Jayson Tatum one of two Celtics starters ruled out for Pistons matchup
Russell inherits Qatar pole as Verstappen demoted by grid penaltyCongress on Tuesday staged protests at all its district headquarters across Rajasthan condemning Union Home Minister Amit Shah's ''objectionable'' and ''disrespectful'' remarks on B R Ambedkar made in Parliament recently. Following the instructions given by Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, the party organised a 'Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Samman' march from all its district headquarters in protest against Shah's remarks,'' state Congress General Secretary Swarnim Chaturvedi said. After the march, the district Congress committees submitted a memorandum addressed to President Droupadi Murmu to their respective district collectors demanding Shah's dismissal as a Union minister, he added. The Congress also demanded that Shah should apologise to the nation for his comments, Chaturvedi said. Replying to the debate on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India', Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on December 17, ''It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar... If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven.'' As his remarks triggered outrage among the opposition parties, Shah later accused the Congress of twisting his comments. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mannatech Stock Soars to 52-Week High, Hits $10.6
The Katsina State Hisbah Board, says it has settled more than 2,500 marriage related cases since its establishment by Governor Dikko Radda. The Hisbah Commander General in the state, Dr Aminu Usman (Abu Ammar), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Katsina on Tuesday. He said that the board was established by the governor to address the moral decadence and social vices bedeviling the society across the state. “Issue of divorce has been a source of concern in the state, however, with the hHisbah intervention, over 2,500 marriages were sustained,” the commander general said. He further explained that without their intervention, those women would have been divorced by their husbands, and spread in the society to become something else. The Hisbah commander general said: “This is an achievement, because we have succeeded in tackling the rampant cases of divorce in the state. “The board has also succeeded in returning back to their parents, more than 500 girls, who have abandoned their families for months or years, to become street girls.” He explained that some of the girls who have turned various joints across the state their homes, were found with children out of wedlock. Usman said: “Those with children, we traced those that impregnated them and forced the males to take in the females as their wives. “I can boldly tell you that such issues mentioned above have drastically reduced across the state. This success was recorded due the unrelenting support the governor has been given us.” NAN reports that Hisbah is an institution established to uphold the Shari’ah Legal System by protecting society from moral decadence, deviance, preserving faith, and ensuring the welfare of people. Its functions also include drawing attention to transgression, enjoining people to do good and preventing them from evil acts among others. NANCartoning Machines Market Size to Approach USD 13.58 Bn by 2034Waveguide Market Size, Share, Trends Analysis And Forecasts (2024 - 2033) 11-25-2024 12:51 AM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: The Business Research Company Waveguide Market The Business Research Company recently released a comprehensive report on the Global Waveguide Market Size and Trends Analysis with Forecast 2024-2033. This latest market research report offers a wealth of valuable insights and data, including global market size, regional shares, and competitor market share. Additionally, it covers current trends, future opportunities, and essential data for success in the industry. According to The Business Research Company's, The waveguide market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.36 billion in 2023 to $1.46 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing demand for high-frequency applications, rise in defense expenditure, expansion of telecommunication networks, growth in aerospace industry, increasing use in medical applications. The waveguide market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.92 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing use in autonomous vehicles, demand for high-bandwidth applications, rise in space exploration activities, rapid expansion of iot devices, 5g technology implementation. Major trends in the forecast period include integration with emerging technologies, advancements in materials and manufacturing, miniaturization and size reduction, increased frequency range and bandwidth, photonic integration. Get The Complete Scope Of The Report @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/waveguide-global-market-report Market Drivers and Trends: The increasing number of satellite launches is expected to propel the growth of the waveguide market going forward. A satellite is a self-contained communications equipment that can receive signals from the earth and retransmit them. Waveguides are the ideal medium for high frequency and high-power signal transmission in radar and aerospace defense applications during a satellite launch. From antenna feeds to testing facilities, waveguide routing includes