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Even in this banner season for military academy football — complete with winning streaks, national rankings and a conference championship — the biggest goal remains the same. For Army: Beat Navy. For Navy: Beat Army. With the college football landscape changing at a furious rate, the significance of this matchup adds a dose of tradition to mid-December, amid all that talk about the transfer portal and the new expanded playoff. "We've had a good year. You make it a great year by winning this game coming up on Saturday. Frankly, that's just the way it goes around here," Army coach Jeff Monken said. "It's a game and a season really all of its own. We don't apologize for talking about it all the time. We talk about it all the time, and it's 365 days a year." Saturday in Landover, Maryland, is the 125th matchup between Army and Navy, and although these two programs are long removed from their days winning national titles and Heisman Trophies, this is a historic moment in the rivalry. The Black Knights and Midshipmen have combined for 19 wins this season, their highest total ever entering this game. Army (11-1) is ranked 19th in the AP poll after beating Tulane last week to win the American Athletic Conference — the first league title of any kind in the team's 134-year history. Navy (8-3) was ranked as well earlier this season after starting with six straight victories. "I knew we were going to be an improved football team," Navy coach Brian Newberry said. "Didn't know exactly what that was going to look like. I think certainly we've improved in a lot of different areas. I'm excited about the season we've had." This was Army's first season in the AAC, putting the Black Knights and Midshipmen in the same league, although their annual matchup is considered a nonconference game. For a while, there was a chance the teams could meet twice, with a conference championship clash coming before the regularly scheduled Army-Navy game, but that didn't happen. Their most prominent common opponent came from outside the league. Notre Dame handed both Navy and Army its first loss, beating the Midshipmen 51-14 and the Black Knights 49-14. Within the AAC, both teams beat Temple, UAB and East Carolina. Army beat Tulane and Rice and Navy lost to those two teams. Army and Navy also each won its nonconference game against Air Force. Those victories over Air Force mean this season's Commander-In-Chief's Trophy comes down to the Army-Navy game. It's the first time since 2017 that both teams enter this game with a shot at the trophy. It's also the first time since 2017 that both teams enter the game with bowl bids secured. Navy faces Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl and Army takes on Marshall in the Independence Bowl. This year's Army-Navy game is at the Washington Commanders' home stadium in Landover. It was also held there in 2011. This is the first time the game has been in Maryland since Baltimore hosted it in 2016. Baltimore is also up next in 2025. Army quarterback Bryson Daily has 29 rushing touchdowns this season, which is tied for the FBS lead with running back Ashton Jeanty, Boise State's Heisman finalist. Only one QB in FBS history has run for more TDs in a season than Daily. That was Navy's Keenan Reynolds, with 31 in 2013. "You come here to play in this game. The biggest stage possible, millions of people watching and a sold-out NFL stadium. It's awesome," Daily said. "None of the games that happened before this matter. We're going into this game like we're 0-0, they're 0-0 because that's just how you have to come into this game." Navy's closest game this season — win or lose — was a 56-44 win over Memphis. The Midshipmen are the only FBS team that hasn't had a game this season decided by eight points or fewer. AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Few actually enjoy —it's crowded, sniffles are everywhere, and despite the festive nature of the season, everybody seems mad. But nothing is more enraging than just to learn that you've chosen the lucky seat with the broken ahead of a five-hour flight. Thankfully, peace of mind—and a major upgrade for any Spirit or —costs just $10 on , and shoppers are stocking up before heading out. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.

'With Cole, you have to expect anything': Palmer praise from Enzo Maresca after Chelsea penalty heroicsA Saskatchewan hockey player who was injured by an ice skate that nearly sliced open his jugular vein is recovering at home and says he’s grateful to be alive. Cole Cusitar, a player for the Churchbridge Imperials, told The Epoch Times that if the skate cut had been about an inch lower he “might not have been having this conversation.” “God was looking out for me that evening,” Cusitar, 35, said in a Dec. 11 interview. The senior league player from Churchbridge, Sask., was battling for the puck in a third-period face-off during a Dec. 7 away game in Esterhazy, when the accident happened. Cusitar, who was looking to regain momentum because his team was down 0-5, says there was a “good little battle” going when a player with the Esterhazy Flyers got tangled and fell. Cusitar says he felt a cold slap across his jaw. “Just when [the opposing player] fell, one of his back legs just come up and happened to kick me,” Cusitar said, noting that he “didn’t feel much pain at all.” “When I started to see the blood, I knew I was in rough shape,” he added. The player’s skate had sliced open Cusitar’s jaw, nearing causing a fatal neck wound. Removing his hand, Cusitar saw blood spurting onto the ice and he hurried to the change room immediately. Assistant Captain for the Imperials Jonathan Jensen, who saw the accident, says the puck moved down the ice away from Cusitar, but an Esterhazy player started waving and screaming to get attention, and fans started banging on the glass. “That’s when our trainer ran out, and then one of our other coaches grabbed our medical bag and started heading out towards [Cusitar],” Jensen told The Epoch Times, adding they rushed him into a truck and headed to the hospital in Esterhazy. Still wearing his hockey gear, Cusitar was hustled from the ambulance onto a stretcher and into the facility. When medical staff could not stop the bleeding, he was transported to Yorkton Health Centre where the hemorrhaging finally subsided in the wee hours. The skate had opened up a gash several centimetres wide and 15 centimetres long, slicing an artery just below Cusitar’s ear. That could have just as easily been his jugular vein. Cusitar received 80 stitches through five layers of skin later that day. Cusitar says he and his wife, Jody, spent the night in the hospital. “I don’t think my wife slept at all,” he said. “We’ve got two young kids at home, too, so it was pretty scary.” Meanwhile, Jensen, who sits on the Churchbridge Imperials’ board of directors, says the team is implementing a new neck guard policy for all its players to prevent such injuries in the future. “The orders are going in today for the coaches, the players, for everybody,” said Jensen, a close friend of Cusitar who’s never seen an injury as serious as this one. “It’s just one of those freak accidents.” “We’re playing a dangerous sport, inherently, we’re skating around with razor blades on our feet, basically,” he said. “[Cusitar] is lucky to come out of it, absolutely.”

Initial plans released for 75th season in 2026, including 75th anniversary logo and rings, commemorative ticket and more INDIANAPOLIS , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Set to celebrate its landmark 75th season in 2026, NHRA officials revealed a series of special plans today to kick off the campaign for the historic year in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. NHRA revealed a special 75th anniversary logo for the 2026 season to launch the campaign, as NHRA looks to celebrate 75 years of incredible racing, founder Wally Parks and the incredible legends that have played a huge role in NHRA's illustrious history. The buildup to the landmark 75th season in 2026 will take place throughout the 2025 campaign with several initiatives set to take place this year, starting at the season-kickoff NHRA Gatornationals on March 6-9 at Gainesville Raceway. Some of the items introduced today at the 75th anniversary campaign launch include: "The 75th anniversary of NHRA drag racing marks a landmark moment in our sport's history and we're excited to kick off the campaign for that historic season in 2026 throughout our upcoming 2025 season," NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. "From a special logo and 75th anniversary rings, we're thrilled to introduce several initiatives already for that celebratory season in 2026 and we will have many more to announce throughout 2025 in this exciting year-long buildup. NHRA has an incredible history – as well as a bright future – and we look forward to celebrating that with our fans, race teams, member track and partners." Additional announcements and initiatives for the 75th anniversary season in 2026 will be released throughout the 2025 campaign. NHRA legends will also be included in the year-long celebration that year, with appearances and special celebrations to be announced in the coming weeks and months. For more information on NHRA, including the full 2025 schedule, please visit www.nhra.com . About Mission Foods MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world's leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/ About NHRA NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States . NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock ShowdownTM, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X, Pingel Top Fuel Motorcycle and Johnson's Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street LegalTM. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA's Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA's streaming service, NHRA.tv ®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida ; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California . For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com , or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nhra-announces-launch-of-landmark-75th-anniversary-campaign-for-2026-season-302330705.html SOURCE NHRA

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.

Montreal’s police chief said he expects more arrests stemming from a Friday anti-NATO protest that turned violent, while one of the protest organizers on Sunday denounced political reaction as hijacking the underlying message of the demonstration. Uniformed police officers could be seen Sunday both inside and outside Montreal’s Palais des congres convention centre as the annual meeting continued with no signs of demonstrations, although some protesters had planned a “counter-summit” at a community centre just north of downtown. Chief Fady Dagher told reporters on Saturday that more arrests would be coming thanks to additional evidence gathered during the protests, adding that police were aware of who was behind the vandalism including smashed windows and burned cars as well as alleged assaults on police officers. Police said that during the march, smoke bombs were deployed, metal barriers were thrown into the street and windows smashed of nearby businesses and the convention centre where delegates from NATO parliamentary assembly, including members and partner states, gathered for a session set to wrap Monday. Among the issues being broached were support for Ukraine, climate change and the future of the alliance. Dagher estimated that about 800 people took part in protests from several groups, but about 20 to 40 people were allegedly responsible for the trouble. “I do not want to advertise these groups and glorify these groups, it is a big trap to do so,” Dagher said. “But I can assure to you ... it is a few groups.” Montreal police arrested three people following Friday’s demonstration — a 22-year-old woman who was arrested for allegedly obstructing police work and assaulting a police officer and two men, 22 and 28, also each facing a charge for allegedly obstructing police work. All are scheduled to appear in court at a later date. “Despite what you saw in the images, last-minute impromptu events are extremely difficult to anticipate,” Dagher added. “We have other pieces of evidence. So probably we will have other arrests.” Friday night’s protest was condemned by politicians of all stripes Saturday as acts of antisemitism, which one organizer rejected, saying the protests were against the actions of the state of Israel and not Jewish people. On Sunday, the Divest for Palestine Collective denounced what it called “dishonest attempts” of politicians to hijack the “anti-militarist, anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist messages” delivered by protesters. In an emailed statement, it refuted allegations of antisemitism. “These are false accusations aimed at delegitimizing the solidarity movement for the liberation of Palestine and undermining the fight against antisemitism,” the group wrote. The group defended setting ablaze a doll representing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the protest. Earlier this week, the International Court of Justice issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu as well as his former defence minister and Hamas members. “It is a legitimate expression of collective anger against the political indifference at the heart of an ongoing colonial genocide,” the collective said. The collective also denounced what it called police violence against demonstrators, saying at least four protesters had to be taken to hospital with various injuries. Dagher said he could not make a firm link between Friday’s acts and antisemitism, but added that since the Oct. 7 attacks more than one year ago, incidents and acts of antisemitism and Islamophobia have both increased enormously in the city. The police chief however, defended his officers handling of Friday’s event, which he felt could have been much worse. He added he would spend the rest of the weekend with his officers on the ground to lend support.

Mysterious Removal of Syrian Flag at Moscow Embassy

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The College Football Playoff committee took SMU's wins over Alabama's strength of schedule, picking the Mustangs for the final at-large spot Sunday after a furious public debate and days of lobbying and arguing over which teams should make the 12-team field. SMU (11-2) showed it could compete against a traditional power, losing to Clemson 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal on the final play of the ACC championship game. The late-game rally probably did the trick. “I just think America saw SMU belongs," Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee told ESPN on Sunday after his team got in. "We’re a team that has a chance to compete for this championship. And to some degree, I think we’re a little bit America’s team after last night.” The Mustangs, seeded 11th, will visit No. 6 seed Penn State in the first round. The bracket was expanded from four teams this season, but that didn’t help Alabama or save the committee from controversy that began over the past two weeks as the CFP rankings — and “data points” — were parsed and criticized. The squabbling wasn't limited to who should be in the field but also who should get consideration for first-round byes. The Crimson Tide (9-3) had quality wins against Georgia and South Carolina in their first season under coach Kalen DeBoer. Losses at Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma proved costly. The 24-3 loss to Oklahoma was too much to overcome. The Sooners, who finished 6-6, rushed for 250 yards against the Crimson Tide and dominated despite having several key injuries. Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne stated the case for the Crimson Tide several hours before the announcement. So did former Alabama coach Nick Saban. “Strength of schedule matters,” Byrne posted on social media. “Not all schedules and conferences are created equal. Six of our eight wins are against bowl eligible teams and have come against some of the top teams in the sec, including sec champion Georgia.” Several teams with strong seasons were left out besides the Crimson Tide, including Miami (two losses), South Carolina and Mississippi (three losses each). Committee chairman Warde Manuel explained that strength of schedule was valued — a comment that didn’t sit well with Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. “Is this fake news??? he didn’t actually really say that ....” Kiffin wrote on a social media post, tagging both the Alabama and SMU football accounts. SMU actually increased its strength of schedule from the previous season by switching from the American Athletic Conference to the ACC. The Mustangs’ only regular-season loss this year was a non-conference game at home to 10-win BYU in the third game of the season . The Mustangs won nine straight before the loss to Clemson. That didn't make the waiting easier on Sunday. SMU was the last qualifier announced. “Until we saw SMU up there, you know, you’re just hanging, hanging on the edge,” Lashlee said. There was more controversy. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said he didn't believe any Group of Five team should get the bye over a Power Four champion, citing strength of schedule. Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez pushed back hours ahead of the bracket announcement. “Participation in the College Football Playoff isn’t about entitlement,” she wrote on social media. “It should not be contingent upon a conference patch or the logo on the helmet ... Boise State’s body of work this season, including an 11-game win streak, has earned it one of the top four seeds ahead of the Big 12 champion.” In the end, Boise State of the Mountain West got the No. 3 seed ahead of Big 12 champion Arizona State, which was seeded fourth. But both got first-round byes.Avalanche play the Lightning on 3-game win streak

OpenAI’s Super-Hyped Sora Goes Absolutely Freakshow If You Ask It to Generate Gymnastics Videos

Perhaps the construct most validated by Trumpism is the so-called “deep state,” recycled into the political idiolect by Mike Lofgren in 2014. In his essay “Anatomy of the Deep State,” he defines it as “a hybrid association of elements of government and parts of top-level finance and industry that is effectively able to govern the United States without reference to the consent of the governed as expressed through the formal political process.” The deep state, he said then, is not “a secret, conspiratorial cabal; the state within a state is hiding mostly in plain sight, and its operators mainly act in the light of day. Nor can this other government be accurately termed an ‘establishment.’ All complex societies have an establishment, a social network committed to its own enrichment and perpetuation.” This veritable delirium, grotesquely inspired by President Dwight Eisenhower’s famous farewell speech in 1961 — the figurehead of the military-industrial complex — is what Trumpists use to brand their political enemies to remove them from the public scene and have a free hand to replace them with Donald Trump loyalists. Kash Patel is one of the most conspicuous defenders of this concept. That is why Trump has proposed him as the new director of the FBI, breaking with a post-Watergate practice according to which its directors serve ten-year terms. This extended term aims to ensure that the FBI does not serve the political interests of a specific president. Its current director, Christopher Wray, appointed by Trump himself after firing James Comey, is due to complete his term in 2027. Still, Trump has already been clear on the matter: he has just declared that Wray has “invaded my home,” a reference to the FBI searches carried out at Mar-a-Lago in search of criminal evidence for the documents he took from the White House. In an interview this year with NBC, Patel said he would “close” the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., and “reopen it the next day as a deep state museum.” In fact, this character is one of Trump’s most visceral defenders, the same one who has called for eliminating government employees who are considered insufficiently loyal, in so many words, and has made a fairly extensive list of those who are excludable. It includes both Democrats and Republicans, the latter placed in the public pillory for opposing/distancing themselves from the top leader. It includes, among many others, the following officials: Related Posts U.S. launches plan to regularize migrants married to Americans June 20, 2024 Disobedience and protest in the United States (I) May 11, 2024 Civil War or Boogaloo wet dream April 16, 2024 Donald Trump, Latinos and immigrants March 23, 2024 var jnews_module_314685_0_675a20bc138ee = {"header_icon":"","first_title":"Related Posts","second_title":"","url":"","header_type":"heading_1","header_background":"","header_secondary_background":"","header_text_color":"","header_line_color":"","header_accent_color":"","header_filter_category":"","header_filter_author":"","header_filter_tag":"","header_filter_text":"All","post_type":"post","content_type":"all","number_post":"4","post_offset":0,"unique_content":"disable","include_post":"","exclude_post":314685,"include_category":"13940","exclude_category":"","include_author":"","include_tag":"","exclude_tag":"","sort_by":"latest","date_format":"default","date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","force_normal_image_load":"","pagination_mode":"nextprev","pagination_nextprev_showtext":"","pagination_number_post":"4","pagination_scroll_limit":0,"boxed":"","boxed_shadow":"","el_id":"","el_class":"","scheme":"","column_width":"auto","title_color":"","accent_color":"","alt_color":"","excerpt_color":"","css":"","paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_21"}; The other issue that Patel stands out for is classic of the Trumpist mentality and agenda, that is, the conception of the media as “enemies of the people.” That is why he has extended his whip to the so-called fourth power, one of the bases of U.S. democracy, and to its work as a watchdog against political power. In an interview with Steve Bannon , another of the champions of Trumpism, Patel stated how he would treat journalists. “We’re going to come after the people in the media who helped Biden rig presidential elections. Whether it’s criminal or civil, we will deal with it.” He went further, accusing “some people in the media” of coordinating actions with the government to spread “a false narrative” about Trump. “I have a problem with that,” Patel said. “And I think there should be some kind of accountability. I don’t know what that would like.” Even though he later put up a fig leaf by saying that journalists were “invaluable,” his remarks are unlikely to turn off the red light of those who rightly see him as another embodiment of Trump’s promise to seek revenge against his enemies once established in the White House. His loyalty to Trump and his history of embracing conspiracy theories belies that. Patel is a classic product of the MAGA movement. Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters for America, expects the Trump administration to take a confrontational approach to the media. “It’s going to respond not only to what Trump is saying but also to what that broader underlying right-wing media ecosystem is asking and demanding,” he said. “We shouldn’t rule out the bloodlust that’s out there. These people want revenge.” Now that this character is nominated to lead one of the most powerful government agencies, the question of whether or not he will actually “come after” journalists is a concern for both parties. It’s likely to become a central point of contention when he comes up for Senate confirmation, even with the current Republican majority. We’ll see. Tags: donald trump u.s electionsSoccer-Bayern’s Kane bags hat-trick in 3-0 win over AugsburgNo. 4 Penn State tries to keep playoff picture out of focus in prep for tough trip to MinnesotaUS President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be "held accountable" but called the nation's political upheaval a "historic opportunity" for Syrians to rebuild their country. In the first full US reaction to Assad's overthrow by an Islamist-led coalition of rebel factions, Biden also warned that Washington will "remain vigilant" against the emergence of terrorist groups, announcing that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organization. "The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria." Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Biden said that "Assad should be held accountable." Biden -- set to step down in January and make way for Republican Donald Trump's return to power -- said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding. "We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward independent, sovereign" Syria "with a new constitution," he said. However, Biden cautioned that hardline Islamist groups within the victorious rebel alliance will be under scrutiny. "Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human right abuses," Biden said. The United States had "taken note" of recent statements by rebels suggesting they had since moderated, he said, but cautioned: "We will assess not just their words, but their actions." Biden said Washington is "clear eyed" that the Islamic State extremist group, often known as ISIS, "will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish" itself in Syria. "We will not let that happen," he said, adding that on Sunday alone, US forces had conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria. The US military said the strikes were conducted by warplanes against Islamic State operatives and camps. Strikes were carried out against "over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s," the US Central Command said on social media. Earlier, Biden met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the crisis. - Missing US journalist - Assad's reported departure comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged more than five decades of Assad family rule with a lightning rebel offensive that broke long-frozen frontlines in Syria's civil war. They announced Sunday they had taken the capital Damascus and that Assad had fled, prompting celebrations nationwide and a ransacking of Assad's luxurious home. A Kremlin source told Russian news agencies that the deposed leader was now in Moscow, along with his family. The US military has around 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the international coalition established in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State jihadist group. It has regularly struck targets in the country including those linked to Iranian-backed militias. Tehran was a major backer of Assad's government. Biden also confirmed US authorities believe the American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, still lives. "We believe he's alive," Biden said, but the US has yet "to identify where he is." bur-sms/mlm

