A NEW "bad driving" law has quietly come into effect this November, with a stricter points system. The change brings with it harsher fines for offenders. In New York state, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has not only introduced points for a greater number of offences - but also upped the amount of time these points will stay on your record. As of November 6, drivers now get 11 points for alcohol and drug related convictions - and the same for driving without a license. They also get eight points for striking an overpass, and five for illegal speed races. Five will be issued for leaving the scene of a crash with injuries - compared to three prior to the change. Read more Motors News Eight will be handed out for passing a stopped school bus - as opposed to five. And speeding in a work zone could land you with eight points, where before you might have got away with three. Any points will now stay on offenders' licenses for 24 months, rather than the previous 18 - meaning a greater risk of their licenses being suspended. This happens when ten points are accrued within a space of two years. Most read in Motors The overhaul will means increased fines too, as a fee - called the driver responsibility assessment fee - is added with every extra point - starting at $300 for six points accrued within 18 months. This means speeding in a work zone could set you back by $850, reports CBS News . The driver responsibility assessment fee is in addition to any fines owed to the court if you are found guilty of a violation. The huge system change, which DMV Governor Kathy Hochul called "significant and aggressive", flew under the radar earlier in the month - as the department didn't even post about it on its website. It is designed to "bolster the ability to remove drivers who engage in risky behavior, and make it more difficult for persistent violators to get back their driving privilege". The news comes after drivers in Des Moines, Iowa were warned of another speeding rule change coming into effect on January 6 - which will increase the chances of getting a ticket. A host of new speed cameras are set to be installed, which could catch unknowing drivers unawares. Sgt. Paul Parizek of the Des Moines Police said: "We just don't have the resources to put a cop on every corner. "We don't have the resources to stick a cop in front of every park or every school. Read More on The US Sun "So this is us working smarter and using the technology to our advantage. "And hopefully, we'll get that compliance that we're looking for so that the kids are safe when they ride their bikes or walk to school."Jaipur: The BJP-led state govt came under attack from the Congress after it announced on Saturday to abolish nine districts and three divisional headquarters established last year. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot strongly criticised the move on social media platform X, emphasising that the creation of these districts was a well-considered decision aimed at improving governance in India's largest state. He pointed out that Gujarat, despite having a smaller population than Rajasthan, maintains 33 districts and smaller administrative units facilitate faster grievance redressal. Gehlot termed the govt's decision as "politically motivated" and "anti-people", saying the decision will hinder state's development and administrative efficiency. The new districts were established following recommendations from a committee headed by former IAS officer Ram Lubhaya during Gehlot's previous administration (2018-2023). Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra announced to launch a statewide protest movement next month, demanding the restoration of these nine districts. During a press conference at the party HQs here, Dotasra accused BJP of prioritising political interests over public welfare and claimed the decision was solely motivated by the fact that these districts were created under Congress rule. Opposition Leader Tikaram Jully characterised the decision as retaliatory politics, suggesting that instead of complete abolition, the BJP govt could have made boundary adjustments if necessary. Jully promised that upon returning to power in 2028, Congress would not only restore these districts but also consider creating additional ones. Former minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas condemned the decision as detrimental to public interests, accusing the BJP govt of systematically dismantling public welfare schemes and administrative units established by the previous Congress govt. Former Rajasthan state seeds corporation chairman Dharmendra Rathore highlighted the practical implications of this decision. He noted that the creation of these administrative units was necessary given Rajasthan's vast geographical area and their establishment was aimed at improving public access to local services. Rathore pointed out the inconsistency in BJP's stance, citing its previous support for smaller administrative units during Vasundhara Raje's tenure as CM when Pratapgarh district was created. The opposition argued that the abolition of these districts would create significant inconvenience for residents who must now travel longer distances to reach administrative headquarters. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss yearly career horoscopes 2025 for Aries , Taurus , Gemini , Cancer , Leo , Virgo , Libra , Scorpio , Sagittarius , Capricorn , Aquarius , and Pisces .Country star Kacey Musgraves is giving back after making a controversial comment about her hometown of Golden, Texas. The 36-year-old singer reportedly donated $10,000 to the Alba-Golden Seniors Scholarship Fund, TMZ reported on Thursday, November 21. ( Us Weekly has reached out for comment.) Musgraves’ donation apparently came on top of the $8,000 already raised after the Golden Sweet Potato Festival made shirts reading, “Golden, Texas ‘Something to Cheer For.’” The shirt appears to reference the controversial comment Musgraves made about her hometown during a recent concert. While on stage in Canada earlier this month, Musgraves was talking about her hometown. “It’s really not something to cheer for,” she told the crowd. After the comment went viral, the singer issued an apology via social media. “I know most people that see this won’t have any idea what the hell I’m talk[ing] about but I’m seeing a few offended comments about a sarcastic, completely unserious joke I made about my tiny hometown,” she wrote. “I always try to be completely myself — for better or worse — and maybe every joke or viewpoint doesn’t always land. In so many ways I really love my Texas roots. Nothing but love and I truly never meant to offend.” In a second story, Musgraves further attempted to explain the apparent joke . “People woo’d for it but like ... it’s such a shockingly small town it doesn’t even have one stoplight lol,” she added. “There isn’t music goin’ on. Anyway whatever.” Musgraves didn’t stop there. She spoke candidly about Texas in a third Instagram Story. “I cherish where I’m from. It’s sacred to me. There is a tough duality sometimes,” the singer admitted. “I always have Texas and the grit it gave me in my heart.” The “hilariously small” town, as she called it, doesn’t even have “one real grocery store,” Musgraves added. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News “It’s too small for a school or even a population sign. Not much to clap for meaning — there ain’t much there. Not much to clap for meaning — damn, you blinked and missed it,” she continued in a fourth social media post. “It’s a place that at first glance might not seem too special until you stop for a spell and spend time there.” She concluded the post by telling followers that the onstage comment wasn’t “a dig” at Golden. “A place can hold a deep meaning and its own kind of beauty, and I can also be like wow. Lol,” Musgraves wrote. “This place really ain’t got much going on.”
Major retailers in UK and Ireland pull products associated with Conor McGregorBlake Snell, Dodgers agree to five-year, $182M contract: ReportsThe Scripps National Spelling Bee’s annual list of study words for third graders drew the ire of conservatives fuming over its embrace of the feminist variation for “women.” The 2024-25 study list posted on school district websites includes the term “womyn” as an approved option for spelling “women” that third graders who want to compete in the national spelling competition can use, Fox News Digital reported. While the spelling list noted that “women” is the “preferred spelling,” allowing the option for third-grade students to spell “womyn” in the competition lit up MAGA world. “You have to be kidding,” Turning Point USA wrote in a social media post. ALSO READ: The reckoning: Plenty of hurts coming for the people who didn't care about their country “No. Freaking. Way,” Far-right conspiracy theorist webcaster Alex Jones told his followers on X . “Question for the National Spelling Bee: What is a womyn? Kristen Waggoner, the president of the Alliance Defending Freedom, asked her X followers. X user Dean Cramer opined that the change comes “because ‘womyn’ doesn’t have ‘men’ in the word.” “Changing the spelling of ‘women’ to ‘womyn’ in a spelling bee? This isn’t progress, it’s ideological nonsense,” The Calvin Report wrote . “Leave language and kids out of this agenda.” A Scripps spokesperson defended the change, telling Fox News Digital in a statement that the spelling came from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary, which the spokesperson added was “the final authority and sole source for the spelling of all words offered in competition.” "All of the words used in the Scripps National Spelling Bee program are pulled from our official dictionary, Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary,” the statement to the network said. “During competition, our policy is to accept any correct spelling listed in our official dictionary that isn’t marked archaic or obsolete. The alternate spelling ‘womyn’ is therefore included on our study list because it is listed as an alternate spelling for 'women' in Merriam-Webster.” The spelling competition will celebrate its 100th anniversary when the 2025 National Finals are held in May, according to Fox News Digital.
