Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France75% LOCAL CONTENT FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTERS
President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, have returned to Abuja from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where they have been attending the 19th G20 Leaders Summit. The Airbus A330 conveying the first couple arrived at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 10.20 p.m. (Nigerian time). This concludes his 31st foreign trip since assuming office 18 months ago. Related News Tinubu, wife depart Brazil after G20 summit Again, LP denies working for Tinubu Tinubu asks Senate to confirm Oluyede as COAS The meeting brought together leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including the European Union, the African Union, and multilateral financial institutions, among others. It comprises 19-member countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, and the US, along with the European Union. During the summit, held from Monday, November 18, to Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Tinubu engaged in bilateral discussions to advance Nigeria’s socio-economic reforms. He also joined world leaders to endorse the global alliance against hunger and poverty. The President held bilateral talks with Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, who commended his administration’s economic reforms and their indicators. He also presided over the signing of a $2.5bn Letter of Intent between the Nigerian government and JBS S.A., a Brazilian company and one of the top three largest meat processing companies globally. The G20 summit, hosted by Brazilian President Lula da Silva, focused on the theme, “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet.”” Discussions addressed sustainable development in economic, social, and environmental dimensions, global governance reforms, climate change, and the digital economy. The Nigerian leader’s participation is at the instance of the Brazilian President. Tinubu was accompanied by top government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Ministers of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha; Minster of Art, Tourism, Culture and Creativity, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed. So far, he has logged 131 days abroad, visiting 17 countries and accumulated about 278 flight hours. He has visited Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; London, the United Kingdom (four times); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; The Hague, Netherlands; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal and Doha, Qatar.If you’ve ever thought Counter-Strike lacked cutthroat politics, you might want to keep an eye out for Alara Prime, the tactical 4v4v4 FPS entering closed alpha in early 2025. In a new trailer shown at today’s PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted you’ll get a peek at the game’s setup, which sees three squads of four players take turns defending a capture point while the other two squads try to kill them and take control. The attackers can work together to knock a leading team off their high horse, or spend so much time backstabbing one another the defenders win by default. It’s a solid minute of gameplay footage showing various tricks from four classes: assault, infiltrator, support, and engineer. Riot shields, flashbangs, surveillance cameras, and holographic decoys are all fair game as each team snakes between corridors. While nothing seems astonishingly different to what you’ll find in Valorant or Counter-Strike 2, it’s got a delicious extra layer of paranoia knowing you’ll either be thoroughly outnumbered or uncertain who you can trust. The cloaking device and wall-breaching charges shown in the trailer make it clear that devious tactics will help players turn around unfavorable odds—or just run the other two teams into each other. Beyond that it looks how you might expect, with plenty of the ol' aiming down sights and running up behind unsuspecting blokes for instant knife kills. A sleek, spacey aesthetic and clear affection for neon green do a bit to differentiate Alara Prime visually from the big two in the tactical shooter subgenre, though it's clear developer Fall Damage is anticipating those comparisons if these posts on X are any indication. Players who receive an invite to the closed test will get a hands-on look at how the three-team antics shake out very soon, but regardless, you can wishlist the game on Steam . The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Byfield scores in 200th career game as Kings hold off Kraken for 2-1 win
Harvey Fierstein reveals how he used weight loss drug to shed 120 pounds: 'I don't feel like I'm dieting' Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By CHRISTINE RENDON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 15:02 EST, 23 December 2024 | Updated: 16:13 EST, 23 December 2024 e-mail 21 shares View comments Harvey Fierstein has revealed the key to his dramatically trimmer physique. Fierstein, 70, a playwright and actor, credited a weight loss drug in helping him shed the pounds - and it's not celeb-favorite Ozempic. In an interview with Page Six , Fierstein revealed he used weight loss medication Zepound to help him achieve his fitness goals. Fierstein gained weight during the COVID-19 pandemic and hit 310 pounds, his heaviest weight, before making the shift. He dropped an impressive 120 pounds, regained 15, and has since generally maintained that weight. 'I've sort of stayed at that,' he said. With the help of Zepound, Fierstein says he's able to restrict his food intake without feeling as if he's on a diet. Harvey Fierstein is opening up about his weight loss journey; pictured March Fierstein is a playwright and actor known for roles on Mrs. Doubtfire (pictured) 'What’s different is what the drug actually does for you which is I don’t feel like I’m dieting,' Fierstein said. 