(CNN) — The Biden administration is working to surge deliveries of weapons to Ukraine in its final days in office in a concerted effort to put Kyiv on a strong footing going into 2025, according to a senior administration official. The push is in stark contrast to that of the incoming Trump administration, with President-elect Donald Trump sharply criticizing a recent US move to allow Ukraine to use US-provided weapons to strike inside Russia in an interview with Time Magazine published Thursday. In the latest show of support for Ukraine, the Biden administration plans to announce an expected $500 million aid package in coming days that will pull equipment out of the US military’s stocks. And the senior administration official told CNN that the administration is pouring resources into getting previously announced weapons for Ukraine into Kyiv’s hands before Biden leaves office. “DoD is undertaking a historic effort to move massive quantities of weapons into Ukraine in the next five weeks,” the senior administration official said. “Between now and mid-January, we will deliver to Ukraine hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, hundreds of armored vehicles, and other critical capabilities.” An interagency effort to deliver the weapons is being led by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the senior official said. In November, Sullivan told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on behalf of the president to “accelerate” the deliveries of armored vehicles, rockets, artillery and more to Ukraine. The Pentagon is now conducting sealifts and airlifts to meet the delivery deadline. Sullivan just briefed Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, about the sealifts and airlifts last week, a source familiar with the matter said. David Shimer, the National Security Council’s Ukraine director, has been coordinating with the Pentagon on their efforts specifically. The renewed push for delivery to Ukraine hasn’t changed the situation that there are no US boots on the ground in Ukraine, the source familiar said, and the weapons are being moved through Europe the way they have been throughout the war. But the source said that the surge in deliveries is involving a significant number of flights and sea vessels. Meanwhile, in the interview with Time — which was conducted in late November but published Thursday with Trump’s selection as the 2024 Person of the Year — Trump was pushed on how he will support Ukraine after taking office. He said in the interview that he “vehemently” disagreed with the decision by the Biden administration to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russia with US-provided weapons. “We’re just escalating this war and making it worse,” Trump said. “That should not have been allowed to be done. Now they’re doing not only missiles, but they’re doing other types of weapons. And I think that’s a very big mistake, very big mistake.” Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick to be the next national security adviser, has been weighing proposals for ending the war, including one from retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg — whom Trump announced as his special envoy to Ukraine and Russia — that would make continued US aid to Ukraine contingent on Ukraine’s participation in peace talks with Russia. Another proposal would allow Russia to keep the territory it currently holds in exchange for giving Ukraine NATO membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he wants to work “directly” with Trump and that he believes the war will end “faster” when he is president. Trump and Zelensky met just last week in Paris, along with French President Emmanuel Macron. CNN has reported that the Pentagon is unlikely to use all of the nearly $7 billion left in funding that was authorized by Congress to arm Ukraine by the time Biden leaves office, largely due to limitations in the military’s ability to refill its own stocks. The source familiar, though, said the administration is confident that they’ll use the appropriated funding for Ukraine, drawing a distinction from what was authorized. But still, the biggest challenge facing Ukraine is not its weapons stocks, the senior administration official said — it’s manpower. The source familiar with the matter said that the Biden administration’s emphasis on Kyiv’s need to address its manning issue is part of the larger push to ensure Ukraine is in as good a position as possible going into 2025. “Ukraine is not currently mobilizing or training enough soldiers to staff its front-line units,” the official said. “The US stands ready to help train newly mobilized soldiers: If Ukraine mobilizes additional soldiers and sends them to training sites outside of Ukraine, we will train them. But first, Ukraine needs to make the decision to mobilize more soldiers.” The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.U.S. defense chief observes drills with Japan, Australia

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Kenya is moving forward with plans to secure a Sh193 billion ($1.5 billion) loan from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is despite the International Monetary Fund (IMF) urging caution due to concerns that this could exacerbate the country’s debt situation. To address these concerns, sources cited by Bloomberg indicate that the Abu Dhabi loan will be disbursed to Kenya in tranches, ensuring compliance with borrowing limits set under the four-year IMF programme that concludes in April, reported Bloomberg. Kenya is expected to access about Sh91 billion ($700 million) at the beginning of next year, with the remainder to be disbursed later, although timelines are subject to change, reported Bloomberg. President William Ruto’s government reckons that the loan will provide a crucial buffer against a budget crisis, particularly as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has consistently missed its revenue targets. Kenya has also secured a Sh26 billion ($200 million) loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and is in discussions with the World Bank for a new loan of Sh97 billion ($750 million), a separate report from Reuters said. Director General of the Ministry of Finance’s Public Debt Management Office Raphael Owino, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “The World Bank is coming on board, riding on the back of IMF receipts. The AfDB is already on board.” Despite the IMF’s calls for reduced borrowing, President Ruto faces challenges following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024 in response to Gen Z protests against perceived punitive tax measures. ALSO READ: 'Broke' government living large: Ruto adds Sh3tr to public debt The National Treasury is now attempting to reintroduce some proposals through the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, projected to yield only Sh174 billion instead of the earlier target of Sh346 billion. The success of these proposals remains uncertain amid ongoing resistance to increased taxes. The IMF had earlier warned of a difficult path ahead for Kenya as it disbursed $606 million (Sh78.1 billion) to support the government’s budgetary needs. Earlier this month, IMF Mission Chief for Kenya Haimanot Teferra, highlighted that if the terms of the UAE loan are more favourable than existing costly loans, it could be beneficial. Teferra cautioned that borrowing at high rates to finance the budget could worsen the situation. “We need to carefully consider how the funds are utilised, their terms, and how they affect Kenya’s current debt dynamics,” Teferra remarked. Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter The IMF also revealed this week that its Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke is scheduled to visit Kenya next month as the Bretton Woods institution continues to pressure the government to expand the tax base and implement reforms to curb its borrowing appetite, given the limited capacity for new loans. Clarke’s visit on December 9 and 10 will involve meetings with government officials and key stakeholders, said the IMF. Director of the IMF Communications Department Julie Kozack noted that Kenya’s government faces a complex balancing act between urgent spending needs in social programmes, health, and education while managing rising public debt and increasing domestic revenue. She reiterated that the UAE loan discussions with Kenya or any new borrowing should align with a comprehensive fiscal strategy to mitigate debt vulnerabilities amid ongoing fiscal challenges. While discussing the recent reviews of Kenya’s performance, IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath remarked earlier: “Fiscal performance has significantly fallen short of targets, leading to increased debt vulnerabilities. The IMF has noted that a “credible fiscal consolidation strategy remains essential for addressing these vulnerabilities while safeguarding social and development spending.” “Reforms to enhance the efficiency, equity, and transparency of the tax regime are critical to garnering political and societal support.”No. 21 Creighton's Steven Ashworth doubtful for Players Era Festival opener against Aztecs

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On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here. ___ Saquon Barkley has become the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL. There’s no better home run hitter playing football right now. Barkley had touchdown runs of 72 and 70 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles in a over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. He now has five runs of 50-plus yards this season and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105 yards set in 1984. Barkley’s historic performance against the Rams — his 255 yards set a team record — captivated a national audience and turned him into a fan favorite for the AP NFL MVP award. He’s not the betting favorite, however. Josh Allen has the best odds at plus-150, according to Bet MGM Sportsbook. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson is next at plus-250 followed by Barkley at plus-400. Running backs have won the award 18 times, including three-time winner Jim Brown, who was the AP’s first NFL MVP in 1957. Quarterbacks have dominated the award, winning it 45 times. Only three players who weren’t QBs or RBs have been MVP. It takes a special season for a non-QB to win it mainly because the offense goes through the signal caller. Quarterbacks handle the ball every offensive snap, run the show and get the credit when things go well and the blame when it doesn’t. Adrian Peterson was the most recent non-QB to win it when he ran for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. Playing for a winning team matters, too. Nine of the past 11 winners played for a No. 1 seed with the other two winners on a No. 2 seed. The Vikings earned the sixth seed when Pederson was MVP. Barkley is a major reason why the Eagles (9-2) are and only trail Detroit (10-1) by one game for the top spot in the conference. Does he have a realistic chance to win the MVP award? Kicker Mark Moseley was the MVP in the strike-shortened 1982 season when he made 20 of 21 field goals and 16 of 19 extra points in nine games for Washington. If voters once selected a kicker, everyone has a chance, especially a game-changer such as Barkley. Defensive tackle Alan Page was the MVP in 1971 and linebacker Lawrence Taylor won it in 1986. Running back Christian McCaffrey finished third in voting last year and wide receiver Justin Jefferson placed fifth in 2022. The Offensive Player of the Year award and Defensive Player of the Year award recognize the best all-around players on both sides of the ball, allowing voters to recognize non-QBs if they choose. Wide receivers and running backs have won the AP OPOY award seven times over the past 11 seasons. McCaffrey was the 2023 winner. The AP’s new voting format introduced in 2022 also gives non-QBs a better opportunity to get MVP recognition. Voter submit their top five picks for each award, with a weighted point system. Previously, voters made one choice for each award. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league vote for MVP and seven other awards. The awards are based on regular-season performance. Clinching scenarios The Chiefs (10-1) and Bills (9-2) already are in position to lock up postseason berths right after Thanksgiving. Kansas City clinches a playoff berth with a win over Las Vegas on Black Friday and a loss by Miami on Thursday night, or a win plus a loss by Denver on Monday night. Buffalo can wrap up a fifth straight AFC East title with a victory over San Francisco on Sunday and a loss by the Dolphins. Status quo in Dallas? It’s not a given that the Dallas Cowboys will be looking for a new head coach after this season. Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on local radio that Mike McCarthy could end up getting a contract extension. “I don’t think that’s crazy at all. This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there and done that. He has great ideas. We got a lot of football left,” Jones said. McCarthy led the Cowboys (4-7) to three straight 12-win seasons, but they went 1-3 in the playoffs and haven’t reached the NFC championship game since winning the Super Bowl 29 years ago. Injuries have contributed to the team’s struggles this season, but Dallas was just 3-5 before Dak Prescott was lost for the rest of the season. The Cowboys upset Washington last week and their next four games are against teams that currently have losing records. If they somehow end up 9-8 or even 8-9, Jones could make a case for keeping McCarthy. ___ AP NFL:This year’s holiday season won’t be so bright for Player 456. He’s back in the game once again in Squid Game season two as he once again faces deadly challenges and ruthless competition. We’ve seen a few clips and photos to give us some insight into this upcoming season. And, we even know that there will be a third Squid Game season in 2025 that will bring this survival thriller series to an end. For now, we are locked back in and ready to see Seong Gi-hun tackle more epic and frankly terrifying tasks. The official trailer for Squid Game season two is here and Player 456 is trying to end it all. This full trailer delivers everything we knew we’d need from it. Intrigue, excitement, deceit, and our main character’s quest to stop these ridiculous games from even happening. Sadly, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched that people would put their lives on the line for a chance to never have to worry about money again. Violence for entertainment’s sake is also nothing new either. There’s a reason why people love this show. But let’s not get too dark here... Here’s a brief synopsis for Squid Game season two to bring the trailer into focus: Three years after winning Squid Game , Player 456 gave up going to the states and comes back with a new resolution in his mind. Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 456 billion won. What Is the Release Date for Squid Game Season Two? Get back into the game when Squid Game season two hits Netflix on December 26. What a great way to spend those lazy last few days of the year! This article first appeared on Nerdist and was syndicated with permission.

'Gladiator II' Jumps the Shark (Literally)By FARNOUSH AMIRI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz said Friday that he will not be returning to Congress after withdrawing his name from consideration to be attorney general under President-elect Donald Trump amid growing allegations of sexual misconduct. “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” Gaetz told conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, adding that he has “some other goals in life that I’m eager to pursue with my wife and my family.” The announcement comes a day after Gaetz, a Florida Republican, stepped aside from the Cabinet nomination process amid growing fallout from federal and House Ethics investigations that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. The 42-year-old has vehemently denied the allegations against him. Gaetz’s nomination as attorney general had stunned many career lawyers inside the Justice Department, but reflected Trump’s desire to place a loyalist in a department he has marked for retribution following the criminal cases against him. Hours after Gaetz withdrew, Trump nominated Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, who would come to the job with years of legal work under her belt and that other trait Trump prizes above all: loyalty. It’s unclear what’s next for Gaetz, who is no longer a member of the House. He surprised colleagues by resigning from Congress the same day that Trump nominated him for attorney general. Some speculated he could still be sworn into office for another two-year term on Jan. 3, given that he had just won reelection earlier this month. But Gaetz, who has been in state and national politics for 14 years, said he’s done with Congress. “I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress,” he said.South Korea’s Yoon declares martial law in shock political move

Dealing with Trump will be 'a little more challenging' than last time: TrudeauBRAINERD — A proposed 2025 4% levy increase will be presented to Brainerd residents during the City Council’s truth in taxation hearing Dec. 2. This number is a reduction from the preliminary 8% levy increase approved in September and could still change before a final levy is approved. Discussion surrounding funding for the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport and how that would impact the levy continued during the council’s meeting on Monday, Nov. 18 ADVERTISEMENT Council member Gabe Johnson, chair of the Personnel and Finance Committee, told the council of a couple of recent proposed changes to the budget. The committee’s proposal would have reduced the levy increase to 4.75% over 2024. It included a $100,000 reduction in the capital budget and a $100,000 reduction in the Park Board’s facility funding request each year. There was also a $10,000 reduction in funds budgeted for street tree replacement. Monday’s proposal also included $125,000 for an airport levy, which is an increase from the previously approved levy of $1,000. Council member Jeff Czeczok proposed the $1,000 in September as opposed to the airport’s request of $225,000. An earlier issue regarded Brainerd’s request not to have double taxation on Brainerd residents, who paid into both the city and county levies for the airport. A year ago, then Crow Wing County Administrator Tim Houle said the city of Brainerd represents 6% of the total tax base in Crow Wing County. That means that of the $157,000 the county planned to levy for the airport in 2024, $9,420 will come from Brainerd residents. “While we cannot exclude them from our levy, we could agree to increasing our levy by that amount and let the city decrease their levy by that amount and, in essence, we would leave the city residents whole on the issue of being taxed twice,” Houle wrote. In November 2023, the County Board authorized the increase of its 2024 levy by $9,420, while Brainerd reduced its levy by the same amount. The county reported that remedy, once it was set last year, continues going forward. At that time, the County Board also agreed to continue talks with city officials about the long-term ownership of the airport. The county noted there were also other areas for discussion, such as staff support, it was willing to undertake. One option — raised at the time of the double taxation discussion in 2023 at the County Board — was for the county to take full ownership of the airport. Brainerd City Council members at that time said they weren’t necessarily opposed to the idea but were looking for more information . The city approached Crow Wing County earlier this year about having the county take over sole ownership of the airport, but a letter from county staff said it was not an issue they wanted to pursue. In August, Crow Wing County Commissioner Steve Barrows said he did not support the ownership change — neither did Airport Director Steve Wright nor Brainerd City Council member airport liaison Kevin Stunek. ADVERTISEMENT As the airport is jointly owned by the city and the county, there is an ownership agreement between the two entities, though the agreement does not specifically state how much each entity must levy for airport operations each year. In 1947, Brainerd resident Walter Wieland urged the City of Brainerd, in conjunction with Crow Wing County, to develop an Airport Commission in an effort to own and operate an airport. The Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport website notes an application was made and money from local, state and federal sources combined to create the airport, previously known as the Brainerd Crow Wing County Municipal Airport. Reached by phone Wednesday night, Barrows, who is the county liaison to the airport commission, said the county was willing to talk about ownership but it was already late in the game for the 2025 budget process. The county adopted its preliminary tax levy on Sept. 24. A discussion with the Federal Aviation Administration listed an 18-24 month time period to remove Brainerd from the ownership agreement, Barrows said. He said the county didn’t walk away, but said no changes in 2024. He said they are willing to talk about 2026 if the city initiates that conversation. Barrows said it seems Brainerd officials felt it was doable for the county to come up with another $150,000 after they were already deep into staff work for the 2025 budget. “There is a year to work on it,” Barrows said. “Now is the time for them to come back to have these discussions. ... This is not a thing that can happen overnight with the snap of a finger. We know they want out. ... Let’s do a planful approach to their exit.” Barrows said the county has represented itself professionally in this process. ADVERTISEMENT In September, Czeczok said the biggest issue for him is the levy, as the airport is an asset to the entire region — not just Brainerd or even Crow Wing County. The county taking over the entire or at least the majority of the levy, Czeczok said, would give relief to Brainerd taxpayers. The whole point is transferring ownership to the county, he added, was so Brainerd would not have to levy at all for the airport. Council members discussed a $150,000 airport levy at a meeting in September, marginally increasing it from the $146,080 levy in 2024. The motion for the amount failed, though, with Mayor Dave Badeaux breaking the 3-3 tie, with one council member absent. The $125,000 proposed Monday night started at that $150,000 mark but deducted $25,000 to account for the finance and human resources work performed by city staff at the airport each year. Czeczok was not in favor of the increase, saying the $1,000 airport levy was all about fairness to Brainerd taxpayers. The county has the ability to administer the entire levy, he said, and it’s not the city’s responsibility to match what the county does. Barrows said present and past Brainerd City Councils, not the County Board, decided to contribute financially and at what level in support of the airport that is in shared ownership. “Our negotiation is simple,” Czeczok said. “We say we’re going to give $1,000, and we do that. And the next year, the county said, OK, they’re only going to pay 1,000 bucks. Are we going to have the airport get the operating levy they need to operate, or are we going to sit here and play patty cake and go back and forth because somebody’s got a petty issue? ... Petty politics is all we see happening here, and I’m looking out for our taxpayers.” Council President Kelly Bevans said he agreed with Czeczok. The double taxation of Brainerd taxpayers, he said, is something the city can fix right now. ADVERTISEMENT “The additional tragedy is not only the double taxation but the fact that we made a proposal in writing to the county to discuss this,” Bevans said. “... And it appears they’re not interested in even discussing the administration of the levy.” As much as he said the $125,000 might be necessary to run the airport, Bevans said it should not fall on Brainerd taxpayers. The motion to approve the Personnel and Finance Committee’s proposal, including the $125,000 for the airport, failed 5-2, with Tiffany Stenglein and Kara Terry the only ones in support. A subsequent motion for only the capital and streets portion of the recommendation passed 6-1, with Terry in opposition. The airport levy back at $1,000, Johnson suggested presenting a 4% levy increase to residents during the public hearing in December. He said he did not know what the exact number would be with the $124,000 airport levy reduction from the proposal but figured 4% would allow the council to further reduce the levy if needed. Czeczok said he liked 4%. The motion to present 4% at the public hearing passed 6-1, with Terry opposed. The council’s public hearing on the final levy will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, at City Hall. The council must pass the final levy before the end of the year. ADVERTISEMENT Managing Editor Renee Richardson assisted with this story. THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa .Ruben Amorim warned “the storm will come” eventually as Manchester United’s head coach tried to temper expectations ahead of the trip to Arsenal. The 39-year-old has been a breath of fresh air since succeeding Erik ten Hag, with his personality and approach, coupled with promising early performances, bringing hope back to Old Trafford. Amorim has been touched by his warm welcome but repeatedly urged fans to avoid jumping the gun, having followed a draw at Ipswich with home wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton. Wednesday’s trip to Arsenal is comfortably his biggest challenge yet and victory would see United move within three points of the Premier League title contenders. Put to Amorim it will be hard to manage expectations if they won in the capital, the head coach said: “I would like to say different things, but I have to say it again: the storm will come. “I don’t know if you use that expression, but we are going to have difficult moments and we will be found out in some games. “And I know that because I’m knowing my players and I know football and I follow football, so I understand the difference between the teams. “We are in the point in that we are putting simple things in the team, without training, and you feel it in this game against Everton, they change a little bit the way they were building up. “They are very good team, and we were with a lot of problems because we cannot change it by calling one thing to the captain. A midweek trip to the capital awaits 🚆 #MUFC || #PL pic.twitter.com/1e6VrILJW3 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 3, 2024 “So, we don’t have this training, so let’s focus on each game, on the performance, what we have to improve, trying to win games. And that is the focus. “I know it’s really hard to be a Manchester United coach and say these things in press conferences. We want to win all the time. No matter what. “We are going to try to win, but we know that we are in a different point if you compare to Arsenal. “So, it is what it is and we will try to win it and we go with confidence to win, but we know that we need to play very well to win the next football match.” The trip to Arsenal is the second of nine December matches for United, who are looking to avoid suffering four straight league defeats to the Gunners for the first time. The Red Devils have not won a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium since 2017, but Amorim knows a thing or two about frustrating Mikel Arteta’s men. Arsenal thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League last week, but in 2022-23 he led the Portuguese side to a Europa League last-16 penalty triumph after a 1-1 draw in London made it 3-3 on aggregate. “Arsenal this year, they play a little bit different,” Amorim said. “They are more fluid. “For example, two years ago when we faced them with Sporting, you knew how to press because you can understand better the structure. “Now it’s more fluid with (Riccardo) Calafiori and (Jurrien) Timber in different sides. One coming inside, the other going outside. Also (Martin) Odegaard changed the team, and you can feel it during this season. “So, you can take something from that game, especially because I know so well the opponent so you can understand the weakness of that team. “But every game is different, so you take something, but you already know that you are going to face a very good team.” This hectic winter schedule means Amorim sidestepped talk of January transfer business ahead of facing Arsenal, although he was more forthcoming on Amad Diallo’s future. The 22-year-old, who put in a man of the match display in Sunday’s 4-0 win against Everton, is out of contract at the end of the season, although the club holds an option to extend by a year. Diallo has repeatedly spoken of his desire to stay at United and it has been reported an agreement is close. Amorim said: “I think he wants to stay, and we want him to stay. So that is clear and we will find a solution.”

