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Ombudsman to investigate delay in sending social assistance cheques amid post strike The potential for a Canada Post strike was widely reported before it happened, and ombudsperson Jay Chalke says the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction needed to have a plan for distributing the cheques without mail service. Canadian Press Dec 6, 2024 2:30 PM Dec 6, 2024 2:39 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Ombudsperson Jay Chalke releases a report during a press conference in Victoria on April 6, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito Listen to this article 00:01:46 Thousands of social assistance cheques have not been distributed in British Columbia because of the Canada Post strike, prompting an investigation by provincial ombudsperson Jay Chalke. Chalke's office began investigating when he was told by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction that many income and disability assistance cheques weren't delivered. Chalke says in a statement that he's concerned that many of B.C.'s most vulnerable people will be left without funds for food and shelter, especially during the upcoming holiday season. He says that despite the ministry's efforts to encourage direct deposit, thousands of hard-copy cheques are mailed every month, and the ministry says 40 per cent of those payments weren't sent last month. The potential for a Canada Post strike was widely reported before it happened, and Chalke says the ministry needed to have a plan for distributing the cheques without mail service. Chalke says his investigation will assess the adequacy of that plan. The statement says the investigation will also look into the ministry’s contingency planning before the strike was announced, as well as steps taken during the strike to distribute hard copy cheques to the 15 per cent of income and disability assistance recipients who don't get direct deposit. “The next social assistance payment date is Dec. 18. The end of December is when many ministry employees intend to be on vacation, which could present operational challenges,” Chalke says. "I am calling on the government to demonstrate it has a plan in place to achieve better and faster results for December’s cheques in the event the strike continues.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More Local News Revise safety plan or risk dismissal, Greater Victoria School Board told Dec 6, 2024 11:15 AM Oak Bay High briefly under 'hold and secure,' matter resolved Dec 6, 2024 11:05 AM Heavy rainfall warning issued for Island's west coast Dec 6, 2024 10:00 AM Featured FlyerFormer Red Sox exec weighs in on controversial Aroldis Chapman signing: ‘I guess enough time has passed’Driving a feed truck on a farm means steering a 60,000-pound vehicle inches away from a concrete feed trough that would wreck the truck. While augers are shoveling food out of the truck to the hungry cattle below, drivers have to drive perfectly straight. "It's just one of the most demanding jobs in one of the worst environments out there," said Jason Hansen, the CEO of ALA Engineering. "And so food truck drivers, specifically, do not stick around very long." ALA Engineering, a startup based in Scottsbluff that also has an office at Nebraska Innovation Campus, hopes to change the livestock industry with driverless technology. The company showed off its concept for a driverless feed truck at the Nebraska Ag Expo in Lincoln earlier this month. Hansen said the truck could help farmers deal with labor shortages and food costs. The ALA Navigator is still being developed, but the company brought its technology attached to a normal feed truck to the Ag Expo. Once the truck is on the market, it would drive a predetermined route with lane limits. The truck will also have sensors in order to see any obstacles on the road ahead while it is dumping feed. Hansen, who studied software engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the predetermined routes that will be used by the truck means that autonomous vehicles in agricultural settings are safer than a driverless car in city traffic. "When larger robotaxi companies and stuff make big public mistakes, it shines negatively on the autonomy industry as a whole," Hansen said. "And it's worth knowing that agricultural and industrial and off-highway autonomy is a lot different than kind of urban autonomy, especially when it comes to safety." Although the company's trucks may be less likely to crash, there are still big stakes. "If you plant a week late it's a big deal," Hansen said. "If you don't feed cattle for a week, it's the end of the world." The engineering company is building multiple different sensors into the truck so that it can operate day after day in whatever weather conditions a state like Nebraska might throw at it. The backup sensors even have backups. Asher Khor, the senior embedded engineer for the company and a UNL graduate, said the truck can be accurate within less than an inch. "If you're a few inches off, you will hit the bunk," Khor said. "They're major vehicles and so we need really, really precise accuracy of the vehicle." The truck is meant to solve problems like inaccuracies in food distribution and crashes. Hansen also said the agriculture industry as a whole has experienced labor shortages. The average farmer was unable to hire 21% of the workforce they would have hired under normal circumstances, according to a 2022 National Council of Agricultural Employers survey. The vehicle is set to go into production in 2026, Hansen said. Before then, the company will work on commercial pilot programs and complying with different regulations. The truck will be ALA Engineering's first product. Hansen said the company had built a driver-assistance program but decided to keep engineers working in research and development, building toward the end goal of an autonomous vehicle. The startup's goal isn't to replace all of a farmer's trucks or employees, Hansen said. He said good employees are often more useful elsewhere in a stockyard. "As your oldest truck ages out of your fleet, bring in one of ours," Hansen said. "As you lose an employee, or you have an unfilled position, bring in one of our trucks." Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Obama still doesn’t get why Trump won. That’s the problem.World News Live Today December 8, 2024: Notre Dame re-opens five years after fire
NYC's mayor warms to Trump and doesn't rule out becoming a RepublicanPolice arrest 11 year old boy for throwing rocks at elderly man in Browns Bay
Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson is tapping a Biden Administration official to lead the state’s Department of Ecology and to keep Washington at the forefront of the nation’s fight against the damaging effects of climate change. Ferguson named Casey Sixkiller, regional administrator of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, to guide the department responsible for carrying out the state’s ambitious climate policies enacted under outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee. “Casey has the ability to craft practical solutions to complex problems, which will be critical to getting big things done and moving our state forward,” Ferguson said in a statement. Also this week, Ferguson named Tim Lang, a senior assistant attorney general, as the next secretary of the Department of Corrections. Lang is the department’s chief legal counsel and a member of the agency’s executive strategy team. Lang, who has been with Ferguson throughout his tenure as attorney general, will succeed Secretary of Corrections Cheryl Strange. “His extensive background in legal matters concerning corrections, coupled with his understanding of the challenges facing our state’s facilities, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Department of Corrections,” Ferguson said in a statement. With the two appointments, Ferguson has now chosen six department heads ahead of his inauguration on Jan. 15. President Joe Biden appointed Sixkiller in 2022 as the EPA administrator for Region 10, which covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and 271 tribal nations. He will succeed Laura Watson who will be chief deputy attorney general for the next attorney general, Nick Brown. Prior to the federal appointment, Sixkiller served as deputy mayor of Seattle and chief operating officer of King County. He is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Inslee praised the selection of Sixkiller. “I’ve known Casey for a long time. I have a huge respect for him personally. He’s done a great job for EPA and I’m happy he’s going to be able to carry on the great work at Ecology,” he said Wednesday. Sixkiller is the first person Ferguson has named to lead a department who is not currently working for the state. Ferguson has said he will re-appoint Marcus Glasper as director of the Department of Licensing and David Puente Jr. as director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. Both men were named to their positions in 2023 by Inslee. Strange is delaying a planned retirement to serve as acting secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services in the next administration. She ran the agency from 2017 to 2021. Ferguson previously named K.D. Chapman-See as his director of the Office of Financial Management. She will be the point person helping him construct state spending plans under the threat of a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall. Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com . Follow Washington State Standard on Facebook and X .
A year in wealth: The biggest billionaire winners and losers of 2024Georgia quarterback Carson Beck on Saturday announced his plans to enter the NFL draft, five days after having season-ending elbow surgery . Beck, a fifth-year senior, made his NFL plans official on social media. Beck suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 7 in Atlanta. Beck had surgery on Monday to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles. Beck is expected to begin throwing next spring. He could have returned for a sixth season but instead will enter the NFL draft. Beck posted on Instagram: “The past five years at the University of Georgia have been nothing short of a dream come true and I will forever cherish the memories that have been made.” Gunner Stockton, who took over for Beck in the second half against Texas, will start for Georgia on Wednesday in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Beck has started every game of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He was 24-3 as a starter. Beck passed for 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 2023 but had more difficulties with turnovers this season as he passed for 28 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards before his injury in the SEC championship game. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballTriumph Gold (CVE:TIG) Stock Price Up 35.3% – Here’s Why
