Do stores have to accept returns in New York? Here are the rulesAs a participant in multiple affiliate marketing programs, Localish will earn a commission for certain purchases. See full disclaimer below*. Every new year brings a new opportunity to start the year fresh. Often, this means devising New Year's resolutions, which are always made with the best intentions. According to this 2024 Statista poll , the most popular New Year's resolutions in the U.S. for 2025 are to save more money (21%), exercise more (17%) and eat healthier (19%). But according to this ABC News article , nearly 80% of people lose track of their goals in mid-February. So, if you struggled to keep up your resolutions last and you want to buck the trend, here are a few products that will help you stay on track with popular resolutions this in 2025. Don't forget to check out more of our best health and wellness picks and deals as well. The Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness tracker is a best seller on Amazon in the Activity & Fitness tracker category for good reason. This smartwatch comes loaded with features that will keep track of your exercise and wellness goals. It has over 50 exercise modes where you can set your own goals and get stats from every exercise you perform. It's also water resistant and according to Fitbit will last around a week without a charge. This fitness mini stepper is a perfect way to get you moving in your own home and is one of the top three cardio training devices sold on Amazon. It's portable and can be used to give you a full body workout with the resistance bands and steps. Pull this in front of the TV and jump on during commercial breaks or adjust the step height to increase the intensity of your workout at your new home gym. The right shoes can make a world of difference when you're exercising. Whether you're trying to run or pick up a new sport like Pickleball, you always want to make sure you're wearing the right stuff. We like to peruse the sale section on Zappos.com for a deal, like these popular Hoka Arahi 6 shoes that are currently 20% off. Start choosing what you put in your body with this Hexclad cook set. Touted by Chef Gordon Ramsay, this cookware set has everything you might want including three pans. It's metal utensil safe, nonstick, oven safe, dishwasher safe and has a stay-cool handle. What's even better, this cookware set also comes has a lifetime warranty against manufacturer's defects. Staying hydrated is one of the most important things we can do to help our body stay healthy. That's why we recommend this LARQ Bottle. This Shark Tank favorite keeps your water cold for 24 hours and self-cleans using UV-C LED technology to sanitize your water and bottle. Get it for 15% off right now by clicking the coupon code on the product page. Home Chef is a meal delivery service that caters to your preferences. Every week you can choose from over 30 meals and 18 extras. Explore their menu and sort by how long it takes to make, if you're trying to be calorie or carb-conscious, or if you're vegetarian. Meals start at $9.99 per serving and you can check out their menu by clicking the link below. One of the best ways to save money is to set a goal and track how you're spending. Create a money-saving habit with this Clever Fox Budget planner. This planner is aimed at helping you develop a strategy around your financial goals by turning them into manageable monthly tasks. If you aren't happy with this planner, refund it with no questions asked. Heating and cooling your home is a major part of everyone's household budget. Take control with a programmable or smart thermostat which can change the temperature in the house according to your activities and preferences. Installing a smart or programmable thermostat is one way to help save 10% on your energy bills, according to the Energy Department . The #1 best-selling programmable thermostat on Amazon is the Google Nest Thermostat. This smart thermostat can turn itself down when you leave and can be controlled via the Google Home app on any Android or Apple device. Improve your financial literacy, learn to negotiate and persuade at work or discover how some of the world's most respected leaders have built and scaled their businesses. Take thousands of classes across different categories and learn from icons like Richard Branson, Anna Wintour and Bob Iger starting at $10/month. By clicking on the featured links, visitors will leave this site and be directed to third-party e-commerce sites that operate under different terms and privacy policies. Although we are sharing our personal opinions of these products with you, Localish is not endorsing these products. It has not performed product safety testing on any of these products, did not manufacture them, and is not selling, or distributing them and is not making any representations about the safety or caliber of these products. Prices and availability are subject to change from the date of publication.
JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh. He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. “We will strike (the Houthis’) strategic infrastructure and cut off the head of the leadership,” he said. “Just like we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon, we will do in Hodeida and Sanaa,” he said, referring to Hamas and Hezbollah leaders killed in previous Israeli attacks. The Iranian-backed Houthis have launched scores of missiles and drones at Israel throughout the war, including a missile that landed in Tel Aviv on Saturday and wounded at least 16 people. Israel has carried out three sets of airstrikes in Yemen during the war and vowed to step up the pressure on the rebel group until the missile attacks stop. Here’s the latest: UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. food agency reports that 23 trucks in a 66-truck convoy carrying food and other humanitarian supplies to central Gaza were plundered and lost. U.N. associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said Monday that the World Food Program convoy departed from the Kerem Shalon crossing via the recently approved Philadelphi Corridor on Sunday. Despite Israeli assurances that safety conditions would be in place, she said an airstrike took place. Tremblay said the first 35 trucks made it to a WFP warehouse without losses. She said Israeli Defense Forces delayed the rest of the convoy. News of the convoy’s movement spread, Tremblay said, leading to plundering along the way, with a total of 43 trucks making it to the warehouse while 23 others were lost. She called it “another example of why we continue to stress the need for the safe, unimpeded passage of assistance to reach populations that need it the most.” DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian witnesses and hospital officials say an aid truck carrying flour has been looted in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike killed four policemen inside a car securing the delivery. An Associated Press journalist saw people walking away with flour bags, some stained with blood, after the blast. AP footage showed dozens of people gathered at the scene as emergency workers checked the burnt vehicle, which had spilled flour next to it. U.N. officials and international aid organizations have said they are struggling to deliver aid, including much-needed winter supplies, into Gaza, in part because of looting and a lack of security protecting the convoys. Israel often strikes armed men guarding the deliveries, saying they are Hamas militants. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on Monday’s strike. Earlier this month, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said it would halt aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into the Gaza Strip because of the threat of armed gangs who have looted convoys. It blamed the breakdown of law and order in large part on Israeli policies. WASHINGTON — The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that there are more than 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, the total routinely touted publicly. It also said the number of forces in Syria has grown over the past “several years” due to increasing threats, but was not openly disclosed. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that there are “at least 2,500” U.S. military personnel in Iraq “plus some additional, temporary enablers” that are on rotational deployments. He said that due to diplomatic considerations, the department will not provide more specifics. The U.S. concluded sensitive negotiations with the government of Iraq in September that called for troops to begin leaving after the November election. The presence of U.S. troops there has long been a political liability for Iraqi leaders who are under increased pressure and influence from Iran. U.S. officials have not provided details about the withdrawal agreement, but it calls for the mission against the Islamic State group to end by September 2025, and that some U.S. troops will remain through 2026 to support the anti-IS mission in Syria. Some troops may stay in the Kurdistan region after that because the regional government would like them to stay. Ryder announced last week that there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria – more than double the 900 that the U.S. had acknowledged publicly until now. On Monday he said the extra 1,100 deploy for shorter times to do force protection, transportation, maintenance and other missions. He said the number has fluctuated for the past several years and increased “over time.” JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh. He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. BEIRUT — The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon on Monday said it has observed recent “concerning actions” by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, including the destruction of residential areas and road blockages. A spokesperson for the peacekeeping mission, Kandice Ardiel, told The Associated Press that peacekeepers also observed on Monday an Israeli flag flying in Lebanese territory near Naqoura. The town hosts the headquarters of the peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL. Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Israeli army is required to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon within 60 days of the agreement’s signing on Nov. 27. Since the ceasefire went into effect, the Israeli army has conducted near-daily military operations in southern villages, including firing gunshots, house demolitions, excavations, tank shelling and strikes. These actions have killed at least 27 people, wounded more than 30, destroyed residential buildings and, in one case, a mosque. “Peacekeepers continue to monitor the situation on the ground and report violations of Resolution 1701,” Ardiel said. “We reiterate our call for all actors to cease and refrain from violations of Resolution 1701 and any actions that may upset the current delicate balance.” On Monday, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Khiam as part of a tour of front-line areas alongside army chief Joseph Aoun and UNIFIL Head of Mission Aroldo Lazaro. Mikati and Lazaro urged the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory to allow the army to fully assume its duties. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says three soldiers were killed Monday in combat in northern Gaza. The military did not provide details of the circumstances. According to a statement released Sunday, the brigade in which the three were serving completed its operational activities in the northern town of Beit Lahiya on Sunday. It then began operating in the nearby town of Beit Hanoun following intelligence suggesting the presence of militants there. Since the start of the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, 389 Israeli soldiers have been killed. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday there is “some progress” in efforts to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza, although he added he could not give a time frame for a possible agreement. Of the roughly 250 people who were taken hostage in the Hamas-led raid on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war, around 100 are still inside the Gaza Strip, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Speaking in the Knesset, Netanyahu said “we are taking significant actions through all channels to return our loved ones. I would like to tell you cautiously that there is some progress.” Netanyahu said he could not reveal details of what was being done to secure the return of hostages. He said the main reasons for the progress were the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Israel’s military actions against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants who had been firing rockets into Israel from neighboring Lebanon in support of Hamas. “Hamas hoped that Iran and Hezbollah would come to its aid but they are busy licking the wounds from the blows we inflicted on them,” he said, adding that Israel was also putting “relentless military pressure” on Hamas in Gaza. “There is progress. I don’t know how long it will take,” Netanyahu said. JERUSALEM — Israel's military said Monday it intercepted a drone launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli territory, days after a long-range rocket attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit Tel Aviv, injuring 16 people from shattered glass. The military said no air raid warning sirens were sounded Monday. Israel says the Iran-backed Houthis have fired more than 200 missiles and UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Houthis have also been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden — attacks they say won’t stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. The attacks on shipping and Israel are taking place despite U.S. and European warships patrolling the area. On Saturday night and early Sunday, the U.S. conducted airstrikes on Yemen. Last week, Israel launched its own airstrikes on Yemen, killing at least nine people, and a Houthi missile damaged a school in Israel. DAMASCUS, Syria — A Qatari delegation visited the Syrian capital on Monday for the first time in more than a decade and met with the country's top insurgent commander, who said strategic cooperation between Damascus and Doha will begin soon. Qatar, along with Turkey, has long backed the rebels who now control Damascus, and the two countries are looking to protect their interests in Syria now that former President Bashar Assad has been overthrown. The Qatari delegation was headed by the minister of state for foreign affairs, Mohammed al-Khulaifi, who met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, the insurgent group that overthrew Assad on Dec. 8. Al-Sharaa was quoted as saying by Syrian media that they have invited the emir of Qatar to visit Damascus adding that relations will return to normal soon. Al-Sharaa said Qatar will back Syria during the transitional period and the two countries will soon start “wide strategic cooperation.” Al-Sharaa also met Monday with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi as well as a Saudi official. Unlike Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan had relations with Assad’s government until he was removed from power. JENIN, West Bank — The Palestinian Authority says a second member of its security forces has been killed in the West Bank town of Jenin during clashes with Palestinian militants . Brig. Gen. Anwar Rajab, the spokesman for PA security forces, said 1st Sgt. Mehran Qadoos was killed on Monday by “outlaws” in the volatile northern town, where the security forces launched a rare crackdown earlier this month. A member of security forces also was killed on Sunday. An Associated Press reporter in Jenin heard heavy gunfire and explosions, apparently from a battle between the security forces and Palestinian militants. There was no sign of Israeli forces in the area. Militant groups had earlier called for a general strike across the territory, accusing the security forces of trying to disarm them in support of Israel’s half-century occupation of the territory. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is internationally recognized but deeply unpopular among Palestinians , in part because it cooperates with Israel on security matters. Israel accuses the authority of incitement and of failing to act against armed groups. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited authority in population centers in the West Bank. Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast War, and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. Israel’s current government is opposed to Palestinian statehood and says it will maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Violence has soared in the West Bank following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. JENIN, West Bank — Palestinians in the volatile northern West Bank town of Jenin are observing a general strike called by militant groups to protest a rare crackdown by Palestinian security forces. An Associated Press reporter in Jenin heard gunfire and explosions, apparently from clashes between militants and Palestinian security forces. It was not immediately clear if anyone was killed or wounded. There was no sign of Israeli troops in the area. Shops were closed in the city on Monday, the day after militants killed a member of the Palestinian security forces and wounded two others. Militant groups called for a general strike across the territory, accusing the security forces of trying to disarm them in support of Israel’s half-century occupation of the territory. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is internationally recognized but deeply unpopular among Palestinians , in part because it cooperates with Israel on security matters. Israel accuses the authority of incitement and of failing to act against armed groups. The Palestinian Authority blamed Sunday’s attack on “outlaws.” It says it is committed to maintaining law and order but will not police the occupation. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited authority in population centers in the West Bank. Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast War, and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. Israel’s current government is opposed to Palestinian statehood and says it will maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Violence has soared in the West Bank following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister has begun a tour of military positions in the country’s south, almost a month after a ceasefire deal that ended the war between Israel and the Hezbollah group that battered the country. Najib Mikati on Monday was on his first visit to the southern frontlines, where Lebanese soldiers under the U.S.-brokered deal are expected to gradually deploy, with Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops both expected to withdraw by the end of next month. Mikati’s tour comes after the Lebanese government expressed its frustration over ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights in the country. “We have many tasks ahead of us, the most important being the enemy's (Israel's) withdrawal from all the lands it encroached on during its recent aggression,” he said after meeting with army chief Joseph Aoun in a Lebanese military barracks in the southeastern town of Marjayoun. “Then the army can carry out its tasks in full.” The Lebanese military for years has relied on financial aid to stay functional, primarily from the United States and other Western countries. Lebanon’s cash-strapped government is hoping that the war’s end and ceasefire deal will bring about more funding to increase the military’s capacity to deploy in the south, where Hezbollah’s armed units were notably present. Though they were not active combatants, the Lebanese military said that dozens of its soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on their premises or patrolling convoys in the south. The Israeli army acknowledged some of these attacks.
