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Companies that self-regulate to curb harmful practices increase profits, finds studyAfter starting 2-0 in its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, SMU looks to make the month even more special on Sunday, hosting Longwood in Dallas, Texas. The Mustangs seek a seven-game win streak in their final nonconference test before welcoming No. 4 Duke to Dallas on Jan. 4. In recent victories over Alabama State, Virginia, LSU, and Boston College, SMU (10-2) averaged 85.3 points per game, allowed just 66.0 ppg, and climbed to No. 30 in the NET rankings. "We're a different team right now than we were earlier in the season," SMU head coach Andy Enfield said at the beginning of December, his words ringing even truer as the season progresses. "They'd never been under pressure together until recently, so they're starting to learn and figure things out." Longwood (11-3) enters its third consecutive road game, having won five of its last six overall. That includes a major 82-67 win at North Carolina Central on Dec. 20. It was only the sixth nonconference home loss for NCC since 2016, and Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich saw it as a result of his team's growing cohesiveness. "We got great contributions from so many players," Aldrich said. "We have been working to play more and more connected, and this team has really taken positive steps this week." The Mustangs' Matt Cross is among the biggest threats to Longwood's defense, which allows just 66.6 points per game. A 6-foot-7 forward, Cross had 36 points over SMU's last two wins, including a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double against LSU. What Cross does with the ball in his hands is impressive -- he is averaging 13.5 ppg in December -- but it is also what he does off the ball that increases his value. "He's extremely tough," Enfield said after Cross' performance against LSU. "His wall up in transition, where (Corey) Chest came down, was going to dunk the ball, and he stood there and took the contact. ...That's a big-time basketball play." Longwood is paced by Michael Christmas, a veteran forward in his fourth year in the program. A hard-nosed wing who can score at all three levels, Christmas is Longwood's only returner who started at least 30 games on last year's NCAA Tournament team. He is averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. "(He) loves this university, loves this town and community," Aldrich said of Christmas. "He opted to come back here to really invest in the program." --Field Level Media
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NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing lower as Wall Street ends a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday and the the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 333 points, or 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5%. The “Magnificent 7” stocks weighed on the market, led by declines in Nvidia, Tesla and Microsoft. Even with the loss, the S&P 500 had a modest gain for the week and is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62%. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks are dragging down the market Friday as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.3%, with more than 90% of stocks in the benchmark index losing ground. The benchmark index was managing to hold onto a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 418 points, or 1%, to 42,878 as of 1:43 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 1.8%. Technology stocks were the biggest weight on the market Friday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 2.7%. Its enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes. Other Big Tech stocks losing ground included Microsoft, with a 2% decline. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 1.9% and Best Buy slipped 1.8%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy stocks held up better than the rest of the market, with a loss of just 0.1% as crude oil prices rose 1.4%. The S&P 500 gained nearly 3% over a 3-day stretch before breaking for the Christmas holiday. On Thursday, the index posted a small decline. “There's just some uncertainty over this relief rally we've witnessed since last week,” said Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial. Despite Friday's drop, the market is moving closer to another standout annual finish . The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024. Even though Inflation has come closer to the central bank's target of 2%, it remains stubbornly above that mark and worries about it heating up again have tempered the forecast for more interest rate cuts. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under incoming President Donald Trump. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Amedisys rose 4.7% after the home health care and hospice services provider agreed to extend the deadline for its sale to UnitedHealth Group. The Justice Department had sued to block the $3.3 billion deal, citing concerns he combination would hinder access to home health and hospice services in the U.S. The move to extend the deadline comes ahead of an expected shift in regulatory policy under Trump. The incoming administration is expected to have a more permissive approach to dealmaking and is less likely to raise antitrust concerns. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury slipped to 4.31% from 4.33% late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.Bunting, Letang and Tomasino score on the power play, lifting the Penguins over the Flames 6-2Open defecation practice among traders in Ebute-Ero and four other major markets in Lagos has become a public health threat to the residents as they have raised the alarm over looming disease outbreaks. CHIJIOKE IREMEKA reports The scorching sun blazed down that Tuesday afternoon, overpowering the usually cool breeze wafting through the Ebute-Ero waterside community. Though the breeze offered a momentary reprieve from the heat, it carried a stench enough to make one lose one’s lunch. Ebute-Ero, an ancient community on Lagos Island, is known for its bustling Ebute-Ero market. Ebute Ero market which is lined with open stalls and lockup shops is one of the oldest and largest markets in Nigeria. It is located in the Lagos Island Local Government Area. Currently, the market has become infamous for the unchecked dumping of human waste directly into its surrounding water bodies (lagoon). The cause of the stench, PUNCH Healthwise discovered during visits to the market, was the indiscriminate passing of human waste into the water bodies. Our correspondent during the visits saw some of the traders squatting down on the concrete barriers to defecate inside the water bodies. Also, along the CMS-Ebute-Ero route, others were spotted relieving themselves on patches of green vegetation. Further observation of the area revealed a frequent influx of individuals, traders, artisans, drivers, and visitors to water bodies to relieve themselves. It is common to see them rushing to the concrete barriers with one or two sachets of water or a plastic bottle of water to clean up after defecating. Women, it was observed, often sought more private areas, which was why some squat between closely parked vehicles, defecate in nylon bags, and toss them into the water. Pretending to be pressed, our correspondent squatted down on the concrete barriers to observe. A few minutes later, a young man joined the throng of men mounting the concrete barriers and relieved himself into the water. Striking up a friendly conversation with the newcomer to the scene, 26-year-old Basiru Olateru, a wholesaler in beverages, our correspondent confirmed that many visitors and workers alike answered nature’s call in the water body. The Osun State indigene noted that many of the public toilets meant to serve their needs were often in a filthy state, creating an easy excuse to pass their waste into the Lagoon. Olateru said the public toilets in Oke-Arin and Apongbon markets close to Ebute-Ero market were notorious for their lack of cleanliness, maintenance, and the absence of basic hygiene supplies. He said, “The public toilet is usually dirty and lacks maintenance. In some cases, you will go there to defecate but the state of the toilet will push you away. The place lacks maintenance, and there is no soap or disinfectant. “Apart from the smell that comes from there, in some cases, people use the toilet and leave them in a terrible position until the operators come and clean it up. You will see stains and patches of excreta in the toilet bowl that would make you uncomfortable. “They would want you to sit down to defecate, but that is the part I don’t like because it brings my body in close contact with the bacteria that can cause infections.” He claimed to have treated an infection he got from a public toilet and would not want a repeat of the situation, hence his decision to defecate outside of the public toilets. Available but dirty toilets A middle-aged driver at the Ebute-Ero park, Jide Adesola, waited his turn to call passengers into his vehicle. He told PUNCH Healthwise that he paid N100 each time he used the toilet. Uncomfortable with the charges, Adesola chose to defecate directly into the lagoon, undeterred by the presence of law enforcement officers. However, that seemed not to be his only alibi. He mentioned that despite the N100 charge, the toilets were dirty. The driver said, “In most cases, the toilets are dirty and overcrowded. I feel uncomfortable and unsafe using them. Even the smell will not allow you to breathe, and that is why I use the one in the water each time I visit. At least our wastes go into the water and do not smell.” Water from Lagoon However, this practice poses serious environmental and health risks for some residents who depend on this water for fishing and other domestic purposes. Online maps show that Makoko, a community known for its fishing and living on the Lagoon, is situated south of Ebute-Ero. This implies that the excreta deposited at the Ebute-Ero end of the lagoon would be carried towards the fishing town, polluting the water body. Our correspondent further learnt that the Ebute-Ero community relied on water from the lagoon for daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and fishing. Residents who spoke with PUNCH Healthwise said this practice had exposed the entire community to waterborne diseases including cholera, diarrhoea, and even incurable hepatitis B and C, among other infections. They raised concerns about the lack of sanitation facilities in the markets, saying that existing ones were often in poor condition, dirty, and overcrowded, thereby