Cleary’s bizarre diet secret stuns fansNEWARK, N.J. — The Blackhawks ’ top prospect forward, top prospect goalie, one of two top prospect defensemen and best prospect-developing coach have all joined the big club in just over a week. In a season billed as somewhat of a gap year between the tear-down portion of the rebuild and the youth movement to come, the Hawks’ promising future has quickly become much more tangible and present. Frank Nazar’s NHL call-up Friday provided the biggest jolt of excitement yet. The 20-year-old forward will make his NHL season debut Saturday against the Devils, then make his second career regular-season appearance at the United Center on Sunday against the Islanders. Goalie Drew Commesso should make his first career NHL start in one of those two games, and a lineup featuring Nazar, Connor Bedard, Lukas Reichel, Kevin Korchinski, Alex Vlasic, Wyatt Kaiser and Nolan Allan will skate in front of him. This Hawks roster still features a lot of veteran placeholders of little relevance to the future, but interim coach Anders Sorensen’s arsenal of young players is nonetheless expanding rapidly. For Nazar, the call he had been waiting months for finally came last night from Rockford general manager Mark Bernard, who told him to hop on a plane to Newark. “It was a really exciting moment,” Nazar said. “I was shocked. [When] you get a random call at night from the GM, you can kind of expect what he’s gonna say, but you never know. When I heard the good news, it was a lot of joy.” Hawks GM Kyle Davidson’s decision to send Nazar to the AHL at the end of training camp has proven definitively to be the right move. The Michigan product dominated there, racking up 24 points in 21 games — tops among rookies and sixth overall in the AHL — while accumulating a tremendous stockpile of confidence. Nazar talked Friday about how “growing up, the only thing you think of is just scoring goals,” and he got to do that over and over again. He also made countless additional dazzling plays that didn’t lead to points. His defensive reliability is another strength — and a contrast to most rookies, including Bedard last year. He substantially reduced the difference between his best and worst shifts thanks to a mental checklist he created to remind himself to always keep his feet moving and think on the fly. His challenge now is to transfer all of that confidence and playmaking skill into the NHL, where he tallied one point in three solid outings at the very end of last season. His success doing so might determine whether he stays with the Hawks for good or returns to Rockford after an educational NHL stint. If the latter happens, it shouldn’t be interpreted as a step back; a scout recently mentioned that could actually be the best outcome for his long-term development. “It’s an adjustment to come up mid-season and mid-road trip with a team that’s trying to work through a lot of stuff, but it’s our job to help him through that,” forward Taylor Hall said. “The biggest things we [will] look for from him are energy, compete and enthusiasm. That’s what, as a young player, you’re required to show.” Nazar immediately slides in as the second-line center between Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi (who has finally found his rhythm this week) and as a part of the top power-play unit. Sorensen, a key catalyst in Nazar’s development in Rockford, advised him to “trust his instincts” as he jumps in head-first. “The numbers he’s put up in the AHL, those are really good,” Hall added. “Hopefully he can contribute and play well and help us win, because we’re in need of wins. Obviously he has a relationship with Anders, and Anders is comfortable enough to put him in that spot, so we’re excited.”blackjack dealer rules 。

Hilton Grand Vacations executive sells $2.08 million in stockThis screenshot from Donald Trump Truth Social account shows an image of President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Jill Biden attending the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral as France’s iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Dec .7, 2024 in Paris. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. (Truth Social via AP) This screenshot from Donald Trump’s Truth Social account shows am image of President-elect Donald Trump standing beside a Canadian flag. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. (Truth Social via AP) This screenshot from Donald Trump Truth Social account shows an image of President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Jill Biden attending the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral as France’s iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Dec .7, 2024 in Paris. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. ( Truth Social via AP) This screenshot from Donald Trump Truth Social account shows an image of President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Jill Biden attending the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral as France’s iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Dec .7, 2024 in Paris. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. (Truth Social via AP) By MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television National Politics | What will happen to Social Security under Trump’s tax plan? National Politics | Republican-led states are rolling out plans that could aid Trump’s mass deportation effort Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.IOWA CITY — The Iowa women’s basketball team got back on track with an 84-63 win over Purdue on Sunday. The Hawkeyes (11-2, 1-1 Big Ten) outshot and outrebounded the Boilermakers (7-6, 0-2 Big Ten) to claim the blowout victory and the first conference victory for first-year head coach Jan Jensen. Iowa's Taylor Stremlow orchestrates the offense during an NCAA women's basketball game against Washington State in Iowa City at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Nov. 24. ETHAN PETRIK, Quad-City Times Despite the resounding victory, Jensen told the Hawkeye Radio Network that the team fell just shy of meeting a challenge she gave to them. “I secretly challenged them to hold them to 60,” Jensen said. “Then, we let up that three at the end, which we should not have done, but it was below their average, which we wanted to do. I thought it was a solid defensive game today. We could have even done a little better. ... But, overall, I am not going to complain too much because that was a pretty good effort.” Iowa won the battle on the glass 42-27 and shot 34-of-62 (54.8%) from the floor while holding Purdue to 25-of-61 (41%) from the floor. The Hawkeyes also recorded an assist on 21 of their 34 made field goals. Iowa built a 7-4 lead over the first two minutes before capitalizing on a Purdue shooting slump with an 18-5 run to close out the opening quarter, bookended by three-pointers from Taylor Stremlow and Teagan Mallegni. The Boilermakers went just 2-of-9 from the field over the final five minutes of the quarter as the Hawkeyes took a 27-13 lead into the second quarter. A similar 15-3 surge to close out the second quarter gave Iowa an 18-point, 50-32 lead at half. Stremlow led all players with nine points in the first half on 4-of-4 from the field. A 13-0 Purdue run in the third quarter allowed the Boilermakers to trim the gap to an eight-point 55-47 lead, but the Hawkeyes again closed the quarter on a scoring run, managing an 11-0 run of their own to lead 66-47 with one quarter to play. A back-and-forth fourth quarter ended with Iowa outscoring Purdue 18-16 to earn the 21-point victory. Addison O’Grady led the Hawkeyes with 12 points. Destini Lombard matched O’Grady with 12 points to lead the Boilermakers. Iowa returns to action on Wednesday with a road matchup against Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania at noon. Broadcast coverage will be provided by Big Ten+ (subscription required). Iowa's Teagan Mallegni, left, gathers the ball before a layup attempt during an NCAA women's basketball game against Washington State in Iowa City at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Nov. 24. ETHAN PETRIK, Quad-City Times Five freshmen saw action in Sunday’s win and painted an exciting picture for the future of the program. In addition to her nine points, Stremlow grabbed four rebounds, managed three steals and dished two assists in 19 minutes off the bench. Aaliyah Guyton scored nine points in 20 minutes. Ava Heiden scored nine points on 4-of-4 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds and picked up two blocks in 15 minutes of action. Teagan Mallegni finished with eight points and two rebounds in 12 minutes. Despite accounting for just 34.5% of Iowa’s minutes on Sunday, the freshman quintet represented 42% of points, 50% of blocks, 42% of steals and 36% of rebounds. During a postgame interview with the Hawkeye Radio Network, Mallegni described it as “so cool” to see the success of Iowa’s freshman class. “At one point, there was four of us out there at the same time,” Mallegni said. “So, it is just really fun. They are a great group of girls. I has been super fun to learn alongside (them).” Iowa's Ava Heiden, left, backs down her defender during a game against Toledo on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. ETHAN PETRIK, Quad-City Times As evidenced by the production of Iowa’s freshmen, the Hawkeyes beat the Boilermakers behind a whole team effort as 12 different players scored in the win. Of those dozen players, nine made more than one basket in the win while seven scored nine or more points in the win as O’Grady finished as the only player in double figures for Iowa. Sydney Affolter posted an impressive stat line with nine points, seven rebounds and six assists. Hannah Stuelke managed nine points and six boards while Lucy Olsen added six points, her first game below double figures as a Hawkeye, and six assists. While Iowa dominated on the glass, the Hawkeyes also found plenty of success scoring and defending in the paint. Iowa scored 48 points in the paint and 12 second-chance points, on 13 offensive rebounds, while limiting their opponents to just 22 points in the paint and just five second-chance points. Caitlin Clark's Rise: Former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder details guard's journey to stardom Former Iowa women’s hoops coach Lisa Bluder details life in retirement, new venture Iowa sets a date for Caitlin Clark jersey retirement

Despite the shared disappointment of not securing maximum points, the players and coaching staff of Munios Football Club are determined to build on the positives from this match. They believe that their resilience and teamwork will serve as a solid foundation for success in the upcoming fixtures.

