4÷88 EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings waived cornerback Akayleb Evans on Saturday in another setback for their beleaguered 2022 draft class. Evans started 15 games last season, but he had been relegated to a special teams role this year after the Vikings added veteran cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.No. 12 Oklahoma pulls away late vs. Prairie View A&M

OC Transpo well below punctuality targets on 'less frequent' routesFormer President Jimmy Carter, a champion for humanity who lost the White House after one term, died Sunday. He was 100. Carter, who was the longest-living U.S. president, died after entering hospice care in February 2023, . Though Carter left office after a single term, his reputation grew in the years after through his and wife Rosalynn Carter’s philanthropic work at the Carter Center in Atlanta and causes such as Habitat for Humanity. “My name is Jimmy Carter and I’m running for president.” That is how Carter began his speech accepting the Democratic nomination in July 1976 in New York’s Madison Square Garden. It was a line he had spoken thousands of times during his longshot quest for the presidency as . Carter’s dogged determination got him to the White House, where he served one term as the nation’s 39th president before losing re-election in a landslide in 1980. Rather than fade into the mists of history after such a searing defeat, however Carter created a new genre: The purposeful post-president, endearing himself to generations unfamiliar with his time in office, but he displayed over four decades afterwards. ran for president on a promise to never lie, and he pledged to restore a government “as good as the people,” words that resonated in the post-Watergate era when voters didn’t trust conventional politicians. He spoke softly and infused his policies with a moral dimension. He made advocacy for human rights abroad a cornerstone of his foreign policy, and he called his proposal to curb America’s use of energy “the moral equivalent of war.” On his first full day in office, Jan. 21, 1977, he issued a blanket pardon for all Vietnam draft resisters in an effort to close the book on the divisive war. But like so much of what Carter did that was well-intentioned, granting amnesty to draft dodgers stirred controversy, especially among veterans’ groups. Carter further inflamed a growing conservative opposition by forging ahead with negotiations to turn the Panama Canal back over to Panama, as he’d promised in the campaign. That decision later provided rich political fodder for Ronald Reagan. Carter prided himself on his principled refusal to bow to political expedience, and this character trait led to an early clash with Congress over federally funded water projects that Carter thought were wasteful. He had to back off, bowing to the titans of his own party. Still, the incident foreshadowed a contentious relationship with lawmakers; Carter’s inability to navigate the politics of the dominantly liberal Democratic Party, which at the time controlled both the House and the Senate, led to a primary challenge from Democratic senator—and heir to the Kennedy legacy—Edward M. (Ted) Kennedy, also a factor contributing to Carter’s defeat after a single term. He lost in a landslide to Reagan in 1980, a blow that wife Rosalynn Carter—who died in 2023 at the age of 96—attributed to Reagan’s ability as a smooth-talking former actor to “make us comfortable with our prejudices.” Still a relatively young man at 56, Carter returned to Plains, Georgia, to find his peanut business in disrepair and no obvious source of income. He didn’t want to give speeches for money to corporate groups, and he wasn’t a golfer, so he turned to writing to make a living. At the time of his death Sunday at age 100, he had published 32 books (including a novel) about an array of topics ranging from reflections on his faith to his view of the Middle East conflict ( ) and , co-authored with Rosalynn. “That was a terrible experience,” Rosalynn Carter told CNN in 2012 of their writing process, and her husband agreed, calling it “the worst problem we’ve ever had since we’ve been married.” (They had been married 65 years at the time of the interview.) No one disputes that Carter had the most productive and meritorious post-presidency in history. He gained much appreciation and stature in the almost 40 years since he left the White House. While that was surely a source of pride, it was also a frustration of Carter’s that his achievements in office did not get the attention that he and his friends and allies thought they deserved. His domestic adviser in the White House, Stuart Eizenstat, sought to rectify that with his book, , published in 2018. Based on notes that Eizenstat recorded on more than 100 legal pads, it is an inside account of an ambitious presidency that set down important and enduring markers in foreign policy and was ahead of its time in recognizing the impact of an oil-based economy on the planet. Carter plunged right in to address that crisis, one he believed the country needed to confront. He addressed the nation from the White House in April 1977, wearing a cardigan sweater that became his trademark in urging Americans to conserve energy. “With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge that our country will face during our lifetime,” he declared. He named former Nixon Defense Secretary James Schlesinger to head a newly created Department of Energy, and in November 1978 signed the National Energy Act, which was greatly watered down from what he proposed after various special interests had their way. It did deregulate natural gas and encourage conservation and the development of renewable energy through tax credits. Carter had solar panels installed on the roof of the White House to set an example for the country. His successor had them removed. Carter’s attempts to get ahead of the looming energy crisis did