pushing people to practice the outlawed open defecation by using the lagoon. The residents lamented that efforts to address the situation have been hindered by a lack of government oversight and willpower to restore sanity, thereby creating a public nuisance. Street boys built toilets in water While the state is grappling with this unwholesome practice, louts defied the environmental and sanitation laws and built a toilet directly in the water for people to use at a fee. However, the legality of the toilet built in the Marine Water at Ebute-Ero, opposite the Oke-Arin Market, was yet to be unravelled. This unwholesome practice is happening at a time when the state was battling cholera and other infectious diseases. Findings revealed that the Lagos State Ministry of Environment had at a point dismantled the toilet but was rebuilt by the boys, and since then, no government official, not even the local government council, had raised an eyebrow at this menace. Over 3.9 million toilets needed According to the Joint Monitoring Programme, Open Defecation, popularly known as OD, refers to the practice of defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water, or other open spaces. “Defecating in the open is an affront to dignity and a risk to children’s nutrition and community health,” it added. Recently, the United Nations Children’s Fund said Nigeria will need to build no fewer than 3.9 million toilets annually to meet the 2025 target for ending open defecation practices. UNICEF chief, Jane Bevan, disclosed this at the opening of a two-day Maiden Toilet Business Owners Conference in Abuja, saying, “About 1.3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, or N455 billion, is lost annually due to poor access to sanitation—health, health care savings, and productivity.” She stated that current toilet construction in the country stood between 180,000 and 200,000 toilets annually, describing it as inadequate. More so, Nigeria presently occupies the topmost level on the ladder of OD and in order to combat the menace, former President Muhammadu Buhari declared a state of emergency on OD as contained in Executive Order 009 titled: The Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters. The declaration was expected to be followed by actions from each state to domesticate the Order and plan towards its application and sustenance to achieve Open DefecationFree status by 2025. Sequel to this, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo–Olu, took the lead role and set the pace for others to emulate by signing an Executive Order titled: Enforcement of Law and Order in Respect of Traffic and Sanitation Matters. This Order was to restore stability and accountability to all citizens to become active stakeholders in bringing necessary changes to transform Lagos into the desired state. However, these have not achieved the desired goal as over 46 million Nigerians still practise OD, according to UNICEF’s report. Bridge turned toilet To further examine the extent of open defecation and the neglect of public toilets in other markets in the state, our correspondent visited Oke-Arin, Apongbon, Oshodi, and Iyana-Iba markets. At Iyana-Iba, street urchins, popularly called Omo-Ita, traders, and their visitors turned a newly constructed bridge adjoining Ojo General Hospital’s site into an open defecation destination. Traversing the bridge from the Expressway to the back of the hospital is a difficult and unpleasant journey, as one is forced to hold one’s breath to avoid the overpowering stench of faecal matter scattered across the bridge. PUNCH Healthwise noticed an inscription written in red ink on the sidewalls of the bridge, “No Toilet. N5,000.” This warning, perhaps intended to discourage people from using the bridge as a latrine, yielded no success as our correspondent observed several individuals defecating there without restraint or fear of punishment. A 23-year-old petty trader, Juliet Obor, explained that there were three major toilets used by people in the market, emphasising that many, particularly the ‘area boys,’ still preferred using the bridge as a toilet. Obor, who sells grains, noted that while the privately owned toilet was well-maintained and disinfected, the government-run toilets were often neglected and dirty. When asked why the government toilets were not as clean as the privately owned ones, she responded, “Can the government toilet ever be neater than the private one? Who cleans it? But here, the operator cleans it immediately after someone uses it.” Obor explained that although she used the private toilet whenever she needed to urinate, she preferred to go to her house nearby to defecate. The state of the bridge, she added, was an embarrassment to the environment and government, expressing concern about how the construction company would continue work at the site amid such extensive faecal contamination. Related News Lagos residents decry incessant crashes in Badagry N5m donation tears Celestial church apart, founder’s son disrupts service Sanwo-Olu swears in eight new perm secs, tutors-general Similar situation in Apongbon A trader, Chizoba Ndilika, said the scarcity of clean public toilets pushed him to urinate in the open. He said, “If the toilets are well maintained, I will be using the public toilet. But with the experience I had with the public toilet, I don’t