Tweet Facebook Mail Almost 500 Qantas workers will walk off the job today, sparking fears of airport chaos on one of the busiest travel days of the year. Today marks the start of the summer travel holiday period on the east coast, with 13.5 million people expected to move through capital city airports in the next six weeks. Line maintenance workers will carry out a stoppage from 3.30am today to 7.30am tomorrow at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide airports. READ MORE: US man found in Syria prison months after going missing  Hundreds of Qantas workers will walk off the job today. (Getty) The workers are repsonsible for towing and marshalling aircraft. The strike was organised by the Qantas Engineers' Alliance, a coalition of members from the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, the Australian Workers' Union, and the Electrical Trades Union. The Alliance has called for a wage claim of 5 per cent per year, with a 15 per cent first-year increase. They say this is in response to a 3.5-year wage freeze and will bring their pay in line with industry standards. READ MORE: Trump named Time's Person of the Year again  The strike will affect multiple airports. (Getty) AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy said workers had "in good faith" agreed to no industrial action for the past six weeks. "Workers have no other choice now, that during the holiday period, they will be taking industrial action to bring Qantas back to the bargaining table," he said. "Qantas is to blame if there's any disruption to commuters over the holiday period." Workers have also voted in favour of another stoppage next Friday, December 20, along with dozens of partial work bans. READ MORE: Queensland's first TV star Hugh Cornish dies, aged 90  Australia's most trusted and distrusted brands View Gallery Qantas said a number of contingencies were in place to ensure smooth travel for customers despite the strike. "Passengers should head to the airport as they normally would," the statement read. "As always, unplanned maintenance issues, weather, or other events may impact operations on the day." A spokesperson did urge people to allow for extra time at security due to the busy holiday period. "We're offering our engineers a competitive package including pay rises, upskilling and career progression that will enable them to earn significantly more over the next few years," the spokesperson said. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .SHREVEPORT La. - Drones are becoming a more frequent sight in the skies, but their presence is raising questions and concerns. The ArkLaTex is no exception. KTBS 3 has received multiple drone videos from viewers in the area, all wondering the same thing: What’s going on? This follows an incident in New Jersey last night, where a video surfaced on social media showing lights in the sky. The video, which has sparked speculation online, has people asking: Who is flying these objects, and are they drones at all? The footage, which is difficult to discern, shows lights that a local drone pilot says could belong to an aircraft. “Most aircraft, including drones, are required to have lights,” the pilot noted. One video, viewed more than a million times on X, claims to show an unidentified object flying near Barksdale Air Force Base. However, there is no confirmation of its authenticity. The video does not provide clear evidence that it was filmed near Barksdale, and the base is located in restricted airspace. “You are not allowed to fly drones there without specific waiver permission from the FAA,” drone pilot Jim Christie said. “Many drones have technology like geofencing built in, which prevents them from entering restricted airspace.” Federal agencies are facing increasing pressure to explain these unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey and closer to home.

