Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. At least 19 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 19 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 167,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat sent to restaurants nationwide. Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli, which can cause life-threatening infections. No illnesses have been reported outside of Minnesota. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City. Top football recruit Bryce Underwood changes commitment to Michigan instead of LSU, AP source says ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Top football recruit Bryce Underwood has flipped to Michigan after pledging to play at LSU. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the recruit’s plans to join the Wolverines. Underwood pinned a post on his Instagram account, showing a post in which On3.com reported that he has committed to Michigan. The 6-foot-3 quarterback played at Belleville High School about 15 miles east of Michigan's campus, and told LSU nearly a year ago he intended to enroll there. Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach. The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on sand dunes in temperate southwest Australia about 2,200 miles north of the Antarctic coast. He was released Wednesday from a boat that traveled several hours from Western Australia state's most southerly city of Albany. His caregiver Carol Biddulph wasn't sure at first if the penguin would live. She said a mirror was important to his rehabilitation because they provide a sense of company. Biddulph said: “They’re social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Kaapo Kaako scored a power-play goal with 24 seconds left, and the New York Rangers stopped a five-game slide by topping the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Saturday. Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers, who got their first win since a 4-3 victory at Vancouver on Nov. 19. Adam Fox had two assists, and Jonathan Quick made 25 saves. With Montreal’s Kirby Dach serving a four-minute, high-sticking penalty, Kaako got his fourth goal of the season. The Canadiens trailed 3-1 after two periods. But Cole Caufield scored his 14th goal 4:16 into the third and Nick Suzuki tied it at 14:07. Trocheck tipped the puck past Montreal goaltender Sam Montembeault at 19:56 to put New York ahead after Panarin and Montreal’s Mike Matheson scored earlier in the first. Panarin put the Rangers ahead at 9:02, scoring on a 5-on-3 for New York’s first power-play goal since Nov. 12 at home against Winnipeg. Matheson tied it at 11:47. Montembault made 24 saves for Montreal. Takeaways Canadiens: dropped to 3-7-1 on the road. Rangers: Forwards Chris Kreider and Filip Chytil returned to the lineup. Kreider missed three games with an upper-body injury while Chytil was out for seven after colliding with teammate K’Andre Miller on Nov. 14. Reilly Smith and Jonny Brodzinski were scratched. Key moment Seeking an early spark, New York captain Jacob Trouba fought Montreal’s Josh Anderson 1:58 into the contest. It appeared to give the Rangers a collective jolt that was missing in recent games. Key stat The Rangers are 11-1-0 when scoring first. It was the 1,700th home win in franchise history. Up next The Canadiens visit the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The Rangers host the New Jersey Devils on Monday. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL Allan Kreda, The Associated Press
Politico writer has Bluesky account briefly suspended, receives graphic insults for post about Musk
Mumbai, Nov 30 (IANS): Following Congress leader Bhai Jagtap's controversial remarks against the Election Commission of India (ECI), BJP spokesperson Prem Shukla on Saturday accused the party of resorting to derogatory language following its "repeated failures". On Friday, Bhai Jagtap referred to the Election Commission of India (ECI) as a "dog" of Prime Minister Narendra Mod and later claimed that this sentiments represented the views of crores of people. Reacting to this, Shukla said, "Congress leaders have been abusing India's respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a long time. Now, their abuse has extended to Constitutional institutions." "People like Bhai Jagtap, who exhibit criminal tendencies, are misusing freedom of speech to hurl such derogatory remarks. Congress's silence on this matter shows that it cannot speak any language other than abuse," Shukla further criticised Bhai Jagtap, speaking to IANS. "How can one expect decency from individuals with criminal backgrounds? Bhai Jagtap and his aides are known for their rowdy behaviour and have no connection to cultured politics," he added. Shukla also addressed Bhai Jagtap's criticism of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decision to not play against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, saying, "As long as Pakistan engages in terrorism against India, there can be no political or cricketing ties. The BCCI's decision should be welcomed." The BJP has strongly condemned Jagtap's statements against the ECI. Former MP Kirit Somaiya filed a complaint with the ECI and the Mumbai Police Commissioner, demanding strict action against the Maharashtra Congress MLC. BJP leader and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also slammed Congress, stating, "Whenever Congress faces defeat, its leaders resort to abusive politics. Rahul Gandhi himself has indulged in criticising the country, judiciary, and democracy when rejected by the people." Chandrasekhar asked what his party leaders were expected to do when the Congress leader himself indulged in politics of abuses. BJP spokesperson Gourav Vallabh also condemned Bhai Jagtap's comments, saying, "If Rahul Gandhi truly respected the Constitution, the Congress leader (Bhai Jagtap) would have been expelled for such language against constitutional bodies. This exposes Congress's lack of faith in democratic institutions."By CLAIRE RUSH PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Googly eyes have been appearing on sculptures around the central Oregon city of Bend, delighting many residents and sparking a viral sensation covered widely by news outlets and featured on a popular late-night talk show. On social media, the city shared photos of googly eyes on installations in the middle of roundabouts that make up its so-called “Roundabout Art Route.” One photo shows googly eyes placed on a sculpture of two deer, while another shows them attached to a sphere. It’s not yet known who has been putting them on the sculptures. “While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art,” the city said in its posts. The Facebook post received hundreds of comments, with many users saying they liked the googly eyes. “My daughter