like using it anymore. It is hard for you to see clean public toilets. “I can urinate there but can’t sit on that bowl to defecate. Like I said, the least I can do is to be there.” Deplorable toilet walls At Oshodi, the story is similar, as our correspondent spotted some individuals defecating on the railway towards Mushin. One of the perpetrators, identified as Taju, and suspected to be one of the louts on the street of Oshodi, said he had no time for public toilets. Some of the toilets visited at Oshodi were in extremely poor condition. One was dilapidated to the extent that the exposed blocks on the walls were visible through the crumbling plaster. Fear of contracting disease Some traders who spoke with PUNCH Healthwise at the market said the fear of infection was the reason they did not patronise certain toilets in the market. One of the traders who deals in baby wear, Hayatu Ishola, said it was a common practice to see women covering themselves with wrappers while urinating on the streets rather than going into the public toilets. She said that squatting down to urinate in a dirty toilet could make women contract infection. But when she was heavily pressed, she would manage the toilet but would get antibiotics immediately after to prevent infections. “Ordinarily, I don’t enter those public toilets because they are dirty. The only one I manage to use is the one at the BRT plaza. But each time I use it, I must take antibiotics to protect myself against infections. “Women’s bodies are open, and you don’t urinate or defecate anywhere you see else you will carry infections. It pays me to go to the nearby bush to ease myself rather than to go to a public toilet unless that toilet is clean. “There is always water on the floor of the toilet, and the water is not free from bacteria, and there are many sicknesses in the country now. The best is for you to avoid this market toilet unless the toilets are well disinfected. I pity the women who use public toilets regularly,” Ishola said. Totally against our sanitation laws –Lagos Speaking on the development, the Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, said constructing such toilets on the water bodies was strange. He said, “Some of these are managed by local governments while some are managed by private owners with whom we have a very robust relationship. What is however strange, is the fact that this toilet you are talking about has been built on the water body which is totally against our sanitation laws. “The relevant department in the Ministry will investigate this and apply necessary sanctions where necessary. For the umpteenth time, open defecation has no place in this state. We will continue to enforce the provisions of the law against them. “The problem of open defecation is a major social issue that the present administration is tackling headlong. We are combining enforcement with moral suasion because the state believes that if advocacy is stepped up as it is being done now, people will come to realise the health hazards of open defecation and refrain from it.” The Lagos State Government on Tuesday reiterated its commitment to eliminate open defecation and prioritise good sanitation practices across the state. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known at the Year 2024 World Toilet Day celebrations held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, saying the government would continue to proffer solutions to all sanitation challenges across the state. He said every World Toilet Day celebrates the importance of toilets, raising awareness of the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. He added that the day was also about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030. Wahab stated that the national theme, “Use the Toilet and Have Peace,” was very apt as it focused on the fact that for billions of people, sanitation was under threat arising from conflict, climate change, disaster and neglect. He said, “When sanitation services are destroyed, damaged or disrupted, untreated human waste spreads in the environment, unleashing deadly diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea which affect community health and the well-being of citizens.” Wahab explained that in addressing the menace of open defecation in the state, the government had developed four cardinal roadmaps which are advocacy/sensitisation; bridging the infrastructure gap; standardisation and regularisation of existing facilities as well as ensuring adequate monitoring and enforcement. In 2022, UNICEF stressed that the impact of open defecation in Nigeria was huge, indicating that more than 100,000 children under five years of age die each year due to diarrhoea; of which 90 per cent was directly attributable to unsafe water and sanitation. It noted that one in four children under five years of age exhibit severe stunting, while one in 10 is wasted, due to frequent episodes of diarrhoea and other Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene-related diseases. UNICEF also launched a national campaign tagged ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ to jump-start the country’s journey towards becoming open defecation-free by 2025. 