Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis slated to make season debut on Monday night vs LA ClippersThe Em Market Hall on the ground floor of Emsphere has been transformed into a European Christmas market for "Gourmet Winter Wondersquare 2024", which is running daily from 10am to 10pm, until Jan 5. Held under the "Gourmet Winter Flavor Street" concept to mark Em District's first anniversary, this year-end festival features more than 200 delicious items from Gourmet Market and 45 shops, along with gifts and Christmas decorations. Decorated with snow covered red buildings adorned with twinkling lights, the market brings a variety of sweet and savoury food and beverages from popular shops, including special menus created especially for this festival. They include sugar-free Dubai chocolate from EMIEs.BKK; meringue rice puffs from Khamwan, the first shop that blends sweet meringue with crispy rice puffs; milk slurpee from Mother Cows, a popular milk shop in Hat Yai; Yaorin's Candy apple imported from Japan; and Siam Holic Rocky Mallows, a hot chocolate drink topped with burnt marshmallows served in a cute Christmas-themed cup from award-winning Chocoholic. Other highlights include strawberry cheesecake covered with rich Belgium chocolate sauce from Layers, five-layer banoffee pie from Jo's Banoffee, sandwich with popular fillings from Burnt where you can choose your own bread, a fusion pasta recipe from Lou Lou Cafe, authentic Italian pizzas from Alola Pizza, and delicious gyoza from Mamafu. The festival also presents a rotation of performances and music acts throughout this month including street performances every weekend and Christmas carols on Dec 24 and 25. Visit facebook.com/GourmetMarketThailand.
Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma has placed a hold on the promotion of Lieutenant General Christopher Donahue, who oversaw the final withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021. According to a CBS News report, Mullin’s action is intended to allow President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration and the newly Republican-controlled Congress to weigh in on the matter. Donahue, the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan, was set to be promoted to a four-star general and take command of US Army Europe. His promotion is part of nearly 1,000 military nominations awaiting Senate approval. By delaying the process, Mullin has effectively stalled Donahue’s elevation, citing concerns tied to his role in the contentious withdrawal from Afghanistan. The 2021 withdrawal, executed under an agreement between the Trump administration and the Taliban, aimed to end America’s two-decade presence in the country. The agreement required the Taliban to refrain from terrorist activities, a condition they ultimately violated. Despite this, the Biden administration proceeded with the withdrawal, which saw the evacuation of approximately 125,000 individuals, including 6,000 Americans. The operation was overshadowed by a suicide bombing outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Airport that killed 13 US service members and scores of Afghans. Some military officials have, however, expressed frustration over Mullin’s hold, viewing it as politically motivated with efforts reportedly underway to resolve the standoff and secure Donahue’s promotion. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel nowMuch of the discussion following Donald Trump’s US presidential victory has focused on the potential for higher US rates and a stronger US dollar, amid lower global trade volumes, which is likely to produce a tough environment for EMFX. However, despite the external headwinds and global macro uncertainty, the fundamental picture for many EM sovereigns has shifted more positive, with reforms being successfully implemented and balance sheets strengthened despite the significant twin shocks of Covid and the war in Ukraine in recent years. This should help to keep EM sovereign credit markets well supported, despite relatively expensive valuations in terms of tight credit spreads. *Azerbaijan IIP is estimate of sovereign net foreign assets (FX reserves and SOFAZ assets, net of government external debt). Source: National Sources, IMF, World Bank, Brookings, Bruegel, Macrobond, ING; IMF WEO data for 2024 used for Economy & Fiscal variables, External Balance Sheet data is latest available. This trend has started to be reflected by improvements in sovereign credit ratings, with the trend of net downgrades seen from 2020 to 2022 shifting to net upgrades, first in 2023 and looking even more positive this year. This is true for all three largest rating agencies – Moody’s, S&P and Fitch, where upgrades outnumber downgrades for EM sovereigns this year. Significant upgrades have included Turkey (multiple times), Qatar, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Brazil, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Pakistan, and Mongolia. When looking ahead, an even more encouraging signal is the shift in the balance of outlooks to positive (more positive than negative rating outlooks), highlighting the potential for further upgrades over the next 12 months. By this measure, both Fitch and S&P’s rating outlook balances are hovering near their most positive level for the past decade, with a negative skew seen for much of this historical period. Of particular interest for investors is likely to be the transition from High Yield (HY) to Investment Grade (IG) ratings as a potential technical trigger for strong performance, with potential ‘rising star’ candidates within the EM universe including the BB+ rated Azerbaijan, Oman, Serbia, and Morocco. This dynamic of narrowing the gap in fundamentals between the BB-tier of EM sovereigns and the BBB-tier (where ratings momentum is broadly heading the opposite way, in a more negative direction) is starting to play out in the market, with a compression in the spread differential between the two tiers. Indeed, on a