panalo999 vip The Apple iPad Mini (64GB, Wi-Fi) is currently available at an unprecedented low price on Amazon, $349 down from $499 (30% off) , which makes it a great choice for Black Friday shoppers. This compact yet powerful tablet features an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display and offers stunning visuals with True Tone and P3 wide color support. See at Amazon Amazon is known for slashing prices on Apple products during this shopping season with discounts ranging from 20% to 30% across various items including MacBooks and AirPods. Notably, while Apple does not offer direct promotions through its own store , Amazon provides similar manufacturer warranties on these products. Powerful Mini Tablet With the A15 Bionic chip, the iPad Mini delivers an impressive performance that rivals larger devices. It boasts a six-core CPU that provides up to 40% faster performance compared to its predecessor and an 80% increase in graphics capabilities. This makes the iPad Mini suitable for everything from casual browsing to demanding applications like photo editing and gaming. The integrated 16-core Neural Engine enhances machine learning tasks and allows for advanced features such as image recognition and natural language processing. The iPad Mini also supports 5G connectivity for fast internet access wherever you are. For those who prefer wired connections, the device includes a USB-C port that allows for high-speed data transfers and compatibility with a wide range of accessories.It also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil which attaches to the side of the device. Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the 12MP Ultra Wide front camera equipped with Center Stage technology which automatically adjusts the frame during video calls to keep users centered in view. The rear camera also features a 12MP sensor with Smart HDR capabilities and will help you take stunning photos even in challenging lighting conditions. Users can record videos in 4K resolution as well, which is great for a tablet. If you decide to buy this iPad Mini through Amazon during this Black Friday period is the extended return policy: shoppers have until January 31, 2025, to return items—far beyond the standard 30-day window. This extended return period is advantageous for holiday gifting as it allows recipients to try out their new devices and return them if they are not satisfied. In addition to the iPad Mini on sale at Amazon, you can find a lot of great deals on other Apple devices during this Black Friday event. Discounts are available on recent releases such as the MacBook Air 2024 and Mac Mini M4 models. The savings extend to accessories like AirPods Pro and AirPods Max as well. The iPad 9 ran out of stock, but you can still grab the iPad 10 at a lower price point. See at Amazon

Ever wanted to bring your dog with you aboard a cruise ship? Do you have a business focused on dogs and their families? If you answered yes to either question, you’ll be excited to learn that what’s being called the first-ever dog-friendly cruise is being planned aboard Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander out of the Port of Tampa in November 2025. And business opportunities await. Cruise ships famously don’t allow dogs other than service animals. Organizers of this cruise anticipate selecting from a long line of hopefuls. A “waitlist for all dog parents who have dreamt of bringing their furry friends along for their vacations will open soon,” a news release says. Organizers are calling for 250 dogs, “their owners and their closest humans” to become “inaugural ambassadors” for the cruise, which they promise will offer “unique experiences and activities including gifts and samples from top vendors, dog shows and trainings, guest speakers, costume contests, parades, and more.” The event is being staged by two organizations — Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando. The website cruisetails.com seeks sponsors and investors in hopes of turning the cruise into a recurring event. Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available for companies seeking brand visibility “across a passionate pet-loving audience,” the site says. And participants must sign photo waivers, the website says, adding, “We anticipate the fun will be all over social media and even in the press. In fact, the 250 chosen will undoubtedly be asked by sponsors to try products and post about them.” Cruise Tails was formed by Steve Matzke, a Bradenton-based entrepreneur listed on LinkedIn as beginning his career this month as an “independent consultant.” Matzke spent four years prior to that as senior director of external relations for the American Accounting Association, and 12 years before that as director of faculty and university initiatives for the American Institute of CPAs, his LinkedIn profile shows. Expedia Cruises of West Orlando was founded in 2019 by Dawn von Graff, an avid traveler who has taken more than 75 cruises and visited more than 80 countries, and her husband. She owned a computer networking firm, worked as an international tour manager, and was a top salesperson for Marriott before forming Expedia Cruises of West Orlando