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YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Rasheed Bello had 19 points in Purdue Fort Wayne's 99-76 victory against Eastern Michigan on Sunday. Bello also contributed eight assists for the Mastodons (8-4). Jalen Jackson scored 17 points while going 7 of 12 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 1 for 3 from the line. Corey Hadnot II had 17 points and shot 6 for 8, including 5 for 6 from beyond the arc. Jalen Terry led the Eagles (5-5) in scoring, finishing with 28 points. Jalin Billingsley added 16 points and nine rebounds for Eastern Michigan. Da'Sean Nelson had 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Purdue Fort Wayne took the lead with 18:46 left in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 48-34 at halftime, with Jackson racking up 14 points. Purdue Fort Wayne extended its lead to 56-34 during the second half, fueled by an 8-0 scoring run. Maximus Nelson scored a team-high 12 points in the second half as his team closed out the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

PALM BEACH, USA – In his first news conference since his election victory six weeks ago, President-elect Donald Trump covered the Ukraine war, mysterious drones flying over New Jersey, the future of TikTok, and lawsuits aimed at the media he often loves to hate. Trump displayed the loquaciousness and bravado of his 2017-2021 White House years as he held court in an ornate room at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday, December 16, making an economic announcement and fielding questions for more than an hour. He bantered with reporters, a departure from the dark rhetoric and anger he often flashed on the campaign trail. He answered questions about Ukraine and Israel, but declined to say whether he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin or whether he would support military strikes on Iran. He seemed wiser to the ways of Washington and pleased, if a little bit puzzled, about his own new place in it, marveling at the steady procession of foreign leaders wanting to congratulate him and corporate CEOs rushing to meet with him. “The first term, everybody was fighting me,” he said. “In this term, everybody wants to be my friend. I don’t know — my personality changed or something.” Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 comes at a time of deep polarization in the country and is likely to test democratic institutions at home and relations abroad. Advisers say he has been focused on choosing members of his Cabinet and his broader team who are expected to carry out his plans to dramatically overhaul government and U.S. policy. Since his November 5 victory, Trump has not held one of his signature rallies or spoken at length to reporters, communicating instead through social media posts and the occasional speech. On Monday, however, he had good economic news to announce. With SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son at his side, Trump said the Japanese technology company would invest $100 billion in the US over the next four years. But that was just the warm-up act for the main event. Standing in front of the Trump coat of arms, the president-elect outlined some of his priorities for his second term, criticized President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration and defended some of his own controversial cabinet picks. The lengthy back and forth marked a contrast with Biden, who rarely holds news conferences. ‘Gotta make a deal’ Trump predicted his choice for Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., would be “much less radical than you think” but waxed on about whether there is a link between vaccines and autism while saying he supports the polio vaccine. Studies have found no links between vaccines and autism. Trump said “it would be a tragedy” if his choice for defense secretary, former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, does not make it to Senate confirmation amid concerns about allegations of misconduct in his professional and personal life. He spoke about the possibility of issuing a pardon to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and said he thought it was possible to eliminate $2 trillion in government spending through the Elon Musk-led government efficiency project. He said his administration will “take a look” at whether the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok should be banned in the US and encouraged the US military to tell the American public more about the nature of the drone sightings that have plagued the East Coast over the last several weeks. Trump also veered into personal grievances, vowing to file lawsuits against multiple media companies that he felt have abused him. “Now you need fair elections, you need borders, and you need a fair press,” Trump said, touching on some of his favorite grievance-related topics. “Our press is very corrupt. Almost as corrupt as our elections.” That interlude aside, Trump spent most of his time talking about foreign policy and the economy. Of the world’s two biggest hotspots, he was blunt: Hamas needs to reach a deal with Israel releasing the remaining hostages it is holding in Gaza, or face the consequences. If no ceasefire deal is reached by the time he takes office, Trump said, “it’s not going to be pleasant.” He also said Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy should be prepared to make a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to the nearly three-year-old Ukraine war. “Gotta make a deal,” Trump said. – Rappler.com

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, not to be distracted by his critics but to remain focused in his development plan. The former president who inaugurated 2.7 kilometre old garage-Lameco road in Osogbo, Tuesday, as part of activities marking the second year in office of Adeleke, praised Adeleke for surprising people that he is not just dancing but also performing. Obasanjo posited that Adeleke’s achievement is not only for the people of Osun alone, but for the entire Yoruba race. He said, “Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba race is in Osun State, so the development of Osun is in the interest of the entire Yoruba race. Ignore what your predecessors have failed to do. Focus on moving Osun to greater height and you will be doing good for the Yoruba people globally. “I decided to be here against all odds because of the successes Governor Adeleke achieved within two years. The governor has disappointed critics. He has shown that he is not only a good dancer but also a good performer.” Earlier, Governor Adeleke disclosed that his administration is committed to delivering on his agenda to reviving the state economy through infrastructure development. He said, “To revive the state and deliver on good governance, my administration launched out with a five-point agenda. We targeted specific areas of needs of the people which form the major components of the clearly defined agenda.The goal principally was to address the aspirations and immediate needs of our people. “Our administration has constructed over 120 kilometers of roads across the state. Several inter- state and intra-city roads completed are to be commissioned during this 16 days anniversary. Two major flyovers are also progressing to completion at Osogbo while works are progressing at the Ile Ife Flyover and Ilesa dualization. “I have redirected our efforts and plan at the completion of Iwo-Osogbo road. We have added the dualisation of Odoori – Adeeke road inside Iwo to be executed in two phases. The first phase will reach Post -Office and Oluwo Palace while the second phase will take off from Post Office to Adeeke Junction. “For the second half of our government, I reassure all sons and daughters of Osun State that the government under my leadership will complete all ongoing projects. We will continue to address the infra and social needs of our people. We will strike a balance between hard and soft infrastructure.”5 ways to tell if you’re on track for retirement — and 5 things to do if you need to catch up, according to experts5 ways to tell if you’re on track for retirement — and 5 things to do if you need to catch up, according to expertsPENN Entertainment PENN received a Wall Street upgrade Friday on a positive outlook for both its casino and sports betting segments. The PENN Analyst: JPMorgan analyst Joseph Greff upgraded shares of Penn from Neutral to Overweight and raised the price target from $19 to $27. Read Also: PENN Entertainment Stock Climbs Despite Q3 Earnings Miss: What’s Going On? The Analyst Takeaways : Penn has a favorable risk-reward going forward, Greff said in a new investor note. The analyst said there is a sightline to the "bottoming of its regional land-based casino cashflow generation" and a path to modest growth for its retail projects. "In addition, we see reasonably set expectations for near-term Interactive (OSB and iGaming) losses for the 4Q24 and 2025 with buy-side expectations for modestly positive EBITDA generation in 2026," Greff said. Greff said ESPN Bet continues to be one of the biggest drivers for the stock. "We see a scenario of modestly positive segment EBITDA as not priced in the shares and, importantly, is not that much more than PENN's estimated annual market access fees." Penn pays Walt Disney Co DIS for the rights to the ESPN name and brand. Greff said if ESPN Bet is not profitable, the company could shut it down and "milk the $60m-ish of market access fees." The analyst said company commentary said monthly active users were up 144% year-over-year for ESPN Bet with average handle per user up 64% month-over-month. Enhancements made by Penn to further integrate the ESPN brand into the platform ahead of the NFL season look to have paid off, the analyst added. The analyst said if ESPN Bet isn't successful, there is still value of the company's land-based casinos and market access fees that sportsbooks pay the company, assigning a value of $26 for this segment. Penn's $850 million being spent in 2024 and 2025 on four retail growth projects is highlighted by the analyst, which includes replacing a riverboat facility with a land-based casino and hotel, developing a new land-based casino and adding hotels for the Hollywood Columbus and M Resort properties. "Net-net we see a favorable fundamentally driven risk-reward given improving free cash flow ... and shrinking Interactive losses." PENN Price Action: Penn stock is up 3.60% to $20.73 on Friday versus a 52-week trading range of $13.50 to $27.21. Penn stock is down 20% year-to-date in 2024. Read Next: Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev Says Sports Betting Comments Taken ‘A Little Bit Out Of Context,’ But He Also ‘Wouldn’t Rule It Out’ Photo: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Is A10 Networks, Inc. (ATEN) An Undervalued Cybersecurity Stock to Buy?Chandigarh: Directorate of Enforcement (ED) wing in Gurgaon claimed to have seized moveable and immovable assets following searches at 14 locations in the case of Rs 500 crore fraud perpetrated on homebuyers by a Gurugram-based builder. The agency carried out search and seizure at various places linked to Orris Infrastructure and its directors Vijay Gupta, Amit Gupta and others, as well as Three C Shelters and its promoters Nirmal Singh Upptal, Vidhur Bhardwaj and others. The searches yielded incriminating documents related to diversion, layering of funds, property and other asset details of the entities as well as laptops and hard drives. Documents were also recovered from lockers in the office of Orris Infrastructure. Fixed deposits (FDs) and bank guarantees (BGs) amounting to Rs 31.22 crore in the name of Orris group were frozen and seized. Bank accounts and lockers belonging to promoters were frozen and four cars including a Mercedes, Porsche and BMW were seized from the residence of one of the directors/promoters of Orris Group. ED’s Gurugram action follows its investigation after registration of two FIRs in the case by the economic offences wing (EOW) of Delhi Police in 2017. The prosecuting agency had recently filed the chargesheet against the two companies and their promoters about cheating, criminal breach of trust and fraud. Orris Infrastructure and Three C Shelters entered a collaboration agreement to develop a residential group housing society named Greenpolis at Sector 89, Gurugram, Haryana, over about 47 acres owned by Orris Group, whereas the development rights for the residential society were granted to Three C Shelters. It is alleged that two entities hatched a criminal conspiracy and siphoned off the hard earned money of the homebuyers by not completing the project within the stipulated time and did not handover the residential units to homebuyers and investors. We also published the following articles recently Three Bihar IPS officers promoted, two given new roles Three Bihar-cadre IPS officers were promoted, while two others received new responsibilities. Sudhanshu Kumar was relieved of his additional charge, Anusuya Ransingh Sahu was promoted to IG of civil defence, and Vivek Kumar moved to DIG of CID. Mohammad Faroguddin was promoted to DIG of homeguard and fire services, with Mrityunjay Kumar Choudhary transferred to Vigilance Investigation Bureau. State-wide I-T searches on builder group on suspicion of tax evasion About 170 income tax officials conducted a search on three interconnected real estate firms across 34 sites in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, and Morbi. The investigation targets a Mehsana-based developer for suspected tax evasion involving silent partners with political ties. The search aims to uncover documents and financial records, with operations likely to continue for 2-3 days. Hyundai Motor Group partners with IIT Madras, two other IITs Hyundai Motor Group has partnered with IITs Madras, Delhi, and Bombay to drive advancements in batteries and electrification tailored to the Indian market. A Hyundai Centre of Excellence will be set up at IIT Delhi, with a $7 million investment over five years. The collaboration will also involve software, hydrogen fuel cells, and EV ecosystem development.Get ready for a college football bowl season like you’ve never seen. It’s the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff to determine the national champion, with first-round games kicking off Friday, December 20. In the new format, the top four conference champions (Oregon, Georgia, Arizona State and Boise State) receive a first-round bye and automatic entry into the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams play in the four-game first round, with matchups held at the home stadiums of the higher-ranked participants. The “New Year’s Six” bowls serve as the quarterfinals and semifinals, with the national championship decided Monday, January 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Of course, there’s still plenty of college football postseason action through early January that doesn’t involve the national championship chase. The parade of bowl games begins Saturday, December 14, with the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. A great tradition continues in Landover, Maryland, as the Navy Midshipmen take on the Army Black Knights Saturday on CBS at 3/2c. Later on Saturday, the Heisman Trophy is presented to the season’s most outstanding player in a ceremony on ESPN at 8/7c. Finalists are Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel, Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (pictured above) and Miami QB Cam Ward. Here’s your complete lineup of College Football Playoff games and other bowl matchups: All times Eastern/Central. Friday, December 20 No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, ABC/ESPN, 8/7c Saturday, December 21 No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, noon/11a c, TNT/Max No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, 4/3c, TNT/Max No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, 8/7c, ABC/ESPN Tuesday, December 31 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Arizona): TBA vs. No. 3 Boise State, (ESPN) Wednesday, Jan. 1 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Atlanta): TBA vs. No. 4 Arizona State, 1/noon c, ESPN Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California): TBA vs. No. 1 Oregon, 5/4c, ESPN Allstate Sugar Bowl (New Orleans): TBA vs. No. 2 Georgia, 8:45/7:45c, ESPN Thursday, January 9 Capital One Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Friday, January 10 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (Arlington, Texas): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Monday, January 20 National Championship (Atlanta): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Saturday, December 14 Cricket Celebration Bowl (Atlanta): Jackson State vs. South Carolina State, noon/11a c, ABC IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama): South Alabama vs. Western Michigan, 9/8c, ESPN Tuesday, December 17 Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl (Frisco, Texas): Memphis vs. West Virginia, 9/8c, ESPN Wednesday, December 18 Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Florida): Western Kentucky vs. James Madison, 5:30/4:30c, ESPN Art of Sport LA Bowl (Inglewood, California): Cal vs. UNLV, 9/8c, ESPN Thursday, December 19 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans): Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston, 7/6c, ESPN2 Friday, December 20 StaffDNA Cure Bowl (Orlando, Florida): Ohio vs. Jacksonville State, noon/11a c, ESPN Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, Florida): 3:30/2:30c, ESPN Monday, December 23 Myrtle Beach Bowl (Conway, South Carolina): Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA, 11a/10a c, ESPN Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho): Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State, 2:30/1:30c, ESPN Tuesday, December 24 Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu): South Florida vs. San José State, 8/7c, ESPN Thursday, December 26 GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit): Pittsburgh vs. Toledo, 2/1xc, ESPN Rate Bowl (Phoenix): Rutgers vs. Kansas State, 5:30/4:30c, ESPN 68 Ventures Bowl (Mobile, Alabama): Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green, 9/8c, ESPN Friday, December 27 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, Texas): Oklahoma vs. Navy, noon/11a c, ESPN Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Alabama): Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt, 3:30/2:30c, ESPN AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Memphis, Tennessee): Texas Tech vs. Arkansas, 7/6c, ESPN DirecTV Holiday Bowl (San Diego): Syracuse vs. Washington State, 8/7c, Fox SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas): Texas A&M vs. USC, 10:30/9:30c, ESPN Saturday, December 28 Wasabi Fenway Bowl (Boston): UConn vs. North Carolina, 11a/10a c, ESPN Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (Bronx, New York): Boston College vs. Nebraska, Noon/11a c, ABC Isleta New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, New Mexico): Louisiana vs. TCU, 2:15/1:15c, ESPN Pop-Tarts Bowl (Orlando, Florida): Iowa State vs. Miami, 3:30/2:30c, ABC Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Arizona): Miami (Ohio) vs. Colorado State, 4:30/3:30c, The CW Go Bowling Military Bowl (Annapolis, Maryland): East Carolina vs. NC State, 5:45/4:45c, ESPN Valero Alamo Bowl (San Antonio): BYU vs. Colorado, 7:30/6:30c, ABC Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (Shreveport, Louisiana): Marshall vs. Army, 9:15/8:15c, ESPN Monday, December 30 TransPerfect Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tennessee): Iowa vs. Missouri, 2:30/1:30c, ESPN Tuesday, December 31 ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Florida): Alabama vs. Michigan, noon/11a c, ESPN Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas): Louisville vs. Washington, 2/1c, CBS Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Orlando, Florida): South Carolina vs. Illinois, 3/2c, ABC Kinder’s Texas Bowl (Houston): Baylor vs. LSU, 3:30/2:30c, ESPN Thursday, January 2 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Florida): Duke vs. Ole Miss, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Friday, January 3 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Dallas): North Texas vs. Texas State, 4/3c, ESPN Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, North Carolina): Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Saturday, January 4 Bahamas Bowl (Nassau, Bahamas): Buffalo vs. Liberty, 11a/10a c, ESPN2 More Headlines:

College Football Playoff & Bowl Game TV Schedule 2024FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup

Tarar for 'acceptable to all' AI regulatory framework

Elon Musk teased the internet with an X post about "Xmail" as a potential rival to Gmail, which sparked trolling among fans and critics. Musk doubled down on a conversation he started earlier in February, when he claimed to be developing a new email service called Xmail, seemingly coming for Gmail's 1.8 billion users . "When we making XMail?" asked X security engineer, Nate McGrady, to which Musk replied, "It's coming." When we making XMail? Today Musk reignited the conversation, setting his target on Gmail, which is owned by Google . The topic quickly became the No. 2 trending conversation on X with 22,600 posts talking about it. "Interesting," Musk wrote on X. "We need to rethink how messaging, including email, works overall." Interesting. We need to rethink how messaging, including email, works overall. https://t.co/6wZAslJLTc Musk wrote his reply after Nima Owji, an independent app researcher, commented, "Having an @x.com email address is the only thing that can stop me from using Gmail!" The post had 16.9 million views after it was published at 12:46 pm. Sunday. Musk's news was met with humor, with many memes trolling the idea of abandoning Gmail for Xmail, considering X's questionable key changes about collecting users' biometric data . "X wanting ppl to replace their GMAL with X mail," said user, @TrumpDownfall in an X post , and followed by a meme of Natasha Robinson and Amanda Seales hysterically laughing in a scene from the TV show Insecure . A user named @KirbyMiningCo said in an X post, "Nobody throwing out their Gmail accounts for an X email service lol." Nobody throwing out their gmail accounts for an X email service lol While some users on X were ready to sign up for Musk's undeveloped Xmail account, the general consent was not favorable for Musk on Reddit . "Ha, and I cannot stress this enough, ha," said commenter, DeliciousPumpkinPie, 10 months ago in the Subreddit r/technology , that published, " Elon Musk to Take on Gmail With New Xmail Service ." " Yeah, hard pass on that ," said an anonymous commenter with over 200 upvotes on Reddit , while another commenter asked, "Who the [expletive] would trust this person with their email?" According to the Express Tribune , Gmail makes up 30.70 percent of the email market with Apple Mail leading the way with 53.67 percent. About 10 percent use Outlook, Google Android, and Yahoo! Mail.

Britons will be better protected from energy price rises at the whim of President Putin by a clean-energy deal with Norway, Sir Keir Starmer has vowed. The prime minister will lay the ground for an agreement to increase cooperation on carbon capture and storage, as he heads on a two-day trip to northern Europe. Starmer and Jonas Gahr Store, the Norwegian prime minister, will begin formal work on the scheme in Norway on Monday and hope to complete negotiations in spring. It could mean the UK shares technological progress with Norway on green energy, or joins forces to pitch for global carbon capture and storage opportunities. Starmer and his Norwegian counterpart will hold talks when they fly on to Tallinn, Estonia, later on Monday for

Major retailers in UK and Ireland pull products associated with Conor McGregor

Copy link Copied Copy link Copied Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Already a subscriber? Login In a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, investing in truly “sovereign” capability in the Australian tech sector – rather than simply “domestic” capability – is critical for protecting the nation’s long-term defence interests. Informatech’s growth aligns with the federal government’s increasing emphasis on engaging Australian SMEs ahead of the local subsidiaries of multinational corporations. Informatech The impact of COVID-19 and ongoing regional security challenges highlight Australia’s supply vulnerabilities. Establishing sovereign capabilities involves ensuring a degree of self-sufficiency and security in critical areas of supply, to avoid the vulnerability of external dependency in key areas of national interest. The term sovereign capability is sometimes used interchangeably with domestic capability, but there is a critical difference. For example, while the local operations or subsidiaries of multinational tech giants might be considered onshore Australian domestic capabilities, their ultimate offshore ownership and control precludes them from being considered truly sovereign. SME frustration highlighted by Senate inquiry Australia’s senate inquiry into supporting the development of sovereign capability in the local tech sector, championed by Senator David Pocock, recommended that non-corporate Commonwealth entities increase their procurement targets from Australian SMEs. Sponsored by Informatech This content has been funded by an advertiser and written by the Nine commercial editorial team. Copy link Copied Copy link Copied Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Already a subscriber? Login Introducing your Newsfeed Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Latest In Technology Fetching latest articles Most Viewed In Technology

Seeking an end to “siloed data,” Utah State University (USU) last week unified its systems into a single platform, , in partnership with Salesforce Education. The project is designed to centralize data, improve how the university supports students throughout their journey, and lay the groundwork for other improvements like artificial intelligence-powered decision-making. It follows two years during which the university analyzed recruitment, admissions, student success, alumni engagement and marketing ecosystems. Officials found the programs relied on a variety of separate systems to manage student interactions, creating inefficiencies and communication challenges — and constraining data. Rene Eborn, USU associate vice president of digital transformation, who led the integration, said the new system will replace nine separate tools with five integrated ones. This will save time with administrative tasks and simplify the user experience. “People had to run manual reports and send them to each other off manual lists,” she said. “Our hope is to streamline not just the student experience but our staff and administration workloads, so that we can take that time that we used to spend doing all those manual processes and use those times to do more effective advising or more effective teaching and learning and really focus on what we're there to do.” The Salesforce Education Cloud draws data from sources across USU’s ecosystem, including learning management systems and advising records, using tools like MuleSoft to centralize all the information. From the student perspective, the integration allows students to turn to one platform that updates as they progress in their journey. Information they supply in the application process will follow them, preventing redundant work on their end. For staff, it provides a simple platform across departments to view student data and previous interactions, allowing them to coordinate messaging and avoid overlapping or irrelevant outreach. It also helps target outreach to a student’s specific needs, like providing information on academic support resources based on a student’s grades. Years of information about a student will remain visible even after they graduate and can shape alumni outreach strategies. The new system, Eborn noted, lays the groundwork for incorporating predictive analytics and AI features in the future, part of a trend toward data-informed decision-making at USU. In June, the school appointed its first chief data analytics officer. The full rollout of the OneUSU platform is expected to take 18 months, to ensure time to train staff and gather feedback from stakeholders. The school is starting with recruitment and admissions processes and expects the change to continue even beyond the next year and a half. “It does look like we're taking it slow, but when you actually look at the work that's got to be done, how we've got to change our processes and redesign the way we do our business models, 18 months is probably not long enough,” Eborn said. However, the platform is expected to be in its pilot stage by fall 2025. In addition to gathering feedback from students, parents and staff, USU will use the interface to monitor student success markers. “The metrics that institutions care about are retention, enrollment and the time of their staff,” Margo Martinez, vice president of education at Salesforce, said. For schools considering a similar integration, Eborn suggests reflecting on which user interfaces are effective in your personal life. For example, she took inspiration from Netflix, which also uses Salesforce to personalize suggested viewing. “The ones that you like the most are the ones that are the easiest,” she said. “And that's what we’re trying to do, is we're trying to make higher ed a better experience.”Adelaide’s ‘Goodwin’: United’s star recruit leads Mariners hammering

By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle The Oliver Fire Department raised a total of $1,500 for Oliver’s Starfish Pack Program at its 10th Annual Drive-Thru Breakfast on Saturday morning (Nov. 23). “A big thank you to everyone who came out to the Drive Thru-Breakfast,” said the Oliver Fire Department (OFD) on social media. Fill ur boots – Oliver Fire Chief Bob Graham collects donations in a fireman’s boot. Don Urquhart photo The breakfast by donation consisted of a breakfast sandwich (English muffin, egg, cheese and ham), hash brown, apple and coffee or orange juice, all served up to the car window by Oliver firefighters inside the firehall. Fire Chief Bob Graham told the Times Chronicle that the event started off a bit slower than previous years, lacking the early rush which possibly explains the slightly lower donations than the $2,000 that is typically raised at the event. When it was suggested that the weather, cold and rainy, might be to blame for the lack of early morning rush Graham laughed and recounted the various cold and snowy drive-through events in past years, including one year in which everyone’s windows were frozen shut requiring them to open their doors to get the breakfast items. Last stop on the line for choice of beverage. Don Urquhart photo All proceeds go to the Starfish Pack Program which ensures students who rely on school breakfast and lunch programs on school days don’t go hungry on weekends. Each week, volunteers fill backpacks with 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, and snacks and then deliver them to local schools for the students to take home on the weekend. The students return the empty backpacks to the school the following week, and our volunteers pick them up to be refilled for the following weekend. It costs approximately $600 to fill a backpack for a student for the full school year. For more information visit the Oliver Starfish or general Starfish website . Don Urquhart photo To contact the Oliver Starfish Pack Volunteer Coordinator, Sam Marsel, email [email protected] or call 250-488-7700. A donor form can be downloaded here .(The Center Square) – Although it remains unclear how many Democratic Senators will vote for the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, some House members in the party have explained why they voted yes, despite a controversial provision restricting military-funded transgender surgeries for minors. The nearly $900 billion bill passed the House 281-140 Wednesday, with 200 Republicans and 81 Democrats voting in favor versus 124 Democrats and 16 Republicans voting against it. Most of the NDAA consists of bipartisan agreements, such as pay raises for service members, strengthened ties with U.S. allies, and funding of new military technology. But a critical point of contention is a Republican addition that would prohibit the military’s health program from covering any gender dysphoria treatments on minors that could "result in sterilization.” The must-pass bill is so critical that nearly 40% of House Democrats voted in favor–but not without expressing their disappointment. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., condemned Republican colleagues who, she said, “chose to sully this bill with political culture wars;” nevertheless, she voted in favor. “While it doesn't address everything we asked for and consider important, including the full ability of parents to make their own decisions about healthcare for their children, it marks a rare moment of productive bipartisan agreement on what is arguably the most crucial legislation we take up as a body each year,” Houlahan said. The bill’s provision does not forbid service members’ children from receiving transgender therapy. It forbids the military’s health insurance provider, TRICARE, from covering treatments on minors that “may result in sterilization.” Reps. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, and Terri Sewell, D-Ala., also voted in favor of the bill despite their displeasure at the ban. “The NDAA is a hugely important bill. We had to pass it, which is why I voted yes,” Landsman posted on X Friday. “However, the anti-trans language that was attached to it was mean and awful and should never have been included.” “I have serious concerns about some remaining provisions that were placed in the bill for political purposes,” Sewell said Wednesday. “Still, the responsibility to support our service members and provide for our national security is one that I do not take lightly, which is why I ultimately chose to support the bill.” Besides the importance of annual military funding, another reason some House Democrats assented to the legislation is because they were successful in axing other House Republican amendments, such as a plan to eliminate reimbursements for service members who travel to obtain abortions. The Senate is expected to pass the bill within the next few days, after which President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law.

okebet agent login ph Ryan Smith Named as Chief Digital and Information Officer at Intermountain HealthTop war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in Israel-Hamas fightingMAURA Higgins' mum has revealed her "shock" after her daughter made a raunchy sex confession on I'm A Celebrity. The reality star's beloved mum Sharon is over in Australia to support her daughter whilst she is in the jungle. Former Love Islander Maura , 34, has made several saucy confessions during her time on the show, including one where she revealed she told her mother "EVERYTHING!" . But Sharon has now said sometimes her daughter gives a away a bit "too much" information. Speaking to The Mirror , she said: “I would say to her on Facetime, ‘is everything okay? Are you happy in all aspects of your relationship?’ "And she would always try and embarrass me by saying this, that and the other and I would say: ‘too much information. I don’t need to know, I don’t need to know.’ read more on Maura Higgins "She likes to make me embarrassed.” Meanwhile, earlier today The Sun exclusively revealed how Sharon is yet to meet her rumoured lover Pete Wicks . She told us: "I don't know him. I only know what she has told me, which is that she's single. She's just getting on with it. "I suppose being single, she's a young woman, she's going to date. She obviously doesn't want anything serious yet, so I don't know. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 "I never watch Strictly. I've never had interest in it. It's not a show I've ever watched, so I'm not going to start now." After starring on Love Island in 2019, Maura gained a reputation for being out spoken Commenting on this, Sharon told us: "I've always brought my children up to stand up for themselves. You have to in this life. "Maura has always listened to that end of things with me. "Because you cannot go about and have people insult you. "If there's anything somebody says that is inappropriate, you're entitled to speak up and tell them, 'No, you cannot do that'. "I like that she can stand up for herself. "But also the other side of Maura is, if she has an issue with somebody, she'll tell them. "She doesn't hold grudges. If it's ironed out, it's forgotten about." Asked about her friendship with Reverend Richard Coles - who she lived with in the Jungle Junkyard - Sharon said: "Maura gets on with everybody. "That was the pinnacle for me - I loved the banter between the two of them. It had me in stitches, I loved it. "Maura loves meeting new people, and anybody she does meet, they're friends for life. That's the way she is. READ MORE SUN STORIES "Maura is Maura. She has a potty mouth, but she's funny. I think with Maura, it's just her character. "She's fun-loving and she's a bubbly girl. She's always making any situation bright somehow by cracking jokes and having fun." i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz , Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street , was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women . She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher . Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan . It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth."

