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Insurgents reach gates of Syria's capital threatening to upend decades of Assad ruleTim Royers, a former Millard West teacher, is beginning a three-year term as president of the state's teachers union. KEARNEY — Tim Royers, the new president of Nebraska’s teachers union, is sharing grim news as he travels Nebraska. “Ten years ago there were 130 unfilled teaching jobs in Nebraska. This spring there were 1,200 unfilled teaching positions. That’s an 800% increase,” said Royers. A former Millard West speech and debate coach who taught history, geography and civics, Royers is beginning a three-year term as president of the Nebraska State Education Association. On Thursday, Royers was in Grand Island before heading to Kearney on Friday. Royers As if the raw numbers don’t underscore the state’s critical teacher shortage, the NSEA asked professional faculty what they think should be done, and the response was jarring. Twenty-eight percent of teachers surveyed said they’re unsure whether they’ll return to the classroom next year. People are also reading... “In my mind, addressing the teacher shortage needs to be our biggest priority. We need to retain teachers and bring more people into the profession,” Royers said, teeing up one of the major proposals the NSEA will pursue when state legislators return to Lincoln in January. “Given the radical increase in unfilled teacher positions, there needs to be a bold commitment to teachers," Royers said. His organization plans to lobby state senators to support the NSEA’s top legislative proposals to recruit and retain teachers for Nebraska classrooms. The NSEA’s plan addresses a chronic sore spot for teachers, who are allowed 10 days of paid family medical leave per year. NSEA wants to boost the leave to six weeks with teachers and school districts sharing the cost. Royers said teachers would pay a "modest payroll fee or tax." Their district would match teachers’ contributions, and that would feed about $40 per month per teacher into a fund to cover expenses of six weeks of family leave. “Given the radical increase in unfilled teacher positions, there needs to be a bold commitment to teachers,” Royers said. He believes that boosting family medical leave could be a game-changer because the 10-day cap puts teachers in a difficult position. For example, some teachers delay having children because 10 days is not enough time to tend to and adjust to life with newborns. “No one should have to factor their major decisions into family leave,” Royers said. “Everywhere I’ve gone teachers said this would be life-changing and it would allow us to recruit from neighboring states.” The NSEA is encouraged that voters supported public school teachers’ opposition to Nebraska’s school choice law and defeated it on Nov. 5. Royers said the Legislature will be the next battleground as teachers fight for their family leave proposal. Royers expects it will be difficult convincing lawmakers to support such a bold idea. “Teachers don’t really feel like the state cares about them. Do you think lawmakers care about teachers when they craft policy?” Royers said. Download the new Journal Star News Mobile App Top Journal Star photos for December 2024 Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth unrolls a round bale on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in Plymouth. Sinclair Hille principal David Quade (left) and senior associate Kjersten Tucker lead a tour of a new University of Nebraska-Lincoln music building on Dec. 16. With the new building's design, the Lincoln architecture firm has sought to push the boundaries of what musical education looks like in higher education. Sign language interpreters Davida Schejbal (left) and Ashten Schuler pose for a portrait while making the sign "interpreter." The two are mother and daughter. University of Nebraska - Lincoln sophomore geography major Maxwell Anderson, also known as Jersey Guy, has gone viral for wearing a different jersey to his class every day, Anderson says he has around 100 different jerseys. Nebraska's Lexi Rodriguez (right) pancake-digs a ball during the fourth set of a third round NCAA tournament match against Dayton on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center. Homeless man "Papa" George arranges his tent at a north Lincoln camp site, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Lincoln. Kiptara Thomas (back center), Grace Taylor (front center), and Ayla Brosman (right) prepare in the dressing room ahead of a dress rehearsal for "The Nutcracker" on Thursday at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. Nebraska's Brice Williams (left) dances with Juwan Gary after the Huskers' win against Indiana on Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Allie Christianson (top right), a senior community organizer with Civic Nebraska, speaks during an event Thursday at NeighborWorks Lincoln's office formally kicking off an initiative to ban source-of-income discrimination for renters. Ariana Cunningham, playing Clara (right), practices dancing backstage during a rehearsal for "The Nutcracker" at the Lied Center for Performing Arts on Thursday. Wisconsin's CC Crawford (left) celebrates a kill by Sarah Franklin (13) during the first set of a third round NCAA tournament match against Texas A&M on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center. Norris' Evan Greenfield (22) scores a layup as Wahoo's Jase Kaminski (13) goes up to defend the basket in the second half on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at Wahoo High School. Ruby Augustine blows out the candles on her birthday cake during her 105th birthday party on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at the Legacy Retirement Community. Cicely Wardyn of Lincoln adjusts an outdoor heater next to a Nativity scene during the Hometown Christmas event Sunday at the Governor's Mansion. Eddie Walters, dressed as the Grinch, leads the pack of runners along the Billy Wolff trail during the Santa Fun Run on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. Nebraska plays against Florida A&M in an NCAA tournament game on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Fourth grade student Lulu Kulwick carries her review worksheet to meet with her teacher during computer science class. Each student was asked to analyze how fun, challenging and easy to understand each game was, and discuss what they thought was a good aspect to the game, and what could use some work. Ben Heppner is illuminated by morning light as he waits for the start of the Santa Fun Run on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, inside the Fleet Feet store. Nebraska head coach Amy Williams (left) and Callin Hake (14) cheer for their team after a defensive stop during the third quarter of the game against Minnesota on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Members of the Lincoln Journal Star's 2024 Super State volleyball team compete in Dance Dance Revolution and air hockey while at a photo shoot on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at Round 1 Arcade. Lincoln North Star's J'Shawn Afun (10) and Mekhi Wayne-Browne (11) battle Lincoln Southeast's Jaydee Dongrin (21) for a rebound in the first half on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at