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A look at how some of Trump's picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy's overhaulWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has nvited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month — extending a diplomatic olive branch even as Trump threatens to levy massive tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump's incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed on Thursday that Trump invited Xi, but said it was “to be determined” if the leader of the United States' most significant economic and military competitor would attend. In fact it seems unlikely. Xi is likely to see the invitation as too risky to accept, and the gesture from Trump may have little bearing on the increasingly competitive ties between the two nations as the White House changes hands, experts say. Danny Russel, vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Xi would not allow himself to “be reduced to the status of a mere guest celebrating the triumph of a foreign leader — the U.S. president, no less.” Still, Leavitt saw it as a plus. “This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors too,” she said in an appearance on Fox News' program ”Fox & Friends." “We saw this in his first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around this world. He is willing to talk to anyone and he will always put America’s interest first.” CBS News first reported the invitation to Xi. Asked at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday about Trump's invitation, spokesperson Mao Ning responded: “I have nothing to share at present.” Leavitt said that other foreign leaders have also been invited, but did not provide any details. The move by Trump to invite a leader of an adversarial nation to the American moment that is Inauguration Day is unorthodox. But it also squares with his belief that foreign policy—much like a business negotiation—should be carried out with carrots and sticks to get the United States' opponents to operate closer to his administration's preferred terms. Jim Bendat, a historian and author of “Democracy’s Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President,” said he was not aware of a previous U.S. inauguration attended by a foreign head of state. “It's not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend,” Bendat said. “But it sure would make more sense to invite an ally before an adversary.” Edward Frantz, a presidential historian at the University of Indianapolis, said the invitation helps Trump burnish his “dealmaker and savvy businessman” brand. “I could see why he might like the optics," Frantz said. “But from the standpoint of American values, it seems shockingly cavalier." White House officials said it was up to Trump to decide whom he invites to the inauguration. “I would just say, without doubt it's the single most consequential bilateral relationship that the United States has in the world,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said. “It is a relationship both fraught with peril and responsibility.” Trump on Thursday during an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange , where he was ringing the opening bell to open the market, said he’s been “thinking about inviting certain people to the inauguration” without referring to any specific individuals. “And some people said, ‘Wow, that’s a little risky, isn’t it?’” Trump said. “And I said, ‘Maybe it is. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens.’ But we like to take little chances.” Meanwhile, a top aide to Hungarian President Viktor Orban, one of Trump's most vocal supporters on the world stage, said Thursday that Orban isn't slated to attend the inauguration. “There is no such plan, at least for the time being," said Gergely Gulyás, Orban's chief of staff. The nationalist Hungarian leader is embraced by Trump but has faced isolation in Europe as he's sought to undermine the European Union's support for Ukraine, and routinely blocked, delayed or watered down the bloc’s efforts to provide weapons and funding and to sanction Moscow for its invasion. Orban recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Every country's chief of mission to the United States will also be invited, according to a Trump Inaugural Committee official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Xi invitation comes as Trump has threatened to enact massive tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to get those countries to do more to reduce illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He has said that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada and that China could be hit with even higher tariffs. China produces precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, but Beijing has stepped up efforts over the last year to crack down on the export of the chemicals. “We’ve been talking and discussing with President Xi, some things, and others, other world leaders, and I think we’re going to do very well all around,” Trump said in a CNBC interview Thursday. Xi during a meeting with President Joe Biden last month in Peru urged the United States not to start a trade war. “Make the wise choice,” Xi cautioned. “Keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also pushed back on Trump's threats, warning such a tariffs move would be perilous for the U.S. economy as well. Trudeau earlier this week said that Americans “are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive” and said he will retaliate if Trump goes ahead with them. Trump responded by calling Canada a state and Trudeau the governor. In addition to the tariff dispute, U.S.-China relations are strained over other issues, including what U.S. officials see as Beijing indirectly supporting Russia's war on Ukraine. The Biden administration says China has supported Russia with a surge in sales of dual use components that help keep its military industrial base afloat. U.S. officials also have expressed frustration with Beijing for not doing more to rein in North Korea's support for the Russian war. China accounts for the vast majority of North Korea’s trade. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dispatched thousands of troops to Russia to help repel Ukrainian forces from the Kursk border region. The North Koreans also have provided Russia with artillery and other munitions, according to U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials. Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration takes place a day after the U.S. deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of social media giant TikTok, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the United States. — Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Balint Domotor in Budapest, Hungary, contributed reporting."Homework is now complete": City of Vancouver outlines plan for a future without the Park Board
Mattel sued by mom over 'Wicked' merchandise with link to porn site
Trump’s tariff threat a grim reminder of turbulent trade in first administration
The S&P 500 continues to climb this year, and it's up nearly 24% as we get closer to the end of 2024. Although there's strong market momentum, there's also concern that valuations are inflated and the market could drop. The reality is that it's no different than any other time. No one knows with certainty where the market is going. So it's always important to be prepared for ups, downs, boring movements, and black swan events with a diversified portfolio, including secure stocks. Keep your eye on the goal -- long-term investing involves paying attention to where a stock could be in five, 10, or 20 years and longer and not getting too concerned by short-term events. If you can do that, you'll find some excellent stocks to buy. Dutch Bros ( BROS -1.67% ) and On Holding ( ONON 3.45% ) are two incredible growth stocks that are crushing the market today and could supercharge your portfolio over the next few years. 1. Dutch Bros: The new coffee shop on the block Dutch Bros is a small coffee shop chain mostly located on the U.S. West Coast, but it's rapidly spreading across the country and won't stay small for long. It has demonstrated strong growth throughout its years on the stock market, and it's opening stores at a fast pace. Plus, it's becoming sustainably profitable, and it has a long growth runway while it rewards investors who buy and hold. The market has gone back and forth about Dutch Bros, but the roots of a good business have been strengthening. It all starts with a great product, and Dutch Bros' fans love its coffee, service, and culture. It has a distinct feel and brand presence, and its store opening team makes sure its perfected formula is rolled out deliberately in each new store. As of the end of the third quarter, it has 950 stores in 18 states, and it plans to have as many as 4,000 stores over the next 10 to 15 years. Despite the challenging microenvironment, Dutch Bros has reported double-digit sales growth and increasing profits. In the 2024 third quarter, sales increased 28% year over year, and same-store sales were up 2.7%. That's not objectively a great showing for same-store sales, but it was a win given the difficult environment. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) were $0.16, solidly beating Wall Street's expectations. It looks like the only way to go is up. Don't expect linear movement, and the stock could rise and fall on the whim of a quarterly report. But Dutch Bros stock is crushing the market right now, up 54% year to date, and I expect that to continue. 2. On Holding: Challenging the footwear giants It's not easy to break into an industry already ruled by a few massive companies, but On is establishing a strong brand as the pinnacle of running shoes. Its shoes have a unique, tell-tale sole that loyal customers love, and On is leveraging its popularity to launch new shoes and a complete apparel collection. It recently rolled out an innovation it calls LightSpray that literally sprays a shoe onto a mold with a robotic arm in a three-minute process. It's just the latest way this small Swiss company is revolutionizing athletic footwear and making a name for itself. The results tell the story. Sales increased 32% year over year in the third quarter, driven by a 50% increase in direct-to-consumer sales. That says a lot about how On is connecting with its customers and creating relationships. It also helps fuel the highest gross margin in the industry, which expanded to 60.6% in the third quarter. The gross margin is also benefiting from On's premium positioning, and it has a high full-price sales rate. Customers are willing to pay for On's products, and its affluent and resilient customer base is paying up, inflation or not. On is just getting started. It has still barely penetrated most areas, even affluent ones where it's likely to amass strong sales. As of the investor's meeting last year, it had only 47% brand penetration in its own headquarters of Switzerland, and that figure was much lower in many U.S. cities. However, management said that brand awareness has surged since its presence in the Paris Olympics and a partnership with celebrity endorser Zendaya. On stock is up 96% this year, but there's still time to buy this market-crushing stock.Max George will be spending Christmas in hospital. The 36-year-old pop star - who is best known for being part of the boyband The Wanted alongside Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes, Jay McGuinness and the late Tom Parker - took to social media on Thursday (12.12.24) to reveal that he had started to feel "really unwell" earlier in the week and will to have surgery after doctors discovered some heart problems. He wrote on Instagram: "Yesterday I felt really unwell and was taken in to hospital. Unfortunately after some tests they’ve found that I have some issues with my heart. "I have a lot more tests to determine the extent of the problems and what surgery I will need to get me back on my feet. It’s gonna be a difficult few weeks / months... and Christmas in a hospital bed wasn’t exactly what I had planned!" The 'Glad You Came' hitmaker - who is currently dating former soap actress Maisie Smith - admitted that the whole ordeal had come as a "huge shock" to him but is glad that things were dealt with as soon as possible, even if it means he will be spending the festive period in bed. He said: " But, as always, I’m surrounded with love and support from my wonderful partner Maisie, her family, my family and friends.. and I’m 100% in the best place. "Although this is a huge shock and no doubt a set back, it’s something I’ll take on with all I’ve got! I count myself very lucky that this was caught when it was. "Apologies if I bore you with updates in the coming weeks..I’ve probably got a month in a bed and there’s not THAT much to do!" Max was inundated with words of support from his fans and friends in the comments, with bandmate Siva writing: "Here for you brother. Rest up and get well soon." Perez Hilton said: "Oh no!!!!!!! Sending you all of the healing!!!" Westlife star Nicky Byrne wrote: "Get well soon Max", whilst JLS singer Marvin Humes said: "Sorry to hear you’re not well geezer..you’re strong and will fight through..big love mate."
Internationally acclaimed Chinese artist Cao Fei’s first retrospective in Australia, My City is Yours at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, sets out to disorient and overstimulate the senses. In the exhibition introduction, Cao describes “a show that’s boisterous like the mall or the market”. It bombards you with documentaries and sci-fi films, virtual reality (VR) games and vintage arcade machines, neon lights contrasting industrial metal scaffolds, electronica jamming hip-hop music. Yet, this city-scape of an exhibition has been designed with care. You could take these all in: sitting in a vintage cinema chair by some beach sand, perhaps submerged in sponge blocks; lounging on a sofa in a family living room; hunching on a bunk bed in a factory; resting on the vinyl padded chrome chair of a Cantonese yum-cha restaurant. Cao embraces this mix of pleasure, convenience, banality, challenge and alienation condensed into the nostalgic, dazzling yet future-craving contemporary life. Retro-perspective The entrance of the show replicates the reception of the now demolished Hongxia Theatre in Beijing, built in 1957 for workers employed to build China’s first computers, with the aid of the Soviet Union. The gilt Chinese inscriptions on the scarlet signboard — “Splendid Galaxy” and “Human World Motion Pictures” — set the retro-futuristic tone that permeates the exhibition. Through the doors, the gallery space transforms into offices and a cinema furnished with Hongxia Theatre’s chairs, desks and chandeliers. Behind a curtain of a retro wardrobe flashes portraits of current residents. Cao rented the theatre as a studio between 2015 and 2021. Her time roaming the once cultural hotspot for China’s early techno-optimists results in installations, two documentaries and a sci-fi film, as well as VR work. Through this range of media, the ambitious project connects past and future, as the exhibition section title, Enter the Wormhole, suggests. The documentary Postscript of Hongxia (2023) captures the memories and fights of the residents and the buildings being brutally bulldozed. Another video work, An Elegy to Hongxia (2023), plays the overly optimistic folk music The Morning Sun at Eight and Nine O’clock (composed by Chinese contemporary indie musician Xiongxiong Homework). The music takes its title from a famous quote by Chairman Mao stressing young people’s vigour, yet the accordion player performs this elegy amid the ruins of the cinema, farewelling a lost socialist dream. This lost dream and accordion music rebirth in Cao’s 2019 sci-fi film NOVA. In this imagined town Nova, a Chinese computer scientist and a Soviet expert fall in love, dancing to Soviet folk and propaganda music, Katyusha. But this collective dream ends again in tragedy. Their love child dissolves into a digital soul trapped in a virtual realm. He is trekking China’s past, present and future socialisms, perhaps forever. Factory disco and Canto-humour Moving toward the Factory Zone, the doubt on techno progression in NOVA is replaced by a disco frenzy in the film Asia One (2018). This story sets in the world’s first fully automated storage and distribution centre in Kunshan, outskirt of Shanghai. Workers dressed in Maoist period style dance in the empty gigantic warehouse. A red banner in yellow Chinese characters reads “Humans and machines, hand in hand creating miracles”. The rebellious spirit and optimism in Asia One on one hand evoke connection to China’s recent revolution, on another hand suggest some hope of a future collaborating with machines. This retro fantasy could be Cao’s iconic Canto-humour, influenced by 1990s Hong Kong films such as Stephen Chow’s mo lei tau (nonsense) comedies. Such films were once screened in the Harbour City Cinema, in Sydney’s Chinatown, and Cao has selected movie posters to exhibit alongside the Hongxia project. The same kind of absurdist Cantonese humour can be found in her earliest DV video work Imbalance 257 (1999). Youngsters from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts act out scenes in the studio, toilet, dormitory and video game arcade. This is the work that caught the attention of the art world, bringing Cao to a global audience two decades ago. This video work, together with other early DV videos like Rabid Dog (2002) and San Yuan Li (2003, with Ou Ning) are played on retro CRT TVs. You could watch these DVs on the tables surrounding dim-sum trolleys salvaged from the old Haymarket Marigold restaurant. Chinatown hip hop shuffle Sydney’s Asian-Australian community is celebrated in the newly commissioned work, Hip Hop: Sydney. It is part of Cao’s ongoing series featuring amateur locals dancing on the streets of Guangzhou, New York, Fukuoka and now Sydney. For this iteration, cosplayers dance in dress-up photo booths; tour guides dance in front of the Haymarket Chinatown ceremonial archway; 90-year-old George Wing Kee dances in front of the Sydney sensation Emperor’s Garden Cakes & Bakery; shoppers dance between aisles of Asian food in Market City’s Thai Kee supermarket; writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law cameos as a waiter. He dances in front of the famous Chinatown Chinese Noodle Restaurant while its boss, Xiaotang Qin, plays Jingle Bells on his violin. Exiting the exhibition with this seasonal number still ringing in your ears, you walk fittingly into the gift shop. It appropriately decks out in an assortment of Chinese-cyber-sci-fi-inspired gifts, seemingly mirroring the boisterous market. Yet, beyond the alluring frantic façade, Cao grapples with questions of techno-optimism, social and urban transformation, virtual identities and their commidifcation. In other words, this is an exhibition about this brave new human condition we are each coming to terms with. Cao Fei: My City is Yours 曹斐: 欢迎登陆 is at the Art Gallery of New South Wales until April 13 2025.None
FARGO — Qualifying for the North Dakota Class B volleyball state tournament for the very first time was a dream for Medina-Pingree/Buchanan. But to come out and dominate three sets was beyond anything it imagined. ADVERTISEMENT That's exactly what the Thunder did, upending Central McLean 3-0 in the state quarterfinals Thursday at the Fargodome. Set scores were 25-15, 25-9 and 25-17. The match was highlighted by M-P/B roaring out to a 17-1 lead in the middle frame, including what was an 11-0 start to the set. "It was so much fun to be at the state tournament and be able to have a score like that," said Thunder head coach Jacie Connell. "We just never let down. I just said we need to eliminate our errors in the second set, and they did a great job of that." With the win, No. 3 seed M-P/B (31-6) advanced to Friday's state semis where they'll take on No. 2 South Prairie-Max (33-6) with first serve set for 5 p.m. Connell said as state tourney newcomers, nerves came naturally. At least whatever nerves were left after downing Class B No. 1-ranked Linton/HMB in the Region 3 championship last week. "Lots of emotions," Connell said. "But beating the No. 1 team in the state in the (region) championship, I think a lot of our nerves were out right there. They were just excited to be here and play." ADVERTISEMENT Maddie Gefroh finished with a match-leading 14 kills for M-P/B, including the final one to secure match point in Set 3. "It felt great knowing we're closer to the finals now," said Gefroh, senior captain and middle hitter for the Thunder. "You could tell there were some nerves, but as soon as we got onto the court, we were ready to go right away." Gefroh said the dominant second set gave M-P/B all the momentum it needed to finish things off in Set 3. "That was crazy," Gefroh said. "That gave us so much energy to go into the third set. We knew we could do it right away." Central McLean (31-4-1) drops into the consolation semifinals, where it'll face Kenmare/Bowbells (35-7) at 1 p.m. Friday. Reagan Kjelstrup paced the Cougars offensively with eight kills while Morgan Snyder had six. Daphne Lauer finished with 25 assists. Behind Gefroh in the Thunder kills department was Brynn Sorenson with nine and Jorgen Tripp with eight, including set point in the opening frame. ADVERTISEMENT Gefroh added three aces and three blocks while Violet Bohl recorded 34 assists. Cierra Mack finished with a match-leading 15 digs. "If we play our game, that's been huge for us just eliminating our errors," Connell said. "We're going to talk about what we need to adjust a little bit on defense and we'll be ready to go. "It's been a great journey so far and we're happy to be here."Bitcoin breaks $100,000, outshining wavering stock markets
Police release new photos as they search for the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO NEW YORK (AP) — Two law enforcement officials say a masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies on a Manhattan sidewalk used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose." The official were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke Thursday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Police also released photos of a person they say is wanted for questioning in the ambush the day before of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying claims. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are bringing Trump's DOGE to Capitol Hill WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s DOGE time at the U.S. Capitol. Billionaire Elon Musk and fellow business titan Vivek Ramaswamy arrived on Capitol Hill for meetings with lawmakers. The two are heading up President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, with its plans to “dismantle” the federal government. Trump tapped the duo to come up with ways for firing federal workers, cutting government programs and slashing federal regulations — all part of Trump's agenda for a second-term at the White House. House Speaker Mike Johnson said there's going to be “a lot of change” in Washington. Hegseth faces senators' concerns not only about his behavior but also his views on women in combat WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth has spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Defense in the wake of high-profile allegations about excessive drinking and sexual assault. But senators in both parties have also expressed concern about another issue — Hegseth’s frequent comments that women should not serve in frontline military combat jobs. As he meets with senators for a fourth day Thursday, his professional views on women troops are coming under deeper scrutiny. Hegseth said this week that “we have amazing women who serve our military.” Pressed if they should serve in combat, Hegseth said they already do. Hamas official says Gaza ceasefire talks have resumed after weekslong hiatus ISTANBUL (AP) — A Hamas official says that after a weekslong hiatus international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended its talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States over frustration with a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political wing, said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press that there has been a “reactivation” of efforts to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Why the rebel capture of Syria's Hama, a city with a dark history, matters BEIRUT (AP) — One of the darkest moments in the modern history of the Arab world happened more than four decades ago, when then-Syrian President Hafez Assad launched what came to be known as the Hama Massacre. The slaughter was named for the Syrian city where 10,000 to 40,000 people were killed or disappeared in a government attack that began on Feb. 2, 1982, and lasted for nearly a month. Hama was turned into ruins. The memory of the assault and the monthlong siege on the city remains visceral in Syrian and Arab minds. Now Islamist insurgents have captured the city in a moment many Syrians have awaited for over 40 years. France's Macron vows to stay in office till end of term, says he'll name a new prime minister soon PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to stay in office until the end of his term in 2027 and announced that he will name a new prime minister within days. In his address to the nation on Thursday, Macron came out fighting, laying blame at the door of his opponents on the far right for bringing down the government of Michel Barnier. He said they chose “not to do but to undo” and that they “chose disorder.” The president also said the far right and the far left had united in what he called “an anti-Republican front.” He said he’ll name a new prime minister within days but gave no hints who that might be. 7.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warning SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The National Weather Service has canceled its tsunami warning for the U.S. West Coast after there was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. According to the U.S. Geological Survey on Thursday, at least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the earthquake struck. It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by multiple smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury. Yoon replaces the defense minister as South Korea's parliament moves to vote on their impeachments SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president has replaced his defense minister as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning-but-brief imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets. Opposition parties are pushing for a vote on motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday evening. They hold 192 seats but need 200 votes for the motion to pass. Yoon’s office said he decided to replace Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun with Choi Byung Hyuk, a retired general who is South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Kim earlier apologized and said he ordered troops to carry out duties related to martial law. The Foreign Ministry also worked to mitigate the backlash and concern over South Korea's democracy. The US government is closing a women's prison and other facilities after years of abuse and decay WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press has learned that the federal Bureau of Prisons is permanently closing its “rape club” women’s prison in California and will idle six facilities in a sweeping realignment after years of abuse, decay and mismanagement. The agency informed employees and Congress on Thursday that it plans to shutter the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, and its deactivate minimum-security prison camps in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. Staff and inmates are being moved to other facilities. The closures come amid an AP investigation that has uncovered deep, previously unreported flaws within the Bureau of Prisons. From outsider to the Oval Office, bitcoin surges as a new administration embraces crypto NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin burst on the scene after trust had withered in the financial system and Washington’s ability to protect people from it. Now, it’s Washington’s embrace of bitcoin that’s sending it to records. Bitcoin briefly surged above $103,000 after President-elect Donald Trump said he will nominate Paul Atkins, who's seen as friendly to crypto, to be the Securities and Exchange Commission's next chair. The crypto industry, meanwhile, did its part to bring politicians friendly to digital currencies into Washington. It's a twist from bitcoin's early days, when it was lauded as a kind of electronic cash that wouldn’t be beholden to any government or financial institution.Fact brief: Does Texas have higher-than-average car insurance costs?
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Drake eases by Stetson 49-10 to secure a second straight outright Pioneer Football League titleEven with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don't lose weightPOCATELLO — As a preemptive measure amid pressure from state lawmakers critical of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, also known as DEI, Idaho State University has closed its Diversity Resource Center and Gender Resource Center on its Pocatello campus. The services provided by those centers are now being offered by different campus offices, ISU stated. "As always, our top priority is the success of our students," ISU President Robert Wagner wrote to the school's faculty and students in an email last month. "We are confident that this change will help us better fulfill our mission to serve all students and prepare them for their future careers while respecting the expectations of the broader community we serve." Currently, Idaho colleges and universities are banned from using taxpayer dollars on DEI programs and earlier this year Idaho legislators passed Senate Bill 1274, which banned required diversity statements in campus hiring. ISU's decision to close its Diversity Resource and Gender Resource centers last month came after an Idaho legislative task force in October took aim at DEI programs on the state's public college and university campuses and the inclusion of diversity statement requirements for higher education job listings at Boise State University, University of Idaho, ISU and Lewis-Clark State College. Then the State Board of Education met on Nov. 21 and considered a resolution to “ensure that no central office, policy, procedure or initiative is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion” at Idaho's public colleges and universities. The board's proposed resolution also states that no employee or student at an Idaho public college or university should be required to declare gender identity or preferred pronouns and that student success centers on the state's campuses must be dedicated to all students. Higher education DEI and social justice programs have taken center stage for many lawmakers in recent years, with some states passing bills in support of or limiting aspects of DEI programs on college campuses. As part of ISU's announced closure of its Diversity Resource Center and Gender Resource Center last month, all website links and social media pages relating to the centers have been deleted. ISU has also renamed its Office of Equity and Inclusion as the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX. This office will now be housed within the office of the president on the Pocatello campus. Programs like bystander and violence intervention and healthy relationships will still be offered through the renamed office. In addition ISU announced the creation last month of the Bengal Success Center, which is aimed at helping all ISU students achieve academic success. Also announced last month by ISU was that its Native American Student Services programming and On Common Ground initiative would continue. "At ISU, we believe strongly that creating a welcoming environment where every student can thrive is fundamental to our mission," Wagner wrote in his email to ISU faculty and students. "Our commitment to that mission remains steadfast and guides everything we do." Concerns have been raised that the dissolution of DEI offices and programs on U.S. college campuses will have a detrimental effect on queer and minority groups, diminishing their rights and restricting their access to beneficial resources and legal protections. In 2023, Idaho legislators passed both House Bill 1100, which prohibits transgender students from using bathrooms that align with their gender identities, and House Bill 71, which prohibits gender-affirming medical care for youth in Idaho. The DEI resolution proposed by the Idaho State Board of Education would also further diminish DEI structured classes as pre-requisite courses for undergraduate and graduate degrees. That resolution has not yet received final approval. The University of Idaho planned to close its DEI offices on Dec. 14 including the Office of Multicultural Affairs, The Black and African American Cultural Center, The Women’s Center and the LGBTQ+ Office. But according to an e-mail sent Friday by U of I administrators to faculty and students, the university is now planning on holding off on those closures. The College of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls reports that it's not expecting any major changes on its campus. Boise State University issued the following statement regarding the DEI issue after the State Board of Education's Nov. 21 meeting: "Boise State is committed to serving all students. We are aware of the resolutions that were presented at (the Nov. 21) Idaho State Board of Education meeting and will provide feedback." Idaho's legislative leaders have already approved the state's House-Senate task force to continue to develop DEI-related legislation for the 2025 legislative session.Ireland’s premier has spoken to the Dublin woman who won a civil case against mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor to praise her courage. Taoiseach Simon Harris said he also wanted to tell Nikita Hand, a hair colourist from Drimnagh, that her case had prompted an increase in women coming forward to ask for support. Ms Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor said in a post on social media on Friday that he intends to appeal against the decision. That post has since been deleted. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mr Harris said he told Ms Hand of the support she has from people across Ireland. “I spoke with Nikita today and I wanted to thank her for her incredible bravery and her courage,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that she knew how much solidarity and support there was across this country for her bravery. “I also wanted to make sure she knew of what the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had said yesterday – that so many other women have now come forward in relation to their own experiences of sexual abuse as a result of Nikita’s bravery.” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the case has had a “profound effect” on the people the charity supports, and that over the first 10 days of the High Court case, calls to its national helpline increased by almost 20%. It said that first-time callers increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, and were largely from people who had experienced sexual violence who were distressed and anxious from the details of case and the views people had to it. Mr Harris said: “I wanted to speak with her and I wanted to wish her and her daughter, Freya, all the very best night, and I was very grateful to talk with Nikita today. “Her bravery, her courage, her voice has made a real difference in a country in which we must continue to work to get to zero tolerance when it comes to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “I don’t want to say too much more, because conscious there could be further legal processes, but I absolutely want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her courage, for using her voice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee praised Ms Hand’s bravery and said she had shown “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. She said: “I just want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her determination and the leadership that she has shown in what has been – I’ve no doubt – a very, very difficult time for her and indeed, for her family. She added: “Because of wonderful people like Nikita, I hope that it shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there are supports available to people, and that there is justice at the end of the day.” Ms Hand said in a statement outside court on Friday that she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. Describing the past six years as “a nightmare”, she said: “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” During the case, Ms Hand said she was “disappointed and upset” when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to prosecute the case after she made a complaint to the Irish police. In a letter to her in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous. Asked about the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, Mr Harris and Ms McEntee stressed the importance of the DPP’s independence on whether to prosecute. “There are obviously structures in place where the DPP can meet a victim and can outline to them their reasons for not taking the case,” Mr Harris said. “But there’s also always an opportunity for the DPP in any situation – and I speak broadly in relation to this – to review a decision, to consider any new information that may come to light, and I don’t want to say anything that may ever cut across the ongoing work of the DPP.” Ms McEntee stressed that there should “never be any political interference” in the independence of the DPP’s decisions. “I have, since becoming minister, given priority to and enabled a new office within the DPP to open specifically focused on sexual offences, so that this issue can be given the focus and the priority that it needs,” she said.
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