Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. James Naismith is my homeboy. No, don’t send in the whitecoats. I realize that Naismith has been dead for 85 years. But I still have always felt a deep connection to the inventor of basketball, simply because of the joy his game has brought to my life all these years. So much so that I typically refer to him as Jimmy. (I figure Jimmy and I are that close.) To say I love basketball does not fully encompass the depth of my emotion for this game. I love watching it. I love covering it. I love talking about it. I love playing it. I’ve eaten, slept and breathed basketball for a good chunk of my 51 years on the planet — considering I’ve eaten orange and black cupcakes after coaching youth games, slept on fuzzy basketball-shaped pillows as a teenager, and breathed in that unmistakable and pungent, ahem, fragrance of a locker room. So, whenever I get a chance to visit the sport’s Mecca, the place where it all began, I must seize that opportunity. Last Thursday I had some time to kill before my flight home from Connecticut, the day after Baylor’s basketball game at UConn. (Yes, it’s highly possible I purposefully scheduled it that way). Hartford is a mere 30-minute drive from Springfield, Massachusetts, site of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. So, I hopped in my sleigh (a Volkswagen rental car) and ventured through the winter wonderland of New England to the birthplace of the Greatest Game Ever Invented. At this point, I considered myself a varsity Hall of Fame patron. I made my JV voyage back in November 2010, during another trip covering Baylor basketball. (The BU women played Geno Auriemma’s Huskies at the XL Center in Hartford.) Jerry Hill of the Baylor Bear Insider accompanied me on that particular visit, but Jerry didn’t make the trip this time, so I was flying solo. Much has changed at the Hall since my last visit 14 years ago, and I appreciate that. The game evolves, why shouldn’t the museum honoring its history evolve, too? After purchasing my ticket, I ducked into a 200-seat movie theater to watch a short film about the game’s history and impact. Then I returned to the lobby, where a series of large columns featured display cases highlighting the accomplishments of some of the game’s most iconic players — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Anne Donovan, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Nancy Lieberman, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, among others. The coolest feature of those lobby cases made its presence known when you stepped in front of one to soak in the glass-encased memorabilia. A sensor would note your presence and begin playing a video about the featured player. It was as if Magic Johnson himself was throwing you a no-look pass, always aware of your presence. (I remember being equally impressed on my last visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which featured a similar sensor setup.) One of my favorite displays recognized “Pistol” Pete Maravich, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer at LSU who went on to play with the Hawks, Jazz and Celtics in the NBA. Though the Pistol’s heyday predated my own hoops hysteria, I’ve always been a big Maravich fan. His flashy style always appealed to me, as Pete understood as well as anyone the art of on-court entertainment. That said, his look proved less iconic, with his chili bowl-1970s haircut and his floppy socks. Fittingly, his display case included a pair of those socks — elastic not included. Once I felt sufficiently stuffed by the hall of icons in the lobby, it was time to enter the elevator. The Hall of Fame incorporates a unique and well-designed architecture, housing many of its exhibits inside a giant silver sphere. Thus, when you make your way up to the third floor to begin your self-guided tour, you find yourself literally going in circles, descending to the bottom. (Don’t worry, you’re unlikely to get dizzy, unless you spend too much time trying to analyze Allen Iverson’s crossover.) The top floor allows visitors to measure up against the pros. You can stick your sneaker into the footprint of one of the game’s post giants or press your handprint into the outline of some of the handiest players. For instance, I measured my paw against Kevin Durant’s, and it was as if my hands suddenly belonged to a toddler. It was staggering just how large KD’s mitts were, and while it was tempting to think that it must have been an exaggeration, then I remembered that I once walked past Durant in a Toyota Center hallway at the NBA All-Star Game and thought that he was the tallest human I’d ever seen. Want to see how your wingspan stacks up against Giannis Antetokounmpo’s or Brittney Griner’s? Prepare to feel shortchanged. (Our pal BG also has a Baylor jersey and shoes located within the museum. Other Baylor connections: Of course you can find some homages to Kim Mulkey along the way, including a Kim bobblehead, and I spotted a video with a clip of Lauren Cox talking about her juggling of basketball with her Type-1 diabetes.) I took selfies with the likes of Muggsy Bogues and Yao Ming, figuring that I’d check out both ends of the spectrum. OK, not the real-life Muggsy and Yao, but rather life-sized cutouts of those physical marvels. And before you dismiss the 5-foot-3 Muggsy and think, “I could totally post him up,” just know that before your first reverse pivot Muggsy would have already stolen the ball and would have