Ardagh Glass Packaging pioneers hydrogen energy mix from onsite electrolyser (AGP-Europe), an operating business of Ardagh Group, announced today that it is now producing green hydrogen for glass melting via a hydrogen electrolyser at its facility in Limmared, Sweden. The 5MW Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) hydrogen electrolyser uses renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, supplying hydrogen to the energy mix in the furnace. Since testing of the electrolyser began in October, the furnace has successfully combusted 109,000m of hydrogen produced on site, saving 70 tonnes of CO . Daniel Johansson, Project Manager, AGP-Europe explained: “The testing phase using the hydrogen energy mix is progressing well, with no impact on the quality of the glass or the furnace. Our target is to replace 20% of the natural gas in the furnace with green hydrogen, which will reduce carbon emissions from our glass packaging produced in Limmared.” This partly hydrogen-fired glass furnace follows the launch of AGP’s flagship NextGen Furnace in Obernkirchen, Germany, where 60% electrical heating has already been achieved, delivering a 64%* reduction in carbon emissions. AGP-Europe CEO added: The future combination of hydrogen and other sustainable technologies such as hybrid melting, will help Ardagh Group and our customers to achieve their emissions reduction targets, as well as advancing the decarbonisation of the glass industry.” READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Ardagh Glass Packaging pioneers hydrogen energy mix from onsite electrolyser, CSIRO electrolyser pilot demonstrates efficiency and durability at Bluescope Steel Plant CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has successfully trialled its game-changing hydrogen production technology at... Jakson Green INFINITY Ships First Electrolyser to Power India’s Largest Urban Mobility Refueling Station Jakson Green Infinity has shipped 3.8 MW electrolysers, to power India’s inaugural green hydrogen refueling... XINTC – A groundbreaking Dutch electrolyser design is now poised for global deployment On Monday, 9 December 2024, the Minister for Climate and Sustainable Growth, Mrs. Sophie Hermans, will officially open the H2...Gibson Band Featuring Slash, Duff McKagan, and Cesar Gueikian Announce Benefit Single
US elections: The aftermathWho Is Dafna Yoran, Prosecutor In Daniel Penny Subway Chokehold Trial?
NoneHeart-Shaped Sea Creatures Hold the Key to Faster Internet
Sidney Crosby scores 600th career NHL goal, but Penguins fall to Utah 6-1
The TOI Entertainment Desk is a dynamic and dedicated team of journalists, working tirelessly to bring the pulse of the entertainment world straight to the readers of The Times of India. No red carpet goes unrolled, no stage goes dark - our team spans the globe, bringing you the latest scoops and insider insights from Bollywood to Hollywood, and every entertainment hotspot in between. We don't just report; we tell tales of stardom and stories untold. Whether it's the rise of a new sensation or the seasoned journey of an industry veteran, the TOI Entertainment Desk is your front-row seat to the fascinating narratives that shape the entertainment landscape. Beyond the breaking news, we present a celebration of culture. We explore the intersections of entertainment with society, politics, and everyday life. Read More Shine like Raveena Tandon this wedding season with her glamorous style 8 saag varieties from across India and their benefits 9 benefits of consuming Pomegranate peel regularly A complete guide to the streets of Rishikesh Tamannaah Bhatia's top iconic ethnic looks: A perfect blend of style and elegance Karisma Kapoor sets new standards for ethnic fashion elegance in traditional attires 8 rich, natural fertilisers for the plants that are already in your home 8 most dangerous fishes in the world 10 places in India that become inaccessible in peak winter seasonNFL fans are calling for a rules change after Sunday's wild Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders finish. The Cowboys topped the Commanders, 34-26, in a crazy game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. on Sunday. The Cowboys took a commanding lead late, before the Commanders stormed all the way back and tied the game - well, almost tied it. After an 86-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels to Terry McLaurin, the Commanders had a chance to tie the game with less than 30 seconds to play, at 27-27. But Washington kicker Austin Seibert, who had already missed one extra point, missed his second one. NFL fans have been calling for Seibert to be cut, but that's not all they are doing. Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images Some NFL fans are arguing for the league to get rid of extra points. Why make such a non-important play mean so much? "I’ll say it...get rid of extra points. Just make them 2 point attempts after every TD," one fan wrote. "Get rid of extra points, make teams go for two after every touchdown," one fan added. "Get rid of field goals and extra points man lol," one fan added. "I’m admittedly biased in saying this right now, but never liked the idea of the NFL making it more likely that extra points decide games. Least exciting play in the sport now has outsized importance," Chase Hughes of NBC Sports added. NO GOOD. 