Lincoln Southeast High School. Miami's Flormarie Heredia Colon (left) and Ashley Carr celebrate a point against South Dakota State during an NCAA first-round match, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center. Workers pull up the Capitol Christmas tree on Monday at the Capitol. The 22-foot Colorado spruce from Walton was selected by the Office of the Capitol Commission to be this year’s annual Christmas tree. Jenni Watson helps to arrange chairs for New Covenant Community Church's first service in their repaired main auditorium on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, at New Covenant Community Church. New Covenant Community Church is nearing completion of six months of reconstruction project after a fire in May damages the church. While the building was not fully consumed by fire, there was significant water damage to the main auditorium and the first floor south wing. Jack, the dog, lifts his leg on the Christmas tree that his owners David and Karen Petersen of Hickman chose as Max Novak helps them on Saturday at Prairie Woods tree farm in Hallam. Iowa's Drew Stevens (18) kicks a game-winning field goal through the arms of Nebraska's Ty Robinson (9) and Nash Hutmacher (0) on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Lincoln Northwest senior Kynzee McFadden (top right) works with her teammates as they compete in an identifying game on the Anatomage Table on Tuesday at Lincoln Northwest High School. An Anatomage Table is a digital platform that allows students to perform virtual experiments on a life-size touchscreen. The table is a tool that provides an interactive view of the human body, allowing students to virtually work with different body parts. Dahlia Brandon of Lincoln tickles her 15-month-old daughter, Gema, with a stuffed animal while shopping at HobbyTown on Saturday. The toy and game store nearly doubled its sales on Black Friday from last year. Nebraska's Berke Büyüktuncel (left) and South Dakota's Max Burchill (3) reach for the ball during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Lilly Pulitzer’s First-Ever Black Friday Sale Is Here: Get 30% Off Now
OTTAWA — The Israeli expert leading a civilian commission into sexual violence by Hamas is calling for global bodies to recognize "a new crime against humanity" involving violence targeted at families. Cochav Elkayam-Levy said the world should take a stance against the destruction of families as a specific, identifiable weapon of war, aimed at terrorizing one's kin. She is proposing the crime be called "kinocide." In an interview, she also said Canadians can demand Hamas be brought to justice while also seeking accountability when Israeli troops commit sexual violence against Palestinians, without drawing a false equivalence. "We have to see Canada's leadership in addressing the lack of moral clarity of international institutions," Elkayam-Levy said in an interview during a visit to Ottawa last month. Elkayam-Levy is an international-law professor at Reichman University and a former Hebrew University researcher, who chairs Israel's Civil Commission on Oct. 7 Crimes Against Women and Children. That non-governmental body originally set out to document patterns in sexualized violence by Hamas and its affiliates during the 2023 attack and against hostages it took into the Gaza Strip. The aim wasn't to come up with a tally of assaults, but to instead document systemic factors in how women were raped, tortured and mutilated. The idea was to have an understanding that could help victims and their descendants cope with intergenerational trauma, and to create an archive for researchers and prosecutors to use for possible investigations. Elkayam-Levy's team reviewed hours of footage featuring "very extreme forms of violence" from closed-circuit cameras and what militants themselves recorded. They started to notice six patterns of violence involving among the circumstances of more than 140 families. These include using victims' social media to broadcast that person being tortured to their friends and family, including hostages and those killed. Another involved murdering parents in front of their children or vice versa, while another is the destruction of family homes. "We started understanding that there is something here, a unique form of violence," she said. "The abuse of familial relations to intensify harm, to intensify suffering." Elkayam-Levy said she developed the term with the help of experts, including Canadians like former attorney general Irwin Cotler. The rules undergirding the International Criminal Court only mention families in procedural contexts, but not as a factor in war crimes, she noted. "It's a crime without a name," she said, arguing that impedes victims' healing. She said experts in past conflicts have agreed with her, saying kinocide should have been a factor in how the world understood and sought justice for atrocities on various continents, such as how Islamic State militants targeted Yazidi families from 2014 to 2017. "Justice begins with this recognition; healing begins with recognition," she said. Elkayam-Levy noted "gender-based violence" existed for centuries before the United Nations officially recognized the term in 1992. She's also taken aim at "the silence of many international organizations, and the lack of moral clarity," in calling out sexual violence by Hamas, which Ottawa deems a terrorist group. In particular, UN Women did not condemn Hamas' sexual violence until nearly two months after that attack, and Elkayam-Levy argued the institution has stayed largely silent, setting a bad precedent for upholding global norms. "They have fuelled denial of the sexual atrocities," she said, adding that a constant demand for physical evidence pervades social media "in a very antisemitic way." Israeli police have said forensic evidence was not preserved in the chaos of the attack, and people believed to be victims of sexual assault were often killed and immediately buried. Acts of sexual violence were not part of 43-minute video that Israel's foreign ministry has screened for journalists, including The Canadian Press, which was sourced from security footage and videos filmed by militants during their October 2023 attack. In March, a UN envoy said there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Hamas committed rape and "sexualized torture" during the attack, "including rape and gang rape," despite the group's denials. That same month, released hostage Amit Soussana went public about her captors groping her and forcing "a sexual act" that she asked not be specified. As part of its avowed feminist foreign policy, Canada funds initiatives abroad to prevent sexual violence and support victims. Yet the Conservatives have lambasted the Liberals for not condemning Hamas' sexual violence until five months after the attack. In March, Ottawa came under fire for pledging both $1 million for groups supporting Israeli victims of Hamas sexual violence and $1 million for Palestinian women facing "sexual and gender-based violence" from unspecified actors. Global Affairs did not say whether that referred to domestic abuse or sexual violence by Israeli officials, drawing a rebuke from a senior Israeli envoy. Human-rights groups have long accused Israeli officials of