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The Ducks climbed to No. 2 after beating Texas A&M and San Diego State, but Gonzaga held down the top spot. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.phmacao

The programme uses AI technology to provide personalised clinical coaching for those living with long-term health conditions. The initiative, launched by NHS North East London in collaboration with Health Navigator and UCLPartners, is aimed at providing preventative care for patients at risk of requiring unplanned emergency care. This comes at a time when urgent and emergency care services in north-east London are said to be facing unprecedented pressure. The new approach will identify and support people with long-term conditions, such as asthma, to help them stay well and avoid unplanned care. Advanced AI screening technology will identify patients who could benefit... Holly BrencherSix things to know about Kigali urban transport improvement project

Local students shine in South Korea workshop programmeSaints vs. Packers score, live updates: Green Bay can wrap up a playoff berth with a Monday Night Football win against New OrleansThe 1 Single Stock That I’d Hold Forever in a TFSA

Punjab announces relaxing smog restrictions as air quality improves Construction work allowed in four districts — Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan and Faisalabad A man uses his mobile phone as he walks on the roof of a building amid smog air pollution in Lahore, November 14, 2024. — Reuters LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced relaxing smog restrictions following signs of improvement in air quality in Lahore and other cities of the province. According to a notification issued by the DG Environment Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh, construction work has been allowed in four districts including Lahore while kilns will also be able to work on zigzag technology. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); Furthermore, the government and private offices have also been allowed to work with 100% staff. The decision will be applicable to Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan and Faisalabad. The notification also stated that heavy traffic will be able to enter the districts from Monday to Thursday. The decision to close shops, markets and shopping malls at 8pm in all four districts has been maintained, while indoor and outdoor dining in restaurants will be allowed until 10pm, and barbecues will not be allowed without installing a hood system. The air quality in Lahore has shown signs of improvement as the air quality index (AQI) dropped below 300 on Sunday, continuing to remain in that range on Monday. The easing conditions mark a positive shift in the metropolis that has been engulfed in smog for almost over a month, moving down to the fourth rank in the rankings of the list of the world's most polluted cities which it previously dominated. On Monday, the AQI was recorded at 267 in the provincial capital around 9:30 this morning, registering the fourth worst air quality in the world while the (PM2.5) pollutants in the air amounted to 191.8, which is 38.4 times higher than the World Health Organisation's (WHO) annual air quality guideline value. This seasonal battle against air pollution in Punjab is exacerbated by cold, heavy air that traps dust, smoke, and emissions, particularly from farm fires. Last week, the authorities in Lahore and Multan reopened schools after a more than week-long closure due to hazardous pollution levels. Students were directed to wear face masks while outdoor sports remained suspended at all educational institutes. Breathing toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases can be triggered by prolonged exposure.

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2025-01-16
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ph365 Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flightsGhanaian activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a prominent figure in the Democracy Hub, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Electoral Commission’s handling of the recent election disputes, accusing the body of undermining judicial processes. Speaking on JoyNews’ NewsFile program, Barker-Vormawor condemned the Supreme Court’s judgment as a “Solomonic judgment,” suggesting that it lacked the clarity and maturity that Ghanaians have been waiting for in order to uphold the rule of law. The case in question involved the Electoral Commission’s (EC) refusal to collate results from four disputed constituencies. The Supreme Court had been approached through a mandamus application, a legal procedure used to compel an entity to perform a duty it is legally obligated to carry out. In this instance, the EC was required to show it had either failed or refused to collate the votes after a reasonable demand had been made, but Barker-Vormawor argues the commission did not make its refusal clear. “The EC never said it was refusing to collate the results, yet it failed to oppose the mandamus,” he noted. “If there’s no refusal or failure from the EC, then there is no legal basis for the mandamus to apply.” Barker-Vormawor went further to criticize the EC’s actions following the High Court’s ruling. Despite a pending application to stay the court’s decision, the Electoral Commission proceeded to re-collate the results in the disputed constituencies, which he described as an unlawful rush. “This is a blatant disregard for the law. The EC went ahead and collated the results, violating the judicial process,” he said. He stressed that such actions demonstrated a concerning trend of the Electoral Commission undermining the judiciary. “When there’s a pending application to stay a court decision, you can’t take actions that disregard the court’s authority,” Barker-Vormawor emphasized. “The EC’s actions in filing an affidavit and then going ahead to gazette the results undermine the very foundation of our democratic processes.” Barker-Vormawor’s comments reflect a growing frustration among civil society groups over the perceived impunity with which state institutions, including the Electoral Commission, operate in Ghana. His remarks highlight the critical need for greater accountability and transparency in electoral processes, especially when judicial decisions are at stake.

NoneTrump brings back government by social mediaWINNIPEG - Kyle Walters doesn’t believe losing a third consecutive Grey Cup means the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ roster should be blown up. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * WINNIPEG - Kyle Walters doesn’t believe losing a third consecutive Grey Cup means the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ roster should be blown up. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? WINNIPEG – Kyle Walters doesn’t believe losing a third consecutive Grey Cup means the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ roster should be blown up. The CFL club’s general manager told reporters at his year-end availability Tuesday that reaching a fifth straight championship game by overcoming lots of injuries was a big accomplishment. Even before Winnipeg’s recent 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts, Walters said he was looking forward to next season. “I was excited for next year based on what I’m looking at, compared to years past, where we’ve got more young guys that have contributed that are under contract,” he said. “We’ve got more young players in the building. So, the idea of, ‘This is the end of the road. The team is in a free-for-all downward,’ I don’t think is accurate. “We have a good group of guys and we were in a one-point (Grey Cup) game with 10 minutes left ... before things went downhill.” The Blue Bombers started the season 0-4, moved to 2-6 and finished 11-7 to claim the West Division title. Star receiver Dalton Schoen, veteran linebacker Adam Bighill and backup quarterback Chris Streveler all suffered season-ending injuries and are pending free agents. Negotiating with the team’s 27 unsigned players could be impacted by moves across the league among coaches, personnel staff and players such as quarterbacks, Walters said. The Bombers have given permission for offensive coordinator Buck Pierce to speak to the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Elks about those teams’ vacant head-coaching jobs, he said. Walters also revealed the Ottawa Redblacks were given the go-ahead to talk to Richie Hall about their defensive coordinator vacancy. Hall was a Winnipeg defensive assistant this season after Jordan Younger took over from him as defensive coordinator. Walters said the Bombers received permission to speak to Lions offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic in case Pierce leaves. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have already been given the OK to talk to Winnipeg assistant general managers Danny McManus and Ted Goveia about the Ticats’ GM opening. “You’re hesitant to have too much conversation with people who may not be in the organization next year, so it’s just been me and (head coach) Mike (O’Shea) in this moment huddled together and talking about next year,” Walters said. He said an NFL team had asked Tuesday morning to work out one Blue Bomber, but he didn’t reveal the player’s name in case he wasn’t aware of the request yet. The Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup in 2019 and ’21, but lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes last year and 24-23 to Toronto in 2022. Winnipeg re-signed placekicker Sergio Castillo last week. Walters said he’d like to have deals done with three or four main players before the end of the year. The team has some up-and-coming young players inked for next year, and injuries gave others valuable experience on both sides of the ball, Walters said. Receivers such as rookie Ontaria Wilson (1,026 yards receiving in 18 games) and Keric Wheatfall (273 yards in seven games) are signed through next season. “The experience that they got was invaluable,” Walters said. Re-signing players who missed time because of injuries can get tricky. “Organizationally, can we approach (their agents) and say, ‘Well, your guy was hurt, he should come back for less money?’” Walters said. “Generally, they don’t view it like that. They view that they’ll be back 100 per cent.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. One question mark is the backup to starting quarterback Zach Collaros, who suffered a deep cut to the index finger of his throwing hand late in the third quarter of the Grey Cup. Collaros got five stitches and numbing agent applied to his finger. He returned with a bandage on it, but admitted he had a hard time gripping the ball. “We’ll have to find out who our offensive coordinator is first,” Walters said when asked who might be Collaros’s backup. Terry Wilson, who briefly replaced Collaros in the Grey Cup, and Jake Dolegala are signed for next year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Advertisement AdvertisementCleveland • Donovan Mitchell remembers the conversation as if it happened yesterday. And he recalls how little attention he paid to it at the time. “Remember this moment,” Mike Conley Jr. once told Mitchell when the two were teammates on the Utah Jazz. “These kind of teams don’t come around very often. This doesn’t normally happen in the NBA . So, appreciate it.” Conley was speaking to Mitchell in a team meeting during the 2020-21 season, when the Jazz were a legitimate title contender. They went on to post the best regular-season record in the league that season. But, as Conley’s words implied, nothing is promised: That Jazz team would get snakebit by injuries and lose in the second round to the LA Clippers . As he returned to Utah on Monday night with his current team, the Cleveland Cavaliers , Mitchell is no longer the youngster in the locker room. And Cleveland, like that 2021 Utah team, has the best record in the NBA at 26-4. This time, Conley’s words hit deeper for the now-28-year-old. “What I’ve learned is that this isn’t forever. We are not invincible. You have to appreciate this, because this doesn’t come around too often,” Mitchell told over the weekend. “When Mike was saying that, it wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate it then, but when you’re as young as I was then, you don’t know what you don’t know. “I find myself telling the guys in this locker room the same stuff that Mike and Joe (Ingles) and Ricky (Rubio) used to tell me. What we have this season? This isn’t always the NBA. Not every locker room is like this.” Over his career, Mitchell has been the happy-go-lucky rookie that everyone seems to love. He’s been a champion for social justice with words that weren’t always received warmly. He’s been accused of shooting the ball too much and sat at the center of an oft-discussed dispute with ex-Jazz teammate Rudy Gobert . He’s been the target of near-constant trade rumors and the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade. He’s won a dunk contest, made the All-Star team five times and an All-NBA team. With this Cavs team, however, Mitchell is finding something that had previously escaped him, what he calls “a sense of peace.” “For years, everyone has talked about if I like Rudy, or talked about me going to the New York Knicks or the Miami Heat ,” he said. “So, it’s great to finally have that sense of peace.” (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) listens to Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during a time out during Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Salt Lake City. He’s in a locker room that seems to universally like each other. He’s surrounded himself with friends and family. And most importantly for him and the Cavaliers, Mitchell is playing some of the best basketball of his career. “Ideally, if I can paint a picture, I would win a championship at some point over the next five years,” he said. “It’s hard to win championships. It’s hard to win in this league. Despite public opinion, I love being in Cleveland and I want to win a title with this group.” Getting to this point hasn’t been easy for Mitchell, which is why this time he wants to actually enjoy the moment. He was the best player on that Jazz team in 2021, but he was far from the most experienced guy on the roster. Truth be told, he was far from the most mature player on that team. In most cases, humans mature naturally over four years simply through life experience. So, leading an upstart Cleveland team in 2024 is much different than it was for Mitchell in 2021. “I think the way he communicates is something that’s been very welcomed,” first-year Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He has an attention to detail and the way he reaches out and is constantly texting and communicating has been terrific. He’s embraced a leadership role here.” As the Cavaliers took consecutive games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers over the weekend, Mitchell’s teammates ribbed him in the locker room for his decrease in dunking this season. When Mitchell entered the league out of Louisville, he played above the rim. On Friday night, he settled for a basic two-handed dunk on a breakaway. When told by reporters and his teammates that that dunk would have been a windmill a few years ago, Mitchell laughed and pointed out that he’s dunked in three consecutive games. It was fun banter, but it serves as a metaphor for Mitchell, and the circle of basketball life in general. Mitchell isn’t the same athlete at 28 that he was at 22. Not many are. It’s one of the many reasons Mitchell knows that he and the Cavaliers have to take advantage of the opportunity that’s presenting itself. “You see the playoff losses, and it’s like, ‘OK, there is a window,” he said. Mitchell sees real similarities between this Cleveland team and that Jazz squad that raced to the top of the league. Naysayers claim Mitchell and Darius Garland are too small a backcourt to win a title, much as they did when Mitchell played alongside Conley in Utah. That Jazz team employed dynamic ball movement and a sophisticated offensive system that emphasized 3-point shooting. This Cleveland team does the same. That Jazz team and this Cleveland team had a monster lob threat and rim protector in the middle in Gobert and Jarrett Allen , respectively. That Jazz team and this Cleveland team both took the NBA by surprise with their regular-season success. There is a difference. This Cleveland team has Evan Mobley and that Jazz team didn’t. And Mobley is the kind of versatile two-way 7-footer who can make an outsized impact come playoff time. “It’s different because we have two (big men) back there,” Mitchell said. “It’s different because our perimeter defense has taken a step. But there are some very similar comparisons that are easy to look at and be like, OK, I can see that. There are definitely a lot of similarities.” Though Mitchell’s minutes and raw points production are down, if you watch him for an extended period, it’s obvious Mitchell is playing at an All-NBA level. He’s defending as well as he ever has as a pro, mainly because his decreased offensive usage is allowing him to focus more on defense. He’s playing with more pace while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range for the first time in his career. He’s no longer forcing himself on games, which has been a major weakness in the past. He’s trying harder than ever to empower teammates, mainly Mobley. Mitchell is playing 31.6 minutes a night, by far the lowest of his career. It remains to be seen how patient he will be in a playoff setting. But one of the reasons the Cavaliers have been so good this season is because Mitchell has embraced a smaller workload. And the irony of that is he’s become a better all-around player because of it. (Phil Long | AP) Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell (45) looks to pass as Utah Jazz Svi Myhailiuk, center, is blocked by Evan Mobley (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Monday Dec. 23, 2024. “Going this way, playing less minutes, that’s been the most different for me,” Mitchell said. “Winning cures everything and that is the most important thing. I had to get used to knowing that I can’t take that BS shot. But there is so much talent on this team, and it’s easy to recognize that. I think that the way the veterans were on me in Utah, the way they groomed me, that’s the same thing that I’m trying to do to these guys.” Mitchell doesn’t regret his time in Utah, or his relationship with Gobert, the good and the bad. Their breakup was unfortunate because they were so compatible with one another as players. Gobert wasn’t a scorer; Mitchell scored for both of them. Mitchell wasn’t the greatest defender in the world; Gobert was, in fact, the greatest defender in the world. Gobert was the best screener in the NBA; one of Mitchell’s main strengths is his ability to navigate screens off the dribble and walk into 3-point looks. They both wanted to win, but went about winning in differing ways. And both would tell you in honest moments that they didn’t handle themselves in the best way when it came to their differences off the floor. “I think we both would say that we weren’t our most mature selves,” Mitchell said. “But, it’s tough, because you’re never the most mature you are going to be when you are 21 or 22. The funny thing is that we were our best after the COVID thing . I think that’s when we got everything on the table and we were able to go and hoop. “I would do it all again if I could. I’m appreciative of that, because it allowed me to become this player and this person.” This article originally appeared in The Athletic .

Ukraine must be placed in the “strongest possible position for negotiations” to end the war with Russia, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”WINNIPEG — Kyle Walters doesn’t believe losing a third consecutive Grey Cup means the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ roster should be blown up. The CFL club’s general manager told reporters at his year-end availability Tuesday that reaching a fifth straight championship game by overcoming lots of injuries was a big accomplishment. Even before Winnipeg’s recent 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts, Walters said he was looking forward to next season. “I was excited for next year based on what I'm looking at, compared to years past, where we've got more young guys that have contributed that are under contract," he said. "We've got more young players in the building. So, the idea of, ‘This is the end of the road. The team is in a free-for-all downward,’ I don’t think is accurate. "We have a good group of guys and we were in a one-point (Grey Cup) game with 10 minutes left ... before things went downhill.” The Blue Bombers started the season 0-4, moved to 2-6 and finished 11-7 to claim the West Division title. Star receiver Dalton Schoen, veteran linebacker Adam Bighill and backup quarterback Chris Streveler all suffered season-ending injuries and are pending free agents. Negotiating with the team’s 27 unsigned players could be impacted by moves across the league among coaches, personnel staff and players such as quarterbacks, Walters said. The Bombers have given permission for offensive coordinator Buck Pierce to speak to the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Elks about those teams’ vacant head-coaching jobs, he said. Walters also revealed the Ottawa Redblacks were given the go-ahead to talk to Richie Hall about their defensive coordinator vacancy. Hall was a Winnipeg defensive assistant this season after Jordan Younger took over from him as defensive coordinator. Walters said the Bombers received permission to speak to Lions offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic in case Pierce leaves. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have already been given the OK to talk to Winnipeg assistant general managers Danny McManus and Ted Goveia about the Ticats’ GM opening. “You're hesitant to have too much conversation with people who may not be in the organization next year, so it's just been me and (head coach) Mike (O’Shea) in this moment huddled together and talking about next year,” Walters said. He said an NFL team had asked Tuesday morning to work out one Blue Bomber, but he didn’t reveal the player’s name in case he wasn’t aware of the request yet. The Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup in 2019 and ’21, but lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes last year and 24-23 to Toronto in 2022. Winnipeg re-signed placekicker Sergio Castillo last week. Walters said he’d like to have deals done with three or four main players before the end of the year. The team has some up-and-coming young players inked for next year, and injuries gave others valuable experience on both sides of the ball, Walters said. Receivers such as rookie Ontaria Wilson (1,026 yards receiving in 18 games) and Keric Wheatfall (273 yards in seven games) are signed through next season. “The experience that they got was invaluable,” Walters said. Re-signing players who missed time because of injuries can get tricky. “Organizationally, can we approach (their agents) and say, 'Well, your guy was hurt, he should come back for less money?’” Walters said. “Generally, they don't view it like that. They view that they'll be back 100 per cent.” One question mark is the backup to starting quarterback Zach Collaros, who suffered a deep cut to the index finger of his throwing hand late in the third quarter of the Grey Cup. Collaros got five stitches and numbing agent applied to his finger. He returned with a bandage on it, but admitted he had a hard time gripping the ball. “We'll have to find out who our offensive coordinator is first,” Walters said when asked who might be Collaros’s backup. Terry Wilson, who briefly replaced Collaros in the Grey Cup, and Jake Dolegala are signed for next year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Judy Owen, The Canadian PressUkraine must be in strong position for negotiations, Starmer to say

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A gang of Bangladesh student protesters entered the offices of the investor of a television station, accusing it of "propaganda", protesters said yesterday, with at least five journalists subsequently fired. The students had taken part in the August revolution that toppled prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose tenure was marked as one of the worst periods for media freedom. Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, led around 15 to 20 students on December 17 to the offices of City Group, which invests in Somoy Television. "Somoy Television was spreading propaganda, twisting my comments, and accommodating the views of a fallen political party," Hasnat told AFP. "We are staunch supporters of press freedom, but the press must remain unbiased," Hasnat said, adding that he saw no issue in making demands -- but rejecting reports that the students had handed over a list of those they wanted to be fired. The managing director of the business conglomerate that funds the television station did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The incident has intensified fear among journalists in the wake of the revolution. One journalist, Omar Faroque, who had been a senior editor of the television station, said he was among the five who received a termination letter without reason. "The television authorities requested a few of us to step down for the greater good of the station," Faroque told AFP. "We demanded an explanation for the decision, but the authorities refused to provide any." Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has repeatedly insisted he wants media freedom. CA's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam sought to distance the government, saying that if someone "takes any action, the responsibility lies with them". Press watchdogs say many journalists -- seen by critics as having supported Hasina when she was in power -- face police investigations in apparent retaliation for their past work. At least four journalists were imprisoned, and scores are facing legal cases across the country. Hasina and her government were frequently accused of exerting undue pressure on the handful of independent media outlets, including shutting down newspapers and TV channels and imprisoning journalists. After Hasina's government fell, several TV channels, including Somoy TV, came under attack for their alleged allegiance to her Awami League. In November, protesters besieged the offices of Prothom Alo, the largest Bangla-language newspaper, and threatened to shut it down, as well as The Daily Star. Press freedom in Bangladesh has long been under threat. Bangladesh ranks 165 out of 180 countries in press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders. A gang of Bangladesh student protesters entered the offices of the investor of a television station, accusing it of "propaganda", protesters said yesterday, with at least five journalists subsequently fired. The students had taken part in the August revolution that toppled prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose tenure was marked as one of the worst periods for media freedom. Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, led around 15 to 20 students on December 17 to the offices of City Group, which invests in Somoy Television. "Somoy Television was spreading propaganda, twisting my comments, and accommodating the views of a fallen political party," Hasnat told AFP. "We are staunch supporters of press freedom, but the press must remain unbiased," Hasnat said, adding that he saw no issue in making demands -- but rejecting reports that the students had handed over a list of those they wanted to be fired. The managing director of the business conglomerate that funds the television station did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The incident has intensified fear among journalists in the wake of the revolution. One journalist, Omar Faroque, who had been a senior editor of the television station, said he was among the five who received a termination letter without reason. "The television authorities requested a few of us to step down for the greater good of the station," Faroque told AFP. "We demanded an explanation for the decision, but the authorities refused to provide any." Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has repeatedly insisted he wants media freedom. CA's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam sought to distance the government, saying that if someone "takes any action, the responsibility lies with them". Press watchdogs say many journalists -- seen by critics as having supported Hasina when she was in power -- face police investigations in apparent retaliation for their past work. At least four journalists were imprisoned, and scores are facing legal cases across the country. Hasina and her government were frequently accused of exerting undue pressure on the handful of independent media outlets, including shutting down newspapers and TV channels and imprisoning journalists. After Hasina's government fell, several TV channels, including Somoy TV, came under attack for their alleged allegiance to her Awami League. In November, protesters besieged the offices of Prothom Alo, the largest Bangla-language newspaper, and threatened to shut it down, as well as The Daily Star. Press freedom in Bangladesh has long been under threat. Bangladesh ranks 165 out of 180 countries in press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders.A Nov. 21 Facebook post ( , ) includes an image showing a woman standing next to a young girl and holding a sign that says “I want my daughter to have the right to abortion that I didn’t have.” On-screen text in the image reads, “When your mom is ‘subtly’ saying she doesn’t love you." It was shared more than 1,500 times in 11 days. Other versions of the claim spread widely on and . | | The message on the sign has been altered. The original sign was written in Spanish and translates to “I am the mother of the girl you will never touch.” The claim came weeks after millions of around the United States. Abortion rights have been governed at the since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. But the pro-abortion rights sign in the image circulating on social media isn't authentic. It’s an altered version of a photo included in a published by La Casa de Todas y Todos, a Mexico-based website. The article describes that took place earlier that month in Monterrey, the capital of the Mexican state of Nuevo León. The woman’s sign says “Soy mamá de la niña que jamás vas a tocar,” “I am the mother of the girl you will never touch.” Neither the woman nor the child was named in the photo's caption. : USA TODAY has debunked an array of altered images, including those that purport to show a legitimate , Taylor Swift in support of President-elect Donald Trump, and Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz . USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. , and also debunked the claim. Google, accessed Nov. 30, La Casa de Todas y Todos, March 24, 2023,Wall Street's main indexes all closed higher on Tuesday, with gains in megacap and growth stocks bolstering benchmarks in a truncated Christmas Eve session. Both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite scored four straight sessions of gains, with the S&P 500 taking its winning streak to three sessions, marking the first day of the seasonal Santa Claus rally. The Dow had skidded for 10 straight sessions earlier this month, its longest losing streak since 1974. With megacap stocks having outsized influence on markets, their performance is often a key driver of indexes. When coupled with reduced trading volumes and few other catalysts, as many investors take time off for the holidays, this is even more pronounced. All the so-called Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks climbed on Tuesday, led by the 7.4% jump in Tesla shares. The automaker's best one-day gain in six weeks helped push the consumer discretionary index 2.6% higher. It was the top gaining sector in the S&P, with all 11 ending in positive territory. Elsewhere, chip manufacturers were also buoyant. Broadcom and Nvidia rose 3.2% and 0.4%, respectively, while Arm Holdings climbed 3.9%, recouping most of the losses suffered the previous day from losing a court case. Growth names rose despite U.S. Treasury interest rates remaining elevated - the benchmark 10-year note yielded around 4.61% on Tuesday, its highest level since May. Traditionally, higher debt costs crimp growth stocks. However, the long-term themes around technology development, including advancements in artificial intelligence, overshadow any near-term moves in Treasuries, said Charlie Ripley, senior investment strategist for Allianz Investment Management. "This reinforces that view that the sector is going to remain strong, and should be well into the new year," he said. The S&P 500 climbed 65.97 points, or 1.10%, to 6,040.04 points, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 266.24 points, or 1.35%, to 20,031.13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 390.08 points, or 0.91%, to 43,297.03. Stock markets shut at 1:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and will be closed for Christmas on Wednesday. After a stellar run to record highs following the November U.S. election, which sparked hopes of pro-business policies under President-elect Donald Trump, Wall Street's rally hit a bump this month as investors grappled with the prospect of higher interest rates in 2025. The Federal Reserve eased borrowing costs for the third time this year last Wednesday, but signaled only two more 25-basis-point reductions next year, down from its September projection of four cuts, as policymakers weigh the possibility of Trump's policies stoking inflation. Allianz's Ripley said the themes which had driven the market higher in the past two months remained intact, and actions by the Fed had not killed the rally. "Heading into 2025, things are set up with good positioning," he said, noting factors including economic outlook, consumption in the U.S. and the labor market. Crypto-related stocks traded higher on Tuesday, with Microstrategy, Riot Platforms, and MARA Holdings all climbing between 4.7% and 8.1%, as the price of bitcoin advanced. NeueHealth soared 75% after the healthcare provider said New Enterprise Associates, its largest shareholder, and a group of existing investors will take the company private in a $1.3 billion deal. American Airlines' shares edged up 0.6% after trading lower for much of the session. The carrier briefly grounded all its flights in the United States on Tuesday due to an unspecified technical issue. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

