7xm to inches
Farmers in the district of Lalmonirhat are suffering from an acute shortage of fertiliser just as the Rabi season started. Meanwhile, fertiliser stock in the warehouses of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has run out. Taking advantage of this circumstance, some unscrupulous individuals have started selling fertilisers to farmers, and unregistered traders are selling fertiliser to farmers at incredibly inflated prices. Rafiqul Islam, 60, from Durgapur village in Aditmari upazila, told The Daily Star that he is disappointed as he has not been able to get MOP, DOP, TSP and Urea fertilisers from the registered fertiliser dealers. He had prepared his land for cultivating maize and tobacco, but the fertiliser shortage has halted his plans and left him distressed. Haider Ali, 66, a farmer from Parulia village in Hatibandha upazila, said that the fertiliser crisis at the beginning of the Rabi season is an incredibly serious concern for farmers. Now, some well-off farmers and unscrupulous traders have stockpiled fertiliser and have created an artificial crisis. Traders said the government fixed the rate for each sack (50kgs) of DAP fertiliser at Tk 1,050, TSP at Tk 1,350, MOP at Tk 1,000 and Urea at Tk 1,350. However, some unscrupulous sellers are secretly selling fertiliser at Tk 200-300 higher per sack than the government rate. Fertiliser dealers told The Daily Star that they did not get any allocation of urea fertiliser in October and November. Due to this, there is no stock of urea fertiliser in their warehouses. However, they got the allocation of MOP, TSP and DAP from BADC. Due to the huge demand for MOP, TSP and DAP at the beginning of the Rabi season, the government-allocated fertilisers ran out in the first week of November. Farhad Alam Suman, a BADC fertiliser dealer at Burirbazar in Aditmari, said he sold almost all his stock of fertiliser in the first week of November. If he gets further allocation in December, he will be able to sell again. Jewel Islam, sales officer of the BADC fertiliser warehouse in Lalmonirhat, said there is currently no fertiliser stock in the warehouse. Due to transportation issues, the supply of fertiliser in the warehouse is being disrupted. This problem will be resolved within the next week. The supply of fertiliser to the warehouse will be ensured in the first week of December. Dr Saykhul Arifin, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Lalmonirhat, said the government does not allocate BCIC urea fertiliser in October and November. However, the allocation of BADC's MOP, DAP and TSP was as per the demand. An artificial crisis of fertiliser has arisen in the local market due to some wealthy farmers and unscrupulous fertiliser sellers hoarding stocks. He said they are now secretly selling fertiliser at higher prices. A drive is being launched against them. This problem will be minimised if fertiliser allocation is available in December.
North Scott schools will launch a new strategic planning process come January, aiming to map out the next three to five years of district improvements; student success initiatives and boost community engagement. District officials expect to have a new strategic plan ready for implementation by the start of next school year, developed with input from North Scott students, staff, parents and community members. Superintendent Joe Stutting presents projects within North Scott Vision 2025 to community members on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. To engage these parties, the district plans to host a series of focus groups and use a community-wide survey. The district partnered with TeamWorks Education Leadership Solutions to design an "inclusive, data-driven process focused on achieving meaningful outcomes for all students," according to a North Scott news release. "We are committed to ensuring this process reflects the needs and values of our entire community," Superintendent Joe Stutting said in the release. "Together, we can create a vision and plan to strengthen our district and prepare our students for success in an ever-changing world." As previously reported, North Scott embarked on its " Vision 2025 " strategic facilities plan in the fall of 2022, with projects on-track to be complete by this spring . Updates will be provided on the district's website www.north-scott.k12.ia.us and social media pages. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott vs Souix City Bishop Heelan in the Iowa Girls 4A State Semifinal match on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. North Scott's volleyball squad embraces after loosing to Sioux City Heelan in their state semifinal match on Wednesday in Coralville. North Scott's volleyball squad embraces after loosing to Sioux City Heelan in their state semifinal match on Wednesday in Coralville. North Scott's Abbey Hayes records a kill past the defense of Sioux City Heelan's Melina Snoozy and Addison Kleis during their 4A state semifinal volleyball match Wednesday. McKenzie Moeller of North Scott hits a kill past Melina Snoozy of Sioux City Heelan on Wednesday during their Class 4A state semifinal match in Coralville. North Scott's Emee Allard blocks the attack of Maliyah Hacker of Sioux City Heelan, as teammates Addison Allen (8) and Paige Coon (11) look on, during their 4A state semifinal match on Wednesday in Coralville. North Scott's Emee Allard hits a kill during Wednesday's 4A semifinal match against Sioux City Heelan on Wednesday. North Scott's Emee Allard blocks Abby Lee of Sioux City Heelan, as Paige Coon (11) and Ainsley Haedt (2) defend, during their 4A state semifinal match Wednesday. McKenzie Moeller of North Scott hits a kill past Melina Snoozy of Sioux City Heelan on Wednesday during their Class 4A state semifinal match in Coralville. North Scott's Abbey Hayes records a kill past the defense of Sioux City Heelan's Melina Snoozy and Addison Kleis during their 4A state semifinal volleyball match Wednesday. North Scott's Emee Allard blocks the attack of Maliyah Hacker of Sioux City Heelan, as teammates Addison Allen (8) and Paige Coon (11) look on, during their 4A state semifinal match on Wednesday in Coralville. North Scott's Emee Allard hits a kill during Wednesday's 4A semifinal match against Sioux City Heelan on Wednesday. North Scott's Emee Allard blocks Abby Lee of Sioux City Heelan, as Paige Coon (11) and Ainsley Haedt (2) defend, during their 4A state semifinal match Wednesday. North Scott's Abbey Hayes powers a kill past two Glenwood defenders during their Class 4A state quarterfinal match on Monday against Glenwood. The Lancers won the match, 3-0. North Scott's Abbey Hayes tips the ball over Glenwood's Charley Hernandez (7) and Lisa Kemling during their Class 4A state quarterfinal match on Monday night in Coralville. North Scott's Emee Allard tips the ball over two Glenwood defenders. Lainey Wall of North Scott tips the ball over Glenwood's block during Monday's Class 4A state tournament quarterfinal match against Glenwood in Coralville. North Scott's Lainey Wall, left, goes low to receive a serve in front of McKenzie Moeller during Monday's Class 4A state tournament quarterfinal win over Glenwood in Coralville. North Scott Lancers celebrate a point Class 4A state tournament quarterfinal match against Glenwood on Monday night in Coralville. North Scott reserves rush the court after defeating Glenwood in their Class 4A state tournament quarterfinal match on Monday night in Coralville. Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. 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Nordstrom has dropped a huge Cyber Monday sale with massive discounts up to 60% off top brands like Adidas Samba OG and Adidas Gazelle sneakers. The rare price drops on these top Adidas sneaker styles for men and women are reduced as low as $60. This includes a $40 discount on select colorways of the Samba OG which has become one of Adidas’ most-popular sneaker styles. The Samba, which rose to fame in the 70s, has seen a recent resurgence alongside its sister designs — the Gazelle and Spezial . Both the Gazelle and Spezial are on sale in select colors, with reduced prices starting at just $60. We found this women’s Adidas Gazelle Sneaker in Sand/White/Silver Green for $60 and this unisex Spezial Sneaker for just $66 in Black/Yellow/Grey Six with more color options discounted. Plus, you can snag a $46 off deal on the Campus 00s Sneakers for men, as well as top-performing running shoes, basketball sneakers, training shoes, everyday wear styles and more Adidas styles. Adidas kid’s shoes are also on sale. But these Nordstrom Cyber Monday deals are so good they’re selling out fast with popular Adidas sizes and styles disappearing quickly. However, Nordstrom is continuing to drop new markdowns to the sale, but it is unclear how long these discounts will last so you’ll want to grab your favorites while you can. Plus, Nordstrom offers free shipping on the sneakers so you’ll save even more on your holiday purchase. Here’s a look at some of the best Adidas sneaker deals you can snag from Nordstrom’s Cyber Monday sale . Adidas Samba OG Sneaker (All Gender) for $60, instead of $100 (select colors, including White/Gray and White/Off White/Black) Adidas Gazelle Sneaker (All Gender) for $78, instead of $120 (select colors, including Orange/Clear Mint/Gum4) Adidas Handball Spezial Sneaker (All Gender) for $66, instead of $110 (select colors, including Scarlet/Cloud/Green, Night Red/Blue/Shadow