as a full-service travel agency. Details including dates, prices and itineraries have not yet been released. According to the website, organizers hope to select the inaugural 250 dogs based partly on how the dogs perform in a “video talent singing contest” as well as “a variety of criteria” to be announced “over the next few weeks.” The bigger the dog’s entourage, the better chance it will have to be chosen, the website says. “Preference will be given to dogs in a group which includes one dog cabin traveling with two or more associated cabins of friends or family without dogs,” it says. A spokeswoman for Margaritaville at Sea says the organizers are chartering the Islander, and the cruise will not be available for booking to the general public. Each dog will have “private relief stations” on their cabin balconies, and when dogs don’t make it to the relief station, each will have its own “pet butler” to ensure “their cabin and the boat remain in top condition,” a Cruise Tails spokeswoman said. Participants must agree to follow protocols on board, including keeping their dogs in permitted areas and making sure they are up to date with appropriate vaccinations. Dogs will not be allowed in dining areas, the ship’s casino, pool decks, lounges or music venues, according to the news release. Organizers will also be looking for workers and vendors. “We’re going to need dog walkers, pet butlers, and so much more,” the website says. And “if you have a proven skill like pet massage, grooming and pet walking or if you make custom dog costumes, have a unique dog product you would like to promote or are a well-known dog expert, we would love to chat with you.” Calls for pet handlers and vendors will be posted “in the next few months,” the site says. Whether the event turns into the profitable industry that its organizers hope for will undoubtedly depend on how the first one unfolds. A spokeswoman did not immediately have answers to such questions of what will happen to dogs that get aggressive with humans or other dogs? Will owners be required to purchase additional insurance to cover any possibilities? Will food be provided and how will feedings be handled? Contributors on Reddit.com posted mixed reactions to the announcement on Monday. “Cruises are already floating petri dishes. This doesn’t seem like a very good idea,” said one. “Now all decks are poop decks,” said another. A couple of posters worried about dogs going overboard. One said, “sounds awesome if you like dogs,” while another chimed in, “Better than a gorilla-friendly cruise, I suppose.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.Blackbaud director Hollenbeck sells $147,096 in stock

WITH just weeks to go before Christmas one free phone app has announced a jolly upgrade allowing users to speak directly to AI Santa. The clever tech savvy app is available for curious iPhone and Android users who are interested in chatting directly with Father Christmas this festive period. 4 A free phone app has announced a jolly upgrade allowing users to speak directly to AI Santa 4 ChatGPT’s new genius upgrade has been described as Santa Mode Credit: OpenAI ChatGPT have managed to create an AI voice that is described as "merry and bright" and closely follows the speech patterns used by Hollywood depictions of old Saint Nick. The upgrade is a part of Open AI's spectacular 12 days of OpenAI campaign where they release a new feature every two days until Christmas. Dubbed Santa Mode, it is available to everyone using ChatGPT on their mobile, web app or desktop apps on MacOS and Windows. In order to access the Santa Claus speech users need to open up ChatGPT and find the snowflake icon next to the prompt bar. read more in ChatGPT BR-AI-N ChatGPT will soon be smarter than any human on Earth as boss issues spooky update CHAT'S BAD! Panic over new ChatGPT that 'thinks' as expert warns AI can steal all your cash The virtual voice should then be a drop down option which when clicked transforms AI across to the North Pole. Santa Mode is set to remain available to users across the globe until early January. ChatGPT will work the exact same way as normal when the voice is on with only the tone changing. This also means that the chats with Santa won't be remembered and saved in the chat history . Most read in Tech SMASH HORROR Bus crashes into bridge in Glasgow as pics show passengers 'trapped' on board BUSTED Moment 'invisible' Scots cocaine kingpin 'linked to cartel' arrested in Colombia TOUGH LOVE My dad is Scotland’s greatest player but Shearer called me out in X-rated rant NEXT MAN UP Gers finally appoint new permanent chairman as lifelong fan starts after final It is being mainly aimed at young families with children as it gives them a chance to speak directly to Father Christmas through the clever technology. It comes just months after OpenAI allowed anyone to use ChatGPT for free without even needing an account. ChatGPT gets even smarter after OpenAI reveals new ‘brain’ for free called GPT-4o – it can ‘see’ photos and talk to you "We're rolling this out gradually, with the aim to make AI accessible to anyone curious about its capabilities," OpenAI explained. Currently more than 100 million people