can you play slots online Ismael Bennacer believes Milan ‘managed’ their emotions well in a , as he feels they could’ve also ‘conceded’ in a second half that saw the Giallorossi create dangerous chances. The Algerian midfielder returned to action four months after a serious injury and was ‘happy’ to be back, as he replaced Filippo Terracciano at half time and played the remaining 45 minutes. “I’m very happy to be back on the field, it was important for me because I worked really hard,” Bennacer told reporters at a post-match press conference “It’s never easy to recover from injuries like this. “It was a bit of a special match for me, we didn’t lose focus and managed our emotions well. We could have gone ahead, but we could have conceded a goal as well, in the end, we didn’t lose. “We have to look ahead because there’s an important goal to prepare for in the coming days. The 27-year-old had played his only minutes under coach Paulo Fonseca on the Serie A debut day against Torino and was back in what may have been the last game in charge for the Portuguese manager. Asked if he has found ‘problems’ in the team, Bennacer conceded they have ‘lost continuity’ and need to recover their ‘winning spirit’. “I won’t say there are problems within the team,” the midfielder continued. “We have new players, some of them young, and it’s up to us more experienced players to push the team. We’ve lost some continuity, but we need to find our winning spirit again. “For this, we just need work, patience, and the will to look forward.” The Rossoneri have won just two of their last five Serie A games and now sit eighth in the standings.

Orry Leaks Hilarious Candid Pics Of Janhvi-Shikhar, Khushi-Vedang, And Ananya. Check Out7 Japan Pavilion Startups Receive CES 2025 Innovation Awards ~ Including 1 Best of Innovation Honoree ~

Christmas unwrapped: Where to get your festive fix in SydneyUS agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer saysSanta Claus already came and went this holiday season, but a big bag of cash is still up for grabs. Friday's Mega Millions jackpot stands at an estimated $1.22 billion, making it the fifth-largest winning sum in the government-run game's history. Here are the winning numbers for Friday's drawing: 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and a MegaBall of 6 and a MegaPlier of 3x. The jackpot has been growing for more than three months. The last time someone hit the jackpot was on Sept. 10 after a player in Texas won $800 million. The $1 billion prize is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity with 30 annual payments. Winners almost always prefer the cash option, which for Friday night's drawing would be an estimated $549.7 million. The Mega Millions is played in 45 states, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. ET. If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, please call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak to a counselor. Help is also available via an online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org , and additional resources can be found at NCPG website.

Key Takeaways Workplace collaboration is evolving with digital tools and strategies. The integration of AI and cloud-based technologies enhances productivity. Adapting to new tools can boost team morale and effectiveness. Introduction to Modern Workplace Collaboration The rise of digital transformation has forever changed the landscape of workplace collaboration. Gone are the days when teamwork was solely confined to physical meeting rooms. Today, digital platforms and tools allow seamless collaboration across geographies and time zones, enhancing productivity and creativity. Recruiter software is one innovation at the vanguard of this shift, helping to streamline numerous HR procedures so that teams may concentrate on strategic goals rather than administrative duties. With technology’s continuous advancement, professionals now face a unique opportunity to rethink and redesign traditional workflows. These technologies facilitate daily operations and nurture an environment of constant learning and growth. As organizations embrace these changes, they lay the foundation for a more dynamic and resilient workforce. Digital Tools Transforming Teamwork The digital age has brought many tools designed to enhance teamwork and collaboration. Platforms like Trello, Asana, and Slack have become staples in professional settings, offering functionalities that range from project management to instant communication. These tools streamline workflow by organizing tasks and deadlines and ensuring transparent communication among team members. Choosing the proper collaboration tools is crucial to maximizing team output. These platforms help teams manage resources efficiently, maintain space for creativity, and ensure that every member is aligned with the project objectives. As technology develops, we should expect ever more advanced solutions to address the particular difficulties of contemporary cooperation. The Role of Cloud-Based Technologies Cloud-based technologies have revolutionized workplace collaborations by making resources accessible virtually anywhere. Tools like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are game-changers, especially in scenarios where remote or hybrid work settings are the norm. These services foster inclusivity and ensure that teams can work collaboratively without physical constraints by offering features that support real-time collaboration on documents and spreadsheets. Beyond document collaboration, cloud technology empowers teams to share and store data securely , facilitating knowledge sharing and long-term project sustainability. As more companies move their operations to cloud-based platforms, the need for scalable and secure infrastructure is growing, indicating these technologies’ vital role in the contemporary workplace. How AI is Enhancing Collaboration Artificial intelligence (AI) significantly impacts how teams communicate and coordinate by automating time-consuming tasks and providing deep insights into data patterns. AI-powered platforms can help analyze trends, offer predictions, and give actionable recommendations, elevating decision-making. The use of AI in the workplace is not only a fad; it is essential for businesses seeking to maintain their competitiveness. As Forbes highlighted, AI technology enhances collaborative efforts by allowing teams to focus on tasks that require human creativity and judgment while leaving repetitive functions to machines. This synergy between humans and technology opens new avenues for innovation and workplace efficiency. Overcoming Common Challenges While digital transformation offers numerous benefits, it also brings challenges, such as the steep learning curves associated with new technologies and potential resistance from employees accustomed to traditional methods. To overcome these obstacles, a deliberate strategy incorporating extensive training programs and fostering an environment at work that values candid criticism and open communication is necessary. Organizations that successfully navigate these challenges often see improved adoption rates and greater team cohesion as employees feel supported and empowered in transitioning to digital tools. Establishing an environment where technology is seen as an enabler rather than a disruptor is key to harnessing its full potential. Benefits of Improved Collaboration Optimized collaboration has numerous benefits, including enhanced innovation, quicker project turnaround times, and higher employee morale. Effective cross-departmental collaboration promotes harmony and understanding within a company, which may increase employee retention and job satisfaction. Organizations may foster diverse thinking by fostering collaboration, which brings together team members with varying experiences and skill sets to address challenges. This diversity of thought leads to more creative solutions and a more agile response to change, positioning companies to thrive in the fast-paced modern business landscape. Future Trends in Workplace Collaboration Looking to the future, innovations such as virtual reality (VR) and further AI integrations promise to redefine collaboration. VR technology, for instance, opens the door to immersive and interactive experiences that can enhance team engagement and productivity. Organizations that proactively adopt these cutting-edge tools can expect improved workflows and an energized workforce capable of excelling in a digital-first environment. Preparing for these trends involves continuous learning and adaptation, ensuring teams are well-positioned to leverage tomorrow’s technology fully.

Road wins take Olympiakos and Panathinaikos higher in Euroleague(Excerpted from ‘The Aftermath of War’ by Jean-Paul Sartre, translated by Chris Turner; with permission from Seagull Books) The End of the War People had been told to put out flags. They did not. The war ended in indifference and anxiety. Nothing had changed in everyday life. The booming of the radio, the bold type of the newspapers were not able to persuade us. We would have liked some sort of marvel, a sign in the heavens, to prove to us that peace had written itself into things. A puny gun coughed on a boring summer’s afternoon. People went by on the bridges and in the streets with lifeless eyes, busy with their chronic hunger and their own concerns. How are we, with our empty stomachs, to rejoice at the end of this war that just goes on ending and which, after ravaging our land, has gone off to die at the back of beyond, around those islands whose name reminds us of double almonds and family betting games. And what an abstract end. There may, it seems, be turmoil in Japan; the Japanese army is counter-attacking in Manchuria and the emperor and his captains speak of impending revenge; the Chinese are on the verge of civil war. And, in the background, immense emergent powers eye each other with some surprise and a formal coldness, weighing each other up and keeping a respectful distance, like those wrestlers who rapidly stroke each other’s forearms and shoulders before coming to grips. Yet certain men in their offices have decided the war is over. One of them announces it, speaking at a microphone, a piece of paper in his hand. To believe him, we would have had not to have learned to disbelieve the words of men who come to microphones with pieces of paper in their hands. It is not that one dares imagine he is lying. One merely thinks this whole business of war and peace unfolds at a certain level of truth: the truth of historical declarations, military parades and commemorative ceremonies. People look at each other with a vague sense of disappointment: is this all that Peace is? It isn’t Peace. Peace is a beginning. We are living through death throes. For a long time we thought War and Peace were two clearly distinct entities, like Black and White or Hot and Cold. It wasn’t true and today we know it. Between 1934 and 1939, we learned that Peace can end without war breaking out. We are familiar with the exquisite subtleties of armed neutrality, intervention and pre-belligerency. The movement from peace to war in our century is a matter of continuous gradations. On the most optimistic view, we are going to have to go through this process in the opposite direction. Today, 20 August 1945, in this deserted, starving Paris, the War has ended but Peace has not begun. Peace seemed to us like a return. A return of the roaring twenties, a return of French prosperity and greatness. In wartime, people always look forward to the peace of their youth: they confuse youth and peace. It is always a different peace that comes. The one that is vaguely in the air now, beyond the final storms, is an enormous world peace, in which France has only a very small place. The little gun that was coughing the other afternoon confirmed France’s slide—and that of Europe. A verdict delivered at the other end of the earth told us that the time of our shame and pain was at an end. All that remained was to say ‘thank you’. That meant we had to rebuild France, taking account of its new limitations. The veil of illusion that had masked its real level of importance for fifty years had been torn at the very moment of Japanese capitulation. We men of forty have been saying for some time that France has, above all, to resign itself to playing a minor role. But we are so used to seeing it in major ones that we speak of it not as an ageing actress, but as a star who, for some moral reason, would have to agree for a time to pass incognito. However, a more austere younger generation is coming up behind us, a generation better suited to the new tasks, because it has known only a humiliated France. These young people are the men of the Peace. We were the men of a lost battle, of a war that is fizzling out. Will we be stragglers in the coming years; will we be lost souls? This war’s end is also a little bit our own or, at least, it is the end of our youth. We believed, on no evidential basis, that peace was the natural state and substance of the universe, that war was merely a temporary agitation of its surface. Today we recognize our error: the end of the war is quite sim- ply the end of this war. The future has not yet begun: we no longer believe in the end of wars; and we are so used to the sound of arms, so benumbed by our injuries and hunger, that we no longer even quite manage wholly to wish for it. If someone told us tomorrow that a new conflict had broken out, we would say, with a resigned shrug, ‘That’s only to be expected.’ Moreover, among the best of men, I find a silent consent to war, something like a commitment to the full tragedy of the human condition.

A federal jury in Delaware that Qualcomm didn’t breach its agreement with Arm through its of Nuvia, a startup founded by three former Apple engineers. As and , the decision stems from a two-year-long legal battle that accused Qualcomm of misusing the chip designs Arm licensed to Nuvia before its acquisition. Despite delivering a win for Qualcomm, the jury couldn’t determine whether Nuvia breached its agreement with Arm, meaning the case can be tried again. “I don’t think either side had a clear victory or would have had a clear victory if this case is tried again,” US District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika said, according to . for $1.4 billion to bolster the company’s lineup of next-generation chips, like the Snapdragon X chips inside current Copilot Plus laptops. Still, testimony during the trial revealed that Qualcomm's internal documents also showed the company projected on payments to Arm. In 2022, after Qualcomm continued to pay its existing royalty fees to Arm, which were allegedly much lower than what Nuvia was paying. After the two failed to come to an agreement, Arm argued the designs licensed to Nuvia were no longer valid, and that Qualcomm should destroy the technology created with them. During an interview , Arm CEO Rene Haas couldn’t share much about the trial, but said, “The principles as to why we filed the claim are unchanged.” The jury ultimately sided with Qualcomm after viewing Arm’s internal documents that estimate Arm could’ve lost $50 million in revenue as a result of Nuvia’s acquisition, . This week, Nuvia co-founder Gerard Williams also testified that the startup only used “one percent or less” of Arm technology in its finished technology, . “The jury has vindicated Qualcomm’s right to innovate and affirmed that all the Qualcomm products at issue in the case are protected by Qualcomm’s contract with ARM,” Ann Chaplin, Qualcomm’s general counsel and corporate secretary, said in an emailed statement to . “We will continue to develop performance-leading, world class products that benefit consumers worldwide, with our incredible Oryon ARM-compliant custom CPUs.” reached out to Arm with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back. /

Expion360 Announces Departure of Chief Financial OfficerItalian journalist arrested in Iran: Rome Italian journalist Cecilia Sala. — Screenshot via X@ceciliasa/File ROME: Italy denounced on Friday the “unacceptable” arrest of an Italian journalist in Iran, who her employer said was being held in solitary confinement in Tehran ́s notorious Evin prison. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); Cecilia Sala was detained on December 19 by police in Tehran, the Italian foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that Italy ́s ambassador, Paola Amadei, had visited her earlier on Friday. Defence Minister Giudo Crosetto said on X that her arrest was “unacceptable”, adding that Italy was using “high-level political and diplomatic action” to try to secure her release. Chora Media, an Italian podcast publisher for which Sala worked, said she had left Rome for Iran on December 12 with a journalism visa, and was due to return on December 20. But she went quiet on December 19 and then did not board her flight. Shortly afterward she called her mother to say she had been arrested, it said. “She was taken to Evin prison, where dissidents are held, and the reason for her arrest has not yet been formalised,” Chora said in a statement.

After 25 years of negotiations, the EU and the South American trade bloc, Mercosur, finally reached an agreement this December. The promise? A trade boom, cheaper food for Europeans and cheaper cars for Latin American consumers. But there is a roadblock in the way of the agreement’s ratification: France. Vocally backed by Poland, Paris has positioned itself as a defender of EU farmers and a zealous environmentalist – at the expense of everyone else involved. Mercosur – a trade union established in 1991 by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and later joined by Bolivia – has been pursuing a deal with the EU that would create one of the world’s largest free trade zones with a market of over 700 million people. The agreement would remove tariffs: Europeans would get cheaper beef, soy, poultry, fruits, and other products from South America, while EU companies would benefit from lower costs for sales of cars, machinery, and chemicals to the South American bloc members. In order to protect EU farmers from getting pushed out of their own markets by foreigners, the parties have negotiated certain limits on how much beef, chicken and soy can flow freely into the EU. The agreement also includes rules to follow the Paris Climate Agreement on reducing emissions, and to tackle deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been very enthusiastic about the agreement. Her excitement comes against the backdrop of US President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to seemingly launch a new global trade war by imposing massive tariffs on various countries – potentially including Mercosur’s founding member, Brazil. “ We are sending a clear and powerful message,” von der Leyen told a joint press conference. “ In an increasingly confrontational world, we demonstrate that democracies can rely on each other. This agreement is not just an economic opportunity. It is a political necessity.” Aside from poking Trump, the political necessity could also be explained by the EU’s hopes for easier access to critical minerals available in the ground in Mercosur countries, which would stall China’s increasing influence in this sector. Von der Leyen happily sealed the deal with Mercosur on December 6, much to France’s dismay, and to her native Germany’s joy. Paris has vocally condemned the deal, warning that a flood of cheap beef and poultry from South America will devastate its farmers and pointing out that it allegedly doesn’t meet EU standards. Berlin, on the other hand, can’t wait to use the opportunity to boost sales in new markets. For the agreement to come into force, it needs to be ratified by all 27 EU members. France’s opposition prevents that from happening – and it has found an ally in Poland. Both countries are hoping that Italy will join their fight and create a blocking minority with them. France is the largest agricultural producer in the EU. Its farms produce key exports like wine, dairy, and beef, which are all staples of French culture and commerce. Therefore, these farmers hold significant political influence. Historically, they’ve been capable of bringing the country to a standstill through protests, roadblocks and strikes – a variety of tools they’ve used successfully to pressure the government. Rising rural discontent in the country has provided fuel for President Emmanuel Macron’s political rivals. Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Rally, has consistently positioned herself as a hardline defender of French farmers. She even showed up on a tractor during one of their protests at the beginning of this year. She advocates for protectionism and portrays the EU as detrimental to the nation’s agriculture. Initially, Macron tried to emphasize the benefits of European integration for the farmers. But as Le Pen’s movement gained traction among rural voters by criticizing EU regulations, the president started introducing adjustments to his rhetoric. In 2021, the French government presented exemptions allowing sugar beet farmers to use neonicotinoid pesticides, which are banned at the EU level due to their harmful effects on bees. During farmers’ protests in early 2024, Macron acknowledged the challenges posed by EU regulations, mentioning, however, that “blaming everything on Europe” would be “too easy.” Lastly, the French president has led the opposition against the Mercosur trade agreement, citing farmers’ grievances. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally had a startling victory in the European election this summer, primarily due to rural sympathies. The current political dynamics in France, marked by the recent government collapse and stalled agricultural legislation, have intensified the rivalry between her and the president. As farmers’ frustrations grow, both leaders are hoping to grasp their support, with Le Pen using the situation to challenge Macron’s leadership. The National Rally leader has consistently opposed the Mercosur deal as well – to no surprise, as it falls in line with her general protectionist stance and broader criticism of EU practices. While for Le Pen this rhetoric is consistent, Macron seemingly chose this particular issue to challenge the EU in the way that could get him most political gains from his rival’s usual electorate. Both politicians have cited the French farmers’ concerns that allowing cheaper Mercosur goods to enter the market would devastate them: “ Integrating Mercosur will drive prices down further and push consumers to buy even cheaper. We, sustainable farmers, must work three times harder to maintain our margins by processing and selling locally,” André Trives, a Slow Food farmer in southern France, has said . The Irish government has estimated that the beef imported from Mercosur under the new trade deal will mainly consist of high-quality cuts, like premium steaks, which are sold at higher prices in Europe. Because of this, prices for these high-end beef cuts could drop by 3.3% to 7.2% as South American imports create more competition in the market. Essentially, consumers would pay less for meat. While the French are world-famous protesters, consumers rarely organize and protest as effectively as farmers. The blame for the price hikes is often dispersed across a variety of issues – inflation, geopolitics and such. Farmers, on the other hand, are politically united, which makes them far harder to ignore. The same applies to Poland. The presumed beef price drop may not be as overwhelming as it seems. In order to protect European farmers, the EU has limited Mercosur beef imports to 99,000 metric tons – split into 55% fresh beef and 45% frozen beef – with a 7.5% tariff. This quota is just over 1% of Europe’s annual 8 million metric tons of beef consumption, amounting to 221 grams per EU citizen – about one steak per year. Any imports beyond this quota face higher EU tariffs , keeping the impact on the market minimal. Brazil even complained about the EU only “half-opening” the doors to its market. That said, Macron’s opposition to the Mercosur deal may play well in the streets of rural Normandy, but not throughout the EU. Apart from the farmer problem, the French resistance is largely based on Mercosur’s green record – deforestation in the Amazon and the use of pesticides which are prohibited in the EU. President Emmanuel Macron has labeled the current agreement as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that it does not sufficiently address environmental standards. French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard has also spoken out against the trade agreement, citing health concerns linked to hormone-treated meat. In an interview with TF1, she said: “We don ’ t want this agreement because it ’ s harmful. It will bring in products, including substances banned in Europe, at the cost of deforestation. It will unfairly compete with our domestic production.” The rainforest could allegedly be threatened by the significant expansion of cattle farming under the new agreement. Yet Brazil alone produces 11 million tons of beef annually, so the agreed quota of 99,000 tons, shared among the Mercosur countries, will not result in an overwhelming increase in beef production. On top of that, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has pledged to eliminate illegal deforestation by 2030, aligning with EU demands. with regard to pesticides, the Mercosur bloc will have to follow European regulations – if the food meets EU standards, it will enter the market. If not, then not. But the French have refused to believe it. France’s Carrefour, one of the world’s largest supermarket chains with stores in over 30 countries, including Brazil and Argentina, has recently sparked controversy. Its CEO, Alexandre Bompard, said that “in solidarity with the ag world, Carrefour is committed to not selling any meat from Mercosur” due to the “risk of overflowing the French market with meat production that does not meet requirements and standards.” Brazil’s Animal Protein Association (ABPA) was quick to fire back, calling the statement “clearly protectionist” and insisting Mercosur produces “high-quality products that meet all the criteria established by health authorities.” Bompard later retracted his comments, even praising Brazilian producers. Macron’s environmental stance regarding the issue seemingly falls apart as well – especially given that France’s carbon footprint isn’t innocent either, with emissions from livestock farming and agriculture among the EU’s highest. Macron’s opposition to the Mercosur agreement comes at a price: while the French farmers enjoy support on the issue from the two main sides of the French political spectrum, both EU businesses and Latin American consumers are losing out. The deal could save €4 billion annually for European exporters following the tariff cuts on cars, machinery, chemicals and wine. Right now, EU businesses are facing tariffs as high as 35% on cars and 18% on machinery when selling to countries like Brazil or Argentina. Companies like Volkswagen, Renault, and BMW have to absorb these costs or pass them on to consumers. The high prices obviously make the South American market less appealing for European producers. While EU companies are sidelined, global competitors like China are expanding their trade relationships with the market of hundreds of million people in Latin America, facing fewer trade barriers and supplying affordable cars and electronics. Without the deal, European businesses are missing out on the desires of emerging middle-class consumers in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay who want European cars, luxury products, and technology. Latin American consumers face inflated prices for those European goods. A new car in Brazil is far more expensive than in Europe because of the tariffs on top of logistics. A Volkswagen or Renault vehicle in Brazil can cost 30-40% more than it does in Europe. Pharmaceuticals also face tariffs of 14% or more. European designer products remain far more expensive, even if we’re talking about fast fashion companies. The French resistance is keeping European cars, technology, medicine and other goods from millions of South Americans. China and other competitors are stepping in to fill the void – something that the EU would probably want to avoid geopolitically at all costs. Both sides of the Atlantic are paying the price for Macron’s domestic political gamble. If Paris and Warsaw succeed in dragging Rome into forming the blocking minority for the Mercosur deal, they could potentially help Beijing increase its economic grasp on the globe.

