Yale 91, Fairfield 66MetalNRG plc ( LON:MNRG – Get Free Report )’s stock price was down 8.6% on Friday . The company traded as low as GBX 26.12 ($0.33) and last traded at GBX 26.50 ($0.33). Approximately 436,549 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 70% from the average daily volume of 256,518 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 29 ($0.36). MetalNRG Price Performance The stock has a market capitalization of £135.30 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.38 and a beta of 0.60. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 11.77 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 4.30. About MetalNRG ( Get Free Report ) MetalNRG plc operates as a natural resource and energy investing company. The company explores for gold, iron ore, nickel, copper, cobalt, silver, and diamonds deposits. It holds interests in the Gold Ridge project covering an area of 932 hectares located in Arizona, the United States; the Lake Victoria Gold project located in Tanzania; and the Uranium project located in Kyrgyzstan. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for MetalNRG Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MetalNRG and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .jili 777 lucky slot login register 。

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A Chinese film set during the Covid-19 pandemic won the top prizes in Taiwan's prestigious Golden Horse Awards, which saw the highest number of entries from China in recent years despite political tensions. Beijing banned its entertainers from joining Golden Horse -- dubbed the Chinese-language "Oscars" -- in 2019 after a Taiwanese director voiced support for the island's independence in an acceptance speech in 2018. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, which the Taipei government rejects, and Chinese A-listers and big commercial productions have largely avoided the event ever since. Despite the sensitivity of the awards, more than 200 Chinese films entered this year's competition, which Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said was the highest number in "recent years". Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Lou Ye was awarded best director late Saturday night for his docu-drama "An Unfinished Film", which was also named best picture. Lou was absent from the ceremony but his wife Ma Yingli read his acceptance speech, describing the film set during China's lockdown of Wuhan in the earliest stages of the pandemic as "the most special directing job I have ever done". Chinese actor Zhang Zhiyong, who also did not attend the awards, won best actor for his performance in Chinese director Geng Jun's same-sex drama "Bel Ami". Hong Kong's Chung Suet-ying was named best actress for her role in "The Way We Talk", which is about the deaf community. Neither "Bel Ami" nor "An Unfinished Film" has been released in China. Ahead of the awards, MAC spokesman Liang Wen-chieh told reporters that these films "may not be able to be screened in mainland China, but they still hope to have a free platform to participate and express themselves". "We welcome (them) very much," he said. After several years absence, Chinese stars began trickling back to the awards in Taipei last year, with actress Hu Ling the first to grace the red carpet since the ban. On Saturday, Geng Jun and some of his cast were among the few Chinese entertainers to join stars and filmmakers from around the region, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, on the red carpet. While Geng missed out on best director and best picture, his film "Bel Ami" won the awards for best cinematography and best film editing. Despite political tensions, Golden Horse remained a stage for independent Chinese films that have no distribution space on the mainland, Taiwanese film critic Wonder Weng told AFP. "This spirit remains unchanged. I think the Golden Horse Awards have always insisted on being the benchmark" that is open to all subjects, said Weng, who is a board member of Taiwan Film Critics Society. Weng said "An Unfinished Film" by Lou, who has previously taken on forbidden subjects such as gay sex and the 1989 Tiananmen protests, was "a work of conscience". Lou's latest offering is about a film crew trying to resume shooting a movie during the Covid-19 pandemic in Wuhan, as the city was placed in an unprecedented lockdown. "Lou put images that are banned or blocked into his work and reminds us that there is a director who is willing to preserve historical images for us to see... and let us know there is a different voice," Weng said. aw/amj/dhc

No. 22 St. John's, Georgia pack busy schedule with game on SundayNo. 22 St. John's, Georgia pack busy schedule with game on Sunday

I will tell Kenyans the way forward in January 2025: Impeached DP GachaguaSympathy extended to families and friends of two men killed in horror road crashNEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved2025 Will Belong To Generative AI”: VolkAI CEO Outlines Vision For A Smarter FutureHow Adeniyi Spearheaded Customs To Earn International Award For Outstanding Performance

In 2018, two children in Samoa died after receiving measles vaccines, because the nurses who administered them had mistakenly mixed the vaccine powder with a muscle relaxant. Local vaccine skeptics seized on the tragedy, and the government temporarily suspended its immunization program. Children's Health Defense, an organization chaired by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., posted about the events on Facebook, where the group was one of the largest purchasers of anti-vaccine advertisements. The Samoan government reinstated the program, following an investigation. But immunization rates remained perilously low, with less than a third of infants getting vaccinated, and, a few months later, the country experienced a devastating measles outbreak. Nearly six thousand people were infected, and more than seventy children died. Kennedy, who had meanwhile visited the island, sent the Prime Minister a letter raising the "regrettable possibility that these children are casualties" of vaccination—not of a lack of it. He later called the outbreak "mild," and branded a Samoan vaccine opponent a "medical freedom hero." President-elect Donald Trump has now nominated Kennedy to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If confirmed, he will oversee thirteen operating divisions, including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. His reach would extend into virtually every corner of the nation's health-care infrastructure, from messaging on public health and investment in biomedical research to the approval of new drugs and the delivery of medical care. Trump, who in April called Kennedy a "Radical Left Lunatic," recently encouraged him to "go wild" on health, medicines, and "the food." Kennedy seems poised to oblige. In the past few months, Kennedy has indicated that he intends to reëxamine safety data for approved vaccines, advise municipalities not... Dhruv KhullarMANILA: Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said on Saturday she would have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she herself were killed, prompting Marcos' office to vow "immediate proper action". In a dramatic sign of a widening rift between the two most powerful political families in the Southeast Asian nation, Duterte told an early morning press conference that she had spoken to an assassin and instructed him to kill Marcos, his wife and the speaker of the Philippine House if she were to be killed. "I have talked to a person. I said, if I get killed, go kill BBM (Marcos), (first lady) Liza Araneta, and (Speaker) Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke," Duterte said in the profanity-laden briefing. "I said, do not stop until you kill them and then he said yes," she said. She was responding to an online commenter urging her to stay safe, saying she was in enemy territory as she was at the lower chamber of Congress overnight with her chief of staff. Duterte did not cite any alleged threat against herself. The Presidential Communications Office responded with a statement saying: "Acting on the Vice President's clear and unequivocal statement that she had contracted an assassin to kill the president if an alleged plot against her succeeds, the Executive Secretary has referred this active threat to the Presidential Security Command for immediate proper action. "Any threat to the life of the president must always be taken seriously, more so that this threat has been publicly revealed in clear and certain terms," it said. Duterte's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the presidential office's statement. "This country is going to hell because we are led by a person who doesn't know how to be a president and who is a liar," she said in the briefing. Duterte, the daughter of Marcos' predecessor, resigned from the cabinet in June while remaining vice president, signalling the collapse of a formidable political alliance that helped her and Marcos, son and namesake of the late authoritarian leader, secure their 2022 electoral victories by wide margins. Duterte's outburst is the latest in a series of startling signs of the feud at the top of Philippine politics. In October, she accused Marcos of incompetence and said she had imagined cutting the president's head off. The two families are at odds over foreign policy and former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly war on drugs, among others. Past political violence in the Philippines has included the assassination of Benigno Aquino, a senator who staunchly opposed the rule the elder Marcos, as he exited his plane upon arrival home from political exile in 1983.Raiders extend winning streak to 2 as rookie sets NFL records

Cryptocurrency Contravenes Nigeria’s Existing Financial Regulations, Says ExpertChess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved

the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday, , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. A moderate Democrat, as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to as one of many health initiatives. the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief” and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America’s dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise” speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter’s diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___Hail Flutie: BC celebrates 40th anniversary of Miracle in MiamiWireless Concrete Sensor Market Analysis By Top Keyplayers - HILTI, Giatec, AKCP, Wake, Maturix, Lumicon, Converge, HGCR Technologies, Sensytec, Resensys, EXACT, PERI, Concrete Sensors, Doka, ConCure, Exact Technology, ONSET, AOMS Technologies

Game Changers or Risky Moves? SMCI’s Leap into AI Gaming"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?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has died

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Teen actor Hudson Meek, who appeared in ‘Baby Driver,’ dies after falling from moving vehicleNoneSOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is “alert” and conscious after being taken off the field on a stretcher during the team's 1-0 win at Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday, manager Julen Lopetegui said. The game was delayed for around eight minutes as Fabianski received treatment on the field at St Mary's Stadium. The 39-year-old Polish goalkeeper was hurt in a collision from a corner and was replaced by Alphonse Areola in the 36th minute. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.ISLAMABAD: Information Secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sheikh Waqas Akram has strongly dismissed reports that the party is postponing its planned protest scheduled for November 24. Speaking to a private TV channel on Sunday, Akram emphasized that there is no change in their plans, and the protest will proceed as a necessary response to the political crisis. “The news of postponing the protest is incorrect. If negotiations had taken place, and our people, including Imran Khan, had been released, we could have discussed postponement. However, until concrete steps are taken, the protest on November 24 will not be postponed,” stated Akram. His remarks come amid speculation and mounting pressure to resolve the situation through dialogue. The protest, seen as a focal point for the opposition, aims to address grievances against the government’s handling of political figures and activists. In parallel, sources close to PTI suggest that while the main protest is set for Islamabad’s D-Chowk, regional protests will also take place. PTI members from the Lahore Assembly and party ticket holders are expected to lead separate demonstrations in Lahore, with Batti Chowk mentioned as a potential site. The protests in Lahore will be under the leadership of General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, with notable figures such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expected to participate. There has been speculation about the involvement of Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, in the protest. PTI spokesperson Mashal Yousafzai confirmed that she would not be attending due to health reasons, although there were previous advisories from Imran Khan suggesting she refrain from political activities. Despite this, PTI Member of National Assembly Shandana Gulzar noted that Bushra Bibi’s conveying of Imran Khan’s messages has been significant, and her presence at the protest would have been welcomed. Nevertheless, she maintains her stance as a “non-political” figure. Adding to the family’s involvement, Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, clarified that she, along with other family members, would participate in the protest in Islamabad, stating, “We will be in Islamabad to fight for our brother’s freedom, but we will also keep the path to negotiations open.” In a more assertive tone, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur declared that the protest is crucial not just for Imran Khan’s release but for the future of Pakistan. “We will go to any extent to secure our demands,” said Gandapur. “We will reach D-Chowk on November 24, and we will not return until our demands are met.” Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );lucky jili slot download 。

The Thursday college basketball slate includes three games with a ranked team on the court. Among those contests is the South Carolina Gamecocks squaring off against the Iowa State Cyclones. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Old Dominion Monarchs at No. 11 Ohio State Buckeyes No. 4 South Carolina Gamecocks at No. 15 Iowa State Cyclones Rhode Island Rams at No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.

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SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is “alert” and conscious after being taken off the field on a stretcher during the team's 1-0 win at Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday, manager Julen Lopetegui said. The game was delayed for around eight minutes as Fabianski received treatment on the field at St Mary's Stadium. The 39-year-old Polish goalkeeper was hurt in a collision from a corner and was replaced by Alphonse Areola in the 36th minute. Southampton 'keeper Aaron Ramsdale had run the length of the field to check on Fabianski amid worrying scenes. Fabianski was then greeted by applause as he was taken off with an oxygen mask on, but did not need to go to the hospital. “He had one big knock around the head, around the neck and he was not very sure about his actions. Fortunately the news is he is talking, he is alert, he is conscious,” Lopetegui said. “I talk with him. The doctors say that he feels better and well. I am positive with him. He showed he more or less recovered his sense. I am not afraid. We feared but now he is better and it is a positive feeling because we were very worried.” West Ham, which also saw defender Max Kilman go off in the first half, scored through Jarrod Bowen in the 59th. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Syria's U.S.-backed Kurdish coalition faces an uncertain future after Assad's ousterA British man is said to have been captured while fighting for Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region. In a video seen on social media, the man is dressed in army fatigues and is asked to identify himself. In another video, he has his hands tied as he is asked why he is in Russia. Responding to the reports, an Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention.” The man is seen telling an interrogator that he allegedly served in the British Army between 2019 and 2023 in 22 Signal Regiment. The man claims he applied to fight in Ukraine on the Foreign Legion of Ukraine’s website, before flying from London and then entering Ukraine via its Polish border. In one clip he is seen sat on a chair in a room as he tells his interrogator that he decided to fight for Ukraine after he “lost everything”. “I had just lost everything. I’d just lost my job,” he added. “It was a stupid idea.” When approached by the FCDO again, a spokesperson refused to comment on his identity. The Ministry of Defence has also been approached for comment. Russia’s state media later reported the identity of the man. Ukraine controls several hundred square kilometres of the Kursk region, but Russia’s military are gradually pushing them back with the help of North Korean troops. This story is being updated.I received the last email from Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto at 12:55 pm on the devastating 27th day of December, 2007. It was a directive about a news being part of our Daily Press Summary for the Chairperson. I had started sending her Press Summaries on daily basis for ten years starting in 1997. This English summary comprised of the selected news from Sindhi, Urdu and English newspapers. One of the news of that 27th December, 2007 Summary contained a news i.e. “PPP leader Syed Fayyaz Shah (Hyderabad) was injured alongwith his 7 family members in a road accident on Super Highway.” She directed me that a Get Well Soon Letter may be sent to Fayyaz Shah on her behalf. However, before her electronically-signed letter could reach Fayyaz Shah, she was no more. The beasts took her life in a terrorist attack in Rawalpindi and she was declared martyred at 6:16 pm. Just two months back, she survived a terror bombing in Karachi in which 180 PPP workers were martyred and 500 others injured, majority among them maimed. But just a day after, she reached the hospital to visiting the wounded Jiyalas. During this 10 years period of attachment to her as a member of her Media Cell Bilawal House, I had the honour of having hundreds of “Excellent”, “Very Good” and “Well Done” from her. However, I wish to share another historic communication with her. At the end of 2006 years, I wrote her that “in India Three million Dalits converted en masse to Buddhism on the 50th death anniversary of Baba Saheb B R Ambedkar “the tallest Dalit icon of the subcontinent) to achieve human equality and their social, economic and political rights. As the most popular leader of Pakistan, especially of toiling classes, what would your honour suggest the Dalits of Pakistan to do for achieving the same rights in Pakistan.” She was very kind to forward that email to Senator Taj Haider to hold a workshop with Dalit leaders at People’s Secretariat and submit her report. In 2007, Shaheed Bibi wanted me to apply for the reserved seat in Sindh Assembly, when I requested for ticket to a fellow Dalit political worker Engineer Gianchand Meghwar. She was surprised upon hearing from her Political Secretary that I am not a graduate thus ineligible to apply during Musharraf era. For the past 17 years, as December 27 approaches, my heart is filled with a profound mix of pride and sorrow. The memories of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto come alive- a leader who embodied the spirit of resilience, a mother who nurtured a nation, and a beacon of hope for millions. It has always been, and will forever remain, a great honor and source of immense pride for me to have worked closely with Shaheed Bibi during last decade of her life. Those days and moments, etched deeply in my memory, stand as a testament to her unwavering dedication to Pakistan and its people. Despite the challenges of a male-dominated society and an often-hostile political landscape, Shaheed Bibi stood tall and proved that courage and intellect know no gender. The media landscape during her era was vastly different from today. Newspapers played a central role in shaping public opinion. I vividly remember how she would meticulously analyze the news summaries I prepared. Her profound understanding of national issues and her strategic, clear, and empathetic responses showcased her unmatched brilliance and foresight. Every decision she made was deeply rooted in compassion, always keeping the struggles of the common people at heart. Shaheed Bibi was not merely a political leader-she was a movement in herself. Her life was a saga of triumph over adversity, immense sacrifices, and an unwavering struggle for democracy. Her iconic words, “Democracy is the best revenge,” encapsulated her strong belief in the principles she lived and fought for. She never allowed despair to become an obstacle in her journey. The tragic day of December 27, 2007, left an irreplaceable void in Pakistan’s political and social fabric. Few figures in history have been as transformative as Shaheed Bibi, who, even in martyrdom, became an enduring symbol of resistance against oppression and an unyielding voice for justice and equality. As I reflect on the life of my great leader and mentor, her warm smile, her resolute spirit, and her vision of a prosperous Pakistan rooted in equality and justice resonate profoundly in my heart. Shaheed Bibi lives on-and will forever live-in the hearts of those who cherish democracy, human rights, and the power of perseverance. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto will forever be the daughter of destiny, whose guiding light continues to illuminate our path through the shadows as we march toward a brighter and more beautiful future.

Is it hipp-tocurrency? Moo Deng, the baby hippo who captivated the world this year, now has a billionaire benefactor. Canadian cryptocurrency mogul Vitalik Buterin donated more than $290,000 to her zoo in Thailand so he could be her “adoptive father,” Viral Press reported. “I very much look forward to seeing Moo Deng live long and prosper,” Buterin, who co-founded Ethereum, declared in a letter to the director of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, where the 5-month-old pygmy hippo resides. Buterin made the generous 10,000,000 baht (around $293,000) contribution, facilitated through the zoo’s Wildlife Sponsorship Program , following a visit to Moo Deng’s paddock last month. He was inspired to do so after being impressed by Khao Kheow’s commitment to animal welfare, education and outreach, the Straits Times reported. The mondo chunk of moula will go toward improving Moo Deng’s enclosure, among other upgrades. “I was particularly excited to hear your plans for improvements to the zoo itself, especially the proposal for upgrades to the Pygmy Hippopotamus habitat,” Buterin wrote in the letter. “I am delighted to accept your invitation to be Moo Deng’s adoptive father while she grows up and to donate to the Zoo in her name.” Khao Kheow Open Zoo was moved by the crypto kingpin’s kind gesture. “We look forward to working with you over the next two years for the benefit of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo community and all our visitors!” zoo reps wrote in a statement on Facebook. Buterin also billed the contribution as a thank-you gesture to Thailand, which has hosted a series of events organized by the Ethereum community across the past few months, culminating in the hugely successful Devcon Sea conference for blockchain buffs in November. “What better way to do that (say thank you) than through a Christmas present to someone who is dear to all Thai people, Moo Deng, and who has become one of the most unexpected and important Thai celebrities on the world stage,” the jetsetter declared in the correspondence. Born on July 20, 2024, Moo Deng — which means “bouncy pig” in Thai — has garnered millions of fans and memes alike on social media due to her cute and charmingly clumsy antics. Those include gumming her handler with her toothless maw, unsuccessfully attempting to initiate play with her stoic mother , and even doing a makeshift moonwalk like Michael Jackson. The tubby sensation has caused visitors to flock to the zoo in droves, shooting up from 98,046 in August to 159,743 in September. Meanwhile, New Yorker Molly Swindall became so enamored with Moo Deng’s antics that she took multiple trips across the world in one month to visit her. “I am absolutely in love with that shiny, moist potato,” Swindall, 30, previously told The Post. The pygmy hippopotamus is native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, with small pockets in Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast. It is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List.Runner's World: Top RBs take flight when Ravens entertain Eagles

Suspended soccer coach Bev Priestman has broken her silence, saying she hopes something positive comes out of the ongoing Canadian drone-spying scandal. “I hope out of a really tough situation, this is a turning point for our game,” she wrote in an Instagram post via her verified account. “There has been a standard and precedent set now, irrespective of gender, tournament or associated revenues that will hopefully clean up our game.” She did not address her role in the affair in the six-paragraph post. Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi are all serving one-year FIFA bans for their role in the scandal, which saw the Canada women’s team use a drone to spy on two New Zealand training sessions at the Olympics. Canada Soccer says the three won’t be back in the wake of the recent independent report into the scandal. Lombardi is already gone, having resigned his position after the Olympics. “The findings of the independent investigator reveal that the incident itself was a symptom of a difficult and unacceptable past culture within the national teams,” Canada Soccer chief executive officer and general secretary Kevin Blue and president and board chair Peter Augruso said in a statement when the report was released earlier this month. Canada Soccer continues to investigate the roots of the spying scandal and has initiated a disciplinary process against former men’s and women’s coach John Herdman, currently coach of Toronto FC. The governing body has said it “has initiated a proceeding with respect to Mr. Herdman under its Disciplinary Code.” Herdman did not speak to Sonia Regenbogen, who wrote the report. Priestman signed a new contract in January that runs through the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 38-year-old Priestman took over the Canadian women on Nov. 1, 2020, and was initially appointed “through the next quadrennial.” She had been working on a rolling contract — until the new deal. “It has and will continue to take some time to process, heal, find the right words and step back into a public setting but I felt I should say something irrespective of ongoing circumstances,” Priestman wrote. In addition to the suspensions, FIFA docked the Canadian women six points in the group stage at the Olympics and fined Canada Soccer 200,000 Swiss francs ($312,815). Despite that, defending champion Canada still managed to make the knockout round before losing a penalty shootout to Germany in the quarterfinals. “I know that amazing group was ready to reach the top again this summer, but in many ways what they did was even more special under such difficult circumstances,” Priestman wrote. She also thanked those who had reached out to her. “You continue to help me through some dark days,” she said. Canadian under-20 coach Cindy Tye has been named interim coach for the sixth-ranked Canadians’ upcoming friendlies in Spain against Iceland and South Korea.Avior Wealth Management LLC Has $151,000 Holdings in DWS Municipal Income Trust (NYSE:KTF)

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Philadelphia 76ers All-Star forward Paul George will miss a few games due to a bone bruise that he suffered in his left knee. George will be re-evaluated in a few days to see where things stand on the injury. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news on social media. Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George has a bone bruise in his left knee and is listed out for the next two games. He will be re-evaluated on Monday. pic.twitter.com/vxKeON5z78 George suffered the injury during the 76ers game on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The star forward got injured in the second half of the game and didn't return. After the fact, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse assumed that the issue was a bone bruise but couldn't comment too much on it. Nurse did say that George may have been able to return to the court but the team decided against it. "I think they said it was similar to last time, which was a bone bruise, I think," Nurse said . "He was actually fairly close to coming back in the game, but then it kind of stiffened up as he got out a little bit more, so I decided not to, and now we got to take a look at it, make sure." The game against the Grizzlies was the first time that Philadelphia had all of their three All-Star players together on the court in George, center Joel Embiid and point guard Tyrese Maxey. But fate had other ideas and that dream ended fairly quickly. It has been a nightmare season for the 76ers as they sit with a record of 2-12 currently. The franchise has seen each star miss time due to an injury already this year, so this issue with George has to be frustrating. "Listen, it's certainly not easy," Nurse said . "Tyrese just getting back and didn't really have a feel tonight, and Paul going out. Certainly not easy ... but we didn't put enough together again for 48 [minutes of game time]." The 76ers spent heavily over the offseason to bring George to Philadelphia to pair him alongside Embiid and Maxey. They were seen as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference this season but injuries have completely derailed those plans. Thankfully, it seems that George may have dodged a massive bullet with this issue but due to his injury history, Philadelphia will likely be cautious in allowing him to return. For now, all the 76ers can do is take things one game at a time as they try to climb out of this massive hole that they have dug for themselves to start the year. For more 76ers and NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Spencer Knight made 20 saves, Mackie Samoskevich scored with less than a second left in the second period, and the Florida Panthers got four goals in the third to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 on Saturday and complete a two-day sweep. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Evan Rodrigues and Adam Boqvist also scored for Florida, which won 6-3 at Carolina on Friday. The Panthers have won three straight — that streak following a stretch of six losses in seven games for the Stanley Cup champions. It was Knight's fourth career shutout, his first since Nov. 9, 2022 — also at home against Carolina. Spencer Martin made 23 saves on 28 shots for the Hurricanes, who have dropped four of their last six games (2-3-1). It was Martin's fourth consecutive start for Carolina. Hurricanes: This was the first time all season that the Hurricanes failed to get a point in the game immediately following a loss. Carolina was 4-0-1 after a defeat entering Saturday. Panthers: A big day for Samoskevich — his alma mater Michigan beat Ohio State in football on Saturday, that game ending just before the Florida-Carolina game started. The Panthers are 5-0-0 when he scores this season. Sam Reinhart had each of the four most recent Florida goals at 19:59, before Samoskevich got his Saturday. The Panthers scored two goals 11 seconds apart in the third to make it 5-0, and Yaniv Perets replaced Martin in the Hurricanes' net with 8:12 remaining. It was the second NHL appearance for Perets, who came on once in relief for Carolina last season. Ekblad's goal was his first in a span of 1,045 regular-season shifts since Feb. 20. Carolina starts a two-game homestand Tuesday against Seattle. Florida goes to Pittsburgh to start a two-game trip on Tuesday. AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHLIn a bid to steer clear of any unwanted speculation or rumors, Zhao Liying deliberately chose a coffee shop that was situated at the border of two different districts. This strategic move meant that she and Lin Gengxin would technically be in separate regions, thereby reducing the likelihood of their meeting being noticed by onlookers or paparazzi.As the Knicks celebrate their thrilling victory over a tough Raptors squad, they will undoubtedly look to build on this momentum in the games ahead. With Towns leading the way with his standout performance, the Knicks have shown that they can compete with the best teams in the league and are poised for further success as the season progresses.63 jili slot 。

In the face of increasing customer demand and the need to adjust operating hours, Fat Dong's Future Plan proposes a revolutionary shift in employee work schedules. Under this new initiative, employees will only be required to work for 5 hours each day, a significant reduction from the traditional 8-hour workday. This groundbreaking change aims to enhance employee efficiency, improve workplace morale, and effectively manage the challenges brought about by a surge in customer traffic.