Red and Black/ Yellow/ Grey Six) Adidas Gazelle Sneaker (Women) for $72, instead of $120 (select colors, including White/Green/Black and Green Spark/Almost Yellow) Adidas Gazelle Sneaker (Women) for $60, instead of $120 (select colors, including Almost Yellow/ Oat/ Maroon and Sand/ White/ Silver Green) Adidas Gazelle Sneaker (Men) for $60, instead of $120 (select colors, including Black, Solid Grey and Green/Preloved Red/Gum) Adidas Campus 00s Sneaker (Men) for $66, instead of $110 (select colors, including Wonder Clay/ Grey/ Black) Shop for more sneaker markdowns during Nordstrom’s Cyber Monday sale here. The Best Cyber Monday & Leftover Black Friday Deals Kate Spade’s Cyber Monday sale has the best handbags up to 50% off — and almost everything else is discounted too Kohl’s has a Food Network 10-piece ceramic cookware set for just $37 in a delicious Cyber Monday deal Amazon has AncestryDNA kits on sale for their best price ever ahead of the holidays Amazon has this Masterbilt digital smoker back in stock and on sale for a whopping $80 off in a huge Cyber Monday deal HOKA sneakers are now marked even cheaper in a huge holiday sale — but these low-price deals won’t last Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Dawn Magyar can be reached at dmagyar@njadvancemedia.com . Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/ .(BPT) - The holidays are almost here! It means parties and events, hustle and bustle ... and figuring out what to buy for everyone on your list. Sometimes it's hard to get inspired with great ideas that your nears and dears will love at a price you can afford, right? The good news? Inspiration + savings are covered this year. One of the top gifts of Holiday 2024 is technology, and there are a lot of deals out there right now. Done and done! Here are 5 ideas for hot tech gifts for everyone on your list. Smartphones for the family T-Mobile is running a hot deal right now. Get four new smartphones at T-Mobile — this includes Samsung Galaxy S24 and other eligible devices — and four lines for just $100/month . It doesn't get better than that! These new Galaxy phones are tech-tastic, too, with features like AI, Circle to Search with Google, which can be used to help solve math problems and translate entire pages of text in a different language, and Note Assist with Galaxy AI, which lets you focus on capturing your notes and then Note Assist will summarize, format and even translate them for you. High tech spiral notebook for students We've got to admit, this is pretty cool. The Rocketbook looks (a bit) like a regular spiral, paper notebook. Here's the high tech twist: You can take notes, capture ideas, brainstorm, draw — whatever you do on paper — on the pad, and the Rocketbook digitizes your doodles and saves to the cloud device of your choice. Then you simply wipe the pad clean and it's good to go. Look for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales at your favorite online retailer. Wrist-worthy smartwatches for athletes (or those who want to be) Everyone loves smartwatches (if you're not already tracking your sleep and heart rate, where have you been?) and the Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm & 45mm) takes it to the next level with features for athletes or anyone who may be setting fitness goals for the coming year. The watch has workout prompts like Real Time Guidance — audio and haptic cues for when to sprint, cool down or maintain pace. It gives you the ability to program your workouts and even monitors your cadence and stride. It also has Offline Maps, with driving navigation, search and maps. Here's the deal of the century: Get it for free at T-Mobile when adding a qualifying watch line. Cute wireless keyboard for people who are all thumbs Who else is annoyed by typing email or texts or social posts on a smartphone? The Logitech Multi-Device Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard solves that problem with style! It comes in sweet colors like lavender, it's wireless, it's small and portable, and it works with just about any device. Pop it into your backpack or purse and you'll never have to thumb-out a message again. Speakers perfect for hosting and giving Have a music lover in your life or need the perfect hosting gift? T-Mobile has you covered. For a limited time, you can get the JBL Clip 5 for free when you pick up a Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 . The JBL Clip 5 is an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker perfect for those on the go and the Onyx Studio 9's sleek design and booming sound will take care of all your holiday hosting needs. For more tech-tastic holiday gift inspiration, check out T-Mobile's holiday gift guide at t-mobile.com/devices/tech-gifts .
