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Why Miami’s Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance is important even after missing College Football PlayoffTrump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next
HDFC Bank close to deal to securitise more auto loansPresident-elect Donald Trump’s victory has energized anti-abortion groups, even as abortion rights organizers notched victories on Election Day. Now, reproductive rights groups are preparing for legal and legislative battles in a new, less friendly environment. They are planning to embrace a multipronged approach: challenging anti-abortion policies in court, organizing political protests, and lobbying state and national lawmakers to oppose proposed bans. “We’re going to use every tool available to us, whether with the courts, legislatures or governors, or in the streets,” said Jessica Arons, a director of policy at the ACLU. Until now, abortion rights groups have focused much of their energy on ballot initiatives to secure abortion rights in state constitutions. By putting it in the hands of voters, they have enshrined protections in 11 states and defeated anti-abortion measures in two more since Roe v. Wade fell. That strategy, which absorbed millions of dollars, is hitting its endpoint. There are only four states left that allow the direct democracy approach — Arkansas, Idaho, North Dakota and Oklahoma — where voters have not yet weighed in on state abortion rights. (An effort this year to put an Arkansas abortion rights measure on the ballot was blocked by the state courts.) All four of those states have elections in 2026. Abortion rights supporters could also try again to pass protections in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota, the three states where such measures failed in the 2024 elections. Whether abortion rights organizations will seize those remaining ballot measure opportunities isn’t yet clear, said Jennifer Dalven, who directs the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project. “We’ll take every opportunity we can, but we have to do a little more of a close look at what happened and where we can go next,” she said. But direct votes will no longer be the strategic centerpiece. Instead, abortion rights organizations, including large national organizations such as the ACLU and smaller volunteer-staffed local abortion funds, are now shifting their focus. They’re solidifying protections that have already been enacted and preparing to play defense against possible new state and national restrictions. “We will likely be forced to defend current access points and fight against insidious attempts to force government agencies deeper into our private lives and decisions,” said Ashley All, a political strategist who worked on a 2022 abortion rights campaign in Kansas as well as on a Montana campaign this past election cycle. “Americans must speak out loudly and forcefully every time politicians in Washington or state legislatures try to take away our rights or interfere in our medical decisions.” Much of the next steps for abortion rights groups will hang on how much influence anti-abortion groups wield in the new Trump administration. In his first term, Trump was a staunch ally to abortion opponents — even campaigning on an anti-abortion platform in 2020 — but some anti-abortion groups fear that the unpopularity of abortion restrictions may change his decisions. Still, abortion opponents are pressing ahead in their advocacy, focusing in particular on curtailing access to the medications used in most abortions. Anti-abortion organizations and some lawmakers have expressed concern about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), who has been inconsistent on whether to support national abortion restrictions. But Kennedy has been open to conversations about how to win their support, including potentially appointing strident abortion opponents such as Roger Severino, a former Trump official and diehard abortion opponent, to a senior position. Severino wrote the HHS chapter of the conservative policy paper Project 2025, which endorsed taking mifepristone, one of the pills used in most abortions, off the market. Politico reported that Trump’s transition team has rejected the push to install Severino. Looking beyond the federal government, some abortion opponents are pushing for states to cut off access to the online resources people have used to circumvent their home states’ abortion bans. One prominent anti-abortion group, Students for Life , has crafted model state bills that would ban the distribution of abortion pills and give fetuses the same legal protections as people. In Texas, a state lawmaker has introduced legislation intended to stop groups like abortion funds, the small nonprofits that help cover costs associated with care, from helping people travel out of state to access the procedure. The legislation also aims to make it harder for people to learn about and order abortion pills online. With a potentially hostile administration and conservative-led states potentially moving to enact more restrictions on abortion, abortion funds anticipate more requests for support. The Chicago Abortion Fund, one of the nation’s largest, has brought on more Spanish-speaking staff — they expect more callers coming from Florida, where this year’s ballot initiative failure leaves a six-week abortion ban intact. They are also seeking more funding; this past October alone, the fund disbursed about $750,000, said Qudsiyyah Shariyf, the fund’s interim executive director. “We’re in this for the long haul, but we’re going to need to have some really tough decisions and potentially shifts in our program to remain sustainable,” Shariyf said. The Brigid Alliance, which financially supports people who have to travel for an abortion after the 15th week of pregnancy — a point some abortion opponents have touted as a compromise point for national restrictions, even though medical complications can still arise well beyond that week — is working with legal advisers to ensure its work is protected in a potentially hostile political climate. The fund is planning to start supporting people earlier in pregnancy, anticipating a growing need for travel-related support. It is also exploring what it would look like to send clients abroad for abortion, a contingency plan if the Trump administration does put forth national restrictions. But there are challenges. Many people who travel for their abortions do not have a passport; some don’t have identification paperwork at all. “The abortion support organizations really need the advocacy political organizations fighting against this national ban,” said Serra Sippel, the fund’s executive director. “That is the biggest threat to care that is looming.” Their biggest hope, many said, is making an abortion ban politically unviable, leveraging mechanisms like direct protest to deter Trump from backing such a policy. “We’re certainly prepared to show out in force and mobilize our millions of members to resist any further erosion of abortion rights at the federal level,” Arons said. Even without national restrictions, health policy analysts and reproductive rights organizations alike anticipate a federal environment less protective of abortion rights. Under President Joe Biden, federal agencies such as the Department of Justice and HHS worked to secure abortion access after the fall of Roe. Those actions included defending the availability of mifepristone against an ongoing lawsuit, and issuing guidance that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide abortions when it is the required stabilizing treatment in a medical emergency. Project 2025 suggests dismantling those policies. “I’m not confident of anything under the new administration,” said Molly Duerte, a lawyer with the Center for Reproductive Rights, which has filed multiple lawsuits challenging state abortion bans. The ACLU, which frequently challenged Trump policies in his first term, is preparing to potentially revise that role in defense of abortion rights, focusing in particular on potential threats to medication abortion and on EMTALA-protected abortions. “We will be ready to go to court to block actions that unlawfully seek to prevent access to abortion care,” said Lorie Chaiten, a senior staff attorney at the organization’s Reproductive Freedom Project. Still, she said, she thinks it’s possible that Trump, who retreated from more strident anti-abortion language over the course of his campaign, avoids imposing unpopular new restrictions. Polling largely shows that Americans oppose abortion restrictions, and in several states Trump won — including Florida, Arizona and Nevada — voters who backed the GOP ticket also supported abortion rights. “I have to hope he will keep his promises that he will not wreak further havoc on abortion access, and I think the voters are watching,” she said.
Jennison Associates LLC grew its position in Waste Management, Inc. ( NYSE:WM – Free Report ) by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,222 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $1,499,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Strategy Asset Managers LLC increased its position in Waste Management by 15.2% during the 3rd quarter. Strategy Asset Managers LLC now owns 25,971 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $5,392,000 after purchasing an additional 3,436 shares during the period. Prospera Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Waste Management during the third quarter worth $185,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Waste Management by 23.0% in the third quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,023 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $628,000 after acquiring an additional 566 shares in the last quarter. Aberdeen Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Waste Management by 1.1% in the third quarter. Aberdeen Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,130 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $857,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Finally, Parnassus Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Waste Management by 11.3% during the 3rd quarter. Parnassus Investments LLC now owns 5,120,772 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,063,072,000 after purchasing an additional 520,096 shares during the period. 80.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Waste Management Price Performance Shares of WM stock opened at $224.41 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $212.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $210.10. The company has a market capitalization of $90.07 billion, a PE ratio of 34.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.74. Waste Management, Inc. has a twelve month low of $168.73 and a twelve month high of $226.84. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00. Waste Management Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 6th will be given a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.34%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 6th. Waste Management’s payout ratio is 45.87%. Insider Activity In other news, Director Maryrose Sylvester sold 310 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.47, for a total transaction of $66,795.70. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,875 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $834,946.25. This trade represents a 7.41 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Company insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently commented on WM. Scotiabank assumed coverage on shares of Waste Management in a research note on Friday, October 4th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $220.00 price objective for the company. UBS Group upped their price target on Waste Management from $220.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Waste Management from $213.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. StockNews.com upgraded Waste Management from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $214.00 to $227.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $226.11. Get Our Latest Report on WM About Waste Management ( Free Report ) Waste Management, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services, including picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility (MRF), or disposal site; and owns and operates transfer stations, as well as owns, develops, and operates landfill facilities that produce landfill gas used as renewable natural gas for generating electricity. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Waste Management, Inc. ( NYSE:WM – Free Report ). 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During the maiden voyage of the two CF 5000 vessels, Damen is monitoring performance via its onboard IoT system, Damen Triton. This award winning system collects and analyses data from thousands of sensors located around the vessel. Based on ship design criteria and benchmark information, this data then provides valuable insight into maintenance requirements and vessel performance, amongst other things. In this instance, Damen is using the data provided by Triton to assess the performance of the new vessels and to gather information to ensure the continual evolution of the design. Damen Commercial Director Cargo Vessels Remko Bouma says, “we are delighted to welcome Squtrixo as a first time Damen client, and the launching customer of the CF 5000. Based on the information from the Damen Triton system onboard, we can see that the vessels are performing as expected. We are also confident that the CF 3850 will perform to the full satisfaction of Squtrixo. This delivery will marks the 27th of the new, improved CF 3850. The next generation vessel has rapidly, and repeatedly, proven itself to be a thoroughly efficient and reliable platform.” The CF 3850 has long been a popular vessel in Damen’s portfolio. In recent years, the shipbuilder has relaunched the design with improved efficiency, suitable for current and forthcoming emissions regulations. In addition to the increased efficiency of the standard design, Damen offers a range of additional options to further boost the sustainable credentials of the vessel. This includes various hybrid propulsion arrangements, as well as the possibility to operate on bio-diesel. The vessels are also prepared for installation of innovative technologies such as wind assisted propulsion, to further reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Due to the rising demand for the popular CF 3850, Damen began a partnership with the Ba Son Shipyard in Vietnam to construct the design, in addition to the production of the vessel at the Damen Yichang Shipyard in China. Like the CF 3850, the CF 5000 is designed for fuel economy. The new design features many of the same features as the CF 3850, but with an increased cargo capacity. The new series boasts a hold capacity of 7000m3 and can carry up to 5160 tonnes of cargo. A subdivision with grain bulkheads and tween decks increases loading possibilities. Source: DAMENNo. 19 Tennessee back in women's AP Top 25 after year out of poll; UCLA, UConn remain 1-2
John Stankey to Update Shareholders at UBS Global Media & Communications Conference on December 10Lindsey Vonn competes in a pair of downhills, another step on her comeback trail at the age of 40Digital Innovations Will Enhance Capital Market, Says Nnadozie
AJK government is determined to improve quality of education: AJK President
Rachel Reeves has announced that she will call in senior bankers to challenge Whitehall departments over their spending plans as she pledged to “take an iron fist against waste”. The chancellor said she would conduct a “zero-based review” of public spending, which will require departments to go through their budgets line by line. She said that if it did not deliver on one of the government’s priorities then the spending would be cut. The spending review, which covers day-to-day spending between 2026 and 2029, requires departments to find efficiency and productivity savings of 5 per cent. Reeves will ask “challenge panels” of external experts including former executives from Lloyds, Barclays and the Co-operative Group to review the departmental plans. They will work alongside experts from think tanks, the world of academia and others from the private sector to form an independent review of what spending is necessary.
Lawsuit for Investors who Lost over $100,000 in shares of DMC Global Inc. (NASDAQ: BOOM) between May and Nov. 2024 announced by Shareholders FoundationWhen does 'Squid Game' Season 2 premiere? Release date, cast, where to watch
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Ten yards into a scramble, Patrick Mahomes could have easily slid for a first down or simply ducked out of bounds and moved on to the next play. Instead, the three-time Super Bowl MVP cut back inside and raced another 23 yards up the field, helping to set up Spencer Schrader's 31-yard field goal as time expired as the Chiefs held on to beat the Carolina Panthers 30-27 on Sunday. “At that point, yards are more important than getting out of bounds,” Mahomes said. “With three timeouts, I just tried to just cut through and Justin Watson had a great block and was able to get down the field and get out of bounds.” The game-winning drive was the 21st of Mahomes' career, and the Chiefs won a game decided in the final seconds for the fifth time this season. Eight of the Chiefs' wins have come by one-score margins. “You always want to have some blowouts and be a little calmer in the fourth quarter, but I've always said it could be a good thing when you get to the playoffs later in the season knowing that you have been in those moments before, and knowing how to attack it play by play not making it too big of a moment,” Mahomes said. Then he smiled and said: “But I would say this more than anybody, I would love to win a game not by the very last play.” Mahomes completed 27 of 37 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns in his first game at Bank of America Stadium and ran for 60 yards — including 33 on that last-minute play — as the Chiefs (10-1) scored on six of their eight possessions. Noah Gray caught four passes for 66 yards and scored two touchdowns for the second straight week, and DeAndre Hopkins also found the end zone for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. Kareem Hunt ran for 68 yards on 16 carries and caught three passes for 19 yards. Bryce Young played well for Carolina (3-8), finishing 21 of 35 for 262 yards and a touchdown while leading the Panthers back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game on Chuba Hubbard's 1-yard touchdown run and 2-point conversion with 1:46 remaining. Panthers coach Dave Canales, who benched Young earlier this season for veteran Andy Dalton, said last year's No. 1 overall draft pick “absolutely” will remain the team's starting QB next week. That's a break from Canales' recent pattern of waiting a few days to name a starter. “Bryce is certainly making the most of his opportunities,” Canales said. “And he is making a statement to all of us. Showing us he can make plays in critical areas. He did a great job extending today.” Said Young: “For me, I just want to focus on what I can control. Regardless, I always have the same mindset and preparation, wanting to be better throughout the week. I am definitely grateful for confidence.” Still, there is room for improvement. The Panthers moved the ball well but struggled in the red zone, resulting in field goals of 30, 32, 29 and 33 yards for Eddy Pineiro, the most accurate kicker in NFL history. The Chiefs wasted no time setting the tone as Samaje Perine returned the opening kickoff 56 yards and Mahomes found Gray for a 35-yard touchdown strike on the third play of scrimmage for a 7-0 lead. Gray went nine games without a TD catch before hauling in two last week against Buffalo. His 11-yard score late in the second quarter gave him two more against the Panthers . Chiefs coach Andy Reid praised Mahomes' poise but said he was concerned about his team's nine penalties for 90 yards. Kansas City's Travis Kelce had six catches for 62 yards and moved into third place in career yards receiving by a tight end. He ranks behind only Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. However, Kelce failed to find the end zone for the ninth time in 11 games this season. Running back Jonathan Brooks made his NFL debut for Carolina, but the second-round pick was limited to 7 yards on two carries. Panthers: Rookie TE Ja'Tavion Sanders was taken to a hospital, where he was evaluated for a neck injury and released . He landed awkwardly on his head after making a catch near the end of the second quarter. Chiefs: Host Las Vegas on Friday. Panthers: Host Tampa Bay next Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLSaudi Gazette report RIYADH — The number of individual investment portfolios in the Saudi main stock market achieved a year-on-year growth of approximately 12 percent in the third quarter of 2024, reaching 12,755,615 investment portfolios. This figure records an increase of more than 1.32 million investment portfolios, compared to the same period in 2023, when it stood at 11,434,692 investment portfolios, according to the quarterly statistical bulletin issued by the Capital Market Authority. The total number of individuals owning investment portfolios recorded a growth of 7.3 percent year-on-year, with an increase of 439,596, reaching 6,493,676 investors, compared to the same period last year, when they recorded 6,054,080 investors. Men constituted about 74.4 percent of the total number of investment portfolio owners, with a number of 4,830,990 investors, achieving a growth on an annual basis of 8 percent, an increase of 355,277 investors, compared to 4,475,713 investors in the same period last year. While the number of women recorded 25.6 percent of the total, with 1,662,686 female investors, recording an annual growth of 5.3 percent, and an increase of 84,319 female investors, compared to 1,578,367 female investors in the same period last year, the bulletin pointed out. < Previous Page Next Page >
Google on Monday showed off a new quantum computing chip that it said was a major breakthrough that could bring practical quantum computing closer to reality. A custom chip called "Willow" does in minutes what it would take leading supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete, according to Google Quantum AI founder Hartmut Neven. "Written out, there is a 1 with 25 zeros," Neven said of the time span while briefing journalists. "A mind-boggling number." Neven's team of about 300 people at Google is on a mission to build quantum computing capable of handling otherwise unsolvable problems like safe fusion power and stopping climate change. "We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design and more," said Google CEO Sundar Pichai on X. A quantum computer that can tackle these challenges is still years away, but Willow marks a significant step in that direction, according to Neven and members of his team. While still in its early stages, scientists believe that superfast quantum computing will eventually be able to power innovation in a range of fields. Quantum research is seen as a critical field and both the United States and China have been investing heavily in the area, while Washington has also placed restrictions on the export of the sensitive technology. Olivier Ezratty, an independent expert in quantum technologies, told AFP in October that private and public investment in the field has totaled around $20 billion worldwide over the past five years. Regular computers function in binary fashion: they carry out tasks using tiny fragments of data known as bits that are only ever either expressed as 1 or 0. But fragments of data on a quantum computer, known as qubits, can be both 1 and 0 at the same time -- allowing them to crunch an enormous number of potential outcomes simultaneously. Crucially, Google's chip demonstrated the ability to reduce computational errors exponentially as it scales up -- a feat that has eluded researchers for nearly 30 years. The breakthrough in error correction, published in leading science journal Nature, showed that adding more qubits to the system actually reduced errors rather than increasing them -- a fundamental requirement for building practical quantum computers. Error correction is the "end game" in quantum computing and Google is "confidently progressing" along the path, according to Google director of quantum hardware Julian Kelly. gc/arp/bjt
Good Luck With That! British MPs Plan to Summon Elon Musk to the U.K. to 'Testify' About Misinformation'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' make gravity-defying theater debuts NEW YORK (AP) — “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” have debuted in theaters with a combined $270 million in ticket sales. Their worldwide performance breathed fresh life into global box office results that have struggled lately. Together the films turned the moviegoing weekend into one of the busiest of the year. Jon M. Chu’s lavish big-budget musical “Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, debuted with $114 million domestically and $164.2 million globally. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is a sequel to his 2000 best picture-winning original and launched with $55.5 million in ticket sales. “Moana 2” is being released Wednesday, so it looks like Hollywood might be looking at historic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday. Verstappen captures 4th F1 championship after Mercedes sweep of Las Vegas Grand Prix LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen cruised to a fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship Saturday night by finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Verstappen needed only to finish ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren to give Red Bull a fourth straight driver championship. The Dutchman started fifth but was already up to second by the 10th lap around the street circuit that includes the famed Las Vegas Strip. Norris, who had to score at least three points more than Verstappen to extend the championship fight, finished sixth. The race was won by George Russell who was followed by Lewis Hamilton in the first 1-2 sweep for the Mercedes drivers since 2022. Dartmouth sorority, two members of fraternity face charges after student who attended party drowned HANOVER, N.H. (AP) — A sorority at Dartmouth College and two members of a fraternity faces charges related to the death of a student who drowned after attending an off-campus party. The Hanover, New Hampshire police department, where Dartmouth is located, said Friday that Alpha Phi was charged with one count of facilitating an underage alcohol house. Two members of the Beta Alpha Omega face a charge of providing alcohol to a person under 21. Won Jang, 20, of Middletown, Delaware, had attended an off-campus party in July hosted by Alpha Phi sorority. Police said the alcohol was provided by Beta Alpha Omega. Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in Barcelona BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards are marching in downtown Barcelona to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living." The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States. The average rent for Spain has doubled in the last decade. In cities like Barcelona, rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Jason Kelce's wife announces she is pregnant with the couple's fourth child Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce's wife is announcing she's pregnant with the couple's fourth child. Kylie Kelce posted a photo on Instagram on Friday of the couple's three young daughters reacting to the news. The oldest daughter, Wyatt, appears to be cupping her head in shock. The middle daughter, Ellioette, is smiling. The youngest, Bennett, is in tears. A caption attached to the photo reads: “I feel like we captured a very accurate representation of how each of the girls feel about getting another sister. At least Ellie, mom and dad are on the same page!” Israeli-Moldovan rabbi living in UAE is missing. Israeli officials fear he may have been kidnapped DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Israeli-Moldovan rabbi living in the United Arab Emirates has gone missing, with Israeli authorities raising the suspicion he may have been kidnapped as tensions remain high with Iran. The Israeli prime minister’s office said that Zvi Kogan has been missing since noon Thursday. It said that against the backdrop of information that this was a terrorist incident, an extensive investigation has been opened in the country. Emirati officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. State-run media in the UAE, an autocratic federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula and home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, did not immediately report the incident. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Officer kills pet dog mistaken for a coyote in Massachusetts town. The owner says it was unnecessary An animal control officer shot and killed a pet dog in a Massachusetts town after mistaking it for a coyote in an incident local police are describing as a sad mix-up. Police in Northbridge, Massachusetts, say the shooting happened on Tuesday after police received a call of a report of a coyote in a residential backyard. Police say the animal control officer went into the woods to look for the coyote and found what they thought was the animal in a threatening position and shot it. The incident happened as communities around Massachusetts and the country have dealt with an uptick in interactions between coyotes and people. Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.”
There was fury across the airwaves and social media following a traffic fuelled gridlock storm across Belfast on Thursday evening. Yes, there were some traffic lights down while a crash, gigs and Christmas traffic no doubt added to the problem. But this is a storm of our and our politicians' own making - and it's time we had a major rethink about how people travel around Northern Ireland. According to official statistics, Northern Ireland spends much less on public transport than any other part of the UK and Ireland - so it's not surprising we've landed here after years of inaction and unspent active travel funding amid blatantly obvious and attainable solutions. READ MORE: Belfast still has only 2 miles of segregated cycle lanes - Sustrans report READ MORE: £2.1m active travel funding being used to NI fix roads I cycled home from the office on Thursday, and while I could pass the traffic hell many motorists were jammed in - it still wasn't a pleasant experience on a bike. Anger rang out in the form of blaring horns while cars and lorries blocked crossings, yellow boxes and more in a bid to edge a little bit closer to their final destination. The roundabouts were a nightmare - and they're hard on a bike even when the traffic was flowing freely but they were especially dangerous on a bike - despite transport chiefs urging us to rethink how we get around. Meanwhile, the underpass at Knocknagoney that's supposed to provide a safe route for cyclists and pedestrians under a very busy roundabout was flooded so much it was impassable - cue me having to head out onto the road in the dark with cars going up to 60mph and maybe more in some cases. In short, our traffic systems are a debacle and there's little to no joined up thinking on how to fix it. Every project gets it's own business case and even when major roads like the Sydenham bypass are upgraded - those works completely ignore the cycle lanes that are supposed to be delivered along that route by the end of next year because DfI is still putting a plan together on how to deliver those, they say. It's not good enough. I'm sick to the back teeth of how long it takes the government to catch up with the people and deliver the changes we need to make everyone's lives better - including those who might need to use a car for whatever reason. It all starts with the proper funding to deliver the changes needed to get people out of their cars and into active travel and onto public transport. Translink needed £691m to deliver service as usual in 2023-2024 and got 14% less at £523m. In 2024/2025, DfI equality impact assessment on the resource budget also outlined how Translink faced a 19.4% reduction to funding against its forecast requirements posing "a real risk this will impact directly on the level of services provided". They've been given a few additional million here and there, but it's clearly not fixing our transport issues, which need a major funding boost to deliver the sorts of changes we need to reduce traffic on the roads. We need cheaper transport fares, more frequent and less sparse services to get more people to leave their car at home and take a bus or train. We also need the Belfast Cycle Network plans to be delivered at speed to keep cyclists safe on the road and encourage more people to take up the health, climate and congestion friendly mode of transport as well. When transport systems don't work, the economy suffers - and it's time the Executive woke up to that reality? Where are we with the All-Island rail review plans? Not very far on as it happens. Minister O'Dowd said in answer to an Assembly question from Justin McNulty, SDLP, at the end of November feasibility studies on the reopening of Antrim-Lisburn (with a link to Belfast International Airport); Armagh-Portadown; Electrification of Belfast to the Border and Portadown-Derry are due next spring/summer and that they have started developing hourly train services to Dublin while "procurement has also started on a new, faster, more sustainable Enterprise train fleet". Those shifts are important, but they are not happening fast enough - we need changes on the ground across NI now and with the Northern Ireland Executive is set to get £18.2bn in 2025/2026 in Rachel Reeves' budget - I would suggest that Stormont should be looking at a massive funding boost for active travel and delivering public transport services that work for people. We still have just 2 miles of safe cycle routes through Belfast and DfI has spent just £3.3m of the £16m promised up to 2025 for Belfast's cycle lane network in the past four years. We reported how £2.1m of active travel funding was being used to fix roads in March this year - that's a disgrace - but highlights perfectly where DfI's priorities lie. It seems to me that they are happy to continue with business as usual, no matter the consequences for traffic, air quality, the climate crisis and people's health. Does our minister care about these things? If he did, why isn't he making changes like Eamon Ryan did in Ireland that have delivered over 1 million public transport journeys a day? ROI’s Transport Minister cut fares by 20%, gave rural areas new BusConnect routes which have had hugely positive impacts in the areas where they are being rolled out. Dublin’s Dart and Luas are getting more funding than ever, with routes being extended and journeys made more frequent. Kids now go free on public transport in the south while routes for public buses only have cut journey times between 25-32% through parts of Dublin. These are the changes we need to see along a major cycle infrastructure roll out if we are to have any hope of reducing the gridlock that has now reached crisis levels in NI cities - it's time the government started investing in our futures. I still think the Glider should have been light rail with its own tracks, that would not get stuck in traffic... but instead of investing for a better future DfI chose the cheap option and it has added to the problem. Bus lanes should be for buses only and evening trains to places just outside Belfast should not be offering just an hourly service if we want people to use them - it’s a joke. We should also have late night services in all our public transport offerings - not just at Christmas. That’s how we make the changes that will get more people onto public transport, it’s not rocket science, and surely even our politicians can see the benefits these changes would deliver? Join our Belfast Live breaking news service on WhatsApp Click this link or scan the QR code to receive breaking news and top stories from Belfast Live. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next