![=9NbgBi^R_'#efM#3 ttEk<t{OTY}Gk37Bse0M3r 0 9~ 9J#Nf9а_܆mXU? u={҆o2N2w̤}&_#馇 , p ]/mq@ dp0GUBN:u%lB93G+]an](https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/electric-tower-pylon-300x202.jpg)
=9NbgBi^R_'#efM#3 ttEk<t{OTY}Gk37Bse0M3r 0 9~ 9J#Nf9а_܆mXU? u={҆o2N2w̤}&_#馇 , p ]/mq@ dp0GUBN:u%lB93G+]anENVESTNET INC. ANNOUNCES MAKE-WHOLE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE AND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES UNDER ITS 0.75% CONVERTIBLE NOTES DUE 2025 AND 2.625% CONVERTIBLE NOTES DUE 2027
Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha The Qatar Chamber (QC) hosted the Qatar-Iran Joint Business Council meeting on Thursday to explore avenues for enhanced trade and investment cooperation between the two nations. The meeting, held at QC’s headquarters, brought together government officials, business leaders, and diplomats from both countries to discuss strategies for fostering economic partnerships. The Qatari delegation was led by QC First Vice-Chairman Mohamed bin Twar Al Kuwari, while the Iranian side was chaired by Adnan Mousapour. Among the key attendees were HE Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs at Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Abbas Aliabadi, Iran’s Minister of Energy. Also present were QC board members, the acting general manager, the Iranian ambassador to Qatar, and several businessmen from both countries. In his remarks, Al Sayed highlighted the significant progress in Qatar-Iran economic relations in recent years. He underscored the abundant opportunities available for collaboration in sectors such as energy, agriculture, logistics, technology, financial services, and innovation. “The Qatar-Iran Business Council serves as a vital platform that reflects the shared commitment of both nations to deepen their commercial and economic ties,” he stated. The Iranian minister, echoed the sentiments, emphasising the mutual interest in strengthening trade ties. He praised the role of the business council and qatar chamber in enabling cooperation between the private sectors of the two nations. “Our shared goals in economic and trade development will pave the way for sustainable partnerships,” he said. Al Kuwari pointed to the Qatar-Iran Business Council’s crucial role in fostering collaboration between the business communities of both countries. “The council is a dynamic platform that enables the private sectors of Qatar and Iran to form robust partnerships and expand their cooperation,” he said. Al Kuwari noted that bilateral trade has reached QR534 million, a testament to the growing economic ties between the two nations. He further highlighted QC’s efforts in hosting delegations from Iran, aiming to promote partnerships and establish economic and commercial alliances. These initiatives, he said, reflect the chamber’s commitment to enhancing inter-trade and investment relations. Adnan Mousapour, representing the Iranian side, expressed optimism about the potential for increased trade and collaboration. He urged Qatari investors to visit Iran and explore opportunities in various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, and technology. Mousapour emphasised that the business council could play a pivotal role in unlocking these opportunities and driving mutual growth. The meeting concluded with a shared vision for advancing Qatar-Iran economic relations. Both sides committed to leveraging the Business Council’s platform to facilitate joint ventures and strategic partnerships. Business leaders from both countries reiterated their enthusiasm for tapping into emerging sectors and fostering sustainable development. The Qatar-Iran Joint Business Council meeting marked another milestone in the evolving partnership between the two nations, showcasing their determination to build a future of shared prosperity. Copy 13/12/2024 10Published 5:39 pm Tuesday, November 26, 2024 By Data Skrive The New Orleans Pelicans (4-14) are dealing with five players on the injury report, including Brandon Ingram, as they prepare for their Wednesday, November 27 game against the Toronto Raptors (4-14) at Smoothie King Center. The Raptors have listed four injured players. The game starts at 8:00 PM ET. Watch the NBA, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Their last time out, the Pelicans lost 114-110 to the Pacers on Monday. Trey Murphy III’s team-high 24 points paced the Pelicans in the loss. The Raptors’ most recent outing was a 102-100 loss to the Pistons on Monday. Scottie Barnes totaled 31 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for the Raptors. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get live and on-demand access to NBA games. Get tickets for any NBA game this season at StubHub. Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes meanwhile carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. What both sides are saying about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders. The truce that is set to take effect early Wednesday raised hopes and renewed difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities But the deal does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel last October. Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime. WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Over its tenure, the Biden administration has struggled with growing numbers of migrants arriving at the southern border. But this year, the number of people crossing the border without documents has actually been falling. That's due in part to stricter enforcement by Mexican authorities as well as asylum restrictions announced earlier this year by the Biden administration. When it comes to fentanyl smuggling, much of the deadly supply comes from Mexico though statistics show more than 86% of those sentenced for fentanyl trafficking crimes in the 12 months ending September 2023 were U.S. citizens. AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate a wider problem in the armed forces. Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Defense, wasn’t alone. The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page highlighted the same report as evidence that extremists in military communities were “phantoms” created by a “false media narrative.” The X account for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee posted that the study showed the focus on extremism in the military was a “witch hunt.” But The Associated Press has found that the study relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith move to abandon two federal cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats Trump was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump's political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victory NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer on Monday followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The retreat from such programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report alleges SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a Federal Police report that has been unsealed. Brazil’s Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. Bolsonaro called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, that would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The proposal, which would not be finalized until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, could cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. It would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some people have labeled them miracle drugs. New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. That's according to a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. It's expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. The practice is supported by a decade of research, during which 500 transplants of kidneys and livers from HIV-positive donors have been done in the U.S. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision.
