NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Aidan O'Connell and the Las Vegas Raiders played with a lot of energy — and looked pretty sharp — for a last-place team that had every excuse to be sluggish and sleep-deprived. O'Connell passed for two touchdowns, tight end Brock Bowers broke two rookie NFL records , and the Raiders won for just the fourth time this season, 25-10 over the struggling New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The convincing victory came after flight delays so long on Saturday that players didn't get into their New Orleans hotel until after midnight — less than 12 hours before kickoff. “These guys didn’t blink, flinch," Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said with a satisfied grin. "We got in at 1 o'clock in the morning, got up this morning and rolled.” Bowers' seven catches for 77 yards gave him 108 receptions for 1,144 yards this season, eclipsing Mike Ditka's 1961 rookie tight end mark of 1,067 yards receiving and Puka Nacua's 2023 mark of 105 catches by a rookie at any position. Bowers also surpassed Darren Waller's franchise mark of 107 receptions in a season, which had stood since 2020. “It's pretty shocking to me,” Bowers said of his records, saying he had “no clue what to expect, coming from college to the NFL.” Ameer Abdullah rushed for 115 yards for the Raiders (4-12) — the journeyman running back's first 100-yard game in his 10 NFL seasons. “I'm not surprised by it,” Abdullah said. “I put a lot of work in. I'm very consistent. ... I'm happy for it, but I still think there's a lot more out there for me.” O'Connell finished with 242 yards passing, including a 3-yard TD pass to Jakobi Meyers and an 18-yarder to Tre Tucker as the Raiders won their second straight on the heels of a 10-game skid. “Better late than never,” O'Connell said. “We have a resilient bunch of guys and I'm sure it was probably harder for people to believe that when we were losing a lot of games.” Daniel Carlson kicked four field goals — his longest from 54 yards — for Las Vegas. With former Raiders QB Derek Carr unable to suit up for the Saints (5-11) because of his injured left, non-throwing hand, rookie Spencer Rattler received his fifth career start. He remained winless as a starter after completing 20 of 36 passes for 218 yards and one TD with two interceptions. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi cited dropped passes, untimely penalties and breakdowns in pass blocking as the leading causes of his team's offensive anemia. “I felt like Spencer really never got settled in there, and he was moving around,” Rizzi said. “And he made some plays moving around, to his credit.” Rattler also rushed for 46 yards to finish as New Orleans' leading rusher for a second straight week. “It’s no secret our team is in a dark time right now,” Saints linebacker Demario Davis said. The Saints used trickery to take an early 7-3 lead . Running back Kendre Miller took what looked like a toss sweep to the right before throwing a lateral back to his left, where Rattler caught it and threw 30 yards downfield to wide-open tight end Foster Moreau in the end zone. Las Vegas moved in front for good on O'Connell's short scoring pass to Meyers with a minute left in the second quarter. Travel trouble After congregating for their flight on Saturday, only to learn of mechanical issues with their plane, Raiders players were sent home for several hours. “It was pretty weird,” O’Connell said. “I kind of got back home and my wife and my dog both looked at me like, ‘What are you doing here?’ It was fun to be home for an extra couple hours but last night was a late night.” The Raiders returned to team headquarters for meetings that normally would have been held in their New Orleans hotel before finally flying two times zones east. “It was kind of funny when we came in this morning," O'Connell said. “It was really a lot of juice from a lot of guys that I think kind of saw it as a challenge and tried to just enjoy it.” Injuries Saints: Miller left the game with concussion symptoms in the second quarter. LB Jaylan Ford appeared to seriously injure his lower right leg on punt coverage in the fourth quarter. DE Payton Turner left with an ankle injury. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling briefly went down, but walked off on his own, after a hard collision over the middle. Up next Raiders: Host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Saints: Visit Tampa Bay on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Brett Martel, The Associated PressMaha Kumbh 2025: Uttar Pradesh Police To Use Underwater Drones For Enhanced SecurityUnrivaled signs LSU star Flau'jae Johnson to NIL deal
Latest Report: Cresols Market to See Exponential Growth, Expected to Reach $476.7 Million by 20303D Printing in Automotive Manufacturing Market 2024 - 2031: Trends, Growth, and Opportunities | Exactitude Consultancy
Andhra Pradesh’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Vijayawada has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against IPS officer N. Sanjay, formerly Director General, A.P. State Disaster Response & Fire Services, and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Crime Investigation Department (CID), for his alleged involvement in manipulating the tender process for awarding contract work for development and maintenance of AGNI-NOC (Automated Governance & NOC integration) web portal, mobile application and supply of hardware. Co-accused Along with Mr. Sanjay, the ACB has also named M/s Sauthrika Technologies & Infra Private Limited, Vijayawada, and M/s Kritvyap Technologies Private Limited, Hyderabad, and others as co-accused in the case. The ACB has said “the total value of properties stolen, or involved in the case is estimated at ₹1,75,86,600 approximately.” The