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Leigh Leopards land major new commercial deal and launch it in epic fashionINDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — At least one officer fired at and injured a suspect who shot toward police during a foot chase Thursday afternoon in a residential and business area on the city’s west side, Indianapolis police say. The suspect was said to be awake and breathing. No other information on the suspect had been publicly shared within two hours after the shooting. No officers were injured. No additional information was immediately available on what led to the shooting. Police say a gun was found at the scene. Video on social media showed crime scene tape surrounding an area at the intersection of West Morris Street and West Washington Street, near the Dollar Tree store and the Halal Market grocery. An employee of the dollar store says she saw people running inside the business after the shots were fired, but she did not hear the shots. She says the man is known to people who frequent the area. In an alert on the X platform , Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said, “IMPD officers are on scene of an incident in the 1000 block of Waldemere Avenue. There was an officer-involved shooting. No officers were injured.” The computer-aided dispatch system shows Wayne Township Fire Department medics were sent to to an emergency medical services incident involving an unsafe gunshot scene at 3:50 p.m. Thursday in the 1000 block of Waldemere Avenue. That’s northeast of the I-465 interchange for West Washington Street on the city’s west side. Another post on X from police at 4:17 p.m. Thursday said, “IMPD does not believe there is any outstanding public safety threat to the area at this time. We are asking drivers to avoid this area due to an active and ongoing investigation. Officers will be on scene for the next several hours.” News 8’s Danielle Zulkosky contributed to this report.Two charged over deadly Iran-linked drone strike on US servicemen in Jordan

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Tweet Facebook Mail Almost 500 Qantas workers will walk off the job today, sparking fears of airport chaos on one of the busiest travel days of the year. Today marks the start of the summer travel holiday period on the east coast, with 13.5 million people expected to move through capital city airports in the next six weeks. Line maintenance workers will carry out a stoppage from 3.30am today to 7.30am tomorrow at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide airports. READ MORE: US man found in Syria prison months after going missing  Hundreds of Qantas workers will walk off the job today. (Getty) The workers are repsonsible for towing and marshalling aircraft. The strike was organised by the Qantas Engineers' Alliance, a coalition of members from the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, the Australian Workers' Union, and the Electrical Trades Union. The Alliance has called for a wage claim of 5 per cent per year, with a 15 per cent first-year increase. They say this is in response to a 3.5-year wage freeze and will bring their pay in line with industry standards. READ MORE: Trump named Time's Person of the Year again  The strike will affect multiple airports. (Getty) AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy said workers had "in good faith" agreed to no industrial action for the past six weeks. "Workers have no other choice now, that during the holiday period, they will be taking industrial action to bring Qantas back to the bargaining table," he said. "Qantas is to blame if there's any disruption to commuters over the holiday period." Workers have also voted in favour of another stoppage next Friday, December 20, along with dozens of partial work bans. READ MORE: Queensland's first TV star Hugh Cornish dies, aged 90  Australia's most trusted and distrusted brands View Gallery Qantas said a number of contingencies were in place to ensure smooth travel for customers despite the strike. "Passengers should head to the airport as they normally would," the statement read. "As always, unplanned maintenance issues, weather, or other events may impact operations on the day." A spokesperson did urge people to allow for extra time at security due to the busy holiday period. "We're offering our engineers a competitive package including pay rises, upskilling and career progression that will enable them to earn significantly more over the next few years," the spokesperson said. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .The Role Of Technology On Learning & Teaching Dynamics

