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Thousands rally after Georgian PM vows 'no negotiations' with pro-EU opposition
Thousands rally after Georgian PM vows 'no negotiations' with pro-EU oppositionOTTAWA — The RCMP will create a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of Canada’s border using helicopters, drones and surveillance towers. The move is part of the federal government’s $1.3-billion upgrade to border security and monitoring to appease concerns of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump about the flow of migrants and illegal drugs. Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican exports to the U.S. as soon as he is inaugurated next month unless both countries move to improve border security. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he has discussed parts of the plan with American officials and that he is optimistic about its reception. Canada will also propose to the United States to create a North American “joint strike force” to target organized crime groups that work across borders. The government also intends to provide new technology, tools and resources to the Canada Border Services Agency to seek out fentanyl using chemical detection, artificial intelligence and canine teams. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024. Jim Bronskill, The Canadian PressTrump lines up billionaire defense investor and megadonor to be No. 2 at Pentagon
In April, the UFC announced that for fighters that would offer more mobility and flexibility while reducing eye pokes and hand injuries. The new gloves, coined "3Eight/5Eight" (the 3Eight glove is for three-round fights, and the 5Eight gold glove for championship fights), premiered at UFC 301 in June. It marked the first time since fingerless gloves became mandatory for all fighters back in 1997 that the fight glove had evolved. "This redesign will truly be a game changer for the entire sport of MMA," UFC CEO and president Dana White said in the April statement. "These gloves will feel lighter, fit fighters' hands better, prevent injuries and provide maximum flexibility during the fights." But after five months -- 21 UFC events (pay-per-views and Fight Nights) and 10 "Dana White's Contender Series" cards -- and return to the original fingerless gloves. "The new gloves are now the old gloves," UFC CEO Dana White said in a surprise announcement ahead of UFC 309 last weekend. "You know what, there were good intentions with the new gloves. We spent a lot of time, energy and money on them. ... It didn't work out and it is what it is." The abrupt about-face came as a shocker.. Interestingly enough, the switch came just days after independent researcher and data scientist Nate Latshaw posted a detailed report demonstrating a significant drop in knockouts from when the new gloves were introduced. Comparing the knockout rate of the old gloves -- now referred to as "classic" by the UFC -- from Jan. 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, to when the new gloves were in play from June 1 to Nov. 9, Latshaw's findings showed an 8.5% drop off in knockout rates. Between Latshaw's report gaining traction on social media and UFC heavyweight champion balking at the fit and feel of the new gloves ahead of his fight with at UFC 309, the timing of the announcement felt like a little more than a coincidence. "The shape, the curve in your hands, they're very uncomfortable for me," Jones said last week in New York. "I was actually really stressed thinking, 'How am I going to go into fight week wearing these gloves that I don't even really want to train in?'" When the switch was announced, several UFC fighters breathed a sigh of relief over the promotion reversing course. "When I first got the new gloves, I didn't like them," lightweight told ESPN. "I think they look and felt cheap. The material was not very good, and I didn't like the design." Moicano had one of his best performances with the new gloves, a decisive TKO victory over in September. The fight was stopped due to a doctor's intervention. "I was thinking to myself, 'This is a bad glove,' and then I had an awesome performance," Moicano said. "Maybe it actually was the glove? I don't know. But I don't think it affected my performance at all." Women's flyweight contender echoed Moicano's assessment of the gloves feeling "cheap." "I wasn't opposed to the new gloves when they announced they were coming, but when I saw them, I didn't like how they looked," Blanchfield said. "I didn't like the design, and the colors looked tacky and cheap. They looked like something you can buy from a sporting goods store." Blanchfield, who relies heavily on her wrestling and grappling, found that the gloves felt restrictive and affected her grip during her unanimous decision victory over earlier this month. "It felt harder to close my hands because the fingers were so tight," she said. While Blanchfield eventually broke in the new gloves during training, she was issued a new pair ahead of her fight. "I had my cornermen working on the gloves the entire time in the locker room," Blanchfield said. "Just