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Batties scores 16, Harvard takes down Iona 67-61, From his humble beginnings in a poor Ohio town to his ascension to the U.S. Senate, few figures in modern American politics have exemplified the spirit of the American Dream as compellingly as Vice President-elect JD Vance. As he prepares to take the oath of office, here is what Americans can expect from him for the next four years and beyond. Born and raised in Middletown, Ohio, Vance's childhood environment was defined in large part by poverty, addiction, and abuse—an experience he recounted in detail in his bestselling 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy. After high school, Vance served as a U.S. Marine in the Iraq War, earned a degree from Ohio State University, and graduated from Yale Law School before entering the world of venture capital. Following his success as an author and political commentator, Vance then won election to the U.S. Senate in 2022 by defeating Democrat Congressman Tim Ryan – all before turning 40. During his tenure in Congress, Vance quickly emerged as an avatar of the "New Right"—the conservative coalition working alongside Trump to shift the Republican Party in a dependably populist direction, particularly in the areas of trade, foreign policy, immigration, and cultural issues. In the span of just a few months, he became one of the most talked-about lawmakers in Washington and a respected leader in the Republican Senate caucus. Vance's political and personal appeal was perhaps best captured just weeks into his Senate term in the wake of the toxic train derailment that devastated the town of East Palestine, Ohio. While the Biden administration and most of the D.C. establishment generally ignored the incident, Vance almost immediately returned home to the Buckeye State to meet with residents and first responders. Additionally, Vance introduced the "Railway Safety Act of 2023," which would, according to his office, "prevent future rail disasters by enhancing safety and crew standards, requiring more sensors to detect railcar component... Aaron Flanigan25 Kitchen Products So Good, Reviewers Bought Them For Their Friends And Familycockfighting meaning 。

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After last week’s chaotic Carabao Cup quarter-final exit at Tottenham was compounded by an Old Trafford humbling at the hands of Bournemouth, things went further awry as they fell to a third straight loss. United captain Bruno Fernandes’s red card for a second booking changed the dynamics of the match shortly after half-time, with Matheus Cunha scoring direct from a corner at a rocking Molineux. Wolves’ star man teed up substitute Hwang Hee-chan to wrap up a 2-0 win deep in stoppage time as Amorim’s 10th match in charge ended in a fifth defeat, leaving them 14th in the Premier League table. “The idea needs time,” United’s head coach said. “I said it before to you guys that this will be a tough moment and we are far from the end of this moment and that’s it. “We have to continue and focus on the next game.” Asked how long he thinks it will take to make his mark, Amorim said: “I have no idea. No idea. Instead of me trying to understand how much time it will take, just day by day. “Improving, trying to see the videos, using every minute of training and try to win some points because it’s really important in this moment.” United are closer in points to the drop zone than the Champions League places heading into their final match of a topsy-turvy 2024 at home to in-form Newcastle. “In this moment, we just have to survive and to win some time to work on the team,” Amorim said. “We already knew it. I start this job and you start with the team, a new idea, without any time to train, with a lot of games, tough games. “We already knew it, so it’s a long journey, like I said in the first day. We have to continue, and we have to fight these bad moments because this is part of football.” Put to Amorim that he cannot think of European qualification right now, he said: “No, no, no, no. “We have to work on a lot of things in our club – inside the pitch, outside the pitch – so let’s focus on each game, each time and use every minute of training and game to improve the team.” As United nurse their wounds, Wolves head to Tottenham on Sunday looking to continue their perfect start to life under Pereira as Gary O’Neil’s successor followed up an impressive 3-0 win at Leicester in style. "We need his quality!" Wolves boss Vítor Pereira is determined to keep Matheus Cunha at the club 🔒👀 #PLonPrime #WOLMUN pic.twitter.com/3KyZSQ1V9x — Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 26, 2024 “Fantastic feeling,” the Portuguese said after his first home match in charge. “Special because of the spirit of the team. “Now I think we can see that the players are ready to suffer together. They are ready to run, to fight, to compete for each ball. “I feel that they have confidence to play and to win the duels to and this is most the most important for me.” Pereira’s name echoed around Molineux after a win in which Cunha was the star man, with the forward’s goal direct from a corner a key moment in the triumph. United also conceded in that manner at Spurs last Thursday, when back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir rather than Andre Onana was between the sticks. Asked if he looked at the video of that, Pereira said: “Of course we analyse every match. “We try to, I think all the staffs, try to understand the movements or the spaces that we can explore, and we try to not allow them to do it against us. This is football. Sometimes happens, other times not.”Equifax Inc. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors

SPRINGFIELD — Visitors coming to the Illinois Statehouse to see their lawmakers in action, or just to tour the historic building, may see longer lines to get through security screening during the upcoming legislative sessions. Responding to a significant increase in potential threats to lawmakers and the public in recent years, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’s office recently implemented new emergency rules requiring nearly anyone to pass through security screening upon entering the Statehouse or any building in the Illinois Capitol Complex. “Unfortunately, the world is not getting safer,” Amy Williams, senior legal adviser in the secretary of state’s office, told a legislative oversight committee Tuesday. One of the more serious threats, Williams said, occurred in March when security officials were notified of an active shooter threat, prompting a lockdown of the complex. The lockdown was lifted after investigators determined there was no credible threat, according to reports at the time. In April, police locked down the Capitol for about an hour as the building was cleared following a bomb threat. Illinois State Police arrested a suspect accused of making the threat the following month. So far in 2024, Williams told the committee, the Secretary of State Police Department has responded to 17 threats to the Capitol, nearly twice as many as any other year since 2018. There have also been threats directed at individual lawmakers. In September, a man was arrested for threatening to assassinate Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore. And on Monday, Dec. 9, Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, reported an employee in her district office became ill after opening office mail, according to a social media post. The employee was transported to a local hospital, prompting police to evacuate the building and cordon off a portion of the street while emergency crews responded. In October, Williams said, the secretary of state’s office was advised by a security consultant to increase the number of people required to go through security screening to include everyone other than lawmakers, state government employees and other elected officials. That meant many people who had previously been given unrestricted access to the building — including lobbyists, vendors and members of the news media — now have to go through security screening as well. “Primarily that decision came about because members of the General Assembly, elected officials, are sensibly background checked by their constituents who choose them to go to the Capitol to do the people's work on their behalf,” she said. “And state government employees are background checked by their respective agencies. Lobbyists, vendors and members of the press are not subject to any background check.” To avoid congestion, Williams said the office has set up a “TSA Express-style” screening point at the east entrance of the building for those individuals who previously had unfettered access. The security changes near the tail end of a three-year, $224 million renovation project that will make permanent changes to the way the public enters and exits the Capitol. That project involves restoration and remodeling of the entire north wing of the Capitol. When it’s completed, sometime in 2025, all public access will be through a new entryway on the north side of the building where people will pass through security screening before entering the building itself. Until then, visitors will continue entering through either the east or west doors of the building where metal detectors and baggage x-ray machines are located just inside the building. Lawmakers are tentatively scheduled to return to the Statehouse Jan. 2 for the start of a brief lame duck session. The regular 2025 session begins Wednesday, Jan. 8. The Illinois Flag Commission selected its Top 10 finalists for the state flag redesign contest with public voting slated to begin in January. Members of the commission could select up to 10 of their favorite designs – from the nearly 5,000 submissions – prior to their December 9 meeting where they narrowed their choices to 10 overall. “Having received nearly 5,000 entries, I appreciate the creativity and passion reflected in all the submissions,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose office convened the Flag Commission meetings. Starting in January, the public will have the opportunity to vote online at www.ilsos.gov/stateflag for one of the new designs, or one of three former flag designs, including the current state flag, the 1918 Centennial Flag and the 1968 Sesquicentennial Flag. After the public voting period, the commission will report its findings and recommendations to the Illinois General Assembly by April 1, 2025, whose members will vote on whether to adopt a new flag, return to a previous iteration of the flag or retain the current flag. Senate Bill 1818, sponsored by State Senator Doris Turner (48th District—Springfield) and State Representative Kam Buckner (26th District—Chicago), was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in 2023, creating the commission to gauge public desire for a new flag. The flag designs eligible for public voting in January can be viewed at www.ilsos.gov/stateflag . Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Wishes for 2025 | Jeffrey Scharf, Everybody’s Business

Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick interviewed for the head-coaching job at North Carolina, Inside Carolina and the Raleigh News & Observer reported Thursday. According to the News & Observer, Belichick "blew them away in the interview," yet he is not likely to move forward because he is pushing 73 years old and has no experience in the college game. After he and the New England Patriots agreed to part ways following a 24-year stint, Belichick interviewed for the head job with the Atlanta Falcons, who instead hired Raheem Morris. The North Carolina interview is the first known instance of Belichick showing interest in a college position. Belichick is expected to draw interest for NFL openings in the upcoming hiring cycle. The Tar Heels retained an outside advisory firm to identify coaching candidates to replace Mack Brown, whom they fired at the end of the regular season. North Carolina went 6-6, including 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "We've had a tremendous response of people across the country, of agents calling us, coaches, people calling on behalf of other people that are in the industry," North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in an in-house interview the school posted online earlier this week. "We are very optimistic of where we are, the interest in our program is just extraordinary, and we'll get a great coach to lead us. Who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years? We need somebody that can come in and take us from good to great." --Field Level MediaNone

FCT minister Nyesom Wike has reacted as Celestine Omehia, and the ex-national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus advised him regarding his rift with Fubara While Secondus labelled Wike as enemy of Rivers state, Omehia urged Wike to purge himself of greed and power following the political tension between him and Rivers governor Fubara In reaction on Thursday, Wike alleged that Secondus wanted his cousin, Tele Ikuru, to be governor and explained what Omehia should focus on Don't miss out! Join Legit.ng's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now! Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements FCT, Abuja - Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has berated former Rivers state governor, Celestine Omehia, and the ex-national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, over their recent remarks during the commissioning of projects in Rivers state. Wike reacts as ex-gov questions his contributions to Rivers Read also Year in review: 7 political events that shaped Nigeria in 2024 Wike criticised Omehia for questioning his contributions to the state as FCT Minister. PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! He also dismissed Secondus’ comments, accusing him of hypocrisy, and alleged that Secondus once tried to impose his cousin as governor of Rivers state. Wike spoke at the Ahoada East and Ahoada West PDP end-of-year thanksgiving held in Ochigba, Ahoada East local government area of Rivers state on Thursday, December 26. Reacting to Omehia’s remarks during the project inauguration, Wike said: “I overheard one, Celestine Omehia, saying they should ask me what I have done for Rivers State as Minister. Let me educate him: I am not a minister of Rivers State; I am the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. “When I was Minister of Education, I brought a Faculty of Law to the University of Port Harcourt, provided grants to Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, and renovated Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, among others. These are tangible contributions he should focus on, not unfounded allegations.” Read also Governor Otti appoints Edo man as Head of Service in Abia, gives reason Wike questions Secondus's relationship with Fubara As reported by The Punch, Wike also fired back at Secondus, who allegedly labeled him an “enemy of the state.” He accused Secondus of working against Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s emergence and questioned his newfound alliance with the governor. “Secondus wanted his cousin, Tele Ikuru, to be governor. He was against Fubara. Today, he claims to be the governor’s friend while calling me an enemy. The records are clear; I removed Secondus as PDP chairman because of his actions,” Wike said. Legit.ng understands that Wike and Fubara is currently at loggerheads over the control of Rivers state. Read more about Rivers crisis here: Wike vs Fubara: “APC will take over Rivers in 2027,” says Ganduje Rivers LG election: Appeal court overturns Federal High Court's judgement, details emerge Rivers crisis: LP gets court backing to play defection clip of pro-Wike lawmakers APC warns Fubara against blackmailing Tinubu, Wike Read also “This manipulation is damaging”: Rivers APC makes serious allegations against Fubara In another development, Legit.ng reported that the APC reacted to the recent judgment stopping allocation to Rivers state . APC said it would stand by the court's judgment according to “Sections 120, 121, and 122" of the constitution. The APC chairman in Rivers state, Sir Tony Okocha, said the political crisis rocking the state was between Governor Sim Fubara and Nyesom Wike. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ngAirport surfaces most likely to have a deadly virus lurking on them

California woman was called into work on her day off. She left a lottery winnerIsrael strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military hasn't responded to questions about the WHO chief's statement. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies aged 92 NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. The hospital said Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to “sudden loss of consciousness at home." He was “being treated for age-related medical conditions,” the statement added. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and earned a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose. Why this Mexican American woman played a vital role in the US sacramental peyote trade MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — Amada Cardenas, a Mexican American woman who lived in the tiny border town of Mirando City in South Texas, played an important role in the history of the peyote trade. She and her husband were the first federally licensed peyote dealers who harvested and sold the sacramental plant to followers of the Native American Church in the 1930s. After her husband's death in 1967, Cardenas continued to welcome generations of Native American Church members to her home until her death in 2005, just before her 101st birthday.WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would get access to popular weekly injectables that would help them shed pounds quickly if a $ 35 billion proposal from the Biden administration is blessed by President-elect Donald Trump. The rule, unveiled Tuesday by the Health and Human Services Department, would require Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound for a large segment of Americans who are obese. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.

Saints QB situation remains cloudy as matchup with Washington nearsChargers focused on avoiding a letdown and not a potential playoff berth in matchup with Patriots

Photo: The Canadian Press Alex Jones speaks to the media after arriving at the federal courthouse for a hearing in front of a bankruptcy judge, June 14, 2024, in Houston. The Onion's rejected purchase of Infowars in an auction bid supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting dealt them a new setback Wednesday and clouded the future of Alex Jones' conspiracy theory platform, which will remain in his control for at least the near future. What's next for Infowars and the Sandy Hook families' long-sought efforts to hold Jones accountable over calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax was unclear, after a federal judge in Houston late Tuesday rejected The Onion's winning bid for the site . The only other bidder was a company aligned with Jones. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston said he did not want another auction but offered no roadmap over how to proceed. One possibility includes ultimately allowing Sandy Hook families — who comprise most of Jones' creditors — to return to state courts in Connecticut and Texas to collect on the nearly $1.5 billion in defamation and emotional distress lawsuit judgments that Jones was ordered to pay them. “Our hope is that when this process ends, and it will end, and it will end sooner rather than later, is that all assets that Alex Jones has available are paid to the families, and that includes Infowars, and that as a result of that process Alex Jones is deprived of the ownership and control of the platform that he’s used to hurt so many people,” Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families, said Wednesday. The families, meanwhile, were preparing to mark the 12th anniversary of the Dec. 14 shooting. Why was The Onion bid rejected? The sale of Infowars is part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy case , which he filed in late 2022 after he was ordered to pay the $1.5 billion. Jones was sued for repeatedly saying on his show that the 2012 massacre of 20 first graders and six educators was staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. He has since conceded that the shooting did happen . Lopez said there was a lack of transparency in the bidding process and too much confusion about The Onion's bid, and he expressed concern that the amount of money offered was too low. The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, submitted a $1.75 million cash offer with plans to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody . The bid also included a deal with many of the Sandy Hook families for them to forgo $750,000 of their auction proceeds and give it to other creditors. The other bidder was First United American Companies, which runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements and planned to let Jones stay on the Infowars platforms. It offered $3.5 million in cash and later, with Jones, alleged fraud and collusion in the bidding process. Lopez rejected those allegations. Christopher Murray, the trustee who oversaw the auction, said he picked The Onion and its deal with the Sandy Hook families because it would have provided more money to Jones' other creditors. What happens next? Lopez directed Murray to come up with a new plan to move forward. Murray and representatives of The Onion did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The judge said there was a possibility there could be a trial in 2025 to settle Jones' bankruptcy and that Murray could try to sell the equity in Infowars' parent company. The judge said he wanted to hear back from Murray and others involved in the bankruptcy within 30 days on a plan. On the social media platform X, Jones called the judge's ruling a “Major Victory For Freedom Of The Press & Due Process." Jeff Anapolsky, an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center and the managing director and founder of Anapolsky Advisors, a financial consulting firm, said he was not surprised Lopez rejected the sale. He was not involved in the case but said he has appeared before Lopez and described him as a fair judge. Anapolsky believes the sale of the Infowars assets will ultimately take place and be approved. “So that’s up to Mr. Murray now, the trustee, to go do something to make everybody feel like everybody had their say and understand the transparency of the process,” Anapolsky said. Sandy Hook families to mark shooting anniversary The decision came during a solemn week for relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The 12th anniversary is Saturday, and some of the victims' relatives were traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend an annual vigil for victims of gun violence. The families usually mark the anniversary out of the public eye. Many of the families have said their lawsuits against Jones bought back the unbearable pain of losing their loved ones, as well as the trauma of being harassed and threatened by believers of Jones' hoax conspiracy. Relatives said they have been confronted in public by hoax believers and received death and rape threats. The families have not received any money from Jones since winning the trials.PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s health minister has been removed from his post following a deadly gang attack on the largest public hospital in the capital, Port-au-Prince , government officials said Thursday. According to two government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject, Health Minister Duckenson Lorthe will be replaced by Justice Minister Patrick Pelissier until a new health minister is found. Two journalists and a police officer were killed Tuesday as gang members burst into the General Hospital and fired indiscriminately at reporters who were there to cover the facility’s reopening. It was one of the worst attacks on Haitian media in recent memory. Seven other journalists were wounded. Jean Feguens Regala, a photographer who survived the attack , said journalists had been invited to the hospital by the health ministry but there was little security at the site. “The fact that the minister of health invited us, you feel that preparations have been made already,” Regala told The Associated Press. “When we made contact with a police unit, the police told us they were not aware of the event.” RELATED COVERAGE A survivor of the worst gang attack on Haitian journalists says colleagues were cut down by bullets A Haiti gang attack on the reopening of a main hospital kills 2 reporters and a police officer A gang leader in Haiti is accused of massacring older people to avenge his son’s death The health minister did not show up at the event, for reasons that have not been explained. Shortly after the attack, Johnson “Izo” André — considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince — posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Gang violence has worsened in Haiti, with coordinated gang attacks on prisons, police stations and the main international airport crippling the country’s capital and plunging Haiti into an unprecedented crisis. Gangs are believed to control 85% of Port-au-Prince. The Caribbean country has struggled to organize an election that will restore democratic rule, and is currently governed by a transitional council made up of representatives of political parties, business groups and civil society organizations.