90% households consume faeces-contaminated water – NBS Also, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey carried out in 2017 by the National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with UNICEF, said 90 per cent of households in Nigeria consume faeces-contaminated water and other impure substances. According to UNIC’s Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Mrs Maureen Zubie-Okolo, the water and sanitation situation in the country is worrisome; water-borne diseases, such as diarrhoea have been the leading cause of hospital admissions, especially among under-five children. The World Health Organisation ranked Nigeria as fifth among countries practising open defecation, while India topped the chart with 626 million people. We’ve warned them Reacting to the situation, one of the market leaders, Rassaq Azeez, said that the market leadership had warned them to stop using the place as a toilet but they refused to listen. “We have written a warning on almost all the pavements there to stop them, but they paid a deaf ear. You can see the heap of faeces on the bridge and how the company would handle it is what I don’t know. “We have several toilets here, not as if we don’t have toilets in this place, but the majority of them will not want to pay N100 or N50 to use the toilet. The money paid is to keep the toilet clean,” he said. Also, an operator of a privately owned toilet, who simply identified herself as Sola, said that some people make use of the toilet, while others don’t. “My toilet is the most used because I keep it clean. We disinfect it immediately after someone finishes using it,” said the operator of a privately owned toilet. We have enough toilets – Market leader Reacting to the condition of the public toilets, one of the market leaders working with the Iyaloja, Ade Olakunle, said, “We have enough toilets in this place. Each new building comes with toilet facilities.” On the reason people preferred open defecation to public toilets, he said, “Don’t mind those people going there to defecate. The practice has mastered them. It is a decision they have taken over a long period. “As for this Oke-Arin market, we have enough toilets to take care of the traders and visitors to the market. The one over there was provided by the area boys where they defecate. They collect N100 for others to use.” Asked why Lagos State allowed such environmental and aquatic degradation, he said, “It used to be bigger than this but the Ministry of Environment came and scattered it, but the area boys put it back. “When the local government came back, they couldn’t do anything about it. And the structure has been there for a long time. The area boys resisted the government. “So, we have enough toilets, but if you are talking about other markets, I don’t know. There are several markets here. They are also called the Ebute-Ero market.” The leader of Methodist Plaza, Emeka Onubogu, affirmed that some of the toilets were dirty, saying that he only used toilets in Methodist Plaza and another at the Post Office side along Oshodi Road for fear of infections. He, however, said that most of the people who practice open defecation in Oshodi were the street boys who were not ready to part with a dime even if the toilet was at their doorstep. Onubogu said, “We have enough toilets here but not all are clean and infections can be gotten from such dirty places. I use only the toilets in my plaza and one at the Post Office. Outside these two, I do not use anyone again.” Re-orientation way out – Experts Reacting to the spate of open defecation in the state, an environmentalist and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Ibadan, Dr Oladapo Okareh, said Nigerians should be given proper re-orientation on the dangers of OD, saying that the practice could lead to an outbreak of diseases like cholera and diarrhoea. “Open defecation constitutes a major public health problem. It’s a public menace because it easily leads to outbreaks of communicable diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, intestinal infections, and respiratory diseases,” he added. Also, a public health expert at the Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Mrs Joy Anichebe, said water-borne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea were deadly diseases that could kill a child within one hour of the ailment. She noted, “Diseases like urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis, skin infections such as cellulitis, and even Hepatitis B and C, could be prevented if our public toilets are well taken care of and the people stop contaminating the water bodies and the land with faeces of infected persons.” We’re partnering with locals, transport unions – MOE&WR The MOE&WR Director of Public Affairs, who earlier spoke with PUNCH Healthwise, said the state government was constructing 100 new public toilets. “These new eco-friendly toilets will complement the existing toilets, which will be available for use at minimal charges. We will continue to enlighten residents on the dangers. “For Iyana-Iba market and similar locations where we have rampant cases of open defecation, the state is partnering with locals and transport unions to have people monitor the areas and apprehend people who try to defecate there. “Most of them use the cover of darkness to perpetrate this act. A success of this template has been recorded at Ojodu Berger which used to be a scene of unprecedented open defecation but is being policed round the clock by volunteers now,” Adeshina said.
