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VANCOUVER — Superstar Taylor Swift takes the stage tonight for the first of three shows in Vancouver. Here is the latest on the event: --- 1:40 p.m. The barricades are up around BC Place stadium in Vancouver as security tightens ahead of the first of three Taylor Swift concerts tonight. While it appeared many people stayed out of the downtown core in the morning, by early afternoon on Friday traffic on the key thoroughfare of West Georgia Street was backed up for more than a kilometre. Several key streets around the stadium were closed off at noon and will remain shut until midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the concerts. Security has also increased around BC Place, with dozens of guards and several men in military clothing seen walking around the stadium. --- 1:15 p.m. Fans who are still without tickets to tonight's Taylor Swift concert have not given up finding a last-minute seat to the most coveted show in town. Melissa Camp and her 15-year-old daughter from Vancouver Island were in tears outside BC Place today after failing to get tickets, despite 14 months of trying. Camp says she was almost scammed when she tried to buy tickets. But she says the effort is about "making sweet memories" with her daughter and showing her the importance of not giving up. --- 12:50 p.m. TransLink and other transportation service providers are weighing in ahead of Taylor Swift's weekend in Vancouver, with the transit agency posting a number of photos of redecorated SkyTrain stations ahead of the concerts. The agency's X account shows photos from stations at Stadium-Chinatown, Granville, Burrard and Waterfront, adorned with station names on friendship bracelet fonts, Taylor Swift-themed system maps — or both. The post also references the song "You're On Your Own, Kid" from which the friendship bracelet theme was adopted by Swift fans. BC Ferries says it has increased sailings on its route between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen, the main link between Vancouver and Victoria, to accommodate the expected crowds. --- 12:20 p.m. While waiting for the concerts to start, many Swifties are taking part in a Taylor Swift-themed scavenger hunt after Destination Vancouver put up 13 installations across the city. Chris Waldman of San Diego, Calif., who calls herself a “senior Swiftie,” is busy exchanging friendship bracelets with other younger fans at Canada Place today. Waldman says she does not have tickets to tonight's show but wanted to familiarize herself with the city before attending Saturday's concert. She says she and her sister's accommodation expenses for one night in Vancouver are more than $1,000. --- 11:40 a.m. Vancouver police have issued a video message to Swifties ahead of tonight's show, even offering to swap friendship bracelets with fans. The video posted on X features two female officers, announcing that Vancouver police will be deploying hundreds of officers to ensure the weekend is "safe and memorable" for fans. The message also includes safety tips such as planning ahead for getting to and from BC Place, as well as setting a meeting point in case people are separate from their group. They say their officers will be wearing high-visibility yellow vests, so anyone can come say hello and perhaps swap a bracelet or two with them. --- 11:20 a.m. Fans are starting to share they experiences online as they make their way to Vancouver for tonight's Taylor Swift concert by air or by land. A video posted on TikTok shows a boarding announcement for a WestJet flight from Calgary to Vancouver, with the airline staff welcoming guests with "Taylor's version" of a boarding call, featuring instructions littered with song titles and lyrics. Boarding fans can be heard cheering loudly as each reference to Taylor Swift music was made in the announcement. Another fan posted on X that her group is driving from Prince George to Vancouver after their flight was cancelled, a distance that would take roughly nine hours to complete. --- 10:00 a.m. A large Taylor Swift Eras Tour friendship bracelet that has been seen at other tour stops hanging from concert venues has now made its way to Vancouver. Several posts made on social media by fans and BC Place management shows the bracelet attached to the side of BC Place, that reads, "Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour." The giant bracelet first appeared at Swift's shows at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans in October and has since made its way to tour stops in Indianapolis and Toronto. Swifties have taken on the friendship bracelet trend — created from either beads or braided material and exchanged between fans — after the singer referenced making them in the song "You're On Your Own, Kid." --- 8:00 a.m. Vancouver police say they're ready for one of the biggest cultural events to come to the city in years as Taylor Swift wraps up her Eras tour with three shows. Police say they're expecting more than 250,000 people in the city's stadium district this weekend alone as fans flock to Swift's concerts, as well as Canucks games tonight and Saturday, and the Cirque du Soleil show nearby. Police say 700 officers will be working to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for everyone, including the many young concertgoers. --- 7:45 a.m. It's the beginning of the end of the Eras Tour for Taylor Swift tonight in Vancouver. She's in the city for the first of three shows this weekend that wrap up a world tour, bringing thousands of fans and millions of dollars in economic benefits. Security will be tight around the venue, with barricades surrounding BC Place, and ticketless fans being told not to gather outside for traditional "Taylgate" parties. The