A Glen Burnie man was charged with a felony Sunday after authorities reviewed a TikTok video “clearly” showing him burning the words “TRUMP” and “USA” onto the road outside his home, according to the Maryland Judiciary. An investigator with the Anne Arundel County Fire Marshal Division wrote in charging documents that Craig Philip McQuin used an illegal flamethrower to spell out the two words. Maryland law considers flamethrowers “destructive devices,” akin to a bomb, and bans their possession and use in the state. A summons for McQuin, 35, to appear before a judge was issued Sunday, though a date was not specified in the court record. As of Monday morning, it had not yet been served. Attempts to contact McQuin using a phone number listed in public records were unsuccessful. Fire investigators responded Nov. 15 to a vandalism complaint in the Creekside Village community. According to charging documents, the burn marks were in the middle of the road, making the affected area “noticeably darker.” Authorities described the marks as between 15 and 20 feet in length and approximately 5 feet in width, according to charging documents. A police officer at the scene learned the incident had been captured on video and uploaded the online video after speaking with the community’s homeowner association, investigators said. After identifying McQuin as the property owner, fire officials watched the TikTok published on his wife’s account. Unlike her other social media pages, McQuin’s wife’s TikTok account does not focus on politics, but is largely dedicated to two pigs she cares for. One photo carousel, however, shows a wooden structure being built outside the White House. “Things are about to get spooky...Hang them all!” she posted on Halloween. As of Monday, the flamethrower video could no longer be seen on the wife’s TikTok page. It also did not appear on a Truth Social account with the same username. Truth Social was launched in 2022 by President Donald Trump after Facebook and Twitter banned him in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. When Twitter, which now operates as X, was bought by Elon Musk, Trump’s account was reinstated. Facebook similarly ended its ban last year. Authorities wrote in charging documents that the flamethrower McQuin used can be purchased in every state except for Maryland. According to the manufacturer’s website, though the device used in Glen Burnie was a “long range torch,” capable of pushing fire 25 feet, flamethrowers are “outright prohibited” in Maryland. McQuin was charged with a felony for possession of a destructive device, court records show, and also two misdemeanors: second-degree malicious burning, and malicious destruction of property valued at $1,000 or higher. According to charging documents, road repairs ost $5,500. The maximum penalty for the felony is 25 years in prison, according to state sentencing guidelines . The alleged vandalism was investigated 10 days after the 2024 election, in which Trump became the second politician in American history to be elected to two nonconsecutive presidential terms. Though 63% of Maryland voters supported Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in the November election, approximately 55% of Anne Arundel County voters backed her, according to the state Board of Elections. More than 41% of county voters voted for Trump, a nearly identical figure to 2020, when Trump, then the incumbent, lost to Joe Biden. Have a news tip? Contact Luke Parker at lparker@baltsun.com , 410-725-6214, or on X @lparkernews .Buy Smarter: The Consumer Guide to Smart TVs‘It’s clear he’s in charge now’: Lawmakers react to Trump’s ‘unprecedented’ involvement ahead of inauguration

A stock split is a corporate action where a company issues additionalshares to shareholders, increasing the total number of shares while reducingthe share price proportionally. This process does not alter the company’smarket capitalization but can affect investor perception and participation.Hearing Stock Splits for the first time? Choose investment education to learnmore! The bitindexai.top/ can help you to connect with education firms. Types of StockSplits Forward Stock Splits In a forward stock split, acompany issues more shares to existing shareholders based on a specified ratio.For example, in a 2-for-1 split, shareholders receive two shares for everyshare they own. This lowers the share price, making it more affordable for awider range of investors. Reverse Stock Splits Conversely, a reverse stocksplit consolidates shares to increase the share price. For instance, in a1-for-10 reverse split, ten shares are consolidated into one, increasing theshare price tenfold. This is often done to boost the stock price and meet minimumlisting requirements. Historical Contextand Trends Evolution of Stock Splits Historically, stock splitshave been used by companies to manage share prices and liquidity. In the early20th century, splits were more common as companies aimed to keep share priceswithin an attractive range for investors. Impact of Technology andGlobalization With advancements intechnology and the rise of global trading platforms, the frequency and natureof stock splits have evolved. Today, stock splits are less common but still astrategic tool for companies looking to enhance their market presence. Reasons for StockSplits Improving Liquidity One primary reason for astock split is to enhance liquidity. By increasing the number of shares andlowering the price per share, trading becomes more active. This improvedliquidity can attract institutional and retail investors. Attracting Retail Investors A lower share pricepost-split can make stocks more attractive to individual investors. Thepsychological appeal of purchasing more shares at a lower price oftenstimulates investor interest and participation. Signal of Company Health A stock split can signalconfidence in a company's future performance. Companies typically split theirstock after a sustained period of growth, suggesting to investors that theyanticipate continued success. The Mechanics of aStock Split Process and Calculation During a stock split, thecompany determines a split ratio, such as 3-for-1. If a shareholder owns 100shares before the split, they will own 300 shares post-split. The share priceadjusts accordingly to reflect this change, so if the pre-split price was $300,the post-split price would be $100. Impact on Share Price and MarketCapitalization While the stock pricedecreases, the overall market capitalization remains unchanged. For example, a$1 billion market cap company with 1 million shares trading at $1,000 per sharewould have the same market cap if it performed a 2-for-1 split, resulting in 2million shares trading at $500 each. Investor Perceptionand Behavior Psychological Effects Stock splits often influenceinvestor psychology. Lower share prices can create a sense of affordability andaccessibility, which may lead to increased buying activity. This psychologicalboost can enhance investor participation in the market. Market Reaction Market reactions to stocksplits can vary. Typically, there is a short-term increase in trading volumeand volatility. However, long-term effects depend on the company’s performanceand market conditions. Investors often view splits as a positive indicator,though the actual impact on stock performance may be limited. Pros and Cons of Stock Splits Advantages for Companies For companies, stock splitscan enhance liquidity, attract more investors, and maintain a desirable shareprice. This can improve marketability and support capital-raising efforts.Additionally, a split can be a strategic move to align share prices with investorexpectations. Disadvantages and Criticisms On the downside, stock splitscan lead to short-term volatility and market speculation. Critics argue thatsplits are often used to mask underlying issues or as a marketing tool ratherthan addressing fundamental business challenges. Regulatory andCompliance Considerations Regulatory Requirements Stock splits are regulated byfinancial authorities, such as the SEC in the United States. Companies mustprovide detailed disclosures about the split, including the rationale andimpact on shareholders. Compliance ensures transparency and protects investorinterests. Impact on Financial Statements Financial statements must beadjusted to reflect stock splits. Companies need to update their earnings pershare (EPS) calculations and other financial metrics to maintain accuracy andconsistency for investors. Future of StockSplits Trends and Innovations The future of stock splitsmay involve innovations such as more flexible split ratios or integratedtechnology solutions to streamline the process. Companies might also explorealternative strategies, like share buybacks or dividend payments, to achieve similargoals. Alternative Strategies Instead of traditional stocksplits, companies are increasingly using share buybacks to manage stock pricesand enhance shareholder value. These strategies offer alternative ways toachieve desired market outcomes without altering the share structure. Stock splits remain a significant tool for companies seeking to boostinvestor participation and manage share prices. While they offer variousbenefits, including improved liquidity and enhanced market appeal, they alsocome with potential drawbacks and complexities. Understanding the mechanics andimplications of stock splits helps investors make informed decisions and betternavigate market dynamics.The arctic blast impacting much of the continental U.S. may be ending soon, but one region is bracing another cold-related weather event this week. The eastern half of the U.S. from Minnesota to northern Florida and up to New England was blanketed in frigid conditions on Friday morning, a continuation of freezing temperatures experienced all over the country in recent days. Wind chills Friday morning were below zero degrees Fahrenheit in Minneapolis, near-zero in Chicago and in the teens and single digits in the Northeast. Temperatures are near freezing in northern Florida and southern Georgia, where a frost advisory was issued. MORE: Arctic blast to blanket much of US with below-freezing temperatures Lake effect snow -- the result of cold air moving over the Great Lakes while they are still ice-free -- brought 3.5 feet of snow to western New York and up to 20 inches to northern lower Michigan on Thursday. Winds gusted to near 40 mph, creating whiteout conditions in heaviest lake-effect snow bands. On Friday morning, the lake effect snow warning continued for Ohio, Pennsylvania and western New York, where some areas could accumulate between 6 inches and a foot of snow, forecasts show. The cold air will last for one more day on Saturday before a moderating trend begins on Sunday and into next week for most of the East. However, a new storm system is moving into the Plains and the Midwest Friday into Saturday morning. The National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning for Iowa and other ice alerts from Kansas to Minnesota. MORE: It’s cold outside, what happened to global warming? Meteorologists explain climate versus weather. Cities like Des Moines, Minneapolis and Omaha are under alerts later from Friday and into Saturday morning. Freezing rain could glaze roads to more than a half an inch, creating treacherous driving conditions. What is an ice storm? Heavy precipitation when temperatures are below freezing can create an ice storm, according to the National Weather Service . MORE: Why ice did not form in the Great Lakes this winter season Accumulations of ice can down trees, communication towers and utility poles, according to the NWS. In addition, ice storms can create black ice -- patchy ice on roadways or other transportation surfaces that cannot easily be seen -- and ice jams in lakes and streams, which can contribute to severe flooding, the NWS said. How to prepare for an ice storm The NWS advises residents under threat of a winter storm to make sure homes, vehicles and offices are stocked with necessary supplies, such as chargers, food, first aid kids, fuel and jumper cables. The agency also advised residents to make sure pets and farm animals have the essentials they need.

The is already poised to land three participants in the , and the chances that tally reaches four considerably increased on Monday, Dec. 2. At 10-2 and occupying the No. 8 spot in the CFP standings heading into last weekend's slate, the are the odd-men out when it comes to the SEC Championship Game. However, that also makes it highly likely that they will slide into one of the 12 spots in the playoff field, as they have no more games to play before the proceedings begin. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.

COLUMN: How to Thrive in 2025. BBB's guide to scam-free livingFlames’ Huberdeau Leading the Charge OffensivelyI saved myself and you $70 by simply modding Skyrim to be indistinguishable from Metaphor: ReFantazio, the year's best RPG

Trent Williams' wife annouces passing of newborn son

Patrick Fishburn leads at Sea Island as Joel Dahmen keeps alive hopes of keeping his job’Unsinkable Mrs. Brown’ was Hannibal native

49ers GM John Lynch says Brock Purdy status ‘tenuous’ after MRI on shoulder injuryThe benchmark S&P 500 and Nasdaq continued their upward trend on Tuesday, driven by a rally in technology stocks, while market participants considered President-elect Donald Trump's tariff proposals. The Federal Reserve's recent minutes revealed a division among officials regarding future interest rate cuts. U.S. short-term interest-rate futures reduced earlier losses following this revelation. The discussions from the Fed's November meeting suggested a wait-and-see approach in offering monetary policy guidance. Trump's announcement of a 25% conditional tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports, which may challenge an existing trade agreement, further intensified trade tensions. An additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports was also proposed, escalating the threat of a trade conflict. Shares of Ford and General Motors declined significantly, reflecting worries about increased production costs and potential revenue dips. Market analyst Robert Pavlik remarked on the current investor uncertainty. Major indices showed mixed results with the Dow Jones experiencing a slight decline, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted gains, supported by tech giants like Microsoft and Apple. Financial and automotive sectors faced challenges amid complex trade and regulatory landscapes. (With inputs from agencies.)

DeBrusk scores in return to Boston as Canucks shut out Bruins 2-0 behind Lankinen

 

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Savion Williams rushed for two touchdowns and Josh Hoover threw for 252 yards as TCU pulled away from Arizona in the second half, winning 49-28 on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. The Horned Frogs (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions, starting late in the first half after the Wildcats (4-7, 2-6) pulled within 14-13. Williams carried nine times for 80 yards, scoring on runs of 1 and 20 yards in the first half. Hoover completed 19 of 26 passes, with one touchdown and one interception, before being pulled midway through the fourth quarter when the Frogs were up by 21. TCU took control after leading 21-13 at halftime, going up 35-13 on a 38-yard reception to JP Richardson midway through the third. Arizona kept its hopes alive, ending a 15-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Chris Hunter on fourth down on the first play of the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion made it 35-21. But the Horned Frogs responded with another TD drive, capped by a 6-yard run by Cam Cook for a 42-21 advantage. Arizona added a 70-yard fumble return touchdown with one minute to go for the game's final score. Tetairoa McMillan caught nine passes for 115 yards to become the Arizona career leader in receiving yardage with 3,355. He surpassed his receivers coach, Bobby Wade (3,351), at the top spot. The Wildcats' Noah Fifita completed 29 of 44 passes for 284 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, which happened on the game's first snap. TCU promptly scored on a 4-yard run by Trent Battle, and Williams added a 1-yard TD run late in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead. But the Wildcats fought back, getting a 17-yard touchdown reception by Hunter and field goals of 53 and 43 yards from Tyler Loop to climb within 14-13 with 1:55 go before halftime. That's almost how the half ended, but the Horned Frogs converted third-and-18 on the ensuing drive and then gained 24 yards on third-and-25 to the Arizona 20. That set up a 20-yard run by Williams on fourth-and-1 with 13 seconds left for a 21-13 lead. --Field Level MediaFBI investigating ‘numerous bomb threats’ against Trump administration nomineesIt’s just about time to call it quits on 2024 and already the previous year feels like a blur. Before we set our sights on the future, though, let’s take a moment to take a glance back. Interprovincial Manhunt One of the most startling stories to hit our region last year began in the wee hours of a summer morning, bringing tragedy to Niverville’s doorstep. On June 5, residents awoke to news of a police confrontation in front of the Shell station on the west side of town. As the day unfolded, locals learned that one man was dead as a result of RCMP gunfire and two more suspected criminals had fled the scene in a stolen vehicle. David Frank Burling, 29, was arrested in rural Saskatchewan after a chase across two provinces that ended later in the day. The woman in his company was eventually released without charges. Burling and his deceased accomplice, Tristan Mariash, had a long history with the law. Both had received early release from prison months prior. In February 2023, Burling was charged with attempted murder, assaulting a police officer with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, and two counts of theft. After serving just 72 days of a two-and-a-half-year sentence, Burling was at it again. The manhunt began just after midnight in Winnipeg. Working together, the Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP tracked the trio’s stolen F-350 with the aid of a police helicopter, leading them to Providence University College in Otterburne. One Otterburne resident recalled waking up to the sound of gunshots near his home on campus. Proof of the altercation could be seen in the form of a police cruiser on the side of the highway. It contained 14 bullet holes. The manhunt continued to Niverville, where the criminals were spotted attempting to steal a different vehicle parked at the Shell station. Some residents reported being awoken around 3:00 a.m. to the sound of a woman’s screams. Burling and his female companion successfully fled the scene, but Mariash died when attempts by Niverville EMS to resuscitate him failed. Stormy Rollout of Plan20-50 Perhaps the most tumultuous story came later in the summer, due to a high tide of public criticism over the Winnipeg Metro Region’s (WMR) proposed Plan20-50, a 127-page document intended to operate as a 30-year guide to regional planning for the 18 municipalities making up the capital region, including Niverville and the RM of Ritchot. Events came to a head on August 8 when a public hearing held by the WMR at the Niverville Heritage Centre was met with hundreds of disgruntled attendees. Many were turned away due to a lack of seating. RCMP were on site to maintain order. That August public hearing had to be cancelled. To date, no new hearing has been set and the future of the plan is highly uncertain. For many attending the meeting that day, Plan20-50 is anything but innocuous. Many believe it represents a threat to the freedom of movement Manitobans currently enjoy. Terms such as “15-minute city,” “density targets,” and “global agenda” cropped up in conversation and social media for weeks. One Niverville public council meeting required an RCMP presence. Some Plan20-50 objectors were escorted out when they demanded their voice be heard in a session unrelated to plan. In the coming weeks, several councils expressed disenchantment with Plan20-50 and the WMR’s approach, among them the Town of Niverville and Ritchot mayor Chris Ewen. “This letter is not to express my position either for or against the plan itself, but to indicate my concern about the misinformation and the lack of clarification allowed from the WMR board members,” Ewen said in his public statement. In part, he referred to a letter from the WMR which requested that board members not communicate about Plan20-50 with their constituents during the public hearing process. Around the same time, a statement from Niverville’s council conveyed a list of specific concerns, including Niverville’s forced inclusion on the WMR board. Mandated participation from the 18 RMs had been made official in March 2023. Late in the summer, Premier Wab Kinew stated his intent to provide an opt-out option for municipalities. Tumult in Education The year also brought turmoil to local two school divisions. The Seine River School Division (SRSD) was assigned a provincial investigator in January to conduct a deep dive into the division’s troubled finances. This was in response to the revelation of a $3.1 million deficit reported by the division late in 2023. It was estimated that the deficit would grow to $5.3 million without some deep budget cuts. The coming weeks required hard work from the SRSD trustee board in terms of cutbacks and tax hikes. The board also faced the prospect of losing a number of teachers who were considering a move at the end of the school year. If that weren’t enough, a 15-day strike of custodial workers followed in February, which ended with the trustee board agreeing to a wage increase. By May, superintendent/CEO Ryan Anderson called it quits. He was replaced by Hanover School Division’s (HSD) Colin Campbell later that summer. HSD itself underwent a staffing shake-up this past year, with superintendent/CEO Shelley Amos giving notice early in 2024. The role was assumed by Joe Thiessen, a 28-year HSD veteran. And when Campbell left shortly after, he was replaced by Marlin Adrian. Other big administrative changes came to the Niverville High School when Principal Kimberley Funk gave her notice. Funk had been instrumental in opening the school in 2019 and played a significant role in the implementation of a project-based program. Funk was replaced by Paul Grosskopf, new to HSD after years serving as vice principal and instructional coach at École St. Adolphe. As in the case of the SRSD, the province deemed it necessary to appoint an advisor to the HSD trustee board last year, too. This was the result of accusations of discrimination by a group calling themselves the Hanover Parent Alliance for Diversity (HPAD). This was the second time in seven years that the HSD board faced such allegations. In both cases, the concerns revolved around the division’s lack of inclusivity for members of the LGBTQ community. HPAD alleged that the board was attempting to vet teachers who identified with or were sympathetic to the LGBTQ community, a role which traditionally does not fall into the trustees’ wheelhouse. Late last year, HSD announced staffing cuts for 93 educational assistants (EA) due to a lack of government follow-through on funding promised through Jordan’s Principle grants. “In early summer, the regional office for Indigenous Services Canada informed us that, based upon our renewal application for Jordan’s Principle funding, we could proceed with hiring staff for the start of the new school year,” superintendent-CEO Joe Thiessen said. “With this information, we proceeded in good faith that funding was secured. However, over the past few months, responsibility for administering the funding shifted to the federal office of Indigenous Services Canada. This change was introduced without our knowledge and now requires us to reapply for funding, which we intend to do.” In the meantime, a good number of HSD’s Indigenous students currently lack the EA supports they’ve become accustomed to in recent years. Infrastructure Starts and Stops Both Ritchot and Niverville saw some significant infrastructure improvements this year. After years of waiting on the province, residents of Île-des-Chênes are finally driving along a rebuilt Main Street, although construction wasn’t without its issues. It didn’t take some residents long to criticize the seemingly narrow lanes being created with the development of bump-outs, or parking bubbles, along the street. Following conversations between the construction company, the RM’s public works department, and an engineering team, it was concluded that wider lanes would be preferable. The already installed concrete curbing was removed and rebuilt, widening the lane from 10 feet, 8 inches to a full 12 feet. Meanwhile, tendering for St. Adolphe’s Main Street rebuild is scheduled to begin in spring 2025. Ste. Agathe residents are also adjusting to new traffic flows thanks to the restoration of the Louis Riel Bridge. In its entirety, construction is expected to last well into 2026. This project, estimated at $48.6 million, will involve a major reconstruction of the structure’s foundation to bring it up to current federal standards. The deck and railings will be replaced, creating wider lanes and shoulders. The sidewalk will be separated from traffic by concrete barriers. The Louis Riel Bridge was first built in 1959, replacing a ferry system that had transported vehicles across the Red River. It has since served as a vital east-west link, connecting traffic from the east side of the river to Highway 75. Another significant infrastructure undertaking this year resulted in a large-scale refurbishment of the RM’s civic office building and grounds. The building is now twice as large and includes new council chambers, a brightly lit reception area, and new office spaces. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on October 16. However, another Ritchot project never made it off the ground. This was Legacy Park in Île-des-Chênes. For more than a decade, council had been working with a planning committee to establish the details of a 40-acre park to be built on land leased from TC Energy. In July, a statement from the RM revealed that TC Energy had had a change of heart. “Our plan was to use this land to develop a much-needed park space in the community,” the RM said. “Unfortunately, and to our disappointment, TC Energy has stated that they are unable to donate this parcel of land at this time but will work with the municipality to identify other areas they may be able to support the community.” One month later, a residential development was temporarily put on hold in St. Adolphe. The housing project at 420 Main Street was nearly ready to get underway when newly placed lot boundary markers uncovered an unexpected problem. On the development side of the markers lay a grave marked by a headstone with the name Marie-Thérèse Leclerc. Leclerc was seven years old at the time of her death and had been laid to rest here, next to the parish cemetery, more than a century earlier. The story took on a surprising twist when parishioners and longtime St. Adolphe residents began to speak up with knowledge of other historical graves on the site. It turned out that grave makers for many children once buried here had been washed away during the 1950 flood. All that had been left to memorialize them was a granite cairn, erected at the southeast corner of the parish property. On that cairn is etched the names of dozens of deceased who are listed in the parish’s records. In late September, the province sent in an excavation team to determine the degree to which these graves would be disturbed by the residential development. Later that same week, construction was finally able to get going. Water Hookups and Land Annexations In March, Niverville’s council was taken by surprise when hundreds of residents showed up to an informational open house on the topic of an opportunity for them to hook up to the town’s water system. At present, there are still about 700 households using private wells in Niverville. The goal of council that night was to glean public interest in municipal water treatment plant hookup if a significant grant could be obtained to help mitigate homeowner costs. Passions ran high for many who attended the meeting, worried they were being pushed into a very expensive hookup for a service they didn’t want. In the end, the mayor and council answered questions as best they could and provided a survey for well owners to fill out. Without an 80 percent buy-in, they said they would not proceed with water treatment plant mainlines through the older sections of Niverville. A few weeks later, the results were in. Based on responses from 51 percent of affected homeowners, the answer was a resounding no. Niverville was on the receiving end of another no late in the year. In November, the province officially declined council’s request for a 2,600-acre land annexation. The land in question runs to Niverville’s east, from the community’s current boundary all the way to Highway 59. If approved, it would have more than doubled Niverville’s current footprint and provided an answer to how the community can continue to grow over the next 50 years. For now, Mayor Myron Dyck says, the plan has gone back to the drawing board. Council first applied to the province for this annexation two years ago in response to a sustainable growth strategy report prepared for them by Urban Systems. According to that report, based on Niverville’s current rate of growth, the community would run out of developable residential land in the next 15 to 20 years. “Although 20 years may seem like a long time, it is important to plan proactively for the future to ensure sustainable growth for Niverville,” stated a 2022 council press release. “Transferring lands now will ensure that [the parcels] do not become fragmented or developed with incompatible uses, and more difficult to transfer or develop in the future.”

