Bhubaneswar, Nov 23 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to participate in the ‘Odisha Parba 2024’ programme at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday, an official statement said. Odisha Parba is a flagship event conducted by the Odia Samaj, a trust in New Delhi. Through it, they have been engaged in providing valuable support towards the preservation and promotion of Odia heritage, it said. PM Modi is scheduled to address the gathering on the occasion at around 5.30 pm on November 24. Going by tradition, 'Odisha Parba' is being organised from November 22 to November 24. It showcases the rich heritage of Odisha, displaying colourful cultural forms, and exhibits the vibrant social, cultural and political ethos of the state. A national seminar led by prominent experts and distinguished professionals across various domains will also be held. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the event on Friday. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also attended the inaugural ceremony. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
Instead of riding a Santa rally, US stocks have been stuck in a slump. However, stock inflows in the last month and a half have been exceptionally strong. Here are the four sectors that investors are moving their money to now. Christmas has come and gone, but the so-called " Santa Claus rally " that US stocks enjoyed in past years is nowhere to be found . The S&P 500 is down in December and is over 2% away from its all-time high set earlier in the month — a modest, but meaningful, dip. Other major indexes are struggling even more, as the growth-oriented Nasdaq Composite is 2.5% from its peak and the Dow Jones Industrial Average and small-cap-focused Russell 2000 are 4.6% and 8% away from recent highs, respectively. Those pullbacks come after a furious postelection rally fueled by optimism about forthcoming policies under President-elect Donald Trump. Stocks caught fire in the wake of that news but have since stagnated and given back some of those gains, as is often the case after big moves. But investors don't seem to be discouraged by those declines. Instead, they've reflexively been buying stocks in droves during this slump, seemingly confident that they'll be rewarded soon. US stock inflows were positive for seven straight weeks through December 20, Bank of America strategists led by Jill Carey Hall wrote in a late December note. Net equity inflows in that span reached $10 billion, which is the second-biggest figure since 2008, according to BofA. The only other time since the financial crisis inflows were bigger was in January 2017, which also happens to be in the wake of the last time Trump won the election. Investors are buying the dip in 4 sectors Investors have prioritized single stocks over exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and large caps over smaller firms lately, BofA found. Money also flowed into six of the 11 market sectors, though four saw outsize attention: technology, communication services, industrials, and consumer staples. It's no shock that those first two growth-heavy groups are popular, as they've easily been the best-performing sectors in 2024. What's more surprising is that industrials and staples saw their biggest inflows last week since February 2022 and April 2024, respectively. Both sectors have had middle-of-the-pack showings this year, and industrials have had the largest average weekly outflows of any sector in the last 12 months. Staples has been slightly better in that span, but it also has negative weekly flows. Conversely, the healthcare and consumer discretionary sectors had the biggest outflows last week. Mixed signals abound within Bank of America's latest sector flow data. It's not as if investors are positioning for an economic boom or bust, since the industrials-staples and healthcare-discretionary pairings are both combinations of cyclical and defensive sectors, while tech and communication services tend to grow in any backdrop. Even still, it's worth tracking where investors are placing their bets — and it's also helpful to note which sectors are most recommended by leading investment firms heading into 2025.Georgia rallies, then holds off South Carolina StatePNC Financial Services Group Inc. Purchases 1,450 Shares of Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA)
NEPSE drops 21 points, Finance sector declines by 4%Jimmy Carter , the 39th President of the United States, has died at 100. The longest-living president in U.S. history died almost two years after entering hospice care in his Georgia home in lieu of continued medical intervention for his various health issues. Carter was a one-term but popular president, holding office from 1977-1981, and was unseated by Ronald Reagan. The former Commander in Chief’s nonprofit organization announced he was entering hospice care in February 2023. “After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention,” the February 18 Twitter announcement read. “He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.” Carter had undergone multiple hospital stints in recent years for various health issues, such as melanoma and several falls. On August 2, 2015, Carter underwent surgery to remove a small cancerous mass in his liver, and he recovered easily. However, the procedure revealed further health complications. On August 11, 2015, it was announced that the cancer had spread to other parts of Carter’s body. In an August 20, 2015 press conference, his doctor revealed the melanoma had spread to four parts of his brain. Hulton Archive/Getty Images The politician-turned-humanitarian had a history of cancer in his family. Carter’s parents and three siblings (two sisters and a brother) all died of different forms of cancer. His mother died of breast cancer; his father and siblings all died of pancreatic cancer. Age 90 at the time of his melanoma diagnosis, Carter believed he was nearing the end of his life but was at peace. “I just thought I had a few weeks left, but I was surprisingly at ease,” he said at the time, per ABC News . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I have thousands of friends...so I was surprisingly at ease, much more so than my wife was.” The former president underwent treatment (surgery, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy) to “extend” his life as much as possible. The treatment was successful, with Carter announcing in March 2016 that doctors stopped his treatment. Carter was hospitalized again the next year for dehydration due to building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Winnipeg, Canada. He was back at work on the homes the next day after some hours of observation. In May 2019, Carter broke his hip in a fall on his way out of his Plains, Georgia, home to go turkey hunting. He had a hip replacement a few days later and suffered another fall in October 2016, needing stitches over one of his eyebrows. In November 2019, he underwent surgery to address pressure in his brain caused by bleeding from the falls and recovered fine. Carter first served as a Georgia senator from 1963 to 1967 and then served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. He beat incumbent President Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election. The 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner sought to make the government “competent and compassionate” during his tenure. His accomplishments as president include creating the Department of Education, bolstering the Social Security system, hiring a record number of minority groups in government jobs, and protecting/improving the environment. Part of that effort was successfully adding 103 million acres of Alaskan land to the national park system. Carter was determined to see the U.S. switch from fossil fuel to clean energy with renewable resources. To that end, he had 32 solar panels installed on the roof of the West Wing in the summer of 1979, hoping to set an example for the future of renewable energy. The panels were used for seven years before Reagan had them removed. While he had notable accomplishments, rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing tensions made it difficult for Carter to meet the high expectations he set for his administration. He shepherded in nearly eight million new jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit (per WhiteHouse.org ), but near record-high inflation and interest rates of the time, and the efforts to fix them, triggered a short recession in the economy. In foreign affairs, Carter led the Camp David Accords in 1978, a political agreement between Egypt and Israel reached through 12 days of secret negotiations at the President’s Maryland country retreat. His focus on human rights didn’t sit well with the leaders of the Soviet Union and some other nations. He obtained ratification of the Panama Canal treaties, set up diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and finished the negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. Born James Earl Carter, Jr. on October 1, 1924, Carter’s family ran a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia. Talk of politics and his Baptist faith were tenets of his childhood. He graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1946, serving seven years as a naval officer. Carter married his wife, Rosalynn Carter — who died in November 2023 — after graduating from the Academy in 1946. They share three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), and a daughter, Amy Lynn. Carter became a career politician in 1962 when elected to the Georgia State Senate. After his presidency, Carter focused his public efforts on humanitarian aid. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” More Headlines: Jimmy Carter Dies: Longest-Living U.S. President Was 100 Hallmark Alums Tease Reunion in ‘When Hope Calls’ Season 2 and Possible Kiss Dayle Haddon’s Son-in-Law Marc Blucas Spent Years Renovating 1700s House Where She Died The 6 Saddest Scenes in ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 ‘Sister Wives’ Star Meri Brown Debuts ‘Mystery Man’ 2 Years After Kody Brown SplitIt’s gratifying when issues, particularly challenging ones, move beyond the talking stage into the action phase. Addressing the state’s housing shortage is one of those issues. The level of engagement regarding the lack of affordable housing, especially, demonstrates that towns in the Monadnock Region are taking the problem seriously. Three communities in the region, including Keene, recently received a Housing Champion designation from the state for efforts to address the housing crisis. Hinsdale, Jaffrey and Keene were among 18 communities in the state recognized by the N.H. Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) for their efforts to support “affordable, accessible and sustainable” housing development. With a Housing Champion designation, communities become eligible to apply for grants. This good news comes at a time when suitable housing is out of reach for many. The median price for a single-family home in New Hampshire has topped $500,000 ($373,850 in Cheshire County), and the median monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment including utilities has reached $1,833 ($1,455 in Cheshire County), according to the N.H. 2024 Residential Rental Cost Survey Report. The state Legislature created the Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program in 2023 and allocated $5 million to help municipalities create more housing. The BEA administers the designation process and related programming. Communities are invited to apply for the designation, which opens the door to funding for infrastructure and per-unit production. To qualify, communities must provide documentation demonstrating that zoning and land-use regulations promote workforce housing and that the community trains members of land-use boards regarding applicable procedures and laws. Communities must also show they are implementing sewer and water infrastructure improvements, as well as public transportation and walkability infrastructure such as sidewalks. Keene earned high marks for steps taken to address housing needs, including zoning updates, infrastructure investments and stakeholder training. Amendments to zoning and land-use regulations have been part of the city’s plan to encourage housing development, such as above-the-store apartments and so-called Cottage Courts for small-footprint housing. The city also has plans to embark on a major downtown infrastructure upgrade. Keene Planning Board members say they’ve seen a growing interest in the new Cottage Court designation, according to a recent report by The Sentinel’s Abigail Ham. Last week, the board approved an architectural plan to renovate a multifamily home on Roxbury Street under the Cottage Court designation. The three-story building will include four units — one more than zoning would normally allow. Earlier this month, The Sentinel’s Rick Green reported that former Keene Mayor George Hansel and businessman Jared Goodell are planning to build 17 small apartments in vacant office space on the second floor of the Silk Mill building, which they own as Emerald Development LLC. Noting a strong demand for smaller, affordable apartments, Goodell said he also has projects underway to add residential units along Marlboro Street. And in September, Keene Housing broke ground on a project at the old Roosevelt School on Washington Street that will add 30 rent-subsidized units to the city’s rental stock. These are just a few of the housing projects underway in the region. In Peterborough, Catholic Charities NH, along with community partners, broke ground in October on its Vose Farm Residences, a 96-unit mixed-income housing development. The first units are slated to be ready for occupancy in 2026. Avanru Development Group’s Swanzey West Apartments, an 84-unit complex along Route 10 completed this year, is already fully leased, according to the Monadnock Economic Development Corp. The town of Swanzey has approved well over 400 multifamily housing units since 2020, says Town Administrator Michael Branley. This may seem like a lot of development at once, but creating enough housing to meet the need is a tall order. The city of Keene alone needs about 1,400 new residential units to meet rising demand over the next decade, according to a Housing Needs Assessment published in 2023. A Saint Anselm College survey this year found that 75 percent of New Hampshire voters polled say their communities need more affordable housing, and 61 percent think that multifamily housing should be more widely available. Additionally, 59 percent say they want more affordable homes in their communities and neighborhoods. “We have to attack this housing problem from all angles,” Hansel said. And communities in the Monadnock Region are doing just that.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States should proceed cautiously as officials consider new natural gas export terminals, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday, warning that “unfettered exports" of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, could raise wholesale domestic prices by more than 30% and increase planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Granholm's statement came as the Energy Department released a long-awaited study on the environmental and economic impacts of natural gas exports , which have grown exponentially in the past decade. The analysis found that U.S. LNG shipments drive up domestic prices and frequently displace renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. Increased LNG exports also would lead to higher global greenhouse gas emissions, even with use of technology such as equipment to capture and store carbon emissions, the report said. “Today’s publication reinforces that a business-as-usual approach (to LNG exports) is neither sustainable nor advisable,'' Granholm said. The Energy Department report comes after the Biden administration paused approvals of new LNG projects in January to study the effects LNG exports have on the planet. Natural gas emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas, when burned, leaked or released. LNG is especially energy intensive, since the gas must be retrieved through underground drilling, then piped to export terminals along the East and Gulf coasts. The gas is then “superchilled” into a liquid that is taken by tanker ships to import terminals in Europe and Asia, where it is then reheated into gas and distributed for business and family use. The oil and gas industry, along with Republican allies in Congress, have decried the LNG pause as unnecessary and counter-productive, and President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the pause on his first day in office . The pause is on hold under a federal court order , but few new terminals have been approved in the past year. The Energy Department said last week it will not decide on two major LNG export projects in Louisiana until the independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission completes environmental reviews of each project. The American Gas Association called the Biden administration's pause a mistake