sexually assaulting Palestinian detainees in the West Bank. In July, those concerns escalated when Israeli soldiers were accused of perpetuating the filmed gang rape of a Palestinian prisoner from the Gaza Strip. Far-right Israeli cabinet ministers voiced support for mobs attempting to free soldiers under investigation. Elkayam-Levy said Canadians can call out the patterns of sexual violence by Hamas against Israelis, while still demanding the Israeli state investigate and prosecute its soldiers who undertake individuals acts of sexual violence. "The fact that (Western leaders) are trying to make the right political decision, instead of the right moral decision, is creating confusion, is creating moral blur — instead of making space for all victims to be heard for what they have endured," she said. To her, there is a "false parallel" being made between individual cases of sexual assault from soldiers who should be held to account, and a group using patterns of sexual violence as a weapon of war. Elkayam-Levy said people should uphold the principles of international law instead of what she deems to be weaponizing global institutions against Israel. She is aware that many have instead argued that Israel's military campaign has broken international law and undermined the systems meant to uphold human rights. Elkayam-Levy has been critical of the Israeli government, arguing before the war that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought anti-democratic reforms to the country's judiciary. She has been critical of his war cabinet for lacking any women, and has highlighted extensive media reports that female military personnel had detected Hamas was planning a large attack only to be dismissed by male leaders. She said the world needs to condemn Hamas' violence against families and try prosecuting those responsible. Otherwise, she fears combatants in other countries will take up its brutal tactics. Otherwise, "we are going to see an international system that will not last for long," she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, 2024. Dylan Robertson, The Canadian PressPentagon announces new aid package of almost $1 billion for UkraineBashar al-Assad's government has been accused of carrying out torture, rape, summary executions and other abuses since since Syria's civil war started in 2011. UN investigators have said that accountability must be taken at the highest level after the downfall of the hardline ruler on Sunday. Here is what we know about the extent of the abuses committed: In 2013 a former Syrian army photographer known by the codename "Caesar" fled the country, taking with him some 55,000 graphic images taken between 2011 and 2013. The photos, authenticated by experts, show corpses tortured and starved to death in Syrian prisons. Some people had their eyes gouged out. The photos showed emaciated bodies, people with wounds on the back or stomach, and also a picture of hundreds of corpses in a shed surrounded by plastic bags used for burials. Assad's Syrian government said only that the pictures were "political". But Caesar testified to a US Congress committee and his photographs inspired a 2020 US law which imposed economic sanctions on Syria and judicial proceedings in Europe against Assad's entourage. In Germany and Sweden eight people suspected of crime against humanity were arrested in July in an operation codenamed "Caesar". Germany, the Netherlands and France have since 2022 convicted several top officials from the Syrian intelligence service and militias. UN investigators say they have lists with the names of 4,000 government officials and operatives responsible for abuses. Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 2012 spoke of a "torture archipelago" in which the "use of electricity, burning with car battery acid, sexual assault and humiliation, the pulling of fingernails, and mock execution" were practised in government prisons. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in 2022 more than 100,000 people had died in the prisons since 2011. In 2023, the UN's top court, the International Court of Justice, ordered Syria to stop "inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment". More from this section In 2020, seven Syrian refugees filed a complaint in Germany saying that they had been victims of torture and sexual violence, including rape, electric shocks on the genitals, forced nudity or forced abortion between 2011 and 2013. The UN said in 2018 there had been systmatic rape and sexual violence against civilians by soldiers or pro-Assad militias. It said an investigation had found rebels had committed similar crimes, but fewer. On November 25, 2024, the Syrian Human Rights Network (SNHR) said there had been at least 11,553 incidents of sexual violence against women, including girls aged under 18, by the warring parties since March 2011. Some 8,024 could be blamed on the Assad government and the others mainly on the jihadist Islamic State. In 2016 UN investigators said Syrian authorities were responsible for acts which came down to "extermination" and could be compared to "crimes against humanity". It pointed to the Saydnaya prison outside Damascus, which was described in 2017 by Amnesty International as a human slaughter house carrying out a "policy of extermination". The United States said there was a "crematorium" at the prison which was used to dispose of the bodies of thousands of inmates. In 2022 the Syrian Observatory for Human Righs said around 30,000 people had been killed at Saydnaya, some of them after being tortured. In April 2020, the chemical weapons watchdog OPCW accused the Syrian army of chemical weapons attacks in Latamne in northern Syria in 2017. In November 2023 France issued international arrest warrants against Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher and two generals on suspicion of complicity in the chemical attacks in August 2013 near Damascus, which according to US intelligence left 1,000 dead. Assad's forces have also been accused of using sarin gas on the rebel town of Khan Sheikhun in April 2017, and also of chlorine gas attacks. Assad's government denied using chemical weapons. Israel says it has staged strikes on some chemical weapons sites this week to stop supplies falling into the hands of extremists. acm-lc/jmy/tw
