It can happen when you’re crossing the road and you underestimate the height of the curb when stepping off. Or you could be pivoting or jumping during sports when your ankle contacts the ground awkwardly and twists to the side. No matter the scenario, you’ll be left limping and wincing in pain. Ankle sprains are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries that doctors see. At National University Hospital (NUH), for instance, ankle sprains account for up to 70 per cent of all sports injuries related to the foot, according to Adjunct Assistant Professor Andrew Hong Choon Chiet, the head and consultant with NUH’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Foot and Ankle Surgery. Over at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Nicholas Yeo sees three or four cases per week. “These account for 10 per cent of Accident & Emergency visits and up to 30 per cent of all sports-related injuries,” he said. But what’s the big deal, you say, as you sit there icing your foot. Everyone has had a sprained ankle before, whether you’re a weekend warrior or just love wearing high heels. And anyway, the swelling and pain will subside with time, right? For one, a previous sprain may predispose you to future ones if you don’t help it heal properly. Second, if you keep spraining the same ankle, it could lead to something serious such as end-stage arthritis. So, what can you do if your ankle keeps getting injured? What recourse is there for ankle arthritis? We find out from the experts. WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS TO THE ANKLE WHEN IT’S SPRAINED? The most common type of ankle sprain is the lateral ankle sprain when the joint rolls laterally inwards, said Adj Asst Prof Hong. According to Harvard Health Publishing , this inward-rolling action can damage the ligaments in the outer ankle that form part of the ankle ligament complex. Ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that connect bone to bone. Depending on the severity of the damage (from Grade 1 to 3), the injured ligaments could end up over-stretched or torn. And like a worn-out rubber band, they can’t snap back into shape to provide stability to the ankle. But it’s not all doom and gloom the minute you have a sprain. The vast majority of individuals, who sprain their ankles for the first time, “recover well enough to return to their pre-injury activities”, said Dr Yeo. The issue comes when you have more than one sprain. “The ankle may become too lax and unstable. Strengthening the surrounding muscles can no longer compensate for the insufficiency of the ankle ligament complex and this predisposes one to future sprains,” said Dr Yeo. “A lateral ankle sprain can also cause injury to the proprioceptive receptors, resulting in altered neuromuscular activities such as delayed muscle response time, poor balancing and proprioceptive reflex,” said Adj Asst Prof Hong. WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE MORE PRONE TO ANKLE SPRAINS THAN OTHERS? High-arched feet can make you more prone to sprains, said Dr Yeo. “This type of foot shape causes the ankle and foot to curve inwards slightly, and makes it more likely to invert or ‘roll’ the ankles inwards,” he said. Having lax ligaments could be another cause, said Adj Asst Prof Hong. This means your joints are naturally very flexible and have a wider range of motion than most people – good for yoga perhaps, but not so good for minimising ankle sprains. Biomechanics aside, certain sports, too, can increase your risk, Dr Yeo added, including basketball, soccer, volleyball and racket sports. “Basically, any sports where you have to jump, land and pivot quickly would predispose you to ankle injuries.” And once you have an ankle sprain, you have a 12 per cent to 47 per cent risk of re-spraining that same ankle again and again, said Adj Asst Prof Hong, which could, in turn, give rise to a condition known as chronic lateral ankle instability. You’ll feel an instability in your ankle, like it’ll give way or collapse when you’re walking or standing. In fact, almost 74 per cent of 231 patients treated at NUH over a five-year period for recurrent sprains had chronic lateral ankle instability, said Adj Asst Prof Hong. HOW DO ANKLE SPRAINS LEAD TO ANKLE ARTHRITIS? “Ankle sprains contribute to up to 22 per cent of all cases of ankle arthritis,” said Dr Yeo. Adj Asst Prof Hong also acknowledged the link. At Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and NUH, up to 25 per cent of end-stage ankle arthritis patients seen over a 10-year period had histories of multiple ankle sprains, he said. Dr Yeo explained that “recurrent ankle sprains lead to ankle instability and this results in uneven weight distribution over the ankle joint”. “Over time, this can progress to ankle arthritis. In a proportion of ankle sprains, there is an