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Despite the ongoing contract negotiations, Salah has continued to deliver exceptional performances for Liverpool, proving his unwavering dedication to the team. His leadership both on and off the field has been invaluable to the club's success, and his positive attitude has been a source of inspiration for his teammates.Italy's Bending Spoons to Take Brightcove Private in $233 Million Deal

Despite a spirited fightback from Galatasaray, PSG held on to secure a vital win, boosting their chances of advancing to the knockout stage. The victory was a much-needed confidence booster for Thomas Tuchel's side, who will now look to build on their momentum in the remaining group matches.What channel is Arizona vs. Duke on today? Time, TV schedule, live stream to watch college basketball game | Sporting News

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But as the ball sailed towards its target, Lin felt a surge of doubt creeping in. Was his aim true? Had he miscalculated the distance or the angle? Just as these thoughts threatened to overwhelm him, he heard a shout from behind him. It was his teammate, Zhang Wei, coming up fast on the rebound. Without missing a beat, Zhang leaped into the air, snagged the ball, and with a swift motion, tipped it back into the basket just as the buzzer sounded.The political circumstances that surrounded the publication of "Ultimatum," once a best-selling novel that imagined an American effort to annex Canada, may ring familiar to anyone following recent headlines. A US leader announces tariffs on Canadian imports, signaling a more confrontational relationship, and a prime minister named Trudeau scrambles to respond. But the American, in this case, was former president Richard Nixon and the Canadian leader was Pierre Elliott Trudeau -- father of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Nixon and the elder Trudeau are long dead, but the author of "Ultimatum," published in 1973, is D-Day veteran Richard Rohmer, the honorary lieutenant general of the Canadian Armed Forces, who recently turned 101. Still an avid news consumer and writer, Rohmer told AFP that remarks by President-elect Donald Trump implying that Canada could be absorbed by the United States should not be laughed off. "This man has to be taken seriously," he said. "He is a man with great imagination who has ideas about what he can do and what he cannot do, and as far as Canada is concerned." Trump mocked Trudeau this week as the "governor" of a state, rather than prime minister of the giant US neighbor -- a taunt beyond any seen during Trump's first term. The president-elect's jibe followed Fox News reports that, in talks with Trudeau in Florida, he had suggested that if Canada could not withstand his threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports, then it should be absorbed as the 51st US state. While some analysts dismissed the barbs as "Trump being Trump," it hit a sensitive nerve in Canada. Days after meeting Trudeau, Trump posted an AI-generated image showing himself standing high atop a mountain next to a Canadian flag, gazing forward. Former Quebec premier Jean Charest responded on X by tartly cautioning Trump to "think twice before invading Canada." Charest recalled the War of 1812, when US advances on Canadian territory ended in defeat -- and the torching of the White House. Yet not everyone in Canada views US annexation as a terrible idea. A poll by the Leger research firm conducted after Trump's comments found that 13 percent of Canadians would like the country to become a US state, with support strongest among men and Conservative Party supporters. Trudeau has not publicly responded to Trump's taunts. An op-ed piece in the Toronto Star said Trump was behaving "like a toddler," and the prime minister was wise to not "rise to the bait." For Laura Stephenson, chair of the political science department at Western University, Trump's musings amount to an escalation compared to a tariff threat. "We're in a different world now. Annexation isn't the same as 'I'm going to hurt your industry.'" Even if an active confrontation with the US remains unthinkable, Stephenson told AFP that such mockery can be "humiliating" to Canadians. She said many Canadians identify themselves explicitly as "not American," and Trump's poking at the issue "has all sort of implications for Canadian identity." University of Toronto political scientist Renan Levine, on the other hand, suggested Trump's ribbing could be a "good sign" for Canadians, as it implies a bond with Trudeau. "He's basically signaling, 'I have a certain level of comfort with you and we can exchange wisecracks,'" Levine told AFP. Rohmer said the moment calls for patriotism. The success of his book "Ultimatum" came at a curious time in Canadian fiction, with a flurry of books, including a novel by acclaimed author Margaret Atwood, exploring conflict with the US. Rohmer said his book likely tapped into a thirst for national pride that Canadians crave but are notorious for suppressing. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland responded to Trump's mockery by saying "Canada is the greatest country in the world" -- while adding that such a boast was not "appropriately Canadian." When asked if he thought Trump's insults should prompt Canada to assert its strength, Rohmer said: "I think we should, but I have no idea how." bs/bbk/bgsFather, son Subway operators expand to in-home senior care

For years, the former host captivated audiences with their charm, wit, and professionalism on television. Their presence on screen was a familiar and comforting sight for many viewers. However, the transition to acting has required them to tap into a different set of skills and talents. No longer confined to the studio or the confines of a script, the actor now must embody a character and bring them to life in front of a live audience.Trump Raced To Pick Many Cabinet Posts. He Took More Time To Settle On A Treasury Secretary.

As the anticipation builds and the teams prepare to take the field, fans can expect a feast of footballing entertainment in the upcoming Champions League fixtures. The allure of European nights under the floodlights, the drama of last-minute goals, and the thrill of witnessing the world's best players in action - all these elements combine to make the Champions League a truly captivating spectacle.Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Andrew Ferguson as the next chair of the Federal Trade Commission . He will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars’ worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior . Ferguson is already one of the FTC’s five commissioners, which is currently made up of three Democrats and two Republicans. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Related Articles National Politics | Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling National Politics | Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. The new chair is expected to appoint new directors of the FTC’s antitrust and consumer protection divisions. “These changes likely will make the FTC more favorable to business than it has been in recent years, though the extent to which is to be determined,” wrote Anthony DiResta, a consumer protection attorney at Holland & Knight, in a recent analysis . Deals that were blocked by the Biden administration could find new life with Trump in command. For example, the new leadership could be more open to a proposed merger between the country’s two biggest supermarket chains, Kroger and Albertsons, which forged a $24.6 billion deal to combine in 2022. Two judges halted the merger Tuesday night. The FTC had filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this year to block the merger, claiming the deal would eliminate competition, leading to higher prices and lower wages for workers. The two companies say a merger would help them lower prices and compete against bigger rivals like Walmart. One of the judges said the FTC had shown it was likely to prevail in the administrative hearing. Yet given the widespread public concern over high grocery prices, the Trump administration may not fully abandon the FTC’s efforts to block the deal, some experts have said. And the FTC may continue to scrutinize Big Tech firms for any anticompetitive behavior. Many Republican politicians have accused firms such as Meta of censoring conservative views, and some officials in Trump’s orbit, most notably Vice President-elect JD Vance, have previously expressed support for Khan’s scrutiny of Big Tech firms. In addition to Fergson, Trump also announced Tuesday that he had selected Jacob Helberg as the next undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment.Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina KhanThe intersection of popular culture, animated series, and consumer brands in collaborations like the one between "Dark Mythology" and Pepsi highlights the growing trend of cross-promotional activities in the entertainment industry. By leveraging the established fan base of a beloved series and the wide reach of a global brand like Pepsi, these collaborations have the potential to create unique and memorable experiences for fans while expanding the visibility of both parties involved.

