Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould spent last weekend watching the conference championship games, making mental notes of what she liked and didn’t like, what worked for fans and for TV viewers — all with an eye to December 2026. Will the rebuilt Pac-12 stage its own title game? The answer likely will come in several months. The conference office is discussing the issue with the two current members, Washington State and Oregon State, and the five schools moving over from the Mountain West in the summer of 2026. “The conversations are around what it should look like in the next Pac-12,” Gould said. “It has tremendous value on a lot of levels.” That doesn’t make the renewal of the Pac-12 championship game inevitable. The issue is complex and, to a certain degree, dependent on external factors. Some clarity could begin to emerge next month when the College Football Playoff management committee, which includes all the conference commissioners, meets in Atlanta to discuss the inaugural edition of the 12-team event. There is no codified format for the CFP starting in the fall of 2026. Changes to access — the at-large berths could be reduced or eliminated — might undermine the relevance of the conference championship games. Another possibility: CFP changes make title games critical for some conferences and unnecessary for others. “It’s going to be an interesting conversation,” Gould said. She added that the number of teams in the rebuilt Pac-12 won’t impact the decision. (At least one more football-playing school must be added for 2026 to comply with NCAA rules.) “Brand elevation is really important in the rebuilt conference,” she said. “We don’t want a football championship game that has a bad atmosphere for athletes and bad optics on television. We want it to look, feel and sound like an exciting environment.” Discussions with potential host cities are expected to “accelerate,” she said. “Accessibility for tickets, location, airports, hotels — a lot of variables go into it. We want fans to be able to get there.” The rebuilt conference could stage its championship game on the home field of the higher seed, mirroring the model currently used by the Mountain West. Or the event could be played at a neutral field, as was the case with the Pac-12 championship from 2014-23. “Our Mountain West members haven’t had an event of the caliber we put on,” Gould said. “The experience for the student-athletes is important.” Ultimately, the same force driving the Pac-12’s next expansion move could frame the merits of a championship game: the outcome of media rights negotiations. The conference and its media consultant, Octagon, are discussing a long-term partnership with media companies. Gould prefers multiple partners and content on both linear and streaming platforms. Negotiations could last into the spring. The market will dictate: — Which school(s) receive membership invitations to join the conference for 2026. — The degree to which the rebuilt Pac-12 emphasizes basketball. — The number of conference games on the football schedule and the days of competition. (Expect some games to be played on weekdays.) — The value of a football championship game. Once the media rights piece takes shape, Gould and campus officials will finalize membership plans and the structure of the football season. “Those conversations will inform our decisions,” she said.
Editorial: Aldermen, vote for this bloated Chicago budget at your political peril. Peer cities are not so reckless in their spending.An aerial drone photo taken on Nov 23, 2024 shows farmlands developed after wells were dug by Chinese firm ZPEC in the desert of Aswan province, Egypt. – Xinhua photo ASWAN (Dec 8): In early winter, the warm sun bathes the desert hinterland of Kom Ombo, some 60 kilometres north of Aswan Province in Upper Egypt. Against the vast arid landscape, patches of lush green wheat stand in striking contrast. “Before, this place was an arid desert with no vegetation. Now, with the irrigation of well water, crops such as wheat have grown here, full of vitality and hope,” said Ahmed El-Sadani, beaming as he shared his story. Sadani, 30 years old, is the deputy manager of the Aswan water well project of ZPEC (China’s Zhongman Petroleum and Natural Gas Group Co Ltd) branch in Egypt, responsible for managing six water well drilling teams on site. Photo taken on Nov 23, 2024 shows a rig platform from Chinese firm ZPEC working on drilling a well in the desert of Aswan province, Egypt. – Xinhua photo He joined ZPEC in 2018 and has successively served as a mud engineer, water pump test engineer, and field engineer. “During the past six years, I have accumulated more experience by working in several desert well-drilling projects,” Sadani said. “Every time we see clear groundwater gushing out of the wellhead, my colleagues and I are very excited, knowing we’ve successfully drilled a new