city has asked fans who aren't attending to stay away from the area and advises those who come to the downtown core to use transit, bike or walk. --- 7:45 a.m. Vancouver-area businesses are trying to cash in on Taylor Swift's visit to the area, offering everything from tattoos to Swift-themed ice cream. Jarrett Vaughan, an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia's Sauder school of business, says such promotional events offer a "spectacular opportunity" to reach both current and new customers. He says entrepreneurs are often looking for unique opportunities to capitalize on business, and it's not often a whole city comes together to celebrate something. About 160,000 people are expected to attend the three sold-out shows at BC Place, and tourism organization Destination Vancouver has said Swift's economic boom is estimated to bring about $157 million to the city. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. The Canadian PressPopular iPhone and Android app unveils genius free upgrade that lets you SPEAK directly with AI Father ChristmasDrama surrounds final three F1 races of season

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By Wendy Fry | CalMatters If you’ve hunted for apartments recently and felt like all the rents were equally high, you’re not crazy: Many landlords now use a single company’s software — which uses an algorithm based on proprietary lease information — to help set rent prices. Federal prosecutors say the practice amounts to “an unlawful information-sharing scheme” and some legislators throughout California are moving to curb it. San Diego’s city council president is the latest to do so, proposing to prevent local apartment owners from using the pricing software, which he maintains is driving up housing costs. Also see: California rent hikes: Where are the biggest increases in November? San Diego’s proposed ordinance, now being drafted by the city attorney, comes after San Francisco supervisors in July enacted a similar, first-in-the-nation ban on “the sale or use of algorithmic devices to set rents or manage occupancy levels” for residences. San Jose is considering a similar approach. And California and seven other states have also joined the federal prosecutors’ antitrust suit , which targets the leading rental pricing platform, Texas-based RealPage. The complaint alleges that “RealPage is an algorithmic intermediary that collects, combines, and exploits landlords’ competitively sensitive information. And in so doing, it enriches itself and compliant landlords at the expense of renters who pay inflated prices...” But state legislators this year failed to advance legislation by Bakersfield Democratic Sen. Melissa Hurtado that would have banned the use of any pricing algorithms based on nonpublic data provided by competing companies. She said she plans to bring the bill back during the next legislative session because of what she described as ongoing harms from such algorithms. “We’ve got to make sure the economy is fair and ... that every individual who wants a shot at creating a business has a shot without being destroyed along the way, and that we’re also protecting consumers because it is hurting the pocketbooks of everybody in one way or another,” said Hurtado. RealPage has been a greater impetus for all of the actions. The company counts as its customer landlords with thousands of apartment units across California. Some officials accuse the company of thwarting competition that would otherwise drive rents down, exacerbating the state’s housing shortage and driving up rents in the process. “Every day, millions of Californians worry about keeping a roof over their heads and RealPage has directly made it more difficult to do so,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a written statement. A RealPage spokesperson, Jennifer Bowcock, told CalMatters that a lack of housing supply, not the company’s technology, is the real problem — and that its technology benefits residents, property managers, and others associated with the rental market. The spokesperson later wrote that a “misplaced focus on nonpublic information is a distraction... that will only make San Francisco and San Diego’s historical problems worse.” As for the federal lawsuit, the company called the claims in it “devoid of merit” and said it plans to “vigorously defend ourselves against these accusations.” “We are disappointed that, after multiple years of education and cooperation on the antitrust matters concerning RealPage, the (Justice Department) has chosen this moment to pursue a lawsuit that seeks to scapegoat pro-competitive technology that has been used responsibly for years,” the company’s statement read in part. “RealPage’s revenue management software is purposely built to be legally compliant, and we have a long history of working constructively with the (department) to show that.” The company’s challenges will only grow if pricing software becomes another instance in which California lawmakers lead the nation. Following San Francisco’s ban, the Philadelphia City Council passed a ban on algorithmic rental price-fixing with a veto-proof vote last month. New Jersey has been considering its own ban. According to federal prosecutors, RealPage controls 80% of the market for commercial revenue management software. Its product is called YieldStar, and its successor is AI Revenue Management, which uses much of the same codebase as YieldStar, but has more precise forecasting. RealPage told CalMatters it serves only 10% of the rental markets in both San Francisco and San Diego, across its three revenue management software products. Here’s how it works: In order to use YieldStar and AIRM, landlords have historically provided RealPage with their own private data from their