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phmacao app This week, people wondered if Netflix really can manage NFL games on Christmas, somebody paid over $6 million for the right to tape fruit to the wall and call it art and the National Book Awards shone some light on good writing. Here's what NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour crew was paying attention to — and what you should check out this weekend. Ben Fensome's Budget Pride and Prejudice Ben Fensome is a British actor and playwright who's been doing "Budget Pride and Prejudice," on his TikTok where he lip syncs scenes from the 1995 BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice . I'm obsessed with this version. He acts out these scenes with very light homespun costuming, like pinning his t-shirt to make a square neck when he's playing the ladies or putting a tablecloth on his head to play Lady Catherine de Bourgh. It's so good and funny. Now I'm watching Pride and Prejudice out of order in little chunks on TikTok done by this guy who is a one man show. — Wailin Wong G-Dragon It is a very good time to be a K-Pop fan because not only do my current favorite groups, Ateez and Stray Kids , have new comebacks out, one of my OG faves, G-Dragon, has released a new song called "Power" and a corresponding music video. The video is filmed in one continuous shot and I have watched it an embarrassing number of times. The song itself is catchy, strong and so quintessentially G-Dragon. He's a rapper-songwriter and was the leader of the hugely influential K-Pop group BigBang , which was the group that got me into K-Pop. — Mallory Yu A Whole New Sound Every once in a while, Disney will put out a compilation album made up of covers that are performed by an extremely random assortment of musical artists. A Whole New Sound is probably my new favorite. It is the alt-rock-emo version of these Disney compilation albums. If you're a millennial, a lot of these band names will sound familiar. Simple Plan did "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" New Found Glory did "Part of Your World . " The best song on this album is Magnolia Park's cover of "I 2 I" from A Goofy Movie . It's fun and gets into all the emo feels. This album just hits in a different way, and it makes me feel young again. — Aisha Harris Astro Bot The game Astro Bot on the PS5 is a platformer with boss battles. I hate both those things, I'm not good at them, but this is so forgiving. Is it a Mario rip-off and marketing for PlayStation? Yes. But it transcends that. You're a little robot with little planets to rescue other robots like you. Many of those robots turn out to be references to other PlayStation games. What makes this game work for me is that you're never lost. If you missed some collectibles in a level, you can go through that level again with a little robot bird that's going to point you to where all the collectibles are. You don't have to go through the whole level and fight the boss again. It makes all the difference in the world. I want to be challenged, not frustrated. This walks that line effortlessly. — Glen Weldon More recommendations from the Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter by Linda Holmes I have been playing a lot of Escape Simulator recently. If you like the idea of escape rooms, with their complex environments and notoriously gnarly puzzles, but you don't like the idea of leaving the house or being locked in with other people (shudder). In this game you can escape from various tombs and space labs and so forth from the comfort of your own home. I've been reading Margaret Eby's You Gotta Eat: Real-Life Strategies for Feeding Yourself When Cooking Feels Impossible . You may remember Bedatri D. Choudhury recommending it on PCHH a few months ago, and she was absolutely right. Not only is it an incredibly practical book for times of depression, anxiety, emotional overwhelm or simply being too busy to even think, but it's written in a tone so kind and calm that I would read it over and over, even if it were about how to change the oil in your car. We have an upcoming episode on the Netflix adaptation of The Piano Lesson , but I do want to put in a mention of it here, in part because it's instantly one of my favorite Samuel L. Jackson performances. More to follow on this. Dhanika Pineda adapted the Pop Culture Happy Hour segment "What's Making Us Happy" for the Web. If you like these suggestions, consider signing up for our newsletter to get recommendations every week. And listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify .COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the state's product liability law prohibits counties from bringing public nuisance claims against national pharmaceutical chains as they did as part of national opioid litigation, a decision that could overturn a $650 million judgment against the pharmacies. An attorney for the counties called the decision “devastating.” Justices were largely unanimous in their interpretation of an arcane disagreement over the state law, which had emerged in a lawsuit brought by Lake and Trumbull counties outside Cleveland against CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. The counties won their initial lawsuit — and were awarded $650 million in damages by a federal judge in 2022 — but the pharmacies had disputed the court's reading of the Ohio Product Liability Act, which they said protected them from such sanctions. In an opinion written by Justice Joseph Deters, the court found that Ohio state lawmakers intended the law to prevent “all common law product liability causes of action" — even if they don't seek compensatory damages but merely “equitable relief” for the communities. “The plain language of the OPLA abrogates product-liability claims, including product-related public-nuisance claims seeking equitable relief,” he wrote. “We are constrained to interpret the statute as written, not according to our own personal policy preferences.” Two of the Republican-dominated court's Democratic justices disagreed on that one point, while concurring on the rest of the judgment. “Any award to abate a public nuisance like the opioid epidemic would certainly be substantial in size and scope, given