well.” Workers of Chinese firm ZPEC work on a rig platform to drill a well in the desert of Aswan province, Egypt, on Nov 23, 2024. – Xinhua photo Egypt, home to over 100 million people, grapples with the daunting task of cultivating more land for agriculture, as only 5 per cent of its territory is currently arable. To reduce reliance on food imports, the country has accelerated its desert reclamation initiatives since 2015. In support of these efforts, ZPEC established its Egypt branch in 2016 under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Since then, the team, composed of Chinese and Egyptian workers, has tackled harsh desert conditions, drilling more than 540 wells across Egypt — from the Sinai Peninsula to Minya, Matrouh, and Aswan provinces. Irrigated by underground water, the once barren desert has gradually transformed into fertile land. At the Kom Ombo site, there are six drilling teams, comprising more than 200 Chinese and Egyptian employees, said Zhao Wutao, general manager of the ZPEC branch in Egypt. An aerial drone photo taken on Nov 23, 2024 shows farmlands developed after wells were dug by Chinese firm ZPEC in the desert of Aswan province, Egypt. – Xinhua photo The rigs operate 24 hours a day, with workers rotating in two shifts, he said. Summer temperatures in Aswan often exceed 40 degrees Celsius, and conditions in the desert are even harsher. Yet, the team adheres to strict safety protocols, donning full uniforms and protective gear despite the heat. Amr Mohammed, 28 years old and one of the site engineers, used to work for an Egyptian drilling company and joined ZPEC last year. “ZPEC is one of the best companies in the field of drilling water wells in Egypt,” said Mohammed, who is responsible for managing the team members and drilling technology. “This area is yellow now, and it will turn green soon. Our work brings great benefits to the development of agriculture in Egypt,” Mohammed told Xinhua while pointing to the desert beside him. Drilling wells in the desert is no easy task. Zhao explained that locating well sites required trekking through the trackless desert for hours with GPS devices. Workers of Chinese firm ZPEC work on a rig platform to drill a well in the desert of Aswan province, Egypt, on Nov 23, 2024. – Xinhua photo Transportation of drilling equipment is another challenge. “A piece of large-scale drilling equipment weighs 500 tons and must be dismantled into parts before being transported by 25 vehicles,” Zhao said. “It takes 10 days to transport here from the work area in central and northern Egypt over 1,000 kilometres away,” he added. Zhao (left) chats with Ahmed El-Sadani, deputy manager of the Aswan water well project of ZPEC branch in Egypt. – Xinhua photo “We are engaged in livelihood projects and contribute our modest efforts to the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative between China and Egypt. We are happy to see that the locals can benefit from the well water,” Zhao said. Looking ahead, Zhao said ZPEC plans to deepen its involvement in Egypt’s agricultural development, creating more job opportunities and contributing further to the nation’s food security. – XinhuaWest Ham forward Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident, the Premier League club have announced. The 34-year-old is conscious after being taken to hospital in London following the incident in Epping, Essex on Saturday afternoon. The update was issued after unverified images of a heavily damaged Ferrari began to circulate online. A club statement read: “West Ham United can confirm that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident this afternoon in the Essex area. “Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital. “At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. “The club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.” It was West Ham’s second statement on the matter after an earlier one confirming an accident had taken place. Essex Fire Service also confirmed firefighters had attended the scene and released a man trapped in his car. A statement read: “Crews were called to High Road, Epping, at 1.02pm this afternoon after reports of a road traffic collision involving one car. “In arrival, firefighters reported that a man was trapped in his car and worked to release him by 1.45pm. The casualty was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.” London-born Antonio, a Jamaica international, is in his 10th season with West Ham after joining the club from Nottingham Forest in 2015. He has scored 83 goals in 323 appearances for the club and helped them win the Europa Conference League in 2023. Antonio began his footballing journey with non-League Tooting and Mitcham before moving into the professional ranks with Reading. He has also had spells with Cheltenham, Southampton, Colchester and Sheffield Wednesday. A number of West Ham’s rival clubs have posted well wishes. A social media post from Arsenal read: “Everyone at Arsenal sends their love, support and well wishes to Michail, his family and West Ham United.” Chelsea said: “The thoughts of everyone at Chelsea FC are with Michail and his family.” A message from Liverpool read: “The thoughts and prayers of everyone at LFC are with Michail and his family.” West Ham were not playing on Saturday but host Wolves at the London Stadium on Monday. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
On Dec. 5, the Sung Foundation launched a 16-day campaign against gender-based violence, underscoring the urgent need to protect women and girls in the Northern region. The programme, which was held in Tolon District in the Northern region, was to sensitise the communities on violence and existing laws on sexual violence, on the theme: Come Together, Act Now, Acceleration Action to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Implemented by the dedicated team at the Sung Foundation and generously funded by the African Women’s Development Fund, the programme aimed to raise awareness among the communities on acts of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Child Marriage cases. Mr Inusah Iddrisu, the Principal Investigator at CHRAJ, called upon traditional and religious leaders to take a leading role in the fight against SGBV, Domestic Violence, and Child Marriage. Their partnership is for violence prevention and response to these issues within their communities. He said violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that’s been perpetuated for decades. He appealed to community members against rape culture, which is the social environment that allows sexual violence to be normalised and justified, fueled by persistent gender inequalities and attitudes about gender and sexuality. ASP MRS Vicentia Aboagye, Northern Regional Coordinator for the Domestic Violence Secretariat, highlighted the pervasive nature of violence, structural misogyny, and systematic inequality. She emphasised that these issues affect everyone, but women and girls are disproportionately affected. She said because the vast majority of victims are women and girls and almost all perpetrators are men, sexual violence is a form of violence-based violence that can be eliminated by tackling the root causes of sexism. She added that Most women and girls experience physical or sexual violence regardless of their background. Community leaders must take the lead in ensuring improved justice for survivors of sexual violence by promptly reporting violence to authorities for them to apply the laws. Madam Bushira, the Acting Northern Regional Director for the Department of Gender, said ending Sexual Violence. She noted that marginalised groups are more likely to experience sexual violence and to have violent interactions with the criminal justice system. Madam Abdulai Wumbei, Social Welfare Officer at Tolon District, added that partners should respect each other to avoid violence. They should take very good care of their children, especially the girls, by preventing them from sexual violence.
Universal Corporation Receives NYSE Notice Regarding Filing of Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter Ended September 30, 2024Michael Villella , the actor known for playing the serial killer Russ Thorn in the cult classic “The Slumber Party Massacre,” has died. He was 84. Villella’s death was announced Saturday through a statement on his Facebook page: “Michael Pasquale Villella has left this world, may he rest in peace. May God welcome Michael with open arms and bring him into heaven.” His daughter, Chloe Villella, also confirmed the news on social media . A cause of death was not disclosed. Villella made his onscreen debut as the drill-wielding killer in 1982’s “The Slumber Party Massacre,” also starring Michelle Michaels and Robin Stille. The film, directed by Amy Holden Jones and written by Rita Mae Brown, was originally meant to be a parody of the slasher genre but ultimately became a straight horror movie. Although “The Slumber Party Massacre” received mixed reviews from critics, the 1982 original garnered a cult following and inspired two direct sequels that were released in 1987 and 1990; a reboot film was released in 2021. “The Slumber Party Massacre” also inspired two spinoff film series, the “Sorority House Massacre” trilogy and the “Cheerleader Massacre” films. Villella had an uncredited role in the 1990 spinoff film, “Sorority House Massacre II,” and he appeared in the 2010 documentary, “Sleepless Nights: Revisiting the Slumber Party Massacres.” Along with “The Slumber Party Massacre,” Villella’s film credits include “Love Letters” (1983), “Gotham” (1988), “Wild Orchid” (1989) and “Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue” (1991). On the television side, he made guest appearances on “Amazing Stories” and “Getting Away With Murder.”
RICHMOND, Va. , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV) ("Universal" or the "Company"), a global business-to-business agriproducts company, today announced that, as expected, on November 19, 2024 , it received a notice (the "NYSE Notice") from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") that the Company is not in compliance with Section 802.01E of the NYSE Listed Company Manual as a result of its failure to timely file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024 (the "Form 10-Q") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") prior to November 18, 2024 , the end of the extension period provided by Rule 12b -25 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The NYSE Notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company's common stock on the NYSE. The NYSE Notice informed the Company that, under NYSE rules, the Company has six months from November 18, 2024 , to regain compliance with the NYSE listing standards by filing the Form 10-Q with the SEC. If the Company fails to file the Form 10-Q within the six-month period, the NYSE may grant, in its sole discretion, an extension of up to six additional months for the Company to regain compliance, depending on the specific circumstances. The NYSE Notice also noted that the NYSE may nevertheless, in its own discretion, commence delisting proceedings at any time during such period. As previously disclosed in the Company's Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25, filed on November 12, 2024 (the "Form 12b-25") with the SEC, the Company was unable to file the Form 10-Q on a timely basis due to an ongoing internal investigation. As a result of the additional time required to complete its internal investigation, the process of finalizing financial statements for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 could not be completed on a timely basis. The Company is committed to completing a deliberate, thorough investigation while diligently working to fulfill all reporting obligations and currently expects to file the Form 10-Q within the six-month period granted by the NYSE Notice; however, there can be no assurance that the Form 10-Q will be filed within such period. About Universal Corporation Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) is a global agricultural company with over 100 years of experience supplying products and innovative solutions to meet our customers' evolving needs and precise specifications. Through our diverse network of farmers and partners across more than 30 countries on five continents, we are a trusted provider of high-quality, traceable products. We leverage our extensive supply chain expertise, global reach, integrated processing capabilities, and commitment to sustainability to provide a range of products and services designed to drive efficiency and deliver value to our customers. For more information, visit www.universalcorp.com . CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Among other things, these statements include statements regarding expectations about the Company's filing of its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 . These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the use of words such as we "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "could," "should," "may," "plan," "will," "predict," "estimate," and similar expressions or words of similar import. These forward-looking statements are based upon management's current knowledge and assumptions about future events and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated results, prospects, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the uncertainty of the ultimate findings of the ongoing internal investigation, as well as the timing of its completion and costs and expenses arising out of the ongoing internal investigation process and its results; the impact of the ongoing internal investigation on us, our management and operations, including financial impact as well as any litigation or regulatory action that may arise from the ongoing internal investigation; the impact of the internal investigation on our conclusions regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures; our ability to regain compliance with NYSE listing requirements; success in pursuing strategic investments or acquisitions and integration of new businesses and the impact of these new businesses on future results; product purchased not meeting quality and quantity requirements; our reliance on a few large customers; our ability to maintain effective information technology systems and safeguard confidential information; anticipated levels of demand for and supply of our products and services; costs incurred in providing these products and services including increased transportation costs and delays attributed to global supply chain challenges; timing of shipments to customers; higher inflation rates; changes in market structure; government regulation and other stakeholder expectations; economic and political conditions in the countries in which we and our customers operate, including the ongoing impacts from international conflicts; product taxation; industry consolidation and evolution; changes in exchange rates and interest rates; impacts of regulation and litigation on its customers; industry-specific risks related to its plant-based ingredient businesses; exposure to certain regulatory and financial risks related to climate