Key Trends in the Solar Passenger Car Market with Insights from Hanergy Holding Group, EVX Pty Ltd, Ford Motor Company, Lightyear, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Sono Motors, Aptera

By DAVID A. LIEB Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. Related Articles National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ A Florida law bans children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also requires parental consent for minors to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create fabricated images or videos in political ads . In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification . The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. Many states have passed laws limiting or protecting abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents to cover abortions with no deductible , copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with “binary triggers” that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use marijuana for medical purposes . To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn’t banned texting while driving , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay tax on their monthly rent , thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona’s nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is cutting individual income taxes by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. “I think it’s very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens,” Young said. Associated Press writers Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder set sights on Hornets

Percentages: FG 42.029, FT .571. 3-Point Goals: 2-17, .118 (Olsen 1-4, Gyamfi 1-1, Stuelke 0-1, Affolter 0-2, Feuerbach 0-3, Mallegni 0-3, McCabe 0-3) Blocked Shots: 7 (Heiden 3, Stuelke 1, Affolter 1, Mallegni 1, Stremlow 1) Turnovers: 14 (O'Grady 2, Affolter 2, Feuerbach 2, Stremlow 2, Stuelke 1, Olsen 1, Ediger 1, Heiden 1, Guyton 1, Mallegni 1) Steals: 7 (Affolter 2, Olsen 1, Ediger 1, Gyamfi 1, Mallegni 1, Stremlow 1) Technical Fouls: None Percentages: FG 27.419, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 7-30, .233 (J.Villa 3-9, Wallack 3-8, E.Villa 1-3, Tuhina 0-3, Mendes 0-2, Abraham 0-3, Gardner 0-2) Blocked Shots: 5 (Covill 2, Wallack 1, Mendes 1, Gardner 1) Turnovers: 20 (E.Villa 3, Wallack 3, Alsina 3, Abraham 2, Dart 2, Covill 1, Tuhina 1, J.Villa 1, Mendes 1, Kpetikou 1, Chiu 1, Gardner 1) Steals: 9 (Tuhina 2, Gardner 2, E.Villa 1, J.Villa 1, Abraham 1, Alsina 1, Chiu 1) Technical Fouls: None A_14,998 Officials_Cameron Inouye, Missy Brooks, Lauren NiemieraAmerica's longest-running fundraising campaign that helps 27 million people kicks off at the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game ARLINGTON, Texas , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Salvation Army invites communities across the country to join in the spirit of giving with the launch of its 134th Red Kettle Campaign, officially kicking off during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game tomorrow against the New York Giants, airing on Fox at 3:30 p.m. CST . This year's Red Kettle Kickoff will feature a halftime performance by Grammy Award-winning ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year country music star Lainey Wilson and a special guest, marking the start of a season dedicated to helping those in need through various Salvation Army programs. Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/the-salvation-army/9294953-en-salvation-army-red-kettle-campaign-launches-dallas-cowboys-lainey-wilson Wilson will perform hits from her new album, "Whirlwind," to highlight both the need for giving this holiday season and the impact of The Salvation Army's work in communities across the country. Since teaming up in 1997, The Salvation Army and the Cowboys have helped raise more than $3 billion for the campaign. "It's an honor to be part of the Red Kettle Kickoff tradition with The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys. The holiday season is about giving back and coming together, so we can make a real difference in people's lives this Christmas," said Wilson. "Bring your bell-bottoms and some bells for ringing because we're about to get this show on the road!" For nearly three decades, the Dallas Cowboys and The Salvation Army have joined forces on Thanksgiving Day to amplify the mission of the Red Kettle Campaign, which funds vital services for individuals and families facing hardship. Last year alone, funds raised through the campaign supported over 27 million people with resources such as food, shelter, holiday gifts, and emergency financial assistance throughout the year. "The Red Kettle Campaign is a wonderful reminder that small acts of generosity can make a big difference," said Charlotte Jones , chief brand officer and co-owner of the Dallas Cowboys and former national advisory board chairperson for The Salvation Army. "Every dollar donated helps The Salvation Army bring hope and support to those in need, and we couldn't be more appreciative to Lainey Wilson for helping us kick off this important effort. She perfectly captures the heart of this campaign, inspiring fans to make a difference for those who need it most." As the nation's largest private provider of social services, The Salvation Army faces a unique challenge this year. "With five fewer kettle giving days this year, donations are needed more than ever to meet the increasing demand for essential resources, especially as families continue to face economic challenges," said Commissioner Kenneth Hodder , national commander of The Salvation Army. " Lainey Wilson's heart for giving back resonates deeply with the spirit of the Red Kettle Campaign. We hope her performance inspires people to come together to support those facing hardship this season." The official launch of the Red Kettle Campaign means that thousands of volunteers will be ringing bells at kettles across the country located outside storefronts at Walmart, Sam's Club, Kroger Family of Stores, Hobby Lobby, Mardel, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, JCPenney, Food Lion, Redner's Markets, Boscov's, Dillard's, Big Lots, Macerich Shopping Centers, and hundreds of local partners. At each location, people can donate cash, coins, and checks or digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo. Additionally, people can support their neighbors through their local Salvation Army by: Every donation stays in the community to provide help and hope for those in need. To learn more, give help, or get help, please visit www.SalvationArmyUSA.org . About The Salvation Army The Salvation Army annually helps more than 27 million people in America overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination in nearly every ZIP code. By providing food, shelter, eviction prevention assistance, emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, after-school and summer youth programs, spiritual enrichment, and more, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 6,400 centers of operation around the country. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org . Follow us on X @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood. About the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation In the area of community service, the mission of the Dallas Cowboys and Jones Family Foundation is built upon the philosophy of helping those who don't have the strength, resources, or means to help themselves, with a primary focus on a partnership with The Salvation Army. Because the Cowboys organization has enjoyed immense and unprecedented success, the Jones family feels a very strong obligation to take the visibility, energy, and celebrity of one of the world's most powerful sports franchises and channel these dynamic forces toward the bigger purpose of making a difference. Recognized as one of the world's most generous families, the Joneses enlist the talents, skills, and resources of all the Cowboys players, coaches, cheerleaders, and members of the organization to provide a unique and cutting-edge approach to community outreach. More information about the Dallas Cowboys and the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation can be found at https://www.dallascowboys.com . About Lainey Wilson Country music trailblazer Lainey Wilson has captured the hearts of music fans, the excitement of the industry and the recognition of her peers, while keeping her boots firmly planted on the ground. In the midst of a landmark year, Wilson won Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year ("Wildflowers and Wild Horses") at the 58th Annual CMA Awards, which she also hosted with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning , and is nominated for Best Country Album at the upcoming Grammy Awards for her acclaimed new album, Whirlwild . "The best release of her career" ( The Tennessean ), Whirlwind debuted at #8 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, and #13 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart, marking Wilson's first top 10 and top 15 entry respectively. The prolific, sought-after songwriter has also scored seven No. 1 hits and has become a triple threat within entertainment as singer, songwriter and actor, making her acting debut in season 5 of Paramount's hit series Yellowstone . Earlier this year, Wilson was also inducted into The Grand Ole Opry and recently wrote and recorded "Out of Oklahoma ," her original song for Universal's blockbuster Twisters . Media Contact: Brooke McGriff 940.363.0336 Cell brooke@genuinearticlecomms.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-salvation-armys-annual-red-kettle-campaign-launches-with-the-help-of-the-dallas-cowboys-country-star-lainey-wilson-and-special-guest-302317802.html SOURCE The Salvation Armycasino online game app 。

Nurse practitioner joins Franciscan Network in Munster Internal and Pediatric Medicine Nurse Practitioner Arshia Mohiuddin is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Munster, according to a release. Mohiuddin earned her Master of Science degree from Purdue University Northwest in Hammond. In addition to internal medicine and pediatrics, the release said, her clinical interests include diabetes management, annual checkups and screenings, general health maintenance with education, balanced diet, nutritional counseling and weight management and chronic disease management with a focus on high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Mohiuddin is accepting new patients at Franciscan Physician Network Munster Medical Center, 761 45th Ave. Call 219-924-2500. Former GOP candidate named to state post Governor-elect Mike Braun, one of Indiana’s two Republican senators, has announced his intent to appoint Jennifer-Ruth Green as Indiana’s Secretary of Public Safety, according to a release. Green, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, combat veteran and current Deputy Commander of the 11th Operations Group at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, brings military and cyber security experience to the role, the release said. She holds a master’s degree in aeronautics from Liberty University, the release said. In 2022, she was defeated by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, in a bid to become the first GOP member of Congress from the 1st District since the early 1930s. CLH expands accounting team CLH, CPAs & Consultants has announced that Kayla Gentry has joined the firm as a staff accountant, according to a release. Gentry will draw from her prior experience to execute her responsibilities in preparing tax returns, conducting bookkeeping and providing general accounting support for clients, the release said. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Purdue Northwest in 2022 and her Master of Business Administration from the same university in 2024. She is currently pursuing her certified public accountant (CPA) credential, the release said. Travail With Us expands services Travail With Us has expanded services to include adult day services, which offers seniors and adults structured, supervised activities, according to a release. Located at 5437 Broadway in Merrillville, the Travail With Us team has implemented programming while supporting caregivers and offering a reliable solution for those seeking respite or assistance for a loved one while they are at work or handling other obligations, the release said. New activities have included interactive exercising games, movie screenings, guest presenters and Bible study, the release said. The program runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call 219-777-0279. PNW College of Technology nationally recognized Purdue University Northwest’s College of Technology earned a 2024 Academia Circle of Excellence Award from the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consults (EC-Council), according to a release. PNW’s College of Technology has partnered with the EC-Council since 2019 by incorporating two of the council’s accredited certifications, Certified Ethical Hacker and Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, into program curricula, the release said. The certifications qualify students and professionals to understand proactive network protection and digital forensics analysis techniques. The award recognizes an institutional partner that showcases the highest levels of cybersecurity education, training and leadership as evidenced by alumni success and engagement and continuous program development. Spine surgeon joins Franciscan in Chesterton, Michigan City Dr. Wajeeh Bakhsh recently joined the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Chesterton and Michigan City, according to a release. Bakhsh attended medical school at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed his residency at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. He completed his fellowship training in complex orthopedic spine surgery at Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center in Chicago. He is accepting both virtual and in-person patient visits at Franciscan Physician Network’s Coolspring Health Center, 1225 E. Coolspring Ave., Suite 200 in Michigan City and Franciscan Emergency Center Chesterton, 770 Indian Boundary Road in Chesterton. Call 219-861-8161. Lake Community Foundation makes fall cycle awards Lake County Community Foundation awarded more than $239,400 to 23 organizations during the fall grant cycle, according to a release. The awards, which are distributed through the Foundation’s Transform Lake County fall grant cycle, are intended to strengthen and empower nonprofits, neighborhoods, and residents in Lake County, the release said. Organizations receiving awards include: Coates Inc., Community Help Network Inc., Crisis Center, Dunes Dog Training Club Inc., Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana Inc., For the Love of the Arts Inc., HealthVisions, Hearts in Motion, Indiana Legal Services Inc., Indiana State Literacy Association, MAKS Corp., Meals on Wheels of NWI, Miller Beach Arts & Creative District, Opportunity Enterprises Inc., Paladin Inc., Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaiʻi, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, Save the Dunes, The Caring Place Inc., Top 20 Inc., Tradewinds Services Inc., Urban League of Northwest Indiana and White’s Residential and Family Services Inc.Top Trump, Biden, and Harris Advisers Spill the Tea on 2024BINGE-WATCHING a CSI TV show marathon when she was home sick from high school planted a seed in Tori Berezowski's mind to work in forensics. Login or signup to continue reading At 16-years-old the Canadian was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and she thought maybe she could become a doctor or a nurse to help people. "I knew I wanted to help people in a really meaningful capacity," she said. That's when she combined her initial interest in forensic science and her desire to help others and made the decision to study anthropology as a major during her undergraduate studies. "It brought those two worlds together because although we're working with deceased individuals the work we do can help with the police and their investigations, but we can also connect people back with their loved ones," she said. She fell in love with the field, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and then a Master of Science from the University of Toronto, Canada. In 2020 she boarded a plane to Australia on a Vice-Chancellor's PhD Training Scholarship to take her next study step in Newcastle. "I had never been to Australia before this and it was a bit of a crazy decision looking back but now my whole life is here," she said. "Having grown up in Canada where six months of the year is winter, Newcastle was such a beautiful change with its beaches." On Monday, December 16 the 30-year-old will graduate from the University of Newcastle with a PhD in Law - combining aspects of forensic anthropology, criminology and geophysical sciences. "I've had a really great time, and oh man I did it," she said. Supervised by criminologist and forensic scientist Dr Xanthé Mallett, Ms Berezowski's PhD research helped tackle the problem of locating hidden graves by trialling two innovative technologies for searching underground: ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). "These are graves that are associated with homicides. An offender can choose to get rid of the body, and one of the ways to do that is in a grave - which is quite advantageous because graves are so hard to find," she said. "One of my favourite parts of my degree was the field work that I got to do. I got to go out to the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research and do my data collection, which was always a really good time." "I also got to be connected with some really great researchers." She said she felt relieved to be graduating and hopes to secure a job as an academic. "I really love teaching and my dream role would be some kind of lecturing position at a university either in forensic science or in crimonology," she said. Dr Berezowski joins more than 3700 students graduating from the instituion this week. Graduates will join a network of more than 185,000 alums who stretch across 154 countries worldwide. Alanna is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on education. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at alanna.tomazin@austcommunitymedia.com.au Alanna is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on education. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at alanna.tomazin@austcommunitymedia.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. 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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Tickets for the Indiana vs. Notre Dame College Football Playoff game are a hot commodity. Notre Dame’s football stadium has 77,622 seats. At minimum, 3,500 of those seats will be filled with cream and crimson because that’s the number of tickets Indiana University’s athletic department has to sell. Out of the 3,500 tickets, IU has 25% of them are already spoken for. “Members of the band as well as the relatives of the players themselves,” said Jeremy Gray, a spokesman for IU Athletics . The rest of the tickets for the Dec. 20 game will be put into a lottery. Some students will have better odds in the lottery than others. “We actually have the scan-in rate of every student season ticket holder, so the more you’ve actually shown at games over the course of your Indiana experience the better your chance in the lottery,” Gray said. Attendance rates for alumni ticket holders will also matter in that lottery, but so will financial contributions to the school. “My guess is if your name is on a building here, you’re probably going to get tickets to the IU-Notre Dame football game,” Gray said. People who don’t get tickets through the lottery will have to go to the secondary ticket market, and the sticker shock is real. On Stubhub , the get-in-the-door price is $914 for one ticket for the nose bleeds, uncharted territory for IU football fans. “I’ve never seen that,” Gray said. The IU-Notre Dame game is the most expensive tickets for any of the first round games of the College Football Playoff. Tennessee at Ohio State is $306. SMU at Penn State is $97. Clemson at Texas is $296. Those tickets might be cheaper, though, because all of those stadiums can hold 100,000 people while Notre Dame can only hold 77,622. “I think that’s a driving factor. I think another driving factor is the novelty of Indiana making it. You’ve got a lot of alums and people interested in those programs within driving distance of the stadium, so I really think those three factors are really driving up the price,” Gray said. At 8 p.m. Dec. 20, when the first overhead crowd shot is visible, we’ll find out how many Hoosier fans ponied up major cash to see the Hoosiers taken on the Irish.Who is Pam Bondi, Trump’s new pick for attorney general?