rental applications, rent prices, executed new leases, renewal offers and acceptances, and estimates of future occupancy, although a recent change allows landlords to choose to share only public data. This information from all participating landlords in an area is then pooled and run through mathematical forecasting to generate pricing recommendations for the landlords and for their competitors. The San Diego council president, Sean Elo-Rivera, explained it like this: “In the simplest terms, what this platform is doing is providing what we think of as that dark, smoky room for big companies to get together and set prices,” he said. “The technology is being used as a way of keeping an arm’s length from one big company to the other. But that’s an illusion.” In the company’s own words, from company documents included in the lawsuit, RealPage “ensures that (landlords) are driving every possible opportunity to increase price even in the most downward trending or unexpected conditions.” The company also said in the documents that it “helps curb (landlords’) instincts to respond to down-market conditions by either dramatically lowering price or by holding price.” Providing rent guidance isn’t the only service RealPage has offered landlords. In 2020, a Markup and New York Times investigation found that RealPage, alongside other companies, used faulty computer algorithms to do automated background checks on tenants. As a result, tenants were associated with criminal charges they never faced, and denied homes. Thirty-one-year-old Navy veteran Alan Pickens and his wife move nearly every year “because the rent goes up, it gets unaffordable, so we look for a new place to stay,” he said. The northeastern San Diego apartment complex where they just relocated has two-bedroom apartments advertised for between $2,995 and $3,215. They live in an area of San Diego where the U.S. Justice Department says information-sharing agreements between landlords and RealPage have harmed or are likely to harm renters. The department in August filed its antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, alleging the company, through its legacy YieldStar software, engaged in an “ unlawful scheme to decrease competition among landlords in apartment pricing ”. The complaint names specific areas where rents are artificially high. Beyond the part of San Diego where Pickens lives, those areas include South Orange County, Rancho Cucamonga, Temecula, and Murrieta and northeastern San Diego. In the second quarter of 2020, the average rent in San Diego County was $1,926, reflecting a 26% increase over three years, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune . Rents have since risen even more in the city of San Diego, to $2,336 per month as of November 2024 – up 21% from 2020, according to RentCafe and the Tribune. That’s 50% higher than the national average rent. The attorneys general of eight states, including California, joined the Justice Department’s antitrust suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. The California Justice Department contends RealPage artificially inflated prices to keep them above a certain minimum level, said department spokesperson Elissa Perez. This was particularly harmful given the high cost of housing in the state, she added. “The illegally maintained profits that result from these price alignment schemes come out of the pockets of the people that can least afford it.” Renters make up a larger share of households in California than in the rest of the country — 44% here compared to 35% nationwide. The Golden State also has a higher percentage of renters than any state other than New York, according to the latest U.S. Census data . San Diego has the fourth-highest percentage of renters of any major city in the nation . The recent ranks of California legislators, however, have included few renters: As of 2019, CalMatters could find only one state lawmaker who did not own a home — and found that more than a quarter of legislators at the time were landlords. Studies show that low-income residents are more heavily impacted by rising rents. Nationally between 2000 and 2017, Americans without a college degree spent a higher percentage of their income on rent. That percentage ballooned from 30% to 42%. For college graduates, that percentage increased from 26% to 34%. “In my estimation, the only winners in this situation are the richest companies who are either using this technology or creating this technology,” said Elo-Rivera. “There couldn’t be a more clear example of the rich getting richer while the rest of us are struggling to get by.” Private equity giant Thoma Bravo acquired RealPage in January 2021 through two funds that have hundreds of millions of dollars in investments from California public pension funds, including the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the Regents of the University of California and the Los Angeles police and fire pension funds, according to Private Equity Stakeholder Project. “They’re invested in things that are directly hurting their pensioners,” said K Agbebiyi, a senior housing campaign coordinator with the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit private equity watchdog that produced a report about corporate landlords ‘ impact on rental hikes in San Diego. RealPage argues that landlords are free to reject the price recommendations generated by its software. But the US Justice Department alleges that trying to do so requires a series of steps, including a conversation with a RealPage pricing adviser. The advisers try to “stop property managers from acting on emotions,” according to the department’s lawsuit. Related Articles Housing | California rent hikes: Where are the biggest increases in November? Housing | 20%-plus