are using ChatGPT weekly across 185 countries, according to OpenAI. CHAT'S GREAT? ChatGPT is a powerful chatbot created by OpenAI. It's based on a large language model that means it can process your sentences and respond almost as if it was another human. The app launched on November 30, 2022 and saw a rapid rise in popularity. Part of the app's appeal is how natural it feels to speak to ChatGPT. "These models were trained on vast amounts of data from the internet written by humans, including conversations, so the responses it provides may sound human-like," OpenAI explained. "It is important to keep in mind that this is a direct result of the system's design (i.e. maximising the similarity between outputs and the dataset the models were trained on). And the content you provide to the chatbot can also be used to train OpenAI's models. However, you can opt out of this by going into ChatGPT settings if you have an account. It was even revealed that the groundbreaking artificially intelligent chatbot will soon be smarter than any human on Earth "in a few thousand days", according to its creator. In a personal blog post titled " The Intelligence Age ", OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote: "It is possible that we will have superintelligence in a few thousand days (!); it may take longer, but I’m confident we’ll get there. "How did we get to the doorstep of the next leap in prosperity? In three words: deep learning worked." AI is still a highly contentious piece of tech for millions across the globe. Many fear it will soon become too powerful with humans potentially being over reliant on the system. Read more on the Scottish Sun XMAS BLOW Dozens sacked by Scots tech firm weeks before Christmas as bosses travel to Spain HAVE A BRAKE Entire Scots town to enforce new 20mph limit in major road shake-up Others have concerns over how it may affect various industries and workplaces if robots or chatbots could replace humans. Ethics, privacy and misinformation worries are also some of the most common objections to the rise of artificial intelligence. Read more about Artificial Intelligence Everything you need to know about the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence How does Artificial Intelligence work - and is it always correct? What is the popular AI Chat GPT and how does it work? How do you use Google's latest AI chatbot Bard? What is the AI image generator Lensa AI and how can you use it How do you use Snapchat's My AI tool? What are the best things to ask Chat GPT? What are the funniest things to ask Chat GPT? 4 The AI voice is described as 'merry and bright' and closely follows the speech patterns used by Hollywood depictions of old Saint Nick 4 ChatGPT are known as the market leaders in savvy AI tech

Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah has already found a new program in Duke, while Mississippi State's Michael Van Buren Jr., Wisconsin's Braedyn Locke and Cal's Fernando Mendoza are exploring changes of their own in the transfer portal. Mensah, a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining, told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men's basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils (9-3) will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Mensah, viewed as one of the top players in the portal, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and the American Athletic Conference championship game, where they lost 35-14 to Army. Tulane will play Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Sunday. Van Buren, Mendoza and Locke announced on social media they had entered the portal. Van Buren started eight games as a true freshmen for the Bulldogs. He threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference). He took over as the starter when Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21. Shapen has said he plans to return next season. Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland, had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against Georgia. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards in 2024 with 16 TDs, six interceptions and a 68.7 completion percentage. "For the sake of my football future this is the decision I have reached," he posted. Locke passed for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Wisconsin this season. He said he will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school. ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan cornerback Will Johnson has joined defensive tackle Mason Graham in the NFL draft. Johnson declared for the draft on Wednesday, one day after Graham decided he would also skip his senior season with the Wolverines. Both preseason All-America players are expected to be first-round picks. Johnson was limited to six games this year due to an injury. He had two interceptions, returning them both for touchdowns to set a school record with three scores off interceptions. Johnson picked off nine passes in three seasons. Graham played in all 12 games this season, finishing with 3 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for losses. He had 18 tackles for losses, including nine sacks, in his three-year career. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is The Associated Press offensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference and South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard is the top defensive player. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was voted the top newcomer on Wednesday while the Gamecocks' Shane Beamer is coach of the year in voting by the panel of 17 media members who cover the league. Sampson led the SEC and set school records by rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally in rushing touchdowns, recording the league's fifth-most in a season. Sampson was chosen on all but two ballots. Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris and his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, each got a vote. Kennard led the SEC with 11-1/2 sacks and 15-1/2 tackles for loss. He also had 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles. Beamer led the Gamecocks to just their fifth nine-win season, including a school-record four wins over Top 25 opponents. They've won their last six games and ended the regular season with a win over eventual ACC champion Clemson. South Carolina plays Illinois on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Pavia helped lead Vandy to its first bowl game since 2018 after transferring from New Mexico State. He passed for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He ran for another 716 yards and six touchdowns, directing an upset of Alabama. AMES, Iowa — Matt Campbell, who led Iowa State to its first 10-win season and became the program's all-time leader in coaching victories, has agreed to an eight-year contract that would keep him with the Cyclones through 2032. University president Wendy Wintersteen and athletic director Jamie Pollard made the announcement Wednesday, four days after the Cyclones lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game. “Given all the uncertainty currently facing college athletics, it was critical that we moved quickly to solidify the future of our football program,” Pollard said. “Matt is the perfect fit for Iowa State University and I am thrilled he wants to continue to lead our program. Leadership continuity is essential to any organization’s long-term success." The Cyclones won their first seven games for their best start since 1938 and are 10-3 heading into their game against Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 28. BRIEFLY FLAG PLANT: Ohio Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. MALZAHN: Gus Malzahn, who resigned as UCF’s coach last month to become Mike Norvell’s offensive coordinator at Florida State, said he chose to return to his coaching roots rather than remain a head coach distracted by a myriad of responsibilities. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Bottom line: While Arm-based PCs face some hurdles, their potential for growth remains significant, driven in particular by claims of superior battery life compared to previous generations. Intel, meanwhile, is making improvements to adapt to new market demands. The PC market is undergoing a significant shift as Arm-based processors gain traction, challenging the long-standing dominance of x86 architecture. However, this transition is not without challenges, as highlighted by Michelle Johnston Holthaus, interim co-CEO of Intel , during the Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference. Johnston Holthaus recently claimed that retailers are grappling with a high return rate of Qualcomm-powered machines. "If you look at the return rate for Arm PCs, you go talk to any retailer, their number one concern is 'I get a large percentage of these back,'" she said, attributing the issue to compatibility problems with common applications. Qualcomm was quick to respond though, "Our device return rates are within industry norms," a representative told CRN . The spokesperson further added that Qualcomm "expects 30% to 50% of laptops to transition to non-x86 platforms within the next five years." Regardless of one claim or the other, Arm-based systems are making inroads into the PC market. While Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite machines currently hold a mere 0.8% market share , the overall Arm-based client PC segment commands approximately 10% of the market. This growth is primarily driven by Apple's M-series processors, which have paved the way for wider Arm adoption. Intel, for its part, is acutely aware of the evolving landscape. "We [will] have more competitors than we have ever had. You will see more competitors enter the marketplace in 2025," Johnston Holthaus said, possibly hinting at rumors of MediaTek and Nvidia entering the Arm-based Windows PC market. Team Blue has been improving performance and power efficiency to match Arm-based rivals. "We took too long at Intel to become performance and power-oriented, and we made a massive leap with our Lunar Lake product last year," Johnston Holthaus said. For instance, Intel introduced a hybrid architecture in its latest processor series, combining Efficient-cores (E-cores) with Performance-cores (P-cores) to balance power efficiency with high performance. This design went beyond laptops and desktops and