not avert another series of oil shocks in 1978 and 1979 that led to gas rationing. In June 1973, a gallon of regular gas was less than 40 cents. By 1980, it was $1.19. Unhappy motorists directed much of their ire at Carter. But Carter had taken office with the economy already in the grip of stagflation, a twin scourge in which inflation is high and economic growth stagnant. In July 1979, in the midst of that sobering summer of gas lines, Carter nominated Paul Volcker to be chairman of the Federal Reserve. Volcker is credited with freeing the nation from the grip of inflation, but his tight-money policies brought down inflation chiefly by increasing interest rates, which rose to double digits and hurt Carter politically. On the foreign-policy front, Carter is most remembered for securing a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, which he personally negotiated and which endures to this day. He took a huge risk inviting Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to Camp David, hoping that the rustic retreat away from all distractions would allow the two leaders to find common ground. But there was so much historical and personal animosity between them that they only met formally on the first day of the 13-day summit, Sept. 5, 1978, while Carter acted as the go-between the rest of the time, shielding them from each other. It was only on the last day, after 12 days of negotiations, when Carter thought they had failed, and everyone had packed their bags, that Begin had a change of heart. He had asked Carter to sign pictures of the three leaders together for his eight grandchildren, and when Carter arrived with the photos, each personally inscribed “with love and best wishes” to each of the children by name, Begin teared up and suggested they try one more time. The result was the Camp David Accords, signed by Begin and Sadat at the White House on Sept. 17, 1978. It was a major achievement and likely cushioned Carter and the Democrats from significant losses in the 1978 midterms. The party lost 15 House seats and 3 Senate seats, but kept control of Congress. In July 1979, with his legislative momentum stalled and his job approval tumbling, Carter secluded himself at Camp David with just a few top advisers to reconsider his presidency and what he might do to reinvigorate his government. Among those advisers was pollster Pat Caddell, who persuaded Carter that the real problem was the country’s “crisis of confidence.” Carter emerged from the retreat with a nationally televised evening address to the nation that came to be known as “the malaise speech” though he never actually used the word. He reinforced his call for limits on oil imports and his belief that synthetic fuels were the future, but the headline was his statement that “all the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. What is lacking is confidence and a sense of community.” That might have worked to get the country reflecting on the future if Carter hadn’t followed by demanding the resignation of every Cabinet secretary, an action that made him look a bit unhinged. Several were forced out, including Energy Secretary Schlesinger. That same year, the Soviets marched into Afghanistan over the Christmas holidays, and Carter said publicly that he couldn’t believe that Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko had sat across from him in the Oval Office and lied about his country’s intentions. The admission made him look weak and naïve in the face of foreign aggression. He retaliated by announcing the United States would boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and that there would be an embargo on all grain shipments to the Soviet Union. These steps were not popular, angering farmers in critical Midwest states dependent on those sales, and disappointing athletes who had trained for months, if not years, along with sports enthusiasts across the country. Carter’s presidency in April 1980 when an attempted hostage rescue mission had to be aborted after , killing eight servicemen. Iranian students had stormed the U.S. embassy the year before, on Nov. 4, 1979, taking 66 hostages and enraging U.S. television audiences who watched them burn the American flag and shout “death to America” as the cameras rolled. Carter at first used the plight of the hostages to avoid campaigning in the upcoming primaries, where he faced a serious challenge from Ted Kennedy. This strategy worked for a time, but left Carter a hobbled winner by the time he arrived in Madison Square Garden to claim the nomination. Carter had the delegates, but Kennedy had staked an emotional claim that Carter couldn’t overcome. Carter likely would have lost re-election to Reagan even if Kennedy’s challenge hadn’t further weakened him. In a tentpole ‘gotcha’ moment, Carter didn’t have a good answer to Reagan’s question, posed in their single debate on Oct. 28, just days before the November election: “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” (Adding to the poignancy of Carter’s presidency ending, 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days were freed and airborne just as Reagan concluded his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 1981. Carter had spent a sleepless night in the Oval Office wrapping up the deal with the Iranians, hoping to welcome home the 50 men and 2 women while he was still president.) So then, Carter was followed by Reagan, with the country seeming to want a bigger personality. Humility had been Carter’s calling card. As a candidate in 1976, he had ostentatiously carried his own garment bag; as president, for a time, Carter had banned the playing of “Hail to the Chief” when he entered a room. He didn’t dominate the public stage as much as the job needed. But his quiet leadership wore well over a very long time, and a fair assessment of his presidency reveals a substantial body of accomplishments that will continue to stand the test of time.

Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. (NYSE:CHT) Short Interest UpdateOpenAI restructures to public benefit corporation, aims to raise capital

Braze Reports Fiscal Third Quarter 2025 Results

Wayne Rooney encourages I’m A Celeb viewers to vote for Coleen to do a trial‘Failure is not an option’: Fire-torn Jasper entering new year with hope, anxietyThe Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”

After Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised the AfD in an article published by a German daily, the leading candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, hit back, decrying Musk's interference as "intrusive and pretentious." A senior German politician dismissed Elon Musk's public support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as unprecedented interference, labeling it "intrusive and pretentious." Friedrich Merz , the center-right candidate for chancellor in Germany's February 23 legislative election , lashed out at the Tesla CEO on Sunday, a day after Musk used an op-ed to describe the populist party as the "last spark of hope for this country." In the article published in German, Musk also praised the AfD's approach to regulation, taxes and market deregulation. The remarks have been fiercely criticized and a senior editor at Welt am Sonntag , the newspaper that published Musk's commentary, resigned in protest. The AFD is currently polling second behind Merz' conservative alliance — the same group that Angela Merkel led until 2021. German president announces early election in February 2025 To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video What did Merz say? "I cannot recall, in the history of Western democracies, that there has been a comparable case of interference in the electoral campaign of a friendly country," Merz, the head of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, told the Funke media group. Merz said: "Imagine for a brief moment, the — justified — reaction of Americans to a comparable article by a prominent German businessman in the New York Times backing an outsider in the US presidential election campaign." He added that Tesla's first gigafactory in Europe — built east of Berlin — would not have been approved if the far-right party was in power, "because it was the AfD that put up the most fierce resistance to this plant." Musk has insisted he has a legitimate interest in German politics because of the investments the electric carmaker has made. German democracy 'cannot be bought' Saskia Esken, co-leader of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), also called out interference in the German election by the world's richest man. "In Elon Musk's world, democracy and workers' rights are obstacles to more profit," Esken told the Reuters news agency. "We say quite clearly: Our democracy is defensible and it cannot be bought." Another SPD lawmaker, Matthias Miersch, told the Handelsblatt business daily that it was "shameful and dangerous" that the Springer publishing house — which owns Welt am Sonntag — gave Musk "an official platform to promote the AfD." German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach on Saturday wrote on X: "The fact that political power is now increasingly easy to buy will cause great damage to democracy. If newspapers join in, they are digging their own graves." mm/dj (dpa, EPD, Reuters)Flux Power Receives Non-Compliance Letter from Nasdaq

Since the rapid collapse of the Assad government and the takeover of Damascus by US-designated terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on December 8, Syrians by the hundreds or even thousands have been filmed in city streets celebrating, expressing hope for a new era. But for every scene of hundreds gathered in a city square in front of Al Jazeera or CNN cameras, the reality is that there are many tens of thousands more families holed up in their homes, deeply fearful of venturing outside , with the more fortunate ones having stocked up on supplies just prior to Abu Mohammad al-Jolani's army of mujahideen fighters entering the capital. With the basically overnight and shock collapse of a state system earlier this month which had been in place for over a half-century, Syrians whether in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Latakia, or Damascus have no clue which armed factions might be patrolling the neighborhoods just around the corner from their apartments . A big looming dark fear is the possibility of "reprisal" killings meted out by the jihadists against any community, especially along religious lines, merely perceived as 'loyalist' or at least which never came out openly against the Assad government. We and others have been documenting that this is already taking place . Political alignment aside, all communities of the capital have historically been "Syria first"—that is, the common populace tends to frame identity foremost along nationalistic lines. The ideology of the conquerors, in their own words and patches/symbols on their tactical vests, are without doubt Takfirism, Salafism, and Wahhabism . This has been exhaustively documented over many, many years of the tragic proxy war in Syria - yet now suddenly Western leaders and media lackeys have 'forgotten' it all. Non-Sunni Muslims are especially being targeted, for nothing else other than religion and identity Mainstream media cameras in Damascus have been carefully trying to hide or at least downplay this reality. They present the euphoria of those few on the streets praising the 'revolution' and downfall of Assad while ignoring the many more who are bracing for a sectarian bloodbath at the hands of the jihadists. American correspondents have even been caught 'coaching' bearded militants waring ISIS patches on how to improve their image in front of an international audience... Watch: Syrian 'Moderate Rebel' Removes ISIS Patch At Prompting Of American Journalist . HTS goons open fire on demonstrators protesting extrajudicial revenge killings and the destruction of Alawite shrines just days after Jolani received friendly delegations of US and UK diplomats and journos pic.twitter.com/nVWA49wNgK This fear of being targeted for ethno-religious genocide is perhaps greatest among Christians, Alawites, and Druze. Dread or anxiety at what tomorrow will bring is also a reality among some business-oriented Sunnis of Aleppo and Damascus. Major urban centers in Syria had always had a definite secular and pluralist public vibe—with liquor stores and nightclubs a common sight in central areas—and women in the Islamic veil a little bit more of a rarity. Some liquor stores especially in Aleppo and the north have already been smashed and destroyed . Now, for the first time in Syria's modern history, women who dare to venture out in the city center of Damascus are being asked their sectarian affiliation: Are you