of US spends entire paychecks on rent, poll says Housing | Why US sued to stop landlords colluding on rents Housing | Rent inflation won’t cool until 2026, Cleveland Fed says Housing | California has 18 of 20 costliest US cities to rent a house Read this story in Spanish If a property manager disagrees with the price the algorithm suggests and wants to decrease rent rather than increase it, a pricing advisor will “escalate the dispute to the manager’s superior,” prosecutors allege in the suit. In San Diego, the Pickenses, who are expecting their first child, have given up their gym memberships and downsized their cars to remain in the area. They’ve considered moving to Denver. “All the extras pretty much have to go,” said Pickens. “I mean, we love San Diego, but it’s getting hard to live here.” “My wife is an attorney and I served in the Navy for 10 years and now work at Qualcomm,” he said. “Why are we struggling? Why are we struggling?”Police say searchers in Pennsylvania don’t expect to find woman in sinkhole alive UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — The search for a woman who is believed to have fallen into a sinkhole in western Pennsylvania is moving into a recovery effort after two days of searching produced no signs of life. Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Steve Limani said during a news conference Wednesday that authorities no longer believe they will find 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard alive, but that the search for her remains continues. Limani says crews have seen "no signs of any form of life or anything.” Pollard was last seen alive Monday evening when she went out looking for her cat in the village of Marguerite, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. WWE is seeking a bigger stage and Netflix, pushing for more live events, is providing it WWE will perform on a stage next month that could be vastly larger than its current home on cable television when it makes its “Raw” debut on Netflix. The sports entertainment company is moving to a platform with about 283 million subscribers worldwide as it departs its current home on the USA Network, which averaged 688,000 viewers in prime-time last year, according to the Nielsen company. For Netflix, onboarding the WWE is part of strategic move to air more live events on the heels of a hugely successful fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul that was viewed by more than 60 million people. Michigan court upholds light sentence for woman who killed dad in dispute over ride DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals has declined to overturn a light jail sentence for a young woman who killed her father by burning him with a dangerous powder. Prosecutors said Megan Imirowicz was upset when her father couldn’t drive her to a hair appointment before her 18th birthday party. Imirowicz was sentenced to only a year in jail in 2023. She actually spent more than a year in custody because she was locked up before trial and while awaiting her punishment in suburban Detroit. Sumo wrestlers bring 1,500 years of tradition to London as the sport has an international moment LONDON (AP) — London’s Royal Albert Hall is preparing to host a different kind of spectacle: Sumo wrestling. Wrestlers put on an exhibition of heavyweight grappling to promote a tournament scheduled for next October. It marks only the second time an elite five-day tournament will be held outside Japan. The first was held in 1991 at the same venue. Organizers are hoping to whip up the kind of excitement that was generated three decades ago, when the deeply ritualistic sport attracted sell-out crowds and a national television audience. The end of an Eras tour approaches, marking a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is coming to an end after the popstar performed more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years. Since launching the tour in 2023, Swift has shattered sales and attendance records. It's even created such an economic boom that the Federal Reserve took note. But for many who attended the concerts, and the millions more who eagerly watched on their screens, the tour also became a beacon of joy. It's become a chance not only to appreciate Swift’s expansive music career, but also celebrate the yearslong journey fans have taken with her. Jury revisits key videos in NYC subway chokehold death trial NEW YORK (AP) — Jurors have asked to review police and bystander video at the heart of the New York City chokehold manslaughter case against Daniel Penny. The request came during a second day of deliberations Wednesday. The jury asked for a second look at videos captured by the body cameras of officers who responded to the subway car where Penny grabbed hold of Jordan Neely in May 2023. Neely's agitated behavior and remarks were frightening passengers. Jurors also asked to revisit Penny's interview with detectives and a bystander's video of much of the roughly six-minute restraint. And the jury also requested to rehear part of a city medical examiner’s testimony. Penny's lawyers say his actions were justified. Relatives hunt for the missing after Guinea stadium crush amid fears official death toll is too low CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Kambaly Kouroumah was searching a local morgue for his teenage brother, Adama, who died after chaos erupted at a soccer game in southern Guinea’s Nzerekore city. Adama, 15, was among 56 people that officials said were killed in Sunday's crush, although rights groups reported a death toll nearly three times higher. Local media, rights groups and witnesses say security forces used tear gas to respond after fans began to throw stones to protest a referee's decision during the soccer game that was