change; changes in estimates and assumptions underlying our critical accounting policies; the promulgation and adoption of new accounting standards, new government regulations and interpretation of existing standards and regulations; and general economic, political, market, and weather conditions. Actual results, therefore, could vary from those expected. Please also refer to such other factors as discussed in Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of Universal's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 , and related disclosures in other filings which have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . All risk factors and uncertainties described herein and therein should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and all of the forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein and therein. Universal cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as these statements speak only as of the date when made, and it undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made, except as required by law. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/universal-corporation-receives-nyse-notice-regarding-filing-of-form-10-q-for-the-fiscal-quarter-ended-september-30-2024-302314579.html SOURCE Universal Corporation
Here’s what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talksMavis Staples, take a bow. Friday at an event billed as her “85th Hometown Birthday Celebration” at a jam-packed Auditorium Theatre, the legendary vocalist put on a performance for the books — one that found her catching fire from the first note she sang and dazzling all the way through a fervent encore that apparently surprised even venue staffers who anticipated the lights would go up sooner. On another night, maybe Staples abides by the scheduled stop. But not on an evening that found the habitually upbeat singer in an especially jubilant mood and out to defy any limitations associated with advanced age. The local native’s enthusiasm and spirit transcended the songs and impacted every aspect of her 110-minute set, particularly in terms of its spontaneity and infectiousness. Possibly having more fun than even anyone in the captivated crowd, Staples wouldn’t be restrained and couldn’t resist an opportunity to share her bliss. She picked up on small cues and transformed them into unforgettable unscripted moments. She jazz-scatted onomatopoeia atop a drum riff; started singing the words to the Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime” shortly after finishing a cover of the band’s “Slippery People”; seconded her two backing vocalists’ statements with rejoinders; moaned impromptu reassurances; regaled with witty banter; and, after being mass-serenaded with “Happy Birthday,” wished herself one in the third person. Staples kept the mood light and pacing loose. She conveyed gratitude on her face, via blown kisses and kind waves, and in remarks. “Y’all make me feel so good, I’m gonna take off and run all around this building,” Staples declared amid one of a handful of deserved breathers. Kidding, of course. Still, considering her outsized energy and feisty determination, betting against her would’ve been unwise. At this point, simply calling Staples an institution falls short of the mark. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer began singing in her family’s namesake band at 8 years old; joined the civil rights and social justice movements; played at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration; marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; experienced first-hand on tour the hatred associated with segregation and racism; and, with her father and siblings, created a hybrid, idiosyncratic style of music that the group performed together for several decades. Renowned for her radiant positivity, Staples, who turned 85 in July, is the sole survivor of her family’s potent ensemble. Her sister Yvonne died in 2018, and her brother, Pervis, in 2021. Those losses, coupled with the pandemic shutdown, the usual effects of octogenarian age and an accidental fall in the summer of 2023, prompted Staples to court retirement. Her associates went as far as to organize farewell events. But the famously restless singer reversed course. Staples plans on releasing her first new LP in six years in 2025. The anticipated record will mark the latest in a series of studio efforts that witnessed her collaborate with younger contemporaries such as Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, M. Ward and Ben Harper. Fittingly, Staples’ later-career rebirth began in Chicago when local label Alligator Records issued her self-financed “Have a Little Faith” LP in 2004. The album title proved both instructive and prophetic for many of the highlights — a book by former Tribune critic Greg Kot, a documentary film, three Grammy Awards and Kennedy Center honors among the milestones — that followed. And by all accounts, she’s not close to calling it a career yet. Mavis Staples performs during her 85th Hometown Birthday Celebration at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Mavis Staples performs with guitarist Rick Holmstrom during her 85th Hometown Birthday Celebration at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Mavis Staples performs with her band during her 85th Hometown Birthday Celebration at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Mavis Staples at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Mavis