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Fox attorneys seek to dismiss shareholder lawsuit over reporting of vote rigging allegations in 2020The Battle Rages On, Will Printed Books or E-Readers Win the Hearts of Readers?
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for Fox Corp. asked a Delaware judge Friday to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit seeking to hold current and former company officials personally liable for the financial fallout stemming from Fox News reports regarding alleged vote rigging in the 2020 election. Five New York City public employee pension funds, along with Oregon’s public employee retirement fund, allege that former chairman Rupert Murdoch and other Fox Corp. leaders deliberately turned a blind eye to liability risks posed by reporting false claims of vote rigging by election technology companies Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic USA. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest local entertainment news, dining reviews, and more delivered right to your inbox every Thursday.US regulator places Google Payment Corp under supervision
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in northern Gaza on Friday, forcing many staff and patients outside to strip in winter weather , the territory’s health ministry said. The army denied claims it had entered or set fire to the complex and accused Hamas of using the facility for cover. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods, according to staff. The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel’s military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and militants in the area and had ordered people out of the hospital, but said it had not entered the complex as of Friday night. It repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan but provided no evidence. Hospital officials have denied that. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the yard and remove their clothes. Some were led to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid this week. Israeli troops during raids frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. The Associated Press doesn’t have access to Kamal Adwan, but armed plainclothes members of the Hamas-led police forces have been seen in other hospitals, maintaining security but also controlling access to parts of the facilities. The Health Ministry said Israeli troops also set fires in several parts of Kamal Adwan, including the lab and surgery department. It said 25 patients and 60 health workers remained in the hospital. The account could not be independently confirmed, and attempts to reach hospital staff were unsuccessful. “Fire is ablaze everywhere in the hospital,” an unidentified staff member said in an audio message posted on social media accounts of hospital director Hossam Abu Safiya. The staffer said some evacuated patients had been unhooked from oxygen. “There are currently patients who could die at any moment,” she said. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, denied the accusations. “While IDF troops were not in the hospital, a small fire broke out in an empty building inside the hospital that is under control,” he said Friday night. He said a preliminary investigation found “no connection” between military activity and the fire. The Israeli military heavily restricts the movements of Palestinians in Gaza and has barred foreign journalists from entering the territory throughout the war, making it difficult to verify information. “These actions put the lives of all of these people in even more danger than what they faced before,” U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay told journalists, and noted colleagues’ reports of “significant damage” to the hospital. It should be protected as international law requires, she added. A largely isolated north Since October, Israel’s offensive has virtually sealed off the northern Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and leveled large parts of them. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced out but thousands are believed to remain in the area, where Kamal Adwan and two other hospitals are located. Troops raided Kamal Adwan in October, and on Tuesday troops stormed and evacuated the Indonesian Hospital. The area has been cut off from food and other aid for months , raising fears of famine . The United Nations says Israeli troops allowed just four humanitarian deliveries to the area from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. The Israeli rights group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel this week petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice, seeking a halt to military attacks on Kamal Adwan. It warned that forcibly evacuating the hospital would “abandon thousands of residents in northern Gaza.” Before the latest deaths Thursday, the group documented five other staffers killed by Israeli fire since October. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead. Israel’s nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives has devastated the territory’s health sector. A year ago, it carried out raids on hospitals in northern Gaza, including Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and al-Awda Hospital, saying they served as bases for Hamas, though it presented little evidence. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. {h2}Deaths from the cold in Gaza{/h2} More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most now sheltering in sprawling tent camps in south and central Gaza. Children and adults, many barefoot, huddled Friday on the cold sand in tents whose plastic and cloth sheets whipped in the wind. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 40s Fahrenheit (below 10 Celsius), and sea spray from the Mediterranean can dampen tents just steps away. “I swear to God, their mother and I cover ourselves with one blanket and we cover (their five children) with three blankets that we got from neighbors. Sea waters drowned everything that was ours,” said Muhammad al-Sous, displaced from Beit Lahiya in the north. The children collect plastic bottles to make fires, and pile under the blankets when their only set of clothes is washed and dried in the wind. At least three babies in Gaza have died from exposure to cold in recent days , doctors there have said, and the Health Ministry said an adult — a nurse who worked at the European Hospital — also died this week. Khaled and Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Narions contributed to this report.Long-serving governments need strong oppositionsVincerx Pharma Enters into a Binding Term Sheet for a Strategic Merger with Oqory, Inc.