AP News Summary at 5:42 p.m. ESTMOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — Isaiah Smith ran for a career-high 205 yards on 31 carries and scored a touchdown and San Diego beat Morehead State 37-14 in a season-ending contest for both teams on Saturday. Grant Sergent threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns for San Diego (8-3, 6-2 Pioneer Football League) which ended the season with a four-game win streak and winners of six of seven. The Toreros finished in sole possession of second place in the PFL behind Drake (7-1), which clinched the league outright with a 49-10 win over Stetson on Saturday. Drake beat San Diego 30-28 on a walk-off field goal on Sept. 28 in Des Moines, Iowa. Bryce Patterson threw for 133 yards and a touchdown and James Louis ran for a touchdown for the Eagles (7-5, 5-3). ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Here’s a peek at the injury report for the Charlotte Hornets (7-23), which currently has two players listed, as the Hornets prepare for their matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-5, four injured players) at Spectrum Center on Saturday, December 28 at 6:00 PM ET. Watch the NBA, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up. The Hornets enter this contest following a 113-110 loss to the Wizards on Thursday. In the Hornets’ loss, LaMelo Ball led the way with a team-high 31 points (adding six rebounds and six assists). The Thunder’s last outing on Thursday ended in a 120-114 win against the Pacers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 45 points in the Thunder’s win, leading the team. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get live and on-demand access to NBA games. Get tickets for any NBA game this season at StubHub. Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

 

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phmacao com login SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step downGilbert makes clutch layup, steal as No. 7 LSU beats Washington 68-67 in the BahamasThe Minnesota Vikings will have the salary cap space to be major players in 2025 free agency, and their primary focus will likely be on the secondary. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah bolstered his cornerback room in 2024 by adding both Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore, but both players signed one-year contracts. Veteran Byron Murphy Jr. is in a similar situation, currently playing out the end of a two-year, $17.5 million contract signed back in 2023. The Vikings will have more key decisions to make at safety, with Harrison Smith entering his age 36 season and former fourth-round pick Camryn Bynum up for a new contract. Smith is signed through 2025, but the 26-year-old Bynum could be a potential flight risk if he hits the open market, according to Kris Knox of Bleacher Report . In his NFC scouting reports for Week 13, Knox predicted that Bynum will land with the Bengals , as Cincinnati looks to fix a defense that’s allowing 27 points per game in 2024. Here was Knox’s take on the potential signing: “The decision to sign Geno Stone has not worked out. Stone's breakout season in Baltimore might have been a mirage, because the player who racked up seven interceptions last season has now become a part of the problem for a secondary that has been one of the league's worst. Cutting Stone and targeting Camryn Bynum with some of the cap savings could be a major move toward fixing things. Bynum is only 26 years old and has excelled in multiple defensive systems with the Vikings.” Bynum has been a playmaker for the Vikings, which should make him a prime candidate for an extension prior to free agency. He racked up 137 tackles last season, leading the team by a wide margin, and already has a career-high three interceptions through 11 games in 2024. It’s somewhat surprising that the Vikings didn’t get Bynum locked up long-term after his breakout season in 2023, but the team prioritized getting deals done for both Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw. With an abundance of projected cap space next offsesason, Bynum and Murphy Jr. are Minnesota’s next in line to get paid. A team like the Bengals would likely jump at the opportunity to land a young, rising talent like Bynum in free agency. The guess here is that the Vikings, given their current roster needs, won’t let it get to that point in 2025. Related Minnesota Vikings stories: Vikings predicted to add former $128 million All-Pro QB as J.J. McCarthy insurance NFL power rankings Week 13: Vikings deserve mention among Lions, Eagles in NFC Kevin O’Connell’s legend grows following message to Bears rookie Caleb Williams Minnesota among 2 ‘likeliest teams’ to sign exiled $160 million QB next week

Katy Perry’s ‘Lifetimes’ tour coming to Canada this summer

Bruins veteran, interim coach happy to see Jim Montgomery land on his feetVikings waive TE Nick Muse

Best TV of 2024: A modestly better lineup than usual, but why didn’t it feel that way?A Nevada commissioner has rejected Rupert Murdoch’s bid to change his family trust to consolidate control of his media empire in the hands of his son Lachlan, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing a sealed court document. Nevada commissioner Edmund Gorman concluded in a decision filed on Saturday that Rupert Murdoch and his eldest son, Lachlan, who is the head of Fox News parent Fox Corp and News Corp, had acted in “bad faith” in their effort to amend the irrevocable trust, the Times reported. The court docket indicates it issued a recommendation or order Saturday under seal. The trust currently would divide control of the company equally among Rupert Murdoch’s four oldest children—Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—after his death. | Potentially, three of the heirs could out-vote a fourth, setting up a battle over the future of the companies, even as Lachlan Murdoch runs Fox and is sole chair of News Corp. A spokesman for Rupert Murdoch, 93, could not immediately be reached for comment. Rupert Murdoch’s proposed amendment would have blocked any interference by three of Lachlan’s siblings, who are more politically moderate. In his opinion, Gorman said the plan to change the trust was a “carefully crafted charade” to “permanently cement Lachlan Murdoch’s executive roles” inside the empire “regardless of the impacts such control would have over the companies or the beneficiaries” of the family trust, the Times said. A lawyer for Rupert Murdoch, Adam Streisand, said they were disappointed with the ruling and intended to appeal, the Times reported. —Dawn Chmielewski, Katharine Jackson, and Eric Beech, Reuters The extended deadline for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards is this Friday, December 13, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Liz Hatton, a photographer who has been on This Morning and met the likes of Kate Middleton , has passed away aged 17 after an 'unbelievably brave' battle with cancer. Liz passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning at her home in Harrogate, North Yorkshire less than a year after being diagnosed with an incurable desmoplastic small round cell tumour. Sharing the heartbreaking news in a statement posted to X, Liz's mum hailed her daughter's 'kindness, empathy and courage'. She penned: "Our incredible daughter Liz died in the early hours of this morning. She remained determined to the last. Even yesterday she was still making plans. We are so very proud of the kindness, empathy and courage she has shown in the last year. She was not only a phenomenal photographer, she was the best human, and the most wonderful daughter and big sister we could ever have asked for. No one could have fought harder for life than she did. "There is a gaping Liz shaped hole in our lives that I am not sure how we will ever fill. We have so much gratitude to every single one of you, whether you offered to help, or liked or shared posts - you ensured Liz’s last two months were her very best. She flew high until the end. We have two last favours to ask," the emotional post continued. "Firstly, we would like to ask you to share one of her photos - on your social media, or in real life, however you can. Let’s let her go out with a bang. #LizHatton (photos will follow in a thread but do also feel free to choose your own from @lizhatton_photography on Instagram) Secondly, if you can we would like you to help us with a mission to raise money to fund research into Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour. With no charity in the UK or internationally funding into effective treatments are lacking. In 2024 a 15% 5 year survival rate is simply not enough. Together we can change that. Whether you can share, donate or raise funds - please be our village one more time." She concluded the statement by urging followers to donate to Liz's JustGiving page, with the proceeds going to help other families. Please check back regularly for the latest on this developing story as it is updated in real time here . From inside celeb homes to weddings, fashion and beauty, get the latest on the stories that matter to you by following OK! every time you see our name. Follow OK! on Instagram - CLICK HERE Join our 2m followers on Facebook - CLICK HERE View exclusive inside homes, weddings and BTS photoshoots on YouTube - CLICK HERE Follow OK! on TikTok - CLICK HERE

Arm CEO has a unique, bird’s eye view of the tech industry. His company’s chip designs are in the majority of devices you use on a daily basis, from your smartphone to your car. The SoftBank-backed company he leads is worth almost $150 billion, which is now considerably more than Intel. With the news earlier this week that Intel CEO “retired” and Intel is evaluating its options for a possible spinoff or outright sale, I wanted to hear what Haas thought should happen to his longtime frenemy. There were reports that he approached Intel about buying a big chunk of the company before Gelsinger was ousted. At the same time, Arm is also rumored to be eyeing an expansion into building its own chips and not just licensing its designs. Haas and I touched on all that and more in an exclusive interview earlier today, which will air in full on a future episode of (You can listen to my episode about AI spending in the enterprise that just came out as well.) In the meantime, I wanted to give subscribers the first peek at the highlights from my conversation with Haas. As someone who has been in the industry my whole career, it is a little sad to see what’s happening... Intel is an innovation powerhouse. At the same time, you have to innovate in our industry. There are lots of tombstones of great tech companies that don’t reinvent themselves. I think Intel’s biggest dilemma is how to disassociate being either a vertical company or a fabless company, to oversimplify it. That is the fork in the road that they’ve faced for the last decade. had a strategy that was very clear that vertical was the way to win. In my opinion, when he took that strategy on in 2021, that was not a three-year strategy. That was a five-to-10-year strategy. He’s gone and there’s a new CEO to be brought in and the decision has to be made. My personal bias says that vertical integration is a pretty powerful thing. If they could get that right, I think they would be in an amazing position. But the cost associated with it is so high that it may be too big of a hill to climb. I’m not going to comment on the rumors that we wanted to buy them. But I think, again, if you’re a vertically integrated company and the power of your strategy is in the fact that you have a product and you have fabs, inherently, you have a potential huge advantage in terms of cost versus the competition. When Pat was the CEO, I did tell him more than once, “You ought to license Arm because if you’ve got your own fabs, fabs are all about volume and we can provide volume.” I wasn’t successful in convincing him to do that. If you’re defining a computer architecture and you’re building the future of computing, one of the things you need to be very mindful of is that link between hardware and software in terms of really understanding where the tradeoffs are being made, where the observations are being made, what are the ultimate benefits to consumers from a chip that has that type of integration. That is easier to do if you’re building something than if you’re licensing IP... If you’re building something, you’re much closer to that interlock, and you have a much better perspective in terms of the design tradeoffs to make. So, if we were to do something, that would be one of the reasons. The current update is that it plans to go to trial on December 16th, which isn’t very far away. I can appreciate — because we talk to investors and partners — that what they hate the most is uncertainty. But on the flip side, I would say the principles as to why we filed the claim are unchanged. I know he has his own definitions for AGI and his reasons for those definitions. I don’t subscribe so much to what is AGI versus ASI [artificial superintelligence]. I think more around when these AI agents start to think and reason and invent. To me, that is a bit of a “cross the Rubicon” moment... If you would have asked me this question a year ago, I would have said it’s quite a ways away. You ask that question now, [and] I say it is much closer. Kudos to him. I think that’s a pretty good thing. It’s quite fascinating that if you go back eight years to Trump 1.0, in terms of where we were in December as he was starting to fill out his Cabinet choices and appointees, it was a bit chaotic. At the same time, there wasn’t a lot of representation from the tech world. This time around, whether it’s , whether it’s , whether it’s — I know has been very, very involved in terms of discussions with the administration — I think it’s a good thing. Having a seat at the table and having access to policy, I think, is really good. Big leadership changes hit Samsung Electronics this week, per an internal memo I’ve obtained. North America CEO is out and has been replaced by , a 33-year company veteran. now solely oversees the mobile business while former co-head is heading to Brazil to run sales there. And now runs the following divisions: Home Entertainment, Display, and Digital Appliance. There were a bunch of other shuffles at the C-level, but those are the highlights. Samsung has been restructuring across the board for months now and did layoffs in Choi’s division at the end of September, so this week’s news isn’t really a surprise. Perhaps the company hasn’t announced this news externally yet because its Korean investors will be meeting in the US next week (a company rep didn’t have a comment by press time). “Our sales have been down, especially in consumer electronics,” one company insider tells me. “My guess is that we’re just not hitting our targets quarter-over-quarter and so he [Choi] had to go.” It was fascinating to be in the audience at the DealBook Summit for the first public interview has done in years. While I maybe should have been expecting it, I was still shocked at how much he gushed about and his archnemesis for Blue Origin, . Another part of the interview that stood out was when Bezos said he is spending a lot of time at Amazon, “95-percent” of which is focused on AI. This week, Amazon announced its Nova family of foundational AI models at AWS re:Invent — a project I first scooped in this newsletter earlier this year. Amazon is obviously still playing catch-up in the AI race, but it seems to have closed meaningful ground with Nova. If anything, this week shows how quickly the AI race is still shifting. It feels like any of the big players could leap ahead at any moment. Even if you’re an AI skeptic, that’s pretty exciting. If you aren’t already getting new issues of , don’t forget to subscribe to , which includes unlimited access to all of our stories and an improved ad experience on the web. You’ll also get full access to my archive, featuring scoops about companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI, and more. As always, I want to hear from you, especially if you have a tip or feedback. Respond here, and I’ll get back to you, or ping me securely on Signal. I’m happy to keep you anonymous. Thanks for subscribing.

The Mountain West claimed the Pac-12 failed to allege harm done by the scheduling agreement between the conferences.ooking for big money? As a small funder your simple financial reports might not cut it when it comes to big investors. In fact, it’s a complaint frequently made by investment bankers and institutional money looking to get capital deployed in the revenue based financing space. “Smaller funders often face three primary challenges, one, the lack of institutional grade portfolio performance and consistency, two, limited data operations and analytics capabilities, and three, difficulty accessing affordable resources and expertise to address these gaps and engage with capital markets effectively,” said , Managing Partner of , which has debuted a solution called Portfolio Pulse. The technology bolts into most existing CRMs and works to output metrics and reports that would be especially helpful to potential institutional investors. A sample of reporting that an AdvanceIQ user can get. “High-quality, unbiased, and third-party validated reporting won’t solve all capital market challenges, but it’s an essential step,” said Matsuo. “These insights provide smaller funders with an objective view of their portfolio performance, allowing them to make data-driven improvements. Third-party validation adds credibility and transparency, positioning them more favorably for institutional investment.” Matsuo knows the challenge well through his lengthy experience in the space. “I’ve been involved in raising and managing hundreds of millions of dollars across both debt and equity,” he said. “This experience has shown me the barriers and friction that smaller originators encounter when connecting with capital markets. I’m focused on helping to remove these obstacles by providing transparency and equipping smaller originators with the tools and insights they need to engage with institutional investors more effectively.”

Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio StateI've hand-picked the 42 top deals worth buying from the Best Buy Black Friday saleNo. 23 Alabama women beat Alabama State 83-33 at Emerald Coast Classic

UNLV beats UC Riverside 66-53

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government on Monday survived a third vote of no confidence in as many months, brought by his main Tory rival. The minority Liberal government got the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP), a small leftist faction once aligned with the ruling Liberals, to defeat the motion 180-152. The text of the proposition echoed NDP leader Jagmeet Singh's own past criticisms of Trudeau since breaking off their partnership in late August, calling him "too weak, too selfish." Neither Singh nor Trudeau were present for the vote. The House of Commons has been deadlocked most of this fall session by an unprecedented two-month filibuster by the Conservatives. But Speaker Greg Fergus, in a rare move, ordered a short break in the deadlock to allow for this and other possible confidence votes, and for lawmakers to vote on a key spending measure. MPs are scheduled to vote Tuesday on the spending package, which includes funds for social services, disaster relief and support for Ukraine. With a 20-point lead in polls, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has been itching for an election call since the NDP tore up its coalition agreement with the Liberals. But the NDP and other opposition parties, whose support is needed to bring down the Liberals, have so far refused to side with the Conservatives. Two no-confidence votes brought by the Tories in September and October failed when the NDP and the separatist Bloc Quebecois backed the Liberals. In Canada's Westminster parliamentary system, a ruling party must hold the confidence of the House of Commons, which means maintaining support from a majority of members. The Liberals currently have 153 seats, versus 119 for the Conservatives, 33 for the Bloc Quebecois, and the NDP's 25. Trudeau swept to power in 2015 and has managed to hold on through two elections in 2019 and 2021. amc/bs/bjt

TikTok CEO goes to Elon Musk for counsel with Trump administrationDarius Tahir | (TNS) KFF Health News President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to run the sprawling government agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act marketplace — celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz — recently held broad investments in health care, tech, and food companies that would pose significant conflicts of interest. Oz’s holdings, some shared with family, included a stake in UnitedHealth Group worth as much as $600,000, as well as shares of pharmaceutical firms and tech companies with business in the health care sector, such as Amazon. Collectively, Oz’s investments total tens of millions of dollars, according to financial disclosures he filed during his failed 2022 run for a Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat. Trump said Tuesday he would nominate Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The agency’s scope is huge: CMS oversees coverage for more than 160 million Americans, nearly half the population. Medicare alone accounts for approximately $1 trillion in annual spending, with over 67 million enrollees. UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest health care companies in the nation and arguably the most important business partner of CMS, through which it is the leading provider of commercial health plans available to Medicare beneficiaries. UnitedHealth also offers managed-care plans under Medicaid, the joint state-federal program for low-income people, and sells plans on government-run marketplaces set up via the Affordable Care Act. Oz also had smaller stakes in CVS Health, which now includes the insurer Aetna, and in the insurer Cigna. It’s not clear if Oz, a heart surgeon by training, still holds investments in health care companies, or if he would divest his shares or otherwise seek to mitigate conflicts of interest should he be confirmed by the Senate. Reached by phone on Wednesday, he said he was in a Zoom meeting and declined to comment. An assistant did not reply to an email message with detailed questions. “It’s obvious that over the years he’s cultivated an interest in the pharmaceutical industry and the insurance industry,” said Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a watchdog group. “That raises a question of whether he can be trusted to act on behalf of the American people.” (The publisher of KFF Health News, David Rousseau, is on the CSPI board .) Oz used his TikTok page on multiple occasions in November to praise Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including their efforts to take on the “illness-industrial complex,” and he slammed “so-called experts like the big medical societies” for dishing out what he called bad nutritional advice. Oz’s positions on health policy have been chameleonic; in 2010, he cut an ad urging Californians to sign up for insurance under President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, telling viewers they had a “historic opportunity.” Oz’s 2022 financial disclosures show that the television star invested a substantial part of his wealth in health care and food firms. Were he confirmed to run CMS, his job would involve interacting with giants of the industry that have contributed to his wealth. Given the breadth of his investments, it would be difficult for Oz to recuse himself from matters affecting his assets, if he still holds them. “He could spend his time in a rocking chair” if that happened, Lurie said. In the past, nominees for government positions with similar potential conflicts of interest have chosen to sell the assets or otherwise divest themselves. For instance, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Attorney General Merrick Garland agreed to divest their holdings in relevant, publicly traded companies when they joined the Biden administration. Trump, however, declined in his first term to relinquish control of his own companies and other assets while in office, and he isn’t expected to do so in his second term. He has not publicly indicated concern about his subordinates’ financial holdings. CMS’ main job is to administer Medicare. About half of new enrollees now choose Medicare Advantage, in which commercial insurers provide their health coverage, instead of the traditional, government-run program, according to an analysis from KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. Proponents of Medicare Advantage say the private plans offer more compelling services than the government and better manage the costs of care. Critics note that Medicare Advantage plans have a long history of costing taxpayers more than the traditional program. UnitedHealth, CVS, and Cigna are all substantial players in the Medicare Advantage market. It’s not always a good relationship with the government. The Department of Justice filed a 2017 complaint against UnitedHealth alleging the company used false information to inflate charges to the government. The case is ongoing. Oz is an enthusiastic proponent of Medicare Advantage. In 2020, he proposed offering Medicare Advantage to all; during his Senate run, he offered a more general pledge to expand those plans. After Trump announced Oz’s nomination for CMS, Jeffrey Singer, a senior fellow at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute, said he was “uncertain about Dr. Oz’s familiarity with health care financing and economics.” Singer said Oz’s Medicare Advantage proposal could require large new taxes — perhaps a 20% payroll tax — to implement. Oz has gotten a mixed reception from elsewhere in Washington. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, the Democrat who defeated Oz in 2022, signaled he’d potentially support his appointment to CMS. “If Dr. Oz is about protecting and preserving Medicare and Medicaid, I’m voting for the dude,” he said on the social platform X. Oz’s investments in companies doing business with the federal government don’t end with big insurers. He and his family also hold hospital stocks, according to his 2022 disclosure, as well as a stake in Amazon worth as much as nearly $2.4 million. (Candidates for federal office are required to disclose a broad range of values for their holdings, not a specific figure.) Amazon operates an internet pharmacy, and the company announced in June that its subscription service is available to Medicare enrollees. It also owns a primary care service , One Medical, that accepts Medicare and “select” Medicare Advantage plans. Oz was also directly invested in several large pharmaceutical companies and, through investments in venture capital funds, indirectly invested in other biotech and vaccine firms. Big Pharma has been a frequent target of criticism and sometimes conspiracy theories from Trump and his allies. Kennedy, whom Trump has said he’ll nominate to be Health and Human Services secretary, is a longtime anti-vaccine activist. During the Biden administration, Congress gave Medicare authority to negotiate with drug companies over their prices. CMS initially selected 10 drugs. Those drugs collectively accounted for $50.5 billion in spending between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug benefit. At least four of those 10 medications are manufactured by companies in which Oz held stock, worth as much as about $50,000. Related Articles National Politics | After Trump’s Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles National Politics | Republicans push back against Democrats’ claims that Trump intelligence pick Gabbard is compromised National Politics | Trump 2.0 has a Cabinet and executive branch of different ideas and eclectic personalities National Politics | California raw milk recalled after positive test for bird flu virus National Politics | Senators took down one Trump Cabinet pick. But the fight over their authority is just beginning Oz may gain or lose financially from other Trump administration proposals. For example, as of 2022, Oz held investments worth as much as $6 million in fertility treatment providers. To counter fears that politicians who oppose abortion would ban in vitro fertilization, Trump floated during his campaign making in vitro fertilization treatment free. It’s unclear whether the government would pay for the services. In his TikTok videos from earlier in November, Oz echoed attacks on the food industry by Kennedy and other figures in his “Make America Healthy Again” movement. They blame processed foods and underregulation of the industry for the poor health of many Americans, concerns shared by many Democrats and more mainstream experts. But in 2022, Oz owned stakes worth as much as $80,000 in Domino’s Pizza, Pepsi, and US Foods, as well as more substantial investments in other parts of the food chain, including cattle; Oz reported investments worth as much as $5.5 million in a farm and livestock, as well as a stake in a dairy-free milk startup. He was also indirectly invested in the restaurant chain Epic Burger. One of his largest investments was in the Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain Wawa, which sells fast food and all manner of ultra-processed snacks. Oz and his wife reported a stake in the company, beloved by many Pennsylvanians, worth as much as $30 million. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara released a statement Friday slamming the "100% false" media reports that suggested he had thrown his final pass for the Hawkeyes. McNamara has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the Oct. 26 win against Northwestern. Backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan has started the last two games for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) but is out with an ankle injury for Saturday's game at Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this week that Jackson Stratton will be the likely starter against the Terrapins if McNamara is unavailable. McNamara's cloudy status prompted speculation on a podcast this week that he was "not mentally ready to play." The podcast hosts from the Des Moines Register and The Athletic also suggested that McNamara -- who played three years at Michigan (2020-22) before transferring to Iowa -- is not "fit to play quarterback in the Big Ten right now." "We don't want to bury his career yet, but it does seem like that interception against Northwestern was his last snap as a Hawkeye," Leistikow said. McNamara, who passed for 1,017 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season, released a statement updating his current status. "My status is the same as it's always been -- a proud member of this football team," he said. McNamara said he has not yet been cleared to play. He said he was cleared to practice on Sunday but suffered an "adverse reaction" and was unable to practice this week and therefore unable to travel with the team to Maryland. "I have been working with the University of Iowa doctors and trainers, a concussion specialist focused on vision training, as well as engaging in hyperbaric treatments as frequently as possible," McNamara said. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night and I am confident that my teammates will return from Maryland with a win." Including his time with the Wolverines, McNamara has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,703 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 34 games. --Field Level Media

NEW YORK — Several of President-elect Donald Trump 's Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and "swatting attacks," Trump's transition said Wednesday. "Last night and this morning, several of President Trump's Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks "ranged from bomb threats to 'swatting.' In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action." President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at a meeting of the House GOP conference, followed by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The FBI said in a statement that it is "aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement." Among those targeted was New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is seated before President-elect Donald Trump arrives at a meeting of the House GOP conference, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Her office said that, Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. "We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff's office said in an advisory posted on Facebook that it "received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz's supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning." While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. "The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results." Gaetz was Trump's initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by unusual violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Labor backbencher Josh Burns says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton intervened to stop Liberal senator James Paterson from reading his statement in response to the Melbourne synagogue firebombing, after the Jewish MP lost his voice. Burns is the member from Macnamara, the electorate that contains the Adass Israel Synagogue targeted by a firebombing on Friday, and held a joint press conference that morning with Paterson as a show of unity. Josh Burns (centre right) claims James Paterson (speaking) agreed to read out his words before Peter Dutton intervened. Credit: Arsineh Houspian Burns said on Radio National on Tuesday that Paterson had agreed to read out a statement on his behalf expressing devastation at the attack and condemning antisemitism. “Unfortunately, right before we got on ... Peter Dutton told James that he wasn’t allowed to read out my words,” Burns said. “I wanted to stand out with James and present a united front on this. And Peter Dutton decided that it was more important to play partisan games than to allow my words that I physically couldn’t speak to be read out.” Loading Burns’ statement was instead read by the president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Daniel Aghion. “The attack was a disgrace and extremely dangerous,” Burns said via Aghion. “The rise in anti-Semitism in Australia is shocking and it needs to stop. I’m standing here with James because we need to confront this together. I hope those injured make a full recovery and may those who committed the crime feel the full force of the law.” Paterson, the opposition’s home affairs spokesman, issued a brief written statement in response. “I feel very sorry that Josh Burns and his community have been abandoned by the Labor Party in the wake of this terrorist attack,” Paterson said. “But it is not the role of a Liberal frontbencher to act as a spokesman for a Labor MP. One of the many senior Albanese government ministers from Victoria should have been there to speak if Josh was not able to.” Loading On Monday, Dutton personally attacked Burns, accusing him of losing his voice “long before Friday” and accused him of failing to stand up to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his response to antisemitism. Later that day, Dutton declared on Sky that he would not hold press conferences in front of Indigenous flags if elected prime minister, arguing the practice was divisive. “This is a guy who loves to divide,” Burns said. “I think that our country is better for having a rich history for recognising the history of the First Nations people, certainly the Jewish community and the Jewish community leaders have always stood proudly with First Nations people.” More to come. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Political leadership Peter Dutton Antisemitism ALP Ripponlea Josefine Ganko is a news blogger at the Sydney Morning Herald Connect via Twitter or email . Nick Bonyhady is the deputy federal editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Parliament House in Canberra. He is a former technology editor and industrial relations reporter. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in Politics Loading3 up, 3 down for the Bills coming off their bye week

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Samsung’s DeX app is being replaced by Microsoft’s Phone Link in One UI 7Publishers testified at trial that they could not switch away from Google, even when it rolled out features they disliked. ALEXANDRIA - The US Department of Justice made its final argument on Nov 25 that Google illegally dominated online advertising technology, seeking a second antitrust win against the company. The closing arguments in Alexandria, Virginia, cap a 15-day trial held in September where prosecutors sought to show Google monopolised markets for publisher ad servers and advertiser ad networks, and tried to dominate the market for ad exchanges which sit between buyers and sellers. “Google rigged the rules of the road,” said DOJ lawyer Aaron Teitelbaum, who asked the judge to hold Google accountable for anticompetitive conduct. Google has argued prosecutors are bending US antitrust law to force it to accommodate competitors’ services, and that the case is focused on incidents from years past when Google was still building and improving its offerings. Publishers testified at trial that they could not switch away from Google, even when it rolled out features they disliked, since there was no other way to access the huge advertising demand within Google’s ad network. News Corp in 2017 estimated losing at least US$9 million (S$12.12 million) in ad revenue that year if it had switched away, one witness said. If US District Judge Leonie Brinkema finds that Google broke the law, she would consider prosecutors’ request to make Google at least sell off Google Ad Manager, a platform that includes the company’s publisher ad server and its ad exchange. Google offered to sell the ad exchange this year to end an EU antitrust investigation but European publishers rejected the proposal as insufficient, Reuters first reported in September. Analysts view the ad tech case as a smaller financial risk than the case where a judge ruled Google maintains an illegal monopoly in online search, and where prosecutors have argued the company must be forced to sell its Chrome browser. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

One of my top shows of 2024 actually premiered in 2021. That’s because it took a couple of years for the Australian series “The Newsreader” to make its way Stateside. Alas, it was only legal to stream in the U.S. for a handful of weeks in September and then — pffft! — it was gone before most people had even heard of it. Well, I have great news. The show will be available once again, this time via Sundance Now (accessible through the AMC+ streaming platform), which has licensed the first season. Premiering Dec. 19, it stars Anna Torv (“Fringe”) and Sam Reid (“Interview with the Vampire”) as TV reporters in Melbourne, circa 1986. At the outset, Reid’s character exudes big loser energy, which is such an amusing contrast to his work as Lestat. The show is unexpectedly funny and terrifically Machiavellian in its portrayal of small-time office politics, and I’m thrilled audiences in the U.S. will get another shot at watching it. Overall, 2024 offered a modestly better lineup than usual, but I’m not sure it felt that way. Too often the good stuff got drowned out by Hollywood’s pointless and endless pursuit of rebooting intellectual property (no thank you, Apple’s “Presumed Innocent” ) and tendency to stretch a perfectly fine two-hour movie premise into a saggy multi-part series (“Presumed Innocent” again!). There were plenty of shows I liked that didn’t make this year’s list, including ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and CBS’ “Ghosts” (it’s heartening to see the network sitcom format still thriving in the streaming era), as well as Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside” (Ted Danson’s charisma selling an unlikely premise) and Hulu’s “Interior Chinatown” (a high-concept parody of racial stereotypes and cop show tropes, even if it couldn’t sustain the idea over 10 episodes). Maybe it just felt like we were having more fun this year, with Netflix’s “The Perfect Couple” (Nicole Kidman leading a traditional manor house mystery reinterpreted with an American sensibility) and Hulu’s “Rivals” (the horniest show of 2024, delivered with a wink in the English countryside). I liked what I saw of Showtime’s espionage thriller “The Agency” (although the bulk of episodes were unavailable as of this writing). The deluge of remakes tends to make me cringe, but this year also saw a redo of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley” on Netflix that was far classier than most of what’s available on the streamer. Starring Andrew Scott, I found it cool to the touch, but the imagery stayed with me. Shot in black and white, it has an indelible visual language courtesy of director of photography Robert Elswit, whether capturing a crisp white business card against the worn grain wood of a bar top, or winding stairways that alternately suggest a yawning void or a trap. As always, if you missed any of these shows when they originally premiered — the aforementioned titles or the Top 10 listed below — they are all available to stream. Top 10 streaming and TV shows of 2024, in alphabetical order: “Couples Therapy” (Showtime) The least cynical reality show on television remains as absorbing as ever in Season 4, thanks to the probing questions and insights from the show’s resident therapist, Dr. Orna Guralnik. Everything is so charged. And yet the show has a soothing effect, predicated on the idea that human behavior (and misery) isn’t mysterious or unchangeable. There’s something so optimistic in that outlook. Whether or not you relate to the people featured on “Couples Therapy” — or even like them as individuals — doesn’t matter as much as Guralnik’s reassuring presence. “Diarra From Detroit” (BET+) Created by and starring Diarra Kilpatrick, the eight-episode series defies categorization in all the right ways. Part missing-person mystery, part comedy about a school teacher coming to grips with her impending divorce, and part drama about long-buried secrets, it has tremendous style right from the start — sardonic, knowing and self-deprecating. The answers to the central mystery may not pack a satisfying punch by the end, but the road there is as entertaining and absorbing as they come. We need more shows like this. “English Teacher” (FX) A comedy created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez (of the antic YouTube series “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo”), the show has a sensibility all its own, despite a handful of misinformed people on social media calling it a ripoff of “Abbott Elementary.” There’s room enough in the TV landscape for more than one sitcom with a school setting and “English Teacher” has a wonderfully gimlet-eyed point of view of modern high school life. I’m amused that so much of its musical score is Gen-X coded, because that neither applies to Alvarez (a millennial) nor the fictional students he teaches. So why does the show feature everything from Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” to Exposé’s “Point of No Return”? The ’80s were awash in teen stories and maybe the show is using music from that era to invoke all those tropes in order to better subvert them. It’s a compelling idea! It’s streaming on Hulu and worth checking out if you haven’t already. “Fifteen-Love” (Sundance Now) A one-time tennis phenom accuses her former coach of coercing her into a sexual relationship in this British thriller. The intimacy between a coach and athlete often goes unexplored, in real-life or fictional contexts and that’s what the show interrogates: When does it go over the line? It’s smart, endlessly watchable and the kind of series that would likely find a larger audience were it available on a more popular streamer. “Hacks” (Max) There’s real tenderness in this show. Real cruelty, too. It’s a potent combination and the show’s third and strongest season won it an Emmy for best comedy. Jean Smart’s aging comic still looking for industry validation and Hannah Einbinder’s needy Gen-Z writer are trapped in an endless cycle of building trust that inevitably gives way to betrayal. Hollywood in a nutshell! “Hacks” is doing variations on this theme every season, but doing it in interesting ways. Nobody self-sabotages their way to success like these two. “Interview with the Vampire” (AMC) I was skeptical about the show when it premiered in 2022 . Vampire stories don’t interest me. And the 1994 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt wasn’t a persuasive argument to the contrary. But great television is great television and nothing at the moment is better than this show. It was ignored by Emmy voters in its initial outing but let’s hope Season 2 gets the recognition it deserves. Under showrunner Rolin Jones, the adaptation of Anne Rice’s novels is richly written, thrillingly inhabited by its cast and so effortlessly funny with a framing device — the interview of the title — that is thick with intrigue and sly comedy. I wouldn’t categorize the series as horror. It’s not scary. But it is tonally self-assured and richly made, rarely focused on the hunt for dinner but on something far more interesting: The melodrama of vampire existence, with its combination of boredom and lust and tragedy and zingers. Already renewed for Season 3, it has an incredible cast (a thrilling late-career boost for Eric Bogosian) and is well worth catching up with if you haven’t already. “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix) It’s been too long since the pleasures of banter fueled a romantic comedy in the spirit of “When Harry Met Sally.” But it’s all over the place in “Nobody Wants This,” one of the best shows on Netflix in recent memory. Renewed for a second season, it stars Kristen Bell as a humorously caustic podcaster and Adam Brody as the cute and emotionally intelligent rabbi she falls for. On the downside, the show has some terrible notions about Jewish women that play into controlling and emasculating stereotypes. You hate to see it in such an otherwise sparkling comedy, because overall Bell and Brody have an easy touch that gives the comedy real buoyancy. “Nolly” (PBS Masterpiece) I suspect few people saw this three-part series on PBS Masterpiece, but it features a terrific performance by Helena Bonham Carter playing the real-life, longtime British soap star Noele “Nolly” Gordon, who was unceremoniously sacked in 1981. She’s the kind of larger-than-life showbiz figure who is a bit ridiculous, a bit imperious, but also so much fun. The final stretch of her career is brought to life by Carter and this homage — to both the soap she starred in and the way she carried it on her back — is from Russell T. Davies (best known for the “Doctor Who” revival). For U.S. viewers unfamiliar with the show or Gordon, Carter’s performance has the benefit of not competing with a memory as it reanimates a slice of British pop culture history from the analog era. “Shōgun” (FX) The year is 1600 and a stubborn British seaman piloting a Dutch ship washes ashore in Japan. That’s our entry point to this gorgeously shot story of power games and political maneuvering among feudal enemies. Adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 novel by the married team of Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, it is filled with Emmy-winning performances (for Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada; the series itself also won best drama) and unlike something like HBO’s far clunkier “House of the Dragon,” which tackles similar themes, this feels like the rare show created by, and for, adults. “Slow Horses” (Apple TV+) The misfits and losers of Britain’s MI5 counterintelligence agency — collectively known as the slow horses, a sneering nickname that speaks to their perceived uselessness — remain as restless as ever in this adaptation of Mick Herron’s Slough House spy novels. As a series, “Slow Horses” doesn’t offer tightly plotted clockwork spy stories; think too deeply about any of the details and the whole thing threatens to fall apart. But on a scene-by-scene basis, the writing is a winning combination of wry and tension-filled, and the cumulative effect is wonderfully entertaining. Spies have to deal with petty office politics like everyone else! It’s also one of the few shows that has avoided the dreaded one- or two-year delay between seasons, which has become standard on streaming. Instead, it provides the kind of reliability — of its characters but also its storytelling intent — that has become increasingly rare. Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.

 

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2025-01-17
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( MENAFN - Investor Ideas) Investorideas ( ) a leader in retail investor trading ideas for defense and renewable energy Stocks issues a trading alert for KULR technology Group, Inc. (NYSE American: KULR ), a provider of advanced thermal management solutions. The stock is trading at $1.3403, up 0.1603, gaining 13.5882 on volume of over 33 Million shares as of this report. The stock had a day's high of $1.49, putting it on retail investors alerts. KULR recently announced the launch of its innovative KULR Xero VibeTM ("KXV") solution integrated with the NVIDIA Jetson edge AI platform. This new rollout combines superior vibration mitigation with artificial intelligence capabilities to enable high-performance, reliable operation in edge AI environments. From the news: The NVIDIA Jetson platform, known for its powerful edge AI computing capabilities, offers unparalleled performance for edge applications such as robotics, autonomous machines, industrial IoT, and smart cities. KULR's Xero VibeTM solution complements the Jetson platform by addressing key operational challenges such as vibration suppression, ensuring optimal cooling system performance, reduced energy consumption, and extended mechanical lifespans. KULR CEO Michael Mo highlighted, "The Jetson platform is NVIDIA's Industrial AI-at-the-edge solution to connect the physical world to the Omniverse through AI agents for the Industrial Revolution 4.0. It's the perfect platform for KULR to integrate our KXV technology and provide our customers a future proof AI-agent powered energy management edge device solution for data centers, renewable energy, electric mobility and industrial cooling applications. We are very excited to embark on this new era of AI-agent powered future with the NVIDIA platform." The edge AI market size is projected to grow from $24.05 billion in 2024 to $356.84 billion by 2035, representing a CAGR of 27.786% during the forecast period 2024-2035. Recent news kulr-xero-vibe-solution-launches-on-nvidia-jetson-edge-ai-platform/ Get more defense stock investing ideas with Investorideas free stock directory Sign up for free trading and stock news alerts at Investorideas About Investorideas - Big Investing Ideas Investorideas is the go-to platform for big investing ideas. From breaking stock news to top-rated investing podcasts, we cover it all. Our original branded content includes podcasts such as Exploring Mining, Cleantech, Crypto Corner, Cannabis News, and the AI Eye. We also create free investor stock directories for sectors including mining, crypto, renewable energy, gaming, biotech, tech, sports and more. Public companies within the sectors we cover can use our news publishing and content creation services to help tell their story to interested investors. Disclaimer/Disclosure: Disclosure: (NYSE: KULR) is a paid featured company on Investorideas effective July 2024 for 3 months. Investorideas is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclosure info can be found here . More disclaimer info: Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas newswire /News-Upload/ MENAFN16122024000142011025ID1109000235 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.None