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Ghana's opposition leader John Mahama officially won the country's election on Monday, easily defeating the ruling party candidate after voters punished the government's economic management and high living costs. Mahama won 56 percent of the votes in Saturday's presidential ballot, compared to the ruling party candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who secured 41 percent, the electoral commission said announcing official results. The landslide comeback for former president Mahama ended eight years in power for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose last term was marked by Ghana's worst economic turmoil in years, an IMF bailout and a debt default. "These eight years have witnessed some of the darkest periods of our governance," Mahama told crowds of supporters blowing horns and whistles in his party office in Accra. "This mandate also serves as a constant reminder of what fate awaits us if we fail to meet the aspirations of our people." Bawumia, a former central banker, had already quickly conceded defeat on Sunday, acknowledging Ghanaians wanted change after the government failed to shake off widespread frustration. Bawumia also said the Mahama's National Democratic Congress (NDC) party had won the parliamentary vote in Saturday's election. Official results for the parliament are still being tallied. Mahama, 66, had previously failed twice to secure the presidency, but in Saturday's election he managed to tap into expectations of change among Ghanaians. He promised to "reset" Ghana, usher in economic revival and renegotiate parts of the country's $3 billion IMF accord. In his acceptance speech, Mahama promised reforms and "severe" measures to bring Ghana back on track. "The journey is not going to be easy... because the outgoing government has plunged our dear nation into the abyss," he said. "I am certain that we shall win the battle." With a history of democratic stability, Ghana's two major parties, the NPP and NDC, have alternated in power equally since the return to multi-party politics in 1992. But Ghana's economic woes dominated the 2024 election, after the continent's top gold producer and world's second cacao exporter went through a debt crisis, the default and currency devaluation. Turnout for Saturday election was 60.9 percent, a slide in participation from 79 percent in the 2020 election, results showed. With a slogan "Break the 8" -- a reference to two, four-year terms in power -- Bawumia had sought to take the NPP to an unprecedented third mandate. But he struggled to break from criticism of Akufo-Addo's economic record. While inflation slowed from more than 50 percent to around 23 percent, and other indicators stabilised, economic concerns were still a clear election issue for most Ghanaians. That frustration opened the way for a comeback from Mahama, who first came to the presidency in 2012 when he was serving as vice president and then President John Atta Mills died in office. During campaigning, the former president also faced criticism from those who remember his government's own financial tribulations and especially the massive power blackouts that marred his time in office. bur/pma/givPakistani authorities launch operation to clear Imran Khan supporters from the capital

The 12th Governing Council of the Lagos State Polytechnic has officially exited as its tenure for the polytechnic has been completed. The council announced its exit at a meeting held on Monday, December 9, 2024 at its Isolo Campus. The exit of the Polytechnic Governing Council became a necessity since the institution has been transformed into a university. In 2022, the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, and two other higher institutions – Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education ((AOCOED), Ijanikin, Lagos; and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Noforija, Epe, Lagos formally assumed their new status as universities following the signing into law, the bills seeking conversion of the three institutions to universities by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. LASPOTECH was established in 1977 through a retroactive Lagos State Edict No. 1 of 1978 as a College of Science and Technology with the mission thrust that is vocational. However, it was immediately merged with the Lagos State School of Agriculture in Ikorodu in August of 1978. A decade after, which is in 1988, its nomenclature was changed to Lagos State Polytechnic. To some extent, the polytechnic had undergone some transition in its development. At the beginning, with about five departments, namely, Accountancy and Finance, Management and Business Studies, Insurance, Secretarial Studies and Basic Studies and offer of GCE ‘A’ Level courses in the Arts and Sciences, it has now over 56 programmes which include Accountancy, Agricultural Engineering/Technology, Agricultural Technology, Architectural Technology, Arts And Design, Banking And Finance, Building Technology, Business Administration & Management, Chemical Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology, Estate Management and Valuation, Fisheries Technology, Food Technology, Horticultural Technology, Hospitality Management, Insurance, Leisure and Tourism Management, Marketing, Mass Communication, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Engineering Technology, Office Technology And Management, Quantity Surveying, Science Laboratory Technology, Statistics, and Urban And Regional Planning among others. LASPOTECH has one more year to closed down and allow the new LASUTECH to assume its full status across the three campuses. Speaking at its exit meeting on Monday, the Chairman of the defunct LASPOTECH Governing Council, Prof. Rasheed Kola Ojikutu, noted that the council has to cease to exist since the institution has been transformed into a university. While appreciating the members of the council, Ojikutu stated that the council recorded a huge success due to the cooperation of the members. He boasted that he was able to steer the wheel of the council because of his contentment, integrity and humbleness. The council chairman said he detests people flaunting their power and using it at will. “I hate people using their power anyhow. Don’t use your power at will, it should be the last resort,” he said. He, therefore, appreciated all the members of the council for their support and resilience to the end of the tenure. Also speaking, the Poly Rector, Dr. Nurudeen Olaleye, said the council has to be dissolved in order to pave way for the university that has taken over the polytechnic. While appreciating the council for its support over the years, Olaleye said he was very lucky to work with the 12th council, saying it helped him to grow and have seamless tenure as the last rector of the legacy polytechnic. He appreciated the council especially the council chairman for creating conducive environment for him as a rector, saying working with the council chairman gave him the muscle to achieve greatly for the institution. He also appreciated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his effort to make the institution a best place to work. “We thank Almighty God for the journey so far. It is only by his grace that we are successful. “I will say I’m a very lucky person to have worked with this council. I had the opportunity to learn, unlearn and relearn.” Meanwhile, the LASUSTECH Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, who was represented by the University Registrar, David Ogungbe, appreciated the council especially for the infrastructure it was able to build in the university during the tenure.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton point guard Steven Ashworth likely won't play Tuesday in the No. 21 Bluejays' game against San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Ashworth sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Nebraska on Friday, and coach Greg McDermott said he didn't know how long he would be out. “He stepped on a guy's foot on a 3-point shot and you're defenseless in that situation," McDermott said after the game. "He torqued it pretty good.” An athletic department spokesman said Monday that Ashworth's status was doubtful for the game against the Aztecs. Ashworth is Creighton's second-leading scorer with 16 points per game and leads the team with 6.4 assists per game. He also is 23 of 23 on free throws. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Ruben Amorim issues storm warning after smooth start with Manchester UnitedOTTAWA — First Nations leaders are split over next steps after a landmark $47.8-billion child welfare reform deal with Canada was struck down, prompting differing legal opinions from both sides. The Assembly of First Nations and a board member of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society have received competing legal opinions on potential ways forward. Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict says the chiefs he represents are still hoping the agreement that chiefs outside the province voted down two months ago is not moot. Chiefs in Ontario are interveners in the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case that led to its realization. He added there are also concerns that some of the elements in the new negotiation mandate outlined by chiefs in an October assembly go beyond the current governance structure of the Assembly of First Nations. "There will have to be action by the Assembly of First Nations in the very near future to advance these positions, but you also need willing partners," Benedict said. "We're still considering what our options are." Those options are also being debated in legal reviews commissioned by the Assembly of First Nations and a board member of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, which are both parties to the human rights case, along with Nishnawbe Aski Nation. Khelsilem, a chairperson from the Squamish Nation who penned a resolution that defeated the deal in October, critiqued the stance of Ontario First Nations by saying they negotiated a "bad agreement" for First Nations outside the province and now that chiefs want to go back to the table for a better deal, they want to split from the process entirely. "It potentially undermines the collective unity of First Nations to achieve something that is going to benefit all of us," he said. The $47.8-billion agreement was struck in July after decades of advocacy and litigation from First Nations and experts, seeking to redress discrimination against First Nations children who were torn from their families and placed in foster care. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal said Canada’s underfunding was discriminatory because it meant kids living on reserve were given fewer services than those living off reserves, and tasked Canada with reaching an agreement with First Nations to reform the system. The agreement was meant to cover 10 years of funding for First Nations to take control of their own child welfare services from the federal government. Chiefs and service providers critiqued the deal for months, saying it didn’t go far enough to ensure an end to the discrimination. They have also blasted the federal government for what they say is its failure to consult with First Nations in negotiations, and for the exclusion of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, which helped launched the initial human rights complaint. In October at a special chiefs assembly in Calgary, the deal was struck down through two resolutions. The Assembly of First Nations sought a legal review of those resolutions by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP — a firm where the former national chief of the organization, Perry Bellegarde, works as a special adviser. In the legal review from Fasken, it appears as though the assembly asked for direction on how to get "rid" of two resolutions used to vote down the deal, with an employee of the firm saying they can review the resolutions together if they want them both gone, or they can "leave room for compromise" with one of the resolutions. In a statement, the Assembly of First Nations said the review was conducted to assess the legal, technical and operational aspects of the resolutions to ensure their "effective implementation." "The opinions formed by external counsel are their own and do not reflect the views or positions of the AFN," said Andrew Bisson, the chief executive officer, who added it's not unusual for the organization to seek such reviews. Bisson did not address the language used by a Fasken employee to "get rid" of resolutions, but said "the legal and technical reviews were conducted in good faith, not to undermine the chiefs' direction. The chiefs have provided clear direction, and the AFN is committed to following that direction." The legal reviews from Fasken, dated Nov. 15, argue that the October resolutions on child welfare require a significant review of who voted for them, along with changes to the organization's charter should they be implemented. Resolution 60 called for a rejection of the final settlement agreement, and for the establishment of a Children's Chiefs Commission that will be representative of all regions and negotiate long-term reforms. It also called for the AFN's executive committee to "unconditionally include" the Caring Society in negotiations. Fasken said that commission is contrary to the AFN's charter, and the law, because the AFN's executive committee doesn't have the power to create one, and that the executive committee "alone" has the authority to execute mandates on behalf of the assembly. It adds there are no accountability measures for the new negotiation body, and that it will represent regions that are not participants in the AFN. Resolution 61, which built upon resolution 60, is similarly against the charter for the same reasons, the review says. As such, it says, the resolutions can't be implemented. The firm also wrote that there were alleged conflicts of interest during the October vote, saying "numerous proxies were also employees, shareholders, directors, agents or otherwise had a vested interest" in the First Nations child and family service agencies whose interests were the subject of the resolutions. Chief Joe Miskokomon of Chippewas of the Thames First Nation in southwestern Ontario called that "political deception." In response to that review, a board member of the Caring Society, which has been a vocal critic of the July deal, sought their own. The review penned by Aird Berlis for Mary Teegee and dated Dec. 2 stated it was "inappropriate for the AFN to seek, and not disclose, legal opinions which are then cited to attempt to second-guess decisions already made by the First Nations in Assembly." It also states that while the AFN's vice-president of strategic policy and integration, Amber Potts, raised concerns with the movers and seconders of the resolutions, the entirety of the legal opinion the assembly sought was not shared with them. Teegee's review challenges that of the AFN's by saying the resolutions are consistent with the AFN's charter, and that nothing restricts First Nations in assembly from expressing their sovereign will by delegating authority to another entity. "AFN's role and purpose at all times is to effect the sovereign will of First Nations, however it is expressed, on 'any matter' that they see fit," the review from Aird Berlis reads. "It is too late to attempt to question the resolutions. They are now final." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press

ALL-REMOTE COMPANY/WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 9, 2024-- Phreesia, Inc. (NYSE: PHR) (“Phreesia” or the "Company") announced financial results today for the fiscal third quarter ended October 31, 2024. "We are excited about the future here at Phreesia,” said CEO and Co-Founder Chaim Indig. “Our network continues to grow, adoption of our current offerings is increasing, and we are beginning to see the promise of new solutions we are investing in.” Please visit the Phreesia investor relations website at ir.phreesia.com to view the Company's Q3 Fiscal Year 2025 Stakeholder Letter. Fiscal Third Quarter Ended October 31, 2024 Highlights Fiscal Year 2025 Outlook We are narrowing our revenue outlook for fiscal 2025 to a range of $418 million to $420 million from a previous range of $416 million to $426 million, implying year-over-year growth of 17% to 18%. We are updating our Adjusted EBITDA outlook for fiscal 2025 to a range of $34 million to $36 million from a previous range of $26 million to $31 million. Our outlook reflects our strong performance in the fiscal third quarter and our continued focus on margin improvement. We are maintaining our expectation for AHSCs to reach approximately 4,200 for fiscal 2025, compared to 3,601 in fiscal 2024. We are maintaining our expectation for Total revenue per AHSC to increase in fiscal 2025 compared to the $98,944 we achieved in fiscal 2024. Fiscal Year 2026 Outlook We are introducing our revenue outlook for fiscal 2026. We expect revenue to be in the range of $472 million to $482 million. The revenue range provided for fiscal 2026 assumes no additional revenue from potential future acquisitions completed between now and January 31, 2026. We are introducing our Adjusted EBITDA outlook for fiscal 2026. We expect Adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $78 million to $88 million. The Adjusted EBITDA range provided for fiscal 2026 assumes continued improvement in operating leverage across the Company through focusing on efficiency. We expect AHSCs to reach approximately 4,500 in fiscal 2026. Additionally, we expect Total revenue per AHSC in fiscal 2026 to increase from fiscal 2025. We believe our $81.7 million in cash and cash equivalents as of October 31, 2024, along with cash generated in our normal operations, gives us sufficient flexibility to reach our fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 outlook. Additionally, our available borrowing capacity under our credit facility with Capital One provides us with an additional source of capital to pursue future growth opportunities not incorporated into our fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 outlook. As of October 31, 2024 we have no borrowings outstanding under our credit facility. Non-GAAP Financial Measures We have not reconciled our Adjusted EBITDA outlook to GAAP Net income (loss) because we do not provide an outlook for GAAP Net income (loss) due to the uncertainty and potential variability of Other (income) expense, net and (Benefit from) provision for income taxes, which are reconciling items between Adjusted EBITDA and GAAP Net income (loss). Because we cannot reasonably predict such items, a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure outlook to the corresponding GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable effort. We caution, however, that such items could have a significant impact on the calculation of GAAP Net income (loss). For further information regarding the non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release, including a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures and an explanation of these measures, please see “Non-GAAP financial measures” below. Available Information We intend to use our Company website (including our Investor Relations website) as well as our Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Forward Looking Statements This press release includes express or implied statements that are not historical facts and are considered forward-looking within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance and may contain projections of our future results of operations or of our financial information or state other forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: our future financial and operating performance, including our revenue, operating leverage, margins, Adjusted EBITDA, cash flows and profitability 3; our ability to finance our plans to achieve our fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 outlook with our current cash balance and cash generated in the normal course of business; and our outlook for fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026, including our expectations regarding revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, AHSCs and Total revenue per AHSC. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements relate to future events or our future operational or financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and will be affected by a variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control, including, without limitation, risks associated with: our ability to effectively manage our growth and meet our growth objectives; our focus on the long-term and our investments in growth; the competitive environment in which we operate; our ability to comply with the covenants in our credit agreement with Capital One; changes in market conditions and receptivity to our products and services; our ability to develop and release new products and services and successful enhancements, features and modifications to our existing products and services; our ability to maintain the security and availability of our platform; the impact of cyberattacks, security incidents or breaches impacting our business; changes in laws and regulations applicable to our business model; our ability to make accurate predictions about our industry and addressable market; our ability to attract, retain and cross-sell to healthcare services clients; our ability to continue to operate effectively with a primarily remote workforce and attract and retain key talent; our ability to realize the intended benefits of our acquisitions and partnerships; and difficulties in integrating our acquisitions and investments; and other general, market, political, economic and business conditions (including from the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential and congressional elections and the warfare and/or political and economic instability in Ukraine, the Middle East or elsewhere). The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those listed or described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024 that will be filed with the SEC following this press release. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update, and expressly disclaim the obligation to update, any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined by SEC rules. We have provided a reconciliation of those measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, with the exception of our Adjusted EBITDA outlook for the reasons described above. Conference Call Information We will hold a conference call on Monday December 9, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to review our fiscal 2025 third quarter financial results. To participate in our live conference call and webcast, please dial (800) 715-9871 (or (646) 307-1963 for international participants) using conference code number 7404611 or visit the “Events & Presentations” section of our Investor Relations website at ir.phreesia.com . A replay of the call will be available via webcast for on-demand listening shortly after the completion of the call, at the same web link, and will remain available for approximately 90 days. About Phreesia Phreesia is a trusted leader in patient activation, giving providers, life sciences companies and other organizations tools to help patients take a more active role in their care. Founded in 2005, Phreesia enabled approximately 150 million patient visits in 2023—more than 1 in 10 visits across the U.S.—scale that we believe allows us to make meaningful impact. Offering patient-driven digital solutions for intake, outreach, education and more, Phreesia enhances the patient experience, drives efficiency and improves healthcare outcomes. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release and statements made during the above-referenced webcast may include certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined by SEC rules. Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental measure of our performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or loss or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of our liquidity. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income or loss before interest income, net, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and before stock-based compensation expense and other expense, net. We have provided below a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. We have presented Adjusted EBITDA in this press release and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to be filed after this press release because it is a key measure used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate our core operating performance and trends, to prepare and approve our annual budget, and to develop short and long-term operational plans. In particular, we believe that the exclusion of the amounts eliminated in calculating Adjusted EBITDA can provide a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our core business. Accordingly, we believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results in the same manner as our management and board of directors. We have not reconciled our Adjusted EBITDA outlook to GAAP Net income (loss) because we do not provide an outlook for GAAP Net income (loss) due to the uncertainty and potential variability of Other (income) expense, net and (Benefit from) provision for income taxes, which are reconciling items between Adjusted EBITDA and GAAP Net income (loss). Because we cannot reasonably predict such items, a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure outlook to the corresponding GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable effort. We caution, however, that such items could have a significant impact on the calculation of GAAP Net income (loss). Our use of Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our financial results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are as follows: Because of these and other limitations, you should consider Adjusted EBITDA along with other GAAP-based financial performance measures, including various cash flow metrics, net loss, and our GAAP financial results. The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net loss for each of the periods indicated: We calculate Free cash flow as Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less capitalized internal-use software development costs and purchases of property and equipment. Additionally, Free cash flow is a supplemental measure of our performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. We consider Free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by our business that can be used for strategic opportunities, including investing in our business, making strategic investments, partnerships and acquisitions and strengthening our financial position. The following table presents a reconciliation of Free cash flow from Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, for each of the periods indicated: The definitions of our key metrics are presented below. ______________________________ 1 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income or loss before interest income, net, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and before stock-based compensation expense and other expense, net. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the closest GAAP measure. 2 Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure. We define Free cash flow as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less capitalized internal-use software development costs and purchases of property and equipment. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of Free cash flow to the closest GAAP measure. 3 We define “profitability,” discussed herein, in terms of Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure. See ‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’ for a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of our Adjusted EBITDA to Net loss, the closest GAAP measure. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209683231/en/ CONTACT: Investor Relations Contact:Balaji Gandhi Phreesia, Inc. investors@phreesia.com (929) 506-4950Media Contact:Nicole Gist Phreesia, Inc. nicole.gist@phreesia.com (407) 760-6274 KEYWORD: DELAWARE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SCIENCE SOFTWARE PRACTICE MANAGEMENT RESEARCH HEALTH HOSPITALS HEALTH TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY SOURCE: Phreesia, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/09/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/09/2024 04:05 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209683231/en