Zayn Malik takes to stage in first gig since tragic death of ex-One Direction bandmate Liam Payne as he begins new tour

Polish-Hungarian relations have reached an all-time low after Hungary granted asylum to a wanted Polish ex-minister as a "political refugee." Prime Minister Viktor Orban has indicated he is open to further cases. For more than 150 years, Poland and Hungary have been linked in a remarkable way. Both nations supported each other in their efforts for independence. Freedom fighters from both countries rushed to help each other in existential historical moments, such as during the anti-Habsburg revolution of 1848. In 1956, when Hungary underwent an anti-communist revolution, Poles spontaneously organized blood drives for the victims of the Soviet invasion. "Pole and Hungarian brothers be" is a well-known proverb in both countries. Since 2007, there has even been an official day dedicated to Polish-Hungarian friendship, March 23. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban admired the Poles' deep desire for freedom and their anti-communist struggle so much that he wrote his thesis as law student in 1987 on "Polish social self-organization using the example of the Solidarity trade union." However, Orban of all people has now caused an all-time low in the countries' relations. On December 19, he granted asylum to the former Polish Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Romanowski, who is wanted on a European arrest warrant. Political collision This decision promptly led to a political head-on clash between Poland and Hungary, whose relations have already been dire since the change of power in Poland in December 2023. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski described the move as "an action contrary to the fundamental principle of loyal cooperation" as laid out in the EU treaties. He also recalled the Polish ambassador to Hungary for "indefinite consultations" and summoned the Hungarian ambassador in Warsaw to give him a protest note. This kind of diplomatic escalation is extremely rare between EU countries . Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk also compared Orban's Hungary to the regime of dictator Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus. In May 2024, a Polish judge who is under investigation for abuse of office and leaking state secrets had fled to Belarus . "I did not expect corrupt politicians escaping justice would be able to choose between [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko and Orban," Tusk said. 'Liberal rainbow coalition' The Hungarian Prime Minister had already indicated on December 19 that he would grant asylum to "Polish political refugees". In an interview with the conservative pro-government Hungarian news portal Mandiner, he also called the current Polish government a "liberal rainbow coalition" that "uses the rule of law and legal means to get even with its political opponents." Polish-Hungarian relations are "at a low point because the liberal Polish rainbow coalition is unable to distinguish between party and state politics," Orban said. In reality, however, the governing coalition of the liberal-conservative Polish Prime Minister Tusk is trying to do exactly the opposite. It wants to untangle the nexus of party and state politics that existed under the previous national-conservative government and to investigate its corruption scandals. One of the people at the center of the investigation is the former Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Romanowski. Lifting immunity Between 2019 and 2023, Romanowski used to be in charge of the Justice Fund which was designed to support victims of crime. However, the public prosecutor has charged the politician with 11 criminal offenses, including membership of a criminal organization, embezzlement and manipulation in the allocation of money from the fund. The sum of the disputed funds amounts to around 112 million Polish zloty (approx. €25 million/$27.3 million). The 48-year-old MP from the former ruling and now opposition Law and Justice party (PiS) was briefly arrested in July, but was later released. As a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, he enjoyed immunity. However, this immunity was lifted by the body in October. On December 9, a court in Warsaw ordered Romanowski to be remanded in custody for three months. Only, by then, he had already gone into hiding and fled to Hungary . On December 20, Romanowski posted on social media that asylum for a member of the Polish opposition was a "strong warning signal for Tusk's regime." He said he wanted to continue working from Budapest for a "sovereign, Christian and strong Poland." His goal is to "abolish the Tusk regime." More asylum cases The affair exemplifies the severe level of problems the Tusk government faces in restoring the rule of law in Poland. Poland's judiciary, including the Constitutional Court, remain heavily dominated by PiS supporters. Moreover, also President Andrzej Duda, who is close to the PiS, continues to delay all government reforms as much as possible. This could give an idea on the problems Hungary will face after a possible change of power. Moreover, it is not the first time that a prominent corruption suspect has been granted asylum in Hungary. In 2018, the former Macedonian head of government Nikola Gruevski had fled to Hungary where he received asylum. In the more recent years, the Hungarian government has also granted temporary refuge to several politicians from the Hungarian minority in Romania. For Poland, however, the escape of a member of parliament is a precedent, comments the conservative Polish daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita. "Romanowski has asked an ally of Putin for help. It is a disgrace to be an ally of Putin's ally ," the paper writes. In Hungary, the left-wing portal Merce ran the headline "The Hungarian government is using refugee protection to save political allies." Open for more Polish politicians Both Polish and Hungarian media outlets are now speculating which PiS politician will be the next to leave for Hungary. It may well be MEP Daniel Obajtek, former head of the Polish oil company Orlen. For years, Obajtek has been involved in numerous corruption scandals. Among other charges, he is facing prosecution for manipulating Orlen tenders. Hungary's Orban vows to defy ICC's Netanyahu arrest warrant To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The speculation about Obajtek was fueled by Orban on December 22 during his annual end-of-year press conference. After a female journalist specifically asked about the former head of Orlen, Hungary's prime minister — who is known for his misogynistic remarks — said: "I don't know if we're thinking of the same man because you never know which man is in a woman's head." However, as Obajtek is a Member of the European Parliament, there is no need to deal with him, Orban said, referring to the man's immunity. The prime minister added, "Generally speaking, we have to be prepared for the fact that there will and could be more cases like this." This article was originally written in German.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Cornerback Taron Johnson is still agitated over in giving up season worsts in points and yards, while melting down on third down in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams last weekend. There’s no better time or opportunity to show how much better they are than this Sunday. That’s when the Bills (10-3) travel to play the NFC-leading Detroit Lions (12-1), who just happen to lead the NFL in scoring and feature the same dynamic style of offense as the Rams. “I think our mindset is just going to be attack,” Johnson said after practice Wednesday. “We can’t wait to play Sunday just to prove people wrong and prove to ourselves that how we played wasn’t who we are.” The Bills acknowledge having several excuses to lean on for — riding a little too high after a division-clinching win, a cross-country trip and facing a more driven opponent in the thick of a playoff race. What’s unacceptable is the hesitancy their usually reliable defensive backs showed in coverage and the lack of pressure applied by their defensive front. The bright side is the substandard performance potentially serving as a late-season reminder of this not being the time to let their foot off the gas. “A lot of teams have scars on their way to having a darn good season. And we’re having a darn good season,” coach Sean McDermott said. “So what has to be in front of us this week is the opportunity that’s in front of us, quite frankly, to challenge that team,” he added, referring to Detroit. “You better bring your heart, you better bring your guts, you better put it on the line.” With a little bit of added fire, the Bills are going back to the basics on defense following an outing in which very little went right. The defense was off-balance from the start in being unable to stop the run, before eventually being picked apart in the passing game while allowing the Rams to score on each of their first six drives (not including a kneel-down to close the first half) in building a 38-21 lead. The most frustrating part was Buffalo’s inability to get off the field while allowing the Rams to convert 11 of 15 third-down chances. LA’s 73.3% third-down conversion rate was the third highest against Buffalo — and worst since Miami converted 75% of its chances in 1986 — since the stat was introduced to NFL gamebooks in 1973. “The recipe to lose a football game is what we did (Sunday) and it starts with me, first and foremost,” defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said Monday. “Move on and let it not happen again. Let it be a learning lesson. Failure is the best teacher.” The challenge is preparing for an exceptionally balanced Lions offense that ranks fourth in the NFL in both rushing and passing, and averaging 32.1 points per outing. The objective, McDermott said, is to not overcorrect but stick to the fundamentals that led to Buffalo winning seven straight before losing to Los Angeles. He placed an emphasis on winning at the line of scrimmage and forcing takeaways, something Buffalo failed to do last weekend for the first time this season. A little more urgency, would help, too. “It is a mentality. It is an attitude, and if you want to play good defense, that’s where it starts,” McDermott said. “There’s not a lot of shortcuts or ways around it. It’s got to be a mentality.” The message resonated even on offense, where quarterback while becoming the NFL’s first player to throw three touchdown passes and rush for three more scores. “It was a case of you saw a team that’s fighting for their lives to try to make the playoffs in the Los Angeles Rams, and they came out ready to play. And maybe we didn’t have that type of urgency,” Allen said. “It forces us to know that we’ve got to be better. We know that.” NOTES: LB Baylon Spector (calf) and DE Dawuane Smoot (wrist) returned to practice Wednesday, opening their 21-day windows to be activated off IR. ... Starting CB Rasul Douglas did not practice and could miss time after hurting his knee on Sunday. ... Buffalo has until this weekend to determine whether to activate OL Tylan Grable (groin) off IR. AP NFL:

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The Winnipeg Police Service has deployed its controversial robot dog — purchased in 2021 to respond to dangerous incidents involving barricaded and armed suspects — for its intended purpose just once, the has learned. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * The Winnipeg Police Service has deployed its controversial robot dog — purchased in 2021 to respond to dangerous incidents involving barricaded and armed suspects — for its intended purpose just once, the has learned. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The Winnipeg Police Service has deployed its controversial robot dog — purchased in 2021 to respond to dangerous incidents involving barricaded and armed suspects — for its intended purpose just once, the has learned. The service spent $257,000 to buy the four-legged robot, outfit it with an arm and cameras and cover taxes, shipping and training, police said at the time. The money came from the province’s civil forfeiture fund, which seizes cash and other assets obtained through alleged criminal activity via the civil courts. It was shipped in February 2022 and ready for service a short time later. The one time the police drone and tactical units deployed the robot was in September 2023, according to records obtained by the Free Press under freedom-of-information legislation. Prof. Frank Cormier, who teaches criminology and sociology at the University of Manitoba, said the lack of deployment suggests the device was not worth the cost. “More than a quarter of a million dollars is a significant amount of money for anything,” he said. “The fact that it came out of the forfeiture fund, it might be seen as being extra money... however, like anything else, that’s a quarter-million dollars that was not spent on something else, that was not available for something that is perhaps tried and true and that we know will have good results.” BOSTON DYNAMICS The Winnipeg Police Service bought 'Spot' the robotic dog from Boston Dynamics in 2021. The robotic dog is meant to navigate obstacles and uneven terrain — stepping over clothing on the floor of a home, for example — unlike robots with wheels or tracks that Winnipeg police and other law enforcement have long used. It has the ability to walk up and down stairs, open doorknobs, facilitate a conversation remotely and carry items on a harness. WPS Supt. Brian Miln, who oversees operational support, defended the purchase, saying it was “absolutely” money well spent. “At the end of the day, and this is no secret, this tool, this tactic, like many of our tactics, it substitutes having to place one of our officers into a volatile, very dangerous situation where we have armed individuals looking to cause harm,” Miln said. “If we have a reasonable tactic, tool, ability to replace a human life with something like this — absolutely, that’s a no-brainer for me.” Boston Dynamics, which manufactures the robots, calls the 32-kilogram device “Spot.” It has also been called creepy and dystopian and has raised controversy among law enforcement critics who argued it was an example of increasing surveillance of civilians — and militarism in police departments. “It just doesn’t look good; they’re trying to be more police services than police forces and when you send a mechanized dog, which I think most people find pretty creepy-looking, it’s not really sending that nice message that we’re here to protect and serve,” Cormier said. “But I’ve also heard stories that they fall down stairs, they don’t work as well as advertised.” Miln said the fact it has been deployed just the one time should be viewed as a positive. “I’m not going to get into the tactics and places where Spot would be used and deployed by our tac team, but it’s going to be in situations that present high risk and high danger to our officers, and it’s going to be deployed where there is a very specific set of circumstances that are present,” he said. “I would call it good news, because those specific circumstances simply don’t present themselves that often. It is a mistake to say, though, that the conclusion that can be drawn from that is it isn’t required.” JESSICA LEE / FREE PRESS FILES WPS Supt. Brian Miln said the fact it has been deployed just the one time should be viewed as a positive. The robot has been out and about five other times, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act records show: a 2022 incident command training day at the Royal Canadian Air Force base 17 Wing, and four community-relations events, three of which were conducted internally for families of police employees. Miln said operators of the robot train with it multiple times each month, which isn’t reflected in the records. The community relations events were a family day for West District station employees in October 2022, a take-your-kid-to-work event in November 2022 at WPS headquarters, a demonstration for parents and kids who are home-schooled in December 2023 and a family day at the East District station in May this year, records show. The robot was also on display at the Winnipeg Police Service half marathon earlier this year, according to YouTube video footage. Cormier was surprised by the findings. “Either there aren’t any more of these (armed-and-barricaded) situations, which I don’t believe to be the case — we know that there have been those kinds of situations — or they discovered that the dog just isn’t useful, it’s not the right tool for the situation. Maybe it takes too long to deploy it from wherever they keep it.” Miln said there are typically about 100 such incidents in Winnipeg a year, but the service has determined it will use the robot only in very narrow sets of circumstances. He said he could not elaborate further. “I would love to be able to answer the question in detail because if I did, it would be incredibly apparent as to why it has only been deployed in one situation, but I would be disclosing our tactics if I did that, and I can’t do that,” he said. He compared the robot’s purchase to the fire department’s ladder trucks which, while critical, are used infrequently. “It’s tools that we have to provide to our officers,” he said. “We don’t have an option with this; when we know that there is a reasonable solution, a response to something which greatly enhances officer safety and there is a reasonable tool that can bridge that gap, we have to provide these tools to our members.” Cormier, however, is unconvinced. “It’s one of those that sounds questionable, but you go, ‘Maybe, if they can get it to go in somewhere and it gets shot at instead of a cop,’ but what does it do? The ‘dog’ can’t go in and apprehend a suspect,” he said. “And if you’re looking to negotiate with a suspect, or a barricaded person or an upset person, a robotic dog is probably not the way to go. It’s not going to calm somebody down, I don’t think.” There has been backlash over police use of the four-legged robot in the United States, where it has been put to use by a many American law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, the Los Angeles Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and the Houston Police Department. BOSTON DYNAMICS / YOUTUBE The robot has been out at a 2022 incident command training day at the Royal Canadian Air Force base 17 Wing, and at four community-relations events, three of which were conducted internally for families of police employees. The New York Police Department, after an outcry from law enforcement critics and some politicians amid the height of the police reform and defunding movement that followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, cancelled its contract for the device in April 2021. “It’s creepy, alienating and sends the wrong message to New Yorkers,” a spokesperson for then-mayor Bill de Blasio told ABC News at the time. Current Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, brought the robots back in 2023, saying the technology was here “and we cannot be afraid of it.” But Cormier said it’s hard to ignore the robot dog’s chillingly futuristic vibe. “They have that feel about them that feels like robots being turned loose on the population,” he said. “There’s that whole dystopian — whether deserved or not — dystopian perception of mechanized devices being used by authorities to control populations.” Miln stressed the service would never let the robot dog “loose” on the public; it will be used only in situations where officers are being put in harm’s way. The WPS has been criticized — including as recently as last month — for making big-ticket purchases of expensive technology and surveillance equipment with money provided from the forfeiture fund, which is meant to support both law enforcement agencies and services for victims of crime. In November, police announced plans to buy a second armoured vehicle with forfeiture cash. It’s not clear whether any other Canadian law enforcement agencies have purchased a robot dog of their own, though others in the public sector — including the Ontario Crown corporation that produces wind power and Montreal’s public transit agency — have made use of, or tested, the robots for certain tasks. In 2021, Miln noted WPS was the first Canadian police department to acquire the four-legged robot. NDP Justice Minister Matt Wiebe wouldn’t say Friday whether buying the robot was the best use of the forfeiture money, given the funding decision was made under the prior Progressive Conservative government. But he said he supports the work of the criminal property forfeiture office, calling it a useful tool to go after organized crime. The government recently brought forward an amendment to beef up forfeiture legislation. “Overall, the program is good,” he said. “In terms of what comes across my desk... I’m willing to listen to law enforcement, work with them and give them the tools they need to keep themselves safe and ultimately keep our communities safe.” erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Erik Pindera is a reporter for the , mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the in 2020. . Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.define cockfighting 。

Fears for Gaza hospitals as fuel and aid run lowWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Charles Kushner arrives July 20, 2022, for the funeral of Ivana Trump in New York. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to Kushner's own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, sought. Christie blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested in Chicago on Thursday on charges including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a felony. A federal judge ordered him released on bond after his initial court appearance. Gorski didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. An attorney who represented him after his arrest declined to comment on Gorski's behalf. Authorities allege that during the attack, Gorski climbed scaffolding, breaching police lines, and took photos and videos inside the building. He yelled at officers, pushed against an officer's riot shield and was eventually forced out after being sprayed with a chemical irritant, authorities said. When the FBI interviewed him, Gorski did not claim that he was working as a photojournalist during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and said he didn't bring his professional camera to the Capitol. He told federal agents that he had worked as a photographer for the Chicago Fire Department and for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. He has not professionally published any photographs of the Capitol riot, according to the FBI. An FBI agent’s affidavit says some of Gorski’s sports photographs are available through Getty Images and have been “picked up” by The Associated Press and USA Today. Authorities said Gorski has continued to take photos at some local sporting events in Chicago but hasn't published any political photographs in the last five years. Gorski is not an Associated Press journalist and has never been employed by the news organization, said Lauren Easton, AP's vice president of corporate communications. "We have distributed some photos he took for AP’s photo partners and member news organizations," Easton said in a statement. Gorski's resume says he works as a building commissioner for the Village of Norridge, Illinois, and graduated earlier this year from Southeastern Illinois University with a master’s degree in public administration. He attended then-President Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before he marched to the Capitol in a group of people that included conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer , who has hosted a show on Jones' Infowars website. On the west side of the Capitol, Gorski climbed up a wall onto stairs, helped another rioter onto the wall and removed a tarp covering scaffolding, according to the FBI. He climbed up and down the scaffolding before he helped pass a bike rack to other rioters, the agent's affidavit says. Gorski pointed and yelled at police officers outside the building. He also clapped and chanted, “Let us in!” After rioters broke through a police lines and sent officers retreating, Gorski hung a flag over the edge of a balcony. Gorski used his phone to take photos or videos inside a tunnel entrance that police were guarding, according to the affidavit. He screamed at the officers, “This is our house!” as he pushed against an officer’s riot shield, the FBI said. Gorski left the tunnel after several minutes and entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door, taking more photos or videos inside the building, the affidavit says. An officer had to forcibly move Gorski from a doorway in another part of the Capitol, according to the agent. Gorski retreated after police sprayed him with a chemical irritant. Approximately one year after the attack, the FBI received a tip that Gorski had posted photos of the riot in a group chat with friends. More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the Capitol riot.

AP Business SummaryBrief at 4:32 p.m. ESTJimmy Carter: A brief bio

( MENAFN - Live Mint) Dua Lipa concert: Grammy winning singer Dua Lipa performed at the Zomato Feeding India concert in Mumbai on November 30, leaving desi fans satisfied with performances of her hit songs and a surprise mash-up of Levitating x Wo Ladki Jo (from Shah Rukh Khan's Badshah), leading to a rush of viral videos on social media. Social media Reactions On netizen posted on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) praising the singer's choice,“Dua Lipa did not miss the meme Levitating x Woh Ladki”. While another user wished King Khan could have joined her on stage,“so Dua Lipa did the Levitating X Woh Ladki Jo mashup in her own style wish SRK was there too.” Dua Lipa has mentioned being a fan of SRK a few times in interviews. She also met him during her last performance visit to the city in 2019. Dua's gig saw the presence of renowned celebrities such as Radhika Merchant, Anand Piramal, Ranvir Shorey, and Namrata Shirodkar among others. Dua arrived in the city on Thursday. The same night, she was spotted dining with her boyfriend, actor Callum Turner. In the videos shared by the paps, Dua can be seen getting inside her car, escorted by security, and holding hands with Callum. The singer looked chic in an all-black outfit. The couple was all smiles as they were papped inside the car. The videos went viral in no time. Dua announced her return to India in August with an Instagram post, saying, "India, I'm coming back!! My trip at the start of this year was a beautiful reminder of how much I love this place. The warmth and energy I felt from everyone I met there was amazing, and I can't wait to see you again to perform in November!!!!" Talking to Variety, Dua shared her excitement about Zomato Feeding India Concert and said, "One of the best parts about touring the world is getting to be a tourist in so many new places, and I always find the best things to do when I'm in Asia and definitely in India. Last time I visited, I met so many warm and kind people." This is Dua's third visit to India, following her performance in 2019 and her recent vacation in Rajasthan earlier this year. MENAFN30112024007365015876ID1108942177 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Michael Gray Jr., Byron Ireland rally Nicholls to 76-75 victory over Louisiana

Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sierra Bancorp ( NASDAQ:BSRR – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 39,697 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $1,146,000. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC owned approximately 0.28% of Sierra Bancorp as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Sierra Bancorp by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 680,053 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $13,737,000 after buying an additional 5,830 shares in the last quarter. Private Management Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Sierra Bancorp by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Private Management Group Inc. now owns 657,147 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $14,707,000 after buying an additional 7,515 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Sierra Bancorp by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 119,520 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,675,000 after buying an additional 3,531 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Sierra Bancorp by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 74,994 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,166,000 after buying an additional 3,752 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in shares of Sierra Bancorp by 24.0% in the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 74,000 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,137,000 after buying an additional 14,335 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 55.40% of the company’s stock. Sierra Bancorp Stock Up 2.1 % Shares of Sierra Bancorp stock opened at $32.39 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $466.09 million, a P/E ratio of 12.85 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.79. Sierra Bancorp has a one year low of $17.69 and a one year high of $35.13. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $29.59 and a two-hundred day moving average of $26.46. Sierra Bancorp Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, November 12th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 31st were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, October 31st. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.96%. Sierra Bancorp’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.10%. Insider Transactions at Sierra Bancorp In other news, Director James C. Holly sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.98, for a total transaction of $144,900.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 313,370 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,081,462.60. This represents a 1.57 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, Director Albert L. Berra sold 2,540 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.24, for a total transaction of $81,889.60. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 150,063 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,838,031.12. This trade represents a 1.66 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold a total of 8,056 shares of company stock valued at $244,741 in the last ninety days. 11.86% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Sierra Bancorp from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 16th. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Sierra Bancorp About Sierra Bancorp ( Free Report ) Sierra Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Bank of the Sierra that provides retail and commercial banking services to individuals and businesses in California. It accepts various deposit products, such as checking accounts, savings accounts, money market demand accounts, time deposits, retirement accounts, and sweep accounts. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Sierra Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sierra Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