that the claimed nuisance is both long-lasting and widespread,” Justice Melody Stewart wrote in an opinion joined by Justice Michael Donnelly. “But just because an abatement award is of substantial size and scope does not mean it transforms it into a compensatory-damages award.” In a statement, the plaintiffs' co-liaison counsel in the national opioid litigation, Peter Weinberger, of the Cleveland-based law firm Spangenberg Shibley & Liber, lamented the decision. “This ruling will have a devastating impact on communities and their ability to police corporate misconduct," he said. “We have used public nuisance claims across the country to obtain nearly $60 billion in opioid settlements, including nearly $1 billion in Ohio alone, and the Ohio Supreme Court’s ruling undermines the very legal basis that drove this result.” But Weinberger said Tuesday's ruling would not be the end, and that communities would continue to fight “through other legal avenues.” "We remain steadfast in our commitment to holding all responsible parties to account as this litigation continues nationwide,” he said. In his 2022 ruling, U.S. District Judge Dan Polster said that the money awarded to Lake and Trump counties would be used to the fight the opioid crisis. Attorneys at the time put the total price tag at $3.3 billion for the damage done. Lake County was to receive $306 million over 15 years. Trumbull County was to receive $344 million over the same period. Nearly $87 million was to be paid immediately to cover the first two years of payments. A jury returned a verdict in favor of the counties in November 2021, after a six-week trial. It was then left to the judge to decide how much the counties should receive. He heard testimony the next May to determine damages. The counties convinced the jury that the pharmacies played an outsized role in creating a public nuisance in the way they dispensed pain medication. It was the first time pharmacy companies completed a trial to defend themselves in a drug crisis that has killed a half-million Americans since 1999. Julie Carr Smyth, The Associated Press

Polish game development studio and publisher People Can Fly is going through its second round of layoffs . This time, over 120 employees are being affected, with the CEO Sebastian Wojciechowski saying that this is to make sure that the company does not go over its financial capacity. Multiple games in development are affected by the staff reduction too. The announcement arrived on , with the CEO saying that it is "deeply grateful for the contributions of every team member impacted by this turn of events; their talent and dedication have helped shape our company and our games." As part of the change in scope, the studio says that its Project Victoria game is being suspended entirely, while Project Bifrost development team is being scaled down. Some "restructuring" of the studio's support teams are in effect too. Both gaming projects have been self-published titles but have never seen official announcements, and have only being in development for a few years. "This action became necessary as external market pressures persisted beyond our forecasts. The video game market is still evolving, and we have to adjust with where things are today," said the CEO. "We are redoubling our efforts with new work-for-hire engagements and focusing on the development of a single independent game." Important update from Sebastian Wojciechowski, CEO. "Our priority is to approach this moment with compassion and to ensure our team feels supported as we work together to build a stronger future," he adds. "In this hard moment, our dedication to excellence and creativity remains as strong as ever. For everyone who loves what we create — we will not give up on our dreams." The company has multiple gaming projects still in development. This includes a title for Square Enix, which is largely believed to be an sequel, and even an . This mysterious Microsoft-published project is said to cost around 30-50 million USD to complete, though it may be some years out from release still.Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states. Words on ammo in CEO shooting echo common phrase on insurer tactics: Delay, deny, defend A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition used to kill UnitedHealthcare's CEO. That's according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. The words are similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend.” That's how attorneys describe insurers denying services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the words. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. Michigan Democrats move to protect reproductive health data before GOP takes control of House LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democrats in Michigan are pressing to pass reproductive health care legislation before the party loses its majority with the new legislative session next year. A bill to protect digital reproductive health data including data logged on menstrual cycle tracking apps is a Democratic priority as lawmakers meet this month. Democratic women and supporters of the legislation say they are acting with new urgency before President-elect Donald Trump takes office because they don't believe his campaign promise to leave abortion to the states. The rush is also a reaction to Republicans taking control of the state House in January. Democrats kept control of the state Senate in the November election. Japan's Nippon Steel sets sights on a growing overseas market in its bid to acquire US Steel KASHIMA, Japan (AP) — The signs at Nippon Steel read: “The world through steel,” underlining why Japan’s top steelmaker is pursuing its $15 billion bid to acquire U.S. Steel. Japan's domestic market isn't growing, so Nippon Steel has its eyes on India, Southeast Asia and the United States, where populations are still growing. Nippon Steel gave reporters a tour of one of its plants in Japan on Friday. The bid for U.S. Steet is opposed by President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and American steelworkers. If the deal goes through, U.S. Steel will keep its name and its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but become subsidiary of Nippon Steel.

Manoj Tiwari slams Arvind Kejriwal for copying BJP schemes ahead of polls

Personal 3D printers have become more accessible than ever, with various brands offering all kinds of models . Even if you can only make things out of plastic filament , the fact that you can create solid objects and elaborate constructs where once there was nothing is absolutely incredible in the grand scheme of things. To have such power in the comfort of your home can almost be a paralyzing prospect — when you've got that kind of functionality readily available to you, how could you possibly decide what to do with it? Before you decide to create some kind of world-saving robot with your 3D printer, though, you might want to start with some humbler goals. A 3D printer can be used to create all kinds of nifty gadgets and gizmos, after all, and if there were ever a place that could always use more gadgets and gizmos, it's your own home. With a big spool of filament and some crafty ingenuity, you'd be surprised what kind of cool things you could print, whether it's practical household helpers or just some neat junk to give your living space a little zing. The best way to really make a living space reflective of its owner is to fill it up with nifty tchotchkes and knick-knacks. A little statue on a shelf here, a framed photograph there, and suddenly an empty room looks like a lived-in space. However, even if you have fairly loose stylistic requirements, you might not always be able to find knick-knacks that meet your stylistic requirements in a store. As the old saying goes, if no one will sell it to you, just make it yourself. With a 3D printer, you can create just about any knick-knack your heart desires. Make a festive frame for your favorite family photo, a weird little holder for your work pens and pencils , or just a silly-looking statue to serve as a talking point on the coffee table. 3D printing gives you the flexibility to print just about any simple construct, and crafting simple things in this way is also a great way to practice using your 3D printer . Whether you're using pre-made printing files you find online or designing something from scratch, it's a nice low-stakes way to get acquainted with the printing process. Just about any stationary object in your home has a nonzero chance of being jostled around on a regular basis, and in some cases, you would really rather they not be. Whether you've got a bicycle that keeps falling over or a water dispenser in your fridge that doesn't slide far enough, these are both problems that can be solved with the help of a 3D printer. With a bit of measurement and tinkering, you can create all kinds of helpful mounts to keep tools, appliances, and other assorted objects nice and steady. In the case of a falling bicycle, for example, you can print a simple wall mount tailored to your bicycle's exact dimensions. All you need is an anchoring point to secure the dowels to the wall, and you've got a perfect rack to keep your bicycle suspended safely off the ground. Or, in the case of the refrigerator water dispenser, you can print a platform to raise it slightly off the shelf so it can safely slide out and dispense water. These are just a couple of examples of stabilizing, elevating mounts you can create with little trouble using your 3D printer. Here's an annoying scenario: the batteries in your TV remote die, and you need to replace them. You pop off the back cover and swap the batteries out, only to find that the cover has spontaneously vanished. Maybe you dropped it behind the couch without realizing it, or maybe the dog made off with it; whatever the cause, you've got a remote with exposed batteries on your hands. It's neither smart nor safe to leave the batteries hanging out like that, but how are you supposed to cover them up without the cover? Once again, it's your 3D printer to the rescue. By taking measurements of your remote, particularly noting any points where the cover was secured in place, you can create a near-exact duplicate of the lost cover using a 3D printer. This does require some skill with a caliper and a 3D modeling program, but the payoff is an immediate cover replacement rather than needing to call the remote manufacturer for one. In a similar vein, a 3D printer can also be used to create protective covers for small charging cables that have begun to fray. Rather than leaving those wires exposed, you can create a fitted shell to keep them held in place and protected from the elements. Let's say you've just popped a fresh bag of popcorn for movie night, but can't find a good bowl to keep it in. A regular dinner bowl is usually too small for a full bag of popcorn, but you can't seem to track down a well-sized bowl to fit all of it. If you frequently find yourself lacking in good snack-handling options, then rather than spending an hour browsing at a store, why not make the perfect bowl yourself? Whether with pre-made designs or from scratch, you can create perfect snack bowls and plates for any entertaining occasion. Not only will they be perfectly sized for the volume of snacks you're consuming, but you can also put fun spins on them, like a skull-shaped bowl for holding Halloween candy . Just remember that this trick is best only used for dry snacks like chips, M&Ms, nuts, or popcorn, as the plastic material may not be safe to use with hot meals. Double-check the filament you're using to ensure it's FDA-approved for food contact safety. Here's a fun fact: most action figures are made of simple composite parts, molded separately before being fitted together. Considering that, it's actually quite possible to make similar toys with your 3D printer by printing the parts onto runners and assembling them afterward. They might not be as detailed as what you'd get from the toy store or have all the wacky features built in, but you can still make some pretty cool toys from scratch. For example, by printing in flexible joints, you can create cute and nifty animals like a T-Rex or a shark that offer a degree of posing ability while also being able to withstand the rigors of playtime. Or, if you want something a little more dramatic, you can create a dynamic, fully poseable action figure from composite printed parts. After you make the main figure, you can also print accessories like armor and weapons if you want. These toys make great spur-of-the-moment gifts for the young and young-at-heart, as well as a fun way to get your kids involved with your 3D printing hobby.PM Modi praises surge in ‘Made in India’ products in Kuwait, emphasises trade as important pillar of bilateral relationshipFile: A stack of various daily newspapers. Photo: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB (Photo by Sebastian Kahnert / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP) File: A stack of various daily newspapers. Photo: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB (Photo by Sebastian Kahnert / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP) JOHANNESBURG - Once upon a time, people learnt about and understood their world through a newspaper. People would sit at the table or the couch reading the printed words. The first few pages generally contained the most important news of the day, followed by opinion pieces, then something lighter like lifestyle or travel and finally, sport. Before the sport pages came the classified section. It was akin to what we now experience on Facebook’s marketplace. These days, newspapers are disappearing. It is a trend that started many years ago and by the end of this year, a few more titles will disappear, either forever or just in print form. This week marked the end of City Press in the printed form. It will continue online. Mondli Makhanya, the editor, said the plan was for the title to go big on stories that were important. He accepts that there is strong competition online but believes maintaining good journalistic values will give the title the competitive edge. These values include accuracy, trust, and bold reporting. Another title to ditch its print edition and embrace the digital world was the Daily Sun – a newspaper that focused on the ordinary person. Amos Mananyetso, the editor, said: ‘Upon establishment, the philosophy of the Daily Sun was clear. It was a newspaper for the man in the blue overall, a factory worker, a taxi driver, a domestic worker, or a retail worker. These were commuters who bought their papers at taxi ranks, train stations, or bus stops’. ‘But suddenly, on 26 March 2020, that commuter market was not there. The country was on lockdown and suddenly the Daily Sun did not have a paper to sell to someone,’ he said. Most newspapers were not able to win back readers after COVID-19. The world had changed. Money was tight. And there were other platforms to get information. Mananyetso said there was a need to shift gears – moving from a traditional print media publication and into the online space. He said there were also advantages as journalists could use audio and video to tell their stories. ‘It is not the end of the word. It is a changing word. We are just using a different medium to tell the same stories of our community and the suffering of our people’. During the course of 2024, the Competition Commission conducted the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry to investigate the plight of smaller news organisations in the digital age. The commission said, ‘The Publishers Support Service submitted that the transition to digital news consumption and advertising had resulted in all publishers seeing a massive decline in advertising revenue, and an increase in costs as newsrooms needed to devote resources to their digital presence. This transition leaves the publishers in a precarious financial position despite cutting costs.’ Additionally, the commission said the loss of advertising revenue for publishers meant they were unable to make the necessary investments. This in turn had the potential to reduce the quality and diversity of content. According to the commission, a "smooth transition" into digital distribution required investment in technology and highly skilled developers, which came at a price. A recent survey referred to by the Commission showed that 77% of people interviewed got their news from social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Those surveyed were attracted to these platforms because it of convenience and immediacy. However, 48% of respondents, still turned to traditional media because they saw it as dependable and in-depth. Whether traditional media organisations will have a happy ending and remain credible and relevant online remains to be seen. By Zandile KhumaloWhat does the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 winner get? Prize money explained - and Glitterball Trophy

BEIJING , Dec. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Baijiayun Group Ltd ("Baijiayun" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: RTC), a one-stop AI video solution provider, today announced it was honored with the title of "Exclusive Member Unit". In recent days, the First Council of the Artificial Intelligence Education Professional Committee of the Beijing Educational Informationization Industry Alliance and the 2024 Symposium on Artificial Intelligence Empowering the Innovative Development of Primary and Secondary Schools were successfully held at the Affiliated Experimental School of Beijing Institute of Technology. Nearly 200 renowned experts, leaders of education bureaus, principals of primary and secondary schools, front-line educators, and representatives of artificial intelligence technical support units from Beijing , Tianjin , Hebei , Liaoning and other places attended the conference. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.How BlockDAG & Inter Milan's Partnership Continues Turning Heads While SHIB Whale Activity Rises & XRP News Drives Discussions

Ramon Rivera, 53, has been charged with murdering three innocent bystanders in a stabbing spree across New York City on Monday. But the Washington Examiner can report that Rivera's attacks only ended when State Department Diplomatic Security Service agents detained him near United Nations headquarters. While the New York Police Department has claimed sole responsibility for catching Rivera, it was DSS agents assigned to a protective detail for United Kingdom foreign secretary David Lammy who stopped Rivera and held him until NYPD officers arrived. The agents also provided emergency aid to a 36-year-old victim of the attacker, who later died in hospital. Unfortunately, however, sources say that the courage of the generally early career stage agents responsible has gone unnoticed by DSS leadership. No supervisors attended the scene and no public recognition of the agents involved was provided by DSS or the State Department. Asked about this apparent failure of leadership, a State Department spokesperson simply stated to the Washington Examiner that "DSS special agents provided aid to the stabbed woman until EMS arrived; they also detained the alleged attacker until NYPD uniformed officers made their arrest." The problem here is twofold. First, agents who acted with courage and care outside the normal conduct of their duties have not been recognized for doing so. As the Washington Examiner has previously reported , DSS today is characterized by extremely high protective detail workloads and associated burnout. In turn, the least these agents deserved was recognition from their leadership. Instead, one source with direct knowledge of the events told the Washington Examiner that when it came to DSS engagement with agents at the scene, "It was total chaos." Second, this example of DSS leadership disinterest for the welfare of lower ranking agents is only the tip of the iceberg. As the Washington Examiner has previously reported , senior leaders such as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith and DSS Director Carlos Matus have preferred to take junket trips to Las Vegas and divert resources to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives before the welfare and efficacy of their organization. DSS is renowned in the federal law enforcement community as an organization where "grunt agents" bear the burden of unpopular assignments while supervisors take office jobs or authorized leave. This extends to DSS leadership in New York City. The DSS field office in the Big Apple failed to make a single law enforcement investigation arrest in 2022 (as compared to 100+ arrests in preceding years). CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Other leadership failures include a major, evolving counterintelligence concern involving a senior DSS agent and Iran, and the DSS's inability to match the diplomatic outreach of local law enforcement partners such as the NYPD and LAPD in garnering permission for DSS agents to carry firearms at the recent Paris Olympic Games. This undermined the ability of DSS agents to effectively protect Team USA athletes at the games. As President-elect Donald Trump and Secretary of State-designee Marco Rubio move to take office in January, reforming this once proud organization should be foremost on their agenda.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia quarterback Carson Beck will not return after he was hit on his throwing hand on the final play of an ugly first half Saturday in the Southeastern Conference championship game against Texas. Beck was hit by outside linebacker Trey Moore, forcing a fumble recovered by Anthony Hill Jr., who then lost the ball on an errant attempt to extend the play with a lateral as time expired. Beck was one of the last players to return to the field following halftime. He was holding his helmet but did not warm up remained on the sideline as backup Gunner Stockton led the offense to its first touchdown on the Bulldogs' first drive of the second half. Georgia coach Kirby Smart told ESPN Beck would not return to the game and said he had no details on the hand injury. Beck had the right arm wrapped in ice on the Georgia bench. No. 2 Texas outgained No. 5 Georgia 260-54 but led only 6-3 at halftime. The Bulldogs netted minus-2 yards rushing and Beck completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards. 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-footballAnalysis: If Jets don't want Rodgers, others will

NoneKuwait City, Dec 22 (PTI) India and Kuwait on Sunday elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah that focused on giving new momentum to the overall bilateral ties. In their meeting at the majestic Bayan Palace here, the two leaders especially deliberated on boosting cooperation in areas of information technology, pharmaceuticals, fintech, infrastructure and security. Modi thanked the Emir for ensuring the well-being of over one million Indians in Kuwait while the Kuwaiti leader expressed appreciation for the contribution of the community in the development journey of the Gulf nation. In a post on 'X', Modi described his meeting with the Emir as "excellent". "Excellent meeting with His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. We discussed cooperation in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT, FinTech, Infrastructure and security," he said. "In line with the close ties between our nations, we have elevated our partnership to a strategic one and I am optimistic that our friendship will flourish even more in the times to come," he added. On his arrival at the Bayan Palace, Modi was given a ceremonial welcome and received by Kuwaiti Prime Minister Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The Indian prime minister arrived here on Saturday on a two-day trip - the first to this Gulf nation by an Indian prime minister in 43 years. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the talks between the prime minister and the Emir focused on exploring ways to take India-Kuwait ties to "new heights". In their discussions, Modi and the Kuwaiti Emir recalled the strong historical and friendly ties between the two countries and reaffirmed their full commitment to further expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation. The prime minister thanked the Emir for ensuring the well-being of over one million strong Indian community in Kuwait, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It said Modi appreciated the new initiatives being undertaken by Kuwait to fulfill its 'Vision 2035' and congratulated the Emir for the successful holding of the summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) earlier this month. The GCC is an influential grouping comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The total volume of India's trade with GCC countries stood at USD 184.46 billion in the financial year 2022-23. Modi also expressed his gratitude for inviting him on Saturday as a 'Guest of Honour' at the opening ceremony of the Arabian Gulf Cup. The Emir reciprocated Modi's sentiments and expressed appreciation for India's role as a valued partner in Kuwait and the Gulf region, the MEA said in a statement. It said the Kuwaiti leader looked forward to a greater role and contribution of India towards the realisation of Kuwait's 'Vision 2035'. The prime minister also invited the Emir to visit India. The Gulf nation is among India's top trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24. Kuwait is India's sixth largest crude supplier, meeting 3 per cent of the country's energy needs. Indian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceeded USD 10 billion. The last Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981. India is among the top trading partners of Kuwait. The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)

Dec. 6 Thanks to Catherine McKenna, Canada’s former minister of the environment and climate change, for speaking the truth about disinformation spread by the oil and gas sector, and for the Star in making us aware of their attempts to deceive the public. The onus is now on us to hold them accountable. Finally, Catherine McKenna realizes her naivety in thinking the government could manage the Alberta tarsands and work effectively towards clean energy. Her naive faith in the oil industry is one big tragedy for Canada as carbon emissions increase and wildfires, floods and extreme weather continue to escalate. What will it take for governments in Canada and across the globe to come to the same realization before it’s too late? And “later” is already too late. I think environmentalists should have used a more direct route to cutting off oil supply rather than simply encouraging the fossil fuel industry to reduce production. The way to force change is the same one used by the shipping industry when they made a transition from wooden sailing ships to iron-hulled crafts powered by steam engines. You have to more than “suggest” a switch to renewables like wind and solar power, even hydrogen. The public must get behind the technology investment showing leadership for this technology. This carbon emergency is too critical for life itself to be substituted. These renewables are cleaner and can be cheaper, too. Some parties for clean change could include the environmental groups, renewable companies and the general public all led by a government initiative selling marketable investment funds. The fossil fuel capitalists can’t be depended on for anything but self-interest. The world needs to invest in clean energy as a global community. Kudos to Catherine McKenna for laying bare the lies that the Canadian fossil fuel industry has been telling us for years, in their advertising on TV, radio, newspapers, social media, billboards, and on TTC vehicles. Their goal: to make billions in profits for their shareholders and CEO’s, before they no longer can. The result: “a deadly and unsustainable future” for our children; polluted tailing ponds, and leaking, abandoned and orphaned oil wells that the public will have to pay billions to clean up; and a lost opportunity to transition Canada sooner to a cheaper, cleaner renewable energy economy. Canadians, open your eyes to what is really going on, and tell your elected representatives to take urgent and drastic climate action now. Later is too late.Saka undergoes hamstring surgery as Arteta gives timescale for return