pulling at them, stretching them out, really trying to loosen them up for me. They literally had to make a tool that everyone in the locker room passed around to loosen up the fingers." Strawweight , who lost a decision to in the new gloves in August, said they "felt like having memory foam wrapped around your fist." "I hated them at first," Hill said. "But after training in them for a while, I didn't mind them as much. They are way thinner and aren't formed at all. The old gloves had more of a natural curve to them." The restrictive feel that Hill and Blanchfield are referring to was originally installed to prevent fighters from extending their fingers and committing eye-poke fouls. But both said that the intent didn't match the outcome. "I don't think they did anything for eye pokes," Hill said. "Until you break them in, it's harder to make a closed fist." What about the decrease in knockouts? Latshaw, a data scientist with a focus on quantitative analysis in MMA, noted that the research didn't include the variety of ways to obtain a knockout. "I continue to caution against drawing any particularly strong conclusions from the data," Latshaw told ESPN. "I'm looking at all knockdowns and all knockouts, which is really not a good way to study the impact of the gloves because I'm including knockouts and knockdowns that come from head kicks, elbows, knees, things like that where the gloves aren't impactful." While the old gloves are now back in play, it doesn't mean the "new" gloves are gone forever...yet. A UFC spokesperson told ESPN that "some fighters may still be wearing the new gloves in upcoming events while UFC re-stocks its inventory of the classic gloves." According to White, fighters will use the "classic" gloves at UFC 310 on Dec. 7. "They tried a new idea, and it ended up being a mistake, so they decided to go back to the old gloves once they saw the gloves weren't working out," Moicano said. "That's better than to keep trying to push a glove on us that everyone hates. This is what was good for business. "I don't know if we'll ever get the perfect glove, but I hope they keep trying."Australia inks $600 million deal to create PNG NRL teamBristol Myers Squibb Co. stock outperforms competitors on strong trading day
Former Namibian first lady Monica Geingos has raised concerns about the Electoral Commission of Namibia's (ECN) handling of the recent elections, following reports of ballot s ... If you are an active subscriber and the article is not showing, please log out and back in. Free access to articles from 12:00.A health care advocacy group is railing against President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health and human services secretary, saying it will be “dangerous” to the health of the American people. During a news conference Friday in front of Portland City Hall, several speakers affiliated with the nonprofit Protect Our Care, which advocates to protect the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid, decried Kennedy’s false rhetoric questioning the safety and efficacy of vaccines, among other conspiracy theories. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Capitol Hill in 2023. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post “His message is, ‘We are going to make eradicated diseases great again,’ ” said Mark Gallagher, a leader of Protect Our Care Maine. Vaccines have stopped or slowed the spread of infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, polio, pertussis, chickenpox and influenza, and saved millions of lives. The quick development of COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives worldwide during the pandemic. Kennedy has falsely claimed that vaccines cause autism, and cast doubts about the safety of vaccines during testimony before the Maine Legislature in 2015. He also has spread myths that the 1918 influenza pandemic was caused by vaccine research, among other things. Trump’s nominees must be confirmed by the Senate, and Maine’s senators, Republican Susan Collins and independent Angus King, have not yet taken a stand on specific nominees, according to their offices. “I think you are going to do some unbelievable things,” Trump said, praising RFK Jr. during a recent event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. “If you like health and you like people that live a long time, it’s the most important position.” Kennedy, in defending his nomination, said on the X social media platform that “there’s a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.” “Together we will clean up corruption, stop the revolving door between industry and government, and return our health agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science,” Kennedy wrote. “I will provide Americans with transparency and access to all the data so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families.” But Dr. Patricia Hymanson, a retired physician and former state lawmaker, said Kennedy has “embraced radical conspiracy theories” about science and medicine. Hymanson also called out Kennedy for wanting to pause scientific research into new medications. “He