U.S. stock indexes reached more records after tech companies talked up how much artificial intelligence is boosting their results. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% Wednesday to add to what looks to be one of its best years of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce pulled the market higher after highlighting its artificial-intelligence offering for customers. Marvell Technology jumped even more after saying it’s seeing strong demand from AI. Treasury yields eased, while bitcoin climbed after President-elect Donald Trump nominated a crypto advocate to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. On Wednesday: The S&P 500 rose 36.61 points, or 0.6%, to 6,086.49. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 308.51 points, or 0.7%, to 45,014.04. The Nasdaq composite rose 254.21 points, or 1.3%, to 19,735.12. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 10.22 points, or 0.4%, to 2,426.56. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 54.11 points, or 0.9%. The Dow is up 103.39 points, or 0.2%. The Nasdaq is up 516.95 points, or 2.7%. The Russell 2000 is down 8.16 points, or 0.3%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,316.66 points, or 27.6%. The Dow is up 7,324.50 points, or 19.4%. The Nasdaq is up 4,723.76 points, or 31.5%. The Russell 2000 is up 399.49 points, or 19.7%.OTTAWA—When U.S. president-elect Donald Trump rattled global markets with a new threat of a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian and Mexican products and additional tariffs on China, it jolted the Canadian dollar and nerves at all government levels, led to predictions of a recession in 2025, and kicked off bitter partisan shots on Parliament Hill. The early days of a new Trump era suddenly look a lot like the old days, only worse. The Liberal government did not rule out retaliation — possibly a tariff war — if Trump goes ahead with his threat, just as Ottawa reciprocal dollar-for-dollar tariffs against the U.S. in 2018 during the bitter NAFTA renegotiation talks — a trade counter-punch that Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday worked. Freeland, the deputy prime minister and finance minister, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, and other cabinet ministers said Canada “shares” Trump’s concerns about border security and is intent on beefing it up where necessary, but insisted the overall Canada-U.S. relationship is “balanced and mutually beneficial.” “The fact is, we need them and they also need us,” Freeland told reporters. She pointed to Canadian exports of oil, hydroelectricity, critical minerals and metals the U.S. relies on, all of which could face a sudden 25 per cent price hike for American consumers and businesses. Some economists suggested Canadian oil exports could eventually find new markets, but automotive, manufacturing, and other business leaders said Tuesday a 25 per cent surcharge would be devastating for most other Canadian export sectors. University of Calgary Prof. Trevor Tombe updated a he wrote for the Chamber of Commerce with a more dire prediction on “X” that 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs would hammer the Canadian economy, cause a recession, and lead to a loss of $2,000 in real annual income for people. For months, the Trudeau government has told Canadians it was getting ready for the prospect of an incoming Trump administration. It knew he’d campaigned on a 10 per cent tariff on all on global imports. It was braced for surprises. Yet on Monday night, Trump’s vow to exact a “big price” on Canada and Mexico and his lumping of Canada together with Mexico as a source of fentanyl and illegal immigration to the U.S. still landed like a bombshell, sources admitted. Trump, in his on his Truth Social platform, claimed “thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing crime and drugs at levels never seen before.” On his first day in office, he now says he would levy and keep a 25 per cent tariff in place “until such time as drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!” Trump’s aggressive move sent the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso into a fall in overnight markets. Premier , who chairs the Council of the Federation, said it was “unfair” and “insulting” for Trump to compare Canada to Mexico. “It’s like a family member stabbing you right in the heart.” Asked if Canada should respond in kind if Trump slaps a 25 per cent tariff on goods shipped into the U.S., Ford said: “Hopefully we won’t come to that. But if it does, there is no choice. We have to retaliate.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau immediately called Trump’s team Monday night, but the call resulted in no pullback by Trump, or dialing down of the threat. Trudeau told the Commons they talked about “how important it was for us to work together to solve some of the challenges we are facing as a continent and as countries, but also work to grow our economy and protect our workers on both sides of the border.” The prime minister essentially argued Canada is not the same problem Mexico is — rather it’s a solution to American concerns about border integrity. A senior government official told the Star the call lasted about 10 minutes, with the first few minutes spent on niceties and catching up, and was not confrontational. Still, at the end of it, Trudeau and his inner circle recognized Trump’s threat must be taken seriously, that Trump has set a deadline at his swearing-in date, and so the government must spend the next two months to avoid that. The sense of urgency pervaded Parliament Hill Tuesday. The Commons was to hold an emergency debate Tuesday night, and said he has convened a first ministers’ meeting Wednesday night, at 5 p.m. to hash out how to handle the incoming , and the potential crisis posed by his . It remains unclear if Trump is staking out a tough initial negotiating position, or trying to scare foreign investment capital away from Canada and Mexico. The renegotiated North American trade pact is up for review in 2026 and Trump has boasted since his re-election that he fixed it in his first term. Known here as the Canada-U.S.-Mexican-Agreement or CUSMA, that deal protects duty-free trade among the three countries, and mostly prevents the use of tariffs on each other. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said a tariff war would put “our common businesses at risk,” Associated Press reported. “It is unacceptable and would cause inflation and job losses in Mexico and the United States,” Sheinbaum said. Inside and outside the Commons, the prime minister issued a call for Canadian political leaders to set partisanship aside and show a united front in a “Team Canada approach” to Trump. However, Trudeau’s call didn’t bridge the deep partisan divide on Parliament Hill. Outside the Commons, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trudeau and Freeland were surprised by Trump’s threat because they are “weak,” and that “if necessary” he would be willing to retaliate against any Trump tariffs, although he did not specify in what manner . Inside the chamber, Poilievre erroneously said Trump made the threat after Trudeau had called him, lambasting Trudeau for having no real plan other than a “Zoom call.” “Where is the plan to stop the drugs and keep our border open to trade?” Poilievre demanded. Trudeau retorted Poilievre “is just making stuff up” — Trump’s threat preceded and prompted their call — and resorting to slogans and fear-mongering. “We are going to continue to work constructively with the incoming administration to protect Canadian jobs, to protect Canadian growth and to take the responsible approach that is not steeped in partisanship,” the prime minister said. New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh said, “The only thing a bully responds to is strength. Where is our plan to fight back? Where is the war room? Where is a concrete plan to bring our issue before CUSMA? Why is the prime minister not fighting like hell for Canadian jobs?” Trudeau said the “idea of going to war with the United States” is not what anybody wants, and his government would not react by “freaking out the way the leader of the NDP seems to be.” Two premiers — Alberta’s Danielle Smith and Quebec’s François Legault — backed Trump, with Smith posting that he “has valid concerns related to illegal activities at our shared border.” “I think that the concerns expressed by Donald Trump are legitimate,” said Legault, speaking in Quebec City. “I understand that the problem is far worse on the Mexican border, but the fact remains that when you look at what’s happening on the Canadian border, especially in recent years, there’s been a significant increase in the number of illegal immigrants going through Canada to arrive in the United States. So Mr. Trudeau, more than ever, now must present a plan, a plan to properly protect the border on both sides.” NDP Premier Wab Kinew of Manitoba said Canada could more quickly invest in defence and border security to allay Trump’s concerns.How the committee structure in the Legislature will shape the 2025 session
Meet woman, who started business with Rs 10000, now owns Rs 4000 crore company, got Padma Shri for...Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. Eli Lilly rose 3.6% after announcing that regulators as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Gains in technology and communications stocks helped outweigh losses in consumer goods companies and elsewhere in the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3.7%. Broadcom climbed 5.5% to also help support the broader market. Walmart fell 2% and PepsiCo slid 1%. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.5% after it by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the US will release its November report on sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the US will close at 1pm Eastern on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas. (More stories.)
President-elect Donald Trump promised to expand oil drilling in the U.S. — good news for political leaders in Alaska, where oil is the economic lifeblood and many felt the Biden administration obstructed efforts to boost the state’s diminished production. A debate over drilling on federal lands on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope likely will be revived, particularly in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which environmentalists long sought to protect. The largest wildlife refuge in the U.S. covers an area of northeast Alaska roughly the size of South Carolina. It boasts mountains and glaciers, tundra plains, rivers and boreal forest, and it is home to wildlife including polar bears, caribou, musk ox and birds. The fight over whether to drill in the refuge’s coastal plain along the Beaufort Sea goes back decades. Drilling advocates say development could create thousands of jobs, generate billions of dollars in revenue and spur U.S. oil production. While the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said the coastal plain could contain 4.25 billion to 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil, there is limited information about the amount and quality. It’s unclear whether companies will want to risk pursuing projects that could become mired in litigation. Environmentalists and climate scientists pushed for a phase-out of fossil fuels to avert the worst consequences of climate change. The refuge is east of the oil fields in Prudhoe Bay and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, where the Biden administration approved the controversial Willow oil project but made about half the petroleum reserve off-limits to oil and gas leasing. An exploration well was drilled in the 1980s on lands where Alaska Native corporations held rights, but little information was released about the results. Still, opening the coastal plain to drilling has been a longtime goal for members of Alaska’s congressional delegation. In 2017, they added language to a tax bill mandating two oil and gas lease sales by late 2024. The first sale took place in the waning days of the last Trump administration, but President Joe Biden quickly called on Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to review the leasing program. That led to the cancelation of seven leases acquired by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, a state corporation. Litigation is pending. Smaller companies gave up two other leases. The Biden administration released a new environmental review ahead of the deadline for the second required