Returning the ‘three sisters’ – corn, beans and squash – to Native American farms nourishes people, land and culturesNevada 90, Oklahoma St. 78
Helping to drown out the noiseGautam Adani, nephew summoned by United States securities commission in Rs 2,200 crore bribery caseBy KENYA HUNTER, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington . As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race , held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating residents’ pets , he didn’t just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris’ loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women’s concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government programs and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people . Related Articles Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,”’ she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Some of Trump’s plans affect people in Olivia Gordon’s immediate community, which is why she struggled to get behind the “Black women rest” wave. Gordon, a New York-based lawyer who supported the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential nominee, Claudia de la Cruz, worries about who may be left behind if the 92% of Black women voters who backed Harris simply stopped advocating. “We’re talking millions of Black women here. If millions of Black women take a step back, it absolutely leaves holes, but for other Black women,” she said. “I think we sometimes are in the bubble of if it’s not in your immediate circle, maybe it doesn’t apply to you. And I truly implore people to understand that it does.” Nicole Lewis, an Alabama-based therapist who specializes in treating Black women’s stress, said she’s aware that Black women withdrawing from social impact movements could have a fallout. But she also hopes that it forces a reckoning for the nation to understand the consequences of not standing in solidarity with Black women. “It could impact things negatively because there isn’t that voice from the most empathetic group,” she said. “I also think it’s going to give other groups an opportunity to step up. ... My hope is that they do show up for themselves and everyone else.” Brown said a reckoning might be exactly what the country needs, but it’s a reckoning for everyone else. Black women, she said, did their job when they supported Harris in droves in hopes they could thwart the massive changes expected under Trump. “This ain’t our reckoning,” she said. “I don’t feel no guilt.” AP polling editor Amelia Thomson DeVeaux and Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Ravens’ already struggling defense has suffered another blow. Inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who didn’t practice all week because of a hamstring injury, will not be available for Monday night’s critical AFC showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers. The two-time All-Pro was ruled out Monday after being listed as questionable earlier in the week. Smith, 27, is tied for the most tackles in the NFL with 110. It marks the first time he has missed a game because of injury since late in the 2019 season when he finished the year on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle while a member of the Chicago Bears. The defensive signal-caller on the first play of the fourth quarter of in Pittsburgh on Nov. 17 and did not return. How the Ravens will replace Smith remains to be seen. One option could be starting Malik Harrison and rotating in Chris Board. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr said last week the team would replace Smith by committee. “Not one person is going to replace Roquan,” Orr said. “Roquan’s an every-down linebacker [and] a top linebacker in this league [and] All-Pro for a reason. We like our guys that we have in the room. They got to step up, and we got to step up collectively as a defense, and that linebacker room [has] to step up collectively as a group.” Related Articles Even with Smith, the Ravens’ defense has not played to its usual standard. Baltimore is 26th in yards allowed per game (362) and 23rd in points allowed per game (24.6). The middle of the field has also been a weak spot, particularly against the pass, with the Ravens ranking last in passing yards allowed per game (284.5) and 27th in yards per pass (7.7). Other inactives for the Ravens are cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf), rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle), outside linebacker David Ojabo, backup center Nick Samac (chest) and rookie running back Rasheen Ali. Center Tyler Linderbaum (back) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle) are active after being listed as questionable. Inactive for the Chargers are linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin), cornerback Cam Hart (concussion/ankle), wide receiver D.J. Chark, running back Kimani Vidal, offensive linemen Brenden Jaimes and Jordan McFadden, and quarterback Easton Stick, who is the emergency third quarterback. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder), outside linebackers Khalil Mack (groin) and Bud Dupree (foot), and safety AJ Finley (ankle) are active after being listed as questionable.
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On Monday, bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building that was hit the previous night by an Israeli airstrike in a southern Beirut neighborhood. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Hussein Malla/Associated Press BEIRUT — Israel’s military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut’s southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city’s largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘s Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Airstrikes kill at least 31 Massive explosions lit up Lebanon’s skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. No casualties were reported after many residents fled the targeted sites. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel had issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military had previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding U.S.-led ceasefire negotiations. The country’s deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment in order to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because “we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire.” Hopes grow for a ceasefire Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country’s ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were “close to a deal.” “It can happen within days,” he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. Two Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Netanyahu’s security Cabinet had scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, but they said it remained unclear whether the Cabinet would vote to approve the deal. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal deliberations. Danny Danon, Israel’s U.N. ambassador, told reporters Monday that he expected a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah to have stages and to be discussed by leaders Monday or Tuesday. Still, he warned, “it’s not going to happen overnight.” After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. “Nothing is done until everything is done,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building on Monday in Beirut. Hassan Ammar/Associated Press The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel is demanding the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government has said that such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country’s sovereignty. A ceasefire could mark a step toward ending the regionwide war that ballooned after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. The lack of a ceasefire has emerged as a political liability for Israeli leaders including Netanyahu, particularly while 60,000 Israelis remain away from their homes in the country’s north after more than a year of cross-border violence. Hezbollah rockets have reached as far south into Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers died fighting in the ground offensive in Lebanon. The Israeli military said about 250 projectiles were fired Sunday, with some intercepted. A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the strongest of Iran’s armed proxies, is expected to significantly calm regional tensions that have led to fears of a direct, all-out war between Israel and Iran. It’s not clear how the ceasefire will affect the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Hezbollah had long insisted that it would not agree to a ceasefire until the war in Gaza ends, but it dropped that condition. A top Hamas official in Lebanon said the Palestinian militant group would support a ceasefire between its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Israel, despite Hezbollah’s previous promises to stop the fighting in Lebanon only if the war in Gaza ends. “Any announcement of a ceasefire is welcome. Hezbollah has stood by our people and made significant sacrifices,” Osama Hamdan of Hamas’ political wing told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, which is seen as politically allied with Hezbollah. While the ceasefire proposal is expected to be approved if Netanyahu brings it to a vote in his security Cabinet, one hard-line member, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said he would oppose it. He said on X that a deal with Lebanon would be a “big mistake” and a “missed historic opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah.” If the ceasefire talks fail, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, “it will mean more destruction and more and more animosity and more dehumanization and more hatred and more bitterness.” Speaking at a G7 meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, the last summit of its kind before President Biden leaves office, Safadi said such a failure “will doom the future of the region to more conflict and more killing and more destruction.” Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors. « PreviousIt's been five years since Black Summer. Could it happen again this season?
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Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah has already found a new program in Duke, while Mississippi State's Michael Van Buren Jr., Wisconsin's Braedyn Locke and Cal's Fernando Mendoza are exploring changes of their own in the transfer portal. Mensah, a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining, told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men's basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils (9-3) will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Mensah, viewed as one of the top players in the portal, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and the American Athletic Conference championship game, where they lost 35-14 to Army. Tulane will play Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Sunday. Van Buren, Mendoza and Locke announced on social media they had entered the portal. Van Buren started eight games as a true freshmen for the Bulldogs. He threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference). He took over as the starter when Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21. Shapen has said he plans to return next season. Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland, had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against Georgia. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards in 2024 with 16 TDs, six interceptions and a 68.7 completion percentage. "For the sake of my football future this is the decision I have reached," he posted. Locke passed for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Wisconsin this season. He said he will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school. Michigan duo enters draft ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan cornerback Will Johnson has joined defensive tackle Mason Graham in the NFL draft. Johnson declared for the draft on Wednesday, one day after Graham decided he would also skip his senior season with the Wolverines. Both preseason All-America players are expected to be first-round picks. Johnson was limited to six games this year due to an injury. He had two interceptions, returning them both for touchdowns to set a school record with three scores off interceptions. Johnson picked off nine passes in three seasons. Graham played in all 12 games this season, finishing with 3 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for losses. He had 18 tackles for losses, including nine sacks, in his three-year career. AP announces All-SEC team Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is The Associated Press offensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference and South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard is the top defensive player. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was voted the top newcomer on Wednesday while the Gamecocks' Shane Beamer is coach of the year in voting by the panel of 17 media members who cover the league. Sampson led the SEC and set school records by rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally in rushing touchdowns, recording the league's fifth-most in a season. Sampson was chosen on all but two ballots. Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris and his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, each got a vote. Kennard led the SEC with 11-1/2 sacks and 15-1/2 tackles for loss. He also had 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles. Beamer led the Gamecocks to just their fifth nine-win season, including a school-record four wins over Top 25 opponents. They've won their last six games and ended the regular season with a win over eventual ACC champion Clemson. South Carolina plays Illinois on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Pavia helped lead Vandy to its first bowl game since 2018 after transferring from New Mexico State. He passed for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He ran for another 716 yards and six touchdowns, directing an upset of Alabama. Campbell gets new deal with ISU AMES, Iowa — Matt Campbell, who led Iowa State to its first 10-win season and became the program's all-time leader in coaching victories, has agreed to an eight-year contract that would keep him with the Cyclones through 2032. University president Wendy Wintersteen and athletic director Jamie Pollard made the announcement Wednesday, four days after the Cyclones lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game. “Given all the uncertainty currently facing college athletics, it was critical that we moved quickly to solidify the future of our football program,” Pollard said. “Matt is the perfect fit for Iowa State University and I am thrilled he wants to continue to lead our program. Leadership continuity is essential to any organization’s long-term success." The Cyclones won their first seven games for their best start since 1938 and are 10-3 heading into their game against Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 28. BRIEFLY FLAG PLANT: Ohio Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. MALZAHN: Gus Malzahn, who resigned as UCF’s coach last month to become Mike Norvell’s offensive coordinator at Florida State, said he chose to return to his coaching roots rather than remain a head coach distracted by a myriad of responsibilities.Biden’s pardon of son risks tarnishing legacy, empowering Trump
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Russian man arrested for allegedly running LGBTQ travel agency found dead in custodyApple, the tech giant renowned for its meticulous product launches and polished software updates, appears to be facing challenges in its ambitious pursuit of artificial intelligence. Recent reports from Bloomberg indicate that a “larger-than-usual” number of features planned for iOS 19 have been pushed back to 2026, raising concerns about the pace of Apple Intelligence development. This delay follows earlier reports of postponements for key Apple Intelligence features, including a major Siri upgrade, initially slated for iOS 19. These setbacks raise critical questions about Apple’s AI strategy and its ability to compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. This isn’t the first time Apple has taken a cautious approach with its software releases. With iOS 18, the company opted for a staggered rollout of features, prioritizing stability and refinement over a rushed launch. While this strategy has its merits, the repeated delays, particularly in the crucial domain of AI, suggest a potential struggle to integrate advanced AI capabilities seamlessly into its ecosystem. Delays and the AI Race: Apple’s deliberate approach to AI development stands in stark contrast to the aggressive strategies of competitors like Google and Microsoft. While Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT have made significant strides, Apple seems to be taking a more measured path, focusing on individual feature refinement. However, these delays raise concerns about whether Apple risks falling behind in the AI race. The iOS 19 Delay: A Closer Look: While Apple hasn’t officially disclosed the specific iOS 19 features facing delays, Bloomberg’s report suggests that the postponements extend beyond the Siri upgrade. This implies that various AI-powered functionalities, potentially including enhancements to Apple Intelligence across core apps, may be impacted. Impact on User Experience: The delay of iOS 19 features could disappoint users anticipating significant AI advancements in their Apple devices. Features like enhanced contextual awareness, personalized automation, and improved predictive capabilities might be pushed further down the roadmap. This could affect user productivity and the overall Apple ecosystem experience . Challenges and Opportunities: The delays highlight the challenges Apple faces in developing and integrating sophisticated AI features while maintaining its high standards for user experience and privacy. However, this also presents an opportunity for Apple to refine its AI strategy, potentially focusing on deeper integration and more unique applications of AI that differentiate its offerings from competitors. My Perspective: As a technology enthusiast and long-time Apple user, I’ve been closely following the development of Apple Intelligence. While I appreciate Apple’s commitment to quality and privacy, I believe a more accelerated approach to AI development is crucial. The delays, especially with core features like Siri, raise concerns about Apple’s ability to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the AI field. Looking Ahead: Apple’s success in the AI arena hinges on its ability to balance its cautious approach with the need to deliver innovative AI experiences promptly. It remains to be seen how the company addresses these challenges and whether it can leverage its strengths in hardware and software integration to carve a unique space in the AI landscape . The coming months will be crucial for Apple as it navigates the complexities of AI development and strives to meet user expectations in an increasingly AI-driven world. The delays in iOS 19 features underscore the complexities Apple faces in its AI journey. While the company’s cautious approach has its merits, a more accelerated development cycle is crucial to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Apple needs to strike a balance between its commitment to quality and privacy and the need to deliver timely and innovative AI experiences to its users. The future of Apple Intelligence depends on its ability to navigate these challenges and leverage its strengths to carve a unique position in the AI-powered world.
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Wheel of Fortune contestants whiffing their bonus puzzles is nothing new, but on December 4’s episode, a player came up short on a $40,000 puzzle that left fans joking that she may never want to visit a Disney theme park again. The game show’s latest big miss involved Vandana Patel, an Indian fusion food expert from Chicago. She won the episode and proceeded to the coveted bonus round with $20,600, a trip to Florida, and the selection of “What Are You Wearing?” as her category. Joined by host Ryan Seacrest and the off-side support of her waving mom, daughter, and husband, she faced the two-word puzzle. Choosing a “DMH” and “A,” Vanna White added a mere “H” to the first word. “We want more!” Seacrest chanted. With that tough break, the 10-second timer began. The puzzle read as, “‘_ H _ T E’ ‘_ L _ _ E S.'” A stern Patel did her very best to concentrate on cracking it, successfully saying “White” was the first word. But she couldn’t figure out the second word, and the timer ran out. The full puzzle was unveiled, “WHITE GLOVES.” Seacrest revealed the gold envelope contained the $40,000 amount and put a consoling arm around Patel’s shoulder. “This was on your bucket list!” he told her. “It was,” she replied. The game show shared the big miss on Youtube, where fans reacted to the loss with the top comment being about how the contestant will likely never want to see Mickey Mouse, or Mario of the Nintendo games, again given their white gloves. “Now she never wants to see mickey or mario again,” the fan wrote scoring 20 likes. “Or the keeper of the Stanley Cup,” replied another. A third fan wrote, “I knew it said WHITE GLOVES and I even solved it before the timer was displayed.” A fourth penned, “Don’t worry, Vandana, I was stumped too. I got the first word, but not the second. That’s alright, you’re a winner regardless. $20K is nothing to sneeze at. Great job! A fifth said, “I knew gloves from the initial and her h got me white. Tough puzzle “Wow. At least it wasn’t the hundred thousand dollar wedge,” wrote one more. Meanwhile , Seacrest, of course, had huge shoes to fill replacing the legendary Pat Sajak after four decades for Season 42. His debut month was the strongest ratings month for WoF in the past three years, and viewers were already treated to a viral moment (via a round of sausage) . That said, there have been some questionable hosting moments. In September, Seacrest suffered what fans dubbed his “first blooper” , involving a prolonged reaction to rewarding a bonus round. Fans also called out the host for ruling against another player before the timer was up. Most controversially, last month, fans called out the host for not reminding a player to pick a letter , leading to him losing the game in a misunderstanding and by a mere $147. This past two weeks, a more puzzling issue has come to light, which is that there has been a mere one bonus puzzle win out of the last eight episodes , many fans blaming the players and not the host. Wheel of Fortune , Weeknights, Check your local listings More Headlines:
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Arts stalwart Ben Howard has listed another five great events to enjoy in Colchester this week. Anthony Roberts, Director of Colchester Arts Centre, brings his much-loved performance of A Christmas Carol to North Primary School on Saturday. His enchanting retelling of Dickens’ classic story is a must-see; his storytelling draws you in, making it the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit. Starts at 6.15pm. Tickets are £15. This Sunday, Colchester’s LGBTQ+ inclusive choir, Hic Sumus, will make history by performing the first-ever carol concert inside Jumbo’s iconic water tower. Surrounded by sparkling Christmas lights, the event promises a magical experience. Tickets are £17, with all proceeds supporting North Essex Heritage’s Jumbo Project. Starts at 2pm, with limited availability for just 40 attendees. Take flight at The Mercury Theatre on Monday with The New Adventures of Peter Pan, running until 19th January. This spectacular pantomime adventure bursts with breathtaking sets, costumes, flying effects, and plenty of laughs. Captain Hook is back, wreaking havoc in Neverland, and Tinkerbell must convince Wendy’s granddaughter to save Peter Pan from danger. Starring Antony Stuart-Hicks as Mrs. Smee and Dale Superville as Smee, this show is packed with magic, comedy, and adventure. Performance times vary. Tickets from £10. Experience the radical and unconventional sounds of Goodiepal at Colchester Arts Centre on Thursday. Known for his bold challenges to modern computer music and media art, this Danish/Faroese musician and composer delivers unforgettable performances blending eccentric creativity, sharp intellect, and genre-defying artistry. Support comes via Valhallans. Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 (£7 concessions). Join the festive fun at the Collidescope Christmas Party on Friday at Popina, Lion Walk Courtyard. Hosted and curated by Tom Stock, the evening features a lineup of local talent, including music, drag, poetry, singers, spoken word, and theatre. Enjoy a great night while supporting Collidescope, a not-for-profit organisation. Starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5.A former Penticton support worker who claimed discrimination for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine has had her complaint against the B.C. General Employees' Union dismissed by the Labour Relations Board. According to the Nov. 22 decision, Amie Harbor claimed that her employer had constructively dismissed her for failing to disclose her vaccination status, and alleged that the union had provided bad faith and discriminatory representation when she filed a grievance with them. Harbor started work for Thomspon Community Services (TCS) in 2018 and stopped in 2021 after the public health order requiring vaccinations against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic went into effect. Ahead of the order coming into effect, Harbor declined to share her vaccination status with her employer and had informed them that she was seeking an accommodation due to her "strongly and conscientiously held political beliefs" that align with those of the BC Libertarian Party. To support her request, she attached a letter of support from Keith MacIntyre, the party's leader. According to the Labour Relations Board's decision, Harbor's employer then informed her that before it could make an accommodation assessment, needed her to disclose her vaccination status. TCS also requested evidence of more long-term involvement with the BC Libertarians, asking for any membership receipts or documentation. "In terms of the letter of this date from Mr. MacIntyre, we have received several very similar letters and will require more substantive evidence of your long-term political belief and participation with the British Columbia Libertarian Party," TCS was quoted as saying. TCS also noted in its reply to Harbor's accommodation request that she should notify the union of her request and also asked how her case was different from a BC Human Rights Tribunal case heard already that year. Harbor did not provide any of that information, and once the deadline arrived, was placed on an unpaid leave due to failing to meet the requirements of the provincial health order. A year later, Harbor went to the union to ask about filing a grievance over the issue. The union then contacted TCS, which informed both them and Harbor that it remained willing to end the leave should the public health order be lifted or if Harbor discloses her vaccination status for TCS to do an assessment. A month after that, Harbor officially filed a grievance claiming that TCS had constructively dismissed her from employment, discriminated against her, psychologically harassed and terminated without cause. All of the claims were denied by TCS, and the union initially forwarded the case to arbitration, before deciding otherwise. A staff representative then informed Harbor that the union had decided against going to arbitration after further review and multiple other arbitrations that had found ineligibility to work under a public health order offering just cause for termination. Harbor then appealed the decision not to go to arbitration to the Union's Area Grievance Appeal Committee, which finally dismissed the appeal in February of 2024. The provincial appeal committee declined to hear a further appeal of the area committee's decision. As a result, Harbor brought forward a complaint against the union, claiming that they had made representations and responded to her grievance based on "a pre-determined, discriminatory position regarding employees and vaccine choice." To back up her argument, she pointed to publications made by the union in advance of the public health order taking effect which had sections pointing out accommodations could be applied for on a medical basis, which Harbor argued disregarded political beliefs. The Labour Relations Board rejected Harbors arguments, stating that the staff representative had explicitly considered her accommodation request for her political beliefs, and came to the decision not to advance the grievance to arbitration due to a lack of compelling evidence of success. "Similarly, the GAC considered the issue of the applicant’s request for an exemption due to her political belief in its decision dated February 1, 2024," reads the Board's decision. "Again, there is no indication in the GAC’s response to the Applicant that it relied on a view that there could be, or should be, no exemptions for pollical beliefs." The board also noted that Harbor had waited a year before filing the grievance, that Harbor had not disclosed her status to even begin the accommodation assessment, and that she had not provided any additional material as requested by TCS.
