You Might Want to Wait Until Next Year to Buy an iPhone: Here’s Why
Palestinian actress’ scenes removed from ‘Gladiator II’Letter to the editor I am writing to express my strong concern regarding the proposed cuts to library services, as highlighted in the BBC article “Librarians in plea over 'never before seen cuts’” This situation poses a significant threat to community resources that are essential for promoting education, literacy, and social interaction across Scotland. Libraries are indispensable assets that serve as gateways to knowledge and lifelong learning. They provide free access to information, technology, and a space for community activities. Reducing financial support for these services will disproportionately affect those who rely on them the most, including students, job seekers, and vulnerable populations. While councils face tough financial realities, it is crucial they ensure that vital community services like libraries are not sacrificed. The anticipated rise in council tax may provide an opportunity to shore up funding for libraries rather than implementing cuts that damage the fabric of our communities. READ MORE • Will Dingwall development flow from business park flood scheme agreement? • Highland Council agrees to change NHS Highland’s health board model • Parents say they have ‘lost faith’ as council remains below average in league tables Moreover, it is essential for the Scottish Government to step in to ensure that councils have the necessary resources to maintain these crucial services. We must advocate for a budget that prioritises funding for libraries and other community services, rather than allowing the burden to fall solely on local authorities. In this challenging economic climate, we should look towards efficient governance and responsible fiscal management, principles that align with the values of political movements like Reform UK, which uphold the importance of community services without increased fiscal burdens. Let us stand together to safeguard our libraries and the vital services they provide. Alastair Majury, Dunblane
Photos courtesy: Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center T he Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC) is making a clarion call: If unity has ever been needed on the front lines of the fight for justice, peace and human rights, it’s now. The Boulder-based nonprofit organization is guided by the philosophy that everything is interconnected and interdependent–thus, the need to acknowledge intersectionality in the various forms of oppression that people face. “At RMPJC, we work to bridge various movements for justice, recognizing that we as a community are stronger when we stand in solidarity,” says Center campaign coordinator Giselle Herzfeld. The RMPJC story began at the historic Encirclement of Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant near Denver on October 15, 1983. After years of protest and arrests, that day activists took a different tack: They surrounded Rocky Flats hand in hand around its 17-mile perimeter. That action led directly to the founding of the Boulder Peace Center, later renamed Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center. In the 41 years since the Encirclement, though humanity’s flashpoints in the struggle for justice have changed, RMPJC’s vision statement has not: “We strive to nourish the inherent capacity for compassion, generosity and joy in all people. We seek a healthy, sustainable relationship between people and the planet. We recognize that Earth and all its beings are inherently valuable and have the right to exist and be healthy. We seek to create egalitarian social, economic, political and environmental structures where all people are empowered to participate directly in decisions that affect their lives. We seek a world where conflict is handled justly and nonviolently, creating true peace.” Over the past five years in particular, with an escalating climate crisis, COVID and conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, with the real threat of nuclear war, many activists have been ground down with despair and burnout. “The past few years in particular have underlined why the power of community and care is so, so crucial,” says Herzfeld. “It is vitally important to be building deep relationships of trust and collaboration, and to stand in mutual solidarity with our allies. We cannot afford to fall prey to infighting and division because...it is only when we move together that we will have a chance of shifting the paradigm.” RMPJC is a multi-issue organization that has worked in a variety of campaign areas through the years. Currently, their primary focus is on Nuclear Guardianship and Free Palestine. They work in regional coalitions such as the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, Nuclear Free Colorado, and the Colorado Palestine Coalition. Herzfeld: “The Center is grateful and honored to be a part of these diverse and regional networks of organizers working toward common goals promoting peace and justice.” When the Work is Working Consider this powerful example of the culmination of the Center’s passionate civic engagement on Rocky Flats this year. Rocky Flats is heavily contaminated with plutonium and other radioactive materials. Since 2016, there has been a multi-government effort to install a mountain biking trail, called the “Rocky Mountain Greenway,” to encircle the most contaminated part of Rocky Flats, which remains an EPA Superfund site. On September 23, 2024, Westminster City Council voted to withdraw from the Greenway project. Their decision set a powerful new precedent. “In addition to establishing another local government decision which acknowledges the public health risks of recreation at Rocky Flats, it demonstrated the courage to stand up against regulatory capture,” explains Chris Allred, Nuclear Guardianship