📺: #DALvsWAS on FOX 📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/FDg7wGy8KF It's understandable that Commanders fans would feel that way today, but the Cowboys had to make their extra points, too. And the Cowboys had a missed field goal, a blocked field goal and a blocked punt. Special teams allowed the Commanders to stay in the game, though they ended up costing them the chance to tie things up late. That's just sports, right? But with the NFL changing the kickoff rule, perhaps the league will consider changing the extra points rule at some point, too. Or maybe we'll just start to see more and more teams attempting to go for two points late in games. The Cowboys improved to 4-7 on the year with the win on Sunday, while the Commanders dropped to 7-5.
Last-minute errands often seem to pop up on Christmas and Christmas Eve, whether it's buying a quick present or picking up one last ingredient. Many stores and offices are closed on the two holidays to give employees a chance to spend time with loved ones during the holiday season. This year, Christmas Eve falls on Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Christmas falls on Wednesday, Dec. 25. Before heading out, make sure to check the times of locally owned businesses. Here's what's open and closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2024. Albertsons Companies' stores – Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Randalls, Shaw's, Vons and Tom Thumb – will be open Christmas Eve with reduced hours. Many of those banner stores and pharmacies, including Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw's and Tom Thumb, will be closed Christmas Day. Some Albertsons, Safeway, ACME and Vons stores will be open with adjusted hours. The company said to check with your local store before visiting on Christmas. Another grocery giant, Kroger, will mostly operate on normal hours Christmas Eve, but will be closed Christmas Day. Along with Kroger, the company owns Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick 'n Save, Metro Market, Mariano's, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less and Foods Co. Whole Foods, Aldi and specialty grocer Trader Joe's are open on modified hours Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. Warehouse club Costco is closed on Christmas. Sam's Club closes at 6 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day. Walmart stores will close at 6 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve and all stores are closed on Christmas Day. Target will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. local time Christmas Eve, but it will be closed on Christmas. Home Depot says to check with your local store, but locations will generally close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and remain closed on Christmas Day. Lowe's will be open as normal on Christmas Eve and will close on Christmas Day. Department store Macy's will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve and close on Christmas Day. Kohl's will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve and close on Christmas. Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores will be open with limited store hours on Christmas Eve and close the next day. Most banks follow the Federal Reserve banking holidays, so most teller services will be closed Christmas Day. As always, you can use mobile banking services and ATMs. Bank of America will be closed on Christmas Day. Wells Fargo will close at noon local time on Christmas Eve and will be closed all day Dec. 25. TD Bank will also be closed on Christmas. The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ will not be trading on Christmas Day. CVS Pharmacy locations will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas, but may have reduced hours. CVS said to check with your local store before visiting. Rite Aid will be open regular business hours on Christmas Eve but will close on Christmas Day. Walgreens will be open on Christmas Eve and all of its 24-hour pharmacies will remain open for 24 hours. On Christmas Day, Walgreens will operate during its usual hours, but the majority of pharmacies are closed except for 24-hour locations and certain others. The United States Postal Service will not be sending or shipping mail on Dec. 25. On Christmas Eve, FedEx Express and FedEx Office will be operating on modified hours, but other services such as FedEx Ground and Custom Critical will be open as normal. On Christmas Day, every FedEx service except Custom Critical will be unavailable. UPS will operate as usual on Christmas Eve. Limited UPS store locations will be open on Christmas Day, and only the UPS Express Critical service will be available.