The Las Vegas Raiders posted back-to-back wins for the first time this season with a 25-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. After ending a 10-game losing streak in Week 16 with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Raiders took a second quarter lead and shut the Saints out in the second half to earn their fourth win of the season. Advertisement Rookie tight end Brock Bowers led the Raiders in receiving with seven catches for 77 yards, and reset several records throughout the contest. Las Vegas’ 2024 first-round pick set the NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in a single season late in the first half, and most receptions by a rookie in a single season in the second. Bowers also set Raiders single-season records for most receiving yards by a rookie and most receptions during Sunday’s game. Las Vegas quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns in the game, including a score to Jakobi Meyers in the final minute of the second quarter that gave the Raiders the lead for good, and another to Tre Tucker in the fourth that extended the lead to 15 points. Running back Ameer Abdullah added a career-best 115 rushing yards on 20 carries and Daniel Carlson had four field goals. New Orleans’ only touchdown in the game was Spencer Rattler’s 30-yard pass to Foster Moreau on the first play of the second quarter, which gave the Saints their only lead of the afternoon. The Raiders are now 4-12 with one regular-season game to play, while the Saints drop to 5-11. Las Vegas hosts the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, while New Orleans travels to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. MOST RECEIVING YARDS IN A SEASON BY A ROOKIE TIGHT END❕ #BrockForOROY | @brockbowers17 pic.twitter.com/kQnTV85uUZ — Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) December 29, 2024 Record-setting day for Bowers Bowers sure stockpiles records for a guy who doesn’t care about them. On Sunday, after breaking both the rookie records for yards and receptions, Bowers set the Raiders record for most receptions in a single season, passing Darren Waller (who had 107 in 2020). The rookie tight end needed 10 yards to top Mike Ditka for the rookie record and got that one early. He also needed five catches to top Puka Nacua’s mark of 105, and he got that one in the third quarter. Bowers finished with seven catches for 77 yards on the day. — Vic Tafur, Raiders beat writer Advertisement Las Vegas defense holds New Orleans to 10 points The Raiders’ defense was facing a shorthanded Saints offense sans starting quarterback Derek Carr, lead running back Alvin Kamara and No. 1 receiver Chris Olave. They gave up some plays early, but ultimately settled in and limited New Orleans to just 10 points. Linebacker Robert Spillane led the way with eight tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and two pass breakups. It marked the fourth time in the last five games that the Raiders’ defense held its opponent to fewer than 20 points. — Tashan Reed, Raiders beat writer Abdullah leads Raiders in rushing with career performance Abdullah has never run for 100 yards in his 10-year career, and started off this season as the Raiders No. 3 running back. He even got bypassed by practice squader Sincere McCormick when Alexander Matttison and Zamir White were injured. But a patient runner also waits to hit his mark, and Abdullah ran for 115 yards on 20 carries to lead the Raiders to a win over the Saints in New Orleans. Abdullah also had three catches for 32 yards as the Raiders won their second-straight game after losing 10 in a row. — Tafur 2024 season can’t end fast enough for Saints After watching the Saints lay down in Green Bay in Week 16, they left the door wide open for the trend to continue against the Raiders. Against the Packers, the Saints offense looked inept and the defense offered no resistance. Against the Raiders, an obviously inferior team to Green Bay, the Saints offense looked inept (outside one trick play for a touchdown) and the defense offered little resistance. Next week’s season finale against the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay might be 50-0. The Bucs are fighting for their playoff lives and scorched the Carolina Panthers in Week 17. It’s apparent the Saints players are counting down the minutes until the end of the most miserable season for the franchise since 2005. Advertisement If you’re the Saints, you have to re-evaluate everything from top to bottom this offseason as there’s no question that interim coach Darren Rizzi shouldn’t be retained. — Larry Holder, NFL senior writer Saints shut out in second half Rattler was surprisingly efficient in the first half, completing 11 of 13 passes for 146 yards and even leading a late field-goal drive. But the 13-10 deficit was the high point for the Saints. Rattler was 3-of-13 for the next quarter and a half for 20 yards as the Raiders pulled away. Part of the problem was that Rattler was the Saints’ leading rusher, with 46 yards. Kendre Miller had three carries before getting hurt, and Saints RBs finished with 10 carries for 35 yards. — Tafur Required reading (Photo: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)None
Electric Vehicle Beauty Market Unidentified Segments - The Biggest Opportunity Of 2024 12-16-2024 08:45 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: AMA Research & Media LLP Electric Vehicle Beauty Market Advance Market Analytics published a new research publication on "Electric Vehicle Beauty Market Insights, to 2030" with 232 pages and enriched with self-explained Tables and charts in presentable format. In the Study you will find new evolving Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities generated by targeting market associated stakeholders. The growth of the Electric Vehicle Beauty market was mainly driven by the increasing R&D spending across the world. Get Free Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of This Research @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/7581-global-electric-vehicle-beauty-market?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul Some of the key players profiled in the study are: CARTEC ( Netherlands), SOFT99 corporation. (Japan), Turtle Wax, Inc. (United States), Jewelultra Ltd (United Kingdom), Autoglym (United Kingdom), SWISSVAX AG (Switzerland), SONAX GmbH (Germany), Guangzhou Botny Chemical Co., Ltd. (China), Granitize. ( United States), Cougar Chemical. (United States), Tetrosyl Ltd. (United Kingdom). Scope of the Report of Electric Vehicle Beauty Electric vehicle beauty is referred to the automotive maintenance conditions required for the various parts of different materials with the help of beauty care products and construction technology to care and maintenance for electric vehicles. It consists of different services such as cleaning and caring, polishing and waxing, interior maintenance, sealing glaze and coating, etc. The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: by Type (Cleaning and Caring, Interior Maintenance, Polishing and Waxing, Crash Repair, Other), Application (Business, Personal), Electric Vehicles Types (Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)) Market Trends: Rise In Popularity of Electric Vehicle Opportunities: Increasing Number of Electrical Vehicle in The Developing Countries Creating Opportunities for Electrical Vehicle Beauty Market Market Drivers: Growing Demand for Electric Mobility Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. Have Any Questions Regarding Global Electric Vehicle Beauty Market Report, Ask Our Experts@ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/7581-global-electric-vehicle-beauty-market?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Electric Vehicle Beauty Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Electric Vehicle Beauty market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary - the basic information of the Electric Vehicle Beauty Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges & Opportunities of the Electric Vehicle Beauty Chapter 4: Presenting the Electric Vehicle Beauty Market Factor Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country 2015-2020 Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Electric Vehicle Beauty market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions (2024-2030) Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source finally, Electric Vehicle Beauty Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies. Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/7581-global-electric-vehicle-beauty-market?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Middle East, Africa, Europe or LATAM, Southeast Asia. Contact Us: Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) AMA Research & Media LLP Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA - 08837 Phone: +1(201) 7937323, +1(201) 7937193 sales@advancemarketanalytics.com About Author: AMA Research & Media is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources, our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enables clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As. This release was published on openPR.Special teams doom Blues in 4-2 loss to Sabres
Kolkata: Except during the pandemic, every winter Ustad Zakir Hussain graced the Swara Samrat Festival (SSF) in Kolkata since 2013. This year, he was supposed to perform at SSF in Kolkata the day he passed away in San Francisco in the US. Hussain's first Kolkata concert was in 1963. Impressed by the accompaniment of the 12-year-old Hussain at Mahajati Sadan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan gave him Rs 100. All his life, Hussain treasured that currency. Sixty-one years later, he was slated to accompany Khan's disciple, Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, on SSF's third day. On Nov 9, Hussain's secretary informed Majumdar that the maestro was "over-exhausted" and was prescribed a "long period of rest". The festival was truncated to two days with hopes of a Feb date post-recovery. "Besides his solo performances and fusion ensembles, he accompanied Pt Shivkumar Sharma, Rakesh Chaurasia, and Niladri Kumar at SSF. I initially performed with him in 1989. At SSF, he played with me twice. It is such an irony that we lost him on the day our third SSF concert was scheduled," Majumdar articulated. Just a week before leaving for India on Nov 27, tabla maestro Pt Swapan Chaudhuri spoke to Hussain over the phone. "By then, he ceased communicating with everyone. We discussed his health concerns and his fatigue. I mentioned that at our age, we need to slow down," the Padma Shri tabla player recalled. Chaudhuri got the news of Hussain being critical just before going to accompany Ustad Amjad Ali Khan at Nazrul Manch on Sunday. "Zakir's face flashed every time I shut my eyes while playing. I have known Zakir since the 1970s. He addressed me as Dadabhai. In America, we live just two miles apart. He loved my cooking and if I prepared something, I would send it over to him. Zakir was trustworthy, genuine, and spent a lot of time with his students. I sent my son and students to attend his workshops. People attempted to emulate him but few comprehended his profundity. It was painful for me to perform on Sunday," Chaudhuri expressed. On Monday, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan posted on social media that Hussain's contribution towards tabla and Indian classical music globally is "truly phenomenal". The reverence Hussain bestowed upon senior musicians like Chaudhuri was noticeable. "I marvelled at his versatility to adapt, embrace diverse cultures, and perform with equal finesse alongside a Brazilian percussionist or a Carnatic mridangam virtuoso. His legendary charisma was enhanced by the depth of his artistic substance. I have never witnessed him diminish any performer's stature on stage," Pt Bickram Ghosh said. Majumdar noted that Hussain's solo performances possessed the "richness" of classical music, "precision" of his talim, and remained "very communicative" with the audience. "While accompanying, he perceived the concert in totality and hypnotised all from the first beat he played when the ‘gat' commenced," Majumdar stated. Ghosh emphasised that Hussain made revolutionary transformations in sound production utilising conventional instruments and technology. "There was a subtlety of interpretation and execution yet with the projection that allowed the audience to connect with his music. That is a virtually impossible accomplishment," Ghosh observed. Music director Prabuddha Banerjee described him as a "consummate musician, not merely an Eastern classical instrumentalist virtuoso". "He was a brilliant music producer who understood the frequencies, tonalities, and nuances of the instruments. He generated tones giving space to each instrument and yet leaving his own mark as a rhythm player," said Banerjee, who first heard Hussain at a Shakti show in Jan 1983 at Kolkata's ITF Pavilion. "He was creating sounds on the tabla, rhythm patterns, and fractions I never heard before. At the crescendo, I was amazed when he suddenly took L Shankar's double violin and performed bass notes on the lower strings. As a film music director in ‘Saaz', he scored peppy numbers without resorting only to classical music and blended them with the language of films," Banerjee said. Those without formal music training, who loved his music as much as his hair flowing in slow motion in a tea commercial, are sad too. Anumita Dutta Roy, who was awaiting Hussain's concert, said, "Last year, his performance at Nazrul Manch was electrifying. I remember he wittily remarked he would be delighted to return if invited in 2024 too. Besides his music, I was captivated by his flamboyance and charismatic persona."The House shut down Democrats' efforts Thursday to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, pushing the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. Related video above: Matt Gaetz withdraws attorney general nomination The nearly party-line votes came after 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. Republicans have argued that any congressional probe into Gaetz ended when he resigned from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson also requested that the committee not publish its report, saying it would be a terrible precedent to set. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. Shortly before the votes took place, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who introduced one of the bills to force the release, said that if Republicans reject the release, they will have “succeeded in sweeping credible allegations of sexual misconduct under the rug.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. 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. It's unclear now whether the document will ever see the light of day as lawmakers only have a few weeks left before a new session of Congress begins. It's the culmination of weeks of pressure on the Ethics committee's five Republicans and five Democrats who mostly work in secret as they investigate allegations of misconduct against lawmakers. The status of the Gaetz investigation became an open question last month when he abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump's announcement that he wanted his ally in the Cabinet. It is standard practice for the committee to end investigations when members of Congress depart, but the circumstances surrounding Gaetz were unusual, given his potential role in the new administration. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., the committee chairman, said Wednesday that there is no longer the same urgency to release the report given that Gaetz has left Congress and stepped aside as Trump's choice to head the Justice Department. “I’ve been steadfast about that. He’s no longer a member. He is no longer going to be confirmed by the Senate because he withdrew his nomination to be the attorney general,” Guest said. The Gaetz report has also caused tensions between lawmakers on the bipartisan committee. Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, publicly admonished Guest last month for mischaracterizing a previous meeting to the press. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department’s separate investigation against him into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without federal charges. His onetime political ally Joel Greenberg, a fellow Republican who served as the tax collector in Florida’s Seminole County, admitted as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 that he paid women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The men were not identified in court documents when he pleaded guilty. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years in prison.
