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FLORENCE — Texas Department of Public Safety will graduate 130 recruits next week following 29 weeks of rigorous physical, mental and situational training, part of which occurred just 20 miles south of Killeen. Class B-2024, which began May 20, is about to complete the rigorous six-month course. Last week, officials held a joint field training exercise at the DPS Tactical Training Center in Florence in Williamson County. “We provide a quality of training which is excellent,” said the facility’s Assistant Chief of Training Derek Prestridge. “Our intensive program and in-resident training brings value to our academy and a level of excellence that is a part of the core value of this organization.” Texas Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief of Training Lt. Derek Prestridge explains some of the strategies taught at the training center near Florence. The in-resident training allows recruits to experience the physical challenges of being away from family members and friends. One instructor said the arrangements inside the building where recruits stay are not like hotel accommodations. Recruits sleep on cots, or on the floor, or periodically wherever they can catch a nap. The reasoning behind this type of training is to see how recruits deal with mental and emotional situations which may be brought on by uncomfortable accommodations or the lack of adequate sleep, rest and daily schedule. For a portion of the physical training, there are 16 stations set up throughout the 200-acre training area. The training center has a three-mile track used to teach vehicle dynamics, coned skill courses, a road course, pursuit and emergency response tactics. There are three towers which give instructors the ability to run all electrical signs, lights, gates, security cameras and for visual observation. The Texas DPS training facility near Florence is home to 130 recruits who reside there during the last week of skills training The driving course is designed to teach precision driving skills within the urban environment, skid control and high-speed pursuit skills. The course is also used to teach crash investigation techniques. Included on the course: a paved level surface which, when wet, offers a slick surface to practice driving in those conditions in order to prepare for real-life situations. On Thursday, instructors had set up several exercises which would simulate conditions similar to a traffic stop. The first exercise involved a civilian vehicle which appeared to be broken down on the side of a road. Recruits are given no more information than that as they drive toward the vehicle, stop and attempt to survey the situation. The recruit attempts to make contact with a man who is under the hood of the vehicle by shouting out. In this case, the man yells back at the recruit to go away. As the recruit steps closer to the man’s vehicle it appears he has a gun and begins to shoot at the recruit. The recruit returns fire, appearing to have hit the man who falls to the ground, and is still. The recruit moves to the rear of the DPS vehicle, while using the radio to notify a dispatcher that help is needed and the important details of the stop. This all happens very quickly, in a matter of minutes. After the role-play is complete, instructors who have shadowed the recruit and watched from a close proximity, give the recruit feedback. These drills are run several times throughout the training period in many different circumstances. Another exercise involved a situation in which another trooper might be using excessive force. The recruit is told he is being called to assist in the take-down of a criminal, but when the recruit approaches, the original trooper appears to be using a baton to hit his suspect in the back of the head with excessive force. In this case, the recruit had to quickly assess the scene, determine the severity of the troopers actions and decide how to assist. One recruit used his own strength to pull the offending trooper off the suspect while assessing whether or not the trooper was in control of himself and his actions. Then, in an instant, the recruit apprehended the suspect and called dispatch to alert them of the situation. Another recruit was set up at the same station a few minutes later to test their assessment and action taken. This time, after pulling the trooper from the suspect, the recruit pushed the offending trooper to the ground and proceeded to handcuff him. When asked why by his instructors later, the recruit said the trooper appeared to continue his bad behavior even after the recruit arrived and told him to stop. These two exercises had very different endings and neither were wrong, according to instructor Lt. Michael Monaghan. “In the second case, the recruit felt they might be in danger, due to the aggressive demeanor of the trooper,” Monaghan said. “This is all part of the training and could happen out in the real world.” In this first exercise, the recruit in the gray shirt has pulled over to assess the situation of a car with a raised hood on the side of the road. The suspect is seen pulling a weapon from his pants and the recruit must call on her training to follow through with the stop. In another exercise, recruits were tested at an intersection where the driver of a vehicle sped past and the task was to make a traffic stop. It was all going along well, until the other driver decided to speed away from the stop taking some twisting turns and leaving the roadway. After pursuing the driver with sirens, lights and a PA call to pull over, the driver slowed down again. Before the recruit could stop his vehicle, the driver of the other car was off again, finally coming to a stop several hundred yards in front of the recruit. By this time, a second DPS vehicle had joined the pursuit as back up. The remainder of the stop consisted of giving the suspect directions as the recruits from both vehicles trained their guns on him. There was a series of commands given in order to subdue the driver, check the vehicle for other passengers and calm the situation down. In this exercise, there were several options open to the recruits to complete the test. “If an instructor believes additional training is needed, recruits will circle back through the situations that gave them difficulty,” Monaghan said. “The purpose of this is to help recruits feel at ease with their decisions and to develop the confidence to make snap decisions and follow-through in a safe manner.” Monaghan also pointed out that on every stop there are so many variables that they couldn’t possibly set them all up. He also said that the academy brings in experts in their field to assist in some of the scenarios. There are emerging threats that come up and the training needs to stay ahead and up to date with the latest methods, technology and strategies. The mission of the DPS’s Training Operations Division is to prepare law enforcement leaders and peace officers to meet 21st Century demands and challenges. The division develops a wide variety of world-class training and education programs and delivers them to public safety professionals within the department and throughout the state. Recruits, in the gray shirts, hold a suspect at gunpoint and verbally instruct him on how to proceed during this traffic stop exercise. “The Texas Department of Public Safety is committed to recruiting and training a diverse workforce that reflect our values of integrity, excellence, accountability and teamwork,” Prestridge said. The rigorous recruit training includes the basic peace officer course, which exceeds mandatory licensing requirements established by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Trooper trainees are educated by experts on criminal and traffic law enforcement, crash investigation, crisis intervention, use of force, emergency casualty care, criminal investigations, communications, cultural diversity, fitness and wellness and many other areas, gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the job of a highway patrol trooper anywhere in Texas. “The Texas DPS is the premier law enforcement agency in the state, as well as one of the finest in the nation,” according to the state’s website. In order to meet the many challenges facing law enforcement today, the department operates a world-class training program. Law Enforcement Education educates and trains recruits, troopers, agents, and other law enforcement officers across the state. Students study tactical vehicle operation, firearms, use of force, effective report writing, communications skills, and first aid, as well as other topics. Physical training and arrest and control tactics training are also core elements of the program. At the end of training, recruits are taken to DPS headquarters in Austin and given a chance to prepare for graduation. The annual DPS Legacy Run took place on Friday. The four-mile run went from the DPS Fallen Officers Memorial at DPS headquarters to the Peace Officers Memorial at the Texas State Capitol. First implemented in 2008, recruits and instructors have said it is a way to mark the end of the 30-week training academy. According to the DPS website, trooper trainees are accompanied by their instructors, members of DPS leadership and often times DPS retirees. Before leaving the Training Center, Prestridge talked about the relationship DPS has with legislators in Austin. “Our training brings value to the state,” Prestridge said. “We have the ear of legislators and have worked with them to help equip our facilities and provide state-of-the art technology. The way we invest in our personnel makes this a law enforcement agency of excellence.”

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Furthermore, TSMC's success in securing orders for the 3nm process underscores the company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of semiconductor technology. By investing heavily in research and development and maintaining a relentless focus on innovation, TSMC has positioned itself as a leader in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, setting the stage for continued success in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.

President Trump's remarks have stirred mixed reactions from both proponents and critics. Supporters of the President's position argue that it is essential for NATO member countries to share the financial burden more equally, as the U.S. cannot continue to bear the majority of the alliance's costs indefinitely. They believe that increased defense spending by all member countries would strengthen NATO's collective defense capabilities and enhance the alliance's deterrence against potential aggressors.

Rivian Scores $6.57 Billion Jackpot From Program Republicans Want To KillIt is important to note, however, that investing in Chinese assets carries its own set of risks and challenges. Political uncertainties, regulatory changes, and geopolitical tensions can all impact investor sentiment and market performance. As such, foreign investors should conduct thorough due diligence and seek professional advice before making any investment decisions in Chinese assets.

The exclusion of Koot, a referee known for his controversial decisions and actions on the field, from UEFA's list sent shockwaves through the footballing world. Many had raised concerns about the incidents involving Koot and his impartiality towards certain teams during matches. UEFA's decision to remove him from their refereeing list was seen as a step towards maintaining the integrity and fairness of the game.A stroke changed a teacher’s life. How a new electrical device is helping her move

As they sat down to catch up on lost time, the woman shared her journey of self-discovery and growth, detailing the challenges she had faced and the lessons she had learned along the way. Her children, now wise beyond their years, listened intently, grateful for the opportunity to finally connect with the mother they had longed for.In contrast to Zelensky's proactive approach, former President Donald Trump's comments on the matter have been deemed "meaningless" by critics and analysts. Trump's administration had a controversial stance on Ukraine, including a phone call with Zelensky that sparked an impeachment inquiry. His dismissive attitude towards Ukraine's security concerns has raised skepticism about the effectiveness of his foreign policy decisions.A pro-democracy organization, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) , has condemned the purported expulsion of Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere. The group argued that the move to expel Ugochinyere was a political attempt to silence one of the most credible voices within the PDP and one of Nigeria’s most fearless critics of injustice. HURIWA lambasted the PDP’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, and the national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for allegedly presiding over the party’s decline into irrelevance. The group wondered why the party would overlook the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who has allegedly engaged in blatant anti-party activities, and choose to expel the lawmaker. “ The PDP’s constitution has clear provisions to punish anti-party activities. Yet, Wike, who has flagrantly undermined the party’s interests, continues to wield influence within the PDP while Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, a loyal and committed party member, is targeted for expulsion. This is a travesty of justice and a reflection of the collapse of credible leadership in the PDP,” HURIWA stated. The group further decried the absence of a formidable opposition party in Nigeria, alleging that the APC has infiltrated the PDP through individuals such as Wike, Damagum, and Anyanwu.

NoneIn a letter to the Prime Minister, shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick claimed the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) had “no proper basis in international law”. They said the UK’s refusal to explicitly say whether or not the Israeli premier would be detained if he arrived in the country “opens the farcical spectre of your Government trying to sanction the arrest” of an ally to Britain. Criticising the ICC warrant, the shadow ministers said: “It is hard to escape the conclusion this is an activist decision, motivated by politics and not the law.” They argued the court was established to pursue cases in instances where countries do not have robust and independent judiciaries, which could not be said of Israel. “The UK Government’s response to the decision has been nonsensical,” they said. “On Friday, the Home Secretary refused to say whether Mr Netanyahu would be detained if he travelled to the UK. “This opens the farcical spectre of your Government trying to sanction the arrest on UK soil of the leader of an ally of the UK, while you continue a diplomatic charm offensive with the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. “It falls to you to clarify the Government’s position – now. The Government must make clear that it does not support an arrest warrant being issued which has no proper basis in international law.” Downing Street on Friday indicated that Mr Netanyahu could face arrest if he entered the UK, refusing to comment on “hypotheticals” but saying Britain would always follow its “legal obligations”. The International Criminal Court Act 2001 states that a Secretary of State must, on receipt of a request for arrest from the ICC, “transmit the request and the documents accompanying it to an appropriate judicial officer”. Asked whether the UK would comply with requirements under the Act, Sir Keir’s spokesman said: “Yes, the Government would fulfil its obligations under the Act and indeed its legal obligations.” The ICC has issued a warrant for Mr Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Number 10 previously said the domestic process linked to ICC arrest warrants has never been used to date by the UK because no-one wanted by the international court had visited the country. It added that Israel remained a “key partner across a range of areas”. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It is important that we have a dialogue with Israel at all levels to reach the ceasefire that we all want to see, to bring an end to the violence, to protect civilians and ensure the release of hostages.” The ICC also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’s armed wing, over the October 7 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in Gaza. A domestic court process would be required before Mr Netanyahu faced arrest if he set foot in the UK. The ICC said there are “reasonable grounds to believe” Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant were responsible for “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts”. The court’s pre-trial chamber also found “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant each bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population”. The impact of the warrants is likely to be limited since Israel and its major ally, the US, are not members of the ICC.Former President Jimmy Carter, our nation’s 39th chief executive, dies at 100golden empire jili 。

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- Alpha Cognition Inc. (NASDAQ: ACOG) (“Alpha Cognition”, or the “Company”), announces that in connection with the Company’s listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market the Company will voluntarily delist its common shares from the Canadian Securities Exchange. The shares will be delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange at the close of trading on December 17, 2024. The Company’s common shares will continue to trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol “ACOG”. About Alpha Cognition Inc. Alpha Cognition Inc. is a commercial stage, biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing treatments for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Cognitive Impairment with mild Traumatic Brain Injury (“mTBI”), for which there are currently no approved treatment options. ZUNVEYL is a patented drug approved as a new generation acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, with expected minimal gastrointestinal side effects. ZUNVEYL’s active metabolite is differentiated from donepezil and rivastigmine in that it improves the function of neuronal nicotinic receptors, most notably the alpha-7 subtype, which is known to have a positive effect on cognition. Benzgalantamine is also being developed in combination with memantine to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer’s dementia, and as an intranasal formulation for Cognitive Impairment with mTBI. Forward-looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, any information contained in this news release may be a forward‐looking statement that reflects the Company’s current views about future events and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes to have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our expectations of the future, about which we cannot be certain. The Company cannot assure that the actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward‐looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward‐looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212186439/en/ CONTACT: For further information: Michael McFadden, CEO Tel: 1-858-344-4375 info@alphacognition.com KEYWORD: TEXAS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY NEUROLOGY HEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY SOURCE: Alpha Cognition Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 06:41 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 06:42 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212186439/enNocs Provisions 8X32 Field Tube monocular review

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys opened without incident and stayed that way for Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. in the first game with the roof open at AT&T Stadium since Oct. 30, 2022, a 49-29 Dallas victory over Chicago. for Houston’s 34-10 victory on another Monday night, but a large piece of metal and other debris fell roughly 300 feet to the field as the retractable roof was opening about three hours before kickoff. The Cowboys decided to close the roof after the incident, and it remained that way for the game. There were no injuries, and the start of the game wasn’t delayed. The club said at the time it would investigate the cause with a plan to reopen the roof when it was deemed safe. Wind was cited as a cause for the falling debris. There were gusts of at least 30 mph in the afternoon before the meeting with the Texans. It was sunny with a high in the 70s Monday in the Dallas area, and winds were in the 10 mph range. ___ AP NFL:Gildan Activewear Inc. stock falls Monday, underperforms marketTories urge PM to reject Netanyahu arrest warrant and alter ‘nonsensical’ stance

Ducks forward Trevor Zegras has surgery on torn knee meniscus, will be out for 6 weeks

NoneThe Fair Political Practices Commission prescribed a $13,500 penalty, which Poway Unified agreed to pay.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- Alpha Cognition Inc. (NASDAQ: ACOG) (“Alpha Cognition”, or the “Company”), announces that in connection with the Company’s listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market the Company will voluntarily delist its common shares from the Canadian Securities Exchange. The shares will be delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange at the close of trading on December 17, 2024. The Company’s common shares will continue to trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol “ACOG”. About Alpha Cognition Inc. Alpha Cognition Inc. is a commercial stage, biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing treatments for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Cognitive Impairment with mild Traumatic Brain Injury (“mTBI”), for which there are currently no approved treatment options. ZUNVEYL is a patented drug approved as a new generation acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, with expected minimal gastrointestinal side effects. ZUNVEYL’s active metabolite is differentiated from donepezil and rivastigmine in that it improves the function of neuronal nicotinic receptors, most notably the alpha-7 subtype, which is known to have a positive effect on cognition. Benzgalantamine is also being developed in combination with memantine to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer’s dementia, and as an intranasal formulation for Cognitive Impairment with mTBI. Forward-looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, any information contained in this news release may be a forward‐looking statement that reflects the Company’s current views about future events and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes to have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our expectations of the future, about which we cannot be certain. The Company cannot assure that the actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward‐looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward‐looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212186439/en/ CONTACT: For further information: Michael McFadden, CEO Tel: 1-858-344-4375 info@alphacognition.com KEYWORD: TEXAS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY NEUROLOGY HEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY SOURCE: Alpha Cognition Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 06:41 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 06:42 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212186439/enStellar Bancorp stock soars to 52-week high of $30.94

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad , but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. “You will see there are skills" among the rebels, al-Sharaa said in a video shared on a rebel messaging channel. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad , a decision made by President Vladimir Putin . Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons , security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. “Don’t be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!” In southern Turkey , Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. “I haven’t seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he’s alive.” Prime minister says government is operational, but UN official says it's paralyzed Jalali, the prime minister, has sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a U.N. official said some government services had been paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” Britain, U.S. considering removing insurgent group from terror list Britain and the U.S. are both considering whether to remove the main anti-Assad rebel group from their lists of designated terrorist organizations. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham began as an offshoot of al-Qaida but cut ties with the group years ago and has worked to present a more moderate image. The group's leader, al-Sharaa, “is saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities, about respecting people’s rights,” British Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said, adding that a change would be considered “quite quickly.” But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking later during a visit to Saudi Arabia, said it was "far too early” to make that decision. In Washington, a Biden administration official noted that HTS will be an “important component” in Syria's future and that the U.S. needs to “engage with them appropriately.” Another administration official said the U.S. remains in a “wait and see” mode on whether to remove the designation. Both officials requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing internal deliberations. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that such designations are constantly under review. Even while it is in place, the designation does not bar U.S. officials from speaking with members or leaders of the group, he said. The U.S. also announced it was sending its special envoy for hostage affairs to Beirut to seek information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, a journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago and who President Joe Biden has said is believed to be alive. Israel confirms it struck suspected chemical weapons and rockets Israelis welcomed the fall of Assad, who was a key ally of Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, while expressing concern over what comes next. Israel says its forces temporarily seized a buffer zone inside Syria dating back to a 1974 agreement after Syrian troops withdrew in the chaos. “The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters Monday. Saar did not provide details about the targets, but the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they included weapons warehouses, research centers, air defense systems and aircraft squadrons. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years, targeting what it says are military sites related to Iran and Hezbollah . Israeli officials rarely comment on individual strikes. Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons stockpile in 2013, after the government was accused of launching an attack near Damascus that killed hundreds of people . But it is widely believed to have kept some of the weapons and was accused of using them again in subsequent years. Turkey says its allies have taken northern town Officials in Turkey, which is the main supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, say its allies have taken full control of the northern Syrian city of Manbij from a U.S.-supported and Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The SDF said a Turkish drone struck in the village of al-Mistriha in eastern Syria, killing 12 civilians, including six children. Turkey views the SDF, which is primarily composed of a Syrian Kurdish militia, as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. The SDF has also been a key ally of the United States in the war against the Islamic State group. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday warned against allowing Islamic State or Kurdish fighters to take advantage of the situation, saying Turkey will prevent Syria from turning into a “haven for terrorism.” ___ Mroue reported from Beirut and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Mehmet Guzel at the Oncupinar border crossing in Turkey, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, and Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow the AP's Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue And Tia Goldenberg, The Associated PressJimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100Adam Schiff Stays Steadfast In Face Of Trump's Tyranny Talk

In her new book, “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape,” the author and academic says you too can flee the toxic grind culture. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.Bavarian Loan Works: Paul Wanner struggles against Bayern Munich

Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelationsPrimorac: ‘Now, finally, Milanovic and I will go one on one’

Ducks forward Trevor Zegras has surgery on torn knee meniscus, will be out for 6 weeksAnyone in the US can now use OpenAI’s artificial intelligence video generator, Sora , which the company announced on Monday would become publicly available. OpenAI first presented Sora in February , but it was only accessible to select artists, film-makers and safety testers. At multiple points on Monday, though, OpenAI’s website did not allow for new sign-ups for Sora, citing heavy traffic. Sora is known as a text-to-video generator, a tool that can create AI video clips based on a user’s written prompts. An example on OpenAI’s website has the prompt of “a wide, serene shot of a family of woolly mammoths in an open desert”. Its video shows a group of three of the extinct creatures slowly walking through sand dunes. “We hope this early version of Sora will enable people everywhere to explore new forms of creativity, tell their stories, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with video storytelling,” OpenAI wrote in a blog post . OpenAI is known for its popular chatbot ChatGPT, but it has been branching into other forms of generative AI. It is working on a voice-cloning tool and has integrated an image generation tool, Dall-E, into ChatGPT’s functions. The Microsoft-backed company leads the burgeoning AI market and is now valued at nearly $160bn. Before today’s release of Sora, OpenAI let the tech reviewer Marques Brownlee test the tool. He said the results were “ horrifying and inspiring at the same time ”. Brownlee said Sora did well with landscapes and stylistic effects but that it struggled to realistically depict basic physics. Some film-makers who were also given a preview said the tool produced strange visual defects. It is understood that OpenAI is still working through compliance issues with the Online Safety Act in the UK and the Digital Services Act and GDPR in the EU. Two weeks ago, the company suspended any access to the tool when a group of artists created a backdoor that would allow anyone to use it. In a statement posted to the AI community site Hugging Face, they accused OpenAI of “art washing” a product that would steal the livelihood of artists like them. The “Sora PR Puppets”, as they dubbed themselves, said the company was trying to spin a positive narrative for its product by associating with creative people. While generative AI has improved considerably over the past year, it is still prone to hallucinations, or incorrect responses, and plagiarism. AI image generators also often produce unrealistic images, such as people with several arms or misplaced facial features. Critics warn that this type of AI video technology could be misused by bad actors for disinformation, scams and deepfakes. There have already been deepfake videos of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy , supposedly calling for a ceasefire and of Kamala Harris supposedly describing herself as “the ultimate diversity hire”. Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion OpenAI said in its blogpost that it would initially limit uploads of specific people and that it will block content with nudity. The company said that it was additionally “blocking particularly damaging forms of abuse, such as child sexual abuse materials and sexual deepfakes”. Sora will be available to users who already subscribe and pay for OpenAI’s tools. People in the US and “most countries internationally” will have access to the tool, but it will not be available in the UK or Europe due to copyright issues.