As Premier vows to alleviate Toronto’s infamous traffic congestion, his government’s designs for Ontario Place would add to the problem. That’s the conclusion of from the city of Toronto that examined the projected traffic impacts of . The report from city transportation staff noted that the $2.2-billion revamp — consisting of the Therme spa, expanded Live Nation concert venue, new public spaces and a mainland pavilion for Ontario Science Centre programming — will convert the Ontario Place site into a year-round destination. By 2032, the redevelopment is projected to increase traffic volumes on Lake Shore Boulevard West by up to 27 per cent in the morning rush, 23 per cent in the evening rush and as much as 40 per cent during major events like Toronto FC games and the Canadian National Exhibition, according to the report. That would add about 1 to 2 minutes to vehicle travel times on Lake Shore between British Columbia Road and Strachan Avenue during typical weekday or weekend peak periods, the city estimated. During major events, trips would take about 5 to 6.5 minutes longer. The projections, which were based on a previous analysis performed for Infrastructure Ontario by LEA Consulting Ltd., take into account other factors that could affect traffic, such as development applications, corridor growth, new pedestrian promenades, and planned transit improvements in the Ontario Line, Lake Shore West GO upgrades and SmartTrack stations. Ford’s government has signalled that reducing gridlock in Ontario’s biggest city is among its top priorities. In July one year early, and last month it took the extraordinary step of it claims are causing congestion on major Toronto thoroughfares. Asked whether the province was concerned the Ontario Place redevelopment could undermine those traffic-fighting efforts, Ash Milton, press secretary for Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma, said in an email that the government “is ensuring that Ontario Place and the surrounding area will be served by numerous transport options, including the Ontario Line, which is part of the largest subway expansion in Canadian history.” “We will keep ensuring that residents and businesses in Toronto have the transport options they need as the population continues to grow,” Milton said. But Norm Di Pasquale, co-chair of , an advocacy group that opposes the province’s plan, said the report shows the Ontario Place plan would cause “an intense amount of traffic in downtown.” The premier “is manifesting the exact thing that he is saying he is trying to avoid,” argued Di Pasquale. He said that the Ford government’s and relocate the Ontario Science Centre from Flemingdon Park would be major drivers of the worsening congestion. Di Pasquale, whose group has previously criticized the redevelopment over its cost to taxpayers and impact on public space, said the traffic data is further evidence that “this is ultimately the wrong site for both the mega spa and the Ontario Science Centre.” City staff produced the traffic analysis in response to a motion from Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina—Fort York) at June’s council meeting. It’s clear the transportation impacts of the province’s proposal “had not been properly considered,” Malik said in a statement Monday, and the new report shows “it will have significant impacts on an already busy corridor,” as well as on congested areas like Liberty Village. She said the Therme development does “not belong on our waterfront.” The report will be debated at Toronto and East York Community Council on Jan. 14, and is scheduled to go to city council the following month.Domino's Pizza Inc. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors
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The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough to top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 123.19 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8% to set its own record. The quiet trading came after the latest jobs report came in mixed enough to strengthen traders' expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again at its next meeting in two weeks. The report showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected last month, but it also said the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year. And the Fed is part of a global surge: 62 central banks have lowered rates in the past three months, the most since 2020, according to Michael Hartnett and other strategists at Bank of America. Still, the jobs report may have included some notes of caution for Fed officials underneath the surface. Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, pointed to average wages for workers last month, which were a touch stronger than economists expected. While that's good news for workers who would always like to make more, it could keep upward pressure on inflation. "This report tells the Fed that they still need to be careful as sticky housing/shelter/wage data shows that it won't be easy to engineer meaningfully lower inflation from here in the nearer term," Wren said. So, while traders are betting on an 85% probability the Fed will ease its main rate in two weeks, they're much less certain about how many more cuts it will deliver next year, according to data from CME Group. For now, the hope is that the job market can help U.S. shoppers continue to spend and keep the U.S. economy out of a recession that had earlier seemed inevitable after the Fed began hiking interest rates swiftly to crush inflation. Several retailers offered encouragement after delivering better-than-expected results for the latest quarter. Ulta Beauty rallied 9% after topping expectations for both profit and revenue. The opening of new stores helped boost its revenue, and it raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for sales over this full year. Lululemon stretched 15.9% higher following its own profit report. It said stronger sales outside the United States helped it in particular, and its earnings topped analysts' expectations. Retailers overall have been offering mixed signals on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain amid the slowing job market and still-high prices. Target gave a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season, for example, while Walmart gave a much more encouraging outlook. A report on Friday suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers may be improving more than economists expected. The preliminary reading from the University of Michigan's survey hit its highest level in seven months. The survey found a surge in buying for some products as consumers tried to get ahead of possible increases in price due to higher tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has threatened. In tech, Hewlett Packard Enterprise jumped 10.6% for one of the S&P 500's larger gains after reporting stronger profit and revenue than expected. Tech stocks were some of the market's strongest this week, as Salesforce and other big companies talked up how much of a boost they're getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. All told, the S&P 500 rose 15.16 points to 6,090.27. The Dow dipped 123.19 to 44,642.52, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 159.05 to 19,859.77. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.15% from 4.18% late Thursday. In stock markets abroad, France's CAC 40 rose 1.3% after French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to stay in office until the end of his term and to name a new prime minister within days. Earlier this week, far-right and left-wing lawmakers approved a no-confidence motion due to budget disputes, forcing Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet to resign. In Asia, stock indexes were mixed. They rallied 1.6% in Hong Kong and 1% in Shanghai ahead of an annual economic policy meeting scheduled for next week. South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.6% as South Korea's ruling party chief showed support for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared martial law and then revoked that earlier this week. Yoon is facing calls to resign and may be impeached. Bitcoin was sitting near $101,500 after briefly bursting above $103,000 to a record the day before.