DA suggests unusual idea for halting Trump's hush money case while upholding conviction
Article content A terrorism trial in Windsor to determine whether a local man sought to join and support a banned neo-Nazi group is shining a disturbing spotlight on far-right extremism in Canada. Seth Bertrand is on trial before Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia for “participation in the activity of a terrorist group.” Arrested in May 2022 following an RCMP-led undercover operation, Bertrand, now 21, is accused of seeking to join the Atomwaffen Division, listed in Canada and other countries as a “terror group” that has called for acts of violence. The “goal and ambition” of such fascist-leaning groups, an expert witness testified at the trial this week, is to use violence, including murder, to trigger “a war that will ultimately be won by whites.” What motivates these “virulent far-right extremist groups” is their belief that “the white west is under attack and needs to defend itself,” said Garth Davies, an expert on ideologically motivated violent extremism. Adherents believe “what’s needed is a race war to re-establish whites as the rightfully dominant group in society,” said Davies, an associate professor who teaches at Simon Fraser University’s school of criminology in B.C. The trial has heard that, in his application to join Atomwaffen Division (AWD) — also known as National Socialist Order — Bertrand is alleged to have stated he wanted to be part of a group “actually doing things to help save/protect the white race.” The Crown alleges Bertrand also described hate-motived acts of vandalism he’d already committed in Windsor, for which he was later convicted, and expressed interest in getting military training and a firearms certificate. The Crown is not alleging Bertrand engaged in any actual terrorist activity. Davies, brought in by the prosecution to also help interpret symbology and terms used by such extremist groups, said much of their communication is hidden in private chat groups and using encrypted technology. But a treasure trove of information on AWD and other far-right extremist groups was revealed after the hacking of Iron March, a now-defunct web forum with a Russia connection that acted as a hub for neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups around the world. AWD is described as being among the most radicalized groups within that movement, those which believe political or other lesser “piecemeal” efforts are insufficient towards creating a “white ethnostate.” To get there, “what is needed is to force a race war,” said Davies, by way of “direct confrontation” with what they view as “outgroups” — including Muslims, Jews, Blacks and gay people — as well as governments that don’t agree. Once that war is underway, Davies told the court, the extremists believe enough whites will join the fight to “ultimately win.” The bulk of Davies’s two days of testifying was spent under cross-examination by defence lawyer Bobby Russon, who sought to discredit information in the expert’s 40-page report compiled earlier this year for the prosecution. Davies agreed that much of that information was sourced from newspaper and other media reporting. Russon also questioned how much of it related specifically to Atomwaffen Division. Davies conceded more than once to having “overstated” his conclusions directly linking Atomwaffen Division to reported murders connected to the aims of far-right extremists. “You can’t say AWD was responsible for many of the violent incidents (cited in the report)?” Russon asked. “Agreed,” Davies replied. The defence also questioned the timing of the charge laid against Bertrand, with the young man’s alleged criminal activity only being around the same time as AWD was added to . Much of the trial that began earlier this fall has been consumed by voir dire deliberations — trials within a trial to determine the admissibility of prosecution evidence. After Davies’s two days of testimony concluded on Thursday, the next step is Justice Carroccia’s rulings expected on Dec. 20 on the admissibility of key Crown evidence, including whether the accused was properly instructed of his Charter rights during police interrogation, as well as on secretly recorded statements Bertrand gave two undercover RCMP officers during the preceding three-month Project Sueno.Provides 2000 A15 Hydro Bitcoin mining machines in initial order Continues global expansion with addition of new customer SINGAPORE , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN) ("Canaan" or the "Company"), a leading high-performance computing solutions provider, today announced that Canaan Creative Global Pte. Ltd. ("CCG"), a wholly owned Singapore subsidiary of the Company, has entered into a purchase agreement with AGM Group Holdings Inc. ("AGMH"), an integrated technology company specializing in fintech software services and production of high-performance hardware and computing equipment, for its Avalon A15 HydU 370T ("A15 Hydro") mining machines. As part of the agreement, Canaan will initially provide 2,000 Bitcoin mining machines to AGMH. The Company has also agreed to provide its customer with an option to acquire approximately 30,000 additional BTC mining units, potentially providing AGMH with a combined power capacity not exceeding 300 megawatts. The Avalon Miner A15 Hydro enhances the miner's performance and lifespan while reducing energy consumption and noise pollution, aligning with Canaan's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy. About Canaan Inc. Established in 2013, Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN), is a technology company focusing on ASIC high-performance computing chip design, chip research and development, computing equipment production, and software services. Canaan has extensive experience in chip design and streamlined production in the ASIC field. In 2013, Canaan's founding team shipped to its customers the world's first batch of mining machines incorporating ASIC technology in bitcoin 's history under the brand name Avalon. In 2019, Canaan completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market. To learn more about Canaan, please visit https://www.canaan.io/ . Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward−looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward−looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Canaan Inc.'s strategic and operational plans, contain forward−looking statements. Canaan Inc. may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Canaan Inc.'s beliefs and expectations, are forward−looking statements. Forward−looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the bitcoin industry and the price of bitcoin ; the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products, especially its bitcoin mining machines; the Company's expectations regarding maintaining and strengthening its relationships with production partners and customers; the Company's investment plans and strategies, fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results; competition in its industry; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company and cryptocurrency . Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Canaan Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward−looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Investor Relations Contacts Canaan Inc. Xi Zhang Email: IR@canaan-creative.com ICR, LLC. Robin Yang Tel: +1 (347) 396-3281 Email: canaan.ir@icrinc.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canaan-inc-signs-agreement-with-agm-group-holdings-inc-302330362.html SOURCE Canaan Inc. Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today