case is filed under Section 13(1)(a) r/w 13(2) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act-1988 (as amended in 2018) and under Sections 409, 420,477A r/w 120B of the Indian Penal Code-1860. The FIR says that “Mr. Sanjay manipulated the tender processes for awarding the contract work of AGNI-NOC to M/s Sauthrika Technologies & Infra Private Limited in violation of the procedures in vogue, and dishonestly and fraudulently facilitated payment of ₹59,93,000 to the firm on February 22, 2023, within one week of entering into an agreement on February 15, 2023, although there was not much progress in the development of AGNI-NOC portal.” The ACB further alleges that “Mr. Sanjay purchased 10 laptops from M/s Sauthrika Technologies & Infra Private Limited at an exorbitant price of ₹17,89,784 without calling for tenders through e-procurement, which he was supposed to do, besides not obtaining any competitive quotations.” The ACB also alleges that “Mr. Sanjay, while working as ADGP of CID in 2023, connived with others and manipulated the tender processes for awarding the contract of conducting awareness meetings and workshops for SC/STs on the SC/ST POA Act to M/s Kritvyap Technologies Private Limited, which was non-existent and not found at the given address at Flat No. 601, Lalithanjali Apartment, Dwarakapuri Colony, Hyderabad.” The investigating agency also mentions in its complaint that “Kritvyap Technologies was not at all involved in the conduct of awareness meetings or workshops for SC/STs, which were actually conducted by the officials of Regional CID offices.” Mr. Sanjay has allegedly facilitated payment of ₹1,19,03,600 to Kritvyap Technologies “dishonestly and fraudulently. causing misappropriation of government funds,” the ACB has alleged in the FIR. Published - December 25, 2024 08:31 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Andhra Pradesh / investigation / corruption & bribery / police / state politicsThough dyslexia is common, it's not always picked up and can be misunderstood. The learning difficulty can mean that your child is struggling with reading, writing and understanding overall. However, if picked up early your child can get the support they need. This is why it's vital to understand the signs which could help identify whether your child has dyslexia. Vasilii Kiselev, CEO and co-founder of , an online education platform that provides high-quality online education has put together a list of signs to look out for so that your child gets the help they need. If your child struggles to learn or remember nursery rhymes, it could be more than just a temporary issue. Difficulty with rhyming may indicate a challenge with sound recognition, a key reading skill that is often impacted by dyslexia. Children with dyslexia may love listening to stories but often show little interest in letters or words. "They’re drawn to the story itself but have difficulty connecting with written language," says Vasilii. "This can lead to early struggles with reading." Learning to sing or recite the alphabet is a common early milestone, but for children with dyslexia, it can be a challenging task. If your child has noticeable difficulty remembering or singing their ABCs, it may be worth paying closer attention. These can be endearing yet telling, such as when a child says "cubumber" instead of "cucumber" or "flutterby" for "butterfly," indicating possible speech or language difficulties. These may arise in children with dyslexia, who often struggle to keep a simple rhythm, like clapping to the beat, pointing towards potential issues with sequencing and auditory processing associated with the condition. This is evident when a child finds it hard to follow multi-step instructions, such as "put the toys in the box, then place the box on the shelf," which can overwhelm them and indicate challenges with following sequences, often linked to dyslexia. This is common among children with dyslexia, who might find it difficult to remember names of known people, colours, or objects; this forgetfulness isn't due to inattention but rather to linking problems between names and the concepts they represent, explains Vasilii. This indicates more than typical learning errors if a child regularly mixes up words like "up" and "down"; this difficulty is prevalent in dyslexia and can signal early spatial awareness challenges. A family history of dyslexia or reading difficulties can increase the chances that a child will encounter similar obstacles. Genetics often play a role, although it's not a certainty, which is why keeping an eye out from an early stage is crucial. Children with dyslexia might experience inconsistent performance, seemingly having "good" and "bad" days for no apparent reason. Factors such as fatigue or stress can impact their concentration and behaviour, explains Vasilii. Vasilii emphasises the importance of early detection: "Identifying dyslexia early on allows parents and educators to introduce support strategies that target a child’s specific needs, rather than letting them struggle silently or lose confidence in themselves. When children feel understood and supported, they begin to realise that their difficulties with reading or writing are just one part of their learning profile, not a reflection of their intelligence." He continues: "Early intervention can help them develop the skills they need while preserving their natural curiosity and love for learning. Targeted support, such as phonics-based reading programs, multisensory learning methods, and assistive technology, can open up pathways to success that might otherwise feel blocked. "But perhaps most importantly, when we acknowledge and address dyslexia from the start, we’re sending a powerful message that every child learns differently - and that’s okay."
TAL Education Group ( NYSE:TAL – Get Free Report ) and JIADE ( NASDAQ:JDZG – Get Free Report ) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, valuation and risk. Earnings & Valuation This table compares TAL Education Group and JIADE”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. JIADE has lower revenue, but higher earnings than TAL Education Group. Profitability Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current recommendations for TAL Education Group and JIADE, as reported by MarketBeat. TAL Education Group currently has a consensus target price of $14.80, indicating a potential upside of 52.11%. Given TAL Education Group’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe TAL Education Group is more favorable than JIADE. Institutional & Insider Ownership 37.8% of TAL Education Group shares are held by institutional investors. 1.8% of TAL Education Group shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Summary TAL Education Group beats JIADE on 10 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks. About TAL Education Group ( Get Free Report ) TAL Education Group provides K-12 after-school tutoring services in the People’s Republic of China. It provides learning services primarily through small-classes services; personalized premium services; and learning content solutions, such as print books, smart books, mobile apps, and AI-driven learning devices. The company also operates www.xueersi.com, an online education platform; provides investment management and consulting services; develops and sells software and networks, as well as related consulting services; and sells educational materials and products. It offers its services under the Haoweilai and Think Academy brands. TAL Education Group was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China. About JIADE ( Get Free Report ) JIADE LIMITED specializes in providing one-stop comprehensive education supporting services to adult education institutions, through a wide spectrum of software platform and auxiliary solutions. The Company’s services are primarily offered through the Kebiao Technology Educational Administration Platform. JIADE LIMITED is based in Chengdu, China. Receive News & Ratings for TAL Education Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TAL Education Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Would new PFL flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva beat UFC legend Valentina Shevchenko if they fought in 2025? | Sporting News
President William Ruto, Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu (right) Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli, (left) and Narok Women Rep Rebecca Tonkei, kneel for prayers during a service at the Outreach Gospel Church In Kilgolis, Narok County on August 04, 2024. [PCS] President William Ruto’s climbdown on the multibillion-shilling State tenders that were earlier awarded to the scandal-riddled Adani Group of Companies marks the lowest moment for a troubled regime, after the June-July Gen Z uprisings. The sobering retreat comes in the wake of a spirited onslaught against the Kenya Kwanza regime by the faith-based community in the country, following widespread citizens’ restlessness with the regime on a wide berth of issues. Dissatisfaction with the State within the religious community has simmered beneath the surface for a while now, with subtle dropping of hints every so often. With the State failing to pick the cue, this disaffection has in recent months begun breaking through the integuments, starting with a tirade by a former Ruto ally, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru of the Jesus Is Alive Missions (JIAM), on March 6. On that day, State operatives invaded her shrine, intending to demolish it. An irate Wanjiru regretted having campaigned for Ruto, his UDA Party, and Kenya Kwanza in 2022. She labelled them land grabbers who do not respect the rule of law. Wanjiru’s harangue against the Ruto regime was only an inoculation against what was to follow. Biblical story Last week’s excoriation by the Kenya Catholic Bishops Conference was the proverbial sucker punch. The blizzard on Thursday, November 14, descended like a tonne of bricks. It caught State propagandists unawares, leaving them breathless, and sending them scampering for a dozen, or so, kneejerk rebuttals that just as soon went into the backpedal. The initial response by the State was to fly into a flurry of personalised invective against Bishop Anthony Muheria, whom State spin doctors painted in appalling colours. Among other things, they accused him of joining the Opposition and playing tribal politics. President Ruto himself accused the Church of telling lies. But with other Christian fraternities chiming in, in rhythm with the 29 Catholic bishops who signed the scathing statement, State House soon realised that it was spinning itself into a complex spider’s web, out of which it would be hard placed to disentangle itself. It has since embraced a more conciliatory approach. Accordingly, President Ruto admits the “possibility of making mistakes sometimes”, and of “sometimes living below expectations.” He says that he