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Steps to take that can help keep aging adults at home as long as possibleSatellite imagery from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) is set to play a pivotal role in safeguarding lakes and government lands in Telangana, said HYDRAA commissioner A.V. Ranganath on Tuesday. During a visit to the NRSC office in Balanagar, Ranganath held discussions with NRSC director Prakash Chauhan and deputy director Srinivas, on the use of decades-old high-resolution satellite images for mapping and conservation efforts. The commissioner highlighted that NRSC’s satellite technology would aid in accurately identifying Full Tank Levels (FTL), buffer zones, and potential flood-prone areas. These images, combined with data from the Survey of India, the Survey of Telangana, and rural maps, will provide comprehensive insights into submerged zones during floods, water canal heights, and the capacity of lakes to manage excess rainfall. The focus is on recorded rainfall data spanning from 1973 to 2024. “By leveraging satellite imagery, we can better assess encroachments on lakes, government properties, parks, roads, and canals. This advanced data will guide conservation strategies,” Ranganath explained. He also invited NRSC director Prakash Chauhan to join the Lake Protection Committee. Chauhan expressed his willingness to contribute to the panel, which focuses on preserving urban water bodies and mitigating encroachments. In a separate meeting at HYDRAA headquarters, the commissioner reviewed lake conservation measures within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) area. Representatives from multiple departments, including irrigation, revenue, GHMC, and HMDA, participated in discussions on improving coordination for lake preservation across Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, and Medak districts. Ranganath stressed the importance of inter-departmental collaboration in enforcing protocols related to FTL and buffer zones. He urged officials to ensure transparency and uniformity in their procedures to avoid disputes. “Determining FTL and buffer zones must follow a consistent process, leaving no room for ambiguity,” he stated.Simple Hacks to Make the Holidays Merrier (and Cheaper)
How to Watch the NBA Today, December 7By SAMY MAGDY CAIRO — Famine is spreading in Sudan due to a war between the military and a notorious paramilitary group that has devastated the country and created the world’s largest displacement crisis, a global hunger monitoring group said Tuesday. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, said it detected famine in five areas, including in Sudan’s largest displacement camp, Zamzam , in North Darfur province, where famine was found for the first time in August. The report said the war has triggered unprecedented mass displacement and a collapsing economy. It said hostilities can result in farmers abandoning their crops, looting and stock destruction. FILE – People gather to collect water in Khartoum, Sudan, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali, File) FILE – Sudanese Khadiga Omer adam sits by her sick child in an MSF-run clinic in the Aboutengue displacement site near Acre, Chad, Friday, Oct 4. 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File) FILE – Sudanese refugees arrive in Acre, Chad, Sunday, Oct 6. 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File) File – A man walks by a house hit in recent fighting in Khartoum, Sudan, an area torn by fighting between the military and the notorious paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, April 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali, File) FILE – Residents displaced from a surge of violent attacks squat on blankets and in hastily made tents in the village of Masteri in west Darfur, Sudan, on July 30, 2020. (Mustafa Younes via AP, File) FILE – A World Food Programme (WFP) truck backs up to load food items from a recently landed UN helicopter, in Yida camp, South Sudan, Sept. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Mackenzie Knowles-Coursin) FILE – Sudanese refugee girls carry water supplies near a polling station in the refugee camp of Zamzam, on the outskirts of El Fasher, Darfur, Sudan, on April 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, File) FILE -People line up in front of a bakery during a cease-fire in Khartoum, Sudan, May 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali, File) This grab from video shows smoke rising over Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday Sept. 26, 2024, after Sudan’s military started an operation to take areas of the capital from its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. (AP Photo/Rashed Ahmed) File – A man walks by a house hit in recent fighting in Khartoum, Sudan, an area torn by fighting between the military and the notorious paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, April 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali, File) FILE – People gather to collect water in Khartoum, Sudan, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali, File) FILE – Sudanese refugees displaced by the conflict in Sudan gather to receive food staples from aid agencies at the Metche Camp in eastern Chad Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Jsarh Ngarndey Ulrish, File) Women who fled war in Sudan rest in a refugee camp in Adre, Chad, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) A woman who fled war in Sudan and requested anonymity because she feared retribution after reporting sexual exploitation, holds her baby in a refugee camp in Adre, Chad, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) People cross into Chad from Sudan in Adre, Chad, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) A woman who fled war in Sudan digs in a refugee camp in Adre, Chad, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) Patients are treated in an MSF-run clinic in the Aboutengue displacement site near Acre, Chad, Friday, Oct 4. 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) Halima Habdullha holds her 7-month-old severely malnourished daughter Kaltum Abakar in an MSF-run clinic in the Aboutengue displacement site near Acre, Chad, Friday, Oct 4. 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) Ousmane Taher and his family cross from Sudan into Chad near Acre Sunday, Oct 6. 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) Sudanese refugees arrive in Acre, Chad, Sunday, Oct 6. 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) FILE – People gather to collect water in Khartoum, Sudan, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali, File) Along with the Zamzam camp, which has more than 400,000 people, famine was also detected in two other camps for displaced people, Abu Shouk and al-Salam in North Darfur, and the Western Nuba Mountains, the IPC report said. Five other areas in North Darfur are projected “with reasonable evidence” to experience famine in the next six months, including el-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur, it said. Seventeen areas in the Nuba Mountains and the northern and southern areas of Darfur are at risk of famine, it added. The report also said some areas in the capital, Khartoum, and the east-central province of Gezira “may be experiencing” famine-like conditions. It said experts were unable to confirm whether famine threshold has been surpassed due to lack of data. “It is not merely a lack of food but a profound breakdown of health, livelihoods and social structures, leaving entire communities in a state of desperation,” it said. There is widespread hunger, with food in markets scarce and prices high. Aid groups say they struggle to reach the most vulnerable as warring parties limit access, especially in North Darfur province. Ahead of the IPC’s report, Sudan’s government said it had suspended its participation in the global monitoring system, according to a senior United Nations official with knowledge of the move. In a letter dated Dec. 23, Agriculture Minister Abu Baker al-Beshri accused the IPC of “issuing unreliable reports that undermine Sudan’s sovereignty and dignity,” said the U.N. official, who spoke in condition of anonymity to discuss the letter. Sudan’s 20-month war has killed more than than 24,000 people and driven over 14 million people — about 30% of the population — from their homes, according to the United Nations. An estimated 3.2 million Sudanese have crossed into neighboring countries including Chad, Egypt and South Sudan. The war began in April 2023 when tensions between its military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces exploded into fighting in Khartoum before spreading to other areas. The conflict has been marked by atrocities including ethnically motivated killing and rape, according to the U.N. and rights groups. The International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Dervla Cleary, a senior emergency and rehabilitation officer at the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, said 638,000 people are experiencing famine. “The situation in Sudan is just awful. It is unacceptable in a world like today,” she said. The IPC report called for a ceasefire, calling it the only way to reduce the risk of famine spreading further.” Sudan is the third country where famine was declared in the past 15 years, along with South Sudan and Somalia. The IPC comprises more than a dozen U.N. agencies, aid groups and governments that use its monitoring as a global reference for analysis of food and nutrition crises. The organization has also warned that large parts of Gaza’s Palestinian population face the threat of famine.Games to snuggle up with this holiday season
How to watch Lindsay vs. Moreau Catholic in 2024 California 7-AA state high school football championship | Sporting NewsNone