As the trio parted ways and went their separate paths, the memory of their brief encounter lingered, leaving a profound impact on all those who witnessed the beauty of friendship and family in its purest form. Zhao Liying, with her grace and poise, had once again exemplified the beauty of a life lived with love and genuine connections.

As the photos of Xue Jianing and Zhao Lusi's reunion spread like wildfire online, fans couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and happiness. In a society that often prioritizes competition and individual success, the bond between these two actresses reminds us of the importance of nurturing meaningful connections and relationships.

One villager, Mrs. Li, stated, "I have known the host for years, and he has always been a kind and caring person. I find it hard to believe that he would hold someone against their will for so long." Others echoed similar sentiments, attesting to the host's good character and the lack of evidence supporting the allegations of imprisonment.

One of the key factors driving this surge in the Renminbi is the strong economic performance of China in recent months. Despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic, China's economy has shown resilience and growth, with strong manufacturing and export data fueling optimism among investors. This positive outlook on the Chinese economy has bolstered confidence in the Renminbi, leading to increased demand for the currency.Manchester United fans will be hoping that the club can reach a speedy resolution to Rashford's contract dilemma, as the young forward remains a vital part of the team's plans for the future. Rashford's impact both on and off the pitch, his commitment to social causes, and his ability to inspire others make him a fan favorite at Old Trafford. The prospect of Rashford leaving the club would be a bitter blow to supporters who have seen him grow from a promising academy graduate to a key player in the first team.Applying for public rental housing in Fengtai District is a straightforward process that can be easily done online or through the district's housing authority. By submitting the necessary documents and meeting the eligibility criteria, you can be one step closer to securing your new home in this thriving community. The application process is transparent and fair, ensuring that all applicants have an equal opportunity to be considered for a housing unit.

Investors and traders in the oil market are closely monitoring the situation, adjusting their strategies in response to the changing dynamics. The volatility in oil prices on the 9th has created opportunities for profit but also increased risks for those involved in the market.Introducing the H40 Ultra Scrubber Dryer: Shattering Limits of Cleaning Power

Walker's 20 help IU Indianapolis knock off Trinity Christian 106-49"Full Moon Outside the Window, Bang!" Set to Premiere on New Year's Eve Featuring Fei Xiang, Ma Dongxi, and Song Xiaobao in a Laugh-out-loud Comedy BonanzaLooking ahead, the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive stimulus package will require close collaboration among stakeholders and a nuanced understanding of evolving market conditions. Timely and targeted interventions will be essential in facilitating a robust and sustainable economic recovery, while also addressing the long-term structural weaknesses exposed by the pandemic.

In a bold move to bolster its semiconductor industry, Minnesota has awarded SkyWater Technology $19 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Bloomington. This significant financial boost is part of a broader $127 million project that promises to create 70 new jobs and enhance the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. State Support for National Growth Minnesota’s contribution comes from the Minnesota Forward Fund, specifically designed to foster economic growth and innovation within the state. The fund supports ventures poised for significant impact, aligning with federal programs like the CHIPS Act. The $19 million aid to SkyWater marks the fund’s third strategic investment. An Asset for Future Technologies SkyWater Technology views the expansion as a critical step in enhancing the U.S.’s domestic production capabilities. Their efforts focus on high-demand sectors like aerospace, defense, and quantum computing. By ramping up production capacity by 30%, the company aims to solidify itself as a key player in the national technology landscape. Strong Partnerships Propel Success Governor Tim Walz emphasizes Minnesota’s leadership in manufacturing innovation, attributing this success to strategic collaborations. These partnerships, spanning state and federal agencies, bolster Minnesota’s position as a hub for domestic manufacturing. Minnesota continues to support high-tech business expansions that drive economic growth, keeping the state and the nation at the forefront of semiconductor technology development. Exciting times are on the horizon for Minnesota’s thriving tech sector. Minnesota’s Tech Surge: SkyWater’s Expansion to Boost U.S. Semiconductor Dominance Innovative Expansion in Semiconductor Manufacturing Minnesota is making significant strides in the semiconductor industry by awarding SkyWater Technology a substantial $19 million grant. This strategic investment is a critical part of a more extensive $127 million initiative aimed at expanding SkyWater’s manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Minnesota, which is set to create 70 new jobs and reinforce the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. SkyWater’s expansion aligns with national objectives to boost domestic production in pivotal sectors. Industry Driving Growth Through the Minnesota Forward Fund The Minnesota Forward Fund, established to drive sustainable economic growth and innovation within the state, is a key contributor to this project. By focusing on ventures with the potential to make significant impacts, this fund aligns its support with federal programs like the CHIPS Act. SkyWater’s $19 million grant represents the third strategic investment from this fund, emphasizing Minnesota’s commitment to being a leader in tech innovation. Focusing on High-Demand Sectors SkyWater Technology’s expansion is especially crucial because it enhances the U.S.’s domestic production capacity in high-demand sectors like aerospace, defense, and quantum computing. With a targeted 30% increase in production capacity, SkyWater is actively positioning itself as a vital player in the national technology arena. This move not only strengthens their market position but also increases the resilience of the U.S.’s semiconductor supply chain by reducing reliance on international suppliers. Strategic Collaborations Fuelling Success Governor Tim Walz underlines the role of strategic partnerships in seizing leadership positions in manufacturing innovation. By leveraging collaborations across state and federal agencies, Minnesota is positioning itself as a primary hub for domestic manufacturing. These partnerships are essential for fostering an environment conducive to high-tech business expansions, ensuring that both the state and the nation remain at the forefront of semiconductor technology development. Trends and Predictions in the Tech Industry The expansion of SkyWater Technology is part of a broader trend of increasing investment in semiconductor manufacturing within the United States. The pandemic and recent geopolitical tensions have highlighted the need for a robust domestic supply chain, encouraging investments in this sector. As technology continues to evolve rapidly, the demand for semiconductors in emerging fields such as quantum computing and advanced defense systems is expected to rise, solidifying the importance of such expansions. For more information on Minnesota’s technological advancements and economic strategies, visit the state’s official website at mn.gov .

OSU Police Confirm Pepper Spray Was Used in Viral Videos of Fight After Michigan GameThe story began when the woman, whom we will refer to as "Ms. Li" for privacy reasons, stumbled upon advertisements offering substantial cashback rewards for purchasing products through a certain online platform. Enthralled by the prospect of earning quick and easy money, Ms. Li eagerly signed up for the scheme without fully understanding the risks involved.What sets "In Front of the Moon" apart from other comedies is its blend of humor with subtle social commentary and emotional depth. While the film is sure to elicit plenty of laughs with its slapstick comedy and witty dialogue, it also explores themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery in a refreshingly authentic way. Lee's expert direction ensures that the film strikes a perfect balance between comedy and heart, leaving audiences both entertained and moved by the end credits.

Türkiye to export first military ships to EU, NATO member PortugalGong Li's passion for badminton has long been known among her close friends and colleagues, but it was only recently that the public got a glimpse of her late-night games. With a career spanning decades and a busy schedule filled with film shoots and public appearances, Gong Li's dedication to staying active and healthy is truly inspiring.In conclusion, Netanyahu's firm stance on the Golan Heights as an indivisible part of Israel reflects the complex dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the broader regional geopolitical landscape. As Israel navigates the complexities of safeguarding its security and territorial integrity, Netanyahu's assertiveness on the Golan Heights signals a determination to uphold Israel's national interests against external threats. The future of the Golan Heights remains uncertain, but Netanyahu's unwavering commitment to its status as a part of Israel will continue to shape the region's geopolitical realities for years to come.

None“Why has there never been a woman president?” my 8-year-old daughter, Lotus, asked me in 2008 when Barack Obama became our first Black president. It was such a thought-provoking question it inspired me to write a whole book of interviews to explore the answers. Sixteen years later, Lotus said sadly, “I’m still asking the same question at 23.” Since Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election, I’ve been thinking about all the girls and young women across the country who, like Lotus, saw yet another highly qualified female candidate lose to a white man for president. And not just any man, but one who’s been convicted of 34 felonies and found liable for sexual assault and defamation and has a long history of racist and sexist remarks , particularly toward female leaders. What effect will that have on girls’ perception of leadership, their self-worth and their ideas of what is, and is not, possible for women to achieve? (Not to mention the bad example it sets for boys and how it may shape their attitudes and behaviors toward women.) In addition to other concerns we may have about Harris’ loss and Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency, here’s something I urge us to be vigilant about: making sure the outcome of this election does not deter girls from aspiring to become our next generation of leaders. We need their important voices, vision and influence to help create a better, more equal world. As a mother of two daughters, and from my decades-long work to advance gender equality and women’s leadership, I am acutely aware of how important it is for young girls to see women in top leadership positions to visualize what is possible for themselves. Without enough examples of female leaders, girls and women can feel restricted by the idea that “you can’t be what you can’t see.” The symbolism alone of a Harris presidency, of finally breaking that barrier, would have undoubtedly positively affected women and girls, made even more significant with Harris being multiracial. Losing this opportunity to make history is also a lost chance to show girls of all races and ethnicities that they, too, could achieve their most ambitious goals and dreams, including holding the highest office in the land. As disheartening as that loss may be, it’s all the more reason why we must affirm our commitment to gender equality and women’s representation in politics, proactively uplifting girls’ belief in themselves as future leaders. There are many ways we can do this as we move forward. We can shape a positive narrative for younger generations, so that Harris’ loss is not merely a reminder of the challenges female leaders face but rather a pivotal moment to build upon — while emphasizing and celebrating all that she did accomplish. We should also actively support women’s leadership more broadly to help increase women’s representation: mentoring younger generations, advocating for other women at work, speaking out against biased or sexist media, and supporting female candidates locally and nationally. This will provide girls with more role models and normalize women being respected as leaders for boys and men, helping shift gender bias in our culture. This is especially important given a recent report from the 2025 Reykjavík Index for Leadership showing a decline in perceptions of women’s leadership, particularly among younger groups. In the U.S., only 47% of respondents were “very comfortable” with a female political leader. “This is an era of, at best, stasis, and at worst, increasingly regressive attitudes towards women leaders,” the report states. Let’s be intentional about encouraging leadership qualities in girls. Everyone who influences girls’ lives must consciously cultivate their confidence and self-worth, helping them envision a future in which they can achieve whatever they set out to do. And we must ensure they understand their own political power, including voting, being civically engaged, speaking up for causes they care about and considering a career in public service if they are so inclined. We should remember — and emphasize to young people — that pivotal moments like these often fuel some of the most impactful change. Trump’s 2016 win inspired women to turn their outrage into action. The Women’s March drew some 5 million people across the world, and an unprecedented surge of women ran for office, resulting in a record number of women being elected to Congress in the 2018 midterm elections. Yet achieving parity remains a significant challenge. Women hold only 24% of U.S. Senate seats and 29.2% of seats in the House. These numbers, which are even lower for women of color, have stalled and could even backslide if we are not proactive. Although progress is moving slower than we’d like, this election did bring advances, such as a new record of 13 female U.S. governors, two Black female senators elected to serve simultaneously for the first time and a record number of women serving in state legislatures nationwide. We can draw on these incremental gains and the energy generated by Harris’ historic run to motivate and sustain our work and inspire girls to imagine themselves as leaders. Our efforts will ensure that more women enter the political pipeline and are seated at decision-making tables, so that one day we can finally achieve the milestone of electing a female president and a more reflective democracy overall. Let us choose to respond to this moment with determination instead of defeat. If we all stay engaged in cultivating the next generation of female leaders, I know that soon young girls, like my daughter at 8 years old, will no longer have to wonder why we haven’t had a female president. Instead, they’ll be aspiring to be the next in line.

As a seasoned editor, it is my pleasure to draft an article on the topic of "Foreign Ministry: China's Position on China-South Korea Relations remains consistent, Respecting South Korea's Internal Affairs." Below is the article with a minimum of 800 words:

Meanwhile, Suning is showcasing its omnichannel approach to retail by integrating online and offline shopping experiences. With its vast network of physical stores and a strong online presence, Suning is offering consumers the flexibility to shop however they prefer, whether it's through its e-commerce platform or at one of its brick-and-mortar locations. By providing a seamless shopping experience that bridges the gap between online and offline retail, Suning is catering to a diverse range of consumer preferences during Double 12.First and foremost, the mention of "loose" policies after such a prolonged period of stringent measures indicates a willingness on the part of policymakers to adopt a more expansionary approach to economic management. This shift suggests a recognition of the need for increased spending and investment to spur growth and stimulate the economy. By acknowledging the potential benefits of looser policies, policymakers are signaling a departure from the conservative strategies of the past.

Stopping Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen is a tough task for any defense, even at full strength. As it appears, the New York Jets will be noticeably less than full strength when they visit the Bills on December 29. New York may be missing up to three defensive starters, including two in the secondary. Boundary cornerback Sauce Gardner, slot cornerback Michael Carter II and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams are all officially listed as questionable after varying degrees of practice this week. "Sauce is questionable. He went out there today. He gave it a try. We'll see. If there's anybody that would play with an injury and push, it's him," said interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich on Friday. Battling through a hamstring injury, Gardner, who missed the December 8 game in Miami, was a non-participant on back-to-back days before being upgraded to limited on Friday. Carter and Williams are in danger of missing their second game in a row. Carter, who has been dealing with a back issue for a large portion of the season, logged two limited participations after one DNP. RELATED: Top Aaron Rodgers target ready for another 'special connection' vs. Bills Nagged by a hamstring, Williams was limited all week. It's an improvement from not practicing at all leading up to the December 22 game that he missed. "If he can play, he will play, went out there today for the first time and really gave it a try, so I'll talk with Zuff [David Zuffelato] today, we'll collect as much information as we can and make a decision," said Ulbrich. Defensive end Haason Reddick is also questionable for Sunday's battle against the Bills. A neck injury limited Reddick on Wednesday and Thursday, but he was upgraded to full participation on Friday. Buffalo owns the NFL's No. 2 scoring offense (31.3). More New York Jets News: • Jets' Pro Bowler campaigns for Aaron Rodgers 2025 return • Aaron Rodgers boldly supports New York Jets' latest addition to 53-man roster • Jets' rare bright spot suffers season-ending injury in loss to Rams • Even Jeopardy! contestants baffled by New York Jets' embarrassing drought • Trying to understand heavily-flawed argument for Jets' WR1 Garrett WilsonBy Kaley Brown A half-full Gillette Stadium grew restless on Saturday afternoon as the Patriots fell in embarrassing fashion to the Los Angeles Chargers, 40-7. Chants of “Fire Mayo!” rang out in the fourth quarter as New England’s deficit increased and the Patriots fell to 3-13 on the season. Quarterback Drake Maye, perhaps the team’s lone positive in their latest contest, reiterated his support of head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt after the loss. “They’re still bringing it every week. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Maye told reporters from the podium. “They’re not quitting, they’re still coaching as hard since Week 1. They’re still studying film as hard, still meeting as hard. “So I think the biggest thing is you don’t see those guys quitting. The score may not tell it today, but those guys are still wanting to win, we’re still leaving it all out there every week.” After last week’s close loss to the Buffalo Bills, Maye made similar comments backing his coaches. “Just trying to block out that noise,” Maye said of the narratives around Mayo and Van Pelt. Mayo seemingly called out Van Pelt’s play calling following the Patriots’ loss to the Cardinals in Week 15. “I think it’s a bunch of conversations about our coaching staff and stuff like that. I think it’s some B.S. to be quite honest. “Coach Mayo, like I said, we got his back and he coaches hard. He wants to win. We all want to win. We’re all frustrated.” Maye has backed his coaches all year, a good sign from a young QB, despite the coaching staff’s shortcomings. In Maye’s case, he has continued to improve on the field and cement himself as New England’s franchise QB. All despite poor offensive line play, mediocre weapons around him, and an entire coaching staff whose jobs could be on the line. Owner Robert Kraft reportedly assured Mayo that he would not be fired after the season, according to The Athletic ‘s Dianna Russini earlier this month. However, NFL insider Ian Rapoport said last week that a head coaching change could be made under certain circumstances. “Now, if things go off the rails — they really struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season — we’ve seen this thing turn,” he said. New England plays one more game this season, a home game against the Bills next Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Week 18 will mark Maye’s final game of his rookie year. Sign up for Patriots updates🏈 Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during football season. Be civil. Be kind.Shares of Rumble Inc. RUM are trading higher Friday. Late Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump stated in a post that David Sacks , a member of Rumble's board since June 2023, will assume the role of “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar” in the upcoming administration. Here’s what you need to know. What To Know: According to post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Sacks will guide policies related to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, aiming to enhance the United States’ global leadership in these areas. Additionally, his role will involve addressing free speech issues online, working against perceived Big Tech bias and creating a clearer legal framework for the cryptocurrency industry. Sacks will also chair the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. David Sacks, apart from his role at Rumble, is a general partner at Craft Ventures, a venture capital fund he co-founded in 2017. His background includes serving as the founding COO of PayPal, founding and leading Yammer and making angel investments in prominent companies such as Facebook, Uber and SpaceX. The news of Sacks' appointment has likely contributed to the rise in Rumble's stock price, reflecting investor optimism tied to the increased visibility and influence of one of its board members in a high-profile government position. RUM Price Action: Rumble shares were up 21.9% at $8.53 at the time of writing, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: Energy Drink Firm Celsius Set to Energize Market Growth, Analyst Sees Significant Upside Image via Wikimedia Commons . © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.888 jili slot 。

Prosecutors play undercover recordings of Madigan at former speaker’s corruption trialThe New Orleans Saints will get a chance to take on one of their best picks from a historic 2017 draft class. Ryan Ramczyk, Alvin Kamara, and Marshon Lattimore headline that group. The final piece of that trio was traded before this year's deadline, to the Washington Commanders. Now, he will get an opportunity to beat the team that selected him. Lattimore will also get the chance to play defense against a Saints backup quarterback. Jake Haener will get the start on Sunday. When asked about his return to New Orleans, the former Saints cornerback was honest about his feelings regarding the matchup. Lattimore on return vs. Saints The former Pro Bowler is determined to prove himself against the Saints. "They traded me away. I'm going back to show why they shouldn't have." No pretending from Marshon Lattimore. There is extra motivation facing the Saints in his Commanders debut. "They traded me away. I'm going back to show why they shouldn't have." pic.twitter.com/2nbXwJd4jM Lattimore plans to rub salt in the wound for New Orleans, since they moved on. That being said, it was a smart move. Injuries have derailed Lattimore's availability in recent years. This NFC clash is the first time he's played since being dealt before the deadline. That's six games for Washington. Not to mention, he missed time for the Saints earlier this season. Lattimore played in just seventeen games combined between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 season. Before 2022, the CB was had played in at least thirteen games in every season of his NFL career. It remains to be seen how much Lattimore will play in his return, it sounds like Commanders HC Dan Quinn is confident that he can be on the field early and often in Week 15. He noted that Lattimore was a "full go" in Wednesday's practice. Lattimore will start on the outside, but it remains to be seen if he's moved around on defense, follows the opposition's top wideout, or stays on one side of the field. Another interesting factor will be rookie Mike Sainristil's role once Lattimore is playing. Sainristil is better suited for nickel, but had been playing pretty well on the outside, recently. He'll likely be moved back inside, but Quinn and co. aren't giving anything away when it comes to that thought. -- Evan Winter No matter what - Lattimore is going to play with some extra fire against his former team on Sunday. We'll see if the Saints can overcome his play. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Libyan military officials said Monday they apprehended hundreds of migrants traversing the country’s vast desert hoping to ultimately cross the Mediterranean Sea in pursuit of a better life in Europe. The 444 Brigade, a powerful militia group that operates under the auspices of the Libyan army, said in a statement that its patrolling commanders detained more than 300 migrants and referred them to authorities. The group in a post on Facebook condemned smuggling and human trafficking and said its patrols would continue efforts to block smuggling routes. It posted satellite images of the desert and pictures of what appeared to be migrants sitting in rows in front of armed and masked militants. The apprehensions come as Libya remains a primary point of departure for men, women and children from the Middle East and Africa aiming to reach Europe. Many are escaping war or poverty and many employ smugglers to help them negotiate treacherous deserts and sea routes. Roughly 38,000 people have arrived in Italy and Malta from Libya this year, according to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. The overcrowded boats used by migrants and smugglers are known to routinely capsize and a key priority for European leaders has been to encourage North African countries to prevent migrants from reaching the sea. But unlike in Morocco and Tunisia — where tens of thousands of migrants also attempt to pass through en route to the southern shores of Europe — fighting between rival governments in Libya has added additional challenges to migration management partnerships. Migrant apprehensions are rarely reported in Libya, though the country’s state news service LANA reported more than 2,000 arrests in July. The oil-rich country plunged into turmoil after a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since then, the country has been divided between dueling governments in the east and west, each backed by militias and foreign powers. Human traffickers have for years benefited from the political chaos. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in July said migrants in the country had been subjected to torture, forced labor and starvation while being detained.

