d'hotel & suites Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck taken off on stretcher with ankle injury in loss to BarcelonaLONG BEACH — Coaches and players from the Newbury Park and Simi Valley football teams were seated at tables next to each other at the CIF Southern Section football championship luncheon on Monday afternoon. It’s the second straight year that the two programs are representing Ventura County and are the two schools from the Daily News coverage area to reach a CIF-SS championship game. “It’s a very competitive county,” Simi Valley coach Jim Benkert said. “We’ve got a lot of good teams out there, whether they’re public or private and in our specific (Marmonte League), there’s three publics and three privates in the league. “You’ve got to step up to be successful and that’s what we’ve had to do. We’ve had to elevate to get to where we are.” There are three Marmonte League teams competing for championships — Simi Valley, Pacifica and St. Bonaventure. Oaks Christian was almost the fourth team but lost to Murrieta Valley in overtime in the semifinals. Newbury Park was the undefeated Conejo Coast League champion. The Pioneers (21-1) will try for their second consecutive CIF-SS championship on Saturday against Edison at Huntington Beach High after winning in Division 6 last season. Newbury Park (13-0) fell to Orange Vista in the Division 5 title game last year and will play in the Division 2 finals against Murrieta Valley. “That’s what was in the back of my head when we were all lifting this offseason: Get back to the championship and win it all,” Newbury Park senior lineman Joel Gonzalez said. “It’s something that I’ve been thinking about since that loss to Orange Vista.” Head coach Joe Smigiel took over at Newbury Park in 2021 and Benkert took the helm at Simi Valley in 2018 and both coaches have turned their respective programs around while rallying the support of the community. Smigiel is an alumnus of Newbury Park and many players have had family members before them play a sport at the school. Senior defensive end Michael Guzman’s dad wrestled for the Panthers and his grandfather played sports in Ventura County. He also has a younger brother on the JV team, which has served as the scout team for varsity throughout the playoff run. It’s the first time the two brothers have been able to play against each other. “In Ventura County, we got a lot of skill out here,” Newbury Park senior corner Drew Cofield said. “We have a lot of talent and a lot of players that go unnoticed and are under-recruited.” Gonzalez gets recognized as a Newbury Park football player even when he’s working part-time at an ice cream shop. Simi Valley senior Seth Knight is recognized in public, too. “We’re not just playing for ourselves,” Knight said. “We’re playing for our community and it brings us all together. I have people come up to me and talk to me about the game, just congratulations on winning. It brings our community together and strengthens us.” There’s some crossover between the two football programs, even though they haven’t played each other since 2015. Related Articles Some players have been in the same youth football programs as each other and Benkert coached against Newbury Park when he was a coach at Westlake and Smigiel was playing for the Panthers. Ventura County football continues to build and thrive on the connections formed by teams like Newbury Park and Simi Valley. “It’s the dog in the players,” Guzman said. “There’s a lot of connection and roots and love for the game here. That’s what drives us.”