New coach Chris Holtmann has been tasked with rebuilding DePaul to the point where it can return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Northern Illinois coach Rashon Burno knows what it takes to steer DePaul to the NCAAs because he was the starting point guard on the 2000 team that made the tournament -- the Blue Demons' only other NCAA appearance since 1992. Perhaps they can compare notes Saturday afternoon when Burno leads the Huskies (2-3) back to his alma mater as DePaul (5-0) hosts its sixth straight home game in Chicago. Last season, Burno's NIU squad helped accelerate DePaul's need for a new coach -- as the Huskies waltzed into Wintrust Arena and owned Tony Stubblefield's Blue Demons by an 89-79 score on Nov. 25. The Huskies built a 24-point second-half lead before coasting to the finish line. Can history repeat for NIU? There's just one problem with using last year's game as a potential barometer for Saturday's rematch: Almost no players on this year's teams were part of last year's squads. At DePaul, only assistant coach Paris Parham remains as Holtmann had the green light to bring in an all-new roster. UIC graduate transfer Isaiah Rivera (16.0 ppg, .485 3-point rate) and Coastal Carolina transfer Jacob Meyer (15.4 ppg, .406 on 3s) lead a balanced attack that focuses on getting half its shots from beyond the arc. At NIU, Burno retained only two players who competed against DePaul last year -- Ethan Butler and Oluwasegun Durosinmi -- and they combined for three points in 26 minutes in that game. The Huskies' main players used the transfer portal to join such programs as Kansas, Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado State, James Madison, Georgia State and Niagara. With every starting job open, Butler has jumped into the lineup and produced 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Transfers Quentin Jones (Cal Poly) and James Dent (Western Illinois) pace the Huskies with 14.4 and 14.0 points per game. NIU is on a two-game losing streak, most recently a 75-48 home defeat at the hands of Elon on Wednesday. Holtmann hopes to have Arkansas transfer Layden Blocker for Saturday's game. Blocker missed Tuesday's 78-69 win over Eastern Illinois with a quad injury. With the combo guard unavailable, point guard Conor Enright handed out a career-high 11 assists in a season-high 38 minutes. "We need (Blocker)," Holtmann said. "I don't want to play Conor 38 minutes." --Field Level Media
Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100TEHRAN – The Deputy Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Mohammad Jafar Asadi, announced that Iranian military advisor Kiomars Pourhashemi was martyred in Syria by an infiltrator acting on behalf of the United States. “An American agent was responsible for the martyrdom of our commander in Aleppo,” Asadi revealed to an Iranian news agency on Monday. He dismissed allegations that a Syrian general was behind the killing, labeling them as “Israeli propaganda aimed at creating discord between Iran and Syria,” and emphasizing that such claims originate from the West. Brigadier General Pourhashemi, an advisor within the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was martyred on November 28 in Aleppo. Initially, details surrounding his assassination were not disclosed. On Sunday, however, a correspondent from China's CGTN in Ankara claimed that Pourhashemi was shot by a Syrian officer during a meeting in a joint operations room in Aleppo, which was denied by Brigadier General Asadi. Further illustrating the challenges faced by the Syrian army, Asadi remarked, “With the whole world mobilized against them, they barely have food and water.” He also highlighted Russia's challenges in Syria due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating, “The Russians have been bogged down for a long time, with NATO's imposed war leaving them unable to do much.” Drawing a parallel with Libya, Asadi suggested that accountability in Syria has become opaque: “Now in Syria, there's no accountability anymore; you can blame anyone for any murder.” Regarding the “National Defense Forces” in Syria, established by the martyred General Qasem Soleimani, Asadi commented, “This force was formed with great difficulty during General Soleimani's time, but the Syrian army did not warmly welcome it. Assad himself didn't understand why volunteers should take up arms.” He added that, after extensive persuasion, about 120,000 people joined this force, significantly aiding the army at the time. However, Asadi lamented the decline of this force, noting, “When militants gathered in Idlib near Turkey, Americans and Israelis supplied them with weapons, while the National Defense Forces were sidelined, their numbers reduced from 120,000 to 20,000.” Addressing potential tensions between Resistance forces and current Syrian rulers, Asadi observed that every country has patriots who don't need a specific label. “The humiliation Israel is imposing on Syria now will surely provoke a response from the proud youth of Syria,” Asadi asserted. He added that “Syrian patriots will certainly respond to this disgrace and aggression