welcomes criticism and correction from the Church. However, all this comes in the wake of an ever-expanding terrain of criticism against what are seen as sins of omission and commission against the electorate by what is perceived to be a self-serving government, out of tune with the people and their plight. The bishops’ press release of November 14 spoke of a happy-go-lucky regime, whose philosophy of government is at odds with common mandates for which individuals and political parties seek election. READ: Clergy turn up the heat amid debate on Ruto's rejected millions It is instructive that as part of his effort to right the situation, President Ruto joined worshippers at a Sunday service in Nairobi’s Soweto Catholic Church, where he made a generous cash donation to the choir. He promised to give millions more within the ended week. If the President’s strategy was to excite base instincts of craving for funds, the plan hit a snag. While it has worked well with other denominations, he was in for a rude shock when, two days later, the church, through Bishop Philip Anyolo, rejected the largesse. They termed it unlawful and against the ethics of the Catholic church. But in a fashion that resembles the biblical story of Naaman who was healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5 – 27), some in the laity of the church gloated for the largesse, like Gehazi. President William Ruto received by Rt. Rev. Dr. George Mechumo, Bishop Anglican Church of Kenya, Bungoma Diocese when he attended the Sunday church Serviceon September 01, 2024. [PCS] Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter By clicking on the SIGN UP button, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and the Privacy Policy SIGN UP Gehazi was a personal assistant to Prophet Elisha who healed Naaman. He gloated for money that the prophet rejected after the healed leper offered it to him. Naaman’s leprosy was transferred to him. It will be interesting to see where the Soweto leprosy ends up. Meanwhile, however, one thing remains clear. All is no longer well between the Church and the State, or more correctly, between Ruto and the mainstream Church in Kenya. So, what has gone wrong between Ruto and the Church? Personal churches It will help to clarify that it is not the entire Christian fraternity in the country that supported Ruto’s election in 2022. While it is true that significant swathes of this fraternity vouched for him, it is inaccurate to state that mainstream churches as a whole rooted for Ruto. The Catholic Church, the Anglicans, the Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and the Salvation Army, among others, have clearly defined and regimented methods and forums of deciding on critical issues of public import. The position of an individual prelate may not, therefore, be taken as the position of the church. Like the Catholics, the Anglican church reaches its official position on issues through the House of Bishops. The other denominations have their forums that mirror the Anglican House of Bishops and the Catholic Conference of Bishops. At no time did these forums resolve to vote for Ruto during his 2022 presidential bid. Some individual primates, however, may have covertly, and some even overtly, identified with his cause. Yet, it is also true that many evangelical churches, and other family-owned churches as well as personal churches, openly supported his bid. They also received huge cash donations from him, possibly in exchange. His opponents, led by Raila Odinga, scoffed at these donations, averring that they were proceeds of corruption. But Ruto retorted that he was a generous man. He was doing God’s work, he said. Ruto’s amity with evangelicals can be traced back to the constitutional debate of 2010. Then, Ruto joined the evangelical Red Cards (as opposed to the Green Cards). The Reds voted against the draft that became the Constitution of Kenya (2010). The Reds were hostile to the articles that spoke to matters of abortion and marriage. They often spun them out of both fact and proportion. President William Ruto chats with African Divine Church Archbishop John Chabuga, when he graced the church's 70th anniversary at Boyani in Vihiga County. [File, Standard] Their amity survived the times and spaces, to contribute to the 2022 Ruto victory. Yet, this did not include support from the Catholic church, or even the Anglicans, whom Team Ruto often openly accused of being antagonistic to his presidential bid. Still, the question remains, what has gone wrong between Ruto and the Church? Remarkably, even some of the most ardent evangelicals who supported him have openly regretted lending him their voices. Apart from Bishop Wanjiru, other notable criticisms have been from Teresia Wairimu (Faith Evangelistic Ministries) and Tony Kiama (River of God Church). What went wrong? The answer perhaps resides in the people’s reminder to church leaders in July that the people are the Church. In the wake of the Gen Z protests, Kenyans accused church leaders of silence in the midst of oppression by the State. They also accused them of complicity in the plight of the people. Gen Zs took umbrage with religious