a trade-off between perfect flange alignment and space constraints, with rigid waveguides being more space-efficient than alternative routing methods. Thus, these functionalities increase the demand for waveguides. For instance, in December 2022, according to an article by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, an office of the U.N., 8261 individual satellites were orbiting the earth, an increase of 11.84% compared to April 2021. Additionally, there are 6,542 satellites, of which 3,372 are active, and 3,170 are inactive, as of January 1, 2021. Therefore, the increasing number of satellite launches drives the waveguide market. Technological innovation has emerged as a key trend gaining popularity in the waveguide market. Major companies operating in the waveguide market are focused on innovating new technologies to sustain their position in the market. For instance, in January 2023, Lumus, an Israel-based provider of augmented reality solutions, launched 2nd generation Z-Lens 2D waveguide architecture. Z-Lens allows for the development of AR glasses that are 50% smaller and lighter than glasses made with the Maximus architecture. Z-Lens can be integrated with prescription lenses, making it possible for people who wear glasses to use AR glasses without having to wear separate lenses. Lumus believes that the Z-Lens architecture is a breakthrough that enables the development of stylish and functional AR glasses that can be worn by everyday consumers. Key Benefits for Stakeholders: • Comprehensive Market Insights: Stakeholders gain access to detailed market statistics, trends, and analyses that help them understand the current and future landscape of their industry. • Informed Decision-Making: The reports provide crucial data that support strategic decisions, reducing risks and enhancing business planning. • Competitive Advantage: With in-depth competitor analysis and market share information, stakeholders can identify opportunities to outperform their competition. • Tailored Solutions: The Business Research Company offers customized reports that address specific needs, ensuring stakeholders receive relevant and actionable insights. • Global Perspective: The reports cover various regions and markets, providing a broad view that helps stakeholders expand and operate successfully on a global scale. Ready to Dive into Something Exciting? Get Your Free Exclusive Sample of Our Research Report @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=9459&type=smp Major Key Players of the Market: Penn Engineering Components Inc; Jupiter Microwave Components Inc; Quantic Electronics; Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions; Ducommun Incorporated; Smith's Interconnect; DigiLens Inc; Global Invacom; Flann Microwave Ltd; SAS Industries Inc.; ARRA Inc.; Centric RF; DEEWAVE Electronics; Fairview Microwave; Pasternack Enterprises Inc; Precision millimeter wave; Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.; Prysmian SpA; Corning Incorporated; Synopsys Inc.; Fujikura Ltd.; FibreHome Telecommunication Co. Ltd.; Mouser Electronics Inc.; Yangtze Optical Fiber and Cable Co. Ltd.; America Fujikura Ltd.; Bizlink Technology Inc.; Sterlite Technologies Ltd.; Accelink Technologies Corporation; Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd.; Eoptolink Technology Inc. Ltd. Waveguide Market 2024 Key Insights: • The waveguide market will grow to $1.92 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0%. • Surge In Satellite Launches Propels Growth In The Waveguide Market • Innovative Breakthrough Paving The Way For Sleeker And Lighter Ar Glasses • Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the waveguide market in 2023 We Offer Customized Report, Click @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/Customise?id=9459&type=smp Contact Us: The Business Research Company Europe: +44 207 1930 708 Asia: +91 88972 63534 Americas: +1 315 623 0293 Email: info@tbrc.info Follow Us On: LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBusinessResearchCompany YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ Blog: https://blog.tbrc.info/ Healthcare Blog: https://healthcareresearchreports.com/ Global Market Model: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/global-market-model Learn More About The Business Research Company The Business Research Company ( www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com ) is a leading market intelligence firm renowned for its expertise in company, market, and consumer research. With a global presence, TBRC's consultants specialize in diverse industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology, providing unparalleled insights and strategic guidance to clients worldwide. This release was published on openPR.