country level, some of these upgrade candidates (Oman, Serbia in particular) are already trading at tighter spread levels than higher rated peers, with market-implied ratings nearer BBB, although we expect a further short-term bounce if the composite rating (average of three major agencies) eventually reaches IG. Other big stories for investors have been the multi-notch shift for Turkey from B- to BB- given the return to orthodox monetary policy (although we expect the upwards momentum in ratings may take a pause for now), and the first signs of a reversal in South Africa’s long-term down trend, with a positive outlook now at S&P. Among higher-risk frontier names, Egypt and Nigeria also look to have recovered from the brink, with multiple positive outlooks and ratings almost entirely lifted out of the CCC bucket and back towards B- or B. In the IG space eurozone members/hopefuls such as Croatia and Bulgaria have seen upgrades and positive outlooks, along with some improvements in the GCC for Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Overall, it is clear that EM governments are being rewarded for decisive reform efforts, while negative shifts have largely come from political pressures, such as in Kenya, Georgia, and Panama (although not limited to EM countries, as seen with France in the developed world). An important area of fundamental improvement in the EM world is reduced vulnerability to external shocks. In aggregate, EM current account deficits have reduced, with the median EM deficit near its narrowest in the past decade, meaning generally lower external financing needs across the world. By region, the large surpluses for oil exporters in the Middle East have moderated over the past year but are still in a strong position compared to much of the past decade, while EM Europe has seen a recovery from the energy and terms of trade shock of 2022. At the same time, most economies have been steadily accumulating FX reserves, monetary policy has generally been orthodox and conservative, and more governments have been gradually adopting more flexible exchange rates. Lower foreign holdings of local currency debt represent another area of reduced external vulnerability. It’s not all good news for EM sovereigns however, as fiscal accounts are still showing some signs of strain. Fiscal balances have deteriorated relative to the pre-Covid era, and government debt ratios are elevated, even more so when compared to a decade ago. Debt levels in Developed Markets are still higher, but that differential has narrowed and looks set to narrow further. For EM Europe, government spending is likely to remain high on military expenditure and the green energy transition, while in the Middle East most are focused on shifting their economies away from hydrocarbon dependence. Overall, the key question is how fiscal deficits are likely to be funded across EM economies. Countries with deep capital markets can be content with local currency funding, although a return of foreign investors to local currency EM debt markets would be helpful here. In EM Europe, many countries have returned as significant international bond issuers since Covid, in contrast to the previous decade of net negative supply, although can also count on financing support from the EU. For frontier and higher-beta names, bilateral and multilateral official funding sources should remain an important safety net, with IMF programmes often the catalyst for a wider range of official financing, as seen this year with the likes of Egypt and Pakistan, although domestic political considerations can often clash with the reform conditionality that comes with such support. Among stronger BB names, we expect further ratings upgrades are likely for Serbia, Oman and Azerbaijan, with the latter offering the most potential for spread tightening in the event of upgrade to IG. In the IG tier, Bulgaria would likely see upgrades in the event of eventual eurozone accession, although the timing remains unclear, while Saudi Arabia could also see further gains if oil prices remain elevated and production normalises. For lower rated credits we are sceptical of multiple upgrades for South Africa, although investor sentiment may well move to price in this potential, while Turkey should see a pause in momentum at BB-. The likes of Egypt and Pakistan will also likely see further progress amid strong external support. In contrast, Panama is teetering on the edge of a full downgrade to HY, while some pressures could re-emerge on Romania next year if fiscal consolidation expectations are not met, with market pricing already pointing towards this potential. In the HY space, Senegal is at risk of further downgrades, while Kenya looks most vulnerable among lower rated B-/CCC credits. Source: ING
Nicole Shanahan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate in 2024, said on Thursday that the H1-B visa program delivers “massive breaks” for cheap labor for tech companies, and those with the visas are essentially “indentured servants” for big tech. The selection of Siriam Krishnan as a senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has sparked a widespread debate over the H1-B visa program, which conservatives have railed as “abusive” and designed to undercut wages of white-collar Americans. Vivek Ramaswamy further enflamed the controversy when he claimed that America “has venerated mediocrity over excellence.” Shanahan weighed into the debate, stating emphatically that the visa program has been abused to serve as corporate welfare, as it delivers “massive breaks” for cheap labor for big tech, and that these visa workers are “indentured servants” for big tech companies. A Rasmussen Reports poll found that a majority of likely American voters believe that the country does not need more foreign H1-B visa workers to fill white-collar jobs. Breitbart News has long reported the countless incidents where white-collar Americans are laid off and forced to train their foreign replacements. She