EMPOLI, Italy (AP) — Scotland international Che Adams scored from almost the halfway line as Torino ended a run of poor form to win at Empoli 1-0 in Serie A on Friday. Adams replaced Antonio Sanabria in the 64th minute and made his mark almost immediately. With 70 gone, he spotted the Empoli goalkeeper off his line and lobbed the ball over his head from inside the center circle. The goal ended his personal eight-game drought in spectacular fashion, and will ease pressure on coach Paolo Vanoli. The Turin club was unbeaten in its first five league games and topped the table for a time. But it has won only one of 10 games since, back in late October. Friday's win lifted Torino into 12th place, two places and three points behind Empoli. AP soccer:The Quebec government says they’re meeting with provincial business leaders to talk about the possible 25 per cent tariffs U.S. President-elect Trump has threatened to impose. Economy Minister Christine Fréchette held roundtable discussions this week with some 30 Quebec companies and business associations on this, and there will be more talks coming. “There is a lot at stake. Should any tariff be imposed because many of our businesses export in the U.S. Some of them export only in the U.S. and so one of the recommendations we are making to all businesses is to consider exporting in other countries and the rest of Canada also – it’s important to be there and develop our commercial links with that region,” explained Fréchette. Friday morning, Fréchette was at Investissement Québec’s head office in Montreal with the CEOs of major companies for another roundtable. Quebec is looking to see how to protect jobs, and how businesses can develop in other markets. One of the recommendations we are making to all businesses is to consider exporting in other countries and the rest of Canada also – it’s important to be there and develop our commercial links with that region,” Fréchette explained. “But of course, our plan A remains not to have any tariffs and we want to make sure Americans understand what would be the impact should they go ahead with tariffs. The clear impact would be that Americans would pay more for the goods they are importing from Quebec and Canada. We have to make sure that Americans understand that, that the administration understands that, and that American partners diffuse that message to their leaders.” According to the province, the United States is a leading destination for many Québec exports. In 2023, around 73.6 per cent of Quebec’s merchandise exports — which is worth around $83.7 billion — went to the U.S. Additionally, 96 per cent or $9.8 billion of Quebec’s aluminum exports, 69 per cent or $11.1 billion in Quebec’s aerospace exports, 83 per cent or $8.2 billion of forestry exports, and 68.5% or $8.1 billion of agri-food exports all were destined for the U.S. “In fact we have made important progress this week because we have been discussing with more than 30 important businesses or business associations, and my administration is currently having phone calls with more than 100 businesses that could be impacted by the imposition of tariffs so we are getting a clearer idea of what could happen should tariffs be imposed at the border by the American administration,” said Fréchette. “But our plan is to have no tariff at all of course, so we are asking the federal government to put more resources at the border, we need more people there, more technology, to make sure there are no more illegal people that go from Canada to the US by unofficial ways. This is our plan A and we are focusing on that but we are preparing for different impacts should the administration, the Trump administration go ahead.” These roundtable discussions follow the recent creation of the Quebec-United States ministerial working group last month, in which Fréchette is a part of. The committee also includes ministers Christopher Skeete, Martine Biron, Eric Girard, Maïté Blanchette Vezina, André Lamontagne, François Bonnardel and Jean-François Roberge. They are set to meet regularly and consult with businesses, associations, and experts to provide advice on the various issues related to the province’s trade relationship with the United States.EDITOR'S NOTE: The original version of this piece was published in November 2019 as The Nassau Guardian observed its 175th anniversary. By Bahamian standards of longevity, The Nassau Guardian has been around since King Hammer was a hatchet, as the old saying goes. And that’s a mighty long time! Indeed the oldest continuously operating institutions in this country today are the legislature, the Anglican Church, the police force, the Baptist then Presbyterian then Methodist churches followed by (after a gap of about 50 years or so) The Nassau Guardian in 1844. From then to now, The Guardian has been an integral part of the life of The Bahamas, not only as a purveyor of pure news (if there is ever such a thing) and chronicler of our history but as a major shaper of public opinion over the past 180 years on a multitude of things, large and small. I offer some reflections on The Guardian ’s evolution over that timespan. Broadly speaking, The Guardian ’s history can be divided into: (1) the Moseley era (from the founding of the newspaper in 1844 until the mid-point of the 20th Century, give or take a