xbet casino
Police in Georgia on Saturday fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse pro-EU protesters rallying for a ninth consecutive day against the prime minister's decision to shelve talks on joining the bloc. The Caucasus nation has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared that it had won a disputed October 26 election. The party's critics have accused it of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia. Thousands of defiant pro-EU protesters in Georgia rallied Friday after the prime minister claimed victory in a "battle" against the opposition. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets since the election to protest against alleged electoral fraud. Fresh rallies took place across the country after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced last week that Georgia would not hold talks on European Union membership until 2028. Police have fired tear gas and water cannon against pro-EU protests in Tbilisi and hundreds of arrests have been made, triggering outrage at home and mounting international condemnation. France, Germany and Poland condemned what they called the government's "disproportionate" use of force against protesters and opposition leaders in a joint statement Friday. On Saturday, riot police moved in with water cannon to disperse the rally outside the parliament building, making arrests as the crowd retreated a few metres (yards), an AFP reporter witnessed. Tear gas was later deployed and groups of protesters reportedly spread across the city, blocking traffic along the capital's key thoroughfare. Georgia's rights ombudsman, Levan Ioseliani, said police "had no legal grounds for the dispersal of peaceful rally." He called on the interior ministry "to immediately halt the dispersal of the protest, cease the detention of participants, and refrain from using special measures, ensuring that protesters can continue their demonstration peacefully." Thousands blocked the street outside parliament on Friday, with some blowing whistles and others setting off firecrackers. "People will continue the protest," said one demonstrator, 23-year-old Giorgi, wearing a Georgian flag and a back scarf pulled over his nose. "They're patient, I will be here for the rest of my life if it is necessary to save my country." Separate protests were held outside Georgia's public broadcaster -- accused of being a government propaganda tool -- as well as the education ministry and the country's tourism administration offices. Thousands have also staged anti-government rallies in the second city of Batumi on the Black Sea coast. On Friday, a court in Tbilisi put a 19-year-old youth activist in pre-trial detention on charges of "organising, leading, and participating in group violence". Zviad Tsetskhladze told the judge "the rule of law has been crushed. "Our actions are a form of resistance, aimed at preserving the rule of law, defending democracy, and protecting the rights of every individual." The prime minister on Friday praised his security forces for "successfully neutralising the protesters' capacity for violence". "We have won an important battle against liberal fascism in our country," he told a news conference, using language reminiscent of how the Kremlin in Russia targets its political opponents. "But the fight is not over. Liberal fascism in Georgia must be defeated entirely," Kobakhidze said. With both sides ruling out a compromise, there appeared to be no clear route out of the crisis. The leader of the opposition Lelo party, Mamuka Khazaradze, said the government "has resorted to arresting young activists and political opponents out of fear of relentless public protests and growing civil disobedience by public servants." Masked officers have raided several opposition party offices and arrested opposition leaders earlier this week, while around 300 people have been detained at rallies. On Friday Nika Gvaramia, leader of the opposition Akhali party, was sentenced to 12 days in prison. Alexandre Elisashvili, leader of the Strong Georgia opposition group, was remanded in custody for two months of pretrial detention. More trouble is expected after December 14, when Georgian Dream lawmakers elect a loyalist to succeed pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili. She has vowed not to step down until the parliamentary polls are re-run. Local media has also reported protests across the country, including in the cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Rustavi and Telavi. Critics of Georgian Dream are enraged by what they call its betrayal of Tbilisi's bid for EU membership, enshrined in the constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Several ambassadors, a deputy foreign minister, and other officials have resigned over the suspension of EU talks. Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, has advanced controversial legislation in recent years, targeting civil society and independent media and curbing LGBTQ rights. Brussels warned such policies were incompatible with EU membership, while domestic critics accuse the government of copying Russia's playbook. Rights ombudsman Ioseliani has accused the police of "torture" against those arrested. ub-im/rscOn October 27th of 2020, the China Society of Automotive Engineers laid out a roadmap for how the country was going to achieve 50% of all cars sold in 2035 being fully electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen, with 95% of them of course being fully electric. Per projections from HSBC, UBS, Morningstar, and Wood Mackenzie, that’s actually going to happen in 2025, a full decade early, with of course hydrogen cars at perhaps 0.02%, approaching zero. Meanwhile, the nuclear capacity target for 2020 was 58 GW and the country is currently sitting at 56.9 GW per the World Nuclear Association . One of these things is not like the other, one of these things is not the same. As I gear up for my now annual comparison of the pace of renewables in China vs. the pace of nuclear, something I’ve been publishing on since 2014 and which was included in the best-selling business