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FBI warns NBA of 'sophisticated' home theft groups after break-ins-memo

Tyler Herro scores 27 before ejection in Heat's 104-100 win over Rockets

Sherritt International Co. ( OTCMKTS:SHERF – Get Free Report ) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 238,300 shares, a decrease of 21.7% from the November 30th total of 304,300 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 125.4 days. Sherritt International Stock Performance Shares of SHERF opened at $0.11 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $0.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $0.15. Sherritt International has a 1 year low of $0.07 and a 1 year high of $0.27. About Sherritt International ( Get Free Report ) Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Sherritt International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sherritt International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”Tyler Herro scores 27 before ejection in Heat's 104-100 win over RocketsThe Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has launched a blistering critique of former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, accusing him of political sycophancy and hypocrisy. Wike claimed he was instrumental in reviving Odili’s political relevance, describing him as “politically dead” before his intervention. Speaking at a Special Thanksgiving Service organized by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Anglican Communion in Port Harcourt, Wike responded to comments Odili made during a Christmas Ballad in honor of the current Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Odili had alleged that Fubara thwarted Wike’s attempt to turn Rivers State into his personal estate. Reacting to Odili’s statement, Wike said, “Between him and myself, who has turned Rivers State to his personal estate? His wife is the Chairman of a Governing Council, his daughter is a commissioner, his other daughter is a judge, and he is the general overseer. Who has now turned Rivers State into a private estate?” Wike accused Odili of betraying past support and loyalty, adding that the former governor’s remarks reeked of opportunism. He recalled Odili’s earlier praise during his own tenure as governor. “When I was governor, this same Odili praised me to high heavens. In fact, he said then that all past governors in Rivers State combined did not do better than me. He even hung my pictures in every room of his house—living room, bedroom, kitchen, and toilets. But today, all those pictures are gone.” Read also: NPFL: Ikorodu beat Sunshine Stars as Rangers pip Tornadoes Wike detailed his contributions to Odili’s resurgence, highlighting the support he provided for PAMO University and the mansion he built for the former governor. “In 2007 after he left office, he couldn’t come near power in the state because Amaechi was governor. He was gone! When I became governor in 2015, I brought him back to life politically. For PAMO University, Rivers State sponsored 100 students per session, each paying at least N5 million per semester. I even called Julius Berger to build him a mansion. He was telling everyone how Wike had shown him love,” Wike recounted. The FCT Minister also took a swipe at Odili’s alleged sycophantic tendencies, accusing him of pandering to whoever is in power. “An elder statesman should not be a trader or a sycophant all the time. What can I learn from such an elder? What kind of advice can one get from someone who praises you one moment and criticizes you the next?” Wike queried. On the Rivers governorship issue, Wike dismissed Odili’s criticisms and alleged inconsistency. “When I was plotting who would be governor after me, was he there? Back then, he was complaining about this governor, saying he couldn’t stand before the public to talk. But today, he’s organizing Christmas Carols for the same governor he once opposed,” Wike said. Addressing Odili’s claim that Fubara had surpassed the achievements of past governors, Wike said, “The governor hasn’t even spent one year in office, and Odili is already saying he’s done more than all the past governors. You spent eight years as governor, and someone who hasn’t spent one year has beaten your record? What manner of elder talks like that?” Wike concluded by accusing Odili of lacking the courage to stand firm in politics, referencing Odili’s decision to step down from the presidential race years ago. “This is a man who wanted to run for president but didn’t have the balls. He chickened out because Obasanjo said no. Because of him, I never invited Obasanjo to Rivers State to commission projects. I didn’t want to humiliate him,” Wike stated. The Minister’s fiery remarks underscore a deepening rift between two of Rivers State’s most prominent political figures, casting a spotlight on the personal and political dynamics shaping the state’s leadership. 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Union Minister Manohar Lal flags off NTPC’s Green Hydrogen busses at Leh

What's happening in Syria? Everything we know as President Assad flees and rebels claim victory

This week, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, a vocal advocate for privacy rights and transparency, joined forces with a bipartisan coalition to demand a thorough investigation into the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) use of facial recognition technology, signaling that the long contentious debate over the increasing use of facial recognition technology at airport security checkpoints isn’t going to cool down anytime soon. The bipartisan group sent a to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph Cuffari. Their message was clear: TSA’s rollout of biometric systems raises serious concerns about accuracy, necessity, and the potential erosion of passenger privacy. Merkley’s campaign against TSA’s facial recognition efforts has garnered the support of five Democrats, five Republicans, and one Independent from across the political spectrum to push back against what they see to be an overreach of federal power. The coalition reflects a widespread unease in Congress over TSA’s without sufficient oversight or safeguards. Each of the Senators who signed the letter have advocated for a cautious and regulated approach to the government’s use of biometric technologies, emphasizing the protection of privacy and civil liberties. “We ... urge you to conduct thorough oversight of TSA’s use of facial recognition technology for passenger verification from both an authorities and privacy perspective,” the Senators said in their November 20 letter to Cuffari. “This technology will soon be in use at hundreds of major and mid-size airports without an independent evaluation of the technology’s precision or an audit of whether there are sufficient safeguards in place to protect passenger privacy.” The Senators said, “this technology poses significant threats to our privacy and civil liberties, and Congress should prohibit TSA’s development and deployment of facial recognition tools until rigorous congressional oversight occurs.” The involvement of Senate Republicans shouldn’t come as a surprise. last week that Senate Republicans have increasingly emphasized the importance of individual privacy rights and informed consent in the context of biometric data collection, especially as the use of biometrics becomes more widespread. While Republicans – who will control the Senate when the new Congress convenes in January – have typically supported the use of biometrics for law enforcement and national security purposes, so long as such use is properly regulated and accountable, they’ve also been leery of how biometric data is and can be used by government agencies, particularly regarding civil liberties and the potential for abuse. TSA’s facial recognition program has been steadily expanding, with plans to introduce next-generation credential authentication technology (CAT) equipped with facial recognition capabilities to over 430 airports nationwide. TSA touts these systems as tools to enhance security, streamline passenger verification, and reduce wait times. Yet, the Senators’ letter highlights a critical issue: TSA has failed to demonstrate that facial recognition is necessary when existing non-biometric systems, such as CAT-1 scanners, can already detect fraudulent identification. Moreover, the technology’s accuracy remains questionable, the Senators said, noting that TSA data reputedly shows a 3 percent false negative rate in identity capture. When applied to the 2.3 million travelers passing through airports daily, this rate could result in nearly 70,000 discrepancies every day. “TSA has not provided Congress with evidence that facial recognition technology is necessary to catch fraudulent documents, decrease wait times at security checkpoints, or stop terrorists from boarding airplanes,” the Senators said, adding that “facial recognition would also fail to stop the hundreds of people who reportedly bypass security checkpoints in a given year.” Merkley and his colleagues say they are concerned about potential privacy issues with the program. Critics warn that these systems could evolve into one of the largest federal surveillance databases, a prospect that Merkley says he finds deeply troubling. “If this becomes mandatory,” Merkley warns, “the TSA’s program could transform overnight into a sweeping surveillance apparatus without the authorization of Congress.” TSA claims that its facial recognition program is optional, but evidence has emerged that suggests otherwise. There are anecdotal reports from travelers who describe intimidating encounters with Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) when attempting to opt out. Travelers have recounted being pressured or misled into compliance, with TSOs sometimes claiming that opting out would lead to significant delays. Meanwhile, signage explaining the opt-out option is often poorly displayed or hidden, leaving passengers unaware of their rights. “While TSA claims facial recognition is optional,” the Senators said in their letter, “it is confusing and intimidating to opt out of TSA’s facial recognition scans, and our offices have received numerous anecdotal reports of TSOs becoming belligerent when a traveler asks to opt out, or simply being unaware of that right.” The Senators further said that “signage directing passengers to follow officer instructions and step in front of the facial recognition camera is prominently displays, while the signage for opting out is often strategically placed in inconspicuous locations, making it challenging to read and locate. TSOs are inconsistently trained on how to respond to passengers who request to pt out and have told passengers they will face delays for opting out.” These tactics have not gone unnoticed by Merkley, who said he personally opted out of the program during a flight from Washington, D.C. to Portland, Oregon, his home state. Merkley said his firsthand experience, combined with numerous constituent complaints, underscores systemic flaws in the program’s implementation. “Privacy cannot be an afterthought,” Merkley said in a statement. “It must be a fundamental consideration, especially when dealing with sensitive biometric data.” “Additionally, despite promising lawmakers and the public that this technology is not mandatory, TSA has stated its intent to expand this technology beyond the security checkpoint and make it mandatory in the future,” Merkley said, noting that “in April 2023, TSA Administrator [David] Pekoske admitted at the South by Southwest Conference that ‘we will get to the point where we will require biometrics across the board.’ If that happens, this program could become one of the largest federal surveillance databases overnight without authorization from Congress.” Such comments have only fueled bipartisan skepticism. Merkley and his colleagues argue that Congress has not authorized such sweeping changes to passenger verification protocols, and they demand a full audit of the program’s implications before it becomes the default at airports nationwide. For Merkley, this fight is far from new. He has consistently championed privacy rights in the face of expanding surveillance technologies. Earlier this year, he led a bipartisan effort to include privacy safeguards in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act which became law in May. He also introduced the which is aimed at restricting TSA’s use of facial recognition at airports and has bipartisan support. The bill has been bottled up in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Merkley’s advocacy resonates with Americans concerned about the growing encroachment of surveillance in public spaces, a fear that many Republicans share. While proponents of facial recognition argue that the technology enhances security, opponents contend that it sets a dangerous precedent. They warn of a future where constant monitoring becomes normalized, eroding the expectation of privacy in everyday life. The senators’ letter calls for a thorough investigation into TSA’s use of facial recognition technology, urging Inspector General Cuffari to examine its accuracy, necessity, and compliance with privacy standards. They also stress the need for transparency in how the TSA plans to handle the vast amounts of biometric data it collects. Will this data be stored securely? Who will have access to it? And what safeguards are in place to prevent misuse? As the holiday travel season reaches its peak, the debate over TSA’s facial recognition program takes on new urgency. Millions of Americans will pass through security checkpoints, many of them unknowingly subject to biometric scans. For lawmakers like Merkley, this moment represents a critical juncture, and a chance to shape the policies governing biometric technology before its widespread adoption becomes irreversible. At its core, the fight against TSA’s facial recognition program is about accountability. Merkley and his bipartisan allies are calling on the federal government to pause, evaluate, and justify its actions. They argue that any program with such far-reaching implications must be subject to rigorous scrutiny, not only to protect privacy, but also to uphold public trust. “Security and privacy are not mutually exclusive. We can protect our skies without compromising the rights of those who travel beneath them,” Merkley said. “Whether the TSA will heed this call for restraint and transparency remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the debate over facial recognition technology is far from over. Meanwhile, Pekoske has indicated he wants to stay on as TSA Administrator under President Donald Trump, at least until his term as administrator ends in 2027. It was Trump who nominated Pekoske to head TSA during Trump’s first term as president. “It’s important for continuity in TSA to run the second term to its conclusion,” Pekoske said. | | | | |

Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Ford to give $1 million for Trump inauguration National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | Pressley praises Biden’s death row commutations, urges more action National Politics | Healey vs. ICE: Massachusetts’ sanctuary status under fire But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.golden empire jili slot game 。

