BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed the worst year for fires since 2005. And those fires contributed to deforestation, with authorities suspecting some fires were set to more easily clear land to run cattle. The Amazon is twice the size of India and sprawls across eight countries and one territory, storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise warm the planet. It has about 20% of the world’s fresh water and astounding biodiversity, including 16,000 known tree species. But governments have historically viewed it as an area to be exploited, with little regard for sustainability or the rights of its Indigenous peoples, and experts say exploitation by individuals and organized crime is rising at alarming rates. “The fires and drought experienced in 2024 across the Amazon rainforest could be ominous indicators that we are reaching the long-feared ecological tipping point,” said Andrew Miller, advocacy director at Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest. “Humanity’s window of opportunity to reverse this trend is shrinking, but still open.” There were some bright spots. The level of Amazonian forest loss fell in both Brazil and Colombia. And nations gathered for the annual United Nations conference on biodiversity agreed to give Indigenous peoples more say in nature conservation decisions. “If the Amazon rainforest is to avoid the tipping point, Indigenous people will have been a determinant factor,” Miller said. Wildfires and extreme drought Forest loss in Brazil’s Amazon — home to the largest swath of this rainforest — compared to the previous year, the lowest level of destruction in nine years. The improvement under leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva contrasted with deforestation that hit a 15-year high under Lula’s predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion over forest protection and weakened environmental agencies. In July, Colombia in deforestation in 2023, driven by a drop in environmental destruction. The country’s environment minister Susana Muhamad warned that 2024’s figures may not be as promising as a significant rise in deforestation had already been recorded by July due to dry weather caused by El Nino, a weather phenomenon that warms the central Pacific. Illegal economies continue to drive deforestation in the Andean nation. “It’s impossible to overlook the threat posed by organized crime and the economies they control to Amazon conservation,” said Bram Ebus, a consultant for Crisis Group in Latin America. “Illegal gold mining is expanding rapidly, driven by soaring global prices, and the revenues of illicit economies often surpass state budgets allocated to combat them.” In Brazil, large swaths of the rainforest were from fires raging across the Amazon, Cerrado savannah, Pantanal wetland and the state of Sao Paulo. Fires are traditionally used for deforestation and for managing pastures, and those man-made blazes were largely responsible for igniting the wildfires. For a second year, the , leading some countries to declare a state of emergency and distribute food and water to struggling residents. The situation was most critical in Brazil, where one of the Amazon River’s main tributaries Cesar Ipenza, an environmental lawyer who lives in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, said he believes people are becoming increasingly aware of the Amazon’s fundamental role “for the survival of society as a whole.” But, like Miller, he worries about a “point of no return of Amazon destruction.” It was the worst year for Amazon fires since 2005, according to nonprofit Rainforest Foundation US. Between January and October, an area larger than the state of Iowa — 37.42 million acres, or about 15.1 million hectares of Brazil’s Amazon — burned. Bolivia had a record number of fires in the first ten months of the year. “Forest fires have become a constant, especially in the summer months and require particular attention from the authorities who don’t how to deal with or respond to them,” Ipenza said. Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana also saw a surge in fires this year. Indigenous voices and rights made headway in 2024 The United Nations conference on biodiversity — this year known as COP16 — was hosted by Colombia. The meetings put the Amazon in the spotlight and a historic agreement was made to give Indigenous groups more of , a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize Indigenous people’s role in protecting land and combating climate change. Both Ebus and Miller saw promise in the appointment of Martin von Hildebrand as the new secretary general for the Amazon Treaty Cooperation Organization, announced during COP16. “As an expert on Amazon communities, he will need to align governments for joint conservation efforts. If the political will is there, international backers will step forward to finance new strategies to protect the world’s largest tropical rainforest,” Ebus said. Ebus said Amazon countries need to cooperate more, whether in law enforcement, deploying joint emergency teams to combat forest fires, or providing health care in remote Amazon borderlands. But they need help from the wider world, he said. “The well-being of the Amazon is a shared global responsibility, as consumer demand worldwide fuels the trade in commodities that finance violence and environmental destruction,” he said. Next year marks a critical moment for the Amazon, as Belém do Pará in northern Brazil hosts the first United Nations COP in the region that will focus on climate. “Leaders from Amazon countries have a chance to showcase strategies and demand tangible support,” Ebus said. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at . Steven Grattan, The Associated PressGREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Ryan Forrest's 30 points led N.C. A&T over North Carolina Central 85-72 on Saturday. Forrest shot 12 of 18 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 7 from the line for the Aggies (4-10). Landon Glasper scored 25 points while going 7 of 17 from the floor, including 5 for 12 from 3-point range, and 6 for 6 from the line. Jahnathan Lamothe went 3 of 7 from the field (1 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with nine points, while adding eight rebounds. The Aggies stopped an eight-game skid with the win. Po'Boigh King finished with 21 points for the Eagles (6-10). Keishon Porter added 11 points and seven rebounds for North Carolina Central. Dionte Johnson also recorded 11 points. N.C. A&T took the lead with 1:28 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 46-39 at halftime, with Glasper racking up 18 points. Forrest scored 18 points in the second half to help lead the way as N.C. A&T went on to secure a victory, outscoring North Carolina Central by six points in the second half. NEXT UP Up next for N.C. A&T is a matchup Thursday with Elon at home. North Carolina Central hosts Saint Andrews (NC) on Tuesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Microsoft EVP Takeshi Numoto sells $414,720 in stock
Behind the scenes of Kiyan Anthony’s commitment to SU (Letter from the Editor)
Affiliate Disclosure If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy . Google is 'three times a monopolist' says DOJ in anti-trust lawsuit Marko Zivkovic | Nov 25, 2024 The DOJ has accused Google of being a monopoly in the advertising market. 0 Facebook x.com Reddit Google has been the subject of antitrust lawsuits since 2023 , with the DOJ claiming that the company was an illegal monopoly in the search market. In August of 2024, the courts sided with the DOJ, but another lawsuit concerning the company's advertising technology followed shortly after. The Department of Justice provided its closing arguments in the latest case against Google on Monday. Its lawyer, Aaron Teitelbaum, claimed that Google had linked together its ad-related technologies in a way that stifled the growth of rival products, forcing publishers to rely on Google's systems for ad revenue. A News Corp. executive claimed that their company was effectively held hostage, as it would have lost $9 million in 2017 had it abandoned Google's advertising platform. In response, the lawyer representing Google, Vidushi Dyall, pushed back and questioned the lack of evidence, as the DOJ had failed to provide examples of rival products directly affected by Google's advertising technologies. The judge presiding in this case, Judge Leonie Brinkema, questioned the DOJ, and pointed out that advertiser feedback would be valuable in the case, as was reported by Ars Technica . Brinkema is set to issue a ruling on the case in the following months, and it's possible that she may side with the DOJ against Google, as the company's search technology was already declared an illegal monopoly. Google may be forced to sell off its Chrome browser as a result of a different trial, and the company is far from enthusiastic about it, saying that this could harm browser security. The DOJ hopes that Google will be forced to sell off its Ad Manager as well, since it represents a significant source of revenue for the company. It is unclear how the judge will rule. Regardless of the ruling and punishments levied against Google, there will be appeals through 2025. The incoming administration is a wild card that could change everything for Google's case. How the anti-trust lawsuits against Google could impact Apple's cases In March of 2024, the Department of Justice, together with multiple U.S. states , has also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of monopolistic practices . The company filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in August of 2024, and has asked the presiding judge to dismiss the case in November of the same year. The Department of Justice has also claimed that Apple is a monopoly. The ongoing anti-trust lawsuit against Apple alleges that the company is a monopoly because it restricts iMessage conversations to iPhone users, and prevents third parties from accessing NFC technology, among other things. Meanwhile, Apple has introduced RCS support with iOS 18 , and the DOJ case may not be an accurate accusation. The outcome of Google's anti-trust lawsuit about its advertising technologies is likely to influence the outcome of the case against Apple. At the same time, the arrival of the new administration could lead to an entirely different approach for these high-profile cases.‘The Agency’ gets renewal for Season 2 Paramount+ with Showtime renews ‘The Agency’ for season 2 as series debuts big The Agency is coming back with a second season. Paramount+ with Showtime has swiftly renewed the spy thriller series for season 2 following its impressive debut. The show launched on streaming and on-demand platforms on Nov. 29, with its debut following on Dec. 1. According to data from Paramount and VideoAmp , the series’ first episode garnered 5.1 million global viewers, making it Showtime's most-watched new series in history. "The success of ‘The Agency’ is proof that our new Showtime slate is poised to propel Paramount+ to its next phase of growth,” said Chris McCarthy, Paramount Global Co-CEO and President & CEO of Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios. “This achievement is a testament to the creative power of the team led by George Clooney, Jez Butterworth, Joe Wright, and David Glasser, and our incredible cast including Michael Fassbender, Richard Gere, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jeffrey Wright.” Based on the French series Le Bureau des Légendes, The Agency* stars Michael Fassbender, Richard Gere, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jeffrey Wright. The show also features a talented supporting cast, including Katherine Waterston, John Magaro, Alex Reznik, Andrew Brooke, Harriet Sansom Harris, India Fowler, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Reza Brojerdi, and Hugh Bonneville as a guest star. Recurring cast members include Adam Nagaitis, Ambreen Razia, Bilal Hasna, David Harewood, Kurt Egyiawan, Ray BLK, Sabrina Wu, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor. According to the official logline, the series follows “Martian (Michael Fassbender), a covert CIA agent, ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.” Denise Richards offers glimpse into new family oriented reality show Ariana Madix shares expectations from new Vanderpump Rules cast Nicole Kidman gushes over daughter Sunday Rose’s runway debut Pete Davidson reveals what Saturday Night Live ‘pays’ cast
NoneSkidding No. 10 Kansas hopes to get right vs. NC StateDe'Vondre Campbell won't be part of the 49ers after his refusal to enter a game, Kyle Shanahan says SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said linebacker De'Vondre Campbell won't be part of the 49ers moving forward after he refused to enter a game after losing his starting job. Josh Dubow, The Associated Press Dec 13, 2024 11:58 AM Dec 13, 2024 12:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell jogs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said linebacker De'Vondre Campbell won't be part of the 49ers moving forward after he refused to enter a game after losing his starting job. Shanahan said the team is still working through the options of how to deal with Campbell, who walked to the locker room in the middle of a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night when he refused to enter the game. “His actions from the game are not something you can do to your team or teammates and still expect to be a part of our team,” Shanahan said Friday. “We're working through the semantics right now, but we'll handle the situation appropriately." Shanahan said Campbell won't be part of the team for the final three weeks. Teams have the ability to suspend players up to four games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team, according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Niners also could just waive Campbell outright, which would allow him potentially to be claimed or signed by another team. Campbell signed a $5 million, one-year contract with San Francisco in March. Campbell had started 12 of the first 13 games of the season and played 90% of defensive snaps for the 49ers but was benched Thursday night after Dre Greenlaw came back for his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season’s Super Bowl. When the 49ers wanted to put Campbell in the game in the third quarter because Greenlaw was sidelined with soreness in his Achilles tendon, Campbell refused, something Shanahan said has never happened to him in his time as a head coach or an assistant in the NFL. Shanahan said Friday that he has not gotten any explanation from Campbell on why he didn't play. Campbell then walked off the field with a towel draped over his head and went into the locker room before the end of the game with the Rams that almost ended the 49ers' playoff hopes. Shanahan said he didn't send Campbell to the locker room and didn't know why he left the field. “Once I found out he wasn't playing, I moved on to people we could count on,” he said. Campbell's decision left his teammates angered and bewildered. "He’s a professional,” cornerback Charvarius Ward said after the game. “He’s been playing for a long time. If he didn’t want to play, he shouldn’t have dressed out. He could have told them before the game. So I feel like that was selfish. It definitely hurt the team. Dre went down and we needed a linebacker. ... For him to do that, that’s sucker (stuff) in my opinion. He’s probably going to get cut soon.” Ward is one of several 49ers who has played through injury or personal tragedy during a trying season for San Francisco. Ward’s 1-year-old daughter died on Oct. 28 but he has returned and played the last three games for San Francisco. Tight end George Kittle called Campbell's actions “stupid” and “immature.” “It’s one person making a selfish decision,” Kittle said. “I’ve never been around anybody that’s ever done that and I hope I’m never around anybody who does that again.” The 31-year-old Campbell signed in the offseason with San Francisco after being cut by Green Bay in March. He had been an All-Pro in 2021 for the Packers but his play fell off the last two seasons in Green Bay. That led to Campbell complaining on social media that he was misused by Green Bay. He expressed excitement about being with a new team but he never got back to his All-Pro level. Campbell had a few bright moments in San Francisco this season but struggled frequently with tackling and in coverage. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL Josh Dubow, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Jets and Jaguars, two of the NFL's most disappointing teams, meet amid uncertain futures Dec 13, 2024 1:31 PM Jets running back Hall 'looks promising' to play vs. Jags, but cornerback Reed is doubtful Dec 13, 2024 1:31 PM Bengals and coach Zac Taylor visit the Titans and Brian Callahan needing to win Dec 13, 2024 1:09 PM