By HILLEL ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, there was still time to read books. Related Articles Books | Percival Everett, 2024 National Book Award winner, rereads one book often Books | Gift books for 2024: What to give, and what to receive, for all kinds of readers Books | Our critic’s picks: Best mystery fiction books of 2024 Books | 10 best books of 2024: The surprising reads that stuck Books | ‘We are time’s subjects’: Author Clock keeps track of the hours, one literary quotation at a time U.S. sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market, with many choosing the relief of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up Taylor Swift’s tie-in book to her blockbuster tour, while others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones. Here are 10 notable books published in 2024, in no particular order. Asking about the year’s hottest reads would basically yield a list of the biggest hits in romantasy, the blend of fantasy and romance that has proved so irresistible fans were snapping up expensive “special editions” with decorative covers and sprayed edges. Of the 25 top sellers of 2024, as compiled by Circana, six were by romantasy favorite Sarah J. Maas, including “House of Flame and Shadow,” the third of her “Crescent City” series. Millions read her latest installment about Bryce Quinlan and Hunter Athalar and traced the ever-growing ties of “Maasverse,” the overlapping worlds of “Crescent City” and her other series, “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” If romantasy is for escape, other books demand we confront. In the bestselling “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt looks into studies finding that the mental health of young people began to deteriorate in the 2010s, after decades of progress. According to Haidt, the main culprit is right before us: digital screens that have drawn kids away from “play-based” to “phone-based” childhoods. Although some critics challenged his findings, “The Anxious Generation” became a talking point and a catchphrase. Admirers ranged from Oprah Winfrey to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee, who in a letter to state legislators advocated such “commonsense recommendations” from the book as banning phones in schools and keeping kids off social media until age 16. Bob Woodward books have been an election tradition for decades. “War,” the latest of his highly sourced Washington insider accounts, made news with its allegations that Donald Trump had been in frequent contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin even while out of office and, while president, had sent Putin sophisticated COVID-19 test machines. Among Woodward’s other scoops: Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, and President Joe Biden blamed former President Barack Obama, under whom he served as vice president, for some of the problems with Russia. “Barack never took Putin seriously,” Woodward quoted Biden as saying. Former (and future) first lady Melania Trump, who gives few interviews and rarely discusses her private life, unexpectedly announced she was publishing a memoir: “Melania.” The publisher was unlikely for a former first lady — not one of the major New York houses, but Skyhorse, where authors include such controversial public figures as Woody Allen and Trump cabinet nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And its success was at least a minor surprise. Melania Trump did little publicity for the book, and offered few revelations beyond posting a video expressing support for abortion rights — a break from one of the cornerstones of GOP policy. But “Melania” still sold hundreds of thousands of copies, many in the days following her husband’s election. Taylor Swift was more than a music story in 2024. Like “Melania,” the news about Taylor Swift’s self-published tie-in to her global tour isn’t so much the book itself, but that it exists. And how well it sold. As she did with the “Eras” concert film, Swift bypassed the established industry and worked directly with a distributor: Target offered “The Eras Tour Book” exclusively. According to Circana, the “Eras” book sold more than 800,000 copies just in its opening week, an astonishing number for a publication unavailable through Amazon.com and other traditional retailers. No new book in 2024 had a better debut. Midnight book parties are supposed to be for “Harry Potter” and other fantasy series, but this fall, more than 100 stores stayed open late to welcome one of the year’s literary events: Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo.” The Irish author’s fourth novel centers on two brothers, their grief over the death of their father, their very different career paths and their very unsettled love lives. “Intermezzo” was also a book about chess: “You have to read a lot of opening theory — that’s the beginning of a game, the first moves,” one of the brothers explains. “And you’re learning all this for what? Just to get an okay position in the middle game and try to play some decent chess. Which most of the time I can’t do anyway.” Lisa Marie Presley had been working on a memoir at the time of her death , in 2023, and daughter Riley Keough had agreed to help her complete it. “From Here to the Great Unknown” is Lisa Marie’s account of her father, Elvis Presley, and the sagas of of her adult life, notably her marriage to Michael Jackson and the death of son Benjamin Keough. To the end, she was haunted by the loss of Elvis, just 42 when he collapsed and died at his Graceland home while young Lisa Marie was asleep. “She would listen to his music alone, if she was drunk, and cry,” Keough, during an interview with Winfrey, said of her mother. Meanwhile, Cher released the first of two planned memoirs titled “Cher” — no further introduction required. Covering her life from birth to the end of the 1970s, she focuses on her ill-fated marriage to Sonny Bono, remembering him as a gifted entertainer and businessman who helped her believe in herself while turning out to be unfaithful, erratic, controlling and so greedy that he kept all the couple’s earnings for himself. Unsure of whether to leave or stay, she consulted a very famous divorcee, Lucille Ball, who reportedly encouraged her: “F— him, you’re the one with the talent.” A trend in recent years is to take famous novels from the past, and remove words or passages that might offend modern readers; an edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” cuts the racist language from Mark Twain’s original text. In the most celebrated literary work of 2024, Percival Everett found a different way to take on Twain’s classic — write it from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “James,” winner of the National Book Award, is a recasting in many ways. Everett suggests to us that the real Jim was nothing like the deferential figure known to millions of readers, but a savvy and learned man who concealed his intelligence from the whites around him, and even from Twain himself. Salman Rushdie’s first National Book Award nomination was for a memoir he wished he had no reason to write. In “Knife,” he recounts in full detail the horrifying attempt on his life in 2022, when an attendee rushed the stage during a literary event in western New York and stabbed him repeatedly, leaving with him a blinded eye and lasting nerve damage, but with a spirit surprisingly intact. “If you had told me that this was going to happen and how would I deal with it, I would not have been very optimistic about my chances,” he told The Associated Press last spring. “I’m still myself, you know, and I don’t feel other than myself. But there’s a little iron in the soul, I think.”(Bloomberg) — Russia’s Gazprom PJSC will halt natural gas supplies to Moldova starting on Jan. 1 due to an alleged debt impasse amid a state of emergency in the Eastern European nation’s energy sector. The notification sent to Moldovagaz on Saturday said the company “regularly fails to fulfill its payment obligations under the existing contract, which is a significant breach of its terms,” the Russian gas giant said in statement on Telegram. Gas flows to Moldova will be reduced to zero from 8 a.m. Moscow time on Jan. 1, with the restriction remaining in force until Gazprom “notifies Moldovagaz in writing otherwise,” according to the statement. In the past two years, all of Moldova’s gas imports from Gazprom — equating to 5.7 million cubic meters a day — has been delivered to the nation’s pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria, which turns the fuel into electricity for the rest of the country. Gazprom’s decision “once again confirms the Kremlin’s intention to leave the residents of the Transnistrian region without electricity and heat in the middle of winter,” Moldova’s Prime Minister Dorin Recean said in a Facebook statement. “Russia uses energy as a political weapon, turning the people in the Transnistrian region, which it controls through its illegally stationed military forces, into hostages.” Moldova in November called on Western countries to provide financial support amid concerns Gazprom will cease supplies to Transnistria, which is dependent on Gazprom’s deliveries sent via Ukraine. That leaves pro-Russian region vulnerable as a transit deal between Russia and Ukraine expires at the end of the year and the leaders of both nations ruled out the renewal of the agreement. Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin cast further doubt on the likelihood of a deal to maintain flows via Ukraine. Gazprom is demanding $709 million for gas already supplied as well as late payment penalties. The Russian gas producer is a majority shareholder in Moldovagaz and Moldova’s government holds a 35% stake. Of that amount, the country recognizes about $8 million; its prime minister has called the debt claimed by Gazprom “non-existent.” Moldova’s government “will carefully analyze legal options, including resorting to international arbitration,” to protect its national interests and “seek compensation for the Kremlin’s decisions, which cause economic losses and impact the safety and security of the citizens of Moldova,” Recean said on Saturday. The Eastern European nation has diversified its natural gas supply sources to reduce dependence on a single supplier for the territory excluding Transnistria, according to Recean. Following Gazprom’s notification, Moldovagaz head Vadim Ceban said in a Telegram statement that the company “has contracted the necessary volumes of gas, which will fully ensure all consumption” of Moldova, excluding Transnistria, for the first quarter of 2025. Sergei Obolonik, self-proclaimed economy minister of Transnistria, said this week that the region’s main power plant will switch to coal if gas supplies dry up, and that they have reserves for about 50 days. —With assistance from Irina Vilcu. (Updates with Moldovan premier’s statement from fifth paragraph.)

The Latest: UnitedHealthcare shooting suspect contests his extradition back to New York

December 16, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread by Michael Hesse, Max Planck Society Institutions form the backbone of human societies. They foster cooperation by rewarding prosocial behavior and punishing selfish actions. However, they face a fundamental paradox: While they are designed to incentivize cooperation, institutions themselves depend on the cooperation of their members to function. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates how institutions emerge and thrive. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, the Institute for Advanced Studies in Toulouse (IAST), and the Institut Jean Nicod at ENS-PSL present a mathematical model showing how institutions can be built through reputation . The study examines two interconnected cooperation problems. In the first dilemma, characterized by high costs or limited monitoring, reputation alone is insufficient to ensure cooperation. In the second dilemma, individuals can collectively act to change the parameters of the first problem. The findings reveal that this nested structure creates a leverage effect: While reputation alone cannot directly solve the first problem, it motivates contributions to the collective action in the second problem. These contributions, in turn, create new incentives for cooperation in the more challenging first dilemma. A historical example from Tokugawa-era Japan illustrates this concept. At the time, village communities faced the challenge of sustainably managing shared forest resources , such as firewood and building materials. This problem reflected the "tragedy of the commons": Individuals were incentivized to use as many resources as possible, risking overexploitation. Monitoring individual forest use was difficult, so villagers developed an institution: the role of the detective. These detectives monitored forest use and imposed penalties on rule-breakers, creating new incentives to follow the rules. The institution itself required monitoring to prevent corruption or abuse of power. Thankfully, however, this secondary challenge was easier to address, as the detectives could be monitored more effectively than individual forest usage. A poor reputation could cost detectives their jobs and social standing. By solving this second, simpler problem, the community successfully tackled the more complex issue of forest management. The study concludes that institutions function as social technologies that harness universal human motives, such as the desire for a good reputation. Just as a pulley amplifies a small force to lift a heavy load, institutions transform weak reputation effects into strong incentives for cooperation. Over time, institutions may have been refined to maximize the social leverage effect, enabling societies to address increasingly complex cooperation challenges. More information: Julien Lie-Panis et al, The social leverage effect: Institutions transform weak reputation effects into strong incentives for cooperation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408802121 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Provided by Max Planck SocietyATLANTA , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cousins Properties Incorporated (the "Company" or "Cousins") (NYSE: CUZ ) announced today that its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP (the "Operating Partnership"), has priced an offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 5.375% senior unsecured notes due 2032 at 99.463% of the principal amount. The offering is expected to close on December 17, 2024 , subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Cousins intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund a portion of the purchase price of 601 West 2nd Street, also known as Sail Tower, an 804,000 square foot trophy lifestyle office property in Austin (the "Sail Tower Acquisition"), and the remainder to repay borrowings under its credit facility and for general corporate purposes. In the event the Sail Tower Acquisition is not completed, Cousins will use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including the acquisition and development of office properties, other opportunistic investments and the repayment of debt. The notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by the Company. J.P. Morgan, Truist Securities, US Bancorp, BofA Securities, Morgan Stanley, PNC Capital Markets LLC, TD Securities and Wells Fargo Securities are acting as joint book-running managers. A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is effective with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. Copies of these documents may be obtained by contacting J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York , 10179, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, 3rd Floor, telephone collect at 1-212-834-4533; Truist Securities, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 303 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30308, telephone: 800-685-4786, or e-mail: [email protected] ; or U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., Attention: High Grade Syndicate, 214 North Tryon Street, 26th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202, or by telephone at: (877) 558-2607. Electronic copies of these documents are also available from the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov . This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell the notes, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Cousins Properties Cousins Properties is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust ("REIT"). The Company, based in Atlanta, GA and acting through the Operating Partnership, primarily invests in Class A office buildings located in high growth Sun Belt markets. Founded in 1958, Cousins creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise in the development, acquisition, leasing, and management of high-quality real estate assets. The Company has a comprehensive strategy in place based on a simple platform, trophy assets, and opportunistic investments. Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and are subject to uncertainties and risks, as itemized in Item 1A included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024 . These forward-looking statements include information about the Company's possible or assumed future results of the business and the Company's financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and objectives. They also include, among other things, statements regarding subjects that are forward-looking by their nature, such as: guidance and underlying assumptions; business and financial strategy; future debt financings; future acquisitions and dispositions of operating assets or joint venture interests; future acquisitions and dispositions of land, including ground leases; future acquisitions of investments in real estate debt; future development and redevelopment opportunities; future issuances and repurchases of common stock, limited partnership units, or preferred stock; future distributions; projected capital expenditures; market and industry trends; future occupancy or volume and velocity of leasing activity; entry into new markets, changes in existing market concentrations, or exits from existing markets; future changes in interest rates and liquidity of capital markets; and all statements that address operating performance, events, investments, or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to creating value for stockholders. Any forward-looking statements are based upon management's beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance, taking into account information that is currently available. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations may change as a result of possible events or factors, not all of which are known. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary from forward-looking statements due to, but not limited to, the following: the availability and terms of capital and our ability to obtain and maintain financing arrangements on terms favorable to us or at all; the ability to refinance or repay indebtedness as it matures; any changes to our credit rating; the failure of purchase, sale, or other contracts to ultimately close; the failure to achieve anticipated benefits from acquisitions, developments, investments, or dispositions; the effect of common stock or operating partnership unit issuances, including those undertaken on a forward basis, which may negatively affect the market price of our common stock; the availability of buyers and pricing with respect to the disposition of assets; changes in national and local economic conditions, the real estate industry, and the commercial real estate markets in which we operate (including supply and demand changes), particularly in Atlanta , Austin , Tampa , Charlotte , Phoenix , Dallas , and Nashville , including the impact of high unemployment, volatility in the public equity and debt markets, and international economic and other conditions; threatened terrorist attacks or sociopolitical unrest such as political instability, civil unrest, armed hostilities, or political activism, which may result in a disruption of day-to-day building operations; changes to our strategy in regard to our real estate assets may require impairment to be recognized; leasing risks, including the ability to obtain new tenants or renew expiring tenants, the ability to lease newly-developed and/or recently acquired space, the failure of a tenant to commence or complete tenant improvements on schedule or to occupy leased space, and the risk of declining leasing rates; changes in the preferences of our tenants brought about by the desire for co-working arrangements, trends toward utilizing less office space per employee, and the effect of employees working remotely; any adverse change in the financial condition or liquidity of one or more of our tenants or borrowers under our real estate debt investments; volatility in interest rates (including the impact upon the effectiveness of forward interest rate contract arrangements) and insurance rates; inflation; competition from other developers or investors; the risks associated with real estate developments (such as zoning approval, receipt of required permits, construction delays, cost overruns, and leasing risk); supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and increased construction costs; risks associated with security breaches through cyberattacks, cyber intrusions or otherwise, as well as other significant disruptions of our information technology networks and related systems, which support our operations and our buildings; changes in senior management, changes in the Company's board of directors, and the loss of key personnel; the potential liability for uninsured losses, condemnation, or environmental issues; the potential liability for a failure to meet regulatory requirements, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar laws or the impact of any investigation regarding the same; the financial condition and liquidity of, or disputes with, joint venture partners; any failure to comply with debt covenants under debt instruments and credit agreements; any failure to continue to qualify for taxation as a real estate investment trust or meet regulatory requirements; potential changes to state, local, or federal regulations applicable to our business; material changes in dividend rates on common shares or other securities or the ability to pay those dividends; potential changes to the tax laws impacting real estate investment trusts and real estate in general; risks associated with climate change and severe weather events, as well as the regulatory efforts intended to reduce the effects of climate changes and investor and public perception of our efforts to respond to the same; the impact of newly adopted accounting principles on our accounting policies and on period-to-period comparisons of financial results; risks associated with possible federal, state, local, or property tax audits; and those additional risks and environmental or other factors discussed in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company cannot guarantee the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements contained in this press release, and the Company does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts Roni Imbeaux Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations 404-407-1104 [email protected] SOURCE Cousins Properties

 

2025-01-16
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phmacao app Luke Humphries defeats Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals titleNone

Jake Paul's victory over Mike Tyson has once again made him the talk of the boxing world. Despite 'The Problem Child' not yet defeating a top-ranked, active boxer, speculation is rife about who he will face next. Paul comfortably defeated 'Iron Mike' in eight two-minute rounds, but fans and critics alike are hoping his next opponent will provide a greater challenge. There are several potential paths for Paul to take in 2025. The Ohio native has been smart in choosing opponents that benefit him most so far, but taking on a riskier fight could pay off next year. In line with Paul's strategy of pursuing lucrative fights, a match against Conor McGregor could be his best move. After all, it wouldn't be his first time defeating a UFC fighter, even if 'Notorious' hasn't fought in more than three-and-a-half years. Among Paul's previous MMA opponents are Anderson Silva, Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley (twice), Ben Askren and Mike Perry. However, a fight against arguably the most famous UFC fighter of all time would surpass the profile and potential earnings of all those victories combined, reports the Irish Star . It was back in December 2020 when Jake Paul made headlines by publicly calling out Conor McGregor with a whopping $50 million offer (£40m) for a bout. By then, the YouTuber had just a couple of wins under his belt and taunted McGregor about his single pro boxing match – a loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr by TKO. After triumphing over Ben Askren, Paul took to social media challenging the 36 year old McGregor to an MMA fight, stating: "Dear Conor, I know you told my team you would fight me at 170 pounds. That's never happening. But let's run it in MMA. No weight class. Just like how it used to be done. But you won't." Meanwhile, ahead of Paul's matchup with Tyson, McGregor didn't hide his loathing, hoping Mike would "rattle the little dope." Despite their differences - not least their nine-year age gap - it may well be that money will bridge the divide, potentially coaxing McGregor back into the ring. . And who could forget the singular blot on Paul's near-flawless 11-1 record? Tommy Fury edged out Paul with a split decision in their February 2023 showdown. For all the changes since their first fight, the animosity between the two seems as intense as ever. There are doubts whether a second fight with Tyson Fury's half-brother, Tommy, would be a wise move for Jake Paul in terms of its appeal. Nevertheless, Tommy Fury, readying himself for a bout against former UFC welterweight Darren Till in January, feels the rematch with Paul is certain. "In a heartbeat, yeah. I mean at the end of the day I think me and him, we're set in stone," he said during an interview with ESPN. "He's only got one defeat and that's to me, so it's inevitable that we are going to get back in the ring." Paul's ex-trainer BJ Flores had told The Sun that Fury was making "unreasonable" demands about the fight purse for another bout with Paul. However, if the financial aspects can be resolved, the opportunity for Paul to redeem his only loss in boxing could be on the table. As for a world title chance, if Paul decides to pursue a more challenging path than fighting retired athletes and former basketball stars, offers are already on the table. One such offer came from IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, who threw down the gauntlet on Instagram. Paul shared a DM from Dubois saying: "Hi Jake, good business on the weekend but how would you feel fighting for the legitimate heavyweight championship of the world this is Daniel Dubois calling you out. Let's get it on." Dubois, who recently knocked out Anthony Joshua, was told by his target to "get in line," although Paul did say he'd consider the offer. He seemed more open to this opportunity than the one he received from undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, who also offered Paul a shot at his belts. "@JakePaul what can you do in the ring against the current undisputed champion. Just know I'm always open to any suggestions," Beterbiev wrote on Instagram. Paul responded that he "runs this sport" but has yet to accept or decline the challenge. If he truly wants to establish a lasting legacy in the sport, then defeating McGregor like Mayweather did, avenging his only career loss against Fury, and then taking on a reigning world champion would make 2025 a highly successful year for him.

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Lea Miller-Tooley hopped off a call to welcome the Baylor women’s basketball team to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, where 80-degree temperatures made it easy for the Bears to settle in on Paradise Island a week before Thanksgiving. About 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said , the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions and later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, and surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time — and staff and families — that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence — they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday . It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion , No. 4 , No. 5 and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, . “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii. AP Sports Writers Pat Graham in Colorado and Larry Lage in Michigan contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP college basketball: andJurors end 1st day of deliberations without a verdict in the YSL gang and racketeering trial

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ALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. This booking photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP) They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Trump Cabinet picks, appointees targeted by bomb threats and swatting attacks

Romania's pro-European Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was leading in the first round of presidential elections Sunday according to exit polls, with the far right not yet assured of a place in the second round, despite a breakthrough in support. With 25 percent of the vote according to two exit polls, Ciolacu appeared to be well ahead of far-right challengers looking to capitalise on this EU member's concerns about inflation and the war in neighbouring Ukraine. The same exit polls gave second place to centre-right former journalist turned small-town mayor Elena Lasconi at 18 percent, with two far-right candidates scoring 15 and 16 percent. In the absence of an outright winner in the first round -- scoring more than 50 percent -- the top two candidates go through to a second-round run-off in the poor NATO member on December 8. Ciolacu, a Social Democrat, is leading a field of 13 contenders in the race to take over from President Klaus Iohannis in the largely ceremonial post. He welcomed the exit polls putting him in the lead, but said all the votes would have to be counted before he knew who he would face in the second round. Lasconi too, was cautious. "The scores are very tight, it's not yet time to celebrate," said the 52-year-old politician. Far-right leader George Simion, 38, who some had forecast might take second place, is for the moment in fourth. Exit polls put him just behind the 62-year-old pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu. But Simion said Sunday evening: "We'll see the results of the ballot boxes at 11:00 pm (2100 GMT)." Ciolacu's party has shaped Romania's politics for more than three decades, and as he voted Sunday he promised stability and a "decent" standard of living. But political analyst Cristian Parvulescu told AFP: "The far right is by far the big winner of this election." Simion saw his popularity surge by tapping into voter anger over record inflation while promising more affordable housing. Looking for a new election breakthrough for European far-right parties, Simion warned of possible "fraud" and "foreign interference" when voting. But he added: "I am happy that we are giving Romanians hope and the prospect of a better future." The stakes are high for Romania, which has a 650-kilometre (400-mile) border with Ukraine and has become more important since Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022. The Black Sea nation now plays a "vital strategic role" for NATO -- as it is a base for more than 5,000 soldiers -- and the transit of Ukrainian grain, the New Strategy Center think tank said. Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election has further "complicated" Romania's choice, political analyst Cristian Pirvulescu told AFP. Known for his fiery speeches, Simion is a Trump fan who sometimes dons a red cap in appreciation of his idol. Simion opposes sending military aid to Ukraine, wants a "more patriotic Romania" and frequently lashes out against what he calls the "greedy corrupt bubble" running the European Union. Having campaigned hard to win over Romania's large diaspora working abroad, he said the country had only "minions and cowards as leaders". Pirvulescu predicted that if Simion reached the second round his AUR party would get a boost in the December parliamentary election. "Romanian democracy is in danger for the first time since the fall of communism in 1989," he said. "I'm really afraid we'll end up with Simion in the second round," 36-year-old IT worker Oana Diaconu told AFP, expressing concern about the far-right leader's unpredictable nature and attacks on the European Union. The campaign was marked by controversy and personal attacks, with Simion facing accusations of meeting with Russian spies -- a claim he has denied. Ciolacu has been criticised for his use of private jets. Some observers had tipped Lasconi, now mayor of the small town of Campulung and head of a centre-right opposition party, as a surprise package. Sunday's exit polls appeared to suggest they were right. During campaigning, she had said she wanted a future "where no one has to pack their suitcases and leave" the country and for "institutions that work". bur/js-jj/‘Extremely ironic': Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO slaying played video game killer, friend recalls