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As the global economy continues to face uncertainties and challenges, many countries have been adopting measures to stimulate consumer spending and boost market activity. In this context, it is expected that consumption-promoting policies will be further enhanced next year to revitalize economic growth and enhance market resilience.Are you merely observing as others profit from the crypto surge? Watching people get rich from cryptocurrencies overnight can be tough and exhilarating, making you feel left out of the windfall. But here's some great news: you still have time to get involved in top crypto projects . People are flocking to four major crypto presales, setting the stage for impressive returns in 2025, including BlockDAG, Best Wallet, 5th Scape, and iDEGEN. These presales promise significant rewards, excellent scalability, and a developer-friendly setup. They aim to provide a strong foundation for those new to the crypto space. 1. BlockDAG (BDAG): Swift, Scalable & Developer-Oriented At the forefront of our top crypto projects is BlockDAG (BDAG) , a venture that transforms blockchain with its Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) structure and Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus. This cutting-edge approach overcomes traditional limitations, enabling exceptional transaction speeds, scalability, and enhanced security. BlockDAG has gathered over $165.5 million in its presale, with its value escalating from $0.001 to $0.0234 in batch 26, yielding early backers a return of 2240%. BlockDAG prioritizes its community, evident in its novel 5-tier bonus system that rewards initial buyers with a 150% bonus using the code BDAG250. The incentives grow with each additional purchase. The project's ecosystem is also expanding rapidly. It features a low-code/no-code platform that allows enthusiasts to create meme coins, while its WASM compatibility helps developers produce sophisticated dApps. Additionally, the TG Tap Miner, a popular game on Telegram with over 70,000 participants, rewards users with Tap Points that can be converted into BDAG coins. With such remarkable success in its presale, analysts anticipate that BDAG could climb to $20 by 2027, driven by its technological advancements. BlockDAG is a leader among the top crypto projects for traders aiming for growth and innovation in 2025. 2. iDEGEN: A Fresh Take on Crypto with AI Next up among the premier crypto presales is iDEGEN, an ambitious blend of AI technology and cryptocurrency that's stirring the market. This platform doesn't just bring new ideas—it adapts and evolves by analyzing live data from Crypto Twitter, reflecting the direct sentiments of its community. Operating on the Solana blockchain, iDEGEN introduces a unique adaptive auction mechanism that tailors pricing to current demand. This approach positions it as a thrilling opportunity. Its standout feature is the melding of AI-driven strategies with meme culture and decentralized community engagement, transforming it into a unique combination of social endeavor and crypto innovation. 3. Best Wallet Token: Enhancing Crypto Utility Best Wallet Token ($BEST) is our third highlight, offering an adaptable and straightforward platform for crypto handling. It supports leading blockchains such as Ethereum and BNB, appealing to new users and experienced traders alike. $BEST excels by delivering tangible benefits like reduced transaction costs, priority access to presales, and superior staking rewards. As the cornerstone of the Best Wallet infrastructure, which includes the Best DEX multi-chain wallet and the forthcoming Best Card, it enables users to influence important updates. With close to $3 million gathered in its presale phase, Best Wallet Token is establishing itself robustly among the top crypto projects . 4. 5thScape: Merging VR and Blockchain for Future Tech Completing our list of must-see crypto presales is 5thScape: a revolutionary project, using augmented reality and virtual reality on blockchain to enhance the safety and transparency of interactions. Running on Ethereum and accelerated through Skale Network's Layer 2 for scalability, 5thScape aims to revolutionize the virtual reality market by providing a smooth, engaging user experience with potential applications in gaming, health, education, and corporate training. The users can earn 5SCAPE tokens, with the access of the tokens giving the user extra special features on the application. This makes 5thScape a hub for the convergence of both virtual and real-world landscapes. Assessing the Top Contenders for Crypto Growth Each of these presales has something unique to it. Best Wallet Token has the practical advantages and ease of use, iDEGEN brings AI-led innovation, and 5thScape pioneers in merging VR with blockchain. However, BlockDAG is at the center of the most promising crypto presale for 2025 because of its growth prospects. The fact that it has an innovative DAG structure and it had an extremely fast presale indicates potential for great returns. Its strong framework and its aggressive plan make BlockDAG stand out as one of the top crypto projects for the seekers of great growth in the crypto space. Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.

Secured Border, Key To Economic Growth – AdeniyiWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weekslong delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transition of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. FILE - Susie Wiles watches as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a caucus night party in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) "This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day," said Susie Wiles, Trump's designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement came a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House issued both public and private appeals for Trump's team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts emphasized to Trump's team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) Republican Senators also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump's nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers were particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump's designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. "That's why it's so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Monday. John Thune, incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team "understands there's going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees." Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been making rapid advancements and reshaping various aspects of our daily lives. From personalized recommendations to autonomous vehicles, AI is revolutionizing industries across the globe. One such innovative application of AI can be seen in the newly launched Kuaishou Keling AI Director Collaboration Program, which aims to combine AI technology with social welfare initiatives.The second club in the race is Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), a dominant force in French football and a regular participant in the UEFA Champions League. PSG's financial might, combined with their ambition to compete for top honors, makes them a compelling destination for the Dutch defender as he weighs his options.

As the retrial continued, Yang Niuhua stood firm in her determination to seek justice for the victims of human trafficking and hold Yu Huaying accountable for his crimes. Her unwavering resolve and outspoken advocacy on behalf of the victims have garnered widespread support and admiration from those seeking to eradicate human trafficking from our communities.Content Credits Launches The Cincinnati ExchangeTitle: Summary of the Final Batch of New Car Declarations by MIIT: Multiple High-Profile Models UnveiledAlthough the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are due only in 2027, political experts suggest that the increasing number of temple-mosque disputes in the state and the resultant polarisation have started to set the political narrative. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Analysts point to the recent bypolls in the state where slogans like "Batenge to Katenge" (divided we perish) played a key role in ensuring Hindu unity . And it is in this backdrop that the experts feel that the intensifying temple-mosque polarisation pitch has its own implications. "During the bypolls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'Batenge to Katenge' slogan was seen as a response to the Samajwadi Party 's (SP) attempt to create caste-based mobilisation using the PDA (Backwards, Dalits, Minorities) move. The outcome (of the bypolls) was clearly in favour of the BJP ," political analyst Rajeev Ranjan told PTI. Of the nine Assembly seats that went to bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won seven, while the main opposition SP secured the two remaining seats. "Recent developments indicate that the process of polarisation may intensify further as 2027 approaches," Ranjan added. 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In the latest case, a petition was filed in Badaun earlier this month, claiming that a Neelkanth Mahadev temple existed where the Jama Masjid now stands. A local court will hear the maintainability of the plea in January. Meanwhile, violence erupted in November during a court-ordered survey of Sambhal's Shahi Jama Masjid, leaving four people dead. Hindu groups have claimed that a Hariharanath temple previously existed where the Mughal-era mosque stands. Political observers feel that such claims may gain currency in the run-up to 2027 polls, impacting the political climate in Uttar Pradesh. Former vice-chancellor of the Lucknow University and social activist Professor Roop Rekha Verma accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government of promoting communal polarisation. "Such incidents are happening across the country, but these cannot be dismissed as a mere coincidence given the political groundwork for the 2027 Assembly election," she told PTI. Verma argued that after the opposition's relatively strong performance in the Lok Sabha polls held earlier in the year, the ruling party has intensified its efforts to regain political space. In the general election, the BJP secured 33 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while its allies Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal (S) won two seats and one seat respectively. The SP captured 37 seats, while the Congress won six and one seat went to the Azad Samaj Party. Responding to recent surveys and excavations in Sambhal's mosques, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "These people will keep searching and digging until one day, they dig their own government out. They believe in systems, not democracy." State BJP spokesperson Harish Chandra Srivastava hit back at Yadav. "The SP and the Congress want to climb the ladder of power by ignoring justice and indulging in appeasement politics. But the people are now aware of the truth," he told PTI. Citing past communal incidents, Srivastava said, "Who will answer for the massacres and violence in Sambhal during the 1978 and 1982 riots, where countless Hindus were killed and their houses burnt? Why did those victims not get justice?" SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary feels that the "BJP's ploy" would backfire. "Their motives are anti-people and their strategy will turn against them. In 2027, Akhilesh Yadav's PDA strategy will prevail," he said. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat recently called for restraint in raising new temple-related disputes. Speaking in Pune on December 19, he said, "The Ram mandir (in Ayodhya) holds a special place for Hindus, but raising such issues to become leaders of Hindus in new places is not acceptable." Professor Sushil Kumar Pandey from the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University said communal polarisation is likely to grow in the coming days. "Many Hindu worship sites were destroyed during the Islamic rule. With favourable political conditions and the Ram mandir's construction, revisiting historical grievances will undoubtedly escalate communal tensions and have political ramifications," he added. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

In conclusion, the completion of the 1 trillion yuan ultra-long-term special national bonds arrangement represents a crucial step in supporting the "Two Heavy" and "Two New" initiatives in China. By providing substantial financial resources for key infrastructure projects, strategic emerging industries, new urbanization, and rural revitalization, these bonds will play a vital role in driving sustainable economic growth and fostering innovation. With careful management and strategic investment, China is poised to create a stronger, more prosperous future for its citizens and contribute to global economic development.It has been reported that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is due to visit India during the latter part of December. He and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to have talks on grant assistance projects from India, debt restructuring, people centric digitisation (identity cards, for instance), finality of the Economic and Technological Co-operation Agreement (ECTA), housing projects from India, solar electrification of religious places, agricultural development, defence cooperation, infrastructure development in the north and collaboration in human resource development. President Dissanayake is expected to raise with Premier Modi the issue of Indian fishermen fishing in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters (Sunday Times, 1 December 2024). It is clear from the foregoing report that the scale and scope of India’s agenda overwhelmingly outweighs Sri Lanka’s agenda that is limited to a single issue, namely, “Indian fishermen fishing in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters”. Notwithstanding this serious imbalance, Sri Lanka could gain considerable mileage by expanding the scope of this single issue in its agenda to two issues that would make a significant impact not only to Sri Lanka’s security and its national interests but also to the wellbeing of the Sri Lankan fishing community. The two issues are as follows: These two issues are interlinked because it is the determination of the international boundary, based on international law, that becomes the basis to establish claims for reparations. Therefore, it is only by establishing the location of the international boundary, based on a judgment by the ICJ, that lawful assessment of the claim for reparations could be established. One of the issues that was of significant concern to Sri Lanka and India in the early 1970s was the “ownership” of the island of Katchativu since it was pivotal to the establishment of the maritime boundary between the two countries. This issue was resolved with the signing of the 1974 Agreement by the Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka and India and revised in 1976. However, since these Agreements are based on traditional practices of citizens in both countries and, therefore, had “no legal resolution of ownership” (MDD Peiris, November 24, 2024), at the operational level, adherence to the obligations in the Agreements are fluid. Consequently, the ceding of Katchativu by India to Sri Lanka as per the Agreements is considered by India to be an act of treachery; even Prime Minister Modi is of a similar view. As long as such perspectives persist at the highest level in India, attempting to resolve these contentious issues through dialogue is a futile exercise even if the highest level is committed to policies such as “Neighbourhood First”. Therefore, the only option for Sri Lanka and India, as members of the UN Charter, is to jointly or separately refer the matter to the ICJ for a legal resolution of all issues involved, if there is to any justice under the policy of “Neighbourhood First”, for it to mean what it states and not India First in the neighbourhood. According to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Article 56) the exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing living and non-living natural resources of a Coastal State within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a sovereign right. Despite this, thousands of trawlers from India enter Sri Lanka’s EEZ and not only exploit its resources but also destroy marine resources by resorting to bottom trawling, evidence of which abound. In a United Nations-Nippon Foundation of Japan Fellowship Programme of 2016, Aruna Maheepala claims: “There are over 5,000 mechanised trawlers in Tamil Nadu and nearly 2,500 of them enter Sri Lankan waters on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and often coming at 500 m of the shoreline (emphasis added) ... More than 50,000 marine fishers live in the Northern fisheries districts (Jaffna, Kiliinochchi, Mannar, Mulative), which is around one fourth of the marine fishers of the country. Before the commencement of the war (1982) around 40% of the fish production of the country came from Northern fishery districts (except Killinochchi). However, the contribution of the fish production in the Northern fishery district drastically dropped to 5% in the peak period of the war (2008) and gradually increased after 2009. Furthermore, livelihoods of Sri Lankan fishers’ have been drastically affected as a result of the Indian poaching”. News 1st reported on 14 April 2021: “Indian fishing vessels illegally fishing in Sri Lankan waters pillage around Rs, 900 billion worth of valuable marine resources in the Northern seas of Sri Lanka” (Northern Province Fisheries Asso. Chief, M.V. Subramanium). “Assessing reparation of environmental damage by the ICJ”, (Questions on International Law, QIL) cites the case of compensation for environmental damage in Nicaragua/Costa Rica, the ICJ’s Judgment was: “To shed light on the case, the Court sought support in international law and decisions of arbitral tribunals. In 1927, the ICJ already underlined in its judgment related to the Factory of Chorzów that a breach involves an obligation to make a reparation ‘in an adequate form’. The Court recalled that it had in a previous judgment, in 2015, assigned sovereignty over the area to Costa Rica, and Nicaragua’s activities were, therefore, in breach of that sovereignty. As such, the obligation for Nicaragua to make reparation was no longer to be disputed. Reparation in the form of compensation, as applied in the present case, was determined by the judgment in 2015. Before addressing the issue of compensation in itself, the Court deemed it appropriate to follow a two-fold approach. The Court first determined the existence and extent of the damage to environmental goods and services caused by Nicaragua’s wrongful activities, and then went on to assess the existence of a direct and certain causal link between such damage and Nicaragua’s activities. This section will successively examine the Court’s analysis of the points of contention, its choice of method, and the assessment of the damage as established by the Court”. Basis for maritime boundaries in international law A meeting was held in 1921, between the Colonial Governments of India and Ceylon “in order to avoid over-exploitation of maritime resources and the possibility of competition between the fishermen of India and Sri Lanka in the same waters for their catch, the colonial Governments of Madras and Colombo agreed to delimit the waters in the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay. The two parties met in Colombo on October 24, 1921. The Indian team was led by Mr. C. W. E. Cotton and the team representing the government of Ceylon was headed by Hon. B. Horsburg”. “Both parties accepted the principle of equidistant and the median line could be the guiding factor”. However, since at Kachchathivu the principle of equidistant “would considerably narrow the area of operations for the Indian fishermen”, the Ceylon delegation proposed a line that was three miles west of the island “so that there would be an equitable apportionment in the fisheries domain for both Sri Lanka and India”. The proposal by the Ceylon delegation was based on the fact that “Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over Kachchathivu was never in question, was beyond any doubt and was not a matter for negotiation. He (Hon. B. Horsburg) quoted from the correspondence that the Survey Department and the Department of Public Works in Colombo had exchanged with the counterparts in India, in which the sovereignty of Sri Lanka over Kachchativu had been taken for granted by the Indian authorities... After discussion the delimitation line was fixed three miles west of Kachchativu” (Jayasinghe, p. 14,15). Agreement between the two parties is reflected in the letter from the head of the Indian delegation, C. W. E. Cotton, in which he states: “... we unanimously decided that the delimitation of the new jurisdiction for fishing purposes could be decided independently of the question of territoriality. The delimitation line was accordingly fixed, with our concurrence three miles west of Kachchativu and the Ceylon representatives thereupon agreed to a more orderly alignment south of the island than they had originally proposed...” (Ibid, p. 130). What is relevant from all of the above is that regardless of the basis for establishing a boundary under colonial rule, such boundaries morph into territorial boundaries of independent states under the “Doctrine of Uti possidetis”. Black’s Law Dictionary has defined the legal Doctrine of “Uti possidetis juris” as “the doctrine that old administrative boundaries will become international boundaries when a political subdivision achieves independence (Hansal & Allison, “The Colonial Legacy and Border Stability”, p. 2; quoting Garner 1999). The principle behind this doctrine dates back to Roman times. The principle first emerged in the modern sense with the decolonisation of Latin America when each former Spanish colony agreed to accept territories that were “presumed to be possessed by its colonial predecessors” (Ibid). The same doctrine was accepted by former colonies in the African continent. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has “argued for its relevance across the world” (Ibid). “This principle was stated most directly in the ICJ’s 1986 decision in the Frontier Dispute/Burkina Faso Republic of Mali case. The ICJ had been asked to settle the location of a disputed segment of the border between Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which had been part of French West Africa before independence. In their judgment over the merits of this Frontier Dispute case the ICJ emphasised the legal principle of uti possidetis juris”: “The ICJ judgment in the Mali-Burkina Faso Dispute case also argued that the principle of uti possidetis should apply in any decolonisation situation regardless of the legal or political status of the entities on each side of the border”: “The territorial boundaries which have to be respected may also derive from international frontiers which previously divided a colony of one State from a colony of another, or indeed a colonial territory from the territory of another independent State...There is no doubt that the obligation to respect pre-existing international frontiers in the event of State succession derives from a general rule of international law, whether or not the rule is expressed in the formula of uti possidetis” (ICJ 1986, Ibid). Based on the ICJ Judgment, the Maritime Boundary between India and Sri Lanka should be what existed during Colonial times and continue as the International Maritime Boundary when India and Sri Lanka gained independence. The fact that Sri Lanka failed to use the provision of Uti Possidetis has cost Sri Lanka’s economy dearly and continues to do so in terms of treasure and human suffering. The issue of Indian fishermen fishing in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters was resolved in 1921, when the Colonial Government of India and then Ceylon unanimously agreed on what the maritime boundary was to be. Accordingly, the island of Kachchativu was to be part of Sri Lanka’s sovereign territory as it had been before Ceylon was colonised. Following independence of both countries, the boundaries that were recognised while under colonial rule should have been recognised as the boundaries of independent India and Sri Lanka in keeping with the internationally recognised doctrine of Uti Possidetis cited above. Instead of staking Sri Lanka’s claim on the principle that colonial boundaries transform into international boundaries upon gaining independence, Sri Lanka opted to base their claim on traditional and historical practices and agreements were signed by the Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka.in 1974 and revised in 1976. The opportunity to stake Sri Lanka’s claim on the basis of international law was lost, perhaps due to unfamiliarity with related legal provisions. While sovereign countries are free to forge agreements between themselves, their durability is dependent on varying personal political agendas of political actors in each country. Consequently, what is acceptable today may be unacceptable tomorrow. Since these agreements are not based on international law, Indian political leaders, such as Prime Minister Modi, refuse to accept them. These perspectives have emboldened Indian fishermen to violate maritime boundaries and destroy marine resources by resorting to bottom trawling. Furthermore, the numerous discussions between the two governments have failed to resolve substantive issues and have resulted ONLY in the India government’s focus being on the release of arrested Indian fishermen and their vessels. Therefore, since the issue of maritime boundaries has a direct bearing on illegal entry into Sri Lanka’s sovereign territory and destruction of marine resources, the ONLY durable way to resolve this contentious issue is to seek the assistance of the ICJ to rule on a legal determination as to the location of maritime boundaries based on the principle of Uti possidetis, on which depends claims for reparations for damages to maritime resources inflicted over decades. In this regard, Sri Lanka should be encouraged by the ICJ determination in the case of Nicaragua and Costa Rica in 2015 cited above. The opportunity presented by the forthcoming visit of President Dissanayake to India should not be missed by the new Government because all previous Governments and their advisors have failed to address this all-important issue, either because of their timidity or ignorance of relevant international laws. If Dissanayake fails to inform India that Sri Lanka has no option but to seek the assistance of the ICJ to resolve the issue of maritime boundaries, Sri Lanka will have to accept the bitter prospect of the plunder of its resources and the sovereign rights of the people and the nation forever.As the trial progressed, tensions ran high, with both sides presenting compelling arguments and evidence to support their respective cases. The judges presiding over the trial carefully examined each piece of evidence and testimony, deliberating on the complex legal issues at hand. The outcome of the retrial remained uncertain, with the fate of Yu Huaying hanging in the balance.

T hese are terms in Tagalog — that mean being boorish or uncouth and being insulting or insolent, respectively — to describe the action of Congress with respect to the 2025 budget. Gross as they are, the Tagalog words offer the exact words that convey Congress’s disgraceful behavior. In a statement being circulated through the petition platform called Change.org, citizens call the 2025 budget as the “most corrupt budget in Philippine history.” The most egregious feature of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) that Congress approved is the budget of zero for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PHIC) or PhilHealth. This is a blatant violation of the Universal Health Care Act (UHCA) and the Sin Tax Law. To enable universal healthcare and social health insurance, the law obliges the government to allocate premiums for those who are financially incapable — the poor or indigents, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities as well as all their dependents. A zero budget strips the premiums of indirect contributors. Worse, the zero budget makes the direct contributors including the working class, kasambahays (household workers), overseas Filipino workers, and self-earning individuals bear the sole burden of financing PhilHealth. The unfairness or injustice is intensified when the government allocates nothing for PhilHealth but increases the premium contributions of the direct contributors. Funds are pooled within PhilHealth to enable risk sharing — by removing premiums for indirect contributors, government is blatantly abandoning its commitment to social solidarity in working towards universal healthcare. Congress also violates the earmarking of excise tax revenues from tobacco and sweetened beverages to PhilHealth, as mandated by the Sin Tax Law. Moreover, Congress flouts the Constitution’s provisions. The GAA cannot amend statutes like the UHCA and the Sin Tax Law. The bicameral conference committee cannot overreach and insert provisions that were not part of the bill approved by either the House of Representatives or the Senate. And Congress has rejected the Constitution’s right to health. The right to health is concretely expressed in a commitment that retrogression does not happen in the provision of essential healthcare and that maximum available resources are used for the progressive realization of universal healthcare. Obviously, giving PhilHealth a budget of zero breaks such a principle. The loud apologists for the corrupt 2025 GAA are the garrulous Senate President Chiz Escudero and the seemingly immaculate Senator Grace Poe, who employ the duplicitous argument that PhilHealth does not need a budget allocation, for it has P600 billion in reserve funds. Senators Escudero and Poe and their colleagues in both chambers of Congress are contemptuous of the law. First, they reject the UHCA that mandates the government to provide the premiums for indirect contributors. Using the reserve funds to cover the premiums of indirect contributors is treachery, as the reserve funds actually constitute the previously paid premiums of members. Second, they again violate the UHCA that unequivocally states that any excess in reserve funds must be used to increase PhilHealth benefits and decrease the premiums of direct contributors. The so-called excess funds must be used to fund the expansion of benefits (like the 30% increase in benefit packages, which adjusts for inflation over the years), the rollout of new benefits that PhilHealth promised in the face of legislative and public pressure, and the implementation of the much-delayed outpatient benefits (Konsulta program). Worse, Senators Escudero and Poe dismiss the fact that PhilHealth’s insurance contract liabilities (ICL), per its latest financial statements, already exceed P1 trillion. It goes without saying that the ICL far outstrips PhilHealth’s reserve funds. It would behoove an insurance company, a social health insurance at that, to have the reserve funds adequately cover insurance contract liabilities. The PhilHealth budget of zero will exacerbate PhilHealth’s financial stress. Thus the insensitivity, the callousness, and the deception displayed by Senators Escudero and Poe have incurred the anger of citizens. They have earned the disreputable monikers of “Heartless Chiz” and “Disgraced Grace” But we should not forget that the pambababoy or the pambabastos was an act of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The House Speaker, Martin Romualdez, let “Heartless Chiz” and “Disgraced Grace” be the voice of the pambababoy . Only Senators Risa Hontiveros and Koko Pimentel resolutely and courageously stood up and opposed this dastardly act. PhilHealth’s zero budget, severe in itself, is inextricably linked to a larger problem that makes the GAA 2025 the “most corrupt.” While Congress has degraded PhilHealth by giving it a budget of zero, it has substantially increased the budget for the medical assistance for indigents — the type of ayuda that is prone to corruption and arbitrariness and serves patronage politics. Although the act of giving a budget of zero for PhilHealth is the most brazen, Congress has also slashed the budget for basic education by P12 billion, state colleges and universities by P30 billion, science and technology by P20 billion, poverty alleviation and nutrition (the 4Ps or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program), and active transportation. The funds taken away from essential economic and social services have been transferred to the politically motivated ayuda like the medical assistance for indigents and the AKAP (Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita) for the “near poor,” for which a P26-billion budget was approved. Further, some critics point out that the 2025 GAA violates Article XIV, Section 5(5) of the Constitution. Said Section provides that “The State shall assign the highest budget priority to education.” They observe that education has been replaced by public works, where the bulk of pork barrel funds are parked, as having the biggest allocation in the 2025 GAA. A total of P1.114 trillion has been allocated to public works. Critics have likewise exposed the trick where Congress includes programs or items under education like schools of national security agencies to give the pretense of a budget prioritizing education. Mark our words: the 2025 GAA is a budget for the electioneering of the incumbents in the ruling political coalition. Ultimately, it is a budget for the preservation and extension of their power through Charter Change. How then can we overturn the GAA that debases universal healthcare and other public goods, abets corruption, and serves patronage politics? Will the President heed the public call for a veto? Likely not; after all, his most loyal allies, led by his relative, the Speaker, are the ones responsible for the pambababoy . Let’s listen to a global expert in universal healthcare, whom we cannot name, for we haven’t asked permission. Said she: “I did not believe it was possible to do this. I would be the last one to suggest a decrease in premium but — I think direct contributors should start insisting to decrease their premium or the government pays their share. Just for fairness. The technical approach is not working. Perhaps big voting constituencies like GSIS or SSS members with the employers’ confederations can muscle up.” Another technocrat, the economist and former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno echoes the same sentiment that “the technical approach is not working.” In her social media video, which gained three million views, she championed the call for direct contributors not to pay premiums or for their payments to be refunded. Again, it is about fairness. The experts and the technocrats feel the popular sentiment and the explosion of anger in the face of government’s heartlessness and harshness. “Remove #PhilHealth in our pay slips!!!” has become a call of citizens that has gone viral. The transfer of PhilHealth funds to the National Government and the latest development of giving a zero budget to PhilHealth, together with the ineptness and inefficiency of its leadership, have damaged universal healthcare. Government has broken its commitment to social solidarity. The administration’s irresponsible, malicious, and flagrant actions have fired up the people. And the consequences are terrifying: the destruction of institutions like PhilHealth, the beginning of a fiscal crisis, and the inevitability of political turmoil. Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III coordinates the Action for Economic Reforms. Pia Rodrigo is strategic communications officer at Action for Economic Reforms. www.aer.phSecured Border, Key To Economic Growth – Adeniyi

