cockfighting rules

cockfighting rules VANCOUVER, BC , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- (TSX: LUN) (Nasdaq Stockholm: LUMI) Lundin Mining Corporation ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") announces that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") has accepted the notice of Lundin Mining's intention to renew its normal course issuer bid (the "NCIB"). View PDF The Company intends to continue to utilize the NCIB at its discretion to make opportunistic purchases to create shareholder value and manage the number of outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares"). This approval allows the Company to purchase up to 57,597,388 Common Shares, representing 10% of the 776,914,637 issued and outstanding Common Shares as of December 6, 2024 , minus those Common Shares beneficially owned, or over which control or direction is exercised by the Company, the senior officers and directors of the Company and every shareholder who owns or exercises control or direction over more than 10% of the outstanding Common Shares, over a period of twelve months commencing on December 16, 2024 . The NCIB will expire no later than December 15, 2025 . All purchases made pursuant to the NCIB will be made on the open market through the facilities of the TSX, other designated exchanges and/or alternative Canadian trading systems or by such other means as may be permitted by applicable securities laws. In accordance with TSX rules, any daily purchases (other than pursuant to a block purchase exemption) on the TSX under the NCIB are limited to a maximum of 560,989 Common Shares, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume of 2,243,957 Common Shares on the TSX for the six months ended November 30, 2024 . The price that Lundin Mining will pay for Common Shares in open market transactions will be the market price at the time of purchase. In connection with the NCIB renewal, Lundin Mining entered into an automatic share purchase plan ("ASPP") with its designated broker to allow for the repurchase of Common Shares at times when the Company ordinarily would not be active in the market due to its own internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules or otherwise (any such period being a "Blackout Period"). Before entering a Blackout Period, the Company may, but is not required to, instruct the designated broker to make purchases under the NCIB in accordance with the terms of the plan. At this time, the Company has not instructed the broker to actively repurchase Common Shares. Purchases made pursuant to the plan, if any, will be made by the Company's designated broker based upon the parameters prescribed by the TSX, applicable Canadian securities laws and the terms of the written agreement entered between the Company and its designated broker. Outside of these Blackout Periods, Common Shares will be purchasable by Lundin Mining at its discretion under its NCIB. The ASPP will terminate on the earliest of the date on which: (i) the purchase limit under the NCIB has been reached; (ii) the NCIB expires; and (iii) the ASPP otherwise terminates in accordance with its terms. The ASPP constitutes an "automatic plan" for purposes of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the agreement governing the plan has been pre-cleared by the TSX. The actual number of Common Shares that may be purchased and the timing of such purchases will be determined by the Company. Decisions regarding purchases will be based on market conditions, share price, best use of available cash, and other factors. Any Common Shares that are purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled. Under the Company's previous NCIB that commenced on December 11, 2023 and expired on December 10, 2024 , the Company sought and received approval from the TSX to purchase up to 52,538,870 Common Shares. The Company purchased nil Common Shares under its previous NCIB through open market transactions. About Lundin Mining Lundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with projects or operations in Argentina , Brazil , Chile , Portugal , Sweden and the United States of America , primarily producing copper, zinc, nickel and gold. The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out below on December 11, 2024 at 14:30 Vancouver Time. Cautionary Statement in Forward-Looking Information Certain of the statements made and information contained herein is "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this document constitute forward-looking information, including but not limited to statements with respect to Lundin Mining's proposed NCIB, the Company's pre-defined plan with its broker to allow for the repurchase of Common Shares and the timing, number and price of Common Shares that may be purchased under the NCIB. Words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "target", "plan", "goal", "aim", "intend", "continue", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", "can", "could", "should", "schedule" and similar expressions identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon various estimates and assumptions including, without limitation, the expectations and beliefs of management; assumed and future price of copper, zinc, gold, nickel and other metals; anticipated costs; ability to achieve goals; the prompt and effective integration of acquisitions; that the political environment in which the Company operates will continue to support the development and operation of mining projects; the Common Shares will, from time to time, trade below their value; the Company will complete purchases of Common Shares pursuant to the NCIB; and assumptions related to the factors set forth below. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by Lundin Mining as at the date of this document in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, these statements are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the market price of the Common Shares being too high to ensure that purchases benefit the Company and its shareholders; and other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those described in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of the Company's MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023 , which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca under the Company's profile. All of the forward-looking information in this document are qualified by these cautionary statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, forecasted or intended and readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that the Common Shares will, from time to time, trade below their value and that the Company will complete purchases of Common Shares pursuant to the NCIB. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate and forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance. Readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein speaks only as of the date of this document. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward ‐ looking information or to explain any material difference between such and subsequent actual events, except as required by applicable law. For further information, please contact: Stephen Williams , Vice President, Investor Relations: +1 604 806 3074; Robert Eriksson , Investor Relations Sweden: +46 8 440 54 50By DAVID BAUDER Time magazine gave Donald Trump something it has never done for a Person of the Year designee: a lengthy fact-check of claims he made in an accompanying interview. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA’s idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it ‘absurd’ National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg The fact-check accompanies a transcript of what the president-elect told the newsmagazine’s journalists. Described as a “12 minute read,” it calls into question 15 separate statements that Trump made. It was the second time Trump earned the Time accolade; he also won in 2016, the first year he was elected president. Time editors said it wasn’t a particularly hard choice over other finalists Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu and Kate Middleton. Time said Friday that no other Person of the Year has been fact-checked in the near-century that the magazine has annually written about the figure that has had the greatest impact on the news. But it has done the same for past interviews with the likes of Joe Biden, Netanyahu and Trump. Such corrections have been a sticking point for Trump and his team in the past, most notably when ABC News did it during his only debate with Democrat Kamala Harris this fall. There was no immediate response to a request for comment on Friday. In the piece, Time called into question statements Trump made about border security, autism and the size of a crowd at one of his rallies. When the president-elect talked about the “massive” mandate he had received from voters, Time pointed out that former President Barack Obama won more electoral votes the two times he had run for president. The magazine also questioned Trump’s claim that he would do interviews with anyone who asked during the campaign, if he had the time. The candidate rejected a request to speak to CBS’ “60 Minutes,” the magazine said. “In the final months of his campaign, Trump prioritized interviews with podcasts over mainstream media,” reporters Simmone Shah and Leslie Dickstein wrote. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

Shower Envy Hits Argyle with Wise Glass' Innovative Shower Technology 12-11-2024 11:34 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: The SED Society Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/1733929018.jpg Argyle showers got wiser and significantly more stylish with the arrival of Wise Glass' innovative shower technology to the heart of Texas. Argyle showers got wiser and significantly more stylish with the arrival of Wise Glass' innovative shower technology to the heart of Texas. Elevating the everyday shower to an immersive experience, Wise Glass introduces its new era of bathroom designs where cutting-edge technology meets personalized luxury. This commitment to innovation transforms the once-mundane shower into a haven of relaxation and rejuvenation that redefines the daily ritual into a luxurious escape. "Maximize your space, minimize your stress," says Kevin Wisecarver of Wise Glass. "This is what a modern shower experience should be, and this is exactly what Wise Glass delivers. Our innovative designs seamlessly blend form and function to create a