sale. It proposes offering what the Bureau of Land Management said would be the minimum acreage the 2017 law allows — a proposal Alaska’s Republican U.S. senators cast as a mockery of the law. Some Alaska Native communities welcome potential new revenue while others worry about how drilling will affect wildlife in an area they consider sacred. Gwich’in officials in communities near the refuge said they consider the coastal plain sacred. Caribou they rely on calve there. Galen Gilbert, first chief of Arctic Village Council, said the refuge should be off-limits to drilling. Arctic Village is a Neets’aii Gwich’in community. “We just want our way of life, not only for us but for our future generations,” Gilbert said. Leaders of the Iñupiat community of Kaktovik, which is in the refuge, support drilling. They vowed to fight attempts to designate the lands as sacred. Josiah Patkotak, mayor of the North Slope Borough, which includes Kaktovik, said in an October opinion piece that the land “has never been” Gwich’in territory. “The federal government must understand that any attempt to undermine our sovereignty will be met with fierce resistance,” he wrote. Oil is vital to the economic well-being of North Slope communities, said Nagruk Harcharek, president of Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, a nonprofit advocacy group whose members include leaders from that region. Responsible development long coexisted with subsistence lifestyles, he said. Trump named Chris Wright — a fossil fuel executive and advocate of oil and gas development — to serve as energy secretary. In a video posted on X by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Trump said he would work to ensure a natural gas pipeline project long sought by state political leaders is built. The project, opposed by environmentalists, floundered over the years due to changes in direction under various governors, cost concerns and other factors. Dunleavy said Trump could undo restrictions imposed by the Biden administration on new oil and gas leasing on 13 million acres of the petroleum reserve. Harcharek’s group sued over the restrictions, arguing the region’s elected leaders were ignored. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 17: Tee Higgins, Chase Brown | Sporting NewsIndia News | Union Minister Jitendra Singh Holds Public Darbar in Ramban
Chilean prosecutors probe harassment complaint against President Boric, who says he's a victim
Qatar tribune The global fight against climate change could face a grave threat with the election of Donald Trump whose rhetoric suggests he will make a sharp pivot towards fossil fuel dominance, the Al-Attiyah Foundation writes in its latest Special Report titled Trump 2.0: Implications for Energy, Environment, and Trade. In an interview with Fox News in the build up to the November presidential election, Trump explained his plans for United States fossil-fuel production if he wins, saying: “We are going to – I used this expression, now everyone else is using it so I hate to use it, but – drill, baby, drill. Despite such strident remarks, Mr. Trump’s zeal to amp up oil production and repeal the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the landmark climate law that is pouring more than $390 billion into electric vehicles, batteries and other clean energy technology, will quickly face a political test. A cornerstone of the outgoing President Joe Biden’s climate policy, the IRA has already attracted over $200 billion in clean energy investments since its enactment. Although a complete repeal of the IRA is unlikely due to bipartisan support, as much as 30% of its climate funding could be at risk. Electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, valued at $12 billion, are particularly vulnerable, potentially undermining the rapid growth of the U.S. EV market. Meanwhile, China leads globally, with more than 50% of its newly registered cars being EVs or plug-in hybrids—twice the global average. Trump’s proposed rollbacks could leave the U.S. trailing in this critical sector, further delaying domestic progress toward reducing emissions. In parallel, Trump’s administration is expected to champion fossil fuel-aligned technologies, such as carbon capture and “blue” hydrogen, which could sustain jobs. While these measures may boost traditional energy sectors, they risk slowing advancements in renewable energy infrastructure and grid modernisation. The IRA’s technology-neutral tax credits, extended until 2032, have been a driving force behind renewable energy projects, but Trump’s policies may shift focus to emissions mitigation tied to fossil fuels, aligning with his “energy dominance” strategy. On the global stage, Trump’s energy agenda could deepen geopolitical tensions. Proposed tariffs on clean energy imports, alongside his confrontational trade stance with China, might disrupt supply chains and elevate costs for key energy technologies. During his previous term, tariffs on Chinese solar panels reached 25%, inflating domestic production costs and slowing clean technology deployment. Similarly, his withdrawal from international climate agreements and easing of environmental regulations could strain collaborations with allies and impact global efforts to mitigate climate change. During his campaign, Trump extolled the United States’ energy resources saying they have “more energy — we have more liquid gold, as I call it, under our feet than Saudi Arabia, than Russia, than anybody” and that “we’re going to be energy-dominant”. To this end, Trump’s fossil fuel agenda also highlights the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sensitive areas for potential drilling, aiming to boost U.S. oil and gas output. However, higher production costs—ranging between $64 and $70 per barrel for new wells—could limit profitability. Even with regulatory easing, these initiatives may take years to materialise fully. While Trump’s policies may bring short-term economic benefits to fossil fuel sectors, the long-term implications for the U.S.’s role in clean energy leadership remain uncertain. With global markets increasingly embracing low-carbon technologies, — By The Al-Attiyah Foundation Copy 24/12/2024 10The Gunners took two points out of Liverpool’s lead at the summit of the Premier League after