Thousands of Syrians celebrate in central Damascus during first Friday prayers since Assad's fall DAMASCUS (AP) — Thousands of Syrians celebrated in Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. The leader of the insurgency that toppled Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa, appeared in a video message in which he congratulated “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the Turkish capital of Ankara that there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria. The U.S. diplomat also called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian" interim government. Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she 'sustained an injury' from fall on official trip to Luxembourg WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi is 84. She was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. The person requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen's friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes to seafood, one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy. Some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they expect Trump to allow fishing in protected areas and crack down on offshore wind expansion. Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with a massive attack by cruise missiles and drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones in Friday's bombardments. He says it is one of the heaviest bombardments of the country’s energy sector since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost three years ago. He says Ukrainian defenses shot down 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles that were intercepted by F-16 warplanes provided by Western allies earlier this year. Zelenskyy renewed his plea for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin. But uncertainty surrounds how the war might unfold next year. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war and has thrown into doubt whether vital U.S. military support for Kyiv will continue. Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump's suite at football game FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A military veteran who choked an agitated New York subway rider and was acquitted of homicide this week has been invited by Vice President-elect JD Vance to join Donald Trump’s suite at the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. Daniel Penny was cleared of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely’s 2023 death. A more serious manslaughter charge was dismissed last week. Vance served in the Marine Corps and had commented on the acquittal earlier this week. He said that “justice was done in this case” and Penny should never have been prosecuted. About 3 in 10 are highly confident in Trump on Cabinet, spending or military oversight: AP-NORC poll WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans may have elected Donald Trump to a second term in November, but that doesn’t mean they have high confidence in his ability to choose well-qualified people for his Cabinet or effectively manage government spending, the military and the White House. That's according to a new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About half of U.S. adults are “not at all confident” in Trump’s ability to appoint well-qualified people for high-level government positions. Only about 3 in 10 are “extremely” or “very” confident that Trump will pick qualified people to serve in his administration. President Macron names centrist ally Bayrou as France's next prime minister PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has named centrist ally François Bayrou as prime minister, after a historic parliamentary vote ousted the previous government last week. The 73-year-old is a crucial partner in Macron’s centrist alliance and has been a well-known figure in French politics for decades. His political experience is seen as key in efforts to restore stability as no single party holds a majority in the National Assembly. Bayrou was recently cleared in a case relating to embezzlement of European Parliament funds. His predecessor resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the parliament, leaving France without a functioning government. Macron vowed last week to remain in office until his term ends in 2027. Rolling blackouts plague Iran and some suspect bitcoin mining may have a role in the outages TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s capital and outlying provinces have faced rolling power blackouts for weeks in October and November, with electricity cuts disrupting people’s lives and businesses. And while there are likely several factors involved, some suspect that cryptocurrency mining has has a role in the outages. Iran's economy has been hobbled for years by international sanctions over its advancing nuclear program. The demand on the grid has not let up, however — even when Iranians stopped using air conditioners as the weather cooled in the fall and before winter months require people to fire up their gas heaters. Coincidence or not, bitcoin’s value is rocketing to all-time highs. McKinsey & Company agrees to pay $650M for helping Purdue Pharma boost opioid sales BOSTON (AP) — McKinsey & Company consulting firm has agreed to pay $650 million to settle a federal investigation into its work for opioids manufacturer Purdue Pharma, according to court papers filed in Virginia. McKinsey has also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve criminal charges, including that it conspired with Purdue Pharma to aid in the misbranding of prescription drugs. A former McKinsey senior partner has also agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice charges, according to the court papers. McKinsey said in a statement on Friday that it’s “deeply sorry” for its work for Purdue Pharma. Yankees to acquire closer Devin Williams from Brewers for Nestor Cortes, Chad Durbin, AP source says NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with the trade tells The Associated Press that the New York Yankees have agreed to acquire All-Star closer Devin Williams and cash from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. A 30-year-old right-hander, Williams is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He was diagnosed during spring training with two stress fractures in his back and didn’t make his season debut until July 28.Syrian Embassy in Russia Hangs Opposition Flags: A Bold Statement of Defiance

These are just a few of the standout titles showcased at the Barrage Paradise 2.0 Game Festival that deserve recognition for their creativity, innovation, and entertainment value. Whether you're a fan of roguelikes, puzzle games, card-based adventures, or platformers, there is something for everyone to enjoy at this eclectic festival. So grab your controller, dive into these captivating worlds, and prepare to be amazed by the endless possibilities that await in the realm of indie gaming.In the midday trading session today, the Shanghai Composite Index opened strongly but retraced some of its gains, ultimately rising by 1.58%. The trading volume in the two markets exceeded 1.5 trillion yuan, reflecting the active participation of investors in the market.

In conclusion, the dramatic rescue of Mrs. Johnson by the high-speed traffic police stands as a shining example of the extraordinary feats that can be achieved when courage, compassion, and teamwork converge in the face of adversity. As we reflect on this remarkable tale of survival and heroism, let us pause to honor and celebrate the everyday heroes who stand ready to answer the call of duty and make a difference in the lives of those in need.Colts coach Shane Steichen feeling heat after playoff elimination

As the investigation unfolds and the pressure mounts, one thing is clear: Mbappe's quest to rid the team of the mole is not just about solving a mystery, but about restoring trust, unity, and pride in the jersey. Only time will tell if his efforts will be successful, but one thing is certain - Mbappe's determination and leadership have already left an indelible mark on the team's journey.Swept by Jags, Titans alone in AFC South basementFraudsters Shift Tactics to Customers, Challenging Financial Institutions to InnovateAll of a sudden, everything changed in the A-share market! Three major signals emerged simultaneously, indicating a significant shift in market sentiment.

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PM Modi-led Cabinet Approves ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill Controversy Erupts Across Political Spectrum New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet’s approval of the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill has sparked controversy across India’s political spectrum. Described by the BJP as a revolutionary step towards streamlining governance and boosting development, the proposal has been fiercely opposed by Opposition parties, which argue it undermines federalism and concentrates power in the hands of the centre. The Bill aims to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies and is expected to be tabled in the Parliament during the ongoing winter session. While the BJP and its allies are pushing the idea as a significant reform, the Congress and other regional parties, have branded it as “anti-democratic” and a threat to India’s diverse political fabric. Supporters laud efficiency BJP ally Chirag Paswan was quick to hail the initiative as being in the “national interest,” emphasising its potential to minimise the disruptions caused by frequent elections. “It (simultaneous election) is in the interest of the country. It will boost development,” Paswan stated. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma endorsed the Bill, highlighting the logistical and financial efficiencies it promises. “Like simultaneous elections were held in Odisha...When assembly and Lok Sabha elections are not held together, development work stops,” Sarma argued. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut added her voice to the chorus of approval, asserting, “There is a wave of enthusiasm across the country for ‘One Nation, One Election.’ This should have happened earlier, and it’s being done under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.” Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini also backed the move, citing cost savings and developmental benefits. “Earlier, the money was misused in the elections. It used to restrict the pace of development too...I welcome this decision. It will save the burden on the exchequer,” he said. Opposition unites against ‘authoritarian’ move Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had already articulated his party’s strong disapproval in January 2024, describing the concept as “anti-democratic.” The party’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, accused the BJP of using the Bill to divert attention from critical issues. “There are many concerns among the INDIA bloc about the impact on the federal character of our country through this Bill,” Gogoi said, adding, “PM Modi has not walked the talk...he does Haryana and Maharashtra elections separately. He does Gujarat elections separately.” TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee minced no words, calling the legislation a “draconian” attack on democracy. “Bengal will NEVER bow to Delhi’s dictatorial whims,” she declared. Her colleague Kunal Ghosh echoed her sentiment, raising doubts about the practicality of the move. “Who will give the guarantee that after voting once, a government will last for its full term, i.e., 5 years?” Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin launched a scathing attack on the Bill, labelling it “impractical” and “anti-democratic.” He warned that it would erase regional voices and disrupt governance. “Let’s resist this attack on Indian Democracy with all our strength!” Stalin wrote on X. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh dismissed the Bill as a ploy to benefit corporate interests, saying, “There’s only one slogan of the Modi government: ‘one nation, one Adani.’” Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann questioned the Centre’s sincerity, stating, “They cannot even hold ‘two states, one election.’ That means there must be something else in their mind.” JMM MP Mahua Maji called it a conspiracy against smaller parties, asserting, “They want to finish off regional parties and want just 1-2 parties in the country.” Similarly, Shiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed scepticism about the logistics, saying, “How will it be implemented, what will be the expense, how many more EVMs will be installed...It is a long procedure.” In contrast, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao appeared cautious, stating that while his party had supported the concept in 2017, they would wait for more clarity. “We are firm proponents of federalism...We will have to wait and see in what form this Bill will come,” Rao said. Former President Ram Nath Kovind, who headed the high-level committee on the proposal, noted that 32 political parties supported the idea, while 15 opposed it. Yet, the stark divide among national and regional players reflects the complexity of reconciling simultaneous polls with India’s federal structure. The debate over One Nation, One Election is far from new. It has resurfaced repeatedly over the years, with each instance sparking intense controversies and ideological divides. While the BJP touts ONOE as a visionary reform, Opposition parties warn of its potential to tilt the balance of power.

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MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins began their attempt to turn their season around following a 2-6 start three weeks ago. They once again held serve on Sunday against an opponent they were favored to beat. And they did so emphatically by routing the rebuilding New England Patriots 34-15 at Hard Rock Stadium. It was the Dolphins’ most lopsided win over the Patriots since a 38-13 victory at Foxborough, Mass., on Sept. 21, 2008 — the game in which Miami implemented the Wildcat formation and Ronnie Brown accounted for six touchdowns. It could have been even more lopsided with Miami leading 31-0 early in the fourth quarter before giving up a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns including Christian Gonzalez’s 63-yard return for a touchdown of a Jaylen Wright fumble, which forced the Dolphins to put several starters including Tua Tagovailoa back in the game after they had been pulled to rest them for Thursday’s game. Tyrel Dodson’s interception of a pass by New England starting quarterback Drake Maye with 5:13 left in the fourth led to a Jason Sanders 51-yard field goal to seal the outcome. Tagovailoa remained sharp and delivered one of the best performances of his career, throwing four touchdown passes. Jaylen Waddle put together his best game of the season, catching a season-high eight passes for a season-high 144 yards and a touchdown. The score was his first since Week 1 against the Jaguars and only his second of the season. Miami’s defense was dominant as well, recording four sacks of New England starter Drake Maye. Rookie Chop Robinson had one of those sacks, and had what appeared to be a strip sack in the second quarter that was later ruled an incomplete pass. Zach Sieler had a strip sack in the third quarter, which Jordyn Brooks recovered. And so, the Dolphins (5-6) won their third consecutive game over a team at or under .500. The victory, on a short week, set up a crucial showdown Thanksgiving Night at Green Bay, which figures to be Miami’s toughest opponent since this winning streak began. And the Dolphins will likely play that night game, which is set for an 8:20 p.m. kickoff, in cold temperatures with the expected low being 20 degrees as of Sunday according to the Weather Channel. But Tagovailoa, who has struggled in cold weather games during his career, will enter Thursday’s contest with plenty of momentum after completing 29-of-40 passes for 317 yards, the aforementioned four touchdown passes and no interceptions. Tagovailoa’s four touchdown passes matched his second-highest total for his career and the first time he has thrown that many since Sept. 24, 2023 against the Broncos in the game the Dolphins set a franchise scoring record in a 70-20 rout. It was the fourth game of his career with four or more touchdown passes. Tagovailoa now has 11 touchdowns and only one interception in 20 quarters since returning from the concussion he suffered in week 2 against Buffalo. His 128.9 passer rating was his best over that span and the third game he has posted one of 124.9 or higher. Tagovailoa has posted a passer rating of 89.4 or higher in each of those five games. Tight end Jonnu Smith continued to be a focal point of the Dolphins’ offense with nine catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.Exclusive: PatientsLikeMe launches AI assistant focused on women's health

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most active and internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said the former president died Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia.

A federal judge in Oregon blocked Kroger’s proposed $25 billion tie-up with Albertsons, ruling that the largest merger in US supermarket history would limit competition and harm consumers. The ruling is a major setback for the chains and puts the merger’s likelihood in jeopardy. Neither company immediately commented following the ruling. The merger, announced in 2022, sought to combine the fifth and tenth largest retailers in the country. The companies own dozens of grocery chains, including Safeway, Vons, Harris Teeter and Fred Meyer. Supermarkets have been losing ground in recent decades to competition, and Kroger and Albertsons wanted to merge to better fight off Walmart and Amazon. Kroger and Albertsons employ mostly unionized workforces and said they wanted to merge to be more competitive against non-union giants such as Walmart, Amazon and Costco. The grocers also face increased pressure from Aldi, the fast-growing German discount supermarket chain. The merger would accelerate “our position as a more compelling alternative to larger and non-union competitors,” Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said when the deal was announced in 2022 . Kroger committed to lowering grocery prices by $1 billion following the merger. But Judge Adrienne Nelson rejected that argument. In her ruling, she said that supermarkets are “distinct from other grocery retailers” and are not direct competitors to Walmart, Amazon and other companies that sell a wider range of goods. The merger would eliminate head-to-head competition between Albertsons and Kroger, potentially raising prices for consumers, she said in the ruling. High grocery prices helped scuttle the deal Inflation at the grocery store loomed over the proposed merger. The proposal came as food prices skyrocketed and met stiff opposition. Unions, small grocers and a coalition of Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, including Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, also strongly opposed the merger from the start. The Federal Trade Commission in February sued to block the deal . The FTC said the merger will “result in higher grocery prices for millions of Americans and lower wages and benefits for hundreds of thousands of grocery workers.” To allay competition concerns, Kroger and Albertsons agreed to divest 579 stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers. But the FTC said C&S was “ill-equipped” to run the divested stores and it could turn into a “non-functioning disaster.” Judge Nelson agreed with the FTC: “There is ample evidence that the divestiture is not sufficient in scale to adequately compete” with Kroger and Albertsons together and “will significantly disadvantage C&S as a competitor,” she said in the ruling. The case was watched closely because of its implications for future antitrust enforcement and corporate dealmaking. The FTC under outgoing chair Lina Khan has also launched landmark antitrust suits against Google , Amazon and other tech giants. Small grocery stores struggling Independent grocery stores strongly opposed the merger. They argued that the merger would increase the companies’ leverage with merchandise suppliers and leave independent stores unable to stock their own shelves. Yet consolidation in the grocery sector is growing, and small grocery stores are struggling. In 2019, the 20 largest retailers controlled 64% of total food sales, more than double the share from 1990, according to the Agriculture Department. Traditional grocery stores have also lost ground to Walmart, Costco, dollar stores and online retailers during that span. The share of grocery spending at traditional supermarkets dropped from 80% in 1990 to 62% in 2012, according to the Agriculture Department. Advocates of stricter antitrust rules cheered Judge Nelson’s decision. “Persistently high food prices are hitting Americans hard, and a Kroger-Albertsons mega-merger would have only made it worse,” Food & Water Watch senior food policy analyst Rebecca Wolf said in a statement TuesdayArticle content MONTREAL — Canadians face a fresh wave of scams as fraudsters seize on the Canada Post strike to try to trick victims out of their cash. Recommended Videos The last few weeks have seen an “exponential” rise in fraud attempts, ranging from phishing emails to deepfake phone calls, says Octavia Howell, chief information security officer at Equifax Canada. “Any time there is a major political event, a major strike or anything like that, we’ll see an uptick,” she said in a phone interview. “Not only is there a Canada Post strike ... it’s the holidays.” Scams related to parcels and deliveries typically tick up in step with online shopping orders this time of year, but the work stoppage at Canada Post has led to even more fraud attempts amid the confusion around shipments, Howell said. Comprehensive figures on the latest batch of scams are not yet available from Equifax Canada, but the credit bureau’s daily internal updates have marked the rise nonetheless. Rather than the roughly half-dozen daily consumer fraud reports of previous increases, Equifax Canada’s investigations team is filing up to “87 in one report in one day coming from the same IP addresses,” said Howell. She called the trend “insidious.” “We’re seeing exponential growth in the amount of scams that are actually happening ... because, one, holidays, and then two, people aren’t able to get their shipments out.” Mail carriers walked off the job on Nov. 15, halting deliveries of letters and packages at the start of the holiday shipping season. Canada Post says that it never reaches out to users about a delivery via text or email unless it has been requested to. The Crown corporation has asked Canadians to be on guard for telltale signs of a phishing scam or fraud attempt, including poor grammar, imagery inconsistent with Canada Post logos or a tracking number at odds with its standard format. A phishing scam refers to a message that appears to be from a well-known source and asks for personal information in order to invade a person’s accounts. The Better Business Bureau similarly cautioned consumers when the strike kicked off. “Watch out for fake package delivery offers during Canada’s postal strike,” the non-profit said in a release last month. It advised potential victims to verify delivery services, avoid unsolicited shipment offers from little-known companies and check for accreditation by the bureau before selecting a service. It also noted that scammers may send false messages that claim to be from Canada Post or another carrier, asking for payment for undelivered items or offering “priority service.” “Do not click on links in unsolicited emails or texts. Instead, visit the official website of the courier service for updates,” the bureau said. Canada Post recommends customers contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre if they receive a suspicious email, text or call related to the postal service. Timothy Byrnes said scams invoke not just nationally recognized brands but also companies like his own, the Montreal-based courier service Jet Worldwide. “The scam thing is huge,” he said. “They’ll say, ‘Hey, we have (the package), it’s with Jet Worldwide right now. Once you send the money, we’ll instruct Jet Worldwide to ship it.”‘ One text message blasted out over the weekend claiming to be from the U.S. Postal Service stated that a parcel was “temporarily detained” because of an “invalid zip code.” The message invites receivers to clear the package by clicking on a link. The site, which vaguely resembles that of the postal service, then asks visitors to enter their credit card number and “expire date” in order to pay “some service fees.” Multiple web browsers flagged the site, warning of phishing threats that attempt to steal personal and financial information. “Always verify where it’s coming from,” Howell said. “Did you order something that cost $10,000? Just because it says that you did does not necessarily mean that you did.” Common sense and awareness of recent purchases can go a long way. “I got a text message two days ago saying that my RBC account was locked out. Well, I don’t have an RBC account, so there’s no reason for me to click on that,” she said. Ironically, consumers’ knowledge of current events, such as strikes and stranded packages, can also be used against them by swindlers. “They feed off of heightened awareness,” she said. “Take a step back. Don’t click, don’t do anything. Verify sources.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024.