had a notable impact in Xeon 6 datacenter CPUs, which offer 3:1 rack consolidation and up to 2.6x performance-per-watt improvements over their predecessors. Intel is also collaborating with Arm to produce low-power SoCs using its 18A process and is already integrating AI hardware into its processors. The Lunar Lake architecture, for example, features a fourth-gen NPU capable of delivering up to 48 TOPS – a fourfold improvement over its predecessor. Laptops featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Pro and Elite chips were the first PCs to support Microsoft's Copilot AI features, positioning them at the forefront of the company's AI PC push. However, most AI PCs are gaining market traction through Intel and AMD's x86 processors instead. In Q3 2024, AI PCs accounted for 20% of all PC shipments, a 49% increase from Q2, driven by greater availability. Despite this growth, consumer interest in AI PCs and GenAI features remains modest. Intel and AMD devices, which represent about half of these shipments, are only beginning to receive support for Copilot. Meanwhile, Snapdragon X laptops are receiving high praises primarily for their extended battery life, often lasting a full day. Additionally, the upcoming end-of-life for Windows 10 is expected to drive a significant sales boost, as users upgrading to Windows 11 may inadvertently adopt AI PCs.Marana woman arrested in fatal Interstate-10 crash in TucsonCORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — RJ Johnson scored 23 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, Daylen Berry added two clutch free throws and Charleston Southern surprised Miami 83-79 on Saturday. The Buccaneers led for the last four minutes of the first half and deep into the second half before a 3-pointer from Austin Swartz gave Miami a 76-75 lead with 3 minutes left in the game. A three-point play by Lynn Kidd gave the Hurricanes a 79-75 lead with 2:11 remaining.

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Why Ohio State is still in good College Football Playoff position despite brutal loss to rival MichiganVirgin Media O2 has divulged insights indicating a shift in British habits for 2024, with more individuals reverting to office-based work and tucking in for an earlier bedtime. According to the telecoms heavyweight, anonymised data gathered from the O2 mobile network underlined a rise in commuting activities throughout the year, pinpointing that around 48% of people ventured to their office workplaces on a five-day week regularity. Virgin Media O2's broadband figures show that Britons are increasingly opting for an early night, with network usage starting to dwindle from 9.20pm – a whole 20 minutes prior than what was observed back in 2020. Additionally, mornings have become busier earlier on, with network traffic picking up from 6.20am, which is fifteen minutes ahead of previous years. The data compilation also revealed that general broadband consumption advanced by 8.1% in 2024, propelled significantly by the online gaming sector. Plus, an eventful sports calendar featuring high-profile events like the Euros and the Olympics contributed to spikes in streaming, mobile networking, and TV viewership figures. Moreover, the company recorded a 9% spike in mobile data use over this year. Jeanie York, chief technology officer at Virgin Media O2, spoke on the findings: "It was another record-breaking year across our mobile and fixed networks, as our customers continue to use more data than ever before."Paul 'Fatty' Vautin makes shock call to retire from TV after 33 years of broadcasting: 'I've run out of petrol' Paul 'Fatty' Vautin retires from TV after 33 years Vautin, 65, described his time as 'an absolute privilege' NRL legend spent 24 years hosting The Footy Show By JAMES COONEY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 21:45 GMT, 30 November 2024 | Updated: 21:46 GMT, 30 November 2024 e-mail 24 shares 1 View comments NRL funny man Paul Vautin has announced his retirement from television, bringing to an end a 33-year broadcasting career with Channel 9. The 65-year-old former Maroons and Manly forward said he made up his mind up about retiring towards the end of the NRL season. 'I'm 65, and I've run out of petrol ,' Vautin told The Sydney Morning Herald. 'When I think about my life I have to say it's all been a surprise; the television career, my football career. 'I remember thinking as a 15- or 16-year-old redheaded, freckly kid that I didn't know what I was gonna do with my life, and then when I look at what I've done, I'm still surprised.' Vautin was the face of the popular sports talk show The Footy Show for the better part of 24 years before he was unceremoniously dismissed in 2017 after ratings dwindled. NRL legend Paul Vautin has announced his retirement from television Vautin, who played 204 games for Manly and represented his state and country in rugby league, described his time in TV as 'an absolute privilege' The Manly legend said it was a privilege to work with so many talented people throughout his career at Channel 9. 'I still love Nine, and all the great people there, and I still love the game, I really do – it gave me everything,' he said. 