NoneSpanish ResultsElon Musk was the sole funder of a super PAC formed less than a month before the election that focused on advertising intended to convince voters that Donald Trump ‘s stance on abortion was akin to that of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A group titled RBG PAC, formed in mid-October, received a single contribution of $20.5 million from an entity entitled “Elon Musk Revocable Trust” a week later, according to federal campaign finance reports filed this week. Because of the short timeline between the donation and Thursday’s reporting deadline, Musk’s affiliation with the group — which he did not talk about publicly — wasn’t revealed until the filings became public. In the closing weeks before the Nov. 5 election, the RBG PAC group ran a TV ad noting Trump’s statements that he would not, as president, sign a national abortion ban, with a narrator saying he “does support reasonable exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.” Ginsburg believed that the Constitution protected a woman’s right to an abortion, though she suggested in 2012 that the landmark Roe v. Wade decision “moved too far too fast,” potentially changing how the debate over abortion rights played out over the ensuing decades. Trump nominated three of the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe in 2022. That allowed many conservative-led states to ban or restrict access to abortion. According to a report filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission, the Musk entity spent nearly all of its money on digital ads, mailers and text messages. That group’s funding represents a small fraction of the more than $200 million Musk spent in the 2024 election cycle, most of it through his super PAC intended to elect Trump, a signal of the influence wealthy people are angling to wield in U.S. politics and Trump’s incoming administration. The world’s richest man, Musk poured millions into a get-out-the-vote effort to help the former president return to the White House. He is known politically for having transformed Twitter into X, a platform embraced by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” enthusiasts. Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, ran ads that warned if people sat out the election, “Kamala and the crazies will win.” The PAC launched a $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes that landed the group in court before a judge said it was allowed to continue. Thursday’s filing came as Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were on Capitol Hill for closed-door meetings with lawmakers to discuss Trump’s DOGE initiative to dismantle parts of the federal government. Trump tapped the two business titans to head his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a nongovernmental task force assigned to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and slash federal regulations — as part of his “Save America” agenda for a second term in the White House.
No. 25 UConn hoping Alex Karaban returns vs. Texas“S&P’s decision to downgrade CNG and SCG’s credit ratings today reflects the continued, hastening erosion of investor confidence in Connecticut’s utility companies,” Frank Reynolds, president and CEO of the two gas companies said Friday.
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Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ( OTCMKTS:PNGAY – Get Free Report ) was the target of a significant decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 63,000 shares, a decline of 21.8% from the November 30th total of 80,600 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 439,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Trading Down 1.5 % Shares of OTCMKTS PNGAY opened at $11.81 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $12.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $10.60. Ping An Insurance has a 52-week low of $7.60 and a 52-week high of $15.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $107.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.52 and a beta of 0.41. Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China ( OTCMKTS:PNGAY – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 21st. The company reported $0.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China had a return on equity of 9.32% and a net margin of 10.66%. The firm had revenue of $42.97 billion for the quarter. On average, analysts anticipate that Ping An Insurance will post 2.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analysts Set New Price Targets Read Our Latest Report on Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. provides financial products and services for insurance, banking, asset management, and technology businesses in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through Life and Health Insurance; Property and Casualty Insurance; Banking; Asset Management; and Technology segments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Scottsbluff-based startup aims to automate cattle feedingATLANTA — Mercedes-Benz Stadium is expected to be stuffed to the brim again when Georgia and Texas square off for the SEC Championship game Saturday. A record crowd of 78,320 squeezed in for last year’s game between the Bulldogs and Alabama and there may be close to that many this year. There are conflicting reports as to how excited the Longhorns’ fan base is to being in the game. Earlier this week, VividSeats.com reported a 157% spike of traffic on its website with an average sales price of $574. Likewise, the SEC reported a 127% increase in activity on its ticket site. But as is common in the ticket