Middlesex County OPP attended the scene of a fatal motor vehicle collision in Strathroy-Caradoc early Sunday morning. Around 2:40 a.m., first responders arrived at the single vehicle collision on Highway 402, west of Glendon Drive. Police confirm one person has died at the scene and three others were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Highway 402 was closed westbound between Glendon Drive and Hickory Drive in Strathroy-Caradoc while police investigated. Updates will be provided as they become available. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks Here Are All The Best Amazon Boxing Day Deals You Can Find On Beauty Products In Canada These Walking Pads Will Help You Get 10,000 Steps Every Day (And They're On Sale In The Name Of Boxing Day) 10 Family Calendars And Planners That'll Help You Keep Track Of Everything In The New Year Home If You're Headed Somewhere Warm On Vacation, Don't Forget To Pack These 16 Things Our Guide To The Best Snow Shovels In Canada In 2024 (And Where To Get Them) 14 Of The Best Home Security Devices You Can Find Online Right Now (And They've Got The Reviews To Prove It) Gifts The Clock Is Ticking — Shop These 25 Last-Minute Amazon Prime Gifts Now If You Have An Amazon Prime Account, These 70+ Crowd-Pleasing Gifts Will Still Arrive Before Christmas If You Have An Amazon Prime Account, These 50 Brilliant Stocking Stuffers Will Still Arrive Before Christmas Beauty 20 Products Your Dry, Dehydrated Skin Will Thank You For Ordering 14 Hydrating Face Masks That’ll Save Your Skin This December 12 Budget-Friendly Products To Add To Your Winter Skincare Routine Deals 11 Bestselling Coffee Makers And Espresso Machines You Can Get On Sale Right Now Don’t Walk, Run! These LEGO Kits Are On Sale For Boxing Day 2024 The Waterpik Advanced Water Flosser Will Make Cleaning Your Teeth So Much Easier — And It's 41% Off For Boxing Day London Top Stories Fatal crash in Middlesex County St. Thomas fraud victim loses nearly $100K to job scam Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump's ongoing 51st state comments Assault at restaurant leads to charges in St. Thomas If you're mentally struggling during the holidays, here’s how to cope Despite best efforts, Cowan and Knights couldn't help Canada past Latvia at World Juniors Ending the year with above seasonal temperatures Power restored in east London following outage, police investigating crash CTVNews.ca Top Stories A plane crashes and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 181 A passenger plane skidded off a runway at a South Korean airport Sunday, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its front landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board died in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. Runway at Halifax airport resumes regular operations after landing incident An aircraft incident at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport caused temporary delays to all flight operations Saturday night. Canadian model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Dayle Haddon, an actor, activist and trailblazing former 'Sports Illustrated' model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow, has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supporters U.S. president-elect Donald Trump appears to be siding with Elon Musk and his other backers in the tech industry as a dispute over immigration visas has divided his supporters. Ottawa OPP seizes $28K, suspected drug tablets following traffic stop on Highway 417 A traffic stop for impaired driving lead to the seizure of $28,000 and suspected drug tablets Saturday evening on Highway 417 in Ottawa, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Rolex stolen from Keanu Reeves' LA home turns up in Chile Police in Chile say they have recovered three watches belonging to 'John Wick' star Keanu Reeves – including a US$9,000 Rolex – that are thought to have been stolen from the actor's Los Angeles home in late 2023. What type of stretch is best before or after a workout? As you head into the gym, you likely already have a workout plan in mind. Maybe you're taking a light jog on the treadmill, or you're working on some bicep curls on arm's day. To get the most out of your gym session, consider first how you start and end your workouts. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. North Korea's Kim vows the toughest anti-U.S. policy before Trump takes office North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to implement the 'toughest' anti-U.S. policy, state media reported Sunday, less than a month before Donald Trump takes office as U.S. president. Kitchener Cambridge industrial plant dealing with major damages after fire A fire Saturday morning has a Cambridge industrial plant dealing with major damage. Minor flooding possible with snow melt, rain on way: GRCA The Waterloo Region and the city of Guelph will be wrapping up 2024 with unusually warm weather over the weekend. Stretch of Kitchener road closed after gas leak at abandoned building Kitchener Fire is investigating after a "strange odor" was reported on Courtland Avenue East Saturday. Barrie Region under rainfall warning, fog advisory Many areas across Simcoe Muskoka, upper York Region and Grey County are under rainfall warnings and fog advisories as of Sunday morning. Deluxe taxi goes up in flames in Barrie parking lot Some locals were quick to pull out their cellphones and capture a minivan as it went up in hot flames in a Barrie parking lot. Boxing Day bust: Police allege shopper stole from LCBO amid holiday rush While Boxing Day is known for securing the best deals, one local shopper took things too far and allegedly tried to score a deal at a free cost. Windsor Community partners in Windsor propose education campaign to veer people away from payday loans In a move aimed at combatting the financial strain caused by payday loans, the City of Windsor is considering the launch of a comprehensive education campaign to promote alternative financial options. Ex-boyfriend arrested for violating bail conditions Chatham-Kent police have made an arrest after a man allegedly violated his bail conditions. Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump's ongoing 51st state comments Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada's new $1.3 billion border plan with members of Donald Trump's transition team, a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Northern Ontario Pair of 911 calls leads to two impaired driving arrests in three hours A pair of 911 calls from concerned citizens led to two separate impaired driving charges in a single northern Ontario town within three hours. Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal has publicly released letters he sent to the Liberal caucus and president of the Liberal Party of Canada, calling on them to begin the process of moving on from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Five southern Ont. hunters fined $37K for moose hunt offences in northern Ont. A multi-year moose hunting investigation resulted in five people being convicted of moose hunting offences and fined a total of $37,000, plus $9,250 in victim surcharges. Sault Ste. Marie Mississauga tow truck driver charged for impersonating a cop in northern Ont. A southern Ontario resident has been charged for allegedly impersonating a peace officer during a towing incident in northwestern Ontario. Man shot by officer after firing at police car near Thunder Bay: SIU Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is probing a shooting near Thunder Bay in which a man was shot and wounded by a police officer on Boxing Day. Alleged impaired driver crashes into police cruiser on Boxing Day While on general patrol in northwestern Ontario on Boxing Day, an Ontario Provincial Police officer’s vehicle was struck. Ottawa Clouds, rain, fog patches in the forecast for Ottawa this Sunday Clouds, rain, fog patches and warmer-than-normal temperatures are in the forecast for Ottawa this Sunday. Ottawa OPP seizes $28K, suspected drug tablets following traffic stop on Highway 417 A traffic stop for impaired driving lead to the seizure of $28,000 and suspected drug tablets Saturday evening on Highway 417 in Ottawa, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Driver, 17, charged after going more than 100 km/h over the limit on Hwy. 401 in eastern Ontario A 17-year-old driver is facing charges after being caught speeding and driving dangerously on Highway 401 in eastern Ontario Friday evening, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Toronto ‘Significant rainfall,’ and heavy fog expected in the GTA, much of southern Ontario Sunday It’s expected to be a foggy and rainy day across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Sunday, with as much as 30 mm of rain expected in some locations. SIU investigating after Toronto cops discharge sock round, less-lethal firearm at man that resulted in serious injuries The province’s police watchdog is investigating after Toronto officers discharged sock round and less-lethal firearm at a man who had allegedly stabbed another person in the city’s Rockcliffe-Smythe area on Saturday morning. 1 person in hospital, suspect in police custody following stabbing in Fairbank One person is in hospital, and a suspect is in custody following a stabbing in Toronto’s Fairbank neighbourhood on Saturday. Montreal Friend of Quebec man killed in Florida boat explosion says his sister also injured A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion earlier this week says one of the victim's sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Women’s hockey looks to expand coverage and support as spotlight grows More girls and women than ever are lacing up their skates and hitting the ice. The rising popularity of women's hockey is driven by inspiration believes hockey coach Hanna Bunton Here's how you can watch CTV News Montreal at Six on Saturday during the NFL season With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Saturday this season, CTV News Montreal at Six will be broadcasting live on our website and the CTV News App. Atlantic Runway at Halifax airport resumes regular operations after landing incident An aircraft incident at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport caused temporary delays to all flight operations Saturday night. No one injured after vehicle crashes into Shoppers Drug Mart: N.S. RCMP RCMP is investigating after a vehicle crashed into a Shoppers Drug Mart in Lower Sackville, N.S. on Saturday. One dead in two-vehicle collision in Sackville, N.B. One person has died following a two-vehicle collision in Sackville, N.B., Friday. Winnipeg The most-read stories on CTV Winnipeg in 2024 Historic events, community pride and significant losses dominated headlines in Manitoba in 2024. Here’s a list of the most-read stories of each month of 2024 on CTV News Winnipeg. Cross-country ski race returns to Windsor Park The Prairie Holiday Loppet made its long-awaited return to Winnipeg’s Windsor Park Saturday, with dozens of racers hitting the trails. Have you seen Genevieve? RCMP search for woman last seen on Christmas Eve Thompson RCMP are searching for a woman who went missing from Split Lake earlier this week. Calgary 1 arrested after 3 stabbed in Airdrie, inluding 2 youth Airdrie RCMP have arrested a male in connection with multiple aggravated assaults that left three people injured. Danielle Smith meet-and-greet with Calgary Chinese community wins some hearts but not all Danielle Smith dropped by the Edgemont Community Association for a meet-and-greet Saturday with some member's of Calgary's Chinese community to answer questions and press the flesh, but a format change left Helen Yu feeling a little shortchanged. Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal has publicly released letters he sent to the Liberal caucus and president of the Liberal Party of Canada, calling on them to begin the process of moving on from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Edmonton Edmonton street photographer captures moments and people one frame at a time A local photographer who is passionate about capturing moments in one-hundredth of a second embraced many styles of his trade before landing on one which truly represents his mantra: street photography. 2 vehicles fall through ice at Sylvan Lake, promoting police warning RCMP issued a warning Saturday after two vehicles fell through the ice on Sylvan Lake. Late OT goal helps lift Kings past Oilers 4-3 Quinton Byfield scored his second goal of the game with 1:41 remaining in overtime as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Saturday. Regina Regina man showcases local bead supply business Jeramy Hannah recently began selling beading supplies, after he realized the beaders in his life were struggling with a lack of local vendors, prompting him to create a business called Bead Bro. 'A great holiday memory': Echo Valley Provincial Park gets plenty of visitors at Skate the Park launch Families and groups of friends made use of the good weather as the new season of Skate the Park got underway at Echo Valley Provincial Park. Missing 89-year-old Moose Jaw man found dead, no foul play suspected: Police Saskatoon U18 provincials curling tournament underway in PA Teams from across Saskatchewan are in Prince Albert for the U18 curling provincials. Police made two arrests following a shooting in Saskatoon A swift response from Saskatoon police led to the arrest of a man and woman following a reported shooting Friday afternoon. Saskatoon fire crews battle house fire Saskatoon firefighters responded to a house fire on the 100 block of Klassen Crescent Friday afternoon. Vancouver Vancouver man defrauded Chinese developers of US$500K, court rules A Vancouver man has been ordered to pay more than US$500,000 after a B.C. Supreme Court judge found he had defrauded the would-be developers of a real estate project in China of that amount. Vince Dunn's second goal comes in overtime as Kraken rally past Canucks 5-4 Vince Dunn scored his second goal of the game 2:15 into overtime as the Seattle Kraken rallied from a three-goal, third-period deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-4 on Saturday afternoon. Burnaby RCMP investigating bear spray incident at Metrotown Mounties in Burnaby are investigating after several bystanders were affected by bear spray outside the Metrotown mall Friday evening. Vancouver Island Victoria police seek witnesses, additional victims after hit-and-run spree A woman is facing seven charges after allegedly committing multiple hit-and-run crashes in a stolen vehicle while impaired, according to police in B.C.'s capital. Vancouver man defrauded Chinese developers of US$500K, court rules A Vancouver man has been ordered to pay more than US$500,000 after a B.C. Supreme Court judge found he had defrauded the would-be developers of a real estate project in China of that amount. New Canadians, non-traditional demographics boost minor hockey uptake in B.C. Participation in hockey in British Columbia was struggling in 2021 — the pandemic had dealt a heavy blow to player registrations, and numbers had already been flagging before COVID-19 arrived. Stay ConnectedAthena Technology Acquisition Corp. II Announces Receipt of Notice of Non-Compliance with NYSE American Continued Listing Requirements

What did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends showAshlon Jackson scores career-best 30 points to lead No. 14 Duke past No. 10 Kansas 73-626 Pope: Didn’t have much to do other than the goals, where he was let down by those in front. 6 Livramento: Tried to drive forward at every opportunity, especially in the first half. 6 Schar: Solid enough. Didn’t have an awful lot to do. 4 Kelly : Lost Soucek for West Ham’s crucial early opener. Good tackle on Summerville in second half but booked for foul on Bowen. Failed to take big chance in absence of Burn. 7 Hall: Newcastle’s best player again. Lively and full of running and positive intent. Went close on a couple of occasions. 5 Longstaff: Never really settled and got a grip of the game. Replaced on the hour. 5 Willock: Worked hard and went close with one chance but midfield a bit chaotic at times .Was hurt in accidental clash with his own teammate Longstaff and replaced at the break. 6 Bruno : Brilliant first half pass to create chance for Isak. Robbed of possession in build-up to decisive second goal. 5 Gordon: Missed glorious first half chance when he was denied by Fabianski and failed to make the most of several promising openings. 5 Joelinton: Couldn’t get into the game. 6 Isak: Promising start with disallowed goal and a threat in the first half but starved of service after the break. Substitutes: 5 Barnes (for Willock, 46): Failed to make an impact from the bench. 6 Tonali (for Longstaff, 57): Change didn’t have the desired effect. Tidy enough but Newcastle ran out of steam and ideas. Wilson (for Gordon, 68): N/A Murphy (for Joelinton, 69): N/A Trippier (for Bruno, 84): N/A Subs not used : Dubravka, Almiron, Targett, Osula WEST HAM: Fabiański 7, Wan-Bissaka 7, Todibo 5 (Mavropanos, 56), Kilman 6, Emerson 7 (Coufal, 75), Soler 8 (Rodríguez, 84), Souček 8, Paquetá 8, Summerville 7 (Irving, 84), Bowen 8, Antonio 7 (Ings, 75) SUBS NOT USED: Areola (GK), Cresswell, Scarles, Luis Guilherme Man of the Match : Bowen. West Ham’s captain was a threat and used the ball superbly throughout. He made the decisive second goal for Wan-Bissaka.

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South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against itDodgers' deferred payment obligations top $1 billion to 7 players with Snell and Edman contracts NEW YORK (AP) — Contracts for Blake Snell and Tommy Edman increased the Los Angeles Dodgers' obligations for deferred payments to more than $1 billion owed to seven players from 2028-46. Ronald Blum, The Associated Press Dec 3, 2024 2:37 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell works against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Aug. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) NEW YORK (AP) — Contracts for Blake Snell and Tommy Edman increased the Los Angeles Dodgers' obligations for deferred payments to more than $1 billion owed to seven players from 2028-46. Snell's $182 million contract, announced Saturday , includes $66 million in deferred money payable to the pitcher through July 1, 2046, according to contract terms obtained by The Associated Press. Edman's $74 million, five-year deal, announced Friday , includes $25 million payable to the infielder and outfielder through July 1, 2044. Los Angeles now owes deferred payments of $1,006,500,000 to seven players from 2028-46. Snell's average is discounted to about $31.4 million annually for the Dodgers' luxury tax payroll and Edman to approximately $12.9 million. Snell gets a $52 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 25 and yearly salaries of $26 million, of which $13.2 annually will be deferred. The deferred money is payable in equal installments each July 1 from 2035-46. Los Angeles has a $10 million conditional club option for 2023 that could be exercised if Snell has a qualifying injury as specified in the contract and he spends 90 or more consecutive days on the injured list due to the qualifying injury and he has not been traded. If Snell is traded, he would receive a $5 million assignment bonus, payable by the acquiring team. He gets a hotel suite on road trips. Edman receives a $17 million signing bonus payable on Dec. 10, a $5 million salary next year and $12.25 million in each of the final four seasons, of which $6.25 million annually will be deferred. The Dodgers have a $13 million option for 2030 with a $3 million buyout. Edman's deferred money for each year will be paid in three installments, with each payment due on July 1: — for 2026, $2.5 million each in 2035 and 2036, and $1.25 million in 2037. — for 2027, $1.25 million in 2037, and $2.5 million each in 2038 and 2039. — for 2028, $2.5 million each in 2040 and 2041, and $1.25 million in 2042. — for 2029, $1.25 million in 2042 and $2.5 million each in 2043 and 2044. Snell and Edman each will make a 1% charitable contribution from his salary. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is due $680 million from 2034-43 as part of a record $700 million, 10-year contract through 2033. Infielder/outfielder Mookie Betts is owed $115 million in salaries from 2033-44 and the final $5 million of his signing bonus payable from 2033-35, all part of a $365 million, 12-year contract through 2032. First baseman Freddie Freeman is owed $57 million from 2028-40 in a $162 million, six-year contract through 2027. Catcher Will Smith is due $50 million payable from 2034-43 as part of a $140 million, 10-year contract through 2033. Outfielder Teoscar Hernández will get $8.5 million from 2030-39 as part of a $23.5 million, one-year deal for 2024. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB Ronald Blum, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Baseball Blue Jays GM Atkins says there is a great deal of opportunity for the club Dec 3, 2024 2:34 PM IBL's Maple Leafs sign Ayami Sato, widely considered baseball's top female pitcher Dec 3, 2024 1:54 PM Right-hander Connor Gillispie to get $820,000 salary while in majors as part of Braves contract Dec 3, 2024 1:26 PM

Access Holdings Plc (“the Company”) has obtained full regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its recently concluded Rights Issue of 17.77 billion Ordinary Shares at 50 Kobo each, priced at N19.75 per share. The successful exercise raised N351.01 billion, achieving the target amount. The milestone positions its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc (“the Bank”), as the first financial institution to exceed the CBN’s N500 billion minimum capital requirement for banks with international authorisation, three years ahead of the March 2026 deadline. The Bank’s share capital now stands at N600 billion, surpassing the regulatory benchmark by N100 billion. As a trailblazer in digital innovation, Access Holdings executed the industry’s first fully digital Rights Issue, utilising the Nigerian Exchange Group’s (NGX) E-offer platform. This technology-driven approach enhanced accessibility, efficiency and shareholder participation, setting a new standard for equity capital market transactions. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings, stated: “The Access brand has always resonated strongly with the local and international capital markets. Since 2004, Access Bank has raised billions of dollars in capital to meet successive CBN recapitalisation directives. We are pleased that this time we are the first to breast the tape. The success of the Rights Issue demonstrates the resilience of Nigeria’s capital market and reinforces our shareholders confidence in the present value and potential of our Company. “We deeply acknowledge the invaluable and strong support of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission who both played crucial roles in ensuring the integrity and efficacy of our Rights Issue exercise. “We are also grateful to our valued shareholders, whose loyalty to the Access brand and vision for over 22 years has been most inspiring and unwavering. As we enter into the new year, we are well-positioned to leverage our enhanced capital base to deliver sustainable value for our stakeholders.” Access Holdings Plc (‘the Company’) operates through a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets, spanning three continents, 23 countries and over 60 million customers. The Company serves its various markets through four subsidiaries across the banking, payment, pension administration and insurance sectors through four operating companies, viz: Access Bank Plc, Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited, Access Pensions Limited, and Access Insurance Brokers Limited.

NonePresident Dr Irfaan Ali has envisioned a future whereby the Moruca subdistrict in Region One (Barima-Waini) can produce enough food to supply other countries in the Caribbean region. He made this remark on Tuesday at the sod turning ceremony for the $4.4 billion Moruca Regional Hospital. President Ali spoke about the Government’s investment to dredge the Moruca River. In May this year, the Government set aside $10 million to clean and dredge the waterway. On Tuesday, President Ali explained that this initiative can unlock the potential of Moruca to become a major agricultural hub not just for Guyana but the entire Caribbean region. By making it easier for vessels to navigate the river, he said “think about it, Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago is only 450km away. With the right systems in place, Mourca’s produce can feed families in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and beyond.” “That is the future we want to build, that is the future we have to build,” he added. According to Ali, this is why the Government has been investing heavily into the region’s agriculture sector. To expand production, the government has made available 5000 citrus plants for residents to cultivate. Investments are also being made in honey production and the cultivation of spices in the region. The president also said investments are being made into a cassava mill to make cassava flour, which can serve the global market. President Ali had previously remarked that, “Region One has the potential to produce all the cassava, eddoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turmeric, ginger, and cage culture fish that the entire Trinidad and Tobago can utilise.”MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Uruguayans on Sunday voted in the second round of the country’s presidential election, with the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month’s vote. The closing of polls started a countdown to the announcement of official results as independent polling firms were preparing to release so-called quick counts. Depending on how tight the vote turns out to be, electoral officials may not call the race for days — as happened in the contentious 2019 runoff that brought center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou to office and ended 15 years of rule by Uruguay’s left-leaning Broad Front. Uruguay’s staid election has turned into a hard-fought race between Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party’s candidate who won 27% in the first round of voting on Oct. 27, and Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, who took 44% of the vote in the first round. But other conservative parties that make up the government coalition — in particular, the Colorado Party — notched 20% of the vote collectively, enough to give Delgado an edge over his challenger. Congress ended up evenly split in the October vote. Most polls have shown a virtual tie between Delgado and Orsi, with nearly 10% of Uruguayan voters undecided even at this late stage. Many said they believed turnout would be low if voting weren’t compulsory in the country. “Neither candidate convinced me and I feel that there are many in my same situation,” said Vanesa Gelezoglo, 31, in the capital, Montevideo, adding she would make up her mind at “the last minute.” Analysts say the candidates’ lackluster campaigns and broad consensus on key issues have generated extraordinary indecision and apathy in an election dominated by discussions about social spending and concerns over income inequality but largely free of the anti-establishment rage that has vaulted populist outsiders to power elsewhere. “The question of whether Frente Amplio (the Broad Front) raises taxes is not an existential question, unlike what we saw in the U.S. with Trump and Kamala framing each other as threats to democracy,” said Nicolás Saldías, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. “That doesn’t exist in Uruguay.” Both candidates are also appealing to voter angst over a surge in violent crime that has shaken a nation long regarded as one of the region’s safest, with Delgado promising tough-on-crime policies and Orsi advocating a more community-oriented approach. Delgado, 55, a rural veterinarian with a long career in the National Party, campaigned on a vow to continue the legacy of current President Lacalle Pou — in some ways making the election into a referendum on his leadership. He campaigned under the slogan “re-elect a good government.” While a string of corruption scandals rattled Lacalle Pou’s government last year, the president — who constitutionally cannot run for a second consecutive term — now enjoys high approval ratings and a strong economy expected to grow 3.2% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Inflation has also eased in recent months, boosting his coalition. Delgado served most recently as Secretary of the Presidency for Lacalle Pou and promises to pursue his predecessor’s pro-business policies. He would continue pushing for a trade deal with China that has raised hackles in Mercosur, an alliance of South American countries promoting regional commerce. “We have to give the government coalition a chance to consolidate its proposals,” said Ramiro Pérez, a street vendor voting for Delgado on Sunday. Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor from a working-class background, is widely seen as the political heir to iconic former President José “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-Marxist guerilla who raised Uruguay’s international profile as one of the region’s most socially liberal and environmentally sustainable nations during his 2010-2015 term. His Broad Front coalition oversaw the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and the sale of marijuana in the small South American nation of 3.4 million people. “He’s my candidate, not only for my sake but also for my children’s,” Yeny Varone, a nurse, said of Orsi. “In the future they’ll have better working conditions, health and salaries.” Mujica, now 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer, was among the first to cast his ballot after polls opened. “Uruguay is a small country, but it has earned recognition for being stable, for having a citizenry that respects institutional formalities,” he told reporters from his local polling station. “This is no small feat.” While promising to forge a “new left” in Uruguay, Orsi plans no dramatic changes. He proposes tax incentives to lure investment and social security reforms that would lower the retirement age but fall short of a radical overhaul sought by Uruguay’s unions. The contentious plebiscite on whether to boost pension payouts failed to pass in October, with Uruguayans rejecting generous pensions in favor of fiscal constraint. Both candidates pledged full cooperation with each other if elected. “I want (Orsi) to know that my idea is to form a government of national unity,” Delgado told reporters after casting his vote in the capital’s upscale Pocitos neighborhood. He said that if he won, he and Orsi would chat on Monday over some yerba mate, the traditional herbal drink beloved by Uruguayans. Orsi similarly pledged a smooth and respectful transition of power, describing Sunday’s democratic exercise as “an incredible experience” as he voted in Canelones, the sprawling town of beaches and cattle ranches just north of Montevideo where he served as mayor for a decade. “The essence of politics is agreements,” he said. “You never end up completely satisfied.” Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, contributed to this report.Explore the Next Evolution of Minecraft with Preview 1.21 The gaming world is buzzing with excitement as Mojang Studios unveils one of its most ambitious updates to date: Minecraft Preview 1.21. This latest version of the sandbox juggernaut promises to redefine the player experience, utilizing emerging technologies that push Minecraft’s iconic blocky universe to unprecedented heights. Next-Gen Graphics and Realism One of the standout features of the 1.21 preview is its enhanced graphics capability. Taking full advantage of next-gen hardware, the game introduces dynamic lighting, real-time shadows, and more detailed terrains that significantly elevate the visual storytelling. These improvements mark a new era, striving to make even the most fantastical worlds feel more lifelike and immersive. Augmented Reality Experiences With the integration of augmented reality (AR) technology, Minecraft Preview 1.21 offers players the unique opportunity to blend digital creations with the real world. Using compatible AR devices, players can now see and interact with their Minecraft builds in their living space, offering a novel way to engage with their creations and foster a deeper connection with the game environment. AI-Driven Gameplay Enhancements AI technology is also making its mark in this update, promising intelligent NPCs and auto-generated quests. These advancements aim to provide players with a more dynamic and responsive gameplay experience, where each decision impacts the sprawling Minecraft ecosystem in new and exciting ways. With these groundbreaking features, Minecraft Preview 1.21 is not just an update; it’s a leap into the future of gaming, ensuring its place as an enduring favorite among both new and veteran players. Get ready to download and experience Minecraft in ways you never thought possible. Revolutionary Innovations Await in Minecraft Preview 1.21 The upcoming Minecraft Preview 1.21 is poised to make waves in the gaming community with its slate of innovative features that promise to elevate the gameplay to new heights. This preview is a major leap forward in the evolution of the game. Minecraft will now support next-gen graphics for an unprecedented level of realism. The inclusion of dynamic lighting and real-time shadows promises to transform the iconic blocky art style with a depth that enriches visual storytelling. Additionally, enhanced terrain textures offer expansive landscapes that are visually stunning, inviting players to lose themselves in more immersive worlds. With augmented reality (AR) integration, Minecraft Preview 1.21 pioneers a new horizon of interactive gameplay. Players can utilize compatible AR devices to project their Minecraft worlds into real-world environments, facilitating a unique blend of imagination and reality. This feature not only personalizes gaming spaces but also broadens the possibilities for creative expression and interactive engagement. The update marks a revolution in gameplay dynamics with the introduction of AI-driven enhancements. Intelligent Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) and procedurally generated quests contribute to a more adaptable and enriching player experience. This AI evolution allows for spontaneous and reactive gameplay, making each venture into the digital universe unpredictable and engaging. Minecraft continues to evolve with sustainability in mind. Emerging trends in game design and technology focus on reducing energy consumption with better graphics rendering efficiencies and optimizing overall software performance. This dedication ensures a more environmentally conscious gaming experience without sacrificing quality. The release of Minecraft Preview 1.21 is anticipated to fortify Mojang’s stronghold in the gaming industry. The adoption of cutting-edge technology and environmentally conscious updates aligns with consumer demands for both innovation and sustainability, potentially boosting Minecraft’s user base and expanding its influence in the gaming market. Minecraft Preview 1.21 stands as a testament to Mojang Studios’ continued innovation within the sandbox genre. With groundbreaking graphics, immersive AR interactions, and smart AI gameplay, this version promises to redefine the boundaries of digital creation. Players old and new will find themselves captivated by the endless possibilities and new experiences this update offers. For more information on this and other updates, visit the Minecraft official website .

