Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the intelligence community, was “compromised.” Host Dana Bash said, “Let’s turn to former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who the president elect tapped to serve as Director of National Intelligence. She’s a critic of U.S. intelligence operations. She has promoted Russian propaganda. Your fellow Democrat, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, called her, ‘likely a Russian asset.’ Now, you and Tulsi Gabbard are both veterans. You served with her in the House what do you think of her?” Duckworth said, “Well, I think she’s compromised. I think by going to Syria and basically um, backing you know, a brutal dictator there. I mean Russian controlled media called her a Russian asset. So I do think that we have a real deep concern whether or not she’s a compromised person.” She added, “The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. So my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check.” Bash said, “So you know, you are a Democrat. You are in the minority now in the United States Senate. If she can find the votes among Republicans likely to get confirmed, it sounds like that would worry you to have her in that job.” Duckworth said, “Very much so. She has no intelligence background whatsoever. When she was inIraq she was a medical records clerk A-4 below the rank of sergeant. Her second deployment was actually to Kuwaiti naval base, where she only spent three months training the Kuwaiti military. I don’t know of any intelligence work that she has done. So she is in terms of the intelligence community, very unqualified. Plus she is potentially compromised and could be and has is there questions about whether or not she is now a Russian asset.” She added, “I think that she is someone who is wholly backing and supportive of Putin, and I worry that she will not have America’s best interests at heart.” Follow Pam Key on X @pamkeyNEN
Hundreds of commuters stranded in Banihal Banihal/Bhaderwah: Stuck in snow, while many sulked, some chose to allay their hardships by playing cricket inside the out-of-bounds 8.5-km Navyug Tunnel in Kashmir. Heavy snowfall has stranded hundreds of commuters on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Many spent the night inside their vehicles in the freezing temperature and demanded a fast reopening of the arterial road. The cold, however, failed to dampen certain sturdy spirits who warmed up with a good game of cricket inside the Navyug Tunnel that connects Banihal town in Ramban district of Jammu region with Qazigund in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. A video of the scene showed up on social media and was shared widely. Authorities on Saturday pressed men and machinery to ensure early reopening of the highway – the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country. The highway was closed down for vehicular traffic late Friday evening after the heavy snowfall – this season’s first – rendered the road slippery. Ramban Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary along with Senior Superintendent of Police Kulbir Singh visited Banihal to take stock of the situation. Many tourists had to spend the night inside their vehicles in the freezing temperatures. Lakhpat Behal, a tourist from Chandigarh, said they reached the tunnel around 7 pm on Friday and were not allowed to move forward. “We have been waiting in our vehicles for more than 20 hours, waiting for clearance from the authorities,” he said near the Navyug tunnel. A newlywed couple from Mumbai was also forced to spend the night in the vehicle. “The policemen asked us to return from the tunnel while we were heading for Kashmir but there were no hotels for accommodation...It is a nightmare to stay in the vehicle for 20 hours with no information when the road is going to be thrown open,” the husband, who wished not to be named, said. Tourists from Sangrur-Punjab and Madhya Pradesh said their dream visit to Kashmir turned horrendous for them. “We had decided to visit Kashmir on New Year to enjoy snow. We did enjoy the snowfall but faced a lot of trouble. We were concerned for our children who had to spend the night in the vehicle,” Yasmeena, who was accompanied by two children and three more family members, said. Ramban, along with adjoining Doda and Kishtwar districts, experienced the first major snowfall overnight, much to the delight of the locals, especially agriculturalists and those associated with the tourism industry. The snowfall not only ended the nearly two-and-a-half months dry spell in the Chenab Valley region but also turned Bhaderwah, Bhallessa, Doda and Kishtwar towns white after a gap of two years.‘That was the first?’ Christian Gonzalez reacts to making NFL historyNearly 7 in 10 People Get These Social Security Questions Wrong .Can You Do Better?