is no stranger to the world of big tech; she was a fellow at Stanford Law School’s CodeX, Stanford Center for Legal Informatics, and used to be married to Sergey Brin, one of the two founders of Google. “I take issue with some of the discourse I’ve read online today suggesting “lazy American culture” is the main driver for why we need to continue the H-1B program. Let’s be real: tech companies getting massive breaks on cheap labor at the expense of the American way of life is predatory,” Shanahan wrote. She continued: The system we’ve constructed with H-1B visas, whether we like it or not, incentivizes people to come here and serve as essentially indentured servants for Big Tech, taking on the tough, grueling jobs that few here in America are excited to perform at the current suppressed salaries. In return, if you’re good at your job, you’re then put on a fast track to get a Green Card, which means legal status and the chance to bring your family over through chain migration. Shanahan also took issue with the notion that companies have to bring in untold numbers of H1-B visa holders because America has a culture of pursuing their passions: Just because our kids have the “right” to chase artistic dreams like music and painting, doesn’t mean we should bring in hundreds of thousands of foreign workers to displace them in math-intensive careers. It’s a two-fold issue: both our education and immigration policies are broken. Instead of tackling these complex issues head-on, Big Tech monopolies and tech VCs are looking for the fastest way to outcompete globally and become industry giants. It’s paid off—look at the insane valuations of these companies! We can’t entirely blame them for this approach—it’s been the industry norm for 40 years—but we can insist they seek out the tough, lasting solutions. No more temporary fixes. Shanahan called for reform to prevent abuse to America’s immigration policies: 1. Immigration policy must be designed to protect the American way of life and its workforce. Singapore’s work permit program, which they designed in the ’90s, was built from this standard and could provide good inspiration. They use a modern-day designation system to manage the influx of labor across various sectors. ⁃ Employers face levies (essentially fees that employers have to pay for each foreign worker they hire. It’s a way to manage the number of foreign workers coming in by making it more expensive to employ them, encouraging companies to also look for talent locally). ⁃ There are Dependency Ceilings, which essentially limit the number of foreign workers based on the local workforce—this is KEY. ⁃ They impose restrictions on the countries from which workers can come. ⁃ Permits are diversified across industries to ensure balance. 2. Special economic zones are amazing and can transform local tech job markets. Hiring locally is going to be critical for making sure Americans are taking key tech industry roles AND able to support their families. Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3 .MISSOULA — Another year, another Montana quarterback leaving the football team via the NCAA transfer portal. Logan Fife announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Sunday, one day after the Grizzlies ended their season in the second round of the FCS playoffs with a 9-5 record. The portal officially opens on Monday, Dec. 9. Fife made eight starts and played in 13 games in his lone season at Montana after transferring from FBS Fresno State. He played a complete game just two times as he and Keali'i Ah Yat rotated for most of the year. He was the Big Sky Conference offensive player of week following his first start. He threw for 364 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-49 win over Eastern Washington on the road to begin league action. Fife, a fifth-year junior, completed 63.5% of his pass attempts (167 of 263) for 1,890 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. He carried the ball 57 times for 135 yards and five touchdowns. "First and foremost I'd like to thank God for the many blessing in my life and allowing me to continue to live out my dream," he wrote in a social media post on X. "I'd like to thank my family and friends for the endless support through this journey. I'd also like to thank my teammates and the city of Missoula for welcoming me with open arms in this past year. "With that being said, it is in my best interest to enter the transfer portal as a grad transfer with 1 year of eligibility remaining. I am extremely excited for what the future has in store." Fife saw his reps increase when Ah Yat got injured, first happening in the fourth game of the year against Western Carolina. He played the next three weeks while Ah Yat got only one series in that span. They split time after the bye week when Ah Yat returned, including in a loss to UC Davis. Ah Yat got his first start since WCU the next week against Portland State, but an injury led to Fife rallying the Griz to a win in the second half. That game included Fife and head coach Bobby Hauck getting into multiple heated exchanges on the sideline before they hugged it out. Fife played the whole game the next week in the regular-season finale against Montana State, a 34-11 loss. He started in the first round of the FCS playoffs against Tennessee State and wasn't pulled until he fumbled twice in the second half. He did not play in the second-round loss at South Dakota State. Following the 2023 season, Clifton McDowell transferred and ended up at McNeese State after leading the Griz to the national championship game. Sam Vidlak, who lost the in-season QB battle, also transferred and became a second-team All-Southland honoree at Stephen F. Austin in 2024. "Somebody will get a really good player and a great dude," Vidlak wrote on X in sharing Fife's post. "Hope you find the fit you deserve. Best of luck Logan." After the 2022 season, Daniel Britt entered the transfer portal. He had said, "I just felt I wasn't developing enough as a player in the QB room." Fife is the first-known Griz player to enter the transfer portal this offseason. Frank Gogola is the Senior Sports Reporter at the Missoulian and 406 MT Sports. Follow him on X @FrankGogola or email him at frank.gogola@406mtsports.com . Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
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I changed these 6 Samsung TV settings to give the picture quality an instant boost( MENAFN - GetNews) Company Shifts Focus to Water Damage, Fire Damage, and Mold Restoration, Solidifying Its Expertise in Restoration Solutions Boston, MA - Wash'em Clean , a well-established name in professional cleaning services, is proud to announce its expansion into the restoration industry. With a renewed focus on water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, mold removal, and related emergency services, the company is positioning itself as Boston's go-to partner for residential and commercial property recovery. As property damage from unforeseen disasters continues to rise, Wash'em Clean's team of certified experts offers comprehensive restoration solutions designed to mitigate loss and restore normalcy quickly. Whether it's water intrusion from burst pipes, fire-damaged interiors, or harmful mold infestations, the company's advanced techniques and 24/7 emergency response services ensure prompt and reliable assistance. “Our expansion into restoration services is a natural progression for Wash'em Clean. We've seen a growing need for professional restoration expertise in Boston, and we're proud to step up to meet that demand,” said David Clark, spokesperson for Wash'em Clean.“By leveraging our experience and commitment to quality, we're helping property owners overcome challenging situations with solutions that are efficient, effective, and tailored to their needs.” Wash'em Clean's restoration services are designed to address a wide spectrum of issues, including: While restoration has become the primary area of growth, Wash'em Clean continues to offer professional cleaning services, including post-construction cleanup, recurring cleaning, and specialized disinfection, maintaining its legacy of excellence in the industry. Wash'em Clean invites both residential and commercial clients to explore its expanded suite of services. With a focus on transparency, quality, and customer satisfaction, the company aims to provide peace of mind and unmatched restoration expertise in every project. About Wash'em Clean Founded with a mission to deliver exceptional cleaning and property care, Wash'em Clean has been serving Boston and its surrounding areas with top-tier solutions for years. Now a leader in both cleaning and restoration, the company combines advanced technology, skilled professionals, and a client-first approach to handle projects of any size. MENAFN24122024003238003268ID1109028217 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
MISSOULA — Another year, another Montana quarterback leaving the football team via the NCAA transfer portal. Logan Fife announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Sunday, one day after the Grizzlies ended their season in the second round of the FCS playoffs with a 9-5 record. The portal officially opens on Monday, Dec. 9. Fife made eight starts and played in 13 games in his lone season at Montana after transferring from FBS Fresno State. He played a complete game just two times as he and Keali'i Ah Yat rotated for most of the year. He was the Big Sky Conference offensive player of week following his first start. He threw for 364 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-49 win over Eastern Washington on the road to begin league action. Fife, a fifth-year junior, completed 63.5% of his pass attempts (167 of 263) for 1,890 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. He carried the ball 57 times for 135 yards and five touchdowns. "First and foremost I'd like to thank God for the many blessing in my life and allowing me to continue to live out my dream," he wrote in a social media post on X. "I'd like to thank my family and friends for the endless support through this journey. I'd also like to thank my teammates and the city of Missoula for welcoming me with open arms in this past year. "With that being said, it is in my best interest to enter the transfer portal as a grad transfer with 1 year of eligibility remaining. I am extremely excited for what the future has in store." Fife saw his reps increase when Ah Yat got injured, first happening in the fourth game of the year against Western Carolina. He played the next three weeks while Ah Yat got only one series in that span. They split time after the bye week when Ah Yat returned, including in a loss to UC Davis. Ah Yat got his first start since WCU the next week against Portland State, but an injury led to Fife rallying the Griz to a win in the second half. That game included Fife and head coach Bobby Hauck getting into multiple heated exchanges on the sideline before they hugged it out. Fife played the whole game the next week in the regular-season finale against Montana State, a 34-11 loss. He started in the first round of the FCS playoffs against Tennessee State and wasn't pulled until he fumbled twice in the second half. He did not play in the second-round loss at South Dakota State. Following the 2023 season, Clifton McDowell transferred and ended up at McNeese State after leading the Griz to the national championship game. Sam Vidlak, who lost the in-season QB battle, also transferred and became a second-team All-Southland honoree at Stephen F. Austin in 2024. "Somebody will get a really good player and a great dude," Vidlak wrote on X in sharing Fife's post. "Hope you find the fit you deserve. Best of luck Logan." After the 2022 season, Daniel Britt entered the transfer portal. He had said, "I just felt I wasn't developing enough as a player in the QB room." Fife is the first-known Griz player to enter the transfer portal this offseason.
Latest NFL mock draft has the Bears giving Caleb Williams more than one Christmas present he'd love to have in 2025President IlhamAliyev signed a law on amendments to the law "On Customs Tariff", reports. According to the information, the amendment stipulates that, onthe basis of an identity document of an authority (institution)determined by the relevant executive authority, the import oftechnological equipment and installations by individualentrepreneurs and legal entities that produce electricitygeneration projects with a public procurement obligation not lowerthan the amount established by the authority (institution)determined by the relevant executive authority, exempt from customsduties for a period of, defined by an electricity purchase and saleagreement concluded in accordance with the law "On the Use ofRenewable Energy Sources in Electricity Generation", but not formore than 30 years (including the construction period). At the same time, import of machinery, technological equipmentand installations, as well as raw materials and materials byindividual entrepreneurs and legal entities that are privatepartners in the framework of public-private partnership projectsshall be exempt from customs duties, but for a period not exceeding30 years (including the construction period) on the basis of asupporting document of the state partner, determined in accordancewith the law “On Public-Private Partnership”, carried out for theperiod established by the contract of public-privatepartnership. Under the law, in order to assess the impact of benefits andexemptions from customs duties on state budget revenues, benefitsand exemptions from customs duties will be classified according tothe procedure established by the Cabinet of Ministers. The law comes into force on January 1, 2025. ============================================================= БАКУ /Trend/ - Президент Ильхам Алиев подписал закон о внесенииизменений в закон "О таможенном тарифе". Как сообщает ,изменением предусмотрено, что на основании документа,удостоверяющего личность органа (учреждения), определяемогосоответствующим органом исполнительной власти, импорттехнологического оборудования и установок индивидуальнымипредпринимателями и юридическими лицами, являющимисяпроизводителями по проектам производства электроэнергии собязательством государственного закупа не ниже суммы, установленнойорганом (учреждением), определенным соответствующим органомисполнительной власти, освобожден от таможенных пошлин на срок,определенный договором купли-продажи электроэнергии, заключенным всоответствии с законом "Об использовании возобновляемых источниковэнергии в производстве электроэнергии", но не более чем на 30 лет(включая период строительства). Вместе с тем импорт техники, технологического оборудования иустановок, а также сырья и материалов индивидуальнымипредпринимателями и юридическими лицами, являющимися частнымипартнерами в рамках проектов государственно-частного партнерства,освобождается от таможенных пошлин, но на срок не более 30 лет(включая период строительства) на основании подтверждающегодокумента государственного партнера, определенного в соответствии сзаконом "О государственно-частном партнерстве", осуществляемого насрок, установленный договором государственно-частного партнерства,заключенным в соответствии с законом Азербайджанской Республики "Огосударственно-частном партнерстве". Согласно закону, в целях проведения оценки влияния льгот иосвобождений по таможенным пошлинам на доходы государственногобюджета льготы и освобождения от таможенных пошлин будутклассифицироваться в порядке, установленном Кабинетомминистров. Закон вступает в силу с 1 января 2025 года. Глава государства подписал об исполнении соответствующего закона.
Nanovaccine derived from pre-chemotherapy tumors combats multiple tumors in mice