associated injury to the cartilage. This, too, can progress with time to more generalised wearing of the joint surface and eventual arthritis.” Adj Asst Prof Hong added that “this is why we often advise patients with unstable ankles who still want to continue their active lifestyles to consider surgical stabilisation”. “We also often recommend patients who are averse to surgery to wear protective braces regularly during sporting or heavy-impact activities to prevent recurrent sprains,” he said. HOW DO WE HELP A SPRAINED ANKLE TO HEAL PROPERLY? You’ve heard of RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compress and elevate, when it comes to treating an ankle sprain. And you should carry out those steps immediately following a sprain, said Adj Asst Prof Hong. If adequate treatment is not instituted early, especially in more severe cases, trauma to the ankle’s surrounding structures such as cartilage, bone, tendons and other ligaments can result. And in the long run, you may end up with sustained pain, swelling, cartilage damage, loose bodies and impingement from bone spurs, said Adj Asst Prof Hong. Hence, “it’s crucial to apply ice to the injured area within 24 hours of the injury,” said Dr Yeo. “A firm compressive dressing should be applied to help reduce swelling. The foot should be elevated above the heart to reduce swelling and a course of anti-inflammatory medication will aid in this, too.” “After approximately two weeks, when the swelling has subsided, the key is to restore the ankle’s range of motion, strength and flexibility,” said Dr Yeo. “Working with a physiotherapist to guide you through this phase of recovery is helpful. After about eight to 10 weeks, a gradual return to exercise and sports is possible.” Oftentimes, according to Dr Yeo, that is enough for the injured ankle to heal on its own through scarring. But “in a proportion of patients, scar tissue can cause pain over the outside of the ankle joint. This is known as impingement. In certain cases, keyhole surgery is required to remove the scar tissue and alleviate the pain.” If you continue to experience ankle pain and instability three months after a sprain, surgery may be required to reconstruct the ankle ligaments, said Dr Yeo. WHAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR ARTHRITIC ANKLES? Motion isn’t good news when a joint’s protective cartilage has been worn down over the years and is now the source of joint pain and inflammation, or what is known as arthritis. The same applies to the ankle, especially one that is unstable from recurrent sprains to begin with and has created uneven wearing of the cartilage. In such an instance, the gold standard surgery is ankle fusion or arthrodesis, where the ankle joint is fused to eliminate motion, said Adj Asst Prof Hong. “This is a time-proven and effective surgery to relieve pain and improve function.” The ankle is surgically fixed in a neutral position. While you won’t be able to flex your ankle to point your foot up and down, you’ll still be able to move your heel from side to side, and the middle and front parts of your foot up and down. Also, “patients will have limitations in certain activities such as squatting, driving, climbing stairs and certain sports. But we have observed that they adapt to these limitations and do well,” said Adj Asst Prof Hong. The alternative is total ankle replacement surgery or arthroplasty, said Dr Yeo, who claims to be the earliest surgeon in Asia to perform it. Similar to a knee replacement surgery, it involves replacing the worn parts of the ankle with metal implants. The procedure “allows the patient to preserve the range of motion of the ankle joint. This allows for a more natural gait and movement”, he said. It is more acceptable to patients who don’t wish to lose their range of motion, said Dr Yeo. “Also, an ankle replacement procedure protects the adjacent joints around the ankle as opposed to a fusion procedure, which puts more stress on the surrounding joints.”Image predates 2024 protests against South Korean president | Fact check
Zain introduces ‘The Masters’ to empower individuals with disabilitiesPep Guardiola has six word message for Jose Mourinho after Special One aimed ‘fairly and cleanly’ dig at City’s titlesNEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches -- the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President -- are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI," Glasgow said. "The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America's top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart's announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart's need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer's ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart." Walmart's announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.