In a year already chock-full of excellent remakes like Persona 3 Reload and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door , it’s impressive that I can still call Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake one of the best I’ve ever played. That’s not because it sets out to redefine the 1988 NES original like Square Enix did with Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth , but because of how it strikes a nearly perfect balance between faithfully sticking to the bones of Dragon Quest III while adding modern quality-of-life improvements and a beautiful new coat of paint that make it more fun than ever to explore and battle across its surprisingly dense overworld. Dragon Quest III is a true godfather of the RPG genre, and this immensely satisfying retelling so clearly spells out why it’s one of gaming’s essential works. HD-2D Remake is fundamentally the same adventure Dragon Quest III has always been, and it’s hard not to marvel at how well its original blueprint still holds up in 2024. This is as classic as JRPGs get – the genre boiled down to its absolute essentials of rock-solid turn-based combat, atmospheric caves and dungeons filled with monsters and treasure, and a straightforward story about good versus evil that asks you to fill in a lot of the gaps with your imagination. It evokes nostalgia for a bygone era of video games in the best ways while proving it still has the stuff to hang with the fancy, modern RPGs. Despite the unabashedly old-school design, it does manage to feel new thanks to its overhauled graphics, and Dragon Quest and the HD-2D style pioneered by Octopath Traveler are an absolute perfect combination. The enemy design is amazing, with highly-detailed sprites and animations that are a joy to look at. The late Akira Toriyama’s signature style is wonderfully realized here, and battles feel more dynamic with each enemy’s lively animations for attacking and defending. Towns are delightful to explore, with stunning castles, houses, and shops that are breathtaking to look at from the outside and adorable to poke around on the inside thanks to sharp attention to detail. The dungeons all look great, too, especially with the moody lighting emitting from your hero’s lantern. Finally, the overworld feels grand to march across, and it’s all backed up with an orchestral soundtrack that fits Dragon Quest’s lighthearted, adventurous mood to a tee. HD-2D Remake doesn’t just look gorgeous, as it has great battle and class systems to match. Apart from the Hero, whose class and spot in your party is locked in from the start, the composition of the other three spots is completely up to you, including their classes, names, and appearances. I outfitted my party with a Thief, a Priest, and my personal favorite: the all-new Monster Wrangler, who became stronger as I found and recruited friendly monsters across the world, which further incentivized exploration. It’s a ton of fun constructing your band of heroes, and I’m honestly considering a full replay where I try something entirely different given how many classes I didn’t take advantage of. There are also opportunities to reclass later in the story while retaining all the abilities your characters have learned thus far, adding even more important decisions to consider. It’s just a shame that the personalities of your party members are all silent, blank slates as a result of that mechanical flexibility. That’s the same as it was in the original, but it makes for an RPG journey that’s much more about character builds, combat, and exploration rather than relationships, camaraderie, and story. It’s completely understandable that Square Enix would stick with the old style in this instance, as it did with almost everything else, but it’s hard not to miss the wonderful personalities of my party in Dragon Quest XI or the Party Chat feature seen in most modern entries of the series by comparison. But as someone who vastly prefers a barebones story compared to an overbearing one, I still thoroughly enjoyed Dragon Quest III’s focus on engaging directly with its RPG systems. To that end, the battles themselves are fast-paced, fun, and occasionally quite difficult. Make no mistake – this is still very much a hardcore NES-era RPG, and you need to use a balanced mix of strong attacks, healing spells, and buffing/debuffing abilities to beat some of Dragon Quest III’s toughest bosses. There are some real nail-biting moments, especially later on in the campaign, and I loved using unorthodox strategies to barely squeak by fights I probably wasn’t ready for yet. Random encounters in both the overworld and dungeons are a constant factor, but they’re always enjoyable and drop essential experience points and gold, which you’ll need as much of as you can get to reach the end credits. But if nervewracking turn-based battles aren’t your thing, there’s no need to worry. I’m incredibly impressed by how flexible HD-2D Remake is as a whole. Apart from three difficulty options you can switch between at any time (Including the Dracky Quest option, where your characters essentially can’t die), there are a ton of ways to tailor the adventure to your specific playstyle. In combat, you can speed up battle animations to get through encounters faster or watch them at normal speed to really enjoy the detailed enemy animations. You’re also given complete control over how your party behaves: In classic Dragon Quest fashion, you can give individual orders to all four party members, or choose strategies for them to execute on their own, like focusing on healing, conserving magic, or going all-out against a tough foe. It’s honestly relaxing to set the whole party to autobattle when grinding for experience points before taking control back for yourself ahead of an important boss fight. Options like these ensure the great combat remains fresh across the roughly 30-hour adventure, even with multiple sessions of grinding. That’s partially because the Dragon Quest series is pretty good at making grinding for experience points entertaining, and this remake is no exception. If you’re a fan of the series, you know that Metal Slimes are the key to leveling up fast: Enemies with low spawn rates that drop way more experience points than the average bad guy. Discovering areas of the map where Metal Slimes are more likely to appear is exciting, and the rush of adrenaline that kicks in when you see one show up in a random encounter never gets old – like pulling a rare card from a Pokémon booster pack. Plus, apart from the occasional level grind session, Dragon Quest III’s pacing is impeccable. You’re always being ushered from one new location to the next, constantly exploring new towns and dungeons while encountering fresh foes from the huge set of over 150 enemy types. It rarely retraces any of its steps – except for one specific recurring boss I won’t spoil that admittedly rears its ugly head a few too many times. This remake also goes to great lengths to ensure you’ll never get lost or stuck. The Zoom spell lets you escape a tough situation to rest at an inn pretty much whenever you want, while objective markers clearly label what you need to do next to progress through the occasionally unclear and outdated main quests. However, if you want the classic Dragon Quest III experience, you can turn these quest markers off and discover everything for yourself by exploring and talking to townsfolk. It’s a great system that makes this aged RPG more approachable and playable than ever, while also preserving that original style for those who want it. It’s an ideal way to revisit a beloved adventure, and I love the pace at which this vast world slowly reveals its secrets to you piece by piece. While I was generally a big fan of Dragon Quest III’s old-school nature mixed with the HD-2D Remake’s modern improvements, there are a couple of places it could have gone a few extra steps. Inventory management is clunky, as each of your four party members only has access to their individual item bags in combat, meaning I spent a ton of time in menus transferring items from the party’s overall inventory to their individual pockets. Managing equipment comes with similar annoyances, where it’s just a bit harder than it should be to see how equipping something will impact each character’s stats. I eventually got into a rhythm of how to fiddle with these outdated menus, but it’s one place I wish had gotten more updating. (There are also just a few enemy designs that haven’t aged especially well, and probably would have been better left in the past.)Reports: Kings fire coach Mike Brown
Ben Foster leads Kansas' largest independently owned broadband and communications company. OVERLAND PARK, Kan. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association announced the election of board officers for 2025, including Ben Foster as Vice Chair. Foster is the president & CEO of Twin Valley and ISG Technology – together the largest independently owned broadband and communications company in Kansas . Twin Valley is rapidly growing as a rural Kansas fiber and small-to-medium business IT provider, while ISG is a top national competitor in mid-to-enterprise level IT services with locations in Kansas , Missouri and Oklahoma . As the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based broadband companies, NTCA is committed to advancing policies that help close the digital divide and advocating on behalf of its members in the legislative and regulatory arenas. The association also provides educational programming, training and development by publishing comprehensive industry research, conducting in person and virtual events, and offering an array of employee benefit programs. "NTCA is instrumental in setting industry policy and putting important legislation in front of lawmakers," Foster said. "In my role as Vice Chair of the NTCA board, I aim to bring a rural Kansas perspective to national broadband policy discussions, ensuring the voices of local providers and communities are heard." In its Pledge made to rural communities, Twin Valley commits to building the most reliable broadband network and supporting meaningful outreach initiatives, including digital inclusion efforts. Industry policy and federal funding are keys to delivering on those commitments. As a fourth-generation leader of the Twin Valley family of companies, Foster brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the NTCA board, which he has served on from 2011 to 2014 and 2022 to present, acting as secretary/treasurer in the 2024 board year. He also serves as a board member for the Kansas Fiber Network. As NTCA board vice chair, Foster joins officers Roxie Jorgenson , director at MTA ( Palmer, Alaska ), who will serve as chair, and Ross Petrick , general manager/CEO of Alliance Communications Cooperative Inc. ( Garretson, S.D. ), who will serve as secretary/treasurer. Foster was also re-elected to serve as the Central Region Commercial Director. "As we head into a new year, I look forward to working with all of our board members to implement our new strategic plan centered around our efforts to advocate for the continued viability and sustainability of the Universal Service Fund," said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield . About Twin Valley Twin Valley is a fourth-generation family business that has over 80 years' experience providing cutting-edge technology and connectivity throughout the central U.S. Twin Valley helps customers unlock possibilities to realize their full potential by providing a unique combination of broadband, mobile, home security, managed IT services, technology consulting, professional services and cloud/data center solutions for both residential and business customers. Twin Valley made a Pledge to their communities and customers, always striving to provide the most reliable broadband network, the best value for internet, local hometown customer service and meaningful community outreach initiatives. Learn more at twinvalley.com/pledge. About NTCA NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing about 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovative change in smart rural communities across America. In an era of transformative technological developments, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are advancing efforts to close the digital divide by delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks. Their commitment to building sustainable networks makes rural communities fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org . SOURCE Twin Valley
The railway community in Sri Lanka and all national-minded islanders commemorate 27 December as the day on which the inaugural Ceylon Government Railway (CGR) train ran between Colombo Fort and Ambepussa (34 miles on the main line) in 1864. One day prior to it, the same folks remember with pain and anguish the devastating effect of the 2004 tsunami which destroyed a 1,500 passenger train at Peraliya on 26 December, taking over 1,000 lives in an island-wide cataclysm that resulted in 30,000 deaths. But Sri Lanka Railways endeavoured to restore the stricken locomotive – a Class M2a EMD-G12 (‘Manitoba’), imported under the Colombo Plan in 1956 – and a few years later, it makes a regular run on ‘D-Day’ every year, heading the now-iconic Train No. 8051 (‘51). And in a trifecta of rail happenings, this December’s media has been rife with reports of how the Government of Sri Lanka is in talks with its counterparts in Japan to get back on track the much vaunted Light Rail Transit (LRT) project that was arbitrarily derailed by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration in 2021. Then Sri Lanka’s so-called “LRT fiasco” and the international fallout from a former regime’s ad-hoc policy decision is much in the news these days... for the right reasons, for a change. So much so that the case study of an arbitrary cancellation of the Japan-funded Light Rail Transit project in the context of international relations in an emerging geopolitical milieu may make interesting reading for all of SLR’s swains and stakeholders in good governance being restored. Ergo, this two-part piece on Sri Lanka’s ill-fated LRT project, on which fortune and the Government of Japan seem to be smiling again. [CONTINUED FROM A PREVIOUS ISSUE] Two further items in the same news report also signal salutary indications for Sri Lanka in general and the LRT project in particular. First, as regards the partnership of Japan, which was the original donor nation associated with the LRT project, and its ongoing support: “The President also conveyed appreciation for continued support provided by the Government of Japan and JICA.” (Colombo Gazette) Second, as regards the all-important factor of funding on the same or similar concessionary basis as below for the resumption and completion of at least the first planned phase of the pilot project of the LRT involving Line 1 and Line 4 in the road map: “Dr Tanaka Akihiko, the President of Japan International Cooperation Agency, called on President Wickremesinghe in Colombo. ... Dr. Akihiko elaborated on JICA’s efforts, highlighting the priority of concluding debt restructuring while also aiming for the resumption of stalled projects” (emphasis added). The sustainable role played by JICA is much in evidence in the Japanese agency’s rationalisation of the LRT project in its analyses and assessments of the scope of the work. JICA has long since affirmed on its website that “the project falls into the railways sector under the JICA guidelines for environmental and social considerations” per its mandate as of long ago as April 2010 (Japan International Cooperation Agency, ‘Project for Establishment of New Light Rail Transit System in Colombo’). JICA in its project outline affirms and undergirds the value of the LRT’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s national developmental agenda: “The objectives of the project are to alleviate traffic congestion, provide better connectivity and mitigate air pollution in the Western Region by constructing [a] mass rapid transit system, thereby contributing to the economic and social development of the Western Region and improvement of [the] urban environment” (JICA). And the same portal, by dint of its publication of ‘past’ and ‘latest’ monitoring reports spanning May, September and December 2019, not only indicates its commitment to the project but the ongoing interest shown and acted upon by JICA until the abrupt unilateral termination of the project by the Government of Sri Lanka under the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in September 2021. The ramifications of such an arbitrary action, although ostensibly taken at the behest of a single individual at the uppermost echelon of executive power, had consequences that affected not only personal relationships but also impacted on Sri Lanka at the sovereign state level. As an Echelon Media Company report commented editorially: “Sri Lanka is in the process to mend severed ties with Japan after the island nation unilaterally cancelled a 1.5 billion US Dollar Light Rail Transit (LRT) and East Container Terminal (ECT) projects as the crisis-hit South Asian nation is seeking international help to come out of its economic down turn amid a political crisis. Higher government officials and ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members have told Economy Next that most foreign countries were unwilling to help Sri Lanka unlike in the past because of some harsh ‘undiplomatic’ experiences. A former SLPP cabinet minister has said some countries have indirectly told the government that they would not help until [what was meant is ‘as long as’] President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family members are in power” (EconomyNext, ‘Crisis-hit Sri Lanka in process to mend Japanese ties after cancelling LRT, ECT projects’, 16 June 2022). The cancellation of the LRT project in particular hamstrung Sri Lanka’s longstanding relationship with Japan, according to the then Deputy Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Pieris, who affirmed that “the relationship with Japan is vital for Sri Lanka” (Economy Next), who also noted that the Japanese contribution to the island nation spanned decades – ever since the South Asian nation stood up for the defeated World War II country at the San Francisco Conference in 1945, after the conclusion of hostilities – and included substantial aid, loans, technological assistance and support for numerous projects spanning the gamut from the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital (SJH) to sundry helps in terms of skills development, computer technology, construction industry initiatives, and medical and pharmaceutical items, in a milieu where Japan was allied to the US’ post-Cold War interests. In addition, the souring of relations between the two sovereign nations, which were celebrating their 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations at the time (2022), would come with attendant opportunity costs as “Sri Lanka wished to expand cooperation with Japan in the areas of digitalisation, carbon credit, and ocean-related activities including coast conservation, fisheries and global warming”, according to the Deputy Foreign Minister, who added: “Reference was also made to exploring cooperation in areas coming under the purview of the World Trade Organization.” Unsaid was the steps away from Chinese debt-trap diplomacy these would take, where previously the People’s Republic had wrested control of Hambantota Port from Sri Lanka. These costs and opportunity costs could be construed as not only a severe setback for international relations between the two previously harmoniously allied nation states but also an impediment to aid for Sri Lanka as “Japan has been the top lender for Sri Lanka under its concessionary funding and has poured billions of yens (sic) into Sri Lanka’s main Colombo port and many other infrastructure projects”, in addition to the fact that “Japan played a key role when Sri Lanka faced an economic collapse in 2001.” Further underlining the severity of the impact that the LRT project cancellation had was the recollection in 2022 that in 2003, Japan “helped to host a donor forum for Sri Lanka and raise 4.5 billion US Dollars ... to rebuild war ravaged infrastructure during a ceasefire agreement in the island nation’s civil war.” In December 2022, after the abovementioned developments took place between Japan and Sri Lanka on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meeting, the island’s new head of state President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that his government was intent on mending fences with the East Asian giant that had been supportive of Sri Lanka over the decades, with a special emphasis on trying to get the abandoned LRT project back on the track (Wikipedia, ‘Western Region Megapolis Light Rail Transit’). “However ... and even a few months later, the Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka at the time (March 2023) told a forum in Colombo that “a decision has not been made as yet about the revival of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded Light Rail Transit (LRT) project stretching from Colombo Fort to Malabe”, as quoted in a media report (NewsWire, ‘Japan yet to consider revival of Light Rail project’, 30 March 2023). The Japanese official intimated that “the decision about the project depends on the reforms of the Sri Lankan government, and if Sri Lanka can regain the trust of the Japanese government and business community”...”the revival of the project will be considered when those conditions are met.” In a post-Cold War milieu where until recently at least Russia was marginalised in an increasingly multi-polar world, the emergence of China as a contender against US economic hegemony was to some extent counterbalanced by the role played by American ally Japan in Asian region development. As a news report on the cancelled LRT project observed: “Sri Lanka, which lies along key shipping routes in the Indian Ocean, has become a hotspot for influence between India and Japan on the one side and China on the other” (Reuters, ‘Sri Lanka suspends Japanese-funded rail project over costs’, 24 September 2020). With Japan out of the equation for the LRT project, there was growing concern that China might step in once again. The poor governance ethos of arbitrary policy making and summary decision taking was thereafter to be compounded by other issues of governance such as covering up mistakes made. The project that was due to commence with land acquisition in 2020 and be concluded in 2024 with an LRT that would have trains running along an elevated track at four-minute intervals during rush hour and 10-minute intervals at off-peak times ended in ignominy for the Sri Lankan Government when the project was arbitrarily terminated by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration citing the ongoing economic crisis at the time (Janaka Ratnasiri, ‘Cancellation of Light Rail Project: Some alternatives to reduce congestion’, 7 October 2020) – but that was not to be all. The Government of Sri Lanka later claimed that the LRT project was not terminated per se but only temporarily halted (Wikipedia, ‘Western Region Megapolis Light Rail Transit’). Three months after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa terminated the project unilaterally in a letter issued through the Secretary to the President as written proof of cancellation, a government minister claimed that “the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system funded by Japan has not been cancelled, but is under review” (NewsWire, ‘LRT project not cancelled, but under review – Minister’, 17 February 2021); with that government official, the State Minister of Urban Development among other ministries asserting: “The construction of a 15.8 km LRT track between the Colombo Fort area and Malabe is under review.” The minister in question had attempted in his statement to the media to explain the perceived cancellation in terms of the suspension of one of the four lanes (at US$ 2 billion compared to 400 million US dollars) of the two-line project, citing a cost discrepancy on which grounds it was allegedly temporarily suspended. Also claiming that the project was still up and running, the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport had previously, as much as a year after the cancellation (that is in September 2022), stated that since Cabinet had approved the project, it required termination by the Cabinet, and that a letter issued by the Secretary to the President was insufficient grounds to terminate the project (The Morning, ‘Colombo Light Rail Transit project still alive’, 27 September 2020). This attempt at political spin cast further shadows over poor governance and deepened the dark cloud over the goodwill between Sri Lanka and one of its longest-standing allies and international developmental partners in a multi-polar world – one where post-Cold War realities had brought China as a rival to Russia in the conflict with the superpower US. The proposed LRT project, formerly known as the Colombo Light Railway (Wikipedia, ‘Western Region Megapolis Light Rail Transit’), was an integral part of the Western Region Megapolis plan, and was “developed encompassing all aspects of transportation to provide a framework for urban transport development in the Western Region up to 2035” (Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, ‘Western Region Megapolis Transport Master Plan: Final Report’, November 2016) and was therefore a visionary, timely and strategically outlined project. Its “development plan priorities” [were] “prepared based on the urgency of the [need] to resolve the critical urban transport problems” (Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, ‘Western Region Megapolis Transport Master Plan: Final Report’, November 2016); and as a project of not only local, capital or regional but also national importance, because of the international cooperation dimension involving sovereign states and bilateral donor relations in a geopolitical milieu, it was “based on a logical sequence of implementation in order to maximize the outcomes in achieving the urban mobility objectives”. But in what was widely perceived as an arbitrary move and even a blasé exercise of authoritarian power, the then incumbent President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered the Ministry of Transport to “terminate this project and close the project office with immediate effect” (AFP, ‘Sri Lanka scraps $1.5bn Japan funded light rail system’, 24 September 2020), bringing to an abrupt halt the project that “commenced during the presidency of Maithripala Sirisena, in 2017, and was regarded as the largest single foreign-funded infrastructure project in Sri Lanka”. It was a terminal move that received Cabinet approval for cancellation on 29 September 2020, on the grounds that it would cause “huge environmental damage” (Janaka Ratnasiri, ‘Cancellation of Light Rail Project: Some alternatives to reduce congestion’, 7 October 2020, The Island Online) and come at “a very high cost”, although “Cabinet approval had been granted previously, both on environmental and financial grounds”. And yet, it was the decision to unilaterally terminate the project – and not the implementation of the project itself – that came at a very high set of costs. Firstly, financial: as “a Japan-based firm involved in a scrapped light rail transit project had claimed 5,896 billion rupees from Sri Lanka” (EconomyNext, ‘Japan firm claims damages of Rs.5.8bn from Sri Lanka after LRT deal scrapped’, 18 June 2021) as a result of termination of the US$130 million dollar contract with that consultancy, according to a revelation by the country’s Auditor-General. Secondly, fiscal: the suspension of a Japanese Government 30 billion yen concessionary loan signed with Sri Lanka in March 2020. Thirdly, reputational: the souring of relations between Sri Lanka and its long-time supporter, the nation, government and people of Japan. Fourthly, political: the fallout from this policy imbroglio as well as other political fiascoes such as a short-sighted chemical fertiliser ban and myopic monetary policies saw the regime of Gotabaya Rajapaksa coming to an ignominious end in July 2022 through the exercise of popular sovereignty vested in the people instrumentalising a citizens’ movement. Fifthly, social: the ongoing predicament of millions of commuters who continue to literally take their lives in their hands on inadequate and outdated railway infrastructure that is subject to delays, derailments and railroad union strikes. Finally (last not least), geopolitical: naïve governmental approaches to honouring international agreements and blasé cancellation of the deal between sovereign states that had partnered in development, which could precariously affect the balance of a post-Cold War regional order. In an emerging, complex and potentially threatening geopolitical milieu, the greatest fallout from the LRT fiasco was – over and above sovereign state-level displeasure – a realignment of allies, whereby Sri Lanka, ostensibly abandoned and at Japan’s displeasure, could slide towards China. A vision to develop Sri Lanka’s railway infrastructure is the need of the hour even now, over four years after the island nation arbitrarily terminated a project that would meet its creaking infrastructural needs at concessionary terms from a friendly nation’s government. It must be a vision that is ably backed up by the precise planning and meticulous attention to detail that the aborted LRT system that was funded by JICA and the Government of Japan displayed. But it would serve the national interest better if the type of bureaucratic bungling that was brought on by a regime change could be pre-empted, perhaps by the simple expedient of a parliamentary act to prevent successive governments from undoing the good work attempted by their administrative predecessors. This is by no means an easy task in a parliament where remnants of regimes can hold the executive arm of government to ransom or take the people’s will hostage because of bitter political rivalries that trump the national interest. It will take not only a regime change but a paradigm shift in the Standard Operating Procedure of ensuing Sri Lankan governments to enable the emergence of such a set of principles whereby the sovereign commitments of the state do not get derailed by the whims and fancies of authoritarian chief executives or any arbitrary bureaucratic decisions. There needs to be a radical redrafting of the social contract for this to eventuate whereby there is a better check and balance between the executive and the legislature, as well as between the government and state bureaucracy, and the people’s will versus wilful presidents. Such a reality will not eventuate without the awareness of the general populace about the international-level costs to the national interest. So especially in a global milieu where the old world order of bipolarity has changed so drastically that in an increasingly multi-polar world, even the (albeit arbitrary) cancellation of a developmental project can cause a regional geopolitical shift by driving a strategically important small country such as Sri Lanka away from US allies to China. It is in the context of all of the above that the mutual interest of and initiative shown by the governments of Japan and Sri Lanka to get the long-abandoned LRT project back on the track is to be welcomed and wholeheartedly endorsed by the public – especially commuters but also all stakeholders in growth, development, progress under a renascent good governance.Amaravati: YSR Congress Party leader and former IAS officer Mohammed Imtiaz on Friday bid goodbye to politics. Imtiaz, who had taken voluntary retirement from service to join the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), announced that he was quitting politics due to personal reasons. On the invitation of then ruling party YSRCP, Imtiaz had taken voluntary retirement and joined the party in February this year. YSRCP President and then Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had picked Imtiaz as the party candidate from the Kurnool constituency in Assembly elections held in May, denying renomination to sitting MLA Hafeez Khan. The former bureaucrat, however, lost to Telugu Desam Party’s T. G. Bharath by a margin of 18,876 votes. As the YSRCP lost power, Imtiaz apparently saw no future for himself in the party and decided to quit. Several leaders including three Rajya Sabha members have quit the YSRCP since the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP alliance stormed to power with a landslide victory in the May 13 elections. The alliance bagged 164 out of 175 Assembly seats and it also won 21 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats. The YSRCP, which had come to power in 2019 by winning 151 Assembly seats, could win only 11 seats. The party managed to win only four out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Mopidevi Venkatramna, B. Mastan Rao, and R. Krishnaiah resigned from their Rajya Sabha membership and also the YSRCP in September. Venkatramna and Mastan Rao joined the TDP, which recently nominated Mastan Rao to Rajya Sabha. The BJP sent Krishnaiah once again to the upper house of the Parliament. Former minister Avanthi Srinivas resigned from the YSRCP on December 12. He resigned both as YSRCP in-charge for the Bheemili Assembly constituency and from the primary membership of the party. In his resignation letter to YSRCP President Jagan Mohan Reddy and party’s North Andhra coordinator Vijayasai Reddy, Srinivas mentioned that he would like to distance himself from politics for personal reasons.PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- The Board of Directors of Zoetis Inc . (NYSE:ZTS) has declared a dividend of $0.50 per share for the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 16% from the quarterly dividend rate paid in 2024. The dividend will be paid on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, to all holders of record of the Company’s common stock as of the close of business on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. “Zoetis’ performance has been strong this year, driven by our diverse, science-driven portfolio and our differentiated execution,” said Wetteny Joseph, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Zoetis. “I am pleased to announce that we are increasing our dividend in 2025, consistent with our commitment to returning excess capital to shareholders.” About Zoetis As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness for more than 70 years, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide – from veterinarians and pet owners to livestock farmers and ranchers. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $8.5 billion in 2023 with approximately 14,100 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com . DISCLOSURE NOTICES Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the current views of Zoetis with respect to business plans or prospects, future operating or financial performance, future use of cash and dividend payments, and other future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if management's underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Zoetis expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. A further list and description of risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in the sections thereof captioned “Forward-Looking Statements and Factors That May Affect Future Results” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our Current Reports on Form 8-K. These filings and subsequent filings are available online at www.sec.gov , www.zoetis.com , or on request from Zoetis. ZTS-COR ZTS-IR ZTS-FIN View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212274866/en/ CONTACT: Media Contacts: Jennifer Albano 1-973-945-4333 (o) jennifer.albano@zoetis.com Laura Panza 1-973-975-5176 (o) laura.panza@zoetis.com Investor Contacts: Steve Frank 1-973-822-7141 (o) steve.frank@zoetis.com Nick Soonthornchai 1-973-443-2792 (o) nick.soonthornchai@zoetis.com KEYWORD: NEW JERSEY UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH OTHER HEALTH MANAGED CARE PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY VETERINARY SOURCE: Zoetis Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 04:15 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 04:17 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212274866/enMozambique’s president-elect Daniel Chapo on Friday called for “non-violence” and “unity” after widespread rioting this week sparked by his ruling party’s contested election win. Chapo, who said he “regretted” the violence, promised that after his inauguration in mid-January, he would be “the president of all” in the southern African country, despite opposition claims of vote-rigging. Mozambique’s top court on Monday confirmed that Frelimo, Chapo’s party that has been in power for 50 years, won the October 9 vote, triggering four days of unrest that saw streets blocked, shops and businesses torched, and looting. Some 134 people were killed in the unrest, according to local NGO Plataforma Decide, taking the overall death toll since the elections to at least 261. Chapo said in his first public statement since the court decision that the worst affected cities were the capital Maputo, neighbouring Matola, the central city of Beira and Nampula in the north. “These acts only contribute to the decline of the country and the increase in the number of Mozambicans who are heading towards unemployment and poverty,” added the former provincial governor, who takes over an impoverished nation with glaring inequality in just a few weeks. Chapo thanked citizens who helped remove makeshift barricades to try to get life back to normal and praised security forces for “mitigating the harmful effects of political polarisation”. Several police officers died during the clashes, he added. He promised to turn around the country’s economy and to do “everything to renew” Mozambique. International observers also pointed to electoral irregularities in the disputed presidential poll, which the Constitutional Council said Chapo won with 65.17 percent of the vote. The country’s electoral commission had initially said Frelimo won nearly 71 percent of the vote. Before this week, Mozambique had seen a wave of demonstrations, strikes and blockades in protest at the election.
Alabama flips RB Jace Clarizio from Michigan StateConservative political commentator Candace Owens is once again allowed to visit New Zealand after immigration officials reversed their earlier decision to block her from entering the country , citing her history of controversial comments and her questioning of the Holocaust. Late last month, Owens was denied an entertainer’s work permit for New Zealand, one of several places she’s slated to appear for speaking engagements in February and March. She’s also scheduled to speak at a series of events in several Australian cities, but the nation’s immigration minister, Tony Burke, blocked her entry in October . Burke pointed to Owens’ questioning of certain events that occurred during the Holocaust — specifically whether Nazis experimented on Jewish captives. New Zealand then followed suit, forbidding Owens from entering the nation under an immigration law that allows a visa denial if the person has already been “excluded from another country.” Owens went on to appeal the decision. On Thursday, New Zealand Associate Immigration Minister Chris Penk announced he’d decided to overturn the ban and grant the right-wing personality her visa. He said he made the decision “after considering representations made to him, including the importance of free speech.” It’s not the first time Owens has faced backlash for her commentary. Her critics have long accused her of promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitism — views she shares with more than 3 million followers on YouTube. She’s triggered outrage with her opposition to Black Lives Matter, feminism, vaccines and immigration. With News Wire ServicesOptical illusion determines if you are happy about the future or are stuck in the past
A Town of Lockport woman is facing a felony charge following the death of an emaciated chihuahua found on Ruhlmann Road on Christmas Eve. On Thursday, Ashley Pritchard, 39, of the Town of Lockport, was charged with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals. She's set to appear in Town of Lockport Court on Jan. 9. The female chihuahua named Eve was found Tuesday "stumbling down" Ruhlmann Road, according to SPCA of Niagara officials. She weighed approximately 4.8 lbs. with a temperature of 91.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Eve was placed with an experienced foster at the SPCA and given warm fluids, and a heating pad. By 5:15 p.m., her temperature had risen to 96 degrees Fahrenheit. SPCA officials noted she was young — under or around a year old — severely emaciated, dehydrated, weak and stunk of urine saturation. Eve died about 7 a.m. on Christmas Day. Emily Burow, shelter manager at the SPCA, said Eve’s body was already shutting down by the time she received care. Burow also said that several people from the community called the agency, after a series of posts on social media in regard to Even, and the owner was determined to be a Pritchard, who lived on Ruhlmann Road. She was initially charged with failure to provide, a misdemeanor, but the charge was later upgraded to a felony count. According to a post on Niagara SPCA’s Facebook account, two of the felony cases pursued by the shelter have resulted in jail time for the suspect and the agency is “elated” that the felony charges were pursued by the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office. “Our courts must show those who commit heinous acts of cruelty that it’s not OK and there are consequences for acts of violence and neglect against animals,” reads the post. The district attorney’s office has no comment at this time.Unfortunately, airlines continue to struggle to locate misplaced suitcases despite the overabundance of tracking devices. When it happens, it’s often to the chagrin of the person losing their luggage and having to deal with the airline gaslighting them out of its existence. Apple added a new feature to Find My last month to help with these it-sucks-when-it-happens situations. Share Item Location allows you to share the location of an AirTag with a third party, which will be immensely helpful when trying to prove that an airline lost your bag. United Airlines is the first major airline conglomerate to implement Apple’s Share Item Location feature for the AirTag in its mobile app. To use it, you’ll need the latest iOS 18.2 update, available for the iPhone Xs and above. The feature lets you generate a shareable link through the Find My app and add it to a delayed baggage report. You can also cease sharing that data before your item is found. The Share Item Location link automatically expires after seven days. Apple has said the location sharing is end-to-end encrypted, so only you, the user, and the third party can access the link. If you’re flying United, once your bag doesn’t show up on the conveyor belt, you can file a delayed baggage report and link the Share Item Location. The link can be generated via iPhone, iPad, or a Mac. After you submit the report, United will use that link to see where your bag is and, hopefully, pluck it out of whatever vortex it is whirling in. United promises to disable the shared location when you’re reunited with your bag. I’m curious what the airlines are thinking as they laud the support of a new feature that effectively snitches if they don’t follow protocol to return a bag. United’s press release hones in on the idea that they’re one of the first major airlines to log on to this newfangled way of tracking bags, but not without cheekily mentioning that Apple’s new Share Item Location will “drive a much-improved customer service experience for the fewer than 1% of customers whose bags arrive on a later flight.” That’s from a statistic last year that claimed only a tiny percentage of people ever have to deal with lost bags. Anyway, that number is still too much. Airlines make keeping your bag on you challenging and charge for the privilege of keeping it near. How dare they pass it off as a minuscule thing that only affects a sprinkling of people here and there. On most of my flights this year, I’ve seen folks who get on the airplane last be forced to check their bags because of a lack of overhead bin space. The bins would probably be sufficient were it not for how much it costs to check the bag from the get-go. It’s a constant lose-lose situation for the customer, so Apple is proud to let its users know it’s introduced a way to help get around the politics of checking a bag. Over a dozen airlines will start implementing this tracking feature, including most of United Airlines’ partners, such as Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines. Apple says more airlines will be added over time. Android users who are wondering how to play this game will have to choose a player. All Android users have access to Find My Device . If you’re using a Samsung device, the company has its own tracking network for the ecosystem. Third-party companies like Tile also let you share a device’s location with another party.Running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment from his local team, Michigan State, to Alabama. The decision, announced by Clarizio on social media Tuesday, comes after the East Lansing (Mich.) High standout visited head coach Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide on Nov. 16. "Great program," Clarizio told On3. "Playing on the biggest level. ... All the people and coaches I met and interacted with were all great people. The atmosphere was crazy." The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is ranked as the No. 33 running back by On3 and tabbed No. 35 in their industry ranking. In May, he had verbally committed to the Spartans, where his father, Craig Johnson, was a running back and defensive back who was a member of the 1987 Rose Bowl-winning squad under coach George Perles. --Field Level Media