few years, and (2) what might be described — unimaginatively, I admit — as the post-Moseley era (from 1955 to the present). The Moseley era (1844 –1955) The dominant figure in The Guardian ’s Moseley era was not its founder and first editor, Edwin Charles Moseley, but rather his granddaughter, Miss Mary Moseley (she died a spinster with neither chick nor child). About 20 years ago, in a piece I wrote on the July 1926 hurricanes, I described Mary Moseley (1878-1960) in these terms: No other woman, before or since, has exercised such influence on public opinion in The Bahamas. Moseley was a woman of many parts, not all of them in harmony with each other. She was (in no particular order) an exemplar of Victorian virtue; a true patriot and staunch supporter of the British Empire (she had received an MBE while in England for services to convalescing British soldiers in World War I); a racial bigot; a woman of great compassion for the poor and needy; doyenne of Bahamian journalists; walking encyclopedia of Bahamian history; publisher and editor of the very first Bahamas Handbook in 1926; pioneering advocate for environmental conservation and civic beautification; and among other social positions, a leading light of the Bahamas Chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire to which none but the cream of white society dared beg admittance. She was, for certain, an immensely gifted writer with a distinct leaning towards the use of lyrical prose even in her news stories. One striking example would be furnished in her description of the July 1926 hurricane as it was preparing to barrel into Nassau, observing how: “.... the mighty silk cotton trees which with almost uncanny insight promptly shed their leaves and stood gaunt and stripped for battle against the awful strokes of the gale.” Of greater consequence, Moseley was the local media’s voice for what Aaron Burr would have called in his time the “best blood of the country”. She was convinced that it coursed through the veins of the two dominant and closely-leagued political figures of the early 20th Century Bahamas: the speaker of the House of Assembly and the leading member of the legal profession, Harcourt Malcolm (with whom Moseley shared a close friendship and a consuming passion for Bahamian historical research), and Sir George Gamblin, the local head of the Royal Bank of Canada and, next to Malcolm, the most influential member of the House of Assembly. This pair constituted the twin-head of the local political aristocracy (soon to be joined by A.K. [Sir Kenneth] Solomon). Making no apologies for it, Mary Moseley was their most formidable promoter and ardent defender. The Guardian , however, was not all about local politics and international affairs. Thrice weekly, it also covered the births, christenings, betrothals, marriages, anniversaries, scholastic achievements, travels, soirees, amusements, sporting and recreational activities and the illnesses and deaths of the ruling class. Moseley’s Bahamas, as perceived through the lens of The Guardian , was strictly upper crust and, even more so, lily-white. Back then if you wanted to get caught up on what colored folk – 80-85 percent of the population – might be up to in their social lives, you would have to read The Tribune. Moseley had no time for such trifles. The Guardian in the Moseley era became increasingly conservative and uncompromisingly supportive of the racialist policies of the local oligarchy, especially from the 1930s. (By contrast, its nemesis, the Nassau Daily Tribune, under Etienne (later Sir Etienne) Dupuch, was the crusader-in-chief for social reform, racial equality and liberal causes generally, all while maintaining a steadfast loyalty to crown and empire). It was ironic that The Guardian should have cast itself in this rearguard role, considering its genesis. The founder of the newspaper, the first of the Moseleys in The Bahamas, had emigrated from England to work for The Argus, an unabashedly racist and inflammatory newspaper which, under its editor, George Biggs, had been the most outspoken and virulent of the local proponents for the retention of slavery in the run-up to Abolition in 1834. The story that has come down, and there is no reason to think it apocryphal, is that the original Edwin Moseley was so revolted by the racism of The Argus that he declined to take up his appointment, becoming a teacher instead at the recently established King’s College (under the auspices of King’s College, London). Located just off East Street and East Hill Street where the Royal Victoria Hotel would later be established, the school was an intriguing, if ultimately unsuccessful, social experiment for its time, with its consciously non-racial admissions policy and its racially balanced group of shareholders and board of directors. But that is a story for another time. Suffice it to say here that after a few years teaching, E.C. Moseley (as he was referred to) segued into the journalistic career that