Wearable robot 'X-ble Shoulder' to boost industrial efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal injuries Designed to assist overhead work by enhancing upper arm muscle strength, expected to find use in various industries The strong yet lightweight X-ble Shoulder enhances worker comfort by reducing shoulder load by 60% and muscle activity by 30% Hyundai Motor and Kia's Robotics LAB announced commercialization plan for X-ble Shoulder, expected to begin deliveries in first half of 2025 SEOUL, South Korea , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have unveiled a reliable companion for industrial work, the wearable robot 'X-ble Shoulder.' This device, just by being worn, can increase workers' efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal injuries. Two videos released on Hyundai Motor Group's YouTube channel show the X-ble Shoulder in action, including product features and the development story . Hyundai Motor and Kia unveiled the X-ble Shoulder at Wearable Robot Tech Day held at the Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang near Seoul . The X-ble brand — a combination of 'X,' symbolizing infinite potential, and 'able,' indicating that anything can be realized — heralds a new era in wearable technology. The X-ble Shoulder, the first product in the X-ble line, is an industrial wearable robot developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia's Robotics LAB. When used in 'overhead work' where the arm is raised, it can assist the user's upper arm muscle strength and reduce the burden on the upper extremity musculoskeletal system. The X-ble Shoulder will find use in various industries, including construction, shipbuilding, aviation and agriculture, not just automobiles. Following its domestic launch, the companies plan to gradually expand sales to overseas markets. In addition to the X-ble Shoulder, Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to develop an industrial wearable robot 'X-ble Waist' to assist the waist when lifting heavy loads, and a medical wearable robot 'X-ble MEX' for the rehabilitation of the walking impaired. "The X-ble Shoulder is a wearable robot that leverages the technical capabilities of the Robotics LAB and implements feedback from actual users," said Dong Jin Hyun , Vice President and Head of Robotics LAB at Hyundai Motor and Kia. "Going forward, we aim to expand the availability of wearable robots, creating products that work naturally with users to enhance their daily lives. By pushing technological boundaries, we will make these beneficial products accessible to more people." View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-motor-and-kias-robotics-lab-announce-plans-to-launch-x-ble-shoulder-at-wearable-robot-tech-day-302317253.html SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company; Kia CorporationAnonymous reports from all corners of league circles have begun to follow the New York Jets intently over the last few weeks. One of the main reports was the team potentially teasing the idea of placing a banged-up quarterback in Aaron Rodgers on injured reserve for the remainder of the season in a way to move on from the signal-caller after the season ends. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images It took one conversation on Monday to quickly end those ideas, though. New York's interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich stated unequivocally that Rodgers would play for the Jets against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium. "All I can say, and you'd have to ask Aaron (Rodgers) if he's fully healthy, but he's better off today than he's been as of late," Ulbrich said. "So he's definitely feeling healthier than he has for probably the past month and a healthy Aaron Rodgers is the Aaron Rodgers we all love, so, excited about what that looks like." Speaking on the Pat McAfee show Tuesday afternoon, Rodgers also made it clear that he would be unwilling to sit out of games if he was healthy enough to play for the team. Related: Inside The Jets 'Big Lie' About Aaron Rodgers Despite the consistent issues with lower body injuries throughout the year, the Jets have struggled to keep Rodgers both upright and healthy for the entire season. It's one of many reasons why the Jets have struggled to a 3-8 record to this point in the year. But even with the team's below .500 mark the Jets won't be willing to tank the remainder of their games to this point. And that alone is enough to see more from Rodgers moving forward. Related: Spiraling Jets Reveal Playing Time Plan For Aaron Rodgers