US President-elect Donald Trump filed a brief Friday urging the Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban TikTok the day before his January 20 inauguration if it is not sold by its Chinese owner ByteDance. "In light of the novelty and difficulty of this case, the court should consider staying the statutory deadline to grant more breathing space to address these issues," Trump's legal team wrote, to give him "the opportunity to pursue a political resolution." Trump was fiercely opposed to TikTok during his 2017-21 first term, and tried in vain to ban the video app on national security grounds. The Republican voiced concerns -- echoed by political rivals -- that the Chinese government might tap into US TikTok users' data or manipulate what they see on the platform. US officials had also voiced alarm over the popularity of the video-sharing app with young people, alleging that its parent company is subservient to Beijing and that the app is used to spread propaganda, claims denied by the company and the Chinese government. Trump called for a US company to buy TikTok, with the government sharing in the sale price, and his successor Joe Biden went one stage further -- signing a law to ban the app for the same reasons. Trump has now, however, reversed course. "Now (that) I'm thinking about it, I'm for TikTok, because you need competition," he recently told Bloomberg. "If you don't have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram -- and that's, you know, that's Zuckerberg." Facebook, founded by Mark Zuckerberg and part of his Meta tech empire, was among the social media networks that banned Trump after attacks by his supporters on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The ban was driven by concerns that he would use the platform to promote more violence. Those bans on major social media platforms were later lifted. In the brief filed on Friday, Trump's lawyer made it clear the president-elect did not take a position on the legal merits of the current case. "President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute," John Sauer wrote in the amicus curiae -- or "friend of the court" -- brief. "Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the act's deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case, thus permitting President Trump's incoming Administration the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case." ft/aha
Louisville wastes early lead, holds off Eastern KentuckyFORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (the “Company”, Nasdaq: TLF) today announced that it had signed a Purchase and Sale Agreement to sell its corporate headquarters facilities, including its primary distribution center and flagship retail store, to Colonna Brothers, Inc. The sale price for the facilities, before taxes and expenses, will be $26.5 million, and the transaction is expected to close in January 2025. Upon the closing, the Company intends to enter into lease agreements to remain in its current spaces until approximately September 2025, while it identifies and prepares to move to new facilities in the Fort Worth, Texas area. Jeff Gramm, the Company’s Chairman, said, “As we announced last December, we have been marketing our headquarters property with hopes of unlocking value for the benefit of our stockholders. Aided by a strong local real estate market and the tireless efforts of our team, we are happy to be close to accomplishing this goal. Tandy Leather has been a 100-year fixture in Fort Worth and we are actively evaluating spaces in the area for our new headquarters and flagship store. If the transaction closes as planned, we expect to issue a moderate portion of the proceeds (net of taxes, sale expenses and other costs associated with leasing, outfitting and moving to new facilities) as a dividend to our stockholders.” Tandy Leather Factory, Inc., ( http://www.tandyleather.com ), headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a specialty retailer of a broad product line, including leather, leatherworking tools, buckles and adornments for belts, leather dyes and finishes, saddle and tack hardware, and do-it-yourself kits. The Company distributes its products through its 99 North American stores (including two temporarily closed for relocation) located in 40 US states and six Canadian provinces, and one store located in Spain. Its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “TLF”. To be included on Tandy Leather Factory's email distribution list, go to: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1625&to=ea&s=0 . Contact: Jeff Gramm, Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (817) 872-3200 or jeff@banderapartners.com This news release may contain statements regarding future