Fluence Energy, Inc. Reports Record Performance in 2024 and Initiates 2025 GuidanceNorman Cook's mum has died, his son has confirmed. Norman - who is also known as Fatboy Slim - shares 24-year-old son Woody with radio presenter ex-wife Zoe Ball . Sharing the tragic news in a heartbreaking post on Instagram , he wrote: "Ups and downs of the year. My Granny Ros passed away on Christmas Day, She was an amazing woman and 'was ready to start her next life.' That kind of optimism and mentality really inspires me. Losing two Grandparents this year has really made me grow and made me focus a-lot more on family." "The ups: I'm having a blast in New York, was homesick on my Birthday and Christmas but i've been working really hard on music and it's really paying off. My friends over here are so lovely and feel like family. Life always goes on x New year's resolution is to make every second count... Safe travels Ros and thank you for everything." He shared an image of him reflecting and also a family snap alongside his thoughtful words. The death marked the second grandmother of Woody's to have died this year. In April, former Radio 2 host Zoe announced her mum, Julia, had passed. At the time, the DJ posted a series of final photos of her mum during a New Year's break in the Caribbean four months before her death. Zoe confirmed her mother's death after announcing her pancreatic cancer diagnosis in March. Captioning a picture of Julia on Twitter (X), following her death, Zoe wrote: "Sleep tight dear Mama. thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally, to always show courage and empathy, and how, even in the darkest of days, laughter is the greatest of gifts. we are bereft without you but will hold so tight to each other." Zoe and Woody recently spent time together following her exit from her Radio 2 breakfast show. Zoe was beaming as she shared a glimpse of her 'fairytale' Christmas in New York City with her daughter Nelly and son Woody. Zoe had flown over with Nelly to join her son overseas, with Zoe arriving only hours after she said goodbye to her fans on live radio. In images shared on her social media, Zoe had a ball as she went ice skating with her two children in Central Park. She also shared images of her with her kids in a restaurant as she smiled for the camera. Zoe wrapped up warm in black trousers, a cream-coloured sweat, a thick overcoat and a green scarf. She completed the cosy look with a beanie.Bukayo Saka breaks silence after hamstring injury as Arsenal winger shares surgery update
NoneHercules Capital: Are The Dividends Safe? I'm Buying!Trump posts 'how it's going' message contrasting Time Person of the Year cover with mugshot
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. stock rises Thursday, outperforms marketLAS VEGAS (AP) — Trae Young might be the NBA's biggest enigma. Young's fans can point to numbers and say he's an elite player. His detractors can point to numbers and say he's overrated. Both arguments have validity. To some, his cocky ways are endearing. To others, they're infuriating. This can't be argued: He's helping Atlanta author one of the season's surprise stories. The Hawks are in the NBA Cup semifinals, set to play Milwaukee on Saturday before the other semifinal between Oklahoma City and Houston. The title game is Tuesday night. “When we talk about Trae, the word I like to use is evolution,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “And every player evolves. They just evolve in different ways. He's been an important part of our young guys' growth and being able to elevate them.” The Hawks haven't had a ton of big moments in Young's seven seasons. But he has shown a propensity for rising to the occasion: ousting New York in the 2021 playoffs, ousting the Knicks from the quarterfinals of this tournament to get to Las Vegas — and now comes another chance on national TV on Saturday, facing the Bucks with a chance to play for a trophy. “I feel like this team has been embracing the challenge each and every night from the beginning of the season,” Young said. “We haven’t looked too far ahead in any moment. We’re just taking it day by day. Even though early on in the season we may have had some struggles and some bumps in the road and some guys out, we stuck with the process and focus on each day." Here's part of the pro-Young argument: He's averaging 21 points and 12 assists something that only Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas have done over a full season, and he's on pace to lead the league in assist average for the first time. Here's part of the anti-Young argument: Among the 220 players with at least 50 3-point attempts this season he ranks 189th at 30.8%, and of the 248 players with at least 100 field goal attempts this season he ranks 231st at 38.4%. Choose your side. They're both valid. But it's clear that Young — who made no secret that he was upset over not being picked for the team that won gold for USA Basketball at the Paris Olympics this past summer — is growing and maturing. “He’s doing a better job on both ends of the floor,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “Defensively he’s figured out a way of keeping himself out of actions. I know that sounds easy. That’s hard to do, and he’s brilliant at it, he really is. ... He must be really studying the game on both ends of the floor, and you can see that in his play. And he’s earned the trust of his players. This team likes playing with him, that’s obvious. I couldn’t say that in the past, but now they love playing with him.” Hawks forward Jalen Johnson doesn't deny that point. “He’s so good, man,” Johnson said. "It’s crazy, like just seeing it in person and on TV prior to me playing with the Hawks and getting drafted by the Hawks, it was crazy just watching it. A guy that’s undersized, being able to score at will, being able to make any pass at will. And then next thing you know you’re his teammate and you’re on the receiving end of those passes. “Watching those clutch late game buckets, it’s a joy to watch. It’s a gift that he has that’s very special and not many people have had it at that elite of a level. It’s been great being his teammate. It’s been a blessing.” Saturday is an opportunity. The semifinals are the only games on the NBA calendar for that