Why is this ASX 300 battery tech stock jumping 11% today? - The Motley Fool AustraliaKansas City (14-1) at Pittsburgh (10-5) Wednesday, 1 p.m., EST, Netflix. BetMGM NFL Odds: Chiefs by 2 1/2. Against the spread: Chiefs 7-8; Steelers 10-5 Series record: Steelers lead 25-14. Last meeting: Chiefs beat Steelers 42-21 in the first round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City. Last week: Chiefs beat Texans 27-19; Steelers lost to Ravens 34-17 Chiefs offense: overall (13), rush (15), pass (12), scoring (11). Chiefs defense: overall (3), rush (3), pass (17), scoring (3). Steelers offense: overall (19), rush (11), pass (25), scoring (12). Steelers defense: overall (11), rush (8), pass (20), scoring (7). Turnover differential: Chiefs plus-4; Steelers plus-16. WR Marquise Brown, who hurt his shoulder on the first play of the preseason and landed on injured reserve, made an impressive regular-season debut against Houston last week. “Hollywood” caught five passes for 45 yards, including an early 13-yarder that converted a fourth down and led to an eventual touchdown. But perhaps most importantly, Brown's mere presence kept Houston from double-teaming Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins and Travis Kelce all afternoon. LB T.J. Watt. The perennial All-Pro is dealing with an ankle injury and had a quiet game in the loss to Baltimore, finishing with just four tackles and didn’t have a single hit against Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Pittsburgh's best chance at pulling the upset relies heavily on disrupting Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes at every turn. To do it, Watt will need to do some Watt-like things. The 30-year-old leads the NFL in forced fumbles for a defense that thrives on takeaways. Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris against the Chiefs rush defense, which is ranked third in the NFL and allowing just 91.4 yards per game. The Chiefs held the Texans' Joe Mixon to just 57 yards rushing last week, the latest in a season-long trend of shutting down top running backs. The Browns' Nick Chubb had 41 yards the previous week, and the Ravens' Derrick Henry, the Falcons' Bijan Robinson and the Saints' Alvin Kamara are among those who have similarly struggled against Kansas City. Chiefs: LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring) and CB Chamarri Conner (concussion) are likely to miss a second straight game. DT Chris Jones (calf) and RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) are iffy after getting hurt against Houston. Steelers: WR George Pickens (hamstring) should return after missing the past three games. S DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin) may also be back after sitting the past two weeks. Starting CB Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and backup wide receiver/special teams ace Ben Skowronek (hip) are out. The Steelers have dominated the series, leading 23-14, but the Chiefs have won the past three games. That includes a 42-21 rout in their most recent matchup in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022 — the last game played by Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Prior to the Chiefs' three-game win streak, the Steelers had won three in a row, including an 18-16 victory in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017, that they won despite not scoring a touchdown. Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye with a win over the Steelers, or if the Bills lose or tie when they play the Jets on Sunday. ... Pittsburgh has dropped two straight, but can still earn its first AFC North title since 2020 by winning its last two games. ... The Chiefs can set a franchise record for regular-season wins with their 15th by beating Pittsburgh or Denver in their regular-season finale, breaking a tie with the 2020 and ‘22 teams. ... The Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes needs three TD passes to break Peyton Manning’s record of 244 for a QB's first eight seasons. Mahomes did not start as a rookie and has played just 111 games while Manning played 128 over that span. ... Mahomes has dominated the Steelers so far in his career, throwing 14 touchdowns without a pick while leading Kansas City to three victories in as many tries. ... Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins has an NFL-leading 177 straight games with a catch. TE Travis Kelce is second with 173. ... Kelce has 76 TD catches, tied with Tony Gonzalez for the Chiefs record. Kelce has 79 total TDs, four shy of Priest Holmes' franchise record. ... WR Xavier Worthy has five TD catches, tied for the sixth most by a rookie in Chiefs history. Worthy also has three TD runs, and the eight total is also tied for sixth most in franchise history. ... Chiefs DB Trent McDuffie has intercepted a pass in back-to-back games. He did not have a pick in his first 48 games. ... This is the 12th game in Steelers history to be played on Wednesday and the first since 2020, when a showdown with the Ravens was repeatedly postponed because of COVID-19 issues. Pittsburgh is 5-6 all time on Wednesdays. ... A healthy Pickens will likely give the Steelers passing game a serious boost. QB Russell Wilson is averaging just 167.7 yards per game in Pickens' absence, down from 271 yards per game with Pickens in the lineup. ... This is Pittsburgh's first regular-season game against a team with 14 wins. ... The Steelers have five wins against the defending Super Bowl champions since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. ... Pittsburgh is 26-12 in Weeks 17 and 18 since the start of the 1990 season, the second-most wins in the NFL over that span behind Green Bay (28). ... The Steelers have won seven straight games and 12 of their past 13 the week following a loss of at least 17 points. ... Pittsburgh leads the NFL with 31 takeaways. and has forced at least two turnovers 11 times. It might be championship week in your league, so why not turn to a championship quarterback. Mahomes has earned the benefit of the doubt even in a “down” season by his standards and with Pittsburgh missing its top cornerback and the pass rush slowed of late, give Mahomes a start against a team he has toyed with in his career. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu in Delhi for NDA meet amid Ambedkar rowBy PETER SMITH A social-media tribute to Coptic Christians. A billboard in Amish country. A visit to a revered Jewish gravesite. While Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, he and his campaign allies also wooed smaller religious groups, far from the mainstream. As it turned out, Trump won by decisive margins, but his campaign aggressively courted niche communities with the understanding that every vote could be critical, particularly in swing states. Voter surveys such as exit polls, which canvass broad swaths of the electorate, aren’t able to gauge the impact of such microtargeting, but some backers say the effort was worth it. Just one week before the election, Trump directed a post on the social-media platform X to Coptic Christians in the United States —- whose church has ancient roots in Egypt. He saluted their “Steadfast Faith in God, Perseverance through Centuries of Persecution and Love for this Great Country.” “This was the first time seeing a major U.S. presidential candidate address the community in this manner,” said Mariam Wahba, a Coptic Christian and research analyst with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based research institute. “It was really a profound moment.” She said many Copts share the conservative social views of other Christian groups in the Republican constituency, and they may already have been Trump supporters. But the posting reinforced those bonds. Coptic bishops sent the president-elect congratulations after his victory and cited their “shared social and family values.” Some Assyrian Christians — another faith group with Middle Eastern roots — similarly bonded with Trump, whose mispronunciation of “Assyrian” at a rally created a viral video moment and drew attention to their support. Sam Darmo, a Phoenix real estate agent and co-founder of Assyrians for Trump, said many community members cited the economy, illegal immigration and other prominent voter issues. They echoed other conservative Christians’ concerns, he said, on issues such as abortion, gender identity and religious expression in public. But he said Trump supported various Middle Eastern Christians recovering from the Islamic State group’s oppressive rule. Darmo also credited Massad Boulos, father-in-law to Trump’s daughter Tiffany, for mobilizing various Middle Eastern Christian groups, including Chaldean Catholics, and other voters, particularly in Michigan, such as Muslims. “He brought all these minority groups together,” he said. “We’re hoping to continue that relationship.” But members of Middle Eastern-rooted Christian groups, and their politics, are far from monolithic, said Marcus Zacharia, founder of Progressive Copts, a program of Informed Immigrants, an organization that promotes dialogue on sensitive topics among such groups in the United States and Canada. He said many younger community members question Trump’s stances on issues such as immigration, and sense that conservatives sometimes tokenize them by focusing on the plight of persecuted Christians in the Middle East while neglecting wider issues of repression in countries there that the U.S. supports. He said there needs to be more informed dialogue across the political divide in these communities. “There is no more high time than these next four years to have that way of conducting conversations,” he said. Courting the Amish Republicans also made an aggressive push for Amish voters , particularly in the swing state of Pennsylvania, where they are most numerous at about 92,000 (many below voting age). The GOP has made similar efforts in the past, even though researchers have found that less than 10% of them typically vote, due to their separatism from society. But Republicans used billboards, mailers, ads and door-to-door campaigner to drive turnout in Lancaster County, home base to the nation’s largest Amish settlement. On Election Day, Amish voters Samuel Stoltzfus and his wife Lillian Stoltzfus said they were supporting Trump, citing their anti-abortion beliefs. “We basically look at it as murder,” Stoltzfus, 31, said outside a polling center in the Lancaster County community of New Holland, where dozens of other members of the local Amish community voted. Trump has wavered on the issue, dismaying some abortion opponents, though many have said Republicans still align more closely to their views. Stolzfus added: “Make America great again and keep the moral values,” he said. “Let’s go back to the roots.” Steven Nolt, a history professor at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster College who studies the Amish and their voting patterns, said that while it’s too early to say definitively without further research, he doesn’t see evidence of a larger turnout this year. Lancaster County as a whole — most of which is not Amish — is a GOP stronghold that Trump won handily, though both parties’ votes edged up from 2020, according to unofficial results posted by the Pennsylvania Department of State. Trump’s biggest increases were in urban or suburban areas with few Amish, while some areas with larger Amish populations generally saw a modest increase in the Trump vote, said Nolt, director of the college’s Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. “Bottom line, percentage-wise, not much change in the parts of Lancaster County where the Amish live,” he said. Paying respects at a Chabad grave Trump directly reached out to members of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, a prominent and highly observant branch of Orthodox Judaism. Related Articles National Politics | Attorneys want the US Supreme Court to say Mississippi’s felony voting ban is cruel and unusual National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Trump gave Interior nominee one directive for a half-billion acres of US land: ‘Drill.’ National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now On Oct. 7, the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, Trump made a symbolically resonant visit to the “Ohel,” the burial site of the movement’s revered late leader, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. Wearing a yarmulke, the traditional Jewish skullcap, Trump, who has Jewish family members, brought a written prayer to the Ohel and laid a small stone at the grave in keeping with tradition. The site in New York City, while particularly central to Chabad adherents, draws an array of Jewish and other visitors, including politicians. About two-thirds of Jewish voters overall supported Trump’s opponent, Democrat Kamala Harris, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. But the Trump campaign has made a particular outreach to Orthodox Jews, citing issues including his policies toward Israel in his first administration. Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowitz of Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida said it was moving for him to see images of Trump’s visit. “The mere fact that he made a huge effort, obviously it was important to him,” he said. Associated Press journalist Luis Henao contributed.NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Narin An handled the windy conditions with a hot putter on Thursday, making four straight birdies around the turn and finishing with an 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead in the CME Group Tour Championship. At stake for the 60-player field is a $4 million prize to the winner, the largest single-day payoff in women's golf. Nelly Korda already has won more than that during her sterling season of seven wins. Now she faces an eight-shot deficit over the next three days at Tiburon Golf Club if she wants to end her year in fitting fashion. Korda, coming off a victory last week, couldn't make amends for her three bogeys and had to settle for an even-par 72. She has come from behind in four of her victories, and still has 54 holes ahead of her. But it has made the task that much tougher. Everything felt easy for An, a 28-year-old from South Korea who has never won on the LPGA and has never cracked the top 10 in any of the 16 majors she has played. “Today my putt really good,” An said. “The speed was good and the shape was good. I just try to focus a little bit more.” She had a one-shot lead over Angel Yin, who shot 30 on the back nine, including an eagle on the par-5 17th hole that most players can easily reach in two. Former U.S. Women's Open champion Allisen Corpuz and Marina Alex were at 66, with Lydia Ko leading the group at 67. Despite the wind so typical along the Gulf Coast of Florida, 27 players — nearly half the field — shot in the 60s. “It's a good head start for the big ol' prize we get at the end of the week,” Yin said. Whoever wins this week is assured of breaking the 17-year-old LPGA record for most money earned in season. The record was set by Lorena Ochoa in 2007 at $4,364,994, back when the total prize money was about half of what it is now. Ochoa earned $1 million for winning the Tour Championship in 2007. The opening round followed a big night of awards for the LPGA Tour, where Korda officially picked up her first award as player of the year, which she clinched earlier this month . Ko was recognized for her big year, highlighted by an Olympic gold medal that put her into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She regained plenty of focus for the opening round on a course where she won just two years ago. “The course isn't easy,” Ko said. “I set a goal of shooting 3 under today, and somebody shot 8 under. I was like, ‘OK, maybe I need to make a few more birdies.’ It's a course that can get away from you as much as you can shoot some low scores, so I’m just trying to stick to my game plan and go from there.” Also in the group at 67 was Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland, already celebrating a big year with her debut in the Solheim Cup and her first appearance in the Tour Championship. She made a late run at her first LPGA title last week at Pelican Golf Club, and kept up her form. And she can see the finish line, which is appealing. “I everyone is looking at that $4 million price tag,” Valenzuela said. “I try not to look too much at the result. I feel like in the past I’ve always been stuck on results, and ultimately all I can do is control my own round, my own energy, my own commitment. “It's the last week of the year. It’s kind of the bonus week. No matter what, everyone is having a paycheck.” AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfOn a rare two-game skid, No. 24 Arizona faces Davidson