AT&T to Release Fourth-Quarter 2024 Earnings on January 27

AI in cybersecurity a battle between protection and exploitation: ExpertsSix people died in a fire at a migrant workers’ temporary residence in the Russian republic of Tatarstan, highlighting the increasingly difficult conditions faced by those coming to Russia seeking work. The regional Investigative Committee said a criminal investigation into the blaze on December 24 has been opened. It added that the wooden building on a farm housed more than three dozen Uzbek migrant workers. Migrants , especially from Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, have long provided desperately needed workers across Russia even though the conditions they live in can be poor. In October, the Russian government approved a measure that cuts the quota for residence permits for foreigners in 2025 by almost half even as the number of workers entering the country has fallen to a 10-year low, exacerbating an acute labor shortage. The move came as public sentiment toward migrants grows increasingly negative , with some 80 percent of Russians surveyed expressing concerns about the high number of migrants, particularly from Central Asia and the Caucasus. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from those areas legally reside in Russia on working visas allowing them to stay and work in the country for a limited period, while residence permits allow stays in Russia for years. But many Russians turned against migrants from Central Asia after a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall entertainment center near Moscow in March that claimed 140 lives. Several Tajik citizens were arrested over their alleged involvement in the attack. The men appeared in court bearing clear signs of beating and torture . Suspicions of migrants from Central Asia were further stoked last week when Russian authorities said they had arrested a man from Uzbekistan over the assassination of a senior general in Moscow on December 17. The arrest of the 29-year-old, who Moscow claimed killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov on Ukraine's orders has triggered fear among Central Asian migrants in Russia. Kirillov was the highest-ranking Russian military officer to be assassinated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Authorities in Tatarstan have not tied the fire to the backlash. In addition to the investigation, the republic’s president, Rustam Minnikhanov, has ordered a check of housing for workers at farms in Tatarstan and pledged assistance for the victims of the fire. Alisher Ilkhamov, an Uzbek analyst and the director of the U.K.-based research entity Central Asia Due Diligence, said Uzbeks will be portrayed "to some extent as the villains” in the assassination. "Anti-migrant rhetoric has been very popular with Russian politicians recently," Ilkhamov said. "Now that will be reinforced.” YouTube traffic in Russia has plummeted to just 20 percent of its “normal levels” in recent days, a leading Russian expert said, describing the situation as a “de facto” blocking of the video-sharing platform in the country. Mikhail Klimarev, director of the nonprofit organization Society for the Protection of the Internet said in a Telegram post on December 23 that YouTube traffic in Russia has dropped to one-fifth of the levels recorded before the authorities reportedly began to deliberately slow down the service in July. “Google’s monitoring service currently shows 8.5 traffic points from Russia. Before the “slowdown,” it was 40 points. This means it’s now at roughly 20 percent of normal levels,” Klimarev wrote on his Telegram channel, ZaTelecom, adding: “YouTube is de facto blocked in Russia.” Speaking on condition of anonymity, a resident of the Russian city of Surgut told RFE/RL on December 24 that YouTube has become “inaccessible for some time.” “I first noticed YouTube becoming frustratingly slow in the summer, now it is simply impossible to open,” she said. “We have three smartphones in our family and get the Internet from two different [service providers.] We tried [opening YouTube] in all of them. I can say for sure that we can’t open YouTube anymore,” the Surgut resident added. YouTube, which is owned by Google, has tens of millions of users in Russia. Russian YouTube users have been experiencing mass outages and slowdown in the service since July. Russian authorities said the problems were caused by Google's failure to upgrade equipment used to ensure access to Google services in Russia. Critics, however, accuse the authoritarian government in Moscow of deliberately disrupting the service to prevent Russians from viewing content there that is critical of the Kremlin’s policies. In July, Russian outlet, Gazeta.ru quoted two sources close to the president’s administration as saying that Moscow was planning to begin blocking YouTube in September. The EU-based news website Meduza at the time quoted a source in Russia’s telecommunications sphere who claimed the government started slowing YouTube speeds on July 11. YouTube said in August that it was aware that some people in Russia were not able to access the platform, but it insisted that the problem was not caused by any action or technical issues on YouTube’s part. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s position, claiming that the YouTube service disruption was caused by Google’s failure to upgrade equipment. During his annual news conference and call-in show on December 19, Putin also demanded that Google and YouTube observe Russia’s laws and not use the Internet as a tool to “achieve [the U.S.] government’s political goals.” There was no immediate response by Google. Russia has blocked major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. A Russian court has sentenced U.S. citizen Eugene Spector to 15 years in a penal colony for "espionage" amid accusations by several Western governments that Moscow is convicting foreign nationals to use as bargaining chips in prisoner swaps. Spector was sentenced on December 24 by the Moscow City Court after a trial that was held behind closed doors. Little is known about the charges the former pharmaceuticals executive faced as the court claimed classified materials during the trial warranted it being closed to the public. The case comes against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington, which are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War. Moscow has also been accused of targeting U.S. citizens by detaining them on trumped-up charges to later use as bargaining chips in talks to bring back Russians convicted of crimes in the United States and other Western nations. At least 10 U.S. citizens remain behind bars in Russia even after a prisoner swap on August 1 involving 16 people that Moscow agreed to free in exchange for eight Russians convicted of crimes and serving prison terms in the United States and Europe. “Although the prisoner exchange can rightly be considered a victory for diplomacy, we should not hastily declare that justice has prevailed,” Yulia Mineeva , an associate at Chatham House, said after the prisoners were swapped. “The Russian side held hostages to free their hitmen, spies, and hackers , while the West made a tough decision in favor of the freedom and lives of innocent people, not only their citizens but Russian nationals as well.” The state TASS news agency said Spector was born in 1972 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and moved to the United States, where he became a citizen. His Russian name is Yevgeny Mironovich, TASS added. Spector was the chairman of the board of Medpolymerprom Group, a company known for its focus on developing cancer-curing drugs. He was sentenced in 2021 to four years in prison on alleged bribery charges. His sentence was reduced by six months after a retrial. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the “brutal police violence” against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for anti-government demonstrations. Police have clashed with protesters for over two weeks, detaining dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the government of the ruling Georgian Dream party -- founded by Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili -- of moving the country away from the EU and closer to Moscow. “In widespread and apparently punitive acts, security forces have chased down, violently detained, and beat protesters. Police also tortured and otherwise ill-treated them in police vans and police stations,” HRW said in a report on December 24. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said was marred by instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The rallies intensified after a government decision last month to delay negotiations on Georgia joining the European Union. The authorities have responded violently to the demonstrations, arresting hundreds of people in recent weeks and closely watching participants with Chinese-made surveillance cameras with facial-recognition capabilities. Dozens of protesters – as well as journalists covering the rallies – have been beaten and detained by police were wearing riot gear or full-face black masks, with no identifiable insignia. “The level of the authorities’ violence against largely peaceful protesters is shocking, blatantly retaliatory, and violates Georgia’s domestic laws and international norms,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The scale of the police ill-treatment of protesters and the failure of Georgian authorities to hold them accountable for it indicates they either authorized or condoned the violence.” Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. Zurabishvili has been locked in a standoff with the party since the October parliamentary elections, which the opposition has refused to recognize. Georgian Dream has denied any election wrongdoing and has refused to consider new elections despite the almost daily protests. Georgia received EU candidate status in December last year but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has ruled since 2012. Critics say the legislation threatens media outlets and civil society groups and mirrors a similar Russian law used by the Kremlin to stifle political opponents and civil society. While initially endorsed by Georgian Dream for her successful presidential run in 2018, Zurabishvili has been a thorn in the ruling party's side. Although officially a nonpartisan president limited to a ceremonial role, Zurabishvili has criticized Georgian Dream for its increasingly authoritarian stance. Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president. His inauguration is supposed to take place on December 29, though the 72-year-old Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she isn't going anywhere. The 'foreign agent' law, which mandates that organizations receiving significant foreign funding register as foreign agents, took effect on August 1, sparking significant backlash from international and domestic actors. The government last week pledged to amend the law, though it did not give details of the changes it would enact. CHISINAU -- Moldova's pro-Western president, Maia Sandu, was sworn in for a second term in what analysts call a critical milestone for the integration of one of Europe's poorest countries into the European Union. Sandu defeated her Russian-friendly opponent, Alexandr Stoianoglo, in the second-round of a hard fought election last month. The Harvard University educated, former World Bank official's victory -- coming just one week after another former Soviet republic, Georgia, suffered a setback on its EU path when elections were won by Moscow-friendly incumbents -- came as a relief for Moldova's Western partners, who hailed it as proof that democracy can win over Russian meddling. Sandu said in her inauguration speech that she hopes her second and final four-year mandate will tie her legacy to "Moldova being in the European Union." During Sandu's first term, Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks earlier this year after firmly aligning itself with its neighbor, Ukraine, after Russia's unprovoked invasion in 2022, and joining the EU sanctions regime against Russia. Last week the European Union applauded Moldova for the successful conduct of the presidential elections and of the referendum on enshrining EU accession in the constitution," while blasting the " hybrid attempts to undermine the country's democratic institutions." Moldovan officials had warned for months of threats from Russia that included disinformation and facilitating millions in illicit payments for an informal network of anti-EU organizers. At the same time, they also fended off cyberattacks and deepfakes, and publicly confronted what they regarded as false narratives aimed at influencing the outcome of the vote. Sandu, 52, became Moldova's first female president with a landslide victory in 2020, running on a strong pro-EU message and vowing to fight corruption. Stoianoglo, 57, from Gagauzia -- a Turkic-speaking autonomous region of Moldova with pro-Russian sentiment -- campaigned on a law-and-order theme, although critics slammed him for what they say was a failure to address high-level corruption during his time as Moldova's prosecutor-general. Clashes were reported along much of the frontline in eastern Ukraine as Russian forces continue to make gains amid speculation over the Kremlin’s strategy . Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said on December 24 that by mid-morning some 235 clashes had been recorded at the front since the start of the previous day, with intense fighting in the direction of Kharkhiv, Donetsk, and Kupyansk. It added that Russia lost over 1,600 soldiers and 30 armored vehicles during the period, though the claim could not be independently verified. Moscow rarely comments on its losses in the war. The Institute for the Study of War ( ISW ) said in a report on December 24 that Russia’s priorities in the current fighting remain unclear as troops make incremental advances south and southwest of of the key city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. “It remains unclear if Russian forces will be able to exploit these gains to envelop the town or if they intend to advance to the administrative boundary of Donetsk region,” the ISW said. Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow is nearing its primary goal in the war , though he didn’t elaborate. Ever since Ukraine's counteroffensive to drive out invading Russian forces culminated with little success in October 2023, Russian troops have slowly pushed westward, capturing the Donetsk city of Avdiyivka and then the town of Vuldehar. Russia currently controls about 60 percent of Donetsk. Now, reportedly just a few kilometers from the edge of town, Russian troops could be on the verge of taking Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub near the current front line. Pokrovsk is strategically significant because it serves as a major transportation hub, is close to the front lines, and serves as a supply hub for military operations in the Donbas region. Fighting between Russia and Ukraine has ratcheted up in recent weeks, with Moscow launching waves of drones and missiles across Ukrainian territory, mainly aimed at civilian and energy infrastructure. Kyiv has countered with attacks on Russian oil and energy targets just inside Russian territory and over the weekend struck high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan. Last week Putin dangled the prospect of Russian concessions before audiences in Washington and the West, saying more than once during his annual question-and-answer conference that Russia was ready for a compromise. But he attached numerous conditions to the idea of compromise, suggesting Moscow’s goal of subjugating Ukraine and winning major security guarantees from NATO and the West remain in place, as well as saying he does not consider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a legitimate leader. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump – whose inauguration is set for January 20 – has said he would move to end the war quickly and during his remarks at Turning Point’s America Fest convention on December 22, said, "We have to end that war. That war is horrible, horrible." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine is interested in stabilizing the situation in Syria and believes it is essential for the country's security to remove any Russian presence from the country. “We are grateful to every country and every leader who is now ready to help Syrian society restore normal life and build effective state institutions,” Zelenskiy said on X on December 23, pledging to "support Syria in ensuring food security." "We are ready to work with representatives of the Syrian people to correct the mistakes of the Assad regime, in particular, regarding Ukraine and all of Europe,” he said. Russia granted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family asylum earlier this month after rebels took control of Damascus. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on December 23 that said it was in contact with Syria's new administration at both a diplomatic and military level. Moscow is concern in particular about the fate of a naval facility and an air base it operates in Syria. Zelenskiy in his message on X also renewed his warnings about Russia's cooperation with North Korea. Russia earlier this month began deploying North Korean troops to reinforce its military, including to the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian forces seized territory earlier this year. Kyiv continues to press allies for a tougher response to the development, which it says is a global threat because it involves a transfer of Russian warfare experience and military technologies to Pyongyang. "For the world, the cost of restoring stability is always much higher than the cost of effectively pressuring those who destabilize the situation and destroy lives," Zelenskiy said. He warned of "risks of North Korea sending additional troops and military equipment” and said Kyiv will have a “tangible responses to this." He added that according to preliminary data supplied by General Oleksandr Syrskiy, Ukraine's top commander, the number of North Korean soldiers killed and wounded in the Kursk region has exceeded 3,000. Syrskiy said last week that Russian forces backed by North Korean troops had intensified their offensive against Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region. South Korea's assessed the number of killed and wounded troops was closer to 1,000. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on December 23 that based on "various sources of information and intelligence," the North Korea has suffered around 1,100 casualties since joining combat operations against Ukraine. The JCS agreed that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" to aid Russia's war effort. JCS added that it has detected signs of Pyongyang planning to produce suicide drones to be shipped to Russia in addition to the 240mm multiple rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled howitzers it already is supplying. The Kremlin has neither denied nor directly confirmed the presence of North Korean troops on its soil. NATO, however, confirmed in October that North Korean troops had been deployed in the Kursk region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the deployment marked a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "growing desperation." Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has decided not to certify the main ethnic Serbian party, effectively barring it from competing in the February 9 parliamentary elections. The CEC said its main reason for declining to certify Serbian List was its nationalist stance and close ties to Serbia. Some commission members noted that Serbian List leader Zlatan Elek has never referred to Kosovo as independent and continues to call it Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo. The CEC also said that Serbian List has close ties with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other Serb leaders who also refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. There was no immediate reaction from Serbian List. The move may further aggravate the already tense ties between Kosovo and Serbia despite international efforts to normalize them. The parliamentary elections on February 9, 2025, are expected to be a key test for Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party came to power in 2021 in a landslide. Vucic claimed on December 23 that Kurti is trying to "eliminate the only opponent" in the elections. He also accused Kurti and his allies of attempting to expel the Serbian people from the southern areas of Kosovo. Vucic said that he had also spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about what he considered to be violations of international law by Pristina. Only the chairman of the CEC, Kreshnik Radoniqi, voted for the certification of Serbian List. Two members of the ruling Self-Determination party voted against, while the others abstained. Political analyst Albert Krasniqi of the Demokraci+ NGO told RFE/RL that the decision is part of the preelection campaign being conducted by Kurti’s Self-Determination party. He said Serbian List will appeal the decision to the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) and predicted that it will reverse the decision. “All this noise will last at most four days, and I am sure that the ECAP will reverse this decision of the CEC and will oblige the CEC to certify Serbian List,” Krasniqi said. Eugen Cakolli of the Democratic Institute of Kosovo told RFE/RL that the CEC has once again become “part of [the] political rhetoric, making a decision in violation of the law and other regulations in force.” He also said Serbian List will appeal and the ECAP will overturn the decision. Kosovo proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade still considers Kosovo a province of Serbia and has a major influence on the ethnic Serbian minority living there. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico of wanting to "help" President Vladimir Putin earn money to fund Russia’s war in Ukraine after Fico paid a visit to Putin in Moscow. Zelenskiy said on X on December 23 that EU leaders had previously observed that Fico opposes reducing energy dependence on Russia, "implying that he wants to help Putin earn money to fund the war and weaken Europe." Ukraine is “losing people as a result of the war that Putin started, and we believe that such assistance to Putin is immoral,” Zelenskiy said . Fico said his trip to Moscow and meeting with Putin on December 22 was in response to Zelenskiy opposing any "transit of gas through Ukraine to our territory." Ukraine has said it will not renew a contract for gas transit through pipelines in Ukraine that expires on December 31. Slovakia has raised concerns about the prospect of losing supplies of natural gas as a result. The flow of gas through the pipeline accounts for around half of Russia's total exports to Europe, and Slovakia, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic are set to be most affected if it ends. The European Commission has said it is ready for the current contract to expire, and all countries receiving Russian fuel via the Ukraine route have access to alternative supplies. Fico is one of the few European leaders Putin has stayed friendly with since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, but Zelenskiy questioned his motivation. "Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is being paid to him, and what does he pay with?" Zelenskiy asked rhetorically. The visit by Fico, whose country is a NATO and European Union member, had not been previously announced, but Fico said he had informed EU leaders about it ahead of time. Fico said on Facebook after his meeting with Putin that the Russian president had confirmed Russia's “readiness to continue supplying gas to the West and to Slovakia in view of the Ukrainian president's stance after January 1, 2025." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on December 23 said he could not give more details about the talks between Putin and Fico but said the situation regarding the flow of gas is “very difficult” and “requires increased attention." Fico’s visit with Putin drew strong reactions from other European leaders. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky denounced it, saying on X that the Czech government “has been working to achieve independence from Russian energy supplies so that we don't have to grovel to a mass murderer." Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda reacted sarcastically, saying that any dealings with Russia involve a price. “How cheap is your love,” he said on X . “There are those who come to Russia with love and feel gassed to meet a war criminal. This is not Lithuania's way. We choose energy independence and real market prices -- with no political strings attached! Uzbek authorities are keeping a close eye on the family of the suspect in the high-profile assassination of a Russian general in Moscow last week, neighbors and activists say. Uzbek national Ahmadjon Qurbonov, 29, has been charged by a Moscow court with terrorism and other offenses in the December 17 killing of Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces. Qurbonov, who grew up in the Uchteppa district of the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, has been accused of remotely detonating a homemade bomb hidden on a scooter parked outside a residential building. The blast killed Kirillov and his assistant. Qurbonov's neighbors in Tashkent told RFE/RL that his family are refraining from speaking to media and are being monitored by Uzbek authorities since the news of Qurbonov’s arrest broke. Uzbek law-enforcement agencies have since been in regular contact with the family, according to Abdurahmon Tashanov, head of the Ezgulik human rights group in Uzbekistan. Tashanov told RFE/RL that he had spoken with the family and quoted them as saying the relatives first found about Qurbonov's alleged involvement in the attack from the anti-terrorism unit of the Uchteppa police department. They learned other details from media reports, Tashanov added. Uzbek authorities did not respond to RFE/RL's request for comment. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of the neighbors said Qurbonov's mother had last spoken with her son two days before the attack, when he called from Russia and had assured her he was healthy and had found good work as a cook. According to the neighbors, Qurbonov left Tashkent in 2021, saying he was going to Turkey as a migrant worker. They claimed the family didn't know when Qurbonov moved from Turkey to Russia. Both Russia and Turkey host thousands of migrant workers from Uzbekistan. The residents in Uchteppa's Pakhtakor neighborhood described the Qurbonovs as a regular, middle-class family with a comfortable life. Qurbonov’s late father, Alijon, made a living as a cook, and one of his siblings works at a bakery, they said. Tashanov raised concern about a video released by Russian authorities that purportedly shows Qurbonov "confessing" to having committed the deadly attack on Kirillov. It is not known whether the "confession" was obtained under duress. Tashanov said releasing such footage violates the presumption of innocence in Qurbonov's case. During a hearing at Moscow's Basman district court on December 19, Qurbonov requested a translator due to his limited knowledge of the Russian language. Russian investigators claimed Qurbonov was recruited and trained by Ukrainian intelligence services to carry out the attack. There has been no official claim of responsibility, but Ukraine's security service SBU has said it was behind the killing. Kyiv had accused Kirillov of being responsible for Russia's use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops, a claim Moscow denies. The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoev, discussed cooperation in the fight against terrorism in a phone call on December 19. Belarus's Central Election Commission (CEC) said five candidates, including Alyaksandr Lukashenka, have been registered for a presidential election next month, the first since balloting in 2020 triggered mass unrest amid claims of victory by the 70-year-old authoritarian ruler, who has since wiped out almost all traces of opposition and dissent in the country. Lukashenka, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is expected to easily cruise to a seventh consecutive term in office as the other four candidates announced by CEC on December 23 are seen as being pro-government. "Lukashenka has announced the date of his 'reelection' -- January 26. It’s a sham with no real electoral process, conducted in an atmosphere of terror," exiled opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who ran against Lukashenka in the August 2020 election after her husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, was arrested and jailed during the campaign, said on X when the January vote was first announced. "No alternative candidates or observers will be allowed. We call on Belarusians and the international community to reject this farce," she added. Along with Lukashenka, the CEC said Oleh Gaidukevich, Serhey Syrankov, Anna Konapatskaya, and Alyaksandr Khizhnyak were approved to run in the vote. Massive street protests followed the disputed 2020 presidential election that extended Lukashenka's long-standing rule for another term. The election was widely condemned as fraudulent by the United States, the European Union, and other international actors. The protests, which demanded Lukashenka's resignation, were met with mass arrests, alleged torture, and violent crackdowns that left several people dead. Tsikhanouski, as well as other opposition politicians and activists, were arrested and many were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Many opposition leaders remain imprisoned or in exile, while Lukashenka refuses dialogue with his critics. Tsikhanouskaya was forced into exile in 2020. Her husband was later convicted of organizing riots among other charges following a trial condemned as a sham and sentenced to 18 years in prison. The Romanian parliament has sworn in a new pro-European coalition government led by leftist Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The new government took the oath of office and held a ceremonial first cabinet meeting after parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote on December 23. President Klaus Iohannis had earlier appointed Ciolacu as prime minister to form a new government after three pro-Western parties agreed on a coalition aimed at preventing far-right groups from joining the government. "You are entering a difficult period in your new responsibilities," Iohannis told the government in a congratulatory message. "I wish you to succeed in everything you set out to do, but, first of all, I wish you to succeed for Romania and Romanians. People expect solutions, stability, and a government that firmly maintains Romania's trajectory." Iohannis said the situation is like no other the country has experienced, adding that all those he spoke to asked for the continuation of the pro-European path. The government, which includes five new ministers, took shape amid political turmoil prompted by revelations about Russia's malign influence that led to the annulment of a presidential election after a Moscow-friendly outsider won the first round. "It will not be an easy mandate for the future government," Ciolacu said in a statement. "We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis. It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people." The coalition government includes Emil Hurezeanu, a former journalist for RFE/RL, who will serve as foreign minister. The parties that together won just over half the seats in parliamentary elections on December 1 -- the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD), center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), and the ethnic Hungarian UDMR -- reached an agreement to band together late on December 10 in Bucharest. That deal came after they threw their support behind presidential candidate Elena Lasconi ahead of a December 8 scheduled runoff against the pro-Russian independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who had won a shock victory in the first round on November 24. However, Romania's Constitutional Court on December 6 canceled the results of the first round and ordered a rerun of the presidential polls after the EU and NATO member's Supreme Defense Council declassified documents allegedly proving Georgescu's presidential bid had been aided by a campaign led by an unnamed "state actor" with the help of Chinese-owned TikTok social media platform. The PSD and the PNL, the two parties that have dominated Romania's politics since the fall of communism, formed an unlikely left-right alliance in 2021. The alliance became increasingly unpopular while also eroding both parties' support among voters, and allowed the shock rise of pro-Russian, far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which finished a close second in parliamentary elections with more than 18 percent to PSD's 23 percent. Adding to the current instability, no presidential polls are likely until sometime early next year while it remains unclear if parties would have to propose new candidates or if Georgescu will be allowed to run again. One of the government's first tasks will be to set a date for the new presidential election. Last week, Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, an independent, said he will be a candidate in the presidential election when it is re-run. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has called on the ruling Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29 amid unrest over the last vote and the party's unilateral decision to postpone negotiations with the European Union. Zurabishvili has been locked in a standoff with the party since it won October parliamentary elections plagued by allegations of electoral fraud . The opposition has refused to recognize the vote, accusing Georgian Dream of rigging the vote to cling to power. In a speech late on December 22, she invited Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and the founder of Georgian Dream, to the presidential palace for talks on setting an election date. Georgian Dream has denied any election wrongdoing and has refused to consider new elections despite almost daily protests over its victory and its subsequent decision to halt talks with the 27-member bloc until 2028. "Ivanishvili should come to the palace, and I am ready to sit down and think about how the elections should be scheduled. The date of the elections should be agreed upon by the 29th," Zurabishvili told a rally on Tbilisi's Rustaveli Avenue, the site of countless Georgian protests. Due to technical issues during the speech, Zurabishvili said she would release a new video recorded message of the address on December 23. Georgia received EU candidate status in December last year but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has ruled since 2012. Critics say the legislation threatens media outlets and civil society groups and mirrors a similar Russian law used by the Kremlin to stifle political opponents and civil society. While initially endorsed by Georgian Dream for her successful presidential run in 2018, Zurabishvili has been a thorn in the ruling party's side. Although officially a nonpartisan president limited to a ceremonial role, Zurabishvili has criticized Georgian Dream for its increasingly authoritarian stance. Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president. His inauguration is supposed to take place on December 29, though the 72-year-old Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she isn't going anywhere. After the ruling Georgian Dream party declared victory in an election on October 26, protests restarted and intensified after the government said it was suspending talks with Brussels on Tbilisi's bid to join the EU, Georgia’s biggest donor, biggest economic market, and home to the South Caucasus country's biggest diaspora. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in its final report on the elections -- which it issued on December 20 -- that numerous issues "negatively impacted" the elections and eroded public trust. The report refers to the passage of the "foreign agent" law, modeled on a similar Russian law, saying the election took place amid “serious concerns about the impact of recently adopted legislation on fundamental freedoms and civil society.” The law, which mandates that organizations receiving significant foreign funding register as foreign agents, took effect on August 1, sparking significant backlash from international and domestic actors. The government last week pledged to amend the law, though it did not give details of the changes it would enact. The Kremlin said there are currently no plans for President Vladimir Putin to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump amid a rise in talk of finding a peace deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine. Trump told a conservative convention on December 22 that Putin said he "wants to meet with me as soon as possible.” In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on December 23 that "so far, there have been no real impulses" for a meeting with Trump before his inauguration in January. Fighting between Russia and Ukraine has ratcheted up in recent weeks, with Moscow launching waves of drones and missiles across Ukrainian territory, mainly aimed at civilian and energy infrastructure. Kyiv has countered with attacks on Russian oil and energy targets just inside Russian territory and over the weekend struck high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan. Last week Putin dangled the prospect of Russian concessions before audiences in Washington and the West, saying more than once during his annual question-and-answer conference that Russia was ready for a compromise. But he attached numerous conditions to the idea of compromise, suggesting Moscow’s goal of subjugating Ukraine and winning major security guarantees from NATO and the West remain in place, as well as saying he does not consider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a legitimate leader. Trump has said he would move to end the war quickly and during his remarks at Turning Point’s America Fest convention on December 22, said, "We have to end that war. That war is horrible, horrible." Analysts say that behind closed doors in Moscow, Kyiv, Brussels, Washington, and other capitals diplomats, elected leaders, and military officers are gearing up for what will likely be a full-court press to find a resolution to Europe's largest land war since World War II. In Western negotiating rooms, sentiment has shifted decisively toward a push to resolve a conflict that has killed or wounded more than 1 million men on both sides over 34 months and counting. In a rare meeting with a European Union leader, Putin met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on December 22. While the main topic was a soon-to-expire contract allowing for Russian natural gas to transit through Ukraine, the two leaders also talked about the military situation in Ukraine and the possibility of a peaceful settlement to the war. Fico is one of the few European leaders with whom Putin has maintained ties since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. Kyiv said it will not extend the gas transit deal beyond January 1 as payments Russia receives for gas have helped fund Moscow's war. Fico, whose views on Russia's war on Ukraine differ sharply from those of most European leaders, returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country's military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO. Zelenskiy warned on December 23 that Fico's stance on Russian gas was a "big security issue" for Europe. "His key goal is to deal with Russia, and this is what benefits him. This is indeed a big security issue -- both for Slovakia and the entire Europe," Zelenskiy said on X. "Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is being paid to him, and what does he pay with?" he added. Students who have been blocking academic faculties at the University of Belgrade for weeks staged a protest on December 22 to demand accountability for the collapse of a canopy at the train station in Novi Sad that killed 15 people. Streets near Slavija Square in central Belgrade were closed to traffic as thousands gathered for the protest, filling the square and beyond as farmers, actors, and educators joined the student-led protest. The demonstration began at 4:30 p.m. local time with 15 minutes of silence for the victims of the collapse on November 1, which seriously injured two people in addition to killing 15. Many of the participants turned their mobile phone lights on and held them high. The 15 minutes of silence was followed by 30 minutes of participants blowing whistles and vuvuzelas. Student Teodora Topalovic told RFE/RL at the protest that the support of citizens means a lot to the gathered students. "Every time something like this starts at the beginning, I'm first on the verge of tears, and then I pull myself together and continue," Topalovic said. "This means a lot to all the students." Nikola Peric of Belgrade said his motive for coming to this protest is to say "no" to the entire situation and the authorities in Serbia. "To support the students, to honor the people who died innocently, and to try to change the situation in the country, which is not good," he told RFE/RL. Pensioner Tatjana Spolja Miletic told RFE/RL that "new, young forces" have arrived and that the older ones are have joined in the protest to support them. "I can't be silent and sit at home," she said. The organizers demanded the government identify and prosecute the people who allegedly attacked demonstrators during protests that swept across Serbia in the days following the collapse of the canopy. The organizers also called for the release of activists detained during earlier protests and an end to legal proceedings against them. Serbians have protested regularly over the accident to demand accountability. Some of the protests turned violent, but there was no violence reported during the demonstration in Belgrade on December 22. The collapse of the canopy has turned into a political headache for President Aleksandar Vucic as more than 50 academic faculties at four state universities, the offices of several university rectors, and dozens of high schools remain blocked in solidarity with the protests. Students also have taken part in daily protests in which traffic stops for 15 minutes in cities across Serbia. The accident occurred after the railway station had been renovated twice in recent years by a Chinese-led consortium of four companies. Serbian Railways insisted that the renovation didn’t include the concrete overhang, but some experts disputed that. The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad announced on November 21 that 11 people had been arrested after being found responsible for the collapse. Among them were former Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Minister Goran Vesic and the ex-director of railway infrastructure Jelena Tanaskovic. They face up to 12 years in prison if they are found guilty of charges of committing criminal acts against public security, endangering the public, and irregular construction work. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met in the Kremlin on December 22 to discuss a soon-to-expire contract allowing for Russian natural gas to transit through Ukraine. Fico said the meeting with Putin came in reaction to Ukraine saying it would not renew the contract, which is set to run out on December 31. "Putin confirmed [Russia's] readiness to continue supplying gas to the West and to Slovakia in view of the Ukrainian president's stance after January 1, 2025," Fico said on Facebook. He said he and Putin also exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine, the possibility of a peaceful settlement to the war, and mutual relations between Slovakia and Russia. Fico is one of the few European leaders with whom Putin has maintained ties since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. Fico arrived in Russia on a "working visit" and met with Putin one-on-one, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying earlier on December 22. According to Russian media reports, Peskov said the meeting was to focus on "the international situation" and was likely to also touch on Russian natural gas deliveries. Slovakia and Hungary, which rely on Russian gas, raised concerns about the prospect of losing supplies after Ukraine said it would not renew the contract. Fico, whose views on Russia's war on Ukraine differ sharply from those of most European leaders, returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country's military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO. The visit by the leader of the NATO- and EU-member country had not been previously announced, but Fico said top EU officials had been informed about his journey and its purpose on December 20. Michal Simecka, leader of the opposition Progressive Slovakia, described Fico's trip to meet Putin as a "shame for Slovakia and a betrayal of national interests." "If the prime minister actually cared about gas transit, he should have negotiated with Ukraine rather than turning Slovakia into a tool of Putin's propaganda," Simecka said on X. Fico also complained that in addition to allowing the natural gas transit contract to expire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is also in favor of sanctions against the Russian nuclear program. He called this "unacceptable," saying it would financially damage and endanger the production of electricity in nuclear power plants in Slovakia. Zelenskiy said on December 19 during a European Union summit in Brussels that Kyiv could consider continued transit of Russian gas on the condition that Moscow does not receive payment for the fuel until after the war. "We will not give the possibility of additional billions to be earned on our blood, on the lives of our citizens," Zelenskiy said. Zelenskiy also lambasted Fico, who has claimed that his country will face an economic hit if it loses cheap gas from Russia. "To be honest, during war, it's a bit shameful to talk about money, because we are losing people," Zelenskiy said. Zelenskiy said he told Fico that Ukraine would be open to carrying another country's gas through its pipeline infrastructure to reach Europe, but it would need assurances that the gas was not merely relabeled Russian fuel. "We have to know that we will only transit gas if it's not coming from Russia," Zelenskiy said. The European Commission has said it is ready for the current contract to expire, and all countries receiving Russian fuel via the Ukraine route have access to alternative supplies. Russian forces executed five Ukrainian prisoners of war according to the latest war crime allegation against Russian troops raised by Ukraine's ombudsman for human rights. Dmytro Lubinets said on December 22 that Russian troops shot the five unarmed soldiers at point-blank range after they had surrendered. He gave no details but said on Telegram that a Ukrainian military unit had released a video showing the alleged shooting. "I will report this fact to the UN and the ICRC," he said . "Russian war criminals who shoot Ukrainian prisoners of war should be brought before an international tribunal and punished with the most severe punishment provided for by law," Lubinets added. Russia did not immediately comment on the accusation but has previous denied committing war crimes. Lubinets said earlier this month that there had been 177 confirmed cases of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russian military since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Andriy Kostin in October called the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian soldiers a deliberate policy of the Russian Federation. Kostin said in a statement on October 15 that torture and executions without trial and investigation are used as weapons of war, intimidation, and destruction. "We can prove that these cases are not isolated incidents but an organized and targeted policy," Kostin said. The Institute for the Study of War reported in October it had observed an increase in Russian forces executing Ukrainian POWs, adding that "Russian commanders are likely writ large condoning, encouraging, or directly ordering the execution of Ukrainian POWs." A Ukrainian open-source intelligence project reported on October 13 that Russian forces executed nine Ukrainian POWs near the village of Zeleny Shlyakh in the Kursk region on October 10. Lubinets condemned those executions as a serious violation of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of POWs and stated that he sent letters to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the case. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called on Syrians to resist the emerging rebel-led government after the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad, saying the uprising was orchestrated by the West. Speaking in an address on December 22, Khamenei said Syrians, especially the country's youth, "should stand with strong will against those who designed and those who implemented the insecurity." Assad left the country in the late hours of December 8 after the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey -- overran government forces in a blitz offensive. While Assad was granted political asylum in Russia by President Vladimir Putin after more than five decades of iron-fisted rule by his family, the HTS has since moved quickly to establish an interim government, and its leader, Riad al-Asaad, has said he is confident the factions that helped topple Assad will unite as one force. HTS and the transitional government have insisted the rights of all Syrians will be protected, but Khamenei said he believes a group aligned with the Islamic republic's government would end up prevailing in Syria. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on December 22. Details of the meeting were not immediately released, but Turkey has long been seen as a backer of HTS as it looked to remove Assad. The toppling of Assad was seen by many as another blow to Tehran, which has seen regional groups aligned with it -- parts of the so-called axis of resistance -- suffer major setbacks in the past 14 months. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, has been decimated by Israel, which launched a war against the group in the Gaza Strip and Hamas fighters in October 2023 crossed into Israel and killed 1,200 people while taking another 250 hostage. That conflict spread to Lebanon, home of the Tehran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. Israel has severely weakened Hezbollah -- killing its longtime leader and many of its top officials -- after the group launched attacks on Israel that it said was in support of Hamas. A U.S.-brokered deal to end hostilities in Lebanon took effect last month. Khamenei downplayed the links to Iran, saying they have fought against Israel on their own beliefs. "They keep saying that the Islamic republic lost its proxy forces in the region. This is another mistake. The Islamic republic does not have a proxy forces," he said. “If one day we plan to take action, we do not need proxy force,” he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed revenge over Kyiv's attack a day earlier on high-rise buildings in Kazan , the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan, as Russia launched a massive drone attack at Ukraine on December 22. More than the 100 drones that Russia launched in the December 22 attack were shot down, according to Ukraine's military. Businesses and apartment buildings were damaged in the Russian attacks, though at this point, the military said, "without casualties." The regions of Kherson, Mykolayiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv all saw drones fired in their direction, with 52 of the total 103 shot down, the Ukrainian Air Force reported . Russia has stepped up its air attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy saying on December 21 that Moscow has launched more than 550 guided bombs, almost 550 drones, and 20 missiles over the past week. Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine's civilian and energy infrastructure since the start of the war, stepping up attacks especially at the onset of the cold season, causing maximum difficulties and lengthy power cuts for Ukrainians for the third winter in a row. It has also been accused by Kyiv of targeting residential buildings, which Moscow denies. Russia's massive attack comes a day after Ukraine struck high-rise buildings in Kazan , the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan. Putin vowed to bring more "destruction" to Ukraine in retaliation for the drone attack on Kazan. "Whoever tries to destroy something here will face many times more destruction on their own territory and will regret what they are trying to do in our country," Putin said during a televised meeting. On December 22, Ukraine appeared to again strike inside Russian territory. Andrey Klychkov, the head of Oryol region near the border with Ukraine, said a fire broke out at a fuel infrastructure facility in the village of Stalnoy Kon after the area came under a drone attack, the second in a week. Kyiv has not commented on the accusation, but footage on social media showed what appeared to be explosions in the area. Ukraine has been investing heavily in drone production in part to compensate for its shortage in manpower on the battlefield. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said earlier this month that it had transferred 1.2 million drones to the armed forces through the first 11 months of 2024, including more than 6,000 deep strike drones. Ukraine's drone production is now close to parity with Russia, experts have said. Kyiv has used its long-range drone capacity to hit objects crucial to Russia's war effort, such as weapons and energy facilities. It has tried to avoid civilian targets in part amid concern about backlash from its Western backers. Kazan, one of the wealthiest cities in Russia, is approximately 800 kilometers east of Moscow. Several Russian pensioners were allegedly tricked by scammers into carrying out risky stunts in crowded places in Moscow and St. Petersburg on December 21, police said. A number of the pensioners have been detained, the police said. Law enforcement is still searching for at least one of the suspects. It is unclear who is behind the scam. One incident took place at the Fort shopping center in northeastern Moscow. The building was evacuated following a small explosion in the public services center located there. One woman was treated for injuries after she fell amid the rush for the doors. Meanwhile, a shopping center and a post office in the suburban Moscow towns of Korolev and Khimki, respectively, were evacuated the same day on similar grounds. In Korolev, the explosion blew out several windows and triggered a fire that damaged the shopping center’s ceiling. In the Fort incident, police detained a pensioner who allegedly detonated a firecracker on the instructions of unknown individuals who had extorted 120,000 rubles ($1,200) from her. The 64-year-old suspect in the Korolev incident allegedly tried to detonate pyrotechnics at the police station as well. A 70-year-old woman was detained in connection with the explosion at the post office in Khimki. The same day, two retired women in St. Petersburg allegedly tried to set fire to a police car at the direction of telephone scammers. They have been detained and a case has been opened against them on terrorist charges. Also in St. Petersburg, an explosion occurred at an ATM location belonging to Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender. No injuries were reported. Local media reported that an elderly woman poured a flammable liquid inside the ATM before the explosion. A similar incident at an ATM occurred the night before in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, RFE/RL’s Siberia.Realities reported. This time the suspect was a teenager. Police said the 19-year old girl was duped into carrying out the attack by scammers. She received second-degree burns and is being treated at a hospital. Pakistani militants carried out a daring early-morning raid near the northwestern border with Afghanistan, killing over a dozen officers in the latest attack of 2024 -- a year already marked as one of the deadliest in the region. Laddha Police Deputy Superintendent Hidayat Ullah told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that 16 security officers were killed when militants opened fire at a security checkpoint in South Waziristan at 2 am on December 21. He said eight more officers were wounded. Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claimed responsibility for the attack, said it killed 35 Pakistani security officers. Radio Mashaal could not independently confirm the number of officers killed. Neither side said how many militants were killed during the attack. There has been a steady increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in August 2021. The TTP seeks to impose Shari'a law in Pakistan. The latest attack came as the elders of Dre Maseed in the Sur Rogha area of South Waziristan held a meeting on December 20 to demand that the security forces change tactics. Sherpao Maseed, a leader of the assembly, told Radio Mashaal that Pakistani defense forces are targeting militants with artillery and mortar shells , putting civilians in danger. The Pakistan Center for Conflict and Security Studies said in its most recent report that more than 240 people were killed in "terrorist incidents" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November The death toll included 68 security officers, the highest in a single month this year. Meanwhile, the Army Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) claims to have killed dozens of suspected militants in operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this month. The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan say they are committed to wiping out the TTP. BUDAPEST -- Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's recent reported proposal for NATO members states to increase their defense spending would cripple the Hungarian economy. According to recent reports in Britain's Financial Times and The Telegraph, Trump's team informed European officials that the president-elect was expecting the United States' NATO allies to raise their defense expenditure to 5 percent of national gross domestic product (GDP). Speaking at his year-end press briefing on December 21, Orban said that Hungary has already sweated blood to reach the current 2 percent target, and "if the 2 percent has to be increased, that would shoot the Hungarian economy in the lungs." "We would prefer to not spend even 2 percent of GDP on weaponry...but the world is going in the opposite direction," he said. Orban, who has been accused at home and abroad of democratic backsliding, also said he had not discussed this with Trump, adding that, if the increase is inevitable, then he believes it should be gradual. Hungary budgeted to spend 2.1 percent of GDP in 2024 on defense. Orban is one of Trump's main allies in Europe and, on December 9, he met with the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Throughout the Ukraine war, Orban has maintained friendly ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been critical of EU aid for Ukraine, and has obstructed the bloc's sanctions regime against Moscow. NATO Spending Targets During his time as president between 2016 and 2020, Trump regularly called for NATO members to meet the required 2 percent level of defense spending, goals that most have since met. NATO leadership has also called for member nations to boost spending following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has triggered the largest war in Europe since World War II. Before leaving office, former Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance's members would "have to be willing to pay the price for peace" and said that the current 2 percent target was "no longer enough to keep us safe." And in Budapest in November, the current NATO secretary-general, Mark Rutte, said at the European Political Community summit that member states would have to pay more. "It will surpass the 2 percent greatly more. I am quite clear about that," Rutte said. The United States contributes around 16 percent to NATO's common-funded budget, which is the joint largest share alongside Germany. The United States will also spend roughly $967 billion on defense in 2024. While that accounts for around two-thirds of what all NATO members will spend on defense combined this year, it represents about 3 percent of GDP. The United States last spent 5 percent of GDP on defense in the late 2000s and early 2010s amid the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During the Cold War, the United States spent between 5 and 11 percent of GDP on defense . Experts said that Trump's proposal is likely a starting point for negotiations with NATO members. Spat With Poland The Hungarian prime minister also defended Budapest's decision to grant political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a Polish lawmaker from the right-wing Law and Justice party, who is wanted for alleged corruption during his tenure in Poland's previous government. Orban said he didn't think the case involving a Polish politician would be the last. He added, however, that he wanted to keep "conflicts with Poland at a manageable level," and would refrain from commenting on the country's rule-of-law situation. The Hungarian prime minister's office made the announcement on December 19, arguing that the Polish government was persecuting its political rivals. Warsaw has called the move a "hostile act" and has summoned Hungary's ambassador to Poland. KARACHI, Pakistan -- Pakistani military courts have sentenced 25 people for their part in attacks on military facilities in May 2023. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan's armed forces, said in a statement on December 21 that 25 defendants were given sentences ranging from two to 10 years. On May 9, 2023, following the arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in a fraud case, supporters of Khan's party, Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI), attacked and damaged military installations, mosques, and government buildings in cities across Pakistan. Several people were killed and dozens injured in the unrest. In its statement, the military's media wing described the sentences as an "important milestone in dispensation of justice to the nation." It added that May 9, 2023 was a sad day for the country, and it would be officially commemorated every year. In response to the verdicts, PTI wrote on the X social network that the military courts have violated the defendants' constitutional and human rights. Khan's party has said the judicial process is not transparent and about 80 people have been in military custody since the unrest, their fundamental rights violated. Supporters of the imprisoned former prime minister, who is accused of inciting attacks against the armed forces, have expressed concerns that military rather than civilian courts are trying some of the cases. They have staged months of protests to demand Khan's release. PTI says its members and supporters did not attack military or government buildings on May 9, 2023. Last year, Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled that civilians should be tried in civilian courts, not military courts. However, on December 13, the Supreme Court suspended the decision and allowed military courts to hear civilian cases. Others charged over the violence are being tried in anti-terrorism courts. PTI regularly campaigns against corruption and nepotism in Pakistan but has been accused of populism and authoritarian tendencies centered around its charismatic leader Khan. KVIV -- An air-raid warning has been declared in all regions of Ukraine due to possible ballistic missile strikes, Ukrainian military authorities said. Russia continued its regular attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure overnight, launching 113 drone attacks, according to the Ukrainian Air Force on December 21. Of those drones, 57 were shot down, and 56 others were unable to reach their targets, the air force said. The Ukrainian Air Force also said Russia had fired one surface-to-air S-400 missile at central Ukraine, but it did not cause any damage or casualties. RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported that in the eastern Ukrainian Zaporizhzhya and Kharkiv regions downed drones damaged apartment buildings, causing casualties. Ukraine was under a general air-raid alert for several hours on December 20 as Russia launched missile and drone attacks against the capital, Kyiv, and several other regions around the country. Russian Advance The latest attacks come as Ukrainian forces are struggling to stop Russia's rapid advance in the east of the country. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on December 21 that Russian forces had taken control of the village of Kostyantynopolske in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region. The claim about the village, called Ostrovsky by Russia, could not be independently confirmed by Reuters. Meanwhile, Reuters quoted Aleksandr Khinshtein, the acting governor of Russia's Kursk region, as saying that six people, including one child, were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on December 20 on the town of Rylsk. Ukraine seized territory in the Kursk region in an incursion in August but has since given up about half its territorial gains. Drones, thought to be from Ukraine, hit high-rise buildings in Kazan , the capital of Russia's republic of Tatarstan, with the attacks causing the city's airport to temporarily suspend flights. No casualties were reported. KAZAN, Russia -- Ukraine struck high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan, in the latest display of its growing drone capabilities. The December 21 attacks came in three waves between 7:40 a.m. and 9:20 a.m., the Russian Defense Ministry said. The ministry said the drones were of Ukrainian origin. Western experts said they appeared to be Ukraine's Lyitiy model , a light, aircraft-like drone. Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the strike. The press service of Rustam Minnikhanov, the leader of Tatarstan, said in a statement that eight drones attacked the city. According to the statement, six struck luxury residential buildings, one struck an industrial facility, and one was shot down over a river. In a post on its Telegram channel, Kazan mayor’s office said the drones struck targets in three districts of the city. Two drones slammed into the upper floors of a 37-story luxury skyscraper, according to videos posted on social media. The strikes, which were about 30 minutes apart, hit the glass-and-metal building in roughly the same spot. Schools Evacuated RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service reported that pupils were evacuated from schools in the Soviet district of Kazan and that sirens could be heard in the city. There were no casualties, local authorities said. According to Interfax reports, Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin said that people had been evacuated from the affected buildings and were being provided with accommodation and food. The mayor said that all large events in the city would be canceled over the weekend. Kazan, one of the wealthiest cities in Russia, is approximately 800 kilometers east of Moscow. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a "Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan by the air defense forces on duty." Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said in a statement that "temporary restrictions were imposed at Kazan Airport on the morning of December 21 in order to ensure the safety of civilian flights. Both arrivals and departures are suspended." The ban has since been lifted. Ukrainian drone attacks have previously targeted Russian military and industrial locations in Tatarstan. Local authorities on May 15 shut down two major airports -- one in Kazan and another in the city of Nizhnekamsk -- for several hours "for security reasons" following a drone attack. The Russian Defense Ministry said that "a Ukrainian drone" was shot down over Tatarstan. In April, Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery in Tatarstan and a dormitory in the Alabuga special economic zone in Yelabuga, which hosts more than 20 industrial enterprises, including chemical, mechanical engineering, and metal treatment factories. It also reportedly houses a facility producing drones. Drone Surge Ukraine has been investing heavily in drone production in part to compensate for its shortage in manpower on the battlefield. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said earlier this month that it had transferred 1.2 million drones to the armed forces through the first 11 months of 2024, including more than 6,000 deep strike drones . Ukraine's drone production is now close to parity with Russia, experts have said. Kyiv has used its long-range drone capacity to hit objects crucial to Russia's war effort, such as weapons and energy facilities. It has tried to avoid civilian targets in part amid concern about backlash from its Western backers. In the summer of 2023, Ukrainian drones twice struck the floors of a high-rise building in Moscow's business district housing Russian government ministries. Experts speculated whether the skyscraper in Kazan that was struck twice was home to someone connected with Russia's war effort. Zelenskiy said that Ukraine will continue to target military objects in Russia with drones and missiles. "We will definitely continue to strike Russian military facilities - with drones and missiles, and increasingly Ukrainian ones, at precisely those military bases, at precisely that Russian military infrastructure that is used in such terror against our people," he said in his regular nightly video address to the nation. In the meantime, Russia has continued its regular attacks against Ukraine, including civilian targets. Russia's armed forces launched 113 drone attacks against Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian Air Force on December 21. Of those drones, 57 were shot down, and 56 others were unable to reach their targets, the air force said.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Cooper Bowser scored 16 points as Furman beat South Carolina State 68-64 on Saturday. A jumper from Tom House gave Furman a 64-62 lead with 35 seconds remaining and the Paladins closed out the win by going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Bowser added three steals and four blocks for the Paladins (10-1). Eddrin Bronson scored 11 points while going 3 of 8 from the floor, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line. Nick Anderson had 11 points and shot 3 for 9 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Drayton Jones led the Bulldogs (5-7) in scoring, finishing with 15 points. Omar Croskey added 13 points for South Carolina State. Davion Everett also had 12 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Chrissy Teigen celebrates John Legend’s birthday in LondonSA vs Pak live streaming: Where to watch South Africa vs Pakistan in IndiaAlarm in France over fate of detained French-Algerian writer

FLAGSTAR FINANCIAL, INC. APPOINTS BRIAN CALLANAN TO BOARD OF DIRECTORSRising to a six-year peak, Ripple's XRP price has surged by more than 330% within the past thirty days. Despite the enormous gains, XRP has lately dropped, leaving investors wondering whether the holiday season spike will drive XRP's price above $5 or if it will return below $1.67. XRP Outlook for 2024: A Santa Rally or More Bloodbaths XRP has recently shown exceptional growth, with whales eagerly buying during a price drop. Between December 3 and December 8, whale addresses with 1 million to 10 million XRP coins raised their holdings by about 120 million XRP. This implies that these huge investors perceive tremendous upside potential. Furthermore, more on-chain activity is helping XRP; the XRP Ledger shows a 33-month high in active addresses. These steps suggest more acceptance, which would explain more price rises. But, XRP's Relative Strength Index (RSI) has dropped from overbought levels, suggesting that a period of consolidation is almost ready. XRP's potential to reach $5 is dependent on several variables, including continuing whale backing, increased use of the XRP Ledger, and a generally optimistic market climate. If XRP's advance develops traction, particularly if market sentiment improves or Ripple wins regulatory battles, the asset may break past its present resistance levels and approach $5. Crypto analysts believe that XRP's market capitalization might reach new all-time highs, positioning the currency for potential price objectives of $5. A Santa rally might spark additional bullish momentum as adoption and whale confidence grow. However, given XRP's recent fall and weaker short-term momentum signs, a drop to $1.67 is a viable option. The RSI at 46 implies a neutral market, while XRP's CMF at -0.01 shows weak selling pressure. The recent price spike may have exhausted the bullish momentum, leading to more corrections. If XRP fails to maintain its upward trend, it could fall to the $2.16 support level. A deeper fall could bring the price closer to $1.67, where strong support could limit additional losses. Such a slump would indicate that the rally has cooled, leading many traders to reconsider their positions. Given the uncertainty in the larger market and XRP's prior volatility, a drop to these levels is not out of the question. The Crypto with Better Upside Assurance: Rexas Finance (RXS) While the future of XRP is unknown, Rexas Finance provides a cryptocurrency project with more promising growth prospects. Rexas Finance tokenizes real-world assets (RWAs) on the blockchain. This breakthrough technology allows investors global access and liquidity by fractionalizing high-value assets, including real estate, art, and commodities. Its user-friendly platform and solutions help democratize investments by eliminating investor difficulties. The ecosystem offers a variety of features, including the no-code Rexas Token Builder, the QuickMint Bot for rapid token deployment on mobile apps like Telegram, and the Rexas Treasury for passive income via staking and yield farming. Rexas Finance covers a wide market scope, including the $121 trillion commodities, $379 trillion real estate, and $486 trillion worldwide financial markets. It tokenizes actual assets using blockchain technology, smart contracts, and artificial intelligence, enabling fractional ownership and more liquidity. Rexas Finance has already raised $26.7 million through its presale, and the project's token price has increased by more than 400%, from $0.03 to $0.15 in three months. The presale is presently in Stage 10, with RXS tokens priced at $0.50 each. Rexas Finance's rapid growth and positive market reaction set it for further explosive gains. In addition, Rexas Finance plans to list its RXS coin on at least three of the top ten platforms. Following the token's spectacular presale rise, experts predict that RXS could outperform its initial price objectives and hit double digits, providing investors with an appealing entry point. The ongoing $1 million giveaway also incentivizes users, with the top 20 winners receiving $50,000 in RXS tokens apiece. As Rexas Finance approaches its final presale phases, it is positioned to provide big returns to early investors, particularly given its future listings and robust ecosystem. The project's increasing community and recent advances place it among the most promising cryptos to buy this December. Conclusion While XRP's future remains unpredictable, with the potential to rise to $5 or fall back to $1.67, investors must pay close attention to the technical and on-chain measures that drive its price movement. Depending on market circumstances, the asset could consolidate or rally. Rexas Finance, on the other hand, provides a more secure avenue for investors because of its quickly expanding ecosystem and innovative tokenization of real-world assets. With outstanding presale performance, future exchange listings, and continuous development, Rexas Finance is a project to watch for big returns in 2024. Website: https://rexas.com Win $1 Million Giveaway: https://bit.ly/Rexas1M Whitepaper: https://rexas.com/rexas-whitepaper.pdf Twitter/X: https://x.com/rexasfinance Telegram: https://t.me/rexasfinance Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.