that has resulted in uncertainty for the global market, investors and America’s allies around the world. “This report is a clear and inexplicable attempt to justify their grave policy error," said AGA president and CEO Karen Harbert. “America’s allies are suffering from the weaponization of natural gas and energy deprivation, and any limitations on supplying life essential energy is absolutely wrong-headed." Harbert said the industry group looks forward to working with the Trump administration “to rectify the glaring issues with this study during the public comment period,” which lasts until mid-February. Charlie Riedl, executive director of the Center for LNG, a pro-industry group, said Republican and Democratic administrations, as well as independent researchers, “have continually found that U.S. LNG exports provide economic, national security and climate benefits and serve the public interest." U.S. LNG “remains a vital tool for countries looking to displace dirtier fuels" such as coal and reduce their emissions, Riedl said, adding that U.S. LNG exports play a key role in meeting growing global demand for natural gas. U.S. gas shipments to Europe and Asia have soared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The LNG pause, announced by President Joe Biden as the 2024 election year began, aligned the Democratic administration with environmentalists who fear the huge increase in LNG exports in recent years is locking in potentially catastrophic planet-warming emissions at a time when Biden has pledged to cut U.S. climate pollution in half by 2030 . “While MAGA Republicans willfully deny the urgency of the climate crisis, condemning the American people to a dangerous future, my administration will not be complacent,′′ Biden said in announcing the pause. His actions “heed the calls of young people and frontline communities who are using their voices to demand" climate action, Biden added. The White House declined to comment on the Energy Department study, referring questions to the agency.None
Percentages: FG .557, FT .625. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Hannah Berner is feeling the burn following her appearance on Netflix ‘s year-end comedy special Torching 2024: A Roast of A Year . During Berner’s set, she referenced Blake Lively by calling her a C-word. “The word c**t was trending this year. I don’t think Blake Lively was that bad,” Berner joked in the special. The joke came after Lively sued her co-star and This Is Us director Justin Baldoni , claiming he was behind a smear campaign to damage her image as retaliation for reporting him on the set of the film. Following the special dropping on Netflix, Berner took to social media to clarify that she had taped the show before the news broke out. “My joke in the Netflix roast was filmed before news of the lawsuit. To be 100 percent clear, I support Blake,” Berner shared on Instagram. Berner is one of the co-hosts of the Giggly Squad podcast alongside her former Summer House co-star Paige DeSorbo. The comedian is pro-women, continually advocating for and supporting women in the arts and women in STEM. In a statement, Lively noted the reason she filed the lawsuit against Baldoni, saying, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.” Through his lawyer Bryan Freedman, Baldoni said the allegations were “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media.”
Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, dies at 85
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell broadly on Friday as Wall Street closed out a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The losses were made worse by sharp declines for the Big Tech stocks known as the “Magnificent 7”, which can heavily influence the direction of the market because of their large size. The S&P 500 fell 66.75 points, or 1.1%, to 5,970.84. Roughly 90% of stocks in the benchmark index lost ground, but it managed to hold onto a modest gain of 0.7% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 333.59 points, or 0.8%, to 42,992.21. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 298.33 points, or 1.5%, to 19,722.03. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 2.1%. Microsoft declined 1.7%. Each has a market value above $3 trillion, giving the companies outsized sway on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 1.5% and Best Buy slipped 1.5%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy stocks held up better than the rest of the market, with a loss of less than 0.1% as crude oil prices rose. “There’s just some uncertainty over this relief rally we’ve witnessed since last week,” said Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial. The S&P 500 gained nearly 3% over a 3-day stretch before breaking for the Christmas holiday. On Thursday, the index posted a small decline. Despite Friday's drop, the market is moving closer to another standout annual finish . The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024. Even though inflation has come closer to the central bank's target of 2%, it remains stubbornly above that mark and worries about it heating up again have tempered the forecast for more interest rate cuts. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under incoming President Donald Trump. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Amedisys rose 4.7% after the home health care and hospice services provider agreed to extend the deadline for its sale to UnitedHealth Group. The Justice Department had sued to block the $3.3 billion deal, citing concerns the combination would hinder access to home health and hospice services in the U.S. The move to extend the deadline comes ahead of an expected shift in regulatory policy under Trump. The incoming administration is expected to have a more permissive approach to dealmaking and is less likely to raise antitrust concerns. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62% from 4.59% late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury remained at 4.33% from late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.ALBION 0 BRENTFORD 0 Albion suffered a night of frustration at the Amex as their winless run stretched to six games. They saw Julio Enciso hit the post and Mark Flekken make several good saves before running out of ideas in the second half. Brentford were unfortunate to see a Yoane Wissa goal ruled out for a narrow offside call. The hosts sent on Solly March late on to end his 14-month injury-enforced absence – and he whipped a shot narrowly over in the final seconds as the fairy tale finale beckoned. But there were a few boos at the end as the Bees celebrated their hard-fought point. Julio Enciso and Matt O’Riley came into the starting line-up for the out-of-sorts Georginio Rutter and the injured Mats Wieffer, who was unable to build on his goalscoring performance at West Ham. But the biggest cheer from fans in the build-up was for news that March was on the bench. Enciso was making his first Premier League start since the home defeat by Chelsea late last season and should have got off to a dream start. Instead, he was denied by the post after five minutes. Brentford got into a mess at the back and Carlos Baleba picked off a pass. Joao Pedro laid the ball off and Enciso curled against the far upright as Flekken could only stand and watch. As a strong Albion start continued, Flekken was sharply down to his left to parry from Baleba while Brajan Gruda was active on the right. Enciso headed straight at Flekken after a sublime first touch and pinpoint cross by Kaoru Mitoma. But the hosts had a real let-off on 14 minutes as Wissa saw a goal ruled out for a narrow offside confirmed by VAR Chris Kavanagh. Pervis Estupinan and Lewis Dunk were cleverly sucked in before the ball was sent behind them. Wissa was a pace offside as the ball was delivered to him and he finished superbly - but the Bees had certainly outmanoeuvred the home defence. Gruda then forced a free-kick which he curled past the wall and into Flekken’s arms and chest from about 25 yards. The busy Flekken held an Enciso header, which was easy enough. Then he made a better save, low to his right this time, after O’Riley cleverly worked himself room for a shot which was guided through a defender’s legs. Flekken was having a fine game. After more good build-up by Albion down the left, he improvised to kick away a low ball in by Mitoma which flicked off Ben Mee. It was a really good save, but looked awkward and after, moments later, Enciso dragged a shot wastefully wide, the keeper stayed down for treatment. He eventually went off, replaced by Hakon Valdimarsson. Albion wanted to test the new man but a shot straight to him and then a volley well wide, both by Enciso, did not do that. O’Riley, from 25 yards, saw his shot fly past the top corner via a flick off Mee and Mitoma crunched a ferocious half-volley into the side-netting. The mist was a little denser as Albion looked to attack the North Stand in the second half. It felt temporarily like they had run out of ideas and momentum at the moment. Brentford could sense that and van Hecke had to make an important block. But Joao Pedro shot at Valdimarsson and Mitoma headed over as Albion returned to the attack. Albion’s changes midway through the half saw Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh sent on wide and Yasin Ayari in midfield, soon followed by Georginio Rutter. But they were unable to trouble the well-organised Bees as impatience and frustration levels rose around the stadium. Too often they over-complicated matters around the edge of the box. March went on for Veltman in the closing stages. After an uncertain moment at the back, he suddenly found himself unmarked on the edge of the box as time ticked way. But his curler flashed into the North Stand and the winless run went on. Albion: Verbruggen; Veltman (March 88), van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan; O’Riley (Ayari 67), Baleba; Gruda (Minteh 67), Enciso (Rutter 78), Mitoma (Adingra 67); Joao Pedro. Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Igor, Moder. Brentford: Flekken (Valdimarsson 36); Roerslev, Mee (Kim 78), Collins, Lewis-Potter; Janelt, Norgaard (Yarmoliuk 72), Damsgaard; Schade, Wissa, Mbeumo. Subs: Arthur, Konak, Meghoma, Carvalho, Maghoma, Yogane. Yellow card: Mee, Yarmoliuk. Referee: Andy Madley.Donald Trump's top issue next year is fixing immigration, and an MSNBC political panel thinks he set up his supporters for an internal civil war over it. Speaking to Ayman Mohyeldin, who is filling in for Nicolle Wallace, Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson said Trump has spent the past decade blaming immigrants for all that ails them. Meanwhile, Trump has welcomed the billionaire class , in stark contrast to the MAGA ideology. It presented itself in a very public fight between MAGA darling Laura Loomer and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has been on Trump's side for the past several months. Musk's Tesla company is the third largest user of H-1B visas, which allow immigrants to work in the United States. ALSO READ: How billionaires were buying the presidency for Trump This week, Musk and his ally Vivek Ramaswamy have expressed support for prioritizing skilled immigrants over American workers in online discussions. Musk even agreed with a user's controversial comment on his platform, which suggested — using offensive language — that Americans might lack the qualifications for certain skilled