events, occurrences, circumstances, activities, performance, outcomes and results that are considered "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results and events may differ from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: changes in general economic conditions, negative trends in general consumer-spending levels, failure to realize the anticipated benefits of opening retail stores; availability of hides and leathers and resultant price fluctuatio ns; change in customer preferences for our product, and other factors disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and except as required by law, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Jack Alban is a freelance journalist for the Daily Dot covering trending human interest/social media stories and the reactions real people have to them. He always seeks to incorporate evidence-based studies, current events, and facts pertinent to these stories to create your not-so-average viral post.Pentagon announces new aid package of almost $1 billion for Ukraine
Igor Severino is back. You may not remember his name per se, but one line will definitely refresh your memory: yes, he’s the guy suspended for biting his opponent Andre Lima during a UFC fight in March. Severino returns to the cage Sunday to faces Jonas Magard at Oktagon 65 in Prague, Czech Republic. Magard is a former bantamweight champion in the organization and that could end up being a No. 1 contender bout, but Severino has more on the line than just victories and title shots. Severino was “heartbroken” after a silly mistake that cost him a deal with the UFC and nine months away from action. Some wanted him to be banned altogether, and his social media was “flooded with hateful comments” and death threats. This fight represents a chance to move on from that, but not entirely. The 21-year-old talent, whose DQ loss was his first defeat as a professional MMA fighter, believes that all publicity is good publicity. Oktagon also embraced that, referred to him as a “disgraced UFC star” when announcing the fight. This weekend, Severino will walk to the cage wearing a Hannibal Lecter mask. “[The bite] became viral worldwide,” Severino told MMA Fighting. “News channels that had nothing to do with MMA were talking about it, so now I’m using that to my advantage. I have the mask, I’m having some fun — but it’s just a joke, that won’t happen again [laughs].” The world of MMA has seen plenty of “Hannibals” already, including UFC welterweight veteran Claudio Silva . And “Cannibals”, too, like UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja . Severino wants a unique nickname related to the bite, so the Hannibal Lecter gimmick is just temporary. His opponent Magard is known as “Shark”, another obvious pun for this fight. “We also have a ‘shark’ here,” said Severino, referring to UFC fighter and teammate Joanderson Brito , known as “ Tubarão ” ( shark ) in Brazil. “I’m used to training with sharks, so it’s all good. I’m at home. The real shark is here [laughs].” Severino was handed a nine-month suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission, but that wouldn’t stop him from fighting sooner in Europe if he chose to. However, since he plans on maybe returning to the North American circuit in the future — possibly rejoining the UFC one day —, it made sense to sit and wait. The Chute Boxe Joao Emilio bantamweight knocked out Jhonata Silva at Dana White ’s Contender Series before his unforgettable UFC appearance, and said he never stopped training during the suspension nor contemplated retirement despite the online attacks. “I wasn’t that affected by any of that, really,” Severino said. “People worried that I would want to stop [fighting] or something like that after being cut by the UFC, but I never considered it. I’ve learned a lot from all that. It helped me see who were by my side, and who was not.” Severino said he’s “very confident” that a win Sunday earns him a shot at the belt which was left vacant after Felipe Lima left Oktagon to join the UFC. Magard, who lost the throne to Lima in July of 2023, went the distance in nine of his 23 MMA bouts and was finished in five of six defeats. “He doesn’t go in there to put on a show or any of that,” Severino said of his opponent. “He talks a lot, he likes to promote his fights. I don’t like bring friendly with my opponents so I’ll be very comfortable with all that. And I’m not impressed by his game either. I won’t underestimate him, of course, but I believe I have more weapons than him. He’s very predictable.”
VEEA and MARQUEE Wireless Announce a Strategic Partnership that Extends Cellular Networks with Groundbreaking Smart City and Smart Energy Applications
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