49ers coach Kyle Shanahan expresses confidence in struggling kicker Jake Moody
Before your Thanksgiving meal, here are some food safety tips from Public Health
They come in long convoys of tractors, sometimes with months of food supplies with them, to stage protests. Their demands may differ, but concerns about rising costs and falling incomes are common. Farmer angst around the world has been intensifying since 2021, from Paris and London to Delhi . And increasingly, their protests have started looking similar. In London, hundreds of farmers stormed Britain’s heart of government, Whitehall, this week, protesting a proposed 20% inheritance tax they say will be a stab in their backs. Their angst reflects broader dissatisfaction among many farming communities around the world, especially since the pandemic, including in India and mainland Europe. According to the Centre for International Policy Studies, dozens of farm groups in six continents have been protesting agricultural policies since 2021. Read more: SC panel ready with list of issues affecting farm sector The London scenes brought back memories of a standoff outside Delhi, where an uprising by farm unions during 2020-21 prompted the government to scrap three market-oriented agricultural laws. There are other echoes of Delhi in London. “No farmers, no food,” said a protester on BBC. Another held a placard: “Small farmers will die. They’ll have to borrow to pay tax.” “Tax businesses not farms. A 20% inheritance tax? It’s ridiculous, if you ask me,” said Sarah Boulden, a farmer from Wiltshire, southwest England. These concerns are similar to the core issues raised by farmers in food bowl states, such as Punjab. “The reasons vary. The demands differ. But what may be common (about the disenchantment) is the feeling that governments don’t realise the old ways are gone, and the new problems are new,” said Jeremy Clark, a London-based campaigner with the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), over phone on Wednesday. The latest challenges all over the world, to a large extent, have emanated from changing markets, declining profits and climate change, resulting in a “unappreciated crises”, Clark said. The protest in London was joined by celebrity TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson and James Dyson, a prominent business tycoon who supported Brexit. Farm unions in India, the world’s second-biggest wheat and rice producer, are seeking guarantees, backed by law, for minimum purchase prices of crops. In Europe, farmers in Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy and France etc. have driven tractors across their countries to protest curbs on how much fertilisers they can use and even how many acres they can sow. The new EU measures are part of concerted steps being taken to meet climate and emission goals. Subsidies for crop inputs are being slashed. In India, experts say subsidies alone haven’t been enough for producers to keep up with cultivation costs. Farmers have also become politically savvy. “In Europe, the protests were held in the run-up to the EU parliamentary polls, while in India too farmers were seen intensifying protests ahead of major elections,” said Mukul Paranjape, a researcher with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. While India doesn’t tax farm income, cultivators have long claimed they never get federally fixed floor prices for many commodities. Studies have shown that Indian farmers are “net taxed” or implicitly taxed due to the government’s efforts to keep food prices low. India’s agriculture sector hasn’t been generating enough revenues to keep farmers profitable for nearly two decades, according to a landmark 2018 report by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a grouping of 36 countries, and ICRIER, a think tank. The study looked at, among others indices, gross receipts — or total assets without adjusting for expenses— to the farm sector. Agriculture in India suffers negative total revenues despite large subsidies because of missed income opportunities due to frequent export bans and prohibition on stockpiling. So, prices paid by farmers have outstripped prices earned by them. Farm movements aren’t new. The Farmers’ Alliance, an American agrarian movement during the 1870s, sought to improve the economic conditions through collective bargaining through cooperatives and political advocacy. Cultivators in the US then faced similar problems as those in developing economies, such as India, a country with excess farm labour and small landholdings. Small land parcels typically lack economies of scale, which refers to falling costs with rising production. In January 1979, nearly 5000 farmers drove tractors to Washington, D.C., in a movement known as tractorcade to protest the Carter administration’s foreclosure of all loans, just as north Indian farmers had done in Delhi in January 2021, a protest that had turned violent. The group that led the rebellion, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, has planned a renewed phase of protests from next month with their old demand: guaranteed floor prices. The Union government announces minimum support prices for more than 20 crops to set a floor rate, so that farmers get a basic price assurance. However, government agencies buy only rice and wheat at the assured rates in sufficiently large quantities, which means several other produce, such as soyabean, groundnut, mustard, millets, lentils and maize etc, are sold for any price depending on what the markets offer. “These problems are not unique to India in the sense that European farmers think that regulations to make farming environment-friendly will hit their earnings. It’s ultimately an income issue,” Paranjape said. The centre-left Kier Starmer government will levy, from April 2026, a 20% tax on inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m, which were previously exempt. Still, this is half the non-farm inheritance tax rate. The argument for inheritance tax has been influential, especially after radical French economist Thomas Picketty published his book “Capital in the Twenty-First Century”, which called for “confiscatory” tax on inherited wealth to cut down inequality. Picketty, who marshalled centuries of data, argued that wages will always rise at a far slower pace than earnings from assets and