leaders who turned their pulpits into political platforms for politicians, “in exchange for money.” Showy class They were concerned that while the cost of living was skyrocketing, an oppressive ecclesiastical class was hobnobbing with a corrupt and showy political class. Together, they were enjoying the fat of the land, while the rest of the nation languished in penury and indigence. The youth went as far as picketing in places of worship and barring politicians from speaking at Sunday services. READ: No, thank you, Catholic bishops reject Sh5.6 million donation from Ruto But then the Gen Z protests gradually petered off, after Ruto reconfigured his Cabinet, to bring on board ODM stalwarts. Besides, the Executive completed the process of taking into hostage the Legislature. It has also made significant progress towards capturing the Judiciary, as a wide range of confounding court decisions attests. It is a matter that has openly shocked the Law Society of Kenya (LSK). With ODM, Parliament and the Judiciary more or less subdued, the Executive was beginning to enjoy a cosy place when the Catholic bishops struck. This should not surprise me, however. For, history shows that the mainstream Church in Kenya is in its element as the watchdog of society when everyone else has been conquered. In 1967, the National Christian Council of Kenya (NCCK) (later the National Council of Churches of Kenya) declared that it was going to play the role of the Opposition in the country. This was after President Jomo Kenyatta’s government had traumatised and neutralised the Opposition, following the political machinations of the period 1964– 1966. Although Jaramogi Oginga Odinga formed the Kenya People’s Union (KPU), following the infamous Limuru Conference of March 12–13, 1966, Kenyatta and the mercurial Tom Mboya had all but killed the Opposition in Kenya. Hence, NCCK became active, with Bishop Henry Okullu as the pivot around which the burning questions of the day were articulated. NCCK published the fiery Target and Lengo periodicals that made life uncomfortable for the Kenyatta government. They survived into the mid-1980s when the Moi regime banned them, alongside other critical publications like Bedan Mbugua’s Beyond, Pius Nyamora’s the People, and Salim Lone’s Viva. But the mainstream Church remained vigilant against State excesses, even now. Besides Okullu, other strong critical voices were Anglican prelates Alexander Muge, Manases Kuria, David Gitari and Peter Njenga. Elsewhere, in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, Timothy Njoya resonated in a lonely voice against the State. Twice, his church defrocked him for what they said was playing politics. Also active in PCEA, however, was John Gatu. In the Catholic fraternity, there was Bishop Ndingi Mwana a Nzeki of Nakuru, and Father Kaiser. These voices did not, however, constitute the official position of their denominations. Still, NCCK on the one hand, and the Episcopal Conference of Catholic Bishops on the other, would issue formal positions every so often. Rogue regime It is instructive that these voices reigned when every other institution and voice in the country had been rendered mute. Hence, when the question of where the mainstream churches are emerging from is raised, the answer is that they are the ultimate firewall as the people’s gatekeepers. They emerge from the woodwork when everyone else is either beaten or compromised. That was how, in the 1990s, they emerged to constitute the Ufungamano Constitutional Review Forum, very much against the wishes of the KANU hawks who straddled the place with draconian energy. For close to 15 years, they stood their ground, until Kenya got a new Constitution in 2010. They then retreated into their sanctuaries, to continue preaching the Gospel. When President William Ruto addressed members of the African Church of the Holy Spirit led by High Priest Shem Shamala during a fellowship at his home in Sugoi in Uasin Gishu County. [File, Standard] That they are getting out of the woodwork today indicates that all is not well. Indeed, the issues raised in the Catholic bishops’ press statement are still playing out in the country. Only a few days after their statement, the world woke up to the shocking news that Ugandan Opposition leader, Kiza Besigye, had been abducted in Nairobi and secretly ferreted to Kampala. Angry Ugandan politicians have been seen in video clips in social media, berating the Kenya government as “a rogue regime that has surrendered its security to Uganda.” They also accuse the Uganda government of being another rogue regime. The two regimes have been accused, on both sides of the border, of constituting themselves into an axis of evil, that is liaising to abduct, torture and traumatise citizens. It is within this environment that the Catholic church in Kenya has emerged to decry the human rights situation in the country. “We are appalled by the blatant recurring incidents of reported abductions, disappearances, torture, and killings of Kenyans. We also decry the increasing murder of women,” the bishops said. They also note that those who have suffered at the hands of the State had