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller sat for a long interview with the NCAA as it looked into concerns about unusual gambling activity, his lawyer said Friday amid reports a federal probe is now under way. “Hysier Miller fully cooperated with the NCAA’s investigation. He sat for a five-hour interview and answered every question the NCAA asked. He also produced every document the NCAA requested,” lawyer Jason Bologna said in a statement. “Hysier did these things because he wanted to play basketball this season, and he is devastated that he cannot.” Miller, a three-year starter from South Philadelphia, transferred to Virginia Tech this spring. However, the Hokies released him last month due to what the program called “circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech.” Bologna declined to confirm that a federal investigation had been opened, as did spokespeople for both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, reported Thursday that authorities were investigating whether Miller bet on games he played in at Temple, and whether he adjusted his performance accordingly. “Hysier Miller has overcome more adversity in his 22 years than most people face in their lifetime. He will meet and overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead," Bologna said. Miller scored eight points — about half his season average of 15.9 — in a 100-72 loss to UAB on March 7 that was later flagged for unusual betting activity. Temple said it has been aware of those allegations since they became public in March, and has been cooperative. “We have been fully responsive and cooperative with the NCAA since the moment we learned of the investigation,” Temple President John Fry said in a letter Thursday to the school community. However, Fry said Temple had not received any requests for information from state or federal law enforcement agencies. He vowed to cooperate fully if they did. “Coaches, student-athletes and staff members receive mandatory training on NCAA rules and regulations, including prohibitions on involvement in sports wagering," Fry said in the letter. The same week the Temple-UAB game raised concerns, Loyola (Maryland) said it had removed a person from its basketball program after it became aware of a gambling violation. Temple played UAB again on March 17, losing 85-69 in the finals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. League spokesman Tom Fenstermaker also declined comment on Friday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – December 9, 2024) – Santa Claus, along with the board of directors of Santa Comes to Bay Street (“SCTBS”), committee members, sponsors and volunteers, joined Robert Peterman, Chief Commercial Officer, Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), to close the market to celebrate their 21st anniversary of SCTBS gift bagging event to support families in Toronto shelters. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYrMW_KivZM The 21st annual “Santa’s WorkShop” gift bagging event is taking place at the Design Exchange in Toronto. Through the event and the generous support of Bay Street, Santa Comes to Bay Street will deliver personalized gifts and essentials to 17 different shelters and three outreach programs, totalling over 2300 people in the GTA. Thanks to all of the generous supporters, volunteers and board members over the years, they have been able to distribute over $2M in gifts and necessities. For more information or to make a donation please visit www.sctbs.ca To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/233112 #distroThe 16th annual Halifax International Security Forum, with an emphasis on defending democracy through global security, concluded Sunday with a renewed united approach in uncertain political times. Weekend meetings featured an examination of NATO's role in the world, including Canada's contribution. There were also repeated calls for a unified voice and for nations to stand firm in their support of Ukraine. “What we have done here, is basically given everybody a sense of optimism.,” said Peter Van Praag, founding president of the Halifax International Security Forum. “Together we’ve got this. We are going to choose victory, and we are going to work together as a community of democracies, with the brave Ukrainians and push Russia out of Ukraine.” At the three-day event, there was no shortage of anticipation and uncertainty surrounding the second Donald Trump presidency. "Donald Trump is going to do what is best for America,” said Van Praagh. “And in this case, what is best for America is staying in Ukraine and staying in the fight.” Those who attended Halifax International Security Forum appeared unified in their optimism about maintaining the tradition of strategic cooperation among world democracies. CTVNews.ca Top Stories Second Cup closes Montreal franchise over hateful incident Second Cup Café has closed one of its franchise locations in Montreal following allegations of hateful remarks and gestures made by the franchisee in a video that was widely circulated online during a pro-Palestinian protest on Thursday. ‘It’s pretty emotional:’ N.B. family escape fire, plan to rebuild home A family in Riverview, N.B., is making plans for Christmas and the future after escaping a fire in their home on November, 14. 'Still working full time on it:' One year later police continue to search for gunman in Caledon double murder linked to ex-Olympian One year after a couple was shot and killed in their Caledon home in what investigators have described as a case of mistaken identity, Ontario Provincial Police say they are still trying to figure out who pulled the trigger. 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Calgary Festival of Lights kicks off 38th year as snow arrives just in time For a while there, Lions Festival of Lights chair Otto Silzer was worried there wouldn’t be any snow to decorate the light show. Snowfall warning lifted as threat of more flurries fades from Sunday forecast The snowfall warning for Calgary has been lifted after a Saturday snowstorm socked the city, and the sun came out while the city dug its way out of some pretty deep drifts. Revival of Pospisil, power play fuels Flames to 4-3 shootout win over Wild A week ago, the Calgary Flames were winning despite Martin Pospisil's slump and the NHL club's weak power play. Ottawa Police lay more charges against pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Ottawa Three people were arrested during pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Ottawa this weekend. Cargo ship runs aground in St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ont. A large cargo ship remains stuck in the St. Lawrence River after running aground on Saturday afternoon. Ottawa city councillor concerned over sprung structure debate as protests continue Sunday marked the latest in a series of protests against plans to build tent-like "sprung-structures" to house asylum seekers in Ottawa. Montreal Second Cup closes Montreal franchise over hateful incident Second Cup Café has closed one of its franchise locations in Montreal following allegations of hateful remarks and gestures made by the franchisee in a video that was widely circulated online during a pro-Palestinian protest on Thursday. Montreal votes to end water fluoridation in West Island by 2025 Montreal has voted to stop adding fluoride to tap water in six demerged West Island cities by 2025, a decision that has ignited backlash from local mayors and health experts. CTV News Montreal at Six for Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024 CTV News Montreal at Six for Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024 with anchor Kelly Greig. Edmonton Electric cars a 'hot commodity' in Alberta despite misconceptions Electric vehicles are off Alberta car lots, despite what experts say are some ongoing misconceptions about the technology. Podkolzin snaps scoring slump in Oilers win over Rangers Vasily Podkolzin vowed there's more to come after his first goal with the Edmonton Oilers. Podkolzin scored the game’s first goal and Connor McDavid had two goals and an assist for the Oilers in a 6-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Canada Post down eight million parcels amid strike as talks carry on over weekend Canada Post says it has seen a shortage of more than eight million parcels amid an ongoing strike that has effectively shut down the postal system for nine days compared with the same period in 2023. Atlantic ‘It’s pretty emotional:’ N.B. family escape fire, plan to rebuild home A family in Riverview, N.B., is making plans for Christmas and the future after escaping a fire in their home on November, 14. Nova Scotia retirement community asks people to ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ The Berkeley retirement community is asking people to “Be a Santa to a Senior” by making a donation until December 9 at one of their four locations in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Man arrested in Saint John, N.B., for weapons offences Saint John Police Force in Saint John, N.B., arrested a 30-year-old man for weapons related offenses on Saturday. Winnipeg 'I had no idea that they even existed': Family reunites with 80-year-old letters hidden in Winnipeg home The family of a soldier who fought during the Second World War has been reunited with letters written to him 80 years ago. Winnipeg postal workers still collecting letters to Santa amid ongoing strike Here's how Winnipeg families can still deliver their letters to Santa amid the ongoing Canada Post workers' strike. Have you seen Bostyn? Winnipeg police search for missing teenager Winnipeg police are asking the public to help find a 15-year-old girl who went missing Saturday afternoon. Regina Regina slammed with second snowstorm inside a week Regina is digging itself out yet again – mere days after it was slammed with the first major snowfall of the season. Dinosaur discovery reveals more about ancient Saskatchewan Researchers from McGill University have discovered a first of its kind fossil specimen for Saskatchewan. Regina police searching for answers after man injured by firearm The Regina Police Service (RPS) is searching for information after a man was injured in a firearm- related incident early Saturday morning. Kitchener Kitchener auto repair shop hosts fundraiser for children with disabilities, joined by hockey legend Wendel Clark An auto repair shop based in Kitchener held a special fundraiser Saturday to help children and youth with physical disabilities, with former Maple Leafs captain Wendel Clark in attendance. Colleges and universities face job cuts, deficits amid international student cap Groups representing post-secondary institutions say this may just be the tip of the iceberg, as dramatic drops in international student enrolment exacerbate some schools' existing budget shortfalls. Walking pneumonia is on the rise in Canada, but what about Ontario? Doctors and emergency rooms across Canada have said they are seeing an unusual rise in walking pneumonia cases, particularly in children, but what about here in Ontario? Saskatoon Saskatoon schools will be closed Monday following heavy snowfall Saskatoon Public Schools (SPS) has announced that all schools will be closed on Monday due to heavy snowfall and hazardous road conditions. Saskatoon digs out from another snowfall Saskatoon residents are digging out from another major snowfall that blanketed the city overnight. 'I'm excited to take it on': Saskatoon businesses weigh in on GST exemption Some local businesses say the federal government’s recent plan to pull back GST on several items is a positive initiative, but it should have been rolled out earlier in the holiday season. Northern Ontario Northern Ont. First Nation files claim against Ontario and Newmont mining Taykwa Tagamou Nation, a Cree First Nation located within Treaty 9, has filed a statement of claim against the Province of Ontario and Newmont, a mining company that owns properties in Timmins. Senior killed in dog attack in northern Ont. An 81-year-old was killed in a dog attack this week in Bonfield, Ont. Police believe three dogs were involved. More carrots pulled from grocery store shelves in expanded recall for E. coli: CFIA The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced an expanded recall on carrots over risks of E. coli O121 contamination, according to a notice issued Friday. London World Champion Jennifer Ogg of London, Ont. among inductees in Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame When Jennifer Ogg signed up an Ironman race in Cozumel, Mex., she had no idea that months later, she’d get the call to be inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame. Two displaced in $200,000 house fire The London Fire Department was on scene of a house fire in the city on Sunday. Three people in hospital due to collision Barrie Driver seriously injured after crashing into tree: OPP An overnight crash in Tiny Township is under investigation, where a car allegedly crashed into a tree and both occupants were taken to hospital. First snowfall hits region Simcoe Muskoka saw its first signs of snow of the season Sunday morning, with a mix of flurries and rain leading to worsening road conditions and police reporting multiple collisions. Local high school basketball team wins provincial championship The Maple Ridge Ravens girls’ basketball team won a gold medal at the Girls AAA OFSAA Championships this weekend in Brampton, defeating the Mother Teresa Spartans 46-42 in comeback fashion. Windsor How a senior's efforts to craft hats for students knitted his community together A Windsor, Ont., man knitting hats for kids in need has inspired his neighbours to make sure more than just ears are staying warm. Increased police presence in Tecumseh Tecumseh will see more police around Ryegate Drive and Lemire Street, as per OPP. CPKC Holiday Train coming to Chatham-Kent, Windsor-Essex If you were hoping to see the CPKC Holiday Train this year, you’re in luck! The train is chugging through Canada and the U.S., stopping in Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex on Monday. Vancouver Island B.C. man awarded $800K in damages after being injured by defective bear banger A B.C. man has been awarded nearly $800,000 in damages as compensation for injuries he sustained from a defective bear banger, according to a recent court decision. BC Hydro says power almost fully restored after B.C. windstorms British Columbia's electric utility says it has restored power to almost all customers who suffered outages during the bomb cyclone earlier this week, but strong wind from a new storm has made repairs difficult in some areas. Fall legislative sitting scrapped in B.C. as Speaker Chouhan confirmed to serve again There won't be a sitting of the British Columbia legislature this fall as originally planned. Kelowna Man in hospital following targeted shooting in Kamloops Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops. Police cleared of fault in fatal 2023 crash in B.C.'s Interior British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year. B.C. woman sentenced for stealing $14K in funds raised for schoolkids A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail. Lethbridge Snow routes declared active for Lethbridge starting at 9 a.m. Monday Snow routes were declared active in Lethbridge, the city posted on its website. Starting at 9 a.m. Monday, parking restrictions will be in effect for streets declared to be snow routes. Hurricanes road misery continues with 6-3 loss to Winterhawks in Portland The Hurricanes dropped their third straight game on Friday night, losing 6-3 to the Winterhawks in Portland. Emergency water main break disrupts traffic on 5 Avenue North in Lethbridge City crews are working to repair an emergency water main break on 5 Avenue North between 28 Street North and 29 Street North Saturday morning. Sault Ste. Marie Hockey rivalry goes to the next level on both sides of the Sault border Practice this week for the Sault College Men’s Hockey Team was taken to another level, as the Cougars face off against cross-border rival Lake Superior State University this weekend. After a year of struggle, centre that helps Sault youth to move to a building with heat Sault-based charity Save Our Young Adults, or SOYA, will soon move to a new home -- for good reason. $3M donation to help repair arena in Elliot Lake The City of Elliot Lake said Thursday it has received a $3-million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for the Centennial Arena restoration. N.L. As N.L. firm pivots, scientists say Canada's green hydrogen dreams are far-fetched A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen. Canadian leads group pushing Vatican for zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy. Newfoundland wind-to-hydrogen company eyes data centre as international market lags A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized. Local Spotlight The Thriftmas Special: The benefits of second-hand holiday shopping The holidays may be a time for family, joy and togetherness, but they can also be hard on the wallet. Video shows octopus 'hanging on for dear life' during bomb cyclone off B.C. coast Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas. B.C. man reunites with Nova Scotia stranger, 56 years after being saved from drowning After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that. 'It's nice to just talk to people': Toronto podcaster prank calling Nova Scotians Toronto radio and podcast host Jax Irwin has recently gone viral for videos of her cute -- and at times confusing -- phone conversations. Lotto Max jackpot hits $80M for second time ever The Lotto Max jackpot has climbed to $80 million for just the second time in Canadian lottery history. 'I'm just tickled pink': Childhood friends from New Brunswick named Rhodes Scholars Two young women from New Brunswick have won one of the most prestigious and sought-after academic honours in the world. B.C. man to cycle length of New Zealand to raise funds for Movember Stretching 3,000 kilometres from the tip of New Zealand to its southernmost point, with just a bicycle for transport and a tent to call home, bikepacking event Tour Aotearoa is not for the faint of heart. 'She's a people person': Urban chicken inspires positivity in B.C. neighbourhood When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours. 'A little piece of history': Winnipeg homeowner finds 80-year-old letters hidden in walls When George Arcioni began renovating his kitchen last summer, he didn’t expect to find a stack of letters hidden in the wall behind his oven. Politics Montreal police chief expects additional arrests following anti-NATO protest Montreal's police chief says he expects more arrests stemming from a Friday anti-NATO protest that turned violent, with smashed windows and burned cars in downtown Montreal. Canada 'already past due' on NATO defence spending target: U.S. House intelligence committee chair Mike Turner The chair of the United States House intelligence committee says Canada needs to accelerate its defence spending targets, especially with its military in 'desperate' need of investment. Minister calls GST holiday, $250 cheques for 18 million Canadians 'a targeted approach' Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien is calling the federal government's proposed GST holiday and $250 rebate cheques a 'targeted approach' to address affordability concerns. Health Scurvy resurgence highlights issues of food insecurity in Canada's rural and remote areas A disease often thought to only affect 18th century sailors is reemerging in Canada. 'It's an optimistic space:' Inside Toronto's new drug withdrawal centre Joshua Orson sits on the edge of a bed in a bright, clean room, thinking about his journey from addict to health-care worker. More carrots pulled from grocery store shelves in expanded recall for E. coli: CFIA The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced an expanded recall on carrots over risks of E. coli O121 contamination, according to a notice issued Friday. Sci-Tech Canadian neurosurgeons seek six patients for Musk's Neuralink brain study Canadian neurosurgeons in partnership with Elon Musk's Neuralink have regulatory approval to recruit six patients with paralysis willing to have a thousand electrode contacts in their brains. Fast-forming alien planet has astronomers intrigued Astronomers have spotted orbiting around a young star a newborn planet that took only three million years to form, quite swift in cosmic terms. Enslaved on OnlyFans: Women recount torment and sexual servitude OnlyFans says it empowers content creators, particularly women, to monetize sexually explicit images and videos in a safe online environment. But a Reuters investigation found women who said they had been deceived, drugged, terrorized and sexually enslaved to make money from the site. Entertainment ANALYSIS | How Jussie Smollett's overturned conviction is similar to Bill Cosby's The criminal cases of actors Jussie Smollett and Bill Cosby, both found guilty before their convictions were overturned, differ in details but share some parallels. 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' make gravity-defying theatre debuts With a combined US$270 million in worldwide ticket sales, 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' breathed fresh life into a box office that has struggled lately. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 Chuck Woolery, host of 'Wheel of Fortune,' 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble' who accused the U.S. government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Business Elon Musk has never been richer. He's now worth nearly US$350 billion The richest person in the world got even richer Friday, with Musk’s net worth hitting a record US$347.8 billion, Bloomberg reported. U.S. court tosses hostile workplace, pay discrimination claims against BlackBerry A U.S. court has closed the door on "hostile work environment" and wage discrimination claims made by a former BlackBerry Ltd. executive who accused the company's CEO of sexually harassing her and then retaliating against her when she reported the behaviour. Maple Leaf Foods launches defamation lawsuit against Canada Bread and Grupo Bimbo Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has launched a defamation lawsuit against Canada Bread Co. Ltd. and its parent company Grupo Bimbo. Lifestyle School bullies have moved online. But is banning all under-16s from social media really the answer? The Australian government introduced what it's called 'world-leading' legislation in parliament this week to wipe social media accounts – including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X – from the devices of children under 16. Ants marching into spotlight as hobby of ant-keeping rises in popularity They are tiny insects that are often overlooked or stepped on, but ants are marching not only into people’s backyards, but also their homes, as the popularity of ant-keeping rises in Canada. These royal residences are opening their doors this Christmas Not so long ago, if you wanted to spend Christmas with the royal family, the only way to get close was to press your nose up to the TV screen during the monarch’s Christmas speech. Sports Jannik Sinner leads Italy past the Netherlands for its second consecutive Davis Cup Jannik Sinner clinched Italy’s second consecutive Davis Cup title and capped his breakthrough season by beating Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor. Rico Carty, who won the 1970 National League batting title with the Atlanta Braves, dies at 85 Rico Carty, who won the 1970 National League batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Max Verstappen wins fourth straight World Championship as George Russell takes victory in Las Vegas Max Verstappen claimed the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship at Las Vegas Grand Prix that saw George Russell take victory for Mercedes. Autos Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles recalled in Canada over power loss risk Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles from Kia, Hyundai and Genesis are being recalled in Canada over a potential power loss issue that can increase the risk of a crash. Northvolt says Quebec battery plant will proceed despite bankruptcy filing Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost. Canadian drivers own their poor road habits: survey Canadian drivers are regularly in a hurry to get to their destination and a majority are willing to take unnecessary risks on the road, according to the results of a new survey. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris ,was among the dignitaries that graced the wedding fatiha of the daughter of the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) , Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Rofiat, which was held in Ilorin, Kwara state on Friday. Also in attendance were the editor of Blueprint Newspapers (Daily), Alhaji AbdulRahaman Abdulrauf, and top media executives. The long stretch of the Ode Alfa-Nda -Oke-kura area of Ilorin along which the Onilu compound is situated was busy with human and vehicular movements as dignitaries thronged the venue of the wedding fatiha. It was indeed a convergence of colour and class as dignitaries from Abuja and different parts of the country converged on Ilorin for occasion. Prior to the Friday event, the (bride’s night), a pre-wedding cultural event, had preceded the main event where family members, friends, and well-wishers observed the traditional pre-wedding event. As of the time of filing in this report, the wedding reception was going on at the stadium complex, Ilorin, where guests were being treated to high level hospitality as the ceremony remains the talk of the town among this weekend’s social events taking place in Ilorin.If things finally settle, a purchase by Pakistan of 40 advanced J-35A stealth fighter jets from China could be a game-changing deal. If a final agreement is reached, it would make Pakistan the only operator of these fifth-generation multi-role aircraft other than China. The deal would also constitute an initial export of Beijing’s most advanced military jets. The J-35A is the second fifth-generation stealth fighter in China for air superiority and multi-mission use. The twin-engine jet, designed with a combination of air-land-sea operations in mind, is an advanced aircraft close to the U.S.-made F-35. Reports said it would be this very warplane technology that would be used to replace Pakistan’s old fleet of F-16s and Mirage jets. According to the South China Morning Post, Pakistan’s Air Force has already approved the acquisition. If finalized, China is expected to deliver all 40 jets within two years. With its defense industry primed for mass production, Beijing does not rely on foreign components for the J-35A. Did you know? Pakistan will be the first and only country in the world, apart from China, to possess a squadron of the stealth J-35 multi-role fighter jets. This would dramatically strengthen Pakistan’s air defense and shift the regional power balance. But it also raises questions about Islamabad’s financial capability. Amid a deep economic crisis and reliance on IMF and World Bank bailouts, experts speculate that China may offer another loan to fund the deal. Pakistan already owes substantial debt to Beijing, which has modernized its military over the years. Top Chinese military brass, including General Zhang Youxia, paid a visit to Pakistan for closed-door talks with Army Chief General Asim Munir. The discussions reportedly focused on regional security and ways to increase bilateral defense cooperation. While seemingly keen, there is still sovereignty on the cards. Pressure by China to deploy security forces in Pakistan, especially along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has been debated. Beijing has kept mum on the deal, but its possible approval may have significant geopolitical implications. Also, see: Allu Arjun summoned by Hyderabad police for questioning regarding stampede incidentSambhal: Three people were killed as protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid clashed with security personnel on Sunday, November 24. The protesters tried to torch vehicles and pelt stones at the police who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd. “Gunshots were fired by the miscreants and some pellets struck our policemen. We are investigating where the shots were fired from, particularly in the Deepa Sarai area,” an officer said. The Moradabad divisional commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said. “Three people identified as Naeem, Bilal and Nauman have been killed. Some policemen including the gunner of the superintendent of police have also been injured.” The visuals from the scene show Hindutva men with the survey team, chanting “Jai Shri Ram.” At least two Muslim youths were allegedly killed during a police action in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, November 24 as they protested against a survey team at the Shahi Jama Masjid. The visuals from the scene show Hindutva men with the survey team, chanting “Jai Shri Ram.” pic.twitter.com/OqE6kHSaZQ Tension has been brewing in Sambhal since Tuesday when the Jama Masjid was surveyed on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site. Ten people have been detained and a probe has been launched, an official said, adding some people even tried to set afire some motorcycles parked on the roadside. The official said the accused in the violence would be booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). According to the local administration, a second survey by an “Advocate Commissioner” as part of a court-ordered examination into the disputed site started around 7 am and a crowd began gathering there. “Some miscreants in the crowd threw stones at the police team. The police used minor force and tear gas to bring the situation under control,” Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said. He said those who engaged in stone pelting and those who incited them will be identified and action taken against them. “We are in the process of registering an FIR in the incident. The accused will also be booked under the NSA,” the police officer added. District officials said the survey work was planned in the morning to avoid interference with prayers in the mosque that is usually held in the afternoon. The survey team concluded its work for the day shortly after the stone pelting incident occurred. District Magistrate Rajendra Pesia said, “Some miscreants resorted to stone pelting but the situation is peaceful now.” “Around 10 people have been detained in connection with the stone-pelting incident. They are being interrogated,” he added. Uttar Pradesh police chief Prashant Kumar told PTI that the situation was under control in Sambhal. “We are monitoring everything. All police and civil administration officials are handling the situation on the spot. They are patrolling those areas. Anti-social elements will be identified very soon and strict action will be taken against them,” the director general of police (DGP) said. Videos of youth throwing stones at police, purportedly near the site of the survey in Sambhal have surfaced on the Internet. Videos of youths throwing stones at police, purportedly near the site of the survey in Sambhal have surfaced on the Internet. Additional police units have been deployed near the mosque to ensure law and order and officials are closely monitoring the situation. pic.twitter.com/btN0CysLEL Additional police units have been deployed near the mosque to ensure law and order and officials are closely monitoring the situation. On Saturday, the Sambhal district administration bound down 34 people on a bond of up to Rs 10 lakh on apprehension of a breach of peace. Subdivisional Magistrate Vandana Mishra told PTI on Saturday that among the people bound down is Mamlukur Rahman Barq, the father of the Samajwadi Party’s Sambhal MP Zia ur Rahman Barq. Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is a petitioner in the case, had said the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered the constitution of an “Advocate Commission” to survey the mosque. The court has said that a report should be filed after conducting a videography and photography survey through the commission, he had said. The Central and Uttar Pradesh governments, the mosque committee and the district magistrate of Sambhal have been parties in the petition concerning the mosque, Jain said last Tuesday. Vishnu Shankar Jain and his father Hari Shankar Jain have represented the Hindu side in many cases related to places of worship, including the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer for the Hindu side, told PTI on Friday that in his petition filed in the court, he mentioned that “Baburnama” and the “Ain-e-Akbari” has confirmed that a Harihar temple was at the site where the Jama Masjid now stands. He also claimed that the temple was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at the BJP , saying the ruling party, government and the administration orchestrated the violence “to divert attention from electoral malpractice”. At a press conference in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said, “A serious incident occurred in Sambhal. A survey team was deliberately sent in the morning to disrupt discussions about the elections. The intention was to create chaos so that no debate on election issues could happen.” “I don’t want to go into the legal or procedural aspects, but the other side was not even heard. This was intentionally done to provoke emotions and avoid discussions on election rigging,” he said. “What happened in Sambhal was orchestrated by the BJP, the government and the administration to divert attention from electoral malpractices,” the former UP chief minister alleged. Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq had objected to the developments. “The Jama Masjid of Sambhal is historical and very old. The Supreme Court had given the order in 1991 that whatever religious places are there in whatever condition since 1947, they will remain at their places,” he had said. The next date for hearing in this case is January 29.casino online game download apk 。