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8k8 login account login Mitchell scores 32, Idaho defeats Pacific 95-72Chandigarh: In a much-awaited development regarding the municipal elections in Haryana, the state govt has announced that it would release the schedule for the civic body elections before Jan 4, 2025, with the polls to be completed by Feb 4, 2025. As per the undertaking submitted by the Haryana govt before the Punjab and Haryana high court, the election programme for conducting the fresh elections to new municipalities in the state shall be positively announced within one month. “The entire exercise ultimately resulting in the announcement of results, shall be completed within one month subsequent thereto,” the state informed the HC. The undertaking was given by the state on Wednesday in response to a petition, which sought directions to conduct the MC elections. With this, all the pending MC polls in the state are expected to be completed by Feb 4, 2025. While allowing the petitioner to withdraw the petition in view of the state’s undertaking, the HC has made it clear that “the issues raised in the instant petition are kept alive for being re-raised and determined at any appropriate stage”. The division bench comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Sudeepti Sharma passed these orders while hearing a petition filed on the issue regarding delay in holding the MC polls in the state. Importantly, a majority of municipal elections, including those for the MCs of Gurgaon, Karnal, Hisar, Faridabad, Rohtak, and Yamunanagar, have been pending in the state for a long time. The tenure of these municipal corporations had come to an end a long time ago. The delay in these elections has led to massive problems, including irregular collection of garbage, overflowing of sewerage, water shortage and damaged local roads. The elections to the MC of Gurgaon (MCG) were last held in 2017, and the tenure of the councillors and the mayor had come to an end in 2022. Similarly, the elections for the MCs of Karnal, Hisar, Faridabad, Rohtak and Yamunanagar had come to an end in Jan this year. The counsel for the petitioner in this case, advocate Raman B Garg, informed that the rules stipulate that fresh elections should be held within six months, but they were delayed because the delimitation exercise could not be completed. Garg added that if the delimitation is not completed, the elections should be held based on the existing delimitation. However, officials from the Haryana urban local bodies department argued that the election of the MCs could not be conducted because the delimitation had not been carried out and approved by the state. Delimitation is a process of reorganisation of wards based on population, social composition and geographical area, and is undertaken ahead of the elections to ensure fair representation of different sections of society. Sources in the local bodies department informed that initially, the department may release the scheduled for around 42 municipalities, including 34 municipal council/committees and eight corporations. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

Mitchell scores 32, Idaho defeats Pacific 95-72White added 17 rebounds for the Eagles (6-6, 2-0 Ohio Valley Conference). Jerone Morton added 15 points while shooting 5 for 10 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line and also had six rebounds. Tyler Brelsford shot 2 of 5 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line to finish with 13 points. The Tigers (4-9, 0-2) were led in scoring by Travis Harper II, who finished with 22 points, six rebounds and three steals. Aaron Nkrumah added 14 points and two blocks for Tennessee State. Carlous Williams had 14 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Two years ago, when David Murdoch began to envision what the future of high-performance training for Canadian curlers could look like, Winnipeg naturally became the place to start. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Two years ago, when David Murdoch began to envision what the future of high-performance training for Canadian curlers could look like, Winnipeg naturally became the place to start. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Two years ago, when David Murdoch began to envision what the future of high-performance training for Canadian curlers could look like, Winnipeg naturally became the place to start. “Geographically, (Winnipeg is) a great place to be. But that’s not the most important factor,” said Murdoch, who was appointed director of high performance with Curling Canada in 2022. “You look at athletes that are currently on our national team program here, we’ve got a lot of athletes in our NextGen program, so in terms of bang for your buck, there’s a lot here. I think there always will be. It’s a key curling strategical base here, and there’s been a lot of success in the city, in this province, and we want to continue.” MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS David Murdoch and Jill Officer observe Tuesday while Reid Carruthers tests the pebble at the Heather Curling Club. On Wednesday, CurlManitoba and Curling Canada unveiled its new regional performance hub and development centre at the Heather Curling Club in St. Boniface. With two of the club’s eight shhets dedicated to the initiative, it will serve as the primary training ground for National Team Program (NTP) athletes and NextGen curlers across the province. “It’s such a big step because what we are seeing around the world is certainly a specialization into daily training environments. Our competitors around the world have facilities that they can train at every day, have the right conditions, the technology, the right coaching. In Canada, we don’t really have that,” said Murdoch. The two rinks will resemble the type of quality that is prepared for professional tournaments, while players will have access to the top training equipment, including video analysis, speed traps, smart brooms that provide performance data and championship-calibre rocks. Best of all, the ice is readily available just about whenever they need it. “I think it’s actually a bigger difference maybe than people realize sometimes because the curlers on TV make it look easy,” said former world champion Jill Officer, now serving as the director of high performance with CurlManitoba. “When you come and play in a curling rink that is meeting the needs of the members who play on a regular basis, it’s very different from what we experience at championships.” The hub has been in use since early October, but its unveiling was delayed as more training equipment arrived. So far, players from high-performance teams such as Kerri Einarson, Matt Dunstone, Kaitlyn Lawes, Mike McEwen and Chelsea Carey have taken advantage of the new facility. Dennis Thiessen of the National Wheelchair Curling Program and NextGen teams such as Mackenzie Arbuckle/Aaron Macdonell and Kate Cameron have also used it. “I’d say we’re pleasantly surprised with the athletes and how many are venturing over,” said Craig Baker, executive director for CurlManitoba. “Some are definitely used to using their home clubs, but as we were able to use high-quality ice and use some championship rocks and equipment, they’re liking the environment, they’re liking the access... so it’s being used probably more than we thought it would be used.” Team Jordon McDonald has used the new ice as much as anyone, with the NextGen team training about three times per week. The team has practised at the Assiniboine Curling Club in the past, and although there were no major issues at that facility, they believe their new training ground is right on the button for what they need. “It’s great, honestly,” said Dallas Burgess, who plays third for McDonald. “The feel of this ice is very similar to arena-style ice. So when we go play big events, we already have a bit of a feel of how the ice is. And the availability of it is just so great. We pretty much have free rein on when we want to book ice and come out and train whenever we need to.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Currently, two national training centres exist at the Glencoe Club in Calgary and Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton, but Winnipeg is the first regional centre under the Curling Canada umbrella. Murdoch hopes this is just the pilot program in a network of regional hubs around the country. Reaching players in the youth development program will also be critical to ensure a wealthy pipeline of talent for years to come. “We’ve got a lot of amazing curling clubs across the country,” Murdoch said. “How do we get the conditions that we need — that we see our athletes going toward, that are on TV — that’s hard to have in a curling club because it needs to suit more of the club curler than the pro curler. Those conditions, and getting the right coaches and equipment are what our athletes need to be at their best.” joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca X: @jfreysam Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the . Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He’s reported primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports and writes a weekly real estate feature for the business section. . Every piece of reporting Josh 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. Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the . Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He’s reported primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports and writes a weekly real estate feature for the business section. . Every piece of reporting Josh 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. Advertisement Advertisement

Iran to meet with Germany, France, UK in nuclear talks

Corporate India is striving to bring more women into the leadership ranks. Mphasis , RPG Group, KPMG, Target and PepsiCo are among companies that are rolling out initiatives like career sponsorship, management and leadership training, executive coaching, professional development programmes, job rotation, career counselling and collaboration with recruiters to implement inclusive hiring and equal pay interventions to narrow the diversity gap at the top. Executives at these companies say that the priority is to build teams that represent the communities in which they operate, and business thrives when employees feel like they belong and have equitable access to opportunity. According to the Economic Graph report published by LinkedIn and The Quantum Hub earlier this year, while female representation in India Inc has increased to 27% in 2024 from 24% in 2016, the share of women in leadership roles has moved up to only 18.3% from 16.6%. “It offers our women employees the opportunity to define their career objectives by pairing them with a mentor who has an established career in the participant’s chosen field,” said Ayaskant Sarangi, chief HR officer at IT firm Mphasis that has a ‘Womentoring’ programme to mentor and train female employees to take on leadership roles. Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Entrepreneurship Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Entrepreneurship From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Entrepreneurship Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) ChatGPT Mastery from Zero to Hero: The Complete AI Course By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass By - CA Himanshu Jain, Ex McKinsey, Moody's, and PwC, Co - founder, The WallStreet School View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Learn InVideo AI: Create Videos from Text Easily By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program “We consistently engage our leadership and staffing teams in conversations regarding the importance of representation, and to ensure we collaborate with recruiters to implement inclusive hiring practices and equal pay interventions to ensure a diverse leadership pipeline,” Sarangi added. RPG Group offers formal training, mentoring and coaching coupled with experiential learning opportunities to groom female employees for leadership roles. Women are excelling in leadership roles not just in support functions but also in core operations like sales, marketing and plantation management, said Riya Dalvi, chairperson – diversity, equity and inclusion at the conglomerate. At Target, high-performing female employees are taken through a six-month programme called ‘Ignite’, which focuses on personal branding, negotiation skills, networking and, for the first time this year, mindful mentorship, said Arun Kulkarni, vice-president – human resources at the Indian unit of the American retailer. “Women hold leadership roles across the business – in technology, operations, marketing and business. This includes our highest-level leader in India - Andrea Zimmerman, president of Target in India,” Kulkarni said. Recently, KPMG rolled out the Prism leadership development programme, focusing on key skills that women need to build on, with curated virtual tracks that women leaders can choose from. The purpose is to provide a platform to apply strategies and learning around the chosen topics, and each female leader picks as many tracks as possible of her choice, said Reena Wahi, partner and head of people, performance and culture at KPMG in India. The company plans to have women in 29% of leadership roles next year, and is accelerating hiring across levels with a focus on female employees during hiring and promotion cycles. Beverages firm PepsiCo has implemented mentorship and coaching programmes, as well as enabling policies covering caregivers, health and wellbeing. The companies are trying to address high attrition among female employees. While KPMG offers hybrid work arrangements so that women have the flexibility to work from home as and when needed, there are also leave policies that enable them to take time off to fulfil primary childcare or eldercare responsibilities. RPG Group’s sabbatical policy enables female employees to take extended leave for personal or professional development. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Victory Capital Management Inc. Purchases 11,472 Shares of Twilio Inc. (NYSE:TWLO)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday that those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column. Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon’s DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. “You will drive people out,” Hagel said. “It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything — it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization.” The list, which was first reported by The New York Post, includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines. One female Navy officer was named because she gave a speech at a 2015 Women’s Equality Day event, where she noted that 80% of Congress is male, which affects what bills move forward. The officer also was targeted because she said “diversity is our strength.” The phrase is a widely distributed talking point that officers across the Pentagon have used for years to talk about the importance of having a military that reflects different educational, geographic, economic, gender and racial backgrounds in the country. An Air Force colonel, who is white, was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following the death of George Floyd, saying, “Dear white colonel, we must address our blind spots about race.” A female Air Force officer was targeted because of “multiple woke posts” on her X feed, including a tweet about LGBTQ rights, one about “whiteness” and another about honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on a stamp. Another female Air Force officer was on the list because she “served as a panelist for a diversity, equity and inclusion” discussion in 2021. The list names an Army officer who traveled to 14 historically Black colleges to expand the military’s intelligence recruitment efforts, and an Air Force officer partly because he co-chairs the Asian-Pacific Islander subgroup of the service’s diversity task force. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” But in an interview Wednesday for Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM satellite radio show, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a “warfighter” who would clean out the “woke crap.” Hegseth got a boost Friday from Trump, who posted on his social media site that Hegseth “will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president-elect added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Jones told the AP in June that his American Accountability Foundation was investigating scores of federal employees suspected of being hostile to Trump’s policies. The work aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s far-reaching Project 2025 blueprint for a conservative administration. A letter Jones sent to Hegseth containing the list, dated Tuesday, says “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” The letter points to tensions with Iran, Russia and China and says “we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Our nation’s security is at stake.” Conservatives view the federal workforce as overstepping its role to become a power center that can drive or thwart a president’s agenda. During the first Trump administration, government officials came under attack from the White House and congressional Republicans, as Trump’s own Cabinet often raised objections to some of his more singular or even unlawful proposals. ___ AP writer Courtney Bonnell contributed from Washington. Advertisement AdvertisementFinding the can be daunting. The only way to truly ensure you get it right would be to ask the recipient what they want, but that wouldn’t be much fun for either of you. Luckily, there’s another tactic to help you earn a “gift whisperer” reputation: seeking out unique, practical, game-changing gifts that will truly surprise and delight. But that’s about as easy as it sounds, which is to say it’s not easy at all. So, we’ve done the legwork for you. Start making your list with this compilation of some of the most innovative, functional and fun gifts of 2024. There’s something for every budget. Bear with me: The new set elevates the pedestrian pepper and spice mill in both function and style. Available in three colors (Sangria Red, Midnight Black and Soft Cream), the rechargeable-battery unit grinds with a light touch rather than hand-tiring twists. That’s easier for everyone and especially helpful for those experiencing hand or wrist issues such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis. And it’s fun to use. The set includes a stackable storage tray and four pods that can be easily swapped as needed: The GT microplane grater for hard spices, nuts and chocolate; the MAX for large spices and dried herbs; the ProPlus for smaller and oily spices; and the Pepper Pod for, well, pepper. $110. Campers and backyard firepit lovers who have experienced the heartbreak of wet wood will appreciate having a three-pack of on hand. Made of 89% recycled materials, including sanding dust, wax and flint, the food-safe, eco-friendly, 3-by-2-by-1-inch fire starters will light a fire quickly without matches, lighters or kindling. Just loop the attached green string around a log, incorporate it into a wood stack, and pull the attached red string to ignite. Each windproof, rainproof block burns for 30 minutes. $29.99. The , a company known for its portioned, silicone freezer trays, lives up to its name. The utensils — a serving spoon and a ladle — have innovative, S-shaped handles designed to rest on the edge of a pot, keeping them upright so they won’t slip in. The design also eliminates the need for a spoon rest or, worse, placing dirty utensils on the kitchen counter or stovetop between stirs. A silicone coating in a choice of Aqua, Charcoal, Cranberry or Blueberry keeps handles cool to the touch. $24.99. The could turn anyone into an avid birdwatcher. Equipped with an HD camera, the dual-chamber feeder enables up-close livestreaming of avian visitors, as well as species-logging via the free mobile app. An optional premium subscription ($59.99 annually or $6.99 monthly) includes unlimited photo and video storage, AI identification with species-specific details, and the opportunity to earn badges for logging new visitors. Turn on notifications to get alerts sent to your phone whenever there’s activity at the feeder. $179.99. Fujifilm’s smartphone printer offers a touch of nostalgia without sacrificing technology. Just load the 4.9-by-3.5-by-1.3-inch printer with Instax Mini instant film and connect it to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth to print wallet-size photos. If you want to get fancy, you can adjust brightness, contrast and saturation, or apply filters, including 3D augmented-reality effects, via the free Instax Mini Link app. It can also make collages of up to six images, or animate photos to share on social media. Available in Rose Pink, Clay White and Sage Green. $99.95. The appropriately named is one of the best gifts you can give your houseplant-loving friends, regardless of their experience level. Select a pot color, size and plant (or get recommendations based on sunlight requirements, pet friendliness and other attributes) and fill the self-watering container’s built-in reservoir roughly once a month. Moisture will permeate the soil from the bottom as needed, eliminating the often-fatal consequences of over- or under-watering. It’s also a literal lifesaver come vacation time. $49-$259. Related Articles If you’ve got a no-dairy friend on your list, a plant-based milk maker could save them money while allowing them to avoid sugar, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. The both blends and strains ingredients, converting nuts, seeds, grains or oats into velvety-smooth milk in just one minute, with zero grit. And for zero waste, the pasty leftover pulp can be used in other recipes for added nutrients. The device also makes infused oils, flavored waters and soups. And, importantly, cleanup is easy. Available in white and black. $400. For friends who prefer stronger beverages, the uses “smart” technology to ensure wine is served at its ideal temperature. Unlike traditional wine refrigerators, this device doesn’t take up any floor space. It also doesn’t chill wine to just one or two temperatures based on its color. Instead — paired with the free QelviQ app — the tabletop chiller relies on a database of more than 350,000 wines to bring a bottle to its specific recommended serving temperature in as little as 20 minutes. It also suggests food-wine and wine-food pairings. Plus, the appliance serves as a great icebreaker to inspire dinnertime conversation. Available in Exciting Red, Dashing Black and Dreamy White. $495. Grilling food after dark — and ascertaining its doneness — can prove challenging without outdoor lighting, and it’s nearly impossible to cook while holding a flashlight. But as is often the case, the simplest of solutions can make the biggest of impacts: puts illumination into the handles of its stainless-steel spatula and tongs. After use, the lights can be removed and the utensils run through the dishwasher. $40.None

Surging Flyers take aim at Panthers, who may be without top goalieMorehead State defeats Tennessee State 74-68

AI is the reason Spotify Wrapped feels different this year

Steve Maclin is the Honorary Ambassador for TNA’s Toy & Food Drive taking place next week. TNA announced on Wednesday that Maclin will be part of the drive, which takes place over Final Resolution weekend on December 13th and 14th in Atlanta, Georgia. The full announcement reads: TNA Wrestling Annual Holiday Toy & Food Drive Helps The Needy in Atlanta Back-to-back Nights of Action-Packed Pro Wrestling At Center Stage, December 13-14 Former TNA World Champion Steve Maclin is the Honorary Ambassador for TNA’s 2024 Toy & Food Drive, set for December 13-14 at the Final Resolution live event on Friday, December 13 and the iMPACT! TV Taping on Saturday, December 14, both held at Center Stage in Atlanta. “Toys For Tots is a tradition carried on by the U.S. Marine Corps to help the community, giving toys to kids,” Maclin said. “This is something that should be done; you don’t want a kid to not have a toy on Christmas. “To be the Honorary Ambassador for TNA’s 2024 Toy & Food Drive is very special.” All fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy as TNA partners with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, which distributes toys to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity created in 1991. Popular toy categories include sporting equipment, books, backpacks, board games, radio control cars/trucks, hand-held electronics and skateboards/helmets. In addition, TNA is partnering with Zaban Paradies Center in Atlanta that works to empower couples, families and individuals facing homelessness to reach self-sufficiency. Fans are asked to donate non-perishable food items and/or toiletries, such as shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors and more. All fans who donate will have a chance to win a one-of-a-kind, limited-edition Maclin photo that will be autographed. Maclin has a deep interest in supporting Toys For Tots as he served as a Machine Gunner/0331 Infantry with the Second Battalion 8th Marines Weapons Company, completing two tours of Afghanistan. TNA Wrestling presents Final Resolution on Friday, December 13 at Center Stage in Atlanta, airing live on the TNA+ app starting at 8 p.m. ET. On Saturday, December 14, the stars of TNA Wrestling, including Nic Nemeth, Jeff & Matt Hardy, Joe Hendry, Jordynne Grace and former Atlanta Falcons player Moose, will be back in action at Center Stage – with all matches taped to air on future episodes of TNA’s flagship weekly TV show, iMPACT!, airing every Thursday night on AXS TV. All the TNA stars will be Atlanta for two nights of action-packed pro wrestling. In addition to the aforementioned TNA stars, also scheduled to appear are Eric Young, Masha Slamovich, Ash By Elegance, Mike Santana, Josh Alexander, Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, Frankie Kazarian, Jake Something, Ace Austin, PCO and others. For tickets to both TNA shows in Atlanta, including Final Resolution, go to: https://www.ticketmaster.com/tna-wrestling-tickets/artist/1008830.Milan's Via MonteNapoleone usurps New York's Fifth Avenue as world's most upscale shopping streetAmazon advances quick commerce delivery code-named Tez

Manitoba premier hints at change of location for supervised drug consumption siteThe Kansas City Chiefs returned to winning ways on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdowns in a tight 30-27 victory against the Carolina Panthers . The Chiefs moved up to 10-1, bouncing back from last week's defeat to the Buffalo Bills that ended hopes of a perfect season. And as Kansas City continue their march towards a historic three-peat - their main goal this season - Travis Kelce hit a personal milestone. He made an early catch to take his total career receiving yards to 11,854, the third-highest number of any tight end in NFL history. Kelce has now overtaken the legendary Antonio Gates and only Tony Gonzalez (15,127) and Jason Witten (13,046), have more yards than him. While he moved up in that legendary list, Kelce was denied a chance to make franchise history on Sunday. The 35-year-old is currently tied with Gonzalez for most receiving touchdowns in Chiefs history, and one more score will see him set a new record with 77. He perhaps would have fancied his chances of getting into the end zone against the Panthers, but it wasn't to be. Instead, it was teammate and fellow tight end Noah Gray who scored two TDs instead. Both, impressively, came in the first half. Gray first caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to put the Chiefs ahead 7-0, and added a second on an 11-yard pass with 44 seconds left before the break. He also had two touchdown catches in last week's game against the Bills. And with another impressive display, he became the first tight end with multiple receiving touchdowns in consecutive games since George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. With Mahomes sharing the ball around, Kelce will need to wait another week to make history in Kansas City. So far, he has not found the end zone as frequently as he would have liked this season, and only has two TDs through 12 weeks of the season. This time last year, he had already scored five en-route to the Super Bowl . And with a historic three-peat on the cards, individual achievements may have to take a back seat. Despite not getting into the end zone, Kelce finished the game with 62 yards from six receptions. talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated 'EndZone' YouTube channel.