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ALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. This booking photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP) They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu. Get local news delivered to your inbox!None

Rangers have turned a corner and there are three players who have made it happen

Jurors end 1st day of deliberations without a verdict in the YSL gang and racketeering trial

Samoa Touch Rugby: Men’s Open to Participate in Prestigious Queensland State CupDALLAS -- The Hilton Anatole has become Major League Baseball's top destination this week as teams converge for the winter meetings with writers, agents and even some fans circling the vast lobby floors. The biggest offseason news came down Sunday night, when the New York Mets and star free agent slugger Juan Soto reportedly agreed on a 15-year, $765 million deal, which would be the largest contract ever given to a professional athlete. That was a key talking point when managers started meeting with the media on Monday. Nationals manager Dave Martinez reflected on when he was Soto's first manager in the big leagues back in 2018. "This kid, he was different," Martinez said. "The ball comes off his bat differently. The way he approaches the hitting was way different than a lot of kids I've seen. But the one thing that I always remember about him, the first conversation I had, the first thing that came out of his mouth when I asked him what motivates him, what drives him, and he just came out and said, 'I love baseball.' Truly you can see it in him. He loves playing the game." The Red Sox were among the clubs in the mix for Soto. Boston manager Alex Cora didn't get into specific details, but he enjoyed the organization's pursuit of the four-time All Star. "It was fun in a way, you know, to get to know people and players of that status," Cora said. "It's amazing. The kid, he gets it. He gets it. Let me put it that way." Royals manager Matt Quatraro, meanwhile, spoke about the impact such a monumental contract may have on smaller market teams in order to compete in today's market. "We have to be creative. We have to put the best 26 guys on a roster or the best 40 guys on a roster, not the best one or two," Quatraro said. "At the end of the day, you have a chance to compete against those guys. Soto is going to hit four to five times a night. Those are impactful at-bats, but there's other ways to combat that with a full 26-man roster." Sasaki Posted Outside of the Soto reaction, Monday's other main storyline - at least going into the afternoon hours - centered on Japanese ace right-hander Roki Sasaki officially being posted. The 23-year-old phenom is available to sign as a free agent from Tuesday through 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 23. The rumor mill was churning with plenty of speculation and talk about where Sasaki might sign. He was just one of many big-name players being discussed on Monday. The list of top free agents behind Soto includes pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried and infielders Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso and Christian Walker. On the trade front, much attention is being placed on White Sox left-handed starter Garrett Crochet. It was a relatively quiet Day 1 through the standard working hours, although things are always subject to change at meetings of this nature. Tito is Back Terry Francona joked that his desire to manage again resurfaced when his daughters went on a 10-day trip to Europe. "I watched the grandkids. That was the one day I thought maybe I'll go back to baseball," Francona said, laughing. All joking aside, Francona said it simply happened that when the Reds reached out, the timing felt right. He's healthy and refreshed as he's set to enter his 24th season as a manager. "I had a really good year and maybe I just needed that," Francona, 65, said. "Then, when these guys called, it just felt right." Honoring Mays The winter meetings kicked off with MLB announcing that its annual charity auction during the event would help revitalize Willie Mays Park in the late Hall of Famer's hometown of Fairfield, Ala. At a news conference, April Brown, MLB's senior vice president of social responsibility and diversity, said the vision for the project includes access for all levels of players, from youth leagues to advanced levels. "This effort will not just be MLB alone," Brown said. "We have the blessing of so many connected to his legacy and that have the mission to instill the love of our game that Willie had to all of the youth in the area growing up in the neighborhood where he grew up." The auction, which features items from every major league club, runs through Thursday. --Drew Davison, Field Level Media

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phmacao login NEW YORK , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The global aggregates market size is estimated to grow by USD 51.86 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period. Rising investments in construction sector is driving market growth, with a trend towards increasing preference for pea gravel over crushed stone. However, illegal mining activities poses a challenge. Key market players include Anglo American plc, Boral Ltd., Buzzi SpA, CEMEX SAB de CV, China Resources Holdings Co. Ltd., CRH Plc, EUROCEMENT Group, Fisher Sand and Gravel Co., HeidelbergCement AG, Holcim Ltd., Irving Materials Inc., LSR Group, Martin Marietta Materials Inc., Rogers Group Inc., Sika AG, UEM Group Berhad, Vicat, Vulcan Materials Co., Adbri Ltd., Carmeuse Coordination Center SA and, LafargeHolcim. AI-Powered Market Evolution Insights. Our comprehensive market report ready with the latest trends, growth opportunities, and strategic analysis- View Free Sample Report PDF Key Market Trends Fueling Growth The aggregates market is experiencing significant growth, particularly in emerging economies where infrastructure development is a priority. Cement, concrete manufacturing, and railway ballast are key applications, with demand driven by transport infrastructure projects. The construction sector, including road base & coverings, crushed stone, sand, gravel, concrete blocks, pipes, bricks, and high-rise buildings, also contributes to market growth. Natural sediments like granite and limestone, as well as composite materials, are popular foundation materials for infrastructure projects such as airport runways, highways, railroads, parking lots, and water filtration & purification systems. Infrastructure problems due to urbanization and industrialization necessitate investment in new projects. The application segments of roadway and railway are major consumers, with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law boosting demand. Major aggregate producers face volatility due to factors like inflation, oil & gas prices, shipping costs, and interest rates. The manufacturing process must prioritize efficiency and productivity to deliver high-quality products. Digital transformation, such as the Hydro-Clean washing unit by Haver & Boecker, streamlines the process and reduces transportation costs. The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted supply chains, causing price fluctuations. Aggregates are essential for infrastructure development, from infrastructure projects to tourism activities. The United Nations and World Bank the importance of sustainable infrastructure development to meet the needs of the growing global population. The global aggregates market is experiencing a trend towards the use of pea gravel over crushed stone for various applications. Pea gravel, also known as pea stones, consists of small, round stones approximately the size of peas. These stones are preferred for above-ground projects due to their smooth finish and various color options, which make them an excellent complement to landscaping. In high-traffic areas, such as playgrounds, patios, and walkways, pea gravel is a popular choice due to its ease of use and durability. Additionally, pea gravel is increasingly used in underground projects, including pipe bedding and drainage, as well as fence post installation aggregate. Its small size and round shape make it an effective and efficient solution for these applications. Insights on how AI is driving innovation, efficiency, and market growth- Request Sample! • The aggregates market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for infrastructure development in emerging economies. However, challenges persist in the form of transport infrastructure limitations, which impact the cost and efficiency of cement, concrete manufacturing, and the transportation of crushed stone, sand, gravel, and other aggregates. Cement, concrete blocks, pipes, bricks, and high-rise buildings are major applications for aggregates in roadways, railway, and new infrastructure projects. Natural sediments like granite and limestone, as well as composite materials, are essential foundation materials for airport runways, highways, railroads, parking lots, and water filtration and purification systems. Infrastructure problems caused by urbanization and industrialization necessitate the production of high-quality products using digital transformation and advanced manufacturing processes. Major aggregate producers face volatility in prices due to inflation, oil & gas prices, shipping costs, and interest rates. The coronavirus pandemic has added to the challenges, causing disruptions in drilling, blasting, and transportation. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aims to address transportation cost issues and improve overall efficiency. The United Nations and the World Bank are also investing in infrastructure development to accommodate the growing global population and its urban and commercial needs. Triple Five Group's American Dream Mall and tourism activities are just a few examples of the infrastructure development that requires aggregates. • The global aggregates market, particularly the sand segment, faces significant challenges from illegal mining activities. This issue is particularly prevalent in countries like India , where natural resources are being excessively exploited. The unregulated nature of the aggregates market contributes to the rise of these illegal activities. In India , sand mining has become a major concern, with it being referred to as a black market due to the large quantities of aggregates extracted annually without proper authorization. The depletion of natural resources and political pressures have led to an increase in the production of manufactured sand (M-sand), which is a more sustainable alternative as it does not require the extraction of natural resources. Insights into how AI is reshaping industries and driving growth- Download a Sample Report This aggregates market report extensively covers market segmentation by 1.1 Concrete 1.2 Road base and coverings 1.3 Others 2.1 Crushed stone 2.2 Sand and gravel 2.3 Others 3.1 APAC 3.2 Europe 3.3 North America 3.4 Middle East and Africa 3.5 South America 1.1 Concrete- The aggregates market encompasses various types of materials used in construction applications, including sand, gravel, granite, and crushed stones. Sand, derived from disintegrated rocks, is a crucial component in construction, providing strength and enhancing the properties of concrete and asphalt. Coarse sand, river sand, manufactured sand, and m-sand are common types. M-sand, obtained from crushed hard granite stones, is increasingly used as a substitute for river sand. Coarse sand is utilized in the production of ready-mix concrete, while river sand is widely employed for concreting and plastering. Crushed stones are essential for constructing railroads, airports, highways, buildings, factories, and water and sewage systems. Gravel aggregates, derived from quarried rock sifting and natural stone crushing, are cost-effective alternatives to granite aggregates. They are used in concretes, foundations, and reinforced concrete products. The demand for these aggregates, particularly in the concrete segment, is expected to drive the growth of the global aggregates market. Download complimentary Sample Report to gain insights into AI's impact on market dynamics, emerging trends, and future opportunities- including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2018 - 2022) The aggregates market encompasses a wide range of minerals including crushed stone, sand, gravel, cement, concrete manufacturing materials, and natural sediments. These essential raw materials play a crucial role in the development of transport infrastructure, particularly in emerging economies. Applications span across various sectors such as roadway, railway, new infrastructure projects, and industrial construction. Aggregates are integral to the production of concrete blocks, pipes, bricks, high-rise buildings, and composite materials. They serve as foundation materials for highways, railroads, airport runways, and parking lots. Additionally, they are used in water filtration and purification systems, as well as soil erosion control. Natural sediments like sand, gravel, and crushed stone are extracted through drilling, blasting, or quarrying. Limestone and granite are popular choices for their durability and versatility. Aggregates' economic significance is reflected in their correlation with a country's GDP growth. The market's demand is driven by the increasing need for infrastructure development and urbanization. The aggregates market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for transport infrastructure development in emerging economies. Cement, concrete manufacturing, railway ballast, road base & coverings, crushed stone, sand, and gravel are among the key raw materials driving this growth. The GDP of these economies is expanding, leading to an increase in infrastructure projects, including high-rise buildings, airports, highways, railroads, and parking lots. Natural sediments such as sand, gravel, and crushed stone are extracted through various methods like drilling, blasting, and quarrying. Composite materials and natural sediments like granite and limestone are also used as foundation materials. Infrastructure problems caused by urbanization and industrialization are driving the need for infrastructure development. The United Nations and World Bank are investing in new infrastructure projects to address these issues. The application segments for aggregates include roadway and railway. The use of aggregates extends beyond infrastructure projects to include applications in composite materials, natural sand, water filtration, and purification. The construction materials industry is also experiencing digital transformation, with companies investing in high-quality products and efficient manufacturing processes. The market is facing challenges such as inflation, volatility in prices, transportation cost, and interest rates. The coronavirus pandemic has also affected the market, leading to supply chain disruptions and increased shipping costs. Despite these challenges, major aggregate producers are adapting to the changing market conditions and exploring new transportation modes like trucks, trains, and ships to meet the growing demand. 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Application Concrete Road Base And Coverings Others Product Crushed Stone Sand And Gravel Others Geography APAC Europe North America Middle East And Africa South America Type. 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE TechnavioA child beauty queen’s death, a botched investigation and decades of mystery: What we know about JonBenét Ramsey’s killing

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In light of Sri Lanka’s pressing economic challenges, the Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB) and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) have jointly called for immediate regulatory reforms to stabilise and revitalise the construction industry. In a comprehensive statement, CIOB Vice President and FCCISL Public Relations Committee Director and Chairman P.H. Ruwan De Silva outlined the critical steps necessary to safeguard the industry and support economic recovery across the nation. The construction sector, traditionally contributing between 7% and 9% to the national GDP, has seen a drastic decline, shrinking to below 2% post-pandemic. This alarming contraction highlights the sector’s struggle to overcome unprecedented challenges posed by pandemic-induced economic disruptions, inflation, soaring interest rates, and contract disputes. “The resilience of Sri Lanka’s construction industry entrepreneurs and business community is facing unprecedented challenges,” said Ruwan De Silva. “Contractors, particularly large and medium-scale, are navigating significant financial pressures due to rising material costs, outdated pricing structures, and a slowdown in new project opportunities.” He emphasised the need for timely, Government-led interventions to stabilise cash flow, mitigate financial risks, and provide support for ongoing projects, already resumed suspended projects and to restart many of them which were paused or delayed due to the pandemic and economic crisis. For over more than four decades, previous regimes have failed to address outdated, obsolete, and outmoded rules, regulations, and policies within the construction industry as well as other sectors. This lack of action has hindered the industry’s ability to transition into modern, innovative, and constructive technologies that would increase productivity and competitiveness. Despite continuous advocacy and calls for reform by the Ceylon Institute of Builders, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, National Construction Association of Sri Lanka, other industry associations, and institutions meaningful changes have yet to be implemented. The key fiscal policy response during the pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis has not adequately addressed the pressing issues in the construction industry due to economic crisis. Additionally, there has been a lack of proper attention from both the Sri Lankan Government and global funding agencies. This has left the construction sector in a state of uncertainty and desperation, further amplifying the struggles faced by contractors, consultants, other related industries and sectors. In navigating the financial and operational challenges caused by these unprecedented crises. Outdated and old-fashioned rules, regulations, and lengthy recommendation and approval processes have left public sector employees trapped, entrenched, and bound within inefficient systems. This severely impacts effective public service delivery, leading to widespread disappointment, distrust, and distress among the public and discouraging the private sector business community specially succession planning for next generation taking up leadership as directors, CEOs and other senior and middle level managers. As public service efficiency falters, the private sector also suffers, heightening the overall economic distress and eroding trust in governance. The integration of entrepreneurial culture and innovative business models into public service is crucial. Digitalisation, automation, AI and Machine Learning should be prioritised to streamline processes, making them faster, more transparent, and less prone to bureaucratic delays. In comparison to other regional and international markets, Sri Lankan entrepreneurs and startups remain marginal. Public sector employees have a significant role in supporting and empowering emerging entrepreneurs, fostering an environment that increases scale, volumes and capacities within the entrepreneurial sector. A strategic focus on supporting business community startups and entrepreneurial initiatives can help drive growth and resilience within the economy. To foster resilience and recovery in the current economic landscape, it is crucial that the working attitudes and mindset within Sri Lanka’s private sector evolve toward greater alignment with the needs of companies and entrepreneurs affected by multiple crises and financial strain. Employees across the business community must recognise the importance of their roles in supporting affected businesses. By demonstrating dedication, loyalty, and efficiency, employees can actively contribute to the revitalisation of their organisations. This transformative approach involves adopting innovative ideas, focusing on problem-solving skills, authority of power for making quick decisions striving for enhanced productivity, efficiency through improved work flows and processes. A commitment to a “zero waste” and “zero idling” culture should become an ingrained mindset, helping companies minimise unnecessary costs and maximise output. In addition, there is an urgent need for private sector employees to engage in continuous self-learning through free online resources, digital platforms, and social media channels. By embracing advancements in constructive technology, innovation, and digital transformation, employees can improve their skills, increase productivity, and drive meaningful progress within their organisations. This proactive approach to reskilling and up skilling ensures that both employees and companies are well-positioned to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving economic environment. Sri Lanka’s labour market is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by emerging trends across multiple generations, particularly Generation Z, whose preferences and work styles are reshaping the employment landscape. Younger generations tend to prioritise flexibility, digital proficiency, and opportunities for continuous learning. Their adaptability to technological change and digital tools is critical to achieving productivity gains and fostering innovation across sectors. Gen Z and other younger workers have demonstrated a strong interest in entrepreneurial ventures, often preferring roles that offer autonomy, purpose, and growth potential. To fully leverage these qualities, it is essential for the public and private sectors to create work environments that attract and retain young talent, aligning with their values and aspirations. These generational trends contribute significantly to economic growth, as younger workers often bring fresh perspectives, digital expertise, and innovative approaches that can drive efficiency and modernisation across industries. By supporting employment policies that foster inclusivity, up skilling and reskilling across all generations, Sri Lanka can enhance workforce productivity and position itself to compete effectively on a global scale. Public sector reforms and targeted investments in technology, training, and mentorship will be crucial to harnessing this generational potential and building a resilient, future-ready workforce. The economic and financial stability of the entire construction ecosystem has been severely eroded over the past five years, leading to an acute working capital across all industry entities, including architects, engineers, consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, subcontractors, traders, logistics providers, and importers, exporters, service and utility providers. This deterioration presents a formidable challenge for the current and future outlook of the industry, as these businesses face the loss of critical financial, machine/equipment and human capital. Recovering and rebuilding business capacities will be an ongoing battle, with many companies grappling with financial distress and operational setbacks daily as they strive to sustain their business activities while maintaining business relationships, credit, loans, operations and statutory obligations. In a bankrupt economy, both the private and public sectors are facing unprecedented challenges and distress. Now, more than ever, it is essential to set aside party politics, political rivalries and work collaboratively to emerge as a united nation. A leading productive, proactive, and positive working culture is needed across all sectors, where individuals step up to make decisions without passing on responsibilities or delaying actions. Only by extending a helping hand to one another, irrespective of position or status, Sri Lanka can overcome these challenges and pave the way towards recovery. The present Government faces a monumental challenge—not only in recovering the collapsed economy but also in restoring public trust, social security, safety, while building political stability, confidence among entrepreneurs, and investor assurance. These challenges are further compounded by the rising complexities of global trade wars, geopolitical tensions, emerging cold and hot conflicts, and increasing threats in cyber security. As global uncertainties mount, so do the challenges to national security, economic stability, and public trust in governance. The National People’s Power (NPP) policy declaration and manifesto has been proactively and systematically developed to address and outline the necessary reforms required for navigating Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. This roadmap provides a significant milestone for achieving the proposed strategic interventions, emphasising regulatory reform and targeted investment as cornerstones of a robust revival for both the construction industry and other key sectors. Entrepreneurs and the business community can be assured of the manifesto’s commitment more than ever before. By aligning with the NPP’s outlined vision, stakeholders across the construction industry, other industries, and the broader economy can advance toward a sustainable future with structured guidance on actionable and impactful changes. The CIOB and FCCISL stand ready to collaborate with policymakers, economists, Government officials, and legislators to advance these reforms. Together with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Government and leadership CIOB and FCCISL aim to foster sustainable growth aligned with the NPP’s “Rich Country, Beautiful Life” vision. De Silva called upon the Government to engage with experienced entrepreneurs to lead these reforms and develop actionable, ground-level solutions to support the industries. “The time for action is now,” urged Ruwan De Silva. “We need regulatory reform that reflects the real conditions on the ground, offering immediate relief to contractors and business community creating a supportive environment for future growth.” Sri Lanka’s recovery depends on a paradigm shift in public service delivery, which includes transforming entrenched attitudes, traditional working cultures, outdated management styles, and cumbersome processes. These legacy systems have not only hindered swift responses to crises but have also eroded confidence among businesses, investors, and general public leading to widespread disappointment frustration and uncertainty in governance and public administration. For Sri Lanka to achieve a V-shaped recovery, the government must overcome years of economic erosion, business insolvencies, rising public mistrust, and wavering confidence in the nation’s governance and regulatory systems. “If past administrations had acted collaboratively for suggestions and proposals, the current dire situation within the construction industry could have been mitigated Ruwan De Silva asserted. “Our industry would have been better equipped to withstand these economic shocks and ready to embrace transformative technologies that drive efficiency and growth.” The PwC-FCCISL Business Resurgence Survey, conducted from July to September 2020, emphasises the need for a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach to support the recovery and growth of local entrepreneurs in the post-pandemic landscape. The survey highlights that a broad spectrum of collaborative actions across various sectors is essential to drive meaningful resurgence, calling for coordinated efforts by key stakeholders, including the Government of Sri Lanka, public sector organisations, industry representative bodies, and private sector entities. Building upon the survey’s recommendations, FCCISL, CIOB, industry chambers, trade associations, and institutions are positioned to take proactive steps by developing action plans that align with multi-stakeholder working groups. These groups aim to foster an ecosystem that addresses critical areas for entrepreneurship and business growth in Sri Lanka, which includes: 1. Market development: Expanding access to both local and international markets, facilitating new opportunities for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs to thrive. 2. Capacity development: Enhancing the skills and competencies of local businesses to increase competitiveness, resilience, and adaptability in a rapidly changing environment. 3. Financial support: Implementing robust financial aid programs, incentives, concessions, relief and access to credit for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and other emerging businesses to sustain operations and scale effectively. 4. Business environment improvement: Reforming the regulatory landscape to create a more favourable and enabling business environment, reduce bureaucratic burdens, red tape and promote ease of doing business. The survey’s findings also underscore the sector-specific impacts of the pandemic, highlighting areas that require targeted support and interventions, including, 1. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) 2. Manufacturing 3. Trading 4. Transport and Storage 5. Accommodation and Food Services 6. Construction 7. Agriculture 8. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 9. Professional Services 10. Education 11. Other Service Sectors By fostering collaboration across these areas, FCCISL and CIOB, together with industry chambers, entrepreneurs and other entities, aim to unlock tangible benefits for local entrepreneurs, thereby strengthening Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and contributing to sustainable economic growth. Ruwan De Silva presented a series of well-researched, actionable proposals that outline short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures to support the construction industry. These proposals include: 1. Immediate financial relief: Establishing emergency funds to assist cash-strapped contractors with ongoing projects and enabling the resumption of suspended works. 2. Debt restructuring and interest relief: Implementing interest concessions for pandemic-induced debts to ease financial pressures on contractors and encourage continued operations. 3. Policy revisions: Updating outdated contractual pricing models and incorporating regulatory clauses that reflect current economic realities, ensuring fair compensation for contractors. 4. Investment promotion: Attracting private and public investment through tax incentives, improved project financing options, and incentives for sustainable building practices. 5. Restarting donor-funded projects: Encouraging the resumption of foreign-funded initiatives to bring in capital and spur development. 6. FCCISL-PwC Business Resurgence Survey Report 7. CIOB Budget Proposals 2023 8. FCCISL Labour Reforms Report 9. Analytical insights and study series Sri Lanka’s construction sector is pivotal to national development, and its revival will benefit every layer of the economy. CIOB and FCCISL’s proposals serve as a wake-up call to all stakeholders, emphasising the importance of coordinated policy action to ensure a sustainable, growth-oriented future for the construction industry and Sri Lanka’s broader economy.

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'Mufasa' stars 'pinching themselves' to be in 'Lion King' prequelGermany's foreign minister described the suspected sabotage of a Baltic Sea power cable as a "wake-up call" for the West and urged the European Union to impose new sanctions targeting what is known as Russia's " shadow fleet ." Meanwhile, a media outlet focusing on shipping news and intelligence reported that the ship suspected of damaging the cable linking Finland and Estonia on December 25 was equipped with "special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity." The Eagle S "had transmitting and receiving devices installed that effectively allowed it to become a 'spy ship' for Russia," Lloyd's List reported on December 27, citing "a source familiar with the vessel who provided commercial maritime services to it as recently as seven months ago." Finland seized the Eagle S on December 26, citing suspicions that it caused an outage of the Estlink 2 undersea power cable and damaged four Internet lines. Finnish investigators said the ship may have caused the damage by dragging its anchor along the sea floor. Finnish and EU officials say the Eagle S is believed to belong to a "shadow fleet" of old, uninsured oil vessels used to bypass Western sanctions and maintain a source of revenue for Russia's economy and its war against Ukraine. The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. "The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment , while funding Russia's war budget," the European Commission said on December 26, suggesting the incident was part of a deliberate effort to damage "critical infrastructure" in Europe. "We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet." In comments on December 28, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged "new European sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet," which she said is "a major threat to our environment and security" that is used by Russia "to finance its war of aggression in Ukraine." "Almost every month, ships are damaging major undersea cables in the Baltic Sea," Baerbock said in a statement to the Funke media group. "Crews are leaving anchors in the water, dragging them for kilometers along the seafloor for no apparent reason, and then losing them when pulling them up.” "It's more than difficult to still believe in coincidences," she said. "This is an urgent wake-up call for all of us." TBILISI -- Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili joined thousands of pro-West demonstrators on the streets of Tbilisi to protest the Georgian Dream-led government's moves to delay closer integration with the European Union and its perceived tilt toward Russia. The December 28 rally came at a potentially explosive time in the South Caucasus nation as Zurabishvili has vowed not to step down at the end of her term on December 29, claiming her successor -- chosen by an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream -- was "illegitimate." Zurabishvili and demonstrators, waving Georgian and EU flags, marched along the Saarbruecken Bridge in the capital, joined by members of parliament from allied countries, including Poland and Lithuania, to form a "chain of unity." The rally marked one month since the start of the recent wave of anti-government protests, which have been met with violent police action, injuries, and mass arrests by Georgian authorities. Protesters accuse the government of the Georgian Dream party of moving the country away from the EU and closer to Moscow. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October parliamentary 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 EU. On December 24, Human Rights Watch called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the "brutal police violence" against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for the demonstrations. On December 27, the United States said it had slapped fresh sanctions on Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and the founder of the Georgian Dream party, for undermining Georgia's democracy for the "benefit of the Russian Federation." "Under Ivanishvili's leadership, Georgian Dream has advanced the interests of the Kremlin by derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory -- in direct contradiction to what was envisioned by the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. The action prompted anger from the Georgian Dream party, while the Georgian opposition hailed the action and called on the EU to also move against Ivanishvili and other Georgian leaders. Zurabishvili -- who has spilt with the government and backed the protesters early in the wave of rallies -- on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. U.S. Republican House member Joe Wilson on December 27 wrote on X that he welcomed the new sanctions and added that he had invited Zurabishvili -- "as the only legitimate leader in Georgia" -- to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20. "I am in awe of her courage in the face of the assault by Ivanishvili and his friends" in China and Iran, Wilson added, without mentioning Russia. 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 will not step down, setting up a potentially explosive showdown. "Next week at this time, I will be president," Zurabishvili restated on December 27. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, 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 been in power since 2012. Afghanistan's Taliban-led government said Taliban forces targeted what it claimed were "centers and hideouts for malicious elements" it said were involved in a recent attack in Afghanistan, as an upsurge of cross-border fighting continues. The statement from the Taliban's Defense Ministry followed reports of deadly early morning clashes on December 28 between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards. It came days after the government said Pakistani aircraft bombed targets in Afghanistan in an attack it said killed dozens of civilians. The ministry gave few details about the strikes, which it said were launched against targets in several districts behind the "hypothetical line" -- a reference to a portion of the border with Pakistan that Afghan authorities have long disputed. Local sources told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that three people in Paktia Province were killed and two wounded by gunfire from Pakistani border guards, and that clashes also took place in the Khost province. The reports could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani government. But the head of a community in the Kurram district told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that Taliban forces fired rockets at two security posts near the border at about 6 a.m., setting off fighting that continued for several hours. The Taliban's Defense Ministry suggested the strikes on Pakistan were retaliation for what the Taliban-led government said were Pakistani air strikes that killed 46 civilians in Paktika Province, which also borders Pakistan, on December 24. Pakistan says that militants from the Islamist group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are hiding across the border in Afghanistan, and Islamabad has repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban to take action against them. The Afghan Taliban say the TTP is in Pakistan. There has been a steady increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan. Authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka extended a wave of pardons ahead of a January presidential election in Belarus, ordering the release of 20 prisoners jailed on extremism charges his opponents and rights groups say were politically motivated. Lukashenka's press service suggested the pardons were issued on humanitarian grounds, saying 14 of those ordered released have chronic illnesses and 10 of them have children. It said 11 of the 20 are women. The press service claimed the prisoners had all sought pardons and expressed remorse, an assertion that could not be independently verified. It said that authorities would "monitor their behavior following their release." Since July, Lukashenka has pardoned more than 225 people whom activists consider political prisoners. Rights groups have recognized nearly 3,600 people as political prisoners since the state launched a massive crackdown when pro-democracy protests erupted after Lukashenka, in power since 1994, claimed a landslide victory in an August 2020 election that millions believe was stolen though fraud . Many of those have served out their sentences. Ahead of a January 26 election in which he is certain to be awarded a new term, Lukashenka may be seeking to signal to the West that he is easing off on the persistent clampdown that the state has imposed since the 2020 election. But the crackdown continues, with frequent arrests and trials on what activists say are politically motivated charges. At least 1,253 people whom rights groups consider political prisoners remain behind bars, and the real number is believed to be higher. Lukashenka has roped Belarus closely to Russia and has provided support for Russia's war on neighboring Ukraine, including by allowing Russian forces to invade from Belarusian territory, and he says Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus. But over 30 years in power, he has often tried to capitalize on Belarus’ position between Russia in the east and NATO and the European Union to the west and north. Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized over the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane this week, the Kremlin said, amid growing evidence that the jet was hit by a Russian air-defense missile in the Chechnya region before it went down in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. In a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Putin said Russian air defenses were repelling an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Chechnya’s capital, Grozny, when the plane was trying to land at the airport there, a Kremlin statement said. Putin "conveyed his apologies in connection with the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace," the statement said, indicating that Putin acknowledged the plane was damaged over Chechnya but stopped short of stating a Russian missile strike was the cause. "In the conversation, it was noted that...the aircraft tried more than once to approach the Grozny airport for landing," it said, adding that “at this time, Ukrainian combat drones were attacking Grozny [and the nearby cities of] Mozdok and Vladikavkaz, and Russian air-defense systems were repelling these attacks." Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into the possible violation of flight safety rules, the statement said. It said two Azerbaijani prosecutors were working with Russian law enforcement in Grozny and that Russian, Azerbaijani, and Kazakh authorities were working together at the crash site near Aqtau, Kazakhstan. The Kremlin statement is likely to further increase suspicions that a Russian missile damaged the Embraer-190 jet before it was diverted to Aktau, across the Caspian Sea from Chechnya, where it crashed near the shore after a steep descent and burst into flames. Evidence of a missile strike includes footage of damage inside the plane before the crash and images of the hole-pocked tail section after the crash, as well as comments from survivors who said they heard at least one explosion outside the plane over Chechnya. Azerbaijani lawmaker Hikmat Babaoghlu told RFE/RL on December 27 that there is a "very strong" possibility that the plane was damaged by a Russian air-defense missile. He said that the "observations and conclusions drawn so far support the idea that the plane being shot down is the closest to the truth." On the same day, White House spokesman John Kirby said U.S. experts "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air-defense systems." Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air-defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. The crash has disrupted air traffic in the Caucasus and beyond. An Azerbaijan Airlines flight bound for the Russian spa town of Mineranlye Vody, not far from Grozny, took off from Baku on December 27 but then abruptly headed back after receiving a flight information notice that Russian airspace it was due to fly through was closed. Azerbaijan Airlines later said it is suspending flights to several Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, and Makhachkala. Turkmenistan Airlines announced on December 28 that it was canceling all its flights between the capital, Ashgabat, and Moscow from December 30 to January 31, giving no reason for the decision. Turkmenistan borders Kazakhstan on the eastern shore of the Caspian. Also on December 28, Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that restrictions were briefly placed on the operation of the airport in the Tatarstan regional capital, Kazan, to ensure flight safety, and media reports said that all departures and arrivals had been suspended. Flights heading to Kazan from the Siberian cities of Tomsk, Surgut, and Kemerovo were redirected to an airfield in Nizhnekamsk, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing the airport's press service. No specific reason was given for the measures, which Rosaviatsia said had been lifted a few hours later. Russia has closed airports at times due to alleged drone attacks, and a drone attack hit high-rise buildings in Kazan on December 21. NATO has said it would bolster its presence in the Baltic Sea after undersea power lines and Internet cables were damaged by suspected sabotage believed to be carried out by vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called “ shadow fleet .” Estonia also announced on December 27 that it had begun a naval operation to guard a crucial electricity line in the Baltic Sea in coordination with allies as tensions mounted in the region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in a social media post following discussions with Finnish President Alexander Stubb that "NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea." Both Finland and Estonia have coastlines on the Baltic Sea. When asked for details about planned actions, NATO officials told AP that the alliance “remains vigilant and is working to provide further support, including by enhancing our military presence” in the region. "We have agreed with Estonia, and we have also communicated to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, that our wish is to have a stronger NATO presence," Stubb told a news conference. Stubb added that investigators did not want to jump to conclusions, but a day earlier he had said that "it is necessary to be able to prevent the risks posed by ships belonging to the Russian 'shadow fleet.'" The "shadow fleet" is a reference to old, uninsured oil vessels typically used to bypass Western sanctions on Russia and maintain a source of revenue. European government and the United States have accused Russia of intensifying "hybrid attacks" following reports of damage to Baltic Sea communications cables, although they have not yet directly tied Moscow to the damage. NATO stepped up monitoring critical infrastructure in the Baltic following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the destruction of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline seven months later. Chinese-linked ships have also been suspected of sabotaging undersea infrastructure over recent years. Sweden -- NATO's newest member, which also has a coastline on the Baltic Sea -- said its coast guard had stepped up surveillance of sea traffic and had deployed aircraft and vessels in concert with regional allies. The European Commission on December 26 said a cargo ship suspected of having deliberately damaged power and Internet cables in the Baltic Sea was part of Russia's "shadow fleet." The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. Finnish authorities on December 26 boarded and took command of the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker in the Baltic Sea as part of its investigation into the damages, saying it likely belong to the "shadow fleet." Investigators have said the damage could have been caused by the ship intentionally dragging its anchor. The Kremlin said it had no connection to the ship seized by Finland. It has regularly denied that it is involved in any of the many incidents involving Baltic Sea region infrastructure assets. The United States said it has slapped fresh sanctions on Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, for undermining Georgia's democracy for the "benefit of the Russian Federation." "Under Ivanishvili's leadership, Georgian Dream has advanced the interests of the Kremlin by derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory -- in direct contradiction to what was envisioned by the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on December 27. Blinken added that "Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream's actions have eroded democratic institutions, enabled human rights abuses, and curbed the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia." "We strongly condemn Georgian Dream's actions under Ivanishvili's leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures." The new measures will block transactions involving entities owned by Ivanishvili, the statement said. According to Bloomberg News, Ivanishvili's fortune is estimated at $7.5 billion, much of it coming through metals, banking, and telecom assets in Russia during the 1990s. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the U.S. action "blackmail" and said it was Ivanishvili's "reward" for protecting Georgia's national interest. However, opposition leader Giorgi Vashadze of the Unity National Movement hailed the U.S. decision, according to Georgia's Interpress news agency. "I welcome this step from the United States and believe that we are quickly moving toward victory and will celebrate Georgia without Ivanishvili, who is the bringer of chaos and misery to this country," he was quoted as saying. In a previous action, the United States on December 12 said it would "prohibit visa issuance to those who are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia." That move affected some 20 people, "including individuals serving as government ministers and in parliament, law enforcement and security officials, and private citizens," it said in a statement , without naming the individuals. Georgia, once a closer U.S. ally, has angered Washington and the European Union with its perceived tilt toward Russia and its violent crackdown on dissent in the Caucasus nation. The sanctions come at a crucial time, as Georgia's fate hangs in the balance -- whether it will intensify its tilt toward Moscow, return to the pro-Europe path, or remain in an environment of unrest and uncertainty. Police in Tbilisi have clashed with pro-West protesters over the past several weeks, detaining dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the government of the Georgian Dream party of moving the country away from the European Union and closer to Moscow. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October parliamentary 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 EU. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on December 24 called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the “brutal police violence” against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for huge anti-government demonstrations. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili – who has spilt with the government and backed the protesters -- on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. "Next week at this time I will be president," Zurabishvili restated on December 27. U.S. Republican House member Joe Wilson wrote on X that he welcomed the new sanctions and added that he had invited Zurabishvili -- "as the only legitimate leader in Georgia" -- to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20 "I am in awe of her courage in the face of the assault by Ivanishvili and his friends" in China and Iran, Wilson added, without mentioning Russia. 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 will not step down, setting up a potentially explosive showdown. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, 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 been in power since 2012. PODGORICA -- After a multinational back-and-forth legal battle, Montenegro on December 27 said it would extradite South Korean cryptocurrency entrepreneur Hyeong Do Kwon -- the so-called Crypto King -- to the United States. Do Kwon is sought by both the United States and South Korea and also faces possible legal action in Singapore. Montenegrin courts have previously issued at least eight often-contradictory decisions regarding Do Kwon's fate. In September, the Montenegrin Supreme Court ruled that Do Kwon could be sent to either the United States or South Korea and that the final decision on which country would be up to Justice Minister Bojan Bozovic. On December 24, Do Kwon lost his final appeal against extradition with Montenegro's Constitutional Court. In the latest ruling, the Justice Ministry said the U.S. request had met the threshold for removal and, as a result Bozovic "issued a decision approving the extradition." The ministry said the criteria included the gravity of the criminal acts, the order of submission of the extradition requests, and the citizenship of the person in question. The former CEO and co-founder of the cryptocurrency company Terraform Labs is wanted by U.S. and South Korean authorities for his alleged role in capital market and securities fraud involving assets worth some $40 billion. Do Kwon was arrested with business partner Chang Joon in March 2023 at Podgorica airport while attempting to fly to Dubai using on allegedly forged passports. They each received a four-month prison sentence on the forged-passport charge. Chang, who was wanted only by South Korea, was extradited to that country on February 5. After serving his sentence, Do Kwon was sent to a shelter for foreigners near Podgorica, where he awaited extradition. Do Kwon in October claimed that the South Korean charges were illegitimate and "politically motivated." Despite the legal struggle, Do Kwon's trial in absentia took place in the United States, where a New York jury on April 5 found him and Terraform labs liable on civil fraud charges, agreeing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that they had misled investors. Terraform Labs agreed to pay about $4.5 billion in a civil settlement with the SEC following the court's ruling. Do Kwon was ordered to pay $204 million. Following the verdict, a Terraform spokesperson said, "We continue to maintain that the SEC does not have the legal authority to bring this case at all" and that the company was weighing its options. Italy’s Foreign Ministry said journalist Cecilia Sala, who was in Iran to carry out "journalistic activities," has been detained by Tehran police authorities. The ministry said in a statement on December 27 that Sala, who has a podcast called Stories that covers life in places around the world, was detained on December 19. It gave no reason for the detention, but said in a statement that the ambassador from Italy's embassy in Tehran had paid a consular visit "to verify the conditions and state of detention of Sala." "The family was informed of the results of the consular visit. Previously, Sala had the opportunity to make two phone calls with her relatives," it said. Sala posted a podcast from Tehran on December 17 about patriarchy in the Iranian capital. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. Earlier this month, Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, was handed a 10-year sentence by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22. His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. Iran is among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. An Azerbaijani lawmaker said there is a "very strong" possibility that the crash of a passenger jet earlier this week was caused by Russian air-defense systems on alert for Ukrainian drone attacks. Speculation has mounted that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was headed from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya region, may have been hit by an air-defense missile before crossing the Caspian Sea and crashing near Aqtau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 passengers and crew. Lawmaker Hikmat Babaoghlu told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service in an interview on December 27 that such an explanation is most likely "closest to the truth." "This is only a possibility, but a very strong one, and the observations and conclusions drawn so far support the idea that the plane being shot down is the closest to the truth," he said. "In this specific case, the incident involves Azerbaijan's airliner being damaged within the territory of the Russian Federation, with the event causing the crash occurring there. Therefore, there is no doubt that responsibility falls on the Russian Federation. If these assumptions are correct, accountability also undoubtedly rests with Russia," he added. Kazakh experts arrived on December 27 to examine the crash site and black box of the ill-fated passenger jet, as speculation -- and evidence -- mounted suggesting that a Russian air-defense missile may have inadvertently struck the craft. Even as the probe intensifies, countries with victims aboard the plane -- Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan -- continue to mourn their dead and treat the injured from the crash of the Embraer 190 aircraft. Since the crash, uncertainty has rocked the aviation industry throughout the Caucasus. An Azerbaijan Airlines flight bound for the Russian spa town of Mineranlye Vody took off from Baku on December 27 but then abruptly headed back after receiving a flight information notice that Russian airspace it was due to fly through was closed . Azerbaijan Airlines later said it is suspending flights to several Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, and Makhachkala. Speculation has swirled around the tragedy, with some experts pointing to holes seen in the plane's tail section as a possible sign that it could have come under fire from Russian air-defense systems engaged in thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on December 27 that the United States has seen signs suggesting that the jet could have been hit by Russian air defense systems. U.S. experts "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems," he said. Kirby added that Washington has “offered our assistance...should they need it" to the ongoing investigation being conducted by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Evidence, yet to be corroborated by authorities, includes footage from inside the plane before the crash, images of the hole-pocked tail section after the crash, a survivor's comments, and accounts indicating there was a suspected drone attack around the time the plane apparently tried to land in Grozny. Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air-defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. It was not immediately clear where the black box would be examined. The process can be highly technical, and not all countries have the resources to undertake such work. Gulag Aslanli, a leader of Azerbaijan's opposition Musavat party, told RFE/RL that an international commission was needed to investigate the incident. "Russia cannot be allowed there," he said. "If the black box is going to be taken to Russia and examined there, I will look at its outcome with suspicion." Officials said it typically takes about two weeks to fully assess a black box, although various conditions can alter that time frame. Commenting on unconfirmed reports that the plane may have been shot down by a missile, Kazakh Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbaev said it was "not possible" to say what may have damaged the aircraft until the investigation is finished. "Real experts are looking at all this, and they will make their conclusions. Neither Kazakhstan, Russia, nor Azerbaijan, of course, is interested in hiding information, so it will be brought to the public," Ashimbaev said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a similar comment, reiterating Moscow's previous stance on the deadly incident. "An investigation is under way, and until the conclusions of the investigation, we do not consider we have the right to make any comments and we will not do so," Peskov told reporters on December 27. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Russian officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience" with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev also told reporters the plane had been fully serviced in October and that there was no sign of technical malfunction. But he said it was too early to determine a cause: "The plane has been found with a black box. After detailed research, all aspects will be clear." The airline suspended flights along the route of the crash pending completion of the investigation. Azerbaijan's Prosecutor-General's Office said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." As the first seven survivors arrived back in the country on December 26, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning. Burials of four of those who lost their lives were conducted during the day, with additional funerals expected in the coming hours and days. Officials in Baku said the wounded arrived on a special flight arranged by Azerbaijan's Emergency Affairs Ministry and that the injured, many with severe burn wounds, were accompanied by medical professionals. Ayhan Solomon, Azerbaijan’s chief consul in Aqtau, told reporters that 26 of those killed were Azerbaijani citizens. He said 16 Azerbaijani citizens survived. “Of those, 10 to 12 are in good condition and others remain critically stable,” he added. Azerbaijan Airlines' supervisory board said on December 26 that the families of those killed will be compensated with 40,000 manats ($23,460), while those injured would receive 20,000 manats ($11,730). Along with the 42 Azerbaijani citizens, those aboard Flight J2-8243 were listed as 16 Russian nationals, six from Kazakhstan, and three Kyrgyz citizens, officials said. The survivors include nine Russian citizens, who were flown to Moscow on December 26 by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Three of the Russian survivors were in critical condition, according to Russian health authorities. KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said “several” North Korean soldiers – badly wounded in fighting alongside Russian forces – have died after being captured by Ukrainian troops on the battlefield and he accused Moscow of having little regard for their survival. Zelenskiy, echoing earlier remarks by U.S. officials, said soldiers sent to Russia by Pyongyang are suffering major losses in fighting in Russia's Kursk region. The Ukrainian leader accused Moscow and North Korean “enforcers” of leaving the soldiers unprotected in battle and even executing fighters to prevent them from being captured alive. He did not provide evidence to back up the claims and they could not independently be verified. The North Korean military has suffered “many losses. A great deal. And we can see that the Russian military and the North Korean enforcers have no interest in the survival of these Koreans at all,” he said in a video address on December 27. “Everything is arranged in a way that makes it impossible for us to capture the Koreans as prisoners – their own people are executing them. There are such cases. And the Russians send them into assaults with minimal protection.” He said Ukrainian soldiers had managed to take some prisoners. "But they were very seriously wounded and could not be saved.” The remarks came after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said that a North Korean fighter had died of wounds suffered before his capture by Ukrainian special operations troops in the Kursk region. "We have confirmed through an allied intelligence agency that a North Korean soldier who was captured on the 26th died a little while ago due to serious injuries," the news release said. On December 26, the Ukrainian news outlet Militarnyi said a soldier believed to be North Korean had been captured by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the Kursk region. A photo of a captured soldier, who is believed to have been injured, also was previously shared on Telegram. The photo has not been independently verified. Details about the soldier's condition and status are not known. Last month Pyongyang ratified a "comprehensive strategic partnership" agreement with Russia, cementing a deal that paved the way for its soldiers to fight on Russian soil against Ukraine. Western sources estimate that 12,000 North Korean troops are in the Kursk region, parts of which are occupied by Ukrainian forces amid ongoing pitched battles. U.S. Response White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on December 27 that North Korean forces are suffering heavy casualties on the front lines, adding that some 1,000 of their troops have been killed or wounded in the Kursk region over the past week. "It is clear that Russian and North Korean military leaders are treating these troops as expendable and ordering them on hopeless assaults against Ukrainian defenses," Kirby said. Kirby said also U.S. President Joe Biden would likely approve another package of military aid for Kyiv in the coming days as he bids to bolster Ukraine’s forces before leaving office on January 20. U.S. officials later told reporters that a new package of military assistance worth $1.25 billion is scheduled to be announced on December 30. North Korean Losses Zelenskiy on December 23 said more than 3,000 troops, or about a quarter of the North Korean special forces sent to Russia, had been killed or injured, though he couched his statement by saying the data was preliminary. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on a lower figure, saying on December 19 that about 1,100 North Korean special forces have been killed or injured in Russia since entering the fray against Ukraine. On December 15, Skhemy (Schemes), an investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, received photos from Ukrainian military sources purportedly showing the bodies of dead soldiers in Kursk, including what was said to be North Korean fighters. RFE/RL has not been able to independently verify the claims. Russia has not commented on the report. North Korean military support is coming at a critical time in the war. Russia is seeking to overpower an undermanned and under-resourced Ukrainian infantry and gain territory before its own manpower and resources become constrained. Russia has lost more than 600,000 soldiers in the nearly three-year war, the Pentagon said in early October. It has burned through so much war material that it is struggling to replace its artillery and missile needs amid sweeping Western sanctions. Now nearly two-thirds of the mortars and shells Russia launches at Ukraine come from North Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported , citing Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian Army officer. And every third ballistic missile was made in North Korea, Ukrainian officials said. The European Commission said a cargo ship suspected of having deliberately damaged power and Internet cables in the Baltic Sea is part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," prompting the EU to threaten new sanctions against Moscow. "We strongly condemn any deliberate destruction of Europe’s critical infrastructure," the commission said in a statement on December 26. "The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment, while funding Russia’s war budget. We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet," the statement added. The statement added that "in response to these incidents, we are strengthening efforts to protect undersea cables, including enhanced information exchange, new detection technologies, as well as in undersea repair capabilities, and international cooperation." The remarks come after two fiber-optic cables owned by Finnish operator Elisa linking Finland and Estonia were broken on December 25. A third link between the two countries -- owned by China's Citic -- was damaged, authorities said. An Internet cable running between Finland and Germany belonging to Finnish group Cinia was also believed to have been severed, according to officials. Investigators said the damage could have been caused by the ship intentionally dragging its anchor. Finnish authorities on December 26 boarded and took command of the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker in the Baltic Sea as part of the investigation. The Finnish customs service said the Eagle S is believed to belong to Russia's so-called “shadow fleet” of old, uninsured oil vessels used to bypass Western sanctions and maintain a source of revenue. The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. Finnish President Alexander Stubb also suggested the cargo has Russian links and that his country is closely monitoring the situation. "It is necessary to be able to prevent the risks posed by ships belonging to the Russian shadow fleet," Stubb wrote on X . EU foreign ministers on December 16 adopted a package of sanctions against Moscow targeting tankers transporting Russian oil as the bloc looked to curb the circumvention of previous measures aimed at hindering Kremlin's ability to wage war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte said on December 26 that the alliance is ready to help Finland and Estonia as they launch their probe into the possible "sabotage." "Spoke with [Estonian Prime Minister] Kristen Michal about reported possible sabotage of Baltic Sea cables,” he wrote on X. “NATO stands in solidarity with Allies and condemns any attacks on critical infrastructure. We are following investigations by Estonia and Finland, and we stand ready to provide further support." Russian President Vladimir Putin said on December 26 that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is ready to offer a “platform” for possible peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv to end the war in Ukraine. Putin told the media Fico said during a recent meeting that "if there are any negotiations, [the Slovaks] would be happy to provide their country as a platform." Most terms suggested so far by Putin have been deemed unacceptable to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Fico is one of the few European leaders Putin has stayed friendly with since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, prompting criticism of the Slovak leader by Zelenskiy and many Western leaders. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here . Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to Russia on January 17, state-controlled media in Iran and Russia reported on December 26. Quoting Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, Iran's Tasnim news agency said that “the president will visit Russia on January 17 and a cooperation agreement between the two countries will be signed during the visit." Russia and Iran both are under severe financial sanctions imposed by Western nations and have stepped up bilateral cooperation on many fronts in recent years. The West has accused Iran of providing weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. Tehran has denied the allegations despite evidence widespread use of Iranian-made drones in the war. SARAJEVO -- Bosnia-Herzegovina’s security minister has been arrested on charges of money-laundering, abuse of office, and accepting bribes, the Balkan nation’s prosecutor’s office said. The minister, Nenad Nesic, was among seven people arrested on similar charges, the office said on December 26. The charges stem from an investigation by the Bosnian state prosecutor and the Interior Ministry of Bosnia's ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, into suspected corruption at the Roads of RS (Putevi RS) public company, where Nesic was general manager from 2016 to 2020. The company's current general manager, Milan Dakic, was also among those arrested, prosecutors said. The company did not immediately comment. Nesic, 46, has been Bosnia’s security minister since 2022. When asked by reporters about the case as he was entering an East Sarajevo police station, Nesic said only that "I continue to fight for Republika Srpska," according to Reuters. Nesic is president of the Democratic People's Alliance (DNS), which is in a coalition with Milorad Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD). Dodik, who is president of Republika Srpska, claimed on social media that this was an "unacceptable procedure" and a "persecution of cadres" from the Bosnian government. The pro-Russia Dodik is under sanctions imposed by the United States and Britain for his efforts to undermine the Dayton agreements that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war. He is currently facing trial himself on charges he failed to comply with the decisions of international High Representative Christian Schmidt. Ethnic Serb lawmakers this week said Dodik's trial was political and based on illegal decisions by the high representative. They claimed that the court was unconstitutional because it was set up by Schmidt and not by the Dayton agreement. Since the Dayton peace accords were put into effect, the country has consisted of a Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government, where Nesic holds the security portfolio. Israel carried out large-scale air strikes on the main airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on December 26 as it steps up attacks on the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in what Tehran called a “violation” of peace and security. Huthi rebels said three people were killed and 14 were injured or missing following the Israeli attacks on the airport and other sites in Yemen, including port facilities. "Fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes on military targets belonging to the Huthi terrorist regime on the western coast and inland Yemen," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attacks followed recent rocket launches by the Huthi fighters against the Tel Aviv area, although little damage was reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes on Yemen, calling them "aggressions" that it claimed were "a clear violation of international peace and security." It said they represented "an undeniable crime against the heroic and noble people of Yemen," who had "not spared any effort to support the oppressed people of Palestine." The Israeli military has said air strikes in Yemen are targeting Huthi sites that have been used to receive Iranian weapons, which are then often transported to other Tehran-linked groups in the Mideast -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, while Hezbollah has also been deemed a terrorist group by Washington. The EU blacklists its military arm but not its political wing. The U.S. State Department designated the Huthis as a terrorist group at the start of this year. Hamas and Hezbollah have been severely weakened following massive Israeli military strikes on their respective sites in Gaza and Lebanon, and most of their leaders have been killed in Israel's military response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue against the Huthi rebels, who have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea, claiming they are in solidarity of Hamas fighters in Gaza. "We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil. We will continue until the job is done," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- head of the World Health Organization who was at the Sanaa airport during the Israeli attack -- said he was safe but that "one of our plane's crew members was injured.” A Pakistani military court has sentenced 60 people to prison terms ranging between two and 10 years over violent protests that erupted after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023, the army’s media wing said on December 26. The defendants, who included a relative of Khan as well as two retired military officers, were sentenced in connection with attacks on military facilities. Twenty-five other people were sentenced on the same charges on December 21. They have the right to appeal the sentences, the military’s media wing said in a statement. Protests erupted across Pakistan in May 2023 when Khan was arrested during his court appearance on corruption charges that he and his supporters deny. Thousands of Khan’s supporters ransacked military facilities and stormed government buildings. Several people were killed, and dozens were injured in the unrest. At least 1,400 protesters, including leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party were arrested following the riots. But only 105 of those detained faced military trials. PTI condemned the sentencing, and said the court had violated the defendants’ rights. The United States expressed deep concern about the sentences, while Britain said that trying civilians in military courts "lacks transparency, independent scrutiny, and undermines the right to a fair trial.” The European Union said the sentences are "inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” Kazakh experts are due to arrive on December 27 to examine the crash site and black box of the ill-fated Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet, as speculation – and evidence – mounted suggesting that a Russian air defense missile may have inadvertently struck the craft. Even as the probe intensifies, countries with victims aboard the plane – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan -- continue to mourn their dead and treat the injured among the 67 passengers and crew who were aboard when the Embraer 190 aircraft fell from the sky on December 25. The plane went down on a scheduled flight from the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region after it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing near the city of Aqtau in western Kazakhstan, killing 38 and injuring 29, many with severe burns suffered in the flaming crash. Speculation swirled around the tragedy, with some experts pointing to holes seen in the plane’s tail section as a possible sign that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems engaged in thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told news agencies that indications suggest a Russian antiaircraft system struck the airliner, although the official provided no details. Canada expressed concerns about reports that Russian air defenses may have caused the crash. "We call on Russia to allow for an open and transparent investigation into the incident and to accept its findings," the Canadian Global Affairs office said on X. Evidence, yet to be corroborated by authorities, includes footage from inside the plane before the crash, images of the planes hole-pocked tail section after the crash, a survivor’s comments, and accounts indicating that there was a suspected drone attack around the time the plane apparently tried to land in Grozny. Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. It was not immediately clear where the black box would be examined. The process can be highly technical, and not all countries have the resources to undertake such work. Gulag Aslanli, a leader of Azerbaijan's opposition Musavat movement, told RFE/RL that an international commission was needed to investigate the incident. "Russia cannot be allowed there," he said. "If the black box is going to be taken to Russia and examined there, I will look at its outcome with suspicion." Talgat Lastaev, Kazakhstan's vice minister of transport, told RFE/RL that experts are scheduled to arrive at the site on December 27 to assess the next steps regarding the black box. Officials said it typically takes about two weeks to fully assess a black box, although various conditions can alter that time frame. Commenting on unconfirmed reports that the plane may have been shot down by a missile, Kazakh Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbaev said it was “not possible” to say what may have damaged the aircraft until the investigation is finished. "Real experts are looking at all this and they will make their conclusions. Neither Kazakhstan, Russia, nor Azerbaijan, of course, is interested in hiding information, it will be brought to the public," Ashimbaev said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a similar comment, saying: "We need to await the end of the investigation.” It was “wrong” to speculate before the investigators gave their findings, Peskov added. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience," with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev also told reporters the plane had been fully serviced in October and that there was no sign of technical malfunction. But he said it was too early to determine a cause: "The plane has been found with a black box. After detailed research, all aspects will be clear." The airline suspended flights along the route of the crash pending completion of the investigation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also said it was too early to determine a cause but at one point had suggested bad weather could have contributed to the crash. The office of Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." As the first seven survivors arrived back in the country on December 26, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning. Burials of four of those who lost their lives were conducted during the day, with additional funerals expected in the coming hours and days. National flags were flown at half-mast across Azerbaijan, and signals were sounded from vehicles, ships, and trains as the nation observed a moment of silence at noon to honor the victims of the plane crash. Officials in Baku said the wounded arrived on a special flight arranged by Azerbaijan's Emergency Affairs Ministry and that the injured were accompanied by medical professionals. There was no immediate word on the condition of the injured, who were among 29 survivors from the crash, many of whom suffered severe burn wounds. Ayhan Solomon, Azerbaijan’s chief consul in Aqtau, told reporters that 26 of those killed were Azerbaijani citizens. He said initial reports indicate that 16 Azerbaijani citizens survived. “Of those, 10 to 12 are in good condition and others remain critically stable,” he added. Azerbaijan Airlines' supervisory board said on December 26 that the families of those killed will be compensated with 40,000 manats ($23,460), while those injured would receive 20,000 manats ($11,730). Along with the 42 Azerbaijani citizens, those aboard Flight J2-8243 were listed as 16 Russian nationals, six from Kazakhstan, and three Kyrgyz citizens, officials said. The survivors include nine Russian citizens, who were flown to Moscow on December 26 by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Three of the Russian survivors were in critical condition, according to Russian health authorities. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozymbaev -- who is in charge of a special government commission to investigate the incident -- said many of those who died in the crash were not immediately identifiable due to massive burns suffered. Bozymbaev said the 29 survivors had injuries ranging from moderate to severe, with many also suffering from major burns. According to Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry, the injured included at least two children and 11 people had been placed in intensive care. The United States and European Union on December 25 condemned plans by ethnic-Serb leaders in Bosnia-Herzegovina to block efforts for closer European integration for the Western Balkan nation. Lawmakers in the country’s ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, late on December 24 ordered Serb representatives in state institutions to block decision-making actions and law changes needed for the country's further integration into the EU. In response, the embassies of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, along with the EU delegation in Bosnia, in a joint statement condemned the Serb parliament's acts as "a serious threat to the country's constitutional order." "At a time when formal opening of EU accession negotiations has never been so close, a return to political blockades would have negative consequences for all citizens, a majority of whom support EU accession," the statement said. The Republika Srpska parliament announced the actions in response to the trial of regional leader Milorad Dodik, who is under U.S. and British sanctions for actions that Western governments allege are aimed at the eventual secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dodik is on trial in a long-delayed, ongoing process on charges he failed to comply with the decisions of the High Representative in Bosnia. He faces up to five years in prison and a ban on participating in politics if convicted. Ethnic Serb lawmakers said Dodik's trial was political and based on illegal decisions by international High Representative Christian Schmidt. They claimed that the court was unconstitutional because it was set up by Schmidt and not by the Dayton agreement. Since the Dayton peace accords that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War, the country has consisted of a Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government. Dodik, who is friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has often made somewhat contradictory comments about his entity's place in Bosnia. He has denied it has ever pursued a policy of secession or disputed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia under the Dayton agreement. He has said, however, that Republika Srpska "has the right to a political fight for its status” under the Dayton accords. He has also called for the “disassociation” of Republika Srpska from Bosnia -- which Washington called “secession by another name.” PRISTINA -- A special panel in Kosovo overturned a decision by the election commission that had barred the country's largest ethnic-Serbian party from participating in upcoming elections due to its strong links with Belgrade. "The Central Election Commission (CEC) is ordered to certify the political entity Serbian List and the candidates of this political entity...for the elections for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to be held on February 9, 2025," the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) said on December 25. The ruling stated that the party had fulfilled all obligations required regarding the political filings and was therefore entitled to be certified. On December 23, the CEC said when it announced its decision not to certify Serbian List that its main reason was the party's nationalistic 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. Serbia has close ties to Russia and has refused to join international sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, although Vucic has attempted to balance relations with the West and has continued to press Belgrade's desires to join the European Union. Elek on December 24 said he planned to appeal the order and said he was confident it would be overturned. The Serbian List -- which described the CEC decision as an attempt "to eliminate" it from the electoral process -- welcomed the latest ruling. The party said the CEC is now obliged to act on the PZAP decision but added it remains to be seen whether the commission will "continue to violate its own law and regulations and act on direct political pressure from the authorities in Pristina." The February parliamentary elections are expected to be a key test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party came to power in 2021 in a landslide in the Western-backed Balkan nation. Prior to the ECAP ruling, political analyst Albert Krasniqi of the Demokraci+ NGO told RFE/RL that the CEC decision is part of the preelection campaign being conducted by Kurti’s Self-Determination party (Vetevendosje). He forecast that Serbian List would appeal the decision and predicted it would be successful in getting it reversed. “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. 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. Authorities declared a region-wide state of emergency in Russia's Krasnodar region, warning that oil was still washing up on the coastline following a December 15 incident involving two Volgoneft tankers carrying thousands of tons of low-quality heavy fuel oil. "Initially, according to the calculations of scientists and specialists, the bulk of fuel oil should have remained at the bottom of the Black Sea, which would allow it to be collected in water. But the weather dictates its own conditions -- the air warms up and oil products rise to the top. As a result, they are brought to our beaches," regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on December 25. Dozens of kilometers of Black Sea coastline in the southern Russian region have been covered in heavy fuel after the two oil tankers were badly damaged during a storm in the Kerch Strait. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here . If North Korea’s elite troops were expecting an easy campaign against Ukrainian forces entrenched in Russia’s Kursk region, they faced a harsh reality on the ground. About 1,100 North Korean special forces have been killed or injured in Russia since entering the fray against Ukraine a few weeks ago, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on December 19. A general was reportedly among those killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on December 23 put the figure even higher, at more than 3,000, or about a quarter of the North Korean special forces sent to Russia, though he couched his statement by saying the data was preliminary. RFE/RL could not confirm either of the reported numbers. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though, doesn’t seem to be fazed by the rapid losses. The authoritarian leader is reportedly doubling down in his support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in exchange for critical supplies of oil, cash, and military technology. Zelenskiy said on December 23 that North Korea may send more troops and weapons to the front. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff seconded that forecast, saying Pyongyang is preparing to rotate or supply additional forces to Russia. North Korean military support is coming at a critical time in the war. Russia is seeking to overpower an undermanned and under-resourced Ukrainian infantry and gain territory before its own manpower and resources become constrained. Russia has lost more than 600,000 soldiers in the nearly three-year war, the Pentagon said in early October. It has burned through so much war material that it is struggling to replace its artillery and missile needs amid sweeping Western sanctions. Now nearly two-thirds of the mortars and shells Russia launches at Ukraine come from North Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported , citing Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian Army officer. And every third ballistic missile was made in North Korea, Ukrainian officials said. Pyongyang is ramping up arms production to meet Russia’s growing need, experts said. Trench Warfare Russian troops are now gaining ground in Ukraine’s east at the fastest pace since the start of the war. Kyiv carried out a surprise incursion into the Kursk region in August, seizing a swath of Russian territory in the hope of drawing enemy forces away from eastern Ukraine. That hasn’t materialized, thanks in part to the supply of North Korean troops. The arrival of the North Korean troops in Russia in October was initially seen as an act of desperation on the part of Putin, who has had to significantly bump up salaries to attract new recruits. However, The New York Times reported on December 23, citing U.S. officials, that it was North Korea who approached Russia with the offer of troops and Putin accepted. It is unclear when Kim made the offer. Putin traveled to Pyongyang to meet Kim in June. During the summit, the two leaders agreed on a strategic treaty that includes a mutual defense provision. Putin signed the treaty into law in November. The supply of troops to Russia can help Kim evade sweeping sanctions on technology and materials for military use. North Korea was hit with international sanctions after conducting its first nuclear test in 2006. Pyongyang hasn’t been engaged in a hot war in decades. Thus, its miliary brass and troops – which number more than 1 million -- have no combat experience. The deployment in Russia's war with Ukraine is a way for Kim and his military to acquire some. However, Kim’s troops are ill-prepared for the type of trench warfare with widespread use of drones and missiles they are facing in Kursk, experts say. Hyunseung Lee, a North Korean who spent 3 1/2 years with an artillery and reconnaissance battalion in the early 2000s before defecting, told RFE/RL last month that Kim’s troops "don't really train with that equipment." He said they cannot master drones and the high-tech equipment in such a short period of time. Videos circulating on social media show Ukrainian kamikaze drones striking and killing North Korean soldiers in Kursk’s snow-covered fields. Commenting on the videos in a December 19 tweet , Lee called it a “sad predictable outcome.” Modern warfare technology is not the only issue leading to large-scale deaths of North Koreans, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Washington-based research firm said North Korean soldiers were struggling to communicate and coordinate with Russian forces due to language barriers. Perhaps more importantly, North Koreans are now conducting the initial attack in open territory on Ukrainian positions, ISW said. Some military experts cynically call such fighting tactics “meat assaults” because they result in a large loss of life among the attackers. Yevhen Yerin, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence service, told the AFP news agency on December 24 that Russia’s use of North Korean troops has not had a major impact on the battlefield. “It is not such a significant number of personnel," he said, adding that they use tactics that are "primitive, linked, frankly speaking, more to the times of the Second World War."phmacao 777

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NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution's suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea "absurd." The Manhattan district attorney's office asked Judge Juan M. Merchan to "pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful," Trump's lawyers wrote in a 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump's lawyers filed paperwork this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won't include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn't sentenced and his appeal wasn't resolved because of presidential immunity. Former President Donald Trump appears May 30 at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined comment. It's unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump's request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution's suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump's parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution's suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the "ongoing threat" that he'll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. The prosecution's suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they contend. Attorney Todd Blanche listens May 30 as his client Donald Trump speaks at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump tapped for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution's novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to "fabricate" a solution "based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump" who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September "and a hypothetical dead defendant." Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what's already a unique case. "This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding," prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn't "precipitously discard" the "meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers." Prosecutors acknowledged that "presidential immunity requires accommodation" during Trump's impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury's verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Other world leaders don't enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation's wars in Lebanon and Gaza. President-elect Donald Trump attends a Dec. 7 meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Trump has fought for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. Trump's hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith ended his two federal cases, which pertained to Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in each case. Trump was scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November, but following Trump's Nov. 5 election win, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president's sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, 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. “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.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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