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NoneMIAMI — The trade speculation surrounding Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has grown louder this week, but Butler doesn’t mind. “I actually like it,” Butler said following the Heat’s practice at Kaseya Center on Wednesday. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity to a point. But if somebody is talking about me getting traded, that’s a lot.” Butler spoke to reporters just one day after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that “the Heat are open to listening to offers for Butler and making a deal if the proposal is right.” Charania also reported that Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, has indicated in league circles that Butler is open to trade destinations such as the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors. Charania added that teams have been informed that Butler intends to decline the $52.4 million player option in his contract to become a free agent this upcoming offseason. The Heat, which sometimes publicly denies trade reports, declined to comment on the ESPN report. Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, also declined to comment. With most free agents who signed with teams this past offseason becoming eligible to be dealt on Sunday, it’s not a coincidence that trade rumors around the league have started to pick up in recent days. With the uncertainty surrounding Butler’s current contract situation, the expectation is his name will continue to be a prominent part of trade rumors in the coming weeks leading up to the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline. “It’s fine with me,” Butler said of the trade speculation. “It doesn’t bother me one bit and I do appreciate it. I appreciate going out there and hooping and I appreciate being efficient, being effective and helping my team win. I don’t ever take playing basketball for anybody for granted.” While Charania reported that the Heat is now open to “listening” to trade offers for Butler, it’s important to note that Butler has not asked to be traded and the Heat is not aggressively shopping him. If Butler opts out and becomes a free agent next offseason, he will be eligible to sign a four-year max contract projected to be worth about $243 million with the Heat or a max three-year contract worth $171 million elsewhere. But Butler and the Heat don’t have to reach that point if they can agree to the two-year max contract extension worth about $113 million that he’s already eligible for. The Heat also has until June 30 to sign Butler to this extension, which would keep him in Miami through the 2026-27 season when he’ll be 37 years old. When asked about his long-term future with the Heat, Butler said Wednesday: “Who knows?” After the Heat declined to quickly give Butler a max extension this past summer, Butler decided to play this season out and become a free agent this upcoming summer. That remains his plan with the intention of signing a max contract with the Heat or another team this offseason, according to a league source. “Not really,” Butler said when asked Wednesday if getting another max contract is his top priority. “My kids matter, my happiness matters, my well-being matters and my family matters. Right now, it’s all about competing, staying healthy, playing some great basketball. I think I’ve done that so far, so we’ll see what we got.” Does Butler still hope to spend the rest of his NBA career with the Heat? “I don’t know,” said Butler, who is in the middle of his sixth season with the Heat. “I’m pretty sure y’all are going to get a report that’s going to say otherwise anyways. So there’s no sense in me answering that question.” Butler has averaged 19 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 55.7 percent from the field this season. He has played in 17 of the Heat’s first 22 games, missing four because of a sprained right ankle and one because of right knee soreness. At 35 years old, Butler remains the driving force behind much of the Heat’s success. He leads the Heat in most advanced metrics this season, including estimated plus/minus, win shares and box plus/minus. The Heat is 7-2 when Butler records a usage rate (an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while on the court) of more than 20 percent and holds a 3-5 record when his usage rate doesn’t cross 20 percent in games that he has played in this season. “I feel like we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing,” said Butler, who has helped lead the Heat to three Eastern Conference finals appearances and two NBA Finals appearances since joining the team during the 2019 offseason. “We’ve won a couple in a row. I’m not worried about an extension. We’ll handle all of that whenever it gets here and take it day by day. The more articles that come out, the more y’all are going to ask me questions about it. So keep the articles coming.” The Heat (12-10) is riding a three-game winning streak entering Thursday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors (7-15) at Kaseya Center (7:30 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network Sun). “I mean, it’s always going to be a championship,” Butler said of the potential of this current Heat roster. “Tyler [Herro] is playing at an extremely high level, Bam [Adebayo] is doing what Bam does, we got the young fellas that are hooping and gaining more confidence. So we’re rolling. We’re going to continue to win and I’m proud of the guys. You see everybody out here working and we know what we’re capable of.” Injury report The only Heat players who were held out of Wednesday’s practice were Pelle Larsson (sprained right ankle) and Josh Richardson (right heel inflammation). For Thursday’s matchup against the Raptors, the Heat ruled out Josh Christopher and Richardson. Richardson received an injection in his injured heel and will be re-evaluated in one week. Larsson, who has missed the last two games with his ankle injury, is listed as doubtful for Thursday’s contest. Butler is probable to play despite lingering right knee soreness. The Raptors ruled out Scottie Barnes (right ankle sprain), Bruce Brown (return to competition reconditioning), Ulrich Chomche (G League) and Immanuel Quickley (partial UCL tear in left elbow) for Thursday’s game in Miami. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