profits, forever increasing the gap between rich and poor. His solution is a globally coordinated wealth tax, so that rich asset owners can’t relocate their assets to tax havens. In a recent paper, Picketty suggested a similar tax for India. “Raise phenomenally large tax revenues while leaving 99.96 per cent of the adults unaffected by the tax. In a baseline scenario, a 2 per cent annual tax on net wealth exceeding ₹ 10 crore and a 33 per cent inheritance tax on estates exceeding ₹ 10 crore in valuation would generate a massive 2.73 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in revenues,” his India paper suggested. In the UK, the farm inheritance tax will similarly apply on big-ticket estates worth more £1 million. However, farmers say that while they are “asset rich” in terms of their land, many are cash poor. Clarks said that many farmers would be forced to sell their estates. “Farmers don’t mind paying taxes. Bring them on provided farmers can earn profits that can match non-farm earnings,” Clarks said. Rising costs of cultivation are a common concern across farming communities. According to Britain’s agriculture department, there are about 210,000 farm estates worth £1 million or more that could be subjected to the inheritance tax. Clarks says piggery costs have risen by 54%, cattle rearing by 44% and grain farming by 43% due to higher food, fuel and fertiliser prices because subsidies have been declining since Brexit. An average farm last year made profits of about £45,300, according to government estimates. But farmers say this an exaggerated estimate because it excluded farms with lower earnings. In India too, farmers complain of rising costs and uncertainties from extreme weather. India sets inflation-indexed minimum support prices such that they give one-and-a-half times profit over costs. However, cultivators want these prices to be legally enforceable. Moreover, they want the government to use a broader measure of cultivation costs. The government uses the so-called “A2” formula, a narrower measure that includes all out-of-pocket expenses, plus the value of family labour. Farmers instead want the government to use the “C2 formula”, which includes the actual paid-out costs (on seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, etc) plus the notional value of family labour and rent, besides interest on owned land and capital. “Agriculture worldwide is on its knees. Farmers have reached the end of the rope,” Clark said. This is what Indian farmers allege too. There’s a sense of a rupture in the “social contract” between farmers and governments.
Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled the country. Assad’s departure on Sunday brings to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad’s exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. But faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to his father's brutal tactics to crush dissent. A long stalemate was quickly broken when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive late last month. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. South Korean prosecutors detain ex-defense chief over martial law imposition SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Local media say that ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun voluntarily appeared on Sunday at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. A law enforcement official says Kim was later sent to a Seoul detention facility. Kim's detention came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but one fewer loss. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.CONOR McGregor has confirmed he has instructed his legal team "to appeal the decision" after a civil trial found he did rape Nikita Hand. The disgraced fighter was ordered to pay the the mum-of-one almost €250,000 in damages after he was found to have raped her in a Dublin hotel on December 9, 2018. In a social media post shared to X (formerly Twitter) the thug said he plans to "move forward" and "get back to the gym" amid the appeal decision. He said: "People want to hear from me, I needed time. I know I made mistakes." And he continued: "I should have shut the party down. I should never have stepped out on the woman I love the most in the world. That’s all on me." "I have instructed my legal team to appeal the decision. I can’t go back and I will move forward. "I am beyond grateful to my family, friends and supporters all over the world who have stayed by my side. He added: "That’s it. No more. Getting back to the gym- the fight game awaits!" In the social media post McGregor continues to maintain his innocence despite the High Court decision last week. The Irish sports star previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand in a penthouse at the Beacon Hotel. Ms Hand was taken in an ambulance to the Rotunda Hospital the following day where she was assessed in the sexual assault treatment unit (SATU). A paramedic who examined Ms Hand the day after the assault had told the court she had not seen “someone so bruised” in a long time. His decision to appeal comes amid mounting pressure from the public and Irish politicians for a criminal case to be opened against McGregror following the civil trial outcome. And sources say the MMA star could still end up facing criminal charges after the High Court jury ruled he “brutally” raped and “battered” Nikita Hand in a hotel penthouse. In a statement a Garda source said: "An Garda Siochana is aware of the outcome on Friday in the High Court but does not comment on any decisions of the courts. “An Garda Siochana does not comment on decisions of or any interactions with the independent Office of the DPP.” Senior politicians are hoping public commentary on the case will influence the DPP’s decision. And a senior Garda source said they would not be surprised if a review of the criminal case is ordered. After the DPP decided not to proceed with a criminal prosecution, they wrote a letter to Ms Hand explaining why in August 2020. She said she felt “absolutely devastated and let down” by the decision.KINGSTON, Jamaica— Over 400 Jamaicans gathered in Kingston on Sunday for the Run for Rights 5K Walk and Run, an event organised by Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ). Marking JFJ’s 25th anniversary, the event aimed to raise awareness about critical