in the future.”A surging crowd pressed up against the high metal gate of a government compound, desperate for clues about disappeared loved ones. Politely but firmly, soldiers of the Islamist group now governing Damascus pushed back. “Give us time, just a little bit of time, to organize things,” one pleaded. For now, most seem ready to indulge Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which swept through Syria and seized the capital, Damascus, last weekend. The city is caught up in seemingly endless waves of celebrations. Small steps toward normality are still sufficient, after decades of despotic rule. “Our men can move freely again – what is more beautiful than that?” marvels Huda in central Damascus Thursday. Rebels handed out chocolates, and flower vendors sold pink Damascene roses at a discount. Yet citizens are watching carefully to see how HTS goes about creating order in a multifaith city where fear of security services has ruled everyday life. In Bab Touma, traditionally the Christian quarter of Damascus, bearded fighters clean up a destroyed police station and people line up for bread from a bakery, as church bells ring on Friday morning, the day of Muslim prayer. Says Hasan, a merchant selling flatbread: “The situation is slowly inching toward progress. We hope for safety.” A surging crowd pressed up against the high metal gate at the entrance to a government compound, desperate for clues about their disappeared loved ones. Politely but firmly, uniformed soldiers belonging to the victorious Islamist group now governing Damascus pushed them back. “Give us time, just a little bit of time, to organize things,” one fighter pleaded. For now, most Syrians seem ready to indulge Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), whose forces swept through the country almost unopposed and seized the capital, Damascus, last weekend from Bashar al-Assad. The deposed president fled to asylum in Moscow. The city is caught up in seemingly endless waves of celebrations. Small steps toward normality are still sufficient, after decades of despotic rule that brought suffering to almost every household. “Our men can move freely again – what is more beautiful than that?” marvels Huda, a woman joining the crowds in central Damascus Thursday. Like others interviewed for this story, she withheld her full name. As she spoke, rebels handed out chocolates, and flower vendors sold pink Damascene roses at a discount to celebrate the fall of “Assad, the donkey.” Not everyone trusts their new leaders, whose radical Islamist past gives many, inside and outside Syria, cause for concern. But the almost universal joy unleashed by the departure of Mr. Assad, bringing an end to 54 years of brutal family dictatorship, is overwhelming. “Whatever comes next cannot possibly be worse that what came before,” says Yasmine, a Damascene woman with long greying hair, soaking up the festive atmosphere. “We were petrified. Now, we just want to be out on the streets and keep celebrating.” Syrians are now faced with the huge challenge of emerging from half a century of dictatorship and more than a decade of civil war. Building a functional society here on the foundations of their unbridled joy and deep traumas will be especially hard. Syrians are still digesting the systemic brutality of the regime, now that prisons and torture chambers – chief among them Sednaya – have been opened. The suffering of disappeared families was one of many grievances that first sparked the 2011 anti-regime protests. Syria is a country where sectarian and social divides have been reinforced by war, and where the one common denominator was raw fear of a state whose suffocating security apparatus turned institutions into instruments of terror and abuse. In Damascus, citizens are watching carefully to see how HTS goes about creating a semblance of order in a multi-faith city where fear of militias and security services has long ruled everyday life. The group has limited resources to rise to the challenge and to cope with a traumatized population, but it is having some impact. In Bab Touma, traditionally the Christian quarter of Damascus, bearded fighters clean up a destroyed police station and people line up for bread from a bakery that never shut, as church bells ring on Friday morning, the day of Muslim prayer. “We were suffocating,” says Hasan, a merchant selling flatbread, dropping his dough for a moment and clutching his throat to indicate the mood in the neighborhood before it fell to HTS. He recounts how he paid $5,000 to evade mandatory military service. Now, he says, “the situation is slowly inching toward progress. We hope for safety.” As it took control of the capital, HTS swiftly fanned out fighters and officials to protect key installations. Some came from Idlib, a province in northern Syria where HTS has run a mini-state for several years. Their faces reflect the joy of victory but also the stress of navigating a massive city with which they are not familiar. As the new authorities in town, they are hounded at every turn by civilians airing grievances ranging from the price of bread to conflicts over property and thieves taking advantage of the security vacuum. Some hospital doctors and nurses are back at work, but they have had few casualties to care for. Instead, they are overwhelmed by relatives looking for traces of their loved ones who they hope may have emerged from the former regime’s notorious jails. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has now dropped his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has asked public services to resume, and many medical workers have heeded that call, says Dr. Mohammed Abdelkareem, a gastroenterologist. “We are not scared about the new rulers,” he says. “On the contrary, people are happy. If people don’t show up it is not out of fear, but lack of transport.” At the same time, the composition of the new government – comprising only bearded men – has sparked dissent online, expressed by the hashtag “this government does not represent me.” Voicing such discontent – felt not only by minorities but also by Sunni Muslims, from whose ranks HTS draws its fighters – marks a major break with the past, when a Facebook post could get you arrested. Whether such freedoms will take root is not yet clear. One son of former military officers who gave the name Nowar took his wife and daughter to enjoy fireworks and revolutionary singing at Ummayad Square in central Damascus Thursday evening. His parents are very happy, but also worried about Islamic governance, he says. “People can’t accept seeing (Islamist) flags on the streets.” Nowar himself is optimistic, despite contradictory signals. Syrian State TV, now under the control of HTS, puts the group’s black and white Islamist banner above the new three-starred Syrian national flag onscreen. But it has stopped playing the Islamist songs that were popularized by Sunni Islamist hard-liners. Outside the headquarters of the Baath Party, long the Assad family’s political machine, Yaman Mohamed sits in a chair he has salvaged and guards the entrance, dressed in black and sipping sweet tea to ward off exhaustion. His job is to prevent looting and destruction, but that task requires substantial human resources that are not always in sufficient supply. Many official buildings have been damaged, and fires were still burning Friday afternoon. Mr. Mohamed, who played the role of guard for two days in Aleppo and for another two days in Hama before reaching Damascus, is disciplined. He has stayed at his post even though he could be resting with family members he has not seen for eight years due to the war. He is also optimistic, believing that the mosaic of military groups that overthrew Mr. Assad can stick together, despite variations in their hard-line interpretations of Islam. “The difference now is that the factions understood that they have to stop fighting” among themselves, he says. “We had friction among factions and entities likes ISIS that brainwashed us. Fortunately, now we have clerics who are guiding us on a better path.” Which is not to say that there are no tensions among the various armed groups that have competed for power during Syria’s civil war. Outside Damascus stands the hilltop military base that houses the 4th Armored Division, commanded by former President Assad’s brother, Maher. On Wednesday, the body of the division’s chief of staff, Major General Ali Mahmoud, still lay in his office where, rebels said, they found him dead already. He had been killed by a grenade explosion that had also left its mark on a ceramic fruit bowl, charring apples and bananas. A fierce dispute broke out between armed men from different factions over who had the right to inspect General Mahmoud’s remains, a dispute that worsened when men sporting the armbands of a radical Islamist group arrived and tried to calm the argument. “If we don’t kill each other now, I am certain one day our children will be fighting each other in battle,” one Syrian man roared at another. HTS, considered a terrorist group by the United States and others, appears keen to stamp out such sentiment. The new authorities would rather point to Damascus Airport, southeast of the capital, as the right model for Syria. It remains untouched by recent events, even though looters have been active in other state facilities. Airport guards stick to a strict entrance policy, and rebels here suggest that domestic flights could resume soon, before international flights to Qatar and Libya. Syrian Air planes wait on the tarmac in the meantime, and a polished black Mercedes from the presidential fleet is parked in front of the ornate VIP lounge, although it is missing its tires. “We consider the international airport of Damascus as a gate to the world, which needs to see the new Syria, says a senior HTS security official at the airport, who asks not to give his name. The airport “is the political face of this country, this new country that we are trying to create.”