jobs. Ramaswamy went so far as to claim that Americans are lazy and care more about watching "Friends" and going to the mall. He complained Thursday that American culture prizes jocks over nerds in a world he said was run by the latter. Mohyeldin said everyone saw the clash coming, but it happened quickly. "It is an inevitability the non-college educated base, which is the majority, were always going to be preconditioned to believe that the word immigrant or visa means brown people bad," Wilson said. Many MAGA supporters believe they could have been millionaires working as software designers at Google if it weren't for immigrants or DEI, he said. "You see this conflict. It's going to be the hyper-populists," Wilson continued. "They don't care about the more sophisticated arguments about the visas. They care, brown people bad. That's the driving conditioning they have had from Fox for years." Writer and commentator Molly Jong-Fast agreed, saying Musk invested over $200 million in electing Trump and thought he'd gain something from it. "I think he thought, as a lot of billionaires thought , it would be transactional, and they could give him money and get what they wanted," she explained. "What they want is skilled workers for their companies." Skilled American labor crushed under the weight of college debt won't work for the bottom-dollar salaries in jobs that require more than 40 hours a week. "Donald Trump has a problem," Jong-Fast continued. "He has a base that has elected him on 'mass deportation now.' They had it on signs. Then he has billionaires who paid for this campaign and who want workers. I think this is going to come to a head pretty quickly." See the comments below or at the link here . - YouTube www.youtube.com
WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (REUTERS) - A September power outage at a California facility of SpaceX, the space venture of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, caused a loss of ground control for at least an hour during a mission that included the first private spacewalk in history, according to three people familiar with the problem. The spacewalk, part of SpaceX's five-day Polaris Dawn mission , was carried out by private astronauts including Jared Isaacman, a fellow billionaire and longtime Musk partner who is now nominated by incoming President Donald Trump to be administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. The outage, which hasn't previously been reported, meant that SpaceX mission control was briefly unable to command its Dragon spacecraft in orbit, these people said. The vessel, which carried Isaacman and three other SpaceX astronauts, remained safe during the outage and maintained some communication with the ground through the company's Starlink satellite network. "Not having command and control is a big deal," one of the people familiar with the problem told Reuters. "The whole point of having mission operators on the ground is to have the ability to quickly respond if something happens." SpaceX and Musk didn't respond to questions from Reuters about the incident. The outage raises questions about the disclosure of mishaps by private space companies and whether conflicts of interest could mar the ability of NASA and regulators to weigh their significance at a time when key figures from the sector, including Musk and Isaacman, are poised for prominent positions in the upcoming Trump administration. In their proposed roles – Isaacman running NASA, Musk at the helm of a government efficiency commission – both men could have significant sway over agencies that regulate and transact with SpaceX and other private space operators. Reuters couldn't determine whether SpaceX notified the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses space launches, about the outage. A second person familiar with the incident said SpaceX did notify NASA, particularly because the same type of spacecraft was to be used weeks later in a mission involving NASA astronauts. SpaceX, the person said, told the agency the problem had been resolved quickly and wouldn't be an issue in future missions. NASA officials have said they maintain close contact with SpaceX about its missions because of the agency's frequent work with the company. Spokespeople at NASA and the FAA didn't respond to Reuters' questions for this story At present, safety standards for private space missions aren't regulated by U.S. law and private operators aren't required to disclose mishaps in orbit because of a moratorium approved by Congress in 2004. The moratorium, designed to protect business interests in the highly competitive sector and renewed periodically by Congress, is criticized by some experts because it limits the ability of regulators to investigate problems that could have implications for the safety and operability of the entire industry. Disclosure is needed "so companies throughout the industry can know what's going on and mitigate or prevent a similar incident," said Douglas Ligor, a senior social scientist at the RAND Corporation, a California-based think tank hired by Congress last year to study the moratorium. Congress is expected to renew the moratorium before its current extension expires in January. The September outage, the people familiar with the problem told Reuters, occurred when a leak in a cooling system atop a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, triggered a power surge. The surge knocked out mission headquarters, disabling the ability of operators to send commands or perform controls that would normally be standard during a spacecraft's mission. The outage also hit servers that host procedures meant to overcome such an outage and hindered SpaceX's ability to transfer mission control to a backup