will sabotage science and hurt people,” said Hymanson, speaking on behalf of the Maine Medical Association, which represents physicians. “We are calling on our entire federal delegation to stop this nomination. We cannot have an unqualified person who has never led undermining decades of progress to keep Mainers healthy.” Kennedy has advocated for removing fluoride from public drinking water supplies, considered by health experts as one of the most important advancements in public health during the 20th century. He has also attacked the Food and Drug Administration, which is tasked with protecting the food supply, safety of medications and approving new drugs and vaccines. “If you work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system, I have two messages for you. 1. Preserve your records. 2. Pack your bags,” Kennedy said on social media in October. Kennedy made an appearance in 2015 before the Maine Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, w here he repeated debunked claims about vaccines as lawmakers were debating a vaccine bill. Maine lawmakers eventually passed a bill that eliminated religious and philosophic exemptions for school-required vaccinations. Since the law went into effect, Maine’s kindergarten vaccination rates have improved and are among the best in the nation. Matthew Felling, a King spokesperson, said in a written statement that the senator “will review and consider all nominations when the next administration formally sends them to the Senate in 2025 – though he acknowledges that some of those mentioned thus far do not appear to have the requisite background or experience for the important posts in question.” We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous
UConn head coach Dan Hurley insists he's not overvaluing Wednesday night's game between his 25th-ranked Huskies and No. 15 Baylor in Storrs, Conn. Sure, it comes on the heels of the two-time reigning national champion Huskies (5-3) responding to losing all three games during the Maui Invitational with a blowout victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools
Maybe 15 minutes before the Wild hosted and defeated the Nashville Predators on Saturday, general manager Bill Guerin took a few minutes to talk to the media about his first noteworthy acquisition of the season—the trade with Columbus, which will bring David Jiricek to the State of Hockey in the first few days of December. ADVERTISEMENT Maybe it’s just the pessimistic nature of a fanbase that hasn’t seen a men’s professional team play for a championship in more than three decades, but the grumbling had begun even before the collected media had reached the press box for Saturday’s game. “Seems like a lot to pay for a minor-leaguer,” was one of the comments overheard at the rink on Saturday. Indeed, to get Jiricek – the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft – and a lower-round pick, Guerin surrendered defenseman Daemon Hunt and four draft picks, including Minnesota’s 2025 first-rounder and a second round pick in 2027. He wasted no time in getting an up-close look at the new guy, calling Jiricek up to the NHL level on Sunday, and sending former Gophers forward Travis Boyd back down to Iowa. Guerin and Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell are old friends from their time working together with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But there was no discount offered from Waddell to his old pal in Minnesota. “It took awhile. Donny,” Guerin said with an exasperated grin. “He played with me. He’s one of my old mentors. He made me work for it. He’s the best.” ADVERTISEMENT Still, Guerin would not have pulled the trigger had he not believed in two things: 1) The Wild can turn all of Jiricek’s size (6-foot-4) and potential into another piece of their bright future on the blue line. 2) The price they paid was not as steep as it might look on the surface. To that second point, consider that Hunt was not really part of the Wild’s NHL-level defensive picture, even at a time like this when Jonas Brodin’s long-term viability is a serious question mark. And after getting two points with an overtime win over the Predators on Saturday, the Wild were tied for the most points in the NHL, meaning that at this pace, that 2025 first-round draft pick is going to come in the 25th spot or later. If the Wild go into a tailspin this season, the pick sent to Columbus is lottery protected, meaning the Blue Jackets will not get to pick in the top 10 at the Wild’s expense. ADVERTISEMENT To the first point, Jiricek is a player Guerin and his assistants have had their eye on for some time, even before he was named the top defenseman in the tournament while playing for Czechia in the 2023 World Juniors. “He’s not 30, he’s not a rental. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman that we can invest in. And we did. That’s how I look at it. It’s an investment,” Guerin said. In 2022, the Wild grabbed Liam Ohgren with the 19th overall pick, more than a dozen selections after Jiricek was picked by Columbus and was posing for pictures in a new red-white-and-blue sweater. ADVERTISEMENT “He was somebody that we really liked (during) his draft year. We knew we weren’t going to get him, but we liked him,” Guerin said. “And, you know, when this became available, I did my due diligence and asked our staff what they thought. They were all on board with it. So it’s good.” Perhaps in hopes of getting the fans on board, Guerin also stressed patience. Jiricek has not yet been a star in the NHL, despite his high draft stock. But the Wild are confident that their system of developing players — especially defensemen — is the change the new guy needs. “He’s a young player. He’s got a lot to learn. He’s going to continue to improve, just like all young players,” Guerin said, name-dropping two youthful every-night members of the Wild roster who still have ample room to grow. “Brock Faber’s got to get better. Matt Boldy’s still going to get better. All these guys are going to continue to improve because they’re so young. So just because they’re in the NHL doesn’t mean they’re not going to develop their game and get better. That’s our job as the coaches, management. That’s our job to help him get better.” If he has to spend some future draft capital to put those pieces in place, that is clearly a chance Guerin is willing to take. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
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Shoppers bemused as Easter eggs hit shop shelves before New Year’s Eve
Big change to iPhones starts today( MENAFN - media OutReach Newswire) HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 18 December 2024 - LiveIn, Southeast Asia's leading long-stay provider dedicated to converting surplus properties into modern homes for young people, has formed a strategic alliance with JinJoo Home, Vietnam's pioneer in co-living for young professionals. Together, they aim to unify and strengthen Vietnam's co-living market by offering solutions for local operators that blend international standards and local relevance. Keek Wen Khai, CEO & Co-founder of LiveIn (left), and Jason Wong, CEO & Founder of JinJoo Home (right), at the alliance signing ceremony. Vietnam's urbanization rate is expected to surpass 50% by 2025, and with over 50% of the population being millennials and Gen Z, the demand for co-living spaces in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City is set to rise. However, the market remains fragmented, and local operators face challenges, such as high vacancies, maintenance costs, and inconsistent service. Keek Wen Khai, CEO & Co-founder of LiveIn, said: "Vietnam's long-stay market remains highly fragmented, but we see great potential in driving sustainable growth through collaboration. By forming a strategic alliance with JinJoo Home, we aim to bring operators together, address their challenges, and elevate standards to deliver a better living experience for the next generation." Jason Wong, CEO & Founder of JinJoo Home, said: "We're excited to join forces with LiveIn, a leading player in Southeast Asia. Our shared passion for improving young people's living experience makes this alliance a natural fit. Together, we can combine our strengths and create a more dynamic and high-quality co-living market in Vietnam." The strategic alliance comes at a time when Vietnam's residential real estate market is projected to reach USD 45.62 billion by 2029, with co-living playing a pivotal role. As many fragmented operators struggle to scale due to limited resources, LiveIn and JinJoo Home are focused on helping them seize this growth opportunity by combining LiveIn's international standards with JinJoo Home's extensive local expertise. LiveIn continually refines its product standards to address changing consumer preferences and ensure compliance with local regulatory requirements. With 10,500 rooms across 200 buildings in 4 Southeast Asian countries, LiveIn brings its proven regional expertise in technology, operational management, and demand generation. Meanwhile, JinJoo Home's deep local knowledge and strong presence in Ho Chi Minh City will help consolidate and support operators in adopting these best practices, tailored to meet the unique needs of the Vietnamese market. The strategic alliance with JinJoo Home builds on LiveIn's earlier strategic alliance with Hive, a regional leader in co-living renovations, to establish the LiveIn Global Renovation Division. Through this new division, LiveIn delivers thoughtfully designed homes that inspire growth and new experiences across all the markets it serves, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Both synergies further cement LiveIn's position as a leading flexible housing provider in Southeast Asia. MENAFN17122024003551001712ID1109005181 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