coordinator for RMPJC. “Westminster was being advised from multiple angles to ‘go along to get along;’ however, they took the most principled stand and decided to deny any additional funding to the Rocky Mountain Greenway. This is one of the more courageous actions we’ve seen by any local government, truly extraordinary. We believe that this precedent and the spirit behind it will prove stronger through the years.” At the time of this writing, Superior and Broomfield have also withdrawn from the Rocky Mountain Greenway, and seven school districts have also banned field trips at Rocky Flats. “As the precedents continue to mount, it proves that the construction efforts at Rocky Flats have only been made possible through manufactured consent and regulatory capture,” Allred says. “We will remain steady until we see justice. Boulder County has yet to withdraw and the community will continue to make the demand for responsible policy that protects people from environmental contamination. We recognize that organizing with local governments has a regional and national importance.” Support RMPJC on Colorado Gives Day A powerful way to support RMPJC is to make a donation on December 10 – Colorado Gives Day . Maximize your impact by becoming a monthly sustainer at rmpjc.org. There are volunteer opportunities, too, in the Center’s various campaigns. Sign up for the newsletter online and follow the Center on Instagram, @rmpjc.boulder , to stay up to date on its events and action opportunities. However you are able to contribute, and whatever your background or skill set, the Center is deeply grateful for the support and has a place for you. The Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center is grateful for the incredible partnerships it has developed with other organizations and institutions in the Boulder community, including Naropa University’s Joanna Macy Center and student groups at CU Boulder like Students for Justice in Palestine and Climatique. Reach out to the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center at 303.444.6981 or visit: rmpjc.org .
Over 18,000 in Mexico register to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judges in new systemThis month, Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain turns 100. One of the 20th century’s towering literary achievements, it is a sweeping critique of the dangerous totalitarian political forces that shaped – and very nearly destroyed – Europe in Mann’s lifetime. The novel also reflects Mann’s own dramatic public and political evolution. Initially politically reserved, he became an ardent patriot at the outbreak of World War I, only to become disillusioned by the rise of political extremism in postwar Germany. This shift set Mann on a collision course with Adolf Hitler and the Nazis – and ultimately led to him fleeing Germany in 1933. This intellectual novel is interested in the weightiest of topics – time, love, mortality, culture – and the fragility of civilisation. There are worrying parallels between 1924, when Mann’s magnum opus was published, and 2024, when we’re seeing a worldwide resurgence of these same impulses. There is the rise of the far-right in France , Austria and Germany . And then, American president-elect Donald Trump’s apparent admiration for dictatorial and authoritarian modes of governance. These forces loom ominously over our own era, threatening the democratic ideals Mann ultimately embraced. Things you’ve never dreamed of This encyclopedia of a novel (nearly 800 pages) opens in transit: An unassuming young man was travelling, in midsummer, from his native city of Hamburg to Davos-Platz in the Canton of the Grisons, on a three weeks’ visit. It is August 1907. Hans Castorp, a “perfectly ordinary” 23-year-old from an upwardly mobile merchant family is journeying to meet his cousin, Joachim Ziemssen – a patient at a tuberculosis sanitarium, located (Mann’s narrator estimates) 1,600 metres above sea level in the Swiss Alps. Mann’s amenable, omniscient narrator outlines the effect on the novel’s youthful protagonist: This being carried upward into regions where he had never before drawn breath, and where he knew that unusual living conditions prevailed, such as could only be described as sparse or scanty – it began to work upon him, to fill him with a certain concern. Home and regular living lay not only far behind, they lay fathoms deep beneath him, and he continued to mount above them. Poised between them and the unknown, he asked himself how he was going to fare. This is a sign of things to come. Joachim, who has already been at the Berghof Sanatorium for five months, implores Castorp to get properly “acclimatized” when he meets him at the train station. He continues: it isn’t so easy, you’ll see. And the climate isn’t the only queer thing about us. You’re going to see some things you’ve never dreamed of – just wait. Joachim advises his cousin to disabuse himself of the “class of ideas” typical of those who dwell at sea level “down below” – especially assumptions about time. He openly scoffs at Castorp’s woefully naïve assertion that he’ll be “going home in three weeks”. Soon after his arrival, Castorp catches a cold. Berghof’s medical director spies a suspicious dark spot on his lung and recommends he extend his stay indefinitely. Castorp spends the next seven years living at altitude. Time warps and wends in increasingly strange ways, and the pace of daily life gradually grinds to a near total halt. Seasons change. Visitors come and go. Some of the patients die. Castorp falls in love with a Russian temptress resident. When he isn’t pining for her, he spends his time in conversation, gorging on elaborate and seemingly endless meals, listening to records, and occasionally attempting to commune with the spirits. In one memorable and symbolically charged moment, he gets hopelessly lost in a life-threatening blizzard. It