Study shows changes in social living conditions affect the gut microbiome of primates - DVM 360MILAN — Shoppers laden with bags from Fendi, Loewe, Prada and other designer labels clog the narrow sidewalks of Milan's swankiest shopping street, bringing joy to the purveyors of high-end luxury goods this, and every, holiday season. There's even more to celebrate this year: a commercial real estate company crowned Via MonteNapoleone as the world's most expensive retail destination, displacing New York's Fifth Avenue. The latest version of American firm Cushman & Wakefield's annual global index, which ranks shopping areas based on the rent prices they command, is a sign of Via MonteNapoleone's desirability as an address for luxury ready-to-wear, jewelry and even pastry brands. A man walks past a shop Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. The average rent on the Milan street surged to $2,047 per square foot, compared with $2,000 per square foot on an 11-block stretch of upper Fifth Avenue. Via MonteNapoleone's small size — less than a quarter-mile long — and walking distance to services and top cultural sites are among the street's key advantages, according to Guglielmo Miani, president of the MonteNapoleone District association. "Not everything can fit, which is a benefit," since the limited space makes the street even more exclusive and dynamic, said Miani, whose group also represents businesses on the intersecting side streets that together with Via MonteNapoleone form an area known as Milan's Fashion Quadrilateral. Women look a shop Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. The biggest brands on the street make 50 million euros to 100 million euros in annual sales, Miani said, which goes a long way to paying the rent. Tiffany & Co. is preparing to take up residence on Via Montenapoleone, and longtime tenant Fendi is expanding. The MonteNapoleone District says 11 million people visited the area this year through November, but there's no way to say how many were big spenders vs. window shoppers. The average shopper on Via MonteNapoleone spent 2,500 euros per purchase between August and November — the highest average receipt in the world, according to the tax-free shopping firm Global Blue. The street is a magnet for holiday shoppers who arrive in Maseratis, Porsches and even Ferraris, the sports car's limited trunk space notwithstanding. A mannequin is seen Dec. 12 in a shop in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. Lights twinkle overhead, boutique windows feature mannequins engaged in warm scenes of holiday fun, and passersby snap photos of expertly decorated cakes in pastry shop displays. A visitor from China, Chen Xinghan, waited for a taxi with a half-dozen shopping bags lined up next to him on the sidewalk. He said he paid half the price for a luxury Fendi coat that he purchased in Milan than he would have at home. "I got a lot," Chen acknowledged. "It's a fantastic place, a good place for shopping." A man waits for a taxi Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleon street in Milan, Italy. A few store windows down, Franca Da Rold, who was visiting Milan from Belluno, an Italian city in the Dolomites mountain range, marveled at a chunky, yardslong knit scarf priced at 980 euros. "I could knit that in one hour, using 12-gauge knitting needles as thick as my fingers, and thick wool. Maximum two hours," Da Rold said, but acknowledged the brand appeal. Buildings are decorated Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. Despite upper Fifth Avenue getting bumped to the No. 2 spot on the Cushman & Wakefield list, the organization that serves as the Manhattan street's guardian and chief promoter had praise for MonteNapoleone's achievement. "Milan's investment in its public realm is paying off, which is a win for their shoppers, businesses and city as a whole," said Madelyn Wils, interim president of the Fifth Avenue Association. She also expressed confidence that with new investments and a record year for sales on Fifth Avenue, "we'll be back on top in no time." The holiday season feels a little less jolly considering the amount of waste generated by gift-giving. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the amount of household garbage in the U.S. increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year's. After the decorations come down, all that waste heads to landfills, producing a significant contributor to climate change: methane gas. "Greening" the holidays is essential, and one simple tip is to think more about how sustainable the materials are in your decorations, decor, and, of course, gifts. Instead of plastics, you could opt for items that can be reused, are made of renewable materials or natural fibers that boast a smaller environmental impact in both production and durability. Due to consumers' desires for more eco-friendly goods, sustainable materials are among the biggest trends in home decor. Fortunately, there are plenty of affordable—and earth-conscious—home goods that make perfect holiday gifts. Made Trade rounded up a list of sustainable home decor trends in 2025 that offer dozens of creative options for holiday gift-giving. Each trend includes examples of great gifts for the home and advice for ensuring items are sustainably produced or can help create a more eco-friendly space. In the depths of winter's gray days, it's a real gift to see a little green, which is why indoor gardening gifts are a wonderful idea. Not only are they eco-friendly and promote sustainability—the more food you can grow yourself, the less you have to buy—they also foster an appreciation of nature and bring the natural world indoors to enjoy. Sprouting kits and microgreens require minimal amounts of space and sunlight, but a sunny, south-facing window will permit a small herb garden or leafy greens for salads. If you're not sure what kind of light your recipient has access to, go with gifting indoor grow lamps along with the plants, or pick a hardy, low-water houseplant—some can act as natural air purifiers too. When buying gifts for the home, consider what materials the items are made from and how far away they come from—not only are natural materials like rattan, jute, palm leaves, clay, organic cotton and linen, and ceramics more sustainable, but if they are being used by a local craftsperson, gifters are also saving on fossil fuels for the transportation. Plus, you're helping the local economy by supporting local craftspeople, so it's a win-win. Natural fiber pillows, sheets, blankets, and even doormats offer comfort and consideration of the environment. The most sustainable and eco-friendly gift is one you already have, so get creative about reusing materials already in or around your home (raid the recycling bin, find nice pieces of wood outside, wash out and reuse glass jars) to fashion them into new, thoughtful goods. Similarly, think vintage and secondhand—what items can you give a second life to by passing them along to someone who will find new meaning in them? Some of the most thoughtful gifts are small heirlooms—pieces of jewelry or a beloved ceramic dish—passed along to the next generation that will appreciate them. Green technology offers ways to reduce our carbon footprint in everyday life, and smart thermostats, solar lights, smart sprinklers, and smart plugs all make great gifts, saving people money and conserving our valuable resources. For those looking into home renovations or updating decor, try a new light fixture paired with smart blubs, or a new window treatment with smart shades. Even something as simple as a rain barrel can reduce energy use—and while the technology for that isn't very sophisticated, it certainly is, like composting, "smart." Integrated outdoor living is the ultimate gift, allowing us to bring the natural world into our homes. However, doing so sustainably takes a little more effort than simply leaving the doors to the deck open all the time. First, find eco-friendly and sustainable outdoor furniture, perhaps thrifting it or buying it used and fixing it up for a one-of-a-kind gift. If you can't go secondhand, choose furniture made of sustainable materials such as reclaimed wood, recycled plastic (great for outdoor rugs), or bamboo. For smaller gifts, consider solar lights, a water feature that recycles water, a rain barrel, or even a set of handmade wind chimes made from seashells. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on Made Trade and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

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Washington State wins 76-68 against Northern IowaSmog revisits City; AQI deteriorates LAHORE : The provincial capital’s AQI continued to deteriorate as the AQI crossed 400 at some places while the average AQI was 264, which came into the category of very unhealthy. Environmental experts said that PM2.5 concentrations in Lahore was currently 37.8 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value. They said the smog has restarted to build over the City skies and in case of no rain the situation will become worse. Data collected from IQAir, the highest AQI of 455 was recorded at Polo Ground Cantt, Pakistan Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd (398), Syed Maratib Ali Road (328), Phase 8 DHA (298), Bread & Beyond (296), WWF-Pakistan (287), Valencia Town (279), University of Management and Technology (269), Ghazi Road Interchange (267) and Johar Town (264). Met officials predicted that weather will likely to remain dry and cold in most parts of the country. However, apart from partly cloudy weather in Gilgit-Baltistan, light rain at a few places and light snowfall in the mountains were likely. Smog/fog is expected in the plains of Punjab and upper Sindh during the night. They said that minimum temperature was recorded at Leh where mercury dropped to -07C, while in Lahore, it was 13°C and maximum was 25.5°C. Meanwhile, the Punjab police arrested 12 individuals and registered 18 cases during a crackdown on people and units violating the anti-smog laws across the province, including Lahore. According to a police spokesman, 362 people were fined more than Rs5.5 lakh, and 29 people were issued warnings. The police received seven complaints about crop residue burning, 266 about vehicles emitting excessive smoke and two about brick-kilns using old technology. This year, a total of 3,644 accused were arrested and 3,014 cases were registered in the anti-smog crackdown. Around 38,290 people were fined a total of Rs96 million, and warnings were issued to 6,916 people. Around 1,974 complaints were received about crop residue burning, 30,811 for vehicles emitting heavy smoke, 347 for industrial activity, 1,361 about brick-kilns, and 327 about other violations of anti-smog laws. In the last 24 hours, 4,865 smoky vehicles were fined, 445 were impounded while two fitness certificates were suspended. This year, 835,259 vehicles emitting excessive smoke were issued tickets, 168,467 vehicles were impounded, and fitness certificates of 10,064 vehicles were suspended.

