Security & foreign policy: Pakistan's volatile yearThe country's passport authority has tendered an apology to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for "mistakenly" placing the name of PTI leader and noted lawyer Shoab Shaheen on the Passport Control List (PCL). IHC's single-member bench comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir on Friday took up a petition filed by Shaheen against authorities' decision to impose restrictions on his travel abroad. During the hearing, Shaheen appeared in person before the court and argued that his name was initially placed on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). He said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) removed his name from the list on a court order. "However, my name was later added to the PCL as an act of political retaliation," he said. An FIA representative informed the court that Shaheen's name was not placed on any list by their agency. Meanwhile, a representative of the Passport Office said his name was mistakenly added to the PCL, but the error has now been rectified. Extending an apology, he said Shoaib Shaheen's passport had been reactivated. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir remarked that re-adding the name to any list in the future would constitute contempt of court. The hearing was then adjourned until January 13. COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our
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The Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Cyber Security Centre have joined cybersecurity institutions from the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand in warning local technology professionals to beware of threat actors affiliated with China , including Salt Typhoon, infiltrating their critical communications infrastructure. The news comes weeks after the Australian Signals Directorate’s Annual Cyber Threat Report 2023-2024 , where the agency warned that state-sponsored cyber actors had been persistently targeting Australian governments, critical infrastructure, and businesses using evolving tradecraft over the most recent reporting period. What is Salt Typhoon? Recently, the U.S. revealed that a China-connected threat actor , Salt Typhoon, compromised the networks of at least eight U.S.-based telecommunications providers as part of “a broad and significant cyber espionage campaign.” But the campaign is not limited to U.S. shores. Australian agencies did not confirm whether Salt Typhoon has reached Australian telco companies. However, Grant Walsh, telco industry lead at local cyber security firm CyberCX, wrote that it was “unlikely the ACSC – and partner agencies – would issue such detailed guidance if the threat was not real.” “Telco networks have invested in some of the most mature cyber defences in Australia. But the global threat landscape is deteriorating,” he wrote. “Telecommunications networks are a key target for persistent and highly-capable state-based cyber espionage groups, particularly those associated with China.” SEE: Why Australian Cyber Security Pros Should Worry About State-Sponsored Cyber Attacks Salt Typhoon: Part of a wider state-sponsored threat problem Over the past year, the ASD has issued several joint advisories with international partners to highlight the evolving operations of state-sponsored cyber actors, particularly from China-sponsored actors. In February 2024, the ASD joined the U.S. and other international partners in releasing an advisory . It assessed that China-sponsored cyber actors were seeking to position themselves on information and communications technology networks for disruptive cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure in the event of a major crisis. The ASD noted that Australian critical infrastructure networks could be vulnerable to similar state-sponsored malicious cyber activity as seen in the U.S. “These actors conduct cyber operations in pursuit of state goals, including for espionage, in exerting malign influence, interference and coercion, and in seeking to pre-position on networks for disruptive cyber attacks,” the ASD wrote in the report. SEE: Australia Passes Ground-Breaking Cyber Security Law In the ASD’s annual cyber report, the agency said China’s choice of targets and pattern of behaviour is consistent with pre-positioning for disruptive effects rather than traditional cyber espionage operations. However, it said that state-sponsored cyber actors also have information-gathering and espionage objectives in Australia. “State actors have an enduring interest in obtaining sensitive information, intellectual property, and personally identifiable information to gain strategic and tactical advantage,” the report said. “Australian organisations often hold large quantities of data, so are likely a target for this type of activity.” Common techniques used by state-sponsored attackers According to Walsh, China-sponsored actors like Salt Typhoon are “advanced persistent threat actors.” Unlike ransomware groups, they are not seeking immediate financial gain but “want access to the sensitive core components of critical infrastructure, like telecommunications, for espionage or even destructive purposes.” “Their attacks are not about locking up systems and extracting fast profits,” according to Walsh. “Instead, these are covert, state-sponsored cyber espionage campaigns that use hard-to-detect techniques to get inside critical infrastructure and stay there, potentially for years. They are waiting to steal sensitive data or even disrupt or destroy assets in the event of future conflict with Australia.” The ASD has warned defenders about the common techniques these state-sponsored threat actors leverage. Supply chain compromises The compromise of supply chains can act as a gateway to target networks , according to the ASD. The agency noted, “Cyber supply chain risk management should form a significant component of an organisation’s overall cyber security strategy.” Living off the land techniques One of the reasons state-sponsored actors are so difficult to detect, according to the ASD, is because they use “built-in network administration tools to carry out their objectives and evade detection by blending in with normal system and network activities.” These so-called “living off the land” techniques involve waiting to steal information from an organisation’s network. Cloud techniques State-sponsored threat actors adapt their techniques to exploit cloud systems for espionage as organisations move to cloud-based infrastructure. The ASD said techniques for accessing an organisation’s cloud services include “brute-force attacks and password spraying to access highly privileged service accounts.” SEE: How AI Is Changing The Cloud Security Equation How to defend against cyber threats There are some similarities in threat actors’ techniques and the weaknesses in the systems they exploit. The ASD said state-sponsored cyber actors often use previously stolen data, such as network information and credentials from previous cyber security incidents, to further their operations and re-exploit network devices. Luckily, companies can protect themselves from cyber-attacks. Earlier this year, TechRepublic consolidated expert advice on how businesses can defend themselves against the most common cyber threats, including zero-days, ransomware, and deepfakes. These suggestions included keeping software up-to-date, implementing endpoint security solutions, and developing an incident response plan.According to research marketing company Euromonitor International, Thailand's dietary supplement industry in 2023 was valued at 87 billion baht. Thai consumers spent 1,036 baht per person on average each month on a range of products. Additionally, Kantar, a global market research company, reported that the most popular dietary supplement categories in Thailand in 2022 were comprehensive health (29%), skin and beauty (21%), protein (19%), immunity (8%) and weight management (7%). Due to high demand, dietary supplements have become a topic of discussion because many brands in the market do not meet the quality standard or fall short of their advertised claim. To discuss issues and educate people regarding dietary supplements, the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science at Chulalongkorn University (CU) recently held a forum titled "Discussion And Reflection Of Dietary Supplements" via the faculty's Facebook account. Asst Prof Suntharee T. Chaisumritchoke, a lecturer at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, CU, kicked off the forum by explaining what dietary supplements are. She said dietary supplement in Thai is translated from the same terminology in the US. Dietary supplements are substances taken in addition to a normal diet and are often found in capsule, flake, liquid or powder form. They are not considered foods and consumers expect to gain health benefits from these supplements. The issue that brought dietary supplements into the spotlight involved the iCon Group, a notorious online scam company. Many victims filed complaints against the company for its pyramid scheme and using celebrities to endorse its products such as dietary supplements, nutritional supplements, coffee and cocoa powders. Saree Aongsomwang, secretary-general of the Thailand Consumer Council (TCC), revealed that the most common complaint about dietary supplements is their exaggerated properties or false advertising. Most dietary supplements advertised online, especially on social media often use celebrities, influencers and healthcare professionals as presenters to attract buyers. Saree explained that according to the food advertising specification under the Food Act B.E. 2522 and the Consumer Protection Act B.E. 2522, advertising must be truthful, not misleading and must provide complete information. She also pointed out that although dietary supplement products have the FDA's registration number, advertisements also need approval. "Celebrities and influencers must be aware that when advertising, they must promote products that have a registration number from the FDA. Moreover, even with a FDA registration, approval for advertising is still required and most celebrities are unaware of this," said Saree. Saree explained the key principles of celebrity endorsement in the US. First, celebrities and influencers must make it obvious that it is an advertisement by using the hashtags #sponsor and/or #ad. Second, celebrities and influencers must not make exaggerated or misleading claims about products. "It is against the law for celebrities and influencers to advertise that the dietary supplement can cure a disease. Celebrities and influencers are required to be honest and transparent in their advertising. Additionally, if celebrities/influencers' recommendation does not align with their actual experience, they may face penalties. In some countries, there are regulations that require celebrities/influencers to use a product for at least six months before endorsing it," explained Saree. "This is an opportunity for Thai celebrities to set a higher standard in the industry. Even though no rules govern celebrity endorsement in Thailand, celebrities/influencers should consider this basic ethical standard. When they plan to advertise any product, they should use the product for at least six months and should not make false claims. When it comes to advertising, they should make it clear that the product is sponsored," Saree added. Illustrations: Charungsak P. Praphan When asked how the law in Thailand regulates dietary supplement advertising, Dr Surachoke Tangwiwat, secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), replied that advertisements must adhere to properties of the product as registered with the FDA. "Any claims apart from those registered are prohibited. Unfortunately, many cases violate this rule and exaggerate properties of their products," he said. While many companies operate ethically, other companies intentionally add unauthorised substance into their products. "Some companies register an ingredient with the FDA, but use a different ingredient in the actual product. These products can cause serious health risks. The FDA is committed to monitoring products in the market and taking legal action against any violator," said Dr Surachoke. Asst Prof Suntharee provided more information about how the FDA regulates food and drug advertising. "There are at least three principles. First, advertisements must be approved by the FDA which involves verifying the product's registration number. Second, supplement advertisements must not mislead consumers, particularly regarding the benefits. Third, the FDA has the authority to suspend any advertisement that violates the law," she said. To help consumers choose quality products, consumers can verify if a product is registered with the FDA on its website at oryor.com/check-product-serial. The FDA secretary-general said that next year, consumers will be able to verify if a product advertises benefits that match those approved by the FDA. "The FDA has a team with many platforms to monitor and check if there are misleading advertisements. We use AI to detect advertising," said Dr Surachoke. Since there are many cases of consumer fraud involving dietary supplements, Asst Prof Suntharee suggested that consumers should file complaints under the Consumer Case Procedure Act B.E. 2551. Under this law, consumers can file verbal complaints without any written document at consumer court. However, the Thailand Consumer Council (TCC) must represent them and make the case a class action. "With this option, they do not have to pay legal fees and can receive compensation whereas in a criminal lawsuit, victims will not receive compensation." As a representative, Saree said throughout three years of operation, TCC has handled 132 cases. However, many cases were dismissed by the court as not being consumer cases. Saree explained: "One of the most disappointing cases involved telecommunication companies overcharging customers. These companies rounded up seconds of call times and charged a whole minute. The court ruled that this is not consumer case. "Some consumers who were overcharged for a small amount like 400 baht did not want to pursue further legal action since the proceedings would cost them more. The TCC hopes to see courts punish companies that violate consumers' rights. We will discuss with the courts to improve the legal system and better protect consumer rights." At the end of the forum, Dr Surachoke concluded that most people do not need dietary supplement. "People should exercise regularly and manage emotion and stress. They also should consume the five main food groups and food with reduced sugar, oil and salt. If everyone does this, 90% of the people will not need dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are not suitable for everyone. Don't believe everything you hear about dietary supplements," Dr Surachoke said.
Awards season has arrived in the form of the Golden Globes nominations. The awards, which honor both movies and television programs, is often viewed as a preview of the upcoming Oscars. In this week's episode, co-hosts Bruce Miller and Terry Lipshetz go over the list, focusing largely on the movies, which tend to shine brightest at the ceremony. But they also take time to review a few of the TV shows, including the great, but rarely funny "The Bear," which is again in the comedy or musical category. We also have an interview with "Nickel Boys" director RaMell Ross, who spoke with Miller prior to the film receiving a nomination for best drama. Miller also talked with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who starred in the film. People are also reading... Movies Best motion picture, comedy or musical “Wicked”; “Anora”; “Emilia Perez”; “Challengers”; “A Real Pain”; “The Substance” Best motion picture, drama “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown,”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part Two”; “Nickel Boys;” “September 5” Best performance by a male actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Hugh Grant, “Heretic”; Gabriel LaBelle, “Saturday Night; Jesse Plemons, “Kinds of Kindness”’ Glen Powell, “Hitman”; Sebastian Stan, “A Different Man” Best performance by a female actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy Amy Adams, “Nightbitch”; Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”; Karla Sofia Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”; Mikey Madison “Anora”; Demi Moore, “The Substance”; Zendaya, “Challengers” Best performance by a female male actor in a motion picture, drama Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl′′; Angelina Jolie, ”Maria”; Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl”; Tilda Swinton, “The Room Next Door”; Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”; Kate Winslet, “Lee” Best performance by a male actor in a motion picture, drama Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”; Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown’; Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”; Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”; Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice’’ Cinematic and box office achievement “Alien: Romulus”; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”; Deadpool & Wolverine”; “Gladiator II”; “Inside Out 2”; “Twisters”; “Wicked”; “The Wild Robot” Best motion picture, non-English “All We Imagine As Light′′; ”Emilia Pérez”; “The Girl With the Needle”; “I’m Still Here”; “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”; “Vermiglio” Best animated film “Flow”; “Inside Out 2”; “Memoir of a Snail”; “Moana 2”; “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”; “The Wild Robot” Best performance by a female actor in a supporting role in any motion picture Selena Gomez, ”Emilia Pérez”; Ariana Grande, “Wicked”; Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”; Margaret Qualley, “The Substance”; Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”; Zoe Saldaña, ”Emilia Pérez” Best performance by a male actor in a supporting role in any motion picture Yura Borisov, “Anora”; Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”; Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”; Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”; Jeremy Strong, ”The Apprentice”; Denzel Washington, “Gladiator II” Best director Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Edward Berger, “Conclave”; Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Payal Kapadia, “All We Imagine As Light” Best screenplay Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, “The Brutalist”; Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Peter Straughan, “Conclave” Best original score Volker Bertelmann, “Conclave”; Daniel Blumberg, “The Brutalist”; Kris Bowers, “The Wild Robot”; Clement Ducol, Camille “Emilia Pérez”; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Challengers”; Hans Zimmer, “Dune: Part Two” Best original song “Beautiful That Way” from “The Last Showgirl” (music/lyrics by Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson); “Compress/Repress” from “Challengers’ (music/lyrics by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino; “El Mal” from EL MAL” from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard; “Forbidden Road” from ”Better Man′′ (music/lyrics by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek); “Kiss the Sky” from “The Wild Robot′′ (music/lyrics by Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi); ”Mi Camino′′ from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille) Television Best television drama “Shogun”; “The Diplomat”; “Slow Horses”; “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; “The Day of the Jackal”; “Squid Game” Best television series, comedy or musical “Abbott Elementary”; “The Bear; “Hacks”; “Nobody Wants This”; “Only Murders in the Building”; “The Gentlemen” Best performance by a male actor in a television series, drama Donald Glover, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; Jake Gyllenhaal, “Presumed Innocent”; Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”; Eddie Redmayne, “The Day of the Jackal”; Hiroyuki Sanada, “Shogun”; Billy Bob Thornton, “Landman” Best performance by a female actor in a television series-drama Kathy Bates, “Matlock”; Emma D’Arcy, “House of the Dragon”; Maya Erskine, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”; Keira Knightley, “Black Doves”; Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”; Anna Sawai, “Shogun” Best performance by a female actor in a television series-musical or comedy Kristen Bell, “Nobody Wants This”; Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”; Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”; Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”; Kathryn Hahn, “Agatha All Along”; Jean Smart, “Hacks” Best performance by a male actor in a television series-musical or comedy Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This”; Ted Danson, “A Man on the Inside”; Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jason Segel, “Shrinking”; Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jeremy All White, “The Bear” Best television limited series, anthology series or motion picture made for television “Baby Reindeer”; Disclaimer"; “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; “The Penguin”; “Ripley”; “True Detective: Night Country” Best performance by a female actor in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television Cate Blanchett, “Disclaimer''; Jodie Foster, ”True Detective: Night Country"; Cristin Milioti, “The Penguin''; Sofia Vergara, ”Griselda"; Naomi Watts, “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”; Kate Winslet, “The Regime” Best performance by a male actor in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television Colin Farrell, “The Penguin”; Richard Gadd, “Baby Reindeer”; Kevin Kline, “Disclaimer”; Cooper Koch, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Ewan McGregor, “A Gentleman in Moscow”; Andrew Scott, “Ripley” Best performance by a female actor in a supporting role on television Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”; Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”; Dakota Fanning, “Ripley”; Jessica Gunning, “Baby Reindeer”; Allison Janney, “The Diplomat”; Kali Reis, “True Detective: Night Country” Best performance by a male actor in a supporting role on television Tadanobu Asano, “Shogun''; Javier Bardem, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Harrison Ford, “Shrinking”; Jack Lowden “Slow Horses”; Diego Luna, “La Maquina”; Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear” Best performance in stand-up comedy on television Jamie Foxx, “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was”; Nikki Glaser, “Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die”; Seth Meyers, “Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking”; Adam Sandler, "Adam Sandler: Love You"; Ali Wong, “Ali Wong: Single Lady”; Ramy Youssef, “Ramy Youssef: More Feelings” —List compiled by The Associated Press Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!Maryland sues maker of Gore-Tex over pollution from toxic 'forever chemicals'Here’s a heartwarming story that should bring you joy this holiday season: the worst people you know are all fighting. The MAGA v. Tech Right feud that kicked off over Christmas, spurred by a divide on allowing skilled immigrant workers to come stateside, was escalated by Elon Musk on Thursday. Trump’s “first buddy” declared far-right characters including former Trump orbiter Laura Loomer to be trolls and allegedly removed their verification status on Twitter. Musk spent most of yesterday amplifying support for H-1B visa programs, which allow American companies to hire noncitizens for specialty occupations and have become a favorite tool in the tech industry to attract global talent. He also did it in the most 4chan-ish way possible, responding in agreement to a post from Autism Capital that posited the tech industry doesn’t hire Americans because “ you guys are retarded. ” That put him in the crosshairs of the nationalist right, which backed Trump in large part due to his promise to limit immigration. Figures like Loomer , InfoWars host Owen Shroyer , and others took shots at Musk and other tec-right figures like Vivek Ramaswamy for their narrow pro-immigration position. As Musk backed away from the conversation, chalking it up primarily to trolling, his biggest critics also saw their blue checkmarks removed from their profiles. Loomer , Shroyer , Newsmax contributor Gavin Wax , and political action committee ConservativeOG all lost their verification in the fallout of the H-1B visa battle after explicitly standing in opposition to Musk and friends. The de-verification won’t just cost them the check mark, but also the payouts from their attention-seeking posts and any income they were generating from premium subscribers who backed them . These accounts likely lost their verification status because of their association with ConservativeOG. One way to receive verification on Twitter is via affiliation with a verified organization, which ConservativeOG previously was, as seen by the gold checkmark that was once displayed on its profile . At some point, ConservativeOG got axed, and so did everyone associated with it. Loomer and ConservativeOG have ties, as seen on an archived version of Loomer’s account that shows the ConservativeOG logo next to her verification badge. It’s unclear if Loomer’s actions cost the whole organization its verification status. Loomer is currently sitting in Twitter Jail, suspended for 12 hours over a post in which she falsely accused Sriram Krishnan, Trump’s incoming senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence, of donating to the Kamala Harris presidential candidacy. It’s worth noting that the checkmark purge appears to reach beyond just those directly engaged in the H-1B visa debate. The account RawAlerts, which posts pretty much exclusively clickbait and drama-farming content, also lost its verification , and a number of other users have raised concerns that their verification status is under review without explanation as to why. In the middle of the whole immigration kerfuffle, Musk announced a tweak to the Twitter algorithm that would drop in rank posts from users who are blocked or muted by “ credible, verified subscriber accounts “—a move that Loomer interpreted as an attack on her because nothing has ever happened that isn’t about her. But it’s possible the review of verification badges is related to the algorithm adjustment. Regardless, it appears that Musk’s goodwill with MAGA loyalists is running low. It’s clear Musk and other techies who decided to cling to Trump are trying to turn the page and leave the H-1B debate behind, potentially going so far as to try to bury the accounts leading the opposition. But the far-right has only dug its heels in further following the shady de-verification move and seems intent on continuing the fight. May they all lose.
The Republican Jewish Coalition published a report on Thursday examining where Jewish voters in the Nov. 5 election swung for President-elect Donald Trump that suggests his strongest gains were among “those who live the most Jewish lives and reside in the most Jewish communities.” The analysis from WPA Intelligence, a conservative political consultancy and analytics firm, looked at available exit polling, city and county data and precinct data. It concluded that there is a growing political gap between “disengaged and secular people of Jewish ancestry,” who largely voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, and “those actively engaged with the Jewish religion” who broke for Trump. “Looking at Jewish neighborhoods and towns, the trends are stark and unmistakable,” WPAI stated. “Because Judaism is in some ways a communal religion and observant Judaism requires localized infrastructure, Jews who live in Jewish areas tend to be more religious and engaged. And in these neighborhoods, we see large shifts towards Trump.” “The trend is apparent from Trump’s near-unanimous support among Chassidic and Yeshivish Jews; to his rapid consolidation of the Modern Orthodox vote; to incremental gains even in more liberal Jewish areas such as Oak Park and Upper Manhattan,” the firm added. “So, too, is it diverse ethnically and geographically, occurring coast to coast and overrepresenting Persian and ex-Soviet Jewish communities.” The RJC/WPAI report is the latest set of data points in the dispute between Republican and Democratic Jewish groups over whether Trump won over a large share of Jewish voters and where he might have done so. That question might turn in large part on who is counted as Jewish, with pollsters reaching dramatically different conclusions depending on how Jewish voters are screened. According to a survey commissioned by J Street, Trump won only 26% of the Jewish vote nationally and 23% of the Jewish vote in the swing state of Pennsylvania, a result that would make Jewish voters one of the most reliable demographics for Democrats in an election in which nearly every other socioeconomic subgroup in the United States swung towards Trump. But 24% of J Street’s respondents identified as “not Jewish by religion,” weighting heavily in favor of Harris voters. A poll by the Orthodox Union’s Teach Coalition that used a different method for identifying Jewish voters found radically different results in Pennsylvania, with Harris only winning the state 48%-41%. The RJC/WPAI analysis concluded that some of the most dramatic swings in the Jewish vote towards Trump happened in New York. It also identified red shifts in heavily Jewish areas of New Jersey, Michigan and California. “Though Jews still often live in blue areas, their neighborhoods and communities are increasingly a major share of the red islands in blue seas,” MPAI stated. “In this election, we have seen how Jewish values vote, and increasingly, they vote red.”Percentages: FG .397, FT .714. 3-Point Goals: 6-27, .222 (A.Lewis 2-7, Henry 1-1, Kelley 1-2, Sasaki 1-3, Pettus 1-6, Pilcher 0-1, Smith 0-1, T.Lewis 0-1, Ricks 0-2, Compas 0-3). Team Rebounds: 5. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Smith). Turnovers: 14 (Smith 3, A.Lewis 2, Compas 2, Danak 2, Sasaki 2, Henry, Kelley, Pilcher). Steals: 8 (Compas 4, Pettus 2, Sasaki, Smith). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .531, FT .720. 3-Point Goals: 14-29, .483 (Ortiz 5-11, de Kovachich 4-4, Jefferson 3-5, Bacchus 1-2, Fields 1-2, Soucie 0-2, Lane 0-3). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 4 (Jenrette 3, Williams). Turnovers: 13 (Jefferson 5, Soucie 3, Lane 2, Bacchus, Ortiz, de Kovachich). Steals: 9 (Ortiz 3, Fields 2, Jefferson 2, Soucie, de Kovachich). Technical Fouls: None. A_1,127 (4,000).
Supreme Court will take up a challenge related to California's tough vehicle emissions standards WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says it will take up a business-backed appeal that could make it easier to challenge federal regulations, acting in a dispute related to California’s nation-leading standards for vehicle emissions. The justices agreed Friday to hear an appeal filed by fuel producers who object to a waiver granted to California in 2022 by the Environmental Protection Agency during Joe Biden’s presidency. The waiver allows California to set more stringent emissions limits than the national standard. The case won’t be argued until the spring, when the Trump administration is certain to take a more industry-friendly approach to the issue. Musk says US is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk says the Securities and Exchange Commission wants him to pay a penalty or face charges involving what he disclosed — or failed to disclose — about his purchases of Twitter stock before he bought the social media platform in 2022. In a letter, Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro tells the outgoing SEC chairman, Gary Gensler, that the commission’s demand for a monetary payment is a “misguided scheme” that won’t intimidate Musk. The letter also alleges that the commission reopened an investigation this week into Neuralink, Musk’s computer-to-human brain interface company. The SEC has not released the letter. Nor would it comment on it or confirm whether it has issued such a demand to Musk. Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people. The legislation has passed the House. The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which are already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. The measure would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Saudi Arabia banned film for 35 years. The Red Sea festival is just one sign of the industry's rise JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia’s decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different. And the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday. Both the award and the glitzy festival itself are signs of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to shaping a new film industry. The reopening of cinemas in 2018 after 35 years marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia. Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports. He posted on social media Thursday that he met with union leaders and that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. He wrote that the “amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. The Maritime Alliance says the technology will improve worker safety and strengthen our supply chains, among other things. IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes. The announcement comes under the backdrop of a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority over both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency will help the incoming administration and new Republican majority congress achieve its goals of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Unique among 'Person of the Year' designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazine Donald Trump got something this year that no other person designed Time magazine's Person of the Year had ever received. He got a fact-check of claims that the president-elect made in the interview accompanying the magazine's piece. Trump earned the recognition of the year's biggest newsmaker for the second time, also winning it in 2016 the first time he was elected president. But in a piece described as a “12-minute” read, Time called into question more than a dozen statements Trump made when speaking to the magazine's reporters, on issues like border size, autism and crowd size at a rally. Time said it has fact-checked other interviews in the past, but not for this annual feature. OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship' A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and best avoid an artificial intelligence ‘dictatorship’ is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing conversion into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. OpenAI is filing its response Friday. OpenAI's Altman will donate $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund LOS ANGELES (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a $1 million personal donation to President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the move on Friday. The announcement comes one day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it donated $1 million to the same fund. Amazon also said it plans to donate $1 million. China signals it's prepared to double down on support for the economy as Trump tariffs loom BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese leaders met this week to plot economic policy for the coming year and sketched out plans to raise government spending and relax Beijing's monetary policy. Analysts said the broad-brush plans from the annual Central Economic Work Conference were more of a recap of current policy than ambitious new initiatives at a time when the outlook is clouded by the President-elect Donald Trump's threats to sharply raise tariffs once he takes office. The ruling Communist Party did commit to raising China's deficit and to doing more to encourage consumer spending by bringing wage increases in line with the pace of economic growth. Here's a look at China's main priorities and their potential implications.To the Editor: Mehmet Oz, a board-certified heart surgeon turned talk show host and lifestyle guru, is President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal health care agency that covers more than a third of Americans. Although he made his reputation as a surgeon, he made his fortune as a salesman. He is perhaps best known for his TV show, Dr. Oz, on which he portrayed himself as a trusted doctor and dispensed nutritional and lifestyle advice, conveniently failing to make clear to his audience just how closely he worked with the companies he pitched. He repeatedly promoted products of questionable medical value and was named in lawsuits that alleged he made misleading claims on the show. Several of the companies he has promoted are structured as multilevel marketing businesses whose practices have repeatedly drawn the attention of federal regulators. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oz appeared on Fox News more than 25 times to promote hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine — an antimalarial drug also used for treating lupus — as a cure for COVID, despite lacking evidence that it was safe or effective. CNBC recently reported that Oz owns at least $630,000 in stock in pharmaceutical companies that distribute hydroxychloroquine. On top of the unverified drug claims, Oz was criticized for comments he made on Sean Hannity’s show. “I just saw a nice piece in The Lancet arguing that the opening of schools may only cost us two or three percent in terms of total mortality,” Oz said, suggesting that putting children back in school — even as cases skyrocketed — was a “very appetizing opportunity.” Oz was, and probably still is, involved in marketing partnerships with Novo Nordisk. As head of CMS, he’d be in charge of making decisions that could be very lucrative for pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Oz also has investments in CVS and UnitedHealth, companies that could reap major financial gains based on Oz’s decisions. His ongoing financial ties to Big Pharma and health care companies are a conflict of interest. What incentive does he have to do the job the American people need done by the person in this position? Furthermore, in addition to these conflicts of interest, Oz is a proponent of Medicare privatization, which would destroy Medicare as we know it and enrich the insurance corporations he’s invested in. In recent years, Oz has dived into far-right politics, dropping the veil of neutrality he stood behind for most of his career. Since his unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate, Oz routinely faces criticism for his motives, beliefs and questionable medical record — including a recently resurfaced scandal involving the cruel treatment of animals by Columbia University research teams that he oversaw. Dr. Oz, he gained fame for promoting questionable “supplements” and quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain. Mehmet Oz is an inappropriate choice to run CMS. His history of promoting questionable “supplements” and quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain, and the conflicts of interest created by his continued involvement and financial ties to pharmaceutical and health care companies make him unfit for that position. I urge Senators Moran and Marshall to block the nomination of Mehmet Oz as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Sharon McGinness LarnedPlants to Feng Shui a patio – 5 picks to create a soothing outdoor sanctuary
If the city were to adopt these policies, LA would join Washington D.C., San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia, where similar programs are available.
NoneBy 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, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. 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.” Related Articles National Politics | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? 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 | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. 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.