CONWAY, Ark., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home BancShares, Inc. (NYSE: HOMB) (“Home” or “the Company”), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank (“Centennial”), announced it has established additional reserves for loan losses as a result of Hurricane Milton. On October 11, 2024, HOMB announced a $16.7 million reserve as a result of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall September 26, 2024. Upon announcement HOMB indicated the more recent and powerful Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on October 9, 2024, and caused the spin-off of more than two dozen tornados, would likely lead to an increase in this reserve amount. “Out of an abundance of caution, HOMB has decided to make an additional $16.7 million reserve following the second Florida hurricane, bringing our total hurricane reserve to $33.4 million for the year,” said John Allison, Chairman of HOMB. “The two hurricanes spanned across the third and fourth quarter and the amount of time it takes for customers to settle with insurance will no doubt increase, with two back-to-back events,” continued Allison. “We have approximately $110 million currently on deferral as a result of the two hurricanes and in keeping with our conservative nature, we feel as though this proactive move is a prudent and predictable course of action,” added Allison. Branches The Company currently has 76 branches in Arkansas, 78 branches in Florida, 58 branches in Texas, 5 branches in Alabama and one branch in New York City. About Home BancShares Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities. Centennial Bank has branch locations in Arkansas, Florida, Texas, South Alabama and New York City. The Company’s common stock is traded through the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HOMB.” The Company was founded in 1998. Visit www.homebancshares.com or www.my100bank.com for more information. General This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s plans, expectations, goals and outlook for the future, including future financial results. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events, performance or results. When we use words or phrases like “may,” “plan,” “propose,” “contemplate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “continue,” “expect,” “project,” “predict,” “estimate,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “on track” and similar expressions, you should consider them as identifying forward-looking statements, although we may use other phrasing. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following: economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand, real estate values and unemployment, including the ongoing impacts of inflation; the ability to identify, complete and successfully integrate new acquisitions; the risk that expected cost savings and other benefits from acquisitions may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; diversion of management time on acquisition-related issues; the availability of and access to capital and liquidity on terms acceptable to us; legislative and regulatory changes and risks and expenses associated with current and future legislation and regulations; technological changes and cybersecurity risks and incidents; the effects of changes in accounting policies and practices; changes in governmental monetary and fiscal policies; political instability, military conflicts and other major domestic or international events; the impact of recent or future adverse weather events, including hurricanes, and other natural disasters; disruptions, uncertainties and related effects on credit quality, liquidity and other aspects of our business and operations that may result from any future public health crises; competition from other financial institutions; potential claims, expenses and other adverse effects related to current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other government actions; potential increases in deposit insurance assessments, increased regulatory scrutiny or market disruptions resulting from financial challenges in the banking industry; changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements; and other factors described in reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including those factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2024. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Townsell Director of Investor Relations Home BancShares, Inc. (501) 328-4625

Kraken play the Ducks, look to break road skid Seattle Kraken (10-10-1, in the Pacific Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8-8-3, in the Pacific Division) Anaheim, California; Monday, 10 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Seattle Kraken travel to the Anaheim Ducks looking to end a five-game road skid. Canadian Press Nov 24, 2024 1:12 AM Nov 24, 2024 1:20 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Seattle Kraken (10-10-1, in the Pacific Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8-8-3, in the Pacific Division) Anaheim, California; Monday, 10 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Seattle Kraken travel to the Anaheim Ducks looking to end a five-game road skid. Anaheim has a 2-4-0 record in Pacific Division play and an 8-8-3 record overall. The Ducks are 1-2-2 in games their opponents commit fewer penalties. Seattle is 2-1-0 against the Pacific Division and 10-10-1 overall. The Kraken have a 5-2-0 record in games they score one or more power-play goals. The teams meet Monday for the first time this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Strome has scored four goals with five assists for the Ducks. Leo Carlsson has over the past 10 games. Brandon Montour has scored six goals with eight assists for the Kraken. Shane Wright has over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 4-4-2, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.8 assists, 3.2 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game. Kraken: 5-5-0, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.2 assists, 2.7 penalties and 6.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game. INJURIES: Ducks: None listed. Kraken: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Hockey San Jose brings losing streak into game against Los Angeles Nov 24, 2024 1:12 AM Flames visit the Senators after shootout win Nov 24, 2024 1:12 AM Panthers bring losing streak into matchup with the Capitals Nov 24, 2024 1:12 AMCiti Invests in Mortgage Infrastructure Provider Pylon

Ex-Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet may be in some hot water after getting into a fiery verbal altercation with a crew of NBA officials on Saturday night. During the end of a game between the Houston Rockets and Portland Trailblazers, the 30-year-old VanVleet was ejected from the game after he pointed to each of the officials and said something. The altercation was apparently due to the ex-Raptor thinking he had been fouled on the previous play. After getting ejected, things came close to becoming physical as VanVleet continued to verbally spar with one of the officials and nearly touched one ref’s face as he was pointing. “I think I’m in enough trouble as it is tonight, so I probably don’t need to discuss too much officiating with you guys,” VanVleet reportedly said after the game, “Heat of the moment, you always feel right — I know the refs aren’t trying to be wrong but we disagreed quite a bit tonight.” This type of altercation with the officials on the court is sure to result in some sort of supplementary discipline for VanVleet. This wouldn’t be the first time that he would be punished for letting his thoughts be known about the officiating of an NBA game. Back in March of 2023, while a member of the Raptors, VanVleet following a loss to the LA Clippers. The NBA fined him $30,000 for that particular outburst. NBA fans were sure to share their thoughts on this current situation on social media. It’s become a staple of VanVleet’s fiery personality over the years to call out the refs. He is enjoying a good start to the NBA season with the Rockets as the team currently sits third in the Western Conference with a 12-6 record. The only teams better in the West are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors. No official suspension or fine has been announced for VanVleet, but it would not be surprising to see one come across in the next day or so.Five days after Bruins firing, Montgomery named NHL Blues coachMartyrs' families quit PPP over neglectKraken play the Ducks, look to break road skid

Prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney's office are urging a New York judge not to throw out President-elect Donald Trump's criminal conviction in the hush money case, offering a variety of suggestions on how the case could proceed without interfering with his presidential duties. One suggestion was for the judge to assure Trump that he will be spared jail time in the case, which could help alleviate his "concerns" while he's in office, they said in the filing made public Tuesday. But, they argued, there's no reason to dismiss the case or vacate the May 2024 verdict. The “overwhelming evidence of defendant’s guilt and the critical importance of preserving public confidence in the criminal justice system, among many other factors, weigh heavily against dismissal,” the prosecutors from DA Alvin Bragg’s office contended. They also knocked Trump's claim that the case should be "immediately" dismissed because he's already protected by presidential immunity . "President-elect immunity does not exist. And even after the inauguration, defendant’s temporary immunity as the sitting President will still not justify the extreme remedy of discarding the jury’s unanimous guilty verdict and wiping out the already-completed phases of this criminal proceeding," the filing said. "[N]o principle of immunity precludes further proceedings before defendant’s inauguration. And even if judgment has not been entered at the time of defendant’s inauguration, there is no legal barrier to deferring sentencing until after defendant’s term of office concludes," it said. In a statement, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung called the filing "a pathetic attempt to salvage the remains of an unconstitutional and politically motivated hoax." Trump's attorneys have argued he already has immunity because there “is no material difference between President Trump’s current status after his overwhelming victory in the national election and that of a sitting President following inauguration.” They say the indictment against him on felony criminal charges and his subsequent jury conviction should be thrown out on immunity grounds. Judge Juan Merchan indefinitely postponed Trump's sentencing last month so both sides could present their arguments on the issue. In Tuesday's filing, the district attorney's office said, "At most, defendant should receive temporary accommodations during his presidency to prevent this criminal case from meaningfully interfering with his official decision-making." Prosecutors presented a number of possible ways forward, including staying Trump's sentencing until after he's out of office. "To be sure, the People do not dispute that presidential immunity requires accommodation during a President’s time in office. But the extreme remedy of dismissing the indictment and vacating the jury verdict is not warranted in light of multiple alternative accommodations that would fully address the concerns raised by presidential immunity," their filing said. A stay, they said, would exempt Trump "from any immediate obligations in this case during his time in office, while at the same time respecting the public interest in upholding the rule of law and preserving the meaningful aspects of the criminal process that have already taken place." The DA's office also noted that Trump has already said he'd appeal any sentence, and that in New York, "it is routine for appeals to be decided years after sentencing even without a formal stay of proceedings." Prosecutors also noted that Trump has already gotten the sentencing postponed for several months. "Here, defendant can hardly complain about a delay in sentencing when he has affirmatively sought such delay — both before and after his reelection," the filing said. The judge could also alleviate some of Trump's worries by deciding he won't sentence him to any time behind bars, prosecutors said. The filing said "many of defendant’s concerns stem from the possibility that he will face 'potential incarceration,'" the filing said. "Here, however, because defendant has no prior criminal convictions and was convicted of Class E felonies, this Court is not required to impose a sentence of incarceration at all, and could even impose an unconditional discharge." That type of "limitation on the range of available sentences would further diminish any impact on defendant’s presidential decision making without going so far as to discard the indictment and jury verdict altogether," the filing said. The DA also presented a novel alternative, suggesting Merchan could use a mechanism known as abatement that is practiced in Alabama and some other states when a defendant dies before sentencing. Under the so-called 'Alabama' rule, "when a defendant dies after he is found guilty, but before the conviction becomes final through the appellate process, the court places in the record of the case a notation to the effect that the conviction removed the presumption of innocence but was neither affirmed nor reversed on appeal because the defendant died," the DA's office explained, saying it essentially "abates the criminal proceedings without vacating the underlying conviction or dismissing the indictment." Although abatement is not currently used in New York, prosecutors argued it presents a solution where, as here, there are concerns about finality and punishment. It's unclear when the judge will rule on the motions to dismiss. Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment his then-lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 election. Daniels claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which he denies. In their court filings, Trump's attorneys said the DA should follow the lead of special counsel Jack Smith, who moved to dismiss his two federal criminal cases against Trump following his election win. The DA's filing noted there are significant differences between their case and Smith's cases, including that Smith's cases had not gone to trial. Cheung said, "This lawless case should have never been brought, and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed, as President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process, and execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this, or any other, Witch Hunt."Israeli drone strikes hit Kamal Adwan Hospital on Tuesday, wounding three medical staff at one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the northernmost part of Gaza , the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In Lebanon, a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has held despite Israeli forces carrying out several new drone and artillery strikes on Tuesday, killing a shepherd in the country's south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed keep striking “with an iron fist” against perceived Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire. Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel last year in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . Here's the Latest: WASHINGTON — U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike Tuesday in the vicinity of Mission Support Site Euphrates, a U.S. base in eastern Syria, against three truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers, a T-64 tank and mortars that Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said presented “a clear and imminent threat” to U.S. troops. The self-defense strike occurred after rockets and mortars were fired that landed in the vicinity of the base, Ryder said. The Pentagon is still assessing who was responsible for the attacks — that there are both Iranian-backed militias and Syrian military forces that operate in the area. Ryder said the attack was not connected to the offensive that is ongoing in Aleppo, where Syrian jihadi-led rebels taken over the country’s largest city. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. CAIRO — Israeli drone strikes hit the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Tuesday, wounding three medical personnel, the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital, located in the town of Beit Lahiya. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In comments released by Gaza’s Health Ministry, Abu Safiya said one of the injured was in critical condition and was undergoing a complex surgery. “The situation has become extremely dangerous,” he said. “We are exhausted by the ongoing violence and atrocities.” Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months as Israeli forces have waged a fierce offensive in the area, saying they are rooting out Hamas militants who regrouped there. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. Abu Safiya was wounded in his thigh and back by an Israeli drone strike on the hospital last month. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli court has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the stand next week in his long-running corruption trial, ending a long series of delays. Netanyahu’s lawyers had filed multiple requests to put off the testimony, arguing first that the war in Gaza prevented him from properly preparing for his testimony, and later that his security could not be guaranteed in the court chamber. In Tuesday’s decision, judges in the Jerusalem district court said that following a security assessment, his testimony will be moved to the Tel Aviv district court. Israeli media said the session would take place in an underground chamber. His testimony in the trial, which began in 2020, is expected to begin on Dec. 10 and to last at least several weeks. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate scandals involving powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. He denies wrongdoing. NABATIYEH, Lebanon — In destroyed areas of southern Lebanon, residents clearing away rubble on Tuesday said they didn’t trust Israel to abide by the week-old ceasefire with Hezbollah. “The Israelis are breaching the ceasefire whenever they can because they are not committed,” said Hussein Badreddin, a vegetable seller in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, which was pummeled by Israeli airstrikes over several weeks. “This means that they (can) breach any resolution at any time.” Since it began last Wednesday, the U.S.- and French-brokered 60-day ceasefire has been rattled by near daily Israeli strikes, although Israel has been vague about the purported Hezbollah violations that prompted them. Imad Yassin, a trader who owns a clothing shop in Nabatiyeh, said Israel was constantly breaching the ceasefire because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue the displacement of residents of southern Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy was defeated and the truth is that he is trying to get revenge. Netanyahu is trying to displace us as citizens of southern Lebanon,” Yassin said. They spoke as bulldozers cleared streets strewn with rubble and debris from destroyed buildings. Electricians worked to fix power lines in an effort to restore electricity to the city. Both men were displaced by the war and returned to Nabatiyeh on Wednesday, the day the ceasefire went into effect. Yassin found his clothing shop had been destroyed. He said he would wait to see if the state will dispense compensation funds so that he can repair and reopen his business. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Two separate Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in Gaza City on Tuesday, Palestinian medical authorities said. Six people, including two children, who were killed when an Israeli strike hit a school sheltering displaced people Tuesday afternoon in the Zaytoun neighborhood, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency services. A second strike hit a residential building in the Sabra neighborhood, killing at least three people, the services said. Israeli forces have almost completely isolated northernmost Gaza since early October, saying they’re fighting regrouped Hamas militants there. That has pushed some families south to Gaza City, while hundreds of thousands more live in the territory's center and south in squalid tent camps, where they rely on international aid. JERUSALEM — Israel's military confirmed it killed a senior member of Hezbollah responsible for coordinating with Syria's army on rearming and resupplying the Lebanese militant group. Syrian state media said a drone strike on Tuesday hit a car in a suburb of the capital Damascus, killing one person, without saying who was killed. Israel's military said he was Salman Nemer Jomaa, describing him as “Hezbollah’s representative to the Syrian military,” and that killing him “degrades both Hezbollah’s presence in Syria and Hezbollah’s ongoing force-building efforts.” Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years. Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, but it has said that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups. Iran supports both Hezbollah and the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad, which is currently fighting to push back jihadi-led insurgents who seized the country’s largest city of Aleppo . TUBAS, West Bank — Israeli soldiers opened fire inside a hospital in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday during a raid to seize the bodies of alleged militants targeted in earlier airstrikes, a Palestinian doctor working at the hospital told The Associated Press. Soldiers entered the Turkish Hospital complex in Tubas after the bodies of two Palestinians killed and one wounded in airstrikes in the northern West Bank on Tuesday were brought there, said Dr. Mahmoud Ghanam, who works in the hospital’s emergency department. The troops briefly handcuffed and arrested Ghanam and another doctor. “The army entered in a brutal way, and they were shooting inside the emergency department,” said Ghanam. “They handcuffed us and took me and my colleague.” The military confirmed that its troops were operating around the hospital searching for those targeted in the airstrikes, which they said had hit a militant cell near the Palestinian town of Al-Aqaba in the Jordan Valley. It denied that troops had entered the hospital building or fired gunshots inside. The soldiers left after learning that the wounded man had been transferred to another hospital, Ghanam said. The soldiers wanted to take the bodies of the two men killed in the strike, but the hospital’s manager refused to hand over the bodies, Ghanam said. Israeli raids on hospitals in the West Bank are rare but have grown more common since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. In Gaza, Israeli troops have systematically besieged, raided and damaged many hospitals. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis — attacks which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three territories for an independent state. CAIRO — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war . It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or Fatah, which dominates the Western-backed Palestinian Authority . A Palestinian Authority official on Tuesday confirmed that a preliminary agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations in Cairo. The official said the committee would have 12-15 members, most of them from Gaza. It would report to the Palestinian Authority, which is headquartered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and work with local and international parties to facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. A Hamas official said that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on the general terms but were still negotiating over some details and the individuals who would serve on the committee. The official said an agreement would be announced after a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo, without providing a timeline. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the talks. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and scores of hostages are returned. He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza , with civilian affairs administered by local Palestinians unaffiliated with the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. No Palestinians have publicly volunteered for such a role, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with the Israeli military. The United States has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood. The Israeli government is opposed to Palestinian statehood. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed. NUSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip — Palestinians lined up for bags of flour distributed by the U.N. in central Gaza on Tuesday morning, some of them for the first time in months amid a drop in food aid entering the territory. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, gave out one 25-kilogram flour bag (55 pounds) to each family of 10 at a warehouse in the Nuseirat refugee camp, as well as further south in the city of Khan Younis. Jalal al-Shaer, among the dozens receiving flour at the Nuseirat warehouse, said the bag would last his family of 12 for only two or three days. “The situation for us is very difficult,” said another man in line, Hammad Moawad. “There is no flour, there is no food, prices are high ... We eat bread crumbs.” He said his family hadn’t received a flour allotment in five or six months. COGAT, the Israeli army body in charge of humanitarian affairs, said it facilitated entry of a shipment of 600 tons of flour on Sunday for the World Food Program. Still, the amount of aid Israel has allowed into Gaza since the beginning of October has been at nearly the lowest levels of the 15-month-old war. UNRWA’s senior emergency officer Louise Wateridge told The Associated Press that the flour bags being distributed Tuesday were not enough. “People are getting one bag of flour between an entire family and there is no certainty when they’ll receive the next food,” she said. Wateridge added that UNRWA has been struggling like other humanitarian agencies to provide much needed supplies across the Gaza Strip. The agency this week announced it was stopping delivering aid entering through the main crossing from Israel, Kerem Shalom, because its convoys were being robbed by gangs. UNRWA has blamed Israel in large part for the spread of lawlessness in Gaza. The International Criminal Court is seeking to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over accusations of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war isn't over against Hezbollah and vowed to use "an iron fist" against the Lebanese militant group for any perceived violations of a week-old ceasefire. “At the moment we are in a ceasefire, I note — a ceasefire, not the end of the war," Netanyahu said at the start of the government meeting Tuesday. He said the military would retaliate for “any violation — minor or major.” Netanyahu also thanked U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for his recent demands for Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. Trump posted on social media Monday that if the hostages are not freed before he takes office in January there would be “HELL TO PAY.” Netanyahu convened Tuesday's meeting in northern Israel, where around 45,000 Israelis had been displaced by the war as of last week, according to the prime minister’s office. Netanyahu said the government was focused on getting them back in their homes and rehabilitating the area. BERLIN — German authorities have arrested a Lebanese man accused of being a member of Hezbollah and working for groups controlled by the militant organization in Germany. Federal prosecutors said the suspect, identified only as Fadel R. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested in the Hannover region on Tuesday. The man is suspected of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and is not accused of direct involvement in any violence. Prosecutors said he joined Hezbollah in the summer of 2008 or earlier and took part in leadership training courses in Lebanon. From 2009, he allegedly had leadership duties in two groups controlled by Hezbollah in the Hannover area, organizing appearances by preachers close to the militants. According to prosecutors, he was briefly a correspondent for a Hezbollah media outlet in 2017 and was tasked with coordinating building work at a mosque. Germany is a staunch ally of Israel. It is also home to a Lebanese immigrant community of more than 100,000. BEIRUT — The Lebanese army is looking for more recruits as it beefs up its presence in southern Lebanon after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Lebanon’s army is a respected national institution that kept to the sidelines during the nearly 14-month conflict. During an initial 60-day truce, thousands of Lebanese troops are supposed to deploy in southern Lebanon, where U.N. peacekeepers also have a presence. Hezbollah militants are to pull back from areas near the border as Israel withdraws its ground forces. The army said those interested in joining up have a one-month period to apply, starting Tuesday. The Lebanese army has about 80,000 troops, with around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s state news agency says a drone strike hit a car in a suburb of the capital, Damascus, killing one person. The agency did not give further details or say who was killed. It said the attack occurred Tuesday on the road leading to the Damascus International Airport south of the city. The area is known to be home to members of Iran-backed militant groups. Israel is believed to have carried out a number of strikes in the area in recent months as it has battled Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge such strikes. JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister warned that if the shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, Israel will widen its strikes and target the Lebanese state itself. He spoke the day after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes that killed nearly a dozen people. Those strikes came after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles as a warning over what it said were previous Israeli violations. Speaking to troops on the northern border Tuesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said any violations of the agreement would be met with “a maximum response and zero tolerance.” He said if the war resumes, Israel will widen its strikes beyond the areas where Hezbollah’s activities are concentrated, and “there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon.” During the 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which came to an end last week with a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France, Israel largely refrained from striking critical infrastructure or the Lebanese armed forces, who kept to the sidelines . When Israeli strikes killed or wounded Lebanese soldiers, the Israeli military said it was accidental . The ceasefire agreement that took effect last week gives 60 days for Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and for Hezbollah militants to relocate north of the Litani River. The buffer zone is to be patrolled by Lebanese armed forces and U.N. peacekeepers. Israel has carried out multiple strikes in recent days in response to what it says are violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon’s airspace. Berri, a Hezbollah ally, had helped mediate the ceasefire. JERUSALEM — Palestinian officials say an Israeli airstrike in the northern West Bank has killed two Palestinians. Israel’s military said it struck a militant cell near the town of Al-Aqaba, in the Jordan Valley. It did not immediately give more details. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the two deaths and said a third person was moderately wounded. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis, which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for an independent state. BEIRUT — Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon made his first public appearance in Beirut since he was wounded in an attack involving exploding pagers in mid-September. Mojtaba Amani, who returned to Lebanon over the weekend after undergoing treatment in Iran, visited on Tuesday the scene south of Beirut where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27. Speaking about the airstrike that destroyed six buildings and killed Nasrallah and others, Amani said Israel should get for its act “the highest medal for sabotage, terrorism, blood and killing civilians.” Amani suffered serious injuries in his face and hands when a pager he was holding exploded in mid-September. The device was one of about 3,000 pagers that exploded simultaneously, killing and wounding many Hezbollah members. A day after the pager attack, a similar attack struck walkie-talkies. In total, the explosions killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000, many of them civilians. Last month, a spokesperson for the office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pager attack was approved by Netanyahu.

Michael Croley | (TNS) Bloomberg News In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Global Latex Wedge Pillow Market Set For 3.5% Growth, Reaching $385.33 Billion By 2028LSU trailed by 18 points early in the second half, then failed to hold a lead at the end of regulation and each of the first two overtime periods. The Tigers went up by five with a minute to go in the third overtime. UCF cut it to three, then Vyctorius Miller made a driving layup, Jordan Sears followed with a dunk and the Tigers were able to hold on when leading by seven. Cam Carter scored 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey 14 for LSU (5-1). Darius Johnson had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds for UCF (4-2). Keyshawn Hall had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Jordan Ivy-Curry scored 20. South Florida led by 15 points at halftime and maintained a double-digit lead for all but a few possessions in the first 11 1/2 minutes of the second half. UCF led 62-48 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining but Sears hit three 3-pointers and LSU drew to within 64-59 with 6 minutes to go. The Tigers scored the last six points of regulation to force overtime. In the first half, LSU led 15-13 about eight minutes into the game but the Tigers missed 15 of 16 shots while being outscored 25-3 over the next 10 minutes. South Florida led 40-25 at halftime after shooting 46% to 25% for LSU. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

No. 2 UConn falls again in Maui, losing 73-72 to Colorado on Jakimovski's off-balance layupDallas Stars (13-6, in the Central Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (14-5-1, in the Metropolitan Division) Raleigh, North Carolina; Monday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars hit the road against the Carolina Hurricanes trying to extend a three-game road winning streak. Carolina has a 7-1-0 record at home and a 14-5-1 record overall. The Hurricanes are 6-1-0 in games their opponents commit more penalties. Dallas has a 5-4-0 record in road games and a 13-6 record overall. The Stars have a 6-2-0 record in games their opponents serve more penalty minutes. Monday's game is the first meeting between these teams this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Martin Necas has scored 11 goals with 22 assists for the Hurricanes. Jackson Blake has over the past 10 games. Tyler Seguin has scored seven goals with nine assists for the Stars. Logan Stankoven has over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Hurricanes: 6-3-1, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.4 assists, three penalties and 6.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game. Stars: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.5 assists, 3.6 penalties and 9.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game. INJURIES: Hurricanes: None listed. Stars: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from . The Associated PressBy JESSICA DAMIANO Some homeowners gaze out their windows and see lush and beautiful gardens . Others would like to see lush and beautiful gardens but instead are greeted by overgrown, dead or otherwise messy landscapes. Related Articles Things To Do | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone Things To Do | A preview of some stunning hotels and resorts opening in 2025 Things To Do | 12 sexy Christmas movies to stream this ho-ho-holiday season Things To Do | This condiment is the only sauce you’ll need to hack the holidays Things To Do | ‘Nosferatu’ review: Robert Eggers’ love of source material clear as death Whether you’ve inherited a neglected garden from a previous homeowner or have been too busy to keep on top of maintenance, don’t despair: Devising a game plan now can set you up for a much better view by next winter. As with most seemingly hopeless tasks, breaking the process down into small steps performed over time will help make the project manageable. First, grab a notepad and take a walk around the garden. Assess each section, determining which plants can be saved, which need to go and which require attention. Make a list now. Dead and invasive plants , as well as weeds , should be first on the chopping block. If the weather allows, dig them out, removing as much of their root systems as possible. Otherwise, tackle this first in spring. Next, remove and give away otherwise-healthy plants that you don’t want. Online buy-nothing groups and neighborhood pages are great places to find takers . Many will even be willing to do the digging if it means getting a free plant. If the property has been overrun with a thicket of plants, shrubs, trees and vines that have grown wild, a chainsaw, brush mower or brush grubber may be in order. If you’re dealing with a lot of weeds or want to create new garden beds in a lawn, you can smother the existing vegetation rather than dig it up. Determine the shape and size of the bed or border, and cover that area with cardboard or thick layers of newspaper. This can be done now, topped with 3 inches of compost and 2 inches of mulch, and left to sit over winter. It can also wait until planting time. When you’re ready to plant, you’ll be cutting root-size holes in the cardboard for your plants. Most weeds will be suppressed, but some may sneak through and require pulling or more cardboard. Healthy but overgrown or unproductive deciduous shrubs (the types that lose their leaves) can be rejuvenated by pruning . Do this when branches are bare in late winter. Choosing a method will require weighing aesthetics against rebound time and deciding which is right for you. The fastest (but most severe) method would be to cut the whole plant down just above ground level. It’s scary, but most shrubs can handle this and will bounce back stronger. If retaining height in the garden is important, you can opt to prune each branch or stem individually at uneven heights. Or cut back one-third of the plant’s branches each year for three years. The latter would have the least drastic effect but require the most patience. Evergreen trees and shrubs should only undergo selective pruning (the shortening of individual branches). Take care to avoid over-shearing or creating holes in needled evergreen plants and trees; with the exception of yews, they won’t fill back in . Now that you have a clean canvas, turn your attention to the soil. Test the soil’s pH to ensure it’s within range for the plants you plan to add. Test kits are available at local and online garden retailers. Your local cooperative extension service may provide testing and soil-amendment advice for a nominal fee. If indicated, incorporate lime or elemental sulfur into the soil to raise or lower its pH, following package instructions. If the soil is hard and compacted, use a core aerator or long-handled garden fork to create 2-3-inch holes through which air and water can enter. Finally, spread a 2-to-3-inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure over the area. As it decomposes, nutrients will work their way into the soil. After completing the above steps, it will be time to plant your new garden. If by summer you’re not yet ready to plant, apply mulch or use annuals to protect the bare soil. When you’re ready to plant new trees , shrubs and/or perennials, carefully select varieties that will not run rampant. Dig holes just as deep as their roots but twice as wide and space them appropriately to allow for their mature sizes. For the lowest maintenance going forward, consider hardy, pollinator-friendly , drought-tolerant native plants. Incorporate non-invasive groundcovers into beds to serve as a natural mulch and discourage weeds – remember, if you don’t plant something in bare spots, God will. While you wait for groundcovers to fill in, apply 2-to-3 inches of mulch between and around plants to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, keep soil temperatures even and protect tender roots. It might take a year or two — or longer, depending on your schedule and ability, but a step-by-step approach will avoid overwhelm and provide a steady stream of small wins as you approach your goal. Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. For her favorite tools and gear of the past year, see her 2024 gardening gift guide. For more AP gardening stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/gardening .

Detroit Lions Superstar Running Back Gives Injury Update After Win Vs ColtsHusband charged with murdering wife after incriminating Google searches revealed sinister plot By ISHITA SRIVASTAVA FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:28 GMT, 3 December 2024 | Updated: 21:53 GMT, 3 December 2024 e-mail View comments A Virginia husband has been charged with murder months after his wife disappeared and a shocking amount of blood was found inside their home. Naresh Bhatt, 37, has also been accused of physically defiling a dead body and the concealment of a body four months since wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, a pediatric nurse, was last seen. Mamta, who vanished on July 28 and even missed her daughter's first birthday, is currently presumed dead and her body has not yet been found. Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo noted in a December 3 press conference: 'From the beginning, we believed that she was murdered'. He also told the public that they have found 'a lot of evidence' against the accused in the case. 'I know the crime scene was a big one. The forensic unit at Prince William County said it was one of the worst crime scenes they've seen,' he said. Investigators had conducted their first property search when Naresh was home with the couple's baby and discovered blood in the bedroom as well as the bathroom, Lugo said. He added that evidence shows that Naresh had allegedly cut up his wife's body, which prompted the defiling charge. Furthermore, the Chief clarified that one of the reasons for the new murder charge was due to their success in being able to match Mamta's DNA to the pools of blood found at the couple's home. Naresh Bhatt, 37, has been charged with murder months after his wife disappeared and a shocking amount of blood was found inside their home Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, a pediatric nurse, who vanished July 28 and even missed her daughter's first birthday, is currently presumed dead and her body has not yet been found 'I feel we have a strong case for not having the body,' Lugo said. Holly Wirth, a former hospital co-worker of Mamta and spokesperson for her family, said the family feels 'a sense of relief' that a charge has finally come. 'Their goal has been two things: justice for Mamta and securing a future for her baby. And that's what guides their steps every day. This is not a celebration. We're not here happy,' Wirth said at the latest news conference. Incriminating evidence linking Naresh to the case was also found in late August - weeks after his arrest. According to prosecutors, the accused had searched for 'how long does it take to get married when spouse die' and 'what happen to debt died spouse' in April. He used his work computer to make the searches, and the US Secret Service, to whom he has ties and a security clearance, gave police the search history. Prosecutors also revealed Naresh sold his Tesla days before his arrest on August 22, but police managed to track it down at a local dealership and are searching the car's computer. Naresh also tried to sell the family home, and police found he had packed up their possessions when they arrived, including passports for him and his daughter. Investigators had conducted their first property search when Naresh was home with the couple's baby and discovered blood in the bedroom as well as the bathroom Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo clarified that one of the reasons for the new murder charge was due to their success in being able to match Mamta's DNA to the pools of blood found at the couple's home According to prosecutors, the accused had searched for 'how long does it take to get married when spouse die' and 'what happen to debt died spouse' in April Police used blue light to find bloodstains all over the couple's bedroom and bathroom that had been cleaned and discovered evidence suggesting that a body was dragged through the house. Prince William County prosecutors noted that Mamta's last video call with her mother was on July 29, according to WTOP . The next day, the accused allegedly dropped off their child at a babysitter's house early in the morning and moments later, he was seen dumping multiple trash bags into a dumpster at the caretaker's apartment complex. Senior assistant commonwealth's attorney Sarah Sami also previously revealed that Naresh had reportedly bought a set of knives from Home Depot and Walmart the same morning and a '40-pack of extra strong black trash bags' later in the evening. On July 31 at around 1.30am, Naresh was seen in Falls Church retrieving bags from his Tesla and putting them into a trash compactor on video. Prosecutors noted in court that while his Tesla tracks him to the location, his phone was inactive and not with him at the time. Later that morning, over 150 gallons of water were also used up at the property - a significant increase from its typical three to four gallons usage. While defense lawyers claimed in court the blood found in the house was from a nosebleed, prosecutors argued that the amount discovered instead indicated that the victim had suffered injuries that were not survivable. Bhatt's shock arrest comes days after he made an emotional TV appeal for his wife's safe return While defense lawyers claimed in court the blood found in the house was from a nosebleed, prosecutors argued that the amount discovered instead indicated that the victim had suffered injuries that were not survivable During a welfare check made by the police on August 2, Naresh told them he last saw his wife on July 31 and didn't want to report her missing because she was with family in Texas . However, Mamta, who is of Nepalese descent, has no family in the US, according to prosecutors and friends. Naresh finally reported her missing three days later and made a tearful public appeal for her to come home. But police believe he lied about the timeline and Mamta was already dead by July 31. Furthermore, prosecutors told the court that Mamta had accused Naresh of domestic violence before she went missing. She claimed to Manassas Park Police that Naresh destroyed her phone and refused to hand over her passport and other important documents. Naresh claimed she destroyed her own phone, but prosecutors said it continued receiving messages and and calls until August 1, when it died. The court heard friends told police they saw bruises on her body and offered to help her get out of the allegedly abusive marriage. Officers search the contents of the home and are in the back of he house Social media posts reveal Mamta had pleaded for help from other mothers in the area She asked one of the women in the post that she doesn't have money as he withdrew it all from a joint account In February, Mamta posted in the Facebook group 'Separated, Divorced, Single Moms of Virginia, Maryland and DC' that she has a six-month-old baby and in the process of a separation. 'I work 2 days a week and my husband is not helping to take care of baby. He is saying, that if I leave baby with him he will send child to custody. Is it possible? I need help for child care,' she said. 'I need help from social worker and need some advice.' Robin Kuppusamy, the missing mom's friend, shared in a post on August 12 expressing her concerns for her friend. 'Multiple women and myself have been talking to her on our separation divorce group on Facebook to find her help since she was leaving her spouse until she dropped off the radar,' Kuppusamy wrote. She added, 'she would have never left her daughter behind.' Mamta also shared that her and her husband were still living together but that she no longer has any money. She wrote, in part, 'I don't have money now too he withdraw all money from joint account' Naresh is now scheduled to appear in Prince William Circuit Court on December 4 to be formally charged after a Nepalese interpreter was not available today morning. Share or comment on this article: Husband charged with murdering wife after incriminating Google searches revealed sinister plot e-mail Add comment

