s directors like Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter. Even the 1980s synth-heavy soundtrack evokes the feeling of 1980s mischief. The Duffer Brothers recreated the 1980s very well, right down to including the nostalgic and iconic objects we all still talk about, like arcade games, walkie-talkies, basement hangouts, and terrible sofas. Watch Stranger Things Online Why We Love Nostalgia TV While trendy and quite effective in getting attention, nostalgia is also very therapeutic. It helps members of Gen Z and A visualize a forgotten pre-internet existence while also softly triggering Gen Xers and Boomers to remember the highs and lows of their glory days. I personally hope this nostalgia obsession never ends. Because in the back of our minds, we always want to know what happened to our favorite characters — and we want that portal to an alternative universe to stay open and not just feel like a lost memory. Those happy days never have to end if we keep remembering the past so fondly. Over to you, TV Fanatics! What TV shows do you think are doing nostalgia right? Hit the comments and let us know!By Abebe Dawuni Yendi (NR) Dec 26, GNA-Madam Elsa Mouelhi-Rondeau the Counseller for Political Affairs of High Commission of Canada to Ghana has reminded Ghanaians on the need to embrace inclusive Political Processes and Governance. She said they were the Foundation of Healthy Democracy and a Condition of Sustainable Development and the reason why Canada strived to support the meaningful participation of women, youth, Person With Disabilities and other members of marginalized groups in governance and in peace processes. She said inclusion brought a diversity of perspectives and approaches to identifying and solving problems and that was essential for peace democracy and economic progress at the family level the community level and for the nation. According to her, youth political participations and empowerment resulted in tangible gains for democracy including greater responsibility to citizen’s needs, intergenerational justice new and innovative mechanism for political arrangement and increased co-operation across stakeholders. She was delivering an address during a post-election stakeholder’s engagement organized by Empowerment for Development in Collaboration with National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and funded by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) at Yendi in the northern region. She said it was important to take time after the election to draw lessons from the experience and to continue working to ensure future elections were even more peaceful and inclusive and that was why a post -election event was so important. Ms Zuweira Yakubu, Project Lead for Empowerment for Development (E4D) indicated that E4D in collaboration with the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) successfully implemented a comprehensive peace building project aimed at fostering harmony during Ghana’s 2024 Presidential and parliamentary elections and the initiative which spanned the districts of Yendi Karaga,Mion and Gushegu played a political role in ensuring a peaceful electoral process with high voter turnout and no reported violence. Ms Zuweira said activities undertaken included training of youth Village Saving and Loans Association (YVSLA) for two-days with 30 existing YVSLA comprising 500. She said their achievements was their peaceful election across the four Districts they carried out their exercise and the purpose of the post-election reconciliation and peace dialogue to promote healing, restored trust and ensured long-term stability in the aftermath of an election. She reminded them that the dialogue served several key functions such as fostering national unity, healing and reducing tensions, building trust in democratic institutions, preventing violence and conflict, promoting political and social inclusion, strengthening democracy and good governance among others. Mr Osman Kassim the Yendi Municipal Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) who presented the topic on political violence in Ghana and addressing grievances related to the electoral processes indicated that in the Yendi Municipality although occurrences had been mostly limited there was still the need for proactive measures. Mr Kassim said the recent elections in Ghana had led to heightened tension and violence in some areas with young people ransacking and taking over government property due to political discontent and party affiliations. He said areas like Tamale Metropolis and Savelegu in the northern region witnessed acts of youth vandalism, threatening the stability and development of their communities. He said the theme: for the post-election stakeholder’s engagement “political violence in Ghana and addressing grievances related to the electoral process” was appropriate and reminded them that causes of political violence in Ghana included poverty and unemployment among youth, institutional weaknesses, perception of bias Electoral Commission partisan polarization and zero-sum politics. He expressed his appreciation to the High Commission of Canada to Ghana, Empowerment for Development for their collaboration in organizing the programme for number of stakeholders, political party representatives, the youth women groups among others. GNA

Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in BarcelonaRecord numbers of basketball fans filled arenas to watch the rookie seasons of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese unfold. Simone Biles captivated the world at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Coco Gauff made women’s tennis history. It was all part of a pivotal year for women in sports, financially and culturally, and after a steady rise in popularity and reach in recent years, the women’s game is more valuable than ever. “(Clark) just moved the needle of the global movement of women in sports,” said softball great and Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch, “and what a thrill it’s been to be able to see her rise.” The consulting firm Deloitte estimated in November 2023 that women’s sports would generate more than $1 billion in global revenue this year for the first time ever, which the company said is up about 300% from its last estimate in 2021. Skyrocketing viewership and corporate sponsorships were major factors. The WNBA in July signed a historic 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon Prime and NBC valued at about $200 million — a jump from about $60 million currently. Players hope higher salaries and a greater share of revenue could be on the horizon as parity, star power and competition in the WNBA continue to grow. The WNBA had its most-watched regular season in 24 years and best attendance in 22 seasons, and commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a recent state-of-the-league address that players are getting a lot more marketing deals, turning them into household names. That includes Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson, who