w4oC%n8)fG{uW,'K/S
hB" qjc5:KV,EKҬS3j*P\c*9h).Hz" HH '}p ipD0 S`"&%JF7h
$qڠz;mAʜ,Kb;})jūlO9ЪG@%n*h=90$8Q 1;&)yBt7WyХB]/n">}q 7Eku YGVe}Ɇbu@ݡRA(pڸ ,#p !M!ԇ ,M>í8n^m2W \鏹=laO[h@FoS< ;GpvZu =4V|1ɸ}i x8RoC'Pigk43ˎSe>x64%{$AĨRscX 'l?c`yk\F nX"jJ7Fc(abzaFU0mOs$ƸjΏXz":m#&C?"qm(l5&spPe5 N`\\2 d"
GvX> w4oC%n8)fG{uW,'K/S
hB" qjc5:KV,EKҬS3j*P\c*9h).Hz" HH '}p ipD0 S`"&%JF7h
$qڠz;mAʜ,Kb;})jūlO9ЪG@%n*h=90$8Q 1;&)yBt7WyХB]/nIn the face of escalating trade tensions with the United States, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken a strong stance against President Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. The move by the Trump administration to impose tariffs on imports from Canada has sparked outrage and concern among Canadian officials, who view the tariffs as unjust and damaging to the longstanding economic relationship between the two countries.None
BAGHDAD Over a thousand Syrian regime soldiers have entered Iraq through the Al-Qa'im border crossing, local media reported on Saturday. “More than a thousand soldiers from the Syrian army requested entry into Iraq via the Al-Qa’im border crossing,” the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported, quoting a security official. The source, whose name was not revealed by the news agency, added that “the soldiers were welcomed and provided with the necessary care, and their needs were met.” While footage of Syrian regime soldiers arriving in Iraq circulated on social media, Iraqi authorities issued no immediate official statement on the matter. The civil war in Syria has continued since 2011. Over the past week, anti-regime forces have taken control of Aleppo and other areas in a surprise offensive. Renewed fighting between regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo. By Nov. 30, opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across the Idlib province. Following intense clashes on Thursday, groups took control of the Hama city center from regime forces. Anti-regime groups also seized several settlements in the strategically important Homs province, which leads to Damascus, and began to advance. On Friday, Syrian opposition groups took control of Daraa in southern Syria, near the Jordanian border. Earlier on Saturday, they seized total control of the Suwayda province in southern Syria. On the same day, local opposition forces in Quneitra gained control of the provincial capital. On Dec. 1, the opposition Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the terrorist group PKK/YPG in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terror elements. *Writing by Rania Abu Shamala
The Department of Finance (DOF) expects the Philippines to achieve a historic P606.6 billion in non-tax revenues for 2024, exceeding targets by more than 200 percent and surpassing the 2023 total by more than half. “Emerging non-tax revenues for the full year 2024 are expected to reach P606.6 billion—the highest ever recorded,” the DOF said in a Dec. 28 statement. This would surpass the 2024 Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing (BESF) target by P407.6 billion and exceed the 2023 figure by P211.8 billion, or 53.6 percent. This, after the government has collected a total of P555.30 billion in non-tax revenues as of end-November, marking a significant (45.6 percent) increase compared to the same period last year. “We need to raise more funds to meet the growing needs of our people,” said Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto. “On top of tax collections, the non-tax revenue sources help us marshal additional resources to equip the government in delivering more and better services in critical areas like healthcare, education, food security, social protection, and national security,” Recto explained. The DOF boosted non-tax revenues by increasing government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCC) dividend remittance to 75 percent, privatizing assets, and reallocating unused GOCC funds as directed by Congress. As of Dec. 9, GOCCs remitted P136.29 billion in dividends to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), surpassing the P100 billion target and rising 35 percent year-on-year. As per DOF, its privatization efforts yielded P4.44 billion by end-2024, a 129 percent increase year-on-year. Proceeds from these included asset sales, leases, dividends, and more, with a notable P2.9 billion sale of government shares in NLEX Corporation. The government also secured a P30 billion upfront payment from SMC-SAP & Co. Consortium for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) rehabilitation deal, expected to generate P900 billion in revenues over a 15-year term. Excess GOCC funds “On top of these, the DOF has put the excess and unused GOCC funds to efficient use this year, as mandated under Republic Act No. 11975 or the General Appropriation Act (GAA) of 2024,” the DOF stated. Just over a week ago, the DOF remitted P167.23 billion from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) to the BTr. Excess GOCC funds, according to the DOF, were used to finance health benefits, medical equipment, new health facilities, and salary increases for government workers. It also supported counterpart financing for major foreign-assisted projects, including bridges, subways, agriculture, and nutrition initiatives nationwide.
Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to ChabadOKLAHOMA VOICE: Oklahoma appeals court rejects 3rd attempt to remove judge from Epic caseThe successful completion of the 1 trillion yuan special national bonds arrangement sends a strong signal to the market about China's commitment to driving economic transformation and promoting innovation-led growth. It highlights the government's proactive approach to financing key strategic industries and fostering the development of emerging sectors that will shape the future of the Chinese economy.
A cabin crew member has revealed why passengers are required to keep the window shades up during take-off and landing. If you've ever flown, you're familiar with the rule of having the shades up for taxiing, take-off, and landing, no matter the time of day. It turns out there's a critical safety reason behind this – and it's not just about enjoying the view. On TikTok, flight attendant Cher (@cherdallas) explained one of the reasons visibility outside the aircraft is necessary. "There are a couple of US airlines that still do this," she noted. "It's requiring you to open your window shade for a taxi, take-off and landing. "If you've ever had to do that and you're wondering why, just look at all of the news stories of pieces of the plane flying off or engines being on fire. If you think about where the flight attendants and pilots are sitting, [...] we do not have a clear vantage point of the wing.", reports the Mirror . "We can't see the entire plane from our seats. Airlines that require you to open your window shade are making sure that if something falls off, or something is on fire, or something is broken, that passenger's gonna see it and alert a crew member." The video sparked a flurry of comments, with one viewer remarking: "For us we were told it's to make sure the lighting in the cabin matches the lighting outdoors so that at the moment of a crash your eyes don't have to adjust to the difference of lighting inside vs. outside!". Meanwhile, another added: "Having only flown European airlines, I'm surprised the window shades thing isn't universal," while a third commented: "I always thought the window shades was to have your eyes adjusted to the light." It turns out both theories hold water. The necessity of having the shades up is indeed for safety reasons, and there are multiple ways that being able to see outside can contribute to passenger security. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport explains on its website: "If anything happens during take-off and landing – the most risky stages of every flight – then your eyes will already be used to the dark or the light outside, and you'll be able to react more quickly. That's also the reason why the lights in the cabin are dimmed for take-off and landing." The site further notes: "Another reason is that the cabin crew want to be able to see out during take-off and landing. If something goes wrong, then they can see if there is a problem with the engines or wings. And if the aircraft needs to be evacuated, you can see which side is safe to disembark from." ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities. We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all! To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice . Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community Join our Court & Crime community Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community Join our Northumberland community Join our County Durham community Join our Sunderland community Join our NUFC community Join our SAFC community Join our Great North Run community
Chiefs head to Pittsburgh on Christmas hoping to lock up the top seed in the AFC
As the investigation progresses and services are restored, Alibaba Group will continue to provide updates and support to those affected by the incident. The collective efforts of the company and its stakeholders will contribute to the resilience and reliability of Alibaba Cloud Computing's infrastructure in the face of unforeseen challenges.In the aftermath of the altercation, both the man and the woman involved in the incident expressed regret over the escalation of the situation. The man clarified that he had no intention of violating the woman's privacy and apologized for his heated response, while the woman acknowledged the need for clearer communication and understanding in such confrontations.We’ve got our Chelsea back – Enzo Maresca loving chants from fans after win