shower that's both stylish and practical." Argyle, Texas, a town celebrated for its blend of small-town charm and discerning taste, is the perfect backdrop for Wise Glass' innovative shower designs. Homeowners in this vibrant community appreciate the finer details, making them ideal candidates for the company's commitment to personalized luxury and cutting-edge technology. For truly bespoke solutions, Wise Glass offers unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail throughout the region, with a stunning selection of Denton custom shower doors [ https://www.instagram.com/wise_glassllc/ ]. Whether residing in Argyle or elsewhere in Denton County, homeowners can now elevate their bathrooms with shower enclosures that translate their style into a breathtaking reality. Wise Glass, a leading frameless shower door company in Denton, TX [ https://presssynergy.com/newsroom/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-wise-glass-is-the-best-in-denton-county-after-all/ ], is driven by a passion for transforming experiences into moments of self-care and indulgence. They understand that a shower is a chance to escape the demands of daily life and reconnect with oneself. This philosophy is embodied in their meticulous approach to design and installation, where every detail is carefully considered to create a truly immersive and personalized experience. Their Wise Glass Denton office [ https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wise+Glass+LLC./@33.2185142,-97.1367369,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x864dcb8e18e491cb:0x4ef61cad2f652124!8m2!3d33.2185142!4d-97.1367369!16s%2Fg%2F11vjhs083g?hl=en&entry=tts ] serves as a hub of inspiration, showcasing a diverse range of designs and offering expert guidance to help homeowners realize their dream showers. From sleek and minimalist to ornate and luxurious, the team at Wise Glass Denton is dedicated to creating shower enclosures that reflect individual tastes and elevate everyday routines. To experience the Wise Glass difference and explore their extensive range of shower enclosures, visit their website at https://www.wiseglassllc.net/ . Discover a world of design inspiration and embark on a journey to transform daily shower rituals into a moment of personalized luxury. Location: https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d13351.325880970257!2d-97.1367369!3d33.2185142!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x864dcb8e18e491cb%3A0x4ef61cad2f652124!2sWise%20Glass%20LLC.!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1713458540073!5m2!1sen!2sus " width= Media Contact Company Name: Wise Glass LLC Contact Person: Kevin Wisecarver Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=shower-envy-hits-argyle-with-wise-glass-innovative-shower-technology ] Phone: 682-297-5900 Address:414 W Parkway St City: Denton State: TX Country: United States Website: https://www.wiseglassllc.net/ This release was published on openPR.

Taveuni ferris wheel rides scratched

Syrian insurgents reach the capital's suburbs. Worried residents flee and stock up on supplies BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press Dec 7, 2024 9:22 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Defectors line-up to register their details with Syrian insurgents in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday Dec. 5, 2024. As insurgents consolidate their hold of Aleppo, which they overran last week, they issued a call to government soldiers and security agencies to defect, granting them what they called "protection cards," which offer them some sort of amnesty and assurances that they won't be hunted down.(AP Photo/Omar Albam) BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands rushed the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some shops were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Assad's status Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Assad's chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base. Diplomacy in Doha In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government's only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More World News Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy in their meeting Dec 7, 2024 9:02 AM An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others Dec 7, 2024 8:47 AM South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law Dec 7, 2024 7:02 AM Featured FlyerUnique among ‘Person of the Year’ designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazineMiddle East latest: UN General Assembly demands a ceasefire in Gaza

PODFEST Expo Brings Together Global Podcasting Community

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown revealed that discussions with free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman were at a standstill, which led to the team exploring other options. "I won't get into specifics but I feel like the negotiations stalled," Brown said on Monday, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. "I feel like we made a really competitive offer and showed that we wanted him back. But we had to pursue other options. We couldn't just sit there." On Dec. 13, the Astros traded outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a package that included third baseman Isaac Paredes. The team subsequently signed first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million contract. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .Columbia River Treaty talks continue amid incoming Trump presidency