game, prices have decreased significantly later in the week. SeatGeek.com was advertising some seats in the upper-level corners for just under $100, not including taxes and fees. “I do anticipate a good amount of burnt orange there,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “How much? I don’t know. Tell me how much the ticket prices are and I can probably tell you how many Longhorns are going to be there. If the prices keep going up, that means we’re buying the tickets. Looking forward to seeing Longhorn Nation there and supporting us.” Of course, Georgia always expects to be well-represented at The Benz. This is the Bulldogs’ fourth consecutive appearance in the conference championship and seventh since 2017. While there are legitimate concerns about donor and event fatigue, between the game’s location in Atlanta and many Georgia fans and businesses owning seat licenses through the Falcons, the Bulldogs’ turnout for any event at the Benz tends to be strong. Attendance for the season opener there against Clemson on Aug. 31 was 78,827. Capacity for Arthur Blank’s building is listed as 75,000 for the SEC’s annual title game. Capacity for the NFL seating configuration is 71,000. Having the Longhorns in this year’s game is expected to be a boost for the SEC’s crown-jewel event. Texas and Oklahoma are each in their first year in the SEC after signing an agreement to leave the Big 12 in 2021. So, there was three years’ worth of anticipation built up within the Longhorns’ fan base. Here is everything else you need to know about Saturday’s matchup: Everything to know about the SEC Championship game What: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia When: Saturday, kickoff will be at 3:15 p.m. Where: Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium (cap. 75,000) Rankings & record: No. 2 Texas (11-1, 7-1); No. 5 Georgia (10-2, 6-2 SEC) TV/Radio: ABC/The Team 92.1-FM, Tyler-Longview Weather: It will be 55 degrees and sunny outside The Benz, but a comfortable, controlled 70 degrees inside. Temperatures outside will be in the 30s by the conclusion of the game. Series: Texas leads 4-2 Last meeting: The Bulldogs won 30-15 on Oct. 19, 2024, in their first visit to Austin since 1958. Georgia running back Trevor Etienne scored three touchdowns and the Bulldogs’ defense recorded seven sacks, a fumble recovery and an interception. Tickets: Available on secondary market from $120 to $2,000. Storylines for the SEC Championship game CFP implications Indications are both teams will qualify for the College Football Playoff regardless of Saturday’s outcome. The winner will earn a first-round bye. For the Bulldogs, that bye represents the greatest enticement. Because of the number of injuries they’ve incurred, they desperately need the time off. Another trophy on the wall of the team-meeting room would be nice, too. “I’m an SEC enthusiast that believes in an SEC title is a significant marker to your season, to the kind of season you had,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Also, it gets you a bye, and it gets you an opportunity to rest and recover while others play formidable opponents, tough opponents. It removes you from that. You’re playing for an opportunity to rest possibly.” The greatest unknown is what might happen to the No. 5 Bulldogs should they lose big. The fifth through eighth seeds will host a home game on campus the weekend of Dec. 20-21. So, a drop to Nos. 9-12 would mean the Bulldogs would travel for the first round. “I hope nobody ever gets punished because they don’t come out on top in this game, because (the SEC) is a real grind,” Sarkisian said. “To earn the opportunity to hoist that trophy is a great one. But, if anything I hope we get recognized for making it to this game and not get punished (for losing).” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was asked Thursday if the league will seek playoff protection from the selection committee in the future. “I would anticipate they’ll respect that high level of competition, and there wouldn’t be a lot of variance given the results,” Sankey said. Running back roulette Georgia running back Trevor Etienne’s availability is the most intriguing question for Saturday’s game. The 5-foot-9, 210-pound junior has missed the past three contests and half of the Ole Miss game with a rib injury. The Longhorns certainly are interested. Etienne led the Bulldogs with 83 yards and three touchdowns when the teams met Oct. 19. Smart said Thursday that Etienne has practiced some this week but hasn’t been promising. “He wasn’t really close to playing last week,” Smart said. “I don’t know how that’s going to play out.” Smart is known for his gamesmanship surrounding injuries. Etienne should be able at least to put on pads and give it a go. The Bulldogs have options. That starts with freshman Nate Frazier, who leads the team with 587 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Sophomore Roderick Robinson (toe) played 17 snaps in his first action of the season last week, Branson Robinson (knee) is listed as questionable after sitting out eight games with an MCL sprain and the always dependable walk-on Cash Jones (261 total yards, 4 TDs) remains at the ready. Regardless of who carries the load, the Bulldogs’ ground game needs to improve. They’ve averaged only 87.6 yards rushing against the past three Power 4 opponents and gained only 108 in the first meeting with Texas. Other injuries Georgia is relatively healthy otherwise. The most pivotal injury situation remaining is defensive lineman Christen Miller. The 