Staples performs with her band during her 85th Hometown Birthday Celebration at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Mavis Staples performs with her band during her 85th Hometown Birthday Celebration at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Margo Price performs at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Margo Price performs at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Mavis Staples performs during her 85th Hometown Birthday Celebration at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt / for the Chicago Tribune) Save for sitting for a few brief spells and receiving a bit of assistance entering and exiting the stage, Staples gave no indication she was slowed in any capacity. As for the condition of her voice? Tremendous. Mighty, rich and strong, its emphatic depth, sacred bent, throaty grit and dynamic contrasts ensured each lyric and wordless expression landed with resolute passion. Whether belting at a clarion volume or shifting to a hushed, low gear, Staples’ contralto exhibited incredible purity and pitch control. On command, her instrument became a blaring trumpet, mellow French horn or sharp tenor saxophone; a demonstrative shake of a fist or consoling caress akin to a mother’s hand on her child’s shoulder. Akin to the hallelujahs in “Far Celestial Shore,” Staples’ voice rose from a whisper to a roar — and vice versa. During gospel-driven a capella runs she launched once her band completed a song, Staples testified and reasserted her purpose. The traditional approaches traced a through-line back to the river baptisms of the deep South as well as places of worship on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Preacher. Teacher. Historian. Daughter. Unifier. Fighter. Worker. Peacemaker. Comforter. Conductor. Promise-keeper. Staples wore those hats and others, broadcasting a soulful conviction that made it obvious that to her the songs were more than words set to music. They represented belief systems, empowering messages, tireless struggles for good. Vibrating with intensity, they served as vessels for delivering on her signature live pledge to bring the audience joy, happiness, inspiration and positive vibrations. She achieved that and more, and got a little help from her friends. The spacious, spare architecture of the arrangements, guided by longtime guitarist Rick Holmstrom, further underlined Staples’ intent and clarity. His tremolo-based style, swampy reverb and snaking, spring-coiled lines fostered the sense that the sounds floated. The steady rhythm section’s tempos and surplus of crisp, bounding grooves kept it all tethered. Spurring on her colleagues, Staples shouted words of encouragement between verses and refrains. She clapped to the beats, rolled her hands and extended her arms as if offering the world a hug. During a rousingly funky “Heavy Makes You Happy,” she lightly slapped Holmstrom on the back as he bent forward and leaned into a solo. Her megawatt smile and aural stimulation projected an ebullience that required none of the high-definition visual production utilized by most arena headliners. Staples guaranteed you not only saw but felt her emotions. Openers Margo Price and Jackson Browne — the former, an Illinois native, charmed with a short albeit vivid, acoustic roots-country set with her husband; the latter battled a cold that left his voice ravaged and nose dripping — joined Staples and company for “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?,” the first tune her father, Pops, taught his family. The guests also traded verses on a rendition of “The Weight.” By the time the classic ended, nobody doubted the load Staples could bear. Justice, equality, love, nonviolence: Staples presented the ideals as non-negotiables. All the while operating from a deceivingly simple, common-sense premise: Have the audience feeling better when they leave than when they arrived. Mission accomplished. May we delight in her presence again in the near future. It can’t come soon enough. Bob Gendron is a freelance critic. Setlist from the Auditorium Theatre on Dec. 6: “City in the Sky” “I’m Just Another Soldier” “Handwriting on the Wall” “Who Told You That” “Can You Get to That” (Funkadelic cover) “Respect Yourself” “Heavy Makes You Happy” (Bobby Bloom cover) “Friendship” “Far Celestial Shore” “Slippery People” (Talking Heads cover) “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” (traditional) “The Weight” (The Band cover) “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” into “Freedom Highway” Encore “I’ll Take You There”Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and soon to be Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.