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WMU_safety, 3:41. WMU_Abdus-Salaam 31 pass from Wolff (Zurak kick), 1:50. WMU_Ja.Buckley 15 run (Zurak kick), :19. EMU_Mimms 10 run (Reese pass from Snyder), 12:02. WMU_Abdus-Salaam 22 run (Zurak kick), 6:04. EMU_Mimms 1 run (Gomez kick), 2:16. WMU_FG Zurak 25, 11:33. EMU_FG Gomez 32, 7:52. RUSHING_E. Michigan, Mimms 18-127, Mattord 8-37, Snyder 7-27, Te.Lockett 1-7, Singleton 1-4, Brown 1-1. W. Michigan, Abdus-Salaam 19-135, Ja.Buckley 19-103, Lowry 3-13, Nixon 3-(minus 4), (Team) 3-(minus 6), Wolff 3-(minus 11). PASSING_E. Michigan, Snyder 7-22-1-91. W. Michigan, Wolff 12-17-0-126. RECEIVING_E. Michigan, Allen 3-59, Mimms 2-16, Te.Lockett 1-9, Devereaux 1-7. W. Michigan, Abdus-Salaam 3-40, Toudle 3-23, Ja.Buckley 3-13, Bosma 2-33, Dieudonne 1-17. MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.EDMONTON — Prairie premiers are urging Canada to act on American concerns over illegal cross-border traffic of people and drugs to stave off the looming threat of 25-per-cent tariffs. Alberta's Danielle Smith, Saskatchewan's Scott Moe, and Manitoba's Wab Kinew said Tuesday that Canada must better address the concerns of its largest trading partner. Incoming U.S. president Donald Trump promised Monday to impose the tariffs on his first day in office in January. He said he would keep the tariffs in place until Canada and Mexico stop illegal border crossings and prevent drugs such as fentanyl from entering the U.S. Smith told the legislature Tuesday the tariffs would be “devastating” across the board. She said she will highlight the "pressure points" that need to be addressed during a planned meeting Wednesday between premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "I believe the new (Trump) administration has been very clear about what it is they want. They want us to meet our two-per-cent NATO commitment, and they want to stop the leaky border," she said, pointing to the illegal fentanyl trade. In a video posted to social media, Smith said Canada needs to reach its pledged commitment to spend at least two per cent of its gross domestic product on defence by 2032. "If their trade partners are looking to be free riders on American security interests, that's also going to harm the relationship," Smith said, adding, "you also have to take seriously the asylum seekers." The U.S. is Alberta’s largest trading partner, with $188 billion in bilateral trade in 2023. Last year, energy products accounted for more than 80 per cent of that trade, or about $134 billion. Smith said the vast majority of Alberta's energy exports to the U.S. are "delivered through secure and safe pipelines," which "do not in any way contribute to these illegal activities." Manitoba's premier said Tuesday the tariffs would mean a recession for his province and that Canada needs to show the new U.S. administration it's serious about border security and tackling the drug crisis. Kinew said it begins with Canada’s pledge to its NATO allies. "First and foremost, (it’s about) hitting that target of two per cent spending on defence,” said Kinew. “That gets us in the game just to be taken seriously as a security partner with the U.S. If we don't do it, it's going to become a trade problem." In Regina, Moe told reporters he understands Trump’s position on border security He proposed Trudeau look at having the Canada Border Services Agency work under the arm of the military. “I think that might be a way for us to really work collaboratively, to work together with our American people, but also ensuring that we do have a secure border,” he said. Moe added the proposed tariffs would hurt Saskatchewan’s export-based economy and drive up prices on both sides of the border. “This will have a significant impact in Canada and particularly in Saskatchewan. We export about 60 per cent of our products to the U.S. I don’t think any job, any industry would be untouched with a 25-per-cent tariff from the U.S. on all Canadian products,” he said. He said his province plans to use all levers at its disposal to stop the tariffs and will approach the U.S. directly, adding the province has a strong relationship with some in Trump’s administration. In 2023, Saskatchewan’s exports to the U.S. amounted to almost $27 billion after hitting a record high of $29 billion in 2022. Its top exports include crude oil, potash and canola. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. — With files from Jeremy Simes in Regina and Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
Holt 9-18 3-6 25, Brewer 0-2 0-0 0, Neal 5-9 4-4 16, Skytta 2-8 3-7 7, Vaughns 6-10 2-3 18, Williams 3-8 1-2 7, Nunn 0-1 4-4 4, Beatty 0-0 0-0 0, Dioramma 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-58 17-26 77. Ola-Joseph 2-9 4-6 10, Petraitis 5-9 2-5 13, Sissoko 3-3 4-5 10, Stojakovic 4-10 11-15 20, Tucker 2-4 0-0 5, Wilkinson 5-10 5-7 16, Dort 1-2 0-0 2, Mahoney 3-6 0-1 7. Totals 25-53 26-39 83. Halftime_California 40-33. 3-Point Goals_Sacramento St. 10-27 (Vaughns 4-6, Holt 4-10, Neal 2-5, Nunn 0-1, Skytta 0-4), California 7-26 (Ola-Joseph 2-7, Mahoney 1-3, Petraitis 1-3, Tucker 1-3, Stojakovic 1-4, Wilkinson 1-6). Fouled Out_Brewer, Skytta, Vaughns, Nunn, Sissoko. Rebounds_Sacramento St. 30 (Holt 8), California 33 (Ola-Joseph, Dort 6). Assists_Sacramento St. 13 (Skytta 5), California 12 (Petraitis 5). Total Fouls_Sacramento St. 31, California 21.Andrej Stojakovic made 11 free throws to help craft a team-high 20 points, freshman Jeremiah Wilkinson had his second consecutive big game off the bench and Cal ran its winning streak to three with an 83-77 nonconference victory over Sacramento State on Sunday afternoon in Berkeley, Calif. Wilkinson finished with 16 points and Rytis Petraitis 13 for the Golden Bears (5-1), whose only loss this season was at Vanderbilt. Jacob Holt went for a season-high 25 points for the Hornets (1-4), who dropped their fourth straight after a season-opening win over Cal State Maritime. Seeking a fourth straight home win, Cal led by as many as 12 points in the first half and 40-33 at halftime before Sacramento State rallied. The Hornets used a 14-5 burst out of the gate following the intermission to grab a 47-45 lead. Julian Vaughns had a 3-pointer and three-point play in the run. But Cal dominated pretty much the rest of the game, taking the lead for good on a Petraitis 3-pointer with 14:50 remaining. Stojakovic, a transfer from rival Stanford, went 11-for-15 at the foul line en route to his third 20-point game of the young season. Cal outscored Sacramento State 26-17 on free throws to more than account for the margin of victory. Coming off a 23-point explosion in his first extended action of the season, Wilkinson hit five of his 10 shots Sunday. The Golden Bears outshot the Hornets 47.2 percent to 43.1 percent. Joshua Ola-Joseph contributed 10 points and six rebounds, Mady Sissoko also had 10 points and Petraitis found time for a team-high five assists. Holt complemented his 25 points with a game-high eight rebounds. He made four 3-pointers, as did Vaughns en route to 18 points, helping Sacramento State outscore Cal 30-21 from beyond the arc. EJ Neal added 16 points for the Hornets, while Emil Skytta tied for game-high assist honors with five to go with seven points. --Field Level Media
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BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court on Friday annulled the first round of the country's presidential election, days after allegations that Russia ran a coordinated online campaign to promote the far-right outside r who won the first round. The Constitutional Court’s unprecedented decision — which is final — came after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence on Wednesday that alleged Russia ran a sprawling campaign comprising thousands of social media accounts to promote Calin Georgescu across platforms such as TikTok and Telegram. The intelligence files were from the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunication Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Despite being an outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner on Nov. 24 . He was due to face reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a runoff on Sunday. A new date will now be set to rerun the vote from scratch. Some 951 voting stations had already opened abroad on Friday for the runoff for Romania's large diaspora but had to be halted. Lasconi strongly condemned the court's decision, saying it was “illegal, immoral, and crushes the very essence of democracy.” “We should have moved forward with the vote. We should have respected the will of the Romanian people. Whether we like it or not, from a legal and legitimate standpoint, 9 million Romanian citizens, both in the country and the diaspora, expressed their preference for a particular candidate through their votes. We cannot ignore their will!" she said. “I know I would have won. And I will win because the Romanian people know I will fight for them, that I will unite them for a better Romania,” she added. “I will defend our democracy. I will not give up.” She said the issue of Russian interference should have been tackled after the election was completed. Some 9.4 million people — about 52.5% of eligible voters — had cast ballots in the first round. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said in a statement the annulment was “the only correct solution” following the intelligence drop which revealed the “Romanian people’s vote was flagrantly distorted as a result of Russian interference.” “The presidential elections must be held again,” he said in a post on Facebook. “At the same time, investigations by the authorities must uncover who is responsible for the massive attempt to influence the outcome of the presidential election.” The same court last week ordered a recount of the first-round votes, which added to the myriad controversies that have engulfed a chaotic election cycle. Following a recount, the court then validated the first-round results on Monday. Many observers have expressed concerns that annulling the vote could trigger civil unrest. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, said the development was a “coup d’état in full swing” but urged people not to take to the streets. “We don’t let ourselves be provoked, this system has to fall democratically,” he said. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said the court's decision amounts to a “crisis mode situation for the Romanian democracy.” “In light of the information about the external interference, the massive interference in elections, I think this was not normal but predictable, because it’s not normal times at all, Romania is an uncharted territory,” he told The Associated Press. “The problem is here, do we have the institutions to manage such an interference in the future?” Thirteen candidates ran in the first round presidential vote in this European Union and NATO member country. The president serves a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. On Dec. 1, Romania also held a parliamentary election which saw pro-Western parties win the most votes, but also a surge of support for far-right nationalists. Before the first round vote, most surveys predicted the top three candidates would be Ciolacu, who came in third place, and Simion or Lasconi in second place. As the surprising results came in with Georgescu on