would occupy the rest of his working life, all of it at The Guardian. Despite the liberalism on race that was evident at the founding of The Guardian , it would not endure. Under Mary Moseley, The Guardian would become ever more dismissive of all the talk about (and later the outcry from certain quarters for) the curtailment of racial discrimination in the body politic and in the society at large. Moreover, it resolutely supported the maintenance of the status quo in relation to virtually all things political and social. To the end, Mary Moseley remained a creature of 19th Century arch-conservative thinking. (Note: Mary Moseley deserves a full-length biography. She was a remarkable lady, especially for her times and considering - ironically again - the systemic discrimination against women that was a mark of those times. In the meantime, those interested in learning more about her should refer to the short monographs written about her a while back by Ruth Bowe [now Madam Justice Ruth Bowe-Darville]; James Lawlor and the late Benson McDermott, himself a former editor of The Guardian) . The post-Moseley era (1955-present) The beginning of the post-Moseley era saw The Guardian falling into the hands of a group that made it no secret that its singular mission was to preserve and perpetuate the hegemony of the local oligarchy which was at that time coalescing into what would soon become the United Bahamian Party. That The Guardian was in this period essentially a propaganda tool for this group, the soon-to-be ancient regime, is not a matter for serious debate. Moreover, the racist policies of The Guardian became even more blatant than they had been in the Moseley Era. Indeed, Sir Etienne Dupuch, in his autobiography, "The Tribune Story” wrote: “Even as late as 1961, The Guardian emphasized in an advertisement in ‘Editor and Publisher’ that it ‘reaches practically 100% of the WHITE population of The Bahamas” (the word “White” really was in caps). Following the achievement of Majority Rule in 1967 under the Progressive Liberal Party (which both The Guardian and the Tribune had found common cause in vigorously opposing), a non-Bahamian/non-resident group headed by a wealthy American, John Perry, bought T he Guardian . They would continue to hold the majority stake for the ensuing 35 years or so until selling out to its present Bahamian owners about 22 years ago. In the post-Majority Rule part of the post-Moseley era to date (longhand for saying from 1967 to the present), it is, I think, fair to say that The Guardian has, for the most part, placed itself in the middle of the political road in its editorial policy notwithstanding that there have been extensive periods within that time swath when it was routinely dismissed by some as being joined-at-the-hip to the FNM or, if not that, biased towards the party in power. Speculation in the latter regard was no doubt fueled by a cynical perception that the Perry Group and later the present owners saw The Guardian as a business opportunity and/or as a support apparatus for their other, more consequential, business interests rather than a furnace to stoke any crusading zeal over the burning issues of the day that they might otherwise have had. Competing for government contracts for the printing of the official Gazette and the like was also seen by some, post 1967 until the '90s at least, as giving rise to a need to curry favor with the party in power by leveraging a neutral or perhaps only mildly critical editorial policy. Whether there is a kernel or two of truth in that is likely never to be known. It’s not something that lends itself to easy confession nor is it the kind of stuff that ends up in tactful memoirs. Be that as it may, looking at The Guardian today, it is fair, I think, to pronounce the following verdict: It is more balanced and objective in its editorial policy and news coverage than it has ever been before. It’s an equal opportunity exposer and slayer of the corrupt and the incompetent, the pompous and foolish alike, no matter which party is in power. Conversely, there is, in my estimation, no shortage of editorials praising the soundness of new ideas and the goodness of men and women when they do good, no matter which side of the political aisle (or wherever else) they might spring from. Some others may see it differently. I do not. Moreover, in terms of the width and breadth of its non-news subjects, The Guardian is today a far more interesting publication than ever before. Moreover, the social and racial snobbery that disfigured the newspaper in the Moseley Era and first decade of the Post-Moseley Era is long gone. If it is indeed correct that today's Guardian should be characterized in the way I have suggested in the last two paragraphs above, what better footing can there be for the nation’s oldest newspaper as it both celebrates its 180th anniversary and launches itself towards the ever-nearer milestone of its bicentenary in 2044. Congratulations and best wishes!