House passes $895 billion defense policy bill with pay raise for troops, sending measure to Senate

College aviation centre not subject to federal labour law, court rulesSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google on Wednesday unleashed another wave of artificial intelligence designed to tackle more of the work and thinking done by humans as it tries to stay on the technology's cutting edge while also trying to fend off regulatory threats to its empire. The next generation of Google's AI is being packaged under the Gemini umbrella, which was unveiled a year ago . Google is framing its release of Gemini 2.0 as a springboard for AI agents built to interpret images shown through a smartphone, perform a variety of tedious chores, remember the conversations consumers have with people, help video game players plot strategy and even tackle the task of doing online searches. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talkPotter 3-5 2-2 8, C.Welling 6-10 8-12 21, Leonhardt 4-5 2-2 11, Nelson 3-11 4-7 10, Toolson 1-8 2-2 4, Grady 4-9 0-2 8, Green 1-1 5-8 7, Wells 3-7 0-0 6, H.Welling 1-3 0-0 2, Taitz 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-59 23-35 77. K.Griffin 5-14 0-0 11, Williams-Dryden 8-11 2-4 18, Davis 5-13 3-4 16, M.Griffin 1-1 0-0 2, D.Johnson 1-3 1-1 3, Ballard 1-3 1-2 3, Noel 4-7 4-4 14, Hardewig 2-3 0-0 5, Releford 1-2 0-0 2, Watson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-58 11-15 74. Halftime_Utah Valley St. 34-32. 3-Point Goals_Utah Valley St. 2-11 (Leonhardt 1-1, C.Welling 1-2, H.Welling 0-1, Grady 0-2, Nelson 0-2, Toolson 0-3), West Georgia 7-19 (Davis 3-4, Noel 2-3, Hardewig 1-2, K.Griffin 1-6, D.Johnson 0-1, Watson 0-1, Ballard 0-2). Fouled Out_Davis, Ballard. Rebounds_Utah Valley St. 37 (C.Welling 11), West Georgia 24 (K.Griffin 6). Assists_Utah Valley St. 13 (Leonhardt, Nelson 3), West Georgia 16 (D.Johnson 4). Total Fouls_Utah Valley St. 14, West Georgia 25. A_177 (6,500).

The critics were swift, and brutal. “Unintentionally hilarious,” said one, who half-wondered whether it was a spoof. “Tedious,” was a further verdict – while, bruisingly, another just deemed it “tacky”. These, are some of the responses to Prince Harry and Meghan’s newly released Netflix five-part series, Polo. Little wonder that the streaming giant now appears to be distancing itself from the show. Indeed, there has been no serious attempt by Netflix to promote the series – something surely almost unheard of for a five-episode programme. The company invested in no poster campaigns for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s latest project and its sole promotional attempt consists of a two-line statement from Harry on the streamer’s website. “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour,” says the Prince. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport – and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” Max Corstorphan Yet we can reveal that, despite the streaming giant’s lack of promotional zeal for the project, in reality, the couple were heavily involved with the making of the show, which is part of the Sussexes’s much-vaunted $100million deal with Netflix. Executive produced by both Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43 – they also make a brief appearance on screen in the documentary – the series reflects the prince’s enthusiasm for this elite sport. And, indeed, behind the scenes, both he and Meghan were very hands-on when it came to the filming and editing of the show. The pair, I am told, spent many, many hours poring over the footage, offering advice on what should make the cut. Fascinatingly, the show’s other executive producer Milos Balac worked on the hit FX/Disney+ documentary series Welcome to Wrexham, which followed Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s takeover of the Welsh lower-league football club. While undoubtedly a much less glamorous sport, it certainly made better viewing. Audience figures are a closely guarded secret, no less than four further series were commissioned. Disney+ is reported to make an astonishing £400,000 per episode. Part of that success, as some critics have commented, is that Welcome to Wrexham had a gritty, underdog appeal which, despite Balac’s attempts to talk up how much the duke and duchess wanted to show polo’s more “down-to-earth” side, is sorely missing