book How Big Things Get Done by authors Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Garder in 2023 because it was so resonant with their “What’s Your Lego?” chapter, news of the EV target being crushed caused me to do a check on its nuclear progress. This is par for the course for China’s real decarbonization efforts, as the country surpassed its 2020 renewable energy targets while not meeting its nuclear targets. The nation’s wind energy capacity reached 281 GW, far exceeding the target of 210 GW. Solar power saw even more dramatic growth, with installed capacity soaring to 253 GW, well above the 105 GW goal. Hydropower, a long-standing pillar of China’s renewable energy strategy, also surpassed expectations, achieving approximately 370 GW compared to the target of 350 GW. China’s 2025 targets include generating 33% of its electricity from renewables, ensuring renewables accounted for over half of its total installed power capacity, and achieving 3.3 trillion kWh of annual power generation from renewable sources. China is ahead of schedule here as well, with renewable energy installations already surpassing the 2025 target, comprising 53.8% of the nation’s total installed capacity as of mid-2024. Renewable electricity generation is also on track to meet the 33% target. As of November 2024, China has had wind power installations totaling 490 GW, marking a 19.2% increase year on year. Solar capacity surged to 820 GW, reflecting a 46.7% rise over the previous year. And hydropower remains a significant component of the energy mix at 426 GW. Meanwhile, China’s 2025 target of 70 GW of nuclear capacity is clearly not going to be achieved. As I wrote earlier this year, in “ China Still Hasn’t Learned Nuclear Scaling Lesson With New Approvals ,” the plan, which I don’t believe is credible, aims to add 5.1 GW of capacity in 2025, so the nuclear program will only be five years behind, not further. But that only brings the total over 60 GW, not to 70 GW. As I engage with people globally, China’s nuclear program frequently comes up, as it did in Michael Liebreich’s redux conversation with Amory Lovin, just republished in his Cleaning Up podcast and worth listening to. People keep pointing to it as the reason why nuclear is the answer to climate change, yet the reality is that even China can’t build it to targets or schedule. This is the country which has built around 500 cities, 177,000 kilometers of highways, 46,000 kilometers of high-speed electrified passenger and freight rail, 426 GW of hydroelectric capacity, 65 GW of pumped hydro, and dozens of the biggest ports in the world, all since 1980. This is a country which knows how big things get done, and even it can’t get nuclear done. This is a country which has consistently been underpromising and overdelivering in area after area. This is a country which now has more materials scientists, power engineers, nuclear engineers, and civil engineers than the rest of the world combined, which has strong governmental and industry support for BIM and structural analysis and design software adoption and use, which has built more nuclear reactors in the last 25 years than the rest of the world combined, and it still can’t get its nuclear program to deliver against targets. China didn’t adjust its 2025 nuclear target downward after falling far short of its 2020 targets. It’s not like the industry and program haven’t known what the 2025 target was for more than a decade. It’s not like the nuclear industry was uniquely hit by COVID-19. It’s not like the nuclear program hasn’t been a national strategic priority supported at the highest levels for decades. The nuclear program and industry simply can’t deliver, even in China with far more of the conditions of success than any other country in the world. As a reminder, the conditions for success are pretty well known from observation of what’s worked in the past. Where nuclear programs have achieved reasonable success, like the USA, France, and the UK in the second half of the 20th century, they were national strategic programs aligned with a need for nuclear weapons, under national control — not provincial, state, and or utility — with a national human resources program to build the nuclear engineering competency and maintain it for decades. They deployed one or two usually closely related designs of big reactors, GW scale. They built dozens of them to enable the lessons learned from each to inform the others. They did it quickly, in 20 to 30 years, not spread over sixty years, to enable the human resources with experience to be leveraged before retirement, something that’s going to be impacting China’s nuclear program now of course. And no local innovation is permitted. Improving stuff, which engineers love to do, is the kiss of death for nuclear economics. This keeps being proven, and the west keeps forgetting it. China too, as it’s building a lot of designs of a lot of nuclear technologies because its export strategy has trumped its electrical generation strategy. That’s the one condition of success it failed to create. Even China couldn’t create all the conditions for success, and that’s proven by them consistently failing to meet remarkably small targets. Remember, the target for EVs was 50% of all sales, while the target for nuclear was about 2% of electrical generation capacity. The target for renewables was 50% of all capacity, while the target for nuclear was 2% of capacity. China is currently at 3,230 GW of generating capacity. Its current nuclear capacity is about 1.76% of that. And yes, for the nuclear diehards in the crowd, nuclear’s capacity factor is higher, especially China’s, as the plants are much newer than the world average. But it really doesn’t matter when the total capacity is 1.76% of total capacity, it’s building nuclear so slowly, and it’s adding 300 GW of renewables capacity every year. At the end of 2025, nuclear is going to have an even lower percentage of capacity and also likely a lower percentage of electrical generation as China’s electrical demand continues to soar, following a trajectory much steeper than