'Important work': The top consultancy spenders in 2023-24

Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter's four children, TWENTY TWO grandchildren and great grandchildren

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TORONTO, Dec. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abaxx Technologies Inc., (CBOE: ABXX) (OTCQX: ABXXF) (“ Abaxx ” or the “ Company ”), a financial software and market infrastructure company, indirect majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte Ltd. (“ Abaxx Singapore ”), the owner of Abaxx Commodity Exchange and Clearinghouse (individually, “ Abaxx Exchange ” and “ Abaxx Clearing ”), and producer of the SmarterMarketsTM Podcast, today announces that it has filed an early warning report in respect of MineHub Technologies Inc. (“ MineHub ”). On December 27, 2024, pursuant to a share purchase agreement between Abaxx and MineHub dated December 3, 2024 (the “ SPA ”), Abaxx acquired 8,810,000 common shares of MineHub (“ MineHub Shares ”). Prior to the closing of the SPA (the “ Closing ”), Abaxx held 8,333,333 MineHub Shares representing 10.83% of the issued and outstanding MineHub Shares on an undiluted and a partially diluted basis. Immediately after Closing, Abaxx held 17,143,333 MineHub Shares, representing 19.87% of the issued and outstanding MineHub Shares on an undiluted and a partially diluted basis. As a result of the MineHub Shares issued in connection with the SPA, Abaxx’s holdings have changed by more than 2% on a partially diluted basis since the filing of its previous early warning report. The MineHub Shares held by Abaxx are for investment purposes. In accordance with applicable securities laws, Abaxx may, from time to time and at any time, acquire additional shares and/or other equity, debt or other securities or instruments of MineHub in the open market or otherwise, and reserves the right to dispose of any or all of such securities in the open market or otherwise at any time and from time to time, and to engage in similar transactions with respect to such securities, the whole depending on market conditions, the business and prospects of MineHub and other relevant factors. This disclosure is issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues , which also requires an early warning report to be filed with the applicable securities regulators containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters. A copy of the early warning report will be filed by Abaxx under MineHub’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com or may be obtained at Abaxx’s head office address at 110 Young St., Suite 1601, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1T4. The MineHub Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “MHUB”. MineHub is a corporation existing under the laws of British Columbia with its head office at Suite 918 - 1030 West Georgia St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 2Y3, Canada. About Abaxx Technologies Abaxx is building Smarter Markets — markets empowered by better financial technology and market infrastructure to address our biggest challenges, including the energy transition. In addition to developing and deploying financial technologies that make communication, trade, and transactions easier and more secure, Abaxx is an indirect majority-owner of subsidiaries Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing, recognized by MAS as a “recognised market operator” (RMO) and “approved clearing house” (ACH), respectively. Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing are a Singapore-based commodity futures exchange and clearinghouse, introducing centrally cleared, physically deliverable commodities futures and derivatives to provide better price discovery and risk management tools for the commodities critical to our transition to a lower-carbon economy. For more information please visit abaxx.tech , abaxx.exchange and smartermarkets.media . Media and investor inquiries: Abaxx Technologies Inc. Investor Relations Team Tel: +1 246 271 0082 E-mail: ir@abaxx.tech Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” which do not consist of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe Abaxx’s future plans, objectives, or goals, including words to the effect that Abaxx expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as “seeking”, “should”, “intend”, “predict”, “potential”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “estimates”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “will”, “continue”, “plan” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Since forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to Abaxx, Abaxx does not provide any assurance that actual results will meet respective management expectations. Risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information related to Abaxx in this press release includes but is not limited to, Abaxx’s objectives, goals, and future plans. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by Abaxx as at the date of this press release in light of management’s experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Such factors impacting forward-looking information include, among others: risks relating to the global economic climate and extreme weather events; dilution; Abaxx’s limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for Abaxx to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on Abaxx and the industry; regulatory risks in Singapore and Canada; the ability to list Abaxx’s securities on stock exchanges in a timely fashion or at all; network security risks; the ability of Abaxx to maintain properly working systems; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; taxation; resource shortages; damage to the Company’s reputation due to the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity with respect to the Company’s operations, whether true or not; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; the impact of inflation, including global energy cost increases; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. In addition, particular factors which could impact future results of the business of Abaxx include but are not limited to: operations in foreign jurisdictions, protection of intellectual property rights, contractual risk, third-party risk; clearinghouse risk, malicious actor risks, third-party software license risk, system failure risk, risk of technological change; dependence of technical infrastructure; changes in the price of commodities, capital market conditions and restriction on labor and international travel and supply chains. Abaxx has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of Abaxx’s normal course of business. Abaxx cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. In addition, although Abaxx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. When relying on forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Abaxx has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraphs will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release represents the expectations of Abaxx as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Abaxx undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and information. Cboe Canada does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.Noneasian cockfighting 2023 。

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Technically, the standings still show the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North. It just doesn't exactly feel that way at the moment. While the Steelers still have everything in front of them even after a 34-17 loss in Baltimore on Saturday in which a pair of Russell Wilson turnovers and a battered defense starting to show signs of wear allowed the Ravens to pull away, the grasp they had on the division two weeks ago is now far more tenuous. There were no excuses offered afterward. Yet there's also no time to pout either. Not with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs visiting Acrisure Stadium on Christmas Day. “The one thing I’m not going to do is keep my head down," Wilson said shortly after a fourth-quarter pick-6 allowed Baltimore to pull away. "I know for us, we got so much great confidence in who we are and what we can do and how we’re going to respond.” If Pittsburgh wants the home playoff game that capturing a division title for the first time since 2020 would provide, it doesn't really have a choice. To do it, the Steelers will likely have to beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champions on three days' rest and then the Bengals in the regular-season finale, not exactly ideal opponents for an injury-marred defense that has given up more than 400 yards in consecutive weeks for the first time since the first three games of the 2019 season. Beating Philadelphia and Baltimore on the road even in the best of times is a tough ask. The Steelers came up empty twice in six days, and while Wilson's turnovers didn’t help, Pittsburgh’s inability to match up with either team in the trenches could be a far bigger problem going forward if it can't find a way to regain the physicality it showed earlier this season. True, the Ravens and Eagles have the two best running games in the league led by backs who are putting together Hall of Fame resumes. Still, every team the Steelers figure to face in the postseason will almost certainly try to follow the blueprint Philadelphia and Baltimore used so effectively. Pittsburgh's truncated schedule — the visit by the Chiefs will be its third game in 11 days — means the tackling issues that have popped up of late will have to be addressed more in theory than in practice. It's a less-than-ideal situation. Yet despite the step or two back recently, the Steelers believe that everything they want to do this season is still in front of them. That's certainly true. Wilson — who knows a thing or two about winning this time of year — remains upbeat. “We can’t let a tough game like this take us into a negative state of mind because there’s a lot more to play for and a lot more we’re searching for, and we can still win the (AFC) North,” he said. "There’s still a lot of opportunity there, too, as well. And so we just got to buckle down and get back to work.” What's working Being disruptive in the red zone. Minkah Fitzpatrick's fourth-quarter pick of Lamar Jackson — his first in 26 games — was the fifth takeaway by the Steelers inside their 20 this season, tied for second most in the NFL. What needs help Just about everything else in the red zone. The Steelers allowed Baltimore to score touchdowns on its first three drives that reached the Pittsburgh 20. The other two ended with Fitzpatrick's interception and a chip-shot field goal by Justin Tucker in the final minutes. Two short touchdown throws from Jackson to tight ends Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews bothered Steelers coach Mike Tomlin the most. “It is just too late in the year to have guys running open like that, to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. “So we’ve got some work to do this week and try to shore some of that up.” Stock up Calvin Austin III is the only wide receiver who seems capable of being a difference-maker with George Pickens out of the lineup. The 5-foot-9 Austin has nine receptions for 130 yards over the past two games, and while Wilson's fourth down heave to Austin at the goal line in the third quarter fell incomplete, it also symbolized the faith Wilson has in a highly motivated player who thrives on being underestimated. Stock down Complementary football. The Steelers surged to the top of the division by having a team that thrived in all three phases. That hasn't happened of late. The Ravens turned Wilson's fumble into a 96-yard touchdown drive. Fitzpatrick's interception appeared to give the Steelers momentum only to have Wilson give it right back with a poor throw that Marlon Humphrey turned into the clinching score. Injuries Pickens could return from the hamstring injury that has forced him to miss the past three games. Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin), cornerback Donte Jackson (back) could also play after sitting out against Baltimore. The news isn’t as positive for starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (hip), both of whom left against the Ravens and did not return. Key number 39 — field goals this season by Chris Boswell, five short of the NFL record set by David Akers with San Francisco in 2011. Next steps Try to heal up quickly and beat Mahomes for the first time. The Kansas City star is 3-0 against the Steelers with 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Will Graves, The Associated Press

Days after furloughing dozens of its employees without pay, EV startup Canoo told the remainder of its staff they will be on a “mandatory unpaid break” through at least the end of the year, Friday A company email seen by the outlet said employees would be locked out of Canoo’s systems by the end of Friday, with their benefits continuing through the end of this month. The report follows Canoo’s last week that it was idling its Oklahoma factories and furloughing employees while it worked “to finalize securing the capital necessary to move forward with its operations.” As notes, the company reported that it had only about $700,000 left in the bank last month. Also on Friday, the company a 1-for-20 reverse stock split, effective December 24th. Canoo says the consolidation aims to keep its stock listed on the Nasdaq exchange and attract “a broader group of institutional and retail investors.” Canoo was founded in 2017 to sell electric vans and trucks to adventure-seeking customers but has mostly only ever made vehicles for the US government. As ’s Andrew Hawkins , analysts have warned of its risk of insolvency as it’s teetered on the edge of running out of cash since 2022. Canoo has lost a steady stream of executives since then, including and, more recently, its . /

Looking ahead, Dong Yuhui remains committed to innovation and excellence in all aspects of his business. The "small essay" incident may have been a dark chapter in his career, but it ultimately paved the way for a brighter and more promising future. As the one-year anniversary of the incident approaches, Dong Yuhui stands as a testament to the power of perseverance and integrity in the face of adversity.

Together, Ricoh China, PConline, and Locke Park are committed to driving the shift towards a more sustainable, employee-centric workplace. By promoting a culture of sustainability, innovation, and well-being, these organizations are redefining the future of work and setting a new standard for workplace excellence. The ESG "Green Pursuit Movement" serves as a catalyst for change, inspiring organizations to embrace a more eco-friendly, people-focused approach to workspaces.Published 4:58 pm Thursday, December 5, 2024 By Data Skrive The Friday college basketball slate includes one game featuring a ranked team in play. That matchup? The the East Tennessee State Buccaneers taking on the West Virginia Mountaineers. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up. Get the latest news sent to your inbox Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.

The club's management is said to be aware of the situation and is working to address the internal conflicts before they further derail the team's season. Talks and mediation sessions have been scheduled to try and resolve the issues between Lewandowski and his teammates, with the hope of restoring harmony and focus within the squad.

4. Seek Professional Advice: Consult with financial advisors, analysts, and experts to gain insights and guidance on investment strategies and market trends.Researchers launch “moonshot” to cure blindness through eye transplantsThis tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the United States, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries each year.

In a significant development, Syrian Prime Minister has agreed to transfer power to the opposition, marking a crucial step towards ending the long-standing conflict in the war-torn nation. The decision comes after months of negotiations and diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the crisis that has engulfed Syria for years.

In conclusion, the fall of this PUA-style bigshot should serve as a wake-up call to all who may seek to emulate his behavior. The true path to success and fulfillment lies not in manipulation and disrespect, but in empathy, understanding, and genuine connection with others. Only by recognizing the humanity and worth of all individuals can we hope to build a world based on mutual respect and equality.

As players prepare for the final season, emotions are running high. Many are reflecting on the countless hours spent battling enemies, completing missions, and forging alliances in the virtual world of "Suicide Squad". The impending end of updates has sparked discussions among fans about their favorite moments, toughest challenges, and most cherished memories in the game.

While there was high drama in Alexandra Palace on the first day back after the Christmas break, where Damon Heta threw a nine-dart finish, Humphries enjoyed a serene evening. He beat Nick Kenny 4-0 to set up a mouth-watering fourth-round meeting with two-time champion Peter Wright. THE WORLD NUMBER ONE KICKS ON! Luke Humphries comfortably books his spot in the Last 16 with a 4-0 whitewash victory over Nick Kenny, averaging 98.59! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/XAADalXD4Q — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Kenny was unable to produce the form that saw him beat Raymond van Barneveld in the previous round and Humphries did not need to be anywhere near his best. “It was one of those games I didn’t want to take for granted,” he said. “I expected a tough game and I wasn’t firing, I felt there is so much more to give, I felt there was more to come out of me. “I didn’t want to give anyone an inch because they can take a mile. “I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight, I wasn’t at my best but when someone pushes me I know I can come up with the goods.” Earlier in the day Heta set the tournament alight on its resumption with a stunning nine-dart finish before bowing out. The Australian, seeded ninth, achieved darting perfection in the second set of his match with Luke Woodhouse to earn a cool £60,000 payday. However, his joy was short-lived as Woodhouse won a thrilling battle 4-3, having trailed 3-1. HEROIC HETA HITS THE NINE! 🔥 UNBELIEVABLE SCENES! 🤯 Damon Heta lands the second nine-darter of the tournament to raise the roof at Alexandra Palace! #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/DW6rhvFqez — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Heta was millimetres away from throwing a nine-darter in the previous round when he missed the double 12, but he made no mistake this time in the first match after the Christmas break. Heta’s feat was the second time a nine-darter has been thrown in the 2025 tournament and the 16th of all time at the World Championship, following Christian Kist’s effort before Christmas. As well as landing the Australian a hefty payday, it also saw a lucky fan in Ally Pally win a £60,000, with £60,000 also being donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There were several other titanic battles, none better than Gerwyn Price’s sudden-death leg victory over Joe Cullen. Price looked like he was going to have an easy night when he coasted into a 3-0 lead, but Cullen hit back to send it to a decider, which went all the way. Cullen landed a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout to send the tie to a sudden-death leg on his throw but Price hit some big numbers to steal victory. “That was tough, I just wanted to get over the winning line,” he said during his on-stage interview. PRICE WINS A THRILLER! That might just be the game of the tournament so far! 💥 Gerwyn Price manages to break the Rockstars throw in the final leg of the game, and beats Joe Cullen 4-3 and books his place in the Last 16! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/VnjnJxP0T0 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 “He kept coming back, the crowd were way behind him. “I thought I was going to lose, but I kept in there right to the end and got the win. “He played some good darts at the right times. I put myself in that position, I got myself out of it and I’m still in.” Seventh seed Jonny Clayton also battled to victory after squandering a 3-0 lead against Daryl Gurney. Gurney then had six darts to send the decider to a tiebreaker but lost his nerve and Clayton stole a 4-3 win. Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, enjoyed much more safe passages with routine wins over Madars Razma and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.

While there was high drama in Alexandra Palace on the first day back after the Christmas break, where Damon Heta threw a nine-dart finish, Humphries enjoyed a serene evening. He beat Nick Kenny 4-0 to set up a mouth-watering fourth-round meeting with two-time champion Peter Wright. Kenny was unable to produce the form that saw him beat Raymond van Barneveld in the previous round and Humphries did not need to be anywhere near his best. “It was one of those games I didn’t want to take for granted,” he said. “I expected a tough game and I wasn’t firing, I felt there is so much more to give, I felt there was more to come out of me. “I didn’t want to give anyone an inch because they can take a mile. “I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight, I wasn’t at my best but when someone pushes me I know I can come up with the goods.” Earlier in the day Heta set the tournament alight on its resumption with a stunning nine-dart finish before bowing out. The Australian, seeded ninth, achieved darting perfection in the second set of his match with Luke Woodhouse to earn a cool £60,000 payday. However, his joy was short-lived as Woodhouse won a thrilling battle 4-3, having trailed 3-1. Heta was millimetres away from throwing a nine-darter in the previous round when he missed the double 12, but he made no mistake this time in the first match after the Christmas break. Heta’s feat was the second time a nine-darter has been thrown in the 2025 tournament and the 16th of all time at the World Championship, following Christian Kist’s effort before Christmas. As well as landing the Australian a hefty payday, it also saw a lucky fan in Ally Pally win a £60,000, with £60,000 also being donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There were several other titanic battles, none better than Gerwyn Price’s sudden-death leg victory over Joe Cullen. Price looked like he was going to have an easy night when he coasted into a 3-0 lead, but Cullen hit back to send it to a decider, which went all the way. Cullen landed a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout to send the tie to a sudden-death leg on his throw but Price hit some big numbers to steal victory. “That was tough, I just wanted to get over the winning line,” he said during his on-stage interview. “He kept coming back, the crowd were way behind him. “I thought I was going to lose, but I kept in there right to the end and got the win. “He played some good darts at the right times. I put myself in that position, I got myself out of it and I’m still in.” Seventh seed Jonny Clayton also battled to victory after squandering a 3-0 lead against Daryl Gurney. Gurney then had six darts to send the decider to a tiebreaker but lost his nerve and Clayton stole a 4-3 win. Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, enjoyed much more safe passages with routine wins over Madars Razma and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.Title: Why Are Automakers More Inclined to Partner with Momenta Despite Huawei's Impressive Autonomous Driving Capabilities?

Watch: Nancy Pelosi Exposes 'Wrap-Up Smear' Now Being Used Against Pete HegsethI'm A Celeb's GK Barry reveals the incredibly expensive impulse purchase she made after achieving overnight success with her social media

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New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Aaron Rodgers “absolutely” will remain the team's starting quarterback and start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers, who turns 41 next Monday, has been hampered at times during the Jets' 3-8 start by various injuries to his left leg, including a sore knee, sprained ankle and balky hamstring. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

OIA acquires stake in Musk’s company XAI76ers center Joel Embiid sidelined due to swelling in his left knee and will miss two games PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers say center Joel Embiid is managing swelling in his left knee and will miss a second consecutive game Sunday. The Sixers issued a statement on the condition of the 2023 NBA MVP at halftime of Friday’s NBA Cup game against the Brooklyn Nets, saying the decision to sideline Embiid was made along with the team’s medical staff. Embiid was ruled out prior to Friday’s game against the Nets due to what the team described as left knee injury maintenance. The Sixers host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Austin Hays, Kyle Finnegan, Brendan Rodgers and Jordan Romano among 62 new free agents NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder Austin Hays, right-hander Kyle Finnegan and second baseman Brendan Rodgers were among 62 players who became free agents when their teams failed to offer 2025 contracts. Right-hander Jordan Romano, left-hander Patrick Sandoval and outfielders Michael Tauchman and Ramón Laureano also were among the players cut loose, many of whom would have been eligible for salary arbitration. Washington cut right-hander Tanner Rainey, its last remaining player from the 2019 World Series champions. Finnegan and Hays are former All-Stars. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Russell puts Mercedes on pole at Las Vegas and Verstappen nips Norris in championship battle LAS VEGAS (AP) — George Russell put Mercedes on the pole for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in an upset over teammate Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton was fastest in the first two practice sessions with Russell fastest in Friday night’s third and final session. But come qualifying, Hamilton made two mistakes in the final group and wound up a distant 10th. Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc seemed to sweep the front row until Russell’s late lap pushed Sainz to second. Pierre Gasly slid into third, and Leclerc wound up fourth. Championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull qualified fifth for Saturday night's race. Verstappen needs only to score three points more than challenger Lando Norris to win his fourth straight world championship. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. Chase Elliott named NASCAR's most popular driver for 7th straight season CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Chase Elliott has been named NASCAR's most popular driver for the seventh straight year. He was announced Friday at NASCAR's annual season-ending awards ceremony. It's the only major NASCAR award determined solely by the vote of race fans. Elliott beat out Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, per results released by the National Motorsports Press Association. Bill Elliott, Chase's father who is nicknamed “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville,” was named NASCAR’s most popular driver a record 16 times before removing his name from the ballot. Either an Elliott or Earnhardt has won NASCAR’s most popular driver award for 34 consecutive years. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game for the 49ers with a shoulder injury SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Purdy injured his right shoulder in last Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Purdy underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage but the shoulder didn’t improve during the week and Purdy was ruled out for the game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said star defensive end Nick Bosa also will miss the game with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Left tackle Trent Williams is questionable with an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision. Lawyer says ex-Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller met with NCAA for hours amid gambling probe PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A lawyer for former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller says the 22-year-old sat for a long interview with the NCAA amid an investigation into unusual gambling activity. But neither the lawyer nor federal law enforcement officials on Friday would confirm reports that a federal probe is now under way. Lawyer Jason Bologna says Miller cooperated because he hopes to play again. Miller was released last month after transferring to Virginia Tech. Temple President John Fry says the Philadelphia school has not been asked for any information from federal law enforcement officials.