World News Live Today November 26, 2024: Who is Damian Williams? Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor who brought charges against Diddy resigns as Trump returns

CLEVELAND (AP) — Myles Garrett was in no mood to celebrate his birthday or making history. Garrett recorded two sacks to become the first NFL player with 14 sacks in four straight seasons, but the Cleveland Browns couldn't do anything on offense during a 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Garrett turned 29 and turned in another stellar performance in this dreadful season for the Browns (3-13), who had hoped to take another step after making the playoffs a year ago. But nothing has gone right in Cleveland, and now the team is facing another offseason of change. Garrett has 14 sacks this season and 102 1/2 in his eight-year career. He's making the case for a second consecutive NFL defensive player of the year honor. But there isn't any award that will ease the pain of his fourth double-digit loss season. “At the end of the day, we play for wins,” Garrett said. “The individual stuff is great. It's nice, you want to be remembered for all of the above. But cities remember you for wins and bringing championships back home. “That's always been my intention. So, I want to get back on track, want to get back to winning, whether it's the last one or whatever's in store next season.” Garrett recently made it clear that he does not want to be part of another rebuild in Cleveland, saying he wanted to see the team's plans to improve the roster. His comments opened the possibility that he could ask for a trade if he isn't satisfied with the Browns' outlook. After the Browns dropped their fifth in a row to finish 2-6 at home, Garrett said he never considered that it might be his last game in Cleveland. “I don't think about that kind of stuff,” he said. “My mission is to go out there and try to help this team win as a leader, as a brother, as a teammate. That's what I solely focus on. I'm not looking into the future. Next thing on my mind is recovery, looking at film, how can we improve going to the Ravens and try to play spoiler for them.” Garrett hasn't given up. For the second week in a row, he displayed extraordinary effort while chasing a scrambling quarterback without getting a sack. He won't quit. “He's the best pass rusher in the game,” Browns guard Joel Bitonio said. “You could ask all the players, all the coaches. He's probably the guy they fear going up against the most. He's dynamic. He's a special player. He's doing his thing. I hope we can get some stuff around him so he can win some games around here.” Garrett twice went into the medical tent during the game. He slowly walked to his locker to get dressed before turning on some music that brought a little life into an otherwise somber Cleveland locker room. Garrett laughed when asked if he's pushing himself to the end. “I'm just old,” he said. “I'm 29. I'm not going to be dragging myself through the finish line. I'll be fine by Friday, Saturday and be ready to go. I always am." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLGlobal Overhead Cranes Market 2024 To Reach $6.23 Billion By 2028 With A Growth Rate Of 6.6%

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records amid a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what’s already been a stellar year so far. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It’s climbed in 10 of the last 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 76 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. AT&T rose 4.6% after it boosted its profit forecast for the year. It also announced a $10 billion plan to send cash to its investors by buying back its own stock, while saying it expects to authorize another $10 billion of repurchases in 2027. On the losing end of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan’s Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans last December to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware reaffirmed a previous ruling that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. The judge denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. All told, the S&P 500 rose 2.73 points to 6,049.88. The Dow fell 76.47 to 44,705.53, and the Nasdaq composite gained 76.96 to 19,480.91. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. Continued strength there would raise optimism that the economy could remain out of a recession that many investors had earlier worried was inevitable. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.23% from 4.20% from late Monday. Yields have seesawed since Election Day amid worries that Trump’s preferences for lower tax rates and bigger tariffs could spur higher inflation along with economic growth. But traders are still confident the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in two weeks. They’re betting on a nearly three-in-four chance of that, according to data from CME Group. Lower rates can give the economy more juice, but they can also give inflation more fuel. The key report this week that could guide the Fed’s next move will arrive on Friday. It’s the monthly jobs report , which will show how many workers U.S. employers hired and fired during November. It could be difficult to parse given how much storms and strikes distorted figures in October. Based on trading in the options market, Friday’s jobs report appears to be the biggest potential market mover until the Fed announces its next decision on interest rates Dec. 18, according to strategists at Barclays Capital. In financial markets abroad, the value of South Korea’s currency fell 1.1% against the U.S. dollar following a frenetic night where President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and then later said he’d lift it after lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Stocks of Korean companies that trade in the United States also fell, including a 1.6% drop for SK Telecom. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to help lead global markets. Some analysts think Japanese stocks could end up benefiting from Trump’s threats to raise tariffs , including for goods coming from China . Trade relations between the U.S. and China took another step backward after China said it is banning exports to the U.S. of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The counterpunch came swiftly after the U.S. Commerce Department expanded the list of Chinese technology companies subject to export controls to include many that make equipment used to make computer chips, chipmaking tools and software. The 140 companies newly included in the so-called “entity list” are nearly all based in China. In China, stock indexes rose 1% in Hong Kong and 0.4% in Shanghai amid unconfirmed reports that Chinese leaders would meet next week to discuss planning for the coming year. Investors are hoping it may bring fresh stimulus to help spur growth in the world’s second-largest economy. In France, the CAC 40 rose 0.3% amid continued worries about politics in Paris , where the government is battling over the budget. AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.

Arizona falls to TCU 49-28, Wildcats out of bowl contention in Brent Brennan's first seasonMedia monitoring service Streem has conducted a ranking of Australia’s Top ten most prominent CMOs/marketing leaders from 20 November 2023 through to 19 November 2024, across print and online coverage. KFC’s Tami Cunningham took out the top spot with 307 mentions. Key drivers of her media presence included the global “Kentucky Fly Chicken” campaign, new menu innovations like double-breaded chicken waffles, and a creative competition allowing fans to stay at “The Colonel’s Lodge.” “We’ve had a great year, not only with all our retail brand work but also having unique experiences in the mix to bring our brand and products to life for our customers,” A KFC spokesperson told Mediaweek . “This year, we launched several experiential campaigns that saw mass engagement across earned and social media, and we’re excited to see brand love continue to grow locally. It takes an army to execute big creative ideas, and thanks must go to the entire KFC marketing team and our agency partners.” Australia’s highest-profile marketing chiefs from 20 November 2023 through to 19 November 2024 across print and online coverage. Coming in second, Volkswagen’s Nathan Johnson made headlines with 300 mentions. His coverage was propelled by the tech-heavy Australian update of the VW Crafter in November 2023 and discussions around a potential electric Amarok launch in May 2024. “You’re only as good as your vehicles and ours are the best, ones that a marketer and a strong team can drive to success,” Johnson told Mediaweek . “This data shows which Australian CMOs are thought leaders within the industry, successfully leveraging earned media to build brand awareness and credibility, spotlighting the campaigns and initiatives that cut through the noise in 2024,” Lauren Jefferies , head of insights at Streem said. Next in third place was Telstra’s Brent Smart , who achieved 210 mentions. His media presence was driven by consistent coverage of campaigns such as “Better on a Better Network” and “Wherever We Go,” his Black T-Shirts podcast with Adam Ferrier, and his involvement in The Marketing Academy’s 2024 scholarship program. In fourth place was Liana Dubois of Nine, with 189 mentions. Her coverage was primarily fueled by Nine Network’s role as the broadcaster for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, which generated significant national media interest. Ranked fifth, Chargefox’s Rob Asselman secured 179 mentions, largely due to the launch of Australia’s first “fuel card” for low-emission vehicles in partnership with Corpay. Andrew Hicks from Woolworths claimed sixth place with 169 mentions, driven by campaigns like the launch of limited-edition Olympics and Paralympics $2 coins and the festive “Make This Christmas a Classic” initiative. In seventh place was Michelle Klein of IAG, who garnered 156 mentions. Her media presence was supported by NRMA’s 100th-anniversary rebranding, the appointment of Accenture Song to enhance customer experience, and her participation at SXSW Sydney. Coming in eighth, Coca-Cola South Pacific’s Kate Miller received 143 mentions. Her standout moments included the launch of the “K-Wave” K-Pop-inspired Coca-Cola drink and an Oreo collaboration featuring Oreo-flavored Coke Zero and Coke-flavored Oreo cookies. Tony Quarmby of Tourism Northern Territory ranked ninth with 113 mentions. His media coverage was bolstered by Netflix’s Territory series and related advertising campaigns, as well as a collaboration with Bonds Pride. Rounding out the top ten was Yolanda Uys from Crown Resorts, with 107 mentions. Highlights included Crown’s strategic partnership with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the appointment of Initiative as its new media agency, and the MasterChef x Crown pop-up restaurant “ALUMNI.” Mediaweek Morning Report: Sign up here for the most important media, marketing and agency news delivered to your inbox every dayDictionary.com Names "Demure" as the 2024 Word of the Year

Is Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughingMEXICO CITY (AP) — Over 18,000 people in Mexico have registered online to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships in the country’s , but a random drawing in the end will determine who gets on the ballot, officials said Monday. The ruling party pushed through to make all federal judges stand for election, replacing the system where court employees and lawyers mainly move up through the ranks. Current court employees and their supporters have staged dozens of demonstrations against the reforms, calling them part of a ruling-party campaign to weaken checks and balances and eliminate independent regulatory and oversight bodies. Now, candidates for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships need only a law degree, a grade point average of 3.2, “five years of professional experience” and five letters of recommendation from neighbors or friends. That, and some luck in the final drawing. Officials rejected criticism that has called the process rushed or amateurish for the often highly technical posts that can hear cases including intellectual property, organized crime and Constitutional law. “The results have been spectacular,” said Arturo Zaldivar, a top advisor to President Claudia Sheinbaum. According to the plan, evaluation committees will have just over a month to review thousands of resumes and whittle the field to about 10 candidates or less for each for the 881 judgeships and Then 1,793 names chosen at random from those selected will appear on the ballot on June 1. Critics warn that many who land on the ballot will be unknowns who perhaps have never argued a case in the courts they seek to run. “You don’t elect a doctor or a surgeon for an operation based on their popularity, you elect them based on their technical expertise, their ability, their knowledge,” said Sergio Méndez Silva, the legal coordinator for the civic group Foundation for Justice. “That also applies for a judge.” With candidates now having to run election campaigns, critics warn there’s a chance drug cartels or political parties could finance them to get friendly judges onto the bench. There are also concerns that the evaluation committees deciding who makes the cut for the selection to appear on ballots may not be impartial. Most committee members were appointed by the legislative or executive branches, controlled by the ruling Morena party. Some critics argue that the current justice system, which is riddled with nepotism, corruption and a lack of accountability, needs to be changed. “We need a justice system that gives results,” said Martínez Garza, an academic and former head of the human rights commission in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon who has registered to run for a Supreme Court seat. Trials in Mexico can last for years, and the ruling party has added to meaning that a large percentage of the prison population is people awaiting trial. Fabiola Sánchez, The Associated PressFederal officials don’t have answers for mystery drone sightings: ‘We simply don’t know’