the west’s. China’s nuclear energy is a rounding error. While China is smashing other targets, in the case of EVs by a decade and in the case of renewables by years, it still hasn’t met 2020 targets for nuclear. China’s target for nuclear for 2030 is 120 to 150 GW. However, China’s current reactors in construction and in planning through 2030 only bring the total up to about 88 GW. They aren’t capable of scaling nuclear construction to anywhere near what the target was, and as I noted, I don’t believe the nuclear construction plan for the next five years is remotely credible. The people and organizations promoting nuclear as even a tiny part of the solution to climate change really need to accept the reality that if China can’t get it right, the odds of any other country or bloc getting it right in the 21st century approaches zero. Certainly the small modular nuclear reactor crowd have shown that they didn’t even understand the conditions for success, as they are intentionally violating virtually all of them. This is why I say that a lot of conservative politicians love promising nuclear energy as a solution to climate change. It means that they don’t have to do anything in reality, they please the nuclear fanbois in their constituencies, and they appear to be taking climate change seriously. What it really means is delaying real climate action, which many of them think is exactly the right thing to do, as their fossil fuel donors and lobbyists are making sure it’s in their personal best interest to keep burning the stuff. China’s emissions are going to plummet in coming years, in part because they are reaching the end of their massive infrastructure buildout and will be turning off the coal-powered cement and steel plants that provided the necessary construction material for it, in part because they have built and are building more renewables at an extraordinary pace, and in part because they have aggressively electrified every segment of their economy, which will persist. It’s a simple recipe for an economy, and yet the west is making cupcakes instead. CleanTechnica's Comment Policy LinkedIn WhatsApp Facebook Bluesky Email RedditCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Known across the globe as the stuck astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams hit the six-month mark in space Thursday with two more to go. The pair rocketed into orbit on June 5, the first to ride Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on what was supposed to be a weeklong test flight. They arrived at the International Space Station the next day, only after overcoming a cascade of thruster failures and helium leaks . NASA deemed the capsule too risky for a return flight, so it will be February before their long and trying mission comes to a close. While NASA managers bristle at calling them stuck or stranded, the two retired Navy captains shrug off the description of their plight. They insist they’re fine and accepting of their fate. Wilmore views it as a detour of sorts: “We’re just on a different path.” “I like everything about being up here,” Williams told students Wednesday from an elementary school named for her in Needham, Massachusetts, her hometown. "Just living in space is super fun.” Both astronauts have lived up there before so they quickly became full-fledged members of the crew, helping with science experiments and chores like fixing a broken toilet, vacuuming the air vents and watering the plants. Williams took over as station commander in September. “Mindset does go a long way,” Wilmore said in response to a question from Nashville first-graders in October. He’s from Mount Juliet, Tennessee. “I don’t look at these situations in life as being downers.” Boeing flew its Starliner capsule home empty in September, and NASA moved Wilmore and Williams to a SpaceX flight not due back until late February. Two other astronauts were bumped to make room and to keep to a six-month schedule for crew rotations. Like other station crews, Wilmore and Williams trained for spacewalks and any unexpected situations that might arise. “When the crews go up, they know they could be there for up to a year,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. NASA astronaut Frank Rubio found that out the hard way when the Russian Space Agency had to rush up a replacement capsule for him and two cosmonauts in 2023, pushing their six-month mission to just past a year. Boeing said this week that input from Wilmore and Williams has been “invaluable" in the ongoing inquiry of what went wrong. The company said in a statement that it is preparing for Starliner's next flight but declined comment on when it might launch again. NASA also has high praise for the pair. “Whether it was luck or whether it was selection, they were great folks to have for this mission,” NASA's chief health and medical officer, Dr. JD Polk, said during an interview with The Associated Press. On top of everything else, Williams, 59, has had to deal with “rumors,” as she calls them, of serious weight loss. She insists her weight is the same as it was on launch day, which Polk confirms. During Wednesday's student chat, Williams said she didn't have much of an appetite when she first arrived in space. But now she's “super hungry” and eating three meals a day plus snacks, while logging the required two hours of daily exercise. Williams, a distance runner, uses the space station treadmill to support races in her home state. She competed in Cape Cod’s 7-mile Falmouth Road Race in August. She ran the 2007 Boston Marathon up there as well. She has a New England Patriots shirt with her for game days, as well as a Red Sox spring training shirt. “Hopefully I’ll be home before that happens -- but you never know,” she said in November. Husband Michael Williams, a retired federal marshal and former Navy aviator, is caring for their dogs back home in Houston. As for Wilmore, 61, he's missing his younger daughter's senior year in high school and his older daughter's theater productions in college. “We can’t deny that being unexpectedly separated, especially during the holidays when the entire family gets together, brings increased yearnings to share the time and events together,” his wife, Deanna Wilmore, told the AP in a text this week. Her husband “has it worse than us” since he's confined to the space station and can only connect via video for short periods. “We are certainly looking forward to February!!” she wrote. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Udhayanidhi leads DMK blitz against actor Vijay over monarchy commentHOUSTON (AP) — Addison Patterson's 25 points helped Northwestern State defeat Houston Christian 64-57 on Saturday night. Patterson also added five rebounds and three steals for the Demons (5-5, 2-0 Southland Conference). Jon Sanders shot 5 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 5 from the line to add 17 points. Willie Williams shot 5 of 6 from the field to finish with 10 points, while adding 11 rebounds. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekDemi Moore shared an update on Bruce Willis ‘ condition as he continues his battle with dementia. In a new interview with CNN ‘s Christiane Amanpour, Moore said her ex-husband is “in a very stable place at the moment.” Moore also offered advice to viewers at home who have loved ones with dementia. “I’ve shared this before, but I really mean this so sincerely. It’s so important for anybody who’s dealing with this to really meet them where they’re at, and from that place, there is such loving and joy,” she said. While she admits that it’s been “very difficult,” Moore said, “There is great loss, but there is also great beauty and gifts that can come from it.” “[It’s] not what I would wish upon anyone,” she added. The Die Hard star retired from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with Aphasia, which his family later learned was a symptom of frontotemporal dementia. His family announced his retirement with a statement shared on social media, signed by Moore, his daughters, and his current wife, Emma Heming Willis. “To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” the statement reads. “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.” The statement continues, “We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that.” His daughter, Tallulah Willis , also recently offered an update on his condition during an appearance on The Today Show . She explained, “He’s stable, which in this situation, is good.” “It’s hard. There’s painful days,” she lamented. “But there’s so much love, and it’s really shown me to not take any moment for granted. And I really do think that we’d be best friends. I think he’s very proud of me.” Today ‘s Savannah Guthrie mentioned that Moore had offered Tallulah some advice for coping with her father’s condition: “When you see him, you can’t be thinking about what was or what you hoped it would be.” “You have to be in the moment. You have to be present,” Tallulah said.Billionaires' wealth more than doubles in 10 years: UBS
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — For a pair of lower-level downhill events, this sure had plenty of Olympic medal-capturing and World Cup-winning ski racers. The stage belonged to Lindsey Vonn, the 40-year-old who took another step on her comeback trail Saturday with her first races in nearly six years. Vonn wasn't particularly speedy and finished in the middle of the pack on a cold but sunny day at Copper Mountain. Times and places weren't the mission, though, as much as getting used to the speed again and gaining the necessary points to compete on the World Cup circuit this season. Vonn accomplished both, finishing 24th in the first downhill race of the day and 27th in the second. She posted on social media after the FIS races that she had enough points to enter World Cup events. The timing couldn't be more perfect — the next stop on the women's circuit is Beaver Creek, Colorado, in a week. Vonn, who used to own a home in nearby Vail, hasn't committed to any sort of timetable for a World Cup return. “Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my teammates again!” Vonn wrote on X. “While I’m sure people will speculate and say I’m not in top form because of the results, I disagree. This was training for me. I’m still testing equipment and getting back in the groove.” Lindsey Vonn reacts after her run at a downhill skiing race at Copper Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colo. Her competition — a veritable who's who of high-profile ski racers — applauded her efforts. “I don't expect her to come back and win — just that she comes back and she has fun,” said Federica Brignone of Italy, a former overall World Cup champion and three-time Olympic medalist. “She's having fun, and she’s doing what she loves. That’s the best thing that she could do.” In the first race on a frigid morning, Vonn wound up 1.44 seconds behind the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds posted by Mirjam Puchner of Austria. In her second race through the course later in the morning, Vonn was 1.53 seconds behind Cornelia Huetter of Austria, who finished in 1:05.99. Huetter is the reigning season-long World Cup downhill champion. “It’s really nice to compare with her again, and nice to have her (racing) again,” Huetter said. “For sure, for the skiing World Cup, we have a lot of more attention. It's generally good for all racers because everyone is looking.” Also in the field were Nadia Delago of Italy, who won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and Puchner, the Olympic silver winner in super-G in Beijing. In addition, there was Marta Bassino of Italy, a winner of the super-G at the 2023 world championships, and two-time Olympic champion Michelle Gisin of Switzerland. “For me, it was really a training, but it was fun to have a World Cup race level right here,” Gisin said. “It was a crazy race.” Vonn remains a popular figure and took the time after each run to sign autographs for young fans along with posing for photos. When she left the sport, Vonn had 82 World Cup race victories, which stood as the record for a woman and within reach of the all-time Alpine record