been skittering down the court the other direction. At the center of the 40,000-square foot museum is the Jerry Colangelo Court of Dreams, named for the former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. Though you can go hit the court and get up some shots at any point in your visit, the layout of the museum makes sense to wait until the end, as you reach the bottom floor. (So, we’ll get to that later). Any modern museum worth its admission price would be wise to incorporate technology into the experience, and the Hall of Fame has really upgraded its bells and whistles over the years. There are a variety of touch screens and trivia games along the way to keep people — especially the youngest customers — engaged. For example, in the area of the museum that highlighted the game’s origins, I played around with a screen that allowed me to create a barnstorming team, select a certain city to call home, then go on a “choose your own adventure-style” barnstorming tour. Arguably the coolest tech arrived when I turned a corner and encountered a replica TNT “Inside the NBA” set. A Hall of Fame worker posted there explained that I could sit at the desk and act out a scene with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. I just had to remember to follow the words on the teleprompter. Given that I consider “Inside the NBA” to be the greatest studio show in the history of sports, I was hooked. So, I played a game with Shaq, quizzing him on certain players’ jersey numbers, while Ernie, Kenny and the Chuckster chuckled along. Then the Hall of Fame emailed me the video within 15 minutes. Too cool. Another slick exhibit paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant. It displayed a variety of Kobe’s jerseys, shoes and other trinkets, and was highlighted by a small room/theater where visitors could soak in Kobe highlights or clips from his Oscar-winning 2017 film, “Dear Basketball.” All that was missing was a trash can and a stack of paper, for what modern basketball fan hasn’t crumpled a piece of paper and fired up a fadeaway while shouting, “Kobe!”? If you’re a little more old-school and can remember when set shots and Chuck Taylors were all the rage, the museum will offer enough swell goodies that you’ll be thinking this place really is the bee’s knees. Anytime I come across Naismith’s original rules of basketball, I am mesmerized. (The game remains so beautiful in its simplicity, and has not detoured drastically from that original set of 13 rules). I also couldn’t help but chuckle when I came across the original NBA shot clock, the most marvelous timepiece ever created. Why was that funny to me? Well, it conjured up a memory of a long-ago news meeting at the Trib. A group of us editors were going over our daily stories and through the course of our discussion the name Jonas Salk came up. “Who’s Jonas Salk?” I asked, ignorantly. “WHO’S JONAS SALK?” Tim Woods, our managing editor at the time and a guy who knew how to push my buttons, responded. “You don’t know who Jonas Salk is? Inventor of the polio vaccine?” “Yeah ... well ... do you know who Danny Biasone is?” I shot back. “No,” Tim said, puzzled. “He invented the shot clock, and that was a pretty big deal too!” The other editors in the room looked at us with bemused expressions, entertained by our bickering. (Incidentally, I’ve never forgotten who Jonas Salk was since. I wonder if Tim recalls Danny Biasone?) On my last visit to the Hall of Fame, photos of the more than 400 players, coaches and contributors who have been enshrined as Hall of Famers hung on a massive wall. That exhibit is no more, having been replaced by a sleek gallery where a variety of touch-screen monitors contain a wealth of information about the inductees. You can flip through quotes, photos, videos and more. A part of me missed the photos, but I understand that the screens are probably more practical and user-friendly to today’s younger tech-savvy generations. But while the photo wall may have vanished, a large glass display still lists the names of each Hall of Fame induction class by the year in which they were enshrined. After you leave that gallery, you turn a corner and run into an actual Larry O’Brien NBA championship trophy, just sitting on a podium, waiting to be touched. (Another tip for would-be sports museums — give your customers plenty of photo opps.) A nice, old Hall of Fame worker asked if I wanted a picture with the trophy, and naturally I said yes. And before you chastise me for calling this elderly gentleman old, you’ve got to know, he might’ve been there for Naismith’s first pickup game. (But, hey, he knows how to work a smartphone camera, so put some respect on that guy’s game.) Finally, it was time for me to venture out to the court. Now, as I had made my way through the museum, I’d taken stock of the court several times to see who was inhabiting it. Once it was a couple of schlubs who put the err in airball, another time a retired guy was tossing up soft jumpers. But when I was ready to take to the court, a raucous group of teenagers that I took to be a couple of private school high school basketball teams, boys and girls, had fanned out all over the place. So much for Spalding and I getting some quality alone time together. One of the new additions to the Court of Dreams is a mammoth video screen that shows highlights of classic basketball moments. It’s also fun to try your hand shooting at the varying incarnations of basketball hoops, from a replica peach basket to an Indiana farmhouse-style wooden backboard to the gorgeous, crystal-clear baskets populating the top courts today. With the court so crowded, I didn’t spend as much time shooting as I probably would have otherwise. But I made my first shot and (always) my last, and knocked down several more in between. As I strolled off the court and made my way to the gift shop to close my Hall of Fame visit, I thought to myself, “It’s cool, let the kids have their fun.” A statement that, if you think about it, captures the essence of hoops. Thanks, Jimmy. Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who stunned the world this week by declaring martial law, has narrowly avoided being impeached, as his party's lawmakers boycotted the parliamentary vote on his ouster Saturday. The motion by opposition lawmakers accused him of insurrection, calling his decree an unconstitutional self-coup. "The president has betrayed the trust of the people and has lost the right to carry out state affairs," the impeachment motion read. Thousands of protesters had gathered outside the National Assembly to cheer on his removal. Now protests are expected to build. "We will not give up. We will prevail," liberal opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said after the motion fell through. "By Christmas, we will bring people the end-of-year gift of restoring the country to normalcy." The liberal party said it would submit the motion again at the next parliamentary session on Wednesday — and every week after that until it passes. The question is whether enough members of Yoon's conservative ruling party will vote to oust him while he still has two-and-a-half years remaining in his term, potentially ceding the presidency to the liberal opposition. Impeaching Yoon requires the support of at least two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly — or 200 votes. Because the opposition coalition holds 192 seats, impeachment requires eight or more votes from Yoon's conservative People Power Party. In the days following the martial law declaration, a handful of ruling party legislators had indicated they would at least consider impeachment. But only three of them showed up for the vote Saturday, with the remaining 105 leaving the plenary hall in protest. Outside the National Assembly, the crowd gathered to call for Yoon's removal let out a cry of frustration. Among them were citizens who had traveled from hours away and college students studying for exams in the throng while keeping one eye on the news. "Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol!" they chanted as they marched down the promenade. In declaring martial law Tuesday, Yoon railed against the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which he accused of being a "den of criminals" and North Korea-sympathizers. Gen. Park An-su, whom Yoon designated as his martial law commander, subsequently suspended all political activity and declared the media under the military's control. For many in South Korea , the move chillingly harked to the country's past military dictatorships. But three hours after Yoon's decree, legislators — many of them scaling the gates of the locked-down National Assembly — unanimously voted to overrule Yoon, requiring him to lift the decree. On Saturday morning, in a two-minute address to the nation, Yoon apologized for inconveniencing the public and said that he had been motivated by "desperation." While Yoon reportedly told his officials and party members that his decree was meant to send a message to an adversarial legislature — which has filed numerous impeachments against his appointees and moved to investigate his wife on charges of graft and stock manipulation — many, including his own party members, say they believe he had much more sinister motives. Han Dong-hun, the leader of the People Power Party, said that there were signs that the special forces soldiers who had stormed the National Assembly were acting on orders to arrest him and other legislators. Opposition leader Lee, whom Yoon narrowly defeated in the presidential election two years ago, has said the same. "We've confirmed that President Yoon ordered the arrest of major politicians on the grounds that they were anti-state forces," Han said at a party meeting Friday. "I don't think we can pretend like nothing happened." While stating that this was based on "credible" sources, Han did not elaborate, offering only that these plans would be made public in due time "through various channels." In a meeting with Han that same day, Yoon denied giving such an order, Han said. Hong Jang-won, a senior official at the National Intelligence Service, the country's spy agency , told lawmakers Friday that Yoon called him to order the arrest of several lawmakers, including party leaders Lee and Han. Spy chief Cho Tae-yong has disputed Hong's allegations. Yet even while condemning the martial law declaration as unconstitutional and acknowledging that Yoon must ultimately be removed from office, Han and most of his party allies balked at impeachment. For the South Korean conservatives, impeachment is their exposed nerve, and they have reason to tread lightly. The first and only South Korean president to be successfully impeached was conservative Park Geun-hye, who was later investigated and jailed on corruption charges. Her downfall splintered the conservative camp and opened a path for liberal successor Moon Jae-in, whose term conservatives refer to as "the lost five years." Crucial to the success of Park's impeachment was a bloc of conservative legislators who joined the opposition to vote in favor. It is why many party stalwarts are determined to avoid the same fate this time around. "We cannot have any more traitors surrendering to the enemy, like the time with Park Geun-hye," Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo wrote on social media Wednesday. Instead, Yoon's party members have floated more moderate solutions that would make way for Yoon's "orderly resignation," such as revising the constitution to shorten Yoon's term, transferring some of his presidential powers to the prime minister or forming a bipartisan Cabinet. In his recent public address, Yoon said he would leave his fate to the party, hinting that he may relinquish much of his authority to Han, should he avoid impeachment. The liberal opposition has rejected any alternatives to impeachment, calling Yoon a "ticking time bomb." "He is in a very troubling mental state right now. We don't have time to discuss something like 'an orderly resignation,' " liberal party spokesperson Yoon Jong-kun told reporters Saturday morning. "Only Yoon's immediate removal from official duties and impeachment can alleviate the anger of the people and South Korea' s plummeting international credit rating." The liberal party has said that it would propose the motion again Wednesday. "We are going to propose it repeatedly," Lee Jae-myung said, "until it goes through." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
News Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr says she’ll be keeping a close eye on the suspended mayor’s continued interactions with the Townsville City Council and will inform the Local Government Minister if necessary. Ms Marr defended the government’s decision to suspend Troy Thompson for 12 months on full pay while a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation was held, and repeated the local government minister’s explanation that the government was limited in what it could do. In Townsville last week Local Government Minister Ann Leahy said Mr Thompson’s movements would not be restricted and that he would have the access in the community and the council offices in the same way as any other ratepayer. “Mr Thompson is basically a member of the public going forward, so he does not have access to any of the council resources during this period, he is basically the same as a member of the public.” Troy Thompson speaks to media outside a Townsville City Council meeting. Picture: Shae Beplate. When suggested to Ms Marr that the suspended mayor would have freedom over his own social media posts and in attending council meetings as a member of the public gallery, she said, “I’m not going to comment on that, but I’m seeing what you’re seeing.” Ms Marr is a former Townsville City Council councillor who served four years under mayor Les Tyrell and then deputy mayor David Crisafulli, and chaired governance and finance. “I hold such respect for the role that they play so I will be keeping a very close eye on it personally and working very closely with that just to make sure the community understands that I’m here, I’m listening,” Ms Marr said. Local Government Minister Ann Leahy visited the Townsville City Council to explain the decision behind suspending Mayor Troy Thompson on paid leave for 12 months. Picture: Evan Morgan “I’m feeling the same things they are feeling, I’m feeling the same frustrations but we’re moving forward.” Suspension had not stopped Mr Thompson from posting his opinions as a political commentator on social media even though he removed his former official title from his page name, using questions to suggest ideas and to seek public feedback, even as members of the community complain that comments critical of him and his actions were being deleted. On Wednesday he suggested beach huts along Pallarenda, while earlier in the week he raised concerns about money spent on major projects in the previous council term such as the Haughton Pipeline, Lansdown, and the Northern Rail Yards. Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr supported the Local Government Minister’s decision to suspend Mr Thompson but also understood ratepayers’ frustrations. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm The council has tried to distance itself from Mr Thompson’s posts, as a spokeswoman clarified the suspended mayor was responsible for his own social media account. Meanwhile, Mundingburra MP Janelle Poole said she understood the community’s frustrations and that she was among the ratepayers being burdened by Mr Thompson’s salary. But she said that if the government did not follow proper process then there could be further issues raised in the future. Mundingburra MP Janelle Poole said procedures need to be followed properly or it would cause further problems later. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm “We need to get it right, if we don’t follow the correct policies and procedures that then opens up a whole new can of worms later on down the track,” she said. “So it’s really, really important that we follow processes and procedures and wait for the outcome of that Crime and Corruption Commission inquiry.” Townsville MP Adam Baillie said the focus should be on ensuring business confidence in the city, and this could not happen while internal politics were not aligned. Pic: Scott Radford-Chisholm Townsville MP Adam Baillie accused the previous government of delaying action against Mr Thompson for months, which had held back the city’s economic progress. He blamed the situation within the council as a “lack of alignment” not just within local government circles but across all three tiers of government. “If we want the city to move forward, which we do, we need alignment not just within council but from the federal government to the state government, to the local government, and then ultimately private investors and the general public. “We want to all be aligned with which way the city’s going and when one layer of government’s distracted about internal politics versus getting the alignment and their focus on moving the city forward, that’s unhealthy.” When asked how the Townsville MP could help the council to operate at its best, Mr Baillie said, “I’m not sure as a state member I can ensure that, but I can certainly encourage that and work with council to understand what their key issues are and key priorities are over the term. “Hopefully they would see it in their interest to help me achieve those priorities. “If we can get alignment, it’s only going to do very good things for the city.” More Coverage How much Thompson’s 12-month sabbatical will REALLY cost ratepayers Cas Garvey Thompson ‘didn’t have city’s best interests at heart’ Chris Burns Originally published as MPs will be watching Townsville City Council’s interactions Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories News The biggest issue affecting young people in Townsville revealed Young Townsville residents have had their say on the biggest issues affecting their lives, with a new survey revealing the figures from across the country. Read more News Pizza Riviera unveils dramatic changes with new ‘superstore’ Pizza Riviera will soon open a new ‘superstore’ with several new features including outdoor dining, express pick up lane, function room, and arcade. See where it is. Read more
In two years, the storage at has gone from overcapacity to less than one-thousandth of its capacity. or signup to continue reading According to Murray Goulburn Water, the storage received just 1260 megalitres of inflows in October, well short of the 148,000 megalitres it received in October 2022 when . In just two years, the reservoir has gone from being overcapacity, to less than one-thousandth of its 147,000mL capacity. The Cairn Curran Reservoir was built in the 1950s as a way for irrigators to cope with the and "changeability". Without the reservoir, there was little more than a trickle of water along the Loddon River to draw from during the dry times, according to GMW. During floods, the most extreme flows would rush downstream without a buffer. Data shows the inflows for 2024 to the end of October were well off the pace of last year when 46,973 megalitres filled the reservoir. Northern Victoria Resource Manager storage data shows the actual inflows for the 2024/2025 financial year at Cairn Curran were currently closer to a dry scenario and far below the average scenario. The average inflows for August is 14,000 megalitres, with the reservoir recording just 2700 in August 2024. Dry times are proving how important the reservoir is for irrigators, GMW senior storage officer Adrian Pearse said. He said the change between dry conditions and dramatic inflows could create a raft of challenges, with water managers needing to be proactive. "Due to the climate and how quickly the catchment reacts to different conditions, water levels at the storage can rise and fall very quickly," he said. "When the storage is low, we need to keep the foreshore clear of debris and rubbish, because if we get some rain and it fills up, what's left on the foreshore will be dragged into the storage. "There's a lot of red gum trees around Cairn Curran that often lose large branches when conditions go from dry to wet, so we need to be particularly vigilant in removing any logs that could get stuck in the radial gates." Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!None
Tweet Facebook Mail Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia's Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. READ MORE: Millions brace for scorching heat with mercury tipped to hit 40s Indian Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, becomes the youngest ever undisputed classical chess world champion. (Simon Lim/AFP/Getty Images via CNN) After securing victory, Dommaraju burst into tears and raised his arms in celebration. "I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realised the dream (and made it) into reality," he told reporters after his win. Dommaraju is now the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. "It's a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India... and for me, a very personal moment of pride," Anand, who has been a mentor to Dommaraju, said in a post on X. READ MORE: Little girl floats alone for three days after shipwreck There were scenes of celebration across the world following Gukesh's victory. (Simon Lim/AFP/Getty Images via CNN) Long quest for vanished dictator ends View Gallery Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the 18-year-old on his "remarkable accomplishment," calling it "the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination." "His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence," Modi said in a post on X. The match was a 14-round long-time classical event with a prize fund of US$2.5 million ($3.92 million). DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .
AP News Summary at 1:42 p.m. ESTHow to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Thursday, November 28By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump’s choice for solicitor general. Related Articles The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table. He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He said earlier this year that he still believed there were national security risks with TikTok, but that he opposed banning it. The filings Friday come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law was was signed by President Joe Biden in April after it passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. TikTok and ByteDance filed a legal challenge afterwards. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” In their brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, attorneys for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance argued the federal appeals court erred in its ruling and based its decision on “alleged ‘risks’ that China could exercise control” over TikTok’s U.S. platform by pressuring its foreign affiliates. The Biden administration has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information. But the government “concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so,” TikTok’s legal filing said, adding that the U.S. fears are predicated on future risks. In its filing Friday, the Biden administration said because TikTok “is integrated with ByteDance and relies on its propriety engine developed and maintained in China,” its corporate structure carries with it risk.
TikTok files legal challenge of federal government's shutdown orderPink is getting into the festive mood with her children Willow and Jameson , and the three are making the best of early holiday spectacles. The 45-year-old singer-songwriter (real name Alecia Beth Moore) is taking some downtime with her family after wrapping her 17-month long world tour, the Summer Carnival Tour , last month. She took to social media with some adorable pictures from her visit to Santa's village with her daughter Willow, 13, and her son Jameson, eight . Along with a goofy snap of herself posing in a gingerbread man's costume, she included a selfie with her lookalike daughter, and then a photo with both children dressed in their Christmas sweaters . Fans quickly took to the post's comment section to gush over not only how much the kids had grown but also how much they resembled their famous parents . Pink shares her two kids with husband Carey Hart . "OMG She is a perfect combo of the 2 of you! GORGEOUS," one said of Willow, with another adding: "She's your doppelgänger!" A third gushed: "Just love the matching sweaters! I hope Carey has one to match Jameson," and a fourth also wrote: "Excuse me. Who told Willow and Jameson they could grow up that quickly????" While the kids will make occasional appearances on their parents' social media, the "Just Give Me a Reason" singer has stated in the past that they're not allowed to have social media unless they prove it is worth their time, despite Willow since branching out on her own as a Broadway and musical hopeful. MORE: Pink shares rare photo of extremely handsome brother During an appearance on Carolina with Greg T in the Morning Show , she explained: "My kids don't have a phone," adding that her daughter was the only one in her class without a phone. "It's hard. A lot of my friends have their kids on TikTok, and I don't." However, she justified her decision by adding: "I told Willow, 'That just doesn't move my needle, they're not my kids, you're my kid.' She has a lot of eyes on her." MORE: Pink sparks reaction with surprising 'baby' request in heartwarming holiday post Pink explained that as far as her parenting style was concerned, she cared less about making her daughter "cool" and more so that her mental health was intact, which meant much less screen time. "I told her, point blank, 'If you can produce literature from a reputable source that tells me that social media is good for you, then you can be on it. Otherwise, good luck.' She could be a lawyer, she could literally pass the bar. She's always right." MORE: Pink's son, 8, makes drumming debut during sentimental moment for family — watch During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show , she spoke candidly about having "open conversations" with her children about life and what it entails. "I'm trying to walk that line." "Like, I want you to have a childhood; I want to preserve some of your innocence, but I also know that you need to be prepared for the world we live in. And not to be a Debby Downer, but these kids are having active shooter drills in school; like this is the world we live in. They need to be prepared."
AP News Summary at 1:38 p.m. ESTThe Salvation Army's Annual Red Kettle Campaign Launches With the Help of the Dallas Cowboys, Country Star Lainey Wilson, and Special GuestBy HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”
Alex Rodríguez sparks JLo rumors with airport flowers: Is she back in the picture?Discord grips PTI after Islamabad protest rout Party’s leadership are facing strong criticism for their decision to push forward with protest at D-Chowk PESHAWAR: Intense divisions have emerged within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party following the violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement agencies in Islamabad. The party’s leadership, particularly Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, are facing strong criticism for their decision to push forward with the protest at D-Chowk, despite Imran Khan’s agreement to hold a rally at Sangjani. This decision ultimately exposed the PTI workers to state action, leading to widespread condemnation. Party insiders reveal that senior leaders are now engaged in a blame game, pointing fingers at each other for the protest’s poor planning and ineffective strategies. Some leaders specifically criticised Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder chairman Imran Khan, for insisting on reaching the D-Chowk despite alternate proposals. The protest, aimed at securing Imran Khan’s release and pressurising the government, failed to achieve its objectives, sparking disagreements among various factions within the party. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur dismissed the allegation of an internal rift in the party and told this scribe that the protest was successful and described it as the largest march in Pakistan despite numerous hurdles and the use of force against the party. He said that despite these challenges, the PTI workers managed to reach the D-Chowk; however, the government’s use of live ammunition and resulting fatalities were unacceptable. Ali Amin said that as a political party, the PTI did not endorse bloodshed. He added that action would be taken against the federal and Punjab governments for their unlawful and brutal conduct. He reaffirmed that the party’s struggle for its rights and demands would continue, as it aligns with the PTI’s core ideology. Party sources revealed that some senior leaders accused the central leadership of lacking strategic foresight. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, a spokesperson for the chief minister and adviser on information, disclosed that Imran Khan was initially agreeable to holding a rally at Sangjani but Bushra Bibi opposed the idea, leading to the party’s eventual loss. Senior PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai also expressed his frustration, stating, “Ali Amin Gandapur has been made a scapegoat. Imran Khan had agreed to Sangjani, but Bushra Bibi’s insistence on D-Chowk cost the party heavily.” Yousafzai questioned, “Will the party be led by Bushra Bibi or the leadership? If the leadership lacks authority, they should resign. The D-Chowk incident was deeply regrettable. Where was PTI’s Punjab leadership during all this period?” He further criticised the lack of planning, saying, “Even if we had sat at D-Chowk, there was no concrete plan in place. Why wasn’t a consultative committee formed before leaving for Peshawar? Unfortunately, those leading the party did not lead the procession.” He said that another major criticism was directed at the protest’s logistical shortcomings. Low turnout and insufficient facilities for participants, especially those who travelled from far-flung areas, contributed to the protest’s failure. Several workers expressed disappointment over the poor arrangements. Gandapur was praised for bearing the pressure from the party and its workers, but Yousafzai pointed out, “The party needs to reflect on why the real faces were sidelined. Negotiations with the government were possible — who rejected them? The government should not have resorted to such brutality, but internal mismanagement is also to blame. “There must be an inquiry into this matter as to why they took the party workers to D-Chowk and then left them alone at the mercy of law enforcement agencies and secretly disappeared from the scene.” A senior PTI leader told The News: “The central leaders present there were aware of the crackdown on the party workers the same night but the poor party workers were not informed about the operation against them.” Pleading anonymity, he said many senior party leaders had returned home from the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway near Burhan when containers were removed and the road was cleared for traffic as they were suspicious about the role of some people there. “At the motorway, some of us felt that the workers were going to be misused for the personal interests of some individuals and that is exactly what happened,” he said. “Where were Barrister Gohar and Salman Akram Raja and other senior leaders of PTI? Leaders like them call themselves the face of PTI, yet they were absent. The only ones standing with the workers were Ali Amin Gandapur, Asad Qaiser, Omar Ayub, Ali Asghar and some others,” Shaukat Yousafzai said in a video message separately. He revealed that Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif had informed the party members of Imran Khan’s instructions to move the protest to an alternative location, as proposed by the government but this plan was reportedly blocked. “Why were these instructions not followed? Barrister Saif claims Bushra Bibi opposed the move. While we respect her as Khan’s wife, she holds no leadership position in PTI. The party leadership must clarify who allowed this interference,” he asserted. “Why didn’t the leadership engage in meaningful talks with the government? Who blocked the discussions?” he questioned, calling for transparency from the party’s decision-makers. Rejecting government allegations that the PTI protesters were armed, Shaukat Yousafzai said, “If we had weapons, why didn’t we retaliate during the state’s violence? These are baseless allegations aimed at justifying the crackdown.” He expressed grief over the loss of lives, regardless of affiliation. “It’s tragic to see people dying, whether they were from the government or our side. Such violence is unacceptable and a stain on our nation.” In a direct challenge to the PTI leadership, Shaukat Yousafzai demanded accountability. “If our leaders cannot face the situation or stand with the workers, they should step down. This is an injustice to PTI and Imran Khan. Leadership is about action, not titles. Our failures in Islamabad are the result of poor planning and lack of unity,” he said. Yousafzai reiterated that the workers’ loyalty was to Imran Khan, not individual leaders. “We protested for Imran Khan and his vision, not for anyone else. The leaders owe an explanation to the workers and must reflect on their mistakes. Without accountability and reform, we risk destroying PTI’s credibility and Imran Khan’s legacy,” he warned. According to an INP news agency report, Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur, and ex-president Dr Arif Alvi among other PTI leaders were booked in seven new cases at three police stations of Attock. Cases were registered under 23 different sections, including terrorism, attempt to murder, vandalism and others. Meanwhile, a one-day physical remand was approved for 35 PTI activists, arrested during the Islamabad protest. Five suspects from Hassanabdal police station and 30 from another police station were presented before the Rawalpindi sessions judge as the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge was on leave on Wednesday. The suspects faced charges under terrorism-related sections and were scheduled to appear in the ATC on Thursday (today). Separately, all the regional police officers and unit heads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been directed to provide details of teargas shells in their areas to find if any of the stock had been misused. The directives were issued following some media reports that the PTI protesters used teargas shells available with the KP police against police in Islamabad. “All regional police officers and unit heads are requested to convey to the Central Police Office, Peshawar, about available stocks of teargas shells and the statement regarding their utilisation during the last week along with details,” stated a letter from the Central Police Office (CPO). In another development, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi criticised the PTI for creating a law & order situation in Islamabad and said restoration of peace in KP was more important than any other issue. “I am going to Kurram tomorrow and I invite the chief minister to jointly find a solution to this serious issue by visiting the people there,” the governor told a press conference on return from Umrah. The governor told the media that over 150 people had lost lives and hundreds of others displaced in Kurram since October, but neither the chief minister nor any other leader had visited the troubled district. He said the Provincial Disaster Management Authority had nothing to provide when it was approached to help the affected people in Kurram. The governor also invited the chief minister to the all-parties conference being held in December’s first week at the Governor’s House over the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa law and order situation. Kundi said Gandapur and Bushra Bibi escaped from the protest on Tuesday night, leaving behind the poor workers in the federal capital.
Peaceful protest people’s democratic right: JI chief LAHORE:Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has declared that political workers are the backbone of the nation and that the indiscriminate use of force by the state against them is unacceptable. In a statement issued from Mansoorah on Wednesday, amid the government’s crackdown on PTI protesters, he condemned violence, describing it as an attack on the country’s constitution and democratic values. ‘Such actions undermine the principles of democracy and reveal an authoritarian mindset,’ he said. The JI chief underscored that peaceful protest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution and democratic principles. He firmly stated that the government has no legitimate authority to engage in ruthless crackdowns on protesters, regardless of the circumstances. Reiterating a long-standing demand, Rehman insisted that power must be handed to those who achieve genuine success in elections. ‘If the practice of imposing defeated individuals continues, economic progress and the supremacy of democracy and the Constitution will remain an illusion,’ he warned. He said that from Karachi’s mayoral elections to the general elections, people through rigging have been imposed on the public, robbing citizens of their democratic rights. ‘The current government is a product of Form 47,’ he said, asserting that neither the PML-N, PPP, nor MQM enjoys public support. Rehman noted that the PPP’s influence in Sindh is in complete decline, while the MQM failed to secure even a single polling station, let alone a national or provincial assembly seat, in Karachi. Similarly, he said, the PMLN has lost its foothold in Punjab, with even Nawaz Sharif’s recent electoral win dependent on 70,000 fake votes. He also criticised the officer for repeatedly backing corrupt parties, feudal lords, and landlords, resulting in consistent failure. Rehman reaffirmed Jamaat-i-Islami’s demand for the formation of a judicial commission to ensure the establishment of a truly elected government based on ‘Form 45’. He also called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and the annulment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. In conclusion, Rehman reiterated JI’s commitment to upholding democratic principles and safeguarding the rights of the people, emphasising that only genuine democratic practices can lead the country towards progress and stability.The four charts that show what’s wrong with China’s economy - The Australian Financial Review