Austin Ekeler injury update: Commanders' RB exits after big hit vs. Cowboys
Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? Researchers and watchdog groups say the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce detailed and novel online reviews has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. But AI-infused text generation tools enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice is illegal in the U.S. and becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to buy gifts. A tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews says AI-generated reviews have multiplied. Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers have voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move on Monday could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in the 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, the center-right National Liberal Party, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. President Klaus Iohannis is expected to swear in the new government later Monday. Stock market today: Wall Street mixed at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stock indexes are mixed in afternoon trading on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 21 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan Motor said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. AI will eavesdrop on world's wildest places to track and help protect endangered wildlife PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (AP) — A biologist hid 350 audio monitors across Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests to spy on endangered spider monkeys in order to help protect them. But she had to go back to collect the data and feed those sounds into artificial intelligence systems that can recognize monkey calls. Now tech giant Microsoft's philanthropic arm is hoping to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images and other wilderness data for a year or more without human intervention. Researchers say more AI wildlife surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the health of species at risk of extinction. Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban them WASHINGTON (AP) — The economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market, where Chinese-made flying devices are a dominant player in America. Lawmakers in Washington are seeking to ban new sales of Chinese-made drones, arguing they could be used to spy on Americans and that the low-cost models are hurting the U.S. drone industry. But U.S. users — spanning from police officers to farmers to mappers and filmmakers — have come to rely on Chinese-made drones, especially those by DJI Technology, for their work or lives. Florida has banned Chinese drones in state-funded programs, but also appropriated $25 million to help offset replacement costs.
Three of these images are fake. Can you spot the real image? Some images generated by artificial intelligence have become so convincingly real that there is no surefire way to spot the fakes. But experts say there are still things we can try to detect fakes. "Media literacy is super awesome," said Matt Groh, assistant professor at Northwestern University. "But it needs to extend to AI literacy. Like the classic kind of things that you want to teach in media literacy, we still need to teach those same things. We just need to add the AI portion to it now." RELATED STORY | Nobel Prize in physics awarded to 2 scientists for discoveries that enabled artificial intelligence Groh's team at Northwestern released a guide on how to spot AI generated images. The full preprint paper was released in June. "So what we've done is we've articulated 5 different categories of artifacts, implausibilities," Groh said. "Ways to tell AI-generated image apart from a real photograph." The academic preprint guide offers detailed tips, tricks and examples on spotting AI-generated images. It also teaches important questions to consider when consuming media. Anatomical implausibilities The first and easiest telltale signs: anatomical implausibilities. Ask yourself: Are the fingers, eyes, and bodies off? Are there extra limbs or do they bend strangely? Are there too many teeth? Stylistic implausibilities Ask yourself: Do images seem plastic, glossy, shiny or cartoonish? Are there overly dramatic or cinematic? Functional implausibilities Ask yourself: Is text garbled? Is clothing strange? Are objects not physically correct, like how this backpack strap merges into clothing? Violation of physics Ask yourself: Are light and shadows off? Are there impossible reflections? Sociocultural implausibilities Ask yourself: Are there images that are just too unbelievable or historically inaccurate? RELATED STORY | AI voice cloning: How programs are learning to pick up on pitch and tone "What we're trying to do is give you a snapshot of what it looks like in 2024 and how we can help people move their attention as effectively as possible," Groh said. "Education is really the biggest thing. There's education on the tools," said Cole Whitecotton, senior professional research associate at the National Center for Media Forensics. Whitecotton encourages the public to educate themselves and try AI tools to know their