organized in honor of Guinea's junta leader, Col. Mamadi Doumbouya. Many of the dead were crushed as they tried to escape through the stadium gates, videos showed. Power shortages in Ecuador are melting away the future of a small town’s ice-cream industry SALCEDO, Ecuador (AP) — Ice-cream production in this quiet Ecuadorian town began in the mid-20th century in a convent for Franciscan nuns. The nuns sold their creamy popsicles in town to gather funds for the poor. But the people of Salcedo saw a business opportunity and began experimenting with new flavors and techniques, establishing a thriving popsicle industry that has made their small town famous among ice-cream lovers. But now, the South American nation is struggling with a relentless wave of power cuts that threaten the future of Salcedo’s ice-cream industry, melting away its dreams of a more prosperous future. Senegalese artisans in the spotlight as they exhibit for the first time at a prestigious art event DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — For the artistic and cultural elites of the West African nation of Senegal, the monthlong Dakar Biennale of Contemporary African Arts is a celebratory moment. But it wasn’t until this year that the local artisans in the Soumbedioune crafts market, just off the Corniche and at the doorstep on the Medina working-class neighborhood, realized what the Biennale was. Craftsmanship is deeply rooted in the country’s culture, but its role has declined in recent years. As living costs rise, many Senegalese opt for cheaper, Chinese-imported products. And those that can afford it buy Western clothes and furniture to mark their social status. Eminem's mother Debbie Nelson, whose rocky relationship fueled the rapper's lyrics, dies at age 69 Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his song lyrics, has died. She was 69. Eminem’s longtime representative Dennis Dennehy confirmed Nelson’s death in an email on Tuesday. He did not provide a cause of death, although Nelson had battled lung cancer. Nelson’s fraught relationship with her son, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, has been no secret since the Detroit rapper became a star. Nelson brought and settled two defamation lawsuits over Eminem’s statements about her in magazines and on radio talk shows. In her 2008 book, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” she attempted to set the record straight.

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By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff National Politics | Rudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke National Politics | Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration National Politics | Expecting challenges, blue states vow to create ‘firewall’ of abortion protections National Politics | Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.

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LAS VEGAS — There are three races remaining in the Formula 1 season and Max Verstappen of Red Bull is close to a fourth consecutive world championship, which can wrap up Saturday night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. All is not smooth sailing headed into this final month of racing: "It was a bit of a surprise, I think, for everybody," said Mercedes driver George Russell, a GPDA director. "It's a hell of a lot of pressure now onto the new race director (with) just three races left. Often, as drivers, we probably feel like we're the last to find out this sort of information." The Andretti team is expected to receive F1 approval to join the grid, albeit without Michael Andretti, who has scaled back his role dramatically since the IndyCar season ended in September. Many drivers, particularly seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, have been at odds with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem since his election following the 2021 season finale. In the GDPA statement, they reminded the sanctioning body "our members are adults" who don't need lectures and fines on foul language or jewelry bans, and simply want fair and consistent race control. There's been no response from Ben Sulayem, and won't be this weekend since he does not attend the LVGP. He will be at Qatar and the finale in Abu Dhabi next month. Hamilton doesn't think all the behind-the-scenes changes will be a fan topic as the season comes to a close. But he noted that consistency from race control is all the drivers have asked for, while throwing his support behind Domenicali and the job Maffei has done in growing F1 since Liberty took over. "I really hope Stefano is not leaving because he's been so instrumental in changes and progress to this whole thing," Hamilton said. "And he knows the sport as well as anyone. But all good things do come to an end, and whoever they put into place, I just hope they are like-minded. But sometimes you have to shake the trees." That's just what happened with the surprise departure of race director Wittich. Although drivers have been unhappy with race officiating this season and held a private GPDA meeting in Mexico City, Russell said they had no prior warning Wittich was out. The race director is the referee each weekend and Wittich has been in charge since 2022, when Michael Masi was fired following the controversial 2021 season-ending, championship-altering finale at Abu Dhabi. Now the man in charge for the final three races is Rui Marques, the Formula 2 and Formula 3 race director. Las Vegas, which overcame multiple stumbling blocks in last year's debut before putting on one of the best races of the season, is a difficult place to start. Verstappen can win his fourth title by simply scoring three points more than Lando Norris of McLaren. "It's a bit weird with three races