human rights issues in Jamaica while fostering community solidarity. Participants wore colourful outfits representing key advocacy themes: blue for human rights, yellow for child rights, green for climate justice, and purple for victims of gender-based and domestic violence. The initiative underscored JFJ’s mission to create a Jamaica free from discrimination and violence. Speaking at the event, Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby lauded JFJ’s efforts to promote justice and equality. “This initiative not only brings awareness to critical issues but also mobilises the community to take meaningful action,” said Mayor Swaby. JFJ’s Executive Director, Mikel Jackson, expressed gratitude to attendees, emphasising the significance of collective action. “Your presence here today shows the power of unity. Every step taken is a step toward raising awareness and a stronger sense of responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in our society,” she said. In a news release, JFJ highlighted significant milestones, including justice for Michael Gayle, a mentally ill man reportedly beaten to death by security forces. JFJ successfully brought the case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), resulting in a $3 million compensation for Gayle’s family. JFJ noted its ongoing advocacy in cases like those of Matthew Lee and Mario Deane. In 2023, the organisation documented 289 cases out of over 300 reports for closer monitoring. Beyond legal advocacy, JFJ has expanded its outreach programs, including mobile legal clinics for marginalised individuals and school-based interventions to prevent youth involvement in legal conflicts. While the primary goal of the Run for Rights was to raise awareness, any net proceeds will support JFJ’s legal and advocacy programs, JFJ said. As JFJ looks ahead, the organisation says it remains steadfast in advancing social justice and empowering vulnerable communities through education and advocacy.
Special counsel moves to abandon election interference and classified documents cases against Trump
Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises TMC the metals company Inc . ("TMC" or the "Company") TMC investors of a class action representing investors that bought securities between May 12, 2023 and March 25, 2024 , inclusive (the "Class Period"). TMC investors have until January 7, 2025 to file a lead plaintiff motion. Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy , by phone 310-692-8883 or email : lesley@portnoylaw.com , to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors' options for pursuing claims to recover their losses. On March 25, 2024, TMC announced that its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2023 were no longer reliable and would need to be restated. The revision was due to issues regarding the Company's partnership with Low Carbon Royalties Inc. ("LCR"), specifically concerning whether the offsetting entry for the proceeds received from LCR should be categorized as debt or deferred income. TMC further clarified that, since the transaction with LCR was regarded as an equity investment rather than a sale, the future revenue sale would be reclassified as a royalty liability in accordance with the relevant accounting standards. As a result of this announcement, TMC's stock price dropped by $0.205, or 13.2%, closing at $1.345 per share on March 26, 2024, causing losses for investors. Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information. The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firm's founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq. Admitted CA and NY Bar lesley@portnoylaw.com 310-692-8883 www.portnoylaw.com Attorney Advertising © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.(The Center Square) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom said if President-elect Donald Trump ends the $7,500 electric vehicle rebate program, he’ll get Californians to pay for new credits. However, the credits would not include Tesla, which is the most popular EV company and the only EV manufacturer in the state. This comes weeks after Newsom and his administration passed new refinery and carbon credit regulations that will add up to $1.15 per gallon of gasoline and require Californians with gasoline-powered cars to earn up to another $1,000 per year in pretax income to afford. “We will intervene if the Trump Administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California,” said Newsom in a statement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose rocket launches were recently blocked by a California regulatory board that cited his personal politics, shared his disapproval on his social media platform, X, after Newsom staff told Bloomberg that Tesla models would not qualify for California rebates. “Even though Tesla is the only company who manufactures their EVs in California,” said Musk. “This is insane.” Musk recently moved SpaceX and X out of California, citing a new law signed by Newsom banning parental notification for gender change requests from K-12 students. The credits would be paid for through California’s cap-and-trade program, which requires carbon emitters to purchase credits from the state — costs which are generally passed on to consumers in the form of more expensive gasoline, energy, and even concrete. Emitters buy a few billion dollars worth of credits from California each year, with the state’s $135 billion high speed rail project getting the lion’s share of the revenue. The California Resources Board — all but two of whose voting members are appointed by the governor — recently approved $105 billion in EV charging credits and $8 billion in hydrogen charging credits to be largely paid for by drivers of gas cars and diesel trucks. An investigation by The Center Square found the change was pushed by EV makers and the builders of EV charging systems. Buyers of EV chargers, who pay for the energy and own the charger, sign installation contracts that permanently give away their rights to government or other EV charging credits generated from fueling a vehicle with electrons instead of gasoline. These chargers are often bundled with the purchase of an EV, or covered entirely by utility or government rebates, meaning they are permanent, zero-or-low-cost revenue streams for the company collecting the credits.