From peanut farmer to president: How Jimmy Carter rose to the Oval Office James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, a tiny town The eldest son, he was named after his father, a peanut farmer and businessman He married Rosalynn Smith on July 7, 1946 and they were together 77 years DEEP DIVE: Step by step, how Hamas carried out Oct 7 atrocities inside Israel By TATE DELLOYE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and KATELYN CARALLE SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 23:00, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 23:16, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, has died at the age of 100. His humble roots and astonishing life story encapsulated the American Dream. Born the son of a peanut farmer in rural Georgia, Carter began his path to the presidency as the longest of longshot candidates. As a one-term Georgia governor with little national recognition, he became America's first president from the Deep South since 1850. His devout Baptist faith perplexed the Northern establishment. As one Washington Post columnist joked at the time, 'Relax, He's not crazy. He's just Southern.' Carter ascended to the White House in 1977 in the shadow the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon's blighted administration. As a political outsider, he ran on a platform to 'clean up the mess in Washington'— a strategy that reverberated almost 40 years later when a fast talking interloper from New York named Donald Trump pledged to 'drain the swamp' during his 2016 campaign for the Oval Office. Carter's single term was marred by an oil crisis that saw Americans waiting in line for gas, and the scourge of 'stagflation' - which is high inflation coupled with slow economic growth. It culminated in the Iran hostage crisis which saw 52 Americans held in the US Embassy in Tehran for 444 days. But as president he also had his victories, including the signing of a formal peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979, known as the Camp David Accords. His decades-long focus on humanitarian and diplomatic efforts eventually earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Until he was sidelined by the 2020 pandemic, Carter continued to teach Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. He was married to his wife Rosalynn, for 77 years until her death in November 2023. They were the longest-married presidential couple. Together they raised four children and enjoyed dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After surviving metastatic brain and liver cancer in 2015, Carter began hospice care in February 2023 from his two-bedroom Georgia home that he has owned for more than six decades. His grandson, Jason, told the New York Times in January 2024: 'He was really honored and glad that he made it to the end with my grandmother, and that was a real treasure for him.' 'I think that for whatever reason, the way he approaches this is from a place of enormous faith. And so he just believes that for whatever reason, God’s not done with him yet.' Jimmy Carter, above in 2018, was the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. After his one term, Carter went on to found a nonprofit and worked closely with Habitat to Humanity. His decades-long focus on humanitarian and diplomatic efforts earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, a village that now has a population of around 725. He has the distinction of being the first US president to be born in a hospital. His father, whom he was named after, was a hardworking farmer and businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a nurse. Jimmy, as he would be called, was raised on his family's peanut farm outside of Plains in a rural community of 200 people called Archery. His father, James Earl Carter Sr, also operated a store for his workers that sold essentials such as salt and sugar and goods like soap, overalls and work shoes, according to Peter G Bourne's 1997 biography on Jimmy Carter. His father was 'fastidious about every dollar, (and) had a rule that everything on the farm had to pay its way.' Carter later attributed 'his fiscal conservatism to the teaching of his father during these depression years,' according to the biography. James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia. His father was a hardworking farmer and businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a nurse. Jimmy, as he would be called, was raised on his family's peanut farm outside of Plains in a rural community called Archery. Above, Carter in 1937 with his pet dog Bozo Carter when he was a student at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in an undated photo. He was admitted in 1943 and graduated in 1946 While on leave from the Naval Academy and back home in Plains two years later, Carter went on a date with 17-year-old Rosalynn Smith, a local girl he had known his whole life. Above, the couple on their wedding day on July 7, 1946 Rosalynn rejected his first proposal, telling Carter she promised her father she would finish college before marriage. They continued to write each other until she eventually accepted his proposal. Above, the couple on their wedding day in Plains, Georgia. 'Jimmy was wearing his white navy summer uniform and Rosalynn wore a white-and-blue dress,' Bourne wrote Carter's growing family moved around while he was deployed in the Navy. Above, Carter sits alongside his wife, and three sons in the 1950s, left to right: Chip, Jack, Rosalynn, Carter and Jeff Life on the farm, where he did chores from a young age - gathering eggs and pumping water - 'was a Huckleberry Finn existence,' wrote Bourne, who served as a special assistant to Carter during his presidency and who had known him since the 1960s. His mother worked as a nurse while his father became a community leader and, at one point, served in Georgia's state legislature. Carter was the first of four children. His sister, Gloria, was born on October 22, 1926, then Ruth, born on August 7, 1929, and the youngest, his brother, Billy, on March 29, 1937. All three of his younger siblings later died of pancreatic cancer. While the family would eventually become somewhat affluent, Carter's childhood home lacked electricity and indoor plumbing. At age ten, Carter stacked produce from his family farm onto a wagon and began selling it in town. After saving his money by age 13, Carter purchased five houses around Plains that the Great Depression had put on the market at rock-bottom prices. Postcards from his uncle, Tom Gordy, during his travels as part of the US Navy, interested the young Carter, and from an early age he set his sights on going to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, which has a high bar for admission. After Carter graduated from high school in 1941, he attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology in order to get into the academy. He was admitted in 1943. Carter left the Navy and took over the struggling family farm in 1953 when his father died of pancreatic cancer, eventually turning the business around. Above, Carter, who was then the governor of Georgia, announces his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for president on December 12, 1974 While working and managing the peanut farm and business, Carter also started becoming more involved in his community, and by 1955, he ran his first successful campaign: a seat on the Sumter County Board of Education. By 1962, Carter was a Georgia state senator, and won governor in 1970. Above, Walter Mondale (his selection for vice president) and Carter talking to reporters during their campaign for the White House in 1976 Carter wasn't well known when he announced his run for presidency in 1976. The leading newspaper in his home state ran a headline the day after his announcement that proclaimed, 'Jimmy Who Is Running For What!?' Above, Carter, campaigning for president in 1976, shakes hands with a factory worker who makes costume jewelry Carter positioned himself as a Washington outsider and the strategy worked. Above, Carter and Walter Mondale accept the Democratic nomination for president at the party's convention in New York City in 1976 with their wives, Rosalynn Carter, left, and Joan Mondale, right While on leave and back home in Plains two years later, Carter went on a date with 17-year-old Rosalynn Smith. He had known Rosalynn since she was born, and he was just three years old. Rosalynn was friends with his younger sister Ruth. The morning after the date, he told his mother: 'She's the one I'm going to marry,' Carter recalled in his 2015 book, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety. 'She was remarkably beautiful, almost painfully shy, obviously intelligent, and yet unrestrained in our discussions on the rumble seat of the Ford Coupe,' he wrote. Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born on August 18, 1927. Growing up in Plains, she excelled academically and was her class valedictorian, and had a strong relationship with God and her faith. Carter grew up in the Baptist church, according to Bourne's biography. Rosalynn rejected his first proposal, telling Carter she promised her father she would finish college before marriage. They continued to write each other, however, when he went back to Annapolis, and by the next February, she accepted his proposal, according to the book. They were married on July 7, 1946 in Plains. 'Jimmy was wearing his white navy summer uniform and Rosalynn wore a white-and-blue dress,' Bourne wrote. After he graduated from the Naval Academy with a bachelor's degree, Carter's Naval career started in Norfolk, Virginia where he trained enlisted men. The couple had their first child, John William Carter, known as Jack, on July 3, 1947. He then applied to the Navy's submarine program and the young family moved to New London, Connecticut. The couple would have three more children: James Earl Carter III, known as Chip, on April 12, 1950, Donnel Jeffrey, known as Jeff, born on August 18, 1952, and Amy Lynn, the youngest who was born on October 19, 1967. Americans would get to know her later as a young child in the White House. After about six years in the Navy and moving around the country depending on his deployment, Carter began working under then Captain Hyman G Rickover, who was overseeing the branch's nuclear-powered submarine program. But then Carter had 'a major existential crisis,' according to Bourne's biography. His father, 58, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died on July 22, 1953. His mother, Lillian, wanted Carter to come back to Plains to take over the family's business, which was struggling. But Rosalynn did not want to go back. 'It precipitated the greatest crisis of their marriage,' according to the biography with Carter saying: 'She almost quit me.' Nonetheless, Carter resigned from the Navy after serving for seven years and the family moved back to Plains. By the end of the decade, Carter and Rosalynn were able to turn around the farm and business, which was called Carter's Warehouse, 'a general-purpose seed and farm supply company,' according to the biography on his presidential library website. Above, Rosalynn, Amy and Jimmy Carter during one of his inaugural parties in 1977. Amy, the couple's youngest child, was nine-years-old when her father became president. Like many president's children, she was covered by the media during her time in the White House, including the fact that she had a cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang. Amy was the first child to live in the White House since the Kennedys 'The Carters were, by and large, unpretentious people. Much of the pomp and circumstance that had been a feature of previous administrations was frowned upon. Richard Nixon's huge presidential limousine was retired and replaced by a smaller one,' Robert A Strong wrote in his essay, Jimmy Carter: A Family Life. Above, during his inaugural parade on January 21, 1977, newly-elected Jimmy Carter walks with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, followed by the rest of the family, including the Carters' three grown sons. It was the first time in history that a president had not rode to the White House in a carriage or car Jimmy Carter was born in Plains, Georgia to a father who was a peanut farmer and businessman. Carter joined the Navy but resigned after his father, James Earl Carter Sr, died at age 58 in 1953. He went back to Plains with his family, and rebuilt the family's farm and business, which were close to ruin. Above, a peanut-shaped float passes by Carter during his inauguration in Washington, DC in 1977. Before he became president, Carter told reporters that his peanut farm and business would by handled by trustees to avoid any conflict of interest Carter also started becoming more involved in his community, and in 1955, he ran his first successful campaign: a seat on the Sumter County Board of Education. By 1962, Carter was a Georgia state senator, serving two terms. He ran for governor in 1966 but lost. After the loss, Carter 'turned increasingly for solace to his faith' and became a born-again Christian, according to Bourne's biography. In his book, A Full Life, Carter noted that it took him running for office in 1962 for some of the dynamics in his marriage to Rosalynn to change, writing that they became 'real partners.' Bourne pointed out that Rosalynn became his 'political partner,' and she chose to focus on mental health issues. 'Few were aware of what a significant role she played in their political symbiosis,' Bourne wrote. Carter tried again for governor, this time winning in 1970. While governor, Carter served both as chair for the Democratic Governor's Campaign Committee in 1972 and then the campaign chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1974. When he announced his candidacy for president in 1974, Carter was not well-known on a national level. 'Public reaction to his candidacy revealed that exposure to his party was not enough to gain him wide recognition,' said his biographer. In fact, the leading newspaper in his home state ran a headline the day after his announcement that proclaimed, "Jimmy Who Is Running For What!?"' But the country was reeling. President Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 after three articles of impeachment, including obstruction of justice, were adopted by a House of Representatives' committee. The scandal began after the arrest of the five men who broke into the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, DC, and subsequent cover-up. Meanwhile, the war in Vietnam continued and did not end until the next year under Gerald Ford, who became president after Nixon's resignation. 'In response to the twin nightmares of Vietnam and Watergate that had shattered public confidence in government... Americans gravitated toward leaders who were outside the Washington sphere. Answering the nation's need, Carter's slogan was 'A Leader, For A Change,' and Carter portrayed himself as an outsider who could 'clean up the mess in Washington.' It worked, and Carter won the Democratic nomination, and chose Walter Mondale, a senator from Minnesota, as his running mate. Gerald Ford had represented Michigan's 5th congressional district since 1949 when then Vice President Spiro T Agnew resigned on October 10, 1973 due to a corruption scandal that was separate from Watergate. Ford then became vice president and after Nixon resigned, president. He secured the Republican presidential nomination and chose Bob Dole, a senator for Kansas, as his running mate. The election was close but Carter won. When Carter took office on January 20, 1977, he 'sought to run the country the way he had run his farm - with unassuming austerity. Above, Carter signs an extension of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was passed by both the House and the Senate in the 1970s but had yet to be ratified (and still has not), at the White House on October 20, 1978 During Jimmy Carter's one term, there were many foreign policy issues, including the negotiation of the treaty that gave Panama control over the Panama Canal. It was officially handed over to Panama on December 31, 1999. Panamanians had rioted over American control of the canal in 1964. The treaty was signed on September 7, 1977. Above, Muhammad Ali, left, with Jimmy Carter, right, at a White House dinner in 1977 to celebrate the treaty signing Left photo: President Jimmy Carter, left, with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, middle, and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, right, start peace talks between the two nations on September 6, 1978 at presidential retreat Camp David. Right photo: Pope John Paul II, left, with President Jimmy Carter, right, at the White House on October 6, 1979 Once he took office in 1977, Carter sought to revive the Middle East peace process. Diplomatic efforts between Israel, Egypt and the US bore fruit when Carter met with Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin, right, and Egypt's President Anwar Sadat, left, at Camp David for a peace summit that lasted 13 days starting on September 6, 1978. Above, the trio join hands after what would become known as the Camp David Accords in the White House's East Room on September 18, 1978. The treaty, which was signed on March 26, 1979, normalized relations between the two countries Carter and Leonid Brezhnev, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, right, talk before signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, known as SALT, treaty on June 18, 1979 in Vienna, Austria. The first agreement between the two superpowers limiting nuclear armaments was signed in May 1972. This was the second arms control accord, known as SALT II, between the countries. However, after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, Carter did not pursue the Senate's approval of the treaty A little less than two years into his tenure, Carter would face the crisis that some contend was partly why he lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980: Iranian students took over the American Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979, taking 66 Americans hostage. While some of the hostages were freed, 52 people were held for 444 days until January 20, 1981 when Reagan took office. Above, Carter announces the settlement of the crisis on January 19, 1981 at the White House 'With hard work and favorable circumstances, I was chosen, and I relished the challenges and opportunities to make important decisions as president,' Carter wrote in his book, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety. When Carter took office on January 20, 1977, he 'sought to run the country the way he had run his farm - with unassuming austerity. This would be no "imperial presidency" like those of (Lyndon B) Johnson and Nixon,' Robert Strong wrote. Carter wanted to 'portray himself as a president close to the people,' and to that end, 'carried his own suit bag when he traveled,' 'ended the practice of "Hail to the Chief" played whenever he made a public appearance,' and Amy was enrolled in a public school, Bourne wrote in his biography. He wanted to balance the budget and reduce the deficit, reorganize the federal government and establish 'a long-range energy policy for the nation,' according to the biography. But he had a contentious relationship with Congress despite the fact that Democrats had majorities in both the Senate and the House. Carter tried to reduce the country's dependence on oil – there had been an earlier energy crisis in 1973 – and created the Department of Energy while enacting conservation measures. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as OPEC, pushed the price of oil higher from $13 to over $34, and Strong noted in his essay that 'this huge price increase resulted in a run-up in inflation.' By Independence Day in 1979, many Americans had to wait in line to get their gas. Soon after, Carter gave his so-called 'malaise' speech, which according to NPR, was 'to address the energy crisis, unemployment, inflation and something else a bit more nebulous: 'The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation,' Carter said. Initially, the speech was received positively, but then several members of his cabinet left – some resigned, some were fired. 'It's from then on that Carter had a really difficult time at bouncing back and being seen on the part of the American people as a strong and significant leader - especially a leader that could take America through solving the energy crisis,' Kevin Mattson, author of What the Heck Are You Up To, Mr. President?, told NPR . After Carter lost to Ronald Reagan, he and his wife, Rosalynn, founded the Carter Center in 1982, partnering with Emory University in Atlanta. The nonprofit's mission is to 'advance peace and health worldwide,' with numerous programs and democratic initiatives. Carter, left, and President George H W Bush, right, in the Oval Office on April 1, 1992. A reporter had asked who Carter was supporting in the 1992 presidential election between Bush and the Democratic nominee Bill Clinton. Carter, a Democrat, had said Clinton to laughs On August 9, 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After leaving the White House, Carter and his wife worked on humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, including helping to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. At the ceremony, Clinton said that Carter's work was 'truly unprecedented in American history, but to call him the 'greatest former president' does not do justice to him or his work' 'As a one-term southern governor with no national experience, it was presumed Carter came to office with little knowledge or interest in foreign policy. In fact, Carter saw foreign affairs as the most exciting and intellectually stimulating challenge of his presidency,' Bourne wrote. Carter's biggest success and, perhaps, failure both came on the foreign policy front. Strong wrote that the 39th president was 'determined to make human rights considerations integral to US foreign policy... Just as important, Carter's emphasis on human rights was consistent with his own beliefs on the necessity of living one's life in a moral way.' Once he took office, Carter sought to revive the Middle East peace process. Diplomatic efforts between Israel, Egypt and the US bore fruit when Carter met with Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egypt's President Anwar Sadat at Camp David, the president's retreat in Maryland, for a peace summit that lasted 13 days starting on September 6, 1978. The treaty, which was signed on March 26, 1979 normalized relations between the two countries. Carter also normalized relations between China and the United States in 1979. About two years into his tenure, Carter would face the crisis that some contend was partly why he lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980: Iranian students took over the American Embassy in Tehran, holding 66 Americans hostage on November 4, 1979. 'It was the most fateful day of the Carter presidency,' Bourne wrote. 'The nightly television pictures of Iranian students - burning the American flag, parading the hostages blindfolded, and shouting defiant anti-American slogans - enraged the American public.' A failed attempt to rescue the hostages in April 1980 along with an economic downtown lingered in the mind of voters during an election year. Carter was able to fend off a challenge from Ted Kennedy, then senator of Massachusetts, for the Democratic nomination but he was no match for Reagan, who beat him soundly: 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49. While some of the hostages were freed, 52 people were held until January 20, 1981 when Reagan took office. After his presidency, the Carters started working with Habitat for Humanity, a Christian nonprofit that builds affordable houses for those in need. The Carters contributed financially to the international organization, and helped build homes since 1984. Above, Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter attach siding to a Habitat for Humanity home in LaGrange, Georgia in June 2003 Carter noted that it took him running for office in 1962 for some of the dynamics in his marriage to Rosalynn to change, writing that they became 'real partners.' His biographer pointed out that Rosalynn became his 'political partner,' and she chose to focus on mental health issues, which she did for decades. 'Few were aware of what a significant role she played in their political symbiosis,' he wrote In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, according to its website, 'for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.' Above, the former president shows the award after the ceremony in Oslo, Norway on December 10, 2002 In May 2002, Carter became the first US president - in or out of office - to visit Cuba since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 Carter continued to put his foreign affair expertise to use, and served as a freelance ambassador for a variety of international missions. During his post-presidency, Carter, right, also met with several leaders, including Nelson Mandela, left, the former president of South Africa, celebrating his 89th birthday in Johannesburg on July 18, 2007 After the loss, Carter and his wife went back to Plains, but all was not well with the family's business, which had been put in a trust to avoid conflict of interests during his presidency. Bourne wrote that their warehouse business was 'more than $1 million in debt. They still owned approximately 4,000 acres of farmland, but in terms of cash they were near bankruptcy.' The couple wrote their memoirs, and Carter has authored more than 30 books. While working on his presidential library, Bourne wrote that Carter 'could not summon much enthusiasm for building a mausoleum to his presidency,' and that even before he left the White House, 'he had the idea of creating an institutional base for his continuing role in public life.' Carter said to Rosalynn, according to the book: 'We can develop a place to help people resolve disputes.' This was how the Carter Center, was born, according to the biography. The Carters founded the center in 1982, partnering with Emory University in Atlanta. The nonprofit's mission to 'advance peace and health worldwide,' with numerous programs and democratic initiatives that includes observing elections, according to its website. Carter also continued to put his skills as a negotiator and foreign affairs knowledge to use, and 'served as a freelance ambassador for a variety of international missions, including soothing disputes between countries, observing elections in nations with histories of fraudulent voting processes, and advising presidents on Middle East issues,' Strong wrote. In 1994, he helped the US to mediate with Kim Il-sung of North Korea regarding a pact on nuclear weapons. He also worked on other negotiations, such as the Nairobi Agreement in 1999 between Sudan and Uganda. He went on a mission to Haiti, and in 2002, a trip to Cuba where he met with Fidel Castro, according to Strong. The Carters also worked with Habitat for Humanity, a Christian nonprofit that builds affordable houses for those in need. The Carters contributed financially to the international organization, and helped to build homes since 1984. 'Habitat, apart from the Carter Center, (is) the only organization for which they would allow their names to be used for fund-raising purposes,' Bourne noted. Indeed, even after a fall in October 2019, Carter was seen working and drilling on a Habitat home with Rosalynn. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, according to its website, 'for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.' Carter, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 but beat it, told People that he had been at ease with having a few weeks left. In the July 2023, Carter's family announced that he was receiving hospice care at his two-bedroom home that he has lived in for the last 60 years. Carter taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown up until he was sidelined by the 2020 covid pandemic 'It's hard to live until you're 95 years old,' Carter told People. 'I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life' Jimmy Carter (pictured above in 2018) was a Naval officer, peanut farmer and businessman, one-term President of the United States, founder of a nonprofit, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic and humanitarian efforts over decades, author of over 30 books, devout Christian, husband of 77 years, and father of four His long goodbye had seemingly defied the odds of those who enter hospice care at the end of their life. 'He has also always been very ambitious — and that ambition extends to wanting to stick around and see what happens in the world,' said his biographer, Jonathan Alter. 'Carter once told me that he thought the biggest misconception about him was that he is weak,' Alter added. 'He’s been a record-breaker for decades — the oldest-living president, the longest-married president,' said longtime friend, Jill Stuckey, to the New York Times in February. 'It’s always been on President Carter’s terms. That’s how he’s living, and that’s how he’s going to die,' she added. 'It's hard to live until you're 95 years old,' he told the magazine for an article published in October 2019. 'I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life.' Israel-Hamas Politics New York Times Share or comment on this article: From peanut farmer to president: How Jimmy Carter rose to the Oval Office e-mail Add comment

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Middle East latest: Israeli strikes on Gaza hospital wound 3, Netanyahu vows 'iron fist' in Lebanon

As drink-spiking and date-rape drugs cases continue to stoke emotions, Victoria council is looking for answers The conversation re-entered the spotlight recently when the 2021 death of Victoria 18-year-old Samantha Sims-Somerville — who ingested a lethal dose of the well-known date-rape drug GHB — was re-classified a homicide by the Coroner's Service of B.C. Additionally, this month, a 16-year-old girl and her mom spoke with local media about her experience allegedly being drugged at a Vancouver Island party. Victoria police chief Del Manak spoke at council's Nov. 21 meeting about Somerville's death, which was initially ruled an accidental overdose. "This is an extremely tragic situation," he said. Manak explained that investigations like this can be tough, and some evidence, including second or third-hand evidence, can't always be admissible evidence to the court. He also mentioned that though the coroner's office deemed Somerville's death a homicide, there may not be enough evidence to prove anyone's culpability. "We aren't doubling down. This is an extremely serious case with just a horrific outcome and we're doing everything we can," Manak told the council. "I can't make up the evidence though, right? The evidence is the evidence and the courts will decide, not on a balance of probabilities, but on beyond a reasonable doubt if there's enough evidence that meets the charge-approval standard." Following the re-classification of Somerville's case, VicPD said it has since requested more information from the coroner about why. In the meantime, "out of an abundance of caution," it has forwarded the case to the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit, which looks after all suspicious deaths and homicide cases, for review. Council members put forward a motion to request an update from VicPD, the Greater Victoria School District, and the provincial government about any efforts being undertaken to raise awareness and prevent the use of date-rape drugs like GHB or Rohypnol. "What are we doing in Victoria about these crimes? What can city council do about these crimes? And likewise, what are high schools doing about these crimes? What are our not-for-profits, our social services agencies doing about these drugs? And what is VicPD doing?" asked councillor Matt Dell. Dell explained he recently talked to nightclub owners in the city, who said that they put up awareness posters, have safe drink spots where people can leave their drinks and offer free lids to cover the top of drinks, though other council members felt that it isn't enough. "I think we are doing our due diligence to let parents and victims know we're on their side and we want to do everything we can to educate the community and make sure that everything that could happen to prevent this is happening; that when there is a case, that charges are laid when they need to be laid that we're not just letting this slip through the system," Coun. Krista Loughton said. Stacey Forrester, a co-founder of Good Night Out, whose goal is to create safer spaces and prevent sexual violence in Vancouver and Victoria's nightlife, says suspected drink spiking is not a rare sight for their street-teams, which works in the cities' entertainment districts on Friday and Saturday nights. "A big part of our work is actually educating the public, not just on signs of drink spiking, but signs of predatory behaviour," Forrester explained in an interview in the summer. "We can only saturate women so much with 'cover your drink, don't leave it alone, don't [take] drinks from strangers.' Whereas, we need to educate bar staff and patrons, especially men, on signs that someone is being predatory." She explained red flags to watch for in bars and nightclubs include individuals targeting the most intoxicated person in the room, lingering around unattended drinks, buying drinks with a sense of entitlement or expectation, and trying to separate an intoxicated person from their friends. "Good Night Out has a three-hour training that includes all aspects of nightlife safety, including preventing drink spiking," Forrester said. "Talking about drink spiking is really important, but we also have to be aware that the most commonly used drug to render people incapacitated is alcohol. It just doesn't make the headlines." Coun. Stephen Hammond explained that he didn't support the motion because he felt it would be a waste of time for the province, the school district and VicPD to put a report together. He thought it would be better to encourage the parties to make sure people are being educated about the issue. "What I want is for the school district and for the police to be educating young men that they have no right over the bodies of young women, nor do they have the right to drug young women," Hammond said. "I would also prefer they spend the time educating young women about the harms, and that tragically, today, you can never leave a drink alone or out of your sight."INDIANAPOLIS — The Detroit Lions experienced some injury scares during Sunday’s 24-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts, but head coach Dan Campbell is optimistic about most of them. Receiver Kalif Raymond (foot) is the one to worry about. He was hit hard while returning a punt about midway through the third quarter, and he remained down on the field for a few moments. He eventually got up and walked off with a noticeable limp, appearing to favor his left foot. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.CLEVELAND (AP) — Myles Garrett was in no mood to celebrate his birthday or making history. Garrett recorded two sacks to become the first NFL player with 14 sacks in four straight seasons, but the Cleveland Browns couldn't do anything on offense during a 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Garrett turned 29 and turned in another stellar performance in this dreadful season for the Browns (3-13), who had hoped to take another step after making the playoffs a year ago. But nothing has gone right in Cleveland, and now the team is facing another offseason of change. Garrett has 14 sacks this season and 102 1/2 in his eight-year career. He's making the case for a second consecutive NFL defensive player of the year honor. But there isn't any award that will ease the pain of his fourth double-digit loss season. “At the end of the day, we play for wins,” Garrett said. “The individual stuff is great. It's nice, you want to be remembered for all of the above. But cities remember you for wins and bringing championships back home. “That's always been my intention. So, I want to get back on track, want to get back to winning, whether it's the last one or whatever's in store next season.” Garrett recently made it clear that he does not want to be part of another rebuild in Cleveland, saying he wanted to see the team's plans to improve the roster. His comments opened the possibility that he could ask for a trade if he isn't satisfied with the Browns' outlook. After the Browns dropped their fifth in a row to finish 2-6 at home, Garrett said he never considered that it might be his last game in Cleveland. “I don't think about that kind of stuff,” he said. “My mission is to go out there and try to help this team win as a leader, as a brother, as a teammate. That's what I solely focus on. I'm not looking into the future. Next thing on my mind is recovery, looking at film, how can we improve going to the Ravens and try to play spoiler for them.” Garrett hasn't given up. For the second week in a row, he displayed extraordinary effort while chasing a scrambling quarterback without getting a sack. He won't quit. “He's the best pass rusher in the game,” Browns guard Joel Bitonio said. “You could ask all the players, all the coaches. He's probably the guy they fear going up against the most. He's dynamic. He's a special player. He's doing his thing. I hope we can get some stuff around him so he can win some games around here.” Garrett twice went into the medical tent during the game. He slowly walked to his locker to get dressed before turning on some music that brought a little life into an otherwise somber Cleveland locker room. Garrett laughed when asked if he's pushing himself to the end. “I'm just old,” he said. “I'm 29. I'm not going to be dragging myself through the finish line. I'll be fine by Friday, Saturday and be ready to go. I always am." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Khloé Kardashian breaks silence on being 'single for about three years'85% candidates in Maha fray lose security deposit, Cong leads MVA chart with 9, none from BJPWASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department, turning to a longtime ally after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations. Bondi has been an outspoken defender of Trump. She was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial, when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S. military assistance to Ukraine on that country investigating then-former Vice President Joe Biden. And she was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his New York hush money criminal trial that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. “For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans — Not anymore,” Trump said in a social media post. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.” Gaetz stepped aside amid continued fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Gaetz’s vehemently denied the allegations, but his nomination stunned many career lawyers inside the Justice Department. Gaetz, who passed the bar but barely worked as a lawyer, had very little relevant experience for the job. Bondi comes with years of legal work under her belt and that other trait Trump prizes above all: loyalty. The hasty withdrawal by Gaetz and quick pivot to Bondi were the latest examples of Trump’s tumultuous decision-making as he rushes out nominations — some of questionable character and credentials — at a breakneck pace without the government vetting that is typical of presidential transitions. It’s an omen that despite running his most organized campaign for the White House this year, his return to the Oval Office might feature the same sort of drama that permeated his first term. Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that the transition team had backups in mind for his controversial nominees should they fail to get confirmed. Still, even in Trump’s world, things moved fast. Trump had been seeking to capitalize on his decisive election win to force Senate Republicans to accept provocative selections like Gaetz. The decision could heighten scrutiny on other controversial Trump nominees, including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, who faces sexual assault allegations that he denies. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz said in a statement one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1,” he added. Bondi is a well-known figure in Trump’s circle, and has been a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers. She’s been a vocal critic of the criminal cases against Trump. In one recent radio appearance, she called Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith and other prosecutors who have charged Trump “horrible” people she said were trying to make names for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our legal system.” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham predicted in a social media post that Bondi “will be confirmed quickly,” calling her selection a “grand slam, touchdown, hole in one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick.” If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Bondi would instantly become one of the most closely watched members of Trump’s Cabinet given the Republican’s threat to pursue retribution against perceived adversaries and concern among Democrats that he will look to bend the Justice Department to his will. A recent Supreme Court opinion not only conferred broad immunity on former presidents but also affirmed a president’s exclusive authority over the Justice Department’s investigative functions. As president, he demanded investigations into political opponents like Hillary Clinton and sought to use the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to advance his own interests, including in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Bondi would inherit a Justice Department expected to pivot sharply on civil rights, corporate enforcement and the prosecutions of hundreds of Trump supporters charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol — defendants whom Trump has pledged to pardon. It’s unlikely that Bondi would be confirmed in time to overlap with Smith, who brought two federal indictments against Trump that are both expected to wind down before the incoming president takes office. Special counsels are expected to produce reports on their work that historically are made public, but it remains unclear when such a document might be released.

okebet agent login philippines ( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) ZOETERMEER, NETHERLANDS, December 16, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- EasyDMARC, a vendor of the cloud-native email security and deliverability platform, announced today a strategic partnership with Helibytes Sdn Bhd, a leading managed Service Provider based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This partnership will help Helibytes's clients protect their email domains from being used for phishing and other fraudulent activities, as well as improve their email deliverability rate. Email security has become a significant concern for businesses of all sizes as cyberattacks, such as phishing and spoofing, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Verizon DBIR 2021 mentions that 93% of all successful cyberattacks begin with a phishing email. In light of this, Helibytes has taken a proactive approach to help its clients secure their email domains and protect their sensitive information. “We are excited to partner with EasyDMARC as an MSP to help organizations in Malaysia and Southeast Asia strengthen their email security ecosystem. By leveraging best practices, we aim to guide businesses in deploying essential email authentication protocols like BIMI and MTA-STS, bolstering existing email security, deliverability, and brand trust. With the support of local experts, we are committed to delivering solutions that protect against email threats and empower organizations to build resilience email communication with confidence,” said Fariz Alli, Founder of Helibytes. "We are thrilled to welcome Helibytes to our growing partner network. Their commitment to delivering exceptional IT services and support to their clients aligns perfectly with our mission to make email safer for everyone," said Gerasim Hovhannisyan, CEO of EasyDMARC. The DMARC standard enables the automatic flagging and removal of receiving emails that are impersonating senders' domains. It is a crucial way to prevent outbound phishing and spoofing attempts. About Helibytes Founded in 2019, Helibytes delivers cutting-edge technology solutions in cybersecurity, IT infrastructure modernization, and enterprise applications for diverse businesses. We are dedicated to providing superior solutions and professional services, leveraging our in-house local expertise and hands-on experience for both domestic and international clients. About EasyDMARC EasyDMARC is a cloud-native B2B SaaS to solve email security and deliverability problems in just a few clicks. With advanced tools, such as its AI-powered DMARC Report Analyser, DMARC, SPF, DKIM cloud management solutions, and email source reputation monitoring, EasyDMARC's platform helps customers stay safe and maintain the health of their domains without risk. Anush Yolyan EasyDMARC Inc. +1 8885635277 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. MENAFN15122024003118003196ID1108995553 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.By Chris Prentice and Amanda Cooper NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Global shares turned lower on Monday as traders focused on U.S. inflation data and chip stocks fell, while Beijing’s promise of stimulus and the sudden collapse of the Syrian government boosted oil and gold prices more than 1%. U.S. inflation data this week could cement a December interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve at its meeting next week. China’s decision on Monday to alter the wording of its stance toward monetary policy for the first time since 2010 helped global sentiment. Beijing pledged to introduce stimulus to encourage economic growth next year. The rapid collapse over the weekend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule complicates an already fraught situation in the Middle East. Friday’s U.S. monthly employment data was strong enough to soothe any concerns about the resilience of the economy, but not so robust as to rule out a rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week. MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe fell 2.05 points, or 0.23%, to 871.68. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 240.59 points, or 0.54%, to 44,401.93, the S&P 500 fell 37.42 points, or 0.61%, to 6,052.85 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 123.08 points, or 0.62%, to 19,736.69. Shares of chip maker Nvidia fell 2.5% after China’s market regulator said it had opened an investigation into the company over suspected violation of the country’s antimonopoly law. “In addition to being reminded that December is positive ‘close to three-fourths of the time,’ we have seen record equity inflows, full positioning from asset managers and the highest ever reading from the Conference Board’s survey of retail investor expectations,” Morgan Stanley’s chief investment officer, Lisa Shalett, said in a note. “Complacency indicators are flashing, however, and while we appreciate technicals’ short-term validity, we encourage long-term investors to be measured in their enthusiasm,” she said. European shares closed at their highest levels in six weeks on Monday, led by mining and luxury stocks, after China’s promise of renewed stimulus. The STOXX 600 index edged up 0.1%, and notched its eighth consecutive session of gains. COULD EXPECTED FED RATE CUT BE DERAILED? Last week’s U.S. November payrolls report showed 227,000 jobs were created, compared with expectations for a rise of 200,000, while October’s hurricane-distorted number was revised up. Markets now imply an 85% chance of a quarter-point cut at the Fed’s Dec. 17-18 meeting, up from 68% ahead of the jobs figures, and markets have a further three cuts priced in for next year. The next test is Wednesday’s U.S. inflation report. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro,rose 0.2% to 106.16, with the euro down 0.15% at $1.0552. U.S. Treasury yields rose as traders waited to see whether stubbornly high price pressures could derail expectations for a Fed rate cut next week. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 5 basis points to 4.203%, from 4.153% late on Friday..[US/] The European Central Bank is widely expected to deliver a quarter-point cut on Thursday. In Asian markets, Chinese stocks and bonds rallied after China’s Politburo was quoted as saying that the country will adopt an “appropriately loose” monetary policy next year, rather than a “prudent” one, marking the first time it has changed the wording of its stance in around 14 years. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan closed higher by 0.88%. South Korean stocks slid 2.8%, while the won currency weakened, even as authorities pledged all-out efforts to stabilise financial markets amid uncertainty over the fate of President Yoon Suk Yeol. This week is full of central bank meetings, aside from the ECB’s. The Swiss National Bank could cut rates by as much as half a point given slowing inflation, as could Canada’s central bank when it meets on Wednesday. The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Tuesday and is one of the central banks expected to hold fire, while Brazil’s central bank is set to hike again to contain inflation. “With geopolitical uncertainty high and conflicting signals from hard and soft data, monetary policy remains the only game in town to support economic activity, especially in the absence of strong political leadership in Paris and Berlin,” said Barclays economist Christian Keller. In France, President Emmanuel Macron had yet to name a new prime minister after Michel Barnier’s minority government collapsed last week over his austere budget. Geopolitical concerns lifted both oil and gold. Spot gold gained 1.1% to $2,662.98 per ounce, and U.S. gold futures settled 1% higher at $2,685.50.Oil prices rose over 1%, with Brent futures settling up 1.4% at $72.14 per barrel. U.S. crude finished up 1.7% at $68.37. “Events in Syria over the weekend could impact the crude market and increase the geopolitical risk premium on oil prices in the weeks and months to come amid yet more instability in the Middle East region,” said Jorge Leon, Rystad Energy’s head of geopolitical analysis. (Additional reporting by Wayne Cole in Sydney; Editing by Leslie Adler and Stephen Coates) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );(The Center Square) – Of the many costly security missteps uncovered at the rally site in Butler, Pa. where a would-be assassin nearly killed Donald Trump, one deterrent may have been relatively affordable. Rep. Pat Fallon said the U.S. Secret Service could have fashioned a rudimentary fence made of caution tape, signs, posts and stakes around the AGR building on July 13 for roughly $410. The agency’s decision to unman the outside of the building and exclude it from an overall security perimeter around the Butler Farm Show Grounds that day has drawn much criticism from lawmakers on the task force assembled to investigate both attempts on Trump’s life, the second occurring at a Mar-a-Lago golf course in September. During a heated seven-minute exchange with Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr., the Republican congressman from Texas said the agency’s $2 billion funding increase seemed far in excess of what it would have cost to have functioning drones, more coordinated radio communications, agents on a nearby water tower and security deterrents available in Butler. “What sticks in our craw is when we report to our constituents, we have to say, ‘Hey, this federal agency failed epically, and then they wanted to almost double their budget,’” Fallon said. The conversation devolved into a shouting match after Fallon then accused Rowe of showing up at a 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City for political purposes only. Rep. Pat Fallon, of Texas, questions Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. during Congressional task force hearing on the attempted assassination of President-elect Donald Trump in Butler, Pa.