Jurrien Timber and William Saliba struck in the second half – both from corners – to condemn Amorim to his first defeat as United boss. The hosts’ second-half strikes took their goals-from-corners tally to 22 since the start of last season – a statistic that is unmatched by any other team in the division. Asked if Arsenal are one of the best teams he has come up against on corners, Amorim replied: “If you follow the Premier League for a long time you can see that. “They are also big players and you see every occasion when (Gabriel) Martinelli and (Bukayo) Saka have one-on-ones, a lot of times they go outside and they cross, and they know that if the cross goes well, they can score, and if it is a corner they can score, too, so we have to be better on that. “You have seen in all Arsenal games that every team have had problems with that (corners). And the difference today was the set-pieces. “You see a goal and then the momentum changed, and it is really hard for us to take the full control of the game after that.” Timber leaned into Rasmus Hojlund at the front post before diverting Declan Rice’s set-piece into the back of Andre Onana’s net after 54 minutes to send Arsenal into the lead. Thomas Partey’s header from Saka’s corner then deflected in off Saliba’s shoulder with 17 minutes left. Arteta and the club’s set-piece guru Nicolas Jover embraced on the touchline as Amorim was left with his head in his hands. The Arsenal supporters cheered raucously every time they won a corner – landing 13 in all without reply. However, Arteta moved to play down the significance of Arsenal’s set-piece threat. “We need that, but we want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play,” said Arteta. “Today we could have scored from open play like we did against West Ham and Sporting. Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club. Arsenal have won four consecutive Premier League matches against Man Utd for the first time ever! 💫 — Premier League (@premierleague) “Not because of only set-pieces, but because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments, too.” Arsenal’s win against United – the first time they have recorded four victories in a row against the Red Devils in the league – was their fourth in succession since the international break. They will head to Fulham on Sunday bidding to keep the momentum going. Arteta continued: “The will to win is there. We try our best to do that. We won four in a row, but it doesn’t matter. We have to go to Fulham now, try to be better than them and try win the game. “It’s every three days that we play. It’s a crazy schedule. We’re going to need everybody and to mentally be very strong.”
By WILL WEISSERT, JUAN ZAMORANO and GARY FIELDS PANAMA CITY (AP) — Teddy Roosevelt once declared the Panama Canal “one of the feats to which the people of this republic will look back with the highest pride.” More than a century later, Donald Trump is threatening to take back the waterway for the same republic. Related Articles National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl National Politics | Trump wants mass deportations. For the agents removing immigrants, it’s a painstaking process The president-elect is decrying increased fees Panama has imposed to use the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He says if things don’t change after he takes office next month, “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” Trump has long threatened allies with punitive action in hopes of winning concessions. But experts in both countries are clear: Unless he goes to war with Panama, Trump can’t reassert control over a canal the U.S. agreed to cede in the 1970s. Here’s a look at how we got here: What is the canal? It is a man-made waterway that uses a series of locks and reservoirs over 51 miles (82 kilometers) to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. It spares ships having to go an additional roughly 7,000 miles (more than 11,000 kilometers) to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip. The U.S. International Trade Administration says the canal saves American business interests “considerable time and fuel costs” and enables faster delivery of goods, which is “particularly significant for time sensitive cargoes, perishable goods, and industries with just-in-time supply chains.” Who built it? An effort to establish a canal through Panama led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built Egypt’s Suez Canal, began in 1880 but progressed little over nine years before going bankrupt. Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle, eventually costing more than 20,000 lives, by some estimates. Panama was then a province of Colombia, which refused to ratify a subsequent 1901 treaty licensing U.S. interests to build the canal. Roosevelt responded by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The U.S. also prewrote a constitution that would be ready after Panamanian independence, giving American forces “the right to intervene in any part of Panama, to re-establish public peace and constitutional order.” In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours in November 1903. It soon signed a treaty allowing a U.S.-led team to begin construction . Some 5,600 workers died later during the U.S.-led construction project, according to one study. Why doesn’t the US control the canal anymore? The waterway opened in 1914, but almost immediately some Panamanians began questioning the validity of U.S. control, leading to what became known in the country as the “generational struggle” to take it over. The U.S. abrogated its right to intervene in Panama in the 1930s. By the 1970s, with its administrative costs sharply increasing, Washington spent years negotiating with Panama to cede control of the waterway. The Carter administration worked with the government of Omar Torrijos. The two sides eventually decided that their best chance for ratification was to submit two treaties to the U.S. Senate, the “Permanent Neutrality Treaty” and the “Panama Canal Treaty.” The first, which continues in perpetuity, gives the U.S. the right to act to ensure the canal remains open and secure. The second stated that the U.S. would turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, and was terminated then. Both were signed in 1977 and ratified the following year. The agreements held even after 1989, when President George H.W. Bush invaded Panama to remove Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. In the late 1970s, as the handover treaties were being discussed and ratified, polls found that about half of Americans opposed the decision to cede canal control to Panama. However, by the time ownership actually changed in 1999, public opinion had shifted, with about half of Americans in favor. What’s happened since then? Administration of the canal has been more efficient under Panama than during the U.S. era, with traffic increasing 17% between fiscal years 1999 and 2004 . Panama’s voters approved a 2006 referendum authorizing a major expansion of the canal to accommodate larger modern cargo ships. The expansion took until 2016 and cost more than $5.2 billion. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a video Sunday that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to.” He added that, while his country’s people are divided on some key issues, “when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” Shipping prices have increased because of droughts last year affecting the canal locks, forcing Panama to drastically cut shipping traffic through the canal and raise rates to use it. Though the rains have mostly returned, Panama says future fee increases might be necessary as it undertakes improvements to accommodate modern shipping needs. Mulino said fees to use the canal are “not set on a whim.” Jorge Luis Quijano, who served as the waterway’s administrator from 2014 to 2019, said all canal users are subject to the same fees, though they vary by ship size and other factors. “I can accept that the canal’s customers may complain about any price increase,” Quijano said. “But that does not give them reason to consider taking it back.” Why has Trump raised this? The president-elect says the U.S. is getting “ripped off” and “I’m not going to stand for it.” “It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions — you’ve got to treat us fairly. And they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump said of the 1977 treaty that he said “foolishly” gave the canal away. The neutrality treaty does give the U.S. the right to act if the canal’s operation is threatened due to military conflict — but not to reassert control. “There’s no clause of any kind in the neutrality agreement that allows for the taking back of the canal,” Quijano said. “Legally, there’s no way, under normal circumstances, to recover territory that was used previously.” Trump, meanwhile, hasn’t said how he might make good on his threat. “There’s very little wiggle room, absent a second U.S. invasion of Panama, to retake control of the Panama Canal in practical terms,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. Gedan said Trump’s stance is especially baffling given that Mulino is a pro-business conservative who has “made lots of other overtures to show that he would prefer a special relationship with the United States.” He also noted that Panama in recent years has moved closer to China, meaning the U.S. has strategic reasons to keep its relationship with the Central American nation friendly. Panama is also a U.S. partner on stopping illegal immigration from South America — perhaps Trump’s biggest policy priority. “If you’re going to pick a fight with Panama on an issue,” Gedan said, “you could not find a worse one than the canal.” Weissert reported from West Palm Beach, Florida, and Fields from Washington. Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed to this report from Washington.None
Stock Market News Today Live Updates on December 27, 2024 : RBL Bank divests entire 8.16% stake via OFS in DAM Capital after IPO for ₹163 croreNew Year's Eve and New Year's Day are this week, and you need to deposit a check or mail a package, it might be a good idea to plan ahead. That's because while most grocery store , retail and restaurant chains will be open on both days, post offices and banks will follow a slightly difference schedule due to New Year's Day being a federal holiday. Banks, post offices and shipping services will largely be open on Dec. 31, however will be closed on Jan. 1, 2025. The stock market is also scheduled to remain open on New Year's Eve and close on New Year's Day. Here's what you need to know about banks, post offices and shipping services and whether or not they will be open on Tuesday, Dec. 31 this year. When is New Year's Eve 2024? New Year's Eve is on Tuesday, Dec. 31 this year. Capitalize on high interest rates: Best current CD rates Is the post office open on New Year's Eve? Will mail be delivered? U.S. Postal Service post offices will be open regular hours and mail will be delivered on Dec. 31, the USPS confirmed to USA TODAY. Are banks open on New Year's Eve? Branches of Capital One, Bank of America, PNC, Truist and CitiBank, among others, will be open on Dec. 31, the companies confirmed to USA TODAY. According to PNC, however, their branches are scheduled to close at 4 p.m. local time on New Year's Eve. All other banks will be open regular hours on the day. It is best to check with your local branch for their specific holiday hours before driving there. Are shipping services, like UPS and FedEx, open on New Year's Eve? UPS pickup for Air and International Air services are only available on New Year's Eve if prearranged by Dec. 26, the company said on its website. UPS Ground service pickup is not available on Dec. 31. UPS delivery for Air and International Air services is available, however UPS Ground service delivery is not available on Dec. 31, according to the company. UPS Store hours vary by location, so it is best to check with your local store for specific hours of operation. UPS Express Critical is available 365 days a year, according to the company. For more information, call 1-800-714-8779 or visit upsexpresscritical.com. Most FedEx pickup and delivery services are available on Dec. 31, according to the company's website, and FedEx Office locations may close early. It is best to check with your local store for specific hours on New Year's Eve. FedEx Custom Critical is also available 365 days a year. For more information, call 1-800-762-3787. Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.