day; the title game Tuesday — which doesn't count in the standings — is the only game on the NBA slate that night as well. Young will have tons of eyeballs on him Saturday and would have tons more on him Tuesday if the Hawks find a way to win another big game against the Bucks. They're 3-1 against Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland and Boston already this season, 1-0 against Milwaukee. The potential is clear for the Hawks. The potential for Young has always been clear as well. Only now, it's starting to be realized. “The narrative about me not being able to do certain things or being too mad or frustrated about certain things is — I mean, just aren’t true,” Young said. "I think you’re just now being able to see like with the young team we have, just some of the different things we’ve been doing this year, I think just now you’re starting to kind of see it because the results are showing and we’re winning now. We’re here in this final four of the Cup, and it’s a big deal.” AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBABlake Snell reportedly has joined his former team's biggest rival. After opting out of his Giants contract and entering MLB free agency this offseason, Snell has agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers pending a physical, ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jorge Castillo reported Tuesday, citing sources. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Left-hander Blake Snell and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a five-year, $182 million contract, pending physical, sources tell me and @jorgecastillo . The World Series champions get the two-time Cy Young winner in the first nine-figure deal of the winter. Snell seemingly confirmed the news with a post on his Instagram account. A post shared by Blake Snell (@snellzilla4) It's no surprise Los Angeles landed the two-time Cy Young Award winner. The Dodgers have shattered free-agency expectations in recent offseasons, inflating their payroll and even deferring millions of dollars to future years so they can sign stars including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman -- the list goes on. It paid off for San Francisco's NL West rivals in 2024, as Los Angeles won its eighth World Series title last month when it defeated the New York Yankees in five games. And the Dodgers appear to be taking the deferred money route with Snell, as they did when they signed Ohtani last winter. Dodgers’ deal with Blake Snell includes some deferred money, source tells The Athletic. https://t.co/ZO6X9C4b1k Snell's lone Giants campaign started off rocky after the ace endured an offseason without spring training while searching for a home in free agency. But after a rough first half to the 2024 MLB season, Snell quickly rounded into Cy Young form, even pitching a no-hitter for San Francisco on Aug. 2 against the Cincinnati Reds. His hot second half led Snell to opt out of the remaining year on his Giants contract, making him the best available pitcher on the open market. This time, negotiations with MLB teams didn't last as long. Because the Dodgers, as usual, swooped in. Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast
Admin monitoring situation round-the-clock: DC Bandipora BANDIPORA: In order to assess the snow clearance operations and evaluate the overall post-snowfall situation in the district, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bandipora, Manzoor Ahmad Qadri, along with Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harmeet Singh, conducted a comprehensive tour across Bandipora district on Saturday. During the tour, the DC reviewed snow clearance activities being undertaken by the Mechanical Department and inspected efforts to ensure roads are cleared and accessible, particularly major and vital road links, besides assessed the availability of essentials. As part of his extensive tour, the DC visited the Mechanical Control Room Mangnipora to review the deployment and functioning of snow clearance machinery. He inspected the availability and operational status of snow removal equipment, including snow plows, and other machinery. He interacted with the staff on duty and appreciated their efforts in ensuring prompt action during snowfall. The DC directed the Mechanical Division to ensure that roads leading to hospitals, and other essential facilities are cleared on priority and instructed them to maintain round-the-clock operations and keep machinery ready to address emergencies. During his visit to District Hospital, the DC interacted with the staff and patients, ensuring that healthcare services are functioning efficiently despite the inclement weather. He reviewed the availability of essential medicines, heating arrangements, and other facilities, instructing hospital management to address any shortcomings promptly. The DC also visited the main market area to check the clearance of snow from roads and footpaths and interacted with public ensuring that their concerns are addressed promptly. During his visit to Sumlar, the DC inspected the snow clearance operations and availability of basic facilities. He interacted with locals, listened to their grievances and assured them that the administration is working round the clock to restore all essential services. The DC held on-the-spot discussions with officers of various departments and directed them to esure restoration teams are on high alert to resolve any public issues quickly. Qadri said that sufficient stock of essentials, including food, medicines, and LPG are available in district, besides Control Room is also functioning round the clock to provide timely assistance to public. He assured the public that the administration is fully committed to mitigate the challenges posed by the harsh weather besides reiterated that the district administration is monitoring the situation round the clock and urged all departments to maintain coordination to ensure minimal disruption. Among others the DC was accompanied by ASP, District Officers of various concerned Departments, DySP HQ and other concerned.
NonePACS Group Announces Receipt of Notice of Late Filing from NYSEMiddle East latest: Blast rocks Beirut moments after Biden announces Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