AP News Summary at 3:17 p.m. ESTOne person said: "As things are, the lake is little more than a large open drain collecting all the debris the elements want to throw at us.” New Brighton’s marine lake has been described as “little more than a large open drain” collecting rubbish as a community looks to try and clean it up. The lake was built in the 1930s and is still popular amongst swimmers and visitors to the seaside resort despite problems. The lake was used up until 2021 as a water adventure park but permanently closed with algal blooms causing problems. The lake is one of the last historic features of a town that lost its iconic swimming baths, its tower, and pier. In 2023, the Friends of New Brighton Marine Lake was set up to try and improve the quality of the water in the lake both for the safety of those who swim there but also to attract more people to the resort. They have cleared blocked drains of rubbish and litter and lifted several Morrisons shopping trolleys. Though they said things have improved following cleanups, Clare Mahoney, from the group , has told Wirral Council: “The water remains in a poor state, full of debris and dirt, green and opaque, with little marine life. Without care, bluegreen algae, currently dormant, is likely to resurface, posing a threat to swimmers, children and young people, tourists, dogs and wildlife.” One recent comment highlighted by the group said while many were concerned about the lake, “literally thousands don’t give a damn. As things are, the lake is little more than a large open drain collecting all the debris the elements want to throw at us.” The group said: “For too long, there has been a sense that the poor state of the Lake is just something that the community has to live with,” adding that if it was cleaned, “marine life would return and the lake would stand as a beacon of hope, a visible testament to the power of community action and technology in bringing life back to forgotten, polluted places.” The group has applied for a £13,000 grant to try and improve water quality and have raised £13,500 so far including a £7,000 Wirral Borough of Culture grant for a new mural on the lake’s seawall. At a recent clean up, they pulled 150 bags of rubbish, trolleys, and bikes out of the water. Now they’re looking to help raise £200,000 to install aerator equipment and mussel ropes in the hopes the shellfish will naturally help clear the water. They’re looking to join Wirral’s bid for the Lottery Climate Action Fund but in order for this to move forward, they need to sign an agreement with Wirral Council who own the lake. Councillors will look at a presentation by the Friends group at a Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure committee meeting on November 28. The group told the council that working together would benefit the local community calling the lake “an extraordinary and much-loved asset, and a critical element of the regeneration of New Brighton.”

Capture, Celebrate, and Save Big: Reolink's Holiday Deals and #reocap Fun!WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. Vice President-elect JD Vance offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, the embattled choice to lead the Defense Department. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vance told reporters during a tour of western North Carolina. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, left, joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, attends a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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5 top tech gifts for the holidaysFulton Financial Co. (NASDAQ:FULT) Raises Dividend to $0.18 Per ShareWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit.

Paid Sick Leave Laws Continue Their Popularity Through State Ballot InitiativesAn artists drawing of an 80,000-square-foot building planned to be built adjacent to Maine Grains on Court Street in Skowhegan. The company has secured grants this year to support its purchase of new equipment that the company says will build its production capacity and reuse byproducts. Courtesy of Maine Grains SKOWHEGAN — Maine Grains has secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants this year to support its purchase of a new equipment line that the company says will build its production capacity and reuse byproducts. The grain manufacturer, which operates its grist mill at the former county jail on Court Street, has received funding from three grants this year that total $700,000, the company said in a news release Monday. All three sources of funding are expected to be used toward the purchase of a German-made “specialized cereal extrusion equipment line,” which will be housed in an 80,000-square-foot building planned on the lot adjacent to the former jail. “We are honored to play a role in restoring manufacturing infrastructure to central Maine that allows us to not only support local farmers growing wheat, oats, rye and other crops, but also helps build a resilient local food supply and good jobs,” founder and CEO Amber Lambke said in a statement. Lambke, also an elected member of the Skowhegan select board, continued: “This innovative extrusion equipment will be unique and adds capacity to the East Coast which is currently missing. Maine Grains will explore partnerships with other Maine companies that could benefit from co-manufacturing on the machinery as well.” In the news release, Maine Grains said the new equipment will allow it to produce “healthy, ready-to-eat, grain-based foods with ingredients that are locally sourced.” It will also “upcycle” local milling, cheesemaking, seaweed, blueberry and soy byproducts into “high fiber, high protein, high value packaged goods for sale to schools and institutions,” the company said. When complete, the new production lines and sales are expected to add 15 jobs, Lambke said. Maine Grains currently employs 20, she said. The grants Maine Grains has secured are intended to support the local food system and economic development. In December, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry awarded Maine Grains $250,000 through its Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program. That program is aimed to build resilience in the middle of Maine’s food supply chain, which in turn is intended to increase local food consumption. Maine Grains was also awarded $200,000 from the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan as part of $7 million in awards to companies statewide, Gov. Janet Mills announced in November. The funds came from the third and final phase of the Pandemic Recovery for an Innovative Maine Economy (PRIME) Fund, a $39.6 million Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan initiative administered by the Maine Technology Institute, aimed at helping Maine technology companies recover from the pandemic and catalyze long-term economic growth, according to the governor’s office. And in October, Maine Grains got another boost from a $200,000 New England Food Vision Prize from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, awarded to the Skowhegan Economic Development Corp., a quasi-municipal agency. SEDC intends to use the grant to partner with Maine Grains, the University of Maine System and Sodexo’s Maine Course to provide packaged, grain-based foods to schools. The New England Food Vision prizes support projects that build resilience, relationships and capacity within the regional food supply chain and thus lead to more use of local and regional food at schools and higher education institutions. Founded in 2012, Maine Grains says it is trying to expand its production capacity to meet a growing demand for local grain products for both commercial and retail customers. The company mills locally grown, organic and heritage grains. In 2020, Lambke, through the company Land & Furrow LLC, purchased the lot on Court Street where the new building is planned . Plans for the site, formerly the Kennebec Valley Inn that was demolished in 2018, also include a 13,000-sqaure-foot farmers market pavilion. The project is targeted for completion in 2025 or 2026, according to the Maine Grains’ news release. Sheridan Construction Corp. is the contractor. Since its founding, the company says it has milled more than 12 million pounds of grain in its 14,000-sqaure-foot production facility inside the former jail. The facility includes three Austrian stone mills. Along with the grist mill, the former jail building also houses a restaurant, a creamery, a knitting shop and a community radio station. Maine Grains finds ways to thrive, even during pandemic Maine Grains takes innovative leap to expand in downtown Skowhegan Made in Maine: Somerset Grist Mill in Skowhegan is another ‘Great Good Place’ We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous

Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYSE:BXMT) Announces Quarterly Dividend of $0.47Chris Paul passed Jason Kidd on Sunday for second on the NBA's all-time assists leaderboard, and the San Antonio Spurs rewarded him with a neat tribute Monday. Editor's Picks Paul passes Kidd for second in career assists 18h Michael C. Wright How Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama are evolving together 18d Michael C. Wright These 85 NBA players become trade-eligible on Sunday 11h Bobby Marks Paul reached the 12,092-assist milestone with his third assist of the game -- a pass that resulted in a 3-pointer for Victor Wembanyama . The Spurs celebrated Paul in the locker room postgame, then gifted him a basketball and a plaque with the names of each player he has assisted. He was moved to tears when talking to the team afterward about the achievement. "I can't say nothing but thank you. Seriously, seriously man. I know I'm hard to deal with a lot of times. I swear man, I'm so grateful," he said . "To be away from my family, y'all became my family. And so I know I'm a lot to deal with on the court, man, but I just love to hoop. And I hope that y'all get this opportunity to play as long as I have, so thank y'all so much." San Antonio continued to show love Monday, posting a video of a select group of Paul's former teammates who offered their congratulations. To Chris, from ... pic.twitter.com/n5lPDuL9vG It spanned as far back as Peja Stojakovic, Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo with the then-New Orleans Hornets, to Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan from the "Lob City" LA Clippers era. Recent teammates Stephen Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke too, as well as Wembanyama. Griffin leads the way for the most field goals made off Paul assists with 1,157, per Elias Sports Bureau. Former Hornets teammate David West is second at 1,120, and current Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is third at 634. Paul has averaged double-digit assists in seven of 20 NBA seasons. He averaged fewer than seven assists per game only twice in his career -- when he had 6.7 during the 2019-20 season, and 6.8 last season with the Golden State Warriors .World News | Federal Appeals Court Upholds Law Requiring Sale or Ban of TikTok in the US

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By REBECCA SANTANA WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country. It’s not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen. But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it’s possible, it’s a bad idea. Here’s a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about it and the prospects for ending it: During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Trump said he “absolutely” planned to halt birthright citizenship once in office. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous,” he said. Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship have argued that it creates an incentive for people to come to the U.S. illegally or take part in “birth tourism,” in which pregnant women enter the U.S. specifically to give birth so their children can have citizenship before returning to their home countries. “Simply crossing the border and having a child should not entitle anyone to citizenship,” said Eric Ruark, director of research for NumbersUSA, which argues for reducing immigration. The organization supports changes that would require at least one parent to be a permanent legal resident or a U.S. citizen for their children to automatically get citizenship. Others have argued that ending birthright citizenship would profoundly damage the country. “One of our big benefits is that people born here are citizens, are not an illegal underclass. There’s better assimilation and integration of immigrants and their children because of birthright citizenship,” said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the pro-immigration Cato Institute. In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 5.5 million children under age 18 lived with at least one parent in the country illegally in 2019, representing 7% of the U.S. child population. The vast majority of those children were U.S. citizens. The nonpartisan think tank said during Trump’s campaign for president in 2015 that the number of people in the country illegally would “balloon” if birthright citizenship were repealed, creating “a self-perpetuating class that would be excluded from social membership for generations.” In the aftermath of the Civil War, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment in July 1868. That amendment assured citizenship for all, including Black people. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” the 14th Amendment says. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” But the 14th Amendment didn’t always translate to everyone being afforded birthright citizenship. For example, it wasn’t until 1924 that Congress finally granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. A key case in the history of birthright citizenship came in 1898, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the states. The federal government had tried to deny him reentry into the county after a trip abroad on grounds he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some have argued that the 1898 case clearly applied to children born of parents who are both legal immigrants to America but that it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status or, for example, who come for a short-term like a tourist visa. “That is the leading case on this. In fact, it’s the only case on this,” said Andrew Arthur, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “It’s a lot more of an open legal question than most people think.” Some proponents of immigration restrictions have argued the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment allows the U.S. to deny citizenship to babies born to those in the country illegally. Trump himself used that language in his 2023 announcement that he would aim to end birthright citizenship if reelected. Trump wasn’t clear in his Sunday interview how he aims to end birthright citizenship. Asked how he could get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” Pressed further on whether he’d use an executive order, Trump said “if we can, through executive action.” He gave a lot more details in a 2023 post on his campaign website . In it, he said he would issue an executive order the first day of his presidency, making it clear that federal agencies “require that at least one parent be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic U.S. citizens.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president National Politics | With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight Trump wrote that the executive order would make clear that children of people in the U.S. illegally “should not be issued passports, Social Security numbers, or be eligible for certain taxpayer funded welfare benefits.” This would almost certainly end up in litigation. Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute said the law is clear that birthright citizenship can’t be ended by executive order but that Trump may be inclined to take a shot anyway through the courts. “I don’t take his statements very seriously. He has been saying things like this for almost a decade,” Nowrasteh said. “He didn’t do anything to further this agenda when he was president before. The law and judges are near uniformly opposed to his legal theory that the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States are not citizens.” Trump could steer Congress to pass a law to end birthright citizenship but would still face a legal challenge that it violates the Constitution. Associated Press reporter Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.Published 6:37 pm Friday, December 6, 2024 By Data Skrive We have best bets recommendations as the Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) enter a matchup against the Carolina Panthers (3-9) on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at Lincoln Financial Field on an eight-game winning streak. BetMGM is one of the most trusted Sportsbooks in the nation. Start with as little as $1 and place your bets today . Don’t miss a touchdown this NFL season. Catch every score with NFL RedZone on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Sign up today and watch seven hours of commercial-free football from every NFL game every Sunday. Think you know who will win the game? Sign up at BetMGM and place your bet today. Want to bet on this game’s spread? Head to BetMGM and place your wager today. Want to bet on the over/under in this matchup? Make your wager at BetMGM . Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Struggling Syracuse looks to climb back above .500 when it hosts Albany on Tuesday night. The Orange (4-4) are coming off a conference loss to Notre Dame where they failed to make a 3-pointer in a game for the first time in more than 10 years, going 0-for-9 from behind the arc. They will be without leading scorer J.J. Starling, who broke his hand in practice last Monday. Orange coach Adrian Autry said there was "no timetable" for Starling's return after the loss to the Fighting Irish and lamented his team's struggles with turnovers and free-throw shooting in the defeat. "Too many blown opportunities," Autry said. "We're not shooting the ball well. We have to adjust and go game by game now. Our front court has been pretty secure, but we have to keep working and getting better." Starling was averaging a team-high 19.8 points before his injury. The Orange may need to lean more on freshman Donnie Freeman, who has been a standout for Syracuse this season. He's averaging 12.8 points and 8.8 rebounds and already has four double-doubles. He was co-ACC Rookie of the Week last week. Defensively, the Orange have struggled. They rank No. 329 in scoring defense, giving up 79.4 points per game. Albany is scoring 77.2 ppg so far this season. The Great Danes (6-4) were downed by Boston University 80-74 in overtime on Saturday. They started the season 5-1 but have lost three of their last four. Senior guard Byron Joshua, a transfer from Alcorn State, is the Great Danes' leading scorer at 13.6 ppg. Amar'e Marshall was an All-America East Conference pick last season after averaging 16.7 points, but his field goal shooting has dropped from 43.4 percent last season to 34.5 percent this season. He is scoring 11.7 ppg. "I think we're learning how to compete at the right level," Albany coach Dwyane Killings said after a loss to Georgetown on Nov. 30. "I think the one thing that troubles us a lot is that our identity and our energy comes when the ball goes in the basket. When it doesn't, I don't think we have the grit that we need right now." Albany has been one of the best teams in the country in terms of steals. The Great Danes average 10.2 steals per game, which is tied for No. 12 in the nation. Syracuse is 8-0 against Albany all-time with the teams last meeting in 2011. Syracuse is 4-0 at home and 4-0 against non-power-conference opponents. --Field Level Media

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An inquest jury has made a series of recommendations for the improved supervision and care of vulnerable young people after recording a verdict of suicide in the death of a son of singer, Sinead O’Connor. The body of Shane O’Connor (17) was found in a secluded area at the back of a housing estate outside Bray, Co Wicklow on January 7, 2022 less than 24 hours after he was reported missing from Tallaght University Hospital at a time when he was supposed to be under supervised 24/7 one-to-one care. A sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court heard the teenager had been brought to TUH’s emergency department by his mother on December 29, 2021 after a drug overdose in what was believed to be an attempted suicide. READ MORE - Former model who drank prosecco, wine and gin before causing death of mother of two faces jail READ MORE - Tears at inquest into death of Sinead O'Connor's teenage son The inquest heard staff were not available to provide the 24/7 supervision prescribed by the hospital’s doctors. Evidence at the time he had absconded from TUH on the morning of January 6, 2022. A senior social worker with Tusla, Joyce Connolly, told the second day of the inquest on Tuesday that Shane and his mother had a “complex and turbulent” relationship but were also very close and “in some way dependent on each other throughout their lives.” Ms Connolly said the singer hoped to resume full-time care of her son and there were ongoing discussions to see if that might be possible. Ms O’Connor, who formally identified her son’s body to gardaí, died suddenly herself from natural causes just 18 months later in London. The inquest heard Shane had been under the care of Tusla since 2015 and had been fostered by his half-brother, Jake Reynolds – the late singer’s eldest child – and his partner, Lia Petcu, between July 2016 and May 2018 before being placed in residential care facilities. Asked about rules on what Shane could do when he had chosen not to engage in education, Ms Connolly said a “delicate balance” had to be struck but they had power to stop him leaving to do what he wished. Ms Connolly said a committee sat on January 4, 2022 to consider applying for a special care order for Shane – which would have given Tusla power to deprive the teenager of his liberty – but deferred a decision as it did not have a report from the HSE’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). However, Ms Connolly said she believed Shane’s needs were more “of a mental health nature.” She said the teenager would have been actively encouraged to attend addiction treatment services but it was “an unfortunate factor” that he did not want to stop consuming cannabis. Ms Connolly noted that he had indicated that his life was better when he was using the drug. However, she said childcare authorities also had no powers to prevent him accessing such substances. Asked about possible improvements that could be made, she recommended “greater work on relationship-building” between the various State agencies involved in the care of young people. Aoife Scanlon, a manager of the New Beginnings residential care centre in Newbridge, Co Kildare where Shane had lived since March 2019, said he had settled in well to the facility for the first year. However, the inquest heard the teenager seemed to deteriorate from July 2021, although Ms Scanlon said she could identify no particular trigger for it. New Beginnings later informed Tusla that it no longer felt it could provide safe accommodation for Shane because of his complex mental health needs. Ms Scanlon said they had continued to support him by providing staff to assist TUH and Shane’s father, Donal Lunny – a leading folk musician – with 24/7 supervision of Shane after his admission to the hospital. The inquest heard New Beginnings stopped assisting with such supervision under Covid-19 guidelines after Shane was deemed a close contact when Mr Lunny tested positive for the virus on January 4, 2022. Ms Scanlon fought back tears as she recalled Shane as “a lovely, lovely lad.” She observed that he had found approaching his 18 th birthday “a very daunting experience” as he would no longer have access to specialist health and welfare services for young people. “He struggled with being in care for a good while but he knew he needed a level of support,” she added. Ms Scanlon also remarked: “He was so intelligent, so smart. He knew he could make it in life and would have spoken to that.” The inquest heard that Shane spent his days in Dublin city centre and Bray and would get lifts from Newbridge. Ms Scanlon said the reality of the situation was that New Beginnings operated “an open unit” and the teenager could not be physically stopped from going out. She believed that he spent a lot of time with his then girlfriend in Bray. However, Ms Petcu expressed concern over how Shane could be allowed “out all day” at the age of 15 to do whatever he wanted. “What adult would let a child do that,” she remarked. There was an emotional exchange during the proceedings between several members of Shane’s family including Ms O’Connor’s father, Seán, and her daughter, Róisín Waters, which arose after a juror had raised a question about the teenager’s access to cannabis. The coroner, Cróna Gallagher, observed that it was a “very difficult situation.” Ms Waters left the hearing a short time later appearing visibly upset and did not return. At another stage, Mr O’Connor described how his daughter and Shane were “very close.” “They loved each other madly,” he observed. Mr O’Connor outlined how the singer was also suffering mental health issues around the same time of her son’s death. “She was not in a position to do more than she did, which was a lot,” he added. A psychiatrist who had treated Shane at the Linn Dara in-patient psychiatric unit at Cherry Orchard Hospital in Ballyfermot, Dublin, Tara Rudd, said the teenager’s substance misuse had caused his mental health problems. Although his condition always improved following detoxification, Dr Rudd said Shane never contemplated giving up his use of cannabis. She said Shane had not engaged with therapeutic services at Linn Dara because he was unable to. Dr Rudd spoke fondly of how they had argued a lot but he would always come back to apologise and joke that he would not invite her to his housewarming. “Spending time with his family and getting his own place was all he wanted,” Dr Rudd recalled. She added: “I’m saddened for his family and this young man that he didn’t live the life he deserved to live,” she added. The inquest heard that CAMHS had requested that Shane be kept at Linn Dara for the final three months before reaching his 18 th birthday. However, Dr Rudd said it was not warranted as he had no active mental health illness at the time and it would have been “unfair.” She told the coroner that she believed the development of a specialist young adult mental health service to assist those aged 16-25 years to transition from CAMHS to adult mental services would be useful. A jury of six men and two women made a series of recommendations including that all HSE hospitals should have clear protocols for the close supervision of vulnerable patients, particularly children. They also called for a review of protocols for reporting missing people to ensure that gardaí would accept such reports from family members, Tusla and medical staff. Evidence was heard that gardaí in Tallaght would not accept a report that Shane was missing from TUH staff and stated it had to be made by Tusla. Closing the inquest, Dr Gallagher said the hearing had involved “very complex evidence” which was also “very arduous and harrowing” but expressed hope it had been of some value to his family. The coroner acknowledged that Shane had suffered in his short life but that he had hoped as he matured that he could “move through this time of crisis.” She said she could only imagine the shock of his death to his family, noting that he would have celebrated his 21 st birthday next March. Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .No. 14 ASU, No. 17 Iowa State front-runners for possibly wild Big 12 finish

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NGOLD Launches Founder Members Program Rewarding Early Backers with Pure 24-Karat GoldDhani Joseph | dhjoseph@syr.edu Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse basketball team takes on the Albany Great Danes at 7 p.m., Tuesday in the JMA Wireless Dome. The game will air on ESPN2 . See in-game team and individual stats here . Note: Refresh this page throughout Syracuse’s game vs. Albany to see the latest updates Sign up for more Orange basketball analysis from Donna Ditota in our ‘Posting Up’ newsletter. Try the newsletter for free >> Subscriber perk: Sign up for our exclusive Syracuse Sports newsletter from Brent Axe. Not a subscriber? Try the newsletter for free Fans can stream the full 2024-25 Syracuse Orange season on fuboTV . Fans can get cheap tickets to see the Orange from SeatGeek . Fanatics has a full collection of Syracuse Orange gear to shop online. Final: Syracuse 102, Albany 85 The Orange had its best offensive game of the season as it defeated its upstate New York rival in the University at Albany Great Danes, 102-85, in the JMA Wireless Dome on Tuesday night. Syracuse shot over 60% from the field, 40% from 3, and hit just less than 90% of its foul shots in one of the most complete games offensively of the season. One of the players that helped make that happen was freshman Donnie Freeman. After coming off the bench, the forward led the team in scoring with a career-high 24 points. Freeman shot 10-13 from the field and a career-best 4-4 from beyond the arc. Prior to this contest, the freshman had only made three triples on the year. The start of the contest was tight through the first 10 minutes of the half. SU eventually began to separate itself from Albany, in large part of its bench production. The Orange ended the game with 45 bench points and the squad saw a lot of that materialize early. Kyle Cuffe, who typically plays sparingly towards the back of the rotation, scored 10 points in the first half without missing a shot. His play, along with a Syracuse offense who found ways to consistently get good looks in the paint, helped the team lead 47-34 at the half. The second half saw the Orange continue to score at a high clip. The home team led by as much as 24 in the contest. Chris Bell got going in the second half to finish with 18 points. Jyare Davis, who started in place of Freeman, scored 15 points. A lot of the baskets scored were credited to Jaquan Carlos who ended the game with a season-high 12 assists to go along with 12 points, another best of the season. Amar’e Marshall led the Great Danes in scoring with 18 points. The victory over Albany for Syracuse makes them a perfect 9-0 in a series that dates back over 100 years. Second half 2:16 remaining: Syracuse 90, Albany 77 Lampkin throws a no-look, behind-the-back bounce pass to Davis who finishes with the dunk. Freeman knocks down his third triple of the contest, now 3-3 from beyond the arc. Coming into the contest he only made three triples throughout the entire season so far. Moore drives and finds Freeman for the slam dunk. Another triple for Freeman, who is now up to 22 points on the evening. 7:55 remaining:, Syracuse 76, Albany 59 Freeman hits his second 3 of the night off a feed from Carlos who now is up to nine assists on the night. Freeman used the shot fake to let his defender fly by before finishing with the slam. The freshman is now up to 14 points after not being in the starting lineup. Lucas Taylor twists and turns to put up the shot while drawing the foul. 11:24 remaining:, Syracuse 68, Albany 47 Freeman knocks down the triple that bounced around before it dropped in. Moore throws an over the head pass down to Majstorovic who finished inside. Bell knocks down a pair at the free throw line after getting fouled on a drive. A few plays later, Bell gets fouled on the pull-up jumper and knocks it down for the three-point play. 15:17 remaining: Syracuse 57, Albany 40 Carlos makes his way into the paint and finishes with the scoop at the hoop. On the next play, Carlos finds a streaking Davis who finishes with the dunk in transition. Davis soars up for the offensive rebound before going back up with the jump hook. Carlos gets downhill and finishes again at the basket. Largest lead of the night for the Orange at 17. Halftime: Syracuse 47, Albany 34 A major boost off the bench for Syracuse has helped them capture a double digit lead against the University of Albany. The Orange have 22 bench points at the break. The majority of the scoring has come from guard Kyle Cuffe who has 10 points and is perfect from the field. Donnie Freeman, who came off the bench in this one, has six points. Freeman did not start the game as a result of a personal issue. Coach Adrian Autry also elected to start freshman Elijah Moore for the first time this season. The game had been close for the first ten or so minutes of action. But it was Syracuse who managed to continually get high percentage shots at the rim. They shot nearly 60 percent from the field in the first half, and a lot of that was due to SU’s shot selection. 34 points for the home team came in the paint. If Albany has any chance of getting the win, they will have to find a way to slow down Syracuse’s offense. The Orange has 12 assists right now as a team. They average around 14 per game, so they are certainly operating at a high level right now on that side of the ball. Albany guards Amar’e Marshall and Kheni Briggs each have seven to lead the Great Danes. First half Lampkin finds Freeman cutting down low for a dunk. The center is up to three assists so far. Moore turns down the jumper and scores the reverse layup. Lampkin tip-toes the baseline to finish from underneath the basket. The big then finds a cutting Bell for the and-one finish. 3:49 remaining: Syracuse 38, Albany 28 Cuffe knocks down a pair at the line. Eddie Lampkin throws a touch pass to Davis for the dunk. Cuffe finishes with the contact in transition, up to ten points in the contest off the bench. 6:28 remaining: Syracuse 32, Albany 24 Carlos finds Freeman cutting for a two-handed slam dunk out of the time out. The guard then gets to the rim himself and scores the layup. Moore fakes out the defender with the shot fake before going up-an-under with the reverse layup. Kyle Cuffe Jr. knocks down the triple in some rare early minutes. Majstorovic deflects the pass, tracks it down the length of the floor before Freeman gets the ball and dunks it. Cuffe knocks down his second triple of the game. Big boost off the bench for SU so far. 11:40 remaining: Syracuse 14, Albany 14 Freeman checks into the game with 14:38 remaining in the first half. Davis bullies his way inside to finish off the drop-step move. Six early points for him. Elijah Moore follows up his own missed shot, grabbed the rebound, and then went up for another jumper that he knocked down. He struggled last game after back-to-back games dropping career-highs. Bell scores inside for his second basket. Petar Majstorovic scores the short jumper from about 10 feet out. Officials review an earlier 3 and change it to a 2-point basket. 15:54 remaining: Albany 9, Syracuse 7 Jyare Davis scores his first basket with a finish inside. Three Syracuse turnovers in the first two and a half minutes against an Albany team that isn’t particularly stalwarts on the defensive end. Jaquan Carlos finds Davis cutting baseline for the alley-oop slam over the defender. Chris Bell knocks down his first 3 of the night. The Orange as a whole didn’t make a single triple in its last time out against Notre Dame. Pregame Update: 6:45 p.m.: Adrian Autry has shuffled his starting lineup, inserting Elijah Moore for Lucas Taylor and Jyare Davis for Donnie Freeman. Freeman is not in the starting lineup as a result of a personal issue. Syracuse (4-4) returns home to the Dome to face the University at Albany (6-4). Despite the two programs being just two hours away, the last time they met was during the 2011-12 season. That matchup saw the Orange handily defeat the Great Danes, 98-74, and historically the series has followed that same trend. SU has won all eight prior matchups in a series that goes all the way back to 1918. The Orange, however, haven’t been as successful in recent outings overall. They recently lost 69-64 against Notre Dame. The game was the second in a row without the services of guard J.J. Starling. Both Donnie Freeman and Jyare Davis scored 20 points a piece in the loss. For UAlbany, they are coming off an 80-74 overtime loss to Boston University over the weekend. Offensively, this team can attack from a bunch of different angles. Four players average 10 or more points for the Great Danes, headlined by Byron Joshua who averages 13.6 points per game. One Thing To Keep An Eye On: Can SU Stay Undefeated At Home? Syracuse has played its best basketball on the Dome floor. All four of its wins this season have been at home. Although the injury to Starling will definitely be apparent at times offensively, the Orange will rely on its fans to give it the extra boost it needs to stay unbeaten at home. More Orange Basketball Syracuse explodes for 102 points in win over Albany (Donna Ditota’s Quick Hits) Syracuse basketball box score vs. Albany Grade the Orange: Rate Syracuse basketball performance vs. Albany, vote on player of game Syracuse’s Donnie Freeman not in starting lineup vs. Albany, but freshman expected to play What time, TV channel is Syracuse basketball-UAlbany on today? Free live stream

By MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.Stock market today: Wall Street inches higher to set more records

True freshman Luke Kromenhoek threw three touchdown passes and Caziah Holmes ran for two more as host Florida State routed Charleston Southern 41-7 on Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee, Fla. The Seminoles (2-9) convincingly snapped a six-game losing streak and ensured that the Buccaneers (1-11) would finish theirs on a 10-game skid. Florida State has not had much to celebrate during one of its worst seasons in program history. But on Saturday, the Seminoles overcame a rough start and put together one of their more complete efforts of the season. Florida State had not scored more than 21 points in a game prior to Saturday's contest and its 175 rushing yards more than doubled its average (80.5 per game) this season. No single runner had over 40 yards, but seven rushers combined for that output on 34 attempts. The Seminoles entered the game ranked 130th out of 133 FBS teams in rushing offense. Holmes, a senior, finished with three carries for 38 yards, including touchdown runs of 3 and 18 yards. Kromenhoek gave Florida State a sliver of hope for its quarterback future as he completed 13 of 20 passes for 209 yards and no interceptions. He threw TD passes for Amaree Williams, Ja'Khi Douglas and Hykeem Williams. The highlight was a 71-yard touchdown pass to Douglas on the first play from scrimmage of the second half to put the Seminoles ahead 24-0. Douglas finished with 82 yards receiving on three catches, and 10 different Florida State players caught passes for 240 total yards. The Seminoles went 6 of 10 on third downs after averaging only a 25 percent conversion rate all season. Their defense held Charleston Southern to 275 total yards (57 rushing) and forced two turnovers. Florida State was unable to hang on to the shutout, however, as Bucs quarterback Kaleb Jackson found Landon Sauers for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Jackson completed 22 of 32 passes for 218 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Bucs defense recorded three sacks led by Davion Williams, who had eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. The Seminoles will conclude their season next Saturday at home against rival Florida. --Field Level MediaInternet comments heaped scorn Thursday on UnitedHealthcare as the Minnetonka-based health insurer mourned the murder of its chief executive, Brian Thompson, who was shot just before an investor conference where the company was to reveal plans for greater profits next year. Police have not publicly speculated on the motives of the person who shot at Thompson at least three times at close range Wednesday on a Manhattan sidewalk. But the sense that the shooting could be related to Thompson’s job and UnitedHealthcare’s reputation for denying care grew when it was revealed that one bullet casing found at the scene reportedly had the word “deny” scratched into it. UnitedHealthcare is a for-profit company, but it’s not proven whether it’s really more aggressive than other insurers at denying care or simply that it draws more attention as the nation’s largest health insurer. Public data sets on denial rates by insurance company are limited. But the shocking shooting has put new focus on the firm, its reputation and history. While the insurer grew into one of Minnesota’s largest employers and economic engines, the state declined for decades to license it or any other for-profit company to sell HMO plans. That prohibition was lifted in 2017 when Republican lawmakers sought to expand insurance options for Minnesotans, but then Democratic lawmakers in 2024 specifically prohibited for-profit HMOs such as UnitedHealth from selling plans in the state’s growing Medical Assistance program. “Let’s face it: For-profit companies exist to legally maximize shareholder value,” said Rep. Liz Reyer, DFL-Eagan, earlier this year when a court decision upheld Minnesota’s for-profit prohibition . “That’s their requirement.” The company has faced increasing public scrutiny and congressional inquires over its denials of care, especially to elderly participants in Medicare Advantage plans. A report by a U.S. Senate subcommittee last October scolded UnitedHealthcare for denying prior authorization requests for expensive post-acute care at three times the rate that it denied other requests. UnitedHealthcare in response said it still approves the vast majority of requests for post-acute care for patients after hospitalizations, and that it is federally required to give these claims heightened scrutiny. The company also has been accused of relying on a claims process, supported by artificial intelligence, that had a 90% error rate in determining whether a requested treatment was medically necessary. UnitedHealthcare announced as recently as March 2023 that it was dialing back some requirements for prior authorizations , but the publicly traded company is always going to face opposing pressures, said Wendell Potter, a former Cigna vice president who has since become a whistleblower on the industry’s practices. An increase in spending on patients’ care caused the stock of UnitedHealthcare’s parent company to drop as much as 8% this fall, putting it under pressure from investors and analysts. “It’s a company that has been a Wall Street darling,” Potter said, “and the way you become a Wall Street darling is you do a really good job of managing medical expense. It means you need to employ things like prior authorization and do it aggressively.” Thompson’s widow, Paulette, told NBC News after Wednesday’s shooting that her husband had received threats related to UnitedHealthcare’s denial of medical coverage. Some people on social media were brutally unsympathetic. “When you shoot one man in the street it’s murder,” one person posted on the social media site X. “When you kill thousands of people in hospitals by taking away their ability to get treatment you’re an entrepreneur.” Potter said the murder became an opportunity for some to publicly vent about UnitedHealthcare, because “nothing like this has ever happened before.” The volume of criticism also relates to the insurer’s size — it now covers roughly 47 million people through private plans it sells to employers or individuals, and public plans it offers through the government’s Medicare program for the elderly and Medicaid program for low-income and disabled Americans. Parent company UnitedHealth Group is in the top five of the Fortune 500 list, closely behind Apple, and has become a major health-care provider as well, employing or having affiliations with 10% of the nation’s physicians through its Optum division. A cyberattack against Optum’s Change Healthcare division earlier this year affected 100 million patients, making it one of the largest data breaches in U.S. history. Some health care providers reported months-long delays in payments of claims in the aftermath of the cyberattack, and Andrew Witty, CEO of parent company UnitedHealth Group, was brought before Congress to testify about it. “There’s a lot of just pent-up outrage at this company and other companies that are middle-men that are standing between a patient and his or her doctor or hospital,” Potter said. Minnesota health care providers have reported excessively high rates of denials by UnitedHealth Care, but comparative data is limited and the company disputes some of those claims as attempts to gain leverage in contract negotiations. The federal government compares individual plans under the Affordable Care Act by their claims and denial rates, and showed in 2021 that UnitedHealth’s qualified health plans in Arizona denied almost 39% of in-network claims. That was higher than the average denial rate of about 17% for comparable plans nationwide, but wasn’t unique, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis . Seventeen insurers posted denial rates above 30% that year. Matthew Viergutz of Lutsen, Minn., filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealthcare last year because he had received prescriptions and insurance coverage since 2009 to receive two pills per day of a medication known as Vyvanse until UnitedHealth took over his employer health plan. The lawsuit says three psychiatrists in different states independently authorized two pills per day to help Viergutz manage his mental health condition, but the insurer would only pay for one. Viergutz spent thousands out of pocket to cover the difference over the last two years. His lawsuit claims that UnitedHealthcare made its decision without any investigation or familiarity with his medical condition or prescription history. UnitedHealthcare argued in response that its decision was legal and within coverage guidelines. Stories of denials are common, said Unai Montes, a media strategist for People’s Action, an advocacy group that has conducted public protests of UnitedHealthcare, including one that resulted in multiple arrests earlier this year outside the insurer’s Minnetonka headquarters. He recalled a baby born prematurely who was initially denied intensive care and a child with congenital abnormalities who was initially denied coverage of a life-saving surgery. Montes expressed sorrow over Thompson’s death and sympathy for his family. Changing the health care system needs to happen through a “non-violent, productive and democratic process,” he added. “We are against senseless killing and we are against senseless death,” he said, “and we want to make sure we are preventing senseless death and senseless loss of life by taking on a broken system and making sure companies are not putting profits over people.” Staff writer Christopher Snowbeck contributed to this article.

WASHINGTON — The National Park Service is seeing a surge in private support bigger than anytime in its 108-year history as it also faces a maintenance backlog of more than $23 billion, made worse this fall by hurricane damage to its most popular location. Three years after setting a goal of raising $1 billion, the Park Service’s official charitable partner, the National Park Foundation, is almost there, having raised $840 million since 2021, the foundation’s outgoing president and CEO Will Shafroth said. That fundraising under the Campaign for National Parks is in addition to efforts of park partners across the country — such as the Trust for Public Land, American Battlefield Trust, Conservation Legacy and the Student Conservation Association — that collectively want to raise another $3.5 billion. Visits to national parks rose from about 275 million in 2010 to 325 million last year. Shafroth said many of these visitors, inspired by the beauty of places like Yellowstone National Park, say the parks and staff have “created an amazing experience for me and my family. I want to give back.” Hundreds of thousands more give back by volunteering, whether rebuilding trails, clearing trash, serving as docents or organizing special events. “National parks experienced substantially increased public interest over the past two years,” according to the 2024 Park Partners Report commissioned by the foundation. There are now at least 470 partner groups, many of them “Friends” organizations that coordinate volunteer work with superintendents of individual parks. That community provided nearly 1 million volunteer hours in the park system last year, the equivalent of 122,500 days or 471 full-time employees, according to the report. One of those groups is Friends of the Smokies, which has about 2,000 members who volunteer for projects in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, the most popular of the 63 national parks with 13.3 million visitors in 2023. The park, which stretches over 816 square miles, sustained extensive damage from Hurricane Helene in late September, and many roads and trails are still closed to the public, said Dana Soehn, president of Friends of the Smokies. But the group is eager to get to work when the Park Service completes its assessments and makes restoration plans, she said. “We stand at the ready to really push and raise funds,” Soehn said. “The public-private partnership in helping meet these challenging times is something that’s critically needed. Our organization is able to provide $2 million to $4 million of funding each year to help support the national park.” Funding needs The private funding goes a long way to help the cash-strapped National Park Service, with an operating budget of $3.3 billion in fiscal 2024, which supports about 20,000 full-time employees. The Senate’s Interior-Environment Appropriations bill would provide $3.5 billion in fiscal 2025, as the Biden administration requested, but the House version would cut the funding to $3.1 billion. The Great American Outdoors Act passed by Congress in 2020 provided up to $1.3 billion per year for five years through 2025 to help reduce $23.3 billion in deferred maintenance projects. Private donations won’t do much to reduce the maintenance backlog because most people aren’t interested in funding infrastructure projects like roads and bridges that are the government’s responsibility, Shafroth said. “We’re never going to be very effective at convincing donors to pay for pothole repair and water systems and things like that,” he said. “So we really need to focus on the things that are resonant to donors and also are a high need for the parks.” When Lilly Endowment Inc. announced a $100 million contribution in August, Shafroth’s foundation said the funds would go toward four priorities: creating environmental stewardship opportunities for young people, protecting fragile ecosystems and diverse species in the parks, developing new technologies to improve visitor experiences, and providing “a more comprehensive historical narrative” about national parks and the communities around them. Many donors to the park system, especially corporate givers, are also motivated by the knowledge that public lands used for recreation are an economic driver. Outdoor recreation generates $1.2 trillion in annual economic activity and supports 5 million jobs, according to a report released in November by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable using data from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. The ORR is a coalition of more than 110,000 businesses in the sector. The Interior Department reported last year that visitor spending in communities near national parks totals more than $50 billion a year, supporting nearly 400,000 jobs. Other legislation Advocates for the parks are urging Congress to rev up this economic engine by passing a package of bills that would overhaul how public land agencies distribute passes and permits, encourage technology to improve visitor experiences, restore campgrounds and address housing shortages near outdoor recreation areas, among other things. The House passed the legislation sponsored by Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., in April by voice vote under suspension of the rules. Dozens of groups are urging the Senate to pass the measure in the lame-duck session. “Despite the profound and widespread benefits that parks and outdoor recreation offer, they are chronically underfunded with many systems facing a significant backlog of capital improvement projects,” more than 50 organizations said in a Nov. 12 letter to Senate leaders urging them to prioritize the legislation. Aside from their economic importance, Shafroth noted that national parks play a role in uniting Americans. “You know, our country just feels so divided in so many ways, especially politically,” he said. “It feels like those divisions just dissolve when people enter a national park. They’re just citizens of the United States. They’re just lovers of the outdoors, appreciators of America’s story.” Shafroth announced this fall that he plans to step aside as president and CEO of the National Park Foundation and turn over the reins to Park Service veteran Jeff Reinbold, most recently the superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington. The pair will work together on the transition in December and January, then Shafroth said he plans to develop a new program at the foundation addressing issues facing the park system, including climate change, housing shortages near parks and development of new technologies.None

Govt To Establish Criminal Punishments To Protect Whistleblowers; Will Penalize Their Dismissal And Unfair Treatment By Organizations And IndividualsNoneStephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are about to host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers for a Christmas Day matchup. On Tuesday, ESPN's Malika Andrews asked Curry during an NBA Today interview about having his own era defined by him, James and Kevin Durant, and he provided this response, noting the "appropriate fear" he still has when facing a fellow legend in James after all these years. "You think about it more the deeper you get into your career because you want to cherish every moment that you have but you're still in that competitive mode that even though there's respect, there's still that appropriate fear," Curry said. "Like, 'I bring the best out of him, he brings the best out of me.' And I'm sure Christmas Day hopefully will be another episode of that." Curry and James have faced each other 52 times (including playoffs) as well as four straight times in the NBA Finals from 2015-2018. James, who turns 40 next Monday, is in his 22nd NBA season. The 36-year-old Curry is in his 16th NBA campaign. James has been a cornerstone of the NBA since the day he arrived on scene. Curry has been one of the primary faces of the NBA since the mid-2010s, when Warriors began their dynasty. Obviously, the rivalry has changed as time has gone on. It was certainly as its peak in the mid-to-late 2010s, when James' Cleveland Cavaliers and Curry's Warriors faced each other in the NBA Finals four straight years. The heat has cooled down a bit recently, though, and the two were recently seen joining forces in leading Team USA to an undefeated record and a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. When Andrews asked about how his rivalry with James has evolved, he had this to say: "It's a fun battle because of the longevity of how long we've been doing this. There's more appreciation and respect than probably back in the day. There was a lot of pettiness and resentment, you know, the rivalry was real. But you know, it evolves and you still want to go at each other, but the respect is there. "Couple more grays, couple more kids," Curry added. One can assume the spirited and respectful rivalry won't go on too much longer. James has made clear that he's not going to play much longer, saying this on Nov. 14, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. "It's the mind," James said. "Wherever my mind is, is how the rest of my body is going to go, whatever the case may be. I'm not going to play that much longer, to be completely honest. One year, two years, whatever the case may be. I said the other night that I'm not playing until the wheels fall off. I'm not. "I'm not going to be that guy. I'm not going to be the guy disrespecting the game because I just want to be out on the floor." For now, though, fans can still appreciate another matchup between James and Curry. It'll be the crown jewel of the NBA's annual five-game Christmas Day slate, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. ET in San Francisco's Chase Center.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan gave athletic director Warde Manuel a five-year contract extension Thursday on the heels of the Wolverines' upset over rival Ohio State and a strong start to the basketball season. Manuel, who has held the position since 2016, signed through June 30, 2030, the school announced. Manuel is also chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee. “During Warde’s tenure as director, Athletics has put a structure in place where our student-athletes compete for Big Ten and national championships, excel in the classroom, and proudly graduate with their University of Michigan degrees,” university President Santa J. Ono said in the announcement. Michigan had a disappointing football season, finishing 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten), but a 13-10 win over then-No. 2 Ohio State took some pressure off of the program. The Buckeyes were favored by 21 points, the widest point spread for the rivalry since 1978, according to ESPN Stats and Info. The Wolverines won the national championship last year in their final season led by coach Jim Harbaugh, whose tenure at the school involved multiple NCAA investigations for recruiting and sign-stealing allegations. Manuel supported Harbaugh through those processes. In basketball, the women's team made its season debut (No. 23) in the AP Top 25 this week. The men are 7-1 a season after firing coach Juwan Howard, who lost a school-record 24 games in 2023-24 as Michigan plummeted to a last-place finish in the Big Ten for the first time since 1967. Michigan has won 52 Big Ten championships since 2020. “Every day, I am thankful to work at this great institution and to represent Michigan Athletics," Manuel said in a statement. "I especially want to thank the student-athletes, coaches and staff who compete for each of our teams and who have helped us achieve unparalleled success athletically and academically. I am excited to continue giving back to a university that has provided me with so much over my career.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football49ers rule out Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa; QB Brandon Allen to start at Green BayBrowns get 497-yard performance from QB Jameis Winston and lose anyway in season long gone sour

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Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel gets 5-year contract extensionThis screenshot from Donald Trump Truth Social account shows an image of President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Jill Biden attending the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral as France’s iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Dec .7, 2024 in Paris. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. (Truth Social via AP) This screenshot from Donald Trump’s Truth Social account shows am image of President-elect Donald Trump standing beside a Canadian flag. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. (Truth Social via AP) This screenshot from Donald Trump Truth Social account shows an image of President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Jill Biden attending the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral as France’s iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Dec .7, 2024 in Paris. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. ( Truth Social via AP) This screenshot from Donald Trump Truth Social account shows an image of President-elect Donald Trump and first lady Jill Biden attending the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral as France’s iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Dec .7, 2024 in Paris. Trump’s recent summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in negotiating trade policy and diplomacy. For Trump, they’ve also become fodder for trolling. (Truth Social via AP) By MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report. 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Having the time to get to know mothers and their babies can be a rare gift for midwives but it is one those working at the Listowel postnatal hub in Kerry have in abundance. This is one of five networks of hubs or clinics connected to maternity hospitals around Ireland now offering postnatal care. Women attend them after giving birth for midwife-led care and support. The hubs were set up when a national maternity experience survey in 2019 revealed gaps in post-pregnancy care. Almost one in three women said they did not get mental health support after pregnancy and many also said their physical health was not checked. On walking into the Listowel hub the words 'bright' and 'calm' spring to mind with the rooms located within the recently-renovated community hospital. Rhowena Woodward is a staff midwife for the Kerry hubs. “You develop relationships with women here that I think sets them up for positive parenting and a positive future,” she said. “It just feels like you are making a difference to their lives and their babies’ lives. It’s great, you are not rushed off your feet. You are not stressed and you can be there in the moment.” The team of four midwives see about 12 women every day, with appointments of 30 minutes or longer if needed. “Our offices are in Centrepoint in Tralee, so we’re in Tralee two days a week,” she said. The rest of the week is split between Listowel, Killarney, Dingle, and Cahersiveen. They have close links with the maternity unit at University Hospital Kerry. “I think continuity of care is so important so here, every time you see the woman, you are not flicking through the notes to try and remind yourself (who she is),” she said. You already know her, you know her history, you know if you are going to be worried about her mental health and the social situations she is in. You know the medical history and what to look out for She previously worked with the NHS in England where postnatal care is usually available for up to 15 days. However, the Irish hubs offer up to six weeks of support. In Kerry, the hubs also offer antenatal care for pregnant women which is not common elsewhere. “Personally, as a midwife, continuity of care is a really big thing for me and these hubs mean that we can provide that care — we are less likely to miss things,” she said. “You’ve got that rapport with the woman so you’re more likely to pick up on things that might get missed in the hospital or that the woman might not trust you to disclose, if there’s domestic violence or mental health, anything like that.” They are also more likely to notice if infections including sepsis are developing after a caesarean section, she added. Women can get help too with incontinence, pelvic floor problems or mental health issues, including being referred for help if necessary. Concerns such as postnatal depression are often not apparent until weeks after pregnancy, she explained. “So there is a need for the postnatal care and the care we have here is exceptional,” she said. Overall she sees the hubs as “a step towards” the vision of community care set out in 2016 in the national maternity strategy. When she first moved here from the UK, she said it was a shock to see doctors taking the lead and midwives taking a back seat. "So it’s nice at our low-risk antenatal clinics where the midwife leads it. “And again we go to the doctors if we need them. And there is absolutely a need for them but it’s nice for the low-risk women as well to see midwives because that’s what they need at that stage.” 'A happy place to work' Susan Collins is a healthcare assistant with the hub, having recently transferred from hospital work. “It’s just a happy place to work I think,” she said. “I’ve been in the hospital since 2015 and this is the happiest I’ve been. I love getting up to go to my work in the morning.” She had popped in to say hello to baby Paddy Kennelly whose mother Roisin Considine was talking about her experiences in the hospital. “There’s a real sense that they know who you were and what stage of your pregnancy you were at, it’s reassuring,” the first-time mother said. Dr Cliona Murphy, national clinical director of the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWHIP), said the hubs supplement existing community services. “They are women-centred, rather than hospital-centred and that is a really important aspect of it, I think,” she said. There are now five hub networks including also Cork, Kilkenny, Sligo, and Portiuncula. Each is connected to a local maternity hospital. “We have a good public health system, and you don’t want to supplant that, but women felt that is focused more on the baby rather than themselves,” she said. “So this is seen as supplemental, it is not usurping that service.” Research will be done to measure the impact of these hubs. “We have received funding to expand that (hub network) out, so there’s going to be four more hubs,” she said. “There have been expressions of interest from sites, and so the proposals will be made to NWHIP and four will be successful.” Those proposals will go before Angela Dunne, NWHIP lead midwife, and will be assessed by a panel. Dr Murphy added: “Even for those who will not be successful in this round, there is potential for the future I think.” So why only five so far in light of their success? Dr Murphy defended this saying planning, funding applications, and tweaking of those plans takes time. “This was not a top-down plan from NWHIP. Principles were agreed, but at local level, there was ownership of the local teams as to what would work best for them and how best to run it,” she said. The hubs are integrated into the wider maternity system including the peri-natal mental health service, GPs and public health nurses. On the ground, she agreed the sense of having time with women is crucial, saying "it gives a space for a woman to ask questions” of midwives about their birth experience. “I do see that maybe societally we have lost the village feel, and where you had your mother or grandmother around to ask those questions (we no longer do),” she said. This is a place where in a supportive environment you can discuss what’s normal or what is not without having to queue up necessarily She emphasised too the hubs are not necessarily only for women with low-risk pregnancies. A woman who had an emergency Caesarean-section could benefit from extra supports after leaving hospital too, she suggested. Recruitment has not been difficult. “The underlying ethos of being a midwife is to be 'with woman' so they are popular for people who’ve worked as midwives in hospitals and they’re moving into this space. They seem to be getting a lot of job satisfaction and positive feedback,” she said. She added in reference to the national staffing picture: “now going forward with the limits on recruiting, there may be some challenges”. Each hub is slightly different, she said with local midwives making choices about what will work best. “It's really about hearing back from women as to what would work,” she said. The mum For Roisin Considine, the biggest difference between the Listowel postnatal maternity hub and a busy hospital was everybody knew her name and was always glad she came. The hub, located in Listowel Community Hospital, is closely connected to the maternity unit at University Hospital Kerry. Women give birth in the hospital but are offered care afterwards here for up to six weeks. “You get the exact same care if not better here. You are one-to-one here, whereas in the hospital you might not get that,” she said. “There’s a lot more patients in at the one time there, but you see all the same midwives here all the time.” Experienced midwives see about 12 women every day with appointments of around 30 minutes although that can be flexible. “You were really looked after, everyone is very friendly and very nice,” she said. “Every time you come in they know you, it’s not that they are looking back through their notes to see who you are." As she talks, her baby — six-month-old Paddy Kennelly — grins around at the midwives as if he knows they helped his parents through those months. A passing healthcare assistant pops her head in when she hears he is in the room to say hello and get a big baby smile. Roisin describes how when she went for her booking appointment in Tralee last winter, they said antenatal care was also available in Listowel. This came as “a relief” as it cut out a big commute from their home in Ballybunion during those cold months. “It’s 15 minutes (to Listowel) compared to nearly 40 minutes — say about 35 to 40 minutes — to get to Tralee. It was a huge help definitely,” she said. “It was brilliant, no waiting time or anything. You are in and out in 20 minutes — you could be nearly two hours inside in Tralee if you are going in there. So it was fantastic to have.” She only went to the hospital for scans and Paddy’s birth. Listowel is one of a growing network of HSE hubs around the country, although some focus only on postnatal care. Roisin found the easy access to antenatal care just as useful as support after birth: “Especially when you are working, you don’t have to take so much time off.” The first-time mother added: "It was good to know there were people here closer if you had any questions. You knew who you were ringing if you had any concerns.” Help with breastfeeding for example is available. Even though she did face many complications as it turned out, she said it was “brilliant” to know the option was there. “There's a real sense that they know who you were and what stage of your pregnancy you were at, it’s reassuring,” she said. She joked the free parking was welcome as well. And with that, she had to hit the road because baby Paddy’s swimming coach was waiting for him.

The Rome Court said its ruling was based on international legal principles and represents worldwide attempts to negotiate the Israeli-Palestinian dispute by taking an impartial position on the controversial matter of al-Quds’s ownership. “Acknowledging (al-Quds) as Israel’s capital would go against international law and go against Italy’s promises to support peace and neutrality in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the court said. The ruling highlighted the global stance that the city’s status must be resolved through negotiations. The Rome Court said the decision underscores Italy’s commitment to peace and neutrality in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizes diplomacy over unilateral actions, and reflects the complexities of achieving a fair, lasting resolution to al-Quds’s contentious status. The ruling was welcomed by pro-Palestinian organizations and human rights groups seeing it as a confirmation of the global legal system that upholds Palestinian rights. They said that declaring al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” without a negotiated agreement “weakens the chances for peace and validates Israeli actions in territories under occupation.” Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in Palestine, also reacted to the Italian court’s ruling and praised the “important” decision. “Today it doesn’t rain, it pours. Important decision in the Italian justice system re the status of (al-Quds): stop calling it the capital of Israel, it is not. And the judge’s motivation is really touching,” Albanese wrote in a post on her X social media account. The United Nations, through resolutions like UN Security Council Resolution 478, has clearly stated that Israel’s declaration in al-Quds is invalid, advising member countries against setting up diplomatic offices there. Negotiations between the occupying entity and Palestine are expected to determine the final status of the city under the two-state solution framework. More than 700,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds. The international community views the settlements as illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions due to their construction on the occupied territories. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital.Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling

Missed opportunity The Republic of Ireland’s Women’s National Team may never again suffer heartbreak like they did when they were beaten 1-0 by Ukraine, which all but ended their hopes of reaching Euro 2022. But this comes close. A horrendous own goal and a missed penalty by Katie McCabe saw Ireland fall to a devastating defeat that night in Kiev over four years ago. But they learned from that loss and used that experience to reach the World Cup in 2023 to finally reach a first major tournament and banish those demons. The aim was to now reach a first European Championship and after a 1-1 draw in Wales, all that was needed was a victory at a packed Aviva Stadium. But it wasn’t to be and another opportunity to inspire the next generation on a huge stage has been squandered. Goodnight, Eileen Eileen Gleeson admitted recently that she wanted to continue as head coach no matter what happened in these Euro 2025 qualifiers against Wales. Her current deal in charge of the Girls in Green was to run until the end of their Euros campaign, which sadly came to an abrupt conclusion on Tuesday night. Gleeson also admitted that no talks with the FAI had been held over an extension with the Welsh clashes taking her sole focus. "(FAI chief football officer) Marc Canham and I speak all the time, we have a really positive relationship,” she said. “There's been no discussions around a contract, I want to keep all focus... I don’t have the capacity to focus on anything else, only Wales. "Post the games, then we’ll be able to talk about conversations around that.” But given the fact that she has now failed in her primary objective of getting Ireland to the Euros, maybe those talks shouldn’t go the way she hopes. VAR Farce? It didn’t seem like it was working initially but, in the end, there can’t be too many complaints about the decision that VAR reached which ultimately proved decisive. The way VAR is used in the sport can been questioned, as can the handball rule, but in its current guise, it’s no surprise Anna Patten was punished at the beginning of the second half and Wales took full advantage by converting the penalty. The biggest issue on the night was that Ireland didn’t respond to the setback until the closing stages and by then they were 2-0 down having been caught out on the break.

ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's home was broken into during Monday Night Football in the latest home invasion of a pro athlete in the U.S., authorities said Tuesday. No one was injured in the break-in, but the home was ransacked, according to a report provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Deputies weren't immediately able to determine what items were stolen. A person who is employed by Burrow arrived at the Anderson Township home Monday night to find a shattered bedroom window and the home in disarray. The person called their mother, and then 911 was contacted, according to the report. Deputies reached out to neighbors in an attempt to piece together surveillance footage. “Our investigators are exploring every avenue,” public information officer Kyla Woods said. The homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were broken into in October. In the NBA , Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis had his home broken into Nov. 2 and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.'s home was burglarized on Sept. 15 while he was at a Minnesota Vikings game. Portis had offered a $40,000 reward for information. Both the NFL and NBA issued security alerts to players after those break-ins, urging them to take additional precautions to secure their homes. In league memos previously obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL said homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” And the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood, according to officials. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Syrian government forces withdraw from central city of Homs as insurgent offensive accelerates BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and that government forces had withdrawn from the central city of Homs. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press Dec 7, 2024 1:16 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Syrian opposition fighters remove a government Syrian flag from an official building in Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria Syria, Saturday Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and that government forces had withdrawn from the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. No details were immediately available. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? 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Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent roughly 22 months in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. What we know about the deadly passenger jet crash in South Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials are investigating the crash landing of a passenger jet that's one of the deadliest disasters in that nation's aviation history. Transport Ministry officials said the airport control tower issued a bird strike warning to the plane shortly before it intended to land and gave its pilot permission to land in a different area on Sunday. The Boeing 737-800 skidded off the runway, crashed into a barrier and burst into flames. All but two of the 181 people on board died. The Jeju Air passenger plane was flying from Bangkok to the town of Muan, about 180 miles south of Seoul, when the crash happened. South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. In Gaza's crowded tent camps, women wrestle with a life stripped of privacy DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City (AP) — For Gaza’s women, the hardships of life in the territory’s sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy. Women struggle with how to dress modestly while crowded into a tent with extended family and in-laws, including men, and with strangers only steps away in neighboring tents. Access to period products is limited, so women and girls cut up sheets or old clothes to use as pads. They have to navigate sharing makeshift toilets, usually only a hole in the sand surrounded by sheets dangling from a line, with dozens of other people. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television on Sunday that the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare. He accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days. The crash on Wednesday killed 38 of 67 people on board. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on Saturday for what he called a “tragic incident” but stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility. Brace for turbulence: Lessons from a bumpy 'super year' of global elections LONDON (AP) — Some 70 countries that are home to half the world’s population held elections in 2024, and voters' message was often: “You’re fired.” From India and the United States to Japan, France and Britain, voters tired of economic disruption and global instability rejected sitting governments. Adding to a year of democratic turmoil were mass protests in Mozambique and Georgia, an election annulled in Romania and an attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. Cas Mudde, a professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia, summed up 2024 as “a great year for the far right, a terrible year for incumbents and a troublesome year for democracy around the world.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case.

( MENAFN - GetNews) [CA,United States, Dec 18th 2024] - Tedmos is proud to announce its new collection, which includes rechargeable puck lights, picture frame lights and ceiling lights. These innovative wireless lighting solutions offer superior performance and stylish aesthetics in every corner of your house. The new Tedmos products are equipped with powerful rechargeable batteries and fast charging technology. They also offer advanced features like customizable brightness and dynamic colour modes. Tedmos is known for creating lighting solutions which combine form and functionality. This new range of rechargeable light is no exception. Tedmos offers a wide range of products that will meet your needs, whether you want to illuminate your kitchen counter, illuminate your hallway, highlight an image frame, or brighten up your bathroom with hands-free technology. These new lighting solutions are designed to provide a unique blend of technology, style, and ease-of-use, elevating the ambiance and functionality in your home. Rechargeable Puck Lighting: Compact, Versatile and Energy-Efficient The new Tedmos puck lights rechargeable are a compact and flexible lighting solution which can be used anywhere around the home. These puck lights are powered by a 2400mAh battery that is rechargeable. They provide long-lasting illumination and maintain energy efficiency. The battery is fast-charging, so the lights will be ready when you need them. The puck light features both tap c ontrol as well as remote controls , giving users the option to adjust brightness, choose from 13 RGB colors or select one of two dynamic colour modes. The lights are also compatible with three different white LED color temperatures, including 3000K (warm), 4500K and 6000K. This allows for customization to fit any environment. Tedmos Rechargeable Puck lights: The puck lights are rechargeable, which means they can be used for a long time without needing batteries. They are also an eco-friendly option and offer significant savings. Rechargeable picture frame lights: Smart illumination for your art The Tedmos rechargeable picture frame lights are a great way to highlight artwork, photos, and wall décor with soft, customizable light. These picture lights are powered by a 2600mAh battery that offers a balance between durability and performance. This ensures that your prized pieces of artwork will be illuminated without having to replace batteries frequently. Fast charging minimizes downtime, allowing you to use your lights for longer. These lights are designed with artwork and collectors' needs in mind. They have a brightness of up to 150 lumens, and adjustable settings that allow users to adjust the light level according to their preferences. The white LED is available in three different color temperatures: 3000K, 4500K and 6000K. This ensures that your artwork will be illuminated to the best of its ability without damaging your valuable pieces. Tedmos Rechargeable picture frame lights: Tedmos' picture frame lights are designed not only to illuminate, but also to protect your precious art against harsh lighting. They provide a safe, adjustable and stunning solution for showcasing collections. Rechargeable ceiling lights: Advanced motion sensing with smart, efficient lighting Tedmos' new Rechargeable Motion Sensor Ceiling Lights bring smart home lighting up to date with features like a Microwave Motion Sensor that is much more sensitive than infrared sensors. These ceiling lights have a 160-degree detection range and a 16-foot detection angle. They automatically turn on when they detect motion. These lights are equipped with a rechargeable 12000mAh battery . They offer long-lasting performance and are energy-efficient. Fast charging is also supported, allowing for minimal downtime until the lights are ready to use. The brightness can be adjusted to a maximum of up to 550 lumens and users can select from three different color temperatures: 3000K or 4500K. Tedmos Ceiling Lights Rechargeable: Tedmos Tedmos is a trusted name in lighting, combining cutting-edge technology and sleek, modern design. Tedmos' products range from puck light to picture light , ceiling lights , and under cabinet lighting . They are all designed to enhance the look of your home and provide exceptional functionality. The slogan Simple Life reflects the brand's mission to simplify and elevate lighting experiences for all customers. Tedmos' goal is to design products that are easy-to-use, energy efficient, and aesthetically pleasing. Tedmos strives to make homes smarter, more comfortable and better lit by pushing the boundaries of technology and design. Availability Tedmos official website and selected online retailers now offer the new Tedmos Puck Lights , Picture frame Lights and Ceiling Lights . Visit [Tedmos' website URL shared below] for more information and to see the full range. MENAFN18122024003238003268ID1109009581 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Qatar tribune QNA Baku Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) HE Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah held a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the NHRC’s participation in a session of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku. The NHRC chairperson met with Commissioner for Human Rights of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva, Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament and Chairman of the Executive Board of the Social Research Centre Zahid Oruj and President of the Azerbaijan Institute for Democracy and Human Rights Dr Ahmed Shahidov. In her meeting with Sabina Aliyeva, Attiyah discussed enhancing cooperation between the NHRC and the Azerbaijani Commission, focusing on joint efforts, particularly awareness programmes and initiatives aimed at disseminating, promoting, and protecting human rights in both Qatari and Azerbaijani societies. The discussions also included coordinating efforts to draft a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalise collaboration. The proposed MoU would cover the exchange of expertise, experiences, and best practices, with a particular focus on staff development, preparing reports, and adapting to advancements in digital systems. During her meeting with Zahid Oruj, Attiyah emphasised the critical role of social studies, particularly those related to family dynamics as the cornerstone of societal cohesion. She highlighted that strong family units result in cohesive, interconnected societies that enjoy their fundamental rights. Attiyah stressed the importance of enhancing capacities for preparing analytical studies to monitor societal development, identify challenges, and propose solutions.She expressed NHRC’s readiness to collaborate with the Social Research Centre in Azerbaijan by organising joint training courses for employees of both institutions in the field of analytical studies. During her discussions with Dr Ahmed Shahidov, Attiyah underlined the need to implement the MoU signed between the NHRC and the Azerbaijan Institute for Democracy and Human Rights. This agreement focuses on exchanging expertise and building partnerships in areas such as handling and processing petitions, collaborating with governmental and non-governmental entities, and sharing best practices. Attiyah also explored the Institute’s efforts in promoting a culture of human rights within Azerbaijani society. She reiterated that the National Human Rights Committee , as part of its strategic plan for 2024-2030, has adopted executive activities aimed at strengthening international and regional cooperation. These initiatives align with the MoU’s provisions and are designed to be implemented through well-structured, scientifically grounded programmes tailored for international and regional collaboration. Copy 24/11/2024 10Banks puts up 22 in UMBC's 84-71 win against Towson

BOSTON , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RapDev, a leader in site reliability and DevOps solutions, has earned a spot on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list for the second consecutive year . To be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary technology that contributes to the majority of their operating revenues, have at least $50,000 in base-year revenues and $5 million in current-year revenues, be in business for a minimum of four years, and be headquartered in North America . RapDev achieved an impressive rank of 171. RapDev's recognition highlights its engineering-first approach and proprietary technology that helps customers build, scale, and maintain enterprise software platforms. Patented solutions like CSDM as Code and the newly launched T ag Generator for ServiceNow, are transforming how customers manage CMDB and configuration data in Platform-as-a-Service environments. On the observability front, RapDev is the pre-eminent Datadog partner and has built 45+ integrations with key platforms, including IBM Cloud , Nutani x , and Ansible , to extend and enrich visibility in customer environments. "Innovation, transformation, and disruption of the status quo are at the forefront for this year's Technology Fast 500 list, and there's no better way to celebrate 30 years of program history," said Christie Simons , partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP and industry leader for technology, media and telecommunications within Deloitte's Audit & Assurance practice. "This year's winning companies have demonstrated a continuous commitment to growth and remarkable consistency in driving progress. We congratulate all of this year's winners — it's an incredible time for innovation." "Our success is driven by our team's focus on creative engineering, helping our customers realize the value of ServiceNow and Datadog investments," said RapDev Founder Tameem Hourani . "This achievement reflects our team's ongoing commitment to our customers and partners, remaining hyper-focused on raising the bar for talent and gaining momentum as an organization." About RapDev Founded in 2019, RapDev is the go-to partner for Fortune 1000 organizations looking to accelerate and optimize their Datadog and ServiceNow implementations. As a trusted Datadog Premier Partner and ServiceNow Elite Partner, RapDev offers unparalleled expertise in implementation at scale. RapDev expertly guides organizations through their Engineering and DevOps transformations from beginning to end. For more information, visit www.rapdev.io . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rapdev-named-one-of-north-americas-fastest-growing-tech-companies-on-the-2024-deloitte-technology-fast-500-list-302313538.html SOURCE RapDev

VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier David Eby says 25-per-cent U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods would be "devastating" for the province's lumber and forestry industries. He made the comment ahead of a meeting with fellow first ministers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Eby was scheduled to participate in the virtual meeting on Wednesday to discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose the tariffs unless Canada and Mexico stop illegal border crossings and prevent illicit drugs from entering the United States. Eby said the lumber and forestry sectors are already strained by a recent increase in duties amid the ongoing U.S.-Canada dispute over softwood lumber. He said after the first meeting of his new cabinet in Victoria that the tariffs are "unjustified," and they would hurt Americans as much as they would Canadians. The premier said B.C. is a source of natural gas, wood products, minerals and other products that U.S. businesses depend on, and the tariff would hinder jobs and opportunities in the province while making "life more expensive for Americans." Eby and Ottawa have called for a united front dealing with Trump's tariff plan, which he announced on social media on Monday. Eby said B.C. officials had repeatedly raised concerns with Ottawa over organized crime and illicit drugs, such as fentanyl, in relation to border security. "It's a priority for us. It has been for a while, we've written to Ottawa about it. Doesn't justify the tariffs, but it does mean that we can talk about those issues as well." Eby said Trump's proposed tariff "doesn't make economic sense," and the measure is not necessary to address issues at the border. The premier said he believes B.C. has a strong case to make for the tariff being "badly placed" if Trump's priority is to reduce costs for Americans. "I think the premiers are unified," Eby said. "There are 13 of us plus the prime minister. It's a big group of people with different political perspectives, but on this issue of ensuring that we're protecting the people in our country from these unjustified tariffs, I believe we're completely in line on that question." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. The Canadian Press

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB BEIRUT (AP) — In 2006, after a bruising monthlong war between Israel and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militant group, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted for a resolution to end the conflict and pave the way for lasting security along the border. But while there was relative calm for nearly two decades, Resolution 1701’s terms were never fully enforced. Now, figuring out how to finally enforce it is key to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal approved by Israel on Tuesday. In late September, after nearly a year of low-level clashes , the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah spiraled into all-out war and an Israeli ground invasion . As Israeli jets pound deep inside Lebanon and Hezbollah fires rockets deeper into northern Israel, U.N. and diplomatic officials again turned to the 2006 resolution in a bid to end the conflict. Years of deeply divided politics and regionwide geopolitical hostilities have halted substantial progress on its implementation, yet the international community believes Resolution 1701 is still the brightest prospect for long-term stability between Israel and Lebanon. Almost two decades after the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, the United States led shuttle diplomacy efforts between Lebanon and Israel to agree on a ceasefire proposal that renewed commitment to the resolution, this time with an implementation plan to try to bring the document back to life. What is UNSC Resolution 1701? In 2000, Israel withdrew its forces from most of southern Lebanon along a U.N.-demarcated “Blue Line” that separated the two countries and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, which most of the world considers occupied Syrian territory. U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL , increased their presence along the line of withdrawal. Resolution 1701 was supposed to complete Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and ensure Hezbollah would move north of the Litani River, keeping the area exclusively under the Lebanese military and U.N. peacekeepers. Up to 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers would help to maintain calm, return displaced Lebanese and secure the area alongside the Lebanese military. The goal was long-term security, with land borders eventually demarcated to resolve territorial disputes. The resolution also reaffirmed previous ones that call for the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon — Hezbollah among them. “It was made for a certain situation and context,” Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese army general, told The Associated Press. “But as time goes on, the essence of the resolution begins to hollow.” Has Resolution 1701 been implemented? For years, Lebanon and Israel blamed each other for countless violations along the tense frontier. Israel said Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and growing arsenal remained, and accused the group of using a local environmental organization to spy on troops. Lebanon complained about Israeli military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there was no active conflict. “You had a role of the UNIFIL that slowly eroded like any other peacekeeping with time that has no clear mandate,” said Joseph Bahout, the director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy at the American University of Beirut. “They don’t have permission to inspect the area without coordinating with the Lebanese army.” UNIFIL for years has urged Israel to withdraw from some territory north of the frontier, but to no avail. In the ongoing war, the peacekeeping mission has accused Israel, as well as Hezbollah , of obstructing and harming its forces and infrastructure. Hezbollah’s power, meanwhile, has grown, both in its arsenal and as a political influence in the Lebanese state. The Iran-backed group was essential in keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power when armed opposition groups tried to topple him, and it supports Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Yemen. It has an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided missiles pointed at Israel, and has introduced drones into its arsenal . Hanna says Hezbollah “is something never seen before as a non-state actor” with political and military influence. How do mediators hope to implement 1701 almost two decades later? Israel’s security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday. Efforts led by the U.S. and France for the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah underscored that they still view the resolution as key. For almost a year, Washington has promoted various versions of a deal that would gradually lead to its full implementation. International mediators hope that by boosting financial support for the Lebanese army — which was not a party in the Israel-Hezbollah war — Lebanon can deploy some 6,000 additional troops south of the Litani River to help enforce the resolution. Under the deal, an international monitoring committee headed by the United States would oversee implementation to ensure that Hezbollah and Israel’s withdrawals take place. It is not entirely clear how the committee would work or how potential violations would be reported and dealt with. The circumstances now are far more complicated than in 2006. Some are still skeptical of the resolution’s viability given that the political realities and balance of power both regionally and within Lebanon have dramatically changed since then. “You’re tying 1701 with a hundred things,” Bahout said. “A resolution is the reflection of a balance of power and political context.” Now with the ceasefire in place, the hope is that Israel and Lebanon can begin negotiations to demarcate their land border and settle disputes over several points along the Blue Line for long-term security after decades of conflict and tension.ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Kaden Cooper led Louisiana Tech with 16 points, and Daniel Batcho and Amaree Abram made key free throws in the closing seconds as the Bulldogs defeated Richmond 65-62 on Tuesday. Cooper added nine rebounds and four steals for the Bulldogs (6-0). Batcho scored 13 points, going 4 of 6 and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line. Abram shot 3 for 13 (2 for 7 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points, while adding six rebounds. Delonnie Hunt finished with 26 points and three steals for the Spiders (3-4). Abram scored eight points in the first half and Louisiana Tech went into halftime trailing 35-27. Sean Newman Jr. scored a team-high 12 points for Louisiana Tech in the second half. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from .None