top, and Lasconi narrowly beating Ciolacu, it sent shockwaves through the political establishment and plunged it into turmoil. Georgescu’s surprising success in the presidential race left many political observers wondering how most local surveys were so far off, putting him behind at least five other candidates before the vote. Many observers attributed his success to his TikTok account, which now has 6 million likes and 541,000 followers. But some experts suspect Georgescu’s online following was artificially inflated while Romania’s top security body alleged he was given preferential treatment by TikTok over other candidates. In the intelligence release, the secret services alleged that one TikTok user paid more $381,000 (361,000 euros) to other users to promote Georgescu content. Intelligence authorities said information they obtained “revealed an aggressive promotion campaign” to increase and accelerate his popularity. Georgescu, when asked by the AP in an interview Wednesday whether he believes the Chinese-owned TikTok poses a threat to democracy, defended social media platforms. “The most important existing function for promoting free speech and freedom of expression is social media,” he said.
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches -- the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President -- are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI," Glasgow said. "The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America's top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart's announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart's need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer's ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart." Walmart's announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.
Lyon will seek to ignore off-field concerns and continue their excellent form on the pitch when they make the long trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag FK in the Europa League on Thursday. The French giants were handed a provisional relegation to Ligue 2 just over a week ago, and must pay off their debts by the end of the season to avoid being demoted. In the first game since Lyon were handed their punishment, Pierre Sage 's side continued their fine form, drawing 1-1 with a strong Reims side to extend their unbeaten domestic run to seven matches, keeping them within touching distance of the top four . Results on the continent have also been impressive, barring a 1-0 home defeat to Besiktas on matchday three - their only defeat in 11 across all competitions. Especially on the road in the Europa League, Lyon have been superb, now having gone nine games unbeaten in the competition - winning seven. OL should have made it three wins from their opening four games though, after only drawing 2-2 with Hoffenheim last time out, considering they took the lead on 92 minutes 52 seconds - the latest a team has gone ahead but failed to win in the competition's history. Dropping five points in their last two matches in the Europa League has seen them drop out of the top eight for the time being, but a positive result here will see them rise up from ninth. This will be Lyon's first ever meeting against Azerbaijani opponents in any European competition, but the visitors will hope they can extend Qarabag's dismal run against French clubs in Europe. The Azeri champions have won just one of their 10 all-time meetings with clubs from France, but that was in their most recent - versus Nantes in 2022. Qurban Qurbanov 's men had made a dismal start after three games, with no points and just one goal, also losing 3-0 to 10-man Tottenham Hotspur on matchday one. They put things right last time out though, with a surprise win away to Bodo/Glimt, becoming just the fifth team to claim victory there in 32 matches against the Norwegian champions. It is at home where Qarabag have had most of their difficulties, with defeats already against Ajax and Malmo worsening a run of form that has seen them win just five of their 28 home games in the Europa League. Qarabag are still up against it despite their matchday four win, only one point off the qualifying places down in 29th, but they will likely need to pick up at least seven points in games versus Lyon, Elfsborg, FCSB and Olympiacos, which is possible, but looks unlikely at this stage. Qarabag can now call upon former first-choice goalkeeper Shahruddin Mahammadaliyev after a long absence, joining Fabijan Buntic and Mateusz Kochalski as the potential options to start between the sticks. Amin Ramazanov remains out, but the hosts can welcome back both Julio Romao and Elvin Cafarquliyev from suspension, after they sat out the win over Bodo/Glimt following red cards against Ajax. Juninho will be the man to watch up front for the hosts, with seven goals in Europe so far this season, and he found the net again at the weekend in the 3-0 win over Sabail. Duje Caleta-Car and Nicolas Tagliafico should both return for Lyon after Sage allowed them the weekend off against Reims so they could rest following international duty. Malick Fofana was also a surprise absentee, being left on the bench with Said Benrahma and Ernest Nuamah getting the nod ahead of him, but the in-form Belgian should retake his place in the team here. Gift Orban remains out of the picture at Lyon, and now looks likely to be one of the players who will be moved on in January to ensure the club can cover the debts and avoid demotion to Ligue 2. Qarabag FK possible starting lineup: Kochalski; Bayramov, B Huseynov, Medina, Cafarquliyev; Patrick Andrade, Romao; Kashchuk, Zoubir, Benzia; Juninho Lyon possible starting lineup: Descamps; Kumbedi, Clinton Mata, Caleta-Car, Abner; Tessmann, Omari, Caqueret; Mikautadze, Lacazette, Fofana It is not easy making such a long trip away in Europe, but even with conditions and the weather set to be challenging, Lyon should be able to continue their fine form here and return to winning ways in this competition. Qarabag are surprisingly poor at home in the Europa League, with just five wins in Baku in their history, and despite a surprise win on matchday four, this will be a tougher test. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .
WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday that those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column. Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon’s DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. “You will drive people out,” Hagel said. “It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything — it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization.” The list, which was first reported by The New York Post, includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines. One female Navy officer was named because she gave a speech at a 2015 Women’s Equality Day event, where she noted that 80% of Congress is male, which affects what bills move forward. The officer also was targeted because she said “diversity is our strength.” The phrase is a widely distributed talking point that officers across the Pentagon have used for years to talk about the importance of having a military that reflects different educational, geographic, economic, gender and racial backgrounds in the country. An Air Force colonel, who is white, was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following the death of George Floyd, saying, “Dear white colonel, we must address our blind spots about race.” A female Air Force officer was targeted because of “multiple woke posts” on her X feed, including a tweet about LGBTQ rights, one about “whiteness” and another about honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on a stamp. Another female Air Force officer was on the list because she “served as a panelist for a diversity, equity and inclusion” discussion in 2021. The list names an Army officer who traveled to 14 historically Black colleges to expand the military’s intelligence recruitment efforts, and an Air Force officer partly because he co-chairs the Asian-Pacific Islander subgroup of the service’s diversity task force. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” But in an interview Wednesday for Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM satellite radio show, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a “warfighter” who would clean out the “woke crap.” Hegseth got a boost Friday from Trump, who posted on his social media site that Hegseth “will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president-elect added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” 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. Jones told the AP in June that his American Accountability Foundation was investigating scores of federal employees suspected of being hostile to Trump’s policies. The work aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s far-reaching Project 2025 blueprint for a conservative administration. A letter Jones sent to Hegseth containing the list, dated Tuesday, says “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” The letter points to tensions with Iran, Russia and China and says “we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Our nation’s security is at stake.” Conservatives view the federal workforce as overstepping its role to become a power center that can drive or thwart a president’s agenda. During the first Trump administration, government officials came under attack from the White House and congressional Republicans, as Trump’s own Cabinet often raised objections to some of his more singular or even unlawful proposals. ___ AP writer Courtney Bonnell contributed from Washington. Advertisement Advertisement
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau flies to Florida to meet with Trump after tariffs threat WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has flown to Florida to have dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Trump's picks for commerce secretary, interior secretary and national security adviser, and the three men's wives. From the Canadian side, the dinner guests included Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security. Trump’s transition did not respond to questions about what they had discussed or whether the conversation alleviated Trump’s concerns about the border. A smiling Trudeau declined comment upon returning to his West Palm Beach hotel late Friday. Emboldened 'manosphere' accelerates threats and demeaning language toward women after US election CHICAGO (AP) — An emboldened fringe of right-wing “manosphere” influencers has seized on Donald Trump’s presidential win to justify and amplify misogynistic derision and threats online. Many have appropriated a 1960s abortion rights rallying cry, declaring “Your body, my choice,” and have been using it publicly on college campuses and even in public schools. While none of the current online rhetoric is being amplified by Trump, experts say many young men see the former president’s return to the White House as vindication of their views on women. For many women, the words represent a worrying harbinger of what might lie ahead as some men perceive the election results as a rebuke of reproductive rights and women’s rights. Syrian insurgents are inside Aleppo in a major setback for Assad as government forces regroup BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of Syrian insurgents have fanned