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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save ATLANTIC CITY — As heat and hot water failures continue at Stanley Holmes Village, the Atlantic City Housing Authority will go back to court Friday to try to convince a judge that its plan to fix the heating system rather than replace it as the court ordered is working. “The whole heating season we’ve been getting constant heating complaints,” said Olga Pomar, the attorney representing more than 140 residents suing over health and safety violations at Stanley. Authority Executive Director Tom Sahlin did not respond to requests made Friday and Monday for updates on the work. Friday’s court hearing is an extension of a September hearing on whether the authority should be held in continued contempt of court for ignoring the judge’s orders. Superior Court Judge John Porto had ordered the authority to replace the whole heating system by Oct. 1, and the authority’s attorney, Rick DeLucry of Cooper Levenson, never objected to the order. 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Atlantic City mayor waives first appearance on witness tampering charge But the authority opted instead for repair and reconfiguration, saying it would be more affordable and contractors had assured the board it would work. Pomar said her office was flooded late Thursday into Friday with reports of inadequate heat. “Rick DeLucry assured us if needed hotel rooms will be provided, but we have gotten no information on exactly what the problem is, what the plan is to remedy it, how many units are affected or anything like that,” Pomar said. The Atlantic City Housing Authority board on Thursday increased a contract for Kisby Shore Mechanical from $2.5 million to $5.5 million, for repairs to the heat and hot water systems at Stanley Holmes Village. Pomar’s clients also shared a notice they received from the authority Friday. “We have discovered a broken pipe within the crawl space that affects your heat source,” it reads. “You also may be experiencing intermittent hot water loss.” The notice said Kisby Shore Mechanical is on site making repairs, and that residents can move to a hotel until the repairs are done. During a news conference in October, Sahlin said the system would be updated and reconfigured by Nov. 30, with new boilers installed, but that deadline passed more than a week ago. Previously, authority representatives said the work would be finished on the heating system by Oct. 15. “The goal is to get everything in place before this winter season so we will not encounter the problems we have encountered year after year after year,” consultant Michael Brown of the 360 Group in Philadelphia said at the Oct. 23 news conference at City Hall. Heat delivery started Oct. 15 in Villages 1 and 2 and later in Village 3, Brown said then. But several residents of Villages 1 and 2 — some of whom attended the news conference — reported losing their heat earlier that week. Improvements to the heat and hot water system at Stanley Holmes Village will be done by Nov. 30 — six weeks into the heating season — representatives of the Atlantic City Housing Authority said during a Wednesday news conference. The authority has spent $7 million in the past couple of years repairing the boilers, hot water pipes, gas pipes and making other repairs at Stanley, Brown said. At the November authority board meeting, members voted to increase the contract for repairing the heating from $2.5 million to $5.5 million. The board had already increased the contract from $1.5 million at its August meeting. The cost of repair now comes close to the estimated costs for replacing the system. Much of Village 3 has been emptied out and tenants moved to other housing, Sahlin has said, shortening the route that hot water will have to travel and improving the system’s effectiveness. Sensors are being installed to detect water leaks so heating system failures are fewer and easier to repair, he said. “I have not seen any report by any engineer saying they are confident what the Housing Authority is doing is going to result in reliable heat and hot water this year,” Pomar said in October after the news conference. “It’s hard to understand when they have known about this problem for years. They are really risking the health and safety of residents while they are experimenting to see what works and doesn’t work.” That inaction, along with the authority’s lack of compliance with several other orders, resulted in Porto finding the authority in contempt and ordering a 75% rent reduction for plaintiffs. Village 3 will be empty by Sept. 1, 2025, and the entire 420-unit complex will be emptied by sometime in June 2027, Brown said at the news conference. Contact Michelle Brunetti Post: 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Staff Writer Author twitter Author email {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Ambassadors and diplomats of European Union countries yesterday renewed their support for Bangladesh's interim government in its democratic transition and efforts to carry out vital reforms. The EU countries announced the support when they joined an interactive session with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. Describing the occasion as an "exciting moment" in the month of victory, the chief adviser said the session brought European diplomats based in Dhaka and New Delhi together. "This is a very special occasion to have you together. The fact that you assembled shows the support to Bangladesh -- political support, as well as the economic support, moral support, and other support," Yunus said. "This is something very rejuvenating for us, emerging out of a terrible situation that we had only four months back when students were killed in large numbers," he added. The chief adviser explained to the EU diplomats that students mobilised people leading to the mass uprising forcing the then-autocratic ruler to flee to neighbouring India. "European Union is committed to supporting Bangladesh's democratic transition the best way we can," Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller said in his opening remarks. "As you know, the chief adviser already enjoying rather broad relations; we do see strong potential for our partnership to grow even further," he said. Miller ended by reiterating that the EU, the 27-nation group, stands 'in one voice' in support of the interim government and the people of Bangladesh and its reform agenda. EU is the biggest export destination of Bangladesh goods. "We have only one message, that is, we strongly support you," he added. A total of 19 diplomats, including 11 ambassadors and diplomats based in New Delhi, attended the meeting, and at least 15 of them participated in the interactive session. Issues dominating the talks included labour rights, human rights, the Rohingya crisis, and international migration. Chief Adviser highlighted the strong sense of unity that exists in Bangladesh despite some propaganda and misinformation campaigns against Bangladesh. He also presented initiatives the interim government has so far taken to reform the banking, economy and labour sectors before the European diplomats. The Chief Adviser requested the European countries, which have visa offices in New Delhi, to relocate them to Dhaka or any other neighbouring countries. He made the request against the backdrop of many Bangladeshi students facing difficulties in obtaining visas for getting enrolled to universities in European countries. Ambassadors and diplomats from, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Romania joined the meeting. Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain was also present. Ambassadors and diplomats of European Union countries yesterday renewed their support for Bangladesh's interim government in its democratic transition and efforts to carry out vital reforms. The EU countries announced the support when they joined an interactive session with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. Describing the occasion as an "exciting moment" in the month of victory, the chief adviser said the session brought European diplomats based in Dhaka and New Delhi together. "This is a very special occasion to have you together. The fact that you assembled shows the support to Bangladesh -- political support, as well as the economic support, moral support, and other support," Yunus said. "This is something very rejuvenating for us, emerging out of a terrible situation that we had only four months back when students were killed in large numbers," he added. The chief adviser explained to the EU diplomats that students mobilised people leading to the mass uprising forcing the then-autocratic ruler to flee to neighbouring India. "European Union is committed to supporting Bangladesh's democratic transition the best way we can," Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller said in his opening remarks. "As you know, the chief adviser already enjoying rather broad relations; we do see strong potential for our partnership to grow even further," he said. Miller ended by reiterating that the EU, the 27-nation group, stands 'in one voice' in support of the interim government and the people of Bangladesh and its reform agenda. EU is the biggest export destination of Bangladesh goods. "We have only one message, that is, we strongly support you," he added. A total of 19 diplomats, including 11 ambassadors and diplomats based in New Delhi, attended the meeting, and at least 15 of them participated in the interactive session. Issues dominating the talks included labour rights, human rights, the Rohingya crisis, and international migration. Chief Adviser highlighted the strong sense of unity that exists in Bangladesh despite some propaganda and misinformation campaigns against Bangladesh. He also presented initiatives the interim government has so far taken to reform the banking, economy and labour sectors before the European diplomats. The Chief Adviser requested the European countries, which have visa offices in New Delhi, to relocate them to Dhaka or any other neighbouring countries. He made the request against the backdrop of many Bangladeshi students facing difficulties in obtaining visas for getting enrolled to universities in European countries. Ambassadors and diplomats from, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Romania joined the meeting. Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain was also present.ARLINGTON, Va. , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) approved an increase of 2% in the Company's quarterly common stock dividend, from $0.1725 per share to $0.17595 per share, beginning in the first quarter of 2025. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Inside Liam Payne's poignant funeral - Cheryl's large role, Bear's tribute and Kate Cassidy meeting his parents

Some Concord officials are hoping their City Council reconsiders its decision last week to grant a permit from the Satanic Temple to install a statue of an occult deity on Main Street in front of the State House. Over the objection of a “strongly opposed” Mayor Byron Champlin, the council majority approved a permit for the black goat-headed Baphomet with bright yellow eyes to be placed near the Nativity scene installed by the Grange and a scene about the Bill of Rights installed by the Freedom from Religion Foundation. The Satanic Temple is not the Church of Satan that advocates devil worship. The temple is a "non-theistic religion and sociopolitical movement that promotes empathy, equity, and social justice." The group espouses seven principles of harmony such as, “One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason" and “The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.” According to its website, the group’s “Satanic Representation Campaign ... promotes pluralism and fighting for the religious liberty of (temple) members who seek to freely and openly express their beliefs.” The icon is holding a bouquet of artificial lilacs in its right hand and an apple in its left, the latter depicting the group's “quest for knowledge," according to a spokesman. The statute and a glass plaque with the group’s seven principles was unveiled Saturday evening, witnessed by about a dozen followers from New Hampshire and Vermont and streamed live on Facebook. City officials posted a statement defending the decision to grant the permit. “Throughout the country, the Satanic Temple has both threatened and brought lawsuits under the First Amendment when excluded,” city officials posted on its Facebook page. “Under the First Amendment and to avoid litigation, the city needed to choose whether to ban all holiday displays installed by other groups, or otherwise, to allow it.” After the holidays, the Concord City Council will review whether to grant permits for unattended displays in the future. City Councilor at Large Amanda Grady Sexton was in the minority that opposed the permit. “This is an unfortunate distraction for the city of Concord. The voters in Concord want their councilors to focus on public safety, trash pick-up, and road paving and plowing,” Grady Sexton said. “We’re not here to debate the merits of Satan. If political groups want to have unattended displays located outside the State House they should apply for permits through the state of New Hampshire, not the city of Concord." Mayor Champlin voiced his opposition as well. These depict the seven principles of the Satanic Temple which are on display outside the State House Plaza in front of a demon after a majority on the Concord City Council agreed to grant the group a permit. “I am disappointed and hope that the council will reconsider this decision,” Champlin said. “In a season when most major religions celebrate peace, hope, joy, and light, an image of the prince of darkness on city property, sponsored by an organization based in New York, is inappropriate.” Other councilors said in granting the permit it was giving preference to respecting everyone’s First Amendment. The city’s statement attracted nearly 200 comments on social media, coming down on both sides of the issue. "The satanic church is not a sincere belief system for almost any of its 'following,' it is a protest movement made to offend and go against Christianity,” wrote A.J. Kierstead. “It is not made to show unity, it is made to disgust. It can’t believe the city would post something in this fashion." But Travis Beeson disagreed. “Love all the angry reactions this will get. Like y’all speak of the 1st Amendment but forget to realize this one part of it; glad to see Baphomet make an appearance,” Beeson said. Briana Therrien wondered what the fuss was all about. “There shouldn’t have even needed to be a discussion" Therrien said. "If the city so willingly includes the Nativity scene, then there’s no reason for any other religious statement to be discussed. The mission of the Satanic Temple is nothing but positive.” klandrigan@unionleader.com