Welcome back to Week in Review. This week, we’re diving into OpenAI’s surprise 12 days of reveals, an underwhelming Spotify Wrapped, and an app that tells you when you’ll die. 😰 Let’s get into it. OpenAI is getting into the holiday spirit. In a surprise “12 Days of OpenAI” event, the company will livestream updates and new features every weekday through December 23. The biggest reveals so far include a $200 per month subscription tier for power users of ChatGPT and the release of the full version of its “reasoning” o1 model. You can follow along with all of the product announcements over the next few weeks by staying up to date with our live blog. Spotify Wrapped was this week , but many users are feeling underwhelmed by the music streamer’s personalized year-in-review feature. The biggest complaints stem from the inclusion of an AI podcast over other, clever and creative data stories that it typically offers (remember Burlington, Vermont?) . Users are also upset over the lack of more detailed stats and the exclusion of information they’ve come to expect, like top music genres. A Delaware Chancery court judge denied Tesla’s request to revise her decision to strike down CEO Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package — despite shareholders voting at the company’s annual meeting this year to “re-ratify” the deal. Her decision, laid out in a 103-page opinion piece, says that Tesla’s legal team has “no procedural ground for flipping the outcome” and that the attempt to change her mind contained multiple fatal flaws. This is TechCrunch’s Week in Review, where we recap the week’s biggest news. Want this delivered as a newsletter to your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here . Google loses three key leaders: Three members of Google’s NotebookLM team are leaving for a new stealth startup. It’s unclear if the startup will focus on things that NotebookLM went viral for, such as AI-generated podcasts or if it will do something totally different. Read more SpaceX mulls a big tender offer: SpaceX’s valuation continues to rise at an eye-popping pace, with the company reportedly in talks to sell insider shares at a price that would value it at around $350 billion. Read more Electric popemobile: Mercedes-Benz has delivered the first all-electric popemobile to the Vatican. The modified version of the G-Class SUV features a dedicated height-adjustable swiveling seat so the pope can address more of his audience. Read more Intel’s CEO retires: Intel announced that CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the company’s board of directors. Per a filing with the SEC, Gelsinger could be walking away with just over $10 million in severance pay. Read more Hello, Dia: The Browser Company teased its next product to follow its popular Arc Browser — a new web browser called Dia. According to an ad from the company, Dia will focus heavily on AI tools and is set to launch in early 2025. Read more Could ads come to Bluesky? At our StrictlyVC event, we asked Bluesky CEO Jay Graber if ads were off the table for the social network. Graber told us that Bluesky may eventually experiment with ads — but in a way that doesn’t compromise the core user experience. Read more All eyes on David Mayer: ChatGPT users discovered asking questions about a “David Mayer” caused the chatbot to freeze. While the strange behavior spawned conspiracy theories, a much more ordinary reason is at the heart of it — digital privacy requests. Read more Get your Mac into the holiday spirit: A cute new macOS app called Festivitas can help you decorate your Mac computer screen with twinkling, holiday lights that are strung up from your menu bar and illuminate your dock. Read more Tesla gets into the fart prank market: Tesla revealed plans for an Apple Watch app that will do much of what the smartphone app does, but perhaps the silliest update is the ability to prank your friend in the passenger seat with a whoopie cushion sound effect. Read more Khloé Kardashian, VC: Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner are looking to raise $10 million for a new business called Khloud, according to an SEC filing. Trademarks affiliated with Khloud were filed to cover popcorn, granola, and other types of snacks. Read more Do you want to know when you will die? A new app called Death Clock claims to predict the date of its users’ deaths and offers tips on how to push that date back. My colleague Anthony Ha, who is far braver than I, tried it out for himself. Read more The abject weirdness of AI ads. “Intelligence so big, you’d swear it was from Texas.” “Adapt your workforce at the speed of AI.” “AI that talks to cars and talks to wildlife.” These are examples of recent ads for AI products and companies, but what do they even mean? As Maxwell Zeff writes, most ads for AI mean nothing at all. Companies are resorting to painting AI as this amorphous, magical children’s book character with no specific use case, while also implying that it can do almost anything. We’re in a weird place with AI, and the banal tapestry of advertisements speaks to a larger rut we’re in. Most companies don’t really know what AI is good for, and maybe that’s the point. Read moreExplainer-What happens next for TikTok after Supreme Court agrees to review potential US ban?

Mid-Day Top News: Dust storm in West Asia is making Mumbai air quality and moreElon Musk hits out at Sydney Morning Herald for ‘boring audiences to death’

Opinion editor’s note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. ••• Members of the Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Board have long had a Thanksgiving tradition of pragmatic appreciation — that is, gratitude for the elegance that surrounds us, both natural and in human constructs, and mindfulness of the potential for their misuse or insufficiency. Here are our thoughts this year: Be thankful for free and fair elections, and for the peaceful transfer of presidential power that has endured throughout our nation’s history. Be mindful that these traditions form the bedrock of our democracy and must not be taken for granted. Be thankful for those serving our country, be they in the military, the Foreign Service or the bureaucracy. Be mindful that many service members and diplomats are dispatched overseas this Thanksgiving, and that many federal workers are worried over their futures — not for performance reasons, but for political ones. Be thankful for America’s allies — especially the NATO nations that answered the collective-defense mechanism known as Article 5 the one and only time it was invoked, by the U.S. after 9/11. Be mindful that these bonds are being tested by often reckless rhetoric from some in this country. Be thankful for a free and independent press. Be mindful that attempts to disempower it serve aspiring autocrats and those who have something to hide. Be thankful for the freedom of speech, which allows you to express your opinions without government interference or retaliation. Be mindful that this right does not protect you from the criticism of your peers. Words are a powerful tool that should be used thoughtfully. Be thankful this nation’s founders created a form of government that allows states to be laboratories of democracy. Be mindful of the inequalities this can create, and that the mobility to relocate to a setting one finds ideologically agreeable is a privilege, not easily undertaken by all. Be thankful that Minnesota declined to rush to allow sports betting, an option given the states by a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. Be mindful that black-market gambling is rampant, with or without legal sanction. Be thankful for Minnesota’s world-class health care providers. Be mindful that this vital workforce is stretched thin and that smart policies are needed to encourage more young people to enter these noble professions. Be thankful for our state’s abundant and glorious natural resources — its waterways, prairies, forests and wilderness. Be mindful of the need to protect them for future generations of Minnesotans. Environmental stewardship is a fundamental responsibility of citizenship. Be thankful for the cold. Be mindful that anthropogenic climate change is slowly warming our planet, and that this will continue in the absence of significant intervention from and cooperation among our world leaders. Be thankful for the cooling off of inflation, which in recent months has come close to the Federal Reserve Board’s target. Be mindful that it would be improbable for prices to return broadly to their previous levels without other kinds of economic pain. Be mindful that the Fed’s target has not quite been reached and that certain plans of the incoming presidential administration, especially tariffs, are seen as inflationary by most economists. Be thankful that the economy is ever-evolving and adapting to circumstances, as it did with the supply-chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. Be thankful for the plethora of books available in our libraries and local bookstores. Be mindful that access to some of those books is being threatened across the country by attempted book bans. Be thankful for the increased sensitivities in how we treat one another in society. Be mindful of the backlash against them — but also of the danger in banishing levity.

The suspect in the high-profile killing of a health insurance CEO that has gripped the United States graduated from an Ivy League university, reportedly hails from a wealthy family, and wrote social media posts brimming with cerebral musings. Luigi Mangione, 26, was thrust into the spotlight Monday after police revealed he is their person of interest in the brutal murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a father of two, last week in broad daylight in Manhattan in a case that laid bare deep frustration and anger with America's privatized medical system. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Police release new photos as they search for the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO NEW YORK (AP) — Two law enforcement officials say a masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies on a Manhattan sidewalk used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose." The official were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke Thursday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Police also released photos of a person they say is wanted for questioning in the ambush the day before of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying claims. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are bringing Trump's DOGE to Capitol Hill WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s DOGE time at the U.S. Capitol. Billionaire Elon Musk and fellow business titan Vivek Ramaswamy spent several hours meeting with lawmakers, swapping ideas for how to cut government. The two are heading up President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, with its plans to “dismantle” the federal government. Trump tapped the duo to come up with ways for firing federal workers, cutting government programs and slashing federal regulations — all part of Trump's agenda for a second-term at the White House. For hours they listened as lawmakers shared ideas. House Speaker Mike Johnson said there's going to be “a lot of change” in Washington. House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has shut down Democrats’ efforts to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz. The party line vote pushes the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though the Florida Republican left Congress and withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Earlier Thursday, the Ethics panel met to discuss the Gaetz report but made no decision, saying in a short statement that the matter is still being discussed. Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif. was the sole Republican to vote in support of releasing the report. Hamas official says Gaza ceasefire talks have resumed after weekslong hiatus ISTANBUL (AP) — A Hamas official says that after a weekslong hiatus international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended its talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States over frustration with a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political wing, said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press that there has been a “reactivation” of efforts to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Hegseth faces senators' concerns not only about his behavior but also his views on women in combat WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth has spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Defense in the wake of high-profile allegations about excessive drinking and sexual assault. But senators in both parties have also expressed concern about another issue — Hegseth’s frequent comments that women should not serve in frontline military combat jobs. As he meets with senators for a fourth day Thursday, his professional views on women troops are coming under deeper scrutiny. Hegseth said this week that “we have amazing women who serve our military.” Pressed if they should serve in combat, Hegseth said they already do. Why the rebel capture of Syria's Hama, a city with a dark history, matters BEIRUT (AP) — One of the darkest moments in the modern history of the Arab world happened more than four decades ago, when then-Syrian President Hafez Assad launched what came to be known as the Hama Massacre. The slaughter was named for the Syrian city where 10,000 to 40,000 people were killed or disappeared in a government attack that began on Feb. 2, 1982, and lasted for nearly a month. Hama was turned into ruins. The memory of the assault and the monthlong siege on the city remains visceral in Syrian and Arab minds. Now Islamist insurgents have captured the city in a moment many Syrians have awaited for over 40 years. France's Macron vows to stay in office till end of term, says he'll name a new prime minister soon PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to stay in office until the end of his term in 2027 and announced that he will name a new prime minister within days. In his address to the nation on Thursday, Macron came out fighting, laying blame at the door of his opponents on the far right for bringing down the government of Michel Barnier. He said they chose “not to do but to undo” and that they “chose disorder.” The president also said the far right and the far left had united in what he called “an anti-Republican front.” He said he’ll name a new prime minister within days but gave no hints who that might be. 7.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warning SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The National Weather Service has canceled its tsunami warning for the U.S. West Coast after there was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. According to the U.S. Geological Survey on Thursday, at least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the earthquake struck. It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by multiple smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury. Yoon replaces the defense minister as South Korea's parliament moves to vote on their impeachments SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president has replaced his defense minister as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning-but-brief imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets. Opposition parties are pushing for a vote on motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday evening. They hold 192 seats but need 200 votes for the motion to pass. Yoon’s office said he decided to replace Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun with Choi Byung Hyuk, a retired general who is South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Kim earlier apologized and said he ordered troops to carry out duties related to martial law. The Foreign Ministry also worked to mitigate the backlash and concern over South Korea's democracy. From outsider to the Oval Office, bitcoin surges as a new administration embraces crypto NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin burst on the scene after trust had withered in the financial system and Washington’s ability to protect people from it. Now, it’s Washington’s embrace of bitcoin that’s sending it to records. Bitcoin briefly surged above $103,000 after President-elect Donald Trump said he will nominate Paul Atkins, who's seen as friendly to crypto, to be the Securities and Exchange Commission's next chair. The crypto industry, meanwhile, did its part to bring politicians friendly to digital currencies into Washington. It's a twist from bitcoin's early days, when it was lauded as a kind of electronic cash that wouldn’t be beholden to any government or financial institution.Pride, bragging rights and more than $115M at stake when final college playoff rankings come outokebet gcash 。

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson vowed on Thursday to remain in the race despite a CNN report that he posted strongly worded racial and sexual comments on an online message board, saying he won’t be forced out by “salacious tabloid lies.” Robinson, the sitting lieutenant governor who decisively won his GOP gubernatorial primary in March, has been trailing in several recent polls to Democratic nominee Josh Stein, the current attorney general. “We are staying in this race. We are in it to win it,” Robinson said in a video posted Thursday on the social media platform X. “And we know that with your help, we will.” Robinson referenced in the video a story that he said CNN was running, but he didn't give details. “Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story — those are not the words of Mark Robinson," he said. "You know my words. You know my character.” The CNN report describes a series of racial and sexual comments Robinson posted on the message board of a pornography website more than a decade ago. CNN reported that Robinson, who would be North Carolina’s first Black governor, attacked civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in searing terms and once referred to himself as a “black NAZI.” CNN also reported that Robinson wrote of being aroused by a memory of “peeping” women in gym showers when he was 14 along with an appreciation of transgender pornography. Robinson at one point referred to himself as a “perv,” according to CNN. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed that Robinson wrote and posted the messages. CNN said it matched details of the account on the pornographic website forum to other online accounts held by Robinson by comparing usernames, a known email address and his full name. CNN reported that details discussed by the account holder matched Robinson’s age, length of marriage and other biographical information. It also compared figures of speech that were used in his public Facebook profile and that appeared in discussions by the account on the pornographic website. Media outlets already have reported about a 2021 speech by Robinson in a church in which he used the word “filth” when discussing gay and transgender people. Robinson has a history of inflammatory comments that Stein has said made him too extreme to lead North Carolina. They already have contributed to the prospect that campaign struggles for Robinson would hurt former President Donald Trump to win the battleground state’s 16 electoral votes, and potential other GOP downballot candidates. Recent polls of North Carolina voters show Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris locked in a close race. The same polls show Stein with a roughly 10-point lead over Robinson. Stein and his allies have repeatedly cited a Facebook post from 2019 in which Robinson said abortion in America was about “killing the child because you weren’t responsible enough to keep your skirt down.” The Stein campaign said in a statement after the report that “North Carolinians already know Mark Robinson is completely unfit to be Governor.” State law says a gubernatorial nominee could withdraw as a candidate no later than the day before the first absentee ballots requested by military and overseas voters are distributed. That begins Friday, so the withdrawal deadline would be late Thursday. State Republican leaders could then pick a replacement. Trump has frequently voiced his support for Robinson, who has been considered a rising star in his party, well-known for his fiery speeches and evocative rhetoric. Ahead of the March primary, Trump at a rally in Greensboro called Robinson “Martin Luther King on steroids” for his speaking ability. Trump’s campaign appears to be distancing itself from Robinson in the wake of the report. In a statement to the AP, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the GOP nominee’s campaign “is focused on winning the White House and saving this country,” calling North Carolina “a vital part of that plan.” Leavitt went on to contrast Trump’s economic record with that of Harris, not mentioning Robinson by name or answering questions as to whether he would appear with Trump at a Saturday campaign rally in Wilmington, or had been invited to do so. A spokesperson for Harris’ campaign, Ammar Moussa, said on X that “Donald Trump has a Mark Robinson problem” and reposted a photo of the two together. The North Carolina Republican Party defended Robinson in a statement on X, saying that despite his denial of CNN's report, it wouldn't “stop the Left from trying to demonize him via personal attacks.” The party referred to economic and immigration policies as the predominant election issues North Carolinians will care more about instead. “The Left needs this election to be a personality contest, not a policy contest because if voters focused on policy, Republicans win on Election Day," the party said. Scott Lassiter, a Republican state Senate candidate in a Raleigh-area swing district, did call on Robinson to “suspend his campaign to allow a quality candidate to finish this race.” Ed Broyhill, a North Carolina member of the Republican National Committee, said he spoke to Robinson Thursday afternoon and still supports him as the nominee. In an interview, Broyhill suggested the online details may have been fabricated. “It seems like a dirty trick to me,” Broyhill said. On Capitol Hill, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the House GOP’s campaign committee, told reporters the report’s findings were “concerning.” Robinson, he said, has some reassuring to do in the state. Robinson, 56, was elected lieutenant governor in his first bid for public office in 2020. He tells a life story of childhood poverty, jobs that he blames the North American Free Trade Agreement for ending, and personal bankruptcy. His four-minute speech to the Greensboro City Council defending gun rights and lamenting the “demonizing” of police officers went viral — and led him to a National Rifle Association board position and popularity among conservative voters. This story was first published on Sep. 19, 2024. It was updated on Nov. 22, 2024 to correct which of Robinson’s social media accounts CNN cited in a comparison to language in messages from a pornographic website message board. CNN cited his public Facebook account, not his Twitter account. Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, and Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — If anyone had any doubts left that Sen. Thom Tillis would run for reelection, he’s ending all speculation this week. Around 20 senators planned to host a kick-off campaign event for North Carolina’s senior senator in Washington Wednesday, marking the official start to his 2026 Senate campaign. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Confirmed - safe standing IS coming to the Amex next seasonLIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Kylian Mbappe hoped his move to Real Madrid would finally see him end his wait to win the Champions League. Instead, the France international and defending champion Madrid are in danger of being eliminated from European club soccer's elite tournament at the first stage after Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Liverpool leaves them in a fight just to make the playoffs for the next round. And if Madrid does make an early exit, Mbappe may look back on a miserable night at Anfield where he was humbled by a young defender and then missed a penalty that would have leveled the score. World Cup winner Mbappe looked a shadow of himself against a Liverpool team that leads the way in the Premier League and the Champions League this season. He was brought crashing down by a crunching tackle from 21-year-old right back Conor Bradley when threatening to burst through on goal in the first half — sparking a huge cheer from the home crowd. It got worse for Mbappe after the break when he had the chance to make it 1-1 from the penalty spot after Alexis Mac Allister had given six-time European champion Liverpool the lead. But with Caoimhin Kelleher to beat, he saw his effort pushed away by Liverpool's back-up goalkeeper. Mohamed Salah also missed a spot kick of his own, but substitute Cody Gakpo doubled the home team's advantage. Record 15-time European Cup winner Madrid is 24th in the new-look 36-team league phase of the Champions League. The top eight teams advance to the round of 16, while teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a playoff. Victory saw new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot manage something his predecessor Jurgen Klopp never could by beating Real in the Champions League. His team extended its perfect record in the competition and is top of the standings after five games. Each team plays eight games in the opening phase. Madrid plays Atalanta next month and Liverpool faces Girona. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” ___ Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. Lolita Baldor And Fatima Hussein, The Associated Press

A one-of-a-kind leadership summit, the News9 Global Summit is being held in Stuttgart, Germany from November 21 to 23. From understanding how the world views India’s technological transformation to discussing lessons for Indian brands to be in sync with shifting consumer preferences, the panel ‘Srinagar to Stuttgart, The Consumer Story’ is a must for those interested in understanding India’s ascending consumer journey New Delhi: The News9 Global Summit is currently being held in Stuttgart, Germany from November 21 to November 23. With the aim of invigorating and strengthening the ties between India and Germany, this thought fest unlike any other will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders from both the countries to look for the best ways to develop actionable ideas on issues that can benefit them in today’s world. The Summit is being held at the MHP Arena, Stuttgart’s state-of-the-art stadium and a spate of insightful conversations, keynote addresses and cultural events showcase to the world the developing ties between India and Germany and how to best take them forward. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the keynote address at the Summit, where he will outline his vision for a Viksit Bharat, highlighting India’s bright leadership role as a global power in coming years. The Summit is full of diverse and interesting panels that cover a variety of aspects aligned with issues important for both the current and future prospects of India, Germany and the world. A key panel in this regard is ‘Srinagar to Stuttgart, The Consumer Story’ which concerns itself with the growing consumer market in India, one that in recent times has come out as one of the top destinations for global investments. The Indian consumer story and its relation to Germany The panel ‘Srinagar to Stuttgart: The Consumer Story’ saw discussions on both the opportunities and challenges of India’s growing consumer market and its relation to Germany. India’s consumer market is the world’s fifth largest and is projected to become the third largest by 2026. All eyes are on India and where it will head in the future, especially the growth of its outsized young population. As panel member Ulrich Heppe, CEO, Stuttgart Airport said about similarities in the young in both Germany and India, “Consumer behaviour in the young generations are not so different.” Having previously worked in India himself, Heppe further added, ““India you have so much talent, so many well-educated people. The people I worked with in Ahmedabad, I was really impressed.” The Indian consumer, especially the young has certainly changed and this was well explained by another panelist, Shubhranshu Singh, CMO, CVBU, Tata Motor when he said, ““If you ask an Indian kid today that don’t play games on your smartphone instead prefer to buy scrabble or rubik’s cube because that was popular in America 30 years ago, it’s not going to happen.” The Indian consumer story is unique and on a near-constant upward rise and the panel shed valuable insights in tracing and understanding its growth. The panel also discussed the best way forward for India and Germany to develop their consumer and market relations. Reinhold von Ungern-Sternberg, Director, International Markets, BVMW talked about the two countries in this aspect when he said, ““Germany and India are a perfect fit together, because of common things and because of differences.” He further added how, ““The way to go into both consumer markets is to invest.” The panel members also shared their keen insights on how global markets work and develop, especially the intersection of India and Germany. As Dikdyuti Sen, Global Marketing Director of Flixbus said about his own endeavours, “What Flix brings to India is that global standard of collective sustainable mobility.” As the panel members perfectly illustrated, the growth story of both India and Germany is one that goes well together. Each has traits and circumstances that can push the other forward and this was perfectly encapsulated in the session by Shubhranshu Singh when he pointed how both cultures can combine to get the best results, “In India we have a word for it called ‘jugaad’ or innovation on the fly and that has provided us with a very robust toolkit, no matter what the situation is to be able to innovate and I think that married to first world infrastructure is a wonderful thing that is also a talent magnet.” Click for more latest Opinion Analysis news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. In his first stint in the industry, Akshit currently works in the Opinion and Explainer desk at News9Live. Attempting to explain the latest in the news, in easy and concise language, he looks to fulfil the role of an arbitrator of information to the general public, who might not always have the time or resources to do so. He covers a spate of topics but environment and climate change are given special consideration. He also finds the intersection of society and culture, coming up in news, interesting.The mysterious drone sightings across several counties in New Jersey during recent weeks were launched by an Iranian “mothership,” according to a congressman who spoke to Fox News on Wednesday. And while it seems like a completely outlandish claim given everything we know publicly right now, this isn’t some random crank on the internet. It’s an elected leader in the U.S. who sits on powerful committees and claims to have sources who can be trusted. The mysterious flying vehicles have blinking lights and have sometimes been described as being as large as a car. Walt Miller, chief of police in New Jersey’s Evesham township, gave a press conference Friday where he said cops have been flooded with calls about the flying objects. But it’s unclear to most people who might be behind them. At least it was unclear until Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a Republican from New Jersey, said Wednesday that he knows for certain what they are. Rep. Drew is a member of the U.S. House Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation and says he has reliable information that these drones are from a hostile source. “I’ve gotten to know people and from very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources, I’m going to tell you the real deal,” Van Drew said, prefacing his remarks on Fox News while talking with Harris Faulkner. “Iran launched a mothership, probably about a month ago, that contains these drones. That mothership is off the east coast of the United States of America. They’ve launched drones—this is everything that we can see and hear. Again these are from high sources, I don’t say this lightly.” Rep. Van Drew then goes on to admit there was a “probability” whatever these flying objects are could’ve been American, either as hobbyists or U.S.-government run, but he insisted, “we know it’s not our own government.” “The third possibility was somebody, an adversarial country, doing this. Know that Iran made a deal with China to purchase drones, motherships, and technology in order to go forward,” said Rep. Van Drew. “The sources I have are good. They can’t reveal who they are because they are speaking to me in confidentiality. These drones should be shot down.” But as insistent as Rep. Van Drew was that he knew where these drones were coming from, he did eventually start to hedge that it merely “could be” a mothership from Iran. “Whether it was some crazy hobbyist that we can’t imagine, or whether it is Iran—and I think it very possibly could be—they should be shot down. We are not getting the full deal and the military is on alert with this,” Rep. Van Drew said. Rep. Van Drew has called for the drones to be shot down. But the Pentagon denied that these are Iranian drones during a press conference on Wednesday. “At this time we have no evidence that these activities are coming from a foreign entity or the work of an adversary,” said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh . “We’re going to continue to monitor what is happening, but, you know, at no point were our installations threatened when this activity was occurring.” Asked by a reporter specifically about the Iranian mothership idea, Singh reiterated, “There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States.” Experts aren’t quite sure what to make of wild claims that these could be from a hostile nation. As several people have pointed out on social media, these flying objects would likely be intercepted in some way rather quickly if they really were being operated by a foreign government. “Regarding the New Jersey mystery drones that are appearing over military bases (among other locations), I think it’s rather key to note they aren’t being shot down or intercepted, even though military bases would be permitted to do this for security reasons,” Faine Greenwood, a researcher who’s worked for years on UAVs, wrote Tuesday on Bluesky . Whatever happens, it’ll be interesting to see whether anyone in the intelligence community leaks any info to support any of Rep. Van Drew’s claims. Because as of right now we only have his word on the topic. And while it’s entirely possible the Pentagon is lying about something, it would be odd if these were Iranian and nobody came forward to leak that very important information. “This isn’t just Jeff Van Drew... oh let’s you know let’s get on Harris’s show and say something outrageous,” Rep. Van Drew said of himself. “I’m telling you the straight deal from very high-positioned individuals who are telling me this. And the bottom line is they’re launching them. They are across the country.” Van Drew even insisted that the U.S. government doesn’t have anything so advanced, another claim that seems a bit outrageous. “We don’t even have anything like this. Our government, and certainly our hobbyists don’t. So think about it. Not only do I have the information but it’s also common sense,” Rep. Van Drew said.