facility in Florida, the people said. Company officials had no paper copies of backup procedures, one of the people added, leaving them unable to respond until power was restored. Reuters couldn't determine the precise timing or duration of the outage. Two of the people familiar with the problem said it happened sometime before the Sept. 12 spacewalk and that at least one hour passed before power was restored. Had mission control remained offline, they said, the astronauts had enough training to control the spacecraft themselves. A month before the Polaris Dawn launch, Musk responded to an Isaacman post about the mission on X, Musk's social media platform. "This is an historic mission," Musk wrote. "Everything possible must be done to ensure astronaut safety." After the spacewalk, the first conducted by astronauts not part of a national space program, the feat was widely hailed as a milestone in commercial space exploration. Since then, Musk has grown increasingly outspoken about government interference in the private sector and touted his plans, as the head of Trumps' planned efficiency commission, to slash federal regulations. Reuters reported earlier this week that Trump's transition team wants to scrap car-crash reporting requirements opposed by Tesla, Musk's electric-vehicle company (TSLA.O) , opens new tab . The efficiency commission's decisions could impact NASA and the FAA, a regulator frequently criticized by Musk and SpaceX as a hindrance. Isaacman, for his part, as NASA administrator would be running an agency that has awarded more than $15 billion in contracts to SpaceX, a company with whom he has had extensive business dealings. In addition to funding two missions in which he has participated as a SpaceX astronaut, Isaacman is the chief executive and controlling shareholder in Shift4 Payments, a technology firm he founded that in turn owns shares in SpaceX, according to regulatory filings. The size of Shift4 Payments' stake in SpaceX at present isn't clear because the Musk venture is privately held and doesn't disclose financial or ownership details. In its 2021 annual report, Shift4 Payments said it had invested more than $27 million by then in SpaceX. Shift4 Payments (FOUR.N) , opens new tab has also said SpaceX is a client. Shift4 Payments and Isaacman didn't respond to Reuters' requests for comment. In a public statement after Trump announced his NASA nomination earlier this month, Isaacman said he would step down as Shift4 Payments' chief executive if his appointment, which must be confirmed by the Senate, succeeds. He said he would retain most of his company stock, "subject to ethics obligations," but reduce his voting power as a shareholder, according to a copy of the statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Even if confirmed for the NASA job, Isaacman's extensive links to SpaceX could remain a source of concern for some. If he retains those ties, it "could pose conflicts of interest including with respect to safety," said Cary Coglianese, an expert on public administration and law at the University of Pennsylvania. Sign up here. Additional reporting by David French. Editing by Paulo Prada. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Marisa Taylor, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, has more than two decades of experience covering business, healthcare, the Justice Department, and national security. As a Washington, D.C.-based reporter, she helped break the Panama Papers, which exposed offshore companies linked to more than 140 politicians. Taylor was also part of a team that exposed the CIA’s monitoring of Senate Intelligence Committee staff. She previously reported out of Texas, California, Virginia and Mexico. https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/staff-reuters https://www.reuters.com/authors/marisa-taylor/
Shankland warns Hearts team-mates to face the truth over the club's survival battle... and insists the league table does not lie Tynecastle club are second bottom of the Scottish Premiership after derby defeat to city rivals Hibs Skipper Shankland says struggling Edinburgh men can't afford to shy away from the scale of the club's predicament Neil Critchley's side next face must-win match at fellow strugglers Ross County as they bid to improve fortunes By STEPHEN HALLIDAY Published: 23:04 GMT, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 23:04 GMT, 27 December 2024 e-mail View comments Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland has urged his team-mates to confront the reality of the Tynecastle side’s perilous situation before it’s too late. Thursday’s 2-1 defeat to city rivals Hibernian left them in 11th place in the Premiership table, just two points clear of bottom club St Johnstone. Eager to avoid a relegation battle in the second half of the season, Shankland (pictured) knows the heat is firmly on Neil Critchley’s side as they prepare to face Ross County in Dingwall on Sunday. ‘You need to be realistic,’ said the Scotland striker. ‘We’re in a position where the league table would tell you that we’re not exactly a brilliant team. ‘I think the season would tell you that. Right now, we’re not performing like a good team. So we are where we are in the table because we deserve to be there and that’s the truth. 