NoneAll Times EST NOTE: Two points are awarded for a win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss. Top four teams in each division advance to playoffs. Laval 5, Toronto 4 Rochester 3, Charlotte 0 WB/Scranton 6, Hartford 2 Belleville 4, Manitoba 3 Iowa 5, Milwaukee 2 Syracuse 4, Cleveland 3 Hershey 3, Lehigh Valley 2 Providence 6, Bridgeport 3 Springfield 2, Rockford 1 Calgary 6, Tucson 3 Grand Rapids 5, Chicago 4 Henderson 6, Texas 2 Ontario 2, San Diego 1 San Jose 1, Coachella Valley 0 Abbotsford 6, Colorado 1 Providence 5, WB/Scranton 0 Grand Rapids at Chicago, 4 p.m. Milwaukee at Iowa, 4 p.m. Lehigh Valley at Hershey, 5 p.m. Bakersfield at Ontario, 6 p.m. Coachella Valley at San Jose, 6 p.m. Colorado at Abbotsford, 7 p.m. Texas at Henderson, 8 p.m. No games scheduled Lehigh Valley vs. Toronto at Scotiabank Arena, 6 p.m. Manitoba at Calgary, 9 p.m. Hershey at Hartford, 7 p.m. Providence at Bridgeport, 7 p.m. Rochester at Laval, 7 p.m. Syracuse at Belleville, 7 p.m. Charlotte at WB/Scranton, 7:05 p.m. Rockford at Iowa, 8 p.m. Manitoba at Calgary, 9 p.m. Henderson vs. San Diego at Pechanga Arena, 10 p.m.
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Trending News Today Live Updates on December 25, 2024 : You won’t believe who made a surprise appearance at Kate Middleton’s Christmas Carol ServiceThe New York Rangers are still desperately seeking answers following their blockbuster trade of captain Jacob Trouba earlier this month. They'll try to regain some stability when they visit the Florida Panthers on Monday evening in Sunrise, Fla. New York is 3-8-0 since trading Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6 in a roster shakeup that hasn't ignited anybody. They've dropped three in a row and six of seven, most recently losing at the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Saturday. "Right now, it's just frustrating," New York coach Peter Laviolette said. "We're in the business of winning hockey games and we're not getting it done right now, so it's tough to sit here and tell you good things. We're losing hockey games. We need to win hockey games and we're not getting that done." New York had high expectations after reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three years last season. Hopes of getting past that hurdle and reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2014 were heightened after the Rangers improved to 12-4-1 with a 4-3 win at the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 19. They haven't won two games in a row since. "Result-wise, this is not what we wanted," Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said. "We can talk about a reset, we can talk about whatever, but if the result is not there, it's not going to matter." In the loss to the Lightning, special teams once again played a big role. The Rangers went 0-for-4 on the power play while Tampa Bay went 2-for-5. "We don't score on our power play, we let in two goals, we put ourselves in a bad spot," Zibanejad said. "I don't think that's the effort. I don't think that's the team itself or how we came out, how we started. I don't think that's why we lose a game. We had (44) shots, we've got to get in front of a few more and get some quality chances, but I thought we did. It's frustrating." The Rangers will face a hungry Florida team that has been shut out the past two games, the second time that's happened this month. "Yeah, there is something to that. We are playing the perimeter game for the most part," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "That has a lot to do with it." The Panthers most recently fell to the visiting Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Saturday afternoon, failing to get one past a goalie making his NHL debut in Jakub Dobes. "I don't think we are going to dwell on this one, just kind of move on," Florida forward Sam Bennett said. "Mistakes are going to be made. It's about how you help each other and fix them. We are just going to move on from this game." Sergei Bobrovsky will start in goal for the Panthers. He's 5-2 in seven starts this month with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He made 24 saves in a 3-1 win against the Rangers on Oct. 24. Overall, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner is 15-12-3 in 31 career starts against New York with a 2.83 GAA, a .908 save percentage and one of his 45 career shutouts. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was pulled after giving up five goals on 13 shots in 28:08 against the Lightning. He took the loss against Florida in October while making 26 saves and is 4-3-0 with a 2.87 GAA and a .915 save percentage against the Panthers all-time. This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Workers pushing for an end to smoking in Atlantic City casinos say the main employee union has been won over by tobacco companies seeking allies in the fight against smoking restrictions. An official of a union involved in the anti-smoking push on Monday called for the head of the Atlantic City casino workers' union, Donna DeCaprio, to resign for failing to protect her members from the dangers of secondhand smoke. DeCaprio is president of Local 54 of the Unite Here union, which opposes a smoking ban on the grounds that so much business would be lost by smokers taking their money elsewhere that it could cause one or more casinos to shut down, costing thousands of workers their jobs. “She should be ashamed of herself,” said Ray Jensen, assistant director of United Auto Workers Region 9, which represents dealers at three Atlantic City casinos and is part of a lawsuit seeking to have the courts force an end to smoking in the gambling halls. “She should hand in her union card.” DeCaprio said her union supports the health and safety of its members, adding improvements to the workplace environment need to be made. “A balance needs to be reached that will both protect worker health and preserve good jobs,” she said. “We are protecting our members against multiple casino closures and job losses. The UAW is eager to sacrifice the entire casino industry and put 25,000 good jobs with benefits at risk.” DeCaprio said between 50% and 72% of all in-person casino revenue in Atlantic City comes from smoking sections, which occupy only 25% of the casino floor. She said her union “and the vast majority of the labor movement” support a proposal that would improve ventilation in casinos and prevent any employee from being assigned to work in a smoking section against their will. Whether to ban smoking is one of the most controversial issues not only in Atlantic City casinos but in other states where workers have expressed concern about secondhand smoke. They are waging similar campaigns in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Kansas and Virginia. Workers have been pushing for four years to end an exemption in New Jersey’s clean air law that allows smoking inside the nine casinos. They say they or their co-workers are becoming ill with cancer, heart disease and other conditions related to exposure to second-hand smoke. Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, has said he will sign a bill to end casino smoking if it reaches his desk. The casinos, joined by Local 54, oppose that effort, saying it will cost Atlantic City thousands of jobs and lead to decreased tax revenue for state programs for senior citizens and the disabled. On Monday, the workers group that calls itself CEASE (Casino Employees Against Smoking’s Effects) filed an appeal of a court ruling in August that allowed smoking to continue in the nine casinos. The Casino Association of New Jersey declined to comment Monday. Attorney Nancy Erika Smith said as far back as 1993, tobacco companies targeted labor unions in the hospitality industry as potential allies to work against smoking bans in the restaurant and hospitality industries. That effort included the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union, a precursor of the Unite Here union. “HERE and the related AFL-CIO affiliates are critical allies which should be cultivated as supporters of the effort to prevent smoking bans,” a public relations firm wrote in a memo to Philip Morris Companies that was made public during several states' litigation against tobacco companies. The memo said having HERE “as an ally in this effort would be a very powerful voice.” As far back as 2001, HERE was part of a 12-member coalition including labor unions advocating for improved indoor ventilation instead of government-imposed smoking bans, according to another document cited in Monday's appeal. The anti-smoking campaigners cite a 2022 report by Las Vegas-based C3 Gaming, a consulting firm, showing that casinos that went smoke-free "appear to be performing better than their counterparts that continue to allow smoking.” ___ Follow Wayne Parry on X at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC Wayne Parry, The Associated Press
The Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) on Wednesday, December 25, 2024 at Acrisure Stadium and will attempt to build on a five-game winning streak. What channel is Chiefs vs. Steelers on? What time is Chiefs vs. Steelers? The Chiefs and the Steelers play at 1 p.m. ET. NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. Chiefs vs. Steelers betting odds, lines, spread Chiefs vs. Steelers recent matchups Chiefs schedule Steelers schedule NFL week 17 schedule This content was created for Gannett using technology provided by Data Skrive.
Steph Curry's quote about grappling with the end of his career sounded so morbid
Toys collected at ETAMU ball gamesCLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — Following the holidays, most people have more than they need and even want. But many shoppers still look to capitalize on the overstocked, post-holiday sales of late December and early January as stores ring in the New Year with new merchandise. Jorge “There are a lot of deals and holiday decor that are already marked down right now. And of course they’ll get marked down even more after the holiday season,” said Kaylin Jorge, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce director of communications. While not every store features as good of deals on electronics post holiday season as they do on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, there are still many retailers that look to clear their shelves to make room for the latest and greatest. “Black Friday and Cyber Monday are big days for electronics, but technology is always changing and prices are constantly falling,” Jorge said. Many clothing retailers often discount the last season of winter wear as the New Year approaches so they can make room for the next year’s newest trends, Jorge said. Additionally, many retailers also discount wrapping paper, gift bags and other holiday-specific accessories and decor. Spiker Hallmark at the Meadowbrook Mall holds a promotion for half-price holiday ornaments and boxes of holiday cards the day after Christmas, said Jean Spiker, store manager. “A lot of Hallmark customers know that our ornaments and our box cards will be going on sale, 50% off, the day after Christmas. So, there’s usually a line out there waiting for us to open the gate,” Spiker said. This gives people the opportunity to stock up on the essentials before the next holiday season. But it only works if they actually remember to do it. Bartlett Tamara Bartlett, who visited the Meadowbrook Mall Monday to do some last-minute Christmas shopping, said she was planning to return after the holidays to purchase discounted decor, but admitted she doesn’t always think to stock up. “I’m not a big shopper. I get what I need and then I’m out. I’m not always good at coming in. But I do love getting deals,” Bartlett said. These deals, Bartlett said, can help shoppers stretch their holiday budget if they start shopping early enough. “If we just did our shopping right after Christmas, we could buy everything for the next Christmas cheaper. I’m not sure how a lot of people (afford) it these days,” Bartlett said. The holiday shopping season extends to the New Year as shoppers return to shopping centers to take back unwanted gifts and use gift cards received during the holidays. More than 70% of U.S. consumers plan to shop the week immediately following Christmas, according to the National Retail Federation. Consumers will return to shopping centers en masse directly following Christmas to return and exchange unwanted gifts, take advantage of post-holiday deals and utilize gift cards, according to the National Retail Federation. Nearly half of all consumers return to shopping centers so quickly to take advantage of holiday sales, a quarter to use gift cards and more than 15% to return unwanted gifts and holiday items, NRF said.
Generally speaking, if you are looking for a basic statistic that groups the good NBA teams and the bad teams together, it’s assist-to-turnover ratio. You certainly want as many assists as possible — that’s a sign of good offense. And you would like to limit giveaways that decrease your number of looks at the bucket while often feeding your opponent Grade A opportunities. The ratio balances out the equation for teams that may turn the ball over more than others simply because it moves the ball at such a high rate. The bad teams are the ones that turn the ball over often without the added benefit of creating easy shots when they do take care of the ball. That, currently, is the group that includes the Timberwolves. The Wolves have just 1.52 assists for every turnover, the sixth-worst mark in the NBA entering Saturday’s games. Of the nine NBA teams below 1.6, only the Wolves (8-7) and Clippers (10-7) have winning records, and the Clippers have been dominant defensively. Also in the bottom nine are the two-win Wizards, the three-win 76ers and Jazz and the four-win Pelicans. Since the 2020-21 season, nine teams have finished the season with an assist-to-turnover number below 1.6. Only one of those teams won more than 27 games — the 2022-23 Magic, who went 34-48. While the Wolves are still above .500 going into their game against the defending champion Celtics on Sunday in Boston, that’s with what has been the NBA’s fourth-easiest schedule to date, per ESPN. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch has cited the turnover issues in recent weeks when discussing his team’s struggles, though he’s noted the giveaway totals have dipped in recent games, Thursday’s loss to Toronto not withstanding. But Minnesota hasn’t committed fewer than 11 turnovers in a single game this season. Meanwhile, the Wolves have tallied fewer than 25 assists in more than half of their games. It all speaks to a disjointed offense. Finch has at times attributed that to missed shots that were good looks. But the Wolves are tied with Charlotte for the fifth-fewest potential assists this season, at 43.7 per game. The stats say Minnesota’s shot making is what has saved the Wolves’ offense this season. The Wolves have the NBA’s 10th-best offensive rating, averaging 1.14 points per possession. That’s with having the League’s fourth-best effective field goal percentage (56.3). The three teams above it in that category all average 1.2-plus points per possession. Those same squads also average more than 2.1 assists per turnover. It all fits the eye test for the Timberwolves. They have an offense that’s run on shot making off isolation basketball. So much of it is without the rhythm and movement Finch aspires for his teams to achieve. And, given that this Wolves unit doesn’t seem to be nearly as dominant defensively as it was one short season ago, until Minnesota can look more like a fluid offense, it will continue to look like a .500 team, or if not worse.