Cancer Daily Horoscope Today, Dec 10, 2024 predicts good fortuneTrump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia

Rapid City committee endorses Summer Nights, but says it needs to find a new homeNew Jersey Student Loan Attorney Daniel Straffi Releases Article on Relief Options for Borrowers

North Carolina interviews Bill Belichick for head coaching job, AP sources saySyrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay homeThe Cannabist Company Launches dreamt Brand, to Maryland MarketDAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector came "to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. The rebel alliance now in control of much of the country is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and promises representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. Syrian citizens stand on a government forces tank that was left on a street Monday as they celebrate in Damascus, Syria. "It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women's dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty," the command said on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. Syrians wait to cross into Syria from Turkey on Monday at the Oncupinar border gate near the town of Kilis, southern Turkey. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia granted political asylum to Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad's specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people still celebrated. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence, though in some areas small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Syrian citizens celebrate Monday during the second day of the takeover of the city by the insurgents in Damascus, Syria. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons, security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. "Don't be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!" In southern Turkey, Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. "I haven't seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he's alive." Jalali, the prime minister, sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. "We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth," he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation already improved from the day before. Israeli soldiers sit on top of a tank Monday along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. "We want to give everyone their rights," Haddad said outside the courthouse. "We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods." But a U.N. official said some government services were paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector "has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies was put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. "This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation's capital," Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again." People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Members of the Syrian community in Finland wave a Syrian flag and celebrate in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 8, 2024. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Syrians wave opposition flags and give out sweets during a spontaneous rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) Syrians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians wave Syrian opposition flags at a rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government's fall, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians living in France hug during a rally on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Fate Therapeutics Presents New Phase 1 Clinical Data of FT819 Off-the-shelf, CAR T-cell Product ...Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the ambush. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here's the latest: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says “violence to combat any sort of corporate greed is unacceptable” and the White House will “continue to condemn any form of violence.” She declined to comment on the investigation into the Dec. 4 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson or reports that writings belonging to the suspect, Luigi Mangione, said insurance companies care more about profits than their customers. “This is horrific,” Jean-Pierre said of the fatal shooting of Thompson as he walked in Manhattan. He didn’t appear to say anything as deputies led him to a waiting car outside. “I’m deeply grateful to the men and women of law enforcement whose efforts to solve the horrific murder of Brian Thompson led to the arrest of a suspect in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Hochul said in the statement. “I am coordinating with the District Attorney’s Office and will sign a request for a governor’s warrant to ensure this individual is tried and held accountable. Public safety is my top priority and I’ll do everything in my power to keep the streets of New York safe.” That’s according to a spokesperson for the governor who said Gov. Hochul will do it as soon as possible. Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. ▶ Read more about Luigi Mangione Peter Weeks, the Blair County district attorney, says he’ll work with New York officials to try to return suspect Luigi Mangione there to face charges. Weeks said the New York charges are “more serious” than in Blair County. “We believe their charges take precedent,” Weeks said, promising to do what’s needed to accommodate New York’s prosecution first. Weeks spoke to reporters after a brief hearing at which a defense lawyer said Mangione will fight extradition. The defense asked for a hearing on the issue. In the meantime, Mangione will be detained at a state prison in western Pennsylvania. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday it will seek a Governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition to Manhattan. Under state law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul can issue a warrant of arrest demanding Mangione’s return to the state. Such a warrant must recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issuance and be sealed with the state seal. It would then be presented to law enforcement in Pennsylvania to expedite Mangione’s return to New York. But Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks says it won’t be a substantial barrier to returning Mangione to New York. He noted that defendants contest extradition “all the time,” including in simple retail theft cases. Dickey, his defense lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Mangione will continue to be housed at a state prison in Huntingdon. He has 14 days to challenge the detention. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was quieted by his lawyer. Luigi Mangione, 26, has also been denied bail at a brief court hearing in western Pennsylvania. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. That’s with some intervention from owner Elon Musk. The account, which hasn’t posted since June, was briefly suspended by X. But after a user inquired about it in a post Monday, Musk responded “This happened without my knowledge. Looking into it.” The account was later reinstated. Other social media companies such as Meta have removed his accounts. According to X rules, the platform removes “any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, as well as any accounts glorifying the perpetrator(s), or dedicated to sharing manifestos and/or third party links where related content is hosted.” Mangione is not accused of perpetrating a terrorist or mass attack — he has been charged with murder — and his account doesn’t appear to share any writings about the case. He shouted something that was partly unintelligible, but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He’s there for an arraignment on local charges stemming from his arrest Monday. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit as officers led him from a vehicle into the courthouse. Local defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is expected to represent the 26-year-old at a Tuesday afternoon hearing at the Blair County Courthouse. Dickey declined comment before the hearing. Mangione could have the Pennsylvania charges read aloud to him and may be asked to enter a plea. They include possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he was charged late Monday with murder in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. A felony warrant filed in New York cites Altoona Officer Christy Wasser as saying she found the writings along with a semi-automatic pistol and an apparent silencer. The filing echoes earlier statements from NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny who said Mangione had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione is now charged in Pennsylvania with being a fugitive of justice. A customer at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested said one of his friends had commented beforehand that the man looked like the suspect wanted for the shooting in New York City. “It started out almost a little bit like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter,” said the customer, who declined to give his full name, on Tuesday. “It wasn’t really a joke, but we laughed about it,” he added. The warrant on murder and other charges is a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. In court papers made public Tuesday, a New York City police detective reiterated key findings in the investigation he said tied Mangione to the killing, including surveillance footage and a fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel on Nov. 24. Police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found that ID when they arrested Mangione on Monday. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione doesn’t yet have a lawyer who can speak on his behalf, court officials said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and ski cap. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, announced Tuesday morning that he’s postponing a fundraiser planned later this week at the Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore, which was purchased by the Mangione family in 1986. “Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my Cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday at Hayfields,” Nino Mangione said in a social media post. “I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you.” Officers used New York City’s muscular surveillance system . Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door to door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later , those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian’s instincts. A customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos New York police had publicized. He remains jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late Monday evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. It’s unclear whether Luigi Nicholas Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday’s arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.”oxbet 。

Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the ambush. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here's the latest: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says “violence to combat any sort of corporate greed is unacceptable” and the White House will “continue to condemn any form of violence.” She declined to comment on the investigation into the Dec. 4 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson or reports that writings belonging to the suspect, Luigi Mangione, said insurance companies care more about profits than their customers. “This is horrific,” Jean-Pierre said of the fatal shooting of Thompson as he walked in Manhattan. He didn’t appear to say anything as deputies led him to a waiting car outside. “I’m deeply grateful to the men and women of law enforcement whose efforts to solve the horrific murder of Brian Thompson led to the arrest of a suspect in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Hochul said in the statement. “I am coordinating with the District Attorney’s Office and will sign a request for a governor’s warrant to ensure this individual is tried and held accountable. Public safety is my top priority and I’ll do everything in my power to keep the streets of New York safe.” That’s according to a spokesperson for the governor who said Gov. Hochul will do it as soon as possible. Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. ▶ Read more about Luigi Mangione Peter Weeks, the Blair County district attorney, says he’ll work with New York officials to try to return suspect Luigi Mangione there to face charges. Weeks said the New York charges are “more serious” than in Blair County. “We believe their charges take precedent,” Weeks said, promising to do what’s needed to accommodate New York’s prosecution first. Weeks spoke to reporters after a brief hearing at which a defense lawyer said Mangione will fight extradition. The defense asked for a hearing on the issue. In the meantime, Mangione will be detained at a state prison in western Pennsylvania. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday it will seek a Governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition to Manhattan. Under state law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul can issue a warrant of arrest demanding Mangione’s return to the state. Such a warrant must recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issuance and be sealed with the state seal. It would then be presented to law enforcement in Pennsylvania to expedite Mangione’s return to New York. But Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks says it won’t be a substantial barrier to returning Mangione to New York. He noted that defendants contest extradition “all the time,” including in simple retail theft cases. Dickey, his defense lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Mangione will continue to be housed at a state prison in Huntingdon. He has 14 days to challenge the detention. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was quieted by his lawyer. Luigi Mangione, 26, has also been denied bail at a brief court hearing in western Pennsylvania. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. That’s with some intervention from owner Elon Musk. The account, which hasn’t posted since June, was briefly suspended by X. But after a user inquired about it in a post Monday, Musk responded “This happened without my knowledge. Looking into it.” The account was later reinstated. Other social media companies such as Meta have removed his accounts. According to X rules, the platform removes “any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, as well as any accounts glorifying the perpetrator(s), or dedicated to sharing manifestos and/or third party links where related content is hosted.” Mangione is not accused of perpetrating a terrorist or mass attack — he has been charged with murder — and his account doesn’t appear to share any writings about the case. He shouted something that was partly unintelligible, but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He’s there for an arraignment on local charges stemming from his arrest Monday. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit as officers led him from a vehicle into the courthouse. Local defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is expected to represent the 26-year-old at a Tuesday afternoon hearing at the Blair County Courthouse. Dickey declined comment before the hearing. Mangione could have the Pennsylvania charges read aloud to him and may be asked to enter a plea. They include possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he was charged late Monday with murder in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. A felony warrant filed in New York cites Altoona Officer Christy Wasser as saying she found the writings along with a semi-automatic pistol and an apparent silencer. The filing echoes earlier statements from NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny who said Mangione had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione is now charged in Pennsylvania with being a fugitive of justice. A customer at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested said one of his friends had commented beforehand that the man looked like the suspect wanted for the shooting in New York City. “It started out almost a little bit like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter,” said the customer, who declined to give his full name, on Tuesday. “It wasn’t really a joke, but we laughed about it,” he added. The warrant on murder and other charges is a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. In court papers made public Tuesday, a New York City police detective reiterated key findings in the investigation he said tied Mangione to the killing, including surveillance footage and a fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel on Nov. 24. Police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found that ID when they arrested Mangione on Monday. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione doesn’t yet have a lawyer who can speak on his behalf, court officials said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and ski cap. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, announced Tuesday morning that he’s postponing a fundraiser planned later this week at the Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore, which was purchased by the Mangione family in 1986. “Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my Cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday at Hayfields,” Nino Mangione said in a social media post. “I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you.” Officers used New York City’s muscular surveillance system . Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door to door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later , those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian’s instincts. A customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos New York police had publicized. He remains jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late Monday evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. It’s unclear whether Luigi Nicholas Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday’s arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.”

TikTok is seeking a temporary pause on the enforcement of a potential ban on the popular social media app as the Supreme Court considers whether to take up the case. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the incoming Trump administration’s policies towards China and the committee leadership fights inside the Democratic Caucus. Dec. 10, 2024Klubnik's 3 TD passes, DT Page's pick-6 lead No. 17 Clemson to 51-14 win over The CitadelKochi, Dec 28 (IANS): In recognition to the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute’s (CMFRI) pivotal role in advancing fisheries science, two of its scientists have been honoured by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) for their exceptional contributions. Established in 1990, NAAS is dedicated to promoting excellence in agricultural sciences, encompassing other areas such as crop and animal husbandry, fisheries, agroforestry, and the agriculture-industry interface. Dr Eldho Varghese, senior Scientist at CMFRI, has been elected as a NAAS Fellow, while Dr T.G. Sumithra has been selected as a NAAS Associate. These prestigious recognitions underline their contributions to agricultural research in their respective domains. NAAS Fellowships are awarded to distinguished scientists from India and abroad for outstanding contributions to agriculture and allied sciences. The Associateship program, introduced to recognise young scientists under 40 years of age working in agriculture-related disciplines in India, highlights emerging talent in the field. Dr Eldho Varghese was honoured for his innovative contributions to statistics, particularly in designing experiments for agricultural and fisheries research. His work includes statistical and ecosystem modelling, fish stock assessment, applying deep learning models in marine fisheries research, and developing computational tools for advanced data analysis. Dr T.G. Sumithra was recognized for her groundbreaking research in fish health and marine microbiology. Her studies focus on the marine fish microbiome, fish diseases, and antimicrobial resistance. Her work has led to the creation of guidelines for responsible antibiotic use in aquaculture and eco-friendly technologies for bioethanol production and sustainable fish waste management. NAAS, a national body devoted to agricultural sciences, serves as a premier platform for agricultural scientists to deliberate on pressing issues in research, education, and extension. It provides policy recommendations to planners and decision-makers while fostering cutting-edge research across diverse fields of agricultural sciences.Elon Musk again comes in support of Sriram Krishnan after racist pic shows him as butter chicken

F1 closer to approving expanded grid for GM entryWar monitor says Assad has fled Syria after rebels enter capitalHomogenizer Machine Market Size 2024: Global Share, Industry And Report Analysis By 2031 | Linde Material Handling GmbH Mitsubishi Logisnext Co., Ltd. Motrec International Inc. 12-28-2024 10:58 AM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: orion market research Homogenizer Machine Market Homogenizer machine market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period (2024-2031) owing to the increasing demand from various end-user industries such as food & dairy, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, biotechnologies, and chemical industries. Due to its application in the reduction of particle size and disintegration of fat globules, the food and dairy processing industries are driving significant development in the market. Homogenizers provide excellent texture and viscosity to dairy and non-alcoholic beverages. The shelf life of the food products is low, which results in rapid deterioration of the food quality, thus, the homogenizers help to extend the shelf life of perishable food products, which is crucial for food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Get Free Sample link @ https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/homogenizer-machine-market Among the types, the ultrasonic sub-segment is expected to hold a considerable share of the homogenizer machine market. Ultrasonic homogenizers, also known as ultrasonic processors or sonicators, are devices that use high-frequency sound waves to disrupt cells and tissues. Ultrasonic homogenizers are generally used for processing small samples that are in suspension and which do not require any pre-grinding or cutting. They can be used to speed up chemical processes, and produce emulsions, for cell lysis, mixing, and dissolving purposes. A growing number of food and dairy enterprises with technological improvements are also predicted to increase the demand for ultrasonic homogenizer machines market across the globe. Companies have been making technological advancements and launching new homogenizer machines for laboratory testing, dispersing, mixing, extraction, chemical response, and length elimination for businesses. For instance, in August 2021, GEA Group AG, a Germany-based supplier of systems and components, expanded its range of homogenizer with the launch of GEA TriplexPanda Lab Homogenizer and the GEA Ariete Homogenizer 3160 for the cosmetics, dairy, chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and beverage industries. The new GEA TriplexPanda is a three-piston tabletop unit for the treatment of nanoparticles, nanodispersions, and nanoemulsions. The easy-to-use, plug-and-play unit has been specially designed to meet the demands of laboratory testing as well as small-scale batches. full report of Homogenizer Machine Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/homogenizer-machine-market •Market Coverage •Market number available for - 2024-2031 •Base year- 2024 •Forecast period- 2024-2031 •Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications •Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill •Inc., and others Global Homogenizer Machine Testing Market Report Segment By Type •Ultrasonic •Pressure •Mechanical •Bead Mill By Application •Food and Dairy •Pharmaceuticals •Cosmetics •Biotechnology •Chemical Processing By Technology •Single-Valve •Two-Valve Global Homogenizer Machine Testing Market Report Segment by Region North America •United States •Canada Europe •UK •Germany •Italy •Spain •France •Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific •China •India •Japan •South Korea •Rest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the World •Latin America •Middle East & Africa The Report Covers •Market value data analysis of 2023 and forecast to 2031. •Annualized market revenues ($ million) for each market segment. •Country-wise analysis of major geographical regions. •Key companies operating in the global homogenizer machine market. Based on the availability of data, information related to new product launches, and relevant news is also available in the report. •Analysis of business strategies by identifying the key market segments positioned for strong growth in the future. •Analysis of market-entry and market expansion strategies. •Competitive strategies by identifying 'who-stands-where' in the market. For More Customized Data, Request for Report Customization @ https://www.omrglobal.com/report-customization/homogenizer-machine-market About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies. Media Contact: Company Name: Orion Market Research Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari Email: info@omrglobal.com Contact no: +91 780-304-0404 This release was published on openPR.

After upset win, Penn State out to extend Rutgers' woes

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Cowboys executive addresses the Daniel Jones rumorsSubstation Monitoring System Market Size 2024: Global Share, Industry And Report Analysis By 2031 | Linde Material Handling GmbH Mitsubishi Logisnext Co., Ltd. Motrec International Inc.

Ms Anne Neuberger said a sweeping Chinese cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon had targeted top US politicians. MANAMA, Bahrain - The US believes that an alleged sweeping Chinese cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon targeted and recorded telephone calls of "very senior" American political figures, a White House official said on Dec 7. The comments by Ms Anne Neuberger, the US deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, to reporters at the Manama Dialogue regional security conference in Bahrain's capital revealed new details of the campaign. While a large number of Americans' metadata likely has been stolen, US officials understand that "the purpose of the operation was more focused," Ms Neuberger said. "We believe... the actual number of calls that they took, recorded and took, was really more focused on very senior political individuals," she continued. She did not elaborate, including revealing the identities of those who were targeted. Chinese officials previously have described the allegations as disinformation and said that Beijing "firmly opposes and combats cyber attacks and cyber theft in all forms." "We're still investigating the scope and scale" of the hacking campaign, Ms Neuberger said. The New York Times in October reported that members of US President-elect Donald Trump's family and Biden administration officials were among those targeted by China-linked hackers who broke into telecommunications companies. A senior US official this week said dozens of companies worldwide have been struck by the hackers, including at least eight telecommunications and telecom infrastructure firms in the US. US officials have alleged the hackers' targets included Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Lumen, and others and that telephone audio intercepts along with a large tranche of call record data were stolen. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowWill Howard and Ryan Day Send Clear Message to Fans Ahead of Indiana-Ohio State GameThis Christmas has been extra special for Emma Hayes and her young family. “We really went to town on it this year with lots of decorations,” she says. “Knowing we would wake up safely in our own home on Christmas Day.” Last year was a very different story. After battling a 25% rent increase, the family found themselves facing eviction on December 20. “Five days before Christmas Day, there was a knock at the door,” Emma, 36, from Harlow, remembers. “It was 8am, so my daughter went, thinking it was Nanny.” Her eight-year-old was instead handed a Section 21 ‘no-fault eviction’ notice. “The landlady gave it to her,” says Emma. “She said her son needed the property. I tried to put on a brave face, but I was in shock, heartbroken. I felt like such a bad mum.” A year on, with the help of Shelter, Emma has found a new place to rent with her partner Josh and two kids. But their story cuts to the heart of what the housing crisis really means – and why solving it is at the top of the Government’s list of problems. It’s not a crisis of bricks and mortar but of homes – safe places where people can put up a Christmas tree or spend time with family. Housing charity Shelter says that safety will be denied to an estimated 354,000 people this Christmas, including 161,500 children, who will be homeless as the year draws to a close. This year, the number of households with children who were either threatened with homelessness or already homeless increased by 3.9%. Emma’s family is only just coming to terms with what they’ve been through. “It has been such a stressful time,” Emma says. “I ended up with high blood pressure and had to be induced for my son’s birth. “My daughter was moody and irritable – a different child. She needed drawing therapy to help her deal with the anxiety.” Meanwhile Aimee, 29, a housekeeper, from Sheldon, Birmingham, spent last Christmas in temporary accommodation in a hotel with her young children after being illegally evicted by her private landlord. “There were old chips and ketchup stuck to the windowsill, mould everywhere, cockroaches and bed bugs ,” she remembers. “We all needed treatment for bites. We couldn’t use the shower, fridge or shared kitchen it was all filthy. “The water from the taps came out black – it wasn’t even safe to brush our teeth. The children were crying, begging to go to my mum’s. I felt like the worst parent for taking them there. My daughter kept trying to run away. The children couldn’t really understand what was happening – we’d had a normal, nice life until now. It didn’t feel real.” Not only was the hotel unsanitary, it felt unsafe. “I was told it would be just for women, but there were men there too and it felt very unsafe from the start,” Aimee says. “At night there were people going up and down in the corridors.” Even so, Aimee tried to make it feel like Christmas for her girls. I put the tree up, but it just felt like a nasty dream. We stayed at mum’s the night before as we just couldn’t face waking up there on Christmas Day.” The daily school run meant leaving at 7am to catch two buses, and they made the four-hour round trip to Aimee’s mum’s house to get showers a few times a week. “We had to leave the place between 7am and 8pm every Tuesday so it could be sprayed with insecticide,” she says. This year, after receiving advice and support from Shelter, Aimee spent Christmas at her new two-bed home close to the kids’ school. “I’ve replaced the bad memories with good ones,” she says. “Even doing the normal things, waking up in our own beds, opening presents, cooking Christmas dinner – it all felt brilliant. “When you’ve not had the basics, like a safe place to sleep or your own kitchen, you don’t take these things for granted any more. It’s scary how quickly everything changed for us. People have prejudices about who is homeless and why – but it can really happen to anyone.” Zee’s family were given their eviction notice on December 16 last year. The family doesn’t celebrate Christmas but had been planning a festive break. “It was so scary,” she says. “My son was asking, ‘What will we do, it’s winter? Are we going to have nowhere to live? Are we homeless?’” Zee, 36, works for Shelter, and her young son found themselves evicted from a place barely fit for human habitation. “There was always damp and mould,” says Zee, from East Lancashires. “My son kept asking me why his room was ‘broken’. I was picking some clothes up from the settee one day when a mouse popped up, then I was seeing them everywhere. There were flies coming out from behind the bricked-up fireplace. When I told the landlord he just joked about it being a dead body which I didn’t find very funny. “Then we had a problem with a gas leak – it could have killed us. It really affected my son, and my mental health.” This year, Zee has been able to find social housing, and they spent their first Christmas in years in a warm, clean home. It is a home now,” she says. “It was a new property, so everything works, and no-one has lived here before. “It’s such a good feeling, being able to shut the front door and know it’s ours. When we got the keys, and I gave my son his key, it felt like we’d won the lottery. It’s security and safety, peace of mind and being able to tell your child they’re safe.” These are the lives Labour proposes to change with its pledge to build 1.5 million homes. The Government has set itself a target of 370,000 a year to reach its target – a milestone that hasn’t been hit in a single year for more than half a century. But after years of neglect, the Government also needs to solve an ‘affordability crisis’. According to Shelter, we need at least 90,000 new social rented homes a year to catch up with rising need and make good the shortfall in housing supply. Millions of children’s Christmases – now and into the future – depend upon it. You can donate to Shelter here .Fresh off its biggest win of the season, Penn State plays its first true road game Tuesday when it visits Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. Aces will be wild for the Nittany Lions (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) and the Scarlet Knights (5-4, 0-1) as Penn State's Ace Baldwin Jr. will square off against Ace Bailey of Rutgers. Baldwin is the Nittany Lions' leading scorer at 15.1 points per game and dishes out 8.1 assists -- fourth in the nation entering Monday's action. He registered 17 points and six assists Thursday in an 81-70 victory over then-No. 8 Purdue in a game where Penn State led by as many as 27. Freddie Dilione V chipped in 14 points for the Nittany Lions, who had not defeated a Top 10 team since 2019. "A win like that's a statement win," Dilione said. "I just think it's going to put everybody on notice. We're just a walkover team. We're always going be the underdogs, and that's our mentality. We've just got to come in every game and just punch everybody in the mouth." Penn State must be careful not to suffer a letdown against a talented Rutgers squad led by freshmen Dylan Harper (23.1 points per game) and Bailey (17.9). The duo combined for 30 points in the Scarlet Knights' last game -- an 80-66 setback at Ohio State. The defeat was the fourth in the last five games for Rutgers, which plays seven of its next eight in New Jersey. "We've got to get better," Scarlet Knights coach Steve Pikiell said. "We got to get some more consistency out of a lot of things, especially our defense. Can't give up 80 points on the road and expect to win in this league." In last season's meeting with Penn State, it was offense that was Rutgers' biggest issue. The Scarlet Knights shot just 1-of-17 from 3-point range and 34 percent overall in a 61-46 home defeat. "(It's about) finding ways of how to bounce back as a team and staying together," Harper said. "Even though we lose, we're still going to find a way." --Field Level Media

In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. Related Articles That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.”Join this golf club and you’ll get 7 ‘home’ courses across the US

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