to go to do that," Verstappen said. "It doesn't matter if you're positive or negative about certain things. I thought in Brazil there was definitely room for improvement, for example. It's still a bit weird having to now then deal with a different race director." Charles Leclerc of Ferrari wondered why the move was made with only three races to go. "To do it so late in the season, at such a crucial moment of the season, it could have probably been managed in a better way," he said. The drivers have consistently asked for clearer guidelines in the officiating of races, specifically regarding track limits and racing rules. The drivers have no idea how Marques will officiate, highlighting a disconnect between the competitors and Ben Sulaymen's FIA. "We just want to be transparent with the FIA and have this dialogue that is happening," Russell said. "And I think the departure of Niels is also a prime example of not being a part of these conversations." The GDPA statement made clear the drivers do not think their voice is being heard. "If we feel we're being listened to, and some of the changes that we are requesting are implemented, because ultimately we're only doing it for the benefit of the sport, then maybe our confidence will increase," Russell said. "But I think there's a number of drivers who feel a bit fed up with the whole situation. It only seems to be going in the wrong direction." He also said the relationship between the drivers and the FIA seems fractured. "Sometimes just hiring and firing is not the solution," he said. "You need to work together to improve the problem." Norris, who has battled Verstappen this year with mixed officiating rulings, said "obviously things are not running as smoothly as what we would want." Marques has his first driver meeting ahead of Thursday night's two practice sessions and then three weeks to prove to the competitors he is up for the job. Carlos Sainz Jr., who will leave Ferrari for Williams at the end of the season, hopes the drama doesn't distract from the momentum F1 has built over the last five years. "I think Formula 1 is in a great moment right now and all these rumors, I think in every team, every job, there's job changes," he said. "It's not big drama. I'm a big fan of the people you mentioned, they've done an incredible job in Formula 1 and Formula 1 is what it is thanks to these people. But it's just so emotional, especially the Stefano one. The only one that has a real effect is the race director. But I think if he does a good job, it should be transparent and nothing big." Get local news delivered to your inbox!SentinelOne Announces Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Financial ResultsMcGill University has cancelled an on-campus event planned by Jewish students—and temporarily halted bookings for all extracurricular activities—following threats of violence along with a death threat, as outlined in a message from senior administrators on Monday. The event was a dialogue with Mosab Hassan Yousef, a former Hamas insider turned Israel advocate–and active critic of Palestinian leadership—that was scheduled for Tuesday, with local Jewish lawyer and activist Ysabella Hazan serving as moderator. Yousef’s memoir Son of Hamas , which was a New York Times bestseller upon its publication in 2010, recounts his experiences growing up in Gaza and his eventual participation with Israeli intelligence. The cancellation announcement follows escalating tensions at McGill, where anti-Israel protests took place last week, leading to violent clashes and vandalism in the city. “An external group, which co-organized protests that sparked vandalism and violence downtown, issued a social media call to ‘shut down’ a talk scheduled on campus,” says the statement, which was signed by McGill’s interim deputy provost Angela Campbell and vice-president Fabrice Labeau. The university, which has maintained communication with Montreal police, says “waves of online anger, including a targeted death threat,” prompted the decision to cancel the talk. Palestinian Youth Movement Montreal and Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR McGill) jointly demanded the cancellation of the event on social media, alleging that Yousef advocates for “violence against Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims.” “Yousef serves as a mouthpiece for the Zionist occupation and its interests,” says a post by the Palestinian Youth Movement, which garnered over 15,000 likes on Instagram. In its message, McGill emphasized that hosting controversial speakers is a “core part” of university life, but it underscored the need for order on campus as students approach exam season. Leon Novodvorets, a Jewish student at McGill and an Emerson Fellow with StandWithUs Canada, says he was disappointed by the university’s decision, adding that the administration “bows down to intimidations and threats of violence” instead of protecting Jewish students. “Regardless of security concerns, it’s McGill’s job to ensure that students can go to campus,” Novodvorets told The Canadian Jewish News, saying that the administration has “fallen immensely short.” “They have a responsibility to protect us and they’re not enforcing their own policies, (which) they say they have to address general instances of intimidation and harassment,” he said. “There’s a double standard when it comes to the Jewish community, and McGill is not doing a good job at keeping Jewish students safe.” Novodvorets says this double standard was apparent earlier this month, when the administration allowed Francesca Albanese, the United Nations’ special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories to speak on campus, although her appearance drew objections from several Jewish organizations who pointed to