DALLAS (AP) — Boopie Miller scored 24 points and added seven assists and Yohan Traoire posted a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds to help power SMU to its seventh straight win, closing out its nonconference schedule with a 98-82 victory over Longwood on Sunday. The Mustangs (11-2) shot 62% from the field for the game, knocking down 10 of 20 shots from behind the 3-point arc to earn their seventh win in eight home games. Longwood (11-4) stayed close by taking advantage of 20 SMU turnovers and 10 steals. Elijah Tucker's jumper with 11:37 left pulled the Lancers within seven, 69-62, but the Mustangs answered with a 14-1 run to take a 20-point lead. Miller knocked down 6 of 7 shots from the field, including both of his 3-point attempts, and was 10 of 12 from the free-throw line. Traore was 7 of 10 from the floor, including 2 of 4 from deep, and was 4 for 4 at the line. Matt Cross added 19 points and Chuck Harris chipped in 12 points off the bench. Tucker finished with 20 points and six rebounds to lead Longwood. Coby Garland posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists and Emanuel Richards finished with 12 points off the bench. SMU, off to a 2-0 start in its first season of Atlantic Coast Conference play, hosts No. 4 Duke on Saturday. Longwood opens Big South Conference play Thursday at home against Presbyterian. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballSAN DIEGO, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins LLP reminds shareholders that a class action was filed on behalf of all investors that purchased or otherwise acquired ASML Holding N.V. ASML ordinary shares between January 24, 2024 and October 15, 2024. ASML is a leading supplier to the semiconductor industry, providing chipmakers with hardware, software, and services to mass produce integrated circuits (i.e., microchips). For more information, submit a form , email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that ASML Holding N.V. (ASML) Misled Investors About How Issues in the Semiconductor Industry Would Impact the Company According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose that: (1) the issues being faced by suppliers, like ASML, in the semiconductor industry were much more severe than defendants had indicated to investors; (2) the pace of recovery of sales in the semiconductor industry was much slower than defendants had publicly acknowledged; (3) defendants had created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to customer demand and anticipated growth, while also downplaying risk from macroeconomic and industry fluctuations, as well as stronger regulations restricting the export of semiconductor technology, including the products that ASML sells; and (4) as a result, defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects lacked a reasonable basis. As a result of these acts, ASML stock has declined significantly, harming investors. What Now : You may be eligible to participate in the class action against ASML Holding N.V. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by January 13, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP : Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. To be notified if a class action against ASML Holding N.V. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact: Aaron Dumas, Jr. Robbins LLP 5060 Shoreham Pl., Ste. 300 San Diego, CA 92122 adumas@robbinsllp.com (800) 350-6003 www.robbinsllp.com https://www.facebook.com/RobbinsLLP/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/robbins-llp/ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4a5fd11c-859b-4575-b6f4-862a0506d704 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance has secured an overwhelming mandate in Maharashtra, leading in 230 of the 288 Assembly seats. The saffron party itself has crossed the century mark, improving its performance since the 2019 Assembly polls. As the BJP marks a turnaround in Maharashtra after the underwhelming performance in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as man of the match. He is being considered a frontrunner for the Maharashtra Chief Minister post, with several leaders of the saffron party backing him for the top job. Let’s take a closer look. Born on July 22, 1970, in Nagpur, Fadnavis hails from a politically active Brahmin family. At the age of only 22, he became a corporator in the Nagpur civic body. In 1997 when he was 27, Fadnavis created history as the youngest mayor of Nagpur. He has been involved in politics since student life. Fadnavis joined the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in 1989. His father, the late Gangadhar Fadnavis, was a Jan Sangh and later BJP leader. Fadnavis won his first Assembly election in 1999. There was no looking back for him after that. He successfully contested the Assembly polls four more times since then — once from Nagpur West and thrice from Nagpur South West. He has bagged the Nagpur South West seat this time as well, winning by a margin of over 39,000 votes. Victory Celebration! ✌️ 🕔 4.45pm | 23-11-2024📍Mumbai | संध्या. ४.४५ वा. | २३-११-२०२४📍मुंबई. 🪷 Celebrations on the grand, historic victory of BJP-MahaYuti in the Vidhan Sabha Election 2024 🪷 विधानसभा निवडणूक 2024 मधील भाजपा-महायुतीच्या ऐतिहासिक महाविजयानिमित्त जल्लोष... pic.twitter.com/x2ofH3hM93 A sharp orator, Fadnavis has played a big role in shaping the current political landscape in Maharashtra. “Devendra is Nagpur’s gift to the country,” Prime Minister Narendra Mod i had once said at an election rally. Fadnavis served as chief minister of Maharashtra from 2014 to 2019. The BJP leader again took oath as the Maharashtra CM in November 2019, but his government, propped up by the support of Ajit Pawar, lasted only three days with the then undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader returning to his uncle Sharad Pawar. In the run-up to the 2019 Assembly elections, Fadnavis had said, “ Me punha yein (I’ll be back)”. And he did return, but two-and-a-half years later and as Deputy Chief Minister. After Uddhav Thackeray came to power in Maharashtra in an alliance with the Congress and then undivided NCP, Fadnavis, as per Indian Express , had said at a BJP function in private: “ Chot dil mein lagi hai (It is my heart that has been struck). It is not so much about losing the CM post, but the manner in which the Sena betrayed us that has left us wounded. I am not sure if it can be forgiven so easily”. Thackeray’s then undivided Shiv Sena had fought the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections in an alliance with the BJP. However, the two parties developed differences over the CM post, with Thackeray claiming an understanding with the BJP over the rotational chief ministership. This was denied by the saffron party. Thackeray then went on to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. However, his government fell after two-and-a-half years as Eknath Shinde rebelled and split the Shiv Sena. He and 41 of the 56 Sena MLAs joined hands with the BJP, forming government in the state in June 2022. Fadnavis was seen as the architect behind the Sena rebellion. With this, his “revenge” was complete . But Fadnavis was not done yet. Last year, NCP’s Ajit Pawar, who had taken oath as Fadnavis’ deputy CM in November 2019, split his uncle Sharad Pawar’s party to join the Shinde-led government. Fadnavis, who enjoys cordial relations with Ajit, was seen to be behind the NCP leader’s rebellion. When the BJP picked Shinde as Maharashtra’s CM in June 2022, Fadnavis wanted to sit out of the government. However, his party’s top brass reportedly convinced him to take the role as Shinde’s deputy. Under Fadnavis’ leadership, the BJP contested the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra. However, the Mahayuti alliance’s dismal performance came as a major setback, with the leaders of the BJP and Shinde’s Shiv Sena raising questions about Ajit Pawar’s inclusion in the alliance. The saffron party bagged only nine of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, while its allies Shiv Sena and NCP were victorious in seven and one seats, respectively. Fadnavis offered to resign as Deputy CM to focus on the party but his request was denied. In just a few months, he turned the tide in the BJP’s favour. Now, several BJP leaders, including Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, have supported Fadnavis’ name for the Maharashtra CM post. With the BJP’s stellar show in the Assembly polls, Fadnavis has a strong claim to the top job. Speaking to reporters after the Mahayuti’s thumping victory, he said, “I had said earlier, I am a modern Abhimanyu. I know how to break the Chakravyuh . We have broken the Chakravyuh . I have a very small contribution to this victory. Our team has won this.” Fadnavis also claimed there is no dispute among the Mahayuti allies over the CM post and a decision will be taken by the three parties. While time will tell who will be the next chief minister, as nothing is certain in Maharashtra politics. But “ Me punha yein ” seems closer to coming true after five years. With inputs from agenciesDoha: Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Majid bin Mohammed Al Ansari, stated that the State of Qatar's priority in handling the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic is currently humanitarian to ensure providing all the essential help to maintain stability there. During the weekly media availability organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Al Ansari, said the air bridge being operated by the State of Qatar to help the brotherly people of Syria is underway, as long as, there is a need for that, highlighting that the fifth aircraft of the Qatar Armed Forces landed in Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, on Monday, with over 33 tons of medical, food and shelter items onboard provided by Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) to Syria, thereby bringing the total number of aid, heretofore, provided to the Syrians to 144 tons. He reiterated the State of Qatar's call for the essential lifting of the international sanctions on Syria as soon as possible to ensure there would be no hindrance in getting all kinds of humanitarian aid to the brotherly people of Syria and extend the Qatari air bridge to all airports within the Syrian territories, thereby facilitating the delivery of these aids. Dr. Al Ansari added the Qatari position regarding the lifting of sanctions on Syria is crystal clear, especially since the reasons behind sanctions, which are represented in the former regime, have been diminished, implying that they no longer exist, and it is incumbent on international community to promptly act to lift those sanctions. Within the framework of the Qatari delegation's visit to Damascus led by Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, aboard the first flight of Qatar Airways to Damascus International Airport, the foremost needs were discussed there, alongside how the State of Qatar can directly contribute to meeting those needs, pointed out Dr. Al Ansari, underling that the State of Qatar will spare no effort in providing the essential support for the brotherly people of Syria. He pointed out that the technical team that accompanied HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Damascus was intended to get familiarized with the airports technical needs and discussed how Qatar can perform a positive role in this respect to ensure it is swiftly recommissioned as an international airport, especially that it had been neglected for a very long time and came under shelling from the Israeli occupation. Dr. Al Ansari highlighted that the symbolic message associated with the landing of the Qatar Airways plane in Damascus International Airport reflects the State of Qatar's commitment to taking all essential measures to ensure the airport's recommissioning and resuming flights to the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic, noting that flights will return to the airport simultaneously when technical requirements are in place. Dr. Al Ansari said the Syrian Arab Republic's needs are being scrutinized for the aid to be announced - whether urgent, short-term or strategic. The priority is for urgent humanitarian needs to ensure a successful and unhindered transition process, especially on the humanitarian side, followed by efforts for Syria's returning to the Arab nation, Al Ansari added. He pointed out that the embassy of the Syrian opposition in the State of Qatar is the first of the new Syrian embassies - a stance that reflects the State of Qatar's unchanged position since the first day of the Syrian crisis, and supports the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people by all available means. In this context, Al Ansari highlighted the resumption of the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the Syrian Arab Republic on December 17, and the appointment of HE Khalifa Abdullah Al Mahmoud Al Sharif as Charge d'Affaires there. He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the resumption of embassy operations comes after approximately 13 years since all diplomatic relations were severed with the Syrian regime in 2011, expressing Qatar's principled stance in support of the Syrian people's revolution and its steadfast support for their demands for a dignified life, freedom, and social justice. It also reaffirms Qatar's unequivocal rejection of all the oppressive policies of the Syrian regime against the Syrian people. Dr. Al Ansari added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the resumption of the embassys work in conjunction with the victory of the Syrian peoples revolution reflects the continued firm and supportive position of the State of Qatar towards the Syrian people and their struggle to obtain their legitimate rights to a decent life, and enhances its relief efforts that began with an air bridge to help the Syrian people overcome the requirements of the transition process, noting the raising of the Qatari flag on December 21 in Damascus for the first time in 13 years. Referring to Monday's meeting between Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi and Leader of the new administration of the Syrian Arab Republic HE Ahmed Al Sharaa as part of a Qatari delegation visit to Damascus, Al Ansari said the meetings covered close bilateral relations and ways to boost them, the future of Syria and the prospects of the State of Qatars unwavering support for the brotherly Syrian people across all fields. He pointed out that HE Al Khulaifi stressed the State of Qatar's continued firm support for the Syrian brothers to build a state of institutions that is governed by justice, freedom, development and peace, and achieves the aspirations of the Syrian people. Noting the State of Qatar's position has always remained supportive of the revolution of the brothers in Syria, HE Al Khulaifi stressed the need for Syrians to take decisions independently, ensure the unity of Syria and work on a peaceful power transfer through a political process that includes the whole spectrum of the Syrian people. Meanwhile, Dr. Al Ansari said that it is too early to talk about investing in Syria at the present time, noting that the focus is now on providing everything necessary to support Syrians, especially in areas such as energy, the humanitarian aspect and infrastructure. Regarding the ongoing communications on the situation in Syria, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari highlighted the recent phone call on December 17 between Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi and UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen. They discussed the latest developments in Syria and Qatar's stance on the ongoing situation, emphasizing the need to support the transitional process to preserve Syria's unity, territorial integrity, and the aspirations of its people. During the weekly media briefing organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Al Ansari added that HE the Minister of State stressed, during the call, the importance of international efforts, including those by the United Nations and its agencies, to support the Syrian people and achieve their legitimate aspirations for security, stability, and prosperity. Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also pointed to a meeting on December 20 between HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad and HE Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office and Special Coordinator for Syria Tobias Lindner. They discussed bilateral cooperation and recent regional developments, particularly in Syria. Regarding Israeli practices of expanding settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, Dr. Al Ansari stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the Israeli occupation government's approval of plans to expand Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. The ministry emphasized the international community's legal and moral responsibilities to compel the Israeli occupation to cease its aggression on Syrian territories and comply with international legitimacy decisions, as well as to confront its opportunistic schemes. Furthermore, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentioned that Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi chaired the Qatari delegation at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which was held via video conference on December 17. In his speech during the conference, His Excellency reaffirmed Qatar's commitment to achieving CICA's objectives and building a more secure and prosperous future for the people of Asia. His Excellency stated that the Asian continent is at a historic crossroads, facing complex challenges and crises on security, economic, and social fronts, however, Asia, with its vast natural and human resources, remains a continent of opportunities and potentials. He added that HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs underscored the need for enhanced collective efforts and cooperation to meet the aspirations of the people of Asia for stability and prosperity. His Excellency reaffirmed Qatar's dedication to maintaining peace and security in the region and the Asian continent by initiating dialogues and mediations to ease conflicts and tensions, aiming for stability and prosperity, and adopting dialogue as the primary means to resolve disputes between nations. Regarding the ongoing communications on the situation in Syria, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari highlighted the recent phone call on December 17 between HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi and UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen. They discussed the latest developments in Syria and Qatar's stance on the ongoing situation, emphasizing the need to support the transitional process to preserve Syria's unity, territorial integrity, and the aspirations of its people. During the weekly media briefing organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Al Ansari added that HE the Minister of State stressed, during the call, the importance of international efforts, including those by the United Nations and its agencies, to support the Syrian people and achieve their legitimate aspirations for security, stability, and prosperity. Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also pointed to a meeting on December 20 between Minister of State for International Cooperation HE Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad and Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office and Special Coordinator for Syria HE Tobias Lindner. They discussed bilateral cooperation and recent regional developments, particularly in Syria. Regarding Israeli practices of expanding settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, Dr. Al Ansari stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the Israeli occupation government's approval of plans to expand Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. The ministry emphasized the international community's legal and moral responsibilities to compel the Israeli occupation to cease its aggression on Syrian territories and comply with international legitimacy decisions, as well as to confront its opportunistic schemes. Furthermore, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentioned that HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi chaired the Qatari delegation at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which was held via video conference on December 17. In his speech during the conference, His Excellency reaffirmed Qatar's commitment to achieving CICA's objectives and building a more secure and prosperous future for the people of Asia. His Excellency stated that the Asian continent is at a historic crossroads, facing complex challenges and crises on security, economic, and social fronts, however, Asia, with its vast natural and human resources, remains a continent of opportunities and potentials. He added that HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs underscored the need for enhanced collective efforts and cooperation to meet the aspirations of the people of Asia for stability and prosperity. His Excellency reaffirmed Qatar's dedication to maintaining peace and security in the region and the Asian continent by initiating dialogues and mediations to ease conflicts and tensions, aiming for stability and prosperity, and adopting dialogue as the primary means to resolve disputes between nations. Regarding the negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari, stated that the negotiations are ongoing, with technical talks taking place in Doha and other tracks occurring in Cairo with continuous coordination with the Arab Republic of Egypt in this regard, adding that no one can predict a specific timeline for reaching an agreement. During the weekly media briefing organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Al Ansari confirmed that the situation in Gaza has not improved at all, and the humanitarian crisis is worsening, reiterating the call to all parties to engage seriously with the Qatari-Egyptian-American mediation without any actions that might hinder the success of these negotiations. Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted Qatar's welcome of the UN General Assembly's resolution to refer the ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to the International Court of Justice. Qatar considers the adoption of the resolution, with 137 votes in favor, as reflecting the broad international rejection of the Israeli occupation authorities' decisions to ban UNRWA's activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. He pointed out Qatar's warning that banning UNRWA's activities will lead to severe humanitarian and political consequences, especially depriving millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria of essential services, as well as the liquidation of the Palestinian refugee issue and their right to return to their homes. Separately, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Qatar-Iran relations are strong and solid, with both sides collaborating on certain gas projects in the region, praising the bilateral relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran, adding that their discussions on regional events are ongoing. Regarding Qatar's relations with Russia, Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari stated that Qatar's relationship with the Russian Federation remains ongoing and positive, highlighting Qatar's involvement in another mediation between Russia and Ukraine, aimed at reuniting children affected by the war with their families. On the Lebanese front, Al Ansari referred to the meeting of HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi on December 16 with the Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Joseph Aoun, Speaker of the Parliament HE Nabih Berri, and Caretaker Prime Minister of Lebanon HE Najib Mikati. He explained that these meetings discussed bilateral cooperation and ways to support and enhance it, emphasizing the critical role of the Lebanese Army in maintaining security and stability in Lebanon, preserving the state's sovereignty and territorial integrity amid increasing security and political challenges, and reaffirming Qatar's steadfast position towards the Republic of Lebanon, its unity, and territorial integrity, and its continued support for the Lebanese people.At least two journalists and a police officer were killed Tuesday after armed gangs opened fire on them inside an old military hospital in Haiti’s capital. The attack also left at least seven journalists and two police officers injuredwith gunshot wounds. The injured were being treated at La Paix Hospital after a specialized unit of the Haiti National Police went inside the facility that is part of the Hospital of the State University of Haiti , better known as the General Hospital, to rescue the wounded. Police officers told a Miami Herald freelancer and other waiting journalists that they had left four bodies on the ground. After three ambulances arrived at the hospital, journalists identified two of the bodies inside one of the ambulances as online journalists Mackendy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. A Haitian police spokesman could not be reached for comment. The tragedy unfolded while the press was awaiting the arrival of Health Minister Duckenson Lorthe Blema to cover the reopening of the General Hospital, which had been closed for months because of gang attacks. As reporters waited inside for the arrival of Blema, they could hear gunfire out in the streets, where two armored police vehicles were patrolling. Inside, final arrangements were being made for the minister’s visit. That’s when several armed men stormed the area outside and opened fire. In a video shared online, long volleys of gunfire could be heard as bullets flew through the green iron gates of the General Hospital. Other photos and videos shared online by some of the reporters trapped inside showed journalists lying on the floor covered in blood, with gunshots wounds to the head, chest and mouths. In one video, a journalist showed where a bullet had pierced his tongue. “We haven’t found a nurse or anyone to give us first aid, anything,” a journalist who was not injured said as she pleaded for help. “Those who are the most vulnerable, we want to get them out of here.” But getting out of the area proved difficult as police exchanged gunfire with gang members. “The whole area is under siege,” Guyler Delva, head of the press freedom group SOS journalists, said before police moved in to rescue the trapped reporters. “Bandits are shooting all around. If the journalists go out into the street, they will be killed and no one is helping them. The situation is very worrisome. They are stranded.” Delva blamed the Haitian government for the incident, saying the attack is part of a larger problem in which journalists are being targeted by the police as well as gangs. Reporters have reported being harassed by police while on assignment. Earlier this year Haitian authorities issued a list of journalists they were seeking to arrest, claiming they were working with gangs. Last month the country’s telecommunications authority, CONATEL, shut down a popular program, Boukante la Pawol, hosted by Guerrier Henri, on Port-au-Prince’s Radio Mega after Henri allowed gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier to speak. Delva said the move infringed on press freedoms and was a throwback to the days Haiti was ruled by dictators. “Journalists have been working with a lot of fear,” he said. “They realize that the government doesn’t care. They not only try to block them but they openly show they won’t intervene to help them.” The Association of Haitian journalists also condemned the attack and called on authorities to avoid exposing journalists to danger. The group also asked on the authorities take immediate measures to provide all the necessary assistance to injured journalists and to the parents of those murdered in the exercise of their duties. Both the prime minister’s office and ruling transitional council condemned the attack. “What happened today on Christmas Eve at the General Hospital where people in the population, journalists and police were victims, is unacceptable,” Leslie Voltaire, the president of the council said, in a brief video message. “It will not stand without consequences.” The General Hospital, the country’s largest public medical facility, had been closed since March when a united front of powerful gang leaders led attacks on police stations as well as the main airport, seaport and prison with the hope of toppling the government. Since then, the violence has continued to escalate, with hospitals across Port-au-Prince shutting down. In July Haitian authorities claimed that they had taken control of the General Hospital. But days later, the country’s prime minister was forced to run for cover, along with police officers, when armed gangs opened fire as he was giving a tour of the facility to visiting CNN journalists. The Christmas Eve attack added to an avalanche of bad news for Haiti. On Monday, a ship transporting merchandise and vehicle to the southern region of the country capsized near Terminal Varreux in Port-au-Prince during loading. The incident was confirmed by the private port, but the extent of the casualties and damages were unclear. On Tuesday, as the gang attack was happening in Port-au-Prince, authorities in the northwest region confirmed the deaths of at least seven people from torrential rains that continued to hit the city of Port-de-Paix on Tuesday. Officials said that 10 others had been injured, while at least 100 houses had been destroyed and 500 others seriously damaged. About 11,000 houses were flooded and 20 vehicles were swept away. A bridge, constructed less than six months ago, also collapsed. On Monday, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, issued a statement about Haiti’s escalating crisis. Her statements as president of the U.N. Security Council came on the same day the U.N. political office in Haiti issued a report on a recent gang massacre in the Wharf Jérémie neighborhood in the capital. The report said at least 207 people, most of them elderly, were killed between December 6 and 11 by gang leader, Micanor Altès, after he accused most of them of using Vodou to make his son sick. Some of of the victims were also family members of the elderly, who had attempted to flee the area, or individuals suspected of having leaked information about the crimes to local media. The victims were tracked down at their homes and at a place of worship, then driven to the gang’s stronghold, where they were shot or killed with machetes. After the killings, Altès tried to erase all evidence, by burning the bodies or dismembering them, and then throwing them into the sea, the U.N. found. The security council, Thomas-Greenfield said, is deeply concerned over the deteriorating situation in Haiti. This story was originally published December 24, 2024, 3:28 PM.