-S.D.) need to go huge in first budget reconciliation act , because this might be the only bite of the apple they get. The political reality in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is that the majority margin is unstable and might not exist in October 2025 if resignations, illness or even naturally occurring deaths winnow their current 220-to-215 majority . As of now, due to presidential appointments ravaging the House majority, the count at the beginning of the upcoming Congress is expected to be as thin as one vote at 216 to 215. (RELATED: STEPHEN MOORE: You Say You Want A Revolution? Watch Trump) The internal political debate that is raging in Washington, D.C. is how far the Republican trifecta of House, Senate and Executive Branch control can go in the first swing at passing a budget reconciliation bill which is not subject to the filibuster in the Senate. Should the Republicans include in this bill the entire wish list of extending the Trump tax cuts from the first term, ending taxes on tips , overtime and Social Security , bolstering border security, restoring sane energy policy by ending Green New Deal tax laws implemented under the Inflation Reduction Act , ending the expansion of the Internal Revenue Service by 87,000 agents , reducing the size of the federal workforce and many other issues? Or should the Republicans wait to tackle many of these issues — particularly holding off keeping the Trump tax cuts which is important to the incoming president’s economic growth plan — until October or November? The instability of their House majority demands that they choose the boldest plan possible and pass it, leaving little undone. From a political and economic standpoint, it is in every Republican’s interest that the economy be thriving when they come up for re-election in 2026. Creating tax uncertainty by failing to extend the first-term Trump tax cuts for the corporations who the president will be trying to incentivize to invest in growing America’s industrial and resource-development base undermines the Trump economic-growth plan. It would also be very unwise to not immediately keep President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to end the taxes on tips and overtime. The Social Security tax issue may need to be part of a separate, independent bi-partisan deal, but it would be a slap in the face to those hourly wage and tip workers to not deliver on a promise that directly and immediately impacts their take home pay. The private Department Of Government Efficiency is calling for cutting the number of federal government employees along with many other changes. If Congress is going to act on any of their recommendations, it is critical that they start with a ten percent reduction in force or more in the budget reconciliation act with a projected savings of about half a trillion dollars over a ten-year period. Border security was a fundamental divide between the president-elect and his opponents and needs to be handled through budget reconciliation which does not require the votes of Senate Democrats. So, anything in this area that can be included in the reconciliation bill must be in the first one Republicans pass into law. Unwinding the tax incentives to produce unreliable energy sources is essential for inclusion as well. These incentives act as a disincentive to invest in fossil-fuel energy generation — and are designed to push out fossil fuels and nuclear energy from the all-of-the-above energy strategy that Republicans are fond of talking about. For Trump’s energy policy to work, government must take its thumb off the scale in favor of renewables, and the only place that can get done is through the budget reconciliation act. Failure to do so will leave in place a tax system designed to drive capital investment away from oil and natural gas and toward wind and solar. We have an abundance of domestic natural gas, oil and coal. What Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act did was squeeze capital investment away from developing and using this abundance. Ultimately, anything left out of the first budget reconciliation act may not find a place in any subsequent bill, even if the House and Senate majorities hold for the full two years. In late 2025, many members of Congress will be turning their eyes toward the 2026 election as the primary season will be a few months away. No one knows if, with their razor-thin majorities, the historically contentious House and Senate GOP conferences can politically hold together for a future BRA. In 2017, Republicans attempted to partially keep their promise by using the budget reconciliation bill to try to partially repeal Obamacare. It fell apart as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) surprised the Senate GOP leadership by voting against the bill , causing it to fail and proving that legislative coalitions are fragile. That is why the old saying to strike while the iron is hot should be Republican leadership’s and Trump’s battle cry. They might not get another chance to keep their 2024 election promises and being tepid on the first budget reconciliation bill will only lead to failure to make the changes needed to restore America’s greatness. Republicans need to go big. They were elected to solve problems and the budget reconciliation process is one of the few vehicles which allow the majority party to assert its will in Congress to make change. So, just do it. Rick Manning is the President of Americans for Limited Government. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .
South Korean president narrowly survives impeachment attempt
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . NEW YORK (AP) — Gerard O’Keefe’s 25 points helped Columbia defeat Merchant Marine 98-49 on Saturday. O’Keefe added five rebounds for the Lions (9-1). Blair Thompson scored 11 points while going 5 of 9 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and added six rebounds. Josiah Cunningham had nine points and went 3 of 6 from the field (1 for 4 from 3-point range). Drew Zalescik led the Mariners in scoring, finishing with 21 points and six rebounds. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