Social Security Announces 2 New Changes to Check Payments in 2025Even with technology taking over much of our day-to-day lives, board games still offer quality entertainment that can’t be beaten. Of course, the popular board games of today are a far cry from the games your parents grew up playing. Board games are perfect for encouraging your family to work together or for bringing your group of friends around the table for an evening. If you’d like to start up a weekly game night, let this helpful list of the most popular board games be your guide. Utter Nonsense Ages 8+ This game will have every player rolling in stitches with each ridiculous phrase that’s uttered. Combine crazy accents and hilarious phrases to impress the Nonsense Judge and win the round. The player with the highest number of wins ultimately wins the game, but the true fun of this card game is listening to your fellow players trying to say some of the most entertaining phrases of all time. This game is perfect for game nights or parties. Speak Out Ages 8+ This hilarious game is perfect if you have teenagers or are hosting a party with all adults. To play, you insert a mouthpiece that alters the sound of your speech, making every word sound silly. Set the timer and read one of the phrases on the cards and try to help your teammate guess what you’re saying. Speak Out easily provides hours of fun that even grandparents will love. Escape Room in a Box Ages 13+ What’s the next best thing to trying to break out of a room? Escape Room in a Box, of course. This thrilling, immersive game involves solving 2D and 3D puzzles in order to prevent a mad scientist from turning you and your friends or family into werewolves. Work together to escape your fate and use Amazon Alexa to enhance the experience. Codenames Ages 14+ This fun strategy game is perfect for anyone with teenagers. Form two teams and select a spymaster on each team. Using clues, spymasters try to help their teammates find all 25 of the agents they’re in contact with, hopefully without selecting the other team’s agents or running into the deadly assassin. This innovative game offers a challenging and rewarding time working together. Harry Potter Clue Ages 9+ Excite your kids on game night with this modern twist on a classic. Play as six recognizable Hogwarts characters — Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny or Neville — to solve the mystery behind a fellow student’s disappearance. It’s up to you to figure out who attacked the student, what bewitching spell they used and where it occurred. Watch out for the Dark Mark, moving staircases and secret passages as you travel along in this magical family game. Pandemic Ages 8+ If you’ve ever wanted to save humanity from a deadly outbreak, you’ll love spending an hour playing Pandemic. You and your teammates must fight to contain four deadly diseases threatening the human race. Players must learn to work with their teammates to control outbreak hotspots and treat diseases. Win the game by curing all diseases without wiping out humanity first. Catan Ages 10+ This tactical 60-minute game will push your imagination to its limits as you embark on a journey across Catan. Acquire crucial resources as you travel, build roads, buildings, and cities, and be wary of the ruthless robber and other players halting you on your own road. Through careful trading and clever decisions, you can lead your travelers to victory in this role-playing game of limitless possibilities. Play again and again. Every game is different. Ticket to Ride Ages 8+ Train lovers will enjoy this innovative board game which has won numerous awards. This cross-country train adventure game mimics the concept of traveling around the world in 80 days. Collect train cars and claim railways across the country. Players earn the most points by establishing long train routes and connecting distant cities. Each game takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes to complete, and every adventure is different. 5 Second Rule Ages 10+ This quick-paced game gives each player five seconds to name items on a certain topic. Although the topics are objectively easy —“Name 3 Mountains,” “Name 3 Types of Hats” or “Name 3 Super Heroes,” the pressure of the time crunch is likely to put you on edge. Race the clock and remain composed to win this game. You can even make up your own topics if you prefer. Half the fun is just hearing what other people blurt out, whether it’s relevant to the topic or not. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
As the new year quickly approaches, many people are likely to be re-evaluating their work-life balance and looking for jobs that will provide them financial security and peace of mind. On December 16, Resume Genius released its list of the highest-paying jobs that also reported low levels of stress . Their study describes “low-stress jobs” as ones that typically require fewer demands, more predictable work hours, supportive environments, and manageable workloads. In some cases, these jobs also allow more remote options. Not only are these jobs considered to be less stressful, they also pay well. “Heading into 2025, prioritizing mental health in the workplace is essential for job seekers to feel more at ease,” said Eva Chan, a career expert at Resume Genius. “With remote work and hybrid setups becoming the norm, work-life boundaries are increasingly blurred. Our report on low-stress, high-paying jobs shows you don’t have to sacrifice a competitive salary to achieve a healthier work-life balance. With the right role, it’s possible to thrive both financially and mentally.” All of the jobs on the list require the person to have at least a Bachelor’s degree. The list was compiled using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the career site O*NET Online . The high-stress jobs were filtered out using O*NET and then cross-referenced against the BLS’s Occupational Outlook Handbook with the national median salary set at $48,060 and viewing jobs that showed “faster-than-average growth.” Here are the jobs ranked by salary: Water source specialists make a median annual salary of $157,740. There were 100,100 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 8 percent within the next 10 years. The only requirement is to have a Bachelor’s degree. A water source specialist monitors both regional and municipal water supplies to make sure the water is clean and sustainably managed. Astronomers make a median annual salary of $149,530. There were 23,500 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 7 percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically a doctoral or professional degree. Astronomers study stars, planets, and other space-related incidents. Their job is largely based on research in an academic setting. Actuaries make a median annual salary of 120,000. There were 30,200 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 22 percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically only a Bachelor’s degree. Actuaries analyze financial risks using math, statistics, and other financial data. Environmental economists make a median annual salary of $115,730. There were 17,500 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of five percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically a Master’s degree. Environmental economists typically work with governments or other organizations to evaluate the costs and benefits of specific sustainable projects. Mathematicians make a median annual salary of $104,860. There were 34,800 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 11 percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically a Master’s degree. Computer systems analysts make a median annual salary of $103,800. There were 527,200 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 11 percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. Computer systems analysts aim to help businesses make the most out of the technology they use such as software and computers. Fuel cell engineers make a median annual salary of $99,510. There were 291,900 in 2023 with an expected growth of 11 percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. A fuel cell engineer designs, develops, and improves systems that generate clean energy for vehicles, buildings, and other applications. Remote sensing scientists and technologists make a median annual salary of $92,580. There were 26,000 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of five percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. Remote sensing scientists and technologists use satellite data to analyze various problems such as climate change and urban planning. Geographers make a median annual salary of $90,880. There were 1,600 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of three percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. Geographers study the Earth and the distribution of its land, features, and inhabitants with their studies being used to enhance aspects of urban planning and disaster management. Transportation planners make a median annual salary of $81,800. There were 45,200 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of four percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Master’s degree. Transportation planners come up with solutions to various transportation-related problems such as traffic and making cities more bike-accessible.