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NoneExtended price rises by fuel retailers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane must be urgently investigated, the National Roads and Motorists’ Association has declared, after its new finding that the three biggest petrol markets are more expensive than the smaller cities of Darwin, Perth and Adelaide. The NRMA is demanding the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission review the fuel-price cycles that trap motorists in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, pointing to their analysis that shows an average family spends at least $250 a year more on fuel in those cities compared with Perth. Motorists in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are being stung as a result of fuel-price cycles. Credit: afr That’s because Perth has a one-week price cycle among its fuel retailers, while service stations in the nation’s biggest capital cities consistently cycle their prices over a six-week period, which is too long for motorists to wait out high price periods before they fill their tanks. “There is no justifiable reason for our biggest cities to be among the most expensive – it just doesn’t pass the pub test,” said NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury. Prices take about two weeks to shift from the lowest point to the peak, but they remain elevated for weeks – taking about a month to cycle back to the budget end of the scale. In Perth, the same cycle only takes seven days. NRMA analysis found the price of unleaded petrol in Sydney was 9.7 cents more per litre compared with Perth in 2024, and 8.9 cents more in Melbourne. In Brisbane, a litre costs 13.6 cents more this year than in Perth, while the most expensive fuel was in the nation’s capital, Canberra, at 14.9 cents more than Perth. For an average family that fills one 55-litre tank with unleaded petrol once a week, the annual fuel bill is $277 more in Sydney compared with Perth, and $255 more in Melbourne. Khoury said petrol is the single largest weekly expense for most households, and NRMA is eyeing the upcoming federal election, due by May, to focus get political leaders to focus on addressing the issue. “It’s growing worse over time, and our expectation is there will be a heightened awareness of it in 2025 because it’s an election year,” Khoury said. “Cost of living is going to play one of the biggest parts in determining the outcome of the election, and we know that fuel has been a major factor which has put upward pressure on inflation. “The status quo isn’t working for Australians any more and the only avenue to do something about it is through the ACCC.” Australia’s major markets have only recently flipped from being among the nation’s cheapest to the most expensive. “Sydney in 2019 was the second-cheapest city in Australia, in 2020 it was the third-cheapest city in Australia. In 2018, Melbourne was the third-cheapest city in Australia. So they’ve gone from being in the top three-cheapest to being in the top three most-expensive,” Khoury said. A spokesperson for the ACCC said the NRMA’s call for an investigation was a matter for the government to consider. A spokesperson for Treasurer Jim Chalmers, whose portfolio includes the ACCC, said it monitored petrol prices to ensure fair pricing. “We don’t want to see service stations take Australian motorists for mugs,” the spokesperson said. “Petrol prices decreased in the last quarter in the five major Australian cities, taking pressure off consumers who are doing it tough.” Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg welcomed the prospect of an ACCC inquiry, which he acknowledged must be triggered by the federal government. “The appropriate mechanism to consider those measures and the effects of those measures would be an ACCC inquiry, noting that the federal government is responsible for price regulation,” Mickelberg said on Monday. The ACCC monitors fuel prices and its latest quarterly report found that “price cycles only occur at the retail level and are not driven by movements in wholesale prices or underlying costs”. “While petrol price cycles can be frustrating for motorists, and the longer cycles in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane make it more difficult for motorists to time their purchases in these cities, there are opportunities to save throughout the cycle. There is often a range of petrol prices available throughout any given price cycle,” an ACCC spokesperson said. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter .Clintons urge voters agitated by today's politics to remain involved in public serviceM3 Group Joins MEDIROM Mother Labs' Series A Financing Round at JPY9 Billion (as of December 1, 2024, approximately USD $59,000,000) Pre-Money Valuation
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday offered a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat. Hegseth, a former Fox News Host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump’s Pentagon. “Pete Hegseth is doing very well,” Trump posted on his social media site. “He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” The pitched nomination battle over Hegseth is emerging as not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hardline push for a more masculine military and an end to the “woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Trump’s allies are forcefully rallying around the embattled Hegseth – the Heritage Foundation’s political arm is promising to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination – as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. “We’re going to earn those votes,” Hegseth said on Capitol Hill this week. “As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I’m going to be standing right here.” The effort quickly become a test of Trump’s clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices have stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former congressman Matt Gaetz , his first choice for attorney general; and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump’s first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. The president's son Donald J. Trump Jr., also made a show of support for Hegseth on Friday, part of a full-court MAGA press. “If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin, but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!” he wrote on X. referring to Biden's defense secretary. Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops have also come under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women “straight up” should not serve in combat . He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth had received from Sen. Joni Ernst , herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. “Huge. Thanks to Katie for her leadership,” Vice President-elect JD Vance posted on social media. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after her meeting with Hegseth this week. She said she appreciates his military service and they “had a frank and thorough conversation.” On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he had lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team have been pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as “vicious lies” against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team has been looking at potential replacements if Hegseth's nomination cannot move forward, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis . DeSantis plans to attend the Army-Navy football game with Trump on Dec. 14, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor’s plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss them before a public announcement. And DeSantis and Trump had spoken about the defense secretary post when they saw each other Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Florida, according people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. At the same time, DeSantis also is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump’s orbit. Despite a weeklong push of private Capitol Hill meetings, Hegseth is facing resistance from senators as reports have emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. The New Yorker cited what it described as a whistleblower report and other documents about his time leading a veterans advocacy group, Concerned Veterans for America, that alleged multiple incidents of alcohol intoxication at work events, inappropriate behavior around female staffers and financial mismanagement. The New York Times obtained an email from his mother Penelope from 2018, in which she confronted him about mistreating women after he impregnated his current wife while he was married to his second wife. She went on “Fox & Friends” this week to defend her son. Trump ally Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said senators are judging “Pete for who he is today.” In many ways the increasingly pitched battle resembles the political and culture wars that exploded over Trump’s pick of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court during his first term at the White House. Kavanaugh had also faced allegations of sexual assault that he strenuously denied, but Republicans rallied to his side and turned a tide of opposition into a more sympathetic view of the Supreme Court nominee as the victim of a liberal-led smear campaign. He eventually won confirmation. While Hegseth was still fighting for votes in the Senate, he did appear to make incremental progress with some Republicans who had expressed concerns about the reports of his drinking, in particular. “I’m not going to make any decision regarding Pete Hegseth’s nomination based on anonymous sources,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer said of the allegations against Hegseth, “I have no reason to doubt him any more than believe somebody else.” Still, Cramer indicated he could still change his mind. A background check “will be informative.” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said after meeting with Hegseth that he wanted to see how he does in a hearing but “he went a long way” toward getting his support. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York, Adriana Gomez Licon in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.
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A range of independent TDs are contemplating the prospect of entering Ireland’s next coalition government as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael consider ways to secure a solid majority. Three long days of counting in the General Election finished late on Monday night when the final two seats were declared in the constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. Fianna Fail was the clear winner of the election, securing 48 of the Dail parliament’s 174 seats. Sinn Fein took 39 and Fine Gael 38. Labour and the Social Democrats both won 11 seats; People Before Profit-Solidarity took three; Aontu secured two; and the Green Party retained only one of its 12 seats. Independents and others accounted for 21 seats. The return of a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael-led coalition is now highly likely. However, their combined seat total of 86 leaves them just short of the 88 needed for a majority in the Dail. While the two centrist parties that have dominated Irish politics for a century could look to strike a deal with one of the Dail’s smaller centre-left parties, such as the Social Democrats or Labour, a more straightforward route to a majority could be achieved by securing the support of several independent TDs. For Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and current taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, wooing like-minded independents would be likely to involve fewer policy concessions, and financial commitments, than would be required to convince another party to join the government benches. Longford-Westmeath independent TD Kevin “Boxer” Moran, who served in a Fine Gael-led minority government between 2017 and 2020, expressed his willingness to listen to offers to join the new coalition in Dublin. “Look, my door’s open,” he told RTE. “Someone knocks, I’m always there to open it.” Marian Harkin, an independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim, expressed her desire to participate in government as she noted that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were within “shouting distance” of an overall majority. “That means they will be looking for support, and I certainly will be one of those people who will be speaking to them and talking to them and negotiating with them, and I’m looking forward to doing that, because that was the reason that I ran in the first place,” she said. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party both appear cautious about the prospect of an alliance with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. They will no doubt be mindful of the experience of the Green Party, the junior partner in the last mandate. The Greens experienced near wipeout in the election, retaining only one of their 12 seats. Sinn Fein appears to currently have no realistic route to government, given Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s ongoing refusal to share power with the party. Despite the odds being stacked against her party, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald contacted the leaders of the Social Democrats and Labour on Monday to discuss options. Earlier, Fianna Fail deputy leader and outgoing Finance Minister Jack Chambers predicted that a new coalition government would not be in place before Christmas. Mr Chambers said planned talks about forming an administration required “time and space” to ensure that any new government will be “coherent and stable”. After an inconclusive outcome to the 2020 election, it took five months for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens to strike the last coalition deal. Mr Chambers said he did not believe it would take that long this time, as he noted the Covid-19 pandemic was a factor in 2020, but he also made clear it would not be a swift process. He said he agreed with analysis that there was no prospect of a deal before Christmas. “I don’t expect a government to be formed in mid-December, when the Dail is due to meet on December 18, probably a Ceann Comhairle (speaker) can be elected, and there’ll have to be time and space taken to make sure we can form a coherent, stable government,” he told RTE. “I don’t think it should take five months like it did the last time – Covid obviously complicated that. But I think all political parties need to take the time to see what’s possible and try and form a stable government for the Irish people.” Fine Gael minister of state Peter Burke said members of his parliamentary party would have to meet to consider their options before giving Mr Harris a mandate to negotiate a new programme for government with Fianna Fail. “It’s important that we have a strong, stable, viable government, whatever form that may be, to ensure that we can meet the challenges of our society, meet the challenges in terms of the economic changes that are potentially going to happen,” he told RTE. Despite being set to emerge with the most seats, it has not been all good news for Fianna Fail. The party’s outgoing Health Minister Stephen Donnelly became one of the biggest casualties of the election when he lost his seat in Wicklow in the early hours of Monday morning. Mr Donnelly was always predicted to face a fight in the constituency after boundary changes saw it reduced from five to four seats. If it is to be a reprise of the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael governing partnership of the last mandate, one of the major questions is around the position of taoiseach and whether the parties will once again take turns to hold the Irish premiership during the lifetime of the new government. The outcome in 2020 saw the parties enter a coalition on the basis that the holder of the premier position would be exchanged midway through the term. Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin took the role for the first half of the mandate, with Leo Varadkar taking over in December 2022. Current Fine Gael leader Mr Harris succeeded Mr Varadkar as taoiseach when he resigned from the role earlier this year. However, this time Fianna Fail has significantly increased its seat lead over Fine Gael, compared with the last election when there were only three seats between the parties. The size of the disparity in party numbers is likely to draw focus on the rotating taoiseach arrangement, raising questions as to whether it will be re-run in the next coalition and, if it is, on what terms. On Sunday, Simon Coveney, a former deputy leader of Fine Gael, said a coalition that did not repeat the rotating taoiseach arrangement in some fashion would be a “difficult proposition” for his party. Meanwhile, Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe said he would be making the case for Mr Harris to have another opportunity to serve as taoiseach. On Monday, Mr Chambers said while his party would expect to lead the government it would approach the issue of rotating the taoiseach’s role on the basis of “mutual respect” with Fine Gael. “I think the context of discussions and negotiations will be driven by mutual respect, and that’s the glue that will drive a programme for government and that’s the context in which we’ll engage,” he said. On Monday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik reiterated her party’s determination to forge an alliance with fellow centre-left parties with the intention of having a unified approach to the prospect of entering government. Asked if Labour was prepared to go into government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on its own, she told RTE: “No, not at this stage. We are absolutely not willing to do that. “We want to ensure there’s the largest number of TDs who share our vision and our values who want to deliver change on the same basis that we do.” The Social Democrats have been non-committal about any potential arrangement with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and have restated a series of red lines they would need to achieve before considering taking a place in government. Leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a daughter on polling day on Friday, said in a statement: “The party is in a very strong position to play an important role in the next Dail. In what position, government or opposition, remains to be seen.” Fianna Fail secured the most first preference votes in Friday’s proportional representation election, taking 21.9% to Fine Gael’s 20.8%. Sinn Fein came in third on 19%. While Sinn Fein’s vote share represented a marked improvement on its disappointing showing in June’s local elections in Ireland, it is still significantly down on the 24.5% poll-topping share it secured in the 2020 general election. The final breakdown of first preferences also flipped the result of Friday night’s exit poll, which suggested Sinn Fein was in front on 21.1%, with Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fail on 19.5%.