Seneca moves on with 55-26 win over Mount Vernon
By BILL BARROW, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
Indian PM Modi’s historic visit to Kuwait strengthens strategic ties, champions India-GCC partnershipPolice seek suspected prowler spotted peering into west Windsor home'Irreparable Loss', 'Visionary Statesman': Leaders Of BJP, Oppn Unite To Mourn Manmohan Singh's Death
By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”AI Chip Demand Propels Growth Nvidia is gearing up for a potentially groundbreaking year in 2025, buoyed by an explosion in demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. After posting jaw-dropping stock gains of over 238% in 2023 and continued impressive growth this year, Nvidia is poised for further success. Its cutting-edge graphics processing units (GPUs) remain vital in driving forward AI development, especially in sectors focusing on large language models and sophisticated AI computations. The race among tech giants and startups to develop superior AI tools is intensifying the demand for Nvidia’s latest GPUs. Innovation Leads to Market Dominance While competition is fierce, Nvidia’s strategic advantage comes from its proprietary CUDA software platform. Initially designed for graphics processing tasks, CUDA has evolved into a standard toolkit for high-performance computing. Its ongoing development, particularly through domain-specific AI tools like CUDA X, cements Nvidia’s leadership. Despite facing competition from bespoke AI chips, Nvidia’s comprehensive and user-friendly AI solutions help maintain its advantage. Valuation and Future Outlook Despite past achievements, Nvidia’s stock valuation remains appealing for growth-focused investors, supported by metrics such as a forward P/E ratio around 30. Analysts foresee continued strength as the AI sector matures, suggesting Nvidia’s momentum is far from waning. Through relentless innovation and a strategic focus on diversified AI applications, Nvidia is not just maintaining its pace but poised to set new industry benchmarks as it heads toward 2025. As a result, Nvidia remains a vital player in the tech arena with a future teeming with potential. The Future of AI Chips: Why Nvidia is Leading the Charge Nvidia’s rise as a leader in AI technology is not only grounded in its groundbreaking GPUs but is also being propelled by several key innovations and trends shaping the industry. As the demand for artificial intelligence accelerates, particularly in preferences for large language models and advanced computational tasks, Nvidia remains at the forefront of delivering state-of-the-art solutions. Innovative Software: A Strategic Edge Nvidia’s proprietary CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) software is a pivotal element in its dominant market position. Originally intended for graphics, CUDA has transformed into an essential toolkit for high-performance computing. This strategy is reinforced by the development of domain-specific AI tools such as CUDA X, which offer tailored solutions for different industry needs. These advancements underscore how Nvidia is harnessing software as a complement to its hardware capabilities, ensuring comprehensive support for diverse AI applications. Security and Compatibility: Leading the Pack Security is an increasingly important aspect as AI technologies are integrated into critical applications. Nvidia is enhancing the security features of its GPUs, ensuring they can be used safely and reliably across sensitive applications, from healthcare to autonomous driving. Additionally, the compatibility of Nvidia’s GPUs with various AI frameworks makes them a preferred choice among developers who require seamless integration into existing workflows. Sustainability and Environmental Impact As the tech industry faces heightened scrutiny over environmental impacts, Nvidia is actively working on sustainability initiatives. These include developing energy-efficient chips that reduce power consumption while maintaining performance. Such efforts are vital in contributing to greener technology solutions as the demand for AI applications continues to rise. Market Predictions and Industry Analysis The AI chip market is expected to experience significant growth, with Nvidia predicted to maintain or even expand its market share. Analysts forecast the AI sector to mature rapidly over the next few years, presenting both opportunities and challenges for industry players. Nvidia’s robust technological infrastructure positions it well to navigate this evolving landscape. Investment Insights and Stock Valuation From an investment perspective, Nvidia’s stock continues to offer favorable valuations for growth-focused investors. With a forward P/E ratio of approximately 30, the company remains an attractive long-term investment, benefiting from sustained demand and strategic positioning in the AI arena. With its continual evolution and adaptive strategy, Nvidia sets the pace not just for itself, but for the entire AI industry as it looks toward a promising future in 2025 and beyond. For more information on Nvidia’s innovations, you can visit Nvidia’s official website .Sophia Smith, the ex-girlfriend of Liam Payne , is now engaged. The social media influencer took to Instagram to share the heartwarming moment her beau James Bridgwood proposed during the festive season. Sophia, who's 30 and went out with Liam from 2013 until October 2015 after first crossing paths at St. Peter's Collegiate School in Wolverhampton, has a history with the late singer. Liam, who sadly passed away last October at the age of 31, had persistently asked Sophia out more than 20 times before she finally said yes. In an intimate video posted online, James can be seen getting down on one knee in a room adorned with rose petals and champagne, while they were both in their PJs and with their daughter Angelina Grace, born in April 2023, playing nearby. READ MORE - 'I was told my baby died in a fire but I spotted her at a birthday party six years later' READ MORE - A sneak peek at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's solitary Christmas as 'royal snub confirmed' Sophia captioned the touching video, which was set to Dan Berk's acoustic version of "Anyone": "Yes a million times over. 25.12.24," along with a red heart emoji. The clip shows a visibly moved Sophia admiring her new ring as little Angelina seems happily oblivious, asking her parents to play with her dolls. Sophia, who has stayed close with Liam's former bandmates, family, and friends, received a flood of congratulatory messages. Lottie Tomlinson commented: "Congratulations," with tears and pink hearts emojis, while Lou Teasdale wrote: "Aw Soph," followed by a red heart, reports the Mirror . Reality TV star Maura Higgins chimed in with: "Congratulations." Fans flocked to offer their congratulations to the pair, with one writing: "Omggggggggg. Congratulations! ! ! ! ! ! ! ", while another said "Favourites forever can't stop watching this video," A third chimed in with "Yayyyyy! So happy for you both! Congratulations." The couple had been together for several years and were even rumoured to be discussing marriage plans before they split nearly a decade ago. At the time, Liam said he was "absolutely devastated" by the break-up, telling The Sun on Sunday: "In order to do right by somebody, sometimes it's better not to do what your heart wants, but to do what's better for them." He also revealed to Attitude Magazine that they had talked about marriage, but decided it was too soon. Sophia had been supportive of Liam throughout his One Direction days, even attending their final concert tour together. The news of Sophia's engagement comes just three months after the sad passing of Liam, who fell from the third floor of a hotel at just 31. An autopsy confirmed that Liam died instantly due to "multiple traumatic injuries" and "internal and external haemorrhage." 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 .
SPOILER ALERT: This article contains major spoilers from “ Squid Game ” Season 2 finale, now streaming on Netflix. Facing betrayal from an inside man infiltrating the Squid Games is nothing new for Seong Gi-hun ( Lee Jung-jae ) within the twisted “Squid Game” universe. When the first season of the Korean drama released on Netflix in 2021, watching Player 001, the old man Oh Il-nam (Oh Yeong-su), be revealed as the creator of the games came as a total surprise for both Gi-hun and the viewer. But in “Squid Game” Season 2, which dropped Thursday, the unexpected involvement of head game guard The Front Man ( Lee Byung-hun ), whose real name is In-ho, is handled quite differently when he joins the games as Player 001 upon Gi-hun’s reentry into the competition. In-ho uses the fake name Young-il when he introduces himself to Gi-hun, who has returned to the games in “Squid Game” Season 2 to try to take them down from the inside, and conceals his real identity and motives while slowly attempting to gain Gi-hun’s trust and build a group of likeminded players. “I think it’s kind of fun because only the audience knows that it’s him so it’s more tense for them to watch him in the game, forming this alliance with Gi-hun,” Lee Jung-jae tells Variety . “I think all the viewers will be thinking about is when Gi-hun will finally realize that he is The Front Man, or what game he can go until without revealing his identity.” When Lee Byung-hun first met with “Squid Game” creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk to discuss possible directions for Season 2, they casually speculated over drinks about In-ho’s backstory. While Season 2 ultimately doesn’t show his past — choosing instead to give details through dialogue about In-ho’s late wife who died of illness when they were destitute — Lee Byung-hun kept thinking about how his character entered the Squid Game the first time he played and, like Gi-hun after him, won the competition, and how his spirit has changed since. “He’s really seen kind of the bottom pit of humanity and in the midst of the violence and desperation of Squid Game, his hope for humanity and the world has really dwindled,” Lee Byung-hun explains. “He has this very pessimistic view of the people in the world around him.” Another one of the returning “Squid Game” characters is detective Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), who teams up with Gi-hun at the beginning of Season 2 to try and find the Squid Game island again. Jun-ho made his way there in Season 1 searching for his missing brother, In-ho, later finding out that his brother has gone from a former competitor in the games to becoming The Front Man himself. Jun-ho was shot by his brother upon this revelation in Season 1 and barely survived falling off the cliffs of the Squid Game island. When he teams up with Gi-hun to try to get back to the island again and end the games in Season 2, he decides not to tell Gi-hun that The Front Man is his brother. Showing In-ho playing the games alongside Gi-hun, who still fights to believe in the best in people and humanity — despite the cruelty of the Squid Game — pits two opposing characters together. Lee Byung-hun was tasked to act out much of this subtly as In-ho (who watched Gi-hun from behind a mask in Season 1) studies Gi-hun through the various games while forming a bond with him and not letting his true thoughts out. Lee Byung-hun describes how “when [In-ho] meets Gi-hun, who is still trying to break down the system, who returns to the games to be able to change something, because he still has hope for humanity — I think In-ho really wants to break Gi-hun’s spirit, and that’s why you see him observing him throughout the games and very meticulously making a plan to dismantle a lot of what he is doing.” “Squid Game” Season 2 comes with a new set of violent games that test the alliances formed with a largely new cast of players. But it all starts off with the same “Red Light, Green Light” competition that kicked off the first season. While Lee Jung-jae says it was a difficult five-day shoot, he found it to be the most fun of the Season 2 games to film. Lee Jung-jae explains: “It’s very different because this time around, Gi-hun’s goal is to save as many people as possible. The ‘Red Light, Green Light’ game gave a big shock to fans in Season 1 but now, it has a totally different atmosphere.” Lee Byung-hun says that for In-ho, while he is participating in the games as Young-il, “you do find him almost momentarily enjoying the situation.” “And I think this is just a very small glimpse of his past self,” he added. The most challenging part of the season from an emotional standpoint for Lee Jung-jae was the rebellion scene in the Season 2 finale. In the final episode, Gi-hun watches his close friend, Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), die at the hands of The Front Man , marking the end of any hope for the rising rebellion. The Front Man puts his mask back on out of sight, so Gi-hun does not know it is In-ho/Young-Il, who Gi-hun actually thinks has already been killed during this fight. Lee Byung-hun explains why In-ho makes the choice to kill Jung-bae in front of Gi-hun after going out of his way to save his life earlier during the bloody musical-chairs-esque Mingle game, where he killed another man with his bare hands to keep Jung-bae alive. “I would say that until the Mingle game, In-ho is still a participant or a member of this very tight-knit group with Jung-bae and Gi-hyun,” Lee Byung-hun said. “So despite the fact that he shows Jung-bae this very violent side of him by killing someone within the room, he still needs to maintain this air that he is one team with Gi-hun and Jung-bae. At the very end of Season 2, I really thought about, what is he feeling when he has to kill Jung-bae because at the end of the day, he’s still a human being, and he goes through the games together, and there has to be at least some kind of emotional bond that’s built between him and Gi-hun and Jung-bae. However, I do understand that him killing Jung-bae is a tool to be able to awaken Gi-hun to the reality of what is happening. And a conversation I had with director Hwang was, how does In-ho, or The Front Man, feel when he is killing Jung-bae? And I think it is a feeling of kind of bitterness, however, I think the way In-ho understands it is that he’s giving up something small for a bigger message to Gi-hun.” The Front Man’s actions (a betrayal that has yet to fully reveal itself to Gi-hun until he knows In-ho is the one behind the mask) sting even more as Gi-hun and his crew of friends come so close to pulling off the rebellion and escaping the games for good. “I think the finale did a good job maximizing the emotions for viewers so it feels like they are on an emotional roller coaster ride,” Lee Jung-jae says. “They’re left at the very peak.” Lee Byung-hun feels that In-ho’s betrayal confirms that “in the process of these really grueling and violent games, his feelings faded.” “Feelings of hope and joy are long gone in the In-ho you meet in Season 2,” he said. With “Squid Game” Season 2 only consisting of seven episodes versus the first season’s nine, and the major cliffhanger that the second-season story ends on, Lee Jung-jae isn’t sure how viewers will receive it. “Maybe they will curse us for stopping there at the finale,” he wonders with a laugh. While Season 2 leaves many questions unanswered, the installment was filmed back-to-back with the show’s third and final season, which is confirmed for a 2025 release. So fans won’t need to be cursing the team for too long before finding out how this showdown between Gi-hun and In-ho comes to an end. And it’s looking like it will be a very dark conclusion indeed, if In-ho has his way. “In-ho is a character that no longer has belief or hope in the outside world,” Lee Byung-hun said. “So it’s almost like he has nowhere to go, because that is not really a world that he feels like he’s a part of anymore. So it’s less so the fact that he wants to protect the world of Squid Game, it’s more so that he feels that it’s completely hopeless outside. All these people are going to die in a really kind of pathetic way anyway, so why not play the games, and why not give at least one person a new life and a sense of opportunity? Because he has this very pessimistic view of the world, he does feel like the world of Squid Game at least makes more sense than the world outside of it.”
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TikTok’s latest viral food fad is sparking debate: Would you try freezing popcorn?WASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company's jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sunday's incident from the company’s earlier safety problems. Alan Price, a former chief pilot at Delta Air Lines who is now a consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. In January this year, a door plug blew off a 737 Max while it was in flight, raising more questions about the plane. The Boeing 737-800 that crash-landed in Korea, Price noted, is “a very proven airplane. "It’s different from the Max ...It’s a very safe airplane.’’ For decades, Boeing has maintained a role as one of the giants of American manufacturing. But the the past year's repeated troubles have been damaging. The company's stock price is down more than 30% in 2024. The company's reputation for safety was especially tarnished by the 737 Max crashes, which occurred off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019 and left a combined 346 people dead. In the five years since then, Boeing has lost more than $23 billion. And it has fallen behind its European rival, Airbus, in selling and delivering new planes. Last fall, 33,000 Boeing machinists went on strike, crippling the production of the 737 Max, the company's bestseller, the 777 airliner and 767 cargo plane. The walkout lasted seven weeks, until members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers agreed to an offer that included 38% pay raises over four years. In January, a door plug blew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight. Federal regulators responded by imposing limits on Boeing aircraft production that they said would remain in place until they felt confident about manufacturing safety at the company. In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving the Federal Aviation Administration regulators who approved the 737 Max. Acting on Boeing’s incomplete disclosures, the FAA approved minimal, computer-based training instead of more intensive training in flight simulators. Simulator training would have increased the cost for airlines to operate the Max and might have pushed some to buy planes from Airbus instead. (Prosecutors said they lacked evidence to argue that Boeing’s deception had played a role in the crashes.) But the plea deal was rejected this month by a federal judge in Texas, Reed O’Connor , who decided that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in choosing an official to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement. Boeing has sought to change its culture. Under intense pressure over safety issues, David Calhoun departed as CEO in August. Since January, 70,000 Boeing employees have participated in meetings to discuss ways to improve safety.