her anti-Israel and antisemitic views. In a separate statement sent to The Canadian Jewish News, the media relations office at McGill said the university “declined the space booking pursuant to threats communicated about the event on social media yesterday, which presented a risk to physical safety and the likelihood of disruptions to core academic activities. Although McGill was in touch with the SPVM (Montreal police), even with police and security presence, there was no way to assure a necessary level of safety for this event.” The editorial team of The White and Blue , a student-run, pro-Israel newspaper in Montreal, also sent a collective statement to The Canadian Jewish News about the university’s decision to cancel the talk: “The McGill administration would rather take away our rights than protect us from those on their campus who wish us harm. It is unacceptable that the targets of terror should be the ones who are punished. If the McGill administration is unable or unwilling to keep their Jewish students safe, then perhaps it is time to seek out an administration who will.” In August, shortly before school started this year, Deep Saini, president and vice-chancellor of McGill University, pledged his commitment to protecting Jewish students at the university during an online talk. “We are determined that we’re going to use every single thing in our power to make sure that any infringement of all these boundaries is stopped as fast as humanly possible,” Saini said. “We have multiple layers of defenses that we have enacted and we have demonstrated that they are workable and we will deploy them as needed,” the McGill president said. Jewish advocacy groups criticized McGill’s decision and accused the university of capitulating to radical groups. “While we recognize the alarming threats made by radical pro-Hamas supporters, it is the university’s obligation to ensure students have access to free discourse, a cornerstone of academic principles,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and Federation CJA posted on social media. Aujourd'hui, @mcgillu a déplacé en virtuel un événement présentiel avec un influenceur pro-israélien et anti-Hamas à la suite de la réception de menaces de mort. Récemment pourtant, des associations étudiantes ont eu le plaisir de recevoir dans les locaux un activiste aux prières... pic.twitter.com/Uv2XMtNbDH — Le CIJA (@CIJAQC) November 26, 2024 “We find it particularly alarming that other events featuring controversial and hateful speakers proceeded despite objections. McGill’s choice to break from its previously stated policy demonstrates a double-standard while caving to an aggressive mob of radicals,” read the statement from CIJA. Richard Robertson of B’nai Brith Canada said McGill’s decision to cancel the talk on campus means “it is the student body that is being unduly punished for the caustic actions of fringe radicals who continue to compromise the well-being of the entire campus community,” reported the Montreal Gazette . He added that the university must take proactive measures to “confront troublemakers who are undermining student life.” Startup Nation, a pro-Israel student organization at McGill and Concordia, said the recent decision by the administration will only allow hate to fester. “McGill has once again failed their Jewish and non-Jewish students who value open dialogue and academic freedom, as opposed to violent terrorism.”EDMONTON - The latest checkup on famed Edmonton elephant Lucy finds her in good shape ahead of her 50th birthday — but not healthy enough to be relocated to join a herd. Gary Dewar, director of the Edmonton Valley Zoo, says experts have determined the elephant’s respiratory issues won’t allow her to travel. “She has trouble breathing and, if we were to try to transport her, there would be much stress associated with that travel. And there is the very likely potential that she would die en route,” Dewar told a news conference Tuesday. “That is not something we are wanting to take the chance on.” He said the gentle giant’s health is good considering she turns 50 next year and she continues to go on walks around the zoo to stay in shape. Her workouts move indoors during the winter. Dewar said experts have indicated she has about 10 to 15 more years to live. “She’s alert, she’s calm and she’s responsive,” he said. A large tumour discovered two years ago remains under control with the help of vaccine shots, the zoo said. “We know that it’s smaller, just because of the behaviour that we’re seeing,” said Marie-Josee Limoges, a zoo veterinarian. “Her uterus is not falling down into her abdominal cavity the way it was two years ago.” The Asian elephant arrived at the zoo when she was two, and she has been alone since her herd mate, an African elephant, was moved to another facility about 16 years ago for breeding. Lucy has made international headlines in recent years, as protesters have called for her to be moved so she can spend the final years of her life with other elephants. Among the advocates for her freedom was U.S. television game show host Bob Barker. Before he died in 2023, he said elephants were not meant to brave Canada’s harsh winter climate. Dewar and Limoges said the zoo is aware of the criticism. “We can all agree we all share a love for her and want what’s best for her,” Dewar said. “So Lucy will be the last elephant that calls the Edmonton Valley Zoo home. There won’t be any more that will be brought here.” Limoges said Lucy arrived at the zoo in the 1970s, when “every zoo had to have an elephant.” “It’s 50 years down the road. Not every zoo has to have an elephant. She’s staying here mostly because we don’t think it’s in her best interest to move,” she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024.

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IUT, BRTC, PBS to blame: Buet teamROCHESTER, N.Y. — The holiday shopping season unofficially kicks off in just a couple of days on what’s known as Black Friday. What are the trends and are folks expected to fork over the funds for the presents this year? A local mall general manager and shoppers give their take. “We obviously love this time of year," said the General Manager of Ontario County’s Eastview Mall Mike Kauffman. "[It's a] great time of year for us. Our merchants love it. We're expecting a really good holiday season for us.” Kauffman says stores in the Victor mall are gearing up for a huge weekend of sales. “This is obviously a huge weekend for us," he said. "It's kind of a symbolic start to the season. It’s been a good year. And normally when we have a good year, January through October, it carries on through the holidays.” Kauffman says the trends show that people are returning to shopping in person. “They like to come out and kind of see and feel and touch the products they want to buy," he said. "But they also like to get out and see their friends and come out to the mall with their family and have a good time.” What are folks buying this year? Kauffman says electronics and clothes. “It's more electronic than anything else," shopper Zavid Butman said. "Like, just with how stuff is nowadays, it's mostly just like clothes and shoes and stuff like that, because it's more stuff that people need. Because money's real tight with a lot of people." “Well, [I'm shopping] mostly for my grandchildren," said shopper Mary Habasi. "So it's like Minecraft and Zelda and Legos. What else do they like? Pretty much, they like anything." "]I'm shopping for] pretty much anything sentimental," shopper Ally Rauber said. "I like getting people things that they're going to hold on to for a while. Anything that involves family members or loved ones that is going to hold them close.” But Kauffman says the gift-giving trend seems to be shifting toward more social experience gifts – like tickets to events or gift cards to restaurants, “I think we're going to see that category probably amongst the strongest categories for us this season," he said. “My wife and I have agreed since we've been getting my niece and nephew gifts that we're going to get them one small gift every year for the last four or three years," shopper Ryan Jackson said. "And then the same year, the real big-ticket item part is the experience. We want to have more experiences with them, more than, things that are there.” So store owners and the mall are feeling positive heading into the holidays. “We see a direct correlation between how the stock market performs as to how sales perform here at the mall," Kauffman said. "You know, it's been a pretty good run for the stock market. And it's been a pretty good run for us."

Trump picks Musk ally Jared Isaacman to head NASAEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Malik Nabers said calling the New York Giants “soft” after Sunday's embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a mistake, although the star rookie receiver still plans to speak out when he thinks it's necessary. After talking with coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen and watching video of the Giants' 30-7 defeat , Nabers said Tuesday that "soft” was a poor choice of words. “I don’t think it was really soft. I think it was just a lack of technique,” Nabers said. “We were playing our butts off, we just lacked technique.” The Giants (2-9) trailed 23-0 at halftime and had run only 19 plays on offense. Nabers was not targeted in first the half but still finished with a team-high six catches for 64 yards. The No. 6 overall pick in the draft, Nabers said his rant after the game — in which he said the Giants' quarterbacks weren't to blame for the team's poor performance — was just the competitor in him talking. “That’s just how I’m wired. That’s just who I am,” he said. “I just don’t like losing. If I feel like if I had an opportunity to help the team win, I’m going to express that.” Nabers said not being targeted in the opening half was tough because his body is prepared to play and not doing anything throws him off his game. “You’re not getting involved early, then you’re not getting the feel of the ball, you’re not getting hit,” Nabers said. “After football plays as an offense, after you get hit, you’re like, ‘All right, I’m ready to go.’” Nabers has a team-high 67 catches, the most by a player in his first nine NFL games. He said he sees himself as a resource, someone who can change the game for the Giants. “I’m not going to just sit back just because I’m a younger guy and not speak on how I feel,” Nabers said. “They want me to speak up. They feel like my energy helps the offense, in a way, to be explosive. So, of course, I’m going to speak up if something doesn’t go my way. That’s just how I am.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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