Richard Parsons, one of corporate America's most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76. Parsons, who died at his Manhattan home, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited "unanticipated complications" from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. The financial services company Lazard, where Parsons was a longtime board member, confirmed his death. Parsons' friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder's company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder's board for 25 years. "Dick was an American original, a colossus bestriding the worlds of business, media, culture, philanthropy, and beyond," Ronald Lauder said in a statement on behalf of the Lauder family. David Zaslav, the CEO of Time Warner successor Warner Bros. Discovery, hailed Parsons as a "great mentor and friend" and a "tough and brilliant negotiator, always looking to create something where both sides win." "All who got a chance to work with him and know him saw that unusual combination of great leadership with integrity and kindness," Zaslav said, calling him "one of the great problem solvers this industry has ever seen." Parsons, a Brooklyn native who started college at 16, built a track record of steering big companies through tough times. He returned Citigroup to profitability after turmoil from the global financial crisis and helped restore Time Warner after its much-maligned acquisition by internet provider America Online. Parsons was named to the board of CBS in September 2018 but resigned a month later because of illness. Parsons said in a statement at the time that he was already dealing with multiple myeloma when he joined the board, but "unanticipated complications have created additional new challenges." He said his doctors advised him to cut back on his commitments to ensure recovery. "Dick's storied career embodied the finest traditions of American business leadership," Lazard said in a statement. The company, where Parsons was a board member from 2012 until this month, praised his "unmistakable intelligence and his irresistible warmth." "Dick was more than an iconic leader in Lazard's history — he was a testament to how wisdom, warmth, and unwavering judgment could shape not just companies, but people's lives," the company said. "His legacy lives on in the countless leaders he counseled, the institutions he renewed, and the doors he opened for others." Parsons was known as a skilled negotiator, a diplomat and a crisis manager. Although he was with Time Warner through its difficulties with AOL, he earned respect for the company and rebuilt its relations with Wall Street. He streamlined Time Warner's structure, pared debt and sold Warner Music Group and a book publishing division. He also fended off a challenge from activist investor Carl Icahn in 2006 to break up the company and helped Time Warner reach settlements with investors and regulators over questionable accounting practices at AOL. Parsons joined Time Warner as president in 1995 after serving as chairman and chief executive of Dime Bancorp Inc., one of the largest U.S. thrift institutions. In 2001, after AOL used its fortunes as the leading provider of Internet access in the U.S. to buy Time Warner for $106 billion in stock, Parsons became co-chief operating officer with AOL executive Robert Pittman. In that role, he was in charge of the company's content businesses, including movie studios and recorded music. He became CEO in 2002 with the retirement of Gerald Levin, one of the key architects of that merger. Parsons was named Time Warner chairman the following year, replacing AOL founder Steve Case, who had also championed the combination. The newly formed company's Internet division quickly became a drag on Time Warner. The promised synergies between traditional and new media never materialized. AOL began seeing a reduction in subscribers in 2002 as Americans replaced dial-up connections with broadband from cable TV and phone companies. Parsons stepped down as CEO in 2007 and as chairman in 2008. A year later AOL split from Time Warner and began trading as a separate company, following years of struggles to reinvent itself as a business focused on advertising and content. Time Warner is now owned by AT&T Inc. A board member of Citigroup and its predecessor, Citibank, since 1996, Parsons was named chairman in 2009 at a time of turmoil for the financial institution. Citigroup had suffered five straight quarters of losses and received $45 billion in government aid. Its board had been criticized for allowing the bank to invest so heavily in the risky housing market. Citigroup returned to profit under Parsons, starting in 2010, and would not have a quarterly loss again until the fourth quarter of 2017. Parsons retired from that job in 2012. In 2014 he stepped in as interim CEO of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers until Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took over later that year. "Dick Parsons was a brilliant and transformational leader and a giant of the media industry who led with integrity and never shied away from a challenge," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. Parsons, a Republican, previously worked as a lawyer for Nelson Rockefeller, a former Republican governor of New York, and in Gerald Ford's White House. Those early stints gave him grounding in politics and negotiations. He also was an economic adviser on President Barack Obama's transition team. Parsons, whose love of jazz led to co-owning a Harlem jazz club, also served as Chairman of the Apollo Theater and the Jazz Foundation of America. And he held positions on the boards of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Parsons played basketball at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received his law degree from Albany Law School in 1971. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and their family.

Closing marks second significant acquisition from RA Capital's Raven incubator in 2024, and first acquisition of a company built by Raven from a technology platform in-licensed from a large pharmaceutical company BOSTON , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RA Capital Management, LP (RA Capital), a multi-stage investment manager dedicated to evidence-based investing in public and private healthcare, life sciences, and planetary health companies, today announced that AbbVie has closed its $1.4 billion acquisition of RA Capital's portfolio company Aliada Therapeutics. Aliada's lead investigational asset is ALIA-1758, an anti-pyroglutamate amyloid beta (3pE-Aβ) antibody, which is in development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial. ALIA-1758 utilizes a novel blood-brain barrier-crossing technology that enhances delivery of targeted drugs into the central nervous system. Johnson & Johnson (through its venture capital arm, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.), RA Capital, and Raven (RA Capital's healthcare incubator) co-founded Aliada and co-led the series seed financing in 2021 to advance the MODELTM platform created by Johnson & Johnson scientists that was licensed to Aliada at its inception. "Congratulations to the Aliada and AbbVie teams and our fellow investors on the close of this transaction," said Joshua Resnick , MD, Senior Managing Director at RA Capital Management and former board director at Aliada. "The acquisition of Aliada is the second significant acquisition of a Raven-grown company this year, joining Novartis' $1 billion upfront acquisition of radiopharmaceutical developer Mariana Oncology in May." "Delivering therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier with a low-volume, subcutaneous injection would be revolutionary for treating Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders, and has long been a dream in the field," said Laura Tadvalkar , PhD, Managing Director at RA Capital Management and former board chair at Aliada. "We look forward to following ALIA-1758's progress through the clinic, as AbbVie advances this important medicine for Alzheimer's disease patients." About Raven Raven is RA Capital Management's healthcare incubator. Raven's experienced team of scientists, operators, and innovators bring deep sector expertise, insight and executional capabilities across therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, and services. Raven builds companies: from originating and incubating new ideas to accelerating compelling innovations and rejuvenating promising assets. About RA Capital Founded in 2004, RA Capital Management is a multi-stage investment manager dedicated to evidence-based investing in public and private healthcare, life sciences, and planetary health companies. RA Capital creates and funds innovative companies, from private seed rounds to public follow-on financings, allowing management teams to drive value creation from inception through commercialization and beyond. RA Capital's knowledge engine is guided by our TechAtlas internal research division, and Raven, RA Capital's company creation team, offers entrepreneurs and innovators a collaborative and comprehensive platform to explore the novel and the re-imagined. RA Capital has more than 175 employees and over $10 billion in assets under management. The companies presented herein were selected to demonstrate a potential successful outcome of a company being incubated within our Raven incubator. They are not intended to represent a complete picture of RA Capital's portfolio, its exposures, risks or potential for positive or negative returns. Past performance is not indicative of future results. SOURCE RA Capital Management, LPLONDON (AP) — Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run in the Premier League to six games on Friday. It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count. Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance. Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury. One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago. The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees. Arsenal was hosting Ipswich in Friday's other game in the Premier League, ___ AP soccer: The Associated PressBill Clinton is hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson saysWho are the favorites to win Golden Globes? | Streamed & Screened podcast

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Centoni, EVP and Chief Customer Experience Officer at Cisco, Brings Proven Expertise in Elevating Customer Success PLEASANTON, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Workday, Inc . (NASDAQ: WDAY), a leading provider of solutions to help organizations manage their people and money , today announced the election of Liz Centoni, executive vice president and chief customer experience officer at Cisco, to its board of directors. Centoni is a seasoned leader who has a passion for leveraging technology to drive customer success and deliver unparalleled experiences. Throughout her career, Centoni has been spearheading initiatives that have significantly enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. "Liz's passion for championing customer success aligns perfectly with our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences, making her an ideal addition to our Board," said Carl Eschenbach , CEO, Workday. "Her expertise will be instrumental in ensuring that we continue to exceed customer expectations as we innovate and grow." Centoni has held a range of senior engineering and strategy roles during her 24 years at Cisco. In 2024, she led the company's $28 billion acquisition of Splunk, positioning Cisco at the forefront of the AI revolution. Centoni was also instrumental in developing Cisco's responsible AI framework, and has advocated for equity in tech at events including World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting. She is an active mentor and sponsor of underrepresented groups, including serving as Cisco's global executive sponsor for the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program. "Joining Workday's board is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a company that shares my passion for empowering people and organizations through innovative technology and AI," said Liz Centoni , executive vice president and chief customer experience officer, Cisco. "I'm eager to leverage my experience to further strengthen Workday's customer-centric approach and contribute to its continued growth." Centoni's appointment is effective as of today. About Workday Workday is a leading enterprise platform that helps organizations manage their most important assets – their people and money . The Workday platform is built with AI at the core to help customers elevate people, supercharge work, and move their business forever forward. Workday is used by more than 10,500 organizations around the world and across industries – from medium-sized businesses to more than 60% of the Fortune 500. For more information about Workday, visit workday.com . © 2024 Workday, Inc. All rights reserved. Workday and the Workday logo are registered trademarks of Workday, Inc. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements regarding Workday's plans, beliefs, and expectations. These forward-looking statements are based only on currently available information and our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. If the risks materialize, assumptions prove incorrect, or we experience unexpected changes in circumstances, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements, and therefore you should not rely on any forward-looking statements. Risks include, but are not limited to, risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our most recent report on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K and other reports that we have filed and will file with the SEC from time to time, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. Workday assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release, except as required by law. Any unreleased services, features, or functions referenced in this document, our website, or other press releases or public statements that are not currently available are subject to change at Workday's discretion and may not be delivered as planned or at all. Customers who purchase Workday services should make their purchase decisions based upon services, features, and functions that are currently available. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workday-appoints-liz-centoni-to-its-board-of-directors-302321567.html SOURCE Workday Inc.

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NoneNotre Dame's Danny Nelson scores twice, defending champ US beats Latvia 5-1 in world junior hockey OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Notre Dame forward Danny Nelson scored twice, Western Michigan’s Hampton Slukynsky made 25 saves and the defending champion United States beat Latvia 5-1 on Saturday in the world junior hockey championship. Canadian Press Dec 28, 2024 3:51 PM Dec 28, 2024 4:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Notre Dame forward Danny Nelson scored twice, Western Michigan’s Hampton Slukynsky made 25 saves and the defending champion United States beat Latvia 5-1 on Saturday in the world junior hockey championship. The United States improved to 2-0 in Group A play, while Latvia dropped to 1-1 a day after stunning Canada with a 3-2 victory in a shootout. Boston College’s Ryan Leonard, Denver’s Zeev Buium and Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante also scored for the Americans. They will be back in action Sunday at Canadian Tire Centre against Finland, then close group play Tuesday night against Canada. Davids Livsics scored for Latvia. Linards Feldbergs stopped 36 shots after making 55 saves against Canada and stopping all eight attempts in the shootout. In the only other game of the day, Czechia beat Kazakhstan 14-2 at TD Place. Czechia and Sweden are both 2-0 in Group B. Matej Mastalirsky, Vojtech Hradec and Jakub Stancl had hat tricks, with Hradec and Stancl also each assisting on two goals. ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports 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 Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Junior Hockey World Juniors: Stancl, Hradec, Mastalirsky's hat tricks help Czechia rout Kazakhstan Dec 28, 2024 3:44 PM 'Let's not panic': Canada picks up the pieces after ugly Latvia loss at world juniors Dec 28, 2024 2:08 PM 'Big blow': Canadian defenceman Matthew Schaefer ruled out of world juniors Dec 28, 2024 11:14 AMWhat Tinubu must do after signing investment deal with Brazil firm emergesIs Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughing

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Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to FranceCHRISTINE McGuinness has left fans of The Weakest Link in disbelief after she made a sweeping statement on the show. Christine , 36, took part in a celebrity 'Party Special' of the BBC quiz and managed to scrape through to the third round. But after getting two questions wrong, she was voted out by her fellow celebrities. Host Romesh Ranganathan then broke it to Christine that she had in fact been the weakest link of the round. After walking backstage, however, fans were stunned by a claim the mum-of-three then made. Christine said: "It's really intense when you're actually there in the studio. READ MORE ON THE WEAKEST LINK "I watch this from home and get all the answers right all of the time." Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter , fans were quick to share their amusement. One wrote: "Sorry Christine, forgive me but I'm not buying that you get 'all of the questions right, all of the time at home'.." Another agreed: "Me neither!" Most read in Reality And a third simply wrote: "Good grief." During the third round, Christine had been asked: "In milestones, in 2024 Willie Mullins became the first trainer to have 100 Cheltenham Festival winners in which sport?" She replied: "Running." The correct answer was horse racing . Host Romesh had also asked her: "In TV, the comedians who in 2018 began appearing on a series subtitled Gone Fishing are Bob Mortimer and Paul who? Christine thought about it but then answered: "Bob Mortimer and Paul... Pass" Romesh told Christine the correct answer was 'Whitehouse'. There was some, success, however. "In hiking, the national Three Peaks Challenge involves climbing Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and which other mountain?" Christine was asked. Without hesitation, she quickly - and correctly - replied: "Snowdon." But unfortunately for Christine, it was not enough. Unlike in many other countries, such as the US, HMRC allows cash prizes from competitions and the National Lottery to be tax-free. However, in order for the money to be seen as from a 'competition', there has to be a skill-based element, such as a quiz question, or the option of free entry. This is why some competitions ask incredibly simple questions that even a five-year-old could answer, as they are trying to get around the requirement to offer a free entry option. She received the majority of votes to leave and was booted out thanks to her fellow celebs Babatunde Aléshé, Louisa Lytton and Richie Anderson . Admitting defeat, Christine - who was previously married to comedian and TV host Paddy McGuinness - told Romesh: "I'm really happy I got this far and I was possibly The Weakest Link in that round?" Romesh cut in: "You were the weakest link, yeah." Christine continued: "It' my time to go but I've loved it and would have kept playing." The author, TV personality and former Miss Liverpool was also joined on The Weakest Link by Scarlett Moffatt , Seann Walsh and Paul Potts. READ MORE SUN STORIES Gogglebox alumni Scarlett ended up winning £1,760 for The Samaritans. Earlier in the Party Special of the BBC game show, comedian Seann had slammed his co-stars after he was prematurely voted out by them.49ers attempt to bounce back and boost their postseason chances as they visit Green Bay

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Grace Clinton’s early goal proved to be the winner (Martin Rickett/PA) Grace Clinton’s early finish proved the winner as England concluded 2024 with a 1-0 victory over Switzerland in a friendly at Bramall Lane. Continuing preparations for next summer’s title defence at the Euros by taking on the team who will be hosting the tournament, a much-changed, youthful Lionesses side went in front in the eighth minute when Clinton buried the loose ball after Manchester United team-mate Millie Turner had headed against the post. England were unable to add to that despite creating a number of chances, including debutant Laura Blindkilde Brown being denied by Swiss goalkeeper Elvira Herzog. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Opposite number Hannah Hampton then did well to tip a Meriame Terchoun shot over the crossbar, before Georgia Stanway cracked a shot against Herzog’s post in stoppage time. Boss Sarina Wiegman had spoken about wanting to experiment in the two friendlies with which England were finishing the calendar year, and named a starting XI showing 10 changes from Saturday’s 0-0 draw with the United States at Wembley and lining up with three central defenders. It also featured a considerable amount of youth, including two 21-year-olds handed bows in Blindkilde Brown and Ruby Mace, and another, Aggie Beever-Jones, making her first start. The sole survivor from the weekend’s match was Jess Park, whose free-kick led to the early goal as it was flicked against the post by Turner – another first-time England starter – and Clinton – another 21-year-old – fired in from close range on the follow-up. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. As the hosts dominated the ball, Maya Le Tissier miscued from a good position to shoot wide, and Gabby George, on her first international appearance since 2018, lofted an effort off-target and saw a cross pushed away by Herzog. Park and Le Tissier produced further unsuccessful attempts, before Hampton was called into action to make a comfortable save towards the end of the first half, gathering Sydney Schertenleib’s shot from outside the box. The interval saw Alessia Russo, scorer of the memorable backheeled finish at the stadium when England beat Sweden 4-0 in the semi-final of their triumphant 2022 Euros campaign, come on for Park, and she headed wide from George’s cross four minutes into the second half. Jessica Park attempts a shot (Martin Rickett/PA) Switzerland then threatened when Iman Beney got past Turner and hit a shot that Hampton parried, before England returned to the front foot with Blindkilde Brown’s strike being turned behind by Herzog and Clinton slicing wide. There was further work for Hampton as she got down to save substitute Nadine Riesen’s strike and produced a fine stop to divert Terchoun’s shot over. It was the closest Pia Sundhage’s visitors went, and in added time Stanway, who had come on for Blindkilde Brown, went even closer, hitting the post moments after putting another effort into the side-netting.None