and I went past the flaming chicken today and shared the biggest laugh,” one user said, using a nickname for the “Phoenix Rising” sculpture. “We love the googly eyes. This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let’s have fun!” Another Facebook user wrote: “I think the googly eyes on the deer specifically are a great look, and they should stay that way.” Others said the city should focus on addressing more important issues, such as homelessness, instead of spending time and money on removing the googly eyes. Over the years, the city’s sculptures have been adorned with other seasonal decorations, including Santa hats, wreaths, leis. The city doesn’t remove those, and views the googly eyes differently because of the adhesive, Bend’s communications director, Rene Mitchell, told The Associated Press. “We really encourage our community to engage with the art and have fun. We just need to make sure that we can protect it and that it doesn’t get damaged,” she said. The post and its comments were covered by news outlets, and even made it on a segment of CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert .” The city regrets that its post was misunderstood, Mitchell said. “There was no intent to be heavy-handed, and we certainly understand maybe how that was taken,” she said. “We own this large collection of public art and really want to bring awareness to the community that applying adhesives does harm the art. So as stewards of the collection, we wanted to share that on social media.” The city has so far spent $1,500 on removing googly eyes from seven of the eight sculptures impacted, Mitchell said, and has started treating some of the art pieces, which are made of different types of metal such as bronze and steel. The “Phoenix Rising” sculpture might need to be repainted entirely, she said. For some, the googly eyes — like the other holiday objects — provide a welcome boost of seasonal cheer. “I look forward to seeing the creativity of whoever it is that decorates the roundabouts during the holidays,” one social media commenter said. “Brings a smile to everyone to see silliness.”Trump's lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction
After meeting Sharad Pawar & Thackeray, 96-yr-old Baba Adhav breaks anti-EVM fastArticle content Quebec has always been fortunate to have premiers with considerable substance and intelligence. Since 1960, 14 accomplished individuals have led Quebec, including nine lawyers, one neurosurgeon and several with strong economic credentials. François Legault is no exception. As an accountant and business executive, he co-founded Air Transat in 1986, which became one of the largest airline companies in Canada. Legault was drafted into politics by the Parti Québécois in 1998, subsequently holding key portfolios in successive administrations. He left in 2009 and two years later co-founded the Coalition Avenir Québec, offering a “third way” — a break from Quebec’s traditional political party dichotomy of separatism (PQ) versus federalism (Liberal) — and abandoning any sovereignty referendum notion, to instead focus on Quebec’s economic autonomy within Canada. In 2013 he published his ambitious economic vision of a Quebec “Silicon Valley” with a series of technopark/living environments running along the St. Lawrence River, which would create a valley of innovation and attract hundreds of new companies with thousands of high-tech jobs. It’s therefore not surprising that Legault lunged at the opportunity to invest heavily in the electric car battery sector, a transition to future green technology. His government, with the feds, quickly committed billions to induce the Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt to build a $7-billion mega-factory in Quebec . Legault called it the largest private manufacturing investment in the province’s history , saying it would transform Quebec into a global player in the electric vehicle supply chain. Legault’s big gamble on Northvolt, however, is now teetering on the verge of disaster. The company has been struggling to meet production targets, hampered by delays that led to cancellations of major contracts. They’ve slashed their workforce, cutting back production while growth and demand for electric vehicles slows down. On Thursday, the company announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. There was talk that Goldman Sachs might bail out Northvolt, but would require Quebec to cede its financial guarantees to them. Or will Quebec pump in more money to help the Swedish company? Both scenarios are impossible for Legault politically, having no choice but to categorically say no when asked in the National Assembly . With the experience and economic background Legault brings to the table, the collapse of this project would be a huge blow to his credibility. Obviously, the failure of some economic gambles is beyond one’s control, sometimes due to unexpected changes in the market or circumstances of mismanagement. And few politicians would likely have resisted the sex appeal of a green venture that appeared so promising. However, Legault often allows politics to temper his business acumen. For any major investment gamble in the private sector, you would roll up your sleeves and do your due diligence with rigorous risk assessment analyses; one wonders if that was done here. Northvolt was founded in 2015 by two former Tesla employees. The first battery was assembled in December 2021, with the first customer cell deliveries in 2022, barely a year before the Quebec announcement. Northvolt is essentially a startup without any extensive track record. Did attractive political optics outweigh due diligence? Legault paid a heavy political price for abandoning the promised “third link” tunnel project connecting Lévis to Quebec City, which also may have lacked proper analysis as to its feasibility. In 2022, the Legault government twice doled out so-called anti-inflation cheques to most Quebecers, seemingly to curry favour in an election year, despite warnings by economists that it would backfire. The $6.7 billion in handouts inevitably contributed to the largest budget deficit in Quebec’s history this year. Thursday’s economic update showed we are still drowning in red ink. Legault’s attack on English universities via tuition hikes was also hastily improvised and destined to induce negative economic spinoffs. François Legault is very capable. Quebec would be better served, however, if he prioritized his economic instincts over political impulse. Robert Libman is an architect and planning consultant who has served as Equality Party leader and MNA, mayor of Côte-St-Luc and a member of the Montreal executive committee. x.com/robertlibmanMysterious googly eyes go viral after appearing on public art in Oregon
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