of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s mark held by Vonn was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has 99 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport. Shiffrin is currently sidelined after a crash in a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. Vonn’s last major race was in February 2019, when she finished third in a downhill during the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist left the circuit still near the top of her game. But all the broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments took too big a toll and sent her into retirement. She had a partial knee replacement last April and felt good enough to give racing another shot. “It's very impressive to see all the passion that Lindsey still has,” Gisin said. Also racing Saturday was 45-year-old Sarah Schleper, who once competed for the United States but now represents Mexico. Schleper was the next racer behind Vonn and they got a chance to share a moment between a pair of 40-somethings still racing. “I was like, ‘Give me some tips, Lindsey,’” Schleper said. “She’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a highway tuck, the whole thing.’ Then she’s like, ‘It’s just like the good old days.’" Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Maplebear chief accounting officer sells $92,271 in stockA retired soldier has been charged in relation to a farm work scam through which he allegedly defrauded two women more than $1 million in June this year. Fifty-six-year-old Phillip Panton is charged with obtaining money by means of false pretence as well as conspiracy charges. The Portmore police allege that Panton and another man informed the two women that they could guarantee them a place on the farm work programme in the United States or Canada for a cost of $100,000. The women allegedly paid a total of $1,085,000 to the men who would periodically provide updates on the progress. The women later learned via social media posts that Panton had allegedly swindled money from other persons. A report was made to the police and Panton, who had been previously charged with similar offences, was again charged following a question and answer session in the presence of his attorney. His court date is yet to be finalised. Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com .
Banana Cellular Solutions Commemorates Eight Years of Service in Nutley, New JerseyTea was due on day two of the Boxing Day Test and the contest was at an absorbing pass. Australia spent the first half of the day making hay while the sun shone from a cloudless sky. On a pitch that had quickened up to a nicety overnight, there was plenty to make. Pat Cummins of Australia celebrates the wicket of KL Rahul of India Credit: Getty Images Steve Smith wound back the years as he wound up his arms, scattering the ball to all parts. He does not so much hook sixes as cast them over fine leg like a fly fisherman. This was his fifth MCG hundred; he loves the place like he loves his mum and his bat in no particular order. Pat Cummins, playing a mix of conventional and Konstas cricket, had matched him blow for robust blow in a century stand that gave Australia the running in this match. Cummins in such a vein divides sentiment, between appreciation for what he can do and mystification about why hasn’t done it more often. But he doesn’t often get this batting conditions as blissful as this. He reaped. Click here to read the story. Australian star Steve Smith has admitted he reflected on critics questioning whether his eyes and reflexes were fading by stepping forward and moving closer to the bowler. He believed batting out of his crease takes the game to the bowler but also makes it harder for him to be trapped lbw. “You’ve got to have faith, I was hitting the ball really nicely and people were saying “Is he too old? Are his eyes going?” So I thought I would go out of my crease and make my impact point closer to the bowler, so it all comes a bit quicker,” Smith told Fox Sports this morning. “I think my eyes are still there which is nice. For me, it is about keeping the faith and knowing that I’m hitting the ball well. There is a difference between being out of form and out of runs - I was just out of runs and I’ve played long enough to know that things can turn around quickly.” There could be a hint of rain later today but, otherwise, looks to be a brilliant day for cricket. Ricky Ponting has had this to say on Seven about Virat Kohli turning back to address hecklers after his dismissal at the MCG on day two. Click here to read more about Kohli’s struggles. Virat Kohli came close to an angry confrontation with the crowd after he was involved in a calamitous run out in which veteran spinner Nathan Lyon later pinned him as the guilty party. Kohli was almost out of sight from the crowd in the players’ race after his dismissal before he returned to glare at hecklers. An ICC official then placed a consolatory arm around his shoulder and shepherded him down the race. It is not clear from the video of the incident that surfaced on social media on Friday night what sparked Kohli’s backturn, and though boos were clearly audible, no racial or personal abuse could be heard. Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club had not received a complaint from the Board of Control for Cricket in India at the time of publication. The BCCI have been contacted for comment. Click here to read the story. G’day everyone. I’m Roy Ward and welcome to our Boxing Day Test live blog. We are at day three of this match and it really feels like both this match and this series are both on the line today as Australia tries to bowl out India and the tourists aim for a mid-innings recovery after falling to 5-164 at stumps yesterday. India trails by 310 runs and have the dangerous Rishbah Pant and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, both are capable of posting big scores. Scott Boland, Pat Cummins and the rest of the Australian attack will aim to break this partnership up early and then power through the tail. Play begins at 10.30am AEDT. Enjoy the hours to come.
