There's more than just school pride and bragging rights to all that bellyaching over who might be in and who might be out of college football 's first 12-team playoff. Try the more than $115 million that will be spread across the conferences at the end of the season, all depending on who gets in and which teams go the farthest. According to the College Football Playoff website, the 12 teams simply making the bracket earn their conferences $4 million each. Another $4 million goes to conferences whose teams get into the quarterfinals. Then, there's $6 million more for teams that make the semifinals and another $6 million for those who play for the title. Most of this bonanza comes courtesy of ESPN , which is forking over $1.3 billion a year to televise the new postseason. A lot of that money is already earmarked — more goes to the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference than the Big 12 or Atlantic Coast — but a lot is up for grabs in the 11 games that will play out between the opening round on Dec. 20 and the final on Jan. 20. In all, the teams that make the title game will bring $20 million to their conferences, all of which distribute that money, along with billions in TV revenue and other sources, in different ways. In fiscal 2022-23, the Big Ten, for instance, reported revenue of nearly $880 million and distributed about $60.5 million to most of its members. The massive stakes might help explain the unabashed lobbying coming from some corners of the football world, as the tension grows in advance of Sunday's final rankings, which will set the bracket. Earlier this week, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark lit into the selection committee, which doesn't have a single team higher than 15 in the rankings. That does two things: It positions the Big 12 as a one-bid league, and also threatens to makes its champion — either Arizona State or Iowa State — the fifth-best among conference titlists that get automatic bids. Only the top four of those get byes, which could cost the Big 12 a spot in the quarterfinals — or $4 million. “The committee continues to show time and time again that they are paying attention to logos versus resumes,” Yormark said this week, while slamming the idea of teams with two losses in his conference being ranked worse than teams with three in the SEC. The ACC is also staring at a one-bid season with only No. 8 SMU inside the cut line of this week's projected bracket. Miami 's loss last week all but bumped the Hurricanes out of the playoffs, a snub that ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said left him “incredibly shocked and disappointed." “As we look ahead to the final rankings, we hope the committee will reconsider and put a deserving Miami in the field," Phillips said in a statement. The lobbying and bickering filters down to the campuses that feel the impact. And, of course, to social media. One of the most entertaining episodes came earlier this week when athletic directors at Iowa State and SMU went back and forth about whose team was more deserving. There are a few stray millions that the selection committee cannot really influence, including a $3 million payment to conferences that make the playoff. In a reminder that all these kids are going to school, after all, the conferences get $300,000 per football team that meets academic requirements to participate in the postseason. (That's basically everyone). ___ 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-football
The masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The gunman is still at large and a manhunt is underway. Here's the latest: Just minutes before the shooting, the suspect was seen on surveillance footage purchasing the two items from a nearby Starbucks. Both the water bottle and protein bar wrapper were later recovered from a trash can in the vicinity of the killing, according to a police spokesperson. They’ve been sent to the city’s medical examiner for expedited fingerprint testing. As the suspect remained at large Thursday afternoon, New York police were sorting through a growing number of leads coming in through a public hotline. Many have been unfounded, including a tip from a commuter who claimed to have spotted the shooter on a Long Island Rail Road train Wednesday evening. Police searched the train, but found no sign of the gunman. Members of the public have also provided police with several different names of people who bear a resemblance to the gunman — though they have yet to confirm the shooter’s identity. NYPD spokesperson Carlos Nieves urged anyone with information to contact the department “even if it seems trivial.” “We ask you to call the tip line because that little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together,” he said. Users’ reactions — and in many cases jokes — populated comment sections teeming with frustration toward health insurers broadly and UnitedHealthcare in particular. “I would be happy to help look for the shooter but vision isn’t covered under my healthcare plan,” one comment read on Instagram. “Thoughts and prior authorizations!” wrote another user. Images released by police of a person they say is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Both feature a black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semicircle. Matheus Taranto, a guest at the hostel who’s visiting from Brazil, says he saw police at the lodging Wednesday evening. He said an officer wouldn’t let him access a bathroom where he wanted to brush his teeth. “I asked why, he was like, no, nothing happened,” said Taranto, 24. He didn’t connect the dots with the shooting until later. In Minnesota, police in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, where Thompson lived, said Thursday they believe a bomb threat on Wednesday night was a hoax. Maple Grove police put out a statement Thursday saying a “suspected swatting investigation” was underway. The department said it received a report of a bomb threat directed at two addresses around 7 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted, but investigators found no suspicions devices or other items. “The case is considered an active investigation, while the incident appears to be a hoax. No further comments will be made at this time,” the police statement said. Police reports provided to The Associated Press by the department show that officers made contact with family members at one of the homes and were told they had seen nothing suspicious and had received no direct threats. Back in Thompson’s home state of Minnesota, authorities were investigating a bomb threat that reportedly was made against his home Wednesday night, after his death. It was first reported by TMZ. City Prosecutor Andrew Draper confirmed to The Associated Press via email Thursday that he received an email Wednesday night “regarding a bomb threat. I reported it to the Maple Grove Police Department and do not have any additional information.” Maple Grove police officials did not immediately respond to requests for details Thursday. Local ATF spokesperson Ashlee Sherrill said: “ATF was made aware of the incident in Maple Grove last night, but no ATF resources were deployed. We are unable to confirm any further details.” A local FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information on the FBI’s involvement in the investigation. The words emblazoned on the ammunition used in the shooting – “deny,” “defend” and “depose” – were written in permanent marker, according to a law enforcement official. The official wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. — Jake Offenhartz As of Thursday morning, police were still searching for the shooter. They released new photos of a person they said is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The images match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, including its black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semi-circle. An employee at the hostel said police had visited but declined to provide further information. Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the lodging, said in an emailed statement that they are cooperating with the NYPD but can’t comment due to the active investigation. According to the official who spoke to AP about the ammunition messaging, investigators are running DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found near the shooting, including a water bottle, that they believe the suspect may have discarded. Additionally, they’re looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan. Doctors and patients have become particularly frustrated with prior authorizations, which are requirements that an insurer approve surgery or care before it happens. UnitedHealthcare was named in an October report detailing how the insurer’s prior authorization denial rate for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The report from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also named rivals Humana and CVS. Insurers say tactics like prior authorization are needed to limit unnecessary care and help control spiraling medical costs. Frustrations extend beyond the coverage of care. Expensive breakthrough medications to slow Alzheimer’s disease or help with obesity are frequently not covered or have coverage limits. In the U.S. health care system, patients get coverage through a mix of private insurers such as UnitedHealthcare and government-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. That can prove particularly frustrating for doctors and patients because coverage often varies by insurer. Polls reflect those frustrations with the U.S. health care system in general and insurance companies in particular. About two-thirds of Americans said health insurance companies deserve “a lot of blame” for high health care costs, according to a KFF poll conducted in February . Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting — “deny,” “defend” and “depose” — echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The three words were emblazoned on the ammunition a masked gunman used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Thursday. They’re similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend” — the way some attorneys describe how insurers deny services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book that was highly critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the wording or any connection between them and the common phrase. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting a deepening frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. ▶ Read more about the messaging left behind by the shooter The New York Police Department released photos Thursday morning, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual pictured. Police say the person is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. A Senate panel has been investigating how frequently three major insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, deny care to patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. It has also investigated the use of artificial intelligence in deny those claims. Medicare Advantage is the private version of Medicare, which provides health insurance to millions of older Americans. The Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee’s report released earlier this year found that as UnitedHealthcare relied more on its automated system to review claims denials increased for post-acute treatment, which includes nursing home or rehabilitation care. The insurer denied nearly a quarter of claims, a rate that doubled over just a two-year period from 2020 to 2022. Joseph Kenny, the NYPD chief of detectives, says the shooter wore a black face mask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack. He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson did, then waited and ignored other pedestrians before he approached Thompson from behind. After the assailant began to fire, his 9 mm pistol jammed but he quickly fixed it and kept firing, Kenny said, another sign of the shooter’s professionalism. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said. The hostels were on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and police were following a tip that the suspect may have stayed at one of the residences, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing search. According to an employee of Kama Central Park, two detectives arrived at the hostel at 7 a.m. Thursday with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left soon after. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information. — Jake Offenhartz New York Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday the shooter used a silencer — something he’d never encountered in his 22 years as a police officer. “In all of my years in law enforcement I have never seen a silencer before,” Adams, a retired NYPD captain, said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And so that was really something that was shocking to us all.” The masked gunman used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said earlier. — Mike Balsamo, Jake Offenhartz and Michael R. Sisak The chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest insurers, was killed Wednesday in midtown Manhattan in what police described as a targeted attack by a shooter outside a hotel where the company was holding a conference. ▶ Read more about the key things to know about the fatal attackThe family of Austin Tice, a freelance journalist held in Syria since 2012, said they have new confirmation that he remains alive and well. In a news conference, the family also expressed deep frustration with the Biden administration for telling them in a meeting Friday that it is waiting to see how the rapidly unfolding events in Syria resolve before being able to do more to try to free Tice. “He is being cared for, and he is well,” said Austin’s mother Debra Tice at a news conference at the National Press Club, citing what she called a “significant source that has already been vetted all over our government.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not comment on the source referred to by the Tice family. “I don’t have anything to share about conversation on this particular matter,” said Jean-Pierre at a press briefing at the White House. A source familiar with what the Biden administration knows says there is no change in the administration’s assessment of Austin Tice, and they have no new information. Bill McCarren, director of the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club, emphatically insisted the Biden administration is “lying” about what they know about Tice. In August, the State Department marked 12 years since Tice was taken, saying: “We know the Syrian government has held Austin, and we have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home.” Members of the Biden administration in the past have said they believe Tice is alive but have not been definitive in an assessment. The Syrian government has not acknowledged that they are holding Tice nor offered any proof of life. Despite no longer having diplomatic relations, in the past few years, the US government has engaged with Syrian officials on the issue of Tice, including a visit to Damascus by the State Department’s top official for hostage affairs, Roger Carstens. Tice’s case is complicated by the rapid advances made by Syrian rebel forces across the country over the past two weeks, taking key cities and potentially endangering dictator Bashar Assad’s regime. The changing dynamics in Syria could both open up new opportunities for Tice’s potential release or complicate it. Austin’s brother, Jacob Tice, said that he asked White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan for a commitment that the US would talk directly to Assad about freeing Austin, but that Sullivan would not give the family such a commitment. “I found that to be a striking response, given what we have heard from the president himself about the ceaseless efforts he has encouraged his administration to take in order to free Austin,” Jacob Tice said. A National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement that Sullivan did meet with the family, adding that “Sullivan has regularly met with the families of wrongfully detained Americans, and the Biden-Harris Administration continues to work to bring these Americans home to their families.” Debra Tice slammed the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leading the latest rebel offensive, calling them “terrorists” who are “tearing up Aleppo.” “When I think about war, I never have a happy moment. I don’t really understand what’s happening in Syria,” said Debra Tice, who later acknowledged that “it’s possible this could (mean) Austin’s release.” Austin’s sister, Meagan Tice, said that she was told the Biden administration is “waiting to see how all of these pieces play out over the next week before we can do anything definitive,” referring to the recent rebel offensive. “Our larger question was, how can we use this disruption to leverage something for Austin during this time?” she said. “And unfortunately they didn’t have much answer to that at all.” The now-43-year-old Tice traveled as a freelance journalist to Syria in the summer of 2012 to report on the war there. He was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012, just three days after his 31st birthday. Austin’s father, Marc Tice, said that the family met with the State Department on Thursday, but that the meeting was not productive. “There were complaints and finger-pointing about who is preventing things from happening and who’s responsible for doing what,” Marc Tice said. Debra Tice also praised President-elect Donald Trump for his interest in her son’s case during his first term, calling it an “obsession” of Trump’s. “When Donald Trump was elected, that was the first thing on my mind, was to remind him of how much he loved Austin and how much he wanted (him) home,” she said. Austin’s younger sister, Naomi Tice, became emotional recounting “how different our lives are from what I think we had kind of planned and hoped and dreamed for” since Austin was imprisoned. “He went there with this passion and conviction and I would love to see that our government has the same passion and conviction to bring him home,” she said. CNN’s Jennifer Hansler and Samantha Waldenberg contributed to this report.
Trudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister says
Photo: RNZ/Nate McKinnon The blaze, which started on Thursday morning, has burned through nearly 1000 hectares at Bridge Hill, northwest of Springfield. Incident Commander Colin Russell said on Saturday afternoon it was not safe to contain the fire on its perimetre due to rugged terrain and cliffs. Instead, he said crews were trying to control it by suppressing hotspots and flare-ups. Russell said more than 100 firefighters were battling the blaze on Saturday, as well as three diggers and four helicopters. Strong winds and higher temperatures were earlier forecast for Saturday afternoon. Firefighters were battling to get the blaze under control in Saturday morning's more favourable weather conditions. Russell earlier said while it was still not yet contained, it was remaining within its 17km boundary and not expected to grow in size. Residents around Castle Hill were on standby to evacuate should the blaze spread. The fire started early on Thursday morning, closing State Highway 73 and burning through more than 1000 hectares at Bridge Hill, northwest of Springfield. The Holloway Lodge, near the peak of Bridge Hill, was destroyed. Russell said 110 FENZ staff were still working to contain the blaze as the weather turned. "This afternoon the wind is forecast to strengthen, and temperatures will be in the mid- to high-20s. This will be less favourable conditions for getting this fire contained and the risk of breakouts will be higher so we will be closely monitoring the fire." All recreational areas between Castle Hill and Lake Pearson were closed to the public, FENZ said on social media. "This is still an active fire zone and with the winds increasing the risk of a breakout fire is higher. Please do not move cones and signs that are blocking off these areas. When you do this it ties up valuable resources trying to sort evacuations, when we should be working on the fire ground." Seven FENZ crews had monitored the site overnight. Fire retardant lines had been placed around at-risk properties and crews would be focusing on the ground. There had been five helicopters helping to battle the blaze, and FENZ was expected to do an aerial reconnaissance flight on Saturday morning to assess any damage and the extent of the fire's spread. Sunday is shaping up to be one of the windier days we’ve had in a while as strong northwesterlies cover the country💨💨 Gusts of 150 km/h are possible in parts of the Canterbury High Country and 140km/h in areas in Wellington. Watches and Orange Warnings in place🟠🟡 pic.twitter.com/1xMZ7U1h8d — MetService (@MetService) December 6, 2024 SH73 had reopened, but stop/go signs were in place and traffic was being taken through the affected area in piloted convoys. "We'd like to thank all the road users for their patience and adhering to the traffic restrictions in place," Russell said. "It has meant we can keep the road open in a safe manner so people can continue to pass through." Strong wind warnings were in place for much of the South Island from early on Sunday, with northwesterly gusts picking up on the east coast through Saturday. Another fire breaks out in region Meanwhile FENZ shift manager Simon Lyford said crews were fighting another scrub fire in North Canterbury, just south of Culverden. Crews from three stations were trying to get on top of the fire, but the wind was not helping, he said. "We do have a helicopter on standby ready to respond, but at this stage the crews are saying that they believe that they will be okay." It was more than 90 kilometres away from the Bridge Hill blaze, he said.
Number of flood evacuees drops below 100,000
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng Criticizes Ghana’s Leadership and the Fight Against CorruptionCHICAGO (AP) — In the days after the presidential election, Sadie Perez began carrying pepper spray with her around campus. Her mom also ordered her and her sister a self-defense kit that included keychain spikes, a hidden knife key and a personal alarm. It’s a response to an emboldened fringe of right-wing “manosphere” influencers who have seized on Republican Donald Trump ’s presidential win to justify and amplify misogynistic derision and threats online. Many have appropriated a 1960s abortion rights rallying cry, declaring “Your body, my choice” at women online and on college campuses. For many women, the words represent a worrying harbinger of what might lie ahead as some men perceive the election results as a rebuke of reproductive rights and women’s rights. “The fact that I feel like I have to carry around pepper spray like this is sad,” said Perez, a 19-year-old political science student in Wisconsin. “Women want and deserve to feel safe.” Isabelle Frances-Wright, director of technology and society at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank focusing on polarization and extremism, said she had seen a “very large uptick in a number of types of misogynistic rhetoric immediately after the election,” including some “extremely violent misogyny.” “I think many progressive women have been shocked by how quickly and aggressively this rhetoric has gained traction,” she said. The phrase “Your body, my choice” has been largely attributed to a post on the social platform X from Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust-denying white nationalist and far-right internet personality who dined at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida two years ago. In statements responding to criticism of that event, Trump said he had “never met and knew nothing about” Fuentes before he arrived. Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, said the phrase transforms the iconic abortion rights slogan into an attack on women’s right to autonomy and a personal threat. “The implication is that men should have control over or access to sex with women,” said Ziegler, a reproductive rights expert. Fuentes' post had 35 million views on X within 24 hours, according to a report by Frances-Wright's think tank, and the phrase spread rapidly to other social media platforms. Women on TikTok have reported seeing it inundate their comment sections. The slogan also has made its way offline with boys chanting it in middle schools or men directing it at women on college campuses, according to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue report and social media reports. One mother said her daughter heard the phrase on her college campus three times, the report said . School districts in Wisconsin and Minnesota have sent notices about the language to parents. T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase were pulled off Amazon. Perez said she has seen men respond to shared Snapchat stories for their college class with “Your body, my choice.” “It makes me feel disgusted and infringed upon,” she said. “... It feels like going backwards.” Misogynistic attacks have been part of the social media landscape for years. But Frances-Wright and others who track online extremism and disinformation said language glorifying violence against women or celebrating the possibility of their rights being stripped away has spiked since the election. Online declarations for women to “Get back in the kitchen” or to “Repeal the 19th,” a reference to the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote, have spread rapidly. In the days surrounding the election, the extremism think tank found that the top 10 posts on X calling for repeal of the 19th Amendment received more than 4 million views collectively. A man holding a sign with the words “Women Are Property” sparked an outcry at Texas State University . The man was not a student, faculty or staff, and was escorted off campus, according to the university’s president . The university is “exploring potential legal responses,” he said. Anonymous rape threats have been left on the TikTok videos of women denouncing the election results. And on the far-flung reaches of the web, 4chan forums have called for “rape squads” and the adoption of policies in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian book and TV series depicting the dehumanization and brutalization of women. “What was scary here was how quickly this also manifested in offline threats,” Frances-Wright said, emphasizing that online discourse can have real-world impacts. Previous violent rhetoric on 4chan has been connected to racially motivated and antisemitic attacks, including a 2022 shooting by a white supremacist in Buffalo that killed 10 people . Anti-Asian hate incidents also rose as politicians, including Trump , used words such as “Chinese virus” to describe the COVID-19 pandemic. And Trump’s language targeting Muslims and immigrants in his first campaign correlated with spikes in hate speech and attacks on these groups, Frances-Wright said. The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism reported similar rhetoric, with “numerous violent misogynistic trends” gaining traction on right-wing platforms such 4chan and spreading to more mainstream ones such as X since the election. Throughout the presidential race, Trump’s campaign leaned on conservative podcasts and tailored messaging toward disaffected young men . As Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention over the summer, the song “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown blared from the speakers. One of several factors to his success this election was modestly boosting his support among men , a shift concentrated among younger voters, according to AP VoteCast, survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. But Trump also won support from 44% of women age 18 to 44, according to AP VoteCast. To some men, Trump's return to the White House is seen as a vindication, gender and politics experts said. For many young women, the election felt like a referendum on women’s rights and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris ’ loss felt like a rejection of their own rights and autonomy. “For some of these men, Trump’s victory represents a chance to reclaim a place in society that they think they are losing around these traditional gender roles,” Frances-Wright said. None of the current online rhetoric is being amplified by Trump or anyone in his immediate orbit. But Trump has a long history of insulting women , and the spike in such language comes after he ran a campaign that was centered on masculinity and repeatedly attacked Harris over her race and gender . His allies and surrogates also used misogynistic language about Harris throughout the campaign. “With Trump’s victory, many of these men felt like they were heard, they were victorious. They feel that they have potentially a supporter in the White House,” said Dana Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics. Brown said some young men feel they’re victims of discrimination and have expressed mounting resentment for successes of the women’s rights movement, including #MeToo . The tension also has been influenced by socioeconomic struggles. As women become the majority on college campuses and many professional industries see increasing gender diversity, it has “led to young men scapegoating women and girls, falsely claiming it’s their fault they’re not getting into college anymore as opposed to looking inward,” Brown said. Perez, the political science student, said she and her sister have been leaning on each other, their mother and other women in their lives to feel safer amid the online vitriol. They text each other to make sure they got home safely. They have girls' nights to celebrate wins, including a female majority in student government at their campus in the University of Wisconsin system. “I want to encourage my friends and the women in my life to use their voices to call out this rhetoric and to not let fear take over,” she said. The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content.Large political rallies, both for and against Yoon, expected today in run-up to impeachment vote
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Mumbai, Dec 21 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday India can never permit others to have a veto on its choices and will do whatever is right in the national interest and for the global good without being intimidated to “conform”. In a video message for a function in Mumbai, he said when India is etched more deeply in global consciousness, its repercussions are truly profound. In a world grappling with unhealthy habits, stressed lifestyles or recurring climate events, there is much learning to be gained from India’s heritage. But the world will only know when the countrymen take pride in it, he said. In an age of globalisation, technology and tradition must march together, said Jaishankar. “Bharat will inevitably progress but it must do so without losing its Bharatiyata. Only then can we truly emerge as a leading power in a multi-polar world,” he said. Jaishankar was conferred the 27th SIES Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati National Eminence Award. The awards are given in four fields – Public Leadership, Community Leadership, Human endeavour, Science and Technology and Social Leadership – with primacy on spiritualism. The awards are named after the late 68th Seer of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi. The foreign minister did not attend the event but sent his video message. “Independence should never be confused with neutrality. We will do whatever is right in our national interest and for global good without being intimidated to conform. Bharat can never permit others to have a veto on its choices,” he said. He further said, “For too long we were schooled to visualise progress and modernity as a rejection of our heritage and traditions.” Perhaps this came from an affinity for imported models, or perhaps it was a discomfort with its own practices. But now as the deepening of democracy has thrown up more authentic voices, the country is rediscovering itself and finding again its own persona, the minister said. Jaishankar said India is an exceptional nation because it is a civilisation state. Such a country will only exercise influence when it fully leverages its cultural strengths in the global arena, he said. “To that it is essential that we ourselves, the younger generation, are fully aware of the value and significance of our heritage. This can be articulated at various levels, but most importantly it should have an impact at the societal level,” he said. Jaishankar said India is poised today at a crucial juncture. On the one hand, the last decade has demonstrated that it has the capabilities, confidence and, most importantly, the commitment to advance development across broad fronts. It has shown that the age-old problems of poverty, discrimination and lack of opportunities can be indeed addressed. On the global stage, it has established itself as an independent power but one committed to global good, especially the well-being of the global south, he said. “At the same time, however, the constraints and limitations that have long been our bane still remain in place. There are viewpoints and ideologies which are more pessimistic and even denigrating of ourselves,” added Jaishankar. PTI PR NR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Milan's Via MonteNapoleone usurps New York's Fifth Avenue as world's most upscale shopping street
Stock Market Thwarts Bears Again As Nasdaq Leads; Why Magnificent Seven Names Are Not The Sole LeadersPrivate donations pour in for cash-strapped national parks
ORLANDO, Fla. — At least four candidates will be on the ballot on April 1 in what is becoming a crowded race to succeed outgoing U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz in Congress. The vacancy was created after Trump tapped Waltz, R-St. Augustine Beach, to be his national security advisor. Waltz won a fourth term last month by about 30 percentage points over his Democratic opponent, making the GOP strong favorites in the seat that stretches from Daytona Beach to Mount Dora. Republican state Sen. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne, who qualified on Friday, was endorsed for the job by President-elect Donald Trump last month despite living about 75 miles south of Waltz’s district. Congress members aren’t required by law to live in the district they represent, and Waltz lived just outside District 6 when first elected. Fine was elected last month to the state Senate in his Brevard County district, after having served eight controversy-filled years in the Florida House. He became notorious for his social media spats and acerbic comments, including a proposed shutdown of the University of Central Florida. Qualifying for the special election ends Saturday. As of Friday, three other Republicans besides Fine had filed to run for the seat, Marion County School Board member Donald Browning, Joshua Vasquez of Ocala, and Ehsan Joarder of Hernando County, but none had yet qualified. If any or all of them do, a GOP primary will be held Jan. 28. On the Democratic side, St Johns County businessman Ges Selmont had qualified as of Friday. A Democratic primary would also be held on Jan. 28 if Democrat Purvi Bangdiwala of Daytona Beach also qualifies. Libertarian candidate Andrew Parrott of Ocala has also qualified and would appear on the April 1 ballot along with nonpartisan candidate Randall Terry, a Christian pastor and anti-abortion activist from Tennessee. Waltz has announced his resignation from Congress as of Jan. 20, when Trump takes office. With Waltz, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., all resigning to take positions in the Trump White House, Republicans could have a congressional majority of as little as two votes over Democrats until the seats are filled. Gaetz was nominated by Trump as attorney general but has since pulled out of consideration. He said he will not return to Congress. A special election to succeed Gaetz is also set for April 1, with Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis the biggest name in an even more crowded race. Sixteen candidates qualified at the Friday deadline, including 10 Republicans, five independents or write-ins and a single Democrat, Gay Valimont. The GOP primary for that seat will be held on Jan. 28. ©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit at orlandosentinel.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — When the MLS playoffs began late last month, everyone who follows Inter Miami assumed coach Tata Martino would be preparing his team for the conference semifinals this week. Instead, the runner up for MLS Coach of the Year was in the Chase Stadium interview room on Friday morning announcing his resignation two weeks after the team’s shocking first-round playoff exit. Martino said he wanted to diffuse rumors and stress that he is leaving strictly for personal reasons, that he must return to his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, and that his decision was made before the first playoff game in late-October. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.None
COUNCILLORS must address matters in their areas, especially flooding, be accountable to the people and have a high level of integrity, says Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain. “As the new mayor, I need the support of councillors to reach out to the people. “We have to work as a team and demonstrate good leadership in resolving pressing issues like floods, upgrading drains and cleanliness,” said Abd Hamid who took his oath of office yesterday. His predecessor, Datin Paduka Noraini Roslan, retired on Nov 20. Abd Hamid previously served as Sepang Municipal Council president from September 2020. “When I met with people in Klang on Sunday, they wanted councillors to address issues in their neighbourhoods,” he told StarMetro. Abd Hamid said he was willing to accompany councillors to meet the people. He said based on feedback, residents were happy with waste management but upset over faulty streetlights and road conditions in certain areas. “With good teamwork, we can share ideas for better workflow to resolve various issues. “Even department heads need to consider the well-being of all Klang residents and bring up their views at sub-committee meetings,” said the mayor, a father of four. Abd Hamid, 57, holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He had also served in Ampang Jaya Municipal Council as president. “Our success at MBDK will depend on improving work processes and promoting the use of data-driven decisions,” he said. He noted that the Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) linking Bandar Utama to Klang will open in March next year. “This will impact everything from economic growth to social well-being. “We as a council must embrace improved methods to provide micro-mobility to complement the new public transport mode,” he added. Abd Hamid said businesses around LRT3 stations were looking forward to more customers. “Businesses are key drivers in job creation and economic growth. “As a council, we must support this new transportation infrastructure to provide better opportunities to Klang folk,” he added.Dhaka, November 30: Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Mohammed Touhid Hossain on Saturday said that the country's relation with India has changed since Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced out of power on August 5 of this year. "After August 5, relations with India have been changed and this is the reality," said Md. Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Advisor (Minister) to the Bangladesh interim government in a seminar at North South University, a private university in Dhaka. Hossain emphasized that Bangladesh have to build a relationship with India "in view of this reality." "It is in view of this reality that we have to build and continue our relationship with India. I believe India will understand how to take forward relations with Bangladesh under the changed circumstances," Hossain said. Bangladeshi Students Step on Indian Flag Painted at Noakhali Science and Technology University Gate, Video Goes Viral . A student-led movement ousted Bangladesh's then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people. Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed. "The previous government (of Bangladesh) tried its best to remove India's concerns. We also had some concerns. Problems are happening because our problems are not being addressed," Touhid said, without elaborating. He further remained optimistic to establish good relationship with India and said that Bangladesh "will not cause harm to anyone." "We would like to be optimistic that we can establish a good relationship so that the interests of both parties are protected. We will not be a cause harm to anyone. We want no one to be cause us harm", Bangladesh Adviser said. The Foreign Affairs Adviser blamed India media for exaggerating and urged Bangladesh media to be objective in providing news on the relations with India. On Friday, India expressed concern over the rise of "extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation" in Bangladesh. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has consistently and strongly raised the issue of targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities with Bangladesh government. While addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Bangladesh's interim government to take steps for protection of minorities. ‘Bangladesh Must Protect All Minorities’: India Says Interim Government Must Live up to Its Responsibility of Protecting Hindus and Other Minorities Amid Increasing Violence . On situation of minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal said, "India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. We made our position very clear as far as the situation of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh is concerned. The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities and safeguarding their interests." The situation has been tense in Bangladesh since spiritual preacher Chinmoy Krishna Das was charged with sedition for allegedly hoisting a saffron flag above Bangladesh's national flag in Chittagong on October 25. Following Das arrest, a lawyer was killed during clashes between police and alleged followers of the spiritual guru in the Chattogram Court Building area on November 27. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)