Business Leader Chooses to Live and Work in Downtown St. Paul Mark Henneman, longtime leader of the investment advisory firm, has undergone three major transitions in his life since 2022. Two of them demonstrate his confidence in the future of downtown St. Paul, which has been beset by a . For two decades, Henneman served in a variety of leadership roles at Mairs & Power, which was founded in St. Paul in 1931 by George Mairs Jr. Much of Henneman’s time was spent working in the firm’s office in the First National Bank Building in downtown St. Paul. When Henneman was CEO, the firm conducted an extensive study process to identify a new office location. Sites outside of St. Paul were considered, but the firm’s leadership . In 2022, the Mairs & Power office moved from First National to the 25th floor of Wells Fargo Place at 30 East 7th Street. This year, Henneman has experienced two major changes in his life. In October, . Henneman will remain with the firm as chairman through the end of 2026. In late summer, Henneman and his wife moved from a single-family home to a condo in downtown St. Paul. In a recent interview at the Mairs & Power office, Henneman talked with about the decision to live downtown. “I love downtown St. Paul,” Henneman said. “The things that we love about it are the thriving arts [scene.]” Henneman and his wife enjoy theater and music offerings downtown, which include events at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. “My wife and I, we just walk to all these different venues,” he said. He noted substantial investments that have been made in cultural venues downtown. “They’re vast and that’s just created a great way of life for us.” Henneman isn’t naïve about the fact that downtown faces economic and social challenges. He also recognizes that not everybody views downtown St. Paul the way that he does. In some instances, when people learned that he now lives downtown, Henneman said he got reactions such as: “Why would you move downtown? It’s dangerous.” Often, he said, the people who have the harshest views of downtown St. Paul spend little or no time there. “The impressions of downtown St. Paul are not the reality of downtown St. Paul,” Henneman said. “We’re very comfortable down here. We know there are areas you don’t want to go to at night. But that was true where we lived before.” Henneman is among the business, government, and nonprofit leaders who serve on the board of the , which is a coalition that’s focused on making downtown a better place to live, work, and play. “There is a homeless issue for sure,” Henneman said. “That doesn’t make us feel unsafe down here. It makes me feel bad, and it feels like a problem that we’d love to help solve.” There are many unoccupied office spaces in downtown St. Paul, including in the First National Bank Building where Mairs & Power previously was headquartered. The office vacancy rate in St. Paul’s central business district was 31% in the third quarter of this year, . “We’re in the midst of a commercial real estate meltdown,” Henneman said. “But I think that’s presenting an incredible opportunity, and one that I want to participate in and help with.” In mid-November, the Downtown Alliance released a report from architectural and design firm Gensler concluding that . The Gensler report focused on the elements of the buildings’ physical structures and their locations. It provided some baseline data for developers, government officials, and other stakeholders who now need to determine the financial feasibility of housing conversion projects. “There are issues that are coming up in the short term,” Henneman said. “It looks, frankly, kind of bleak. But I feel strongly that the long term [outlook] is excellent, and that the things that are going to be happening over the next few years will make downtown something special.”Hyderabad: Cyclist hit by speeding car in Madhapur, dies on spot

💻Police uncover social drug network 📲Rutgers students could browse drug menus 🔻Arrests include accused NJ leader A North Brunswick man who attended Rutgers University has been accused of creating a closed social media network to sell illegal drugs to current students at his alma mater. A months-long investigation dubbed “Operation RU Pharm” led to police making seven arrests and seizing a large amount of marijuana, LSD, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, Adderall and Xanax. All the individuals arrested were in their early 20s — four men and one woman from Central Jersey, with the remaining two defendants from New York. Law enforcement also recovered considerable cash and a gun, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said Thursday. The prosecutor's office Narcotics Task Force worked alongside Rutgers University police, New Brunswick police and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. Rutgers students who proved their affiliation with the school were allowed to join the online network— where they could browse and buy from menus posted by drug dealers. Read More: NJ medical marijuana discount is new health insurance perk Anudeep Revuri, 23, North Brunswick As the accused creator, Revuri was charged with first-degree leader of a drug trafficking network. He also faced two counts of second-degree conspiracy to commit drug distribution and third-degree conspiracy to commit drug distribution. Revuri studied computer science at Rutgers, according to a LinkedIn profile. Joshua Duffy, 20, of Somerset Duffy was charged with second-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, five counts of third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, two counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, third-degree money laundering, and fourth-degree possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia. Zachary Petersen, 22, of Red Bank Petersen was charged with three counts of third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, three counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, third-degree money laundering and fourth-degree possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia. Catherine Tierney, 23, of Shrewsbury Tierney was charged with three counts of third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, three counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, third-degree money laundering, and fourth-degree possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia. David Nudelman, 20, of Jackson Nudelman was charged with second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a drug offense, second-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, fourth-degree possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled dangerous substance, a disorderly persons offense. Donovin Williams, 22, of Kingston, N.Y. Williams was charged with third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance in a school zone, three counts of third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, three counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and fourth-degree possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia. Noa Lisimachio, 21, of New York, N.Y. Lisimachio was charged with third-degree resisting arrest and obstruction of justice, a disorderly persons offense. It was not immediately known whether any of the other defendants had an affiliation as students or former students at the university. Anyone with information on the ongoing investigation was asked to call the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force at 732-745-3300. Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom Comfort noodles: Delicious NJ ramen shops Yummy broth, fresh noodles — there are a growing number of must-visit ramen restaurants in New Jersey. Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

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Kylian Mbappe “can do better” manager Carlo Ancelotti insisted after the Real Madrid forward missed another penalty during his side’s loss to Athletic Club . Mbappe, 25, had a 69th-minute penalty saved by Julen Agirrezabala as Madrid went on to lose 2-1 at San Mames Stadium and lose ground in the La Liga title race. Advertisement It is the second consecutive spot kick that Mbappe has missed after being denied by Caoimhin Kelleher during Madrid’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League last week. Ancelotti said on Mbappe: “I haven’t spoken to him (Mbappe). We missed the penalty, but I don’t have to evaluate a player’s game by the penalty, sometimes they score and sometimes they don’t. He’s sad but we have to keep going. “He’s much more than at his 1%. He’s not at his best but we have to give him time. He has scored ten goals. He can do better, of course, and he is working on it.” Mbappe, who is yet to hit his best form at his new club after making the move from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, took to social media to comment on his miss from the spot. “Bad result,” he said. “A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it’s the best time to change this situation and show who l am.” Mbappe has scored 10 goals in 20 appearances but has often been deployed as a central striker, having previously excelled from the left in France. Jude Bellingham , who scored a penalty for Madrid during their 2-0 victory over Getafe on Sunday, stepped aside to allow Mbappe to take the spot kick on Wednesday evening. When asked about hit penalty takers, Ancelotti said: “When Vinicius (Junior) is there. He had usually taken them and he had all taken them well. There are three, Mbappé, Bellingham, and Vinicius.” “They both (Bellingham and Mbappé) spoke, today he took the responsibility to take it and it didn’t go well. This can happen.” The defeat is Real’s fifth of the season in all competitions and it leaves them in second place, four points behind league leaders Barcelona and a point above Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid are next in action against Girona on Saturday GO DEEPER Kylian Mbappe and France - what's happened? (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)None

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Philadelphia (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5) Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock BetMGM NFL odds: Eagles by 3. Against the spread: Eagles 6-4; Rams 4-6. Series record: Eagles lead 23-20-1. Last meeting: Eagles beat Rams 23-14 in Inglewood, Calif. on Oct. 8, 2023. Last week: Eagles beat Washington 26-18; Rams beat New England 28-22. Eagles offense: overall (5), rush (1), pass (22), scoring (7). Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (7), pass (2), scoring (6). Rams offense: overall (17), rush (26), pass (T-7), scoring (21). Rams defense: overall (23), rush (18), pass (22), scoring (22). Turnover differential: Eagles plus-2; Rams plus-4. RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley combined for 198 scrimmage yards and two scores, rushing 26 times for 146 yards (5.6 average) while adding two receptions for 52 yards against Washington. With 1,137 rushing yards through 10 games, Barkley only trails Baltimore’s Derrick Henry for the NFL lead. He had his sixth 100-plus yard rushing game this season, which is the most in the NFL. S Kam Kinchens. The rookie third-round pick from Miami had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception and a forced fumble against the Patriots as he continues to come on strong. Kinchens has three picks in the past three games. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts vs. Rams’ defensive line. Hurts shredded Los Angeles for 303 yards passing and 72 yards rushing last season despite the presence of superstar DT Aaron Donald. After Donald retired, the Rams turned to a committee approach to get after the passer, and it has worked with rookie OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske fitting in well next to second-year OLB Byron Young and DT Kobie Turner. But they can only unleash their excellent pass rush skills by limiting Philadelphia on early downs. Hurts has been at his dual-threat best over the past five games, accounting for 15 total touchdowns (six passing, nine rushing) against two turnovers. Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff had surgery on his left wrist on Thursday, a move that could allow him to return toward the end of the season. ... WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and DT Milton Williams (foot) each missed practice this week. ... Rams RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) looks to be trending toward a return this week. Havenstein sat out the previous two games because of the ailment. The Eagles have won all three games in Los Angeles since the Rams moved back in 2016. ... Overall, Philadelphia has won seven of the past eight. The only setback came in Week 2 of the 2020 pandemic season. Barkley has passed 100-plus scrimmage yards in eight of 10 games. That is tied with LeSean McCoy (2011) and Brian Westbrook (2007) for the most by an Eagle through 10 games. His 198 yards were his second most as an Eagle (199 in Week 9). ... The Eagles have allowed two passing touchdowns during their winning streak. Only one opponent has topped 200 passing yards against them in this stretch, with Cincinnati throwing for 222 in Week 8. ... Hurts leads all NFL quarterbacks with 11 touchdown runs and is second only to Henry's 13 scores for the Ravens. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the league in receptions of 30 yards or longer. He is averaging 18.7 yards per catch, the best mark of any player with at least 30 grabs. ... Even before he hurt his wrist, Huff struggled in his first season in Philadelphia with just 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits. His snap count has dipped since he was injured ahead of a game earlier this month against Jacksonville. Huff had 17 1/2 sacks in four seasons with the Jets before he signed a three-year, $51 million free-agent deal with the Eagles. ... Philadelphia has run for at least 150 yards and two touchdowns in five straight games, something it hadn't accomplished since 1949. ... Rams WR Puka Nacua caught his first touchdown of the season in New England. He has at least seven receptions and 98 yards in three of his past four games, with only a second-quarter ejection in Seattle having limited Nacua since he returned from a knee injury. ... WR Cooper Kupp has 614 receptions through his first 98 games, which is fourth most in NFL history through 100 games. Julio Jones (619) is third. ... RB Kyren Williams averaged a season-high 5.7 yards per carry, finishing with 86 yards on 15 attempts versus the Patriots. ... Verse has 11 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks through his first 10 games. Verse is pressuring the quarterback on 20.2% of pass rush snaps, which ranks second in the league overall. ... The Rams were 2 of 8 (25%) on third down against New England, their third straight game converting 25% or worse. ... QB Matthew Stafford has not been sacked in each of Los Angeles’ past three wins. Don’t be discouraged using Stafford, Kupp and Nacua against Philadelphia's pass defense. All three put up solid fantasy numbers in last season’s meeting, even as the Eagles sat on the ball for nearly 38 minutes. Stafford had 222 yards and two scores, finding Kupp eight times for 118 yards and Nacua seven times for 71 yards and a touchdown, so they'll find ways to produce. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLHARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted. Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law. Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “illegal votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning. In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last," Casey said. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted. That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law. But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania's highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate. ___ Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriter Marc Levy, The Associated PressNico Iamaleava throws 4 TD passes to lead No. 10 Tennessee over UTEP 56-0

Bhubaneswar, Nov 23 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to participate in the ‘Odisha Parba 2024’ programme at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday, an official statement said. Odisha Parba is a flagship event conducted by the Odia Samaj, a trust in New Delhi. Through it, they have been engaged in providing valuable support towards the preservation and promotion of Odia heritage, it said. PM Modi is scheduled to address the gathering on the occasion at around 5.30 pm on November 24. Going by tradition, 'Odisha Parba' is being organised from November 22 to November 24. It showcases the rich heritage of Odisha, displaying colourful cultural forms, and exhibits the vibrant social, cultural and political ethos of the state. A national seminar led by prominent experts and distinguished professionals across various domains will also be held. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the event on Friday. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also attended the inaugural ceremony. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)If you're on the hunt for that perfect Christmas pressie, we've got just the gem for Jo Malone lovers. Snap up the covetable Christmas Cracker gift set for under £40—a must-have that Meghan Markle adores! This little treasure trove features a trio of top-sellers and makes for a stocking stuffer for £38. Get your hands on it at Jo Malone's online store here. The set is all dolled up in a fancy cracker , complete with chic bows, ready to dazzle among your festive decorations. Inside, nestled perfectly for your tree, you'll find goodies like a 9ml Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne, a fresh Lime Basil & Mandarin Body and Hand Wash (30ml), plus a delish Blackberry & Bay Hand Cream (15ml). Meghan Markle, a self-confessed fragrance fanatic, has touted the cologne as one of her all-time faves. Daily Express , our sister site previously revealed the Duchess's beauty secret: "Fragrance is my favourite thing – so much so that if I leave the house and I don't put any on, I'll turn around and go back home. I alternate between a few scents. I love Oribe Côte d'Azur Eau de Parfum and both the Wild Bluebell and Wood Sage and Sea Salt Colognes by Jo Malon e .", reports the Mirror . READ MORE: Beauty fans can bag £110 worth of Estée Lauder serums for £66 in exclusive deal READ MORE: Massive savings on bath and body gift sets with up to 60% off this festive season Despite only recently being released as a limited edition item, the Christmas cracker is already making a splash among shoppers, with two rave reviews calling it the 'perfect little stocking filler'. Another happy customer shared: "Just the right size for a lovely Christmas gift for a dear friend festive present." You can get your hands on the Limited Edition Jo Malone Christmas Cracker right here. One five-star reviewer couldn't help but gush over the scent, saying: "I'm LOVING this scent . It is so beautiful and sophisticated; it is unlike any other scent I've worn. Jo Malone has hit the nail on the head with this perfume: it really does make you feel like you're walking on a beautiful sandy beach." However, not all reviews were glowing, with one customer expressing disappointment at the fragrance's staying power: " Was quickly disappointed when I wore it the first day and it lasted all of 2 hours. For the price of this cologne, it should stay on ALL day. Not happy at all." The set also features one of the brand's popular hand cream boasting a fruity aroma and is packed with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and clary sage extract. Plus, the Lime Basil and Mandarin Body and Hand Wash promises to leave your skin feeling clean and smelling great all day thanks to its naturally derived glycerine and meadowfoam seed oil. Looking for more gifting ideas? Ted Baker fans can now get their hands on the Bath and Body Collection , which includes a jasmine and lime blossom body spray, a luxurious whipped body oil crème, a moisturising body wash, and more. It's now available for £25.50 , down from £52 at Boots. Meanwhile, NEOM beauty enthusiasts can snap up the Your Moment of Wellbeing Set for £67 at John Lewis , complete with an indulgent candle, reed diffuser, and pillow mist.

In conclusion, the trend of renovating old down jackets is not only a practical way for young people to save money but also a means of expressing their style and contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry. By embracing DIY techniques and creative experimentation, individuals can transform their winter wardrobe while reducing their environmental footprint. So next time you reach for that old down jacket in the back of your closet, consider giving it a fresh new look and joining the wave of fashion-forward, budget-conscious individuals who are redefining winter style.The world approved a bitterly negotiated climate deal Sunday committing wealthy historic polluters to $300 billion annually for poor and vulnerable nations that had demanded far more to confront the crisis of global warming. After two exhaustive weeks of chaotic bargaining and sleepless nights, nearly 200 nations banged through the contentious finance pact in the early hours beneath a sports stadium roof in Azerbaijan. Nations had struggled to reconcile long-standing divisions over climate finance. Sleep-deprived diplomats, huddled in anxious groups, were still revising the final phrasing on the plenary floor before the deal passed. At points, the talks appeared on the brink of collapse, with developing nations storming out of meetings and threatening to walk away should rich nations not cough up more cash. In the end -- despite repeating that no deal is better than a bad deal -- they did not stand in the way of an agreement, despite it falling well short of what they want. The final deal commits developed nations to pay at least $300 billion a year by 2035 to help developed countries green their economies and prepare for worse disasters. That is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from the $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. A number of countries have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets temperature records and faces rising deadly disasters. Wealthy countries and small island nations have also been concerned by efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. The United States and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. The final draft encouraged developing countries to make contributions on a voluntary basis, reflecting no change for China which already pays climate finance on its own terms. Wealthy nations said it was politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. bur-np-sct/lth/jj

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Shiffrin crashes out of Killington giant slalom won by HectorWorld reaches $300 bn climate finance deal at COP29Older music has been getting a second life on TikTok, data shows

Elon Musk shoots down ‘wrong-headed economic thinking,’ says there’s ‘infinite potential’ for job creation. “The ‘fixed pie’ fallacy is at the heart of much wrong-headed economic thinking. There is essentially infinite potential for job and company creation. Think of all the things that didn’t exist 20 or 30 years ago!” Musk declared in a post on X. Musk’s comment was in response to a post from entrepreneur Joe Lonsdale who had mentioned Sriram Krishnan — who President-elect Trump recently tapped for a role in his upcoming administration. Last month, Krishnan advocated for lifting a cap on green cards when replying to a post of Musk’s regarding the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new body that Musk will lead alongside businessman Vivek Ramaswamy . “Anything to remove country caps for green cards / unlock skilled immigration would be huge,” Krishnan wrote. In another post, Krishnan added, “simple logic – we need the best, regardless of where they happen to be born (another bizarre quirk – the country cap is where you were born, not even citizenship).” David Sacks , who Trump tapped for White House AI and cryptocurrency czar, discussed Krishnan’s view in a post this week. “Sriram still supports skills-based criteria for receiving a green card, not making the program unlimited. In fact, he wants to make the program entirely merit-based,” Sacks wrote in part of his post. “Makes sense,” Musk replied. Trump announced this month that Krishnan is his pick for senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology,” Trump noted in a post on Truth Social.

On December 19th, the high-profile case of human trafficker Yu Huaying, famously known as the "Yang Niu Hua Case," underwent a retrial at the second instance in court. The reappearance of this controversial case has once again stirred public attention and debate. Yang Niu Hua, the abducted girl at the center of the case, has responded to the latest developments, expressing her thoughts on Yu Huaying's appeal.

The world approved a bitterly negotiated climate deal Sunday committing wealthy historic polluters to $300 billion annually for poor and vulnerable nations that had demanded far more to confront the crisis of global warming. After two exhaustive weeks of chaotic bargaining and sleepless nights, nearly 200 nations banged through the contentious finance pact in the early hours beneath a sports stadium roof in Azerbaijan. Nations had struggled to reconcile long-standing divisions over climate finance. Sleep-deprived diplomats, huddled in anxious groups, were still revising the final phrasing on the plenary floor before the deal passed. At points, the talks appeared on the brink of collapse, with developing nations storming out of meetings and threatening to walk away should rich nations not cough up more cash. In the end -- despite repeating that no deal is better than a bad deal -- they did not stand in the way of an agreement, despite it falling well short of what they want. The final deal commits developed nations to pay at least $300 billion a year by 2035 to help developed countries green their economies and prepare for worse disasters. That is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from the $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! A number of countries have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets temperature records and faces rising deadly disasters. Wealthy countries and small island nations have also been concerned by efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. The United States and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. The final draft encouraged developing countries to make contributions on a voluntary basis, reflecting no change for China which already pays climate finance on its own terms. Wealthy nations said it was politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. bur-np-sct/lth/jjBut Koko is just one of the many new additions to Season 38 of Arena of Valor. The game developers have worked tirelessly to ensure that this season is packed with exciting content and features that will keep players engaged and entertained for hours on end. From new skins and cosmetic items to balance changes and gameplay improvements, Season 38 has something for everyone.

A Kitchener food truck operator is shaking-off the bad vibes after he was forced to shut down operations outside the Taylor Swift concerts in Toronto last week. Sandor Dosman runs the truck, he was elated when he was given permission to sell his jazzed-up, Swift-themed, grilled cheese sandwiches in the plaza at the base of the CN Tower, right where thousands of Swifties would be gathering before and after the show. The owner of the truck said he did his due diligence by checking with CN Tower management about permitting requirements. He was told that because the plaza is owned by the CN Tower, no further permitting would be required. Dosman told 570 NewsRadio that the first night, last Thursday, went off without a hitch. “And then bylaw showed up on Friday and informed us that we indeed need a food truck license for Toronto, which we don’t carry. So, we talked to the CN Tower people, they were as shocked as us. So, there was a miscommunication somewhere between the city and the CN Tower.” Dosman looked into getting a permit but it would cost him somewhere in the neighbourhood of $49,000 and take several weeks to process. Related: So, rather than trying to fight city hall, Dosman decided to shutdown and move on. He said there is no bad blood between anyone involved. “Bylaw is doing their job down there. The CN Tower was just going on the information they had and we used the information we had,” he said. “Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication somewhere. It happens. We’re just going to move on and try to make lemonade out of these lemons we’ve been handed here.” Seeing as he was preparing for several very busy nights, Dosman had a huge quantity of food in stock and no way to use it all. Right off the bat, he donated around 80 loaves of bread to the . He’s also planned a Taylor Swift-themed party for Saturday, Nov. 23 at the old train station on Father David Bauer Drive in Waterloo. The festivities will feature Taylor’s music, Swift-themed sandos, friendship bracelets and a raffle for a giant friendship bracelet used to decorate the food truck. It runs from 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.game of thrones online slots 。

As Coutinho's performances dipped, so did his market value. Despite a loan spell at Bayern Munich where he showed flashes of his former brilliance, Barcelona was eager to offload the Brazilian in order to free up funds and reduce their wage bill. This paved the way for an unexpected turn of events, as Liverpool, the club where Coutinho made his name, swooped in to re-sign their former star for a meager fee of 600,000 euros.

Real Madrid, despite boasting a talented squad, has also faltered in the group stage, with their lackluster performances raising questions about their ability to compete at the highest level. Juventus, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, has also found it tough going, with the Italian champions struggling to find consistency in their performances.

In conclusion, the opening of Amazon's new office in Nanjing marks a significant milestone in the company's global expansion journey. With a focus on enhancing cross-border e-commerce, improving logistics efficiency, and strengthening its presence in China, Amazon's move to establish a foothold in Nanjing reaffirms its status as a leader in the global e-commerce industry. As Amazon continues to innovate and evolve, the new office in Nanjing will serve as a strategic asset in driving the company's global growth and connecting it with customers worldwide.

NoneAs the sun sets on the small town, a sense of warmth and gratitude fills the air, a testament to the enduring impact of one man's selfless act of kindness. Through his generosity, Mr. Chen has not only helped an elderly man return home but has also reignited the flame of compassion in the hearts of all who have heard his story. And in doing so, he has proven that the simplest acts of kindness have the power to touch and transform lives in ways that words alone cannot express.

Title: D Society to Announce a New Couple on New Year's Day1. Syrian Opposition: The Syrian opposition groups, including rebel forces and political factions, have faced significant setbacks in the aftermath of the conflict. Internal divisions, external pressure, and shifting alliances have weakened the opposition's position, leading to decreased influence and relevance in the post-conflict landscape. The failure to achieve their goals of overthrowing the Assad regime has left the opposition in a precarious position.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will chair a meeting of the cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations today, amid increasing calls for his resignation. A mid-day adjustment to Trudeau's itinerary was issued by the Prime Minister's Office and notes he will take part in the meeting virtually, though a specific time wasn't listed. It's been a chaotic week for the governing Liberals, starting with Chrystia Freeland's cabinet resignation just hours after she was set to table the fall economic statement. Freeland and new Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc have previously spoken with the media at the conclusion of these cabinet committee meetings. The committee was reformed following Donald Trump's re-election, and a chief topic of discussion at the meetings has been border security after the incoming president threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian products. Several Liberal MPs publicly called for Trudeau to step down as Liberal leader since Freeland's resignation, and the NDP has joined the other major opposition parties in saying it no longer has confidence in the minority Liberal government. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024 David Baxter, The Canadian Press

Amidst the euphoria surrounding Chinese assets, there are also mounting concerns about regulatory risks and geopolitical tensions that could impact the performance of Chinese concept stocks. In recent years, Chinese authorities have stepped up regulatory oversight of domestic tech companies, leading to increased scrutiny and compliance challenges for Chinese companies listed abroad. Geopolitical tensions, particularly between China and the United States, have further added to the uncertainty surrounding Chinese assets, with concerns about potential sanctions or restrictions on Chinese companies operating in foreign markets.As the video continues to spread on social media, garnering widespread attention and condemnation, netizens are calling for swift and decisive action to be taken against the perpetrators. They are urging authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the compound, rescue the victims from their tormentors, and bring the responsible individuals to justice.New coach Chris Holtmann has been tasked with rebuilding DePaul to the point where it can return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Northern Illinois coach Rashon Burno knows what it takes to steer DePaul to the NCAAs because he was the starting point guard on the 2000 team that made the tournament -- the Blue Demons' only other NCAA appearance since 1992. Perhaps they can compare notes Saturday afternoon when Burno leads the Huskies (2-3) back to his alma mater as DePaul (5-0) hosts its sixth straight home game in Chicago. Last season, Burno's NIU squad helped accelerate DePaul's need for a new coach -- as the Huskies waltzed into Wintrust Arena and owned Tony Stubblefield's Blue Demons by an 89-79 score on Nov. 25. The Huskies built a 24-point second-half lead before coasting to the finish line. Can history repeat for NIU? There's just one problem with using last year's game as a potential barometer for Saturday's rematch: Almost no players on this year's teams were part of last year's squads. At DePaul, only assistant coach Paris Parham remains as Holtmann had the green light to bring in an all-new roster. UIC graduate transfer Isaiah Rivera (16.0 ppg, .485 3-point rate) and Coastal Carolina transfer Jacob Meyer (15.4 ppg, .406 on 3s) lead a balanced attack that focuses on getting half its shots from beyond the arc. At NIU, Burno retained only two players who competed against DePaul last year -- Ethan Butler and Oluwasegun Durosinmi -- and they combined for three points in 26 minutes in that game. The Huskies' main players used the transfer portal to join such programs as Kansas, Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado State, James Madison, Georgia State and Niagara. With every starting job open, Butler has jumped into the lineup and produced 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Transfers Quentin Jones (Cal Poly) and James Dent (Western Illinois) pace the Huskies with 14.4 and 14.0 points per game. NIU is on a two-game losing streak, most recently a 75-48 home defeat at the hands of Elon on Wednesday. Holtmann hopes to have Arkansas transfer Layden Blocker for Saturday's game. Blocker missed Tuesday's 78-69 win over Eastern Illinois with a quad injury. With the combo guard unavailable, point guard Conor Enright handed out a career-high 11 assists in a season-high 38 minutes. "We need (Blocker)," Holtmann said. "I don't want to play Conor 38 minutes." --Field Level Media

While the woman in this case may have learned a costly lesson, her courage in sharing her story serves as a cautionary tale for others. By raising awareness about the risks associated with unqualified beauty salons, she hopes to prevent others from experiencing similar hardships and suffering the consequences of inadequately performed treatments.LAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women's volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school , this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday. Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports. In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA , plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request. A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court. “The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.” Boise State did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. “Utah State is reviewing the court’s order," Doug Hoffman, Aggies associate athletic director for communications, said in an email. "Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on.” San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again. If the Spartans make the title game, it's likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

Saquon Barkley is the NFL's version of Shohei Ohtani: Analysis

gaple domino qiuqiu poker capsa slots game online 1. A reviewer-beloved Cozy Spaces-themed coloring book featuring lil' bugs sleeping in upside down teacups, koalas snuggling in mushrooms, and all kinds of little critters reading, eating, and chilling in whimsical scenes. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront ! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon. Promising review : "This coloring book is a wonderful way to unwind and de-stress. The illustrations feature familiar, cozy corners that are both charming and relaxing to color. The designs are intricate enough to keep you engaged but not overly complicated, making it perfect for both adults and teens. The quality of the paper is great, holding up well to colored pencils, markers, and gel pens. I love how each page feels like a little escape, and coloring them has become a therapeutic routine." — Ali El-Khatib Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 2. A pair of fleece-lined joggers that will feel like slipping on clouds that happen to be customized to your human form. Promising review : "These pants are warm and comfortable. I have been wearing these for over a year now and they are wonderful. They wash and dry well, and I have experienced no pills or shrinkage. They also have a functional back pocket as well as side pockets. I have these in three colors and I will purchase again. " — Spotted Mermaid Get it from Amazon $38.99 (available in women's sizes XS–XXL and in 10 colors). 3. A container of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnadust so absurdly delicious that all food will just become a mere canvas for putting Cinnadust on. Reviewers use this on everything from coffee to toast to yogurt to fries to popcorn to sweet potatoes to ice cream to — you know what, I'll let you decide on your cinnajourney for yourself. Check out a TikTok of the Cinnadust in action. Promising review: "Ten out of ten, would order again. Try it on yogurt, ice cream, toast, carrots, and amazingly I saw a TikTok challenge with it on hard boiled eggs. It is stupendous!!!" — ThatGuy Get it from Amazon for $3.21 . 4. Self-heating soothing foot masks made with Epsom salts, lavender, and peppermint perfect for anyone whose recent step count is "too many." Now instead of dealing with aching feet all night, you can get ahead of the situation with some ~self-care~. Check out a TikTok of the foot masks in action. I'm a long-ish distance runner and these were certainly an interesting experience for my feet! You slide them on and after a few minutes feel a tingling, mildly burning (in a good way) sensation. It doesn't quite numb your feet, but it relaxes them. I kept them on for 30 minutes and then toweled my feet off, and the tingling sensation slowly faded over the next 30 minutes. After that my feet felt very refreshed and relaxed at a time of day when they're usually aching from all the miles I put in. The whole thing was a mess-free, easy process, and I will definitely keep them on hand for longer run days! Promising review: "Very soothing. My husband and l used these on our European vacation and they definitely felt good on our feet!" — KS2018 Get a set of three pairs from Amazon for $11.97 . 5. A "Cup Cozy Pillow" to keep everything steady on your bed or couch when you are one silly little beverage away from accidentally turning yourself into a LaCroix swamp. This will not only keep all your accessories upright and on hand, but has expandable cup holes to fit mugs, water bottles, and snacks, with an insulating foam that keeps drinks hot or cold for longer periods. Cup Cozy Pillow is a small business that specializes in family-friendly snack and drink organizers. Check out a TikTok of the Cup Cozy Deluxe Pillow in action. Promising review: "This thing is great! I’m home on maternity leave with my new baby and spend most of my time on the couch under a sleeping baby. This product makes it easy for me to keep my drinks, remote, etc, close by, even with dogs running around . It’s a little more expensive than I would have liked, but it works, and I love it, so money well spent!" — Amber Get it from Amazon for $34.99 . 6. A pickling starter kit complete with everything you need to start fermenting small batches of INFINITE delicious things, from the traditional cucumbers and onions to yummy sauerkraut and kimchi to adventurous watermelon and mango 😋 . (If you've never had pickled mango before ... THANK ME LATER.) Fermentaholics is a small business that specializes in pickling and kombucha starter kits. Promising review : "This kit is great for first timers or experienced, and makes DELICIOUS pickles, or pickled anything for that matter. Pickles, carrots, onions, asparagus. The instructions are easy to follow and understand . Will be buying as gifts for my pickle loving friends and more for myself. Makes me want to try the other products this company offers ." — KelF Get it from Amazon for $16.49 . 7. An oh-so-cozy, delectably soft Ugg blanket so you can take all the warmth and comfort of an Ugg boot and literally wrap it around yourself like a comfy cocoon. The decadence is just short of ABSURD. Promising review : "My blanket is so beautiful. I chose white so I can use it everywhere. It’s so fluffy and thick. Size is perfect and it’s so very warm! I’m going to buy another one for my guest room." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $47.99+ (available in three colors). 8. 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I have a home office, but sitting at my desk all day is sometimes very tiring. I purchased this big memory foam desk pillow so that I can relax on my couch and still put my laptop up and have a comfortable working area. This pillow is big but very comfortable. It has armrests that wrap around your sides, and they also have little pockets for random things like your cell phone or the remote. It’s so nice to just lean back into my comfortable couch and have this big soft desk in front of me." — Jenn Butterfield Get it from Amazon for $62.99 (available in two styles). 10. A pink oyster mushroom kit that grows right there in the packaging, so you can add some cottagecore sweetness to your kitchen and add some savory umami flavors to all your favorite dishes by sautéing, roasting, or air frying them up. Back To The Roots is a California-based small business founded by two college friends that specializes in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food. Check out a TikTok of the mushroom kit in action. Promising review : "Easy to grow. Purchased these for my children for an experiment. They love them deep fried and sautéed. Great value, great activity for young and old. Even for my daughter who could kill grass by simply looking at it was amazed when hers grew big and strong . We had success without hardly following the simple directions of soaking for 6–10 hours and spraying daily. T hey still grew well! Even after a few days of neglect." — HoneyHideout Get it from Amazon for $20.66 (also available in a shiitake mushroom version). 11. A weighted eye mask that's basically like a weighted blanket for your human eyes, designed to decrease stress and encourage ~deep sleep~. They also feature a 3D contour, so they're hollowed out in the middle and won't rest right on top of your eyes. Promising review : "Love these . These are soft and very comfortable, and they seriously black out every bit of ligh t. I love them. I would highly recommend. I’ll probably never sleep without them again." — AJ Get a pack of two from Amazon for $16.99 (available in four sets). 12. An ultimate "girl dinner" plate — okay, technically a cheeseboard, but HEAR ME OUT. This labeled board is the *gremlin's kiss* perfect size for a human who wants to curl up with a Netflix rom-com alone and eat sharp cheddar cheese, Ritz crackers, and stuffed olives on a Friday night. Bonus: it's blank on the other side if you want to flip it over and use it for entertaining! Promising review : "Perfect. The charcuterie board looks exactly like the picture. I am very happy with it." — Joetta Adgate Get it from Amazon for $14.38. 13. An oversize, lightweight knit button-up cardigan with a vibe reviewers compare to the beloved Jenni Kayne "Cocoon" cardigan. This is just *begging* to be layered with all your coziest looks, and it this price point, it might be an investment to grab a few colors to have on hand 👀 . Promising review: "The sweater is extremely comfortable and high quality, and the color selections were awesome. I chose the cognac color which is kind of a taupe-ish brownish color. Bought it to match some khaki boots, and the match was terrific. The pockets are nice. The sweater is roomy. The sleeves are a good length. The thickness is perfect for warmth without being overly bulky. I really like this sweater and will order more colors." — Alana Mohacsi Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–XL and 29 styles). 14. And a criminally cozy plush blanket sweater for anyone who's ready to take loungewear to the next level. Reviewers are obsessed with how soft this cozy nest of a sweater is, and that it comes with *pockets* for snack stashing. Aemicion is a small business specializing in oversize comfy sweaters. Promising review : "It’s like wearing a huge blanket wrapped around you without the hassle of it falling off or dragging on the floor. Very soft. Love the oversized bagginess of it. The hood is my favorite thing. And it has pockets! What more do you need?! Honestly it’s perfect for any cozy cold person." — Donavan Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in dozens of styles and kid sizes). 15. A stuffed waffle maker to introduce yourselves to the infinite glory of stuffing food into a pillowy warm carb — I'm talking jam, cheesy eggs, meats, NUTELLA (!!), pie filling, peanut butter, the whole nine yards. I'm truly shaking thinking about amassing this kind of breakfast power. Promising review: "I bought this after I saw a video on TikTok, so I had an idea about the yummy waffles I could make. First waffles were stuffed with apple pie filling. Second ones with scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese . Just amazing!!! The only way you could make this better is to send a chef!! I definitely recommend watching a video on TikTok or YouTube to inspire you before you start!!" — Adirondackdarling Get it from Amazon for $49.99 . 16. A sturdy, minimalist reading journal with such a comprehensive, satisfying design that you'll never bother with another again — this features space for 52 thorough book reviews, along with challenges and lists for Books I’ve Read, Finished, Favorites, Did Not Finish, Lent, and Borrowed. Kunitsa Co. is a small business that specializes in reading, exercise, and food journals. Promising review: "This book journal had plenty of room for all the book reviews and so much more. It has pages for daily reading tracking, pages for reading goals, pages for DNF books, favorite books, loaned-out books, and tons of review pages all you have to do is feel it out. It’s perfect!!!!" — Cody McNeal Get it from Amazon for $22.95 (available in four colors). 17. A set of oh-so-toasty but breathable winter socks in a wool cotton blend so cozy that you'll rotate between the cute colors all winter long. Promising review: "Love them! They are so warm. I am cold every month of the year. My feet stay blue. Not with these. They are warm, look good, and feel good. I can wear them with a low-cut shoe. I’ve washed them in the machine and hung them up to dry. No problem. Highly recommend for those of us with perennial cold feet." — Frances Get a set of five from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in a variety of color combos and styles). 18. A cider making starter kit so easy to use that you'll have four bottles of wine, cider, or mead in just nine days — and then you can repeat the whole process all over again for more boozey deliciousness. You can use any juice you want, or you can access over 5,000 unique recipes through Brewsy, which also includes online support if you have any questions! Brewsy is a small business that specializes in affordable, app-enabled cider, wine, and mead kits. Note: you have to provide your own jug or juice bottle (there's one on Amazon if you don't already have a vessel large enough!). Promising review: "I've been interested in making my own wine for awhile, but getting started can be costly and time consuming. This kit is a great way to get started for very little money or time. The instructions are easy to follow, and the ability to use any juice at all means you can make some really unique flavors. I have already made one batch of wine using grape juice because I didn't want to get too wild on my first batch. It was sweeter then most red wines I've bought, but tasted great and the alcohol content was at least 12 percent. I base that on my body's reaction after drinking two glasses. I recommend these for yourself or a friend, I think it's a great buy and product. " — Maximillion M. Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in cider, mead, or wine kits). 19. A pair of chic wireless headband headphones to keep your ears toasty warm listening to music during outdoor workouts or long walks. Promising review : "I hate wearing earbuds and headphones with a winter hat is clunky and odd, so I love these. It holds a nice charge and has good sound quality. I had low expectations for this but was pleasantly surprised!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 19 colors). 20. Small Batch Cookies , tailor made for folks who live alone *or* for people who want to broaden their baking horizons, but don't want to deal with the mess of big batches (or the leftovers!). This book takes you through a bunch of delicious recipes for one to six people using minimal equipment, so you can have hassle-free treats and live your most delicious life. Promising review : "Edd Kimber is so creative with his bakes and this book is full of fun and interesting cookie recipes. love the flavors in this book...subtle and layered. Baking small batches is surprisingly liberating. Most ingredients are on hand and I'm not stressing about what to do with large quantities of cookies. With small amounts, it feels easier to play and experiment. " — Monica Get it from Amazon for $23.67 . 21. An electric heated mattress pad that might be just proof that humans CAN biologically hibernate?? Because it would simply take too much effort to ever leave something so perfectly toasty again. It comes with timed auto-shutoffs and 10 heat settings, with dual controls for the queen and king sizes so two people can each set the temp *just* to their liking. Promising review : "We live in Wisconsin, where it gets very cold at night. We like to crack the bedroom windows open at night because we prefer a cold room to sleep in. But this makes getting in bed with freezing cold sheets brutal. Not anymore! This mattress pad is a game-changer! Turning the mattress pad on before getting in bed makes all the difference in the world; no more freezing cold sheets. The dual controls are great since I like my side warmer than my husband does his side. The mattress pad is soft and comfortable ; you cannot feel the wires at all. It has nice deep pockets that fit on our mattress and memory foam pad very nicely." — Linda Stranzl Get a queen-sized pad from Amazon for $89.95+ (clip the $10 off coupon on the product page for this price; available in sizes Twin–California King). 22. A Potato Express , because I think if we're all being honest with ourselves, the older we get, the more we crave a weeknight at home with Netflix in our eyes and a warm potato in our laps. This cooks up to *four* potatoes flawlessly in mere minutes so you don't have to wait to go to clown town with cheese and other fixings. Promising review: "Makes baked potatoes so easy. Just wash them, poke them with a fork, and place in your microwave. A few minutes later, it's time to eat. I bought my first bag about eight years ago, and finally, it was time to replace it. If you have never tried one of these, you should. I bought extras so I could give them to friends as a small gift and to save them time." — Dennis S. Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 23. A pair of oh-so-cozy "teddy" slippers that might just be that ~holy grail~ pair you've been searching for — not only are these mega soft and warm, but reviewers note that they don't overheat, hold up over time, and machine wash beautifully. (Bonus: they're also very quiet if you're trying not to wake the fam!) Promising review: "I’ve been searching for a pair of slippers for a long time. Literally have bought and returned many. I bought a pair for my husband and he loved them so I decided to try them. So glad I did . Love the color, fit, comfort and warmth. Also, machine washable. I’m going to buy another style. Highly recommend." — J Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in women's sizes 5–12 and seven colors). 24. And a pair of fur-lined Crocs as a ridiculously cozy update to the ~~naked~~ version , so you don't have to give up your comfiest shoe when the temperatures drop. Your very insulated toes will thank you! Promising review: "I work from home and was looking for the perfect comfortable shoe. These crocs were perfect because they are lined for extra coziness but also if I need to go out to the store or get the mail they are durable for outside. Love them!" — Brooklyn Whitesides Get them from Amazon for $39.12+ (available in women's sizes 4–17 and in 33 colors). 25. A portable mug warmer with three different temperature settings so you can take your sweet, sweeeeet time enjoying your morning cuppa without worrying about having to reheat it in the microwave or chugging lukewarm coffee. Bonus: it also operates as a candle warmer! Promising review: "LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Love the look. Love the temperature settings, although I don't believe I will use the lower ones since the 170 seems to be just right for me. Very simple to operate. Perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for my daughter-in-law." — rkd Get it from Amazon for $25.99 . 26. A collapsible Magic Mushroom funnel so you can go into full happy hobbit mode while you funnel your baking ingredients, coffee, or wine on cozy days in. Check out a TikTok of the magic mushroom funnel in action. Promising review: "I am obsessed with this funnel!!! I juice a lot of citrus and juices for cocktails, and this little guy is the perfect size for bottling. It’s beyond cute and really great quality . I’m always hesitant about buying silicone items, as I don’t want them to be too thin. This is perfect! Sturdy and cute! Can’t get better than that! The perfect addition to any cottagecore kitchen! " — Abbey Klem Get it from Amazon for $13.95+ (available in two sizes). 27. Equal Exchange's decadently rich dark chocolate hot cocoa mix for anyone with high chocolate standards and a small budget. This fair trade, small farmer-grown cocoa is so perfectly bittersweet and pure in taste that you'll forget all the other brand name hot cocoas you used to settle for. Promising review: "If you are a fan of really dark chocolate, this is the hot chocolate powder you want. Deep, rich dark fudge flavor with just a hint of sweetness. This is not a 'big cup of cocoa' kind of hot chocolate; this is an espresso cup kind of hot chocolate. Intense, but so satisfying. " — theratwitch Get it from Amazon for $8.29 (available in two sizes and five other styles, including a spicy hot cocoa 🔥). 28. A "flaming" humidifier so you can have your aromatherapy and perfectly breathable air *and* enjoy the coziness of a teensy fireplace vibe for a little cottagecore touch. Note : According to Johns Hopkins , you may want to avoid diffusing oils around larger groups and young children because of the side effects of different oils. You may also want to avoid using an oil diffuser around pets with breathing problems, according to the ASPCA . Promising review : "I like how this diffuser kind of looks like a mini fireplace and it’s perfect for winter. I also like how long the water of this diffuser lasts — I always add my favorite essential oil in it when I go to sleep every night without worrying it will run out of water. I used to have insomnia and it helped me to sleep through the night with my relaxing essential oil scent, and it also worked as a humidifier." — Benny Get it from Amazon for $32.99+ (available in black and white and three sizes). 29. A bottle of sensitive skin-friendly Honest Company lavender bubble bath reviewers are obsessed with because the bubbles are GINORMOUS and super long-lasting. Rumor has it Glinda came down in a bubble made from this very bubble bath blend. Promising review : "We love this brand and have been using this bubble bath for years. Just two squirts fills out tubs with a ton of bubbles. I love the ingredients list and it gives off a pleasant scent. Definitely will continue using this bubble bath for years to come!" — Stephanie Get it from Amazon for $13.79+ (available in four scents). 30. A lush double-sided shaggy faux-fur duvet set to really make a statement — the statement being, of course, "I am never leaving my bedroom again, and as this duvet has emotionally replaced all the humans in my heart." One side is faux fur and the other side is plush velvet; the twin set comes with one pom-pom fringed pillow sham, and other size sets include two. Promising review: "If my house caught on fire, this is the first thing I’d grab. But seriously, this is one of my favorite things in my whole house. I feel like it tied my entire room together. I get so many compliments on it and it seriously so cozy and well made. My only complaint would be how hard this thing makes it to get out of bed in the mornings. It’s incredibly soft and isn’t the type of 'fur' that will mat and get gross-looking over time. I rely heavily on reviews when I buy things so I’m here to tell you — if you’re on the fence about buying this ... do it!! Also, the pillowcases are amazing also. Super soft and the pom-pom fringe is adorable." — SK Get it from Amazon for $51.99+ (available in sizes Twin–King and 34 colors). 31. A tin of literal pure honeycomb so you can live your best Pooh Bear life and either eat it raw, steep it in tea, or crooonch it over jam and toast. Reviewers love to get adventurous with it and pair it with all kinds of meat, cheese, and fruit dishes! Bushwick Kitchen is a small business that specializes in honey and hot sauce products. Promising review : "Had to buy as we’ve been wanting to try honeycomb and this was absolutely delightful. So light and decadent with just the right sweetness. One of the best desserts we’ve had. Enjoyed with tea, blistered shishito peppers and dates appetizer, and even on its own . Chew the waxy comb like gum for added enjoyment." — DaneMama Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (also available as a pourable honey). 32. A TikTok-famous 3-in-1 convertible "reading chair" that reviewers love putting in their home office and living room spaces because it truly fulfills *so* many essential cozy needs at once. Not only does this include USB ports for your phone or Kindle, a cup holder, and a side pocket for books, but it can be pulled out easily into a sleeper chair or a full flat sleeper in an instant. Bonus? There's ~secret storage~ at the bottom for extra sheets and pillows. Check out a TikTok of the reading chair in action. Promising review: "Amazing reading chair/lounger . If you're one of those people who needs to change positions often while reading, this chair is the bomb. I leave a charging cord in the arm for my phone and headphones, slide out the foot, and grab whatever book I chucked under there. I can lay down, recline, sit straight, etc. with ease. The foot stool part, being collapsible and held up with thin bars, did kind of sink a little after awhile but nothing that makes the chair feel broken or look lopsided. It's a solid little guy and I plan on picking another one up eventually for another room I like to read in. " — Calvin Andrews Get it from Amazon for $249.99+ (available in seven colors). 33. A cozy two-in-one sandwich maker with uniquely-designed nonstick plates you can use to make everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to quesadillas to pizza pockets to omelettes. Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of the CRUNNCHHHH of perfectly crisped sandwich edges. Promising review: "It has exceeded expectations. It browns sandwiches quickly and toasts faster than any toaster!! It's good and compact, but a powerful little cooker. I'm very happy! Great value!" — jon james Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in two styles). 34. And a mini donut maker to keep anyone with a sweet tooth occupied — truly, can you think of anything in this universe more delicious than a warm homemade donut?? I'll wait. The donuts cook within minutes, have an auto shutoff to stop them from overheating, and come with a recipe book that even includes gluten-free and Paleo-friendly options . Bonus? You don't even need to figure out how to make donuts — this machine will take store bought brownie, muffin, and cake mix just fine . Promising review : "I cannot say enough about the Dash Mini Donut Maker. It is so much fun to use and make donuts at home. Rather than going to the local chain donut restaurant, you can make your own specialty donuts at home. It is very easy to use and cleans up quickly. My children love to decorate the donuts after they are cooked. It's a fun family activity and the donuts taste great! Also, it comes with a neat design and stands out among my other boring looking kitchen cooking appliances. If you like donuts, this product is for you." — JoshH Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in two sizes). 35. A set of heat-safe microwave bowl holders for all your hot meals — you can pull this right out of the microwave with your bowl without burning your hands, *plus* use them to hold your bowl in your hands or lap while you're eating (presumably in front of the TV, as one does) without hurting your fingers. Bonus: It also helps keep your food warm for longer! Check out a TikTok of the microwave bowl holders in action. Bonus — the insulation of these also keeps cold food like ice cream colder for longer (and helps prevent your fingers from freezing!). Promising review : "Buy these for yourself and everyone you know. They are soft and fit a variety of sizes of bowls to put under them in the microwave and eat from. My kids love them. We bought some to gift to other people too, and I will get some for my son to use at college. Made of a heavy terry cloth that can be thrown right in the washer when needed. We used towels before under our bowls, but these cradle the bowls so are easier to hold. We bought some bigger plate sizes too." — Heidi J. Get a set of four from Amazon for $22.99 (available in five color combos). 36. Plus an ice cream cozy to keep your fingers warm when you're eating ice cream in chilly temps, because as all true dessert lovers know, ice cream season is all of them. Whimsical Winnie is a Maryland-based Etsy shop established in 2017 that specializes in home decor and accessories. Promising review : "Perfect size!! I saw others that went higher up on the pint, but I would of totally gotten ice cream on those. This is just the right size! The thickness of the material is great too, my hands don’t get cold :) Although Jenis would taste amazing any way, it’s even better to enjoy it in a coozie. Highly recommend! Quick shipping too." — Meghan Collins Get it from Whimsical Winnie on Etsy for $8 (available in five prints). 37. A supremely soft, insulating hooded bathrobe reviewers say serves some Barefoot Dreams energy — it's lightweight, ridiculously plush, has pockets (!!), and is designed to never shed. Truly, no notes. Promising review : "Amazing, I absolutely loved it! Fits perfectly and the length is really good. The material is comfortable, warm and hasn't faded after washed. I also like the pattern of this robe. Now it is part of my daily wardrobe." — Ivy Get it from Amazon for $40.99 (available in eight styles). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.Ronnie Wood’s Son Jesse Wood and Wife Fearne Cotton Divorcing After 10 Years of Marriage

OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship'API Icons Prabal Gurung, Hiroyuki Sanada and More to be Honored at 22nd Annual Unforgettable Gala, as Next Generation of AAPI Recording Artists Added to All-Star Lineup with Thuy, Weston Estate, Party Foul, More

Days before its board pulled support for a controversial documentary about Russia's war in Ukraine, TVO was ready to defend the film, documents obtained by CBC Toronto show. The Ontario public broadcaster went as far as making an online post encouraging the public to "see the documentary for themselves" just four days before its board ditched , which was made with considerable public funding. Ontario Education Minister Jill Dunlop called the TVO board's decision "the right thing to do." But while she maintained the government didn't intervene, emails also show Premier Doug Ford's office was made aware of the situation in the days before the film was set to make its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in mid-September. When asked if the Ford government pressured it to drop the film, TVO issued an email statement saying: "No." The first-person documentary by Russian Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova was condemned by Ukrainian officials, community groups and a number of politicians — including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. The main criticism of the film, which screened in Venice but hadn't aired in Canada at the time, was that it amounted to propaganda. In , Trofimova — who also worked at CBC/Radio-Canada's Moscow bureau for six months until it was forced to close in 2022 — follows soldiers and medics on the front lines of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Trofimova told CBC Radio's host David Common she filmed a Russian battalion over seven months without Moscow's permission, work that put her at risk of criminal prosecution in the country. TIFF suspended screenings due to what it called "significant threats" to public safety and its operations, although the Toronto police said that decision wasn't based on any recommendation from the service. The film's producers issued a statement saying they were heartbroken the film was pulled and tied TIFF's move to the "inflammatory" comments made by federal and provincial politicians and community leaders. They called what transpired "shockingly unCanadian." The Documentary Organization of Canada also issued a statement at the time saying it was "profoundly alarmed" by TVO's unilateral decision and suggested it raised serious questions about political interference. The documents CBC Toronto has reviewed don't show any direct government interference, but shed new light on TVO's abrupt change of position on the film. TVO told the public on Sept. 6 the film was an 'anti-war documentary.' Days later, its board said it would not be aired on the channel. (TIFF/The Canadian Press) A series of emails obtained by CBC Toronto through a freedom of information request show some of what TVO — an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Education — told the government ahead of the film festival. On Sept. 6, TVO's chief operating officer Jennifer Hinshelwood wrote a positive note to the government about two films the broadcaster has supported — and ( ). On the same day, TVO posted a statement on its website saying: "This film shows the increasing disillusionment of Russian soldiers as their experience at the front doesn't jive with the media lies their families are being told at home." It noted it will air on TVO after its run at TIFF. On Sept. 9, TVO sent the government what it calls an "issue note" on . It said there was "considerable debate" about the film driven by "factual inaccuracies that fundamentally portray Russians at War as a pro-Russia documentary, which it is not." The note pointed out the film hadn't aired in Canada, and also contained a "key message" section that counteracts some of the criticism. " is an anti-war documentary made by a filmmaker, Anastasia Trofimova, who unequivocally and publicly opposes what she has called the 'unjustified and illegal' Russian invasion of Ukraine." The note also provided more information about Trofimova, including information about her work with Russian media. It said she worked at RT Documentary (RTD), a sister channel to RT (formerly Russia Today), but left four years ago. "She became concerned that the more liberal atmosphere at RTD had started to change," the note said. "She has not been associated with RTD since." RT was in the news at the time. On Sept. 13, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned the world RT had gone beyond acting as a propagandist media organization to working as an integral piece in Russia's efforts toward fighting Ukraine. Blinken said RT was "functioning like a de facto arm of Russia's intelligence apparatus," something the station's editor rejected. Trofimova publicly defended her own work throughout the controversy. "In this war, which is full of this complete fog where both sides don't see each other, I had the chance to lift the veil a little bit on the reality of one of the sides that no one, especially Canadians, has heard from for the last two-and-a-half years," she told CBC in September. "I would appreciate everyone who is levelling these accusations to first of all see the film because, from what I understand, none of the protesters that we saw has seen the film." Vladimir Putin launched Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, leaving the two sides locked in all-out war ever since. The United Nations says the civilian death toll in Ukraine stood at 12,340, as of the end of November. That's separate from the 27,836 civilians it says are known to have been injured since the start of the war. One day after TVO shared its issues note with the government, TVO's board of directors pulled its support for the film and vowed it wouldn't air on the channel. Mitch Patten, TVO's vice-president of corporate and community affairs, alerted the government in an email, which copied a staffer with the premier's office. The same statement was released publicly. Pro-Ukraine demonstrators staged a number of protests outside TIFF venues. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) "We have listened to the Ukrainian-Canadian community and their thoughtful and heartfelt input. TVO's board of directors has decided to respect the feedback we have received," the board's chair Chris Day said in the statement. "TVO will be reviewing the process by which this project was funded and our brand leveraged," Day said. received $340,000 through the Canada Media Fund in association with TVO. It would eventually screen in Toronto, on Sept. 17. Pro-Ukrainian protesters staged demonstrations on the sidewalks outside the theatre. In the following days, government emails obtained by CBC show the Education Ministry monitoring media stories about the issue. One email notes Education Minister Jill Dunlop told The Canadian Press: "The decision made by TVO's board of directors was the right thing to do." It also notes the government relayed "background information" that the ministry "does not play a role in the broadcast arm of TVO due to CRTC licensing requirements." Dunlop declined to comment for this story. Her office, instead, sent the same background line mentioned above.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — When the San Francisco 49ers used a third-round pick to draft Jake Moody last year, the hope was it would settle their kicking position for years to come. A shaky second half to Moody's second season with San Francisco has put that into question headed to the offseason. Moody missed his sixth field goal in the past seven games last week, leading to questions about whether the 49ers will need to replace him or at least bring in competition for next season. Coach Kyle Shanahan expressed confidence in Moody on Thursday, attributing some of the struggles to a high ankle sprain he suffered in his kicking leg earlier in the season. “I still feel the same about him, that I believe he is going to be our guy," Shanahan said. “Everyone has got to perform and do things like that and I think he has had a tough year. ... I thought he was doing really well and then had a high ankle sprain to his kicking foot. Since he’s come back, he hasn’t been as consistent, obviously. But I think a lot of that probably has to do with that, just common-sense wise.” Moody got off to a strong start this season, making all six field goals he attempted in the season opener and going 13 for 14 before injuring his ankle while attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff return in Week 5. He missed three games and has struggled since he returned. He missed three field goals in first first game back at Tampa Bay, two more in the snow at Buffalo in Week 13 and then a 41-yarder last week against the Dolphins. “That’s the great thing about kicking is, you can be as talented as whoever and you can struggle,” Moody said. “I feel like this year, I’ve struggled. It doesn’t really waver my confidence or anything. I feel like, throughout my entire life, I’ve gone through struggles, I’ve gone through high points. The biggest thing is to just stay consistent, not change anything.” Moody had an up-and-down rookie season, making 21 of 25 field goals in the regular season and missing only one extra point. But he missed a potential game-winning kick in a loss at Cleveland and missed field goals in playoff wins against Green Bay and Detroit. Moody then made three field goals in the Super Bowl with two coming from more than 50 yards, including a go-ahead 53-yard kick late in the fourth quarter against Kansas City. But Moody also had an extra point blocked in that game. “I believe we’ve got the right guy and I think that eventually, I think he has shown that at times,” Shanahan said. "I thought he showed that at times his rookie year. I thought he showed that big time being 12 out of 13 to start this year. And I think he’ll show us all that in the future.” NOTES: The Niners placed LT Trent Williams on IR after his ankle injury hasn't healed as quickly as hoped. Shanahan didn't think there were any long-term issues. ... LB Dre Greenlaw (calf) will be shut down for the rest of the season after playing parts of two games in his return from a torn left Achilles tendon. ... OL Spencer Burford (calf) didn't practice but might be able to play this week. ... San Francisco has signed two OL this week, adding Matt Hennessy and Charlie Heck. ... RB Isaac Guerendo (hamstring, foot) was limited but appears on track to play this week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

India deepens Caribbean relations: Belize among beneficiaries of Modi’s Guyana Trip

Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) is a statutory requirement in Title 10 of the United States Code (USC) for all Pentagon procurement projects labeled as a "Major Defense Acquisition Program." (MDAP). The B-21 Raider is one such program. LRIP was established in the wake of the Post-World War II run of large-scale weapons development and production programs - particularly aircraft. An explanation is necessary. "AcqNotes" - The Defense Acquisition Encyclopedia covers all aspects of Pentagon Weapons Procurement Programs. Ever since WWI, when aircraft were introduced into military operations, aeronautical research and development have been pursued at a breakneck speed, and it has not been cheap. The United States has been, and continues to be, the world's leader in aeronautical research and development. The DoD is spending big on aircraft acquisition with apparently few large programs for ground combat. 1 LRIP's Relationship to the Rest of the Acquisition Process LRIP is the acquisition phase with the greatest amount of risk of all types, affecting both the Air Force and Northrop-Grumman The MDAP Acquisition Process has three important phases before Low Rate Initial Production enters the picture. In the case of the B-21 Raider, the program ran from initial contract award to commencing LRIP, a span of 12 years. To streamline the program, the contract is being managed outside the Pentagon's normal contracting infrastructure. The program was assigned to the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO) located at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH. Co-located at WPAFB is the headquarters of the AFRCO's parent organization, the Air Force Systems Command. If necessary, the AFRCO can cancel the program before LRIP commencement. It would be painful, but once AFRCO issued a Notice-to-Proceed for LRIP, the program just crossed the Rubicon, and turning back would be an epic disaster for the Air Force and Northrop-Grumman. Throughout the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, the Pentagon contracted for the R&D of dozens of aircraft. Most of these contracts started with the government paying for all development costs. The Pentagon, defense contractors, and Congress all understood that developing new technology was time-consuming and expensive. Standard practice for Pentagon weapon systems contracting was based on the common philosophy of all walks of life: "if you want to buy something that does not exist, you are responsible for the seller's costs to create it." This led to what is now a common term in all types of manufacturing: "Non-Recurring Engineering" (NRE) costs. NRE means that a customer wants to acquire a product or service that does not exist or exists, but the customer wants some changes made to it. The contractor will require additional funding for developmental engineering. NRE is typically listed as a standalone contract line item for the additional engineering funding. NRE expenses could be a small amount of money to accommodate a customer who wants a minor modification of the seller's standard product, or billions of dollars for something brand new, like the B-21 Raider. Customers are responsible for paying NRE development expenses. Using NRE line items on a contract attracts customers because it keeps the per-unit sales price uncluttered with unseen costs. By the mid-1960s, and with hundreds of billions of dollars spent by the Pentagon on defense contractor research and development, the "you want it, you pay for it" concept was wearing thin. Pentagon contracting officials were concerned over what appeared to be avoidable cost overruns by defense contractors. The Defense Department established a standalone agency in 1965, the "Defense Contract Audit Agency" (DCAA), to monitor the financial aspects of MDAP contracts. The DCAA's efforts led Pentagon contracting officers to revamp the acquisition process to avoid contractor cost overruns. Costs such as NRE slowly transformed over the next 20 years to a negotiated, fixed price. The new fixed-price method meant the defense contractor was financially responsible for cost overruns unless it could prove the overrun resulted from a situation neither the contractor nor the Pentagon anticipated. LRIP was also a new tool, among others, using the milestone/funding contract model. To the layperson, this contracting model can be labeled "pay-as-you-go." The following quote about discovering new technology is appropriate for this discussion: "You don't know what you don't know." Weapon systems development of non-existent technology fits the quote well. Trial and error in an R&D program is part of the process. Encountered problems are no more the defense contractor's fault than the Congress or the Pentagon's. Money will be spent on R&D efforts that do not lead to a solution, but at least the team knows what does not work. Coming out of the Vietnam War and the end of the Apollo Space Program in 1973, there was a major reduction in government contracting in the defense/aerospace sector. When new contracts started coming out later in the decade, numerous contractual mechanisms were used to control runaway program costs and excessive delays. While the B-21 Raider may look similar on the outside, it differs in many ways from its predecessor B-2 Spirit. Low Rate Initial Production was implemented to prevent the Government customer or the contractor from getting too far ahead on some contract objectives but lagging too far behind in other areas. A Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP), like the B-21 Raider, is subject to the Pentagon's incremental contracting process. Government contracting officers and program managers strenuously resist the temptation to cut corners. The contracting cycle uses the following incremental tools (or phases) to keep programs on time and within budget. Depending on the nature of the MDAP, it may use all or some of the Tools (phases) shown below. The B-21 Program used all three contracting tools before LRIP. Contract Management Tools (focus on aircraft programs Explanation Systems Development and Demonstration (SDD) SDD is used when the Pentagon and the contractor are undecided about the program's nature and direction. Demonstrating what has been developed may require a flyable prototype, a scale model, or a mock-up. It is also possible that the work product is inconclusive, and the Pentagon either extends the SDD or issues a new contract. Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) EMD commonly includes two to five test aircraft, with at least one dedicated to ground testing only. Three critical milestones during EMD, if not already completed in SDD are: 1. Preliminary Design Review (PDR) 2. Critical Design Review (CDR). A successful CDR leads to the contractor "freezing" the aircraft's engineering configuration. 3. Build 4-7 flightworthy aircraft for all types of contractually required testing. Full-Scale Development (FSD) FSD is when the contractor clears up any open action items and prepares for production. This phase is typically marked by intense negotiations to determine whether the program is ready to support actual production and not require excessive "handholding" by the design engineers. Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) LRIP's main purpose is to "stress test" the contractor's team and possibly uncover latent issues that could prevent meeting a normal production run. Full-Rate Production (FSD) FSD uses incremental lots, or "blocks," to avoid the contractor getting too far ahead of schedule. 2 The Status of the B-21 Raider's LRIP Efforts How did the program get to where it is today? LRIP's statutory purposes are: To provide production-configured or representative articles for operational testing; To establish an initial production base for the weapon system and; To permit an orderly increase in the production rate for the weapon system sufficient to lead to full-rate production upon the successful completion of operational testing. [note: " operational testing " refers to the Defense Department's Directorate of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) , and not the contractually required flight testing done by the prime contractor] The B-21 Raider is unlike any aircraft acquisition program in recent memory. Neither Northrop-Grumman nor the Air Force wanted to go through the troubles of previous programs like the F-22 Raptor, B-2 Spirit, F-35 Lightning II, or the KC-46 Pegasus. (Fact number 4 mentions some of the problems encountered with these planes) Unbeknownst to everyone, the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO) issued a classified, top-secret Request for Information (RFI) in 2011 to Northrop-Grumman, Lockheed-Martin, and Boeing. The following year, AFRCO issued Top-Secret contracts to the three defense contractors for an SDD effort. The fact that the AFRCO was assigned to be the Program Executive was the first indication that things would be different on the B-21 Program. Issuing classified RFI and SDD contracts was done to truncate the traditional, lengthy throughput timing of an aircraft MDAP. These steps easily shaved 2–3 years off of the development process. The AFRCO would continue to find prudent ways to save time and money. After the SDD contracts, the AFRCO issued an unclassified Request for Proposal in 2014 to all three contractors. Northrop Grumman's proposal won the contract in 2015, and they were issued a contract for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) effort. The contract's SOW (statement of work) stipulated that when the B-21 manufacturing tools and equipment were completed, Northrop-Grumman would produce six planes using the new production line. Six planes have been built; three planes are airworthy. They are allocated to various teams charged with contractually required tests and evaluations. In keeping with the plan to move smartly through the B-21's milestones, AFRCO released the LRIP contract in November 2023, the same month as the Raider's first flight. The B-21's LRIP contract is unique; some features require special approval. 3 B-21 LRIP Contract Gets a Waiver From the B-21's Program Executive A necessary action to maintain program momentum and cost control Title 10 (USC) Section 4231 specifies that the LRIP phase of an MDAP acquisition cannot exceed 10% of the expected total production quantity. One of the statutory MDAP requirements to complete and move forward from an SDD contract is an agreement between contracting officers and the contractor on the quantity of aircraft to be produced over the lifetime of the B-21 program. They expect to produce a total of 100 aircraft. Simple math shows that the B-21 LRIP is supposed to be 10 aircraft. This poses a problem in keeping the cost per plane in line with what the AFRCO and Northrop-Grumman agreed to for the first 21 production airframes. Throughout the B-21 Program, Northrop-Grumman and the Air Force have pursued opportunities to conduct as many contractual obligations concurrently rather than serially. Doing this sort of thing is well-known by the AFRCO. Part of their charter is to identify and mitigate roadblocks. Aside from the statutory LRIP requirement of producing a maximum of 10% of the B-21 Program's total of 100 aircraft, they also had a statutory problem that blocks any MDAP from moving out of LRIP and into Full-Rate Production if DOT&E has not been favorably completed. These issues were validated by the AFRCO and the DOT&E. Rather than waiting for Northrop-Grumman to complete its testing before DOT&E commenced its work, the two organizations are conducting all of the testing jointly. The Defense Secretary concurred with Northrop-Grumman, AFRCO, and DOT&E, and endorsed a waiver request sent to the Program Executive for approval. The waiver was granted to increase the LRIP quantity from 10 to 21 aircraft. This takes advantage of the previously agreed-upon fixed pricing for the first 21 production aircraft. LRIP will be conducted in lots of five aircraft each, with six in the final lot. The final LRIP lot has a 2030 delivery date. After granting the LRIP waiver, AFRCO and Northrop-Grumman agreed on the fixed pricing for an additional 19 aircraft, bringing the total to 40 planes. The Program Executive has extended the LRIP waiver from 21 to 40 aircraft. All of these contract process adjustments have never been done before. 4 Northrop-Grumman Absorbs a Financial Loss in LRIP Better to take a charge-off on 2023 taxes and not carry it on the books long-term From the 1980s until the present day, Pentagon contracting officers have issued contracts with ever-tightening cost controls on defense contractors. Cost controls helped, but there have been plenty of cases where neither the Pentagon nor the defense contractor was happy with the outcome. Troublesome aircraft development contracts include the Northrop-Grumman B-2 Spirit, the Boeing-Lockheed F-22 Raptor, the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II, and the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tanker program. Aircraft Program Results Due to Cost Overruns B-2 Spirit Cut production from 132 to 21 aircraft; Congress bans export F-22 Raptor Cut production from 750 to 381 to 195 to 187; Congress bans exports F-35 Lightning II First flight: December 2006, but the first delivery was not until 2015. The nine-year span between the first flight and the first delivery had numerous technical problems, with contentious cost negotiations to determine how to handle cost overruns. The Pentagon intends to buy 2,456 planes. Nine countries are under contract to buy the F-35. The program for all countries and models has delivered more than 1,000 planes. Within the past 3-4 years, the Air Force and Lockheed-Martin have agreed on applying excess costs. KC-46 Pegasus The KC-46 is based on Boeing's successful 767 program's freighter derivative. The Air Force intends to buy 179 aircraft. Thus far, the KC-46 has two additional customers besides the USAF: Japan and Israel. The contract was negotiated to be a Firm, Fixed Price per aircraft and a fixed program development amount of $4.9 billion. Profit margins are very thin. Two major engineering errors incurred an additional $700 million charge that Boeing was contractually obligated to absorb. Before the $700 million charge, Boeing calculated that the 179 planes on order would allow them to break even and profit on the eleven planes for Japan and Israel. At this point, Boeing is unlikely to see any profits. Pushing defense contractors into deals with fixed development costs and fixed unit pricing has had mixed results. This contracting practice has become problematic in programs like the KC-46 and the B-21, especially when the product has high NRE development costs and subsequent production. If the government and the contractor get into too much of a rush, additional costs always follow. These days, the biggest culprit in cost overruns is trying to save large chunks of money and time by conducting contract tasks concurrently instead of serially, as intended. A good example of how NOT to do it is the McDonnell-Douglas-Boeing T-45 Goshawk jet trainer debacle. Northrop-Grumman has diligently kept investors apprised of the B-21 Program's progress and challenges, including financial issues. To that end, it was no surprise that they took a pre-tax charge of $1.56 billion on their 2023 taxes earlier this year. AFRCO awarded the B-21 Raider Program to Northrop-Grumman in 2015, including a contract for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase. The contract required building six aircraft using the actual production line and trained technicians that EMD paid for. During the same 2015 timeframe, AFRCO also issued an LRIP contract based on a negotiated, firm, fixed price per aircraft. Eight years later, when the Raider made its first flight in November 2023, Northrop was finally able to submit billing on LRIP work. This same process would have applied to Boeing and Lockheed Martin had either of them won the program. When the AFRCO announced the award and issued the EMD and LRIP contracts, all three bids were revealed and became public information. The B-21 Raider and China's H-20 reveal distinct advances in stealth and range, shaping each nation’s future strategic airpower. Northrop Grumman's competitors filed a protest in short order with the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Since the three defense contractors could only respond to the Air Force RFP if they had completed the SDD phase, any award protest could not be based on work already done. Lockheed-Martin and Boeing protested because Northrop Grumman's firm, fixed-price bid had been "lowballed." This was a reasonable protest, as both contractors were painfully aware that when the Air Force said the bids had to be firm, fixed-price, they meant it. Boeing, for example, was awarded the KC-46 Pegagus Tanker Program in 2011 at a firm, fixed price per aircraft, with a separate contract line item for all development costs not to exceed $4.9 billion. With these numbers, Boeing did not expect to turn a profit until the latter stages of production for the 179 tankers on order. After flight testing commenced during the EMD phase in 2014, it revealed two major problems: Cobham Aerospace's aerial refueling system had a serious flaw that could not be easily rectified. Cobham had to absorb a $206 million charge to redesign the system, then remove and replace it in the half-dozen testbed aircraft Boeing had already been paid for. This caused a 19-month program delay. Compounding Cobham's $206 million gaff, flight testing revealed a serious problem with the Boeing-designed aircraft wire harness system. The KC-46 was designed with triple redundancy in all major systems, including the wiring. Flight test engineers found excessive signal interference on multiple systems, including crosstalk in the wiring harnesses. Further ground testing found the problem. Instead of designing the wiring harnesses to route them with the triple redundancy in three separate areas of the plane, like one set of wires routed through the left side of the fuselage, on the right side, and finally, the bottom of the plane beneath the floorboards, all three redundant wire harnesses were designed and built right next to each other on one side of the plane only. Boeing spent another $425 million on the wiring problem fix. In total, Boeing has incurred $7 billion in KC-46 non-recurring engineering charges. The contract only covered the first $4.9 billion. The Air Force has covered only a small portion of the additional $2.1 billion. 5 What Challenges Are on the Horizon for LRIP? The Air Force and Northrop-Grumman are aware of the high stakes throughout LRIP All parties recognize the seriousness of the B-21 Program challenges going forward. There are three major program challenges: Managing the critical B-21 subcontractor relationships Mitigating future cost control issues Anticipating and preparing for future problems to maintain program momentum Managing the critical B-21 subcontractor relationships The B-21 Program has seven major subcontractors: Pratt & Whitney Janicki Industries BAE Systems Spirit AeroSystems Orbital ATK Rockwell-Collins GKN Aerospace There are also 400+ smaller suppliers. The seven major suppliers and many smaller suppliers have done business with Northrop-Grumman for many decades. The seven critical suppliers are on all American military aircraft to one degree or another. Each of the seven suppliers is also critical to many other aircraft manufacturers. The B-21 Program is risky for everyone, from the Air Force to Northrop-Grumman to the seven critical suppliers and beyond. If Northrop-Grumman stumbles badly, many of the B-21's suppliers could face serious hardships. It is one thing for Northrop-Grumman to take a $1.56 billion write-off, but the B-21 supply chain is not similarly positioned. Most certainly, if any critical supplier is unable to absorb a major program delay or a revenue loss not of their own making, Northrop-Grumman would likely have to take the "hits" on behalf of the affected supplier(s). Northrop-Grumman has squeezed $60 million extra from AFRCO to offset inflationary factors over the past few years. This is a paltry sum, considering the costs that were written off. Cost controls are also a major factor during LRIP. An instructive, telling situation for Boeing on the KC-46 program was the length of time it took to complete flight testing: over four years. This was for an aircraft that was a derivative of the B767-200 Freighter, which had been in service for more than twenty years. As soon as the Air Force finalized the KC-46 deal with Boeing, FedEx immediately put 50 new B767-200s on order. FedEx's planes came down the same production line as the KC-46, alternating with each other. If it took four years to test a derivative aircraft, imagine how long it could take for an all-new plane, from the wheels up? It took Lockheed-Martin 11 years to complete flight testing on the three all-new models of the F-35. The Air Force said it was the most comprehensive flight testing program in aviation history. Lockheed-Martin and Boeing leadership cautioned Northrop-Grumman about the pitfalls of bidding a firm, fixed price for the production of a newly developed aircraft during the 2014 timeframe of the B-21 Request for Proposal. Northrop-Grumman did not take the advice, feeling they had rigorously vetted their costs and stood by their proposal's fixed price bid. Both the AFRCO and the General Accountability Office agreed that Northrop Grumman's B-21 bid was fair and reasonable. The GAO rejected the protest from the two competitors. Now that AFRCO and Northrop-Grumman have agreed on fixed pricing for the first 40 aircraft controlling costs is paramount. Northrop-Grumman will have little sympathy for cost overruns in the supply chain since firm, fixed prices have been locked in by the B-21's suppliers. Neither will AFRCO look favorably upon Northrop-Grumman if they ask for pricing relief. Northrop Grumman's CEO, Kathy Warden, stated earlier this year that company leadership now understands what Boeing and Lockheed-Martin meant by their admonishment about the pitfalls of firm, fixed-price contracts for developmental aircraft. Even Pentagon contracting leadership has acknowledged their concern over defense contractors losing money on firm, fixed-price contracts with significant R&D work covered by an NRE line item. Warden said that the agreed-upon pricing for the 40th aircraft would be booked as a loss. Northrop-Grumman would begin turning a profit in Full-Rate Production of the final 60 aircraft. Warden also noted the Air Force is doing a comprehensive force structure design review. There is a strong possibility that the AFRCO will increase the program from 100 aircraft to 134 or more. Recapping the B-21's LRIP Situation As Boeing and Lockheed-Martin can attest, working on major contractual obligations in parallel instead of serially is a risky move with no room for error. One of the main goals of completing flight testing before full-rate production is to detect problems and correct them via design changes and/or revised manufacturing processes. Whatever problems are detected and solutions found require two paths of corrective action: Implementing them with suppliers and/or in-house manufacturing Determine what to do with any affected parts and equipment already produced, and then take action. This is why MDAP regulations limit LRIP to a maximum of 10% of the total expected to be made and do not allow the program to move forward from LRIP until flight testing has been successfully completed. The B-21 Program is now scheduled to produce 40 aircraft in the LRIP phase. If flight testing reveals any serious problems, it could easily impact costs, production scheduling, and flight test completion. The stakes and risk are high, with no room for error. Only time will tell. These two aircraft will form the backbone of the USAF’s bomber force for years to come.Caught in the debate

NEW YORK (AP) — If anybody knows Deion Sanders' mind, it might be Travis Hunter. And the two-way Colorado star says Coach Prime is indeed staying put with the Buffaloes. “I got a lot of insight. He ain’t going nowhere. He’s going to be right where he's at right now,” Hunter said Friday in Manhattan, where he's a heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. In his second season at the school, Sanders coached No. 20 Colorado to a 9-3 record this year and its first bowl bid since 2020. Hunter, Sanders and the Buffaloes will face No. 17 BYU (10-2) in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28. Sanders' success and popularity in Boulder has led to speculation the flashy and outspoken former NFL star might seek or accept a coaching job elsewhere this offseason. Sanders, however, has dismissed such talk himself. Hunter followed Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering string of individual accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. The junior wide receiver and cornerback plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft and is expected to be a top-five pick — perhaps even No. 1 overall. But he backed up assertions from Sanders and his son, star Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, that both will play in the Alamo Bowl rather than skip the game to prepare for the draft and prevent any possible injury. “It's definitely important because, you know, I started this thing with Coach Prime and Shedeur and most of the coaches on the coaching staff, so I want to finish it off right,” Hunter said. "I didn't give them a full season my first year (because of injury), so I'm going to go ahead and end this thing off right. It's going to be our last game together, so I'm going to go out there and dominate and show the loyalty that I have for him. “Definitely looking forward to it. I'm just excited to go out there and play football one more time before the offseason.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballProducer Richard Perry Was the Very Sound of PopAmazon Slashes the Price on the New Apple iPad Pro Tablet with OLED and M4 Chip for Black Friday

Morgan State hopes for end to recent skid with visit to Minnesota

TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. LONDON — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet," has died, her family said on social media Saturday. She was 73. Hussey died on Friday, "peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones," a statement posted to her Instagram account said. Hussey was 15 when director Franco Zeffirelli cast her in his adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy after spotting her onstage in the play "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," which also starred Vanessa Redgrave. "Romeo and Juliet" won two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new... Associated Press