'I think if anyone shies away from that, they’re telling themselves a lie. We are where we are and now we’re going to a huge game at Ross County this weekend that we need to go and win. Club captain Shankland says anyone shying away from the reality is 'telling themselves a lie' Shankland tries to urge his men on during their Edinburgh derby defeat to Hibernian The Leith side's triumph at Tynecastle has pushed their city rivals into a state of near crisis ‘We need to have the belief that we can turn it around but we also need to find the quality to go and do it. ‘You see the boys in training. They can do it. It’s just bringing it to the match. That’s the hard bit and that’s where we’re struggling at the moment. ‘The feeling among everybody is the same. There’s a frustration that we’re not doing what we need to do in the final third to put teams under pressure. ‘Goalies aren’t having to make saves against us week in, week out. We’re not putting enough pressure on the opposition goal for how much ball we have. ‘We’re not doing that, we’re not producing that. That comes down to the individuals and levels of quality that we’re putting together. So it’s just overriding frustration.’ That frustration has led to anger among Hearts supporters, most vocally expressed after the recent Europa Conference League exit at home to Moldovan side Petrocub. Shankland was critical of the atmosphere created by supporters that night but had no complaints over their reaction as Hibs won at Tynecastle for the first time in five years on Boxing Day. Hearts' failure to defeat Moldovan minnows Petrocub in the Conference League was a real low Manager Neil Critchley (second from right) is coming under increasing pressure from fans ‘There’s obviously frustration there and I understand that,’ he added. ‘At the end of the game, they showed that frustration. ‘That’s fully acceptable on my part. It’s a fan base that expects us to win games, especially derbies. It’s hugely disappointing. I fully understand the frustration and anger. You need to take that on the chin. ‘That’s what’s expected when you play here and you play in the games. You’re expected to win and we’ve not done it. ‘Tynecastle can be quite a hard place for some players to play at times when things aren’t going well but I thought the crowd were good against Hibs. ‘I thought they were behind us. It wasn’t the case of the crowd getting on top of us. I didn’t feel that at all. ‘Derbies usually bring that buzz and it only takes a small moment to change a crowd and get a lift, but I didn’t feel like the crowd was bad at all.’ Manager Critchley hopes to refresh his squad in the window and Shankland accepts changes in personnel are needed. ‘It can help, aye,’ he said. ‘Obviously, you need quality. You need to recruit quality players that can bring a level that’s expected to perform at the football club. That’s what we need going forward.’ Europa Conference League Share or comment on this article: Shankland warns Hearts team-mates to face the truth over the club's survival battle... and insists the league table does not lie e-mail Add commentJalon Moore led No. 12 Oklahoma with 22 points in an 89-67 home win against pesky Prairie View A&M in Norman on Sunday. Jeremiah Fears scored 19 points and Duke Miles added 17 for the Sooners, who are 13-0 for the fourth time in program history and the first time since the 1987-88 season. Tanahj Pettway led PVAMU with 22 points while Marcel Bryant added 14. Braelon Bush and Jordan Tillmon each chipped in 11 points for PVAMU (1-13) which played without leading scorer Nick Anderson (18.9 points per game). The Sooners finally pulled away from the determined Panthers with 5:20 left on a 10-3 run that started when Sam Goodwin tipped in a rebound and was capped by a Glenn Taylor Jr. rebound for an 80-63 lead. A Kobe Elvis 3-pointer capped a game-closing 9-0 Sooners run. Pettway connected on a 3-pointer from the wing that gave the Panthers a 5-2 lead. PVAMU hung tight on a Bryant jumper that tied the game at 7. Even though they were short-handed, the Panthers' largest first-half deficit was only 11. A Pettway layup and his steal in the full-court press that led to Bryant's turnaround jumper in the lane as the Panthers closed within 34-30. PVAMU's rally prompted an Oklahoma timeout after which Miles drilled a 3-pointer to kick off a half-closing 9-2 spurt for a 43-32 halftime lead. Braelon Bush's 3-pointer pulled the Panthers within 58-50 with 11:17 left in the game. It was the Panthers' 12th straight nonconference road game. PVAMU returns to its home court Saturday against Grambling. Oklahoma kicks off its first season in the SEC at No. 5 Alabama on Saturday. --Field Level MediaMounesh Vishwakarma Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (MS) Bantwal, Nov 23: Renowned social activist and founder president of the Coordination Committee of Like-Minded Organizations, B M Prabhakar Daivagudde (71), passed away at his residence on Saturday night after a period of illness. He is survived by his wife and daughter. A prominent figure in farmer and labour movements, Prabhakar played a key role in establishing the Social Justice Struggle Committee and the Coordination Committee of Like-Minded Organizations, actively participating in people-centric struggles. He served as the founder president and honorary president of the Bantwal taluk unit of the Dakshina Kannada Tourist Car Drivers and Owners’ Association. Known for his leadership in several public movements, Prabhakar was at the forefront of protests against the Yettinahole project, toll gates, and for highway development, pushing the administration to address pressing public issues. Prabhakar was a strong advocate for social justice and consistently raised his voice against societal issues and inequalities in contemporary systems. His relentless activism inspired numerous people-oriented struggles. Various organizations have expressed their condolences at his passing, acknowledging the void left by his demise in the field of social activism.
Boot camp participant charged with burglary, unlawfully taking vehicle
Warren Upton, the oldest living survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, dies at 105None