8k8 official website NoneLSU outlasts UCF 109-102 in triple-OT affair

Nearly three in five Americans approve of President-elect Donald Trump ’s handling of his transition to the White House , according to a CBS/YouGov poll released Monday. Over half of Americans—55 percent—also said they were “happy” or “satisfied” with Trump’s election victory. Underscoring the poll, however, was a sense of doom and fatigue among the Democratic base: Just 15 percent of Democrats said they feel excited or optimistic as Trump prepares to take office, and only 44 percent said they feel motivated to oppose him. “The bottom line is this: Republicans are very motivated by Donald Trump’s win and, compared to eight years ago, Democrats are just really, really, tired,” said CNN data reporter Harry Enten, as he talked through the poll results on air. “They have just given up.” Enten also noted Trump’s +18 net approval rating, which stands in contrast to the +1 he had after winning the 2016 election. Much improved from 2016, this Trump presidential transition is getting 2 thumbs up from Americans. Trump's net approval rating is up 17 pts (to +18 pts). A majority (53%) are excited/optimistic for Trump's coming term. Trump also seems to have exhausted his Democratic rivals: pic.twitter.com/2dGCT6h5po Hulk Hogan hinted at a possible position in Donald Trump ’s incoming administration during a Fox News interview on Saturday. “My president said, ‘You know something, you’d be great to run the President’s Council on Physical Fitness,‘” Hogan told host Brian Kilmeade . The council advises the president on policies related to healthy eating and fitness. The current council is in place until Sept. 30, 2025. Hogan continued, “At the end of the day, when I was in the back at Madison Square Garden after the whole rally, we were talking about Robert Kennedy, I was talking about nutrition, and how many foreign countries won’t even let their people eat the food that we eat here in America.” Trump tapped vaccine skeptic Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, a move that has worried health-care groups and experts. “It’s so bad, and it’s poisoned a generation of kids,” Hogan added. “And at the end of the day, we start talking about physical fitness.” With the holidays around the corner, Flamingo Estate has everything you need to surprise friends and family with the gift of handmade everyday essentials for the home. Flamingo Estate partners with over 120 farms to source clean, traceable, and sustainable ingredients for all its products. It believes in doing things the slow and proper way, whether that’s carefully pouring candles or harvesting ingredients by hand. Flamingo Estate’s best-selling candle may surprise you with its scent: tomato. The fragrance captures the evocative aroma of freshly watered tomato vines and leaves at their most fragrant. Every ingredient in this hand soap—rosemary, sage, lavender, and eucalyptus—is handpicked from regions like Australia, Italy, and Brazil. The result? A luxuriously smooth, all-natural soap with an unforgettable fragrance. This extra-virgin olive oil is made with olives grown on centuries-old trees. The olives are immediately pressed after handpicking to ensure peak freshness. In the end, you get a high-smoke point oil with vibrant, peppery notes. If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Rep. Lauren Boebert is the latest politician to launch a Cameo — with videos starting at $250 for a personal message. “Hey, Cameo, it’s your girl from Colorado, Lauren Boebert,” she said in the page’s introductory video. “Whether you or someone you know needs an America First pep talk, if you want to surprise friends or family with a message for a special day, or if you just want to know my thoughts on whatever’s on your mind, Cameo is the place to connect with me.” Boebert’s foray into Cameo comes just days after former Rep. Matt Gaetz also launched a page on the site after withdrawing his name for consideration for attorney general. While Gaetz is charging $500 for a video, fellow disgraced Republican Rep. George Santos, who first started Cameo in 2023, charges $250, like Boebert. The House Ethics Committee notes that representatives can earn up to $31,815 from outside sources. Department store behemoth Macy’s has suffered an embarrassing faux pas after it was revealed that an accounting employee hid up to $154 million in delivery expenses in a years-long scheme. The employee, who has not been named, has been given the boot but Macy’s has been forced to delay its quarterly results after stumbling across the matter that stems back to 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported . However, mystery surrounds the strange saga because the ex-worker didn’t actually pocket the funds, and Macy’s won’t say how they were busted. “While Macy’s cannot control the actions of every employee, it is worrying that these are intentional accounting errors that go back to 2021,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of research firm GlobalData. Saunders added that it “also raises the question as to the competence of the company’s auditors.” The company’s auditor, KPMG, has refused to comment. Everyone loves curling up on the couch after a stressful day to binge a new show or rewatch their favorite movie. Now, imagine if you could lounge around, watch TV, and make your complexion more radiant than ever. No need to imagine it: you can do it right now with the Lumina LED Therapy Mask from Bloomingdale’s. It’s $100 off for Bloomingdale’s Really Big Deals . But you need to hurry—the sale ends tonight. This lightweight mask has 600 optimized points of light to ensure every millimeter of skin receives the full benefit of collagen-boosting LED therapy. Other masks on the market concentrate light on specific points, leading to uneven coverage. The LEDs penetrate multiple layers of skin, using varying wavelengths to tackle a range of concerns, including wrinkles, blemishes, and dullness. You don’t have to sit still either to enjoy this mask’s skin-rejuvenating power; the soft, non-slip straps keep the mask securely in place no matter what you’re doing. Think about all the activities you can do while giving your skin a glow up, like preparing dinner or tidying up your space. Heck, use it while you’re working from home. Just remember to take it off before your next call. Free Shipping If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Elon Musk had some relatable thoughts on the new “department” of government efficiency he’s been tasked to head with Vivek Ramaswamy . “I still can’t believe DOGE is real,” he wrote on his social media platform X on Sunday night, followed by that emoji where the face is crying from laughter. After Musk powered Donald Trump ’s return to the White House, pouring an estimated $200 million into his campaign, the president-elect announced he and Ramaswamy would lead an outside advisory panel aiming to slash $2 trillion in government spending—a plan that even conservative economists have called a “fantasy.” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Fla.) will lead a new House Oversight Committee working with the DOGE panel—an appointment that some of Taylor Greene’s fellow lawmakers have likened to a punishment, not a reward—and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is forming a DOGE Senate Caucus. Critics have pointed out that DOGE has no budget, no offices, no personnel and no long-term mandate, but Musk doesn’t seem to care. “I think it’s actually going to work,” he wrote on X. But I think it’s actually going to work Liam Payne had a fear of being locked in rooms that dated back to his One Direction days and may have been trying to escape from his hotel room when he fell from the second-floor balcony to his death, according to TMZ. Former One Direction star Payne, 31, died after the incident in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October and prosecutors confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant. TMZ reports that Payne had escaped from another room via a balcony as recently as mid-September and claims that sources told them the hotel was aware he may try and get out of the room via the balcony. Images obtained by TMZ reportedly capture the moments before Liam was forcefully put into his room. Minutes later, he fell from the balcony. According to a 911 transcript obtained by the site, a hotel employee told a 911 operator: “I don’t know whether his life may be in danger. He is in a room with a balcony, and, well, we’re a little afraid...” The autopsy indicated he died from “multiple trauma.” Barron Trump is back at Mar-a-Lago for Thanksgiving and was spotted dining with his mom and dad–Melania and Donald Trump–at the Florida club on Saturday night. The footage was posted by influencer Karina Safarova Rudeva, who was described in a 2019 L’Officiel Singapore profile as a “Russian fashionista” and “high network entrepreneur.” Rudeva posted a number of videos to her Instagram story showing the trio eat and converse among other club members. Melania’s father, Viktor Knavs, was also in attendance. Melania can be seen wearing an all-white ensemble, while Barron and his father wore a suit and tie. Barron, 18, is a freshman at New York University’s Stern School of Business. According to the Daily Mail , Barron will return to classes after Thanksgiving break but will return to Florida for the holidays at the end of semester on Dec. 12. Video of Melania Trump having dinner last night at Mar-a-Lago with President Trump, Barron Trump, and her father Viktor Knavs pic.twitter.com/iTMRzQXziw Social media footage has captured the moment passengers on a Russian plane rushed to evacuate as it burst into flames on a Turkish runway on Sunday. According to the Moscow Times , more than 90 passengers and crew were evacuated from the Azimuth Airlines flight after one of its engines caught alight. According to an airport official, the engine caught fire as the plane was landing at Antalya airport. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The flight had taken off from the summer beach resort of Sochi. The fire was quickly extinguished and there were no injuries reported. Footage posted by the aviation news website, Airport Haber, shows passengers evacuating from the plane on an emergency slide, with some carrying belongings. Eus şirket Azimuth'a ait Sukhoi Superjet 100 tipi yolcu uçağının Antalya Havalimanı'nda motorunun yandığı anlar bir yolcu tarafından kaydedildi. Olayda herhangi bir yaralanma bildirilmedi. pic.twitter.com/umoa6KdVL8 Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Don’t get me wrong—I’m looking forward to turkey and mashed potatoes next week, but when I saw The Caviar Co . was offering a whopping 40 percent off all caviar and roe this week (including the smallest sizes!), I nearly screamed. The huge (and very rare) sitewide sale is the perfect opportunity to stock up on my favorite fancy treat or to spice things up on Turkey Day. The Caviar Co . offers a wide range of roe and caviar species, breeds, and styles (e.g., some with more “pop” and others that are more of a dip or spread) at various price points. Roes start at just $10 an ounce, and caviar at $40 an ounce. If you’re looking for an at-home caviar experience that’s equal parts chic and tasty (and never stuffy), The Caviar Co . will not disappoint. Whether you’re new to caviar and looking for a solid, entry-level-friendly tasting kit or a seasoned caviar connoisseur, you really can’t go wrong with The Caviar Co .—especially when everything is almost half off. A breakthrough ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah could be just days away, according to the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Mike Herzog. Speaking Monday to Israeli Army Radio, Herzog said negotiators were hammering out the final details of an agreement to clear southern Lebanon of both Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops—an effort to avoid a repeat of the devastation of the 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006. “We are close to a deal... It can happen within days,” Herzog said, according to a report from the Associated Press. He added that approval from the Israeli government remains a must before anything is finalized. Israel is demanding the right to reply with force if Hezbollah breaches the terms, a condition Lebanon might not accept. Israel accuses the Iranian-backed militia group of ignoring the U.N. resolution that ended the 2006 conflict and fears Hezbollah could launch a Hamas-style raid into Israel if allowed to maintain its current presence near the border. Lebanon, meanwhile, says Israel routinely violates the same U.N. resolution with frequent air and naval incursions into its territory. Hezbollah attacked Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after a Hamas raid into Israel led to the slaughter of more than 1,200 people. Regular contacts escalated into an all-out war in Lebanon in September, with an Israeli ground incursion and huge Israeli airstrikes. Megachurch pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes is recuperating after suffering a health emergency on stage during a Sunday sermon. His church, The Potter’s House of Dallas, was livestreaming Jakes’ message when the incident occurred. Video posted to X shows him sitting on a stool and speaking slowly before letting the microphone drop to his side as he looks downward with his eyes closed. Less than a minute later, church staff stormed the stage and gathered around the pastor before the stream cut off. “During today’s service, Bishop T.D. Jakes experienced a slight health incident and received immediate medical attention following his powerful hour long message,” a statement posted to the church’s Facebook page reads. “Bishop Jakes is stable and under the care of medical professionals. The entire Potter’s House family is grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from the community. Thank you for your understanding and continued prayers.” A STATEMENT FROM THE POTTER'S HOUSE OF DALLAS -November 24, 2024 During today's service, Bishop T.D. Jakes experienced a slight health incident and received immediate medical attention following his powerful hour long message. Bishop Jakes is stable and under the care of... pic.twitter.com/Hgz63d4J0BWith Donald Trump headed back to the White House and hawkish Sen. Marco Rubio picked as his secretary of state, the island’s leadership is bracing for what comes next. Hunger, blackouts, hurricanes and earthquakes already have the country reeling, and speculation is building that the incoming administration will further tighten the screws. “There’s nothing very positive that can be expected from a Trump administration,” said Omar Everleny Perez, a Cuban economist based in Havana who has taught at Harvard and Columbia universities and worked as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. “In the minds of most Cubans is the thought of getting out.” During the presidential campaign and on Capitol Hill, Trump and Rubio talked about the need for regime change in Havana. For the Florida senator, the issue has particular significance: He’s the son of Cuban immigrants and made his heritage and opposition to communism central to his conservative political identity. That makes it all the more likely Trump will bring back the “maximum pressure” approach of his first term, when he tightened sanctions and scared off investors by returning Cuba to a list of state sponsors of terrorism. A spokesperson for the incoming administration declined to comment directly on policy toward Cuba, noting Trump was elected “to lead our country and restore peace through strength around the world.” Trump is the first Republican presidential candidate since 1988 to win Miami-Dade County, home to many Cuban exiles. The island of 11 million people is staggering under inflation, food shortages, crop failure and the repeated collapse of its power grid. A full 10% of the population fled the country since 2020. As public discontent grows, Cuba stepped up arrests of dissidents and warned citizens not to protest. Trump’s team likely will “look for creative ways to exacerbate the chasm that is existing right now in Cuba between the people and the regime,” said Jose Cardenas, who worked on Latin America issues under former President George W. Bush and now serves as an independent consultant in Washington. Though President Joe Biden left much of Trump’s prior Cuba policy intact, Cardenas expects the new administration will quickly take action against President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana and Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela. Rubio will “seek to regain some momentum and go on the offensive — but not in a provocative, ham-handed way,” Cardenas said. It isn’t yet clear how the incoming administration’s stance toward Latin America will be affected by Trump’s pledge to round up migrants and deport them en masse. Rubio will have to figure out how to navigate that promise along with the U.S.’s long-standing practice of offering an escape to people fleeing far-left regimes in the region, according to Ana Sofia Pelaez, co-founder of the Miami Freedom Project, which works with migrants in South Florida. In 2023, the Biden administration allowed Cuban, Venezuelan, Nicaraguan and Haitian migrants to apply for two-year emergency visas. More than 125,000 Cubans entered the U.S. under the program. On top of economic and humanitarian woes, Cuba also faces questions of legitimacy, according to Andres Pertierra, a Cuban-American historian who was doing doctoral research on the island for eight months this year until the power crisis forced the archives to close. Since the revolution led by Fidel Castro, the government ruled with a tacit bargain: Caribbean communism couldn’t provide the same level of material goods as U.S. capitalism, but it would build a robust social safety net. It would also foster a sense of collective pride, despite the imposition of a security state that severely restricts political rights. That setup unraveled, and “this is probably the biggest point of weakness and vulnerability in the government’s history since 1959, not least because Fidel is not there,” Pertierra said from Madison, Wis. The Cuban Embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a request for comment. In almost every regard, the situation in Cuba is worse now than it was in the 1990s, after the fall of the Soviet Union brought hunger and hardship. “Education is imploding, health care is catastrophic,” said Andres Pertierra, a Cuban-American historian who was doing doctoral research on the island for eight months this year until the power crisis forced the archives to close. “There’s no medicine, there’s no equipment, the infrastructure is falling apart.” That Cuban society is now divided into those with access to hard currency — often thanks to relatives abroad — and those without, which is fueling increasing discontent. Those with enough money can still buy food. But while allowing the nascent private sector to import and sell groceries prevented the weight loss Cubans suffered in the late 1990s, it also highlights “the inequality and the broken promises of the system,” said Pertierra, the son of a lawyer who defended Elian Gonzalez’s return to Cuba in a bitter custody case against the boy’s Miami relatives more than two decades ago. State-run media recently provided a grim snapshot of the hunger crisis: Some 1,615 people were convicted of illegally killing cows this year, risking prison terms of up to 10 years. Everleny Perez argued the Cuban regime’s best chance of surviving the next Trump administration is for the government to make good on its promise to support the private sector.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani wins his third MVP and first in the NL following a historic offensive season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Visitors stand at the booth of the video game 'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle' during the media ... [+] day at the Gamescom video games trade fair in Cologne, western Germany on August 21, 2024. According to organisers, around 1400 exhibitors from 64 countries will be presenting their products during the fair running until August 25, 2024. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images) Indiana Jones And The Great Circle has proven to be a big hit to round out 2024. Critics love the globetrotting story and fans enjoy the first person immersive feel of being Indiana Jones. The reception is breathing new life to the franchise after fears that the underperformance of Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny would bury the character for good. While there are some great games to play in Dr. Jones’s video game history (it’s never a bad time to start a new game of Indiana Jones And The Fate Of Atlantis), I’ve collected a list of tabletop games to keep the pulp adventure going after the credits roll. These games are also a great way to pass the time until Indiana Jones And The Great Circle coms out for those readers who have a Playstation 5. For even more options, don’t forget to check out the list of pulp role playing games I put together when the game was first announced. Outgunned Adventure Outgunned Adventure found 3,490 backers and has put out digital copies of its core rules and Action Flicks expansion. The company recently announced a deal with Free League Publishing to help get this excellent game into local game stores. It looks to fulfill physical copies to backers in 2025 before going on sale to the general public. The design combines two of my favorite works from the designers: the pulpy race against rivals from Broken Compass and the refined, smooth blockbuster movie mechanics of Outgunned. This tie, the game is planted squarely in a world inspired by movies like The Mummy and Raiders Of The Lost Ark. It’s the early 20th century, supernatural treasures are real and the only thing between them and the forces of evil are a table full of weary heroes. This game is great for groups who want to try role playing games outside of Dungeons & Dragons. It’s easy to make characters and the dice mechanics are quick to pick up. The Action Flicks expansion adds more choices to the base game as well as genre modifications for things like Mad Max style vehicles and Jurassic Park style dinosaurs. Samsung’s Android 15 Leak—Bad News For Nearly All Galaxy Owners Dark Web Facial ID Farm Warning—Hackers Build Identity Fraud Database Tesla CEO Elon Musk Issues U.S. Bankruptcy Warning Amid Calls For A Bitcoin-Inspired ‘Fix’ Fireball Island Restoration Games got a lot of love from me this year with articles featuring their reboots of classic games like Crossbows And Catapults and Thunder Road: Vendetta . My first experience with them was their take on Fireball Island . This game combines the chaos of pinball with the scene where Indiana Jones is chased by a boulder. Players hunt for treasure around a tropical island while an angry volcano god shoots marbles at the pieces trying to knock players down. The new version adds new objectives, equipment cards and even different kinds of marbles to represent new hazards like swarms of bees. Expansions give players new locations to explore, treasures to find and dangers to dare. This game is a great choice to play with kids. The rolling fireballs add a very random element but the new version of the rules keep people in the game longer. For a more immersive experience, check out the app for sound effects and a timer. Lost Ruins Of Arnak Lost Ruins Of Arnak offers a slightly more chill experience than Fireball Island. Players are each leading expeditions through the jungle to find the city. There are several paths to take and there’s more to consider than just finding the place; you’ve got balance exploration, building up a good expedition team and documenting your experiences to get the most points to win the game. While less chaotic, Lost Ruins Of Arnak remains a competitive experience. Players have to know ehn to shift strategies and the best times to cut off a rival to slow their progress. Gameplay creates some great moments where players will shake their fists at each other as if they just made a death defying escape. Lost Ruins Of Arnak was a big hit with hardcore board game fans. But it’s easy enough to pick up with anyone, though the more you play, the bigger the strategies become. Expansions add more ways to customize the experience to the game. Eldritch Horror The Cthulhu Mythos has always contained a dash of pulp adventure as part of its recipe. H.P. Lovecraft wrote for the magazines that give pulp its genre name so he mixed up his New England horror stories with ancient Egypt and lost artifacts from ancient eras. Eldritch Horror pits players against one of the Great Old Ones in a worldwide hunt for cursed tomes, cult temples and unspeakable monsters. This game zooms out the exploratory mechanics from Arkham Horror into a game that sends players around the world rther than Lovecraft Country. It also refines game play elements further with expansions offering more in depth story beats and machanical options. Large expansions include new Old Ones and storylines, such as Masks of Nyarlathotep based on the classic Call of Cthulhu campaign. This title leans into the horror genre but appeals to fans of spooky stories and adventure. The great artwork and graphic design is immersive. The cooperative nature also means everyone wins or loses as a team. Fortune And Glory All of these games owe a debt to Indiana Jones seeking timeless treasures around the world. Fortune And Glory wears its heart on its sleeve by giving player the chance to dash out of crumbling temples with treasures tucked under their arms, fight their way out of thrilling cliffhangers at the end of their turn and a chance to throw Nazi Villains out of zeppelins full of gold. The recently revised edition tightens up the game after years of being played around the world. The large expansions offer new villains and new ways to play. Fortune And Glory can be played competitively but I’ve found its best enjoyed when everyone at the table can cooperate and make sure their treasures end up in a museum. Indiana Jones And The Great Circle shows that there’s still a lot of fun in the idea of raiding ancient temples for fabulous treaures. The games mentioned here are available directly from their publishers, through online retailers and at yout Friendly Local Game Store.

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Indiana should be able to breathe easy this week. It has very little chance of making it into the Big Ten championship game. On the other hand, Georgia's spot in the Southeastern Conference title game is so risky that if the Bulldogs lose they might have been better off sitting it out. Over the next two weeks, the warm familiarity of conference championship games, which began in 1992 thanks to the SEC, could run into the cold reality that comes with the first 12-team College Football Playoff. League title games give the nation's top contenders a chance to hang a banner and impress the CFP committee, but more than ever, the bragging rights come with the risk of a season-wrecking loss — even with an expanded field. “I just don’t think it’s a quality conversation,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said last week, sticking with the time-honored cliche of looking no further than the next weekend's opponent. Those who want to have that talk, though, already know where Georgia stands. The Bulldogs (9-2) are ranked sixth in this week's AP Top 25 and projected somewhere near that in the next set of CFP rankings that come out Tuesday. They already have two losses and will have to beat No. 3 Texas or No. 20 Texas A&M in the SEC title game on Dec. 7 to avoid a third. How bad would a third loss hurt? The chairman of the selection committee insists that a team making a conference title game shouldn't count against it. What that really means won't be known until the games are played and the pairings come out on Dec. 8. "We're going to let the season play out," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “But I think teams who make that championship game, the committee looks at them and puts them in high esteem." All of which could be good news for Indiana in the unlikely event the Hoosiers find themselves playing for the Big Ten title. IU is coming off a flop in its first major test of the season, a 38-15 loss to Ohio State last weekend. After his team's first loss of the season, coach Curt Cignetti took offense to being asked whether the Hoosiers were still a playoff-caliber team. “Is that a serious question?” he asked. “I’m not even gonna answer that. The answer is so obvious.” What might hurt Indiana, which dropped five spots to No. 10 in the AP poll, would be another drubbing. The Hoosiers would be at least a two-touchdown underdog in a title-game matchup against top-ranked Oregon. The odds of that happening, however, are slim. It would take a Michigan upset over No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday, combined with a Maryland upset over No. 4 Penn State and, of course, an Indiana win over Purdue (1-10). Because this is the first year of the 12-team playoff, there's no perfect comparison to make. For instance, this is the first time Power Four conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the playoff. But 2017 provides a textbook example of how a team losing its conference title game suffered. That year, Alabama had one loss (to Auburn) and didn't play in the SEC title game, but made the four-team field ahead of Wisconsin, which was 12-1 after a loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State didn't make it either — two losses didn't get teams into a four-team field. Neither did undefeated UCF. Saturday's results made things a little more clear for the rest of the conferences: — In the Big 12, winning the title game will probably be the only way for Arizona State (9-2), BYU (9-2), Iowa State (9-2), Colorado (8-3) or anyone else to earn a spot in the 12-team playoff. None are ranked higher than 14th in the AP poll. — The Atlantic Coast Conference could get multiple bids. Miami (10-1), SMU (10-1) and Clemson (9-2) all finished in the top 12 of this week's AP poll. They were cheering the loudest when both Alabama and Ole Miss suffered their third losses of the season. — The Mountain West would be a one-bid conference, but that's only a sure thing if Boise State wins. A loss by the Broncos could open the CFP for Tulane or Army of the American Athletic. Both the MWC and AAC title games take place at 8 p.m. on Dec. 6. — Where the committee places Alabama and Ole Miss on Tuesday will be an indicator of what it thinks of teams with three losses that played very strong schedules. — It could also set the stakes for Georgia, which faces the prospect of loss No. 3 in the Dec. 7 title game, assuming the Bulldogs beat rival Georgia Tech this week. — Clemson has been steadily climbing. Its 34-3 loss to Georgia came on Aug. 31. Is it ancient history to the committee, though? — Indiana's status as a playoff team — in, out, nervous? — will become apparent. The Ohio State game was Indiana's first against a top-flight opponent. Then again, it is the Hoosiers' only loss and their weak Big Ten schedule is not their fault. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

ng to Wikipedia .) Will modern technology finally let us solve the case — or just turn it into a miniseries on Netflix ? And have online researchers finally discovered the definitive clue?The FBI vetted more than 800 suspects, according to the Wyoming news site Cowboy State Daily , but in 2016 announced they were suspending their active investigation.So it's newsworthy that the FBI now appears to be investigating new evidence, according to an amateur D.B. Cooper... PostedThanksgiving Travel Latest: Airport strike, staff shortages and weather could impact holiday travelNone

NoneDETROIT (AP) — Two towers at Detroit's iconic Renaissance Center would be razed and the complex converted to a mix of housing and offices under an ambitious $1.6 billion plan announced Monday. The complex, which next year will lose the headquarters of owner General Motors Co., is the symbol of Detroit, with aerial views often shown on television sports broadcasts. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Sybiha Talked To MFA Of Argentina

ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Al Green scored 19 points and Sean Newman Jr. added seven in the overtime as Louisiana Tech knocked off Southern Illinois 85-79 in a first-round contest at the Gulf Coast Showcase on Monday night. Green had three steals for the Bulldogs (5-0). Kaden Cooper scored 18 points and added 12 rebounds and four steals. Amaree Abram went 8 of 13 from the field to finish with 18 points, while adding six steals. Kennard Davis led the way for the Salukis (2-4) with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Southern Illinois also got 15 points and eight rebounds from Jarrett Hensley. Ali Abdou Dibba also had 12 points and two steals. Cooper scored 12 points in the first half and Louisiana Tech went into the break trailing 31-27. Abram's 16-point second half helped Louisiana Tech close out the six-point victory. NEXT UP These two teams both play Tuesday in the six-team, round-robin tournament. Louisiana Tech squares off against Richmond and Southern Illinois faces Eastern Kentucky. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Washington 62, Cal St.-Fullerton 58If transplanting a human eye to restore vision in blind people is a possibility, it could very well come from one of Colorado’s largest medical campuses. A federal agency has tasked the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora to pursue vision restoration research. On Monday, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) announced it’s awarding $46.4 million in a five-year contract to help CU researchers find a cure for total blindness. ARPA-H, a federal agency, researches high-potential, high-impact biomedical and health research that requires extensive and more-comprehensive research. ARPA-H Program Manager Dr. Calvin Roberts, an experienced eye surgeon, said he first envisioned a partnership to provide research opportunities in what could be a revolutionary transplant procedure. “Our eyes are nothing more than the entry extension of your brain,” he said. “But what you would need to be able to do to transplant an eye would be what you need to be able to sever brain tissue, to reattach brain tissues, and we just don’t know how to do that. “But then if you actually could be successful, you could change the way health care is practiced.” The idea is to transplant a deceased person’s eyes to a living person, like a heart transplant — but much different, according to Roberts. Less than two years ago, Roberts said he met ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn and the two agreed to pursue the challenging task. “Fully restoring sight is not yet a possibility, even though for more than 60 years we’ve been able to do human heart transplants,” Wegrzyn said, adding research team partners under ARPA-H will address barriers across the nation through other recipients of the program. Since ARPA-H started under the Biden Administration two years ago, the agency has distributed more than $2 billion across more than 20 “high impact” medical programs nationwide, according to Wegrzyn. “If we are successful, not only what we’ll see is a transformation of an entire field, but also a de-risking of a technology so that there can be follow on investment, there can be commercialization, and we really try to close that valley of death that often is the place where so many biomedical innovations really, really do move very quickly,” Wegrzyn said. University of Colorado School of Medicine professors Kia Washington and Christene Huang will lead the project among CU researchers. “Currently, there has never been a successful whole human eye transplant for the restoration of vision,” Washington said in a statement. “We believe the great advancements over the last two decades in technology, transplantation surgery and regenerative medicine now make restoration of vision possible.” Washington added the hardest part of an eye transplant surgery is reconnecting the optic nerve and monitoring aftercare to make sure the brain is ready ”to receive the correct signals and is accepting the new eye.” Huang, the other project leader, said CU intends to “make it easier for the body to accept the new eye without rejecting it. “To do that,” Huang added, “we will create practical methods to manage inflammation and prevent transplant rejection.” Several other collegiate partners under ARPA-H assistance will collaborate with CU researchers in different ways. For instance, the University of Wisconsin and Indiana University will work to develop bioengineered “nerve bridges” to connect the new eye. Meanwhile, John Hopkins University and University of Southern California will research other complications into eye transplants. “This is what science is all about,” University of Colorado President Todd Saliman said in a brief message at a news conference on Monday. U.S. Rep. Rep. Diana DeGette, who played a role in securing project dollars for CU’s medical campus, said she’s excited for the cutting-edge research. “When we see projects like this, this is what excites us,” the congresswoman said. “This $46.4 million award to study human eye transplantation is just a perfect example of what ARPA-H was designed to do, which is to fund cutting-edge research that has the potential to change lives in ways that industry alone and traditional government funded research alone cannot achieve.” The congresswoman added: “It’s the kind of bold thinking that’s going to unlock certain treatments, not just blindness.”Musk's Net Worth Tops One-Third of a Trillion Dollars