capabilities and limits. "I think everybody should go out and use it. And look at how these things do what they do and understand a bit of it," he said. "Everyone should interact with ChatGPT. In some way. Everyone should interact with Midjourney. And look at how these things do what they do and understand a bit of it." Whitecotton suggests being inquisitive and curious when scrolling through social media. "If you interacted with every piece of content in that way, then there you would be a lot less likely to be duped and to be sort of sucked into that sort of stuff, right?" he said. "How do you interact with Facebook and with Twitter and all these things? How do you consume the media?" Whitecotton added. RELATED STORY | Biden's AI advisor speaks on AI policy, deepfakes, and the use of AI in war While AI-generated images and videos continue to evolve, Groh and his team offer a realistic approach to a changing technological landscape where tips and tricks may become outdated quickly. "I think a real, good, useful thing is we build this. We update this every year. Okay, some of these things work. Some of these things don't. And I think once we have a base, we're able to update it," Groh said. "I think one of the problems is we didn't have a base. And so one of the things we're really excited about is even sharing our framework, because I think our framework is going to help people just navigate that conversation." So were you able to guess which image is real? If you guessed the image of the girl in the bottom left corner, you are correct! "It sucks that there's this misinformation in the world. But it's also possible to navigate this new problem," Groh said. If you want to test yourself even more, the Northwestern University research team has released this site that gives you a series of real and AI-generated images to differentiate.Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal
Ireland defender Dara O’Shea says he relishes the big stages as he hailed his Ipswich Town side for coming from behind to earn a point against Manchester United. The Dubliner has been a mainstay in Kieran McKenna’s side since arriving from Burnley last summer, and after the Tractor Boys’ run of three successive defeats last month, they are now unbeaten in their last three after this evening’s home draw against United, in what was also Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge. This is the 25-year-old’s third season as a Premier League player after previous campaigns with Burnley and West Brom, as he opened up on how much he enjoys taking on the best players in the country. “I’ve played in the Premier League before, it’s not something that fazes me,” he told the East Anglian Daily Times. “I relish playing against the big teams and the big players because you get to see where you’re at, show them how good you are and prove to yourself how good you are too. That’s the main thing. Ipswich Town's Dara O'Shea during the Premier League match at Portman Road, Ipswich “It’s disappointing not to get the win when we felt it was there for us today, but it was also a good point to build on that win against Spurs. All in all, it was a positive day for us. “Their goal was a bit of a shock to us (two minutes in). It was a break in play. We can definitely deal with it better, but how we reacted after that was really promising and shows what we’re about. “We didn’t let it dictate the game because it was so early on, which is big for us. The second-half was a bit of a graft too.” O’Shea also praised Fermanagh man McKenna for how he set up his Ipswich side against a United outfit who were playing under their new manager for the first time, after Erik ten Hag's departure last month. “A point in the Premier League is always a good point no matter who you’re playing, especially against United with a new manager who we didn’t know a whole lot about,” O’Shea continued, with Ireland attacker Sammie Szmodics also starting for Ipswich. “We didn’t know what they were going to be like today. Obviously they played a different way to how they have played previously with their new manager, but the gaffer did really well this week. He got our tactics spot on and almost knew what they were going to do in a way. Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in action with Ipswich Town's Dara O'Shea “It was quite man-to-man on the pitch, so you had to win your individual battles. That’s what it was going to take. I think that’s part of our DNA and that’s going to be part of how we’re successful this season.” Elsewhere this evening, Ireland’s Caoimhín Kelleher started his fifth successive Premier League game for Liverpool, helping Arne Slot’s side to a dramatic 3-2 victory away at Southampton. With first choice Alisson still sidelined, the Corkman started again and saved a first-half penalty from Adam Armstrong, although the forward made no mistake with the rebound. Mohamed Salah’s late penalty sealed a third consecutive league win for the Reds to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the league. Next up for Liverpool is a blockbuster Champions League clash at home to holders Real Madrid this Wednesday, with Kelleher in line to start again at Anfield as Alisson continues to recover from his hamstring injury.