'I feel like a normal person. I can go and have dinner with friends and not have to eat every piece of bread on the table and then not go have ice cream when I’ve done with dinner,' he said. Read More Girls just want to have fun! Pink-haired Cyndi Lauper, 62, hugs it out with Sharon Osbourne as the Eighties icon gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 'I know what it is to be full like a normal person,' he said. Fierstein, who said he he has been both 'skinny' and 'fat' in his life, said the medicine helped him achieve the balance he needed to ditch the pounds. 'People don’t understand that being fat is not a choice. It’s something that you’re body is out of whack and this puts your body in whack,' he said. 'I’m a great believer in it,' he said. The Independence Day actor has been keeping busy lately with the opening of the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab at the Library for the Performing Arts. He showcased his slimmer frame as he attended the event last week, and posted a photo from the bash. 'My Bro and I celebrated the opening of our THEATER LAB at the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library last night. I hope everyone gets to see the miracle that David Rockwell has designed. More than that, I hope the space is used and used and used!!!!' he captioned the post. Not only that, but Fierstein has also been indulging in his love for quilting, which he loves sharing on social media. He played Edna Turnblad on Hairspray! and Hairspray Live! The Independence Day actor has been keeping busy lately with the opening of the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab at the Library for the Performing Arts Nowadays he's been keeping busy with quilting Fierstein is a playwright and actor known for roles on Broadway and on the big screen; pictured 2016 Fierstein spent the COVID-19 lockdown writing his memoir, I Was Better Last Night, which was released in 2022. To write the book, Fierstein sought Shirley MacLaine's advice. Speaking with DailyMailTV, Fierstein said: 'My agent said to me, "Why don't you write your memoir?" So I did. I wrote to Shirley MacLaine, who has written how many books about how many of her lives? Who better to get advice from than Shirley Maclaine? 'And so I said, "how do I do this?" And she gave me great advice, which was, "trust the memories as they come to you. Your memory will edit everything for you." Fierstein is a playwright and actor known for roles on Broadway and on the big screen. He played Edna Turnblad on Hairspray and also had a memorable role on Mrs. Doubtfire. Ozempic Share or comment on this article: Harvey Fierstein reveals how he used weight loss drug to shed 120 pounds: 'I don't feel like I'm dieting' e-mail 21 shares Add comment
Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? Researchers and watchdog groups say the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce detailed and novel online reviews has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. But AI-infused text generation tools enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice is illegal in the U.S. and becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to buy gifts. A tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews says AI-generated reviews have multiplied. Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers have voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move on Monday could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in the 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, the center-right National Liberal Party, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government on Monday night. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stock indexes are rising in afternoon trading on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 29 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8%. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan Motor said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. AI will eavesdrop on world's wildest places to track and help protect endangered wildlife PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (AP) — A biologist hid 350 audio monitors across Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests to spy on endangered spider monkeys in order to help protect them. But she had to go back to collect the data and feed those sounds into artificial intelligence systems that can recognize monkey calls. Now tech giant Microsoft's philanthropic arm is hoping to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images and other wilderness data for a year or more without human intervention. Researchers say more AI wildlife surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the health of species at risk of extinction. Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban them WASHINGTON (AP) — The economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market, where Chinese-made flying devices are a dominant player in America. Lawmakers in Washington are seeking to ban new sales of Chinese-made drones, arguing they could be used to spy on Americans and that the low-cost models are hurting the U.S. drone industry. But U.S. users — spanning from police officers to farmers to mappers and filmmakers — have come to rely on Chinese-made drones, especially those by DJI Technology, for their work or lives. Florida has banned Chinese drones in state-funded programs, but also appropriated $25 million to help offset replacement costs.Israel’s siege of Northern Gaza and its violation of the recently-signed ceasefire deal in Lebanon were the people’s focus at Australia-wide rallies for Palestine in the 60th consecutive week of protests, including