Seattle, WA (Grist) Editor's note: Grist is hosting a free virtual event on January 9, 2025, at 2 pm EST / 11 am PST to analyze the progress and challenges seen at the U.N. climate conference known as COP29. Join Grist's Jake Bittle in conversation with attendees and experts about where global climate negotiations go from here. Register here. After a painstaking deadlock lasting nearly a week, the annual United Nations climate conference appeared to veer off course on Thursday. New negotiating texts were released in the morning, just as a rancid smell from what seemed to be a sewage leak spread throughout a central area of the conference venue in Baku, Azerbaijan. These half-dozen templates incensed countries as disparate as Zambia and New Zealand. Negotiators from both the developed and developing world argued that the Azerbaijani officials leading the conference, which is known as COP29, hadn't done enough to push forward an ambitious deal that would build upon the so-called UAE consensus -- a deal brokered at last year's COP28 in Dubai, in which the nearly 200 countries of the world finally agreed to "transition away" from fossil fuels and accelerate decarbonization within the next 10 years. As of now, this year's tentative agreement contains almost none of the COP29 proposals, like those ventured by European nations and small island states in the Pacific, that would advance this ambition. In fact, the new text released on Thursday did not even mention the landmark COP28 agreement -- or even affirm the world's commitment to a clean energy transition at all. It also omitted last year's promises to triple renewable energy deployment and double energy efficiency. Proposals to phase out coal and fossil fuel subsidies, which many climate-ambitious nations like Germany had pushed, were nowhere to be found, either. "This is actually going in the opposite direction," said Wopke Hoekstra, the European Union climate commissioner, in a gaggle with reporters. "That is not acceptable. We cannot accept the view that apparently for some, the previous COP did not happen." With just a day to go until the summit closes, climate-ambitious ministers from around the world have begun to blast the Azerbaijani conference presidency for what they say is a slide backwards on the all-important issue of ditching fossil fuels. In U.N. parlance, the "presidency" is a neutral party made up of political operatives and ministers from the country hosting a given year's climate talks. Although they hail from the host country, they co-administer COP along with the bureaucracy of the United Nations, and they aren't supposed to put their thumb on the scale for their own government's interests -- or anyone else's. Even so, presidencies have immense control over the negotiating process, which inevitably gives them the power to steer the process to their desired ends -- especially when talks break down early. This became clear last year when the United Arab Emirates, which hosted COP28 in Dubai, intervened to push through a deal to transition away from fossil fuels over the objections of many other oil-producing nations. There has been a sense of deja vu in Azerbaijan, a country where oil makes up an even larger share of economic output, and where attendees can see oil refineries from the windows of shuttle buses that ferry them to the conference. Even before the conference began, a watchdog group caught a senior Azerbaijani official on video suggesting he would use COP29 to facilitate deals for the nation's state-owned oil company. On the second day of the summit, Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, called fossil fuels a "gift from God." Negotiators' fears that the COP presidency would tip the scales grew stronger when Saudi Arabia, which produces around 12 percent of the world's crude oil, began to throw diplomatic wrenches in almost every negotiation arena last week. Officials from the oil-rich kingdom delayed and disputed agenda items even in talks that had nothing to do with fossil fuels, forcing discussion of untenable language and refusing to attend meetings where their presence was necessary for talks to progress. At the end of the first week, the Saudis seemed to have gotten their way. Not only was the draft text on global decarbonization in miserable shape, but negotiators couldn't even agree about where to place it on the agenda -- a dispute akin to arguing over where to park at the grocery store before you even go in and start shopping. The dummy text even included a menacing caveat: "Parties have strongly diverging views on whether or not the following textual elements should be discussed." The 60,000-odd people at COP waited days as ministers and heads of state consulted with each other and the Azerbaijani presidency in closed-door meetings. With more than a week of negotiations in the rearview, it fell to Babayev and his deputies to sort out a mess of diverging positions. Most country leaders who spoke at the conference on Thursday said he has so far failed to do that. "I think there's a divide," said Eamon Ryan, the environment minister for Ireland, in a gaggle with reporters early Thursday. He accused the most recent U.N. proposal on mitigation -- the term of art for the U.N.'s decarbonization agenda -- of "sticking just to the status quo for vested interests in the current fossil fuel system." It's not just major oil producers who may oppose a more ambitious mitigation proposal: Several countries in the large G77 group of developing nations have been wary of endorsing a document with a firmer commitment to the energy transition without a complementary commitment from the world's high-emitting, wealthy nations to help pay for it. Harjeet Singh, the global director of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, an organization advocating for the global phaseout of oil and gas, said the developing countries' opposition to a decision that restates last year's UAE consensus is an attempt to push for more funding from the developed world. These countries don't want to re-endorse the energy transition decision from last year without a clear signal they'll get money to help move away from oil and gas and build out renewable energy. "It's a sequencing problem," he said. "We wanted [in Dubai] to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency. Who will provide finance for that?" There is also some evidence that the presidency has given space to the interests of major fossil fuel producers on the sidelines of the conference. Negotiators from several countries, who spoke to Grist on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing negotiations, have decried the presidency's last-minute appointment of a new leader to an official forum on the negative impacts of decarbonization efforts. The three negotiators who spoke to Grist have accused the presidency of making this decision on behalf of Saudi Arabia, despite widespread objections. This alleged intervention came during negotiations over a little-noticed agenda item titled "Impact of implementation of response measures." This unassuming item, which has been on COP agendas for decades, is a key forum for oil-producing countries. That's because "response measures" refers to policies that mitigate carbon emissions and climate change, and the forum is an opportunity to highlight the adverse effects of climate-friendly policies. Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries have traditionally used the Response Measures group as an opportunity to decry the harms that more climate-ambitious nations are causing them, according to negotiators who have held senior roles in response measures discussions. The forum's main task this year was to agree on the topics it should discuss over the next five years. The proposals under consideration include "economic diversification" and "impacts of the implementation of response measures on human rights" -- topics of special interest to the Saudis, who have an oil-centric economy and have been accused of violating human rights. The talks progressed well for the first few days at COP29, according to the three negotiators who were involved. But at the end of the week, Saudi Arabia moved to discredit negotiators from Botswana and Iceland who were leading the discussion, telling the presidency they weren't qualified and hadn't produced any results. On the first day of the conference's all-important final week, the Azerbaijani presidency then intervened to replace the two negotiators criticized by the Saudis and install a replacement named Andrei Marcu, a veteran COP negotiator from Brussels, Belgium, who is currently affiliated with the Honduran delegation and has represented Belize and Papua New Guinea in past climate talks. The decision to appoint Marcu incensed developing countries and the United States, who saw it as a favor to Saudi Arabia, according to the three delegation members who were involved in the response measures talks. In past COPs, Marcu has sought to chair the "response measures" agenda item, but developing countries have protested and forced him out, alleging him of steering the committee's work to favor the interests of oil-producing countries. "We've had problems with him before," said one negotiator from a developing country who has been deeply involved in the talks. Marcu resigned from the role on Tuesday amid criticism from Africa and the United States, but the presidency re-appointed him the following day. (The COP29 presidency, the Saudi Arabian delegation, and Marcu all did not respond to requests for comment from Grist.) Stagnation on the issue of fossil fuels appears likely to push the conference past its final scheduled day and into the weekend. As accusations flew at press conferences and huddles, the Azerbaijani presidency on midday Thursday convened a plenary session which it styled a qurultay, an Azerbaijani word for convention that also refers to a type of ancient military council. During the plenary, several countries voiced their dissatisfaction with the status quo on decarbonization and fossil fuels or chastised the presidency for failing to make progress on the goal to mobilize as much as $1.3 trillion in international climate finance. "We have heard clearly in this room that this text is completely disconnected from real lives," said Tina Stege, the climate envoy from the Marshall Islands, during the plenary. "We cannot play geopolitics with the lives of our citizens." A representative from Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, asserted at the plenary -- in apparent disregard for his country's own endorsement of the UAE consensus last year -- that it and other Arab countries "will not accept any text that targets specific sectors, including fossil fuels." After the plenary, Stege told Grist that the text on mitigation was "not a starting point that works." At the time, the conference was just over 24 hours away from its scheduled end. This story is provided as a service of the Institute for Nonprofit News’ On the Ground news wire. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) is a network of more than 475 independent, nonprofit newsrooms serving communities throughout the US, Canada, and globally. On the Ground is a service of INN, which aggregates the best of its members’ elections and political content, and provides it free for republication. Read more about INN here: https://inn.org/ . Please coordinate with rglickhouse@grist.org should you want to publish photos for this piece. This content cannot be modified, apart from rewriting the headline. To view the original version, visit: https://grist.org/international/cop29-deal-azerbaijan-saudi-arabia-mitigation/AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP) Research Coverage Started at Piper SandlerNasir Mansoor Qureshi, President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Friday called for the national dialogue to address the economic challenges ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Nov, 2024) Mansoor Qureshi, President of the of and (ICCI) on Friday called for the national dialogue to address the economic challenges. He emphasized that political stability was the cornerstone of economic and national prosperity. He urged parties to set aside their differences and engage in a constructive national dialogue to formulate comprehensive, long-term economic policies that serve the nation’s interests and uplift its people, said a press release issued here Friday. Highlighting the critical link between political harmony and economic recovery, Qureshi asserted that ’s mounting financial challenges, including industrial closures, soaring power tariffs, excessive taxation, and escalating unemployment, can only be addressed through a stable and collaborative political framework. He stressed that the worsening political polarization aggravates these issues, deterring entrepreneurial activity, and stifling economic growth. Qureshi painted a stark picture of the current crisis, citing deteriorating , pervasive , nepotism and a volatile political climate as key barriers to attracting foreign direct investment. These factors, he noted, have severely undermined ’s economic potential, leaving industries and businesses on the brink of collapse. For to emerge this dilemma, Qureshi underscored the need for robust governance, institutional integrity, and unwavering commitment to policy continuity. He called upon political leaders to prioritize the nation’s economic stability over partisan interests, emphasizing that good governance and cohesive policymaking are imperative for fostering sustainable development, reducing poverty, and improving the livelihoods of citizens. “The time for divisive is over,” Qureshi declared. “The nation demands leadership that transcends political rivalries, prioritizes the public good, and sets a foundation for enduring economic resilience and growth.” This call for comes at a pivotal moment. grapples with unprecedented challenges that require a unified vision and decisive action political factions to secure the nation’s future.

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All the hard work the Vikings put in on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field almost fell by the wayside after they failed to recover an onside kick in the final minute. That paved the way for Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos to send the game into overtime with a 48-yard field goal as time expired. ADVERTISEMENT As proud as head coach Kevin O’Connell was that the Vikings still managed to escape with a 30-27 overtime win, he also was irked that lack of execution on the onside kick nearly cost them. What went wrong? Though it looked like nothing more than a fluky bounce, it was actually a misread by tight end Johnny Mundt that resulted in the ball hitting him. Asked about the particular play, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels said as soon as Mundt realized it was going to be a watermelon kick, he should’ve attacked the ball rather than engaged in a block. “He’s got to have some awareness right there,” Daniels said. “He didn’t see where the ball was at.” The use of the watermelon kick has become much more common across the NFL over the past few seasons. It’s executed by placing the ball on its side and kicking the point to create a spinning motion. The hope is to create enough spin with the watermelon kick that the ball travels the required 10 yards. The only issue? The rules say the kicking team can’t touch any member of the receiving team on an onside kick until the ball crosses 10 yards. ADVERTISEMENT That’s why Daniels has stressed to his players the importance of attacking the ball in those situations. “That’s the No. 1 thing,” Daniels said. “As soon as we see it’s a watermelon kick, we are going to go get the ball.” Pace on injured list After suffering a hamstring injury over the weekend, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has been placed on injured reserve. As a result, he will have to miss at least the next month, with the Vikings hoping he can be ready to return by the time the playoffs roll around. It’s a tough blow for the Vikings heading into the home stretch as Pace has developed into a key contributor on defense. As a way to add some depth amid the loss, the Vikings signed linebacker Jamin Davis to their active roster, poaching him from the Green Bay Packers, who had signed him to their practice squad. There might be some untapped potential in Davis considering the Washington Commanders selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft. He has totaled 282 tackles, seven sacks, an interception and a pair of forced fumbles across 50 NFL games. Additionally, the Vikings also activated edge rusher Gabe Murphy from injured reserve. ADVERTISEMENT Quessenberry fills in The benefit of having veteran left tackle David Quessenberry on the roster is that he has proven capable of going into a game on short notice. After stepping up last month when star left tackle Christian Darrisaw went down with a knee injury, Quessenberry had his number called over the weekend when veteran left tackle Cam Robinson left the game with a foot injury. Though there were some ups and downs for Quessenberry in the game, his presence allowed the Vikings to continue to run their offense. “I thought he came in and played really well,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “The left side really wasn’t an issue with him in there. We weren’t thinking like, ‘Oh god. We’ve got to get chips over there. We’ve got to try to formation these things where we can help him out every play.’ We felt pretty comfortable with him felling in and playing that role.” Evans gets claimed After being cut by the Vikings over the weekend, cornerback Akayleb Evans was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers. It will be a fresh start for Evans as he looks to get his career back on track. Though he started 15 games for the Vikings last season, Evans barely played at all on defense this season. He was buried on the depth chart behind veteran cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr., and Shaq Griffin. Why didn’t it work out for Evans? ADVERTISEMENT “Sometimes it becomes a numbers situation,” defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “He’s a talented player who has a place in this league. I wish him all the best in Carolina. He’s going to do a great job for them.” ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

In conclusion, Real Madrid's talismanic forward Mbappé found himself on the wrong side of the offside trap multiple times in a high-stakes derby against Barcelona, highlighting the importance of strategic discipline and precision in executing attacking plays. The result served as a stark reminder that even the most talented players and well-prepared teams can falter in the face of a formidable opponent's defensive tactics. As the footballing world looked on, the stage was set for Real Madrid to regroup, learn from their mistakes, and come back stronger in their pursuit of victory on the pitch.Mukul Agrawal Portfolio Stock: ICICI Securities Sees 74% Potential Upside; BUY PTC?Southwest Airlines Co. Announcement: Southwest Airlines Co. Investors Are Encouraged to Contact ...

Exclusive │ Xiaohongshu Establishes Application Algorithm Department, Xiaohou Appointed as Department HeadRegardless of the outcome of the investigation, one thing is clear: this saga has cast a shadow over the reputation of Manchester City and has raised serious questions about the governance of the club. The Premier League, as well as football's governing bodies, must take swift and decisive action to address these allegations and uphold the integrity of the sport.

One of the most impressive aspects of the map function is its integration of traditional Chinese art elements. From intricate ink brush strokes to intricate patterns and textures, the map reflects the beauty and depth of Chinese culture. Each region is distinctively designed, drawing inspiration from classic Chinese paintings and folklore, creating a visually stunning and immersive experience for players.5. Courtroom Proceedings and Testimony:

No. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streakTrump victory forces once vocal corner of Wall Street to regroup

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes meanwhile carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate a wider problem in the armed forces. Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Defense, wasn’t alone. The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page highlighted the same report as evidence that extremists in military communities were “phantoms” created by a “false media narrative.” The X account for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee posted that the study showed the focus on extremism in the military was a “witch hunt.” But The Associated Press has found that the study relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. Trump's threat to impose tariffs could raise prices for consumers, colliding with promise for relief DETROIT (AP) — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists and industry officials say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The president-elect floated the tariff idea and an additional 10% tax on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday threatening tariffs on his first day in office could be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. Mexico suggests it would impose its own tariffs to retaliate against any Trump tariffs MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has suggested Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own, after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican goods if the country doesn’t stop the flow of drugs and migrants across the border. Sheinbaum says she is willing to engage in talks on the issues, but said drugs were a U.S. problem. She says "one tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses,” referring to U.S. automakers that have plants on both sides of the border. After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition team to coordinate with the existing federal workforce ahead of taking office on Jan. 20. The overdue agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House has issued appeals in both public and private for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in the process meant to ensure an orderly transfer of power at noon on Jan. 20 and limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without being aware of ongoing programs and operations. Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report says SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a Federal Police report that has been unsealed. Brazil’s Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. Bolsonaro called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, that would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The proposal, which would not be finalized until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, could cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. It would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some people have labeled them miracle drugs. New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. That's according to a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. It's expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. The practice is supported by a decade of research, during which 500 transplants of kidneys and livers from HIV-positive donors have been done in the U.S. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision. Ukraine says Russian attack sets a new record for the number of drones used KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Ukrainian air force says Russia launched 188 drones against most regions of Ukraine in a nighttime blitz, describing it as a record number of drones deployed in a single attack. It said Tuesday that most of the drones were intercepted, but apartment buildings and critical infrastructure such as the national power grid were damaged. No casualties were immediately reported in the 17 targeted regions. Russia has been hammering civilian areas of Ukraine with increasingly heavy drone, missile and glide bomb attacks since the middle of the year. The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, issued a rare official acknowledgement of its assets being hit on its own soil by U.S.-made longer-range missiles that the U.S. recently authorized Ukraine to use.FDA Approves Premarket Approval Application for OraQuick HIV Self-Test, Expanding Access to Adolescents

Another important aspect of the campaign is to address the challenges and pressures faced by teachers in their daily work. This includes tackling issues such as excessive workload, classroom management difficulties, and emotional burnout. By providing teachers with the necessary support and resources to cope with these challenges, the government aims to create a more conducive and fulfilling work environment for educators.Pune, Dec. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrusion Detection System Market Size Analysis: “ The SNS Insider report indicates that the Intrusion Detection System Market was valued at USD 5.71 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to USD 11.43 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period of 2024-2032. ” Growing Demand for Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) Amid Rising Cyber Threats The proliferation of cyber threats and the need to protect sensitive data have significantly escalated the demand for Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). As businesses advance in their digital transformation initiatives and the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, vulnerabilities within networks increase. Consequently, organizations are prioritizing next-generation IDS systems to mitigate risks. Industries such as healthcare, banking, IT, and government are allocating larger budgets to procure these systems to safeguard their networks and sensitive data from advanced cyberattacks. The Rising Importance of Cloud Security The increasing adoption of cloud-based services and applications has heightened security challenges for organizations. Cloud environments are inherently decentralized, exposing them to various security threats. Reports indicate that by 2025, 85% of enterprises will operate on hybrid cloud infrastructures, making advanced IDS systems a necessity. These systems provide enhanced monitoring capabilities to identify unauthorized activities and mitigate risks in distributed cloud environments. Get a Sample Report of Intrusion Detection System Market @ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/4660 Major Players Analysis Listed in this Report are: Palo Alto Networks (Palo Alto Networks WildFire, Cortex XDR) Cisco (Cisco Firepower Next-Generation Firewall, Cisco Advanced Malware Protection) McAfee (McAfee Enterprise Security Manager, McAfee Advanced Threat Protection) Fortinet (FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall, FortiSandbox) IBM (IBM QRadar Security Intelligence Platform, IBM Security Guardium Data Security Platform) Check Point Software Technologies (Check Point Infinity Architecture, Check Point Threat Prevention) Trend Micro (Trend Micro Deep Security, Trend Micro Network Security Platform) Sophos (Sophos XG Firewall, Sophos Intercept X Advanced Endpoint Protection) Kaspersky (Kaspersky Security Center, Kaspersky Endpoint Security) Symantec (Symantec Endpoint Protection, Symantec Advanced Threat Protection) Rapid7 (InsightVM Vulnerability Management, InsightIDR Security Detection and Response) Darktrace (Darktrace Enterprise Immune System, Darktrace Antigena) CrowdStrike, (CrowdStrike Falcon Platform, CrowdStrike Falcon Endpoint Protection) Carbon Black (Carbon Black Cloud Platform, Carbon Black Endpoint Protection) Qualys (Qualys Vulnerability Management and Compliance, Qualys Cloud Agent) Tripwire (Tripwire Enterprise, Tripwire Log Center) ArcSight (ArcSight Enterprise Security Management (ESM), ArcSight Logger) LogRhythm (LogRhythm NextGen SIEM, LogRhythm Threat Detection and Response) AlienVault (AlienVault OSSIM, AlienVault Threat Intelligence Platform) Suricata (Suricata Open-source IDS, Suricata Cloud IDS) Intrusion Detection System Market Report Scope: Do you have any specific queries or need any customization research on Intrusion Detection System Market, Make an Enquiry Now@ https://www.snsinsider.com/enquiry/4660 Revolutionizing IDS with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning The integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into IDS technology has transformed the cybersecurity landscape. AI-driven IDS solutions can process vast volumes of data, identify anomalies, and execute timely responses to potential security breaches. These systems reduce false positives, enhance threat detection accuracy, and provide real-time insights. For example, research conducted by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory found that AI-based IDS solutions can reduce detection times by up to 60% compared to traditional methods. Segmentation Analysis By Component The solution segment dominated the market and represented a significant revenue share of 56%, owing to the rising demand for automated threat detection in real time. Below we explore key solutions such as network-based and host-based IDS which are essential to defending sensitive information against increasingly advanced cyber intrusions. This leadership is driven by the need for higher security measures in industries such as healthcare, banking, and government. The implementation of AI and machine learning additionally boosts the efficiency of these solutions, thereby accelerating market growth. In addition, the increasing regulatory compliance requirements are also boosting the adoption of IDS solutions in many industries. The services segment is estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth can be attributable to the increasing demand for installation, integration, and support through managed services. Thus, the need for these services has skyrocketed with many organizations looking for experts to help administer and configure them. With the growing sophistication of cyber threats, businesses need constant monitoring and regular updates which is why, there has been an increased demand for IDS services. Intrusion Detection System Market Segmentation: By Component Type Solution SERVICES By Deployment Type Cloud-Based Infrastructure-Based By End-User Type BFSI IT & Communication Aerospace and Defense Software Industry Manufacturing Regional Landscape North America dominated the Intrusion Detection System (IDS) market and represented a significant revenue share in 2023. Supported by the wide-scale implementation of next-generation cybersecurity technologies and the concentration of significant IDS solution providers in this region, it is mainly responsible for this leadership. Market growth is largely due to increasing U.S. data protection regulations and the increasing incidence of cyberattacks on a wide variety of industries, including finance, healthcare, and IT. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to achieve the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. Rapid digital transformation in countries like China, India, and Japan is driving this surge resulting in massive demand for robust IDS solutions. The increase in investment in cybersecurity infrastructure, awareness of cyber exhibitions, and an increase in the number of data breaches are the primary factors fueling this market growth. Cloud and hybrid environments are also expanding in the region, while government-backed digital security initiatives are contributing to rapid adoption of IDS technologies. Buy an Enterprise-User PDF of Intrusion Detection System Market Analysis & Outlook 2024-2032@ https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/4660 Recent Developments March 2024- Cisco expanded its portfolio with an AI-powered intrusion detection platform. This new system uses machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies in network traffic and identify emerging threats more effectively. April 2024 - Palo Alto Networks launched an updated version of its IDS system, integrating enhanced deep packet inspection (DPI) to detect sophisticated cyberattacks, particularly in cloud environments. Table of Contents – Major Key Points 1. Introduction 2. Executive Summary 3. Research Methodology 4. Market Dynamics Impact Analysis 5. Statistical Insights and Trends Reporting 6. Competitive Landscape 7. Intrusion Detection System Market Segmentation, By Component Type 8. Intrusion Detection System Market Segmentation, By End-Use Type 9. Intrusion Detection System Market Segmentation, By Deployment Type 10. Regional Analysis 11. Company Profiles 12. Use Cases and Best Practices 13. Conclusion Access Complete Report Details of Intrusion Detection System Market Analysis Report 2024-2032@ https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/intrusion-detection-system-market-4660 [For more information or need any customization research mail us at info@snsinsider.com] SNS Insider Offering/ Consulting Services: Go To Market Assessment Service Total Addressable Market (TAM) Assessment Competitive Benchmarking and Market Share Gain Buying Options 5 Reports Pack (USD 7500) 10 Report Pack (USD 12000) Vertical Subscription (150 Reports Pack Valid for 1 Year) Use this link to Purchase above packs @ https://www.snsinsider.com/subscription SNS Insider SNS Insider is a market research company that delivers evidence based strategies for clients seeking growth. About Us: SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world.

In a recent interview with a popular entertainment magazine, Xiaohua, a well-known actress and singer, surprised everyone by revealing that her husband's idol is none other than the famous Chinese singer, Dao Lang. Known for his distinctive long hair and soulful melodies, Dao Lang has a dedicated fan base that spans across generations. However, Xiaohua's declaration added an intriguing twist to the story, as she humorously challenged Dao Lang by saying, "Even if I have short hair, I can still rock the look!"SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State's Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. A double-digit victory in a packed, loud arena. Toughness from a deep, experienced lineup that once again is driven to win an elusive national championship. And, peeking a few seasons ahead, he saw an SDSU team that he views more as a future Pac-12 partner than rival. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.

What does it mean to police a community as diverse as Squamish? How can law enforcement better connect with Indigenous communities to build trust and respect? For Const. Kelly Dean of the Integrated First Nations Policing Unit (IFNU), these questions aren’t just theoretical—they’re at the heart of his everyday work. “In my role, it’s different,” Dean shared during an interview with The Squamish Chief. “I have a heart connection with the community. When something happens, it’s not just a call—I see how it impacts families. The community feels like my extended family.” Established in 2008, the Integrated First Nations Policing Unit (IFNU) serves the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, covering Squamish, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver. Based on the North Shore, IFNU is “focused on providing enhanced policing services that are culturally sensitive and responsive to the First Nations,” reads the website. IFNU collaborates with First Nations leadership and departments to address community concerns, provide investigative support, and ensure emergency responses align with the priorities outlined in the Integrated First Nations Policing Agreement. “We’re not frontline officers responding to every 911 call,” Dean said. “Our job is to connect general duty officers with the community in culturally appropriate ways.” According to a 2022 Statistics Canada report, one in five Indigenous individuals expressed a lack of confidence in the police, a much higher proportion than non-Indigenous populations. Another 2020/2021 Statistics Canada report also revealed that Indigenous people are incarcerated at a rate 8.4 times higher than non-Indigenous individuals. According to Dean, one way the IFNU fosters trust is through intentional, trauma-aware practices. “We don’t wear the RCMP’s yellow-striped pants or grey shirts,” Dean said. “Our vehicles don’t display the standard buffalo logo, which can be a trauma trigger. Instead, we use artwork by Squamish artist Rick Harry. These choices are intentional—to reduce trauma and build trust.” Dean’s traditional name, s7íl̓chi (pronounced eeth-chay), given to him in a ceremony in 2021, reflects this responsibility. Meaning “The Bowman,” it symbolizes a protector in the canoe. “It’s a lot of responsibility,” he said. “I don’t take for granted the amount of trust the community places in me, and I reciprocate that trust.” Dean’s role extends across almost 6,700 square kilometres, including reserve lands and unoccupied areas like fee-simple properties being returned to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation). A ‘fee simple property’ is a real estate property that is owned outright, without limitations, and with the highest form of ownership. The growing popularity of the Squamish Valley for recreation has added new complexities to his work. “During COVID, there was a massive influx of people coming to the valley,” he said. “We’ve had to enforce Section 58 closures to prevent people from driving or camping in sensitive areas like riverbeds. These measures aim to protect salmon habitats and address declining fish stocks—issues that are deeply important to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation.” Increased recreation has also brought safety risks. “A few years ago, a wildfire started because someone was target shooting on Crown land,” Dean said. “Sparks from their rounds ignited a fire. Now, certain areas have signs prohibiting target shooting, though hunting is still permitted.” Dean acknowledged the challenges of managing such a vast territory alone. “It’s a lot for one person, and adding another officer to support the community would make a significant difference,” he said. For Dean, policing is about more than enforcement—it’s about connection. “I spend time with Elders, drum and sing, and even learn the language,” he said. “I’m a self-taught language learner, with guidance from mentors. It’s a challenge, but it’s so rewarding.” Dean also participates in community initiatives like youth camps and canoe journeys. He’s part of the Sema7maka canoe family and supports Tribal Journeys by ensuring safety on the water. “One of the best things I can do is support culture and language,” he said. “It’s fulfilling for me and helps grow understanding within the broader community.” Dean’s mixed ancestry—Danish, Scottish, and Blackfoot—gives him a personal perspective on Indigenous identity. “My grandmother married a non-Nation person, and her Indian status was revoked,” he said. “Status is 100% a colonial construct. Indigenous identity is about much more than a government-issued number.” Dean highlighted the complexities of the Indian Act, which can impact community members’ rights to hunting, fishing, and other cultural practices. “Conservation officers might determine someone’s rights based on their status number,” he said. “But you can have direct Sḵwx̱wú7mesh lineage and still not meet the government’s criteria for status. It’s a complicated and often unfair system.” Dean also works to address misconceptions about law enforcement, particularly those influenced by United States media. “In the U.S., every police show seems to involve a shootout,” he said. “That’s just not reflective of the Canadian perspective. Most officers I’ve worked with are compassionate people who genuinely want to help.” Dean emphasized the importance of highlighting the positive work being done by Indigenous officers across B.C. “Every year, I meet with around 160 Indigenous police officers to discuss these issues,” he said. “It’s important to share what’s working and support one another.” While the IFNU has made strides in fostering trust and cultural understanding, Dean sees room for growth. “We’re involved in initiatives that go beyond traditional policing to benefit the community,” he said. “But with the size of our territory and the volume of calls we handle, adding another officer would make a significant difference, especially for recreation-related issues.” “I don’t do anything performatively—it’s the opposite,” he said. “I’m passionate about showing that being a police officer doesn’t have to be authoritarian.” Bhagyashree Chatterjee is The Squamish Chief’s Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

As word quickly spread that Xiang Zuo was in the vicinity, the salon was soon filled to capacity with eager spectators hoping to witness the star in person. The sound of excited chatter and camera shutters filled the air, creating a palpable buzz of energy and excitement that electrified the atmosphere.“Barbenheimer” was a phenomenon impossible to manufacture. But, more than a year later, that hasn’t stopped people from trying to make “Glicked” — or even “Babyratu” — happen. The counterprogramming of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office. This combination of images shows promotional art for "Gladiator II," left, and "Wicked." And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, “Saw Patrol” ). This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation “Wicked” opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic “Gladiator II.” Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: “Wickiator,” “Wadiator,” “Gladwick” and even the eyebrow raising “Gladicked” have all been suggested. “'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more,” actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of “Gladiator II” this week. “I think we should all band around ‘Glicked.’ It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it.” As with “Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, “Glicked” also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging muscles. Both films topped Fandango’s most anticipated holiday movie survey, where 65% of respondents said that they were interested in the “Glicked” double feature. Theaters big and small are also pulling out the stops with movie-themed tie-ins. B&B Theaters will have Roman guards tearing tickets at some locations and Maximus popcorn tubs. Marcus Theaters is doing Oz photo ops and friendship bracelet-making. Alamo Drafthouse is leaning into the singalong aspect (beware, though, not all theaters are embracing this) and the punny drinks like “Defying Gravi-Tea.” This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande in a scene from the film "Wicked." “Rather than it being in competition, I think they’re in conversation,” “Gladiator II” star Paul Mescal said. “This industry needs a shot in the arm. Those films gave it last year. We hope to do it this year.” And the hope is that audiences will flock to theaters to be part of this moment as well. It's a sorely needed influx of could-be blockbusters into a marketplace that's still at an 11% deficit from last year and down 27.2% from 2019, according to data from Comscore. “Competition is good for the marketplace. It’s good for consumers,” said Michael O'Leary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. “Having two great movies coming out at the same time is simply a multiplier effect.” “Glicked” is currently tracking for a combined North American debut in the $165 million range, with “Wicked” forecast to earn around $100 million (up from the $80 million estimates a few weeks ago) and “Gladiator II” pegged for the $65 million range. “Barbenheimer” shattered its projections last July. Going into that weekend, “Barbie” had been pegged for $90 million and “Oppenheimer” around $40 million. Ultimately, they brought in a combined $244 million in that first outing, and nearly $2.4 billion by the end of their runs. It’s possible “Glicked” will exceed expectations, too. And it has the advantage of another behemoth coming close behind: “Moana 2,” which opens just five days later on the Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday. “Glickedana” triple feature anyone? This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Pedro Pascal, left, and Paul Mescal in a scene from "Gladiator II." “These are 10 important days,” O'Leary said. “It’s going to show the moviegoing audience that there’s a lot of compelling stuff out there for them to see.” There are infinite caveats to the imperfect comparison to “Barbenheimer,” as well. “Wicked” is a “Part One.” Musicals carry their own baggage with moviegoers, even those based on wildly successful productions (ahem, “Cats”). “Gladiator II” got a head start and opened internationally last weekend. In fact, in the U.K. it played alongside “Paddington in Peru,” where that double was pegged “Gladdington.” “Gladiator” reviews, while positive, are a little more divided than the others. And neither directors Ridley Scott nor Jon M. Chu has the built-in box office cache that Christopher Nolan’s name alone carries at the moment. The new films also cost more than “Barbie” ($145 million) and “Oppenheimer” ($100 million). According to reports, “Gladiator II” had a $250 million price tag; “Wicked” reportedly cost $150 million to produce (and that does not include the cost of the second film, due next year). The narrative, though, has shifted away from “who will win the weekend.” Earlier this year, Chu told The Associated Press that he loves that this is a moment where “we can root for all movies all the time.” Close behind are a bevy of Christmas releases with double feature potential, but those feel a little more niche. There’s the remake of “Nosferatu,” the Nicole Kidman kink pic “Babygirl” and the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.” The internet can’t even seem to decide on its angle for that batch of contenders, and none exactly screams blockbuster. Sometimes the joy is just in the game, however. Some are sticking with the one-name mashup (“Babyratu”); others are suggesting that the fact that two of the movies feature real-life exes (Timothée Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp) is enough reason for a double feature. And getting people talking is half the battle. When in doubt, or lacking a catchy name, there’s always the default: “This is my Barbenheimer.” Associated Press journalist John Carucci and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed reporting. Last summer, Malibu's iconic blonde faced off against Cillian Murphy and the hydrogen bomb in the unforgettable "Barbenheimer" double feature. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!Furthermore, China Life's solid financial performance is supported by its strong risk management capabilities and prudent investment strategies. The company has maintained a conservative investment approach and diversified its investment portfolio to mitigate risks and maximize returns for policyholders.

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4 easy, comforting bean dishes for fallWASHINGTON — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request. The airline said in an email that the problem was caused by trouble with vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. An American Airlines employee wearing looks toward quiet check-in counters Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the system known as FOS. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Out of the 3,901 domestic and international American Airlines flights scheduled for Tuesday, 19 were canceled. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights departed within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — arrived at their destinations as scheduled. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 3,712 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 55 flights canceled. It did not show any flights from American Airlines. Cirium said Dallas-Fort Worth, New York's Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Travelers wait in line for security checks Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms developed in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. Any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have "interline agreements" that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. An American Airlines employee wearing a Santa Claus hat walks through the American terminal Tuesday at Miami International Airport in Miami. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. Finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. American Airlines employees check in travelers Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. "Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation's highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. "It's not the destination, it's the journey," said American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph clearly was not among the travellers on one of more than 350 cancelled or 1,400 delayed flights after a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrike's "Falcon Sensor" software in July of 2023. U.S. airlines carried nearly 863 million travellers in 2023, with Canadian carriers accounting for another 150 million, many of whom experienced lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, or were bumped off their flights. It's unclear how many of them were compensated for these inconveniences. Suffice it to say, posting a crabby rant on social media might temporarily soothe anger, but it won't put wasted money back in pockets. Money.ca shares what to know in order to be compensated for the three most common air travel headaches. Bags elected to go on a vacay without you? Check off the following: If you expect a large payout, think again. Tariffs (air carrier contracts) limit the compensation amounts for "loss of, damage to, or the delay in delivery of baggage or other personal property." In the case of Air Canada, the maximum payout is $1,500 per passenger in the currency of the country where the baggage was processed. To raise that limit, purchase a Declaration of Higher Value for each leg of the trip. The charge is $0.50 for each $100, in which case the payout limit is $2,500. For Delta Air Lines, passengers are entitled to up to $3,800 in baggage compensation, though how much you'll receive depends on your flight. Delta will pay up to $2,080 for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage for international travellers, almost half of what U.S. domestic passengers can claim. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. Different air carriers and jurisdictions have their own compensation policies when flights are delayed or cancelled. For example, under European Union rules, passengers may receive up to 600 Euros, even when travelling on a non-EU carrier. Similarly, the DOT states that travellers are entitled to a refund "if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel." However, US rules regarding delays are complicated. Some air carriers, such as Air Canada, do not guarantee their flight schedules. They're also not liable for cancellations or changes due to "force majeure" such as weather conditions or labour disruptions. If the delay is overnight, only out-of-town passengers will be offered hotel accommodation. Nevertheless, many airlines do offer some compensation for the inconvenience. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. In terms of cash compensation, what you'll get can differ significantly based on things like departure location, time, carrier, and ticket class. The DOT offers a helpful delay and cancellations dashboard designed to keep travellers informed about their compensation rights. The dashboard is particularly helpful because, as the DOT states on its website, "whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances." The Canadian Transportation Agency is proposing air passenger protection regulations that guarantee financial compensation to travellers experiencing flight delays and cancellations, with the level of compensation varying depending on the situation and how much control the air carrier had. The proposed regulations include the following: The airline is obligated to complete the passenger's itinerary. If the new ticket is for a lower class of service, the air carrier would have to refund the cost difference; if the booking is in a higher class of service, passengers cannot be charged extra. If the passenger declines the ticket, the airline must give a full refund, in addition to the prescribed compensation. For overnight delays, the air carrier needs to provide hotel accommodation and transportation free-of-charge. Again, if you are unsatisfied, the Canadian Transportation Agency or Department of Transportation may advocate on your behalf. Passengers get bumped because airlines overbook. When this happens, the air carrier must compensate you. For international flights in the US, the rate is 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $675 maximum. If the airline does not make travel arrangements for you, the payout is 400% of your one-way fare to a maximum of $1,350. To qualify, you must check-in by the stated deadline, which on international flights can be up to 3 hours ahead. Keep in mind that if you accept the cash, you are no longer entitled to any further compensation, nor are you guaranteed to be rebooked on a direct flight or similar type of seat. Don't be too quick to give up your boarding pass. Negotiate for the best compensation deal that would include cash, food and hotel vouchers, flight upgrade, lounge passes, as well as mileage points. But avoid being too greedy—if the gate attendant is requesting volunteers and you wait too long, you'll miss the offer. According to Air Canada's tariff, if a passenger is involuntarily bumped, they'll receive $200, in cash or bank draft, for up to a two-hour delay; $400 for a 2-6 hours delay; and $800 if the delay is over six hours. (Air Canada was forced to raise its payouts in 2013 due to passenger complaints.) The new rules would raise the payout significantly: $900 for up to six hours; $1,800 for 6-9; and $2,400 for more than nine hours, all to be paid within 48 hours. Statistically speaking, Delta Airlines is the carrier most likely to bump. A few years ago, Delta raised its payout maximum to $9,950, while United Airlines tops out at $10,000. This story was produced by Money.ca and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Heisman watch: Who are the Heisman Trophy frontrunners after Week 13?Gretchen McKay | (TNS) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Beans are kind of like the your best friend from high school — nearly forgotten but always ready to step back into the limelight and help out an old pal when needed. As gorgeously (and tantalizingly) demonstrated in Rancho Gordo’s new cookbook, “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans” (Ten Speed, $35), beans are indeed a magical fruit, though not in the way you heard as a kid. Classified as both a vegetable and a plant-based protein in the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, beans and other legumes can be the ingredient you build an entire vegetarian or veggie-forward meal around. Or, they can help an economical cook stretch a dish twice as far with nutritious calories. A healthful and shelf-staple plant food — they last for years when dried — beans have been among a home cook’s most reliable pantry items for a very long time. (Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are thought to have been grown in Mexico more than 7,000 years ago.) That’s why, for some, they’re often something of an afterthought, especially if the only time you ate them as a kid was when your mom tossed kidney beans into a pot of beef chili or made baked beans (with brown sugar and bacon, please!) for a family cookout. Related Articles Restaurants Food and Drink | Do not wash your turkey and other Thanksgiving tips to keep your food safe Restaurants Food and Drink | Frying a turkey this Thanksgiving? Here are some tips to stay safe Restaurants Food and Drink | 5 budget-friendly Thanksgiving dinner ideas Restaurants Food and Drink | The future of Thanksgiving is takeout and hosts couldn’t be happier Restaurants Food and Drink | A starry Thanksgiving: Recipes beloved by Donna Kelce, Eric Stonestreet, Taylor Swift Vegetarians have always appreciated their versatility and nutritional punch, and because they’re cheap, they also were quite popular during the Great Depression and World War II as C rations. Sales also peaked during the coronavirus pandemic, when shoppers stockpiled long-lasting pantry essentials. It wasn’t until Rancho Gordo, a California-based bean company, trotted out its branded packages of colorful heirloom beans that the plant began to take on cult status among some shoppers. Unlike the bean varieties commonly found in even the smallest grocery stores, heirloom beans are mostly forgotten varieties that were developed on a small scale for certain characteristics, with seeds from the best crops passed down through the generations. The result is beans that are fresher and more colorful than mass-produced beans, and come in different shapes and sizes. They also have a more complex and intense flavor, fans say. “The Bean Book” dishes up dozens of different ways to cook Rancho Gordo’s 50 heirloom bean varieties, which include red-streaked cranberry beans, mint-green flageolets, black and classic garbanzos and (my favorite) vaquero — which wear the same black-and-white spots as a Holstein cow. Other gotta-try varieties (if just for the name) include eye of the goat, European Soldier, Jacob’s Cattle and Good Mother Stallard, a purple bean with cream-colored flecks. “The very good news is that you have to work extra hard to mess up a pot of beans, and it’s not difficult to make an excellent pot,” Steve Sando writes in the book’s foreword. “The even better news is that you become a better cook with each pot you make.” Not convinced? Here are five reasons to jump on the bean bandwagon: Even the smallest grocery store will have a selection of dried and canned beans. Common varieties include black, cannellini (white kidney), Great Northern, pinto, navy, kidney, Lima and garbanzo (chickpea) beans. Even when they’re not on sale, beans are a bargain at the supermarket. Many varieties cost less than $1 a can, and dried beans are an economical way to build a menu. I paid $1.25 for a one-pound bag of cranberry beans, a smooth and velvety bean with a slightly nutty flavor, at my local grocery store. Rancho Gordo’s heirloom beans cost substantially more. (They run $6.25-$7.50 for a one-pound bag, with free shipping on orders over $50.) But they are sold within a year of harvest, which makes them more flavorful and tender. A bag also comes with cooking instructions and recipe suggestions, and the quality is outstanding. Plus, after cooking their beans with aromatics, “you are left with essentially free soup,” Sando writes in the cookbook. “If you drain properly cooked and seasoned beans, the liquid you are left with is delicious.” Beans are a great source of plant-based protein and both soluble and insoluble fiber, and they include essential minerals like iron, magnesium and potassium. If you’re watching your weight or following a particular diet, beans are naturally free of fat, sodium and cholesterol and are rich in complex carbohydrates. They also contain antioxidants and folate. And if you’re vegan or vegetarian, most types of dry beans are rich sources of iron. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 1-3 cups of legumes, including beans, per week Dry beans have to be soaked overnight, but cooking them is easy. They can be cooked on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, in the pressure cooker and in the oven. Canned beans are even easier — just rinse and drain, and they’re ready to go. Beans can be used in so many different dishes. They can be made into soup, salad or dips, top nachos, add some heft to a casserole or be mashed into the makings of a veggie burger. You also can add them to brownies and other baked goods, toss them with pasta, add them to chili or a rice bowl or stuff them into a taco or burrito. Check out these four recipes: PG tested This light and creamy vegetarian soup benefits from a surprising garnish, roasted shiitake mushrooms, which taste exactly like bacon. For soup 1/4 cup olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 medium carrot, scrubbed and chopped 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or pressed 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 cups vegetable broth 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed For bacon 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps cut into 1/8 -inch slices 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt To finish Plant-based milk Chili oil, for drizzling Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make soup: In large pot, heat oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fragrant and tender, 8-10 minutes. Add vegetable stock and beans, increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, 12-14 minutes. Meanwhile, make the bacon: Spread shiitake mushrooms into a single layer on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake until browned and crispy, 18-20 minutes, rotating pan front to back and tossing mushrooms with a spatula halfway through. Let cool in pan; mushrooms will continue to crisp as they cool. To finish, add some milk to the soup and use an immersion blender to puree it in the pot, or puree in a blender. (Cover lid with a clean kitchen towel.) Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Divide soup among bowls and top with shiitake bacon. Garnish with thyme sprigs and a drizzle of chili oil. Serves 4-6. — “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking” by Joe Yonan PG tested Velvety cranberry beans simmered with tomato and the punch of red wine vinegar are a perfect match for a soft bed of cheesy polenta. This is a filling, stick-to-your-ribs dish perfect for fall. 1/4 cup olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, juice reserved 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 4 fresh sage leaves Salt and pepper 4 cups cooked Lamon or cranberry beans 2 cups uncooked polenta 6 ounces pancetta, diced Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving In large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and red wine vinegar. In a small bowl, dissolve tomato paste in the broth and add to pan. Stir in sage and season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Add beans to tomato sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare polenta according to package instructions. Place pancetta in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel to drain. To serve, spoon polenta into serving dishes. Ladle the beans over the polenta and top with the pancetta. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with grated Parmesan. Serves 6. — “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans” by Steve Sando PG tested Beans and seafood might seen like an unusual pairing, but in this recipe, mild white beans take on a lot of flavor from clams. Spanish chorizo adds a nice contrast. 4 cups cooked white beans, bean broth reserved 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 white onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/2 cup finely chopped Spanish-style cured chorizo 2 plum tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 pounds small clams, scrubbed well Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish Country-style bread and butter, for serving In large pot, heat beans in their broth over medium-low heat. In large lidded saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic and salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo and cook gently until some of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine and cook to allow the flavors to mingle, 5-6 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add clams. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Uncover the pan and cook until all of the clams open, another few minutes. Remove pan from heat, then remove and discard any clams that failed to open. Add clam mixture to the bean pot and stir very gently until well mixed. Simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to mingle but not get mushy. Ladle into large, shallow bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Set out a large bowl for discarded shells and encourage guests to eat with their fingers. Pass plenty of good bread and creamy butter at the table Serves 4-6. — “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen” by Steve Sando with Julia Newberry PG tested So easy to pull together for your next party! 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 small garlic clove, minced Generous pinch of salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 or 3 tablespoons water, if needed 2 fresh basil leaves, chopped, optional 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped, optional In a food processor, pulse cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt and several grinds of pepper until combined. If it’s too thick, slowly add the water with the food processor running until it is smooth and creamy. Blend in the basil and/or rosemary, if using Serve with veggies, pita or bruschetta. Makes 1 1/2 cups — Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette ©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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As the global economy continues to navigate through uncertain times, all eyes are on the signals being sent by central banks around the world. In particular, the recent trend towards moderate easing has sparked conversations about the potential impact on next year's economic landscape and the shift in monetary policy that may accompany it.Furthermore, the growth in foreign exchange reserves highlights the resilience of the Chinese economy in the face of external challenges. Despite the ongoing trade tensions and global economic uncertainties, China's foreign exchange reserves have continued to expand, reflecting the country's strong trade performance and solid economic fundamentals.It is that time of the year, where we not only need to be grateful for all the good that happened, but also hold a mirror to ourselves to see where we can be better. It is no different for us at bl.portfolio . Here, we take this annual ritual very seriously as we are in the business of giving ideas for your hard-earned money. In the world of investing, no one can predict the markets with certainty but what we can do is prefer prudence over popularity and rationalism over exuberance. That has always been our credo and in the same spirit, we curated our product every week this year. Here is an honest report card of all we did 2024: Caution has been the watchword in our approach to and writings on the equity markets in 2024. On the back of the nearly 20 per cent rally in the markets in 2023, our equity outlook for 2024, published on January 7 , set the tone saying that while there was no case for pessimism, there was ample case for caution this year. Our stance emanated from the market valuation at the beginning of the year (23.8 times trailing) being above long-term averages as well as heightened optimism on earnings growth. In this firm belief, even as the markets raced to their all-time highs well into the year until end-September, we gave more hold/sell/book profit calls on stocks (44) as against buy/accumulate (31). Looking back, we stand vindicated, with the markets now 10 per cent below the September peak and India Inc faced with a consumption slowdown, a slow pick-up in private capex as well as a cooling off in earnings growth. In our assessment period for our stock calls (July 2023 to June 2024), we gave 117 calls across the primary (42) and secondary markets (75). About one-third of the sell /book profits/avoid calls have worked for us, prominent among them being the calls on telecom and IT players such as Vodafone Idea, Indus Towers, Tata Communications and Birlasoft. With Nifty IT up 23 per cent this year on the back of last year’s 22 per cent, book profit calls on stocks such as HCL Tech haven’t worked well. But we continue to remain watchful on IT stocks, as we believe the rally has been driven by valuation multiple expansion rather than earnings growth. Our book profits call on PSUs such as Power Grid and NHPC worked well too, but calls to take money out on IRFC, RVNL and Mazagon Dock, though backed by sound fundamental arguments, were given a bit early, in hindsight. These stocks have eventually seen corrections since the September market peak. Reiterating our cautious views on overvalued PSUs especially in the defence space, we highlighted the significant risks in holding on to these stocks, despite their growth potential. In our edition dated July 7 , we had noted why the stocks trading at obscene valuations would be unable to ‘ avert a painful retreat when market cycle attacks with a vengeance .’ It was near-perfect timing given the significant fall in defence stocks since then. Our article on the underlying factors driving the PSU rally published on May 11, 2024, is one of the top-read articles this year from the bl.portfolio section on our website. That said, half of our well-researched ‘buys’ this year (six in 11 calls) have outperformed the bellwether and the broader markets. These include value-picks NCC, KNR Constructions and UTI AMC, international pick Alphabet as well as Godrej Agrovet and Motilal Oswal Financial Services. In-house expertise on international investing is our USP, but we do admit we have been very choosy this year due to our conservative stance. Apart from the call on Alphabet mentioned above, we recommended a partial book profit on Meta Platforms in February 2024. Investors would have made 5x returns from our earlier buy recommendation in our November 2022 edition in a 14-month timeframe on this stock. This year, we also consciously covered special situations such as buyback, open offers, buyouts etc. to give more actionable ideas to investors on their existing shareholdings. The call to tender the shares at ₹10,000 in the Bajaj Auto buyback citing the massive rally and the valuation expansion has worked well, with the shares now trading 11 per cent below. Ditto with the ‘subscribe’ recommendation to the Grasim Rights issue, which has paid off. On the other hand, we found that we did not see much success with ‘accumulate’ and ‘hold’ calls. Only six of our 20 ‘accumulate’ calls (Nippon AMC, Caplin Point Labs being examples) provided opportunities to accumulate on dips. We also found that the 15 ‘hold’ calls (expected to perform inline with the markets) didn’t work for us. But it is better to err on the side of caution. On the fixed income side, at the beginning of the year , we were very clear that while rate cuts may or may not happen in India in 2024 , interest rates have peaked and that investors should make the best of the rates available. We found both the short-end and the long-end of the yield curve attractive and recommended bonds/mutual funds at these ends. Fast forward to end-2024 and 10-year G-Sec yields have dropped to 6.79 per cent from 7.21 per cent a year ago and a similar pattern can be seen across maturities. Investors have thus benefitted from a rally in bond prices this year. Keeping in tune with our cautious stance on equities as well as the expectation of a peaking out of interest rates, we carefully showcased options in categories such as balanced advantage, equity savings, multi-asset, ultra short-term as well as gilt/long-duration funds in our weekly ‘Fund Call’ space in the mutual fund section. For the risk-averse investors, we also recommended safer FD options across tenures from banks and NBFCs whenever attractive options came up. If you bet on gold as a diversifier this year, you would not be disappointed. Post gold’s decent 13 per cent upside in 2023 to end at $2,063 an ounce, we had predicted it to touch $2,200 this year (technical analysis) in our annual outlook published on January 14. We further followed it up with a more bullish case for gold in our article ‘ Goldilocks moment for gold ’, published on March 17 , as it neared $2,200 in early March. At that point, expectations of US Fed rate cut amidst some uncertainty on whether inflation battle was actually won or not, geopolitical turmoil in West Asia, Russia-Ukraine war and high government debt and fiscal deficit levels in developed countries, made the case for gold too good to ignore. Gold went on to hit a high of $2,790 in October this year. Although it has cooled off marginally from those levels, investors who had taken a cue from our writing would have been solidly rewarded. Rupee depreciation, too, has added to gains for investors in gold in India, offsetting some of the impact of customs duty cut in the July Budget. While we have been receiving your feedback regularly through mail or social media, 2024 has been a landmark year for brand bl.portfolio in terms of making an on-ground connection with readers/investors. Towards this, the first of the ‘ bl.portfolio Investor Conclave ’ was held in Coimbatore in June with a presentation followed by a panel discussion with various experts on the topic of retirement planning. This event was extremely well-received and enabled us to understand the mindset of our audience. There is a plan to do more such events especially in tier-2 cities in the coming year. With bl.portfolio being entirely behind paywall on our website, online subscribers are a lifeline. To reach out to them, we initiated subscriber-exclusive webinars this year. We have so far done one on US investing and another on the market outlook for 2025 is being planned soon. Our in-house technical analysis has a great following and to add value to these readers, we commenced our YouTube Shorts video series for the ‘Today’s Pick’ column (BL Today’s Pick: Stocks to Buy or Sell) this year. Our Nifty Prediction Weekly Video series, which has a big fan base, crossed a milestone of 100 episodes in March this year with 139 having been completed so far. This year, we also experimented with guest stories written by readers based on their personal investing experience. SEBI’s report on F&O trading put out in late September gave us this opportunity. Reader response to our call was overwhelming and at the same time, heart wrenching as well. We carried a few stories with their permission to help the larger investor community take away important lessons. As the New Year dawns, bl.portfolio will see new leadership at the helm. I step down after what has perhaps been the best four-and-a-half years both for the product as well as for me, professionally. The structural changes and demands that the pandemic brought about has seen team bl.portfolio grow from strength to strength in this period and am glad that I have been able to do my bit. The show will go on and if you are looking for best parking places for your money, fresh and unbiased perspectives await you in 2025 too, at bl.portfolio . Keep reading us in print or online, tuning into our podcasts and watching our videos. Do share your valuable feedback too. Happy New Year! Comments

In a small village tucked away in the remote countryside, an unusual event recently occurred that has left residents scratching their heads in confusion and, in some cases, a bit of fear. The mysterious "Four Unlikes" creature, known for its mystical and elusive nature, was spotted wandering around the village and helping itself to meals at the doorsteps of unsuspecting villagers.

As the truth gradually comes to light, one thing remains clear: the villagers' actions were guided by a spirit of solidarity and humanity, offering a ray of hope in a world that can sometimes seem cold and indifferent. Through their words and actions, they have shown that in times of uncertainty, it is compassion and empathy that can ultimately lead us back to the path of understanding and unity.MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — Steven Clay scored 15 points as Morehead State beat Alice Lloyd 94-63 on Saturday. Clay shot 6 for 12, including 3 for 8 from beyond the arc for the Eagles (7-6). Kenny White Jr. scored 14 points, finishing 7 of 9 from the floor. Jerone Morton, Tayler Brelsford and George Marshall all scored 13 points. Jared Strickland finished with 12 points and eight rebounds for the Eagles. Landon Napier added 10 points for Alice Lloyd. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Looking ahead, the outlook for Chinese concept stocks remains positive, supported by a combination of favorable market conditions and government policies. While challenges and uncertainties persist, the underlying strength of the Chinese economy and the resilience of Chinese companies provide a solid foundation for continued growth and innovation.Washington : President Joe Biden faces a backlash from Democrats angry over his decision to pardon his son – a move that blunts their line of attack on Donald Trump, the first convicted criminal to be re-elected president. Two days after Biden’s decision to spare Hunter Biden from the prospect of jail, the federal judge overseeing Hunter’s gun convictions terminated any further court proceedings in the case on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST). The judge overseeing the tax evasion case that Hunter was due to be sentenced for in California is soon expected to do the same. President Joe Biden embraces his son Hunter Biden at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August. Credit: NYT Biden decided to pardon his 52-year-old son on Sunday – the same day that Trump announced he had tapped MAGA loyalist Kash Patel to be the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Patel is a far-right extremist and former federal prosecutor who has previously said he wants to “annihilate the deep state”, which he believes is made up of senior bureaucrats, journalists, big tech and Democratic Party elected officials. “We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens and who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections,” he once told Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast while pushing unproven claims of voter fraud. “We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out.” Kash Patel has little of the law enforcement and management experience typical of FBI directors. Credit: AP As demoralised Democrats attempt to rebuild following Kamala Harris’ crushing election defeat, some in the party are fuming over the presidential pardon, which comes after Biden and his aides spent months saying he would adhere to the jury’s verdict and not grant such clemency. Michigan Democrat senator Gary Peters described it as an “improper use of power”, noting that “a president’s family and allies shouldn’t get special treatment”. Colorado Democrat senator Michael Bennett agreed, telling CNN: “It just gives the American people a sense that there’s one system for the rich and powerful and another system for everybody else.” And Virginia senator Tim Kaine had a similar sentiment, saying in a statement: “President Biden made a promise to not take this step, and I do not believe in breaking promises. We all need to follow the rule of law, even – especially – when it’s hard for us personally.” The internal dissent that Biden faces comes weeks before the US president leaves office after a political career spanning half a century. But the sweeping nature of the pardon – which covers not only the tax and gun convictions that Hunter faced but also any potential criminal activities that he “may have committed or taken part in” starting from January 2014 through to Sunday – has exposed the president to claims that he is abusing a justice system he long denied was being “weaponised”. The beginning date is significant as it is a few months before Hunter joined the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings – a position in which Republicans have accused him of violating foreign lobbying laws. They have also used Hunter’s business dealings as a political cudgel against his father, who was then vice president under Barack Obama. “Enough is enough,” Biden said on Sunday as he announced the pardon before leaving on his final presidential overseas trip to Angola. Donald Trump supporters storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Credit: AP Trump immediately responded by hinting at potential clemency for rioters who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. His list of past pardons also includes his former national security adviser Michael Flynn (who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the Russian interference investigation of Trump); Paul Manafort (convicted of tax and bank fraud as part of the Russia investigation) and former White House strategist Steve Bannon (charged with defrauding donors in a campaign to fund Trump’s border wall). Trump’s lawyers this week formally asked a judge to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the presidency.” They also cited Biden’s pardon of his son in the filing. “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’” Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theatre “that President Biden condemned.” The backlash over Biden’s pardon comes as Trump rounds out his new cabinet with loyalists who will help him carry out his second-term agenda. Among them is Fox News presenter Peter Hegseth, who has spent the past two days meeting senators on Capitol Hill amid fresh claims that he was forced out of leadership roles in two military veterans organisations following allegations of financial mismanagement, aggressive drunkenness and sexist behaviour. The 44-year-old military veteran was an unconventional choice for the top Pentagon job, as he has never led a large government agency. Now, concerns about his qualifications have been overshadowed by allegations related to his personal conduct. The latest reports – which were made by a whistleblower in The New Yorker – come after California police released a complaint by a woman who claims she was raped by Hegseth during a Republican fundraiser in 2017. He insists, however, that the incident was consensual, and in relation to the latest claims, told reporters through an adviser that the claims were “outlandish”. His lawyer declined to comment. However, the Trump team continues to stand by its picks, with senior adviser Jason Miller telling Fox News on Tuesday that they were feeling “very good about the nominees”. Others include Russian sympathiser and former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy for secretary of health, and former Florida attorney-general Pam Bondi for federal attorney-general. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .

Video: Moment PDP governor explains his reason for visiting Tinubu

Why Argan Stock Tumbled by 4% on TuesdayAs a fan, the decision of which design I prefer is a difficult one. Each design has its own appeal and significance, making it a tough choice to make. Some designs may focus more on the visual aesthetics, while others may emphasize the symbolic representation of Barcelona and Kobe Bryant. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference and emotional connection to the designs.

RICHARDSON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / December 10, 2024 / Optex Systems Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:OPXS), a leading manufacturer of precision optical sighting systems for domestic and worldwide military and commercial applications, announced today it has been awarded a new contract for Laser Filter Units and Window Assemblies supporting Night Vision devices utilized by the U.S. Armed Forces. The order value is $2.0 million with deliveries covering March 2025 through February 2026. "The AOC team is pleased to continue our support of optical assemblies supporting various Night Vision Devices. AOC has positioned itself as a key supplier of laser protection filters and assemblies supporting the primary suppliers of Night Vision equipment to the U.S. military. We have recently added critical infrastructure to ensure we can continue to meet the growing demand for specialized laser filters and other coated optics" stated Bill Bates, General Manager of Applied Optics Center. With this new order, the current Optex backlog is in excess of $42million. ABOUT OPTEX SYSTEMS Optex, which was founded in 1987, is a Richardson, Texas based ISO 9001:2015 certified concern, which manufactures optical sighting systems and assemblies, primarily for Department of Defense (DOD) applications. Its products are installed on various types of U.S. military land vehicles, such as the Abrams and Bradley fighting vehicles, Light Armored and Armored Security Vehicles, and have been selected for installation on the Stryker family of vehicles. Optex also manufactures and delivers numerous periscope configurations, rifle and surveillance sights, and night vision optical assemblies. Optex delivers its products both directly to the military services and to prime contractors. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.optexsys.com . Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the products and services described herein. You can identify these statements by the use of the words "may," "will," "could," "should," "would," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," "likely," "forecast," "probable," and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements represent our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies concerning future events, including, but not limited to, any statements regarding growth strategy; product and development programs; financial performance and financial condition (including revenue, net income, profit margins and working capital); orders and backlog; the estimated value of IDIQ contracts; expected timing of contract deliveries to customers and corresponding revenue recognition; increases in the cost of materials and labor; costs remaining to fulfill contracts; contract loss reserves; labor shortages; follow-on orders; supply chain challenges; the continuation of historical trends; the sufficiency of our cash balances for future liquidity and capital resource needs; the expected impact of changes in accounting policies on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows; anticipated problems and our plans for future operations; and the economy in general or the future of the defense industry. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continued funding of defense programs and military spending, the timing of such funding, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company's markets, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, changes in the U.S. Government's interpretation of federal procurement rules and regulations, changes in spending due to policy changes in any new federal presidential administration, market acceptance of the Company's products, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions and restructurings or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, changes to export regulations, increases in tax rates, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements, changes in the market for microcap stocks regardless of growth and value and various other factors beyond our control. You must carefully consider any such statement and should understand that many factors could cause actual results to differ from the Company's forward-looking statements. These factors include inaccurate assumptions and a broad variety of other risks and uncertainties, including some that are known and some that are not. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. You should carefully evaluate such statements in light of factors described in the Company's filings with the SEC, especially on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. In various filings the Company has identified important factors that could cause actual results to differ from expected or historic results. You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. Consequently, you should not consider any such list to be a complete list of all potential risks or uncertainties. Contact: IR@optexsys.com (972) 764-5718 SOURCE: Optex Systems Holdings, Inc. View the original on accesswire.comNone

Israel said Tuesday it had bombed more than 350 military sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wave of airstrikes in neighboring Syria was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s stunning collapse . Israel also acknowledged its troops were pushing into a border buffer zone inside Syria, which was established after the 1973 Mideast war. However, Israel denied its forces were advancing Tuesday toward the Syrian capital of Damascus. Life in the capital was slowly returning to normal after jihadi-led Syrian insurgents ousted President Bashar Assad over the weekend. People celebrated for a third day in a main square, and shops and banks reopened. The United States said Tuesday it would recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Syria's nearly 14-year civil war killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of the country’s prewar population of 23 million, becoming a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Here's the Latest: BEIRUT — Insurgents who overthrew the Syrian government now say they have wrested control of the eastern city of Deir el-Zour after intense battles with a Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed force. Syria’s rebel military command announced Tuesday evening that they had completely captured the city of Deir el-Zour. A member of the jihadi group Hayat al-Tahrir, which leads the insurgent alliance, said in a recorded video that the group would soon conduct a thorough sweep of the city’s neighborhoods to secure the area, adding that the strategic nearby town of Boukamal has also fallen to opposition forces. “We will advance toward Raqqa and Hasakah and other areas in eastern Syria,” the HTS fighters said. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces had only held the city for a few days. The SDF said it deployed to Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates River on Friday, replacing Syrian government forces. At the time, the SDF said its fighters were not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Earlier Tuesday, the top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was in eastern Syria for meetings with the SDF. It wasn’t clear if he met with SDF leader Mazloum Abdi. BEIRUT — Syria’s transitional government will made up of members from the rebel-led administration that ruled an insurgent stronghold in the country's northwest, the new prime minister said Tuesday, who called the task “a great challenge.” The caretaker Syrian government, which will oversee the country’s affairs until March, held its first meeting Tuesday since overthrowing former President Bashar Assad. It was attended by the departing Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali and other ministers along with new Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir. He had led the so-called “salvation government” in areas controlled by rebel groups — led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS — that have taken control of much of the country. “We were tasked by the general command with managing the affairs of the Syrian government during a transitional period,” Bashir said in a statement following the meeting in Damascus. He added that he hopes ministers in the former Syrian government will assist the new government during this transitional period. “The caretaker government was formed from a number of ministers of the revolutionary government, which is the Syrian Salvation Government, and this government is a temporary caretaker government that will last until March 2025, until the constitutional issues are resolved,” Bashir said. The insurgent alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant , Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who cut ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. SAYDNAYA, Syria — Tens of thousands came to Saydnaya Prison from all over Syria after the fall of former President Bashar Assad to search for their loved ones. The place so notorious for its horrors was long known as “the slaughterhouse.” For the past two days, all have been looking for signs of loved ones who disappeared years or even decades ago into the secretive, sprawling prison just outside Damascus. But hope gave way to despair Monday. People opened the heavy iron doors lining the hallways to find cells inside empty. With sledgehammers, shovels and drills, men pounded holes in floors and walls, looking for what they believed were secret dungeons, or chasing sounds they thought they heard from underground. They found nothing. Insurgents freed dozens of people from the Saydnaya military prison on Sunday when Damascus fell. Since then, almost no one has been found. “Where is everyone? Where are everyone’s children? Where are they?” said Ghada Assad, breaking down in tears. An estimated 150,000 people were detained or went missing in Syria since 2011 — and tens of thousands of them are believed to have gone through Saydnaya. WASHINGTON — The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was on the ground in Syria on Tuesday, meeting with a Kurish-led, U.S.-allied force at several bases in the country's east, U.S. Central Command said. Army Gen. Erik Kurilla visited with U.S. military commanders and troops as well as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. It wasn’t clear if he met with SDF leader Mazloum Abdi, and U.S. Central Command did not respond to a request for details about his visit or with whom he met. U.S. officials said they did not know what his message to the SDF was. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. In a press release, Central Command said Kurilla received an “assessment of force protection measures, the rapidly evolving situation, and ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the current situation.” Kurilla then went on to Iraq where he met with leaders in Baghdad. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says it still getting reports about the looting of warehouses with humanitarian aid in a number of areas in Syria, including around the capital Damascus. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Tuesday that U.N. agencies and their partners are working to identify the extent of looting at the warehouses, including those of U.N. agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Dujarric said U.N. aid officials report that “the humanitarian situation remains volatile across Syria, with reports of people continuing to be displaced.” Humanitarian officials reported that 25 trucks carrying U.N. aid crossed from Turkey to northwest Syria, which the situation is now relatively calm, the U.N. spokesman said. All 11 receptions opened in Idlib in the northwest to host newly displaced families were empty as of Monday, Dujarric said. In the northeast, he said, authorities report that as of Tuesday 100,000 people have been displaced due to fighting in Tal Rifaat and other parts of Aleppo governorate. Dujarric said the U.N.’s partners report that “reception centers in Tabqa and Raqqa have reached full capacity, and more than 200 sites – including municipal buildings, schools, mosques, and stadiums – are being used to accommodate newly displaced people.” BEIRUT — The Lebanese army said Tuesday that “unidentified gunmen” crossed the border from Syria into eastern Lebanon's Bekaa province and approached a Lebanese border post. In a statement, the army said the gunmen fired into the air and seized equipment from an evacuated Syrian army post in the outskirts of Kfar Fouq, near Rashaya al-Wadi, in the western part of Bekaa province. Lebanese army personnel responded with warning shots, forcing the group to retreat back into Syrian territory. The Lebanese army did not report any injuries or provide further details about the identity of the gunmen. WASHINGTON — Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched multiple drones and a missile at three commercial ships being escorted in the Gulf of Aden by U.S. Navy ships, a U.S. official said Tuesday. There was no damage and no injuries. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, said U.S. Navy destroyers, and Navy helicopter and a French Air Force aircraft shot down four of the drones and the missile. The three U.S. affiliated flagged ships were sailing east toward Djibouti. The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted shipping through the key waterway for more than a year, attacks they say are meant to force an end to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said it bombed more than 350 sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. There is concern that, with the sudden collapse of the Syrian government, weapons stockpiles could be seized by jihadi militants. Warplanes hit what Israel said were Syrian air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots, and dozens of weapons production sites in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, the Israeli army statement said. In naval operations overnight Monday, Israeli missile ships struck two Syrian navy facilities simultaneously — Al-Bayda port and Latakia port — where the army said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked. Israeli did not specify how many Syrian naval vessels were hit. The private security firm Ambrey said it had seen evidence that at least six Soviet-era Syrian navy missile ships were hit. Israeli officials said earlier that Israel also targeted alleged chemical weapons sites. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that his country’s military launched a wave of airstrikes across Syria to destroy the toppled government’s leftover “military capabilities,” and said Israel wants relations with the new government emerging Syria. Hours after Israeli warplanes pounded Syria, Netanyahu said Israeli doesn’t want to meddle in Syria’s internal affairs, but would take necessary steps to protect Israel's security and prevent jihadi militants from seizing the Syrian army assets. He warned that if the new Syrian government “allows Iran to re-establish itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us -- we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it.” He spoke in a video statement recorded at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, after his first day of testimony in his corruption trial. DAMASCUS, Syria — In Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syrians celebrated the fall of President Bashar Assad for the third day on Tuesday despite Israeli airstrikes across the country. Insurgents who recently took control of the capital city tried to impose a new rule banning the celebratory gunfire. There were a few violators, and much less deafening gunfire. Protesters climbed the square's central monument to wave the Syrian revolutionary flag. On the ground, crowds chanted: “Out with Bashar! Out with Bashar!” Assad fled to Russia over the weekend after a lightning rebel offensive toppled his brutal police state. Demonstrators from different provinces marched in the square in groups, celebrating Assad's fall. Men on motorcycles and horses paraded into the square. One woman from Idlib province shouted that the Israeli strikes ruined the joy of ousting Assad. “Why are you striking us? We just deposed a tyrant,” she said. “Give us peace. Leave us alone,” said Ahmed Jreida, 22, a dentist student, when asked about the Israeli airstrikes. Hamzeh Hamada, 22, said this was the first time he had gone out to a demonstration. “We want the country to get better, to live in dignity and be like other countries that respect citizens’ rights and where there are no bribes,” he said. “We have suffered a lot from bribes. ... We had to bribe people for very minor things; things that should be our right.” Abdul-Jalil Diab was taking a stroll with his brothers in another square in western Damascus. He said he came back from Jordan the day Damascus fell. He was there studying German to prepare to move to Germany and said he is now reconsidering his plans. He was ecstatic, saying words can’t describe how he feels. “We are happy to get rid of the corrupt regime that was based on bribes. The whole country feels better. Everyone is happy and celebrating,” Abdul-Jalil Diab said. QAMISHLI, Syria — Residents of northeast Syria in the area around Qamishli airport said Tuesday they heard explosions overnight after an airstrike hit trucks loaded with rockets and ammunition that were heading to a military base in Tartab. “We don’t know the story. It was only in the morning when we realized they are trucks loaded with ammunition, leftovers of the former army, the regime,” said Ibrahim al-Thalaj, who lives near the base. He said residents assumed that the strikes were Israeli. Israel has carried out a heavy wave of airstrikes across Syria targeting military infrastructure after Syrian insurgents toppled the government of Bashar Assad. However, Turkish security officials said Tuesday that the strike in Qamishli was carried out by Turkey, targeting weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian army and seized by Syrian Kurdish militants. The explosions lasted for over 20 minutes after the strike, and many houses in the surrounding area were damaged as a result, residents of the area said. “We just felt a strike hitting. It hit the first one (truck) and we saw the other trucks retreating back, and from there rockets and shells started flying over,” said Hamid al-Asaad, an eyewitness from Qub al-Zeki village in Qamishli. “We were sitting when these explosions started to hit the house,” said Mahmoud Hamza of Tartab. “It was hitting randomly and we didn’t know where it was coming from. ... Once we got out of our house, a rocket hit the house.” There were no details released by the local Kurdish administration regarding the explosions, but members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces blocked the road to the base. BRUSSELS — The European Union’s top diplomat is concerned that Syria might violently fall apart like neighboring Iraq, or Libya and Afghanistan if its territorial integrity and the rights of minorities are not protected. “The transition will present huge challenges in Syria and in the region,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told European lawmakers on Tuesday during a special hearing. “There are legitimate concerns about the risks of sectarian violence, extremist resurgence and the governance vacuum, all of which must be averted. We must avoid a repeat of the horrific scenarios of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan,” she said. “The rights of all Syrians, including those of many minority groups, must be protected,” she said. “It is crucial to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria, and to respect its independence, its sovereignty, as well as the state institutions.” Kallas also said the collapse of the government has shown that Assad’s backers in Russia and Iran “could neither afford to do it any longer, nor had any interest of being present in the aftermath.” “They are weakened, distracted and overstretched in other theaters in the broader Middle East, but also in Ukraine,” she said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, has attacked a convoy of trucks that was allegedly carrying missiles, heavy weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian government and reportedly seized by Syrian Kurdish militias, Turkish security officials said Tuesday. The officials said 12 trucks, two tanks and two ammunition depots were “destroyed” in aerial strikes in the city of Qamishli, near the border with Turkey in northeast Syria. The officials provided the information on condition of anonymity in line with Turkish regulations. They did not say when the attack occurred. The officials said the intelligence agency detected that weapons left by the Syrian government forces were being moved to warehouses belonging to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Defense Units, or YPG. Turkey views the group as a terrorist organization because of its links to the banned Kurdish militants that have led a decadeslong insurgency in Turkey. According to the officials, he group was allegedly planning to use the equipment and supplies against Turkish security forces. By Suzan Fraser WASHINGTON — The White House is signaling its approval of Israel’s strikes against Syrian military and alleged chemical weapons targets and the seizure of a buffer zone in the Syrian Golan Heights after the fall of the Assad government. “These are exigent operations to eliminate what they believe are imminent threats to their national security,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday, saying the U.S. would leave it up to the Israelis to discuss details of their operations. “They have as always the right to defend themselves,” Kirby said. He declined to detail and U.S. intelligence cooperation with the Israelis that went into the strikes. Kirby said the White House was reasserting its support of the 1974 Golan Heights disengagement agreement, but didn’t criticize the Israeli seizure of the demilitarized zone. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. WASHINGTON — The Biden administration says it will recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Tuesday that the U.S. would work with groups in Syria and regional partners to ensure that the transition from President Bashar Assad’s deposed government runs smoothly. He was not specific about which groups the U.S. would work with. Blinken says Syrians should decide their future and that other countries should “support an inclusive and transparent process” and not interfere. “The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria government that results from this process,” he said. “We stand prepared to lend all appropriate support to all of Syria’s diverse communities and constituencies.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Jihad Mustafa Shibani was taking his new motorcycle for a spin with a friend around the house of the deposed Syrian president in western Damascus on Tuesday. Shibani was released from prison a week before the capital Damascus fell, after he served two years on charges of buying his motorcycle using foreign currency on accusations he was dealing in dollars. He was tortured for 15 days and and given a quick trial where he was sentenced for two years, he said. He was released the day Aleppo fell to the insurgents. “Everything was banned in Syria. The (Assad loyalists) only could use it,” Shibani said. He said he has never been to this neighborhood, because it was taken over by Assad, his family and supporters. “For 50 years, my family’s house is near here, and we don’t know anything about it. ... The Syrian people had been oppressed, you can’t imagine.” Shibani said he has no fear of the rebel newcomers who have taken control of the country. “We are not afraid. There can be no one more unjust than Bashar. Impossible.” BEIRUT — Lebanon’s prime minister is in contact with security and judicial officials to follow up on reports that senior members of President Bashar Assad’s government have fled to Lebanon. Najib Mikati’s office quoted him as saying that Lebanon abides by international laws regarding people who cross its borders. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said that several top security officials have entered Lebanon over the past two days. Abdurrahman added that Syria’s former intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk, who is wanted in Lebanon over two bombings in 2012 in the northern city of Tripoli that killed dozens, was allegedly brought to Lebanon by the Hezbollah militant group and was staying in a southern suburb of Beirut where the group has deep support. Lebanon’s Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, whose ministry is in charge of border crossings, told reporters Tuesday that no person who is wanted in Lebanon entered the country through legal border crossings. There are dozens of illegal border crossings between Lebanon and Syria where people are usually smuggled in and out of Lebanon, but it was not possible to independently confirm whether Mamlouk had entered Lebanon. GENEVA — The United Nations says humanitarian operations in two major areas in northwestern Syria have resumed, deploying food, medical supplies, fuel and other needed services and supplies. Spokesman Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that some health facilities were “overwhelmed” – in part due to staff shortages – and many border crossings have been closed, disrupting supply chains. OCHA said humanitarian operations in some parts of northwestern Syria were put on hold in the early days of the recent escalation, and resumed on Monday. “As of yesterday, all humanitarian organizations in Idlib and northern Aleppo have resumed operations,” Laerke told reporters at a U.N. briefing in Geneva. He said the three border crossings from Turkey used by the U.N. to deliver assistance into Syria remain open and “we are providing assistance in the northwest, including to those who have been newly displaced.” Even before the latest escalation, which led President Bashar Assad to flee the country, nearly 17 million people in Syria needed humanitarian assistance. More than 1 million have been displaced across Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Homs since the escalation. JERUSALEM — Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel's military destroyed Syria’s fleet overnight and intends to establish a demilitarized zone “in southern Syria” to prevent attacks on Israel. He also issued a warning to Syria’s rebels, saying that “whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like Assad — we will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against Israel across its border while putting its citizens at risk.” Speaking at a naval base in Haifa, Katz said the Israeli navy “operated last night to destroy the Syrian fleet and with great success.” Video showing the smoking wreckage of what appeared to be small Syrian naval ships in the port at Latakia was broadcast by Saudi-owned television station Al-Hadath on Tuesday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has closely tracked the conflict since the civil war erupted in 2011, said Israel targeted Syrian warships, military warehouses and an air-defense facility on the coast. Katz added that he had instructed the army to establish a “defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence, in order to prevent terrorism in Syria from taking root and organizing.” It was unclear if the demilitarized zone would reach beyond the buffer zone that Israel has taken over in the border area. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. DAMASCUS, Syria — Members of the Syrian government under ousted President Bashar Assad will gradually transfer power to a new transitional cabinet headed by Mohammed al-Bashir. The departing government met with al-Bashir for the first time since Assad fled Damascus over the weekend. Al-Bashir had previously led the “salvation government” running the rebel stronghold in northwest Syria. Al-Bashir told reporters after the meeting that the ministers discussed transferring the portfolios to the interim government during the transitional period until the beginning of March. He said that in the coming days the new government will decide on each ministry. DAMASCUS, Syria — Banks and shops are reopening in Damascus after the chaos and confusion of the first two days following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. Sadi Ahmad, manager of Syria Gulf Bank, said life is returning to normal. A customer who came to withdraw money from an ATM was surprised to see it functioning. At the historic Hamadiyeh market, fighters who seized power were still standing guard but shops had reopened — even an ice cream stand. Resident Maysoun Al-Qurabi said she was initially “against what happened,” referring to the insurgency, but changed her mind after seeing footage of rebels releasing inmates from the notorious Saydnaya prison. “People are at ease and secure now,” she said. “Before, people were hungry and scared.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Minority Christians in Syria have been living in a state of uneasy anticipation since insurgents headed by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham took control after ousting President Bashar Assad. Mazen Kalash, a resident of Bab Touma, a Christian neighborhood in Damascus, said he wants to know the plans of the new government that will be formed by the rebels. “The important thing is to feel safe, bring order, law and respect to the citizens,” he said. “We need to be able to work whatever we want and do whatever we want without any interference from anyone.” The insurgents have so far attempted to reassure minorities that they will be protected. Large numbers of Syrian Christians, who made up 10% of the population, fled after the civil war erupted in 2011. Many of those who stayed supported Assad out of fear they might be targeted by Islamist insurgents. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at media during testimony at his corruption trial, which involves media moguls. “There has never been such a biased media in any democracy ... as there is in Israel,” Netanyahu told the court, describing his testy relationship with the press. He is accused of exchanging regulatory favors with media bosses for more positive coverage of himself and his family. He has denied wrongdoing. GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria says armed groups that drove out President Bashar Assad have “been sending good messages” about national unity and inclusiveness but acknowledges that a Security Council resolution still counts the leading one as a terrorist group. With Syria’s future and stability still very much in flux since Assad’s departure over the weekend, Geir Pedersen suggested that the international community needs to help the country get through this turbulent moment. “We are still in what I would call a very fluid period. Things are not settled,” Pedersen told reporters at U.N. offices in Geneva on Tuesday. “There is a real opportunity for change, but this opportunity needs to be grasped by the Syrians themselves and supported by the U.N. and the international community.” Referring to Israeli military strikes in Syria, Pedersen said it was “extremely important that we now don’t see any action from any international country that destroys the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place.” The insurgents are led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which grew out of an al-Qaida-affiliate called the Nusra Front that the Security Council listed as a terror group in a 2015 resolution. “This is obviously a complicating factor for all of us,” Pedersen said. “But we also have to be honest, we have to look at the facts and to see what has happened during the last nine years.” “The reality so far is that the HTS and also the other armed groups have been sending good messages to the Syrian people,” he said. “They have been sending messages of unity, of inclusiveness, and frankly speaking, also, we have seen in (the captured cities of) Aleppo and in Hama ... reassuring things on the ground." Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency and the founder of both groups Nusra and HTS, cut ties with al-Qaida in 2016 and says he is committed to pluralism and religious tolerance. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has “strongly” condemned Israel’s advance into Syrian territory, saying it was in violation of a 1974 agreement on a buffer zone inside Syria. “We strongly condemn Israel’s violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement, its entry into the separation zone between Israel and Syria, and its advance into Syrian territory,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry accused Israel of “displaying a mentality of an occupier” at a time when the possibility of peace and stability had emerged in Syria. The statement also reiterated Turkey’s support to Syria’s “sovereignty, political unity, and territorial integrity.” Israeli troops on Sunday entered the buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war and the military said it would deploy in “several other places necessary for (Israel’s’) defense.” TEL AVIV, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he works 17 to 18 hours a day and that he is engulfed in meetings, especially during the past year that Israel has been fighting wars. Netanyahu was testifying in his long-running corruption trial. He has denied charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. “If only I could steal away five minutes to enjoy some time with my wife,” he told the court Tuesday. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military official says troops plan to seize a buffer zone inside Syria as well as “a few more points that have strategic meaning.” The official spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The official dismissed reports of a larger Israeli invasion as “rumors.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces were moving to control a roughly 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) demilitarized buffer zone in Syrian territory. The buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was created by the U.N. after the 1973 Mideast war. Following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad, Israel sent troops into the buffer zone. It said the move was temporary and was aimed at preventing attacks. It said the 1974 agreement establishing the zone had collapsed and that Syrian troops had withdrawn from their positions. Israel has also carried out airstrikes across Syria in recent days targeting what it says are suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting the disarray in Syria and violating international law. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community, except for the United States. The rest of the world views the strategic plateau as occupied Syrian territory. — By Joseph Krauss DAMASCUS, Syria — Israel’s air force has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in different parts of Syria as its ground forces move north of the Golan Heights along the border with Lebanon, according to an opposition war monitor. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday that since the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government, Israel’s air force has carried out more than 300 airstrikes against research centers, arms depots and military infrastructure across Syria, as well as a naval base along the Mediterranean coast. Associated Press journalists in Damascus witnessed intense airstrikes on the city and its suburbs overnight into Tuesday morning. Photographs posted online by activists showed destroyed missile launchers, helicopters and warplanes. Meanwhile, Israeli troops marched along the border with Lebanon and now control a long stretch on the Syrian side facing Lebanon’s Rashaya region, according to the war monitor's head, Rami Abdurrahman, and the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, which has reporters in Syria. Israeli troops are now about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Damascus, according to the monitor. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s incursion into a buffer zone in Syria and a wave of Israeli airstrikes launched after the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that “the assaults carried out by the Israeli occupation government, including the seizure of the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, and the targeting of Syrian territory confirm Israel’s continued violation of the principles of international law and its determination to sabotage Syria’s chances of restoring its security, stability and territorial integrity.” Israel sent troops into a buffer zone inside Syria that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. It said the move was temporary and was taken to prevent any cross-border attacks after Syrian troops withdrew. Israel has also carried out heavy airstrikes that it says are aimed at preventing suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets from falling into the hands of extremists. Saudi Arabia has been in talks with the United States in recent years over normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact, American assistance in establishing a civilian nuclear program and a pathway to the establishment of a Palestinian state. But the kingdom has also repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, where it is at war with the Hamas militant group. Last month, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and day-to-day ruler Mohammed bin Salman accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza , allegations Israel adamantly rejects.Middle East latest: Israel bombs hundreds of sites across Syria as army pushes into border zoneIn response to this fake news, the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission has urged the public to remain vigilant and discerning when encountering such misleading information. They have encouraged individuals to rely on credible sources and official announcements for accurate and reliable information regarding education policies and programs in Tianjin.

Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms said the move aims to drive “real improvements” for disabled people, whom the ministers will be encouraged to engage with on a regular basis. He told the Commons: “I am very pleased to be able to announce today the appointment of new lead ministers for disability in each Government department, they will represent the interests of disabled people, champion disability inclusion and accessibility within their departments. “I’m going to chair regular meetings with them and will encourage them to engage directly with disabled people and their representative organisations, as they take forward their departmental priorities. “And I look forward to this new group of lead ministers for disability together driving real improvements across Government for disabled people.” This came during an adjournment debate on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, where Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling raised concerns about “floating bus stops”, which have a cycle lane between the stop and the pavement. Intervening, the MP for Torbay, who is registered blind, said: “The Government needs to ban floating bus stops.” Sir Stephen said: “I do think this issue about floating bus stops is an important issue which we need to work across Government to reflect on.” Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, who led the debate, had earlier criticised the lack of accessibility for disabled people on trains. The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said: “Our train network does not have level access, and we heard Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson from the other place make this plea back in the summer, absolutely outrageous what she was put through. “But I was absolutely shocked to find, when I had a presentation of the TransPennine route upgrade, that the rolling stock yet to be commissioned is not going to provide that level access. “It’s absolute nonsense, it’s not even in the design of that procurement, so we must do better than this.”Brown wins 77-54 against Stony Brook

Disability ministers will ‘champion’ inclusion and accessibility, says TimmsTitle: Employee Fired for Emailing Boss to Request Pay Raise Violating Salary Confidentiality Policy Sparks ControversyIn conclusion, the eruption of Taal Volcano has shaken the Philippines and raised alarms about the potential risks posed by volcanic activity. It is a sobering reminder of the need for vigilance, preparedness, and unity in the face of natural disasters. As the nation comes together to address the impacts of the eruption, let us stand in solidarity with the affected communities and offer our support in their time of need.

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What to know about Scott Turner, Trump's pick for housing secretaryNonecockfighting png 。

NoneKINGSTON, Ont. — Felipe Forteza went from delivering hits to making kicks for the Laval Rouge et Or this season. The linebacker-turned-kicker showed a veteran's poise with his boot on Saturday, kicking a Vanier Cup record six field goals to lift Laval to a 22-17 win over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks at Richardson Stadium. "The defence did its job and the offence put me in the right position to do it," said Forteza, who was named game MVP. "So I'm stoked." Quarterback Arnaud Desjardins was 34 of 42 for 320 passing yards to help the Rouge et Or win their second Vanier Cup in three years and record 12th overall. It was the first loss of the year for the Golden Hawks, who last won a Canadian university football title in 2005. Laval set the early tone with some big defensive plays and Desjardins was in fine early form, completing his first 22 pass attempts. Forteza split the uprights five times in the first half as Laval took a 17-7 lead into the intermission. Forteza broke the record with his sixth field goal with 2:31 remaining. His only miss was a 32-yard attempt in the final minute. The Golden Hawks ran the ball out of the end zone but didn't threaten again. "We didn't score touchdowns but we moved the ball very well," said Laval coach Glen Constantin. "We flipped the field on these guys." Forteza did some part-time kicking in high school but this was his first season kicking field goals on a regular basis. The Rouge et Or coaching staff liked his powerful leg and helped him with the transition. "It was a bit heartbreaking for me because I like hitting people," Forteza said. "I like being intense and that job is really about being calm and trying to stay healthy." "I like the position," he added. "I like the pressure of it and I like the preparation. I like the hard work and being able to kick that (well) during a game." Laurier quarterback Taylor Elgersma, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy as most outstanding player this season, had a quiet opening quarter before settling in and throwing touchdown passes to Ryan Hughes and Jaxon Stebbings. Elgersma was 23 of 34 for 246 yards but was sacked five times. "Our game plan was just to be us and execute," he said. "Obviously we didn't do that well enough today." Laurier had an 8-0 record in the regular season and outscored its opposition 128-76 over its first three playoff wins. Laval entered at 10-1 overall (7-1, 3-0) and was coming off two close victories over the last two weeks. A near-capacity crowd at the 8,000-seat Queen's University venue had an even split of Laurier and Laval supporters. The weather co-operated after two days of showers in the area. It was cloudy and 8 C at kickoff. Desjardins marched the Rouge et Or deep into Laurier territory on Laval's first possession before settling for an 18-yard field goal by Forteza. Laval used a no-huddle offence in the early going with Desjardins frequently using dump passes to great effect. A 15-yarder from Forteza with 2:54 left in the first quarter made it 6-0. The potent Rouge et Or defence, which led U Sports with just 106 points allowed in the regular season, showed its form as Jordan Lessard forced a fumble from Elgersma that the Golden Hawks recovered. On the next play, Ndeki Garant-Doumambila walloped the Laurier pivot with a ferocious sack. "We know what it takes to get here and what it takes to win these games," he said. Laurier didn't record a first down until late in the first quarter. Laval's special-teams play was also on point. Forteza booted a 65-yard punt and the Rouge et Or coverage swarmed returner Tayshaun Jackson, forcing him down at the Laurier one-yard line. The Golden Hawks would concede a safety to make it 8-0. Forteza added to the lead at 7:01 with a 35-yard field goal. Jackson gave Laurier some life when he broke for a 51-yard run to the Laval five-yard line. Hughes took a shovel pass from Elgersma and sprinted for the corner of the end zone to put Laurier on the scoreboard with 4:57 left in the half. Forteza made a 32-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining. After a Jackson fumble, he added a 42-yard kick 24 seconds later to make it 17-7. The Golden Hawks came out with more jump in the third quarter. Elgersma found Ethan Jordan for a 45-yard reception to highlight a 93-yard drive capped by Stebbings' three-yard TD catch and a Dawson Hodge conversion. Laval took a 19-14 lead when Laurier conceded a safety to open the fourth quarter. Hodge made it a two-point game when he hit a 34-yard field goal with 8:26 left. A pivotal play came with 4:57 remaining when Laval's Loic Brodeur forced a fumble at midfield. He knocked the ball out of Elgersma's hands and Garant-Doumambila recovered. "We focused, we believed in it, and experience," Garant-Doumambila said. "That's what did it for us." The Golden Hawks fell to 2-4 in national championship game appearances while Laval improved to 12-2. The 2025 Vanier Cup will be played in Regina. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2024. Follow @GregoryStrongCP on X. Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

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Matvei Michkov making a difference as Flyers battle Golden KnightsWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Smith's career-high 205 yards rushing carries San Diego past Morehead State 37-14‘Push and run’- Journo makes Mourinho comparison to drive home Postecoglou pointWarning of 'alarming rise' in online ticket scams after fraudsters target UK fans

NoneNEW YORK (AP) — The huge rally for U.S. stocks lost momentum on Thursday as Wall Street counted down to a big jobs report that’s coming on Friday. The crypto market had more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before pulling back. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from the all-time high it had set the day before, its 56th of the year so far, to shave a bit off what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 248 points, or 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% from its own record set the day before. Bitcoin powered above $100,000 for the first time the night before, after President-elect Donald Trump chose Paul Atkins, who’s seen as a crypto advocate, as his nominee to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. The cryptocurrency has climbed dramatically from less than $70,000 on Election Day, but it fell back as Thursday progressed toward $99,000, according to CoinDesk. Sharp swings for bitcoin are nothing new, and they took stocks of companies enmeshed in the crypto world on a similar ride. After rising as much as 9% in early trading, MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash just to buy bitcoin, swung to a loss of 4.8%. Crypto exchange Coinbase Global fell 3.1% after likewise erasing a big early gain. Elsewhere on Wall Street, stocks of airlines helped lead the way following the latest bumps up to financial forecasts from carriers. American Airlines Group soared 16.8% after saying it’s making more in revenue during the last three months of 2024 than it expected, and it will likely make a bigger profit than it had earlier forecast. The airline also chose Citi to be its exclusive partner for credit cards that give miles in its loyalty program. That should help its cash coming in from co-branded credit card and other partners grow by about 10% annually. Southwest Airlines climbed 2% after saying it’s seeing stronger demand from leisure travelers than it expected. It also raised its forecast for revenue for the holiday traveling season. On the losing end of Wall Street was Synposys, which tumbled 12.4%. The supplier for the semiconductor industry reported better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, but it also warned of “continued macro uncertainties” and gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that fell short of some analysts’ estimates. American Eagle Outfitters fell even more, 14.3%, after the retailer said it’s preparing for “potential choppiness” outside of peak selling periods. It was reminiscent of a warning from Foot Locker earlier in the week and raised more concerns about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Solid spending by U.S. consumers has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A report on Thursday said the number of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remains at historically healthy levels. Expectations are high that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.17% from 4.18% late Wednesday. The S&P 500 fell 11.38 points to 6,075.11. The Dow sank 248.33 to 44,765.71, and the Nasdaq composite lost 34.86 to 19,700.26. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mostly calm in Europe after far-right and left-wing lawmakers in France joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion that will force Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The CAC 40 index in Paris added 0.4%. In South Korea, the Kospi fell 0.9% to compound its 1.4% decline from the day before. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. Crude oil prices slipped after eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries decided to put off increasing oil production. AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.(Bloomberg) — China released three Americans as part of a prisoner swap between the Biden administration and the Chinese government, according to people familiar with the matter, a rare moment of cooperation between the adversaries. A statement from the US National Security Council said the three Americans — Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung — would be reunited with their families “for the first time in many years.” The three had been designated as wrongfully detained in China, and the US statement said there were no longer any Americans held in the country with that status. The NSC didn’t mention that the three were exchanged for Chinese citizens detained in the US. But two people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing non-public information, said they were swapped for an unspecified number of Chinese. “This is unprecedented,” said John Kamm, founder, chairman and executive director of the Dui Hua Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of prisoners held in China. “Nothing like this has ever happened. Prisoner exchanges are not in China’s DNA.” The release offers a parting gift to President Joe Biden, Kamm said, as well as a message for President-elect Donald Trump that Beijing might be willing to make concessions in the future. The Chinese embassy in Washington had no immediate comment on the prisoner exchange. The names of the Chinese weren’t disclosed, and US officials declined to say when pressed. However, a US Bureau of Prisons database showed that two Chinese nationals, Xu Yanjun and Ji Chaoqun, were no longer in the bureau’s custody. China Frees US Pastor Jailed Almost 20 Years in Show of Goodwill Xu was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for what prosecutors alleged was years of espionage-related activities in his role as a career intelligence officer with China’s Ministry of State Security, including the attempted theft of confidential data on aircraft engine fans from General Electric Co.’s aviation division. Authorities said Xu was the first Chinese government intelligence officer ever to be extradited to the United States to stand trial. Xu was also accused of being Ji’s handler in the US. In 2016, Ji enlisted in the US Army Reserve. The swap would be the latest example of the US and allies being willing to give up convicted criminals and high-profile detainees in exchange for Americans deemed wrongfully held by other countries. That trend has been greeted with praise but also concern from Democrats and Republicans alike that it encourages other countries to seize Americans for future trades. In 2022, the US exchanged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner. And a trade earlier this year saw Russia free Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and several others for Vadim Krasikov, who was serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing of a Chechen separatist in a Berlin park. Several other Russians convicted on a variety of criminal charges were also released. Among those released by China, Swidan is a Texas businessman who was on China’s death row for alleged drug trafficking, and Li is a naturalized US citizen who imported solar energy technology. Leung, who is also a Hong Kong permanent resident, was arrested in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison last year on spying charges. Swidan has been in Chinese custody for 12 years. Kamm said Swidan and Li have serious medical issues. “I suspect that this is so-called medical parole, a humanitarian gesture,” he said. In a statement, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas praised the efforts of the Biden administration in securing the release of the Americans, noting that Swidan’s mother, a Texas resident, has waged “an unremitting battle” to bring him home. “President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Carstens, Ambassador Burns, and their teams have for years worked tirelessly to secure this achievement, and I am deeply grateful for all their efforts,” Cruz said. —With assistance from Jordan Robertson and Jamie Tarabay. (Updates with details of swap, background on previous exchanges)

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Cardinals are average through 12 games and the frustration is it feels as if they could be better

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