Looking for last-minute New Year Tickets? Check the top 5 platforms to secure affordable New Year trips, along with expert tips to grab the cheapest flights. As the New Year approaches, many Indian travelers are scrambling to finalize their holiday plans. According to a recent report by Niyo, a travel-banking fintech platform, nearly half of Indian international travelers booked their flights just a week before departure. With 48% of bookings made within 0-7 days of travel and 58 countries offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival for Indian passport holders, spontaneity is on the rise. If you’re one of those last-minute planners, don’t worry! Here are the top 5 websites to help you snag the best deals on flights and hotels for your New Year trip. Secret Hack for the Cheapest Last Minute Flights Here’s a little secret: booking directly through the airline’s local office, kiosk, or booking counter often gives you access to exclusive discounts and promotions. Keep an eye on airline miles and status promotions to maximize your rewards. This can significantly reduce your travel costs, especially when booking last minute. As New Year’s Eve approaches, if you’re still planning your trip, these websites can help you find the best last-minute deals. Embrace the spontaneity and enjoy your holiday with these handy booking tools. Safe travels! Click for more latest Tech news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Siddharth Shankar brings over a decade of experience in the realm of journalism, film making, and marketing, currently heading the Technology, Science, Gaming, and Automobile sections. He blends his expertise and passion to bring forth cutting-edge stories that resonate with a dynamic audience. Siddharth co-founded BWAutoworld.com for BW Businessworld and was leading Science and Technology domains for TimesNow Digital. For leads Siddharth can be reached on Twitter - @Siddh4rthAs officials of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited (KBJNL) are all set to release water from the Basavasagar Reservoir into canals on January 2, 2025, farmers in Yadgir district are getting ready for paddy plantation for the rabi season. However, many of them are facing a peculiar problem, i.e., shortage of experienced farm workers. Farmers in the region benefiting from the irrigation network of the Upper Krishna Project grow paddy as a major crop, while cotton and sugarcane are secondary crops. The Irrigation Consultation Committee, in its recent meeting, decided to discharge water from the reservoir on January 2. Paddy farmers who have prepared nurseries are, however, finding it difficult to find experienced workers to carry out plantation work. “Normally, we engage workers locally and also from the irrigated areas in Raichur district for plantation every season. But, this time, we may face a scarcity of workers because farmers are in a hurry to take up paddy plantation immediately after water is made available,” farmer Vijay Gulagi of Satyampet village said. According to farmers leaders, the reasons for the scarcity of labour are multifaceted. “A majority of local workers are busy in their village fairs being organised between the last week of December and January 15, which is considered the peak time for paddy plantation. And, they do not engage in any fieldwork. Moreover, for cotton and red gram growers, it is harvesting time and they too require workers during this period. Naturally, this leads to scarcity of farm workers,” district president of Karnataka Pranta Raita Sangha Channappa Anegundi said. The sudden surge in demand for workers has naturally forced farmers to look for farm workers from other States like West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand for paddy plantation. And, as farmers have no time to wait for local farm workers, they are now eager to avail themselves of services of workers from other States, who have already reached the district. “Last year, I engaged farm workers from other States during paddy cultivation, as I had to ensure that the water released from the reservoir was put to good use. I employed them paying wages they sought. There is no other option for us now and I will have to engage farm workers from other States for paddy plantation,” Vijay Gulagi told The Hindu . No doubt it costs more, but farmers are forced to employ farm workers from outside considering it as the need of the hour. In fact, they will have to arrange for food and erect shanties for accommodation of farm workers coming from outside. While the local farm workers charge ₹4,000 for per acre of paddy plantation, those coming from outside demand ₹5,000 per acre. However, some farmers are comfortable getting workers from outside, including those from Andhra Pradesh who have settled down in Yadgir district. According to farmers, farm workers from outside are more meticulous and systematic in their work, which make them the most sought-after during these times. “Maintaining proper measurement while planting paddy is more helpful in increasing yield. And, moreover, they complete work on time,” Mr. Channappa Anegundi said. He is, however, of the opinion that adaptation of technology will help address the issue of labour scarcity. When contacted, Joint Director of Agriculture Department Ratendranath Sugur admitted that migration of farm workers is a common phenomenon. He, however, said that farm workers from other States migrate to the district only for sugarcane harvesting and not for paddy plantation. Published - December 28, 2024 08:13 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditCarolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders was taken to a hospital for a neck injury after landing on his head while making a catch late in the first half of Sunday's 30-27 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. As Sanders was brought down near the sideline after a 10-yard reception, he was flipped upside down and landed directly on the top of his helmet as he went out of bounds on the tackle by cornerback Trent McDuffie. After receiving attention from the team's medical staff, Sanders was strapped to a backboard and taken off the field on a cart with 40 seconds remaining in the half. He was taken to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for observation and later released Sunday afternoon, according to the team. On the CBS broadcast following halftime, Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Sanders had movement in all his extremities, while extreme precaution was taken because of back tightness. CBS reported he was being examined for a concussion before later amending that to a neck injury. The 21-year-old rookie out of Texas had a team-leading three receptions for the Panthers at the half for 49 yards. In 11 games this season, Sanders has 29 receptions for 302 yards and a touchdown. Sanders was a fourth-round selection in the NFL draft in April. --Field Level Media Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.