Israel said Tuesday it had bombed more than 350 military sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wave of airstrikes in neighboring Syria was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s stunning collapse . Israel also acknowledged its troops were pushing into a border buffer zone inside Syria, which was established after the 1973 Mideast war. However, Israel denied its forces were advancing Tuesday toward the Syrian capital of Damascus. Life in the capital was slowly returning to normal after jihadi-led Syrian insurgents ousted President Bashar Assad over the weekend. People celebrated for a third day in a main square, and shops and banks reopened. The United States said Tuesday it would recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Syria's nearly 14-year civil war killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of the country’s prewar population of 23 million, becoming a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Here's the Latest: BEIRUT — Insurgents who overthrew the Syrian government now say they have wrested control of the eastern city of Deir el-Zour after intense battles with a Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed force. Syria’s rebel military command announced Tuesday evening that they had completely captured the city of Deir el-Zour. A member of the jihadi group Hayat al-Tahrir, which leads the insurgent alliance, said in a recorded video that the group would soon conduct a thorough sweep of the city’s neighborhoods to secure the area, adding that the strategic nearby town of Boukamal has also fallen to opposition forces. “We will advance toward Raqqa and Hasakah and other areas in eastern Syria,” the HTS fighters said. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces had only held the city for a few days. The SDF said it deployed to Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates River on Friday, replacing Syrian government forces. At the time, the SDF said its fighters were not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Earlier Tuesday, the top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was in eastern Syria for meetings with the SDF. It wasn’t clear if he met with SDF leader Mazloum Abdi. BEIRUT — Syria’s transitional government will made up of members from the rebel-led administration that ruled an insurgent stronghold in the country's northwest, the new prime minister said Tuesday, who called the task “a great challenge.” The caretaker Syrian government, which will oversee the country’s affairs until March, held its first meeting Tuesday since overthrowing former President Bashar Assad. It was attended by the departing Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali and other ministers along with new Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir. He had led the so-called “salvation government” in areas controlled by rebel groups — led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS — that have taken control of much of the country. “We were tasked by the general command with managing the affairs of the Syrian government during a transitional period,” Bashir said in a statement following the meeting in Damascus. He added that he hopes ministers in the former Syrian government will assist the new government during this transitional period. “The caretaker government was formed from a number of ministers of the revolutionary government, which is the Syrian Salvation Government, and this government is a temporary caretaker government that will last until March 2025, until the constitutional issues are resolved,” Bashir said. The insurgent alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant , Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who cut ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. SAYDNAYA, Syria — Tens of thousands came to Saydnaya Prison from all over Syria after the fall of former President Bashar Assad to search for their loved ones. The place so notorious for its horrors was long known as “the slaughterhouse.” For the past two days, all have been looking for signs of loved ones who disappeared years or even decades ago into the secretive, sprawling prison just outside Damascus. But hope gave way to despair Monday. People opened the heavy iron doors lining the hallways to find cells inside empty. With sledgehammers, shovels and drills, men pounded holes in floors and walls, looking for what they believed were secret dungeons, or chasing sounds they thought they heard from underground. They found nothing. Insurgents freed dozens of people from the Saydnaya military prison on Sunday when Damascus fell. Since then, almost no one has been found. “Where is everyone? Where are everyone’s children? Where are they?” said Ghada Assad, breaking down in tears. An estimated 150,000 people were detained or went missing in Syria since 2011 — and tens of thousands of them are believed to have gone through Saydnaya. WASHINGTON — The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was on the ground in Syria on Tuesday, meeting with a Kurish-led, U.S.-allied force at several bases in the country's east, U.S. Central Command said. Army Gen. Erik Kurilla visited with U.S. military commanders and troops as well as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. It wasn’t clear if he met with SDF leader Mazloum Abdi, and U.S. Central Command did not respond to a request for details about his visit or with whom he met. U.S. officials said they did not know what his message to the SDF was. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. In a press release, Central Command said Kurilla received an “assessment of force protection measures, the rapidly evolving situation, and ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the current situation.” Kurilla then went on to Iraq where he met with leaders in Baghdad. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says it still getting reports about the looting of warehouses with humanitarian aid in a number of areas in Syria, including around the capital Damascus. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Tuesday that U.N. agencies and their partners are working to identify the extent of looting at the warehouses, including those of U.N. agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Dujarric said U.N. aid officials report that “the humanitarian situation remains volatile across Syria, with reports of people continuing to be displaced.” Humanitarian officials reported that 25 trucks carrying U.N. aid crossed from Turkey to northwest Syria, which the situation is now relatively calm, the U.N. spokesman said. All 11 receptions opened in Idlib in the northwest to host newly displaced families were empty as of Monday, Dujarric said. In the northeast, he said, authorities report that as of Tuesday 100,000 people have been displaced due to fighting in Tal Rifaat and other parts of Aleppo governorate. Dujarric said the U.N.’s partners report that “reception centers in Tabqa and Raqqa have reached full capacity, and more than 200 sites – including municipal buildings, schools, mosques, and stadiums – are being used to accommodate newly displaced people.” BEIRUT — The Lebanese army said Tuesday that “unidentified gunmen” crossed the border from Syria into eastern Lebanon's Bekaa province and approached a Lebanese border post. In a statement, the army said the gunmen fired into the air and seized equipment from an evacuated Syrian army post in the outskirts of Kfar Fouq, near Rashaya al-Wadi, in the western part of Bekaa province. Lebanese army personnel responded with warning shots, forcing the group to retreat back into Syrian territory. The Lebanese army did not report any injuries or provide further details about the identity of the gunmen. WASHINGTON — Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched multiple drones and a missile at three commercial ships being escorted in the Gulf of Aden by U.S. Navy ships, a U.S. official said Tuesday. There was no damage and no injuries. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, said U.S. Navy destroyers, and Navy helicopter and a French Air Force aircraft shot down four of the drones and the missile. The three U.S. affiliated flagged ships were sailing east toward Djibouti. The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted shipping through the key waterway for more than a year, attacks they say are meant to force an end to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said it bombed more than 350 sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. There is concern that, with the sudden collapse of the Syrian government, weapons stockpiles could be seized by jihadi militants. Warplanes hit what Israel said were Syrian air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots, and dozens of weapons production sites in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, the Israeli army statement said. In naval operations overnight Monday, Israeli missile ships struck two Syrian navy facilities simultaneously — Al-Bayda port and Latakia port — where the army said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked. Israeli did not specify how many Syrian naval vessels were hit. The private security firm Ambrey said it had seen evidence that at least six Soviet-era Syrian navy missile ships were hit. Israeli officials said earlier that Israel also targeted alleged chemical weapons sites. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that his country’s military launched a wave of airstrikes across Syria to destroy the toppled government’s leftover “military capabilities,” and said Israel wants relations with the new government emerging Syria. Hours after Israeli warplanes pounded Syria, Netanyahu said Israeli doesn’t want to meddle in Syria’s internal affairs, but would take necessary steps to protect Israel's security and prevent jihadi militants from seizing the Syrian army assets. He warned that if the new Syrian government “allows Iran to re-establish itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us -- we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it.” He spoke in a video statement recorded at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, after his first day of testimony in his corruption trial. DAMASCUS, Syria — In Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syrians celebrated the fall of President Bashar Assad for the third day on Tuesday despite Israeli airstrikes across the country. Insurgents who recently took control of the capital city tried to impose a new rule banning the celebratory gunfire. There were a few violators, and much less deafening gunfire. Protesters climbed the square's central monument to wave the Syrian revolutionary flag. On the ground, crowds chanted: “Out with Bashar! Out with Bashar!” Assad fled to Russia over the weekend after a lightning rebel offensive toppled his brutal police state. Demonstrators from different provinces marched in the square in groups, celebrating Assad's fall. Men on motorcycles and horses paraded into the square. One woman from Idlib province shouted that the Israeli strikes ruined the joy of ousting Assad. “Why are you striking us? We just deposed a tyrant,” she said. “Give us peace. Leave us alone,” said Ahmed Jreida, 22, a dentist student, when asked about the Israeli airstrikes. Hamzeh Hamada, 22, said this was the first time he had gone out to a demonstration. “We want the country to get better, to live in dignity and be like other countries that respect citizens’ rights and where there are no bribes,” he said. “We have suffered a lot from bribes. ... We had to bribe people for very minor things; things that should be our right.” Abdul-Jalil Diab was taking a stroll with his brothers in another square in western Damascus. He said he came back from Jordan the day Damascus fell. He was there studying German to prepare to move to Germany and said he is now reconsidering his plans. He was ecstatic, saying words can’t describe how he feels. “We are happy to get rid of the corrupt regime that was based on bribes. The whole country feels better. Everyone is happy and celebrating,” Abdul-Jalil Diab said. QAMISHLI, Syria — Residents of northeast Syria in the area around Qamishli airport said Tuesday they heard explosions overnight after an airstrike hit trucks loaded with rockets and ammunition that were heading to a military base in Tartab. “We don’t know the story. It was only in the morning when we realized they are trucks loaded with ammunition, leftovers of the former army, the regime,” said Ibrahim al-Thalaj, who lives near the base. He said residents assumed that the strikes were Israeli. Israel has carried out a heavy wave of airstrikes across Syria targeting military infrastructure after Syrian insurgents toppled the government of Bashar Assad. However, Turkish security officials said Tuesday that the strike in Qamishli was carried out by Turkey, targeting weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian army and seized by Syrian Kurdish militants. The explosions lasted for over 20 minutes after the strike, and many houses in the surrounding area were damaged as a result, residents of the area said. “We just felt a strike hitting. It hit the first one (truck) and we saw the other trucks retreating back, and from there rockets and shells started flying over,” said Hamid al-Asaad, an eyewitness from Qub al-Zeki village in Qamishli. “We were sitting when these explosions started to hit the house,” said Mahmoud Hamza of Tartab. “It was hitting randomly and we didn’t know where it was coming from. ... Once we got out of our house, a rocket hit the house.” There were no details released by the local Kurdish administration regarding the explosions, but members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces blocked the road to the base. BRUSSELS — The European Union’s top diplomat is concerned that Syria might violently fall apart like neighboring Iraq, or Libya and Afghanistan if its territorial integrity and the rights of minorities are not protected. “The transition will present huge challenges in Syria and in the region,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told European lawmakers on Tuesday during a special hearing. “There are legitimate concerns about the risks of sectarian violence, extremist resurgence and the governance vacuum, all of which must be averted. We must avoid a repeat of the horrific scenarios of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan,” she said. “The rights of all Syrians, including those of many minority groups, must be protected,” she said. “It is crucial to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria, and to respect its independence, its sovereignty, as well as the state institutions.” Kallas also said the collapse of the government has shown that Assad’s backers in Russia and Iran “could neither afford to do it any longer, nor had any interest of being present in the aftermath.” “They are weakened, distracted and overstretched in other theaters in the broader Middle East, but also in Ukraine,” she said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, has attacked a convoy of trucks that was allegedly carrying missiles, heavy weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian government and reportedly seized by Syrian Kurdish militias, Turkish security officials said Tuesday. The officials said 12 trucks, two tanks and two ammunition depots were “destroyed” in aerial strikes in the city of Qamishli, near the border with Turkey in northeast Syria. The officials provided the information on condition of anonymity in line with Turkish regulations. They did not say when the attack occurred. The officials said the intelligence agency detected that weapons left by the Syrian government forces were being moved to warehouses belonging to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Defense Units, or YPG. Turkey views the group as a terrorist organization because of its links to the banned Kurdish militants that have led a decadeslong insurgency in Turkey. According to the officials, he group was allegedly planning to use the equipment and supplies against Turkish security forces. By Suzan Fraser WASHINGTON — The White House is signaling its approval of Israel’s strikes against Syrian military and alleged chemical weapons targets and the seizure of a buffer zone in the Syrian Golan Heights after the fall of the Assad government. “These are exigent operations to eliminate what they believe are imminent threats to their national security,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday, saying the U.S. would leave it up to the Israelis to discuss details of their operations. “They have as always the right to defend themselves,” Kirby said. He declined to detail and U.S. intelligence cooperation with the Israelis that went into the strikes. Kirby said the White House was reasserting its support of the 1974 Golan Heights disengagement agreement, but didn’t criticize the Israeli seizure of the demilitarized zone. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. WASHINGTON — The Biden administration says it will recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Tuesday that the U.S. would work with groups in Syria and regional partners to ensure that the transition from President Bashar Assad’s deposed government runs smoothly. He was not specific about which groups the U.S. would work with. Blinken says Syrians should decide their future and that other countries should “support an inclusive and transparent process” and not interfere. “The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria government that results from this process,” he said. “We stand prepared to lend all appropriate support to all of Syria’s diverse communities and constituencies.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Jihad Mustafa Shibani was taking his new motorcycle for a spin with a friend around the house of the deposed Syrian president in western Damascus on Tuesday. Shibani was released from prison a week before the capital Damascus fell, after he served two years on charges of buying his motorcycle using foreign currency on accusations he was dealing in dollars. He was tortured for 15 days and and given a quick trial where he was sentenced for two years, he said. He was released the day Aleppo fell to the insurgents. “Everything was banned in Syria. The (Assad loyalists) only could use it,” Shibani said. He said he has never been to this neighborhood, because it was taken over by Assad, his family and supporters. “For 50 years, my family’s house is near here, and we don’t know anything about it. ... The Syrian people had been oppressed, you can’t imagine.” Shibani said he has no fear of the rebel newcomers who have taken control of the country. “We are not afraid. There can be no one more unjust than Bashar. Impossible.” BEIRUT — Lebanon’s prime minister is in contact with security and judicial officials to follow up on reports that senior members of President Bashar Assad’s government have fled to Lebanon. Najib Mikati’s office quoted him as saying that Lebanon abides by international laws regarding people who cross its borders. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said that several top security officials have entered Lebanon over the past two days. Abdurrahman added that Syria’s former intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk, who is wanted in Lebanon over two bombings in 2012 in the northern city of Tripoli that killed dozens, was allegedly brought to Lebanon by the Hezbollah militant group and was staying in a southern suburb of Beirut where the group has deep support. Lebanon’s Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, whose ministry is in charge of border crossings, told reporters Tuesday that no person who is wanted in Lebanon entered the country through legal border crossings. There are dozens of illegal border crossings between Lebanon and Syria where people are usually smuggled in and out of Lebanon, but it was not possible to independently confirm whether Mamlouk had entered Lebanon. GENEVA — The United Nations says humanitarian operations in two major areas in northwestern Syria have resumed, deploying food, medical supplies, fuel and other needed services and supplies. Spokesman Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that some health facilities were “overwhelmed” – in part due to staff shortages – and many border crossings have been closed, disrupting supply chains. OCHA said humanitarian operations in some parts of northwestern Syria were put on hold in the early days of the recent escalation, and resumed on Monday. “As of yesterday, all humanitarian organizations in Idlib and northern Aleppo have resumed operations,” Laerke told reporters at a U.N. briefing in Geneva. He said the three border crossings from Turkey used by the U.N. to deliver assistance into Syria remain open and “we are providing assistance in the northwest, including to those who have been newly displaced.” Even before the latest escalation, which led President Bashar Assad to flee the country, nearly 17 million people in Syria needed humanitarian assistance. More than 1 million have been displaced across Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Homs since the escalation. JERUSALEM — Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel's military destroyed Syria’s fleet overnight and intends to establish a demilitarized zone “in southern Syria” to prevent attacks on Israel. He also issued a warning to Syria’s rebels, saying that “whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like Assad — we will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against Israel across its border while putting its citizens at risk.” Speaking at a naval base in Haifa, Katz said the Israeli navy “operated last night to destroy the Syrian fleet and with great success.” Video showing the smoking wreckage of what appeared to be small Syrian naval ships in the port at Latakia was broadcast by Saudi-owned television station Al-Hadath on Tuesday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has closely tracked the conflict since the civil war erupted in 2011, said Israel targeted Syrian warships, military warehouses and an air-defense facility on the coast. Katz added that he had instructed the army to establish a “defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence, in order to prevent terrorism in Syria from taking root and organizing.” It was unclear if the demilitarized zone would reach beyond the buffer zone that Israel has taken over in the border area. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. DAMASCUS, Syria — Members of the Syrian government under ousted President Bashar Assad will gradually transfer power to a new transitional cabinet headed by Mohammed al-Bashir. The departing government met with al-Bashir for the first time since Assad fled Damascus over the weekend. Al-Bashir had previously led the “salvation government” running the rebel stronghold in northwest Syria. Al-Bashir told reporters after the meeting that the ministers discussed transferring the portfolios to the interim government during the transitional period until the beginning of March. He said that in the coming days the new government will decide on each ministry. DAMASCUS, Syria — Banks and shops are reopening in Damascus after the chaos and confusion of the first two days following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. Sadi Ahmad, manager of Syria Gulf Bank, said life is returning to normal. A customer who came to withdraw money from an ATM was surprised to see it functioning. At the historic Hamadiyeh market, fighters who seized power were still standing guard but shops had reopened — even an ice cream stand. Resident Maysoun Al-Qurabi said she was initially “against what happened,” referring to the insurgency, but changed her mind after seeing footage of rebels releasing inmates from the notorious Saydnaya prison. “People are at ease and secure now,” she said. “Before, people were hungry and scared.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Minority Christians in Syria have been living in a state of uneasy anticipation since insurgents headed by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham took control after ousting President Bashar Assad. Mazen Kalash, a resident of Bab Touma, a Christian neighborhood in Damascus, said he wants to know the plans of the new government that will be formed by the rebels. “The important thing is to feel safe, bring order, law and respect to the citizens,” he said. “We need to be able to work whatever we want and do whatever we want without any interference from anyone.” The insurgents have so far attempted to reassure minorities that they will be protected. Large numbers of Syrian Christians, who made up 10% of the population, fled after the civil war erupted in 2011. Many of those who stayed supported Assad out of fear they might be targeted by Islamist insurgents. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at media during testimony at his corruption trial, which involves media moguls. “There has never been such a biased media in any democracy ... as there is in Israel,” Netanyahu told the court, describing his testy relationship with the press. He is accused of exchanging regulatory favors with media bosses for more positive coverage of himself and his family. He has denied wrongdoing. GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria says armed groups that drove out President Bashar Assad have “been sending good messages” about national unity and inclusiveness but acknowledges that a Security Council resolution still counts the leading one as a terrorist group. With Syria’s future and stability still very much in flux since Assad’s departure over the weekend, Geir Pedersen suggested that the international community needs to help the country get through this turbulent moment. “We are still in what I would call a very fluid period. Things are not settled,” Pedersen told reporters at U.N. offices in Geneva on Tuesday. “There is a real opportunity for change, but this opportunity needs to be grasped by the Syrians themselves and supported by the U.N. and the international community.” Referring to Israeli military strikes in Syria, Pedersen said it was “extremely important that we now don’t see any action from any international country that destroys the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place.” The insurgents are led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which grew out of an al-Qaida-affiliate called the Nusra Front that the Security Council listed as a terror group in a 2015 resolution. “This is obviously a complicating factor for all of us,” Pedersen said. “But we also have to be honest, we have to look at the facts and to see what has happened during the last nine years.” “The reality so far is that the HTS and also the other armed groups have been sending good messages to the Syrian people,” he said. “They have been sending messages of unity, of inclusiveness, and frankly speaking, also, we have seen in (the captured cities of) Aleppo and in Hama ... reassuring things on the ground." Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency and the founder of both groups Nusra and HTS, cut ties with al-Qaida in 2016 and says he is committed to pluralism and religious tolerance. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has “strongly” condemned Israel’s advance into Syrian territory, saying it was in violation of a 1974 agreement on a buffer zone inside Syria. “We strongly condemn Israel’s violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement, its entry into the separation zone between Israel and Syria, and its advance into Syrian territory,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry accused Israel of “displaying a mentality of an occupier” at a time when the possibility of peace and stability had emerged in Syria. The statement also reiterated Turkey’s support to Syria’s “sovereignty, political unity, and territorial integrity.” Israeli troops on Sunday entered the buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war and the military said it would deploy in “several other places necessary for (Israel’s’) defense.” TEL AVIV, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he works 17 to 18 hours a day and that he is engulfed in meetings, especially during the past year that Israel has been fighting wars. Netanyahu was testifying in his long-running corruption trial. He has denied charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. “If only I could steal away five minutes to enjoy some time with my wife,” he told the court Tuesday. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military official says troops plan to seize a buffer zone inside Syria as well as “a few more points that have strategic meaning.” The official spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The official dismissed reports of a larger Israeli invasion as “rumors.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces were moving to control a roughly 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) demilitarized buffer zone in Syrian territory. The buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was created by the U.N. after the 1973 Mideast war. Following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad, Israel sent troops into the buffer zone. It said the move was temporary and was aimed at preventing attacks. It said the 1974 agreement establishing the zone had collapsed and that Syrian troops had withdrawn from their positions. Israel has also carried out airstrikes across Syria in recent days targeting what it says are suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting the disarray in Syria and violating international law. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community, except for the United States. The rest of the world views the strategic plateau as occupied Syrian territory. — By Joseph Krauss DAMASCUS, Syria — Israel’s air force has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in different parts of Syria as its ground forces move north of the Golan Heights along the border with Lebanon, according to an opposition war monitor. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday that since the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government, Israel’s air force has carried out more than 300 airstrikes against research centers, arms depots and military infrastructure across Syria, as well as a naval base along the Mediterranean coast. Associated Press journalists in Damascus witnessed intense airstrikes on the city and its suburbs overnight into Tuesday morning. Photographs posted online by activists showed destroyed missile launchers, helicopters and warplanes. Meanwhile, Israeli troops marched along the border with Lebanon and now control a long stretch on the Syrian side facing Lebanon’s Rashaya region, according to the war monitor's head, Rami Abdurrahman, and the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, which has reporters in Syria. Israeli troops are now about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Damascus, according to the monitor. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s incursion into a buffer zone in Syria and a wave of Israeli airstrikes launched after the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that “the assaults carried out by the Israeli occupation government, including the seizure of the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, and the targeting of Syrian territory confirm Israel’s continued violation of the principles of international law and its determination to sabotage Syria’s chances of restoring its security, stability and territorial integrity.” Israel sent troops into a buffer zone inside Syria that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. It said the move was temporary and was taken to prevent any cross-border attacks after Syrian troops withdrew. Israel has also carried out heavy airstrikes that it says are aimed at preventing suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets from falling into the hands of extremists. Saudi Arabia has been in talks with the United States in recent years over normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact, American assistance in establishing a civilian nuclear program and a pathway to the establishment of a Palestinian state. But the kingdom has also repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, where it is at war with the Hamas militant group. Last month, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and day-to-day ruler Mohammed bin Salman accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza , allegations Israel adamantly rejects.

By David Shepardson (Reuters) -General Motors said on Tuesday it will stop funding development of robotaxis at its majority-owned Cruise business, a blow to the automaker that had made the advanced technology unit a top priority. GM said it would not fund work on the robotaxis “given the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market.” Last month, Cruise admitted to submitting a false report to influence a federal investigation and will pay a $500,000 criminal fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement. The Justice Department said Cruise failed to disclose key details of an October 2023 crash to federal regulators in which one of its robotaxis in San Francisco struck and seriously injured a pedestrian. GM expects the restructuring will lower spending by more than $1 billion annually after the plan is completed by the end of June. (Reporting by David Shepardson and Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai and Chizu Nomiyama) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Five days after Bruins firing, Montgomery named NHL Blues coachAdapting to Change: Understanding China's Updated Export Control Framework for Dual-Use Items

The Samsung Galaxy S series has consistently pushed the boundaries of smartphone technology, and the upcoming Galaxy S25 Slim is poised to be no exception. Rumors suggest that Samsung is developing groundbreaking camera technology that will allow for a significantly thinner and sleeker design without compromising image quality. This article delves into the potential innovations behind the Galaxy S25 Slim’s camera, exploring how it could revolutionize smartphone photography and design. A New Era of Slim Smartphones For years, smartphone manufacturers have struggled to balance the demand for increasingly sophisticated camera systems with the desire for slimmer, more pocketable devices. The camera bump has become a ubiquitous feature on modern smartphones , often detracting from the overall aesthetics. However, the Galaxy S25 Slim aims to change that. By integrating innovative camera technology, Samsung is reportedly working to eliminate the camera bump altogether, paving the way for a truly slim and elegant design. This advancement could mark a new era in smartphone aesthetics, where cutting-edge technology seamlessly integrates with sleek design. Potential Camera Innovations While Samsung has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the S25 Slim’s camera technology, several rumors and leaks provide tantalizing glimpses into what we might expect. One prominent rumor suggests that Samsung is developing a new type of periscope lens that can be folded and retracted within the phone’s body. This technology would allow for a high-quality zoom lens without the need for a protruding camera bump. Another possibility is the integration of sensor-shift stabilization technology, which moves the camera sensor instead of the lens to compensate for handshake and movement. This technology could potentially lead to significantly improved image stabilization, especially in low-light conditions. Furthermore, advancements in computational photography algorithms could play a crucial role in enhancing image quality and enabling new camera features, even with a smaller camera module. The Impact on Smartphone Design The Galaxy S25 Slim’s innovative camera technology could have a profound impact on smartphone design. By eliminating the camera bump, Samsung can create a truly slim and sleek device that is more comfortable to hold and carry. This could lead to a resurgence of slim smartphones, offering users a more elegant and pocketable alternative to the bulky devices that have become commonplace . Moreover, the S25 Slim’s design could inspire other manufacturers to explore new ways to integrate advanced camera technology without compromising on aesthetics. This could lead to a new wave of innovation in smartphone design, with a focus on seamless integration and minimalist aesthetics. My Thoughts and Expectations As a technology enthusiast and long-time user of Samsung smartphones, I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of the Galaxy S25 Slim. I’ve always preferred slim and elegant designs, and the idea of a smartphone with a truly flush camera is incredibly appealing. I believe that this innovation could be a game-changer for the smartphone industry, pushing the boundaries of both design and technology. I’m particularly interested in seeing how Samsung implements the rumored periscope lens technology. If they can achieve high-quality zoom capabilities without a protruding camera bump, it would be a significant achievement. I’m also eager to see how advancements in computational photography contribute to the S25 Slim’s camera performance. The Galaxy S25 Slim has the potential to be a truly revolutionary smartphone , combining cutting-edge camera technology with a sleek and elegant design. By eliminating the camera bump, Samsung could usher in a new era of slim smartphones, inspiring other manufacturers to follow suit. While we await official confirmation from Samsung, the rumors and leaks surrounding the S25 Slim paint a picture of a device that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in smartphone design and technology.How to watch Syracuse vs. #3 Tennessee basketball: Time, TV channel, FREE live stream

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BOSTON — Forty years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie rolled to his right and threw a pass that has become one of college football’s most iconic moments. With Boston College trailing defending champion Miami, Flutie threw the Hail Mary and found receiver Gerard Phalen, who made the grab while falling into the end zone behind a pair of defenders for a game-winning 48-yard TD. Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field during BC’s 41-21 victory over North Carolina before the second quarter on Saturday afternoon, the anniversary of the Eagles’ Miracle in Miami. “There’s no way its been 40 years,” Flutie told The Associated Press on the sideline a few minutes before he walked out with some of his former teammates to be recognized after a video of The Play was shown on the scoreboards. It’s a moment and highlight that’s not only played throughout decades of BC students and fans, but around the college football world. “What is really so humbling is that the kids 40 years later are wearing 22 jerseys, still,” Flutie said of his old number. “That amazes me.” That game was played on national TV the Friday after Thanksgiving. The ironic thing is it was originally scheduled for earlier in the season before CBS paid Rutgers to move its game against Miami, thus setting up the BC-Miami post-holiday matchup. “It shows you how random some things are, that the game was moved,” Flutie said. “The game got moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was the most watched game of the year. We both end up being nationally ranked and up there. All those things lent to how big the game itself was, and made the pass and the catch that much more relevant and remembered because so many people were watching.” There’s a statue of Flutie winding up to make The Pass outside the north gates at Alumni Stadium. Fans and visitors can often be seen taking photos there. “In casual conversation, it comes up every day,” Flutie said, when asked how many times people bring it up. “It brings a smile to my face every time we talk about it.” A week after the game-ending Flutie pass, the Eagles beat Holy Cross and before he flew off to New York to accept the Heisman. They went on to win the 49th Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. “Forty years seem almost like incomprehensible,” said Phalen, also standing on the sideline a few minutes after the game started. “I always say to Doug: ‘Thank God for social media. It’s kept it alive for us.”’ Earlier this week, current BC coach Bill O’Brien, 55, was asked if he remembered where he was 40 years ago. “We were eating Thanksgiving leftovers in my family room,” he said. “My mom was saying a Rosary in the kitchen because she didn’t like Miami and wanted BC to win. My dad, my brother and I were watching the game. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody remembers where they were for the Hail Mary, Flutie pass.”

Article content The Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (ECOHH) held a rally Saturday while the snow fell and the temperature dropped, with a goal of spurring action to develop more social housing to help more than 4,000 people experiencing homelessness in the city. “We’re all dressed nice and warm, of course, but the people who we’re here for are not, and they don’t have the luxury of going home afterwards,” said ECOHH chairwoman Nadine Chalifoux at the beginning of the event. A crowd of more than 50 people were bundled up in tarps and blankets at the North Plaza of the Legislature Grounds — experiencing a just fraction of what thousands experiencing homelessness endure throughout the winter. ECOHH’s rally was just one among 15 other cities across Canada to recognize of National Housing Day, aiming to raise awareness and to encourage action from municipal, provincial, and federal governments to invest in social housing for vulnerable Canadians. Attendees of the rally were given postcards addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau created by Social Housing & Human Rights Canada , calling on the federal government to create a “minimum of 50,000 net new rent-geared-to-income social housing units each year for 10 years, starting now.” ECOHH’s rally comes on the heels of a deadly two-weeks for Edmonton which saw four people found dead in bus shelters across the city as the weather has gotten colder and the snow began to fall. The four people were believed to be homeless, which president of transit union ATU Local 569, Steve Bradshaw, believed was weather related. “ They are coming out of their encampments and back onto the system, it’s a seasonal shift,” said Bradshaw to Postmedia. Safety response In response to the changing weather, the City of Edmonton activated its winter safety response plan to support Edmonton’s thousands of people experiencing homelessness. The initiative rolls out a variety of resources, including a free nightly shelter shuttle bus (which the city just added one more of for the winter), wound care pop ups, and warm public spaces, among others. Edmonton’s Hope Mission hit a new milestone since the change in the weather, providing shelter for more than 1,000 people for the first time ever. The organization said the demand for shelter was met with similarly increased demand for hot meals. Tim Pasma, director of programs and homelessness with Hope Mission, thanked the Alberta government for its financial support. “ We are so grateful that the province has helped us to open these additional shelter spaces. They have helped enable us to meet this growing need,” said Pasma in a release. For its part, the Alberta government said it increased funding for shelters in Edmonton to more than $42 million, bringing the total provincial budget for homelessness in 2024-25 to nearly $210 million. But funding for shelters wasn’t enough for the chanters at Saturday’s rally, which made clear by their collective voices echoing off of the surrounding provincial buildings in the quiet, cold, afternoon. “Build houses — not shelters,” the crowd shouted during a call-and-response segment of the rally. “I think this is honestly an appropriate day to be doing this and thinking about us being here together in solidarity with over 4000 people that are also outside today and unhoused or homeless,” said University of Alberta researcher Rylan Kamara to the bundled-up crowd in the plaza. “With those kind of numbers, it just shows how market approaches to this housing crisis, they don’t work, and they haven’t for a long time.” The crowd listened to several speakers and performers, including drumming from members the Enoch Cree Nation, and a performance by Martin Kerr of his song “ God Rest Ye Merry Billionaires ,” which was released last year. Juno award-winning songwriter Maria Dunn also performed a song specifically about the unfolding homelessness crisis, calling on Canadians to put the same effort into helping support the homeless as is put into hockey. “I think about how much our society values and seems to assemble lots of resources and money to celebrate hockey, which is wonderful to celebrate with joy, but why can’t we do that for people who are out on the street?” asked Dunn prior to beginning the song. “No matter what’s happened to you, no matter what you’re going through, you deserve a decent place to live. Without housing first, where does healing begin?” sang Dunn, as the crowd joined in for the final chorus. “Bring them home. Bring them home. Leave it all on the ice. We need everyone bring them home.” With files from Lauren Boothby.As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit WashingtonLOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. "I'm very honored," Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. "Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I'll get the award again." In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Angels. "Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods," he said. "I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States." The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman. Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine. The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball's 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offense, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases. In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages. Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases. "It wouldn't shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now," Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani's second season in Anaheim, said recently. "This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there's not a close second." Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers' franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021. "I kind of wanted to get over that bar," he said. "I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record." Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt. He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November. "I don't have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better," he told the AP. "There's no pain. There's obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it's getting better." Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he's focused on the near-term. "It's the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy," he said. Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason. "I'm going to continue to ramp up slowly," he said. The Dodgers' rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out. "We may go with a five-man rotation with a bullpen (game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation," he said. "But it's all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We'll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I've got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there." The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched. "My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start," he said. "To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself." Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there's great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats. "I just go out there and try to stay within myself," he said. "I can only control what I can control and that's where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me, you trust they're going to make the plays for you. I don't really try to overthink it." Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too. Fans traveled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball's third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtani-branded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey. Ohtani's presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: "Nope," which drew laughter. Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani's behind-the-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed. "I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he's a much better person. He's very kind, considerate, he cares," Roberts told the AP. "I'm just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way." Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That's why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world. The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani's money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn't seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. The public got a glimpse of Ohtani's softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate. As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024. He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month's National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors. "The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed," Ohtani said. "I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I'm sure Decoy himself would be happy about that." Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title. "It's almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent," Roberts said. "I'm just excited to see what '25 has for Shohei Ohtani." Get local news delivered to your inbox!