takes the outbreak of World War I to finally shatter the spell the mountain has cast over him. The reader parts company with Castorp on a Flanders battlefield in 1914. The odds of survival don’t seem to be stacked in his favour. Of course, potted plot summaries of this sort cannot hope to do justice to the sheer ambition, thematic richness and formal rigour of The Magic Mountain. Origins: world war and political awakenings The novel’s origins can be traced to May 1912, when Thomas Mann embarked on a three-week trip to Davos, Switzerland. His wife, Katia, had been falsely diagnosed with tuberculosis and was staying at the recently opened Wald Sanatorium . Mann’s stay served as the catalyst for a new literary venture. Initially conceived as a satire, The Enchanted Mountain was meant to be a comedic counterweight to his just-published Death in Venice , which traces the tragic obsession of Gustav von Aschenbach, an ageing author, with a beautiful young boy during a vacation in cholera-racked Venice. Mann started in on what should have been a fairly straightforward, small-scale undertaking. But world history had other ideas. On August 4 1914, German troops flooded into neutral Belgium, bringing the British Empire into the week-old World War I – and shattering the cultural ideals and intellectual suppositions of pre-war Europe. Mann was 39 when the fighting broke out. A prominent figure in the German cultural establishment, Mann, who lived in Munich at the time, was in many senses a model bourgeois citizen. As intellectual historian Mark Lilla observes, Mann attended concerts, he befriended composers, he read Goethe, he sent his children to the Volksschule , and he never expressed any views about politics. That is, until 1914. “From one month to the next Mann became an intransigent and inflammatory defender of the German cause internationally,” Lilla adds, “writing articles and giving speeches that made him a favorite on the volkish nationalist right”. Rabid patriot to fleeing Nazi Germany The conflict seems to have absorbed all of Mann’s energy and focus. In 1915, he abandoned work on his novella, which had by then expanded significantly in both scope and size. Instead, he turned his attention to Reflections of a Nonpolitical Man . Published in October 1918, this 600-page tirade is a reactionary, rabid screed in which Mann lashes out at the progressive political forces and institutions he believed were intent on nothing less than the destruction of the German nation. Indeed, he goes as far as to admit that from the very start of the war, he had been consumed by a patriotic feeling so profound, he would not want to live anymore if Germany were beaten by the West, humbled, her belief in herself broken so that she would have to “conform” and accept the rationale of her enemies. Mann’s jingoistic fervour persisted even after Germany’s defeat, carrying over into the spring of 1919, when he finally returned to The Magic Mountain. However, everything had changed for Mann by 1922. Appalled by the waves of extremist political violence coursing through Germany, Mann was forced to take stock and reappraise his beliefs. That year, in an unprecedented move that shocked his supporters and critics, he wrote and delivered his speech, On the German Republic . In it, he publicly embraced the postwar Weimar Republic and the principles of its democracy, distancing himself from the types of authoritarian nationalism he had so passionately defended just a few years earlier. This remarkable development, which led to him fleeing Nazi Germany, left an indelible mark on the development of The Magic Mountain. Europe teetering on the abyss By the time he finished writing, the work had been transformed from a satirical novella into a sweeping Bildungsroman , focused on moral education and psychological development. It was now also an allegory of European civilisation teetering on the abyss – a “world festival of death”, as Mann puts it in the novel’s final sentence. Specifically, the phrase is a reference to World War I. More broadly – and just as powerfully – it reflects the sense of postwar disillusionment and social malaise that shaped the novel. The intense intellectual debates that unfold in The Magic Mountain, particularly between charismatic humanist Lodovico Settembrini and nihilistic, “terroristic” Jesuit communist Leo Naphta, offer Mann the means to reflect and comment on the totalitarian forces that were threatening to tear the world asunder. A century after the novel first appeared, its nuanced discussions of ideological conflict, the dangers of extremism and the fragility of civilisation remain, depressingly, as pertinent as ever. In 2024, the far-right has taken a firm foothold across Europe and the rest of the world, challenging the very democratic principles Mann came – albeit reluctantly – to value to champion. One can’t help but wonder what Mann, who wrote while the skies were slowly closing in over Europe, might have made of this situation. Read more: Germany's post-Holocaust moral remaking is being challenged by wars in Gaza and Ukraine – and the rise of the far-right History repeating? Would he, for instance, discern echoes of the same forces he grappled with in his modernist masterpiece, now manifesting in new, yet strangely familiar ways? And would he recognise the dangers of cultural and political polarisation and the allure of authoritarian forms of thought and activity that are currently casting increasingly long shadows over our own precarious moment? I suspect he might. In any case, these are just some of the questions worth asking as we mark the anniversary of a novel that, much like its creator, challenges us to confront the currents of history and their unsettling tendency to repeat. Near the end of the book, Mann writes: “These were such singular times.” Viewed from the perspective of 2024, I’m not so sure.