out inside Syria's largest city Aleppo a day after storming it with little resistance from government troops. Syria's army said troops have redeployed to prepare for a counteroffensive. Witnesses said insurgents were seen Saturday at landmarks in Aleppo for the first time since 2016, when they were expelled by government forces backed by Russia and Iran. The surprise offensive is a major embarrassment for Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has regained total control of the city eight years ago. Israeli strike in Gaza allegedly kills workers with World Central Kitchen charity DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on a car in Gaza has killed five people, according to a senior Palestinian health official. An aid worker says three of the people killed were employees of the charity World Central Kitchen. The charity's aid delivery efforts in Gaza were temporarily suspended earlier this year after an Israeli strike killed seven of its workers. Israel's military says it struck a wanted militant who had been involved in the Hamas attack that sparked the war. In a later statement, it said that the alleged attacker had worked with WCK and it asked “senior officials from the international community and the WCK administration to clarify” how that had come about. Fishers at a Lebanese port hope ceasefire with Israel means normal life is returning TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah brought hope for normality back to many in southern Lebanon on Friday. That includes fishers who’ve long launched their single-engine wooden boats into the Mediterranean at dawn. During the last two months, Israel imposed a siege that kept hundreds of fishers at this ancient Phoenician port on shore. That upended their lives in a major hit for the industry. The port siege also cut people off from the key ingredients for traditional Lebanese dishes. As war devastated their country, the loss of fish damaged a deep association with home. The possibility of renewed fishing is helping fuel hope. How Brazilian police say Bolsonaro plotted a coup to stay in office SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others of plotting a coup to keep him in office. The plot was allegedly comprised of several components and substantiated by evidence and testimony in the agency's 884-page report. The pieces of the puzzle include laying the groundwork by systematically sowing distrust of the electoral system among the populace. It also includes drafting a decree to give the plot a veneer of legal basis and pressuring top military brass to go along with the plan. Bolsonaro and his main allies have denied any wrongdoing or involvement and accuse authorities of political persecution. More than 100 arrested as Georgian police clash with protesters over suspension of EU talks TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — More than 100 demonstrators were arrested overnight in Georgia as protesters clashed with police following the government’s decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union, the country’s Interior Ministry said. Friday marked the second straight night of protests after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the country’s ruling Georgian Dream party announced the suspension the previous day. The Associated Press saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the country's parliament building. The violence follows Georgian Dream’s disputed victory in the Oct. 26 election, which was widely seen as a referendum on the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. Romania's parliamentary vote risks being overshadowed by presidential race chaos BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanians are preparing to go to the polls in a parliamentary vote that will determine a new government and prime minister to lead the European Union and NATO member country. However, Sunday's vote is sandwiched between a two-round presidential race and is overshadowed by controversies and chaos following the outcome of the first vote. While the president has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security and foreign policy, the prime minister is the head of the nation’s government. Sunday’s vote will determine the formation of the country’s 466-seat legislature. North Korea's Kim vows steadfast support for Russia’s war in Ukraine SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country will “invariably support” Russia’s war in Ukraine as he met Russia's visiting defense chief. A Russia military delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday as international concerns about the two countries’ expanding cooperation deepened after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia. During a Friday meeting, Kim and Belousov reached “a satisfactory consensus” on issues on how to further boost strategic partnership and defend each country’s sovereignty and security interests, state media said. Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest forecast to be hit with snow and dangerous cold into next week BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The first big snow of the season has the potential to bury towns in New York along lakes Erie and Ontario during a hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend. Forecasters says winter storm conditions could persist into next week and cause hazards in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest regions. Forecasters predict 4 to 6 feet of blowing and drifting snow could fall in Watertown and other areas east of Lake Ontario through Monday. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a disaster emergency in affected areas.AP News Summary at 9:33 a.m. EST