£500 to invest a month? Consider aiming to turn that into a £20,000 passive income like this!Cam Carter put LSU ahead for good with a jumper 1:08 into the third overtime and the Tigers came away with a wild 109-102 win over UCF on Sunday in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Carter's make sparked a 5-0 spurt for LSU (5-1), which mounted a ferocious second-half rally that began after Darius Johnson drilled a 3-pointer to put the Knights up 52-34 with 12:57 to play in regulation. UCF (4-2) got back within two in the third overtime, but it never found a way to draw even. Vyctorius Miller and Jordan Sears sealed the victory, combining for three buckets down low that gave the Tigers a 106-99 cushion with 17 seconds remaining. Carter was the late-game hero for LSU, scoring the final four points of regulation to forge a 70-70 tie. He also knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:19 left in the first extra session to give the Tigers a 76-75 advantage. Sears gave LSU a four-point edge with a triple of his own with 2:10 to go, but the Tigers failed to stay in front, and UCF's Keyshawn Hall kept the game going by sinking two free throws with six seconds remaining to make it 82-82. Neither team led by more than three in the second overtime, with Hall again coming to the Knights' rescue. He made two layups in the final 52 seconds of the frame to knot things at 93 and send the teams to a third OT. Few could have predicted 15 minutes of extra basketball after UCF put together a 25-3 first-half run that lifted it to a 38-18 advantage with 2:12 left until the break. LSU responded with seven unanswered points, but the Knights still led comfortably, 40-25, at intermission. Sears finished with a game-high-tying 25 points to go along with nine boards, while Jalen Reed recorded a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Tigers. Carter netted 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey chipped in 14. Johnson collected 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals for UCF. Hall totaled 21 points and 10 boards, and Jordan Ivy-Curry supplied 20 points. LSU outshot UCF 43.2 percent to 40.7 percent and had narrow advantages from behind the arc (12 made shots to 10) and the free-throw line (21-18). --Field Level MediaAntitrust During Trump 2.0: It’s Complicated

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( MENAFN - PR Newswire) NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Plume, the first modular and composable layer-1 blockchain Network purpose-built for real world asset finance (RWAfi), today announced a strategic partnership with DigiFT, the first exchange for on-chain real-world assets to be licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). This collaboration will expand the availability of regulated digital assets within Plume's RWAfi ecosystem, providing enhanced access to institutional-grade tokenized investment opportunities for global investors. A cornerstone of this partnership is providing access to uMINT, UBS Asset Management's first tokenized money market fund, on Plume. Built on Ethereum distributed ledger technology and issued under UBS Tokenize, uMINT represents a significant milestone in delivering next-generation investment solutions for a variety of global investors. DigiFT operates as a Recognised Market Operator (RMO) and holds a Capital Markets Services (CMS) license from MAS, authorizing it to deal in securities and units in collective investment schemes. The platform facilitates the primary issuance and secondary trading of asset-backed tokens, providing investors with secure and transparent access to tokenized financial products. "Connecting institutional assets seamlessly with DeFi is a key part of our RWAfi vision. Through DigiFT's regulated rails, we can bring battle-tested institutional products like UBS's money market fund directly to DeFi users and protocols," said Chris Yin, CEO of Plume Network. The partnership reflects both organizations' shared commitment to bringing institutional-grade investment assets on-chain, streamlining the investment process for Web3 companies and on-chain organizations seeking secure, compliant, and high-quality assets. "This partnership with Plume marks a significant step in advancing the adoption of regulated, institutional-grade assets on-chain. By providing access to products like UBS's uMINT, we are enabling investors to benefit from secure, compliant, and transparent opportunities within the evolving digital asset landscape," said Henry Zhang, CEO of DigiFT. About Plume Plume is the first fully integrated L1 modular blockchain focused on RWAfi, offering a composable, EVM-compatible environment for onboarding and managing diverse real-world assets. With 180+ projects on its private devnet, Plume provides an end-to-end tokenization engine and a network of financial infrastructure partners, simplifying asset onboarding and enabling seamless DeFi integration for RWAs. Learn more at plumenetwork or contact [email protected] . About DigiFT DigiFT is the first regulatory-compliant exchange for on-chain real-world assets to be licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a Recognised Market Operator and Capital Markets Services provider. DigiFT enables asset owners, particularly financial institutions, to issue blockchain-based security tokens that investors can trade with continuous liquidity using an Automated Market Maker (AMM). Learn more at digift or contact [email protected] SOURCE Plume Network MENAFN17122024003732001241ID1109004902 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.

For the past three decades, Maharashtra has seen continuous fragmentation of various caste groups, but notably the Maratha-Kunbi caste cluster. The idea of ‘vote bank’ is always employed in discussing the close connection between the Maratha community and the Congress. That vote bank was practically dissolved in the 1995 Assembly election. As the Congress in the State went on declining, its base among Other Backward Classes (OBCs) too became invisible. Since then, the BJP and the Shiv Sena together and separately kept trying to win a larger share of both the Maratha and the OBC vote. In 2014, the BJP emerged as a major player in State politics and began attracting both the Marathas and the OBCs. In the latest election, the process of coming together of the Marathas and OBCs as supporters of the BJP has gone one step further. In the Lokniti survey, almost three of every 10 Marathas (including the Kunbis) and a little less than four of every 10 OBCs have indicated their preference for the BJP. The rest of the Marathas and OBCs were divided among the Congress, and the Shiv Sena and NCP factions. With one-fourth of the Adivasi respondents and one-fifth of the Scheduled Caste (SC) respondents supporting the BJP, the party has managed to craft an invincible Hindu umbrella. In the process, these social sections have also supported the other two partners of the Mahayuti, making its community-based support quite wide — except among Muslims and somewhat among the SCs and Adivasis (Table 1). With most social sections turning to the Mahayuti, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was left with only skeletal support across social sections. Even among SCs, the larger share went to ‘Others’ rather than the MVA. In particular, almost half of the Buddhists and former Mahar respondents among SCs vote non-MVA and non-Mahayuti parties. Trends of caste-community voting in this election are in a sense a continuation of the process that started with the election of 2014 — a consolidation of upper castes, Marathas, and OBCs behind BJP, and a somewhat divided political support of SCs, Adivasis and Muslims, who vote less for the BJP but do not necessarily operate as a vote bank supporting any single party. Suhas Palshikar taught political science and is chief editor of Studies in Indian Politics; Nitin Birmal is Lokniti’s State Coordinator, Maharashtra and a retired professor of Political Science based in Pune Published - November 25, 2024 02:51 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 / Maharashtra

10:1 Stock Split: Ashish Kacholia-Backed Solar Energy Stock Jumps After Signing Rs 10000 Crore MoU in Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 - Dalal Street Investment JournalGerry Hutch’s brother Patsy puts up poster outside former Kinahan stronghold

DOLLAR Tree is helping to spread the warmth this holiday season with three winter staples. All products are $5 or under and are sure to keep you warm and comfortable. With the winter months upon us, that means colder temperatures outdoors and more time spent indoors. Shoppers can keep warm this holiday season with winter essentials from Dollar Tree . Savvy consumers don't have to break the bank to fight the chilly weather as the discount chain is selling a variety of items for under $5. CHRISTMAS SOCKS Dollar Tree shoppers can ring in the Christmas spirit with festive socks. Read More on Dollar Tree The Snugadoo Soft Christmas Crew Socks are just $1.25 per pair and are perfect for keeping your feet warm and cozy. The crew socks are assorted among multiple festive holiday styles, including polar bears, reindeer, Santa, Christmas trees, and elves. "These socks are designed to be flexible and breathable while still durable enough to last through cold weather and withstand frequent use," reads the product description. They make for great gifts, stocking stuffers, holiday donations, care packages, and more. Most read in Money Dollar Tree shoppers are also loving the festive socks, praising how soft and comfy they are. FASHION SCARVES Dollar Tree shoppers can further spice up their winter wardrobes with a scarf from the discount store. The Juncture Solid Color Fashion Scarves are budget-friendly at just $1.25 apiece. Holiday shoppers can choose between gray, navy blue, black, and red. The scarves measure 63 by 13.75 inches. Dollar Tree customers have raved about the product, including their simplicity and versatility. "I bought these scarves awhile ago and I love them," shared a happy shopper. "Super cute, simple colors, great with any outfit," they added. WAX WARMERS Savvy shoppers can bring warmth and holiday cheer into their homes with wax warmers from Dollar Tree. The chain is selling Holiday Plug-In Wax Warmers for just $5. To fill your home with your favorite holiday scents, simply plug in the warmer and add your wax melt. "These Holiday Plug-In Wax Warmers are a great way to bring beautiful scents into your space," reads the product description. Shoppers can choose between four designs, including blue snowflakes, a red house, Santa, and a Christmas gnome. The wax warmers make great gifts and fit with any holiday decor theme. Snugadoo Soft Christmas Crew Socks, $1.25 - buy here Juncture Solid Color Fashion Scarves, $1.25 - buy here Holiday Plug-In Wax Warmers, $5 - buy here Hexclad 12-piece Pots and Pans set, $699 $599 - buy here Dyson V12 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, $649.99 $399.99 - buy here Portable Space Heater, $99.99 $39.99 - buy here Vortex Air Fryer, $149.99 $89.99 - buy here Dollar Tree shoppers can score even more deals at the discount chain. Read More on The US Sun Three holiday essentials are flying off the retailer's shelves starting at just $1.25. Plus, Dollar Tree is selling a popular stocking stuffer for just $2 - it’s identical to Target but 37% cheaper.Agilent Technologies’ Stock In Focus After Firm Announces New Organizational Structure: Retail’s Eyeing Q4 Earnings

CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changesNEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution's suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea "absurd." The Manhattan district attorney's office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to "pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful," Trump's lawyers wrote in a 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump's lawyers filed paperwork this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won't include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn't sentenced and his appeal wasn't resolved because of presidential immunity. Former President Donald Trump appears May 30 at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined comment. It's unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump's request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution's suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump's parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution's suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the "ongoing threat" that he'll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. The prosecution's suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they contend. Attorney Todd Blanche listens May 30 as his client Donald Trump speaks at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump tapped for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution's novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to "fabricate" a solution "based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump" who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September "and a hypothetical dead defendant." Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what's already a unique case. "This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding," prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn't "precipitously discard" the "meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers." Prosecutors acknowledged that "presidential immunity requires accommodation" during Trump's impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury's verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Other world leaders don't enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation's wars in Lebanon and Gaza. President-elect Donald Trump attends a Dec. 7 meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Trump has fought for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. Trump's hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith ended his two federal cases, which pertained to Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in each case. Trump was scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November, but following Trump's Nov. 5 election win, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president's sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. 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. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” 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. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

8k8 com download for android Sophie Hediger, a member of Switzerland's snowboard cross team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has died following an avalanche at a mountain resort, the country's skiing federation said on Tuesday. The incident occurred on Monday at the Arosa resort in Switzerland. Hediger, 26, competed at the Beijing Games in the women’s snowboard cross and the mixed team version of the same event. Hediger achieved her first two World Cup podium finishes in the 2023-24 season. Her best result was a second place in St. Moritz in January. “We are shocked and our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we offer our deepest condolences,” said Swiss-Ski CEO Walter Reusser in a statement. “(She lost her life) tragically, brutally and far too soon.”

BBC Strictly fans blast Tess Daly over 'embarrassing' comment to Chris McCauslandE-Learning Market Report 2024: Global Industry Trends, Market Challenges, Size Overview, Growth Strategies, and Opportunity Forecast to 2031 12-21-2024 12:31 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Coherent Market Insights Pvt Ltd E-Learning The latest report titled ""E-Learning Market: Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunities, and Forecast 2024-2031"" by Coherent Market Insights delivers a thorough analysis of the industry, encompassing market insights. It also covers competitor and regional analysis, along with recent advancements in the market. The report includes a detailed table of contents, figures, tables, and charts, offering in-depth analysis. The E-Learning market has experienced substantial growth in recent years, driven by factors such as rising product demand, a growing customer base, and technological progress. This report provides an in-depth evaluation of the E-Learning market, focusing on market size, trends, drivers, challenges, competitive landscape, and future growth potential. The report highlights the competitive landscape, market segmentation, geographical expansion, and the growth in revenue, production, and consumption within the E-Learning market. It covers the market size, growth analysis, industry trends, and forecast, detailing the factors shaping the business outlook. Additionally, the report examines future products, joint ventures, marketing strategies, developments, mergers and acquisitions, as well as promotional activities. It also analyses revenue trends, import/export data, CAGR values, and provides an overview of the industry as a whole, along with the specific challenges posed by competitors. Buy Now to avail discount up to 45% @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/promo/buynow/102470 Report Overview and Scope: This report focuses on the global E-Learning market, with particular emphasis on key regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. It segments the market based on manufacturers, regions, types, and applications. The report provides a thorough overview of the current market landscape, including both historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume. Additionally, it examines technological advancements and considers macroeconomic and regulatory factors that impact the market. Regional Analysis: ◘ North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico) ◘ Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Europe) ◘ Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Australia, Southeast Asia, Rest of Asia Pacific) ◘ South America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Rest of South America) ◘ Middle East & Africa (GCC, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) Key Highlights of This Report: Comprehensive Market Analysis: An in-depth exploration of manufacturing capabilities, production volumes, and technological advancements in the E-Learning market. Corporate Overview: A thorough examination of company profiles, highlighting key players and their strategic moves in the competitive landscape. Consumption Insights: A detailed assessment of consumption trends, offering a look into current demand patterns and consumer preferences. Segmentation Overview: A complete breakdown of end-user segments, showcasing the market's distribution across different applications and industries. Pricing Analysis: An evaluation of pricing models and the factors influencing market pricing strategies. Future Projections: Predictive insights on market trends, growth opportunities, and potential challenges on the horizon. Reasons to Purchase this Report: Comprehensive competitive landscape, including market rankings of major players, recent product/service launches, partnerships, business expansions, and acquisitions over the past five years. In-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market, covering both economic and non-economic factors. Detailed market value data for each segment and sub-segment. Identification of the region and segment expected to experience the fastest growth and lead the market. Geographic analysis, highlighting regional product/service consumption and the factors influencing market conditions in each area. Detailed company profiles, including overviews, insights, product comparisons, and SWOT analyses of key market players. Current and future market outlook, focusing on growth opportunities, key drivers, challenges, and constraints in both emerging and developed regions. Market dynamics and future growth opportunities in the coming years. Buy Now to avail discount up to 45% @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/promo/buynow/102470 FAQ's: Which are the dominant players of the E-Learning Market? What will be the size of the E-Learning Market in the coming years? Which segment will lead the E-Learning Market? How will the market development trends change in the next five years? What is the nature of the competitive landscape of the E-Learning Market? What are the go-to strategies adopted in the E-Learning Market? About Authors : Priya Pandey is a dynamic and passionate editor with over three years of expertise in content editing and proofreading. Holding a bachelor's degree in biotechnology, Priya has a knack for making the content engaging. Her diverse portfolio includes editing documents across different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. Priya's meticulous attention to detail and commitment to excellence make her an invaluable asset in the world of content creation and refinement. 533 Airport Boulevard, Suite 400, Burlingame, CA 94010, United States Phone: US +12524771362 / UK +442039578553 Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com About Coherent Market Insights Coherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization that provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. We are known for our actionable insights and authentic reports in various domains including aerospace and defense, agriculture, food and beverages, automotive, chemicals and materials, and virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. We create value for clients through our highly reliable and accurate reports. We are also committed in playing a leading role in offering insights in various sectors post-COVID-19 and continue to deliver measurable, sustainable results for our clients. This release was published on openPR.Proposal to Cabinet to remove VAT on local brown sugar – Minister

As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche. Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. "I had a stroke, and my life made a 180-degree turn," Lara said, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The stroke affected my left side of the body." Lara, an avid runner and gym-goer couldn't even walk. "It was hard," said the 50-year-old mom from North Miami and former high school math teacher. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved-nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke, with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System — the device implanted in Lara's chest — could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where Lara underwent the procedure. How the device works The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara's occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body's nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor's ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. "Little by little, I'm noticing that my hand is getting stronger," Lara said in September. "I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand." Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivistim therapy program and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Going beyond the 'plateau' Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors usually can recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a "major plateau" after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, "when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone." The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years after their original stroke, according to Starke. "So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10 to 15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous," Starke said. More about the device Vivistim's vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas' Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression. For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. "Everything becomes a challenge, so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible," Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history. "Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue," the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is "covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Bob Casey concedes Pa. Senate race, congratulates Dave McCormick on win

Vought picked for repeat performance at Trump’s budget office

Arkansas DE Landon Jackson carted off field and taken to hospital with neck injuryCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left and Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday, likely ending the Buckeyes ’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game. Kalel Mullings broke away for a 27-yard run, setting up the Wolverines (7-5, 5-4) at Ohio State's 17-yard line with two minutes remaining in the game. The drive stalled at the 3, and Zvada came on for the chip shot. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

IF you're planning a tasty creamy mash for your Christmas dinner, look no further. A cooking expert has shared her tips for perfecting the festive side dish. The chef revealed that you've probably been making your mash all wrong. According to the expert, we need to stop boiling our spuds in water if we want it to be extra creamy - yes, you heard that correctly. If you want to make the best mashed potatoes, you need to boil your potatoes in milk. Rosie Gill, director of Milk Street Cooking School, took to social media to share her mashed potatoes recipe - leaving many open-mouthed. She explained that it’s time to stop boiling your potatoes in water - as you’ll need to use milk instead. She revealed: “We simmer your mashed potatoes in milk, not water! And here’s why. “Potatoes are like pasta, they release starches into their cooking liquid. “That becomes liquid gold - allowing us to get lush, silky, creamy, mashed potatoes. “When you throw out water that you cook your potatoes in, you throw all that starch down the drain, so you’re wasting it. “The milk becomes our cooking liquid - and a replacement for heavy cream.” As she showed off her finished side dish, she added: “We just mash the potatoes directly in the pot - no mixer needed. “And that is how we get still creamy, but not too heavy, mashed potatoes.” Rosie later confirmed: “In the case of pasta, you want to reserve some of that liquid to give the sauce a luscious shine and bind it to the noodles. “In mashed potatoes, cooking in milk, and preserving that starchy liquid, gives your potatoes a natural creaminess and allows you to skip the weighty heavy cream.” The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @177milkstreet, has clearly left many stunned, as it was shared just one day ago, but has quickly gone viral, and has racked up a staggering 3.3 million views. Foods must be stored correctly to keep them fresh and prevent the spread of bacteria. Nutrition expert Birgit Brendel said bread will last longer when stored in the fridge or freezer. However, this can compromise the flavour. Storing in ceramic or pottery containers is an alternative that allows for air to flow easily and slow the growth of mould. Robert Morris, managing director of food safety consultants, Complete Food Safety, revealed the best place to store fresh fruit and vegetables. He said salad foods should be stored in the fridge drawer, but away from anything grown in the soil such as carrots, parsnips and beetroot. Tomatoes are an exception to the rule as fridges can alter the natural ripening process and diminish their taste. He also advised against putting avocados and bananas in the fridge as this will cause them to blacken quicker. But social media users were divided at the cooking tip - while some were impressed, not everyone was as keen. One person said: “Awesome tip! I’m married to this from now on!” Another added: “Brilliant.” A third commented: “Genius.” Whilst another food fan beamed: “Great idea.” However, not everyone was impressed with the foodie’s hack and many revealed that they didn’t actually think her mash looked that great. One user claimed: “Tried it - weird mush. Prefer chicken broth or chicken stock with water.” A second penned: “Looks v lumpy.” Someone else chimed in: “They don't look smooth though.” Whilst another wrote: “That mash looks way too wet.” Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line .Lawyers Action Committee demands full court hear petitions challenging 26th AmendmentClara Strack and Georgia Amoore each scored 21 points on Saturday to help No. 16 Kentucky beat visiting Western Kentucky 88-70 in Lexington. Teonni Key netted 15 points, Amelia Hassett paired nine points with 12 rebounds and Saniah Tyler scored 11 off the bench for the Wildcats (11-1), who won their fourth straight game. The Lady Toppers (9-3) got 18 points from Alexis Mead, 14 from Acacia Hayes, 11 from Destiny Salary and 10 from Josie Gilvin. Western Kentucky has lost three of five following a 7-0 start. Kentucky used a 9-0 run in the second quarter to take a double-digit lead that it held for the rest of the game. Strack bookended the surge with a layup and a 3-pointer that pushed the hosts ahead 36-22 with 1:01 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats' lead peaked at 23 points after Amoore scored five straight late in the fourth quarter to make it 88-65. Saturday marked the final nonconference game for both teams this season. Kentucky hosts Mississippi State to begin Southeastern Conference play on Thursday, while Western Kentucky starts its Conference USA slate by hosting Liberty the same night. --Field Level MediaBonucci, known for his commanding presence in defense and impeccable passing ability, was a key player for Juventus during that period. His partnership with Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli formed the formidable 'BBC' defensive trio that helped Juventus dominate in Serie A and make deep runs in the Champions League.8k8 download app free 。

If the speculations are true and R Star is indeed preparing for the release of GTA 6, fans can expect an elaborate and ambitious promotional campaign to build excitement and anticipation leading up to the game's launch. With the success of previous GTA titles and the dedicated fan base that R Star has cultivated over the years, the potential for GTA 6 to be a blockbuster hit is promising.