EDMONTON - The latest checkup on famed Edmonton elephant Lucy finds her in good shape ahead of her 50th birthday — but not healthy enough to be relocated to join a herd. Gary Dewar, director of the Edmonton Valley Zoo, says experts have determined the elephant’s respiratory issues won’t allow her to travel. “She has trouble breathing and, if we were to try to transport her, there would be much stress associated with that travel. And there is the very likely potential that she would die en route,” Dewar told a news conference Tuesday. “That is not something we are wanting to take the chance on.” He said the gentle giant’s health is good considering she turns 50 next year and she continues to go on walks around the zoo to stay in shape. Her workouts move indoors during the winter. Dewar said experts have indicated she has about 10 to 15 more years to live. “She’s alert, she’s calm and she’s responsive,” he said. A large tumour discovered two years ago remains under control with the help of vaccine shots, the zoo said. “We know that it’s smaller, just because of the behaviour that we’re seeing,” said Marie-Josee Limoges, a zoo veterinarian. “Her uterus is not falling down into her abdominal cavity the way it was two years ago.” The Asian elephant arrived at the zoo when she was two, and she has been alone since her herd mate, an African elephant, was moved to another facility about 16 years ago for breeding. Lucy has made international headlines in recent years, as protesters have called for her to be moved so she can spend the final years of her life with other elephants. Among the advocates for her freedom was U.S. television game show host Bob Barker. Before he died in 2023, he said elephants were not meant to brave Canada’s harsh winter climate. Dewar and Limoges said the zoo is aware of the criticism. “We can all agree we all share a love for her and want what’s best for her,” Dewar said. “So Lucy will be the last elephant that calls the Edmonton Valley Zoo home. There won’t be any more that will be brought here.” Limoges said Lucy arrived at the zoo in the 1970s, when “every zoo had to have an elephant.” “It’s 50 years down the road. Not every zoo has to have an elephant. She’s staying here mostly because we don’t think it’s in her best interest to move,” she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024.Unionized Starbucks workers protested Christmas Eve, including in Davenport, asking for higher wages. Employees at the Davenport location on the corner of 53rd Street and Elmore Avenue picketed outside the location Tuesday morning, joining in a days long picket that has been making its way across the country. Starting Dec. 20, union workers started protesting at some of the franchise's largest locations in Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago, with additional locations joining the strike each day since. Starbucks employees picket on the sidewalk next to the 53rd Street and Elmore location on Tuesday, Dec. 24, in Davenport. Starbucks Workers United is advocating for higher, more livable wages. On social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the Starbucks Workers United union called it "the strike before Christmas." Among the complaints is that Starbucks is not holding up its end of the bargain by securing livable wages for employees. "Baristas are making the brave decision to strike because Starbucks backtracks on the path forward," a subsequent post read. "We’re protesting Starbucks’ failure to bring viable economic proposals to the bargaining table and to resolve hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practice charges." Alexis Miller, a union barista in Davenport, said the union was able to negotiate a $15 minimum wage last year and yearly raises for employees based on how long they were with the company. However, Miller called the percentages "pathetic" and said the average raise at the Davenport store was about 30 cents. The 53rd Street and Elmore Starbucks location, which unionized just this past May, joined many locations across the country in protesting for higher wages. "Which does not even keep up with inflation at this point," she said. In a statement on X, the union said Starbucks has proposed no immediate wage increase for union baristas but guaranteed 1.5% wage increases in future years. For a worker receiving $15 an hour, that's an increase of 23 cents. The union has doubled down on its request, claiming CEO Brian Niccol’s compensation package is worth $57,000 an hour while employees are receiving raises worth mere cents. Starbucks released a statement on Dec. 20 , claiming the unions ask was not feasible, considering the high pay and benefits employees already receive. Many passersby honked their horns and waved in solidarity during a picket at the Starbucks at 53rd Street and Elmore Avenue in Davenport on Tuesday, Dec. 24. "Workers United proposals call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage of hourly partners by 64%, and by 77% over the life of a three-year contract," the statement read. "These proposals are not sustainable, especially when the investments we continually make to our total benefits package are the hallmarks of what differentiates us as an employer — and, what makes us proud to work at Starbucks." In May, the Davenport store became the second in Iowa to unionize . An Iowa City store voted unanimously last May to make the move and was also reportedly striking Tuesday. Starbucks barista Alexis Miller chats with a customer at the drive thru menu while on strike on Tuesday, Dec. 24, in Davenport. Miller said it may seem unprecedented for fast food workers to be striking, but all workers deserve a living wage and to be heard by their employer. “I just want people to know that we can fight for better," she said. "This isn’t a typical union industry, but I would love for people to start seeing the possibilities in that; that everybody deserves better working conditions and higher