had one of the most dominant seasons in WNBA history, and Clark, who set numerous rookie records. The decisive Game 5 of the WNBA finals between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx drew an average of 2.2 million viewers, peaking at 3.3 million, which made it the most-watched WNBA game in 25 years. “We’ve been growing in popularity, endorsements, media rights, all of those things,” said Amira Rose Davis, a sports historian and assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “This period is one of rapid acceleration,” Davis continued, “where all that growth seems to switch into overdrive, where the deals are getting bigger, where the visibility is stretching out.” Clark, the sharp-shooting Indiana guard became a phenomenon when she played at Iowa, capitalized on a foundation laid by hoops stars such as Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker and Wilson, and turbocharged the visibility of women’s basketball. Ticket sales to Indiana Fever games were up 182% in 2024 from the previous season. The Fever also shattered the attendance record of 13,398 set by the Liberty in 1998 with around 16,084 tickets sold per game. And games featuring Clark and her on-court rival Reese of the Chicago Sky prompted social media debates about basketball, race and culture. “Something that I always tried to do with me was rise and elevate the game,” said Finch, now an adviser for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. “And that’s what (Clark)’s doing and her teammates. And just to be able to watch her do it and how humbly she does it, and the impact of not only domestic women’s basketball, but women’s athletics globally. It’s a dream.” While many point to the WNBA as a blueprint for success in women’s sports, accomplishments in 2024 went far beyond one league or athlete. Gauff, the 20-year-old tennis superstar, was the world’s highest-paid female athlete this year with $30.4 million in earnings, according to Sportico rankings. Gauff could not defend her 2023 U.S. Open title, but ended her 2024 season with a WTA finals title and a $4.8 million check — the biggest payout ever for a women’s tennis event, per Sportico. The Olympics neared complete gender parity for the first time among the more than 11,000 men and women who competed in Paris this summer. More than 34 million people across all NBC platforms in the U.S. watched Biles exorcise the demons of her surprising exit from the Tokyo games three years earlier. The 27-year-old shared a message of resilience and redemption as she added four gold medals to her resume. Nearly everything she did in Paris made headlines — a clap back at social media trolls, a revelation about her mental health, a moment of triumph. Her TikTok showing Team USA’s gold medals from team competition has more than 139 million views. “She became a symbol,” Davis said. “Whether you wanted to symbolize her as persevering, or talking about mental health or refusal, the politics of refusal. Or (whether) you wanted to symbolize her as being a quitter — being everything that you’re bemoaning about the country. Either way, both projections elevated her even more.” And as Gauff and Biles soared, other women’s leagues leveraged that visibility. The Pro Women’s Hockey League brought in 392,259 fans during its inaugural regular season, highlighted by a women’s hockey record crowd of 21,105 at the home arena of the NHL’s Canadiens for a Montreal-Toronto matchup. The league also reached sponsorship deals with Scotiabank, Air Canada and Hyundai. The PWHL’s strong first season showed its organizers and players that there’s an appetite for women’s sports, so much so that there are hopes to expand from six to eight teams in 2025. “For many of us that have been in the game for so long, it’s emotional to think about where the game’s come from, where we’ve come to,” said Jayna Hefford, the league’s senior vice president of hockey operations. “We spend a lot of time reading research and all these things that suggest the time is now and that the fandom is there. And to be able to live that and feel it in real time was pretty special.” Keith Stein and Justine Siegal want to capitalize on the women’s sports landscape too. Siegal, a former baseball player and coach, partnered with Stein, a lawyer and businessman, to create the Women’s Pro Baseball League, which last month announced plans to launch in 2026 as a six-team circuit for female players. It will be the first pro league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League dissolved in 1954. “Leagues like the WNBA and (National) Women’s Soccer League have done a lot of the heavy lifting,” Stein said, “and they’re part responsible for the moment we’re having right now where women’s sport is a phenomenon. “I think there’s, in some ways, a lot more momentum behind the development of professional women’s sports leagues than for men’s.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Barcelona's late-game flop at Celta Vigo seemed to be isolated to the final 10 minutes, but Hansi Flick was far more critical of his side than that. The Blaugrana seemed on their way to three points as they led 2-0 late on thanks to goals from the league's Golden Boot leaders Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha. Yet Marc Casado's 82nd-minute red card led to a complete collapse, as Celta Vigo scored in the 84th and 86th minutes to snatch a point. The Barcelona head coach was livid with his side, labeling the entirety of the 90 minutes on the north coast as a disaster. MORE: All the latest soccer news | Barcelona news "Not just the final 10 minutes. I didn’t like the whole performance," Flick told the media in his post-match press conference. "We made too many mistakes. We did not control the ball. We must return to our level." "If we're being honest, it was a very bad match," Flick continued, later labeling their performance as "awful" and saying it wasn't up to regular Barcelona standards. Helena Condis of Spanish publication Cope reported that Flick held a post-match team talk with all Barcelona players in the locker room. Condis stated that Flick was "very angry" with the squad and told them there was "no excuses." MORE: Lewandowski, Raphinha lead La Liga top goal scorer list The German placed the blame on the team's ability to remain focused across the entire 90 minutes, appearing to claim they got complacent as they reached the final stages with a multi-goal lead. "It's all about concentration, you have to focus on the small details," said Flick. "Sometimes they may think it's too easy to win, but that's not how it happens." Multiple players will be frustrated with their performance in the match. Casado is an obvious scapegoal for his careless second yellow, but Jules Kounde's error was to blame for Celta Vigo's first goal and Fermin Lopez and Raphinha both missed big second-half chances to put the game away. At the end of the 90 minutes, Barcelona found themselves significantly out-shot by Celta Vigo who produced 2.60 xG on 15 efforts, putting a whopping eight of them on frame.

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AP News Summary at 4:34 p.m. ESTNoneThis year came in like a drunk on a weeklong bender — and left like a glue-sniffing drunk on a yearlong bender. In other words, what the hell just happened in 2024? A Kennedy joined forces with a Republican . The Dems switched candidates four months before the election. MAGA ruled MSG , and the far left’s heartthrob is a rich white kid who assassinated a CEO in Midtown Manhattan. Joe Rogan became a presidential kingmaker while Donald Trump worked a shift at McDonald’s. It was tumultous and unpredictable. At least there’s Taylor Swift to bring us some consistency: She’s still getting richer, ruling the NFL discourse and influencing grown men to wear friendship bracelets . But in the shifting landscape, a semblance of sanity returned. Cancel culture, DEI, trans lunacy and group think receded — while free speech thrived. Politics and pop culture became almost indistinguishable from each other. Kamala Harris’ “brat” status and Trump’s stilted “YMCA” dance overtook everything (the latter was even the preferred celebration of athletes). But only one side was victorious. The pantsuit is now 0 and 2 in presidential elections after the drubbing that Kamala Harris took in November. (My prediction: The first female president will be a Republican in a skirt.) Harris was never up to snuff, despite what the Dems and the media in the KHive tried to sell us. Speaking of duds, the Democrat establishment was exposed as covering up Joe Biden’s cognitive decline while assuring us he was completing daily Iron Mans. Party leaders like Barack Obama lost influence and likability after peddling fascist fear porn and berating black men for supporting Trump over Harris. Can’t keep a good Trump down, or out of the White House . He was indicted four times and convicted by a Manhattan jury in the Stormy Daniels hush money case — and still emerged stronger and bigger in 2024. He built a new working-class coalition, tapped into the dissatisfaction with Biden’s policies and, with the help of Elon Musk, led a great political realignment. Trump’s victory meant brutal defeat for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who managed a conviction of the soon-to-be 47th President only to see it stuck in limbo. As are Bragg’s fortunes after subway Samaritan Daniel Penny was, thankfully, acquitted earlier this month. It felt like bros ruled politics in 2024 — but the ladies got it done in sports. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark dazzled — winning Rookie of the Year, making the playoffs and boosting WNBA attendance by whopping figures. As a result, the league is winning bigly, even if folks like Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson are loath to give Clark credit. At the Paris Olympics, Simone Biles made a triumphant comeback and Katie Ledecky became the first female swimmer to win gold at four different games. Meanwhile, Aussie competitor Raygun , with her intersectional approach to her “sport,” broke breakdancing — and our tolerance for nonsense. Gloves-off comedy roared in 2024. Netflix’s outrageous “The Roast of Tom Brady,” which saw the one-time golden boy take stronger hits than he did in 23 NFL seasons, slaughtered every sacred cow . It also launched Tony Hinchcliffe and Nikki Glaser into another stratosphere. Shane Gillis became comedy’s Lazarus, hosting “Saturday Night Live” five years after getting canned from the show. He’s also reviving Bud Lite in its post Dylan Mulvaney era. Unfortunately, the phrase “freak off” is now in our vernacular thanks to hip-hop’s all-powerful Sean “Diddy” Combs, whose spectacular downfall is due to his alleged sexual proclivities. Good old sex appeal reigned. After a years-long apology tour for, um, selling lingerie, Victoria’s Secret once again staged a fashion show with scantily clad Angels. “SNL” host Sydney Sweeney’s boobs caused a cultural eruption and proved that a nice set of girls are back. And Jeremy Allen White stripped to his Calvins for billboards, harkening to the golden era of undies ads with Marky Mark Wahlberg. Haliey Welch, otherwise known as “Hawk Tuah girl,” was on her way to total domination. The 21-year-old factory worker rose to international prominence the old-fashioned way: by drunkenly making a fellatio joke. She launched a podcast — then attached her name to a meme coin that tanked and led to accusations of a scam. She went into hiding and now says she’s cooperating with lawyers . Welch remains a cautionary tale about instant viral fame. Last year, Spotify parted with “f–king gifters” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This year, they delivered another bomb with “Polo” — leaving their $100 million Netlfix deal looking more precarious . Hunter Biden scored big with a pardon , but the sun has set on the Biden family’s decades-long power grip. Hey, at least Jill Biden can still call herself “Dr.” Going into 2025, there remains a sense of optimism that we’re headed in the right direction. Now if we can only figure out what’s going on with drones causing sky gridlock over Jersey.