Trump returns to world stage in Paris with Ukraine war on agendaSuncorp's 'digital insurer' policy transformation program will empower it to deliver improved customer and employee outcomes SYDNEY, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duck Creek Technologies, the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, has announced a new partnership with Suncorp, one of Australia's and New Zealand's largest general insurers. Duck Creek will deliver cloud-native, low-code core insurance delivery solutions as part of Suncorp's recently announced 'digital insurer' policy transformation program. Duck Creek's SaaS solutions will replace multiple on-premises legacy systems and help Suncorp achieve its customer-outcome and value focused strategies. The multi-year agreement for Duck Creek policy, billing and Clarity (data, insights and AI) solutions is an important milestone, and will underpin the next era of technology modernisation and process simplification for Suncorp. Duck Creek's cohesive and comprehensive suite is expected to reduce Suncorp's technological complexity, support their ability to deliver enhanced customer value and personalisation, and improve operational efficiency. Suncorp aims to develop more customer-centric, data-driven and brand-specific propositions and experiences without the associated complexity; and deliver value to market faster and more efficiently across its personal and commercial brands in Australia and New Zealand. "Modernising our core insurance platforms will help us deliver innovative and affordable customer propositions, simplify and streamline our operations, and importantly enable our people,” said Lisa Harrison, Chief Executive Consumer Insurance at Suncorp. "Through a rigorous RFP process, we selected Duck Creek as it has a proven track record both globally and locally.” "This is a multi-year program designed to roll out new capabilities in a safe, smart and efficient way. We have assigned dedicated business and technical leadership to work alongside Duck Creek and our integration partner, with strong governance structures and oversight. "We look forward to a successful ongoing partnership with Duck Creek to help deliver this important program,” Ms. Harrison said. "Suncorp is pushing the boundaries of insurance innovation. They appreciate that they're not in the business of just insuring assets, but of delivering confidence and better experiences and outcomes for their policyholders,” said Christian Erickson, Managing Director (APAC) of Duck Creek Technologies. "Duck Creek's vision, to transform insurance technology, helping insurers be smarter, faster and more efficient, and provide the best protection for people and businesses, is aligned with Suncorp's, as a future-focused and protection-driven insurer. This makes us ideal partners and we're honored to be a part of helping deliver Suncorp's strategy. We believe Suncorp will push us to think and innovate differently and we are excited for the outcomes we will achieve together.” The unique modular architecture of Duck Creek's OnDemand platform will help accelerate Suncorp's innovation timelines, reducing new product time-to-market from months to weeks and product amendments from weeks to days. The OnDemand platform will also help Suncorp increase automation, eliminate manual processes and enhance data-driven decision making. "Our policyholder-centric solutions are designed to equip Suncorp to overcome any technological obstacles and refocus resources toward delivering new innovative customer propositions and experiences," Mr. Erickson said. About Duck Creek Technologies Duck Creek Technologies is the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market-leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite , and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand . Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information - LinkedIn and X . About Suncorp Group Suncorp Group is an ASX-listed Trans-Tasman insurance company, headquartered in Brisbane, Australia. With a heritage dating back more than 100 years, Suncorp provides insurance products and services through some of Australia and New Zealand's most recognisable brands. Media Contacts: Duck Creek Chris Hamilton [email protected] Suncorp James Spence [email protected]