Why Pearl Young needed to 'raise hell' during NASA's early days
PASCAGOULA, Miss., Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII's (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division successfully undocked USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), the lead ship of the U.S. Navy's Zumwalt -class of guided missile destroyers, taking the ship one step closer to testing and returning to the U.S. Navy fleet. "In partnership with the Navy we are steadfast in our commitment to complete this complex work that adds significant hypersonic capability to Zumwalt, ” HII President and CEO Chris Kastner said. "We are proud to support the incorporation of the conventional prompt strike for the Navy.” The undocking marked the completion of significant modernization work at Ingalls since the ship arrived at the Pascagoula shipyard in August 2023. Shortly after its arrival, the ship was put back on land in order to receive technology upgrades including the integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon system. The Ingalls team also replaced the original twin 155mm Advanced Gun Systems on the destroyers with new missile tubes. Zumwalt -class destroyers feature a state-of-the-art electric propulsion system, wave-piercing tumblehome hull, stealth design and is equipped with the most advanced warfighting technology and weaponry. These ships will be capable of performing a range of deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions while allowing Navy to evolve with new systems and missions. Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://hii.com/news/hiis-ingalls-shipbuilding-undocks-uss-zumwalt-ddg-1000/ . About HII HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII's mission is to deliver the world's most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world. As the nation's largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII's workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit: Kimberly K. Aguillard 228-355-5663 [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eb1ca1f1-d87c-42d3-9375-1a3008cdf656Colorado’s unionized legislative aides called for the resignation or removal of state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis on Saturday in response to that she mistreated employees in her office. “Jaquez Lewis has consistently shown that she does not have the ability to manage an office, sit in a leadership role as chair, and show basic respect and decency to staff and her colleagues,” the Political Workers Guild of Colorado wrote in to Colorado State Senate leaders. Senate leadership stripped Jaquez Lewis of her state-paid aides earlier this week after two staffers formally complained that they were instructed to do chores around her home and bartend at a party she hosted, She was previously accused of which led to her removal as a committee chair and a sponsor of a wage theft bill earlier this year. Jaquez Lewis said Saturday that she took the union’s letter “very seriously” and would support members’ concerns being investigated in a setting that would allow her to present evidence in her defense. “I’m deeply sorry for my part of any miscommunication or any action on my part that has hurt anyone,” she said. “I am taking steps to proactively set up a nonpartisan HR management person that my staff can work with and go to for any issues. The path forward from here is to investigate what happened. I feel confident that this process will present my side of the story and all sides of the story.” Since at least 2023, other Democratic lawmakers, including Senate President Steve Fenberg, have admonished Jaquez Lewis for her alleged mistreatment of employees. Fenberg wrote in a September 2023 email to Jaquez Lewis that several staff members and legislators had “witnessed behavior they found concerning” and that this behavior was “something I hope you will prioritize improving upon.” He also said Senate staffers would not help her vet aides or place aides in her office in 2024. The Political Workers Guild of Colorado in its letter said these previous incidents and the latest allegations were proof of a “drastic” lack of accountability by Jaquez Lewis. The union also called for the creation of a formal system that would allow aides to express their grievances with legislators. “For too many years we have been reporting incidents that have been met with few repercussions for the legislator because of the lack of accountability mechanisms in the current system,” the letter reads. “If we believe in the fundamental right of the worker, we need this framework.” Jaquez Lewis was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2018. She secured a Senate seat in 2020 and was re-elected for another four-year term this year.