from the Sussex series. Max Corstorphan Although the duchess, in particular, was keen to highlight the fact that ordinary people can watch polo while having a picnic next to the match fields – a practice known as tailgating – there’s little getting away from the fact that the ponies can cost from £50,000 to £200,000, and elite players may use up to eight of them in a single game. For his part, Balac said of the couple: “They were wonderful. They were extremely hands-on. They really had a vision for trying to get polo to be accessible to a wider audience.” “Prince Harry knows the sport inside and out. To be able to have him as someone to bounce ideas off and then also to get notes ‘Maybe if you edit it like this, the polo will just feel even more exciting’. “Or ‘You have got to make sure that the point is played out like this because that’s how you keep it factually accurate’. “A lot of projects have EPs [executive producers] who can give great notes, but it’s rare that you have someone who’s truly an expert in the subject that you are documenting.” And it was Meghan, Balac said, who opened his eyes to the informality of the sport. “It was Meghan who really prepped me for how wonderfully casual polo can be. Sunday polo on Field One at the US Polo Center is a big to-do where people have champagne brunches and come with their beautiful outfits.” “But the rest of the week, every polo match is actually so down to- earth. It’s a lot of people pulling up in their pickup trucks and their cowboy boots, if not barefoot, with their dogs and their families and their kids to watch the game that they love.” In the event, the series focuses only on the wealthy sportsmen who play the game. Perhaps, and not for the first time, Meghan’s slant got lost in translation. It would seem that another reinvention for Harry and Meghan has not had the desired impact. What a contrast to William and Kate who, despite their most challenging year yet, have been projecting an entirely more marketable image. Indeed, the Princess of Wales was this week nominated for the prestigious Time Magazine Person of the Year title, while William has received many plaudits for his well-judged handling of President-elect Donald Trump when both recently attended the re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. William also spoke warmly this week of spending Christmas Day with 45 members of his family. Unsurprisingly, the question of whether Harry and Meghan will be welcome among the royal throng pulling crackers at Sandringham is something of a moot one. While nobody is commenting officially – on either side of the Atlantic – the answer to that question is clearly “No”. A royal source says: “The unspoken understanding is that an invitation is not on the cards.” Next year, then, looks to be an uncertain year for the Sussexes, particularly for Meghan, who faces her greatest solo challenge of all – the launch of her Netflix cookery show and her much-discussed lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Indeed, after the apparent failure of Polo, so much hangs on her cookery show that some are calling it the “last chance” for her to “save” the couple’s lucrative Netflix deal – which is, after all, their chief source of funding. One Californian source tells me: “It’s make or break. People say Netflix is exhausted. It’s so much work with her and, bluntly, the ‘deliverable’ does not seem to be worth it.” Another entertainment executive remarks: “Her show will have to be an enormous hit to turn around their deal and their reputations in this town.” But if – and, as we shall see, it’s a big if – people start buying her crockery, biscuit mixes, rose wine and napkins, that might just be the sustainable revenue stream that the couple have been in desperate need of since Megxit, when, as Harry memorably complained: “My family literally cut me off financially.” Well-placed sources indicate the launch of the show and the brand will happen in the first quarter of the year and, judging by the fact that it’s not part of any Netflix schedules in January, we must expect late February – after Harry’s Invictus Games in Whistler, Canada – or even March for the launch. A Netflix source says details of Meghan’s project are being shared with only a “tiny” audience of executives in the US. “It’s a very tight circle,” I am told. “Everything to do with her is kept completely secret.” We do know the show will be very much made according to Meghan’s vision, all neutral shades and soft-focus camera lenses. The shows – filmed not at her Montecito home but at a nearby mansion – have been directed by veteran Michael Steed, who worked with the revered late chef Anthony Bourdain. The show-runner is Leah Hariton, who previously made Selena + Chef in 2020 featuring the actress Selena Gomez. They have been produced for Netflix by The Intellectual Property Corporation, which is an offshoot of Sony Pictures Television. This is an interesting choice by Netflix as The IPC has also made a number of shows for Joanna Gaines, a likeable Texan who is the face of a hugely lucrative lifestyle brand and who has