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• Just when the Minnesota Legislature really needs practitioners of bipartisan cooperation and mutual respect — not to mention a good Bob Dylan impression — Frank Hornstein is retiring. This is not my customary farewell to an able and long-serving legislator, though Hornstein surely fills that bill. That’s what I might have offered, had not Minnesota voters (abetted by some long-ago judges, whom I’ll blast shortly) opted to send 67 DFLers and 67 Republicans to the 2025 Minnesota House. Come January — unless one pending court challenge in a Shakopee district results in an outcome reversal — the House will be tied, as it has not been since 1979. Suddenly the relationship-building skills that DFLer Hornstein from southwest Minneapolis exhibited through 22 years in office aren’t just pleasantries. They are vital governing tools. The ability of the 2025 Legislature to perform its minimal duty — that is, to balance the state budget in 2026-27 and beyond — may depend on the prevalence of those qualities among rank-and-file legislators. Hornstein gets that. He is a 65-year-old former community organizer, husband of a rabbi and son of two Holocaust survivors. All four of his grandparents died at the hands of the Nazis. His family’s story can be seen as a cautionary tale about what can happen when governments abandon tolerance in favor of ideological purity, scapegoating and violence. He came to the Legislature in 2003 as more than a nice guy with a knack for funny impersonations. He wanted to make government work, and he knew that required collaboration, compromise and patience. He worked for at least 15 years on the major transportation funding bill he shepherded into law in 2023, all the while making friends throughout the chamber. That’s why I asked Hornstein recently to do more than reminisce. I wanted to hear his tips for working effectively across the partisan aisle while simultaneously upholding his own policy priorities — in his case, on transportation, climate and the environment. “It’s really important to make the extra effort to connect with people on a human basis,” Hornstein told me. “A lot of legislators engage now and then with the other side of the aisle. But doing that on an ongoing basis is the critical thing. It’s really important to not just start a relationship, but keep the relationship going.” Get to know not just each other’s names, but the names of spouses and children, Hornstein advises. Acquire private phone numbers. (Hornstein memorizes them.) Visit each other’s districts. Don’t blindside the opposition with “gotcha” surprises. Go to funerals. That’s what Hornstein did when Republican Rep. John Petersburg of Waseca lost his wife in 2022. Though Hornstein does not drive, he arranged a ride to attend the funeral. “I’ll always remember,” Petersburg told Governing magazine . Petersburg also retired this year. He was one of two House Republicans who showed up at Hornstein’s Nov. 10 retirement party in Linden Hills. Hornstein’s advice would have sounded self-evident to legislators a few decades ago. The fact that his friendship regimen made him stand out among his 133 fellow House members in recent years attests to how much the partisanship of the last several decades has damaged the institution’s social norms. It’s likely no coincidence that as civility eroded, so did legislative productivity when government is divided. And the Legislature can’t get more divided than it will be in 2025: 67-67 in the House, and 34 DFLers to 33 Republicans in the Senate. Who would design a legislative branch of government that allowed for such a nasty split, you might ask? That would be a panel of federal appellate judges with Minnesota pedigrees in 1972 — all of whom I admired for their work on cases other than this one. Gerald Heaney of Duluth, Earl Larson of Minneapolis and Edward Devitt of St. Paul handled Minnesota’s decennial redistricting lawsuit that year. They first tried to shrink the Senate to 35 members and the House to 105 — an arithmetically elegant but politically toxic idea that was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Then they decreed that Minnesota must end its practice of allowing one state Senate district to be served by three House members rather than the customary two. That took the House from 135 members to 134, creating the potential for an evenly divided body. The judges said they considered an even split highly unlikely. Just six years later, it happened. Now it has happened again. A systemic fix is possible. Minnesota could look again at what the three jurists tried, creating a 3:1 ratio of House to Senate members. The consequent political pain could be eased by enlarging the Legislature. That’s been done before. The Minnesota Legislature had 147 members in 1880, 183 in 1910, and 198 for a 40-year span in the mid-20th century . I expect ideas like those to simmer until 2031, when redistricting will again be on the Legislature’s front burner. For now, House members need to find a way to function with neither side clearly in charge. To do that, they’re going to need to shed some of the hyperpartisan bad habits of the last few decades. Hornstein’s advice: “People need to understand that they were elected to govern together. They can’t do their jobs alone.” Instead of working hard to make the other side look bad, they should aim together to make Minnesota look good. Lori Sturdevant is a retired Star Tribune editorial writer. She is at lsturdevant@startribune.com .Gaetz exit puts spotlight on other Trump nominees accused of sexual misconduct'Let's not panic': Canada picks up the pieces after ugly Latvia loss at world juniors

None

It is worth noting that half of China’s territory is now open to citizens from developed economies. These include the nation’s most populous areas, its economic and political heartlands, and hundreds of cities. Places still off-limits to visa-free exploration include Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Qinghai, Gansu, as well as Jilin, China’s border province with North Korea. But more than that, the policy also reflects a subtle shift in Beijing’s thinking: policymakers are a bit concerned, to say the least, about China’s reduced interactions with the rest of the world. Those policies have worked. The number of foreign-passport holders entering China reached 29 million in the first 11 months of 2024, a hefty increase of 86 per cent from the same period last year. Still, it should be noted that the flow was much thinner than pre-Covid levels. In 2019, China recorded 98 million entries and exits by foreigners, which translated to about 49 million entries.LOS ANGELES — Until he sustained a season-ending knee injury last week in the Western Conference final, Galaxy playmaker Riqui Puig was having a tremendous season. So I heard. I watched Puig play only twice this year, once in the Galaxy's season-opening 1-1 draw with Inter Miami and a second time in his team's Fourth of July defeat to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. Outside of short highlight clips on social media, I never saw the former Barcelona prospect, not even when he assisted on the goal that sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup final. That wasn't a reflection of my interest. Some of my friends will make fun of me for publicly admitting this, but I like Major League Soccer. I covered the league in my first job out of college and have casually kept up with it since. I take my children to a couple of games a year. My 11-year-old son owns Galaxy and LAFC hats but no Dodgers or Lakers merchandise. People are also reading... When flipping through channels in the past, if presented with the choice of, say, college football or MLS, I usually watched MLS. But not this year. While the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will be shown on Fox and Fox Deportes, the majority of games are now exclusively behind a paywall, courtesy of the league's broadcasting deal with Apple. MLS Season Pass subscriptions were reasonably priced — $79 for the entire season for Apple TV+ subscribers, $99 for non-subscribers — but I was already paying for DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayStation Plus and who knows what else. MLS became a casualty in my household, as well as in many others, and the possibility of being out of sight and out of mind should be a concern for a league that is looking to expand its audience. Which isn't to say the league made a mistake. This was a gamble MLS had to take. Now in the second year of a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with Apple, MLS did what Major League Baseball is talking about doing, which is to centralize its broadcasting rights and sell them to a digital platform. Regional sports networks have been decimated by cord cutting, making traditional economic models unsustainable. The move to Apple not only increased the league's broadcast revenues — previous deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision were worth a combined $90 million annually, according to multiple reports — but also introduced a measure of uniformity in the league. The quality of the broadcasts are better than they were under regional sports networks. Viewers know where to watch games and when, as every one of them is on Season Pass and most of them are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time either on Wednesday or Saturday. "That's been fueling our growth and driving our fan engagement," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday at his annual state of the league address. Apple and MLS declined to reveal the number of League Pass subscribers, but the league provided polling figures that indicated 94% of viewers offered positive or neutral reviews of League Pass. The average viewing time for a game is about 65 minutes for a 90-minute game, according to Garber. In other words, the League Pass is well-liked — by the people who have it. The challenge now is to increase that audience. The launch of League Pass last year coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi, which presumably resulted in a wave of subscriptions. But the league can't count on the appearance of the next Messi; there is only one of him. MLS pointed to how its fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded television than any other U.S. sports league, as well as how 71% of its fans are under the age of 45. The league also pointed to how it effectively drew more viewers to the Apple broadcast of Inter Miami's postseason opener with a livestream of a "Messi Cam' on TikTok, indicating further collaborations with wide-reaching entities could be in its future. Garber mentioned how Season Pass is available in other countries. The commissioner also made note of how Apple places games every week in front of its paywall. "What we have, really, is a communication problem," Garber said. "This is new, and we've got to work with Apple, we've got to work with our clubs and we've got to work with our partners to get more exposure to what we think is a great product." The greatest benefit to the league could be Apple's vested interest in improving the on-field product. MLS insiders said Apple has not only encouraged teams to sign more high-profile players but also pushed the league to switch to a fall-to-spring calendar more commonplace in other parts of the world, reasoning that doing so would simplify the process of buying and selling players. The on-field product is what matters. The on-field product is why MLS continues to face competition for viewers from overseas leagues. The on-field product is why the league hasn't succeeded in converting every soccer fan into a MLS fan. And ultimately, if casual viewers such as myself are to pay to watch the Galaxy or LAFC on a screen of some kind, the on-field product will be why. Be the first to knowNone

Sticker Shock Ahead? New NVIDIA GPUs Could Break the BankNone

Demonstrators calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, on Dec 7, outside the National Assembly in Seoul. SEOUL – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has managed to cling on to power for now, after an impeachment motion against him over the Dec 3 martial law debacle failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed for it to pass. Tabled by the 192-member opposition bloc for voting on Dec 7, the motion needed eight more votes from ruling party lawmakers to meet the 200-vote quorum. But the motion fell short with 195 votes – 194 for, and one against, from a ruling party lawmaker. All but three of the 108 ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers boycotted the vote. They were determined to prevent Mr Yoon from being impeached as it would mean a snap presidential election, which the PPP would most likely lose. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who lost to Mr Yoon by a sliver of a margin in 2022, is widely tipped to win if a snap election is called. The opposition Democratic Party of Korea said it will propose a new impeachment Bill against Mr Yoon on Dec 11, which will be put to a vote on Dec 14. Two Bills were tabled on Dec 7, the first being a special counsel investigation into corruption allegations surrounding First Lady Kim Keon Hee, and the second was Mr Yoon’s impeachment. PPP lawmakers were seen leaving the plenary hall after voting on the first motion, evidently to abstain from voting on the impeachment motion. The PPP lawmakers’ departure prompted Speaker Woo Won-shik to declare in exasperation: “How do you think the people, the world, and history will view you not voting on the unjust martial law and its aftermath? Aren’t you afraid of the judgment of history? Aren’t you afraid of the judgment of the people? Aren’t you afraid of the judgment of the world?” The Speaker made repeated calls for their return, and eventually three returned to applause from the floor. Mr Ahn Cheol-soo, a three-time presidential candidate, and Ms Kim Ye-ji, a visually impaired politician, had previously indicated they would vote for the impeachment, given the strong public sentiment against the six-hour brush with martial rule. Mr Kim Sang-wook disappointed the opposition members who had cheered his return to the session, when he revealed that he had voted against the motion, as per party stance. Speaker Woo, who declared the plenary session closed at 9.20pm (8.20pm Singapore time), more than four hours after it began, told the floor it was regrettable that Parliament was unable to adhere to the “democratic process on a matter of national importance”, and apologised to the nation on behalf of the National Assembly. Under South Korean Constitution, the Bill could have been open for 72 hours after it was tabled at 12.48am on Dec 5, which meant the National Assembly could have waited till 12.48am on Dec 8. But by 9pm, it was clear that the PPP lawmakers – holed up in another part of the building, supposedly for a party general meeting – were not coming back. Earlier, the Bill for a special counsel probe into Ms Kim’s alleged stock manipulation, election interference and leaking of classified information, failed to pass by two votes. The Bill against Ms Kim had been pushed through three times before, but were vetoed by President Yoon each time, most recently on Nov 26. Following the failed impeachment bid, an outraged Mr Lee, leader of the Democratic Party, criticised the PPP as a “criminal party that has betrayed the country”. Having earlier vowed to repeat the impeachment process until successful, Mr Lee pledged that he would not give up and would “normalise the country” by the end of the year. Nearly 150,000 upset South Koreans had thronged the boulevard outside the National Assembly, calling for the impeachment and arrest of Mr Yoon, while about 20,000 supporters of the conservative PPP gathered at Gwanghwamun in central Seoul, about a 20-minute drive away. Protests were also held in other parts of the country, like Gwangju, where a violent uprising in May 1980 resulted in more than a thousand deaths. The uprising was during the country’s last period of martial rule from October 1979 to January 1982, until Mr Yoon’s late-night declaration of martial law on Dec 3 threw the nation into a tailspin and dredged up painful memories. Kyung Hee University’s political scientist Ahn Byong-jin was among those at the National Assembly protest on Dec 3. The 57-year-old, who was jailed briefly in 1990 for student activism under the rule of then-president Roh Tae-woo, said that as “a Korean citizen, I must express my anger”. The late president Roh was an army general before becoming president from 1988 to 1993. In 1996, he was found guilty of his involvement in the Gwangju massacre and sentenced to 17 years in prison but later received a pardon. Professor Ahn described the Dec 7 impeachment failure as “the end of the story”. He said the next round of impeachment motion will not pass muster, as the opposition is unlikely to get the critical eight votes from the PPP, since party chief Han Dong-hoon has decided to block the impeachment. Mr Han had earlier flip-flopped, stating on Dec 5 that his party would block the impeachment, before declaring the very next day that Mr Yoon needed to be suspended from his presidential duties immediately as he was a danger to the public. He appeared to have softened his stance again after meeting the President on Dec 6, when Mr Yoon denied ordering the arrest of key politicians, including Mr Han. After three days of lying low, Mr Yoon finally apologised to the nation in a televised address on the morning of Dec 7. He said he had been driven to desperation as a leader, and expressed his deepest apology to South Korean citizens “who must have been greatly shocked”. In addition to plummeting approval ratings, Mr Yoon’s presidency has been plagued by repeated pushes by the opposition for legal action against his wife, and his policies have been blocked at every turn by the opposition-dominated National Assembly. Mr Yoon was said to be particularly incensed by the opposition’s 22 impeachment motions against his officials during his term, in particular the latest impeachment motions against the state auditor and three prosecutors, which provoked him to declare martial law on Dec 3. The impeachments against the four high-ranking officials were ultimately passed on Dec 5. In his apology, Mr Yoon also promised to entrust his power to the PPP to stabilise the political situation and “take responsibility for future state affairs”. Dr Bong Young-shik of Yonsei University in Seoul slammed Mr Yoon’s two-minute apology as “insincere and shorter than the time it takes to cook ramyeon (Korean instant noodles)”. “Mr Yoon only said that he would work with his party, without mentioning the National Assembly or the opposition. But they are all stakeholders (in policymaking). So this apology is just superficial.” While PPP leader Han assured the public after the failed impeachment attempt that Mr Yoon would effectively be suspended from duties until he steps down, Dr Bong is convinced it is just an attempt on the part of the PPP to buy time until political rival, Mr Lee, is knocked out of the running. Mr Lee faces possible disqualification as a presidential candidate, after being found guilty on Nov 15 by the Seoul Central District Court of lying about corruption allegations during his 2022 presidential campaign. He was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years. His appeal is due to be heard at the Supreme Court within the next six months. If the guilty ruling is upheld, Mr Lee will not be able to run for president. With him out of the picture, the PPP would be able to repair some damage and field candidates like Mr Han, who garnered 11 per cent in a presidential preference poll of 1,000 respondents released on Dec 6. Mr Lee was most favoured at 29 per cent. Referring to the PPP’s calculus, Dr Bong quipped: “Between national interest and party interest, the latter will prevail.” He predicted that the political stalemate will remain “for a very long time”, with South Korea’s economy likely to take a huge hit from the instability. As for Prof Ahn, he believes that the power of the people will ultimately prevail. Describing the sentiment of the protesters on the ground as “very passionate”, similar to demonstrations during former president Park Geun-hye’s impeachment in late 2016, Prof Ahn said he was surprised to see the younger crowd more outraged than he was. “The younger generation are so angry that they will not give up (on removing Mr Yoon from office) so easily. Eventually Yoon and his faction, they will suffer a very severe punishment. But until that time, we are going to go through a very difficult time.” Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowOportun Financial's global controller sells $11,877 in stock