As Premier Doug Ford vows to alleviate Toronto’s infamous traffic congestion, his government’s designs for Ontario Place would add to the problem. That’s the conclusion of a new report from the city of Toronto that examined the projected traffic impacts of the Ontario PC plan to redevelop the lakeside waterpark . The report from city transportation staff noted that the $2.2-billion revamp — consisting of the Therme spa, expanded Live Nation concert venue, new public spaces and a mainland pavilion for Ontario Science Centre programming — will convert the Ontario Place site into a year-round destination. By 2032, the redevelopment is projected to increase traffic volumes on Lake Shore Boulevard West by up to 27 per cent in the morning rush, 23 per cent in the evening rush and as much as 40 per cent during major events like Toronto FC games and the Canadian National Exhibition, according to the report. That would add about 1 to 2 minutes to vehicle travel times on Lake Shore between British Columbia Road and Strachan Avenue during typical weekday or weekend peak periods, the city estimated. During major events, trips would take about 5 to 6.5 minutes longer. The projections, which were based on a previous analysis performed for Infrastructure Ontario by LEA Consulting Ltd., take into account other factors that could affect traffic, such as development applications, corridor growth, new pedestrian promenades, and planned transit improvements in the Ontario Line, Lake Shore West GO upgrades and SmartTrack stations. Ford’s government has signalled that reducing gridlock in Ontario’s biggest city is among its top priorities. In July it announced $73 million to speed up lane-reducing construction on the Gardiner Expressway one year early, and last month it took the extraordinary step of passing legislation that will allow it to remove bike lanes it claims are causing congestion on major Toronto thoroughfares. Asked whether the province was concerned the Ontario Place redevelopment could undermine those traffic-fighting efforts, Ash Milton, press secretary for Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma, said in an email that the government “is ensuring that Ontario Place and the surrounding area will be served by numerous transport options, including the Ontario Line, which is part of the largest subway expansion in Canadian history.” “We will keep ensuring that residents and businesses in Toronto have the transport options they need as the population continues to grow,” Milton said. But Norm Di Pasquale, co-chair of Ontario Place for All , an advocacy group that opposes the province’s plan, said the report shows the Ontario Place plan would cause “an intense amount of traffic in downtown.” The premier “is manifesting the exact thing that he is saying he is trying to avoid,” argued Di Pasquale. He said that the Ford government’s intention to build 2,500 parking spaces near the Therme spa and relocate the Ontario Science Centre from Flemingdon Park would be major drivers of the worsening congestion. Di Pasquale, whose group has previously criticized the redevelopment over its cost to taxpayers and impact on public space, said the traffic data is further evidence that “this is ultimately the wrong site for both the mega spa and the Ontario Science Centre.” City staff produced the traffic analysis in response to a motion from Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina—Fort York) at June’s council meeting. It’s clear the transportation impacts of the province’s proposal “had not been properly considered,” Malik said in a statement Monday, and the new report shows “it will have significant impacts on an already busy corridor,” as well as on congested areas like Liberty Village. She said the Therme development does “not belong on our waterfront.” The report will be debated at Toronto and East York Community Council on Jan. 14, and is scheduled to go to city council the following month.
NoneA cautious tone dominated markets before a key US jobs report that may give traders insight on the Federal Reserve’s policy path. US equity futures edged lower. Modest gains in the dollar put the greenback on course to rise for the ninth week out of the last 10. Treasury yields ticked higher. Oil extended its slide to a third day. Economists estimate that US nonfarm payrolls rose by 220,000 in November as hiring rebounded from weather-related and strike disruptions. It’s the final payrolls report before the Fed’s next interest-rate decision, with swaps trading putting the odds of a quarter-point reduction later this month at around 65%. “If we get a surprisingly hot number, you can expect pricing to come back more to 50-50,” said Michael Brown, a senior strategist at Pepperstone. “Given the time of the year, market volumes are lighter than usual, so you are more likely to see an outsize reaction — and that’s another reason for people to sit on their hands.” France’s week of political tumult was set to end positively in markets. The nation’s bonds outperformed euro-area peers after National Rally leader Marine Le Pen told Bloomberg News a budget could be delivered within weeks. The euro was steady. The CAC 40 index climbed more than 1%, rising for a seventh day in the longest winning streak in almost 10 months. Friday’s US labor market reading will have a big say over whether the S&P 500 can build on its 27% rally this year. Excitement around artificial intelligence and optimism that President-elect Donald Trump’s policies will boost US markets have propelled the benchmark toward its best year since 2019. Bank of America Corp. strategist Michael Hartnett said that powerful rally in US stocks as well as cryptocurrencies has left the asset classes looking frothy. The S&P 500’s price-to-book ratio has surged to 5.3 times in 2024, approaching a peak of 5.5 hit in March 2000 during the height of the technology bubble, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. BofA’s Hartnett said there’s a high risk of “overshoot” in early 2025 if the S&P 500 nears 6,666 points — about 10% above current levels. On Bitcoin, Hartnett said that with a market capitalization of over $2 trillion, the digital asset was comparable in size to the 11th largest economy in the world. On Friday, bitcoin pulled back from a record high set above $103,000, with its slump reaching as much as 7% at one point. In Asian trading, shares in China rose in a sign that investors were positioning for fresh economic support measures from a key policy meeting starting on Wednesday. South Korea was another focal point, with the won paring losses from earlier declines after the nation’s Army Special Forces Commander said there will be no second martial law. The country’s benchmark stock index fell as much as 1.8% before paring the drop. In commodities, oil added to its declines on concerns that OPEC ’s decision to push back the revival of halted production won’t prevent a surplus forming next year. Corporate Highlights: Key events this week: Some of the main moves in markets: Stocks Currencies Cryptocurrencies Bonds Commodities This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation. With assistance from Sagarika Jaisinghani and Divya Patil. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.Jewish community members are gathering in solidarity following the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue as the incident continues to fuel political division. or signup to continue reading More than a thousand community members were expected to meet at an undisclosed location in Ripponlea to "stand against hate" on Sunday. The rally will finish with flowers being laid at the synagogue. "This rally is a moment to unite, reflect and reaffirm our shared commitment to resilience and togetherness in our community," organisers J-United said. Cabinet minister Murray Watt described Friday's attack as an "absolutely horrific anti-Semitic attack" before alleging Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had politicised the incident. Mr Watt also refuted Mr Dutton's claims that the government had made Australia less safe for Jewish people and that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had not done enough to address anti-Semitism. The political debate was largely ignited by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on Saturday condemned the synagogue attack and linked it to Australia's decision to support a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution. Australia is one of 157 countries, including the UK, Canada and New Zealand urging Israel to end its presence in Palestine. The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network says any attack on a place of worship is an unacceptable act of hate but has accused Mr Netanyahu of deliberately sow division. Although not part of the Adass Israel congregation, Caulfield resident Hallely Kimchi said it was time for more to be done to protect Jewish people. "It is not about Israel. It's about Jews in Melbourne - forget about Israel at the moment," she said as the rally was getting under way. "There are people that have been abused and have never been to Israel. "Jews living in Melbourne should feel safe and proud to do whatever they want and to work without being doxxed or boycotted." The synagogue remains closed to the public after it was set alight by two masked men in what police have described as a targeted attack. Two of its three buildings were gutted and two congregants who were inside at the time preparing for morning prayers were evacuated, one suffering minor injuries. Police have confirmed they are also investigating reports of a bullet found on a footpath near the Synagogue in Glen Eira Road on Saturday afternoon. Community members laid flowers outside a makeshift memorial outside the Synagogue on Sunday morning. The attack on a place of worship, which was built by Holocaust survivors, has led to a heightened sense of fear in the community, Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed increased police patrols to bolster safety into the coming week and pledged $100,000 towards rebuilding. Despite condemning the attack, she is not expected to attend Sunday's rally. The incident has meanwhile prompted NSW to consider new laws to better protect religious freedoms. Premier Chris Minns said he would consider reforms to laws regulating protests outside religious institutions. A pro-Palestine rally is also planned outside the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne CBD on Sunday that will end with a march through the CBD. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. 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By Lindsay Shachnow A 24-year-old woman was arrested in connection with a “suspicious death” in Manchester, New Hampshire on Tuesday, officials say. Just after 10 p.m., police responded to 470 Silver St. in Manchester where Brennan Pelio, 27, of Manchester, was found dead after suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, according to a statement from the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office . An autopsy determined that Pelio’s cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head, and his manner of death was homicide, the office said. Alicia Castagnino of Manchester was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with second degree murder, the statement said. Castagnino is accused of knowingly causing Pelio’s death by shooting him in the head with a firearm, the office said, and for manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life. Castagnino’s arraignment is scheduled for Friday. Lindsay Shachnow Lindsay Shachnow covers general assignment news for Boston.com , reporting on breaking news, crime, and politics across New England. Boston.com Today Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning. Be civil. Be kind.
LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Max Brooks' 26 points helped UMass-Lowell defeat Dartmouth 92-83 on Saturday. Brooks added nine rebounds and four steals for the River Hawks (8-4). Quinton Mincey added 20 points while going 7 of 10 from the floor, including 3 for 5 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line while he also had six assists. Martin Somerville shot 3 for 10 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 4 of 7 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points, while adding six rebounds. The Big Green (4-6) were led by Connor Amundsen, who posted 28 points and six assists. Cade Haskins added 16 points for Dartmouth. Jayden Williams also recorded 11 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Gretchen McKay | (TNS) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PITTSBURGH — Many Americans consider social media a scourge, but for a home cook, it can be a fun and informative place to get help deciding what to eat. Sure, some of the recipes would-be influencers recommend are in fact pretty abominable — check out @chefreactions on TikTok, Instagram or X for many, many examples — but I have stumbled across some pretty good recipes on many occasions, too. Related Articles Restaurants, Food and Drink | In season: The universal joy of carrots Restaurants, Food and Drink | Don’t shun pinot grigio! The good versions of wines you think are bad Restaurants, Food and Drink | Quick Fix: Horseradish Crusted Snapper with Arugula Pasta Restaurants, Food and Drink | 3 recipes to help you through the busy holiday season Restaurants, Food and Drink | Roasted orange delivers big flavor in this smoky chicken traybake One that’s been going viral for a while and but only recently caught my eye shines a spotlight on the creamy, tomatoey dish known as Marry Me chicken. There are probably as many recipes for Marry Me chicken on social media as there are cooks. (Delish claims to have created the video recipe for the original dish, also known as Tuscan chicken, in 2016.) But in my opinion, the best variations hang their chef’s hat on a sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and cream. Yum! This rich and luxurious entree is a definite step