6-4, 305-pound sophomore was having a banner season before suffering a subluxation of his right shoulder (popped out of socket) early in the Massachusetts game Nov. 23. In that game and the one against Georgia Tech on Nov. 29, the Bulldogs allowed 486 yards rushing, including 260 against the Yellow Jackets. Miller was listed as “questionable” on this week’s injury reports and possibly could play. The only injury of note for Texas is Kelvin Banks Jr. The starting left tackle injured an ankle seven plays into the game against Texas A&M on Nov. 30 and did not return. However, the Longhorns did not miss a beat with 6-7, 315-pound redshirt freshman Trevor Goosby playing the rest of the way. Beck the closer Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was a pitcher and a promising baseball prospect coming out of high school in Jacksonville, Florida. Had he stuck with that game, indications are he might’ve made a pretty good closer. While he has struggled at times this season, especially in the middle of the season, one thing that has been consistent about Beck is his ability to make plays at crunch time for the Bulldogs. In the second half of games this season, Beck is completing a higher percentage of passes (66 to 64.3) for more yards (1,774 to 1,655), more touchdowns (16 to 12) and fewer interceptions (5 to 7). As a result, his quarterback rating is considerably higher in second halves (164.86) compared with firsts (132.62). Similarly, Beck’s numbers get better from the third quarter (157.16 rating) to the fourth quarter (164.20). There are a multitude of factors that play into that, but the primary takeaway has to be focus and determination. In the eight-overtime win over Tech, Beck was 12-of-17 passing for 124 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Bulldogs’ fourth-quarter comeback, then 3-for-3 for 45 yards and two more scores in overtime. “That’s what I love to do,” Beck said of late-game drama. “When those moments come, you either do it or you don’t. As a team and as an offense, we’ve really excelled in those moments. You try not to get into those moments, but we have been in those moments this year, and we’ve been able to execute when we’ve had to.” Texas knows this as well as any team. When the Longhorns got within eight points late in the game in Austin, Beck led Georgia on an 11-play, 89-yard TD drive that put the game out of reach. Ball security The biggest difference in the way Georgia is playing now versus in the loss to Ole Miss in Oxford on Nov. 9 is the Bulldogs are taking better care of the football. Georgia had three turnovers in that 28-10 rainy-day defeat against the Rebels, and the Bulldogs put the ball on the ground two other times in that game but managed to retain possession. In the three games since, Georgia has only one turnover — a lost fumble against Tech — and is plus-3 in turnover margin. Perhaps most important of all, Beck has not thrown an interception or had a fumble during that stretch. In a six-game span ending with the Ole Miss game, he was responsible for 13 turnovers, including 12 interceptions. He has zero turnovers since. There are reasons for that. “There were just some situations where maybe I was trying to force the ball when it didn’t need to and maybe trying to make plays when they weren’t there,” Beck said this week. “I think that’s one thing that I’ve really improved on as we’ve gotten into this (latter) half of the season, not trying to do too much and just playing within myself and playing within the offense. “There’s three downs to get a first down for a reason. You don’t have to try to get it all in one play, and I think I’ve done a better job at that in this second half of the season.” Texas objectives The Longhorns’ strategic objectives for Saturday’s game seem clear, based on their last matchup against Georgia. In Austin on Oct. 19, Texas managed only 29 yards rushing on 27 carries, an average of 1.1 yards per attempt. Also, the Longhorns’ offensive line gave up seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries. In other words, it was a tough day for the offensive line, which nevertheless somehow has earned recognition as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, along with Oregon. The Texas ground game has shown significant improvement in the five games since playing Georgia. The Longhorns had 240 yards on 50 carries in the win over Texas A&M, including 186 on 33 carries by Quintrevion Wisner. That ran up their average to 176 yards per game since meeting the Bulldogs. They still have work to do when it comes to pass protection. Texas quarterbacks have been sacked 14 times for a loss of 65 yards in games against A&M, Kentucky, Arkansas, Florida and Vanderbilt. The Texas defense has been stout throughout. Georgia managed only 283 yards of offense — more than 140 below its average — in Austin. The Longhorns arrive leading the SEC in points allowed (11.7 pg), yards allowed (247.2), passing yards allowed (143.7) and third against the run (103.5). Arch sighting imminent The Bulldogs faced quarterback Arch Manning in the previous meeting, and the odds are good that they will see him again in the Benz — possibly a lot more of him. The Longhorns’ famous sophomore quarterback came off the bench in the 17-7 win over Texas A&M and scored a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 2. It was one of three rushes he had in the game for a total of 14 yards. Being a run-first alternative to starter Quinn Ewers have been Manning’s primary role all season. That is, when he wasn’t starting while Ewers was sidelined with an ankle injury. For the season, Manning has completed 67.8% of 90 passes for nine TDs and two interceptions while rushing for 95 yards and four TDs on 141 carries. Meanwhile, Georgia has struggled against running quarterbacks all season. For that reason, the Bulldogs fully expect to see Manning in action. “We’ve practiced knowing Arch can be in there,” Smart said. “Had to defend a lot of quarterback runs.” Georgia saw Manning on Oct. 19. Sarkisian shocked the home crowd when he brought in Manning to relieve a struggling Ewers as the Longhorns trailed Georgia 23-0 in the second quarter in Austin on Oct. 19. Though was able to rip off a 21-yard run, the rest of his time on the field was nightmarish for Manning. He was sacked twice, had minus-1 yard on four rushes and 19 yards on 3-of-6 passing. Sarkisian remains coy on the subject. “Sometimes you’ve got to keep a few things up your sleeve,” he said. He added that Manning “continues to prepare at a high level.” ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Tweet Facebook Mail Newly released pictures show then-Vice President Joe Biden meeting some of his son Hunter Biden's Chinese business partners during an official visit to the country, as well as Hunter meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials. This is the first time these images have been made public, even though the photo ops and meetings they depict have been known about for years. The National Archives and Records Administration released the images after a public records request from a pro-Trump right-wing legal group. READ MORE: Man charged with murder after body found in driveway in Sydney's west Newly released pictures show then-Vice President Joe Biden meeting some of his son Hunter Biden's Chinese business partners. (CNN) The photographs are from Joe Biden's visit to China in 2013. In one set of images, Hunter Biden is seen, along with his father, meeting and chatting with Xi. In another set of images, Joe Biden introduces his son to Li Yuanchao, who was China's vice president at the time. Another group of pictures shows Hunter Biden introducing his father to his Chinese business partners, some of whom were executives at the private equity firm BHR Partners. READ MORE: Police seek to identify two men after shooting murder of Queensland woman Joe Biden pardoned his son for the 12 tax and gun crimes he was convicted of earlier this year (AP) After handshakes and hugs, the Bidens posed for a group picture with a few of the Chinese businessmen. These images are notable because they further undercut Joe Biden's already-diminished unequivocal assertions that he never had any business-related contact with his son. In fact, the House Republicans' impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden uncovered at least two dozen interactions between him and his son's business partners from China and other countries. However, Hunter Biden and others involved have testified that — despite occasional phone calls, meet-and-greets and dinners with Joe Biden — business was never substantively discussed. Hunter Biden's former main US business partner later testified that Hunter was selling the "illusion" of access to his father, but "nothing of material was discussed" during these interactions. READ MORE: WA Police officer hospitalised after alleged assault by teens Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell criticised the Trump-aligned groups that fought to obtain and release the images, saying in a statement, "There is simply nothing new here." "The photos match perfectly to Hunter's congressional testimony description of who he saw at this public event during a 2013 trip to China," Lowell said, referring to Hunter Biden's closed-door deposition in February, during which he was grilled by Republicans for six hours. "These attacks trying to twist these images into something they are not is just more of the same old tired, misinformation spin from some Republicans who can't let go of their ridiculous conspiracy theories and baseless accusations," Lowell said in the statement. America First Legal, a pro-Trump group, filed the records request in 2022 and later sued the National Archives to obtain the records. The group is led by Stephen Miller, who served in President-elect Donald Trump's first White House and is set to return next year as deputy chief of staff for policy. Joe and Hunter Biden on the White House lawn. (Susan Walsh/AP) "These photos corroborate the House Oversight Committee's investigative findings that Hunter Biden arranged for his father to meet with Jonathan Li and other BHR executives during the 2013 China trip, where 'Mr Li sought — and received — access to Vice President Biden's political power,'" America First Legal said in a news release last week. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment about the newly released pictures. Hunter Biden's foreign business deals drew intense scrutiny from Hill Republicans and Justice Department investigators. Federal prosecutors charged him with tax crimes partly stemming from unpaid taxes from his overseas deals. He was never accused of corruption or illegal lobbying, despite GOP claims that he engaged in criminal influence-peddling. In a controversial post-election move, Joe Biden pardoned his son for the 12 tax and gun crimes he was convicted of earlier this year. The sweeping pardon also shielded Hunter Biden from future prosecution for any potential federal crimes he may have committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .