SAN FRANCISCO , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Smodin, a trailblazer in AI-powered tools for students, educators, and professionals, is thrilled to announce an exciting development: www. contemplativeinquiry.org and www. freshu.io now redirect to Smodin.io, creating a single, unified hub for innovation and productivity. This move marks a significant step forward in Smodin's mission to make advanced AI tools more accessible than ever. By integrating these domains into Smodin.io, users will enjoy seamless access to a broader range of resources, from AI writing assistance to content analysis, all on a single platform designed to meet diverse needs. "This isn't just about redirection—it's about transformation," said the founder of Smodin. "By bringing everything under the Smodin umbrella, we're creating a one-stop solution for anyone seeking smarter, faster, and more effective tools to achieve their goals." Visitors from contemplativeinquiry.org and freshu.io will now have direct access to Smodin's continually expanding suite of features, including plagiarism detection, essay generation, and tools tailored to enhance productivity and creativity. This evolution ensures users can focus on what truly matters: creating, learning, and growing. The consolidation is part of Smodin's vision to innovate and deliver an unparalleled user experience while solidifying its position as a global leader in AI technology. Discover the future of AI-driven solutions at www.smodin.io . About Smodin Smodin is a leading AI-powered platform dedicated to empowering users worldwide with smart tools for writing, research, and productivity. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Smodin transforms the way students, educators, and professionals work and create. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smodin-unites-powerful-domains-to-deliver-an-all-in-one-ai-platform-302314508.html SOURCE SmodinIndian Bank, which was established on March 5, 1907 and officially started operations on August 15, 1907, has a legacy of over a century. It has navigated several economic crises, becoming a leading financial institution in India. As on September 30, 2024, Indian Bank is the seventh largest public sector bank with a total business of ₹12.44 lakh crore. Public opinion sought On November 2, 1906, a circular went out, inviting people to share their views on starting a “Native Bank in Madras”. The immediate trigger was the failure of the Madras-based Arbuthnot Bank in 1906, which caused misery to depositors, with a cascading effect on the local economy, according to details from the bank. “Also, at the time of the failure of Arbuthnot Bank, the Swadeshi Movement was launched at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1906. The establishment of the bank reflected the nationalistic desire for a reliable, Indian-managed financial institution,” say Indian Bank officials. V. Krishnaswamy Iyer, a prominent Madras lawyer, played a pivotal role in the establishment of the bank. S.Rm.M. Ramaswami Chettiar, one of the bank’s first directors, went on to become its inaugural chairman. Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, a highly respected leader, joined the board in 1915, contributing significantly to its growth and development. Head office at Parry’s Corner The head office was initially opened in Parry’s Buildings at Parry’s Corner. As the operations grew, the head office was shifted to the Bentinck’s Building on North Beach Road (now Rajaji Salai) in July 1910. Subsequently, it was shifted in May 1970 to 31, Rajaji Salai (now renumbered as 66, Rajaji Salai, Chennai-600001). The bank started out with an initial capital investment of ₹8 lakh. In 1907, the bank’s emblem featured a banyan tree, symbolising overall progress, expansive growth, and continuous prosperity. Another component of the emblem was the frontal view of an elephant, with a long trunk symbolising the bank’s strength. In July 1978, the bank adopted its current logo, featuring three arrows that symbolise savings, investment, and surplus. The bank opened its second branch in Madurai on December 14, 1908, followed by the third in Coimbatore. It expanded internationally with the establishment of its first overseas branch in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1932. It went on to open a branch in Singapore in 1941. Before Independence, Indian Bank played an important role in financing local businesses. In 1947, the bank had 73 branches with a total business of ₹27.85 crore and a net profit of ₹0.78 crore. After Independence, it financed industries and offered financial services. The bank’s business, which stood at ₹27.85 crore in 1947, grew to ₹161.43 crore by the time of its nationalisation in 1969. Accounts and deposits In the 1950s, the bank introduced savings and current account services, followed by fixed deposits in the 1960s. The 1980s marked the arrival of ATMs and debit cards, and in the 1990s, online banking and home loans were introduced. Over the years, the bank acquired the businesses of Royalaseema Bank, Bank of Alagapuri, Salem Bank, Mannargudi Bank, and Trichy United Bank. In 1990, the bank acquired the Bank of Thanjavur that had a business of ₹114.64 crore. And the most significant recent merger was the amalgamation of Allahabad Bank with Indian Bank. The merger was completed on April 1, 2020. Indian Bank came out with its initial public offering in February 2007. The bank had offered 8.5955 crore equity shares, of which 10% were reserved for the employees. The issue was over-subscribed 32.03 times and the issue price was ₹91. The bank mobilised a total ₹762.14 crore (₹85.95 crore in equity capital and ₹696.9 crore in share premium). After this issue, the Indian government’s holding in the share capital stood at 80%. Indian Bank was officially listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) after the initial public offering. On the listing day, the equity shares of the bank touched a high of ₹105 in the BSE and ₹100.25 in the NSE. The bank took its maiden step in technology adoption during the 1980s by introducing ATMs and electronic fund transfer. In the 1990s, the bank embraced ALM-TBC, taking its first step towards digitisation. It became a forerunner in introducing tele-banking and online banking. During the 2010s, the bank focused on expanding digital services, launching mobile wallets. At the same time, the bank re-doubled its efforts at financial inclusion in rural areas, empowering under-served communities with digital banking tools. And more recently, the bank has embraced artificial intelligence (AI) and partnered with fintech companies. Now, the bank is headed by Shanti Lal Jain, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. As on September 30, 2024, the bank has 5,856 domestic branches: 1,983 rural branches, 1,532 semi-urban branches, 1,174 urban branches, and 1,167 metro branches. The bank also operates three overseas branches and has one International Banking Unit at Gift City in Gujarat. The official data show the bank caters to the needs of over 100 million customers with 40,671 employees. Lending to individuals, small businesses, and public sector enterprises is the bank’s major business. Demand may increase The bank also focuses on providing customised solutions to corporates and government departments. In an email, the bank officials told The Hindu that the demand in retail banking and agriculture is expected to rise, driven by the growing economy and increasing financial inclusion in rural areas. Over the next two years, the bank plans to enhance its digital services and continue expanding its mobile banking, internet banking, and other online services. The bank’s net profit, which stood at ₹753 crore (on a stand-alone basis before the amalgamation of e-Allahabad Bank) for the year ending March 31, 2020, surged to ₹8,063 crore for the year ending March 31, 2024. In the first half of the current fiscal (September 2024), the bank reported a net profit of ₹5,110 crore. Published - December 22, 2024 10:51 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit
Zuby Ejiofor delivered an early Christmas present to St. John's in the form of a buzzer-beating shot to keep the Red Storm's winning streak alive. St. John's (10-2) beat Providence at the horn back on Dec. 20 to win its fifth straight game and move to 2-0 in the Big East. Back on its campus in New York, St. John's will face Delaware on Saturday for one last tune-up before returning to conference action. In the Red Storm's first true road game of the season, Providence led most of the way before Ejiofor and RJ Luis Jr. steered the comeback. Ejiofor made a jumper in the lane in the final second to secure a 72-70 win. Coach Rick Pitino saw evidence that his team had grown from the start of the season. The Red Storm's two losses came on a double-overtime buzzer-beater against Baylor and by three points versus Georgia. "I think they're mentally maturing," Pitino told the New York Post. "Three weeks ago, with missing all those free throws, all those shots, we lose by 12 to 16 points. But they're maturing mentally and getting tougher because (that night) we didn't have it offensively, and they still found a way to win on the road in a tough environment." Ejiofor had 19 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. On a team stacked with talent, he and Luis have been the main catalysts. Luis averages 17.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and Ejiofor provides 14.6 points and a team-best 7.8 rebounds per contest. Ejiofor's game-winner came on an offensive board and second-chance look. "My philosophy is, and Coach says, every shot is essentially my rebound," Ejiofor said. "I have pride in getting my team a second chance, and that's exactly what I did." Delaware (7-5) has had a quiet month, with two of its three wins coming against non-Division I teams. But its other win in that time was a 93-80 romp against rival Delaware State on Dec. 3. That night, the Blue Hens shot a red-hot 17-of-31 from 3-point range. The 17 makes were one shy of tying the program record. Cavan Reilly (five 3-pointers) led them that night with 20 points, but three other starters also buried three triples. "That's what I envisioned out of this group," coach Martin Ingelsby told the Delaware News Journal, "to have multiple weapons." Delaware would love to rediscover that shooting touch. It made just 6 of 21 shots from deep in a 72-64 loss to Saint Peter's on Dec. 20. John Camden paces Delaware with 14.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Four other players average double-figure scoring: Niels Lane (13.7), Reilly (12.9), Erik Timko (12.4) and Izaiah Pasha (10.7). --Field Level Media
Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Lancashire Evening Post, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. The two dins topped the list of disturbances reported to Preston City Council’s noise service, continuing a decade-long trend. During that time, the overall number of registered complaints has held steady at between just under 900 and a little over 1,100 a year - with the latter peak coming during 2020, at the height of the lockdown era. Advertisement Advertisement The 2024 tally looks set to sit squarely within that range, with 895 reports having been made by the end of November, the latest date for which figures are available. Within that total, music volume was the most complained about issue - cropping up 281 times. Dogs barking attracted 172 complaints over the same period. A catch-all category of ‘other’ domestic noise racked up 228 reports, but that figure includes multiple different noise sources emanating from the home, such as DIY and shouting. The city council has also taken enforcement action on 161 occasions - with music and dogs being the main single reasons. That move usually involves the issuing of a ‘noise abatement notice’ - a breach of which can result in prosecution and fine. Advertisement Advertisement However, a senior officer within the authority’s environmental protection team told the Lancashire Post that problems could often have been nipped in the bud long before it got to that point - and even prior to a complaint being made - if people were more willing to "communicate" with each other. “If, say, you are going to be having a party, just let your neighbours know,” says Lucy Davies (not her real name, which she did not want publishing). “If you’re not inviting them, then maybe just put a little card through the door or on your [neighbourhood] WhatsApp group to say, ‘Look, we're having a party, it might be bit noisy, but we'll be finishing at such-and-such a time - and if gets too loud, then please just knock on.’” Lucy has the same advice for music-lovers and anybody who is going to be doing noisy house renovations - but stresses that advance notice also comes with the need to be considerate. Advertisement Advertisement “It’s about trying to be responsible and reasonable - and letting your neighbours know, for example, when you're having some work done. If neighbours spoke to each other, they might be able to resolve [these things] in a more amicable way,” she explains. “And if you're causing an irritation to your neighbours because you're playing your music too loud, talking to each other might be a way of resolving it and coming to an agreement rather than [the council] having to investigate." When it comes to the disturbance that can be caused by barking dogs, Lucy says their owners may actually appreciate being made aware of a canine cacophony if it is happening in their absence. “It might be that the owners go out to work and the dog gets lonely and bored - and is stimulated if someone walks past or if it can hear the neighbours. Advertisement Advertisement “Most owners won't want their dog to be distressed while they are out - and so if it is that sort of situation, we have a dog warden who can [offer] advice on ways to minimise their dog barking.” Lucy says her advice can simply be summed up as: “Be a good neighbour.” “And the way to do that is to be reasonable in your behaviour and communicate with your neighbours if there's likely to be an issue - because you'll find that people are more tolerant and accepting if you do.” However, the experienced noise officer knows only too well - not least from dealing with an average of 1,000 complaints a year in the city - that consideration and compromise can sometimes prove elusive. And that is where she and her team come in. Advertisement Advertisement “[Noise] can be quite upsetting, [particularly if it is] impacting sleep or people are perhaps in poor health. It can be quite frustrating to be trapped in [such a] situation,” Lucy adds. Preston City Council’s noise service swings into action to deal with persistent problems that could be classed as a ‘statutory nuisance’ because of the effect they are having on a person’s quality of life. Although the authority does occasionally intervene over one-off events like a party or an alarm sounding - which generate a large number of complaints while they are actually happening - its primary role is to gather evidence of noise that is occurring repeatedly over a period of time. For that reason, the noise service is mainly focused on gathering evidence of how disruptive and disturbing a particular activity is for those living within earshot of it. Advertisement Advertisement Since people prone to making an unreasonable noise often have no regard to the time of day or night they do so - which can, of course, be part of the problem - the city council operates an out-of-hours service to which reports can be made until long after dark. The authority runs a night-time noise phone line, designed largely to advance investigations into previously-registered complaints rather than look into new issues being reported for the first time. It is open between 7pm and 1am, Sunday to Thursday, and until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. The service enables officers to be dispatched to hear complained-about noise for themselves when it is actually happening - and so helps determine whether it crosses the statutory nuisance threshold. Lucy Davies says the night noise facility is particularly useful for investigating the most common cause of noise complaint in Preston - loud music. Advertisement Advertisement “An officer can then make their own assessment based on the circumstances. So if I'm standing in somebody's bedroom at one o'clock in the morning - when it would be reasonably expected that they might be wanting to sleep - and I can hear loud music, [I can judge] whether I believe [it] would be sufficient to be a statutory nuisance. “We also have noise monitoring equipment that we can install...[but] there's really no better evidence than an officer saying: ‘I visited the bedroom at 1am, I could hear the music and these were the lyrics’...or even [testify to] something like a bass beat,” Lucy explains. Lucy Davies says it is a “common misconception” that nobody can cause a noise nuisance during the day. “There is no cut off time. If someone is living in flats and they're, for example, playing music really loud during the daytime, then it doesn't matter whether you're trying to sleep or not. Advertisement Advertisement “If it's loud enough to be disturbing you and your property, then we can look at it and we will make an assessment of whether it is a nuisance.” Once a noise nuisance has been established, the city council will contact the person causing it to bring the matter to their attention. The first step is usually to offer advice as to how they can stop being a source of misery to their neighbours. “[With music], we could arrange a sound check and agree a reasonable level at which their music can be played and at which they wouldn't then be causing a nuisance,” Lucy Davies explains. “If we can't have that conversation or the person isn't compliant and is not willing to take the advice on board, that’s when we do have to take a firmer line - and we would then look at a legal notice being served. Advertisement Advertisement “Again, that can be a check on the person's behaviour and they may moderate [it] after that. But if they don't - and we witness further breaches - then we would be looking at potentially going to court to get a warrant to seize the noise-making equipment, such as stereos and TVs, for instance.” Prosecution for breaches of a noise abatement notice can also result in either a lump sum fine or a fine for each further day the recipient of the notice fails to comply with it. Ultimately, a local authority can apply to the High Court for an injunction, if a prosecution has not been adequate. However, even when a statutory nuisance is not deemed to have occurred, Lucy says the city council will still try to broker a resolution to noise-related complaints. Advertisement Advertisement “[For parties, we might say] how about you don't have the speakers outside...or move inside after a certain time and watch your windows and doors Noise nuisance includes: A nuisance depends on a number of factors, including: Submit an environmental health report via the authority’s website or call 01772 906907 during office hours. The out-of-hours night noise service can be reached on 01772 794728 - between 7pm and 1am Sunday to Thursday and 7pm until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. Noise complaints in Preston (Jan-Nov 2024) Total: 895 Noise enforcement action in Preston (Jan-Nov 2024) Total: 161 Source: Preston City CouncilGrieving dad supportive as Australia nears social media ban for children
When “Justice for All”, a dirge-like version of the national anthem sung by defendants jailed over their alleged roles in the January 6, 2021 insurrection, was played last month at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, guests stood with hand on heart. , the billionaire founder of Facebook. Although it is not clear if Zuckerberg knew of how this tinny version version of The Star-Spangled Banner was recorded over a prison phone line, his mere presence at Donald Trump’s “winter White House” said it all. Facebook had banned Trump after the shocking events of January 6. Now Zuckerberg had come to kiss the ring. He is far from alone in what has been dubbed “ ” following Trump’s re-election. Tech chief executives, media organisations and foreign leaders are seeking the president-elect’s favor through donations, self-censorship and appeasement. Analysts say the surrender is driven by a combination of greed, fear of Trump’s unfettered power and a belief that resistance is futile. “Part of the shock of the Trump win is how quickly and how many people in various areas, from the media to politicians, are acquiescing in advance,” said , a former Republican communications director on Capitol Hill. “People are resigning themselves to self-preservation over the good of maintaining a free and fair democracy and resisting Trump It is an astonishing turnaround. When Trump was impeached in the wake of the January 6 riot nearly four years ago, he appeared to be a political pariah. Dozens of major corporations publicly pledged to to 147 Republican members of Congress who had voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Earlier this year Trump became the first former US president and had three more cases looming over him. Over the years he has has been caught on tape bragging about grabbing women by their private parts, accused of sexual assault by more than two dozen women and found liable by a jury for sexually abusing the columnist E Jean Carroll. He’s entering office is the most powerful president in American history And yet his victory over Kamala Harris in the 5 November election has seemingly expunged his record in the eyes of the rich and powerful. He returns to the White House with the momentum of victory in the national popular vote, a supreme court ruling that implies presidents are above the law and diehard loyalists in the White House and Congress. , a political strategist and former campaign operative for George W Bush and John McCain, said: “He’s entering office is the most powerful president in American history. He is an American Caesar, unrestrained. Trump has made a threat and said, I’m coming after people, and he’s appointed people that will do what he wants without him having to tell them to do it.” Many of those who once condemned him are to an incoming president who offers both a carrot – tax cuts, deregulation, business friendly appointees – and a stick. at Mar-a-Lago: “In the first term, everyone was fighting me. In this term, everybody wants to be my friend. I don’t know, my personality changed or something.” The New York Stock Exchange welcomed Trump to ring its opening bell. Time magazine and the Financial Times newspaper anointed Trump their “person of the year”. Bret Stephens, a longtime Trump foe, in the New York Times that Never Trumpers had “overstated our case and, in doing so, defeated our purpose”. A parade of chief executives have travelled to Mar-a-Lago to bend the knee to Trump. Along with Meta chief executive Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook, Google’s Sundar Pichai and Sergey Brin and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made the pilgrimage. Meta, Amazon, and Open AI chief Sam Altman are all reportedly donating $1m to the fund for the inauguration on 20 January. Bezos, a onetime critic of Trump’s rhetoric, now says he is “optimistic” about Trump’s second term while also endorsing his plans to cut regulations. As owner of the Washington Post newspaper, Bezos killed an endorsement of Harris during the presidential election. The Post is struggling to find a amid fears it will no longer live up to the “Democracy dies in darkness” slogan it championed during Trump’s first term. Other profit-focused media owners have been trying to build bridges with a president-elect who repeatedly dubbed them the “enemy of the people”. The Disney-owned ABC News toward Trump’s presidential library to settle a seemingly flimsy defamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’s inaccurate on-air assertion that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping writer E Jean Carroll. The owner of the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Soon-Shiong, has reportedly , demanding opposing viewpoints be presented alongside negative coverage. Comcast’s plan to spin off MSNBC and other cable TV channels into a separate company has raised further concerns about the liberal network, whose ratings are tanking. The way some in the mainstream media have already decided that acquiescence is their way of self-preservation not only is naive but dangerous The hosts of MSNBC’s Morning Joe show, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, despite previously eviscerating his fascist rhetoric. Scarborough defended the meeting, arguing that any journalist would take an opportunity to meet the president-elect but he and Brzezinski were being penalised for being “transparent” about it. Critics, however, were not persuaded. Schmidt said: “If you go down there and you make an expression, ‘I did this for you’, will you come out of the meeting and either confirm that he is Hitler or we were off on that and we don’t have to worry? It seems like the purpose of the meeting was to make some type of deal with Hitler. This week Trump sued a pollster and a newspaper over survey results published days before the US election showing him behind in Iowa – a state he ultimately won by a landslide. He has also filed a $10bn lawsuit against CBS over a 60 Minutes interview with Harris. There are concerns that his demonstrated willingness to punish his critics could have a chilling effect. Setmayer, who now runs the political action committee, commented: “The way some in the mainstream media have already decided that acquiescence is their way of self-preservation not only is naive but dangerous because without that we don’t have an informed citizenry. It’s supposed to be without fear or favor and media is acting out of fear. And by way of acting out of fear, they are giving Trump the favor that he wants.” Observers warn that acceptance of Trump’s behavior will erode democratic norms and emboldens him to pursue an authoritarian agenda and silence dissent. Some have drawn comparisons with illiberal democracy in Hungary with its combination of overt censorship, loyal state media and tamed private media. , a history professor at Yale University who begins his pamphlet “On Tyranny” with the “Do not obey in advance”, said: “One worries that in the US regime the censorship part is going to be taken over by people who are a million times richer than you suing you. The threat of being sued by a Trump or a Musk or whatever - a person who already controls the government and the economy - means every ‘little person’ has to be worried.” Pro-Trump networks such as and Newsmax, while not state controlled, will be “state proximate”, Snyder added. “But the thing which is closest is the private media which tries to come to some kind of agreement. Putting the moral part aside, if you’re coming to some kind of agreement, conceding in advance is maybe not the best negotiating strategy. Anyone expecting to find serious guardrails in Washington might be disappointed. Republicans in Congress have been largely pliant, with signs of easing opposition towards controversial cabinet picks such as Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, and Robert F Kennedy Jr, his vaccine-sceptic choice for health secretary. Some Democrats, too, have signaled a willingness to work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s cost-cutting “department of government efficiency”. Asked how she would respond to Trump’s , the New York governor, Kathy Hochul, replied: “Someone breaks the law, I’ll be the first one to call up Ice [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and say, ‘Get them out of here.’” Eric Adams, the Democratic mayor of New York, has also and not ruled out running as a Republican in future. Even Joe Biden has backed off from his previous warnings that Trump is a danger to democracy – apparently seeking the graceful transition that his predecessor denied him. Meanwhile, since the election, a parade of world leaders have made their way to Mar-a-Lago. They range from rightwing ally Orbán to Canada’s Justin Trudeau, facing Trump’s threats of huge new tariffs which have plunged his own domestic politics . Longtime opponents of Trump are worried about what the mass capitulation portends. , director of the advocacy organisation Defending Democracy Together, said: One reason a lot of us were so hostile to Trump is we thought he would do this kind of thing. He’s not a theoretical authoritarian or ideological dictator, though he has elements of that, but he’s like a cunning bully and mob boss and the system can only resist for so long. “The guardrails are good but they they need people to uphold them. This is true of the political guardrails – Congress, the political parties, the courts – but it’s also true of the broader societal guardrails: the private sector, the media, and there I would say I’m struck by the apparent speed of the capitulation.” For all Trump’s claims of an overwhelming majority, more than voted for Harris but some in “the resistance” appear to have lost the will to fight. Kristol warned: “It won’t have the kind of friendly corporate encouragement that it had in the first term. People will have to think more like dissidents and less like we’re the natural majority and Trump just happened to win a fluke election, which was the attitude in 2017. It will be challenging.”
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By MICHELLE L. PRICE NEW YORK (AP) — Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday he was withdrawing his name from consideration, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being nominated for a position requiring Senate confirmation. Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called “the honor of a lifetime.” “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote. He did not elaborate, and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Chronister follows former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz , Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general, in withdrawing his name for a post in the administration. Gaetz withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Trump’s pick of Chronister for the DEA job drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities.” In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the Covid virus. “Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” for the arrest. Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend. Related Articles National Politics | Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff National Politics | President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction National Politics | Democrats stick with Schumer as leader, their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain National Politics | Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs National Politics | Democrats’ outgoing chair says Trump’s win forces party to reassess how it reaches voters In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.” He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration. Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida contributed to this report.
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By MICHELLE L. PRICE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families 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’ His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
Cheers and beers for Ruud van Nistelrooy as Leicester reign starts with win
Alabama A&M football player Medrick Burnett has died from complications from a head injury after a head-on collision with another player suffered during an October 26 game. Burnett, 20, took a head-on blow during a game against Alabama State, sending him to the hospital. Now, a month after the game, he has died from his injuries, the Daily Mail reported. Not long after being admitted to the hospital, Burnett was listed in stable condition. However, he had “several brain bleeds and swelling of the brain,” said his sister, Dominece. “He had to have a tube to drain to relieve the pressure, and after 2 days of severe pressure, we had to opt for a craniotomy, which was the last resort to help try to save his life,” she added. The school has released a statement lamenting the loss of the redshirt freshman. “Today, our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.,” Alabama A&M Athletics Director Dr. Paul A. Bryant said in a statement. “Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; he was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him.” “While words cannot adequately express our grief, we are humbled by the strength of his family, who stood by his side throughout this unimaginable ordeal,” the statement added. Burnett’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with his family’s medical and housing expenses. “Medrick Burnett Jr. will forever be remembered as a Bulldog. His spirit will remain an inspiration to all of us, reminding us of the importance of unity, resilience, and love,” the team said in a statement. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston , or Truth Social @WarnerToddHustonKia to launch compact SUV ‘Syros’ in India next yearGuard Dion Brown will try to help Boston College get back on track at home Saturday when the Eagles welcome Fairleigh Dickinson to Chestnut Hill, Mass. Brown scored a season-high 20 points last Saturday but the Eagles (7-5) still ended up on the wrong end of a 103-77 blowout against SMU. It marked Boston College's third loss in its past four home games. Even though his team is in a rut, Brown is optimistic heading into the meeting with the Knights (4-10). "My mental (approach) going into each and every game is the same no matter how I play," Brown said following the loss to the Mustangs. "So, hopefully, next game, if God wills it, I can come out and do the same thing next time." Brown has good reason to feel confident against FDU. The Knights have yet to win on the road, going 0-9 outside of Hackensack, N.J. Last Saturday they were in Minneapolis, where Minnesota beat them 74-60. Ahmed Barba-Bey finished with 15 points in the setback, while Jo'el Emanuel recorded a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds). While it hasn't been the start to the season that Knights coach Jack Castleberry would have liked, he is hoping that the gauntlet of a nonconference schedule that includes Miami, then-No. 15 Creighton, Nebraska, Villanova and Minnesota in addition to Boston College will have his team has had to well-prepared for Northeast Conference action. The Knights open conference play on Jan. 5. "Our nonconference schedule is pretty ridiculous this year, and I think that's all preparation for when we're playing teams in our league," Castleberry said after an 86-72 loss to Villanova on Dec. 11. "We go to La Salle ... and then we come back and play Minnesota and Boston College and start conference play, and that's after playing Creighton and Nebraska. "So, I think we're prepared to see the highest level of competition." Terrence Brown has been leading the way for Fairleigh Dickinson, posting 21.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Donald Hand Jr. averages a team-high 14.2 points for the Eagles. --Field Level Media
Milliman analysis: Competitive pension risk transfer costs decrease from 101.7% to 101.2% during OctoberNoneGasoline stocks independently held in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub rose by 7.5% in the week to Thursday to their highest in almost a year, data from Dutch consultancy Insights Global showed. Gasoline stocks stood at 1.25 million metric tons as exporters stocked up ahead of shipping fuel out of the region to the United States and West Africa, Insight Global’s Lars van Wageningen said. Gasoil stocks, which include diesel and heating oil, declined by 2% to 2.37 million tons due to strong demand in inland markets up the Rhine river, Wageningen said. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Ron Bousso; editing by David Evans)
By MICHELLE L. PRICE NEW YORK (AP) — Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday he was withdrawing his name from consideration, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being nominated for a position requiring Senate confirmation. Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called “the honor of a lifetime.” “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote. He did not elaborate, and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Chronister follows former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz , Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general, in withdrawing his name for a post in the administration. Gaetz withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Trump’s pick of Chronister for the DEA job drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities.” In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the Covid virus. “Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” for the arrest. Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend. Related Articles National Politics | Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff National Politics | President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction National Politics | Democrats stick with Schumer as leader, their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain National Politics | Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs National Politics | Democrats’ outgoing chair says Trump’s win forces party to reassess how it reaches voters In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.” He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration. Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida contributed to this report.
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