the United Nation’s declared International Day of Solidarity with Palestine on November 29. As the outgoing lame-duck United States President Joe Biden repeats that Israel has a “right to defend itself” and the White House is “working on a ceasefire deal”, former Israeli defence minister Moshe Ya’alon said . Pressed to retract by Israel’s Channel 12, Ya’alon refused. he said, adding, “It’s hard for me to say that”. He blamed “politicians” who, he says, are instructing the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to “carry out what are defined as war crimes”. He said they include “evacuate[ing] the population for [ostensible] operational activities” but which are really aimed at reviving Jewish settlement in the strip. reported Ya’alon’s interview in which he also said the arrest warrant put out against Benjamin Netanyahu was justified. He said the International Criminal Court has a list of other officials from defense and politics who will be investigated for war crimes. If it was up to him, Ya’alon said, far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir would have been arrested “some time ago”. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates the death toll at more than 44,000, including 13,000 children. But in July that it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186,000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza — around 8% of the total population. Israel targeted and killed three more World Central Kitchen aid workers in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on November 29. Consequently, aid deliveries there have been stopped and in the rest of the Strip have “ ”. In October an average of just 37 trucks per day entered Gaza, and in the first week of November that had only lifted to an average of 69 a day, well below the average of the already insufficient 500 a day entering Gaza before October 7, 2023, reported the . Protesters in marked International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People with a lively march of more than 800 people, reports Alex Bainbridge. The chant "While you are shopping, bombs are dropping" was given visceral meaning when the protesters held a sit-down and heard speeches in the Queen Street mall. The local Healthcare Workers for Palestine group began by putting faces and names to those being killed in Gaza in a series of presentations. Greens candidate Remah Naji and Socialist Alliance Senate candidate Jonathan Strauss, who both say stopping Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza is a critical election issue, spoke to protesters. Jim McIlroy reports that the 60th weekly rally in at Hyde Park on December 1, organised by the Palestine Action Group, focussed on the theme: “Stop the genocide, stop the war and lock up Netanyahu!” A sudden heavy storm did not deter protesters from continuing their march through the CBD. A few days earlier, about 70 people rallied near the Prime Minister’s residence in Kirribilli, marking the partition of Palestine in 1947, Rachel Evans reports. The protest was led by anti-genocide organising group “The People” and was chaired by Wollongong Friends of Palestine activist Labiba Abdellatif. Speakers included Nour Salman, Naarm/Melbourne-based Palestine activist and expert on South-West Asia and North Africa affairs; Ihab Abu Ibrahim, Naarm-based Palestinian activist; Markela Panegyres, University of Sydney academic and National Tertiary Education Union for Palestine activist; Elizabeth Jarrett, Gumabynggirr, Bundjalung, Dunghutti woman, who recently established the Sydney Basin Tent Embassy at Victoria Park. Activists in organised a vigil to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on November 29, reports Jordan Ellis. Healthcare workers organised a rally to highlight that more than 1000 doctors and nurses have been killed by Israel in one year. Israeli forces have arrested, tortured and executed more than 300 healthcare workers in prisons. Highly regarded Gazan surgeon Dr Adnan al Bursh was tortured to death while held in Israeli military custody in October. Dr John Guy, from HealthWorkers for Palestine Adelaide, said: “We must come together as health workers. Israel’s attacks on hospitals and health care workers are uniquely iniquitous, and a war crime. We have a responsibility to call it out.” The protest was part of a by healthcare workers from November 29 to December 1, with rallies in seven cities. A few days before, pro-Palestine activists occupied the office of weapons manufacturer BAE Systems in Kaurna Yerta to protest the company’s complicity in Israel’s genocide. BAE Systems manufacturers military weapons and equipment, including parts for F-35 fighter jets, military drones and M109 Howitzer long range artillery. These weapons have been used to kill thousands of Palestinians, including 17,000 children. Protesters called on BAE Systems and other weapons manufacturers to stop supplying arms and parts to Israel, and called on the Australian government to cancel all agreements with weapons manufacturers. “These companies have shown that their priority is corporate profits at all costs, even if that cost is ethnic cleansing ... Stop arming Israel,” organiser said. A vigil for scholasticide in Gaza was held outside the South Australian Department of Education on December 2. Scholasticide refers to the intended mass destruction of education. "In the last year, Israel has killed thousands of students and teachers, more than 600,000 students have been deprived of schooling, at least 90% of schools have been damaged or destroyed and all universities and higher education institutions have been destroyed." Thousands marched in on December 1, reports Jordan AK on the 60th week of continuous protest. Margaret Beavis, Vice-President of the Medical Association for Prevention of War and co-chair of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, expressed dismay over the relentless attacks on health infrastructure and workers in Palestine. Beavis praised Palestinian healthcare workers for their dedication, professionalism and courage and expressed horror for the hundreds of Palestinian healthcare workers who have been disappeared, or imprisoned in abject conditions of "overcrowding, neglect, malnutrition, violence, torture, humiliation and abuse". She said this should be a wake up call to health practitioners across the globe. Rally Chair Mai Saif thanked rally-goers for their enduring dedication and commitment in taking to the streets in protest: “The media creates it own propaganda, we know our government is complicit in genocide ... but it is our actions every week that is making a change.” She pointed to the Victorian government’s announcement that it was cutting ties with Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems. “This would never have happened [without the rallies].” December 1 also coincides with the annual flag-raising ceremony of the West Papuan Morning Star flag. West Papuan activist Cyndi Makabory spoke about its significance in the context of Indonesian colonialism. “Every year on December 1, the Morning Star rises again. No matter the repression, no matter the threat, this symbol of defiance cannot be repressed,” he explained. “Like Palestinians, for Papuans, the Morning Star is more than a flag; it is our people; it is our pulse; it is our breath; our unbreakable will to be free; and in the hearts of those who raise it is the same unshakable cry for justice from the forest of West Papua to the river and sea of Palestine, and to the coast of so-called Australia and beyond." Other speakers included Uncle Robbie Thorpe, medical scientist Ola Aladassi from the Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association, medical worker and unionist Eleana Ni Mhurchu and Aviva Tuffield, who helped organise . Protesters were urged to turn out in numbers for the December 8 rally.
Racist attacks against migrants have come in the wake of the deadly Christmas market attack in Magdeburg. Observers warn of Germany's extreme-right scene mobilizing over the incident. The motive of Talib A.*, the perpetrator of the deadly Christmas Market attack in Magdeburg , is still unclear. What has been confirmed is that he is a Saudi citizen and is in custody. Nonetheless, shortly after the attack, the extreme-right scene in Germany began to antagonize migrants. "I have never experienced such a hostile and threatening environment," said a student studying automotive engineering in Magdeburg, the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt . Salam, a violence prevention center in Saxony-Anhalt, gave a similar account. The association has observed a significant increase in incidents against people seen as foreigners by right-wing extremists. According to Salam, "perceived migrants are branded as 'terrorists,' 'criminals' and 'lowlifes,' some are pushed around and spat at." Threats have gone so far that migrant communities have warned each other in WhatsApp groups and on Facebook against going out in public. That the perpetrator of the Magdeburg attack is suspected of being an Islamophobe and a right-wing extremist is a paradox, Hans Goldenbaum, a radicalization expert at Salam, told German broadcaster MDR . "It shows the power of this right extreme discourse and how sealed off he is from reality." Magdeburg attack puts pressure on German security services To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Nationwide mobilization of right-wing extremists Since the Christmas market attack, extreme-right and neo-Nazi parties, associations and individuals have mobilized across Germany. They demand the mass deportation of migrants from the country. Hundreds of neo-Nazis gathered at an extreme-right rally in Magdeburg on Sunday, two days after the attack. The demonstration saw attacks on journalists. On Monday night, participants at a rally held by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) chanted, "Deport! Deport" Deport!" One of the speakers at a rally on Sunday was Thorsten Heise. The militant neo-Nazi has several previous convictions. He once tried to run over a refugee with his car. Videos of the rally show Heise calling on the demonstrators to infiltrate associations, fire departments and authorities. Journalists and observers reported that participants in the rally shouted "Wake up Germany," a phrase used during Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler . Its usage is a punishable offense in Germany. Politicization of the attack has already begun David Begrich, a right-wing extremism expert from the association Miteinander in Magdeburg, expects a broader politicization of the Christmas market attack . The AfD political party has organized large demonstrations in Magdeburg. Begrich strongly criticized the demonstrations, saying that the focus after the attack should remain on the five victims and the 200 others wounded. "I am witnessing great bewilderment and shock in Magdeburg," he told DW. "This attack has deeply wounded the city. That also applies to me personally: my wife was one of those injured." Begrich said he thinks no one should politicize the attack as long as there are victims in the hospital: "The fate of the victims must be the main focus. The reappraisal comes afterward. Communities do not want any politicization." Despite all the fake news, speculation and attempts at politicizing the deadly attack on social media, Begrich sees his city as truly affected, "The city is coming together." *Editor's note: DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and urges us to refrain from revealing the full names of alleged criminals. This article was originally published in German.