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims' families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, , and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty for a decision they'd long sought. Supporters of , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.” Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017, called Biden's commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding that the weeks she spent in court with the hope of justice were now “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but some say they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can’t even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people," Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof’s case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims' families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I’ve got to stay away from the news today. I’ve got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden “has shown our country — and the rest of the world — that the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on the other hand, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Liz Murrill, Louisiana's Republican attorney general, criticized the commuted sentence of Len Davis, a former New Orleans policeman convicted of orchestrating the killing of a woman who had filed a complaint against him. “We can’t trust the Feds to get justice for victims of heinous crimes, so it’s long past time for the state to get it done,” the tough-on-crime Republican said in a written statement to the AP. Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system’s flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.” Swenson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.Is recycling worth it? Not according to the world’s richest man, Elon Musk . “ Recycling is pointless,” Musk wrote in mid-December to 207.8 million followers on the social media platform he owns. The intentions of recycling are good, but the scale of the issue is vast. The world produces massive amounts of plastic, some 507 million tons annually, with half designed for single use each year. But is the action as purposeless as the SpaceX owner claimed? Well, lots of plastic isn’t recyclable — and even items that are usually end up in landfills — although you shouldn’t stop putting your recycling out on the curb yet. “By 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish,” UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned . Pollution is now found “everywhere — all around us and inside us — from our seas to our blood, to our brains.” Since recycling programs and legislation were first widely implemented in the 1970s , a flood of plastic waste has been produced. Less than 10 percent of what has been generated globally has been recycled, according to research from 2015. In the U.S., just 8 percent of all plastic was recycled in 2017 and only 14 percent was collected for recyling, according to the nonprofit Sierra Club . The Environmental Protection Agency says only 32 percent of U.S. trash was recycled in 2018. Only 21 percent of residential recyclables are currently being recycled, according to a January report from The Recycling Partnership. The report found that every material type is under-recycled and that the majority of glass, cans, and plastic beverage bottles are lost to trash because not enough homes have recycling services. Recycling rates vary by location, plastic type, and its use, and most of the world’s waste ends up in landfills or is lost to nature. Sometimes, it is shipped to places where it is burned or dumped. Most plastic — even those with the recognizable three chasing arrows — is not recycleable, a Greenpeace report found in 2022. The amount of waste that can be recycled has fallen , making it hard for consumers who are keen to even do it. “Corporations like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Unilever have worked with industry front groups to promote plastic recycling as the solution to plastic waste for decades. But the data is clear: practically speaking, most plastic is just not recyclable. The real solution is to switch to systems of reuse and refill,” Lisa Ramsden , the Greenpeace USA’s Senior Plastics Campaigner, said. The arrow symbol identifies the type of plastic resin used in the product, which helps determine its appropriate route. But that symbol does not guarantee it will be recycled. Notably, the quality of what is recycled is often downgraded by contamination with labels or food remains, and recycled products will still have virgin plastic added for quality. Plastic can leach harmful chemicals as well as the cancer-causing microplastics that have permeated nearly everything on Earth. A Greenpeace report citing the United Nations Environment Programme said plastics contain more than 13,000 chemicals, with more than 3,200 of them known to be hazardous to human health. “The plastics industry—including fossil fuel, petrochemical, and consumer goods companies—continues to put forward plastic recycling as the solution to the plastic pollution crisis. But this report shows that the toxicity of plastic actually increases with recycling,” Graham Forbes, Greenpeace USA’s Global Plastics Campaign Lead, said. “Plastics have no place in a circular economy and it’s clear that the only real solution to ending plastic pollution is to massively reduce plastic production.” Amid the continuing climate crisis, one MIT researcher argues that people would be better served putting plastic waste into landfills. Recycling only reduces greenhouse gas emissions by between 2-3 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology . “The carbon benefits, the greenhouse-gas benefits of recycling are actually very, very small, really not worth it,” Andrew McAfee told Business Insider in 2019 . “What is really environmentally unsound is what we were doing up until China put a ban on it, which is packing up all of our plastics, sending it across the ocean, to a country that engaged in environmentally very, very dirty practices, to try to recycle that.” The consequences of the system have become incredibly clear: bottles and other plastics flowing in our rivers, lakes, and throughout our oceans . The US is the world’s largest producer of plastic waste . “It’s simply not possible to collect the vast quantity of these small pieces of plastic sold to U.S. consumers annually,” said Ramsden. “More plastic is being produced, and an even smaller percentage of it is being recycled. The crisis just gets worse and worse, and, without drastic change, will continue to worsen as the industry plans to triple plastic production by 2050.” But, even among all these barriers, there are “modest environmental benefits,” according to Last Week Tonight host John Oliver. Recycling can save energy and cut water use. Recycling plastic is also better than burning it , the Plastic Pollution Coalition says. “Even though there are many drawbacks, recycling remains an important part of efforts to reduce waste and conserve resources. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that it is not a perfect solution and that there are limitations to what recycling can achieve,” Boise State University’s College of Business and Economics said . “To make recycling more effective, it is important to focus on reducing contamination, improving infrastructure and exploring other waste reduction strategies. Or, look at other options, like reducing waste, composting, upcycling and others”
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Mahayuti, BJP leaders to decide Maharashtra’s next CM: BawankuleIt's easy to forget to buy gifts, decorations or supplies for a festive lunch in the frantic lead-up to Christmas. or signup to continue reading Check the trading hours of major stores, supermarkets and bottleshops throughout each Australian state to find out when shops close on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day in 2024. Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but closed on Christmas Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Store hours will continue as normal in the lead-up to Christmas with some varied trading hours on December 24. All ALDI stores will be closed on Christmas Day, and trading hours will vary for ALDI shops around the country on Boxing Day, with some stores opening an hour later than normal and closing an hour earlier. Normal trading hours apply to all Dan Murphy's shops on Christmas Eve. Some stores may extend trading hours, the liquor retailer said. All Dan Murphy's are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day from 10am to 7pm. Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. All BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen, with public holiday trading hours, on Boxing Day. First Choice Liquor Market stores are closed on Christmas Day but are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but are closed on Christmas Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars are open throughout the festive period but close on Christmas Day. Stores are open with normal trading hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but closed on Christmas Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Store hours will continue as normal in the lead-up to Christmas with some varied trading hours on December 24. All ALDI stores will be closed on Christmas Day, and trading hours will vary for ALDI shops around the country on Boxing Day, with some stores opening and closing later than normal. Normal trading hours apply to all Dan Murphy's shops on Christmas Eve. Some stores may extend trading hours, the liquor retailer said. All Dan Murphy's are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day from 10am to 7pm. Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. All BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen on Boxing Day with public holiday trading hours. First Choice Liquor Market stores are closed on Christmas Day but are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but are closed on Christmas Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars are open throughout the festive period but close on Christmas Day. Stores are open with normal trading hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but closed on Christmas Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Store hours will continue as normal in the lead-up to Christmas with some varied trading hours on December 24. All ALDI stores will be closed on Christmas Day, and trading hours will vary for ALDI shops around the country on Boxing Day, with some stores opening an hour later than normal and closing an hour earlier. Normal trading hours apply to Dan Murphy's shops on Christmas Eve. Some stores may extend trading hours, the liquor retailer said. All Dan Murphy's are closed on Christmas Day except for the Rowville and Burvale stores. Shops reopen on Boxing Day from 10am to 7pm. Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. Most BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen, with public holiday trading hours, on Boxing Day. Some stores in Victoria will open on Christmas Day. First Choice Liquor Market stores are closed on Christmas Day with the exception of the Bairnsdale store. Stores are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but most are closed on Christmas Day. Melbourne's Abbotsford store will open. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars are open throughout the festive period but close on Christmas Day. Stores are open with normal trading hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but closed on Christmas Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Normal trading hours apply to Dan Murphy's shops on Christmas Eve. Some stores may extend trading hours, the liquor retailer said. All Dan Murphy's are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day from 10am to 7pm. Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. Most BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen on Boxing Day with public holiday trading hours. Some stores in Tasmania will open on Christmas Day. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but most are closed on Christmas Day. Stores in St Ives, Launceston City, Hobart Gasworks, Mackey's, Elwick, New Norfolk, Claremont, Derwent, Valern, Brooker, Devonport, Furner's and Newstead will open. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. Adelaide's metro stores are closed on Boxing Day but regional stores are open from 8am to 8pm. The regional supermarkets are in Berri, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge Green, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Victor Harbor and Whyalla. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day. All regional stores are open on Boxing Day, except Millicent, but metropolitan stores are closed. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Store hours will continue as normal in the lead-up to Christmas with some varied trading hours on December 24. All ALDI stores will be closed on Christmas Day, and trading hours will vary for ALDI shops around the country on Boxing Day, with some stores opening an hour later than normal and closing an hour earlier. Normal trading hours apply to Dan Murphy's shops on Christmas Eve. Some stores may extend trading hours, the liquor retailer said. All Dan Murphy's are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day from 10am to 7pm. Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. All BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen, with public holiday trading hours, on Boxing Day. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but are closed on Christmas Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but closed on Christmas Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Store hours will continue as normal in the lead-up to Christmas with some varied trading hours on December 24. All ALDI stores will be closed on Christmas Day, and trading hours will vary for ALDI shops around the country on Boxing Day, with some stores opening an hour later than normal and closing an hour earlier. Normal trading hours apply to Dan Murphy's shops on Christmas Eve. Some stores may extend trading hours, the liquor retailer said. All Dan Murphy's are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day from 10am to 7pm. Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. All BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen, with public holiday trading hours, on Boxing Day. First Choice Liquor Market stores are closed on Christmas Day but are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and most are open on Boxing Day. Stores are closed on Christmas Day. Shops in Altone Park, Gosnells and North Perth Charles St are closed on Boxing Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars are open throughout the festive period but close on Christmas Day. Stores are open with normal trading hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. The liquor store said that although some stores' opening and closing hours may differ, the . Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but closed on Christmas Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day from 8am to 8pm. Gove supermarket has reduced trading hours, from 9am to 5pm, on Boxing Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. All BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen, with public holiday trading hours, on Boxing Day. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and most are open on Boxing Day. However, stores are closed on Christmas Day. The Alice Springs store is closed on Boxing Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars are open throughout the festive period but close on Christmas Day. Stores are open with normal trading hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some opening and closing hours may differ between stores but the , the liquor store said. Kmart stores are trading late on December 23, with many open until midnight, but shops close as early as 6pm on Christmas Eve. All stores are closed on Christmas Day and opening hours on Boxing Day vary between 8am and 10am. will be updated with individual opening hours for each store. BIG W stores will be closed on Christmas Day only but customers were encouraged to check the opening hours of their local BIG W by . All Coles supermarkets are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but closed on Christmas Day. Opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores but individual store trading hours are , Coles said. Woolworths supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day. Individual store opening hours may change and the supermarket encourages customers to check the . Store hours will continue as normal in the lead-up to Christmas with some varied trading hours on December 24. All ALDI stores will be closed on Christmas Day, and trading hours will vary for ALDI shops around the country on Boxing Day, with some stores opening an hour later than normal and closing an hour earlier. Normal trading hours apply to Dan Murphy's shops on Christmas Eve. Some stores may extend trading hours, the liquor retailer said. All Dan Murphy's are closed on Christmas Day but reopen on Boxing Day from 10am to 7pm. Stores are open on December 24 and normal trading hours apply. BWS said in the lead-up to Christmas. All BWS stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen on Boxing Day with public holiday trading hours. First Choice Liquor Market stores are closed on Christmas Day but are open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Some trading hours may vary from store to store and , First Choice Liquor Market said. Liquorland stores are open on Christmas Eve and most are open on Boxing Day. However, stores are closed on Christmas Day. The Red Hill and Milton Village stores are closed on Boxing Day. Liquorland said that although trading hours may differ from normal at some stores, individual store trading hours are . Vintage Cellars are open throughout the festive period but close on Christmas Day. Stores are open with normal trading hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. The liquor store said that although some stores' opening and closing hours may differ, the . Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement
Bali Nine transfer plans clouded by legal issues