Sunni, Shia, Christian, Druze? Or else they are being told to put on the Islamic veil, by bearded militants from outside cities or villages, or worse who are from other countries . Latakia, as well as parts of the countryside, are already witnessing armed jihadist gangs conducting summary executions. Syria: “When we build the Islamic caliphate, Christians will pay Jizya under Islamic Sharia.” - Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, HTS Islamist leader and new ruler of Syria Forcing Christians to become second-class citizens and be extorted through a protection tax is not moderate. pic.twitter.com/BGvnvM8w3C Gruesome videos (too horrific to link to) are filling up social media platforms like X and Telegram, in some instances with unidentified victims being dragged to death behind vehicles . Others show HTS-linked factions or else foreign jihadist groups cleansing entire villages of 'Nusayris' —a derogatory term for Alawites, which is ethno-religious background of the Assad family. Jolani's officials have recently tried to urge for militants to not film their atrocities or upload them to the internet . * * * Rania Khalek is an independent journalist who has long reported from the region. Her contacts across Syria are telling her that the jihadists are killing civilians in various places far away from CNN or Al-Jazeera cameras. Below is a report she posted to X [emphasis ZH]... Some concerning developments in Syria that were being largely ignored or dismissed until horrific videos of sectarian violence and executions began emerging in recent days... In some mixed Syrian towns and villages as well as minority neighborhoods around Homs, Hama and on the coast, security was breaking down and people felt scared to speak about it, according to multiple contacts. The Hama-Homs highway had decapitated bodies strewn about , according to one contact. He wanted to take pictures of the bodies on the highway but he didn’t dare out of fear. At one roadblock they forced him to open his phone and they went through it. He said they spoke Arabic but it was a hybrid fusha accent he could barely understand. A contact reported being stopped by HTS at a barricade. He then had to wait for his business partner who is Sunni to come and vouch for him. Not a good sign. Flyers have been disbursed in multiple areas informing women how they should dress and act . Minorities in mixed villages have been subjected to robberies, killings, kidnappings , etc. Some have responded by organizing armed men to protect their neighborhoods from raids. This is not everyone’s experience of course. But these sorts of incidents were increasing. And they reached a fever pitch after the video of the destruction of an Alawite shrine surfaced. While the random violence and score settling speaks to the chaos that comes with a regime change like this, the sectarian violence is much more concerning. There are militias HTS either has no control over because they’re spread too thin or they don’t care to stop them. Some expressed that they suspect HTS is secretly calling the shots and then playing dumb . Whatever the case, there is deep distrust of HTS in many minority communities due to their past violence combined with recent events. "I don't trust them at all, the fact that they are so insistent on collecting guns from people is so worrying, they even want licensed guns, and this is actually scary. They are always trying to appear as nice people talking about peace, but yet every day someone gets killed and they do nothing about it ," said one contact in Latakia. The sectarian violence is reminiscent of post 2011 days when the regime would be kicked out of an area and extremist militias would quickly take over and then chaos and sectarian violence would ensue. The pro-HTS side is framing any pushback or measure of self defense in vulnerable communities as Iranian-provoked or Assadist, which isn’t helpful and exacerbates the sectarianism. As the gun battles heat up, it’s hard to ignore the signs of potential civil unrest to come with violent zones of state collapse. I hope stability wins the day but it doesn’t look good .

A look at how some of Trump's picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy's overhaulPlease enable JavaScript to read this content. At a consultative forum that brought together lobbyists in the trade and retail sectors, the Retail Trade Association of Kenya (Retrak) chief executive Wambui Mbarire raised the question: Whom are we selling to when we export Kenyan goods? The premise is that whenever local goods are exported, Kenyans in those markets are the ones expected to consume them. She, however, opined that this is not always the case. Giving an example of Choco Primo, a product manufactured by Trufoods Ltd, a local firm and Cadbury produced by a British multinational, she said the chances of Kenyans picking the former off the shelf are higher compared to a foreigner. “The owner of Tuskys used to tell me that the reason he won’t sell out his business is because he wanted to open a branch in Nigeria or Ethiopia and stock Kenyan goods in those countries,” she said. This was to enable Kenyans in those countries to buy the items and introduce the products to the locals who will appreciate the quality hence growing its demand. Tuskys however collapsed after the death of the founder. “These are the things people pack in their suitcases when they are travelling back,” she said. For Ms Mbarire, the best bet in growing exports is to target Kenyans in those markets. “I feel we need to look inward more so that we strengthen the entire value chain. How do we ensure, to begin with, that a Kenyan knows it is a Kenyan product and starts interacting with it before we say we can now export?” she posed. She said this way, local products will be promoted by Kenyans in foreign markets. “So that when we take these products in markets which we have agreements with, Kenyans who stay in those economies will buy and circulate, boost demand and create a larger export market,” said Ms Mbarire. Ms Mbarire’s theory may be right considering the challenges many Kenyans living overseas face when looking for Kenyan products or any that might taste similar to those back home. “Just curious, watu mko USA which sausages are you buying that taste similar na ile ya Kenya’s farmers’ choice’ (Just curious, those who are in the US, which sausages are you buying that tastes similar to those by Kenya’s Farmers Choice)?” reads a recent post on Lets Cook Kenyan Meals, a social media group where Kenyans share food-related ideas. The US, which Kenyan products have access to through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and an EPA (Economic Partnership Agreements) that is negotiating, is the country where most Kenyans immigrate. This figure stood at 157,000 according to 2020 data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The United Kingdom (UK) has 139,000 Kenyan migrants, 34,000 in Uganda, 29,000 in Canada, 25,000 in Mozambique, another 25,000 in Australia, 24,000 in Tanzania, 20,000 in South Africa, 17,000 in Germany and 10,000 in South Sudan. According to the 2024 Economic Survey Report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), in 2023, export earnings grew by 15.4 per cent to Sh1.007 trillion. Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter The report states that the net effect was the narrowing of the trade balance from a deficit of Sh1.617 trillion in 2022 to a deficit of Sh1.604 trillion in 2023. Tea exports increased from 551,804 tonnes in 2022 to 564,545 tonnes in 2023. The amount of coffee and unroasted beans exported stood at 48,858 tonnes in 2023 a slight increase from 48,301 tonnes in 2022. The amount of exported meals and flours of wheat shot to 27,209 tonnes in 2023 from 2,559 tonnes in 2022. The report breaks down the performance of domestic exports from 2019 to 2023 which shows an increase in volumes for most commodities. It details that the volume of exported horticultural products increased by 168,900 tonnes to 772,700 tonnes in 2023 reflecting a 28.0 percentage increase. “Other major export commodities that recorded increases in export volumes included cement, edible products and preparation, salt, iron and steel, essential oils, and tea which rose by 39.1 per cent, 35.9 per cent, 22.5 per cent, 18.8 per cent, 16.8 per cent and 2.3 per cent, respectively,” the report says. The report adds: “Soda ash and titanium ores and concentrates exhibited the highest decline in export volumes from 284,700 tonnes and 424,900 tonnes in 2022 to 216,200 tonnes and 293,100 tonnes in 2023, respectively.” State Department for Industry Principal Secretary Dr Juma Mukhwana notes that if Kenya is to export more, then there is also a need to produce more. “This is why the government is determined to expand manufacturing from the current 7.3 per cent to 20 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030,” he noted. Dr Mukhwana said the State Department of Trade has done its part in opening up markets for Kenya through negotiations of the EPAs with economies such as the UK, European Union and the US. “But are we making products that will be accepted in those markets?” he poses. “Sometimes it becomes difficult for a Kenyan to make a product that will easily sell within the European Union (EU). Some of these issues become capacity building (issues) that we need to address.” The PS said Kenya has the necessary skilled workforce and physical infrastructure to grow its manufacturing, adding these opportunities and players should work in tandem. “So that we do not open up a European Union market, and we look at the data three years later down the line and the exports have not grown,” he said. “We agree we have new markets. The issue we need answers to is where are these products (for exports) going to come from?”

No. 24 Illinois trounces winless Chicago State 117-64

Billionaire Lutfy's Dynamite IPO was a matter of succession

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl is cautioning his team not to overlook visiting Monmouth when they clash on Monday night, in what will be the Tigers' final nonconference game of the regular season. The No. 2 Tigers (11-1) have won four in a row following their lone setback against host Duke on Dec. 4. They open Southeastern Conference play on Jan. 4 against visiting Missouri. But Pearl is wary of the Hawks (2-10), who have won two of their past four games, including a victory at Seton Hall on Nov. 30. Monmouth is led by Abdi Bashir Jr., who ranks among the top 10 in the nation in scoring at 21.6 points per game. The Hawks are coming off an 88-74 win over Fairfield on Dec. 21 in what was their first home game of the season. "(Monmouth coach) King Rice's team has played a really tough schedule and played only one home game," Pearl said. "I think it says a lot and they have a great, great player in (Bashir). He's long and he can shoot it. They play an attractive style, and their record goes out the door." Auburn likely will be fine should forward Johni Broome continue his magnificent play of late. Broome, who leads the Tigers in scoring (18.5 points per game), rebounds (11.5), assists (3.3) and blocks (2.6), bounced back from a right shoulder injury scare and led his team to an 87-69 victory against then-No. 16 Purdue on Dec. 21. Broome scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Auburn to its fourth win this season over a ranked opponent. With more than a week to rest, Broome figures to be good to go against Monmouth and fit to begin the tough stretch that follows. In addition to Broome, Auburn has seen stellar guard play from Chad Baker-Mazara (12.8 points per game) as well as Tahaad Pettiford and Denver Jones, who each are averaging 11.3 points per game. Bashir, who is shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range and 42.0 percent overall from the field, has showcased his skills as one of the most explosive scorers in the country against a solid schedule. Monmouth has faced Michigan State, Rutgers and Temple in addition to its 63-51 triumph over Seton Hall on the road. In addition to Bashir Jr., Madison Durr has provided offense with 10.3 points per game and the Hawks have been solid on the boards thanks to Jaret Valencia (6.0 rebounds per game) and Jack Collins (5.3). Valencia and Collins also have been effective scorers, helping take some of the defensive pressure off Bashir at times. But Rice would like to see more consistency from his team, especially on the defensive end. The victory over Seton Hall was the only time Monmouth has held a team below 70 points this season. "We have kids who can score the ball," Rice told reporters following a loss to Lehigh Dec 4. "Abdi can score, Jaret can score, Jack can score, everybody can score. But right now our defense is one of the worst in the country because we're not committed to guarding for each other." --Field Level Media

Syria's leader says elections could take 4 years: Al Arabiya interview