STOCKHOLM/GDANSK, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Northvolt's financial collapse deals a blow to Europe's plan to set up its own battery industry to power electric cars, stirring a debate about whether it needs to do more to attract investment as startups struggle to catch up with Chinese rivals. Europe's biggest hope for an electric vehicle battery champion filed for U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday after talks with investors and creditors including Volkswagen and Goldman Sachs for funding failed. The Swedish company, whose motto is "make oil history", has received more than $10 billion in equity, debt and public financing since its 2016 start-up. Volkswagen and Goldman Sachs each own about one fifth of its shares. Northvolt said on Friday it needed $1.0-$1.2 billion in new funds under the restructuring process, which it hopes will end by the end of March. In recent months, it has shrunk the business and cut jobs in a bid to shore up its finances. But it has struggled to produce sufficient volumes of high-quality batteries, and lost a 2 billion euro ($2.1 billion) contract from BMW (BMWG.DE) , opens new tab in June. That has left Europe's ambitions to build its own battery industry looking a distant dream. In recent years, Northvolt led a wave of European startups investing tens of billions of dollars to serve the continent's automakers as they switch from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. But growth in EV demand is moving at a slower pace than many in the industry projected, and China has taken a huge lead in powering EVs, controlling 85% of global battery cell production, International Energy Agency data shows. Making batteries and cells, the units that store and convert chemical energy into electricity, is a delicate process and doing so at scale is a challenge for any battery maker. Northvolt has missed some in-house targets and curtailed production at its battery cells plant in northern Sweden, underscoring the difficulties, Reuters reported on Monday. "The biggest issue is that batteries are not easy to make and Northvolt haven’t satisfied the supply demands of their customers - that is a management issue," said Andy Palmer, founder of consultancy Palmer Automotive said. “The Chinese are technologically 10 years ahead of the West in batteries. That’s a fact," he said. At least eight companies have postponed or abandoned EV battery projects in Europe this year, including China's Svolt and joint venture ACC , led by Stellantis (STLAM.MI) , opens new tab and Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) , opens new tab . In 2024, Europe's battery pipeline capacity out to 2030 has fallen by 176 gigawatt-hours, according to data firm Benchmark Minerals. That's equivalent to almost all the current installed capacity in Europe, according to Reuters calculations. Some executives say Europe should do more to attract and support home-grown projects so they can compete with Chinese rivals such as CATL (300750.SZ) , opens new tab and BYD (002594.SZ) , opens new tab . "Europe needs to rethink how it supports a nascent sector before China eats up the entire value chain, which is due to smart planning," said James Frith, European head of Volta Energy Technologies, which specialises in battery and energy storage technology. Among its $5.8 billion in debts, Northvolt owes the European Investment Bank (EIB) some $313 million. EIB vice president Thomas Östros said it had been a constructive partner to Northvolt, but it needed to safeguard the EIB and EU's interests. "It remains the case that Europe has a strategic interest in a European battery industry for electric cars and we will follow developments very closely. But it is much to early to say what the outcome will be," he said. The Swedish government has repeatedly said it does not plan to take a stake in Northvolt. On Friday, Northvolt's outgoing CEO and co-founder Peter Carlsson said he was a "little worried" Europe is giving up on its dream of competing with China. He said Europe would regret it in 20 years time if it retreated. "It's not a straight journey and right now, we're all in a bit of a down in that journey where there's more hesitations, there's more questions on the speed of the transition from the carmakers, from policymakers, from the investor community," he told reporters in a call. Sign up here. Reporting by Marie Mannes in Stockholm, Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen and Alessandro Parodi in Gdansk. Additional reporting by Simon Johnson in Stockholm. Writing by Josephine Mason. Editing by Mark Potter Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Stockholm-based company news correspondent who mainly covers anything to do with retail and industrial companies in Sweden as well as other sectors with Swedish companies. She previously covered the general Nordic stock market from Gdansk, reporting on a range of subjects, from companies exiting Russia to M&As and supply chain concerns. Marie has degrees in journalism and international relations and is keen on finding stories that drive the market and that have unreported elements to it. Thomson Reuters Alessandro is an Italian journalist based in Gdansk reporting on European markets, with focus on Italian companies. Previously, he worked as a multimedia freelancer in South Africa covering general news and cultures.
Trump's Legal Team Fights to Overturn Criminal Conviction