James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr., the 39th president of the United States, has died, the announced. He had since February 2023, and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, in November 2023. The former president was 100 years old. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” one of Carter’s sons, James Earl “Chip” Carter III, said in a statement. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Hailing from a peanut-farming family in rural Georgia and a distant cousin of , Jimmy Carter had a unique affinity for music that he carried all the way to the White House, emphasizing music as an important cultural presence and point of connection for all people. He was especially close with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and the Allman Brothers. Carter’s genuine passion for music provided him an avenue of association with his colleagues and constituents alike, which became an important soft-power tool in the wake of Richard Nixon’s ignominious administration. His affection was captured in the 2020 documentary . Carter began his political career in 1962, winning a seat in the Georgia State Senate. His love for music was formative from a young age, beginning with his upbringing around gospel songs in church. He gospel “rural music,” saying, “it has both Black and white derivations. It’s not a racial music... it’s a music of pain, of longing, of searching, of hope, and of faith.” Carter’s rise in politics coincided with the civil rights movement, and, as a white man in Georgia politics, he spoke with uncommon clarity and resolve against racial segregation. By the time Carter was at the forefront of the New South movement in the early 1970s, his home state was known as a hotbed of powerful musical output, including James Brown, Ray Charles, and Otis Redding. The Allman Brothers, who made a home of Macon, Georgia, were recognized as being one of the first racially integrated rock bands by 1970, and the group’s blend of rock with rhythm and blues appealed to Carter easily. His love for all types of music aligned with his fervently held belief that humans have a universal right to dignity and free expression. When Carter took office as the governor of Georgia in early 1971, he declared in his inaugural speech, “The time of racial discrimination is over.” During his term as Georgia’s governor, Carter found further wisdom and relief in the music of Bob Dylan, which he learned about through his sons. He invited Dylan and his bandmates to visit the governor’s mansion in Atlanta, where Carter said Dylan asked him about his religious beliefs. Dylan said the encounter was the first time he realized that his music had crossed over to the “establishment,” rattling him slightly. “[Carter] put my mind at ease by not talking down to me, and showing me that he had a sincere appreciation of the songs I had written,” Dylan attested in . “He’s a kindred spirit to me of a rare kind.” Phil Walden, Otis Redding’s former manager and president of the Macon-based Capricorn Records, aided in recruiting the Allman Brothers to put on fundraising shows for Carter’s 1976 presidential run. The Allman Brothers stumped for Carter as they toured the United States, helping him get a stronger foothold on the national political stage and giving his campaign a much needed financial boost. Jimmy Buffett, John Denver, Toots and the Maytals, the Marshall Tucker Band, and Charlie Daniels all supported Carter in his successful presidential bid. Both John Lennon and John Wayne attended Carter’s inaugural celebration in early 1977, speaking to Carter’s ability to connect across political lines. Aretha Franklin sang “God Bless America” at Carter’s request, and Paul Simon dedicated “American Tune” to the new president, , “Perhaps a time of righteousness and dignity may now be upon us.” Music remained an important part of Carter’s White House tenure, with his administration hosting concerts that celebrated American music, highlighting gospel, country, blues, and jazz. As Carter welcomed visitors like Dolly Parton, Charles Mingus, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, he remained close with the music-makers he’d befriended in his gubernatorial days. One visit from Willie Nelson has endured in cheeky infamy: The Texas singer-songwriter wrote in his 1988 autobiography that he’d smoked marijuana on the roof of the White House. In 1978, the White House hosted a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Newport Jazz Festival, bringing Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Max Roach, and more to the South Lawn. Carter asked Gillespie to play his song “ ,” and Gillespie obliged, on the condition that that the president sing the lyrics along with him. “I’ve got one question: Would you like to go on the road with us?” Gillespie asked Carter at the end of the performance. “I might have to after tonight,” Carter joked in response. Despite his folksy popularity, Carter’s term was disrupted with issues like oil shortages, stagflation, and the Irani hostage crisis. He lost re-election to Ronald Reagan in 1980. Although Carter served only one term as president, in the four decades after he left office, he maintained a commitment to public service and diplomacy, broadly emphasizing human rights and progressive values. Carter’s Habitat for Humanity nonprofit recruited Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Kelly Rowland, and more to help build new homes. He advocated for Palestinian independence with his 2007 book , which minted a new friendship with Peter Gabriel, who cited Carter as a major inspiration for his own interest in progressive activism.These board, video and card games will bring cozy vibes to your holiday gamingAdityanath recalls Vajpayee’s virtues on eve of late PM’s birth centenary
Stocks slipped in afternoon trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 dropped by less than 0.1% and is on track for a loss for the week after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 25 points, or 0.1% to 43,884 as of 2:11 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq rose less than 0.1% and is hovering around its record. Broadcom surged 22.1% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company's big gain helped cushion the market's broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Even so, some big tech stocks were in the red Friday. Nvidia slid 2.4%, Meta Platforms dropped 2% and Netflix was down 1%. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 13.8% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. Wall Street's rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve's last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank's 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed's policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.39% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.Prairie premiers urge action on security amid Trump's tariff threats