NoneUS agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says
Nomrota, Mouri awardedA timeline of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the search for his killer NEW YORK (AP) — The search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer has stretched into a fifth day — and beyond New York City. Police say it appears the man left the city on a bus soon after Wednesday's shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown. The suspect is seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Police believe that words found written on ammunition at the shooting scene, including “deny," “defend” and "depose,” suggest a motive driven by anger toward the healthcare company. The words mimic a phrase used by insurance industry critics. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Automation That Makes a Difference SUNRISE, Fla. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to diagnostic imaging, every second counts. That's why Bright Light Imaging has joined forces with Alpha Nodus to revolutionize how they handle prior authorizations. By adopting Gravity Auth , Alpha Nodus's powerful automation platform, Bright Light Imaging has eliminated the red tape slowing down their workflows. The result? Faster approvals, happier staff, and, most importantly, better care for their patients. Let's face it: Prior authorizations can be a headache. Mountains of paperwork, endless phone calls, and delays in patient care—sound familiar? For both Dr. Ramit and Resham Mendi , Medical Directors of Bright Light Imaging , this partnership has been nothing short of a revelation. "Gravity Auth has completely changed the game for us," they said. "It used to take hours—sometimes even days—to navigate the prior authorization process. Now, it's handled seamlessly, often in just minutes. We're getting results to our patients faster, and that's what really matters." The integration wasn't just efficient—it was a breeze. According to Kevin Nowaczyk , Bright Light Imaging's IT Director , "The process was so smooth, it honestly surprised me. Alpha Nodus's team walked us through every step, and we were up and running in no time. Now, we're seeing fewer errors, faster turnarounds, and less stress on our staff. It's a win all around." "Advanced Data Systems (ADS) is proud to have fully integrated our MedicsRIS with Alpha Nodus to provide advanced automated prior authorizations for our mutual client, Bright Light Imaging," said Steve Hamburg , ADS Director of RIS Sales and Development at Advanced Data Systems . " Alpha Nodus is an outstanding solution, and the positive feedback from Bright Light Imaging has been fantastic. This successful collaboration between our three organizations has resulted in better, faster care for patients, and that is what ultimately matters most." This kind of success is exactly why Alpha Nodus built Gravity Auth in the first place. Shamit Patel , CEO of Alpha Nodus , explained, "Bright Light Imaging isn't just a customer—they're an example of what's possible when technology meets ambition. Automation is about empowering people to do their best work, enhancing their capabilities and allowing them to focus on more meaningful tasks. With Gravity Auth, their team can focus on delivering exceptional care while the technology handles the rest. We are thrilled about this engagement. When we collaborate, patients win. Open interfaces and collaborations between organizations like ours and our partners are the key to achieving better, faster care for patients." How Automation Transforms Patient Care Think about it: In the high-stakes world of diagnostic imaging, delays can mean the difference between a quick diagnosis and prolonged uncertainty for patients. By automating the prior authorization process, Bright Light Imaging is removing barriers and ensuring patients get the care they need without unnecessary delays. What does that look like in practice? Imagine a busy morning with multiple urgent imaging requests. Instead of staff scrambling to collect documentation and spend hours on the phone with insurance companies, Gravity Auth steps in. It verifies eligibility, gathers clinical notes, and submits authorizations—all in real time. The team can breathe easier, knowing the system is working behind the scenes to keep everything moving smoothly. For Bright Light Imaging, this isn't just about efficiency. It's about staying ahead in a competitive industry and keeping their commitment to patient-first care. About Alpha Nodus Alpha Nodus specializes in creating smart, intuitive solutions for healthcare providers. Their flagship product, Gravity Auth, simplifies complex workflows, helping providers automate, accelerate, and amplify operations. To learn more, visit www.alphanodus.com . About Bright Light Imaging Bright Light Imaging is known for delivering state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services with a human touch. By combining cutting-edge technology with a commitment to excellence, they continue to set the gold