'The players are unbelievable, but there are things about it now that irritate me, like the six again and dropouts that are contested. I don't want to become that cranky old guy who complains about a sport that made him what he is. 'I can't believe how fortunate I've been to play the game at the level I did. I thought when I came to Sydney I'd have a few years in reserve grade and then probably go home. Instead, I got to play with some of the greats of the game who I now get to call friends. 'And then to think that I somehow had a career in media that went for as long as it did. I'm just so grateful for all the people and my family who have helped me along the way.' Vautin, who won 11 Logie Awards with The Footy Show for Best Sports Program, made special mention of colleague Peter Sterling - saying he was the best footy commentator he worked with. After Vautin's time with The Footy Show wrapped up, he became a regular in the Wide World of Sports commentary team. 'What really gives me joy though, is running into people to this day who say nice things about what we did,' Vautin said. Vautin made special mention of longtime colleague Peter Sterling (pictured) The Manly great said he made his mind up towards the end of the NRL season Vautin hosted popular TV program The Footy Show for many years 'It makes me quite emotional when I meet people, and it happens often, who say to me, "That show brought my family together". 'I remember meeting a guy recently who thanked me for the relationship that he and his dad had because they bonded over watching The Footy Show. And when you hear things like that, that it brought families together, and kept them together, that's better than anything.' Nine's acting CEO, Matt Stanton, called Vautin an icon of Australian television. 'After an outstanding playing career he forged a stellar path here at Nine, and we're truly proud and thankful for what he has achieved,' he said. 'He has been a major part in forging our successful and long standing partnership with the NRL and the passionate fans of the game with his cheeky, yet passionate takes that have resonated so broadly. 'We wish him all the best in retirement and will continue to celebrate what he has accomplished for the business.' NRL Share or comment on this article: Paul 'Fatty' Vautin makes shock call to retire from TV after 33 years of broadcasting: 'I've run out of petrol' e-mail 24 shares Add comment

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NEW YORK CITY—Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) has filed to launch a candidacy for a seat on the New York City Council next year, to make a potential political comeback following a series of scandals over sexting and a criminal conviction for obscene online contact with a minor. Weiner, 60, told the Associated Press that he is “still exploring” whether to run. District 2 encompasses a broad swath of some of Lower Manhattan’s most iconic neighborhoods, such as Gramercy, the Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, the East Village, Flatiron, Union Square, and Murray Hill. Carlina Rivera, a progressive Democrat with a focus on abortion access and transgender rights, currently represents the district on the City Council. After numerous investigations into sexual improprieties and a criminal conviction that sent him to prison for 21 months, Weiner has tried, so far without success, to make a political comeback. Weiner launched a run for mayor of New York in 2013 and failed to get past fifth place in the primaries. He had previously run for the same office, without success, in 2005. In 2011, Weiner engaged in sexting with social media users, causing a scandal that led to his announcement on June 16, 2011, that he would resign from the U.S. House of Representatives. Not long after his entry into the 2013 mayoral race, reports emerged that Weiner had used an alias to send sexually explicit photos to a 22-year-old woman. Another scandal erupted in August 2016 around reports that Weiner had sent a woman an image of himself lying in bed with his son. His then-wife Huma Abedin, a longtime close aide to former Secretary of State and two-time presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, filed for divorce in 2017. The two later agreed to negotiate their separation privately. In September 2016, allegations that Weiner had sent obscene content to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina prompted officials to seize Weiner’s laptop. After a discovery of certain emails on the laptop, then-FBI Director James Comey reopened an investigation into then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s improper use of a private email server for sensitive official matters. Prior to the reopening of the investigation, many polls had heavily favored Clinton. To this day, many people, including Clinton herself, believe that Weiner’s improprieties helped hand Donald Trump the presidency in November 2016. In 2017, Weiner received a 21-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to having sent obscene content to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. He served his sentence and was released from prison in 2019, and ordered to register as a sex offender.