Weekly Horoscope Taurus, November 24 to 30, 2024 predicts a secure week ahead

NEW YORK/ LONDON :MSCI's global equity gauge was lower on Friday while bond yields climbed as investors waited for clues about the future path for interest rates from next week's U.S. Federal Reserve meeting. In U.S. Treasuries, benchmark 10-year yields rose to a three-week high and were on track for their fifth-straight daily gain as investors bet that Fed chair Jerome Powell will signal a pause in policy easing after a widely expected 25-basis-point rate cut next Wednesday. The U.S. central bank is grappling with inflation staying stubbornly above its 2 per cent annual target. Data released on Thursday showed higher-than-expected U.S. producer prices in November. Friday's data showed U.S. import prices barely rose in November as increases in food and fuel costs were partially offset by decreases elsewhere, thanks to a strong dollar. "The market is assuming that Powell cuts next week and then pauses. I think that's the right assumption because we're seeing a tension between the inflationary data and the labor-market data," said Matt Rowe, head of portfolio management and cross-asset strategies at Nomura Capital Management. While bets on a December rate cut are almost unanimous, CME Group's Fedwatch tool implies just two cuts in 2025. “They have to take into account that in an economy where inflation is showing itself at this point to be sticky, and you're very highly likely going to get further fiscal stimulus, deregulation, and some aspect of tariffs coming through, there's just no way you can validate why you keep cutting in that instance,” said Tom Fitzpatrick, head of global market insights at R.J. O'Brien in New York. While a rally in chipmaker Broadcom boosted Wall Street, the indexes made no strong move in either direction. At 2:59 p.m. EST (1959 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 61.58 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 43,852.54, the S&P 500 fell 0.80 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 6,050.55 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 19.33 points, or 0.10 per cent, to 19,922.17. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe fell 2.30 points, or 0.26 per cent, to 866.11. Europe's STOXX 600 index closed down 0.53 per cent earlier, breaking a three-week winning streak, as investors sought clarity on Europe's rate policy amid concerns about economic growth and a potential trade war. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 7.5 basis points to 4.399 per cent, from 4.324 per cent late on Thursday while the 30-year bond yield rose 6.7 basis points to 4.615 per cent. The two-year note yield, which typically moves with Fed-rate expectations, rose 5.5 basis points to 4.241 per cent. In currencies, the dollar eyed its biggest weekly gain in a month on the prospect of slower U.S. rate cuts next year. Sterling fell after a surprise contraction in UK economic activity while the euro clawed back some recent losses in the wake of the European Central Bank's rate cut on Thursday. On the day, the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, rose 0.04 per cent to 107.00, with the euro up 0.26 per cent at $1.0494. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.69 per cent to 153.68, having risen all week as traders scaled back bets on a Bank of Japan rate hike next week. In energy markets, oil prices settled at a three-week high on expectations that more sanctions on Russia and Iran could tighten supplies and that lower U.S. and European interest rates could boost fuel demand. U.S. crude settled up 1.8 per cent, or $1.27 at $71.29 a barrel and Brent settled at $74.49 per barrel, up 1.5 per cent or $1.08 on the day. In precious metals, gold fell on the day but was set for a weekly gain. Spot gold fell 1.05 per cent to $2,653.17 an ounce. U.S. gold futures fell 0.96 per cent to $2,661.70 an ounce.NEW YORK , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — MMA Global proudly announces the winners of the esteemed SMARTIESTM X Global & North America 2024 Awards. This prestigious program honors the most innovative and impactful marketing campaigns worldwide, celebrating the ingenuity of marketing professionals who are redefining industry standards and shaping the future of creativity and innovation in marketing. The SMARTIESTM X Global & North America Awards recognize the exceptional achievements of agencies and brands driving innovation in marketing. Winners gain unparalleled recognition, showcasing their expertise and fostering valuable industry connections. These awardees serve as industry inspirations, demonstrating the transformative power of strategic creativity. Additionally, SMARTIESTM X Global & North America 2024 winners will be featured in the prestigious MMA Business Impact Index (BII), further solidifying their status as leaders in the field. The BII utilizes a proprietary methodology developed in collaboration with WARC, the global authority on advertising and media effectiveness, compiling rankings using finalist and winner data from awards