standard in patient care. Find out more at www.brightlightimaging.com . About Advanced Data Systems Since 1977, clients have relied on the ADS team and our intelligent automation solutions and services. The MedicsCloud Suite, and MedicsRIS for radiology, ADS's latest generation of rules driven financial, revenue cycle, practice management, clinical charting and reporting, and mobility/engagement platforms, are used by clients to produce maximized revenue and efficiency for their practices, groups, and enterprise networks. To learn more, visit https://www.adsc.com Media Contact: Alpha Nodus info@alphanodus.com 1-888-625-7420 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bright-light-imaging-leverages-alpha-noduss-gravity-auth-enhanced-by-integration-with-adss-medicsris-to-streamline-patient-care-302313533.html SOURCE Alpha Nodus , Inc.
ST. LOUIS — Metro Transit next week will expand service or make other improvements on 25 bus routes across the metro area, as the agency continues to hire new drivers to fill vacancies. Beginning Monday, some routes will be extended to serve additional areas. Examples are the #21 Watson, which will start serving the Fenton area, and the #35 Rock Road, which will go further west along St. Charles Rock Road past Interstate 270. Some new streamlined routes with fewer transfers also will begin operating, such as the #40 Broadway-Halls Ferry, the #79 Ferguson-Clayton and the #23 Belleville-College. Other routes will have increased runs, such as the #64 Lucas Hunt. The frequency of weekday buses on that route will increase to once every 40 minutes. Now they come by once an hour. As of last month, Metro had 642 bus drivers, up from 628 last spring and 556 in November 2023. The 642 was near the 650 slots currently budgeted but still far below the 851 drivers on the staff in mid-2020. Metro for the past year has gradually increased bus service after three years of cutbacks due to driver shortages that accelerated in 2020. Officials say pay hikes approved last year have helped attract more applicants.SEI Declares Dividend of $0.49 per Share
West Virginia Knocks off No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in Overtime in the Battle 4 Atlantis
Microsoft on Wednesday denied claims that it uses customer data from its Microsoft 365 applications, including Word and Excel, to train artificial intelligence models. The response came after some users pointed out on social media that the company requires users to opt-out of its "connected experiences" feature, which they argued was used to train AI models. "These claims are untrue. Microsoft does not use customer data from Microsoft 365 consumer and commercial applications to train foundational large language models," a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters. The spokesperson added that the "connected experiences" enables features such as co-authoring and cloud storage, and has no connection to how the company trains its large language models. The conversations on social media indicate that people remain concerned about their data being used to train AI models without permission. Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Leadership Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Leadership From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Leadership Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Microsoft Word Mastery: From Beginner to Expert By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Marketing Future of Marketing & Branding Masterclass By - Dr. David Aaker, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, Author | Speaker | Thought Leader | Branding Consultant View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program
Nawaz asks Shehbaz to address Fazl's concerns on madrassa billThe College Football Playoff seedings have now been released with Alabama set to miss out on the postseason after falling to the 13th seed and being the first team out. The NCAA amended its postseason rules for the first time this season, expanding the playoffs from just four teams to 12 - giving schools more of an opportunity to compete for a national championship - with school's now learning whether they're in and who they'll be coming up against. The CFP selection committee released its final rankings on Sunday afternoon, with the 12-team bracket being confirmed with four schools given a first-round bye as the highest-ranked conference champions. Kirby Smart walks away from interview after choking up at brave Gunner Stockton Steve Sarkisian fumes directly into camera as Texas coach rages at Georgia complaint Here, Mirror U.S. Sports provides everything you need to know about the bracket and the main talking points ahead of the first-round later this month. Alabama had expected to been in the playoffs after being named as the 11 seed last week, looking likely to become the first-ever three-loss team to make the CFP. But shockingly, Bama was named as the 13th seed after Clemson defeated SMU to leapfrog them in the rankings, with