Net sales increased 2% versus last year with comparable sales up 1% Operating margin of 9.3% improved 270 basis points versus last year Market share gains across all brands in the quarter Raises outlook for fiscal 2024 net sales, gross margin and operating income growth SAN FRANCISCO , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gap Inc. (NYSE: GAP), the largest specialty apparel company in the U.S. and a house of iconic brands including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, today reported financial results for its third quarter ended November 2, 2024. "I'm proud that Gap Inc. delivered another successful quarter, growing net sales for the 4 th consecutive quarter and gaining market share across all brands while meaningfully expanding operating margin," said President and Chief Executive Officer, Richard Dickson . "Consistent execution of our strategic priorities, including the rigor and repetition we're applying to our brand reinvigoration playbook, is making us a stronger company and demonstrates our continued progress in unlocking Gap Inc.'s full potential." Dickson continued: "Holiday is off to a strong start and we remain focused on executing with excellence in the fourth quarter. Our performance year-to-date gives us the confidence to raise our full year outlook for sales, gross margin and operating income growth." Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 – Financial Results Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Highlights Additional information regarding free cash flow, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is provided at the end of this press release along with a reconciliation of this measure from the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure for the applicable period. Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 – Global Brand Results Comparable Sales Third Quarter 2024 2023 Old Navy — % 1 % Gap 3 % (1) % Banana Republic (1) % (8) % Athleta 5 % (19) % Gap Inc. 1 % (2) % Old Navy: Gap: Banana Republic: Athleta: Fiscal 2024 Outlook As a result of its strong third quarter results, the company is raising its full year outlook for net sales, gross margin and operating income growth compared to prior expectations. Please note that the company's projected full year fiscal 2024 operating income growth below is provided in comparison to its full year fiscal 2023 adjusted operating income, which excludes $93 million in restructuring costs and a $47 million gain on sale of a building. Full Year Fiscal 2024 Current FY24 Outlook Prior FY24 Outlook FY23 Results Net sales Up 1.5% to 2.0% on a 52-week basis Up slightly on a 52-week basis $14.9 billion 1 Gross margin Approximately 220 bps expansion Approximately 200 bps expansion 38.8 % Operating expense Approximately $5.1 billion Approximately $5.1 billion $5.17 billion (adjusted) 2 Operating income Mid to High 60% growth range Mid to High 50% growth range $606 million (adjusted) 3 Effective tax rate Approximately 26.5% Approximately 28% 9.7 % Capital expenditures Approximately $500 million Approximately $500 million $420 million 1 Fiscal year 2023 consisted of 53 weeks and the extra week drove approximately $160 million of incremental sales. 2 Fiscal year 2023 adjusted operating expense of $5.17 billion excludes $89 million in restructuring costs and a $47 million gain on sale. 3 Fiscal year 2023 adjusted operating income of $606 million excludes $93 million in restructuring costs and a $47 million gain on sale. Webcast and Conference Call Information Whitney Notaro , Head of Investor Relations at Gap Inc., will host a conference call to review the company's third quarter fiscal 2024 results beginning at approximately 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time today. Ms. Notaro will be joined by President and Chief Executive Officer, Richard Dickson and Chief Financial Officer, Katrina O'Connell . A live webcast of the conference call and accompanying materials will be available online at investors.gapinc.com . A replay of the webcast will be available at the same location. Non-GAAP Disclosure This press release and related conference call include financial measures that have not been calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and are therefore referred to as non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP measures described below are intended to provide investors with additional useful information about the company's financial performance, to enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects, and to allow for greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by management for financial and operating decision-making. The company presents these non-GAAP financial measures to assist investors in seeing its financial performance from management's view and because it believes they provide an additional tool for investors to use in computing the company's core financial performance over multiple periods with other companies in its industry. Additional information regarding the intended use of non-GAAP measures included in this press release and related conference call is provided in the tables to this press release. The non-GAAP measures included in this press release and related conference call are adjusted operating expense/adjusted SG&A, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted diluted earnings per share, and free cash flow. These non-GAAP measures exclude the impact of certain items that are set forth in the tables to this press release. In addition, the company's outlook includes projected full year fiscal 2024 operating income growth compared to its full year fiscal 2023 adjusted operating income. The non-GAAP measures used by the company should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP and may not be the same as similarly titled measures used by other companies due to possible differences in method and in items or events being adjusted. The company urges investors to review the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures included in the tables to this press release below, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate its business. The non-GAAP financial measures used by the company have limitations in their usefulness to investors because they have no standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and are not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and related conference call and accompanying materials contain forward-looking statements within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than those that are purely historical are forward-looking statements. Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," and similar expressions also identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the following: becoming a high performing company; unlocking Gap Inc.'s potential; our four strategic priorities, including maintaining and delivering financial and operational rigor, the reinvigoration of our brands, strengthening our operating platform, and energizing our culture; driving relevance and revenue by executing on our brand reinvigoration playbook; expectations for Old Navy for the holiday season; accelerating Old Navy's presence in the Active category; Old Navy's holiday activations and product; reigniting Gap brand's leadership in trend-right products and creative expression through big ideas and culturally relevant messaging; reestablishing Banana Republic to thrive in the premium lifestyle space; evolving Banana Republic's assortment and fit; continuing to fix the fundamentals at Banana Republic; Banana Republic's holiday product; Athleta's trajectory; Athleta's holiday product; enhancing Athleta's in-store and online experiences; driving high-performance across our teams; executing with excellence; Gap Inc.'s positioning going into the holiday season; expectations for our full year performance; expected year-end inventory levels; expected full year fiscal 2024 net sales; the expected impact of the loss of the 53rd week on full year fiscal 2024 net sales; expected fourth quarter fiscal 2024 net sales; the expected impacts of the loss of the 53rd week and the weekly calendar shift on fourth quarter fiscal 2024 net sales; expected full year fiscal 2024 gross margin; the expected impacts of commodity costs and better inventory management on full year fiscal 2024 gross margin; expected full year fiscal 2024 ROD; expected fourth quarter fiscal 2024 gross margin; the expected impact of the loss of the 53rd week on fourth quarter fiscal 2024 gross margin; expected full year fiscal 2024 SG&A/operating expense; continuing cost discipline and unlocking more efficiencies in the business; expected full year fiscal 2024 operating income; expected full year fiscal 2024 effective tax rate; expected full year fiscal 2024 capital expenditures; generating sustainable, profitable growth and delivering long-term shareholder value; and our dividend policy. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, without limitation, the following risks, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or reputation: the overall global economic and geopolitical environment, including the ongoing Russia - Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts and recent elections in the United States , and impacts on consumer spending patterns; social and political unrest in our sourcing countries, including Bangladesh , and disruptions to global trade and shipping capacity, including in the Red Sea; the risk that we or our franchisees may be unsuccessful in gauging apparel trends and changing consumer preferences or responding with sufficient lead time; the highly competitive nature of our business in the United States and internationally; the risk that we may be unable to manage our inventory effectively and the resulting impact on our gross margins and sales; the risk that our investments in customer, digital, and omni-channel shopping initiatives may not deliver the results we anticipate; the risk that we fail to maintain, enhance, and protect our brand image and reputation; the risk of loss or theft of assets, including inventory shortage; the risk that we fail to manage key executive succession and retention or continue to attract qualified personnel; reductions in income and cash flow from our credit card arrangement related to our private label and co-branded credit cards; the risk that changes in our business strategy or restructuring our operations may not generate the intended benefits or projected cost savings; the risk that trade matters could increase the cost or reduce the supply of apparel available to us; the risks to our business, including our costs and global supply chain, associated with global sourcing and manufacturing; the risks to our reputation or operations associated with importing merchandise from foreign countries, including failure of our vendors to adhere to our Code of Vendor Conduct; the risk that we or our franchisees may be unsuccessful in identifying, negotiating, and securing new store locations and renewing, modifying, or terminating leases for existing store locations effectively; engaging in or seeking to engage in strategic transactions that are subject to various risks and uncertainties; the risk that our efforts to expand internationally may not be successful; the risk that our franchisees and licensees could impair the value of our brands; the risk of data or other security breaches or vulnerabilities that may result in increased costs, violations of law, significant legal and financial exposure, and a loss of confidence in our security measures; the risk that failures of, or updates or changes to, our IT systems may disrupt our operations; the risk that our comparable sales and margins may experience fluctuations, that we may fail to meet financial market expectations, or that the seasonality of our business may experience fluctuations; the risk of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; the risk that our level of indebtedness may impact our ability to operate and expand our business; the risk that we and our subsidiaries may be unable to meet our obligations under our indebtedness agreements; the risk that changes in our credit profile or deterioration in market conditions may limit our access to the capital markets; natural disasters, public health crises (such as pandemics and epidemics), political crises (such as the ongoing Russia - Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts), negative global climate patterns, or other catastrophic events; evolving regulations and expectations with respect to ESG matters, including climate reporting; the adverse effects of climate change on our operations and those of our franchisees, vendors, and other business partners; our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations and changes in the regulatory or administrative landscape; the risk that we will not be successful in defending various proceedings, lawsuits, disputes, and claims; the risk that our estimates and assumptions used when preparing our financial information are inaccurate or may change; the risk that changes in the geographic mix and level of income or losses, the expected or actual outcome of audits, changes in deferred tax valuation allowances, and new legislation could impact our effective tax rate, or that we may be required to pay amounts in excess of established tax liabilities; the risk that changes in our business structure, our performance or our industry could result in reductions in our pre-tax income or utilization of existing tax carryforwards in future periods, and require additional deferred tax valuation allowances; the risk that the adoption of new accounting pronouncements will impact future results; and the risk that additional information may arise during our close process or as a result of subsequent events that would require us to make adjustments to our financial information. Additional information regarding factors that could cause results to differ can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2024 , as well as our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on information as of November 21, 2024 . We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise our forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied therein will not be realized. About Gap Inc. Gap Inc., a house of iconic brands, is the largest specialty apparel company in America. Its Old Navy , Gap , Banana Republic , and Athleta brands offer clothing, accessories, and lifestyle products for men, women and children. Since 1969, Gap Inc. has created products and experiences that shape culture, while doing right by employees, communities and the planet. Gap Inc. products are available worldwide through company-operated stores, franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. Fiscal year 2023 net sales were $14.9 billion . For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com . Investor Relations Contact: Nina Bari Investor_relations@gap.com Media Relations Contact: Megan Foote Press@gap.com The Gap, Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS UNAUDITED ($ in millions) November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,969 $ 1,351 Short-term investments 250 — Merchandise inventory 2,331 2,377 Other current assets 580 646 Total current assets 5,130 4,374 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 2,546 2,552 Operating lease assets 3,217 3,200 Other long-term assets 960 926 Total assets $ 11,853 $ 11,052 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 1,523 $ 1,433 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 1,135 1,078 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 617 604 Income taxes payable 50 24 Total current liabilities 3,325 3,139 Long-term liabilities: Long-term debt 1,489 1,488 Long-term operating lease liabilities 3,360 3,456 Other long-term liabilities 544 509 Total long-term liabilities 5,393 5,453 Total stockholders' equity 3,135 2,460 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 11,853 $ 11,052 The Gap, Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS UNAUDITED 13 Weeks Ended 39 Weeks Ended ($ and shares in millions except per share amounts) November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 Net sales $ 3,829 $ 3,767 $ 10,937 $ 10,591 Cost of goods sold and occupancy expenses 2,194 2,211 6,322 6,488 Gross profit 1,635 1,556 4,615 4,103 Operating expenses 1,280 1,306 3,762 3,757 Operating income 355 250 853 346 Interest, net (6) — (12) 8 Income before income taxes 361 250 865 338 Income tax expense 87 32 227 21 Net income $ 274 $ 218 $ 638 $ 317 Weighted-average number of shares - basic 377 371 376 369 Weighted-average number of shares - diluted 383 375 383 373 Earnings per share - basic $ 0.73 $ 0.59 $ 1.70 $ 0.86 Earnings per share - diluted $ 0.72 $ 0.58 $ 1.67 $ 0.85 The Gap, Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS UNAUDITED 39 Weeks Ended ($ in millions) November 2, 2024 (a) October 28, 2023 (a) Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 638 $ 317 Depreciation and amortization 371 394 Gain on sale of building — (47) Change in merchandise inventory (344) (5) Change in accounts payable 156 133 Other, net

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson kept the overall lead in fan voting numbers revealed Monday for the NFL Pro Bowl Games with Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley a close second. Jackson topped vote-getters with 82,402 and Barkley was next, only 320 votes behind. Barkley was 4,079 votes back of Jackson in last week's first voting results. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Islanders host the Red Wings after Palmieri's 2-goal gameSensor Market: USD 220.86B in 2023, Reaching USD 411.83B by 2031 11-25-2024 09:13 PM CET | IT, New Media & Software Press release from: SkyQuest Technology Group Sensor Market Market Scope: Key Insights : sensor market was valued at USD 204.31 billion in 2022 and is expected to rise from USD 220.86 billion in 2023 to reach a value of USD 411.83 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 8.10% during the forecast period (2024-2031). Discover Your Competitive Edge with a Free Sample Report : https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/sensor-market Access the full 2024 Market report for a comprehensive understanding @ https://www.skyquestt.com/report/sensor-market In-Depth Exploration of the global Sensor Market Market: This report offers a thorough exploration of the global Sensor Market market, presenting a wealth of data that has been meticulously researched and analyzed. It identifies and examines the crucial market drivers, including pricing strategies, competitive landscapes, market dynamics, and regional growth trends. By outlining how these factors impact overall market performance, the report provides invaluable insights for stakeholders looking to navigate this complex terrain. Additionally, it features comprehensive profiles of leading market players, detailing essential metrics such as production capabilities, revenue streams, market value, volume, market share, and anticipated growth rates. This report serves as a vital resource for businesses seeking to make informed decisions in a rapidly evolving market. Trends and Insights Leading to Growth Opportunities The best insights for investment decisions stem from understanding major market trends, which simplify the decision-making process for potential investors. The research strives to discover multiple growth opportunities that readers can evaluate and potentially capitalize on, armed with all relevant data. Through a comprehensive assessment of important growth factors, including pricing, production, profit margins, and the value chain, market growth can be more accurately forecast for the upcoming years. Top Firms Evaluated in the Global Sensor Market Market Research Report: STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland) Analog Devices, Inc. (United States) Infineon Technologies AG (Germany) Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (United States) Honeywell International Inc. (United States) NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Netherlands) Bosch Sensortec GmbH (Germany) TE Connectivity Ltd. (Switzerland) Omron Corporation (Japan) Sensirion AG (Switzerland) Broadcom Inc. (United States) Panasonic Corporation (Japan) Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Japan) Sony Corporation (Japan) ON Semiconductor Corporation (United States) Renesas Electronics Corporation (Japan) Allegro Microsystems, LLC (United States) Aptiv PLC (Ireland) First Sensor AG (Germany) Mouser Electronics, Inc. (United States) Key Aspects of the Report: Market Summary: The report includes an overview of products/services, emphasizing the global Sensor Market market's overall size. It provides a summary of the segmentation analysis, focusing on product/service types, applications, and regional categories, along with revenue and sales forecasts. Competitive Analysis: This segment presents information on market trends and conditions, analyzing various manufacturers. It includes data regarding average prices, as well as revenue and sales distributions for individual players in the market. Business Profiles: This chapter provides a thorough examination of the financial and strategic data for leading players in the global Sensor Market market, covering product/service descriptions, portfolios, geographic reach, and revenue divisions. Sales Analysis by Region: This section provides data on market performance, detailing revenue, sales, and market share across regions. It also includes projections for sales growth rates and pricing strategies for each regional market, such as: North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, and Italy Asia-Pacific: China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia South America: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc. Middle East and Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa This in-depth research study has the capability to tackle a range of significant questions that are pivotal for understanding the market dynamics, and it specifically aims to answer the following key inquiries: How big could the global Sensor Market market become by the end of the forecast period? Let's explore the exciting possibilities! Will the current market leader in the global Sensor Market segment continue to hold its ground, or is change on the horizon? Which regions are poised to experience the most explosive growth in the Sensor Market market? Discover where the future opportunities lie! Is there a particular player that stands out as the dominant force in the global Sensor Market market? Let's find out who's leading the charge! What are the key factors driving growth and the challenges holding back the global Sensor Market market? Join us as we uncover the forces at play! To establish the important thing traits, Ask Our Experts @ https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/sensor-market Table of Contents Chapter 1 Industry Overview 1.1 Definition 1.2 Assumptions 1.3 Research Scope 1.4 Market Analysis by Regions 1.5 Market Size Analysis from 2023 to 2030 11.6 COVID-19 Outbreak: Medical Computer Cart Industry Impact Chapter 2 Competition by Types, Applications, and Top Regions and Countries 2.1 Market (Volume and Value) by Type 2.3 Market (Volume and Value) by Regions Chapter 3 Production Market Analysis 3.1 Worldwide Production Market Analysis 3.2 Regional Production Market Analysis Chapter 4 Medical Computer Cart Sales, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2023-2023) Chapter 5 North America Market Analysis Chapter 6 East Asia Market Analysis Chapter 7 Europe Market Analysis Chapter 8 South Asia Market Analysis Chapter 9 Southeast Asia Market Analysis Chapter 10 Middle East Market Analysis Chapter 11 Africa Market Analysis Chapter 12 Oceania Market Analysis Chapter 13 Latin America Market Analysis Chapter 14 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Medical Computer Cart Business Chapter 15 Market Forecast (2023-2030) Chapter 16 Conclusions Address: 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886 Phone: USA (+1) 351-333-4748 Email: sales@skyquestt.com About Us: SkyQuest Technology is leading growth consulting firm providing market intelligence, commercialization and technology services. It has 450+ happy clients globally. This release was published on openPR.

TikTok asked a federal appeals court Monday to bar the Biden administration from enforcing a law that could lead to a ban on the popular platform until the Supreme Court reviews its challenge to the statute. The legal filing was made after a panel of three judges on the same court sided with the government last week and ruled that the law, which requires TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest its stakes in the social media company or face a ban, was constitutional. If the law is not overturned, both TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, which is also a plaintiff in the case, claim the popular app will shut down by Jan. 19, 2025. TikTok has more than 170 million American users, the companies say. Attorneys for the two companies wrote that even if a shutdown lasted one month, it would cause TikTok to lose about a third of its daily users in the U.S. It’s not clear if the Supreme Court will take up the case. Attorneys for the two companies asked the appeals court to decide on the request for an enforcement pause by Dec. 16. The Department of Justice said Monday it will oppose the request. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Spanish ResultsAs communities across America grapple with disconnection and division, Leadership Ohio, El Centro de Servicios Sociales and the Lorain Historical Society are taking action to address these critical issues, according to a news release. Leadership Ohio will host a screening of “Join or Die,” a documentary about the importance of clubs in creating community and strengthening democracy. The program starts at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Carnegie Center, 329 W. 10th St. in Lorain. The free screening will be followed by a panel discussion sharing reactions to the film and how it applies to Lorain County organizations and experiences, according to the release. The event is free and open to the public, welcoming individuals, families, schools, workplaces, faith organizations and community groups to participate in an evening of reflection and engagement, the release said. To secure tickets, visit www.LeadershipOhio.org/join-in . Attendees will have the opportunity to view this screening, engage in thought-provoking discussions with a panel of distinguished guest speakers, and explore ways to actively participate in rebuilding the social fabric of the state and nation through joining or forming local clubs, according to the release. Drawing from the groundbreaking research of Ohioan Robert Putnam, author of the influential book “Bowling Alone,” the production of “Join or Die” underscores the crucial role that clubs and civic organizations play in fostering community bonds and reinforcing democratic values, the release said. The documentary examines the decline of these community institutions and its impact on society, according to the release. Guest speakers will include representatives from Mexican Mutual Society, The American Croatian Club and Church of the Redeemer, the release said. “Join or Die” serves as a timely reminder of the importance of civic engagement and the power of collective action, according to the release.

US dollar mixed as jobs report backs December rate cutAnti-fraud efforts meet real-world test during ACA enrollment periodJulie Appleby | KFF Health News Unauthorized switching of Affordable Care Act plans appears to have tapered off in recent weeks based on an almost one-third drop in casework associated with consumer complaints, say federal regulators . The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the ACA, credits steps taken to thwart enrollment and switching problems that triggered more than 274,000 complaints this year through August. Now, the annual ACA open enrollment period that began Nov. 1 poses a real-world test: Will the changes curb fraud by rogue agents or brokerages without unduly slowing the process of enrolling or reducing the total number of sign-ups for 2025 coverage? “They really have this tightrope to walk,” said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “The more you tighten it up to prevent fraud, the more barriers there are that could inhibit enrollment among those who need the coverage.” CMS said in July that some types of policy changes — those in which the agent is not “affiliated” with the existing plan — will face more requirements, such as a three-way call with the consumer, broker, and a healthcare.gov call center representative. In August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching. And CMS has suspended 850 agents suspected of being involved in unauthorized plan-switching from accessing the ACA marketplace. Still, the clampdown could add complexity to enrollment and slow the process. For example, a consumer might have to wait in a queue for a three-way call, or scramble to find a new agent because the one they previously worked with had been suspended. Given that phone lines with healthcare.gov staff already get busy — especially during mid-December — agents and policy analysts advise consumers not to dally this year. “Hit the ground running,” said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of Health Agents for America, a professional organization for brokers. Meanwhile, reports are emerging that some rogue entities are already figuring out workarounds that could undermine some of the anti-fraud protections CMS put in place, Nolan said. “Bottom line is: Fraud and abuse is still happening,” Nolan said. Brokers assist the majority of people actively enrolling in ACA plans and are paid a monthly commission by insurers for their efforts. Consumers can compare plans or enroll themselves online through federal or state marketplace websites. They can also seek help from people called assisters or navigators — certified helpers who are not paid commissions. Under a “find local help” button on the federal and state ACA websites , consumers can search for nearby brokers or navigators. CMS says it has “ramped up support operations” at its healthcare.gov marketplace call centers, which are open 24/7, in anticipation of increased demand for three-way calls, and it expects “minimal wait times,” said Jeff Wu, deputy director for policy of the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. Wu said those three-way calls are necessary only when an agent or a broker not already associated with a consumer’s enrollment wants to change that consumer’s enrollment or end that consumer’s coverage. It does not apply to people seeking coverage for the first time. Organizations paid by the government to offer navigator services have a dedicated phone line to the federal marketplace, and callers are not currently experiencing long waits, said Xonjenese Jacobs, director of Florida Covering Kids & Families, a program based at the University of South Florida that coordinates enrollment across the state through its Covering Florida navigator program. Navigators can assist with the three-way calls if a consumer’s situation requires it. “Because we have our quick line in, there’s no increased wait time,” Jacobs said. The problem of unauthorized switches has been around for a while but took off during last year’s open enrollment season. Brokers generally blamed much of the problem on the ease with which rogue agents can access ACA information in the federal marketplace, needing only a person’s name, date of birth, and state of residence. Though federal regulators have worked to tighten that access with the three-way call requirement, they stopped short of instituting what some agent groups say is needed: two-factor authentication, which could involve a code accessed by a consumer through a smartphone. Unauthorized switches can lead to a host of problems for consumers, from higher deductibles to landing in new networks that do not include their preferred physicians or hospitals. Some people have received tax bills when unauthorized policies came with premium credits for which they did not qualify. Unauthorized switches posed a political liability for the Biden administration, a blemish on two years of record ACA enrollment. The practice drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; Democrats demanded more oversight and punishment of rogue agents, while Republicans said fraud attempts were fueled by Biden administration moves that allowed for more generous premium subsidies and special enrollment periods. The fate of those enhanced subsidies, which are set to expire, will be decided by Congress next year as the Trump administration takes power. But the premiums and subsidies that come with 2025 plans that people are enrolling in now will remain in effect for the entire year. The actions taken this year to thwart the unauthorized enrollments apply to the federal marketplace, used by 31 states . The remaining states and the District of Columbia run their own websites, with many having in place additional layers of security. Related Articles Health | Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’ Health | More foods are making us sick: What to know as foodborne outbreaks hit Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | Pay first, deliver later: Some women are being asked to prepay for their baby Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do For its part, CMS says its efforts are working, pointing to the 30% drop in complaint casework. The agency also noted a 90% drop in the number of times an agent’s name was replaced by another’s, which it says indicates that it is tougher for rival agents to steal clients to gain the monthly commissions that insurers pay. Still, the move to suspend 850 agents has drawn pushback from agent groups that initially brought the problem to federal regulators’ attention. They say some of those accused were suspended before getting a chance to respond to the allegations. “There will be a certain number of agents and brokers who are going to be suspended without due process,” said Nolan, with the health agents’ group. She said that it has called for increased protections against unauthorized switching and that two-factor authentication, like that used in some state marketplaces or in the financial sector, would be more effective than what’s been done. “We now have to jump through so many hoops that I’m not sure we’re going to survive,” she said of agents in general. “They are just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks when they could just do two-factor.” The agency did not respond to questions asking for details about how the 850 agents suspended since July were selected, the states where they were located, or how many had their suspensions reversed after supplying additional information.