Canadian Western Bank says legal claim delayed its fourth-quarter earnings releaseBiden admin brought unprecedented climate change prosecution against man for ‘smuggling greenhouse gases’ by transporting refrigerants
Teacher Shelley Goad listens as a student pronounces words during a beginner’s English class at Westbrook Adult Education, within the Westbrook Community Center. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer Maine needs to improve its teacher certification processes and invest in career pathways to grow and strengthen its educator workforce, according to a new report from an education nonprofit done in collaboration with the Maine Department of Education. Maine, like most states, has struggled to fully staff its schools . Last spring the state estimated it would have widespread shortages for the 2024-25 school year, and allowed emergency hiring for teachers in many subjects, including health, special education, computer science, music, social studies, early childhood, art, English, English as a second language, science and math. Educate Maine, a nonprofit that advocates for education policies, released a report this week after working with the state to develop the Teach Maine Center , a hub for teachers with the goal of advancing the profession in the state. The purpose of the report was to learn how teachers think Maine could grow and sustain its educator workforce, a first step in setting up the center. Educate Maine and the Maine DOE organized forums in every county between October 2023 and May 2024, where teachers answered questions about how to improve recruitment, support and advancement in their field. About 250 teachers from more than 100 districts participated. The report offers seven recommendations to improve Maine’s teacher workforce, ranging from financial support to legislative advocacy: • The first is to reduce barriers, like time commitment and costs, in the teacher certification process. The report says accepting out-of-state certifications, counting work experience toward certification requirements, and adding one-on-one coaching, better customer service and financial support could all ease barriers. In a related recommendation, it suggests expanding or creating undergraduate scholarships, loan forgiveness and paying student teachers to encourage people to come into the field. “As a second career it becomes ‘pay to play’ – you have to have money to do the courses and student teach,” an unnamed Cumberland County teacher said during a forum. • It also suggests creating apprenticeships and accelerated programs for educational technicians or substitutes to become teachers. • The report proposes developing more ways for teachers to connect to each other through workshops, physical hubs and mentorships. • And suggests that investment in non-teaching positions like ed techs, substitutes and bus drivers would enrich the overall school ecosystem. • The final three recommendations are for more public celebration of the work teachers do, adding opportunities for growth or leadership within the profession and improved advocacy skills. The report says the nature of public education is changing because of forces like politics and social media, and that many teachers say the cost-benefit analysis of becoming a teacher just doesn’t make sense anymore. “The time, financial costs, and opportunity costs (e.g. forgoing paid work while student teaching) of becoming a teacher are very high for what is a very low salary compared to other professional occupations,” the report reads. “The work is meaningful with many benefits, but high costs to obtain credentials when salaries are not keeping up with the cost of living turns people away from even considering the profession.” The report concludes by saying that Maine’s policy will need to change to improve its recruitment and retention of educators. “We heard over and over again: increase teacher pay, eliminate the Windfall Elimination provision (social security offset penalization), pay student teachers, create more pathways into the profession, and build more housing,” it reads. Maine teacher shortage is expected to be widespread in the next school year Maine launches $1 million ad campaign to attract teachers amid shortage School year in Maine begins with familiar staffing shortages We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous
Cam Skattebo strikes a pose and makes a statement: He belongs on the sport's biggest stageSouth Korean lawmakers impeach second president in two weeks