Sindh CM calls for constitutional protection of 1991 water accordKansas City (14-1) at Pittsburgh (10-5) Wednesday, 1 p.m., EST, Netflix. BetMGM NFL Odds: Chiefs by 2 1/2. Against the spread: Chiefs 7-8; Steelers 10-5 Series record: Steelers lead 25-14. Last meeting: Chiefs beat Steelers 42-21 in the first round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City. Last week: Chiefs beat Texans 27-19; Steelers lost to Ravens 34-17 Chiefs offense: overall (13), rush (15), pass (12), scoring (11). Chiefs defense: overall (3), rush (3), pass (17), scoring (3). Steelers offense: overall (19), rush (11), pass (25), scoring (12). Steelers defense: overall (11), rush (8), pass (20), scoring (7). Turnover differential: Chiefs plus-4; Steelers plus-16. WR Marquise Brown, who hurt his shoulder on the first play of the preseason and landed on injured reserve, made an impressive regular-season debut against Houston last week. “Hollywood” caught five passes for 45 yards, including an early 13-yarder that converted a fourth down and led to an eventual touchdown. But perhaps most importantly, Brown's mere presence kept Houston from double-teaming Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins and Travis Kelce all afternoon. LB T.J. Watt. The perennial All-Pro is dealing with an ankle injury and had a quiet game in the loss to Baltimore, finishing with just four tackles and didn’t have a single hit against Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Pittsburgh's best chance at pulling the upset relies heavily on disrupting Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes at every turn. To do it, Watt will need to do some Watt-like things. The 30-year-old leads the NFL in forced fumbles for a defense that thrives on takeaways. Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris against the Chiefs rush defense, which is ranked third in the NFL and allowing just 91.4 yards per game. The Chiefs held the Texans' Joe Mixon to just 57 yards rushing last week, the latest in a season-long trend of shutting down top running backs. The Browns' Nick Chubb had 41 yards the previous week, and the Ravens' Derrick Henry, the Falcons' Bijan Robinson and the Saints' Alvin Kamara are among those who have similarly struggled against Kansas City. Chiefs: LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring) and CB Chamarri Conner (concussion) are likely to miss a second straight game. DT Chris Jones (calf) and RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) are iffy after getting hurt against Houston. Steelers: WR George Pickens (hamstring) should return after missing the past three games. S DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin) may also be back after sitting the past two weeks. Starting CB Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and backup wide receiver/special teams ace Ben Skowronek (hip) are out. The Steelers have dominated the series, leading 23-14, but the Chiefs have won the past three games. That includes a 42-21 rout in their most recent matchup in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022 — the last game played by Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Prior to the Chiefs' three-game win streak, the Steelers had won three in a row, including an 18-16 victory in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017, that they won despite not scoring a touchdown. Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye with a win over the Steelers, or if the Bills lose or tie when they play the Jets on Sunday. ... Pittsburgh has dropped two straight, but can still earn its first AFC North title since 2020 by winning its last two games. ... The Chiefs can set a franchise record for regular-season wins with their 15th by beating Pittsburgh or Denver in their regular-season finale, breaking a tie with the 2020 and ‘22 teams. ... The Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes needs three TD passes to break Peyton Manning’s record of 244 for a QB's first eight seasons. Mahomes did not start as a rookie and has played just 111 games while Manning played 128 over that span. ... Mahomes has dominated the Steelers so far in his career, throwing 14 touchdowns without a pick while leading Kansas City to three victories in as many tries. ... Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins has an NFL-leading 177 straight games with a catch. TE Travis Kelce is second with 173. ... Kelce has 76 TD catches, tied with Tony Gonzalez for the Chiefs record. Kelce has 79 total TDs, four shy of Priest Holmes' franchise record. ... WR Xavier Worthy has five TD catches, tied for the sixth most by a rookie in Chiefs history. Worthy also has three TD runs, and the eight total is also tied for sixth most in franchise history. ... Chiefs DB Trent McDuffie has intercepted a pass in back-to-back games. He did not have a pick in his first 48 games. ... This is the 12th game in Steelers history to be played on Wednesday and the first since 2020, when a showdown with the Ravens was repeatedly postponed because of COVID-19 issues. Pittsburgh is 5-6 all time on Wednesdays. ... A healthy Pickens will likely give the Steelers passing game a serious boost. QB Russell Wilson is averaging just 167.7 yards per game in Pickens' absence, down from 271 yards per game with Pickens in the lineup. ... This is Pittsburgh's first regular-season game against a team with 14 wins. ... The Steelers have five wins against the defending Super Bowl champions since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. ... Pittsburgh is 26-12 in Weeks 17 and 18 since the start of the 1990 season, the second-most wins in the NFL over that span behind Green Bay (28). ... The Steelers have won seven straight games and 12 of their past 13 the week following a loss of at least 17 points. ... Pittsburgh leads the NFL with 31 takeaways. and has forced at least two turnovers 11 times. It might be championship week in your league, so why not turn to a championship quarterback. Mahomes has earned the benefit of the doubt even in a “down” season by his standards and with Pittsburgh missing its top cornerback and the pass rush slowed of late, give Mahomes a start against a team he has toyed with in his career. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Canada's Prime Minister Stands Firm in Response to Trump's Tariffs, Prepares Multiple StrategiesWe’ve got our Chelsea back – Enzo Maresca loving chants from fans after winDespite his initial reluctance, the little potato soon discovered the benefits of wearing cotton pants in such freezing temperatures. Not only did the pants provide him with much-needed insulation against the biting cold, but they also allowed him to move more freely and comfortably in the snow-covered terrain.
As Oscar announces his departure from the Chinese Super League, his legacy in the country will be one of growth, progress, and mutual respect. He may have come to China for the money, but he leaves with so much more – a deeper understanding of himself, a new perspective on football, and a lasting connection with a fan base that embraced him wholeheartedly. Oscar's journey serves as a reminder that success can come in many forms, and that true character is defined not by where you play, but how you play the game.BOSTON — Forty years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie rolled to his right and threw a pass that has become one of college football’s most iconic moments. With Boston College trailing defending champion Miami, Flutie threw the Hail Mary and found receiver Gerard Phalen, who made the grab while falling into the end zone behind a pair of defenders for a game-winning 48-yard TD. Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field during BC’s 41-21 victory over North Carolina before the second quarter on Saturday afternoon, the anniversary of the Eagles’ Miracle in Miami. “There’s no way its been 40 years,” Flutie told The Associated Press on the sideline a few minutes before he walked out with some of his former teammates to be recognized after a video of The Play was shown on the scoreboards. It’s a moment and highlight that’s not only played throughout decades of BC students and fans, but around the college football world. “What is really so humbling is that the kids 40 years later are wearing 22 jerseys, still,” Flutie said of his old number. “That amazes me.” That game was played on national TV the Friday after Thanksgiving. The ironic thing is it was originally scheduled for earlier in the season before CBS paid Rutgers to move its game against Miami, thus setting up the BC-Miami post-holiday matchup. “It shows you how random some things are, that the game was moved,” Flutie said. “The game got moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was the most watched game of the year. We both end up being nationally ranked and up there. All those things lent to how big the game itself was, and made the pass and the catch that much more relevant and remembered because so many people were watching.” There’s a statue of Flutie winding up to make The Pass outside the north gates at Alumni Stadium. Fans and visitors can often be seen taking photos there. “In casual conversation, it comes up every day,” Flutie said, when asked how many times people bring it up. “It brings a smile to my face every time we talk about it.” A week after the game-ending Flutie pass, the Eagles beat Holy Cross and before he flew off to New York to accept the Heisman. They went on to win the 49th Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. “Forty years seem almost like incomprehensible,” said Phalen, also standing on the sideline a few minutes after the game started. “I always say to Doug: ‘Thank God for social media. It’s kept it alive for us.”’ Earlier this week, current BC coach Bill O’Brien, 55, was asked if he remembered where he was 40 years ago. “We were eating Thanksgiving leftovers in my family room,” he said. “My mom was saying a Rosary in the kitchen because she didn’t like Miami and wanted BC to win. My dad, my brother and I were watching the game. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody remembers where they were for the Hail Mary, Flutie pass.”