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After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoffRight of Reply: It is about meritocracy and milestones at NNPC
Mohawk College has cut 20 per cent of administrative staff and suspended over a dozen programs, says a statement sent to all staff Friday. The college's president Paul Armstrong said in the email that 65 administrative positions were eliminated across all divisions through retirement incentives, not filling vacancies and layoffs. In November, Mohawk College announced it intends to cut 200 to 400 jobs in response to a bleak fiscal outlook, which included a projected $50-million budget shortfall in the 2025 to 2026 school year. More cuts are expected to be announced in January. "I know this is not an easy time for you," Armstrong told staff in the email. "And there is still the uncertainty of not knowing what is going to happen in the new year." Layoffs at Mohawk College began Monday and include people in leadership roles Mohawk College in Hamilton to start layoffs Monday as part of plans to cut 200-400 jobs Projecting $50M deficit, Mohawk College president warns of layoffs, blames government policies Business department among most impacted Positions cut include the dean of applied research and dean of creative industries, said the email. Both departments also saw many programs suspended. The following Mohawk College programs will be suspended: Analytics for business decision-making Broadcasting – Radio and Creative Broadcasting – Television and Media Communications Business Analysis Canadian Healthcare for Foreign Trained Professionals Chemical Engineering Technology Financial Services Global Business Management Human Resources Management International Business Management Office Administration Office Administration Legal Pre-Media Project Management Public Relations Tourism Other programs and services being cut include: City School, which offered free courses to help community members continue their education or prepare for jobs. Two Community Employment Services locations. The School of Continuing Education will merge with the college's Marinucci Family Centre for Professional Advancement. 'Cuts to colleges, ultimately, are cuts to students' Louis Volante, an educational studies professor at Brock University, said the cuts are not surprising based on "stagnant" funding from the province to colleges and universities. He said when taking inflation into account, these institutions are getting less money now than 10 years ago.Cuts to colleges and universities are usually made to programs with slightly lower demand and that might not translate into a high-paying positions for students after graduating, said Volante. They'll also lead each institution focusing only on programs they're best known for, which will affect competition and stifle innovation, he said. "The best way to have innovation is to actually have different colleges and different universities running parallel programs so that they can learn from one another," he said. He expects "very few" colleges and universities are immune from financial challenges and others will likely follow with their own cuts. As classes get bigger and there's less on-campus supports, Volante said he's concerned about the possible impacts on the quality of teaching and learning environments. "Cuts to colleges, ultimately, are cuts to students," he said.
Menendez brothers' attorney to petition for case to be transferred to California AG's office5 Private Jets Produced By Dassault AviationUConn announced a two-year contract extension for head football coach Jim Mora on Saturday, just before the team took the field for the Fenway Bowl against North Carolina. Mora’s contract extension will run through 2028 and will pay him $10 million through the remaining four years, with the opportunity to earn more in incentives. The 63-year-old coach is set to make $1.7 million next season, $1.9 million in 2026 and $2.3 and $2.4 million in 2027 and 2028, respectively. UConn then went out and thrashed North Carolina, 27-14, in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. “I am forever grateful. I’m grateful to (athletic director) David (Benedict) and (school president) Radenka (Maric) and the Board of Trustees, but this is about what the (UConn players) did today,” Mora said when asked about the extension in the postgame press conference. In a statement released by UConn ahead of the game, Mora said: “I’d like to thank David Benedict, Radenka Maric and the University of Connecticut leadership for their trust in me and their commitment to our football program. When I first got here, I talked about where we wanted this program to go and we have shown great progress but we still have plenty of work to do. The commitment and dedication from the university and the athletic department has me excited about the future for our football team.” “Three years ago, I tasked Jim Mora with the challenge of leading our football team back to success and through his experience, energy and leadership he has done just that,” UConn athletic director David Benedict said in a statement. “He has taken our program to post season bowl games twice and just guided our team to one of the best seasons in UConn football history, building a momentum to keep this program moving forward. I look forward to his leadership of our football team in the years ahead.” Mora is coming off one of the most successful seasons in UConn football history, having led the team to an 8-4 record and an appearance in the Fenway Bowl. It’s the Huskies’ second bowl appearance in three years. UConn’s eight wins is the most for the program since 2010, and the Huskies had their first winning season since that year, too. A win Saturday would give UConn nine wins for just the third time in program history, with the last two such seasons coming in 2003 and 2007. UConn quarterbacks coach Brad Robbins is heading to Tulsa as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, according to a report from CBS Sports. Robbins was part of a coaching staff that helped the offense produce its most prolific attack since the 2009 season and fifth-most in program history (32.3 points per game). Robbins worked at FCS Tennessee Tech and Division II North Greenville before joining Jim Mora’s staff in spring 2023. Get local news delivered to your inbox!SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down
ISSUE: Fee schedule ordinance adoption Vote: 7-0 What it means: Several additions and amendments to fees in the city's Master Fee Schedule will be made that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. ISSUE: Citizens on patrol member ordinance adoption Vote: 7-0 What it means: An ordinance was adopted that would update city code regarding police service assistants and citizens on patrol that would outline the requirements and authority granted. ISSUE: E-bike regulations ordinance adoption Vote: 6-1 What it means: An ordinance was introduced to update the city code and establish definitions for e-bikes and other mobility devices to allow for enforcement of violations. It also outlines the "rules of the road."Giants QB Tommy DeVito has a sore throwing arm after loss to Bucs
Gus Atkinson hat-trick puts England in command of second Test in New ZealandUtilize knowledge for national prosperity: PM OliPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith will return to the lineup this week against the Carolina Panthers after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury. DeVonta Smith: “Count me in.” pic.twitter.com/tsCVf3A9Xg Smith, however, has been dealing with this hamstring injury since before Week 10's win over the Dallas Cowboys. He played through that win with the injury and suited up again with it in the Eagles' Week 11 win over the Washington Commanders before making it worse and having to sit out in Weeks 12 and 13. The Eagles kept Smith's snap count low in those two games as he played less than 60% of the team's offensive snaps and was targeted a total of nine times, catching six targets for 43 yards. That is the same approach that the Birds will need to make against Carolina if they want to keep Smith healthy for their inevitable playoff run. The Eagles are also already down tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) and wide receiver Britain Covey (neck), so that might make things difficult but they still have other options. Of course, Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown will heavily be relied upon but they also have Grant Calcaterra, Jahan Dotson, and rookie Johnny Wilson to pick up more snaps. Eagles Week 14 Injury Report Observations The Eagles are said to be monitoring Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley 's health closely so it will be normal for either or both of them to kick off the week limited moving forward. Reed Blankenship suffered a concussion while Dallas Goedert hurt his knee in the Eagles' Week 13 win over the Baltimore Ravens . With Goedert dealing with an injury, the Eagles signed tight end C.J. Uzomah to the 53-man roster. Per a report from Eagles insider Jeff McLane, Goedert could be sidelined on a "week-to-week" basis. The Eagles also signed wide receiver Parris Campbell back to the practice squad and fullback Khari Blasingame. Sydney Brown was on last week's injury report with the same knee injury. He ended up dressing vs. Baltimore but didn't play. Rookie wide receiver Johnny Wilson was ruled out last Sunday so it's good to see him back, especially with the Eagles dealing with a banged-up receiver room. Cornerback Darius Slay has been on and off the injury report this season with a lingering knee issue. He suffered this concussion in Week 12's win over the LA Rams. With Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown out this week, the Eagles will lean more on backup Tristan McCollum. Britain Covey 's absence isn't great but rookie Cooper DeJean is a solid backup on punt return. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.
Letters: Potash tax threat exposes meagre return for Sask. resourceCasino Gaming Market to Grow by USD 43.3 Billion (2024-2028), Rising Customer Spending Boosts Growth, AI Driving Market Transformation - Technavio
Pure Storage Shares Soar After Strong Q3, Q4 Guidance Above Estimates: DetailsGREENWICH, Conn., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO) today announced that Malcolm Wilson, chief executive officer, has informed the board of directors that he plans to retire in 2025. He will continue to lead the company during the executive search process for his successor. Brad Jacobs, chairman of the GXO Board of Directors, said, “Malcolm’s countless contributions to GXO and its legacy parent XPO span nearly a decade. Under his leadership, GXO has added more than $3 billion of revenue and received global recognitions each year for innovation and workplace culture. Our incoming CEO will inherit a best-in-class management team and strong industry positioning, while Malcolm will embark on a well-deserved retirement. I fully support this decision and wish him all the best.” Since being named CEO in August 2021, Mr. Wilson has led GXO’s growth to 130,000 employees and more than 200 million square feet of facility space in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. During his tenure, GXO has acquired Clipper Logistics and Wincanton among others; increased revenue from $7.9 billion in 2021 to $11 billion in the twelve months ended September 30, 2024; increased adjusted EBITDA from $633 million in 2021 to $757 million in the twelve months ended September 30, 2024; and achieved a return on invested capital of more than 30% per year. Malcolm Wilson said, “My time at GXO has been the highlight of my three decades in logistics. We have an outstanding organization that embraces new technologies, keeping us at the forefront of the industry. I’m grateful to the team and our customers for their support — and I look forward to working with the Board to ensure the company is in excellent hands.” About GXO Logistics GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO) is the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider and is capitalizing on the rapid growth of ecommerce and automation. GXO is committed to providing a world-class, diverse workplace for more than 130,000 team members in more than 970 facilities totaling approximately 200 million square feet. The company partners with the world’s leading blue-chip companies to solve complex logistics challenges with technologically advanced supply chain and ecommerce solutions. GXO is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. Visit GXO.com for more information and connect with GXO on LinkedIn , X , Facebook , Instagram and YouTube . Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “plans,” “continue,” “will,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. Unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements expressed herein. Contacts Investors Chris Jordan chris.jordan@gxo.com Media Matthew Schmidt matt.schmidt@gxo.comTributes paid to Madan Mohan Malaviya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Central Hall of Parliament
In recent years, down jackets have become increasingly popular as a fashionable and functional outerwear option for the winter season. With various brands and styles available on the market, consumers are often faced with the question of how much they should be willing to spend on a quality down jacket. The price range for down jackets can vary significantly, ranging from budget-friendly options to high-end designer pieces. So, how much money should one invest in a down jacket to ensure both warmth and durability? Let's explore this topic further.GUTHRIE UNVEILS NEW GUTHRIE CORTLAND RENZI HEALTH CAMPUS
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.First and foremost, it has been disclosed that Xie Na encountered unexpected complications with her passport validity, which ultimately prevented her from attending the wedding. As an international traveler and public figure, it is essential for Xie Na to ensure that her travel documents, including her passport, are up to date and valid for entry into foreign countries. Unfortunately, due to an oversight or unforeseen circumstances, it has been reported that Xie Na's passport had insufficient validity to travel to the location of Chen Qiao En's wedding. This administrative hurdle likely caused a great deal of disappointment for Xie Na, as she was undoubtedly looking forward to celebrating this special occasion with her dear friend.
John Dumelo Files Complaint Against Lydia Seyram Alhassan for Alleged Voter Bribery
How to deal with all the black plastic in your kitchenWheel of Fortune contestants regularly whiff their bonus puzzles, but the winner of Monday, December 2’s episode was in for a particularly heartbreaking spin. Her additional letter choices added ZERO letters to a tricky puzzle, which was even more shocking since she had the advantage of a Wild Card wedge. The tough break involved Kelsey Sowders, a mom of three and steak/wine savant from Tomball, Texas. After an astounding performance, she proceeded to the coveted bonus round, having racked up $40,398 in cash, a prize trip to Japan, and the elusive Wild Card. This meant she got to pick five additional letters instead of four, which often spells success. Selecting “What are You Doing?” as her category, with the off-side support of her eldest son Grant and husband, Sowders joined Ryan Seacrest center stage. She landed on the star portion of the wheel, and the host assured, “Perhaps it’s good luck.” “I hope so,” Sowders said. The two-word puzzle read as “_EE_N_’ ‘_ _ S_,’ and she chose an additional “MFDA,” and H.” However, Vanna White didn’t move an inch as the letter choices were useless, making the puzzle very difficult. “Oh no!” Sowders exclaimed in disappointment. She went through the five stages of grief, staring in disbelief, blowing a raspberry in frustration, and recollecting herself. Seacrest wished her the best, “You’re doing great so far tonight.” But the cruel twist of fate left Sowder unable to solve the puzzle under the 10-second timer, which ended up being “KEEPING BUSY.” She was close, even able to get the first word, but nowhere near the second. “Oh no!” Sowders exclaimed once more as the full puzzle was displayed. Then, cutting back to the contestant and Seacrest, the second dagger came. The host revealed from his prize card contained $75,000 and she hid her face from it. “I don’t want to see that,” she said as Seacrest winced at the camera. “Don’t worry,” the host told her as she emotionally recovered and told him, “That’s okay.” The game show shared the big miss on YouTube, where fans expressed their shock and empathized with the player’s reaction. “That was a tough one. I didn’t get it either. Props to her for getting the first word right, but that second word was tricky as hell. I’m glad she’s not walking away empty-handed, though. She still won up until that point and nobody can take that from her,” one fan wrote. “Impossible without the right letter choices. Been a few of those this season,” wrote another. “If she would have won, she would have won over $100,000 cash without actually landing on the envelope! That’s really disappointing. Also, the fact that she had 5 letters but didn’t get a single one?! Should I be disappointed or impressed?” asked a third. “Ouch!” wrote a fourth. “You don’t see $75,000 all that often!” Meanwhile , Seacrest had huge shoes to fill replacing the legendary Pat Sajak after four decades for Season 42. His debut month was the strongest ratings month for WoF in the past three years, and viewers were already treated to a viral moment (via a round of sausage) . That said, there have been some questionable host moments according to fans. In September, Seacrest suffered what fans dubbed his “first blooper” , involving a delayed reaction to rewarding a bonus round. Fans also called out the host for ruling against another player before the timer was up. Most controversially, fans recently called out the host for not reminding a player to pick a letter , leading to him losing the game in a misunderstanding and by a mere $147. Another puzzling pattern has emerged, which is that no player has won the bonus round in a full week , many fans blaming the players, not the host. As for Sowders, another contestant recently botched their bonus puzzle in a similar way after choosing poor letters, but in that instance, they didn’t have the boost of the Wild Card wedge. Wheel of Fortune , Weeknights, Check your local listings More Headlines: ‘Mistletoe Murders’: Sarah Drew Teases ‘Epic’ Finale Cliffhanger & Reveals Season 2 Hopes ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Devastated by Botched $75k Bonus Round Despite Big Boost How Did ‘Severance’ Season 1 End? ‘The Voice’ Season 26 Finale: Everything to Know ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Go Wild Over Vanna White’s ‘Hot’ Son Nikko, 30, in Rare VideoIn conclusion, NPC companions are a vital component of the gaming experience, offering players companionship, assistance, and entertainment. To ensure that these virtual allies are perceived as intelligent and engaging rather than irritating and verbose, developers must carefully balance the amount and quality of dialogue presented to players. By giving NPC companions distinct personalities, implementing dynamic dialogue options, prioritizing quality over quantity, and utilizing non-verbal communication cues, developers can create NPC companions that enhance the player's journey without overwhelming them with unnecessary chatter. Sworn to silence, these smart NPC companions will leave a lasting impression on players, making their virtual adventures all the more memorable and enjoyable.
In conclusion, the updated valuations of Li Gangren and Mouani in Paris reflect the ongoing shifts in player worth within the sport. While Li Gangren's growth in value signals a bright future ahead, Mouani's decline serves as a reminder of the challenges and uncertainties that players face in the competitive world of professional football. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these valuations continue to evolve and shape the dynamics of PSG's roster.The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust disaster preparedness and response protocols, particularly in high-risk environments such as data centers. It also highlights the need for vigilance and constant monitoring of facilities to ensure that they meet the highest standards of safety and security.
LaBeaux 1-3 0-0 3, Walker 6-12 8-9 20, R.Felton 8-19 1-1 20, Hayes 0-6 3-4 3, Riley 4-11 1-1 9, Farell 4-7 0-0 12, Woodard 3-4 0-0 6, Soumaoro 2-2 0-0 5, Malonga 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-66 13-15 78. Brigham 3-4 5-7 11, Nicholson 2-3 0-0 4, Cotton 5-9 2-2 15, Franklin 2-5 0-0 5, Pierre 4-10 7-11 16, Ituka 5-10 6-8 18, Houge 6-11 3-3 15, Niagu 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 28-53 23-31 86. Halftime_East Carolina 39-37. 3-Point Goals_East Carolina 9-27 (Farell 4-6, R.Felton 3-10, Soumaoro 1-1, LaBeaux 1-2, Woodard 0-1, Riley 0-2, Walker 0-2, Hayes 0-3), Jacksonville St. 7-15 (Cotton 3-3, Ituka 2-6, Pierre 1-2, Franklin 1-3, Houge 0-1). Fouled Out_LaBeaux, Riley, Woodard. Rebounds_East Carolina 29 (Walker, R.Felton 7), Jacksonville St. 33 (Brigham, Pierre, Houge 6). Assists_East Carolina 9 (Hayes 4), Jacksonville St. 13 (Pierre 6). Total Fouls_East Carolina 21, Jacksonville St. 13.
Should I buy more Ferrari shares for my SIPP?It was revealed that Dei had not worn the DEI logo as a fashion statement or as a means of appropriating a movement. In fact, he had been wearing the logo in support of a close friend who had recently come out as non-binary and was struggling to find acceptance in their community. The logo held personal significance for Dei and was a way for him to show solidarity and support for his friend during a difficult time.W aves OTT, the newest streaming sensation launched by Prasar Bharati at the International Film Festival in India this November, is continuing to make waves across the nation. With a diverse lineup of films, series, and legacy content, the platform has been delivering exciting new titles that cater to audiences of all tastes. The latest addition to its stellar collection is the much-anticipated comedy Kya Masti Kya Dhoom, directed by filmmaker Chandrakant Singh. Set to premiere on Waves OTT on 24th December 2024, this hilarious and heartwarming film is poised to be the perfect year-end treat for audiences. Starring an ensemble cast of renowned actors including Vijay Raaz, Sanjay Mishra, Johnny Lever, Abhishek Bajaj, Anant Vidhaat Sharma, and Manoj Joshi, Kya Masti Kya Dhoom promises a rollercoaster of laughs, chaos, and unexpected twists. The story revolves around two unlikely friends, Moolchand Patel and Booby Chadda, who are desperately trying to find success through any means necessary. In their quest, they inadvertently get caught up with a dangerous crime boss and an unwitting money lender, setting off a series of comedic events. The film skilfully blends elements of crime, comedy, romance, and technological mishaps as Moolchand and Booby’s schemes spiral out of control. As the chaos unfolds, they must navigate through a tangled web of mistakes, relationships, and wild surprises to save themselves — and their dreams. “Kya Masti Kya Dhoom” is not just a comedy, but a fun-packed adventure that delivers a perfect blend of humour, action, and heart. This mass entertainer is set to be a crowd-pleaser and an ideal way to wrap up the year with a smile. Don’t miss the premiere of Kya Masti Kya Dhoom exclusively on Waves OTT on December 24, 2024.
The details of how and where the student was found remain unclear, but the overriding emotion among friends and supporters is one of gratitude and relief. Messages of support and well-wishes flooded social media platforms, with many expressing their joy at the student's safe return.By BILL BARROW, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
Amit Shah launches 10,000 new PACS, sets target to establish 2 lakh cooperativesOne key aspect of strengthening extraordinary countercyclical regulation is the recognition that timing is crucial. In order for these measures to be effective, they must be implemented swiftly and decisively in response to emerging economic challenges. Moreover, policymakers must be prepared to adjust and fine-tune these measures as the situation evolves in order to achieve the desired outcomes.
Furthermore, tensions may have been simmering beneath the surface in his interactions with the CEO, whose company was a major player in the insurance industry. Reports suggest that there were disputes over business dealings and conflicts of interest that strained the relationship between the suspect and the victim. These unresolved issues may have festered in the suspect's mind, eventually reaching a boiling point that culminated in the violent confrontation on the street.
Guardiola's announcement has sparked a wave of speculation and reflection within the footballing community. Fans, players, and fellow managers have expressed their support and gratitude for Guardiola's contributions to the sport. His influence on football tactics and philosophy is undeniable, and his legacy will undoubtedly endure for years to come.The Group MPP "TGMPP" Raises $7.5 Billion in AUM $1.875 Billion Quarterly in 2025
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With a focus on human rights, US policy toward Latin America under Jimmy Carter briefly tempered a long tradition of interventionism in a key sphere of American influence, analysts say. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, defied the furor of US conservatives to negotiate the handover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control, suspended aid to multiple authoritarian governments in the region, and even attempted to normalize relations with Cuba. Carter's resolve to chart a course toward democracy and diplomacy, however, was severely tested in Central America and Cuba, where he was forced to balance his human rights priorities with pressure from adversaries to combat the spread of communism amid the Cold War standoff with the Soviet Union. "Latin America was fundamental and his global policy was oriented toward human rights, democratic values and multilateral cooperation," political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, told AFP. During his 1977-1981 administration, which was sandwiched between the Republican presidencies of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, the Democrat sought to take a step back from US alignment with right-wing dictatorships in Latin America. An important symbol of Carter's approach was the signing of two treaties in 1977 to officially turn over the Panama Canal in 1999. "Jimmy Carter understood that if he did not return the canal to Panama, the relationship between the United States and Panama could lead to a new crisis in a country where Washington could not afford the luxury of instability," said Luis Guillermo Solis, a political scientist and former president of Costa Rica. Carter called the decision, which was wildly unpopular back home, "the most difficult political challenge I ever had," as he accepted Panama's highest honor in 2016. He also hailed the move as "a notable achievement of moving toward democracy and freedom." During his term, Carter opted not to support Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza, who was subsequently overthrown by the leftist Sandinista Front in 1979. But in El Salvador, the American president had to "make a very uncomfortable pact with the government," said Shifter. To prevent communists from taking power, Carter resumed US military assistance for a junta which then became more radical, engaging in civilian massacres and plunging El Salvador into a long civil war. Carter took a critical approach to South American dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, suspending arms deliveries and imposing sanctions in some cases. But his efforts "did not achieve any progress in terms of democratization," said Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga. The American president also tried to normalize relations with Cuba 15 years after the missile crisis. He relaxed sanctions that had been in force since 1962, supported secret talks and enabled limited diplomatic representation in both countries. "With him, for the first time, the possibility of dialogue rather than confrontation as a framework for political relations opened up," Jesus Arboleya, a former Cuban diplomat, told AFP. But in 1980, a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans to the United States, with Fidel Castro's blessing, created an unexpected crisis. It "hurt Carter politically with the swarm of unexpected immigrants," said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Castro continued to support Soviet-backed African governments and even deployed troops against Washington's wishes, finally putting an end to the normalization process. However, more than 20 years later, Carter made a historic visit to Havana as ex-president, at the time becoming the highest-profile American politician to set foot on Cuban soil since 1959. During the 2002 visit, "he made a bold call for the US to lift its embargo, but he also called on Castro to embrace democratic opening," said McCoy, who was part of the US delegation for the trip, during which Castro encouraged Carter to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cuban All-Star baseball game. "Castro was sitting in the front row and we were afraid he would rise to give a long rebuttal to Carter's speech. But he didn't. He just said, 'Let's go to the ball game.'" In the years following Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) would go on to resume a full-frontal confrontation with Cuba. Decades later, Barack Obama (2009-2017) opened a new phase of measured normalization, which Donald Trump (2017-2021) brought to an end. US President Joe Biden promised to review US policy toward Cuba, but hardened his stance after Havana cracked down on anti-government protests in 2021. "Carter showed that engagement and diplomacy are more fruitful than isolation," McCoy said. bur-lp-rd-jb/lbc/mlr/bfm/sst/bbkIn a remarkable achievement, Xiaomi's foray into the automobile industry has borne fruit as the company's annual sales have surpassed 130,000 units. This significant milestone not only demonstrates Xiaomi's successful expansion into the automotive sector but also highlights the company's impressive growth trajectory.
Hyderabad: The eight-year-old boy, who was injured in the stampede during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2’ here on December 4, was taken off oxygen and ventilator support as his condition is improving, his father has said. Quoting doctors, Bhaskar, however, said the boy’s recovery will take time. Meanwhile, the hospital on Tuesday said Sritej continues to maintain stable vital parameters on his own without any oxygen or ventilatory support. “His sensorium is similar with spontaneous eye opening and spontaneous limb movements but there is still no meaningful eye contact or recognition of family members,” it said in a health update. The boy is waking on verbal stimulus but not following any oral commands. He is tolerating feeds via nasogastric tube well and is afbrile since last three days, the hospital said. Several film personalities and political leaders are making a beeline to visit the child at the hospital. Leading film producer and Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman Dil Raju who visited the boy on Tuesday said he would ensure that the family gets support from the film industry and also the government. He said he is ready to provide a permanent job to Bhaskar in the film industry if he was interested. But, the immediate priority is the boy’s recovery. The chief minister Revanth Reddy has also appreciated the idea of providing a job to Bhaskar, Dil Raju said. Referring to reports that the state government is not addressing the concerns of the film industry in the stampede issue, he said the CM has assured of the government’s support. The 35-year-old wife of Bhaskar died during the Pushpa 2 stampede at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4, while his eight-year-old son was hospitalised. Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman’s family. Allu Arjun, named as accused no 11, was arrested by the city police in connection with the death of the woman on December 13. The Telangana High Court granted him a four-week interim bail on the same day and he was released from a prison here December 14 morning.Furthermore, personal pension schemes provide individuals with a sense of security and peace of mind knowing that they are building a nest egg for their retirement years. By starting to save early and consistently contributing to their pension accounts, individuals can accumulate a substantial amount of savings by the time they retire. This financial cushion can help individuals maintain their standard of living in retirement and cover expenses such as healthcare, housing, and leisure activities.
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By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to demand an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the immediate release of all hostages. The ceasefire demand in the resolution - adopted with 158 votes in favor in the 193-member assembly - was expressed in more urgent language than one urging an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza that the body "called for" in October 2023 then "demanded" in December 2023. General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war. The United States, Israel and seven other countries voted against the ceasefire resolution, while 13 countries abstained. The world body also threw its support behind the U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, adopting a second resolution with 159 votes in favor to deplore a new Israeli law that will ban UNRWA's operations in Israel from late January. It demanded that Israel respect UNRWA's mandate and "enable its operations to proceed without impediment or restriction." The U.S., Israel and seven other countries voted no, while 11 countries abstained. "The messages we send to the world through these resolutions matter. And both of these resolutions have significant problems," Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood told the assembly. "One rewards Hamas and downplays the need to release the hostages, and the other denigrates Israel without providing a path forward to increasing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians," he said. Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon last week accused the U.N. of having "an obsession with vilifying Israel," while Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour described Gaza as the "open, painful wound for the human family." 'HUNGER, DESPAIR, DEATH' Israel says UNRWA staff took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza. The U.N. has said nine UNRWA staff may have been involved and had been fired. A Hamas commander in Lebanon - killed by Israel - was also found to have had an UNRWA job. "By voting for these resolutions, you are not voting to protect humanitarian values, but to protect an organization that has become a haven for terror," Danon told the assembly on Wednesday before the vote. UNRWA was established by the General Assembly in 1949 following the war surrounding the founding of Israel. The U.N. has repeatedly said there is no alternative to UNRWA, which provides aid, health and education to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. "Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed. Palestinians are facing hunger, despair and death," Slovenia's U.N. Ambassador Samuel Zbogar told the assembly. "There is no reason for this war to continue. We need a ceasefire now. We need to bring hostages home now." The war in the Palestinian enclave began after Hamas gunmen on Oct. 7, 2023, stormed into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages back to Hamas-run Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's military has leveled swathes of Gaza, driving nearly all of its 2.3 million people from their homes, giving rise to deadly hunger and disease and killing more than 44,800 people, according to Palestinian health authorities, who do not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Ismail Shakil, Franklin Paul and Cynthia Osterman)
Barclays fined £40m over 'reckless' Qatar fundraising during the financial crisis By CALUM MUIRHEAD Updated: 22:01, 25 November 2024 e-mail View comments Barclays has been fined £40million after raising cash from Qatar. Regulators said the move was ‘reckless and lacked integrity’. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) told the banking giant that it should have provided more details about an emergency cash injection that helped it avoid a taxpayer bailout during the 2008 financial crisis. The Government took large stakes while bailing out Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland as the industry teetered on the brink of collapse more than a decade ago. The Treasury is still a major shareholder in NatWest, as RBS is now called, with a stake of just under 11 per cent. Barclays stayed out of taxpayer hands, however, as it raised £11.8billion through two share sales to foreign investors in 2008. Regulators said Barclays should have provided more details about the £40m cash it raised from Qatar that helped it avoid a taxpayer bailout during the 2008 financial crisis As part of the rescue package, Barclays paid £322million worth of ‘advisory fees’ to a Qatari state-backed firm that helped organise the deal, allegedly in return for a £4billion investment. But other shareholders were not told about the fees. The FCA launched an investigation into the fundraising in 2013 but it was held up by a probe by the Serious Fraud Office. The FCA fined Barclays £50million in 2022 over the scandal but the bank appealed. And its challenge at the Upper Tribunal was due to begin yesterday with former boss John Varley appearing as a key witness – but it was dropped by the bank at the last minute. The FCA yesterday reduced the fine to £40million while declaring that Barclays’s ‘conduct in its October 2008 capital raising was reckless and lacked integrity’. Steve Smart, the FCA’s joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight, said: ‘Barclays’ misconduct was serious. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Energy tycoon cedes control of flying taxis start-up as part... The loss of ITV's independence would be a blow to creative... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account However, the events took place over 16 years ago and we recognise that Barclays is a very different organisation today.’ A Barclays spokesman said it ‘does not accept’ the FCA’s findings but wished to ‘draw a line under the issues’. The bank also said it had earmarked funds to cover the financial penalty in 2022, so it will suffer no material financial impact from the fine. Barclay’s decision finally closes the book on a legal battle which left the reputations of both the bank and the FCA hanging in the balance. Varley, who ran the bank from 2004 to 2011, became one of the first British bankers to face criminal charges over financial crisis-era conduct when he and senior colleagues were taken to court by the SFO in 2019 over their role in the fundraising. But Varley, Roger Jenkins, Thomas Kalaris and Richard Boath were ultimately acquitted. Charges against Barclays itself were also dropped before the trial. DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: Barclays fined £40m over 'reckless' Qatar fundraising during the financial crisis e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence. More top storiesLuigi Mangione may face an uphill legal battle as a suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson due to mounting evidence against him.
Sirkka joins the executive team to elevate recruitment strategies and advance growth in travel nursing and healthcare staffing nationwide OMAHA, Neb. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Solutions , a leader in healthcare staffing and talent innovation, has appointed Kerry Sirkka as Chief Recruitment Officer to spearhead transformative recruitment strategies and drive growth. She has more than 20 years of experience as a seasoned, award-winning healthcare executive with a proven track record in expansion, progress, and operational transformation across healthcare staffing and technology sectors. Sirkka has deep experience in travel, local, per diem, locums, and digital staffing. She has held key roles, foundationally spending nearly two decades leading recruitment operations at AMN Healthcare and taking on key transformational initiatives. She later moved to Head of Caregiver Experience at TheKey, where she drove operational efficiencies across 100 locations, and most recently, to Chief Delivery Officer at IntelyCare, where she managed operations and services to grow the company's healthcare platform. "We're happy to welcome Kerry to our team," said Rebecca Rogers Tijerino , CEO of Medical Solutions . "She brings extensive expertise in recruitment strategy and a proven ability to drive innovation. Her success in building high-performing teams and fostering growth will play a key role in connecting top clinicians with healthcare systems and advancing patient care nationwide." Her professional accomplishments extend beyond the workplace. She is an active member of the American Staffing Association , the American College of Healthcare Executives, and other influential organizations. Her accolades include multiple President's Forum Awards for exceptional performance and nominations for the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Staffing and The American Staffing Association Volunteer of the Year. "I'm excited to join Medical Solutions and contribute to its mission of connecting healthcare facilities with exceptional talent," said Sirkka. "I look forward to working with this talented team to create solutions that meet the changing needs of clients and clinicians." Sirkka's appointment underscores Medical Solutions' dedication to leading the healthcare staffing industry by delivering comprehensive solutions that empower clinicians and support healthcare systems nationwide. ABOUT MEDICAL SOLUTIONS Medical Solutions is one of the nation's largest healthcare talent ecosystems — connecting nurses, allied health clinicians, and clinical leaders with healthcare facilities across the U.S. Its service offerings include contingent staffing, managed services, strike staffing, local contract, PRN, and domestic and international direct hire. For more information, visit www.medicalsolutions.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kerry-sirkka-joins-medical-solutions-as-chief-recruitment-officer-302321558.html SOURCE Medical Solutions LLCA study of hot spots for collisions between ships and whales around the world, including Canadian waters, offers a map for measures to prevent the deadly strikes that could drive some species to extinction, one of the British Columbia-based authors says. Chloe Robinson said reported strikes represent a fraction of their true extent, and a lack of protection measures leaves whales vulnerable as global shipping expands. The study found shipping takes place across 92 per cent of the ranges for humpback, blue, fin and sperm whales worldwide, but measures to reduce vessel strikes have been implemented in less than seven per cent of high-risk areas. “That could really spell, you know, potential extinction for some of these species,” said Robinson,director of whales for Ocean Wise, a B.C.-based organization that provided data for the paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science. “A recent study estimated anything up to 20,000 whales are killed a year through ship strikes, globally, and that’s just an estimate, a best-case estimate.” Robinson said she was surprised to see Swiftsure Bank, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, emerge as a risk hot spot for strikes of fin, blue and humpback whales. The area is a “migration highway” for humpbacks, she noted. The study also identified a hot spot for the same three species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence between Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. “This is something that Ocean Wise has been looking into because a lot of the management measures occur offshore and not sort of within the Gulf of St. Lawrence itself and even the St. Lawrence Seaway, (which) leads down to the Great Lakes,” she said. “That was a huge hot spot, which was really interesting for me.” Robinson said there have been smaller studies on the risk of ship strikes in different regions, but the study published Thursday is the first to map the distribution of the four whale species, using a variety of data sources, then compare it with the Automatic Identification System, a tool used for tracking vessels worldwide. “This was really the first of its kind to map these two on top of each other,” she said. The researchers found the highest levels of risk in the Indian, western North Pacific and Mediterranean, while it also identified high-risk areas in the eastern North Pacific, North and South Atlantic Ocean along with the South China Sea. The Southern Ocean was the only region that did not contain any ship-strike hot spots due to low levels of shipping, despite high use by whales, the study found. Robinson said the findings support a strong case for maritime authorities to adopt measures such as whale alert systems, speed limits and no-go zones. “We know where there are areas where there are lots of whales and lots of ships, so this is where we need to target for management,” she said in an interview. Robinson said Canada is home to many “eyes on the water” and researchers exploring innovative techniques for monitoring whales. But the country lacks mandatory mitigation measures, and it’s not alone. “Next to none of the measures globally are mandatory. So, having voluntary measures (is) great, provided people comply,” Robinson said. Ocean Wise launched an alert system in 2018 that notifies large vessels of the presence of whales in Pacific Northwest waters, and Robinson said about 80 per cent of mariners from Washington state up to Alaska have signed up. The WhaleReport alert system mainly functions in what she describes as “inshore” waters around busy ports in Seattle, Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The Port of Vancouver has also seen a high rate of compliance for its ECHO program, Robinson noted. The program encourages vessels to take voluntary steps, such as slowing down or staying farther away from whales, in order to reduce underwater noise and the potential for strikes in busy shipping areas. Robinson favours a multi-pronged approach to reducing ship strikes, but she said one single measure she believes could have a big impact would be equipping vessels with an infrared camera to detect whales within several kilometres. “Maybe some mariners ... respond better to knowing there 100 per cent is a whale 200 metres in front of your vessel, versus, ‘slow down, there might be a whale here.’” Robinson said such cameras can cost betweenUS$50,000 and $75,000. But the cost was a “drop in the bucket” of major companies’ profits, she said. The cameras also present a public-relations opportunity for businesses to advertise themselves as operating in a more whale-friendly manner, Robinson said. “I know people who have had to go and have therapy after killing a humpback whilst at the helm,” she added. “I think there’s a lot to be said (for) the long-term benefits of this kind of technology.” The study also found areas with lower traffic that could provide refuge for whales, especially with added protections. It shows the Arctic Ocean, for example, has very few high-risk areas for vessel strikes, and Robinson said some researchers view it as potential sanctuary. But without protections, Robinson said Arctic waters could become the next high-risk hot spot as sea ice melts with climate change, opening up shipping routes. “Knowing the plans to expand shipping routes into these areas to cut shipping time, make things faster, right through prime whale habitat, I think this is a really good opportunity to get ahead of the issue before it becomes an issue,” she said. Whales play crucial roles in their ecosystems, including cycling nutrients that support other species, and they’re a boon for tourism, Robinson said. They’re also “magical” creatures that people feel connected to, she said, and they remain vulnerable after many species were hunted to the brink of extinction. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024.
Van Nistelrooy has replaced Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium and saw Jamie Vardy open the scoring after just 98 seconds. Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka added goals after the break to ensure the Dutchman started with three points in style. Starting with a win! 🤩 Delivered by @bcgame #LEIWHU pic.twitter.com/X90nFSbMLm — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 3, 2024 His task is to keep the Foxes in the Premier League this season and after ending a five-game winless run they moved up to 15th, four points clear of the relegation zone. West Ham’s hierarchy will have seen what impact a managerial change can have as the jury remains out on Lopetegui, with away fans making their feelings clear by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning”. Niclas Fullkrug scored a consolation goal at the death but it counted for nothing and forthcoming games against Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton could determine the Spaniard’s future. When Van Nistelrooy went to bed last night, even he would not have dreamt of his side starting as well as they did as they went ahead with less than two minutes on the clock. One of the Dutchman’s first conversations following his appointment was to take Vardy to task for breaking his record for scoring in the most consecutive Premier League games nine years ago. And the veteran striker rolled back to the years as, living on the shoulder of the West Ham defence, he raced clear from El Khannouss’ through-ball and slotted into the corner. The linesman’s flag immediately went up but a lengthy VAR review ruled Vardy had timed his run perfectly and the goal stood. Vardy could have added a second from a similar move but this time Lukasz Fabianski denied him. The Dutchman quickly learned about the frailties of his side as West Ham created a raft of chances in search of an equaliser. Jarrod Bowen forced Mads Hermansen into a stretching save when he cut in from the right before Ings’ header crashed into the post and Max Kilman slipped at the crucial point from the rebound. Bowen, a constant threat, sent a ball across face of goal which evaded everyone before the England international was denied by a reflex save from the busy Hermansen. The Danish goalkeeper needed to be alert to tip over Mohammed Kudus’ deflected effort early in the second half before he was saved by the referee’s whistle after after his attempted punch went into his own goal, Tomas Soucek the man penalised. Leicester remained a threat on the counter-attack and that is how they doubled their lead just after the hour. Kasey McAteer was set clear down the left and his ball inside was perfect for El Khannouss to find the bottom corner from 15 yards. It was almost three as Fabianski produced an acrobatic save from Wilfred Ndidi’s header before Leicester needed a heroic piece of defending to keep their 2-0 lead intact. Crysencio Summerville bundled the ball goalwards and it was heading over the line until Conor Coady adjusted his feet and poked it clear. The Foxes, who also had a goal from substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid chalked off by VAR, wrapped things up in the 90th minute when Daka broke clear and emphatically converted into the roof of the net. West Ham did get on the scoresheet when Fullkrug headed a corner home, but the game was already done.
Rasi Bhadramani/iStock via Getty Images Alkermes plc ( NASDAQ: ALKS ) is an important player in the global neuroscience market. ALKS develops treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, alcohol and opioid dependence, and sleep-related neurological conditions. The company’s portfolio includes revenue-generating IPs, and is Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
After a loss in their season opener, the Center Point Pirates came ready to redeem themselves as they took on the Nueces Canyon Panthers, claiming victory, 48-31. “We got a lot of guys involved and rebounded better,” Coach Brent Rider said. “The offense took better care of the ball.” In the first quarter, the Pirates were able to get on top, 6-0, with two baskets by junior Din Arreola and one by senior Jesse Segura, before the Panthers were able to get on the board. With 2:49 left in the first quarter, the two teams were tied at eight points each. The defense was able to hold the Panthers to one point in the second quarter, and the Pirates were able to dominate for the remainder of the half, going into halftime with a 23-12 lead. The Panthers were able to score 11 points to the Pirates 12 in the third quarter. However, they had a tough time with free throws in the fourth quarter, missing all six. With 3:10 left in the game, junior Leighton Johnson was able to steal and run the ball down the court for a lay-up. The Pirates were up, 41-23. With 69 seconds left in the game, junior Jadin Segura was able to steal the ball and pass it to senior Slade Newcomb, who was able to capitalize on a score. The game ended, 48-31. “Overall, we did a good job closing up the lane,” Rider said. The win puts the Pirates at 2-1 for the season. They host Comfort at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3.TORONTO (AP) — The Utah Hockey Club said players were forced to walk to their game against the Maple Leafs after their bus got stuck in Toronto traffic Sunday night. The team posted a video on social media of team members walking to Scotiabank Arena, with player Maveric Lamoureux saying the bus was “not moving at all.” Several city streets had been closed during the day for the annual Santa Claus parade. The Maple Leafs earned their fourth consecutive win by defeating Utah 3-2. The viral incident prompted Ontario Premier Doug Ford to call the congestion “embarrassing” and “unacceptable,” highlighting his government’s plan to address the city’s gridlock through bike lane legislation. It wasn’t the first time a Toronto visitor had to ditch their vehicle to make it to an event on time. In June, former One Direction band member Niall Horan had to walk through traffic to get to his concert at Scotiabank Arena. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Relief, defiance, anger: Families and advocates react to Biden's death row commutations
Triumph financial CEO sells $1.44 million in stock
WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray told bureau workers Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” roughly three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations, including two that led to separate indictments of Trump last year as well as inquiries into Biden and his son. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day,” Wray told agency employees. “In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.” The intended resignation was not unexpected considering that Trump had settled on Patel to be director and had repeatedly aired his ire at Wray, whom he appointed during his first term. But his departure is nonetheless a reflection of how Trump's norm-breaking style has reshaped Washington, with the president-elect yet again flouting tradition by moving to replace an FBI director well before his term was up and Wray resigning to avert a collision with the incoming administration. “It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — this is not easy for me," Wray said. “I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people — but my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what’s right for the FBI.” Wray received a standing ovation following his remarks before a standing-room-only crowd at FBI headquarters and some in the audience cried, according to an FBI official who was not authorized to discuss the private gathering by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. Trump applauded the news on social media, calling it “a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice" and saying that Patel's confirmation will begin “the process of Making the FBI Great Again.” If confirmed by the Senate, Patel would herald a radical leadership transformation at the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency. He has advocated shutting down the FBI's Washington headquarters and called for ridding the federal government of “conspirators," raising alarms that he might seek to wield the FBI's significant investigative powers as an instrument of retribution against Trump's perceived enemies. Patel said in a statement Wednesday that he was looking forward to "a smooth transition. I will be ready to serve the American people on day one.” It's extremely rare for FBI directors to be ousted from their jobs before the completion of their 10-year terms, a length meant to insulate the agency from the political influence of changing administrations. But Trump has done it twice, placing Wray in the job in 2017 after firing Director James Comey amid an investigation into ties between Russia and the Republican president’s campaign. Despite having appointed Wray, Trump had telegraphed his anger with the FBI director on multiple occasions throughout the years, including as recently as the past week. In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday, Trump said, “I can’t say I’m thrilled with him. He invaded my home,” a reference to the FBI search of his Florida property , Mar-a-Lago, two years ago for classified documents from Trump’s first term as president. That search, and the recovery of boxes of sensitive government records, paved the way for one of two federal indictments against Trump. The case, and another one charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 election, have both been dismissed by the Justice Department special counsel that brought them in light of Trump's November victory. Attorney General Merrick Garland praised Wray for having “served our country honorably and with integrity for decades.” He said: “Under Director Wray’s principled leadership, the FBI has worked to fulfill the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, protect civil rights, and uphold the rule of law.” Natalie Bara, the president of the FBI Agents Association, said in a statement that Wray had led the FBI “through challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe. ” Throughout his seven years on the job, the self-professed "low-key, understated" Wray brought a workmanlike approach to the job, repeatedly preaching a “keep calm and tackle hard” mantra to bureau personnel despite a steady drumbeat of attacks from Trump and his supporters. He also sought to avoid public conflict when possible with the Trump White House, distancing himself and his leadership team from the FBI's Russia investigation over errors that took place before he took office and announcing dozens of corrective actions meant to prevent the recurrence of the surveillance abuses that plagued the inquiry. But there were other instances when he memorably broke from Trump — he did not agree, for instance, with Trump’s characterization of the Russia investigation as a “witch hunt." He made known his displeasure when the White House blessed the declassification of materials related to the surveillance of a former Trump campaign aide and contradicted a Trump talking point by stating that Ukraine had not interfered in the 2016 election. He repeatedly sought to keep the focus on the FBI's day-to-day work, using the bulk of his resignation announcement to praise the bureau's efforts in countering everything from violent crime and cyberattacks to Chinese espionage and terrorism. Yet as he leaves office at a time of heightened threats , much of the public focus has been on the politically sensitive investigations of his tenure. Besides the inquiries into Trump, the FBI in recent years also investigated Biden's handling of classified information as well as Biden's son Hunter for tax and gun violations. Hunter Biden was pardoned by his father last week. A particular flashpoint came in August 2022, when FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago — an action officials defended as necessary given the boxes of documents that were being concealed at the Palm Beach property and the evidence of obstruction that the Justice Department said had been gathered. Trump railed against the FBI over that search and has kept up his criticism ever since. Trump was angered by Wray's comment at a congressional hearing that there was “some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel” that struck Trump's ear during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July. The FBI later stated unequivocally that it was indeed a bullet. Before being named FBI director, Wray worked at a prestigious law firm, King & Spalding, where he represented former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie during the “Bridgegate” scandal. He also led the Justice Department’s criminal division for a period during President George W. Bush’s administration.
Flagstaff residents and businesses will soon be able to take advantage of award-winning customer service and internet speeds. Through this 100% fiber-optic network, students can improve how they learn, and employees can work efficiently from the office or home. The fiber network will feature up to 10 Gigabit speeds for residents and up to 100 Gigabit speeds for businesses, providing equal upload and download speeds optimized by ALLO's world-class Wi-Fi 7 routers. Additionally, Flagstaff residents, businesses of all sizes, and governmental entities will be supported by ALLO's fiber-rich network, delivering active and passive solutions without installation fees or restrictive contracts. Internet, data transport, cloud connectivity, video, and voice are included in ALLO's comprehensive communications, entertainment, and business products. Businesses can access ALLO's managed services, next-generation firewalls, phone systems, and cybersecurity offerings before the fiber network is built. The community will also have access to a community-wide network providing ultra-reliable and extensive internet bandwidth. ALLO Arizona General Manager Mike Horton stated, "As we expand our coverage across Arizona , we are excited to begin construction in the City of Flagstaff . We understand that with continued growth in the region, the value of essential communications infrastructure and advanced technology is an important asset for the city and surrounding communities. We look forward to offering ALLO Fiber services to Flagstaff and continuing to create local jobs in the process." Flagstaff is the seventh Arizona community that ALLO serves. ALLO began developing our first Arizona Gigabit community in Lake Havasu City in September of 2021, followed by the Kingman , Yuma , San Luis , Somerton , and Sierra Vista markets. ALLO is also operating Middle Mile projects in Yuma and Mohave Counties. For more information about ALLO in Flagstaff , please visit AlloFiber.com/ Flagstaff and AlloFiber.com/careers . About ALLO Communications ALLO Communications, a leader in providing fiber-optic services, has been dedicated to delivering world-class communications and entertainment services since 2003. With a commitment to building Gigabit communities, ALLO serves over 50 communities across Nebraska , Colorado , Arizona , Missouri , Iowa , and Kansas . ALLO is known for its reliable fiber networks and customized technology solutions that support businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit AlloFiber.com . Contact: Tanna Hanna Vice President of Marketing Tanna.Hanna@allofiber.com 308-633-7815 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-power-of-allos-all-fiber-network-coming-to-flagstaff-arizona-302338563.html SOURCE ALLO Communications
Jean-Philippe Mateta struck in the second half with the only real piece of quality in a nervy encounter between two struggling teams. It is now two wins and three draws from the last six matches for Glasner’s side, whose winter revival is gathering pace nicely following a sticky start to the campaign. “I feel very happy, we’re all very pleased with the result, it was not the best performance but the result was more important,” said the Eagles boss. “Most of the time we controlled the game and we scored an amazing goal, a fantastic finish from JP. “We had more chances to decide the game but we couldn’t, but I think the win was well deserved. “We didn’t give them any chances from open play and with a clean sheet you can always take the win. “It’s a big win. Now it’s not time to sit back and relax but to keep going. In four days we face Manchester City. We stay humble. There are still many things to improve but we are on the right path.” Ipswich looked the likelier to score as a low-key first half drew to a close and were denied by a point-blank save by Dean Henderson from Harry Clarke’s near-post header. Shortly after the interval Wes Burns got clear down the right and lifted an inviting cross towards Liam Delap, whose header was straight at Henderson. However, from out of nowhere Palace conjured up a lightning counter-attack to go ahead on the hour. Eberechi Eze led the charge before feeding Mateta, who surged forward with a couple of stepovers before brushing off the attention of Jacob Greaves and finishing superbly past Arijanet Muric. It was the French forward’s sixth goal of the season, and his first away from Selhurst Park. Back came Ipswich with Leif Davis fizzing in another cross for Delap, who somehow mistimed his jump and completely missed the ball from six yards. As time ticked down Greaves looped a header against the far post, with the rebound just eluding substitute Ali-Al Hamadi. “Frustrating night,” said Town boss Kieran McKenna. “It was a tight first half, we weren’t fantastic in terms of the flow of the game and didn’t create as many opportunities as we wanted. But having said that neither did our opponents. “In the second half we conceded a really poor goal and that proved decisive. We can do better than we did tonight.”
Intuit quarterly earnings beats estimates on AI-driven tool demand