WASHINGTON — Democratic senators are urging President Joe Biden to extend temporary protections for migrants in the U.S. before he leaves office, warning that millions of people could be forced to return to unsafe countries once President-elect Donald Trump retakes the White House. The senators have been quietly urging the White House to take executive actions that would attempt to extend legal protections for migrants into Trump’s administration, and the White House has been discussing what steps to take. But any actions from the outgoing president would happen in the wake of an election that Trump won on promises of hardline immigration enforcement. The Democratic Party is also debating internally how it should approach immigration and border security after its election losses. The Biden administration earlier this week made permanent a rule that extends work authorizations for asylum seekers, but has not made commitments on other priorities for immigration advocates and Democrats. With just weeks remaining before Biden leaves office, several Democratic senators took their pleas public Wednesday. “The urgency of the next 40 days will remain,” Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said at a news conference. “So we’re going to keep pressing.” The senators from the Congressional Hispanic Conference urged the White House to re-designate or renew Temporary Protected Status for migrants from Nicaragua, Ecuador and El Salvador, as well as issue an order to expedite renewals for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Over 1 million migrants in the U.S. rely on TPS, which allows people already in the country to stay and work legally if their homelands are deemed unsafe. Trump has suggested he would scale back the program as he looks to implement the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. “We know the incoming administration is going to try to implement chaotic immigration policies that tear our families apart,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., adding, “But we have a chance to do something about that right now and give these families as much legal protection and reassurance as possible.” While Trump could attempt to undo some of the actions, they would set up a legal impediment and give migrants stronger legal standing to challenge Trump’s orders. In 2017, the Trump administration announced the end of TPS for Nicaraguans, saying that it was no longer needed. But TPS holders challenged the legality of that decision in a lawsuit in court. Since then, the duration of TPS for Nicaragua depends on a court order from a federal judge. The White House is considering taking action to extend temporary protections for some nations, but nothing has yet been decided, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss negotiations. Redesignating protected status for some nations would involve a more serious undertaking because it would grant people the right to stay in the U.S. from the date it was designated and a determination on the safety and security of the nation must be done. The renewal procedure only involves those already in the U.S. who would be allowed to stay longer. In the last months, advocates have ramped up pressure on the Biden administration re-designate Nicaraguan migrants for TPS, which would protect thousands of people from deportation. Hundreds of religious, immigration and human rights organizations argue that the combination of political and environmental circumstances make it unsafe for Nicaraguans to return to their country. “We don’t know how politics can change with Trump and TPS gives us peace of mind,” said Grethel Gomez, a 60-year-old Nicaraguan activist and asylum petitioner who could benefit from TPS. “There is horror of deportation, and this would give us security.” Gomez’s son was a human rights activist in Nicaragua and was detained for 45 days. She took to the streets to protest and ask for his release and was also persecuted, she said. Gomez left Nicaragua clandestinely and arrived in the United States with a tourist visa in 2021. Less than a year later she requested asylum, but she has not yet had any interviews and fears that her process will be hindered during the Trump administration. TPS could also benefit those Nicaraguans who came under a separate Biden program called humanitarian parole and have temporary legal status that expires after two years. Trump has said that he will end the parole program. Other immigrants, such as Jose Cabrera, a TPS holder from El Salvador, have lived in the U.S. for decades. But the TPS designation for El Salvador ends in March. Cabrera, who took time off from his landscaping job to speak alongside the senators at the Capitol Wednesday, said, “I’m proud to be part of this community. But right now, there’s so much fear among immigrants like me, especially with the new administration coming in.”Australians will be able to book international flights to more than 100 destinations with Virgin Airlines under its new partnership with Qatar Airways from Thursday. It’s the next step in a major shake-up of international travel for Australians, with more competition to become available for flights to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka told NewsWire the new partnership was targeting the peak European summer and would offer travellers cheaper long-haul flights. “The partnership between Qatar and Virgin Australia is going to bring much-needed competition, especially flying to Europe,” she said. “Competition is great for everyone. The more opportunities and choices consumers have the harder everyone has to work.” Ms Hrdlicka stopped short of saying customers had been overpaying since Covid but noted prices could fall with this new deal. “It has taken a while post-Covid for everything to return to a balanced field for a lot of reasons. This is our opportunity to help improve the competitive dynamic,” she said. Virgin chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the Qatar partnerships was a game changer for Australians travelling internationally. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Virgin Australia has been largely out of the international market since it was sold following its collapse in 2020. Picture / Supplied Virgin, which has largely been out of the international market for 41⁄2 years, is returning to global travel as part of the Qatar Airways partnership, which is still to be given final approvals. But Virgin is allowed to take bookings from Thursday for new services to fly directly from Sydney, Brisbane and Perth to Doha for travel from June next year. Melbourne will start later in 2025. “It is a tricky thing to get back into long-haul international flying, you need to have scale in order to be able to compete. To compete over time you have to be able to generate enough profit, so the partnership with Qatar gives us the ability to do this much quicker than we otherwise could,” Ms Hrdlicka said. She said the partnership with Qatar Airways was a game-changer, “driving benefits to consumers, the economy and Australian aviation”. “Partnering with Qatar Airways means we’re delivering the gold standard in global travel – seamless connections and world-class service – and increasing market competition to provide better value and fares,” Ms Hrdlicka said. Virgin Australia is expected to begin operating international services for the first time in nearly five years from next June in the Qatar partnership gets regulatory approval. Picture: NewsWire / Tertius Pickard “Exploring the world has never been more accessible. “This is a huge win for Australian travellers which brings more value and choice for passengers wanting to fly internationally. “Through this partnership Virgin Australia becomes stronger, improving our ability to compete domestically – which is great news for Virgin Australia, our people and consumers.” The flights will be operated by Virgin Australia using Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777s, renowned for their Qsuite business class. “This partnership is a critical piece in Virgin Australia’s long-term strategy and a huge vote of confidence in Australian aviation, further strengthening Virgin Australia’s long-term competitiveness and growth of the aviation industry in Australia.” From the Qatar perspective, Ms Hrdlicka noted the importance of the Australian market. “Australians love to travel and are an important feed over Doha airport,” she said. Virgin does not currently fly to Doha or Europe and has limited international operations since its collapse in 2020. After Bain Capital purchased the airline, it axed loss-making long-haul services such as to Los Angeles. Qatar has proposed taking a 25 per cent stake in Virgin Australia and providing a five-year “wet lease” agreement. Virgin Australia has teamed up with Qatar Airways to increase travel options and loyalty benefits for passengers of both airlines. Picture: Virgin Australia. The proposed partnership between Qatar and Virgin is still be given the final OK, but the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission has given preliminary approval allowing the airlines to start taking bookings. “We consider that granting interim authorisation now will allow Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia the lead time to undertake the necessary planning discussions, marketing, selling and system alignment in preparation for Virgin Australia to commence flying the new services by June 2025,” ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said. The new services will be offered subject to final regulatory approval by the ACCC and other government bodies. Travellers booking these flights now will be fully protected with options for either refunds or reaccommodation on suitable alternative flights and reimbursement for reasonably foreseeable costs if the new services aren’t able to go ahead as planned. Virgin is offering special launch fares for the June flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Perth via Doha to European destinations. Economy flights from: • Perth to Paris Economy Choice return from $1791 • Sydney to London Economy Choice return from $1982 • Brisbane to Rome Economy Choice return from $1945 More Coverage Major announcement for Virgin Australia Blair Jackson Call for embattled minister to ‘front up’ Ellen Ransley Originally published as ‘Much needed’: Virgin Airlines and new partner Qatar Airways to begin taking bookings Business Breaking News Don't miss out on the headlines from Business Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? 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