'Tweaked land laws to be introduced in Uttarakhand assembly in next session'

Leadership Mocks Employee's Bereavement Leave; Haidilao Restaurant Denies Allegations

How Huskies and Seattle compare to Louisville ahead of Sun Bowl showdownThe anticipation for this launch had been building for weeks, with sneak peeks and teasers being released to generate excitement. The hype surrounding the platform was palpable as users waited with bated breath for the moment they could finally log in and experience it for themselves.

Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more! Now that we’re starting to prepare for the holidays, it’s time to talk about snagging gifts. Whether you’re going all out this year or doing it up in a small way, there’s still a way — and time — to find gifts for a steal. Although they’re often overlooked, socks can be a great gift for those moments when you don’t have a lot of money to spend or just want to give someone a small gift. We found a versatile, soft pair of socks that are sure to become your new cold-weather favorites — and they’re 50% off now at Amazon! These Tehook fuzzy socks are the perfect stocking stuffer or small trinket gift to give the people on your list who have you stuck on what to get them — seriously! They feature an 80% polyester, 15% nylon and 5% spandex material composition for a sturdy, stretchy pair of socks that can withstand anything. We love how fuzzy they are and how they keep your little piggies nice and toasty no matter what! Also, they stop right at mid-calf for an option that works for many different footwear silhouettes. Get the Tehook Fuzzy Socks for $10 (was $20) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change. To style these socks, you could pair them with sweatpants, hoodies and slippers for a warm, functional look that works perfectly for lazy days indoors. Or, you could rock them with a slouchy sweater , flowy skirt and warm Ugg boots for a stylish but toasty fall and winter ensemble. Further, they come in 27 color combinations that we’re sure you (and they) will love! While reviewing and gushing over these socks, a happy Amazon reviewer said , “These socks are just the right size. Not too short and not too tall! They’re super soft and keep my feet warm! They’re super easy to put on! I look great while walking around the house. The durability is great. My new puppy has pulled on them, and they still fit great!” Another reviewer noted , “High quality, fluffy, warm socks for the winter weather. Around the house or inside boots, these are comfortable and warm! They have a wide variety for every taste, in colors and patterns. Great stocking stuffers!” So, if you’re looking for easy gifts or want to pad out your sock options, these Amazon-bestselling socks are a great option that can help you do it all! See it: Get the Tehook Fuzzy Socks for $10 (was $20) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change. Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News Not what you’re looking for? Check out more from Tehook here , and don’t forget to scope out Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!BENIN – Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has said that Christmas represents the values that unite us as a people, regardless of tribe, religion and politics. Governor Okpebholo made the declaration while delivering his message at the Edo Christmas Carol, 2024, held at the Lawn Tennis Court of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City. Dignitaries at the event included the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; the Secretary to Edo State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor; former Speakers of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Justin Okonoboh and Francis Okiye; Head of Service (HOS), Anthony Okungbowa; other top government officials, party leaders, religious and traditional rulers, Permanent Secretaries, civil servants, among others. Governor Okpebholo noted that Christmas is a season of love and hope, as it reminds everyone of the importance of compassion, generosity and peace. He noted that the event was more than just singing, but represented the values that unite the people regardless of tribe, religion and politics. “It is with great joy that I welcome all of you to this beautiful Christmas Carol as we gather to celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ. “It is particularly memorable for me because this is the first time I have the honour of standing before you as Governor during such an event. “Christmas is a time of love, hope, and unity. It is also a season that reminds us of the importance of compassion, generosity and peace. “This Carol symbolizes much more than singing and entertainment; it is a testament to the values that bind us as one people, regardless of tribe, religion and political differences. “As we listen to the wonderful voices tonight, let us remember that our strength as a people lies in our diversity. “To our children, may the joy of tonight inspire you to dream big and grow with love and kindness in your hearts. Together, we can build a brighter and more inclusive tomorrow. “On behalf of the entire leadership of our beloved State, I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.” Governor Okpebholo in his quest for Edo people to celebrate a unique Christmas, instituted a raffle draw for winners to go home with a mini bus, tricycle, generating sets, sewing and grinding machines, among other items. There were melodious rendition by choirs from various denominations, including the Living Faith Church, Miracle Assembly, Blessed Virgin Mary, Church of God Mission and EL Excess Band. The event also saw a special performance by the Theatre Arts Department from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Leetu Man. Bible lessons were read in pidgin and English languages by various personalities which included the administrator, office of the First Lady of Edo State, Edesili Anani-Okpebholo, representative of wife of Deputy Governor and Edo South representative on the board of SUBEB, representative of vegetable sellers, a returnee and a bus driver, among others. Highpoints of the event was the presentation of prizes to winners in the raffle draw.

Digital Radiography Sensor Market Forecast: Explosive Growth From USD 5.94 Billion in 2024 to USD 12.3 Billion by 2032In the end, only time will tell if Real Madrid can emerge victorious and make their mark on this prestigious competition. But one thing is for certain: the Champions League is in for a wild ride, and football fans around the world are ready to buckle up and enjoy the show.

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The NC State Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4 ACC) travel to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-4, 4-3 ACC) in a crucial late-season Atlantic Coast Conference matchup at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Thursday, November 21, 2024. NC State aims to secure bowl eligibility, while Georgia Tech looks to finish their home slate undefeated for the first time since 1999. This game carries significant implications for both teams' postseason aspirations and conference standings. How to Watch NC State at Georgia Tech Georgia Tech, under head coach Brent Key, enters this game with momentum after a stunning 28-23 upset over No. 4 Miami. The Yellow Jackets have been impressive at home, boasting a 4-0 record at Bobby Dodd Stadium this season. Quarterback Haynes King, who returned from a shoulder injury to lead the upset over Miami, will be key to Georgia Tech's offensive success. NC State, led by head coach Dave Doeren, comes off a bye week following a 29-19 loss to Duke. The Wolfpack's offense has shown flashes of potential, with freshman quarterback CJ Bailey passing for 1,794 yards with 14 total touchdowns in eight games. NC State's defense will need to step up against Georgia Tech's dynamic offense. This matchup carries significant weight for both teams. Georgia Tech aims to secure their first undefeated home season since 1999 and clinch a winning record for the second consecutive year. NC State, meanwhile, needs a victory to become bowl-eligible, with only one game remaining on their schedule after this contest. Live stream the NC State at Georgia Tech game on Fubo: Start your free trial now ! Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.British teenager who had holiday romance in Dubai reveals ‘shock’ after being jailed for a year

Taoiseach Simon Harris said he also wanted to tell Nikita Hand, a hair colourist from Drimnagh, that her case had prompted an increase in women coming forward to ask for support. Ms Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor said in a post on social media on Friday that he intends to appeal against the decision. That post has since been deleted. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mr Harris said he told Ms Hand of the support she has from people across Ireland. “I spoke with Nikita today and I wanted to thank her for her incredible bravery and her courage,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that she knew how much solidarity and support there was across this country for her bravery. “I also wanted to make sure she knew of what the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had said yesterday – that so many other women have now come forward in relation to their own experiences of sexual abuse as a result of Nikita’s bravery.” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the case has had a “profound effect” on the people the charity supports, and that over the first 10 days of the High Court case, calls to its national helpline increased by almost 20%. It said that first-time callers increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, and were largely from people who had experienced sexual violence who were distressed and anxious from the details of case and the views people had to it. Mr Harris said: “I wanted to speak with her and I wanted to wish her and her daughter, Freya, all the very best night, and I was very grateful to talk with Nikita today. “Her bravery, her courage, her voice has made a real difference in a country in which we must continue to work to get to zero tolerance when it comes to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “I don’t want to say too much more, because conscious there could be further legal processes, but I absolutely want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her courage, for using her voice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee praised Ms Hand’s bravery and said she had shown “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. She said: “I just want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her determination and the leadership that she has shown in what has been – I’ve no doubt – a very, very difficult time for her and indeed, for her family. She added: “Because of wonderful people like Nikita, I hope that it shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there are supports available to people, and that there is justice at the end of the day.” Ms Hand said in a statement outside court on Friday that she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. Describing the past six years as “a nightmare”, she said: “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” During the case, Ms Hand said she was “disappointed and upset” when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to prosecute the case after she made a complaint to the Irish police. In a letter to her in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous. Asked about the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, Mr Harris and Ms McEntee stressed the importance of the DPP’s independence on whether to prosecute. “There are obviously structures in place where the DPP can meet a victim and can outline to them their reasons for not taking the case,” Mr Harris said. “But there’s also always an opportunity for the DPP in any situation – and I speak broadly in relation to this – to review a decision, to consider any new information that may come to light, and I don’t want to say anything that may ever cut across the ongoing work of the DPP.” Ms McEntee stressed that there should “never be any political interference” in the independence of the DPP’s decisions. “I have, since becoming minister, given priority to and enabled a new office within the DPP to open specifically focused on sexual offences, so that this issue can be given the focus and the priority that it needs,” she said.

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Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 seasonLIMERICK Sinn Féin TD and general election candidate Maurice Quinlivan has said a Sinn Féin-led government will scrap the USC on the first €45,000 of income for every worker, ensuring those on average incomes never pay the USC again. “A Sinn Fein-led government will show up with real action for ordinary workers and their families,” Deputy Quinlivan claimed. “We will scrap the USC on the first €45,000 of every worker’s income. Every worker will benefit. We know workers can’t wait. “We will begin implementing this relief within the first 100 days of government, ensuring the removal of the first €45,000 from the USC by January 1st, 2026,” Deputy Quinlivan said.NoneThe normally reliable centre-back passed the ball into his own net in the 26th minute after failing to spot goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s positioning. But a brilliant turn and finish on the hour mark from Daizen Maeda changed the game and ultimately earned the Scottish champions a 1-1 home draw. On the opener, Rodgers said: “Mistakes happen and it was just unfortunate. He’s played that pass a million times and it’s gone back and then we’ve been able to play forward. It was just one of those unfortunate moments in the game that happens. “But he’s a really, really tough character. He’s a great guy, he picked himself up. He was really strong and aggressive again in the game and got on with it and had a real bravery in the second half, because he was the one carrying the ball forward for us to start the attack.” Despite the gift, Brugge were worthy of their lead and Rodgers admitted his side were too passive in their pressing in the opening half. Some tactical tweaks – and the introduction of Paulo Bernardo – helped Celtic dominate after Maeda’s equaliser, although Brugge had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside. “I can only credit the players for the second half, because we had to fight,” Rodgers said. “And we’re still one of those teams that’s really pushing to try and make a mark at this level. So to make the comeback, score the goal, play with that courage, I was so pleased. “You want to win but I’ve been here enough times to have lost a game like that, but we didn’t. We showed a real strong mentality and we kept pushing right to the very end and the players did well. “I thought they showed great courage in the second half because we weren’t at our level in the first half. Sometimes a game like that can get away from you, but it didn’t. “We stayed with it, showed that determination, showed that mentality, never to quit, to keep going. And then we were much, much better, much freer in the second half. “So we’re on eight points, nine to play for. We’re still very much on course to get to where we want to get to and still three games to go.” Rodgers added: “It’s 20 games now and we’ve won 16 and drawn three and lost one, so it shows you the mentality is there, and especially at this level, you need to have that.”

Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) is pleased to announce there-election of Paralympian#195 Anna Grimaldi and election of Paralympian#158 Adam Hall and Paralympian#211 Danielle Aitchison to the PNZ Athletes’Council. The PNZ Athletes’ Council was establishedin 2021 to enable representation of New Zealand Paralympiansand Para athletes and enable greater athlete participationand voice within the Paralympic Movement within New Zealandand internationally. Anna, Danielle and Adam will joinParalympian#189 Carl Murphy and Paralympian#225 Anna Taylor as members on the PNZ Athletes’Council. Eight candidates put forward their names forelection and we thank everyone for their interest in seekingelection to the PNZ Athletes’ Council. Para athleteAnna Grimaldi, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, said:“I’m super happy to be able to continue my work with thePNZ Athletes’ Council for this next term. It’s been aprivilege to play my part in amplifying the athletes’voice and I can’t wait to maintain the momentum leadinginto the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games and LA2028 Paralympic Games. I love the athletes we have here inNew Zealand, and I want to make sure they are wellrepresented.” Danielle Aitchison, a winner of fourPara athletics medals at the Paralympic Games, said: “I amdeeply honoured to be elected to the PNZ Athletes’Council. This role holds significant meaning for me, as itprovides an opportunity to be a voice within the ParalympicMovement – not only for all Para athletes but also toensure that challenges I have faced are not repeated. Sporthas been a vital part in my life, and I am committed tofostering a safe and enjoyable environment for every Paraathlete who chooses to participate.” Adam Hall, afive-time Paralympic Para alpine skiing medallist, said:“I am incredibly honoured to have been successfullyelected to the PNZ Athletes’ Council. I look forward tocollaborating with the great cohort on the Council and usingmy voice to help encourage and elevate our Paralympians andPara athletes and ensure our sport continues tothrive.” Outgoing Chair Paralympian#213 Sarah Ellington adds of her three years in therole. “I am sad to be stepping down as Chair from the PNZAthletes’ Council but it has been a great three years inthe role. I am looking forward to seeing what the newCouncil will achieve, and I wish everyone all the best inmaking the most of this amazing opportunity.” Otheroutgoing council members include Paralympian#148 Michael Johnson and Paralympian#202 Jacob Phillips. Greg Warnecke said: “We areexcited to welcome Anna back to the PNZ Athletes’ Councilfollowing her re-election and both Danielle and Adam to theCouncil for the first time. The trio will provide fantasticinsights from their rich experiences, which will help guideand inform our work as an organisation in the future. Fromall at PNZ we would also like to extent our thanks for thevaluable contribution played by outgoing Council members;Sarah, Michael and Jacob.” The new Chair and ViceChair will be elected next year. For furtherinformation, go toparalympics.org.nz/about/pnz-athletes-council/ NZ ParalympicTeam strives to challenge perceptions towards disability,showcasing high performance athletes who prove anything ispossible. Since Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games, 237New Zealand Paralympians have been part of New ZealandParalympic Teams competing at 27 Paralympic Games (15 summerand 12 winter) winning a staggering 245 medals (210 insummer and 35 in winter). Paralympics New Zealand isthe National Paralympic Committee (NPC) for New Zealand. Weare a charity and our overall vision is ‘Transforminglives through Para sport’. As a member of theInternational Paralympic Committee (IPC), we are part of aworldwide social change movement, which uses the power ofsport to positively influence community perceptions ofdisabled people and to promote a more diverse and inclusivesociety. To do this, we support and celebrate theachievements of Para athletes at international and nationalcompetitions all year round. Every two years, we lead NewZealand teams to the Paralympic Games. We also work in thelocal community to advocate for sport to become moreaccessible for disabled people and to support the creationof more systems and programmes to enable participation inPara sport. Our funding comes from a mix of publicdonations, fundraisers, philanthropic partners, commercialpartners, plus government and community grants, whichtogether make our Para sport, community and advocacyprogrammes possible. To find out more about us, pleasevisit aboutus To support Paralympics New Zealand click here Jointhe conversation on Facebook,LinkedInand Instagram.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, local businesses face a unique challenge—staying competitive while catering to their community. I’ve seen how digital tools have become game-changers, offering small businesses the chance to expand their reach, streamline operations, and connect with customers like never before. From social media platforms to e-commerce solutions, these tools are leveling the playing field for local entrepreneurs. What’s exciting is how accessible these resources have become. According to HubSpot , businesses that embrace digital strategies see faster growth and improved customer engagement. Whether it’s using analytics to understand customer needs, leveraging online advertising to drive foot traffic, or showcasing products like iPhone 15 cases on an optimized website, the possibilities are endless. For local businesses, adopting the right digital tools isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity to thrive in today’s market. 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Free trials provide an opportunity to evaluate tools before committing, ensuring they meet specific needs effectively. Providing Training And Support For Employees I focus on equipping employees with the skills required to maximize tool efficiency. Comprehensive, hands-on training sessions familiarize staff with functionalities and reduce resistance to adoption. Leveraging online tutorials, webinars, or consultant-led workshops improves learning outcomes. Continuous support fosters adaptability as new challenges arise. For example, offering ongoing access to troubleshooting resources ensures seamless tool usage. Additionally, creating internal guides and promoting peer-to-peer mentoring within teams strengthens collective understanding, maintaining productivity during transitions.Parth rebukes Mitkari over remarks on PR firm DesignBox

Pam Bondi, Donald Trump's pick to be attorney general, is a staunch ally of the former president, defending him against impeachment during his first term and pushing his false claims of election fraud as he sought to cling on to the White House. The 59-year-old former Florida attorney general, if confirmed by the Senate, will now serve as the top law enforcement official in a second Trump administration. "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans -- Not anymore," Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. "Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again." Bondi's nomination means the top ranks of the Justice Department will be filled by Trump loyalists, as the president-elect has named three of the lawyers who defended him in his multiple criminal cases to its other high-ranking roles. Trump tapped Bondi to be attorney general on Thursday after his first pick, firebrand ex-Florida lawmaker Matt Gaetz, dropped out amid sexual misconduct allegations and doubts that he could obtain Senate confirmation. A graduate of the University of Florida with a law degree from Stetson University, Bondi served as a prosecutor for 18 years before being elected attorney general of the "Sunshine State" in 2010, the first woman to hold the post. Bondi, a native of Trump's adopted home state of Florida, was reelected to a second term in 2014. As attorney general, Bondi notably fought opioid addiction and human trafficking while taking a tough stance on crime and supporting the death penalty. She sued BP for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and obtained more than $2 billion in economic relief for Florida, according to her biography page at Ballard Partners, a powerful lobbying firm where she has worked after leaving office. While serving as attorney general, Bondi was drawn into a controversy involving Trump when she declined in 2013 to join a multi-state prosecution accusing Trump University of fraud. It emerged later that Bondi's reelection committee had received a $25,000 donation from the charitable Trump Foundation. Both Trump and Bondi denied any wrongdoing. Bondi joined Trump's legal team during his first impeachment trial, in which he was alleged to have pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to find political dirt on his 2020 election opponent, Democrat Joe Biden. Trump was impeached by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives but acquitted by the Republican-majority Senate. After the 2020 election, Bondi made television appearances on behalf of Trump and pushed to de-legitimize vote counting in battleground states as part of the push by the former president to overturn the results of the vote. Bondi has also criticized the criminal cases brought against Trump, appearing in solidarity at his New York trial, where he was convicted of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star. At Ballard Partners, Bondi has done work for Amazon, General Motors and Uber and as a registered lobbyist for the oil-rich Gulf nation of Qatar, according to press reports. She is also a member of the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-aligned right-wing think tank. cl/dw