Seibert, who missed the previous two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt following a low snap. Thomas then took the kick back 43 yards as the Cowboys (4-7) ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion. Part of that was the play of backup Cooper Rush, who threw for 247 yards and two TDs in his third start in place of starter Dak Prescott. Part was also the defense forcing two turnovers, as Chauncey Golston ripped the ball out of Brian Robinson Jr.’s hands for what was called an interception of Daniels in the second quarter, and Donovan Wilson stripped John Bates midway through the fourth. KaVonte Turpin provided the fireworks with a spinning, 99-yard kickoff return TD seconds after Daniels found Zach Ertz in the end zone and scored on a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three with 3:02 left. In the final three minutes alone, the Commanders (7-5) scored 10 points and allowed Thomas' TD. All that after the score was 10-9 through three quarters before madness ensued. Washington's playoff hopes that looked solid not long ago are now in serious jeopardy after losing to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Dallas. Before the scoring outburst late, much of this defeat had to do with Daniels and the offense not being able to find any kind of a rhythm. The Cowboys did, despite playing without their two best offensive linemen, top cornerback and starting tight end. Rush's 6-yard pass to Jalen Tolbert was Dallas' first third-quarter TD of the season, and his 22-yarder to Luke Schoonmaker came after Wilson's forced fumble. Daniels finished 25 of 38 for 274 yards, including his second interception of the game on a failed Hail Mary as the clock expired. Rico Dowdle ran 19 times for 86 yards to spring the upset for the Cowboys, who were 10 1/2-point underdogs on BetMGM Sportsbook. Cowboys: LG Tyler Smith was inactive with ankle and knee injuries. ... RG Zack Martin (ankle), CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) were ruled out prior to game day and did not travel for the game. Commanders: RB Austin Ekeler was injured on a kickoff return in the final seconds. ... Robinson left with an ankle injury in the first half, returned and then left again. ... RT Andrew Wylie was concussed in the third quarter and did not return. ... C Tyler Biadasz was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth. ... CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) missed a third consecutive game since being acquired at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Cowboys: Host the New York Giants on Thursday in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Commanders: Host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday in Washington’s final game before its late bye week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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He will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars' worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior . Ferguson is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, which is currently made up of three Democrats and two Republicans. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. The new chair is expected to appoint new directors of the FTC's antitrust and consumer protection divisions. “These changes likely will make the FTC more favorable to business than it has been in recent years, though the extent to which is to be determined,” wrote Anthony DiResta, a consumer protection attorney at Holland & Knight, in a recent analysis . Deals that were blocked by the Biden administration could find new life with Trump in command. For example, the new leadership could be more open to a proposed merger between the country’s two biggest supermarket chains, Kroger and Albertsons, which forged a $24.6 billion deal to combine in 2022. Two judges halted the merger Tuesday night. The FTC had filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this year to block the merger, claiming the deal would eliminate competition, leading to higher prices and lower wages for workers. The two companies say a merger would help them lower prices and compete against bigger rivals like Walmart. One of the judges said the FTC had shown it was likely to prevail in the administrative hearing. Yet given the widespread public concern over high grocery prices, the Trump administration may not fully abandon the FTC's efforts to block the deal, some experts have said. And the FTC may continue to scrutinize Big Tech firms for any anticompetitive behavior. Many Republican politicians have accused firms such as Meta of censoring conservative views, and some officials in Trump's orbit, most notably Vice President-elect JD Vance, have previously expressed support for Khan's scrutiny of Big Tech firms. In addition to Fergson, Trump also announced Tuesday that he had selected Jacob Helberg as the next undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment.AP News Summary at 1:37 p.m. EST

Navy aims for rare 10th win in Armed Forces Bowl vs. OklahomaJim Comey , the former head of the FBI whose time was marked by his high-profile investigation of Hillary Clinton, delivered an impassioned message to his old colleagues on Tuesday night — and turned to philosopher Marcus Aurelius to do so. Comey made the remarks in a post on his Instagram account, where he encouraged his former FBI colleagues to resist taking “anyone’s side,” and reminded them: “You will be okay in the long run.” “The water is rough right now and the sea is likely to rage over the next four years, but your children and grandchildren will be proud that you stayed true to the values of your great institution,” Comey wrote. He told them to follow Aurelius' advice, and "be like the rock that the waves keep crashing over." "'It stands unmoved and the raging of the sea falls around it,'" wrote Comey, quoting the philosopher. His message comes just weeks before Donald Trump is set to make his return to the White House . The Trump-Vance transition team is currently working to install dozens of Trump loyalists into high-profile government positions, many of whom have made alarming threats to go after the incoming president’s political opponents. ALSO READ: Agenda 47: Alarm sounded about Trump’s dystopian plans for his second term While he didn’t mention Trump by name, Comey hinted at the simmering political climate in his message. “In just the last few years, you have been called upon to execute court-ordered search warrants in the home closets of prominent politicians across the aisle,” Comey wrote. “In the case of a Democratic senator, you found gold bars taken as bribes; in the case of a Republican former president , you found piles of top secret documents, taken for reasons yet unknown.” It was those investigations that Comey said “predictably” led politicians and their supporters “to decry the alleged partisan bias of the FBI.” He pointed out in his post that the agency’s focus should be “devoted only to finding out what is true” and by design means agents “will have few fans among politicians who have done something they shouldn’t have.” “It will always be that way, although the painful division in modern America has made the lying voices louder and nastier than ever, and social media has unfortunately made them easier for you and your loved ones to hear,” Comey wrote. He added: “But when the liars leave the stage, you will still be at work, trying to find facts in a careful and honest way.”None

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas won the Big 12 title in 2023 on its way out the door to the Southeastern Conference. It was still swinging open when Arizona State waltzed in and won the league title in its debut season. And now the old Big 12 champs meet the new Big 12 champs on the path toward a potential national title. The fifth-seeded Longhorns and fourth-seeded Sun Devils play News Years Day in the Peach Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. Both had their doubters they could get here. Texas (12-2) still had to prove is was “ready” for the SEC. Arizona State (11-2) was picked to finish last in the Big 12. But the Sun Devils quickly started winning and having fun in some new road environments in college towns smaller than some of their stops in the more cosmopolitan old Pac-12. All-American running back Cam Skattebo led the barnstorming tour. “We were not used to getting tortillas thrown at us at Texas Tech. You’re not used to some of these environments,” Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said Monday. “When you’re in the Pac-12, you’re playing in Seattle, you’re playing in L.A., you’re playing in Salt Lake City. We got to face a lot more small college town football with really, really great environments. ... It was definitely fun to join a new league,” Dillingham said. And Dillingham laid down some Texas roots. The Sun Devils are recruiting Texas players out of high school, and the current roster has six transfers who started their college careers in burnt orange in Austin. “The guys we’ve gotten from Texas and coach (Steve Sarkisian’s) program have been unbelievable,” Dillingham said. “We know what we’re getting when we’re getting a guy from that program, and that’s a guy who has worked really hard, competed and been pushed. Those are the things that we like to bring in.” Safety Xavion Alford was named All-Big 12. Defensive end Prince Dorbah is another Sun Devils starter. Defensive lineman Zac Swanson, who has two sacks this season, is another former Longhorn who said he relished a chance to beat his former team. Recruited by Texas out of Phoenix, Swanson was a reserve in 2022 and 2023 behind future NFL draft picks T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. “That’s a team who kicked me out and said I’d never I was never going to be good enough to play there,” Swanson said last week. “That’s something that has been on my agenda for a while.” Dillingham joked he’d like to get more Texas transfers this week. Sarkisian simply noted that he wished he’d signed Skattebo, a Californian who transferred from Sacramento State after the 2022 season. “I was unaware, so kudos to them. They found him, he’s a heckuva player,” said Sarkisian, who also is a California native. Sarkisian said he was impressed by the Sun Devil’s first-year success in the Big 12. “We were in that Big 12, what, for 27 years? We won four. This is their first year in and they won a Big 12 Championship. It’s a really hard thing to do,” Sarkisian said. “They’re playing with a ton of confidence right now. The last two months, I think they’re playing as good a football as anybody in the country.” Despite wining that last Big 12 title and a playoff appearance in 2023, Texas still faced skeptics that the Longhorns would take their lumps in the SEC this year. Texas was more than ready for the league and the Longhorns made it to the SEC championship game. Their only two losses have been to Georgia, the No. 2 seed in the playoff. Sarkisian still remembers his 5-7 Texas debut in 2021. The program wasn’t ready for the SEC and the playoff back then, but it certainly is now. Texas is the only one of last year’s four playoff teams to make the expanded 12-team field this year. “There’s a lot to be proud of, but mostly I’m proud of our veterans, our leaders, our seniors, because those guys went from 5-7 in year one, they went through 8-5 in year two, and they didn’t jump ship. They hung in there with us. They believed in what they were doing,” Sarkisian said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Manmohan Singh: technocrat who became India's accidental PMDublin, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cordless Jobsite Lights Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2024-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Cordless Jobsite Lights Market was valued at USD 1.02 billion in 2023, and is projected to reach USD 1.42 billion by 2029, rising at a CAGR of 5.67%. The global cordless jobsite lights market is fragmented owing to the existence of local and global players. Stanley Black & Decker, Robert Bosch, TTI, Makita, and SCANGRIP, among others, are the few prominent vendors in the cordless jobsite lights market. The market is highly clustered in developed regions like North America and Europe. In contrast, it is emerging in developing economies, such as China and India in the APAC region. International vendors are increasing their footprint, which causes difficulties for regional vendors in competing with them, especially in terms of technology and consumer base. Therefore, vendors must expand their geographical presence while reviving domestic demand to stay competitive in the cordless jobsite lights market landscape. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Growing Inclination Toward Sustainability LED cordless job site lights are in high demand in the cordless jobsite lights market due to a global shift toward sustainability, and environmental concerns are gaining momentum. LED lights have longer lifespans and use less energy, reducing the number of times bulbs need to be replaced, thus reducing the overall carbon emissions from lighting on construction sites. Less power consumption is required to produce the same or even higher brightness levels with LED, unlike conventional lighting options like incandescent bulbs, halogen lamps, or fluorescent tubes. For instance, MILWAUKEE offers LED site lights, which provide full-day runtime in portable packages. The lights utilize the most advanced lighting technology to deliver a consistent beam, optimized color temperature, and true representation of colors and detail, leading to a more productive work area. Expansion of Rechargeable Jobsite Lights Market High-quality rechargeable light bulbs with advanced battery technologies are becoming increasingly popular in the global cordless jobsite lights market. They last longer than conventional lighting solutions, with usable hours ranging from 10,000 and beyond. This improvement shows that fewer replacements will be needed, as is the trend with the normal bulbs. This is due to the increased usage of advanced Li-Ion batteries that perform better than the previous ones. Such batteries perform many charge and discharge cycles without the main deterioration of their ability to perform effectively. For instance, Milwaukee's M18 ROCKET Tower light provides up to 10,000 hours of reliable light. Its M18 batteries support extended runtime and sustained brightness, while their efficient charging and discharging cycles minimize downtime and ensure that the light remains operational for extended periods. Hence, such factors are propelling the growth of rechargeable cordless jobsite lights. GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS The North American region dominates the global cordless jobsite lights market due to ongoing infrastructure projects, technological advancements, and stringent workplace safety regulations that propel the growth. In 2023, North America held over 37% of the global cordless jobsite lights market share. Furthermore, the region promises to maintain its position during the forecast period, with revenue mostly generated from the U.S., the largest economy in the region. North America is home to numerous large industries, including the automobile, construction, aerospace, electronics, and packaging. With growing construction, it is expected that the cordless jobsite lights market is likely to grow at a substantial growth rate during the forecast period. Europe holds a significant position in the global cordless jobsite lights market. The major markets in Europe include the U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain, and France. Other markets, such as the Netherlands and Belgium, are expected to be promising due to the rising industrial growth. The increasing expenditure of consumers on home improvement, renovation, and remodeling is primarily driving the market for jobsites lights in the region. Moreover, APAC is growing at the highest CAGR in the global cordless jobsite lights market during the forecast period because of the increasing large-scale construction and mining industry in countries like China, Japan, and India. APAC is expected to witness exponential growth in the market during the forecast period due to the growing residential construction activities. The region also has a few significant companies in the market, including Stanely Black & Decker, TTI, and many others. VENDORS LANDSCAPE Key Company Profiles Stanley Black & Decker Robert Bosch Techtronic Industries Other Prominent Vendors Makita Emerson Electric Co. Koki Holdings Co. Hilti CHERVON Einhell Snap-on Incorporated POSITEC SCANGRIP (Hultafors Group) MasterForce Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd. APS Lighting & Safety (Vignal Group) GENTOS Co, Ltd. Feit Electric GROZ Silverline VonHaus (Domu Brands Ltd) Streamlight Inc. Klein Tools Bayco Products, Inc. CK Tools VARTA AG Philips Eaton Triton Intertech Dorcy NITECORE KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED How big is the global cordless jobsite lights market? Which region dominates the global cordless jobsite lights market share? What are the significant trends in the cordless jobsite lights industry? What is the growth rate of the global cordless jobsite lights market? Who are the key players in the global cordless jobsite lights market? Key Attributes: Key Topics Covered: 1. Scope & Coverage 2. Premium Insights 3. Market at a Glance 4. Introduction 4.1. Overview 4.2. Consumer Preference 4.3. Led vs Conventional Cordless Jobsite Lights 4.4. Market Dynamics in APAC 4.5. Favourable Government Policies 4.5.1. North America 4.5.2. Europe 4.5.3. APAC 4.5.4. Latin America 4.5.5. Middle East & Africa 4.6. Value Chain Analysis 4.6.1. Raw Materials & Component Suppliers 4.6.2. Manufacturers 4.6.3. Dealers / Distributors 4.6.4. Retailers 4.6.5. End-users 5. Market Opportunities & Trends 5.1. Emerging Led Technology 5.2. Expansion of Rechargeable Jobsite Lights Market 5.3. Increasing Advancements in Li-On Batteries 6. Market Growth Enablers 6.1. Growing Inclination Toward Sustainability 6.2. Consistent Growth in Commercial Construction Industry 6.3. Increased Focus Toward Workers' Safety 7. Market Restraints 7.1. Fluctuations in Raw Materials Prices 7.2. High Competition & Price Sensitivity 7.3. Rising Costs of Led Cordless Jobsite Lights 8. Market Landscape 8.1. Market Size & Forecast 8.2. Five Forces Analysis 9. Product Type 9.1. Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 9.2. Market Overview 9.3. Flood Light 9.4. Area Light 9.5. Tower Light 9.6. Spotlight 9.7. Flashlight 9.8. Others 10. Technology 10.1. Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 10.2. Market Overview 10.3. Conventional 10.4. Led 11. Lumens Type 11.1. Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 11.2. Market Overview 11.3. Below 500 Lm 11.4. 500-2000 Lm 11.5. Above 2000 Lm 12. Operational Type 12.1. Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 12.2. Market Overview 12.3. Rechargeable 12.4. Non-Rechargeable 13. End-users 13.1. Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 13.2. Market Overview 13.3. Construction 13.4. Oil & Gas 13.5. Mining 13.6. Manufacturing Industry 13.7. Military & Defense 13.8. Outdoor & Sports Events 13.9. Other End-users 14. Geography 14.1. Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 14.2. Geographic Overview 15. North America 16. Europe 17. APAC 18. Latin America 19. Middle East & Africa 20. Competitive Landscape 20.1. Competition Overview 21. Key Company Profiles 21.1. Stanley Black & Decker 21.2. Robert Bosch 21.3. Techtronic Industries 22. Other Prominent Vendors 22.1. Makita 22.2. Emerson Electric Co. 22.3. Koki Holdings Co. Ltd. 22.4. Hilti 22.5. Chervon 22.6. Einhell 22.7. Snap-On Incorporated 22.8. Positec 22.9. Scangrip (Hultafors Group) 22.10. Masterforce 22.11. Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co. Ltd. 22.12. Aps Lighting & Safety (Vignal Group) 22.13. Gentos Co. Ltd. 22.14. Feit Electric 22.15. Groz 22.16. Silverline 22.17. Vonhaus (Domu Brands Ltd.) 22.18. Streamlight Inc. 22.19. Klein Tools 22.20. Bayco Products Inc. 22.21. Ck Tools 22.22. Varta AG 22.23. Philips 22.24. Eaton 22.25. Triton Intertech 22.26. Dorcy International Inc. 22.27. Nitecore For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5jp18v About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Cordless Jobsite Lights Market

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's passing on Tuesday at the age of 92 triggered an outpouring of condolence messages and tributes from political leaders from both sides of the aisle and industry titans. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Singh one of India's "most distinguished leaders" in a post on X. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party defeated Singh's Congress alliance in the 2014 elections and has been in power since. Singh was a "respected economist," Modi added, who left "a strong imprint" on India's economic policy. Before he became prime minister in 2004, Singh served as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1982 and as minister of finance in 1991. As finance minister, he led a series of reforms that deregulated India's economy and opened the country to foreign investment. Facing an acute balance of payments crisis, then-Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and Singh liberalized the economy that paved the way for its rapid expansion in the following decades. "History will forever honour his pivotal role in the transformative 1991 reforms that reshaped India and opened its doors to the world," wrote Gautam Adani, India's second-richest person and chairperson of Indian conglomerate Adani Group. Singh returned to politics in 2004 when a Congress-led coalition swept the elections, and party leader Sonia Gandhi appointed him prime minister. Under his tenure between 2004 and 2014, India's gross domestic product initially expanded rapidly, allowing Singh to deploy the new wealth to programs such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act , which guaranteed jobs for the poor. The later years of Singh's stint as prime minister were, however, marred by sclerotic growth, a stalling of reforms and allegations of corruption against certain members of the government. Singh played a pivotal role in strengthening India's ties with Washington, visiting the U.S. multiple times as prime minister. In 2006, when U.S. President George W. Bush visited India, Singh managed to broker a deal that gave India access to U.S. nuclear technology. "Dr. Singh was one of the greatest champions of the U.S.-India strategic partnership, and his work laid the foundation for much of what our countries have accomplished together in the past two decades," wrote the U.S. Department of State on Singh's passing. Apart from the U.S., Singh also strengthened India's ties with Russia. He was a regular attendee of the India-Russia Annual Summit, which began in 2000, and aims to deepen cooperation between the two countries and among BRIC nations. Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said on X that "Dr Manmohan Singh's contribution to our bilateral ties was immeasurable."

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The 3dfx VoodooX project gets dressed in white for ChristmasSensex choppy in early trade, Nifty holds 24,600; all eyes on domestic, US inflation data

Assane Diop isn’t necessarily filling up the box scores for the Colorado men’s basketball team. But he’s finding his niche providing steady, all-around minutes for the Buffaloes. Diop assumed a starting role for CU after two games, taking over a spot that had been filled by Bangot Dak out of the gate. At this point, though, the pair of sophomore forwards are packing an intriguing one-two punch for the Buffs. While Dak is coming off a career-high 16 points in Saturday’s rivalry win against Colorado State, Diop made equally significant contributions to the victory, finishing with eight rebounds and three assists without a turnover in 17 minutes. At one point during the first half of the win against CSU, Diop had played only six minutes but had recorded three points, three assists, three rebounds and two blocked shots. Diop has recorded only one turnover in the past four games. “He rebounds the ball. He gives you everything he’s got on defense. He’s a ball-mover on offense,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “He’s not looking to get his. He’s just looking to make the right play. He made some really nice passes (against CSU) early in the game. He can make an open shot. “Assane plays within himself, and he plays his role. As a coach, you appreciate that. Some guys are trying to do things that they can’t do, and they’re getting themselves in trouble. For the most part, (Diop) doesn’t turn the ball over. He was earlier, in practice and some scrimmages. He’s gotten better at it.” Iowa State’s Keshon Gilbert and Joshua Jefferson swept the latest Big 12 weekly awards announced on Monday, as the Cyclones moved up three spots to No. 3 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25. Gilbert was named the player of the week after keying a huge win for ISU against then-No. 5 Marquette, recording 24 points and seven assists. Gilbert added 16 points, five assists and four rebounds in a win against Jackson State. Jefferson landed the newcomer of the week honor after recording a pair of double-doubles, including a 7-for-10 showing with 15 points and 12 rebounds against Marquette. Iowa State, which routed CU at the Maui Invitational two weeks ago, opens Big 12 play at the CU Events Center on Dec. 30. There was a scoring change from Saturday’s game that altered one of Dak’s turnovers, instead giving it to Andrej Jakimovski. That left Dak with only two turnovers instead of three as he saw a streak of five turnover-free games come to an end. ... CU owns a 3-0 lead in the series with South Dakota State, which visits the CU Events Center on Friday night (7 p.m., ESPN+). ... The last meeting between the Buffs and South Dakota State was a memorable one, with CU posting a 112-103 double-overtime win in on Dec. 15, 2017, powered by 30 points and 11 assists from McKinley Wright IV. ... Following Iowa State at No. 3, the other Big 12 representatives in this week’s top 25 are Kansas, which dropped from the top spot to No. 10; Houston, up two spots to No. 15; and Cincinnati, which dropped eight spots to No. 22.Mobile Composite Robot Market Outlook and Future Projections for 2030golden empire jili download 。

RBL Bank Share Price Today Live Updates : On the last trading day, RBL Bank's shares opened at 164.2 and closed lower at 162.5, with a high of 164.2 and a low of 157.05. The bank's market capitalization stood at approximately 9715.78 crore. Over the past year, RBL Bank reached a peak of 300.5 and a low of 147.55. The BSE recorded a trading volume of 731,053 shares for the day. RBL Bank Share Price Live Updates: RBL Bank volume yesterday was 23 mn as compared to the 20 day avg of 15889 k RBL Bank Share Price Live Updates: The trading volume yesterday was 45.03% higher than the 20 day average. Yesterday’s NSE volume was 22 mn & BSE volume was 731 k. RBL Bank Share Price Live Updates: RBL Bank closed at ₹162.5 on last trading day & the technical trend suggests Bearish near term outlook RBL Bank Share Price Live Updates: The stock traded in the range of 164.2 & 157.05 yesterday to end at 160.2. The stock is currently experiencing a strong downtrendCould SoundHound AI Be Your Ticket to Becoming a Millionaire by 2035?WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's pick for intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard faced fresh scrutiny Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country's hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump's unusual nominees. But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump's America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. "I want to address the issue that's in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria," Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president's Cabinet and top administrative choices are dividing his Republican allies and drawing concern, if not full opposition, from Democrats and others. Not just Gabbard, but other Trump nominees including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, were back at the Capitol ahead of what is expected to be volatile confirmation hearings next year. The incoming president is working to put his team in place for an ambitious agenda of mass immigrant deportations, firing federal workers and rollbacks of U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO allies. "We're going to sit down and visit, that's what this is all about," said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., as he welcomed Gabbard into his office. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary pick Hegseth appeared to be picking up support from once-skeptical senators, the former Army National Guard major denying sexual misconduct allegations and pledging not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed. The president-elect's choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, who has written extensively about locking up Trump's foes and proposed dismantling the Federal Bureau of Investigation, launched his first visits with senators Monday. "I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump's nominees," said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on social media. Despite widespread concern about the nominees' qualifications and demeanors for the jobs that are among the highest positions in the U.S. government, Trump's team is portraying the criticism against them as nothing more than political smears and innuendo. Nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government's files on Gabbard. Trump's allies have described the criticisms of Hegseth in particular as similar to those lodged against Brett Kavanaugh, the former president's Supreme Court nominee who denied a sexual assault allegation and went on to be confirmed during Trump's first term in office. Said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., about Hegseth: "Anonymous accusations are trying to destroy reputations again. We saw this with Kavanaugh. I won't stand for it." One widely watched Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and sexual assault survivor who had been criticized by Trump allies for her cool reception to Hegseth, appeared more open to him after their follow-up meeting Monday. "I appreciate Pete Hegseth's responsiveness and respect for the process," Ernst said in a statement. Ernst said that following "encouraging conversations," he had committed to selecting a senior official who will "prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources." Ernst also had praise for Patel — "He shares my passion for shaking up federal agencies" — and for Gabbard. Once a rising Democratic star, Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress, arrived a decade ago in Washington, her surfboard in tow, a new generation of potential leaders. She ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020. But Gabbard abruptly left the party and briefly became an independent before joining with Trump's 2024 campaign as one of his enthusiasts, in large part over his disdain for U.S. involvement overseas and opposition to helping Ukraine battle Russia. Her visit to Syria to meet with then-President Bashar Assad around the time of Trump's first inauguration during the country's bloody civil war stunned her former colleagues and the Washington national security establishment. The U.S. had severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Her visit was seen by some as legitimizing a brutal leader who was accused of war crimes. Gabbard has defended the trip, saying it's important to open dialogue, but critics hear in her commentary echoes of Russia-fueled talking points. Assad fled to Moscow over the weekend after Islamist rebels overtook Syria in a surprise attack, ending his family's five decades of rule. She said her own views have been shaped by "my multiple deployments and seeing firsthand the cost of war and the threat of Islamist terrorism." Gabbard said, "It's one of the many reasons why I appreciate President Trump's leadership and his election, where he is fully committed, as he has said over and over, to bring about an end to wars." Last week, the nearly 100 former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said in the letter to Senate leaders they were "alarmed" by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions "call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus." The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to coordinate the nation's intelligence agencies and act as the president's main intelligence adviser.

Lopetegui came into the game under pressure following some poor displays from the Hammers in recent weeks but they earned a hard-fought victory to end the Magpies’ three-game winning spell. Despite a promising opening from the hosts, Tomas Soucek headed West Ham in front before Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s first goal for the club after the break wrapped up victory. Lopetegui was pleased with his side’s display following a “tough match”. He said: “I am happy for the three points and am very happy against a good team like Newcastle, who have good players and a fantastic coach. “I think today was a tough match and we were able to compete as a team. “I think we deserved to win. Today they had many moments in the first half, but I think the second half we deserved to win and we are happy because you have to do these kind of matches against this type of team if you want to overcome them.” Newcastle started brightly and had plenty of chances in the first half especially, but the visitors responded after the break by retaining possession well. The win eases the pressure on Lopetegui, whose West Ham side face Arsenal on Saturday, and he believes the victory is an important feeling for his players. He said: “I think the only thing that is under our control is to play football, to improve, to defend well, to convince the players we are able to do better. “Today we did, but I think the only thing we can do is to do the things that are under our control, not today but every day. “So we had to keep with this mentality, but above all let me say we are happy for the players because they need this kind of feeling as a team to believe that we are able to do well as a team, to put the best for each player of the team.” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe admitted defeat was a missed opportunity for his side. The Magpies missed a series of chances in the first half, including efforts from Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff, before Alexander Isak blasted a chance off target. Anthony Gordon also rolled an effort just wide of the post after the break and Isak headed wide of goal. Three points could have seen Newcastle move into the top six and Howe admitted his side need to learn from the match. “Yes, massive because the league is so tight that a couple of wins and the whole picture looks very different,” Howe said. “We’ll kick ourselves tonight because we knew the opportunity we had, a home game, Monday night, a great moment for us potentially in our season, so we have to learn from that and come back stronger.”

The NBA on Saturday suspended three players for their roles in an on-court clash during Friday's game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns. Dallas forward Naji Marshall was suspended for four games and Suns center Jusuf Nurkic for three while Mavericks forward P.J Washington will sit out one game. The incident came with 9:02 remaining in the third quarter when Nurkic committed on offensive foul on Dallas's Daniel Gifford. "Marshall and Nurkic then engaged in an on-court altercation. Nurkic escalated it by swinging his arm and striking Marshall on top of his head. Marshall responded by throwing a punch that connected with Nurkic's face," the NBA said in a statement. "As the officials and other players attempted to diffuse the situation, Washington further escalated the altercation by shoving Nurkic to the floor. For their roles, Marshall, Nurkic and Washington were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game," the league added. Marshall late confronted Nurkic near the locker rooms, in a "hostile manner" according to the NBA. The NBA said the players will not be paid during their suspension periods. sev/bbIt has been quite a week across the world. South Korea’s president placed the country under martial law but was rebuffed by parliament, which is now taking steps to impeach him. In France, the prime minister and his government received a vote of no confidence for the first time in more than 60 years. These seemingly disparate events do have a common underlying theme: a crisis of democratic institutions. On the face of it, South Korea is an amazing success story. Its economy boomed by more than 5% for five consecutive decades, a record matched by only one other place on the planet: Taiwan. South Korea today is richer than Japan in terms of gross domestic product per person. And yet it has been roiled by deep polarization and vicious political battles. The backdrop for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law announcement was 21⁄2 years of deadlock between the liberal opposition and the conservative president. The opposition accused him of using the government’s powers to attack his opponents and the media. He accused the opposition of misusing its powers by trying to impeach members of his administration. The feud will probably end with his own impeachment.

In the wake of a successful effort to kill a year-end spending bill and replace it with more limited legislation to keep the government open, Elon Musk declared victory on X (formerly Twitter), the social media platform he owns: “Your actions turned a bill that weighed pounds into a bill that weighed ounces!” he crowed. “You are the media now. VOX POPULI VOX DEI.” The stopgap funding measure will largely delay major spending decisions until after Donald Trump’s inauguration, keep the government open through the holidays and at least temporarily delay the most indefensible spending that was crammed into the scale-tipping bill. But those who believe the indefensible spending won’t end up back in the budget are endearingly optimistic. The most interesting political takeaway from the drama is that the Republican Party now has two masters with different goals. Musk’s stated mission was to impose fiscal restraint and greater efficiency on government (though his unstated motives are a matter of speculation). Trump’s objective was to avoid the hassles of a debate over raising the government borrowing limit early in his term, freeing him to rack up more debt through spending and tax cuts. Based purely on the political result, Musk won and Trump lost. While the bill does spend less than the earlier version, it does not raise the debt ceiling. A case can be made for both goals. I think Musk is indisputably correct about the need to cut spending. And although I don’t want Trump to be able to amass more debt, fights over the borrowing limit are reckless because they put the full faith and credit of the United States in doubt. The challenge for Republican legislators is that they are caught between the agendas of two figures who are very popular on the right, and those agendas — and perhaps others — are in conflict. We’ll have to wait to see how the politics play out. In the meantime, I want to address the more philosophical problems with Musk’s position. First of all, literally weighing the value or profligacy of a piece of legislation by the ounce, as Musk proposes, is not exactly logical. The National Industrial Recovery Act — the foundational legislation of the New Deal — comes in at an economical 18 pages, but that hardly gives one a sense of its massive impact on the economy. Then there’s the idea that Musk’s minor budget victory proves his X followers are “the media now.” Huh? The standard conservative complaint about traditional national media is that they mislead the public in the service of an ideological or self-serving agenda. Musk rallied his virtual mob with a host of false claims about the bigger-spending bill. Now he is suggesting that misleading the public in the service of the agenda of the owner of a media platform is a glorious triumph. It’s certainly a triumph for if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them hypocrisy. Lastly, Musk’s oft-repeated motto “Vox populi, vox dei” — “The voice of the people is the voice of God” — is theological nonsense. Its use by British Whigs to challenge monarchical power in the 18th century was politically defensible, but it doesn’t take a divinity degree to understand that, taken literally, the phrase argues that God is subservient to the passions and vicissitudes of public opinion. It’s very difficult to find anything in the Old or New Testament to back up that idea. If a poll were all it took to change God’s mind, Sodom and Gomorrah would have been fine, Noah wouldn’t have needed a boat, and Jesus wouldn’t have had to ask God to “forgive them, for they know not what they do.” One of the earliest mentions of the Latin phrase is found in the writings of Alcuin of York, an adviser to Charlemagne. Alcuin told the first holy Roman emperor to ignore such declarations of public godliness “since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness.” Musk started using the phrase “Vox populi, vox dei” to validate the verdicts of his own Twitter polls. When users voted to reinstate Trump’s account two years ago, Musk declared that the result he clearly wanted amounted to a divine statement. We can only guess what this says about Musk’s God complex and its compatibility with his role as Trump’s Alcuin. But my main objection to Musk’s assertion is that it’s a dangerous lie. The idea that the largest mob has God on its side is even more pernicious than the notion that legislation should be measured in pounds. Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast.SHANGHAI, December 30 (SMM) – Copper Overnight, LME copper opened at $8,961/mt, maintained wide fluctuations throughout the session, with its center moving upward. It bottomed at $8,951/mt in early trading and peaked at $8,997/mt near the close, finally settling at $8,981.5/mt, up 0.16%. Trading volume reached 9,000 lots, and open interest stood at 262,000 lots. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2502 contract opened lower at 73,930 yuan/mt, fluctuated upward in early trading, peaked at 74,180 yuan/mt during the session, then its center shifted downward and maintained slight fluctuations near the close, finally settling at 74,070 yuan/mt, down 0.38%. Trading volume reached 15,000 lots, and open interest stood at 148,000 lots. Macro side, uncertainties remain regarding the upcoming Trump administration's policies. The US dollar index fluctuated and eventually closed lower. However, year-end domestic consumption remained weak, leading to mixed performance in the domestic and overseas markets. Domestically, PBOC Governor Gongsheng Pan stated that monetary policy adjustments should be intensified, with a focus on improving precision. On the fundamentals, as the year-end approaches, most enterprises are controlling funds, resulting in overall sluggish market purchasing demand. In summary, with weak domestic consumption at year-end, copper prices are expected to fluctuate downward today. Aluminum Futures Market: Last Friday night, the most-traded SHFE aluminum 2502 contract opened at 19,775 yuan/mt, hit a high of 19,785 yuan/mt, a low of 19,700 yuan/mt, and closed at 19,785 yuan/mt, down 10 yuan/mt or 0.05% from the previous trading day. Last Friday, LME aluminum opened at $2,553/mt, reached a high of $2,562/mt, a low of $2,533.5/mt, and closed at $2,557/mt, up $1/mt or 0.04%. Summary: On the macro front, the European Central Bank may delay its interest rate cuts, and market expectations for the extent of US Fed rate cuts next year remain pessimistic, putting continued pressure on base metals. On the fundamentals side, in December, several aluminum smelters in Sichuan and Guangxi reduced production, while some capacity restarts were delayed. However, production still showed YoY growth. On the demand side, market demand continued to weaken during the off-season, with aluminum processing industry operating rates declining further. Overall, with unclear US Fed rate cut timing and delayed European Central Bank rate cuts on the macro front, and despite slightly reduced supply-side pressure on the fundamentals side, weak demand during the off-season and growing risks of inventory buildup in social stocks are expected to keep aluminum prices fluctuating downward in the short term. Lead Last Friday night, the most-traded SHFE lead 2502 contract opened at 16,880 yuan/mt. After opening, it fluctuated around the intraday moving average, briefly touching a high of 16,915 yuan/mt and a low of 16,810 yuan/mt, eventually closing at 16,895 yuan/mt, down 165 yuan/mt or 0.97%. The open interest of the most-traded SHFE lead 2402 contract decreased by 1,111 lots to 54,615 lots. Last Friday night, LME lead opened at $1,981.5/mt, briefly touching $1,982.5/mt at the beginning of the session. It weakened during the Asian trading hours, hitting a low of $1,950/mt, but rebounded during the European session, closing at $1,966/mt, down $14/mt or 0.71%. Macro side, the wavering expectations of interest rate cuts and the current lack of new directions have led to a slightly bearish macro sentiment, with gold and silver prices fluctuating. On the fundamentals side, this week, air pollution in regions such as Hebei, Henan, and Shandong has gradually eased, with Shandong already lifting smog restrictions and Henan following suit. The supply of secondary refined lead, previously impacted by environmental protection factors, is no longer the main imbalance in the market. Additionally, some crude lead production in Hunan is expected to resume gradually after meeting rectification standards post-New Year's Day. However, the recovery of primary lead production may be delayed due to insufficient raw material stocking. After the New Year's Day holiday, attention should still be paid to the actual resumption of production by lead smelting enterprises in various regions, as well as the recovery of downstream enterprises to normal operations and pre-holiday stocking by dealers after the resolution of year-end account settlements and inventory checks. The lead market's supply and demand decline may ease to some extent. Zinc Last Friday, Elon Musk challenged MAGA, while the Trump alliance faced internal discord over immigration issues; the European Central Bank may consider waiting longer before the next interest rate cut; the leader of Syria's Sham Liberation Front announced plans to dissolve the organization during the National Dialogue Conference; Yemen's capital Sanaa was hit by airstrikes, with Houthi forces claiming the US and UK were responsible; Pan Gongsheng stated the need to intensify and enhance the precision of monetary policy adjustments; the Hong Kong SAR government reported that the number of startups in Hong Kong reached a record high in 2024; Honor completed its equity restructuring and plans to initiate the IPO process at an appropriate time; China's first domestically developed and constructed Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, was officially launched. Last Friday, LME zinc opened at $3,054/mt. In early trading, LME zinc briefly rose to a high of $3,055/mt. By the European trading session, longs reduced positions, and LME zinc declined to a low of $3,008/mt before stabilizing around $3,030/mt. It eventually closed higher at $3,040/mt, up $6/mt or 0.62%. Trading volume increased to 5,979 lots, while open interest decreased by 1,584 lots to 225,000 lots. Last Friday, LME zinc recorded a small bearish candlestick with a long lower shadow. LME inventory decreased by 4,450 mt to 244,500 mt, a drop of 1.79%. Expectations for US Fed interest rate cuts weakened, the US dollar strengthened, and base metals came under pressure, with LME zinc's center also shifting lower. It is expected to trade mainly in a range today. Last Friday, the most-traded SHFE zinc 2502 contract opened at 25,170 yuan/mt. In early trading, shorts reduced positions, and SHFE zinc quickly surged to a high of 25,310 yuan/mt. Later, as longs exited, SHFE zinc's center shifted lower to 25,230 yuan/mt. By the end of the session, SHFE zinc's center moved higher again, closing at 25,300 yuan/mt, up 125 yuan/mt or 0.5%. Trading volume decreased to 60,598 lots, while open interest fell by 737 lots to 143,000 lots. Last Friday, SHFE zinc recorded a small bullish candlestick. The 20-day moving average above acted as resistance, with mixed positions from both longs and shorts. Macro sentiment remained relatively bearish, but fundamentals continued to provide support for SHFE zinc. It is expected to trade mainly in a range today. Tin Last week, SHFE tin prices fluctuated rangebound. Specifically, at the beginning of the week, the most-traded SHFE tin contract saw a slight rebound. However, during the night session early in the week, SHFE tin prices exhibited corresponding volatility, opening lower and pulling back continuously. Mid-week, the most-traded SHFE tin contract prices rebounded slightly, impacting market sentiment to some extent, though the overall price trend appeared somewhat weak. By Thursday, the most-traded SHFE tin contract prices showed a rangebound trend. During this period, market sentiment was mediocre, with traders mostly adopting a wait-and-see approach. By the weekend, prices edged down slightly during the late session, with the market's primary focus remaining on supply and demand dynamics and changes in the macroeconomic environment. From a broader perspective, the most-traded SHFE tin contract prices primarily fluctuated rangebound this week, mainly influenced by increased supply, demand-side fluctuations, and the macroeconomic environment. In the spot market, consumption activity was relatively mediocre this week, with daily trading volumes for some trading enterprises reaching 20-50 mt. Traders adopted a more cautious stance amid the complex and volatile market environment, with a dominant wait-and-see sentiment. Looking ahead, SHFE tin prices are expected to maintain wide fluctuations. Nickel Last week, nickel prices fluctuated, with spot prices ranging from 123,000 to 130,000 yuan/mt and SHFE nickel prices ranging from 122,000 to 129,000 yuan/mt. During the week, nickel prices first rose and then fell, influenced by increased downstream willingness for low-price stockpiling and macroeconomic factors. However, the overall demand from downstream sectors such as stainless steel, batteries, and alloys did not show fundamental improvement, making it difficult to support the upward trend in nickel prices. Spot Market: From Monday to Wednesday, as nickel prices rose and the previous week's low-price stockpiling by downstream sectors ended, spot market transactions cooled, and premiums for domestic refined nickel remained stable at high levels. Starting Thursday, with significant improvement in the tight supply of domestic Jinchuan-brand refined nickel in the spot market, premiums for domestic refined nickel began to decline rapidly. It is expected that premiums for domestic refined nickel are unlikely to return to high levels before the year-end.golden empire jili slot png 。

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Select High Yield Preferreds Remain Opportunistically PricedThe third quarter brought double-digit client growth to workforce technology supplier — a small but sure signal, perhaps, that more state and local agencies are turning to advanced tools to help with hiring and retention. The California-based company, around for about a decade, said that it recently posted a 125 percent quarter-over-quarter increase in the client base for its latest product, called , which offers what a statement called “real-time compensation data and analysis” for public officials. The company’s total client base now stands at more than 1,000. GovInvest sells software that public agencies can use for compensation analysis and comparison, financial forecasting, pension liability calculations and other tasks. The growth comes amid heightened concern about . Those worries include not only attracting top talent to , but in such growing areas as and , even as public-sector salaries remain relatively low compared to those offered by and other parts of the private sector. GovInvest is benefiting from those trends as public agencies increasingly focus on getting better, more up-to-date data on “what the market is paying,” CEO Michael Fryke told . “We bring clarity so they know who should get what.” That’s not to say that the company’s recent growth provides total illumination about how public agencies are dealing with hiring and retention in an often-challenging environment. But the latest numbers from GovInvest do at least offer a glimpse of what’s happening. As well, most government technology suppliers are privately held — as is GovInvest — and keep their financials guarded, so such quarterly figures are often newsworthy on their own. In the third quarter of 2024, the company says it won clients and expanded deals in California, Georgia, Ohio, Rhode Island, Iowa, Texas and Washington. California remains the company’s prime market, and its clients there include such cities as San Bernardino, Beverly Hills and San Marcos. New growth has been particularly strong in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest, Fryke said. , GovInvest has raised at least $17.9 million since 2014. The company has yet to turn a profit, Fryke said, as it continues to focus on growth.