just made her own cookery show. Sound familiar? Add the fact that brunette Gaines bears an astonishing resemblance to Meghan, and you can see why people have started openly comparing the two women. It’s also fascinating to note that Netflix was desperate to sign Gaines and her husband, Chip, back in 2017. However, much to Netflix boss Ted Sarandos’s ire, they lost out to Warner/HBO, who offered them their own TV channel. So striking are the parallels between the two women that some believe Sarandos is betting big that Meghan will strike a chord with ordinary viewers like down-to-earth Gaines has. They say the duchess will be his version of Gaines – although Meghan’s sophisticated vibe is far distant from Gaines’s down-home Texan charm. Sarandos said of Meghan in September: “I’ve been out with a lot of famous people before – the way that people react to Meghan is otherworldly.” It will need to be. Because time is ticking. That big-money Netflix deal for Harry and Meghan comes to the end of its five-year period in autumn next year, and Sarandos will want to see results. However, well-placed Hollywood executives say that the deal will amount to nothing like $100 million because of the lack of content the couple have actually produced. Notably, the Sussexes have failed to produce a single drama or movie – unlike their role models Barack and Michelle Obama, whose company Higher Ground has made the hit film Leave the World Behind and critically acclaimed Rustin. Netflix has bought the rights to the chick-lit book Meet Me At The Lake for the Sussexes – an unusual move, as you would expect the producers to find the cash. But whatever stage the scripting is at, it has yet to enter production. The same is true for the couple’s TV series retelling the story of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations through a feminist lens with Miss Havisham as the heroine. Again, it has yet to enter production. Neither show, then, looks likely to be completed or broadcast before the Netflix deal is up for renewal. In March it will be a whole year since the rather underwhelming “soft launch” of her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard. So far there have been batches of jam and dog biscuits sent out to friends in numbered jars bearing its heraldic logo, one Instagram video in soft focus... and a slew of difficulties about its trademark with the US Patents and Trademarks Organisation. Much hinges, then, on how the brand is received by the public. And sources are certain Meghan is determined to “own” the project, as the duchess might put it herself. I’m told: “She is the CEO of the American Riviera Orchard brand – she started out that way and that remains the case.” However, my understanding is that many of the brand’s staff, who are separate from the couple’s media entity Archewell, joined the company directly from Netflix. They may even still be being paid by Netflix, who is partnering with American Riviera Orchard, to launch the brand. Netflix decline to comment in any way – and some sources say their link remains “unconfirmed”. It is, though, perhaps significant that the chief marketing officer for Netflix, Marian Lee, follows the American Riviera Orchard Instagram page. Another key fact to note is that the brand is being run separately, and by a separate team, to Archewell. Prince Harry has no involvement in it – it’s all down to the duchess. With all that in mind, one can only hope for Meghan’s sake that she’s more at ease with pots and pans than polo ponies.

NoneTerrAscend Appoints Lynn Gefen to Expanded Role of Chief People OfficerPunjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif Thursday met the participants in the 26th National Security Workshop of the National Defence University (NDU), who gave her the title of ‘Super CM’. She gave the participants a two-hour briefing on the government performance. The head of the National Security Workshop delegation said that it was a blessing to come to Punjab, where sincerity and effort for the people is clearly visible. “By coming to Punjab, we have come from darkness to light,” he added. The CM said, “The overall situation in Punjab is better than other provinces. No recommendation in any sort of appointment has been made in Punjab. I do not pay heed to anyone on the issue of merit. Every sector is in a state of decline due to lack of accountability. The journey of development and prosperity gets affected due to political instability. Unfortunately the governments are not allowed to function properly.” She added, “Every work that has a positive impact on the lives of 15 crore people is my priority. We want to control smog as soon as possible. Positive effects of government’s measures are coming to light. People lose their lives due to lack of health and treatment facilities. “We are all Pakistanis irrespective of our political affiliations. Our aim is to promote patriotism. Inflation is low and foreign exchange reserves are increasing in Pakistan. The stock market has broken all records; IT exports are increasing. With increasing exports, dependence on foreign aid decreases, we will be able to live our lives with pride and dignity.” Maryam Nawaz said, “Controlling inflation is an uphill task, bringing it down from 38 per cent to 7 per cent is a mega achievement. We want to serve the people by increasing financial resources. People from all over Pakistan come to Punjab for a better future, employment, jobs and treatment. Mismanagement of resources after 77 years is regrettable. Infrastructure is very important for development. The example of Dubai is in front of us. Low literacy rate in South Asia is shameful. Those embracing martyrdom in other provinces are also Pakistanis. Threats of terrorism prevail, maintaining law and order is our foremost priority.” The CM added, “Rs. 45 billion were saved in the road rehabilitation program through e-tendering and transparency. Rs. 800 billion have been saved by not purchasing wheat. The Punjab government will not provide support price but farmers will be given subsidies on agricultural inputs and equipment on Kisan cards. Patients gets affected due to the behavior of doctors and staff in hospitals. After the Sahiwal incident, fire extinguishers were made functional in all hospitals. It is not children of the rich who die by falling into sewers, but children of the poor.” She said, “Change cannot come overnight. Capacity building has not been done as a nation. We need to find a solution to extremism problem. There is a special focus on the protection of minorities. Regardless of religion and sect, protection of every individual is our responsibility. It is highly regrettable to appreciate a child abuser on his release. We apprehend thieves and robbers, but they escape from the courts. No matter how much we spend on health and agriculture, it seems less. Punjab is the only province which gives a surplus budget.” The Punjab CM said, “Air ambulance service was launched to transport patients to big hospitals during golden hour. I decide to initiate a project by talking directly to the common people. Everything looks good while sitting in the office, but the ground realities are different. No patient will be denied admission in the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital worth Rs. 16 billion. A special ward will be built for incurable cancer patients. Pakistan’s first Artificial Intelligence University will be built in the Nawaz Sharif IT City. A safe city will be built across Punjab and pink buttons will be installed everywhere.” She added, “Five thousand people have applied for the Punjab Dhee Rani program for mass marriages. Punjab is the first province to implement the ‘Sikh Marriage Act’. I feel pleased to see girls traveling on e-bikes comfortably. Corruption is my red line. The government has sent insulin sellers to jail on selling insulin from public sector worth Rs. 25 million. Every child fulfilling merit requirements will get a Honhaar scholarship. The Punjab government has started pink bus service to facilitate transportation of female students to schools and colleges. Pakistan’s first government autism school will be built in Lahore.” She said, “Roads are being repaired under Punjab Khushal scheme. 907,172 kilometres of roads are being constructed and expanded. We will make wasteland useful through shrimp farming so as to earn foreign exchange. 27 electric buses will arrive in December. Police and deputy commissioners get commendations for showing meritorious performance. A negative marking is done on receiving complaints. As a woman, at times one has to face character assassination. Women in Punjab are moving forward rapidly in the field of politics, employments and business. Women commissioners and deputy commissioners are more proactive.” She added, “A zero plastic policy has been strictly implemented in all government offices of Punjab. The people of Punjab are my first and foremost priority. The farmers in Punjab have purchased equipment and medicines worth billions of rupees through Kisan Card.” CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif also replied to questions of the participants in the NDU workshop. The participants in the delegation comprised members of the National and provincial assemblies, senators and others. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered to construct 5,000 new classrooms under the Public Schools Reorganisation Programme (PSRP). While chairing a special meeting of the School Education Department to review its various projects and their related issues, she added, “Modern labs will be established to increase learning capacity of students.” She agreed to a proposal to establish revolving funds for the construction and maintenance of schools. The Chief Minister reviewed a proposal to launch a mobile bus library project in government schools in order to promote study culture among students.” She added,”Uniforms should be properly enforced in government schools.” The authorities concerned presented a report on the ongoing school meal program in three districts of South Punjab. She directed the relevant authorities to establish a formal learning center for out-of-school children in Punjab.