Surprise ROY? Repeat MVPs? Expert picks for NBA early-season awardsThe International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and a Hamas military leader, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The announcement came as health officials in the Gaza Strip said the death toll from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000. The warrant marked the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice. The ICC panel said there were reasonable grounds to believe that both Netanyahu and his ex-defense minister bear responsibility for the war crime of starvation and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. Israel’s war has caused heavy destruction across Gaza, decimated parts of the territory and driven almost the entire population of 2.3 million people from their homes, leaving most dependent on aid to survive. Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 . Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here’s the Latest: UNITED NATIONS -- Syria is being battered by regional conflicts and increasing attacks within the country which will likely make 2024 its most violent year since 2020, the U.N. deputy special envoy says. At the the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, Najat Rochdi urged all countries and parties with influence “to prevent Syria being further swept into a broader conflagration.” In the current escalating climate, Rochdi said, “Once again, Israeli airstrikes on Syria have increased significantly, both in frequency and scope.” He pointed to Wednesday’s strike near Palmyra that killed dozens, which was “likely the deadliest Israeli strike in Syria to date.” Israel says its targets are linked to militants from Lebanon’s Hezbollah or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but Rochdi said there have been civilian casualties. He said Israeli strikes on residential areas in the capital Damascus as well as on bridges, roads and border crossings have further hindered civilians fleeing the war in Lebanon and disrupted essential imports and exports. Edem Wosornu, the U.N. humanitarian office’s operations director, said that since late September 540,000 people have arrived in Syria from Lebanon, an estimated two-thirds of them Syrians. In parallel, Rochdi said, the United States struck what it said were Iran-backed militias in response to armed drone attacks on its bases in northeast Syria. He said northeast Syria has also seen “its most serious escalation during 2024” from Turkish airstrike against what Ankara said were Kurdish militant targets which resulted in civilian casualties. They followed an Oct. 23 terrorist attack in Ankara. In rebel-controlled northwest Syria, Rochdi said there has been “a worrying uptick in pro-government drone and artillery attacks” alongside attacks involving the main insurgent group in the region, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Najat said fighters from the Islamic State extremist group have also been increasing attacks in the central desert region. BEIRUT — Israeli strikes killed at least 51 people on Thursday in towns and villages across Lebanon, according to the country's Health Ministry. In eastern Lebanon, intensified Israeli airstrikes killed 40 people in 10 different towns in Baalbek province, the ministry said. Rescuers were searching under the rubble of destroyed buildings, said Gov. Bachir Khodr, calling it “a very violent day” in his province. In southern Lebanon, five people were killed by an Israeli strike in Tyre province, and seven others were killed by a strike in Nabatiyeh province, the Health Ministry said. As of Thursday, the Health Ministry has recorded at least 3,583 people killed and 15,244 wounded in Lebanon during the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel, with the majority of casualties taking place after Israel’s escalation and ground offensive in late September. UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. humanitarian chief for Gaza is warning that the delivery of critical food, water, fuel and medical supplies is grinding to a halt throughout the territory and “the survival of two million people hangs in the balance.” Muhannad Hadi said in a statement Thursday that Israeli authorities have been banning commercial imports for more than six weeks and at the same time thefts from humanitarian convoys by armed individuals have surged. “In 2024, U.N. trucks have been looted 75 times –- including 15 such attacks since Nov. 4 alone –- and armed people have broken into U.N. facilities on 34 occasions,” he said. Last week, one driver was shot in the head and hospitalized along with another truck driver, Hadi said. And on Saturday 98 trucks were looted in a single attack which saw the vehicles damaged or stolen. The Gaza humanitarian coordinator said bakeries are closing because of lack of flour or fuel to operate generators. “Palestinian civilians are struggling to survive under unlivable conditions, amid relentless hostilities,” Hadi said. He demanded the immediate improvement of security and conditions throughout Gaza to allow the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid “through lawful means.” Israel says it puts no limit on the supplies permitted into Gaza, and it blames the U.N. distribution system. But Israel’s official figures show the amount of aid it has let in has plunged since the beginning of October. The U.N has blamed Israeli military restrictions, along with widespread lawlessness that has led to theft of aid shipments. WASHINGTON — The White House fundamentally rejects the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. She said the Biden administration was “deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.” The Biden administration has increased its warnings and appeals to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to spare civilians in airstrikes and other attacks, and to allow more aid to reach Gaza. However, a 30-day Biden administration deadline came and went earlier this month for Israel to meet specific U.S. targets to improve its treatment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza trapped in the war. U.S. demands included that Israel lift a near-total ban on delivery of aid to hard-hit north Gaza for starving civilians there. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — The three children were playing outside a cluster of tents housing displaced people in the Gaza Strip when an Israeli airstrike killed them, along with six other people. It’s become a grim, near-daily ritual more than 13 months into the Israel-Hamas war, which local health authorities said Thursday has killed over 44,000 Palestinians. Israel carries out frequent strikes against what it says are militants hiding in civilian areas, and women and children are nearly always among the dead. Wednesday’s strike killed Hamza al-Qadi, 7, his brother Abdulaziz, 5, and their sister Laila, 4, in a tent camp in the southern city of Khan Younis. Areej al-Qadi, their mother, says they were playing outside when they were killed. “All that’s left of them are their notebooks, their books and a blood-stained jacket,” she said as she broke into tears. “They were children who did nothing.” The Israeli military did not comment on the specific strike, saying it follows international law and tries to avoid harming civilians. Gaza’s Health Ministry said Thursday that 44,056 Palestinians have been killed and 104,268 wounded since the start of the war, which was ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into Israel. Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people that day, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 people. The Health Ministry does not say how many of those killed in Gaza were fighters but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities. Israel, which rarely comments on individual strikes, says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Hours after the ministry announced the latest toll, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and a Hamas military leader. Mahmoud bin Hassan, the children’s father, said he buried them on Thursday. He asked when the international community would take action to stop the war. “When the entire Palestinian population has been killed?” he said. NEW YORK — Human Rights Watch applauded the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants issued Thursday against both Israeli and Hamas officials. The warrants “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law,” the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, said in a statement. The New York-based rights group earlier this month released a report saying Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, including massive forced displacements that amount to ethnic cleansing. JERUSALEM — Israeli prosecutors have charged a former aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with leaking classified documents to international media, apparently to protect the Israeli leader from criticism as a hostage deal was collapsing. Eli Feldstein, a former media adviser to Netanyahu, was charged Thursday with leaking classified information with the intent of harming state security and obstruction of justice. The leaked documents are said to have formed the basis of a widely discredited article in the London-based Jewish Chronicle — which was later withdrawn — suggesting Hamas planned to spirit hostages out of Gaza through Egypt, and an article in Germany’s Bild newspaper that said Hamas was drawing out the hostage talks as a form of psychological warfare on Israel. Critics say the leaks were aimed at giving Netanyahu political cover as the case-fire talks ground to a halt. Some have accused Netanyahu of resisting a deal in to preserve his governing coalition, which includes hard-line members who have threatened to bring down the government if he makes concessions to Hamas. The leaks came at a time of public uproar over the deaths of six hostages who were killed by their Hamas captors as Israeli soldiers were closing in. The indictment said the leaks were meant “to create media influence on the public discourse in Israel in regards to the handling of the hostage situation, after the news of the murder of six hostages.” The indictment identified two other Netanyahu aides as being connected to the scheme, but only Feldstein and an unidentified reservist in Israeli military intelligence were charged. Netanyahu, who denies the accusations, has not been identified as a suspect in the burgeoning investigation. Israeli media say if convicted, Feldstein could potentially face life in prison. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military has launched an investigation into the death of a 70-year-old Israeli man who entered Lebanon with Israeli forces and was killed in a Hezbollah ambush. Investigators are trying to determine, among other things, who allowed Zeev Erlich into the combat zone with the forces and why he was permitted to enter. According to Israeli media reports, Erlich was not on active duty when he was shot, but was wearing a military uniform and had a weapon. The army said he was a reservist with the rank of major and identified him as a “fallen soldier” when it announced his death. Erlich was a well-known West Bank settler and researcher of Jewish history. Media reports said Erlich was permitted to enter Lebanon to explore a local archaeological site. The army said a 20-year-old soldier was killed in the same incident, while an officer was badly wounded. The army announced Thursday that the chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, has appointed a team of experts “to examine and strengthen operational discipline and military culture” following the incident. It said its commander for northern Israel, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, would launch a separate “command inquiry,” while Israeli military police conduct a separate probe. Such investigations can lead to criminal charges. BEIRUT — At least 29 people were killed Thursday in Israeli strikes on different towns and villages across Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state-run media. In eastern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed 26 people in six different towns in Baalbek province, the health ministry and the National News Agency said. In Tyre province, southern Lebanon, three people were killed in an Israeli strike, the health ministry said. The health ministry Wednesday said that over 3,550 people have been killed in the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel, the majority following Israel’s escalation in late September. The European Union's foreign policy chief has underlined that the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas officials are a legal and not political matter, and that they are binding on all 27 EU member countries and other signatories to the ICC to implement. “The tragedy in Gaza has to stop," Josep Borrell told reporters during a visit to Jordan. “It is not a political decision. It is the decision of an international court of justice, and the decision of the court has to be respected, and implemented.” “This decision is a binding decision on all state parties of the court, which include all members of the European Union," he added. ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling partyhas welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamn Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, calling it a judgement made for the sake of “humanity.” Omer Celik, spokesman for the Erdogan’s party, said on the social media platform X that Netanyahu and Gallant would “eventually be held accountable for genocide.” Celik also criticised Israeli officials who described the ICC decision as antisemitic. Turkey is among the most vocal critics of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has submitted a formal request to join a genocide case that South Africa has filed against Israel at the U.N.’s International Court of Justice. Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp, whose country hosts the International Criminal Court, has confirmed The Netherlands would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he arrived on Dutch soil. “The line from the government is clear. We are obliged to cooperate with the ICC ... we abide 100% by the Rome Statute,” he said in response to a question in parliament Thursday. Other European officials were more cautious. In France, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said he supported the International Criminal Court's prosecutor but declined to comment when asked more specifically if France would arrest Netanyahu if he were to step on French soil. “Today, combating impunity is our priority. We ratified the ICC Statute in 2000 and have consistently supported the court’s actions. Our response will align with these principles,” Christophe Lemoine told reporters at a press conference. Lemoine added that the warrants were “a complex legal issue ... It’s a situation that requires a lot of legal precautions.” In Italy, the foreign and justice ministries didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment about whether Italy, an ICC member which hosted the Rome conference that gave birth to the court, would honor the arrest warrant. Premier Giorgia Meloni hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March 2023 and has strongly supported Israel since Oct. 7, while providing humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. JERUSALEM — Israel’s mostly ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, has called the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “a dark day for justice. A dark day for humanity.” In a post on X, he said the international court “has chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom, and turned the very system of justice into a human shield for Hamas’ crimes against humanity." Israel Katz, Israel’s new defense minister, said the decision was “a moral disgrace, entirely tainted by antisemitism, and drags the international judicial system to an unprecedented low.” He said it “serves Iran, the head of the snake, and its proxies.” Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, also condemned the decision, saying it showed “moral blindness” and was a “shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.” Hamas has welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court to issue warrants against Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, calling it an “important and historic precedent” after what it said was decades of injustice at the hands of a “fascist occupation.” The statement did not refer to the warrants issued for the militant group’s own leaders. Hamas called on all nations to “cooperate with the court in bringing the Zionist war criminals, Netanyahu and Gallant, to justice, and to work immediately to stop the crimes of genocide against innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip.” DEIR AL-BALAH, The Gaza Strip — Bakeries have reopened in the central Gaza Strip after being closed for several days because of flour shortages. The shortages appear to have been linked to the looting of nearly 100 truckloads of aid by armed men in southern Gaza last weekend. Associated Press footage showed a crowd of hundreds pushing and shouting outside a bakery in the central city of Deir al-Balah on Thursday. The day before the reopening, the price of a bag of 15 loaves of pita bread had climbed above $13. “In my house, there is not a morsel of bread, and the children are hungry,” said Sultan Abu Sultan, who was displaced from northern Gaza during the war. The amount of aid entering Gaza plunged in October as Israel launched a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say famine may be underway . Hunger is widespread across the territory, even in central Gaza where aid groups have more access. Humanitarian organizations say Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of law and order make it difficult to deliver assistance. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people. Hundreds of thousands are crammed into tent camps with little in the way of public services and are reliant on international food aid. NICOSIA — The president of Cyprus says the European Union must play a bigger role in the Middle East as it can no longer stand by as an observer. President Nikos Christodoulides said the 27-member bloc needs to establish closer ties with countries that bolster regional stability like Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf states. “The conflict in the Middle East is taking place on the EU’s doorstep, in an area of vital interest to the bloc’s interests, where any escalation or regional spillover will have significant consequences on its security and stability,” Christodoulides told an Economist conference in the Cypriot capital. Christodoulides said EU member Cyprus for years has tried to get this message across to Brussels. The island nation earlier this year was the staging ground for a maritime corridor delivering some 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The EU is wracked by members’ divisions over how peace should come about in the Middle East THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory. The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects and is likely to further isolate them and complicate efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to end the 13-month conflict. But its practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and several of the Hamas officials have been subsequently killed in the conflict. Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have previously condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for the warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden also blasted the prosecutor and expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas also slammed the request. The death toll in the Gaza Strip from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000, local health officials said Thursday. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The Health Ministry said 44,056 people have been killed and 104,268 wounded since the start of the war. It has said the real toll is higher because thousands of bodies are buried under rubble or in areas that medics cannot access. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 . Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year. Around 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times, and hundreds of thousands are living in squalid tent camps with little food, water or basic services. Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in residential areas, where they have built tunnels, rocket launchers and other military infrastructure. JERUSALEM — A rocket fired from Lebanon killed a man and wounded two others in northern Israel on Thursday, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service. The service said paramedics found the body of the man in his 30s near a playground in the town of Nahariya, near the border with Lebanon, after a rocket attack on Thursday. Israel meanwhile struck targets in southern Lebanon and several buildings south of Beirut, the Lebanese capital, after warning people to evacuate.The Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level Media