programs worldwide. This year, the SMARTIESTM X Global and North America programs received submissions across seven dynamic channels : Purpose-Driven Marketing, Marketing Impact, Impact Media, Emerging Tech Marketing, E-commerce Marketing, Creative, and AI Marketing. Evaluated by two distinguished marketer-only jury panels spanning continents, each entry underwent rigorous scrutiny to identify the most impactful and innovative campaigns. Global Winners The SMARTIESTM X Global 2024 Awards presented a total of 26 Gold , 31 Silver , and 33 Bronze category awards, alongside 12 Industry Awards recognizing outstanding achievements across various sectors. TikTok was honored as the Enabling Technology Company of the Year globally, while Ingage from Turkey took home the title of Digital Agency of the Year . Komputer, also from Turkey , was recognized as the Specialist Agency of the Year . Amazon Ads, operating in the USA and India , earned the distinction of Publisher of the Year . Dove from the USA was celebrated as the Most Resilient Brand of the Year , showcasing remarkable adaptability and strength in the market. Ogilvy Vietnam was awarded Creative Agency of the Year , demonstrating exceptional creativity and strategic prowess. Mindshare India secured the title of Media Agency of the Year , reflecting their outstanding media strategies and execution. Ogilvy was further recognized globally as the Agency Network of the Year Global , highlighting their effective network operations. WPP was acknowledged as the Holding Agency Company , underscoring their leadership and influence in the marketing industry. Mastercard from Turkey was named Brand of the Year , exemplifying brand excellence and market impact. Unilever was honored as the Advertiser of the Year globally, and Coca-Cola Foodmarks from Vietnam clinched the Best in Show award, symbolizing exceptional creativity and business impact. These winners exemplify excellence and set a high standard for the marketing industry globally. The judging process for SMARTIESTM X Global 2024 involved a comprehensive evaluation of each submission across the seven dynamic channels, ensuring that only the most innovative and impactful campaigns were recognized. The Jury Presidents played a crucial role in overseeing this rigorous selection, bringing their extensive expertise and unique perspectives to the table. Didem Namver , Director of Digital Marketing Excellence & Consumer Loyalty Programs at PepsiCo Türkiye, Chairwoman of MMA Türkiye, and General Secretary of REPİD Türkiye, shared her insights: “The SMARTIESTM X Global Awards showcase the very best in marketing innovation and creativity. It’s inspiring to see how these campaigns not only drive business success but also create meaningful connections with consumers. Congratulations to all the winners for pushing the boundaries and setting new standards in the industry.” Richa Goswami , Board member at EQT AB, added: “Marketing excellence is about blending creativity with strategic insight, and this year’s SMARTIESTM X Global Awards perfectly highlight that synergy. I’m thrilled to see such diverse and impactful campaigns being recognized, as they truly represent the future of marketing on a global scale.” Gustavo Aguiar , Integrated Marketing Director at Nestlé Brasil, added: Bei ng part of the SMARTIESTM X Global Jury has been a rewarding experience. The quality and innovation of the submissions this year are exceptional, reflecting the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of marketing. Kudos to all the winners for their outstanding contributions and for inspiring the entire industry.” Carol Chen , Global CMO & SVP Shell Mobility, Chairman Shell Brands International, concluded: “The SMARTIESTM X Global Awards exemplify the highest standards of marketing excellence, celebrating campaigns that blend creativity with strategic innovation to drive meaningful impact. I congratulate all the winners for their exceptional achievements and for setting new benchmarks in the industry. These accolades inspire us all to push the boundaries of what’s possible in marketing.” View the complete MMA SMARTIESTM X Global 2024 Winner Gallery here. North American Winners In the North American program, SMARTIESTM North America 2024 winners have demonstrated exceptional prowess in marketing innovation. With 12 Gold , 7 Silver , and 9 Bronze category awards, along with 10 Industry Awards , the region celebrates excellence in marketing achievements. AdTheorent was named the Enabling Technology Company of the Year , showcasing their innovative technological solutions. Patients & Purpose from North America earned the title of Specialist Agency of the Year , reflecting their specialized expertise and impactful campaigns. Hearts & Science was celebrated as the Digital Agency of the Year , highlighting their outstanding digital strategies and executions. Vogue was recognized as the Publisher of the Year , demonstrating excellence in publishing and media engagement. Ogilvy secured the title of Creative Agency of the Year , showcasing their creative excellence and strategic