raised legitimate concerns about “rampant corruption within and outside the government.” They then asked, “Who is abducting these people, and is the government unable to stop these abductions and killings?” Worship Plutus Then there is the issue of the culture of lies. The Church is concerned that lies have become the most common currency in government in Kenya. “It is swiftly replacing the integrity and respect that Kenyans deserve . . . Kenyans have helplessly tolerated the lies told to them constantly by politicians.” Now, in Christendom, lies are ranked among the very worst of mortal sins. The Bible says of the devil and the liar, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and has nothing to do with the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).” It is within this context that the scathing remarks on lies in the Ruto government have been made. According to the Church, by embracing what the bishops see as a culture of lies, the Ruto government has prepared itself to commit all the other sins against the people of Kenya. There are misplaced priorities and unkept promises that keep shifting with every new public pronouncement from on high. President Ruto has become the master of telling Kenyans how many billions of shillings have been set aside now for this project, and then for that project. About these promises, the Church has said to the people, “Kenyans must learn not to applaud or validate the lies that the politicians tell them, but rather resolve to be led by the truth.” President William Ruto and Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Anthony Muheria during the Consecration and Installation of Bishop Peter Kimani Ndung'u, in Embu County. With them is Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire. [PCS] The concerns, accordingly, spill over to address the plight of the people amidst failed promises around social health insurance under various alphabet soup formations under the Social Health Authority (SHA). Kenya is losing lives on a daily basis, out of the confusion that the demise of NHIF and the arrival of SHA has generated. There are challenges in a myriad of taxes. They speak to what can only be described as an uncaring regime. Then there is a failing education system that the State seems to be giving up on, and above all, the idolatry that is the worship of wealth. ALSO READ : Debate rages over Ruto ties with the Church But if politicians worship Plutus, the god of money, do some sections of the Church seem to worship the same god, too? The preaching of the Christian Gospel has steadily morphed from the Gospel of Salvation to the Gospel of Liberation, and today the Gospel of Prosperity. Christendom in Kenya is in full-blown pursuit of something called blessings. Line drawn The illusion of blessings leads millions every day to shrines and to cultic formations, to make obeisance to a god called Juno Moneta. Here, they “bless the pastor” with gifts. In turn, Moneta will be expected to bless them. In the process, a greedy population of people calling themselves Christians have opened themselves up to the kinds of lies that the Catholic church is now decrying. It takes a lot of moral courage to reject Naaman’s six million shillings. For, Naaman is likely to raise the figure, to make it more tempting. Or it might find its way back through Gehazi. Whatever the case, the mainstream Church has drawn the line on the ground. It will be of major interest to see whether they will protect the line, or if they will blink. President Ruto has blinked on Adani, after pouring so much praise on the sullied tenders to the Indian. Shamefully, Parliament, whose members had been neutered and tongue-tied on the scandalous Adani affair, gave Ruto a standing ovation when he announced the cancellation of the deals. This speaks to a dud legislature. It would appear that the Church has its assignment cut out. It will have to do its spiritual work, as well as the representation and surveillance responsibilities of the Legislature. Very soon, too, the Church may have to stand in for a dying Judiciary, whose point of least resistance Kenya Kwanza has established. But, the political class will do well to know that we have been here before. And those who stood in the way of the Church eventually lost. Their replacements would seem poised to lose again. Dr Muluka is a strategic communications advisor
Freshman goalie leads Concord to Stone hockey tournament titleNot a single ration card provided in one-year of Congress rule: Kishan Reddy
Pep Guardiola’s side avoided the indignity of a sixth successive defeat in all competitions and looked on course for a welcome victory thanks to a double from Erling Haaland – the first from the penalty spot – and a deflected effort from Ilkay Gundogan. Yet Guardiola was left with his head in hands as Feyenoord roared back in the last 15 minutes with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Sergio Gimenez and David Hancko, two of them after Josko Gvardiol errors. Arsenal delivered the statement Champions League win Mikel Arteta had demanded as they swept aside Sporting Lisbon 5-1. Arteta wanted his team to prove their European credentials, and goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track in style following the 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out. A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. Paris St Germain were left in serious of danger of failing to progress in the Champions League as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Kim Min-jae’s header late in the first half was enough to send PSG to a third defeat in the competition this season, leaving them six points off the automatic qualification places for the last 16 with three games to play. Luis Enrique’s side, who had Ousmane Dembele sent off, were deservedly beaten by Bayern who dominated chances and possession. Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid were 6-0 winners away to Sparta Prague, Julian Alvarez and Angel Correa each scoring twice whilst there were also goals from Marcos Llorente and Antoine Griezmann. Barcelona ended tournament debutants Brest’s unbeaten start with a 3-0 victory courtesy of two goals from Robert Lewandowski – one a penalty – and Dani Olmo. Lewandowski’s first was his 100th Champions League goal, only the third man to reach the mark after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. A Castello Lukeba own goal saw Inter Milan go top of the standings with a narrow 1-0 win over RB Leipzig at San Siro, whilst Bayer Leverkusen were emphatic victors against Red Bull Salzburg, Florian Wirtz scoring twice to move Xabi Alonso’s side into the automatic qualification places. Atalanta continued their strong start, albeit whilst conceding a first goal in Europe this season in a 6-1 win away to Young Boys, whilst Tammy Abraham scored the decisive goal as AC Milan beat Slovan Bratislava 3-2.CNN panelist's embarrassing takedown after praising Biden's Middle East 'accomplishments'Swimmer's body found at Tuggeranong Reserve
Meta is reportedly planning a significant upgrade to its Ray-Ban smart glasses, with a new model featuring a built-in display set to launch in the second half of 2025. So what’s changing? The Financial Times reported that the display will enable users to engage with Meta’s AI assistant and view notifications, extending the device’s capabilities beyond its current audio-based capabilities. Adding a display could make the glasses more useful by offering features like better notifications from connected devices and navigational assistance. This move is consistent with Meta’s broader push into wearable technology, spearheaded by its Reality Labs division, which also produces VR headsets. The Ray-Ban smart glasses have become more well-known since their September 2023 release because they combine cutting-edge technology with the iconic Ray-Ban design. Users can now make calls, send messages, and take pictures hands-free thanks to the glasses’ in-ear speakers, microphones, covert camera, and touch-sensitive controls. But, in contrast to rivals, their capabilities have been constrained by the lack of a display. Competition to Apple, Google? Meta’s upcoming glasses are part of a larger effort to stay competitive in the growing market for augmented reality (AR) and wearable devices. Companies like Google, Samsung, and Apple are also developing smart glasses and AR technologies, with Google and Samsung planning to release Android XR glasses in 2025. The development of Meta’s third-generation smart glasses comes on the heels of its demonstration of the Orion AR glasses earlier this year. Although Orion remains a prototype and is too expensive for mass production, the positive response from developers has reportedly accelerated Meta’s efforts to incorporate similar display technology into its Ray-Ban glasses. Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, has called 2025 “the most important year in the history of Reality Labs.” By adding a display to its smart glasses, Meta aims to offer users a more immersive and functional experience while maintaining the sleek, stylish design that has made the Ray-Ban line a success. ALSO READ: WhatsApp Launches In-App Document Scanning Feature For iOS UsersIfedi starts at left tackle for Browns in prime-time matchup against AFC North-leading SteelersORONO, Maine (AP) — Michael McNair scored 16 points to lead Boston University and Malcolm Chimezie sealed the victory with a layup with 20 seconds left as the Terriers took down Maine 59-56 on Sunday. McNair also had six rebounds for the Terriers (6-7). Kyrone Alexander scored 13 points and added five rebounds. Chimezie shot 4 of 7 from the field and 0 for 3 from the line to finish with eight points. Kellen Tynes led the way for the Black Bears (8-7) with 17 points, four assists and three steals. Maine also got 12 points from Christopher Mantis. Quion Burns had eight points. McNair scored seven points in the first half and Boston University went into halftime trailing 27-19. Alexander scored a team-high 10 points for Boston University in the second half. Boston University outscored Maine by 11 points over the final half. Boston University's next game is Thursday against Lafayette on the road, and Maine visits Bryant on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