the CFP awarding the latter the final place over Alabama. College football fans and analysts didn't think Kalen DeBoer's men should still be in the hunt, with the head coach now likely to be under severe pressure after an embarrassing first season in charge. Cam Ward will now immediately turn his attentions to the NFL Draft with his college football career over. The Miami Hurricanes were named as the 14th seed and the second team out after Alabama. Ward has been sensational in his senior season, making the brilliant move to transfer to Miami rather than going to the NFL Draft as he had first planned, with the quarterback putting in his best season of his career. He'll now compete with Shedeur Sanders to be the first quarterback drafted, while being disappointed he could not further enhance his stocks in the postseason. While Boise State and Arizona State were never even close of cracking the top four at any point this season, the two will be overjoyed to learn that they were placed in third and fourth, respectively. They will both be given bye's to advance to the second round. The playoff teams final rankings were not necessarily guaranteed to match the bracket seeds because of conference champions and byes, with Boise State and Arizona State especially being unclear on where they'd land. Some expected them to potentially be the lower seeds in the playoffs. But the CFP has rewarded them hugely, with Ashton Jeanty hoping to cause further shocks this season after his incredible year with Boise. Arizona State meanwhile will lean on their impressive defense and wide receiver duo of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel - both expected to be second-round draft picks. Ohio State has fallen all the way to the 8th seed, meaning they'll just get one home game in the postseason but they'll come up against the Tennessee Volunteers in what could be a brutal match-up. The Buckeyes suffered a shock defeat to the struggling Michigan Wolverines in the final game of the regular season which proved hugely costly, missing out on the Big Ten Championship game while falling down furtherly in the playoff bracket. They'll face number one seed Oregon should they defeat Tennessee, having a brutal road to the championship. Texas has been defeated by Georgia twice already this season, really struggling in only those two games in what has been an otherwise impressive year for the Longhorns. But it won't see the Bulldogs again this season unless they meet in the National Championship game. Texas did not win a bye in the seedings, but was given the number five seed with them set to face the lowest team in the bracket in Clemson, before coming up against Arizona State in another game they'll be favorited to win. It's a nice slate of games for Quinn Ewers, too, who needs to put in some strong performances if he his to enter the NFL Draft, after struggling in recent weeks with fans asking to see Arch Manning. Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.
Presenters Amanda Holden and Alan Carr led the stars arriving at the 2024 Royal Variety Performance, hours after the Queen pulled out due to lingering symptoms from a chest infection. The King is scheduled to attend the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday which will see Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish present a musical number from their new show The Devil Wears Prada – based on the 2006 Oscar-nominated film. Cast members Vanessa Williams, who plays Miranda Priestly, and Matt Henry, who stars as art director Nigel, were among those posing on the red carpet ahead of the performance which showcases an original score by Sir Elton. The variety show will also see debuts from British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor with her hit track Murder On The Dancefloor while Eurovision winner Nemo is also featured on the bill. Also posing on the carpet were US magicians and comedy duo Penn and Teller, whose performance marks their 50th anniversary. Comedy will come from Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, writer and comic Scott Bennett, Scottish comedian Larry Dean and political comic Matt Forde – who posed on the red carpet with a crutch after undergoing surgery for cancer on his spine. Among the arrivals was TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who will make an appearance in this year’s show with her Change And Check Choir led by Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow. The choir, made up of women from across the UK who detected their breast cancer through Kelly’s campaign, will perform Love Is All Around, which is being re-released to raise awareness of breast cancer early detection. It comes hours after Camilla insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest. “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on'”. “She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added. The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December. Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.
Fast fashion is everywhere – in just about every mall, in the feeds of influencers on social media promoting overconsumption, and in ads constantly popping up online. Its focus on the continual production of new clothing is marked by speedy fashion cycles that give it its name. Fast fashion is intended to quickly copy high-end designs, but with low-quality materials, resulting in poorly made clothing intended to be worn once or twice before being thrown away. One of fast fashion’s leading companies, Zara, has a mission to put clothes in stores 15 days after the initial design. Another, Shein, adds up to 2,000 new items to its website daily. While others in the fashion industry are working toward more sustainable clothing, fast fashion is focused on profit. The market’s value was estimated at about US$100 billion in 2022 and growing quickly. It’s a large part of the reason global clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2014. The big winners in this game are the corporations. The industry has a reputation for exploiting workers and for excessive pollution and extraordinary waste. Consumers are pulled into an unhealthy, spiraling pressure to buy more as cheap clothes fall apart fast. Fast fashion also has a growing impact on the global climate. It is responsible for an estimated 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and its emissions are projected to grow quickly as the industry expands. I teach courses that explore fast fashion and sustainability. The industry’s growth seems unstoppable – but a combination of legislation and willpower might just rein it in. Understanding the harm About 60% of fast-fashion items are made from synthetic textiles derived from plastics and chemicals that start their life as fossil fuels. When this synthetic clothing is laundered or thrown in landfills to decompose, it can release microplastics into the environment. Microplastics contain chemicals including phthalates and bisphenol A that can affect the health of humans and animals. Natural fibers have their own impacts on the environment. Growing cotton requires large quantities of water, and pesticides can run off from farmlands into streams, rivers and bays. Water is also used in chemically treating and dyeing textiles. A 2005 United Nations-led report on cotton’s water use estimated that, on average, a single cotton T-shirt requires about 700 gallons (2,650 liters) of water from crop to clothing rack, with about 300 gallons (1,135 liters) of that water used for irrigation. The chemicals used to process textiles for clothing for the fashion industry also contaminate wastewater with heavy metals, such as cadmium and lead, and toxic dyes. And that wastewater ends up in waterways in many countries, affecting the environment and wildlife. Fast fashion’s high output also creates literally mountains of waste. More than 90 million tons of textile waste ends up in landfills globally each year, by one estimate, adding to greenhouse gases as it slowly decomposes. Only a small percentage of discarded clothing is recycled. From fashionista to environmental guardian In many cultures, people’s self-perception is intimately connected to fashion choices, reflecting culture and alliances. The allure of buying new items comes from many sources. Influencers on social media play into FOMO – the fear of missing out. Cheap items can also lead to impulse buys. Research shows that shopping can also create a euphoric sense of happiness. However, fast fashion’s speed and marketing can also train consumers into “psychological obsolescence,” causing them to dislike purchases they previously enjoyed, so they quickly replace them with new purchases. Famous personalities may be helping to push back on this trend. Social media explodes when a first lady or Kate Middleton, the Duchess of York, wears an outfit more than once. The movement #30wearschallenge is starting with small steps, by urging consumers to plan to wear every piece of clothing they buy at least 30 times. Upcycling – turning old clothing into new clothing items – and buying sustainable and high-quality clothes that can last for years is being promoted by the United Nations and other organizations, including alliances in the fashion industry. Some influencers are also promoting more sustainable fashion brands. Research has shown that peer influence can be a powerful driver for making more sustainable choices. The largest market for fast fashion is Gen Z, ages 12 to 27, many of whom are also concerned about climate change and might reconsider their fast-fashion buys if they recognized the connections between fast fashion and environmental harm. Some governments are also taking steps to reduce waste from fashion and other consumer products. The European Union is developing requirements for clothing to last longer and prohibiting companies from throwing out unsold textiles and footwear. France has pending legislation that, if passed, would ban publicity for fast-fashion companies and their products, require them to post the environmental impact of their products, and levy fines for violations. Changes in consumer habits, new technologies and legislation can each help reduce demand for unsustainable fashion. The cost of cheap clothes worn a few times also adds up. Next time you buy clothing, think about the long-term value to you and the planet. Paula M Carbone is Professor of Clinical Education, University of Southern California. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.None