insights. Mindshare was honored as the Media Agency of the Year , reflecting their superior media planning and buying capabilities. WPP was acknowledged as the Holding Agency Company of the Year , underscoring their leadership and influence in the North American market. Dove continued its streak of excellence by being named Brand of the Year in North America , while Unilever was honored once again as the Advertiser of the Year . The campaign Barbie Breaks Out The Box (Office) clinched the Best in Show award, demonstrating outstanding creativity and business impact. “The SMARTIESTM X Global and North American Awards celebrate marketing’s potential to drive positive change. We proudly honor this year’s winners for their creativity and innovation in Marketing Excellence. Their outstanding campaigns not only drive business success but also inspire meaningful change and creativity across the industry. In addition, launching our new Sonic branding logo at MMA SMARTIESTM underscores our commitment to the future of marketing. Congratulations to all award recipients for their extraordinary achievements,” said Rohit Dadwal , CEO of MMA Global APAC & Global Head of SMARTIESTM Worldwide. Explore the complete MMA SMARTIESTM North America 2024 Winner Gallery and delve into the exceptional campaigns that have set the standard for marketing excellence here. About MMA Global: MMA Global is the leading global trade association for marketers, providing essential resources and expertise to empower marketers to navigate the complex world of Marketing. With a commitment to driving innovation and effectiveness, MMA Global plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of marketing. SMARTIES: SMARTIES is the prestigious marketing awards program hosted by MMA Global, recognizing excellence in Marketing. The SMARTIES Awards celebrate the most innovative and impactful campaigns that push the boundaries of creativity and drive measurable business impact in today’s dynamic landscape. Find out more about MMA Global at https://www.mmaglobal.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/mma-global-announces-the-smarties-x-global–north-america-2024-winners-a-celebration-of-marketing-excellence–pushing-innovative-boundaries-on-the-global-stage-302332528.html SOURCE MMA GlobalMINNEAPOLIS — In its ninth try, Fertile-Beltrami football finally has a state championship. The Falcons took command in the second half and defeated Hills-Beaver Creek 20-8 in the Minnesota 9-man Prep Bowl championship game on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Jonah Harstad and Isaiah Wright ran for third quarter touchdowns and, after Hills-Beaver Creek trimmed to lead to 14-8 late in the third, Harstad ran for the game's final score with about four minutes to play. The Falcons finished the season 13-0 and gave 30-year head coach Brian Nelson the biggest of his 207 career victories. Neither team could muster much offensively in a scoreless first half. Of the Falcons' five possessions, three ended on failed fourth down tries, another on a fumble and they punted on their first drive. Hills-Beaver Creek lost the ball on downs to open the game, punted and then had two drives end on F-B interceptions. But F-B got rolling after stopping the Patriots on downs on the first possession of the second half. The Falcons drove 47 yards in eight plays, with Harstad scoring from 2-yards out for a 6-0 lead with 5:05 left in the third quarter. F-B's Preston Hanson recovered a Patriots fumble on the ensuing drive and the Falcons drove 42 yards in six plays, with Wright scoring on a 3-yard run and adding the 2-point run for a 14-0 lead with 2:31 left in the third. H-BC got back in it when quarterback Jamin Metzger connected with James VandenBosch on a 53-yard TD pass with 2:09 left in the third quarter to make it 14-8 Falcons. But the Falcons answered on their next possession, with Harstad running it in from 1-yard out to cap an eight-play, 50-yard drive to make it 20-6 with 10 minutes to play. F-B turned H-BC over on downs on its next possession but the Patriots got another shot when Harstad lost a fumble at the Patriots' 16 yard line with 3:23 left in the game. However, Wright intercepted a Metzger pass four plays later and returned it 17 yards to the H-BC 33 yard line with 2:31 to play. On second down, Wright ran 10 yards for a first down to the Patriots 20 yard line with two minutes left and the Falcons burned the remaining time to end the game. Wright carried 33 times for 185 yards and a TD and Harstad ran for 28 yards and two scores on 14 carries. Quarterback Easton Petry hit 7 of 10 passes for 91 yards. Bryer Strem made four catches for 41 yards, and he also intercepted two passes in the first half. Caleb Sather led the Falcons with nine total tackles, Hanson made eight solo stops, and Jack Leiser had six tackles. All three had tackles for lost yards. H-BC's Metzger hit 11 of 18 passes for 114 yards but was intercepted three times. He led Patriots rushers with 30 yards on seven carries. VandenBosch had four receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown.