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Retailers coax Black Friday shoppers into stores with big discounts and giveaways NEW YORK (AP) — Retailers in the U.S. have used giveaways and bigger-than expected discounts to reward shoppers who ventured out on Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving still reigns for now as the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season even if it’s lost some luster. Analysts reported seeing the biggest crowds at stores that offered real savings. They say many shoppers are being cautious with their discretionary spending despite the easing of inflation. Stores are even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there are five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Online sales figures from Thanksgiving Day gave retailers a reason to remain hopeful for a lucrative end to the year. Southwest Airlines says it is ending cabin service earlier to reduce chance of injury Southwest Airlines is ending its cabin service earlier starting next month. Beginning on Dec. 4, a company spokesperson says flight attendants will begin preparing the cabin for landing at an altitude of 18,000 feet instead of 10,000 feet. The company says it's making the changes to reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries. For passengers, that means they will need to return their seats to an upright position or do other pre-landing procedures earlier than before. While turbulence-related fatalities are quite rare, injuries have piled up over the years. Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday season PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — While retailers hope to go big this holiday season, customers may notice that the catalogs arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were scaled down to save on postage and paper. Some gift purveyors are sending out postcards. In a sign of the times, the American Catalog Mailers Association rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, industry experts say catalogs help retailers cut through the noise and still hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs. Canada's Trudeau returns home after Trump meeting without assurances that tariffs are off the table WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is returning home after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump says the dinner talks Friday night at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida were “productive.” But he signaling no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation” but offered no details. Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” Trump and Republicans in Congress eye an ambitious 100-day agenda, starting with tax cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans swept to power on Election Day and now control the House, the Senate and the White House, with plans for an ambitious 100-day agenda come January. Their to-do list includes extending tax breaks, cutting social programs, building the border wall to stop immigration and rolling back President Joe Biden's green energy policies. Atop that list is a plan to renew some $4 trillion in expiring tax cuts that were a signature domestic achievement of Republican Donald Trump’s first term as president. It's an issue that may define his return to the White House. The ruble's in a slump. For the Kremlin, that's a two-edged sword Russia’s ruble is sagging against other currencies, complicating the Kremlin’s efforts to keep consumer inflation under control with one hand even as it overheats the economy with spending on the war against Ukraine with the other. Over time a weaker ruble could mean higher prices for imports from China, Russia's main trade partner these days. President Vladimir Putin says things are under control. One wild card is sanctions against a key Russian bank that have disrupted foreign trade payments. If Russia finds a workaround for that, the ruble could regain some of its recent losses. Iceland votes for a new parliament after political disagreements force an early election REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders are electing a new parliament after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call early elections. This will be Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggest the country may be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Massachusetts lawmakers push for an effort to ban all tobacco sales over time BOSTON (AP) — A handful of Massachusetts lawmakers are hoping to persuade their colleagues to support a proposal that would make the state the first to adopt a ban meant to eliminate the use of tobacco products over time. Other locations have weighed similar “generational tobacco bans.” The bans phase out the use of tobacco products based not just on a person's age but on birth year. Lawmakers plan to file the proposal next year. If approved, the bill would set a date and ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after that date forever, eventually banning all sales. Vietnam approves $67 billion high-speed railway project between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has approved the construction of a high-speed railway connecting the capital Hanoi in the north with the financial capital of Ho Chi Minh in the south. It is expected to cost $67 billion and will stretch 1,541 kilometers (957 miles). The new train is expected to travel at speeds of up to 350 kph (217 mph), reducing the journey from the current 30 hours to just five hours. The decision was taken by Vietnam’s National Assembly on Saturday. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and Vietnam hopes that the first trains will start operating by 2035. But the country has been beleaguered by delays to its previous infrastructure projects. Inflation rose to 2.3% in Europe. That won't stop the central bank from cutting interest rates FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro currency rose in November — but that likely won’t stop the European Central Bank from cutting interest rates as the prospect of new U.S. tariffs from the incoming Trump administration adds to the gloom over weak growth. The European Union’s harmonized index of consumer prices rose 2.3 percent, up from 2.0% in October, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. However, worries about growth mean the Dec. 12 ECB meeting is not about whether to cut rates, but by how much. Market buzz says there could be a larger than usual half-point cut in the benchmark rate, currently 3.25%.
UCF coach Gus Malzahn reportedly resigning to take Florida State OC jobAminu Abdullahi, the Commissioner, Higher Education, Sokoto State, who is also the Iyan Sokoto, is a highly respected titleholder of the Sultanate. Before his appointment by Governor Ahmad Aliyu, he was for nine years the Accountant General of the State. He was also at various times the Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Environment and Animal Health. In this interview, he explains why revitalizing the education sector is one of the governor’s Nine-Point Smart Agenda Honourable Commissioner, let’s talk about the Nine -Point Smart Agenda of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto. Exactly what does the governor want to achieve with his investment in education? Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto is absolutely clear about what he wants to achieve in education, which is development of human capital that’s important to the development of the state. The governor is driving the economic development of the state, so it’s important that we have indigenes that are skilled to work in the industries he is attracting. We recently graduated 80 medical doctors and being our citizens, they can operate better in our environment because they understand the language and culture of the people. He sees education as both a social and economic investment. An educated person would easily understand the need to pay his/her tax and to be law abiding. I would give you the example of an educated woman – she is a nurse, and the first teacher of her children, so if she is educated that would certainly impact on their healthcare and education because she would be able to give them proper care and teach them alphabets before they start school. Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto means business with his well thought out Nine-Point Smart Agenda. In housing he has delivered. He was recently crowned the Urban and Housing-Friendly Governor of the Year 2024 in recognition of his achievements in the sector. It’s not a joke to deliver 1,000 housing units within two years. In the area of legal reforms, he has equally done well. During our last State Executive Council meeting the Secretary to the State Government announced the execution of over 180 projects that have been completed in the last one and half years. The governor is a serious-minded person...he won’t fail himself, his father Senator Aliyu Magatarda Wamakko or the people who have stood solidly behind him. Are your institutions of higher learning running entrepreneurship courses or are their curriculum still geared towards the continued production of public servants? The National Policy on Education introduced entrepreneurship into the curriculum of higher institutions. In 2000 the Federal Government and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) partnered to incorporate Entrepreneurship Education (EEd) into Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) curricula. The main goals of entrepreneurship education in Nigeria include, preparing the students to be self-reliant and self-employed, creating employment opportunities, helping students to transition from a traditional economy to a modern industrial economy, training students to be creative and innovative in identifying business opportunities and to establish careers in small and medium-sized businesses. In Sokoto State our tertiary institutions have embraced the entrepreneurial message. I understand that even at the Secondary School Level the students are being thought Entrepreneurship. This is the way to go because the government has a limited capacity to create jobs. How has your assignment as the Commissioner Higher Education Sokoto State been? Without thinking twice about it I would say that it has been a wonderful experience unpretending over this critical sector. I am indeed very grateful that I am contributing my quota to ensuring that Sokoto State children receive qualitative education. And when you work with a governor that’s wholeheartedly committed to the development of education and that’s supportive, that definitely makes your assignment less stressful. Before we go far into the interview, I think it’s important that I explain the difference between the Ministries of Higher Education, Science and Technology and Basic Education, which in a sense shows the importance the governor attaches to the educational sector. The first reason for the creation of the three separate ministries is because the governor wants an effective supervision of the educational sector which by the way is huge. So, in Sokoto State like some other states has three ministries – Basic and Secondary, Science and Technology and Higher Education. Though we might be three ministries, we collaborate because we are dealing with essentially the same raw materials or if you like we are in a sense like the three arms of government – the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary- though distinct, we must work harmoniously to deliver development to the people. So, the ministry of Higher Education is solely concerned with tertiary education – the institutions of higher learning that offer different courses to students after their secondary level of education. We have Diploma, Certificate and Degree Awarding institutions under the ministry numbering about 10. But at the recent State Executive Council meeting the Council in its wisdom took the decision to return the School of Nursing to the Ministry of Health and the School of Legal Studies to the Ministry of Justice, for more effective supervision. The fact is that these five tertiary institutions were transferred to their mother ministries in line with the laws establishing them. We equally have 20 privately-owned tertiary institutions in Sokoto State that are also under our supervision only that the government doesn’t fund them. What was the status of the sector when you took over? Like every other sector when this administration assumed office things were at different levels of decay and the educational sector wasn’t spared which is most unfortunate. The handover note that officials of the ministry put together for me was depressing because the situation in all our institutions was alarming; the morale of the workers was expectedly low because their courses were not accredited and they were not paid their teaching incentives. For instance, the state university was without power for more than three years. Most of the lecture theatres were in a state of dilapidation. On assumption of office Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto instantly instructed the Kaduna Power Company to restore power immediately to the university and the other institutions after reaching an agreement with them on payment of the backlog. That singular act elicited wild jubilation and confirmed that a Daniel has indeed come to judgement. I am ashamed to talk about what Sokoto State suffered in the hands of Aminu Tambuwal, a man who at one time was the number four citizen and who could have been President in line with the constitutional succession process. On his own he even attempted to be President of our dear country twice. Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto has shown by words and actions that his commitment to the development of education is not political, that he in fact means his campaign promise to revamp the educational sector. He has paid all outstanding salaries, including the teaching allowances and rehabilitated dilapidated infrastructures in our higher institutions. If you visit them, you will find an environment that is conducive for learning... we can’t be blaming the students for poor performance when we haven’t provided them with the necessary tools and environment to study. We have equally gotten most courses being run by institutions accredited within one year. How on earth can any institution worth its salt run unaccredited courses? It certainly amounted to a sheer waste of everybody’s time, especially that of the students. Thankfully the examination bodies have shown an understanding which has gone a long way in resolving the issues. The governor has approved the payment of accreditation fees to the various bodies like the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). He has in all sincerity restored the hope of these students that was dashed by the past administration. As a mark of his commitment there is no memo from this ministry seeking his intervention on any urgent matter that hasn’t received his prompt response. He understands the importance of education and is determined to change the narrative. But is the creation of three separate ministries not a confirmation that the sector ... has serious challenges and that the burden of running the tertiary institutions for instance is already enough of a problem for you? It’s important that I make the point that the governor is well guided in his decision to create the three ministries. It’s backed by the decision of the National Council of Education which is the highest policy making body on education in Nigeria on the separation of the ministries for effective supervision. It is a national policy. The governor could have chosen to ignore it, but being a firm believer in the rule of law and convinced that it is the right decision he decided to go along with it wholeheartedly because it serves his purpose of the sector being vigorously supervised. And then you’ve also talked about rehabilitation ...give me an idea of the total amount spent so far on the accreditation exercise? We have spent good money on the rehabilitation of dilapidated structures in our institutions, ...to date about N3 billion. I want to take you back to the accreditation issue. Can you give me an idea of the total cost of what was spent? For accreditation the cost is huge. For some courses we paid N35 million and for others N70 million. ...it depended on the course. Thankfully accreditation is once in five years. So, we have some breathing space. So far, virtually all our institutions have had their courses accredited and the cost is running into millions of Naira. Some few months back we paid the NUC about N100 million for courses being run at the State University and they were very impressed with our governor for his efforts in running a university that is truly a center of learning and research. In fact, they followed up with a letter of appreciation to the governor. The governor on his part is extremely happy because he is seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I can tell you for free that the university surpassed the NUC conditions, and that we didn’t cut corners .... we adhered to their guidelines. Were they satisfied with the activities of Rectors, Provosts when their schools were running unaccredited courses. And did you sack them? According to the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007 which aims at ensuring the prudent management of resources and to promote transparency and accountability, if a public officer steals money he would be charged to court of law and tried. Also, according to that same law if an officer commits an irresponsible act, he or she is liable for persecution. But it wasn’t their fault that the Tambuwal administration refused to accredit the courses their schools were running. They didn’t commit a deliberate and irresponsible act because they kept drawing the attention of government to the problem and there is overwhelming evidence. So, it would have been heartless sacking them for a crime that they didn’t commit. So why didn’t the previous administration pay for the accreditation of these courses? I wish I could provide you with the answer considering the importance of our schools running courses that are accredited. It certainly beats my imagination that they didn’t. I am not saying this to paint the previous administration in a bad light, but just to put the facts before the public and nothing more. The governor has since moved on from what they didn’t do to doing them. Sokoto State is lucky to have a calm and dedicated governor after the disastrous eight years of Tambuwal. Considering the premium placed on education by the governor, how well has he funded education? Does his budgeting allocation to education meet the UNESCO standard of 25 per cent? I want to recall that in November 2023, several countries under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), adopted the recommendation on education for peace and human rights, international understanding, cooperation, fundamental freedoms, global citizenship and sustainable development. Today, UNESCO remains the only global standard-setting instrument that lays out how education can and should be used to bring about lasting peace and sustainable development and in positioning education as a key driver of peace and international understanding. Education in the 2024 budget was allocated the highest percentage and in 2025 it has equally maintained its number one position in terms of budgetary allocation. Sokoto State in the last two years has in fact surpassed the UNESCO budget recommendation. And what does this say about the Governor’s unwavering commitment to education? It, no doubt, clears whatever doubt about his desire to rewrite the ugly story of education in the state. As a professional accountant I prefer to talk more in terms of releases because you can be allocated a fantastic budget without it being cash backed. So, we say thank you to the governor for not only allocating funds to education, but for his express approvals and for cash backing them. Our modest achievements are due to his leadership and support. In the light of the economic situation many states have been forced to increase fees in their institutions. So, should your students expect an increase in fees and wouldn’t it affect enrollment? You know the story of Sokoto State. We remain eternally grateful to our father who by the way was my teacher and leader, Senator Aliyu Magatarda Wamakko, for laying a solid foundation for our educational system using his experience as an educationist. As Governor of Sokoto State, he put in a place several fundamental policies; free and compulsory education, he encouraged girl child education and so many other policies. We certainly won’t be increasing fees rather we would continue to encourage our students with incentives like scholarships to pursue their education to the highest level. The robust policies of our governor have continued to attract more students to enroll into schools in the state and abroad. In fact, enrollment has increased and very interestingly is the fact that students have stopped skipping school. We have achieved all these due to the policy of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto who understands the importance of education and is walking the talk. The previous government had for inexplicable reasons stopped the stipends and other privileges of the students which Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto immediately restored. I am not too sure about other states’ allocation for education meeting the UNESCO standard...but what is the relationship between your state, UNESCO and other development partners? The interesting thing about development partners is that they only come in when they see what you are doing. It’s only when they see your seriousness and enthusiasm that they would partner with you. Our budget outlook which is friendly attracted them. We are actually having a synergy with them, and several other projects with different development partners. UNESCO that you mentioned earlier linked us up with other partners because they are impressed with what we are doing. They are facilitating and augmenting what the government is doing. So, we are happy with the relationship. Are they specific interventions, for instance, for girl-child education? Yes. But that is in Basic and Secondary Education. It would be great if you equally interview the commissioner in charge of the ministry. The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), to what extent has your State University benefited from its funding? The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in its farsighted wisdom in 2011 to disburse, manage, and monitor education tax to government-owned tertiary institutions. You know that before the establishment of the agency in 2011, government-owned tertiary institutions were poorly funded, so the scheme was designed to improve the crisis in the sector through its interventions especially in the area of facilities where the decay was monumental. In fact, facilities in most schools had almost collapsed, teachers and lecturers’ morale were at their lowest. The enabling environment for conducive teaching and learning was absent. So, the government took this step to arrest the rot. This background is important so we can appreciate the seriousness of the situation and why the agency was set up. TETFund’s interventions are only for the universities. Primary schools have the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) that is saddled with the responsibility of providing greater access to, and ensuring quality of basic education throughout the country. The Universal Basic Education Programme was introduced in 1999 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to also address the rot in the sector. So has the Sokoto State University benefited from its intervention(s)? Each year TETFund intervenes based on specific requests of the concerned institution. They don’t decide for you, because you know what you need most. For example, if we need a Laboratory, we will spell out our specific needs to TETFund and they would react appropriately. So they can’t come and build hostels for us when what we need is a lecture hall or ICT facilities. Our schools have well equipped hostels, we have beds so we don’t need them, so we can’t ask them to buy beds that we have. So, the answer is a big yes. The state university has tremendously benefited from the intervention of the Fund in various areas.
SpaceX knocks out 1st of final 2 Space Coast launches of 2024
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation” but offered no details. Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto.Carter hits 5 3s, scores 23 to help LSU beat Mississippi Valley State 110-45
US and England women draw 0-0 in Emma Hayes' homecomingIran says will hold nuclear talks with France, Germany, U.K. on November 29
Actor Barry Keoghan has once again slammed claims about the relationship he has with his son. The Oscar-nominee, 32, shares his two-year-old son Brando with ex-partner Alyson Kierans, a dentist from London. He tends to keep his son away from the spotlight, but has previously claimed people assume he's absent in his life and a "lazy" father. Barry has been open about his own childhood and the impact of his mother's death from a drug addiction. The Saltburn star slammed negative comments over his own parenting and said he didn't have a "blueprint" to learn off. Last month, Barry revealed how he had been branded an "absent father" and a "deadbeat dad". He said the comments came after not posting as many pictures as he once did of his child. Barry insisted his son "isn't a talking point" because he doesn't "give the internet what they want". The actor believes it isn't his place to share photos of Brando "in this day and age" with how "sick" the internet can be. "People are so feckin' quick to judge," he told Hunger magazine . "It can really affect you, but I'm a strong person. I do some therapy. I'm a work in progress. I'm constantly evolving as an actor, as a father, as a human. I'm always trying to grow." Barry and ex Alyson co-parent Brando and announced they were expecting their child months after getting together. However, the pair split in July 2023 after two and a half years together. Following their split, Barry has been in a high-profile romance with singer Sabrina Carpenter. He recently addressed the claims about his parenting while on Spotify’s The Louis Theroux Podcast. He said: "If I didn’t have tough skin or the strength to have, I wouldn’t be sitting here. Of course, (my childhood is) going to affect me being a father when I had no blueprint to take from. People just read that (as) laziness and go, ‘Oh, that’s no excuse to be an absent father’. I’m not an absent father." He also expressed his frustration at people using his son as "ammunition", leading him to post less about his child online as he gains more public attention. "Just the audacity of some people, man. It sickens me, makes me furious," he added. "I’ve been off it [social media] because when I’m going through a role, I’m getting into character. I stay away from the internet." The Banshees Of Inisherin star opened up about the darker side of fame, saying: "But, again, when I’ve got a bit of time, I am a curious being like all of us and you want to know what (people are saying online) especially when it’s slander and when it’s bad comments attacking my appearance or attacking me as a father." He also shared his personal struggles, revealing he's "just trying to make a living, trying to get a good body of work and create safety for my child". Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Cam Carter hit five 3-pointers and finished with 23 points, Vyctorius Miller added 20 points and LSU never trailed Sunday night in a 110-45 win over Mississippi Valley State, the Tigers' 21st consecutive victory when scoring at least 100 points. LSU's 65-point margin of victory was its largest since the Tigers beat Grambling by 75 (112-37) on Nov. 20, 1999 and is the third biggest against a Division-I opponent in program history. The 110 points were the most by LSU since a 119-108 win over North Florida on Dec. 12, 2015. Carter scored 11 points — including three 3-pointers — in the first six minutes to make it 18-6 and LSU led by double figures the rest of the way. The Delta Devils went 0 for 6 from the field and committed five turnovers as LSU scored 17 consecutive points to take a 28-point lead with 7:44 left in the first half and led 55-13 at halftime. The Tigers allowed the seventh-fewest points in a half by an opponent in program history. Mississippi Valley State (2-11) is averaging 46.2 points and is winless with a scoring margin of minus-44.2 in 11 games against Division-I opponents this season. LSU (11-2) has won three games in a row since a 74-64 loss to SMU at the Compete 4 Cause Classic in Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 14. Jordan Spears and Daimion Collins added 15 points apiece for the Tigers, who shot 66% (46 of 70) from the field and made 12 3s. Alvin Stredic led Mississippi Valley State with eight points. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball‘We didn’t have a good day’: Greens set to suffer significant election lossesSARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — A late rally wasn’t enough as the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds (5-3-0) men’s hockey team fell to the Lake Forest College Foresters (3-5-1), 5-4, Saturday afternoon at the Saratoga City Rink, in the opening game of the Skidmore Thanksgiving Invitational.The Foresters struck first in the first frame. Foresters junior forward Colin Bella [...]ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF coach Gus Malzahn is resigning after four seasons with the school. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the move, which will see Malzahn to leave to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State. Malzahn previously worked with FSU coach Mike Norvell during their time at Tulsa under then-coach Todd Graham from 2007-08. The Knights ended a disappointing 4-8 season in which they lost eight of their last nine games, the longest losing streak since 2015. Malzahn, 59, was in the fourth year of a contract through 2028. His buyout, it is reported, would have been $13.75 million. He finished 27-25 at UCF but lost 16 of his last 22 games and was a dismal 4-14 in two seasons in the Big 12. After back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2021-22, the Knights went 6-7 in 2023 and 4-8 in 2024. People are also reading... This season started with high expectations as Malzahn made sweeping changes to the program. He retooled the strength and conditioning department and hired Ted Roof and Tim Harris Jr. as defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively. He also added nearly 50 new players to the roster, leaning heavily on the transfer market. UCF started by winning its first three games against New Hampshire, Sam Houston and a thrilling comeback at TCU, but offensive struggles saw the Knights tumble through a TBD-game losing streak to finish the season. Terry Mohajir hired Malzahn on Feb. 15, 2021, six days after he was hired to replace Danny White. The move came eight weeks after Malzahn had been fired at Auburn after eight seasons of coaching the Tigers. The two briefly worked together at Arkansas State in 2012 before Malzahn left for the Auburn job. “When he [Mohajir] offered the job, I was like, ‘I’m in.’ There wasn’t thinking about or talking about ...,” Malzahn said during his introductory press conference. “This will be one of the best programs in college football in a short time. This is a job that I plan on being here and building it.” UCF opened the 2021 season with non-conference wins over Boise State and Bethune-Cookman before traveling to Louisville on Sept. 17, where quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a fractured collarbone in the final minute of a 42-35 loss. Backup Mikey Keene would finish out the season as Gabriel announced his intention to transfer. The Knights would finish the season on the plus side by accepting a bid to join the Big 12 Conference in September and then by defeating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl. Malzahn struck transfer portal gold in the offseason when he signed former Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. Plumlee, a two-sport star with the Rebels, helped guide UCF to the American Athletic Conference Championship in its final season. However, Plumlee’s injury forced the Knights to go with Keene and freshman Thomas Castellanos. The team finished with losses to Tulane in the conference championship and Duke in the Military Bowl. Plumlee would return in 2023 as UCF transitioned to the Big 12 but would go down with a knee injury in the final minute of the Knights’ 18-16 win at Boise State on Sept. 9. He would miss the next four games as backup Timmy McClain took over the team. Even on his return, Plumlee couldn’t help UCF, on a five-game losing streak to open conference play. The Knights got their first Big 12 win at Cincinnati on Nov. 4 and upset No. 15 Oklahoma State the following week, but the team still needed a win over Houston in the regular-season finale to secure a bowl bid for the eighth straight season. From the moment Malzahn stepped on campus, he prioritized recruiting, particularly in Central Florida. “We’re going to recruit like our hair’s on fire,” Malzahn said at the time. “We’re going to go after the best players in America and we’re not backing down to anybody.” From 2007 to 2020, UCF signed 10 four-star high school and junior college prospects. Eight four-star prospects were in the three recruiting classes signed under Malzahn. The 2024 recruiting class earned a composite ranking of 39 from 247Sports, the highest-ranked class in school history. The 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 41 and has commitments from three four-star prospects. Malzahn has always leaned on the transfer market, signing 60 players over the past three seasons. Some have paid huge dividends, such as Javon Baker, Lee Hunter, Kobe Hudson, Tylan Grable, Bula Schmidt, Amari Kight, Marcellus Marshall, Trent Whittemore, Gage King, Ethan Barr, Deshawn Pace and Plumlee. Others haven’t been as successful, such as quarterback KJ Jefferson, who started the first five games of this season before being benched for poor performance. Jefferson’s struggles forced the Knights to play musical chairs at quarterback, with true freshman EJ Colson, redshirt sophomore Jacurri Brown and redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk all seeing action at one point or another this season. This season’s struggles led to several players utilizing the NCAA’s redshirt rule after four games, including starting slot receiver Xavier Townsend and kicker Colton Boomer, who have also entered the transfer portal. Defensive end Kaven Call posted a letter to Malzahn on Twitter in which he accused the UCF coaching staff of recently kicking him off the team when he requested to be redshirted. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Strong greenback trend a precursor of new Trump era
‘Death by Hunger’: Trudeau, Poilievre Mark Soviet Holodomor AnniversaryChildren’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman said the party could not buck the trend in Ireland of junior coalition partners in Fine Gael and Fianna Fail governments losing support in subsequent elections. He said they expected to retain two to three seats out of the 12 they had won in the 2020 election on the back of a worldwide “Green wave”. “Undoubtedly it’s a disappointing result for our party today,” Mr O’Gorman told reporters in Ongar, Dublin. “It’s hard for a smaller party in government, that’s long been the tradition, the history in Ireland. We hoped going into the election to buck that but we haven’t been able to buck that today.” Mr O’Gorman, a candidate in Dublin West, is among the outgoing Green Party TDs in a battle to retain their seats. Culture Minister Catherine Martin, who is fighting to remain a Green Party TD for Dublin Rathdown, said it was a “very tight” race in her four-seat constituency. “We go in (to government) not afraid of that because the issue of the climate and biodiversity crisis is (greater) than our survival,” she said on RTE Radio. “I stand over and am proud of our track record of delivery.” Green candidate in Waterford Marc O Cathasaigh said he would not be “in the shake-up” to retain his seat in that constituency, while junior minister Ossian Smyth looks at risk of losing his seat in Dun Laoghaire. Junior minister Joe O’Brien is expected to lose his seat in Dublin Fingal, Neasa Hourigan is at risk in Dublin Central, while Wicklow’s Steven Matthews garnered just 4% of first preferences. Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who announced his retirement from frontline politics in June, said his party had not had a good day. Arriving at the count centre at the RDS in Dublin, the outgoing environment minister told reporters: “If you don’t get elected you accept that, but you come back stronger and you learn lessons, and we’ve done that in the past and we will do that again.” He added: “No matter what the results today there will be a strong Green Party in Ireland, we have deep roots in the community and it’s a very distinct political philosophy and I think there is still space for that in Irish politics, for sure.” Mr Ryan said he did not believe his decision to retire, and the timing of his announcement, had affected the party’s showing. “Unfortunately – and this is just one of those days – we didn’t get the number of votes,” he said. He added: “We’ll look back and see what are the lessons, and what can we learn and what can we do differently. “It’s just one of those days when we didn’t have a good day.
Percentages: FG .431, FT .654. 3-Point Goals: 10-27, .370 (Vaughns 4-6, Holt 4-10, Neal 2-5, Nunn 0-1, Skytta 0-4). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Beatty). Turnovers: 11 (Skytta 5, Beatty 2, Holt, Nunn, Vaughns, Williams). Steals: 5 (Brewer 2, Holt, Neal, Vaughns). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .472, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 7-26, .269 (Ola-Joseph 2-7, Mahoney 1-3, Petraitis 1-3, Tucker 1-3, Stojakovic 1-4, Wilkinson 1-6). Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 5 (Dort, Petraitis, Sissoko, Stojakovic, Wilkinson). Turnovers: 12 (Stojakovic 3, Wilkinson 3, Sissoko 2, Tucker 2, Ola-Joseph, Petraitis). Steals: 6 (Petraitis 3, Dort 2, Stojakovic). Technical Fouls: Sissoko, 00:26 second. .Online investment platform Snowball is expanding its offering to provide investors with exposure to managed funds that have previously not been widely accessible. Snowball, which wants to become a one-stop platform for retail and wholesale investors, said it would provide access to asset classes such as private equity, private credit, “long-short funds”, and other alternative investment strategies. “These asset classes play an important role in a well-constructed investment portfolio, providing the potential for enhanced returns, increased diversification, and combatting volatility that is inherent in the stock market,” the company, one of the first in New Zealand to specialise in crowdfunding, said. Private market and alternative assets are set to grow at more than twice the rate of public assets, from US$13 trillion ($22 trillion) in 2023 to over US$60 trillion by 2032, Snowball said. Co-founder and managing director of Snowball, Simeon Burnett, said these types of funds were an important and sometimes large part of an investor’s portfolio but were are often only available to institutional investors or high net worth investors with high minimum investment levels required.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and advocated for diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts during his participation in the Rome Mediterranean Dialogues forum on 25 November. He also met with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, to discuss strengthening bilateral ties. At a panel discussion titled “Dialogue for Peace,” Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. He highlighted the dire humanitarian situation caused by the Israeli aggression, including the obstruction of aid and what he termed “starvation policies.” He emphatically rejected the displacement of Palestinians and stressed the need to empower the Palestinian Authority to resume its role in Gaza, warning against any attempts to separate Gaza from the rest of the Palestinian territories. Abdelatty also addressed the situation in Lebanon, reiterating Egypt’s political and humanitarian support. He expressed Egypt’s complete rejection of any infringement on Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, asserting the Lebanese people’s right to choose their president without foreign interference. He also highlighted Egypt’s efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon. He further discussed the evolving situation in the Red Sea, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach linked to ending the war in Gaza and de-escalation efforts, noting the impact of the tensions on the Egyptian economy. He stressed the failure of military options in achieving peace and stability, emphasizing the need to address the root causes of instability, including the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Later that day, Abdelatty met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. According to a statement by Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdelatty praised the strategic relationship between Egypt and France, expressing hope for increased French investment in Egypt. He commended the cooperation with French companies working on various projects in the country and expressed hope for continued French support for Egypt within the European Union, in connection with the implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership. During their discussions on Middle East developments, Abdelatty stressed the need for continued efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid. He also highlighted the importance of pursuing the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with international law. Regarding Lebanon, Abdelatty emphasised the priority of an immediate ceasefire, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, supporting UNIFIL, strengthening Lebanese state institutions, and enabling the Lebanese army’s return to southern Lebanon. He also mentioned Egypt’s efforts to end the presidential vacuum in Lebanon through national consensus.The Maha Vikas Aghadi took stock on Sunday after a significant drubbing in the Maharashtra elections as viewers around India tracked the IPL auctions. Hemant Soren is set to take oath as the Jharkhand Chief Minister on November 28 after a resounding poll victory. Three people were killed and several police officers injured as protesters opposed a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile the world reached a new climate deal at the COP29 — with wealthy countries set to provide assistance worth $300 billion annually by 2035. COP29 climate deal World leaders reached a new climate deal this week — raising the amount of money that developed countries must provide to at least $300 billion per year by 2035. India representative Chandni Raina however condemned the $300 billion pledge as a "paltry sum" and dubbed the agreement as being “nothing more than an optical illusion” which failed to “address the enormity of the challenge we all face”. Jharkhand government formation Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Hemant Soren met with Governor Santosh Gangwar on Sunday to submit his resignation from the post of Chief Minister. The party and its allies swept the state Assembly elections on Saturday — with members of the INDIA bloc unanimously electing him as the legislature party leader. JMM staked claim to form the new government and an oath ceremony will be held for the new CM on November 28. Sharad Pawar says... NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar broke his silence on Sunday after the Maha Vikas Aghadi faced a humiliating defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. “Maharashtra assembly poll results are not on expected lines. Will study reasons and go to people. This is the people's decision. Women's participation in large numbers could be the reason for the Mahayuti sweep in Maharashtra polls,” PTI quoted him as saying. IPL auction underway 577 cricketers were auctioned on Sunday for the next season of the Indian Premier League — with Rishabh Pant becoming the costliest player in IPL history. The list includes 208 overseas players, 12 uncapped overseas talents, and 318 uncapped Indian players. At least four franchises enter the auction in search of a team captain. Deadly Sambhal clashes Three people were killed and several police officers were injured on Sunday as the survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Uttar Pradesh sparked outrage. The protesters also tried to torch vehicles and pelted stones at the police while they used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob. The incident took place in Sambhal after a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid began in the morning.How Investors Avoided an Overvalued Stock That Crashed 32%
Why are the shares of lithium stock Vulcan Energy crashing 12% today?Regina, Saskatchewan, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conexus Credit Union is proud to announce the launch of the $100 million ‘Ag Grow Fund.’ This new fund is designed to help Saskatchewan ag producers save money and reinvest in their operations. Exclusive discounted interest rates, no application fees, and no age limit restrictions are some of the fund’s tailored benefits. “Conexus is dedicated to empowering ag producers to achieve what matters to them,” says Conexus Chief Growth Officer Garnett Volk. “We have designed this fund specifically for Saskatchewan producers and their operations.” “As your local credit union, we understand and value agriculture’s contribution to the health of our economy. We are committed to our members’ success and to helping grow Saskatchewan agriculture for a thriving province.” More highlights of the Ag Grow Fund include: Exclusive discounted interest rates for new fixed-rate term loans and mortgages. No application fees with the exception of Canadian Agricultural Loans Act (CALA) loans and mortgages. No maximum age restrictions . Funding of up to $2 million per producer. $100 million in dedicated financing for the purchase of land, buildings, equipment, and livestock. The Ag Grow Fund is not available for refinancing. Ag producers can learn more and book an appointment with a dedicated Conexus Ag Advisor here. The Ag Grow Fund is the latest Conexus initiative supporting the Saskatchewan agricultural sector, adding to Cultivator powered by Conexus’ AGTECH ACCELERATOR. The AGTECH ACCELERATOR sees Cultivator facilitate and accelerate growth in agtech by connecting farmers, founders, and funders. The program aims to bring the best agricultural innovations to Canada, ensuring Canadian farmers have access to cutting-edge technology to enhance their operations. Cultivator is currently recruiting Cohort 4 for the AGTECH ACCELERATOR. Learn more here . Exclusive benefit for Conexus members: Conexus members get into Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) for free again this year. Members can visit any Conexus branch before Nov. 29, 2024, to pick up a free multi-day pass. About Conexus Credit Union We’re a forward-thinking, Saskatchewan-based credit union committed to our members and their financial well-being. We’re a member-owned cooperative with more than 80 years of serving members and giving back to our community. Conexus’ purpose is to champion every member’s success for a thriving Saskatchewan. Attachment Ag Grow Fund Image
Boys soccer photos: Waldwick vs. Haddon Township, Group 1 final, Nov. 24, 2024Tayshawn Comer scores 18 to lead Evansville past Campbell 66-53
Newcastle United suffered a disappointing home defeat to West Ham United in the Premier League , ending their three-match winning run in all competitions. Goals from Tomas Soucek — the first Newcastle had conceded from a corner in the league this season — and the right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka secured a 2-0 win for West Ham, whose manager Julen Lopetegui has been under pressure in recent weeks. Advertisement It was only the third time that Newcastle have lost in the league at St James’ Park in 2024, and counts as a big missed opportunity for Eddie Howe’s side, who sit 10th in the table after 12 games. Chris Waugh analyses the key talking points from the defeat at St James’ Park... Newcastle could have gone two points off Man City The international break definitely did come at the wrong time for Newcastle. Three successive wins in all competitions heading into the two-week hiatus and that momentum has been well and truly checked. Optimism and expectation are dangerous in these parts. There was so much belief among the home faithful heading into this game and, given the respective recent fortunes of both sides, that was understandable. But Newcastle’s season so far has been a case of false starts, stuttering form and inconsistency. Howe keeps mentioning the word “consistency”, admitting that, while it is “boring”, it is what Newcastle desperately require. Newcastle have scored just 13 goals in 12 Premier League matches and only five players have found the back of the net this season, the second-lowest in the top flight. They are not the free-flowing side in attack of the past two seasons, or at least they have only been so on frustratingly few occasions in 2024-25. This defeat was costly, not only affecting their confidence levels, but also representing a missed opportunity. A win would have sent Newcastle sixth, only a point behind the Champions League positions and two shy of second-placed Manchester City. Instead, Newcastle are ninth, only three points above West Ham, who are 14th. The table is ridiculously congested, but even so, until Newcastle start stringing a run of wins together, they will not be able to realise their European-qualification ambitions. Burn was sorely missed in the Newcastle defence Heading into this match, Newcastle had the second-meanest defence in the Premier League. After conceding just four goals in their last seven matches across all competitions and registering four clean sheets during that time, Howe’s side were showing signs of rediscovering the excellent defensive form they displayed throughout the 2022-23 campaign, when they qualified for the Champions League. Advertisement While West Ham were restricted to a first-half expected goals (xG) return of just 0.21 and managed only two shots on target, Newcastle did show uncharacteristic sloppiness when defending a set piece to gift the visitors a 10th-minute lead. Lloyd Kelly , deputising at left-sided centre-half with Dan Burn serving a one-match suspension after picking up five bookings, was marking Soucek. But a couple of feints and some decent movement from Soucek bamboozled Kelly, who lost his man, allowing the Czech Republic international to direct a free header into the right-hand corner of the net from an Emerson Palmieri corner. It was the first time Newcastle had conceded from a corner this season, at the 70th attempt, highlighting Burn’s importance in such situations. He was a fixture of the team who qualified for the Champions League two seasons ago, albeit primarily from left-back, and his height and experience are influential. There was so much optimism and expectation on Tyneside heading into this game and yet one lapse of concentration burst that positive momentum inside 10 minutes. Wilson’s return a rare positive For the first time this season, Callum Wilson was named in a matchday squad. And, for the first time since the final day of 2023-24 at Brentford, he made an appearance, too. Wilson missed the first 14 matches in all competitions due to back and hamstring injuries, while he had featured in just six of a possible 37 across all competitions in 2024. Across six appearances this calendar year, he had played for only 262 minutes due to a succession of fitness issues. Having the 32-year-old back among the substitutes was a huge boost for Newcastle. Yet, by the time he was introduced in the 68th minute, the home side were already 2-0 down and lacking direction. Wilson replaced Anthony Gordon and joined Alexander Isak up front, as Howe switched to a 4-4-2 formation, with Harvey Barnes on the left wing and Jacob Murphy on the right. Advertisement It did not have the desired effect. The gaps between the defence, midfield and front two were too large, and Newcastle were disjointed in their build-up play, at times even directionless. Wilson was rarely given a clear-cut chance, even if he did appeal for a penalty when Konstantinos Mavropanos appeared to put his arms around the striker in the box. Wilson being fit again is a positive for Newcastle, even if it was not on the night. What did Eddie Howe say? We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference. What next for Newcastle? Saturday, November 30: Crystal Palace (A), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET Recommended reading (Carl Recine/Getty Images)EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Tayshawn Comer scored 18 points as Evansville beat Campbell 66-53 on Sunday night. Comer had six rebounds and six assists for the Purple Aces (3-4). Cameron Haffner scored 16 points and added six rebounds. Gabriel Pozzato shot 3 for 5, including 2 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 10 points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.