Instead of appointing a sporting director, Manchester United are set to rely on their current structure, which includes manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. This decision has raised questions about the club's long-term vision and strategy, especially as they look to compete with other top clubs in the Premier League and Europe.Commissioner Volker Turk reiterated he is ‘deeply concerned’ about the violence following Venezuela’s contested election. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has announced that his office is starting to resume its activities in Venezuela, despite past clashes with the government of President Nicolas Maduro. High Commissioner Volker Turk made the announcement on Friday at a meeting with the UN Human Rights Council, where he reiterated his concerns about conditions in Venezuela, particularly after its most recent presidential race . “My office has begun to resume its operations in the country in recent weeks. My hope is that we will be able to restore our full presence,” Turk said in his opening remarks, pitching his organisation as a “bridge-builder”. The UN human rights office had previously established a presence in the country in 2019. But that changed in February, when Maduro’s administration accused the office of plotting with opposition members to undermine the government — an allegation made without proof. Its local office was ordered to close immediately, and its members were told to leave the country within 72 hours. In a statement at the time, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil Pinto accused the UN human rights office of becoming a “colonialist” and “improper” presence in the country, stirring up unrest. “Far from showing it as an impartial entity”, Gil Pinto said the office’s actions have “led it to become the private law firm of coup plotters and terrorist groups that permanently conspire against the country”. The Maduro government, however, has long faced condemnation for its human rights record , which includes allegations of arbitrary arrests , torture and extrajudicial killings. Shortly before the human rights office in Venezuela was ordered to be closed, UN officials had expressed concern about the sudden detention of human rights lawyer Rocio San Miguel. In a social media post about her arrest, the human rights office wrote that “due process guarantees, including right to defence, must be respected”. The shuttering of the local office also coincided with intensifying scrutiny over the fairness of Venezuela’s latest presidential election. Maduro, at the time, was seeking a third term in office, but public opinion polls in the months leading up to the race heavily favoured the opposition. The government disqualified several popular opposition candidates from running, including opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and her subsequent replacement, Professor Corina Yoris . Ultimately, Edmundo Gonzalez , a former diplomat, was picked to lead the opposition ticket. The election was held on July 28. But in the early hours of July 29, shortly after polling stations closed, Venezuela’s electoral authority announced that Maduro had won — though it did not release the paper voting tallies that traditionally accompany the results. Critics immediately slammed the announcement as fraudulent and called for transparency in the voting results. The contested election led to protests in the streets of the capital Caracas and other cities, as the opposition published voting documents online that it said proved Maduro’s defeat. An estimated 2,000 people were arrested in the government crackdown that followed, with dozens killed and hundreds injured. In his statement at the UN council on Friday, Turk underscored the human toll of the violence. “Looking back over recent months, I remain deeply concerned by the disproportionate use of force and violence during post-electoral protests in July and August, including by armed individuals supporting the government,” Turk said. “I urge a prompt and effective investigation into at least 28 killings that reportedly included demonstrators, bystanders and members of the armed forces.” Still, in a gesture to the country’s authorities, Turk applauded recent waves of prisoner releases that freed protesters and opposition members detained during the post-election protests. An estimated 225 political prisoners were released under “precautionary measures” — including mandatory court appearances — on November 26, and another 103 were set free on Thursday. “This is an important step,” Turk said. But he nevertheless urged Venezuelan officials to review all the cases of those still detained. “I urge the release of all those arbitrarily detained, both before and after the presidential election. This includes human rights defenders such as Rocio San Miguel and Javier Tarazona, as well as humanitarian workers,” he said. “The continued use of counterterrorism legislation against protesters, including adolescents, and reports of enforced disappearances and ill treatment are deeply troubling.” As part of that alleged ill treatment, Turk indicated detainees struggle with “overcrowded cells” and inadequate supplies of food, water and healthcare. He also called on the Venezuelan government to allow each of the prisoners a fair trial, including access to a lawyer and translators if needed, particularly for Indigenous detainees. Looking ahead to Maduro’s inauguration in January and National Assembly elections later in 2025, Turk reflected on his previous visits to Venezuela. He cast his office’s role in the country as one of cooperation. “It was clear to me then, as it is now, that the society needs to heal; overcome divisions and polarisation; and engage in an inclusive dialogue as an absolute priority,” Turk said. “We stand ready to support the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela during these difficult times in a spirit of constructive engagement.”