Photo: The Canadian Press A Liberal Party of Canada logo is shown on a giant screen as a technician looks on during day one of the party's biennial convention in Montreal on Feb. 20, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes The Liberal candidate in a federal byelection in British Columbia says she is applying for Métis membership after a local group questioned her claims of Indigenous identity. Madison Fleischer says in a written statement that she self-identifies as Métis based on what she knows about her great-grandmother's heritage and is "collecting the necessary documentation to go through the application process" for citizenship with B.C.'s Métis Nation. In the meantime, Fleischer, who is the candidate in the Dec. 16 byelection in Cloverdale-Langley City, says she has removed "Métis" from her social media profile descriptions to ensure there is "no confusion" about her Indigenous status. Her response comes after the Waceya Métis Society — which describes itself as a chartered community representing Métis people in the Langley and White Rock regions of B.C.'s Lower Mainland — said in a release that it "wishes to distance itself from Madison’s claims of Métis identity." The society says it met with Fleischer over the weekend to discuss her claims of Métis identity but was "disappointed that she could not provide any evidence to support her Métis heritage." The attention on Fleischer comes after Edmonton Centre Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault left cabinet last week amid questions about his shifting claims of Indigenous heritage and his business dealings. In her statement, Fleischer says she has "always been vocal about not yet holding Métis Nation British Columbia citizenship." The Waceya Métis Society says it has asked Fleischer to "properly research and verify her Indigenous heritage before making any further public assertions." "In this meeting, Madison was unable to substantiate her claims with any documentation or historical connections to Métis communities," the society says about their Nov. 23 meeting with Fleischer. "The integrity of Métis identity is not to be taken lightly, especially in public office, where the representation of our community must be accurate, respectful, and legitimate." Cloverdale-Langley City was previously held by Liberal John Aldag, who resigned to run for MLA with the B.C. New Democrats. Aldag was defeated by B.C. Conservative candidate Harman Bhangu in the Langley-Abbotsford seat in the Oct. 19 provincial election. Fleischer, whose Liberal party biography calls her a small-business owner who operates a public relations firm in Langley, is going up against candidates including federal Conservative Tamara Jansen, who held the seat from 2019 to 2021 before losing a close race to Aldag.AP Business SummaryBrief at 1:35 p.m. EST
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Over 18,000 people in Mexico have registered online to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships in the country's contentious new selection process , but a random drawing in the end will determine who gets on the ballot, officials said Monday. The ruling party pushed through a constitutional reform in September to make all federal judges stand for election, replacing the system where court employees and lawyers mainly move up through the ranks. Current court employees and their supporters have staged dozens of demonstrations against the reforms, calling them part of a ruling-party campaign to weaken checks and balances and eliminate independent regulatory and oversight bodies. Now, candidates for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships need only a law degree, a grade point average of 3.2, “five years of professional experience” and five letters of recommendation from neighbors or friends. That, and some luck in the final drawing. Officials rejected criticism that has called the process rushed or amateurish for the often highly technical posts that can hear cases including intellectual property, organized crime and Constitutional law. “The results have been spectacular,” said Arturo Zaldivar, a top advisor to President Claudia Sheinbaum. According to the plan, evaluation committees will have just over a month to review thousands of resumes and whittle the field to about 10 candidates or less for each for the 881 judgeships and nine seats on the Supreme Court. Then 1,793 names chosen at random from those selected will appear on the ballot on June 1. Critics warn that many who land on the ballot will be unknowns who perhaps have never argued a case in the courts they seek to run. “You don’t elect a doctor or a surgeon for an operation based on their popularity, you elect them based on their technical expertise, their ability, their knowledge,” said Sergio Méndez Silva, the legal coordinator for the civic group Foundation for Justice. “That also applies for a judge.” With candidates now having to run election campaigns, critics warn there's a chance drug cartels or political parties could finance them to get friendly judges onto the bench. There are also concerns that the evaluation committees deciding who makes the cut for the selection to appear on ballots may not be impartial. Most committee members were appointed by the legislative or executive branches, controlled by the ruling Morena party. Some critics argue that the current justice system, which is riddled with nepotism, corruption and a lack of accountability, needs to be changed. “We need a justice system that gives results,” said Martínez Garza, an academic and former head of the human rights commission in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon who has registered to run for a Supreme Court seat. Trials in Mexico can last for years, and the ruling party has added to the growing list of crimes for which bail is not allowed, meaning that a large percentage of the prison population is people awaiting trial.No. 23 Alabama women beat Alabama State 83-33 at Emerald Coast Classic