above the “engagement” chicken that caused a similar stir when it made its debut in Glamour magazine in 2004. That proposal-worthy recipe — saved for posterity in the 2011 cookbook “100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life” — featured a whole chicken roasted with lemon and herbs. Awesome for sure, but not nearly as swoon worthy. I’ve been married for a very long time, so I’m not looking for a dish that will get me engaged. But who wouldn’t want applause when they put dinner on the table? That’s how Delish’s original recipe made it into the latest installment of “Dinner for Four for $25.” Usually when I’m building these economical meals, I do all my shopping in one store. This time, I shopped over the course of a weekend at some of my favorite haunts to see if that made a difference. (And no, I didn’t factor in the cost of gas, but maybe should have!) First stop after downing my Saturday morning latte and Nutella mele at a street-side table at Colangelo’s in the Strip District: Wholey’s Market, where I found boneless chicken breast at the bargain price of $3.89 per pound. I then crossed the street and headed down the block to Pennsylvania Macaroni Co., where I found several varieties of sun-dried tomatoes to chose from. I went with a jar of Ponti sun-dried cherry tomatoes for $5.09 — a definite splurge when your budget is only $25, but an ingredient I knew would deliver plenty of flavor. At Aldi, I found a bag of five huge lemons for $3.89, or 78 cents apiece, and a nice package of fresh broccoli for $2.28. A bargain, considering I would only use about two-thirds of it. The German supermarket chain known for its low prices and no-frills shopping experience (you have to deposit a quarter to get a shopping cart) also had butter — a main ingredient in my sandwich cookie dessert — on sale for $3.99 a pound. A bag of powdered sugar was pretty cheap, too, at just $2.09 for a two-pound bag. “Shopping” my pantry for ingredients I always have on hand, including garlic, olive oil, spices, rice, molasses and vanilla, once again helped keep costs down. Total bill: $24.38, or 62 cents under budget. Not bad when you consider the homemade dessert recipe makes more oatmeal sandwich cookies than a family can/should eat at one sitting. PG tested Sun-dried tomatoes could be considered a splurge item because even a tiny jar is expensive, but their concentrated, sweet and tangy tomato goodness add so much flavor to a dish! They are certainly the star of this chicken dish that has been making the rounds on social media platforms. Some say the entree is so good, you’ll get a marriage proposal out of it. At any rate, the Parmesan cream sauce that gets spooned on top of the chicken and rice will certainly make your diners swoon. This original recipe from Delish.com is a pretty easy dish to get on the table in quick fashion. Just remember to use a dry pot holder to take the pan out of the oven because it will be very hot; I very stupidly used a damp dish towel and now have another cooking scar. 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Fresh basil, torn, for serving, optional Cooked rice, for serving Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Generously season chicken with salt and black pepper and cook, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. In same skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stir in garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan; season with salt. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven. Bake chicken until cooked through and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife, 10-12 minutes. Arrange chicken on a platter. Spoon sauce over. Top with basil, if using, and serve with cooked rice. Serves 4. — delish.com PG tested Broccoli is a reliable veggie when you need a little something extra to round out a meal and don’t want to spend a fortune. Here, it’s blanched until crisp-tender and then tossed with lemon juice and zest and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I used lemon olive oil (already on hand) for an extra burst of citrus flavor. 1 large bunch broccoli, separated into florets 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter 1 clove garlic, minced Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon 1 pinch (or two) red pepper flakes Flaky salt and freshly ground ground black pepper, to taste Place broccolini in a large skillet with about 2 inches of water; bring to a boil and cook until bright green, 1-2 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli; cook and stir until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice and zest over broccoli and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Serves 4. — Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette PG tested Remember how if you were lucky when you were a kid you got an individually wrapped Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie in your lunchbox? These soft and chewy oatmeal cookies sandwiched with vanilla buttercream taste exactly the same. Actually, they’re better because they’re not made with corn syrup and artificial flavorings, but rather real butter and brown sugar. It’s important to let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack. Otherwise they will fall apart. The icing is very sweet, so you might want to reduce the amount of powdered sugar. For cookies 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon molasses 1 large egg, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt For filling 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 3 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 teaspoons vanilla Pinch of salt Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. In stand mixer outfitted with whisk attachment add butter, brown sugar and molasses and beat on low speed until combined. Gradually increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with spatula, then add egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Add flour, oats, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Use a 1/2 -ounce cookie scoop tor tablespoon measure to portion out equal amounts of dough. Roll the dough in your hands to smooth the edges, then place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Bake until cookies have puffed up and are set and firm around the edges but still somewhat soft in the middle, 9-11 minutes. Remove sheet pans from oven and allow cookies to rest on the pans for 5 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cookies have cooled, make filling. In stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, until creamy and fully incorporated, about 45 seconds. If filling is dry, add a small splash or two of cream. Assemble cookies. Using a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the bottom side of one cookie, then place second cookie on top to sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and serve. Makes 16 sandwich cookies. —”Sweet Tooth” by Sarah Fennel (Clarkson Potter, $35) ©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.