wages and more autonomy in their work place.” Compensation is one of the most notable differences between unionized and non-unionized workers, as unions are often able to negotiate for higher wages. And as unions’ influence has declined over time, so too has the gap in compensation between union and non-union employee wages. At the height of unionization in the late 1970s and early 1980s, union members made over 30% more per hour than their non-union counterparts. Today, union members continue to earn more than non-union workers, but the gap between the two is just 11%. The new growth in union membership is unlikely to return the U.S. to historic levels of unionization, and union representation will continue to be stronger in some industries than others. Certain sectors of the economy have significantly higher rates of union membership than others, including transportation, utilities, public administration, and education. At the highest end, some industries have union membership rates greater than 50%. The data used in this analysis is from Unionstats.com . Researchers at Smartest Dollar calculated the union membership rate for 247 industries, ranking them from highest to lowest. In the event of a tie, the industry with the greater union coverage rate was ranked higher. Here are the most unionized industries. Photo Credit: Viewfoto studio / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Zivica Kerkez / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Feoktistoff / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock Photo Credit: LightField Studios / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Ryan DeBerardinis / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Billion Photos / Shutterstock After decades of declining power and influence, organized labor in the U.S. is making a comeback. The COVID-19 pandemic has set off a number of shifts in the labor market that have given workers more power. Labor participation rates fell sharply early in the pandemic and still have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The Great Resignation saw millions of workers leave their jobs in search of better pay or working conditions. With the labor market still tight, employers have struggled to recruit and retain employees. In this context, workers have been organizing at rates not seen in decades. One of the most high-profile examples is the union drive at Starbucks stores across the U.S. over the last year. Around 250 Starbucks locations have voted to unionize since the first Starbucks union formed in Buffalo, NY late in 2021. Employees at other major companies have also attempted unionization, including retail and factory workers at Apple and Amazon . And the trend extends to white collar industries like tech, academia, and media, where unionization has historically been limited. According to the National Labor Relations Board , 1,522 votes on unionization have taken place so far in 2022. This is the highest number of union elections since 2015 and an increase of more than 50% over 2021. The recent uptick in unionization could begin to reverse a decades-long decline in union membership rates. The peak of union membership over the last 50 years was in 1979, when 24.1% of American workers were union members. That figure has since fallen by more than half, with only 10.3% of workers in a union as of 2021. In raw numbers, there are nearly 7 million fewer union members in the U.S. now than there were in the late 1970s. Recent trends in unionization are significant to bother workers and employers. Unionization and collective bargaining materially affect the compensation and working conditions that workers experience, for better or for worse. In turn, these factors can affect employers’ ability to staff their businesses and the overhead costs they must pay to operate. Photo Credit: Andrey Armyagov / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sergey Nemirovsky / Shutterstock Photo Credit: mavo / Shutterstock Photo Credit: People Image Studio / Shutterstock Photo Credit: DedMityay / Shutterstock Photo Credit: ersin ergin / Shutterstock Photo Credit: LeManna / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Billion Photos / Shutterstock Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.( MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Nov 30 (KUNA) -- The 45th GCC summit is due to be held in Kuwait on Sunday, with attendance of the top leaders or representatives, is yet a new gathering of such level to bolster sustainable development, regional security and stability. The summit, the 8th to be hosted by Kuwait, aims at capitalizing on the achievements, made over the past years, examining plans for a more stable and prosperous future and taking unified stands vis a vis mounting regional threats. The summit, due at Bayan Palace, will address regional security, bolstering pan-GCC economic merger and plans to facie regional and international challenges. The summiteers will look into schemes for overhauling the joint market, enhancing technology cooperation, infrastructural link-ups and a host of political files namely Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen Iraq and relations with regional and international powers. The GCC, founded in 1981, holds annual sessions and strives to enhance cooperation among the member states in various fields. It groups Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. (end) kt MENAFN30112024000071011013ID1108941497 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.