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diamond game casino apk Key Trends in the Solar Passenger Car Market with Insights from Hanergy Holding Group, EVX Pty Ltd, Ford Motor Company, Lightyear, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Sono Motors, Aptera 12-15-2024 02:45 PM CET | Tourism, Cars, Traffic Press release from: STATS N DATA Solar Passenger Car Market Market Overview and Recent Developments The Solar Passenger Car Market is at the forefront of a transformative shift in the automotive industry, merging sustainability with cutting-edge technology. As global awareness of climate change intensifies, the demand for eco-friendly transportation alternatives is surging. Solar passenger cars, which utilize solar energy to power their vehicles, offer a compelling solution to this growing concern. The relevance of this market extends beyond just transportation; it encompasses a range of applications, from personal commuting to long-distance travel, significantly contributing to reducing carbon footprints. Recent developments in the Solar Passenger Car Market are predominantly driven by technological advancements and strategic collaborations. The integration of solar panels into vehicle designs has seen substantial innovation, allowing for more efficient energy conversion and storage. Companies are increasingly forming partnerships with technology firms to enhance the capabilities of solar passenger vehicles. These collaborations are not only fostering innovation but also expediting the adoption of solar technologies in mainstream automotive applications. As the market evolves, actionable insights are crucial for stakeholders to navigate current trends and dynamics. With the rise of electric vehicles and a growing emphasis on sustainability, the Solar Passenger Car Market is positioned to expand significantly. This sector is witnessing a shift in consumer preferences toward greener alternatives, which is likely to fuel market growth in the coming years. You can access a sample PDF report here: https://www.statsndata.org/download-sample.php?id=27646 Key Growth Drivers and Trends Several key factors are driving demand within the Solar Passenger Car Market. One of the most significant growth drivers is the global push for sustainability. Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, and there is a rising demand for vehicles that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This trend is further amplified by government policies and incentives aimed at promoting green technologies. Another critical factor is the increasing digitization of the automotive industry. The integration of smart technologies, AI, and IoT is transforming how vehicles operate and interact with their environments. This digitization trend is not only improving the efficiency of solar passenger cars but also enhancing the overall consumer experience. Emerging technologies are reshaping the market landscape. AI is playing a pivotal role in optimizing energy management systems in solar vehicles, enabling them to make real-time decisions about energy usage based on environmental conditions. Furthermore, product customization is becoming increasingly important as consumers seek personalized solutions that cater to their specific needs and preferences. Market Segmentation The Solar Passenger Car Market can be segmented into various categories to better understand its dynamics and opportunities. - Segment by Type - Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells: This segment is characterized by high efficiency and durability, making it a popular choice for solar vehicles. - Thin-Film Solar Cells: Known for their flexibility and lightweight properties, thin-film solar cells are gaining traction in the market, particularly in innovative vehicle designs. - Segment by Application - Long Distance: This application focuses on solar vehicles tailored for extended travels, providing energy efficiency and sustainability for long journeys. - Short Distance: Solar cars designed for short-distance travel are gaining popularity in urban areas, where sustainability and convenience are highly valued. Get 30% Discount On Full Report: https://www.statsndata.org/ask-for-discount.php?id=27646 Competitive Landscape The Solar Passenger Car Market is characterized by a diverse array of players contributing to its evolution. Some of the leading companies in this sector include: - Hanergy Holding Group: A pioneer in solar technology, Hanergy has been instrumental in developing advanced solar solutions for vehicles, focusing on energy efficiency and innovative designs. - EVX Pty Ltd: This company is known for its cutting-edge solar-powered vehicle models, combining sustainability with high performance to appeal to eco-conscious consumers. - Ford Motor Company: A traditional automotive giant, Ford is investing heavily in solar technology to enhance its electric vehicle lineup, leveraging its extensive experience and resources. - Lightyear: Specializing in solar electric vehicles, Lightyear aims to revolutionize how we perceive sustainable travel with its innovative designs and technologies. - Mahindra & Mahindra Limited: This company is making strides in integrating solar technology into its vehicle offerings, focusing on sustainability and market expansion. - Sono Motors: Known for its innovative solar cars, Sono Motors emphasizes community feedback and sustainable practices in its development process. - Aptera: A newcomer in the field, Aptera is gaining attention with its unique design and approach to solar-powered travel. These companies are not only competing in terms of innovation but are also playing significant roles in shaping market trends and driving the overall growth of the Solar Passenger Car Market. Opportunities and Challenges The Solar Passenger Car Market presents several opportunities for growth, particularly in untapped regions where consumer awareness of solar technology is on the rise. As governments continue to implement policies promoting renewable energy, the market is poised to expand significantly in these areas. Furthermore, evolving consumer preferences toward sustainable transportation solutions provide a fertile ground for new entrants and existing companies to innovate. However, the market faces challenges that could hinder its growth. Regulatory constraints pose a significant barrier, as varying laws and regulations can complicate market entry and expansion. Operational inefficiencies, particularly in supply chains and production processes, can also impact the overall performance of solar passenger car manufacturers. Additionally, there is a growing concern about talent shortages in the renewable energy sector, which can limit the innovative capacity of companies. To address these challenges, companies must focus on streamlining operations and investing in workforce development. Collaborations with educational institutions can help cultivate a skilled workforce, ensuring that companies have the talent needed to drive future innovations in solar technology. Technological Advancements Technological advancements are central to the growth of the Solar Passenger Car Market. The integration of AI is revolutionizing how solar vehicles operate, optimizing energy management and driving efficiency. AI can analyze data from various sources to improve energy consumption patterns, making solar cars more effective in utilizing available sunlight. Additionally, IoT-driven systems are enhancing connectivity in solar passenger cars, allowing them to communicate with other vehicles and infrastructure. This connectivity can lead to smarter energy distribution and improved navigation, significantly enhancing the user experience. Virtual tools are also making waves in the design and development of solar vehicles. By leveraging simulation technologies, manufacturers can create more efficient designs and optimize performance before production, reducing costs and time to market. Research Methodology and Insights STATS N DATA employs a comprehensive research methodology to provide accurate insights into the Solar Passenger Car Market. This approach includes both top-down and bottom-up methodologies, ensuring a thorough analysis of market trends and dynamics. Primary and secondary research methods are utilized to gather data from industry experts and market participants, providing a well-rounded perspective. Triangulation techniques are employed to validate findings, ensuring that the insights provided are reliable and actionable. This rigorous research process positions STATS N DATA as a trusted authority in the Solar Passenger Car Market, helping stakeholders make informed decisions. In conclusion, the Solar Passenger Car Market is on the brink of significant transformation, driven by technological advancements and a growing emphasis on sustainability. As the market evolves, it presents numerous opportunities for innovation, while also facing challenges that must be navigated strategically. Through diligent research and a commitment to excellence, STATS N DATA is poised to lead the conversation on the future of solar-powered transportation. For customization requests, please visit: https://www.statsndata.org/request-customization.php?id=27646 Access the full report analysis here: https://www.statsndata.org/report/solar-passenger-car-market-27646 Related Reports: B2B2C Health Insurance Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/b2b2c-health-insurance-market-71312 Driver Monitoring Software Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/driver-monitoring-software-market-50714 Electrothermal Chemical Technology Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/electrothermal-chemical-technology-market-44359 Software Bug Tracking Tool Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/software-bug-tracking-tool-market-40782 Medical Data Middle Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/medical-data-middle-market-41317 John Jones Sales & Marketing Head | Stats N Data Phone: +1 (315) 642-4324 Email: sales@statsndata.org Website: www.statsndata.org STATS N DATA is a trusted provider of industry intelligence and market research, delivering actionable insights to businesses across diverse sectors. We specialize in helping organizations navigate complex markets with advanced analytics, detailed market segmentation, and strategic guidance. Our expertise spans industries including technology, healthcare, telecommunications, energy, food & beverages, and more. Committed to accuracy and innovation, we provide tailored reports that empower clients to make informed decisions, identify emerging opportunities, and achieve sustainable growth. Our team of skilled analysts leverages cutting-edge methodologies to ensure every report addresses the unique challenges of our clients. At STATS N DATA, we transform data into knowledge and insights into success. Partner with us to gain a competitive edge in today's fast-paced business environment. For more information, visit https://www.statsndata.org or contact us today at sales@statsndata.org This release was published on openPR.

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ANDOVER, Mass., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com ), a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, today announced it was awarded a two-year, $17 million development contract from a U.S. defense prime contractor for a program that leverages its Common Processing Architecture. For this follow-on program, Mercury will replace and upgrade the existing processing capabilities provided by another firm with the enhanced performance and security that its Common Processing Architecture delivers. With additional protection features including Mercury’s BuiltSECURETM technology , the system will be eligible for export to allied nations to support forward-deployed operations. The award follows a separate $49 million production agreement received in the first quarter that reflects the company’s progress in returning to full-rate production in its Common Processing Architecture product area. “These awards and others demonstrate the strong demand for secure, high-performance processing solutions at the edge, as well as our customers’ confidence in our ability to deliver these capabilities at the necessary speed and scale,” said Tom Smelker, Mercury’s Senior Vice President of Processing Technologies. Mercury Systems – Innovation that matters® Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions. The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale, turning data into decisions on timelines that matter. Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries, enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing, sensor processing, command and control, and communications. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and has 23 locations worldwide. To learn more, visit mrcy.com. (Nasdaq: MRCY) Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the Company's focus on enhanced execution of the Company's strategic plan. You can identify these statements by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “likely,” “forecast,” “probable,” “potential,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continued funding of defense programs, the timing and amounts of such funding, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company’s markets, effects of any U.S. federal government shutdown or extended continuing resolution, effects of geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in or cost increases related to completing development, engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, changes in, or in the U.S. government’s interpretation of, federal export control or procurement rules and regulations, changes in, or in the interpretation or enforcement of, environmental rules and regulations, market acceptance of the Company's products, shortages in or delays in receiving components, supply chain delays or volatility for critical components, production delays or unanticipated expenses including due to quality issues or manufacturing execution issues, capacity underutilization, increases in scrap or inventory write-offs, failure to achieve or maintain manufacturing quality certifications, such as AS9100, the impact of supply chain disruption, inflation and labor shortages, among other things, on program execution and the resulting effect on customer satisfaction, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions, restructurings, and operational efficiency initiatives or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, effects of shareholder activism, increases in interest rates, changes to industrial security and cyber-security regulations and requirements and impacts from any cyber or insider threat events, changes in tax rates or tax regulations, changes to interest rate swaps or other cash flow hedging arrangements, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, litigation, including the dispute arising with the former CEO over his resignation, unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements, and various other factors beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 28, 2024 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made. INVESTOR CONTACT David Williams Mercury Investor Relations David.Williams@mrcy.com MEDIA CONTACT Turner Brinton Senior Director, Corporate Communications Turner.Brinton@mrcy.com

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The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, the chief executive of Tensile, a robotics business that pioneered automotive warehouses. In the movie’s opening credits, a maze of conveyor belts and bots shuttle boxes this way and that without a human in sight. Romy, too, is a little robotic. She intensely presides over the company. Her eyes are glued to her phone. She gets Botox injections, practices corporate-speak presentations (“Look up, smile and never show your weakness”) and maintains a floor-through New York apartment, along with a mansion in the suburbs that she shares with her theater-director husband ( Antonio Banderas ) and two teenage daughters (Esther McGregor and Vaughan Reilly). But the veneer of control is only that in “Babygirl,” a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like “Basic Instinct” and “9 1/2 Weeks.” Reijn, the Danish director of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has critically made her film from a more female point of view, resulting in ever-shifting gender and power dynamics that make “Babygirl” seldom predictable — even if the film is never quite as daring as it seems to thinks it is. The opening moments of “Babygirl,” which A24 releases Wednesday, are of Kidman in close-up and apparent climax. But moments after she and her husband finish and say “I love you,” she retreats down the hall to writhe on the floor while watching cheap, transgressive internet pornography. The breathy soundtrack, by the composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, heaves and puffs along with the film’s main character. One day while walking into the office, Romy is taken by a scene on the street. A violent dog gets loose but a young man, with remarkable calmness, calls to the dog and settles it. She seems infatuated. The young man turns out to be Samuel (Harris Dickinson), one of the interns just starting at Tensile. When they meet inside the building, his manner with her is disarmingly frank. Samuel arranges for a brief meeting with Romy, during which he tells her, point blank, “I think you like to be told what to do.” She doesn’t disagree. Some of the same dynamic seen on the sidewalk, of animalistic urges and submission to them, ensues between Samuel and Romy. A great deal of the pleasure in “Babygirl” comes in watching Kidman, who so indelibly depicted uncompromised female desire in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” again wade into the mysteries of sexual hunger. “Babygirl,” which Reijn also wrote, is sometimes a bit much. (In one scene, Samuel feeds Romy saucers of milk while George Michael’s “Father Figure” blares.) But its two lead actors are never anything but completely magnetic. Kidman deftly portrays Romy as a woman falling helplessly into an affair; she both knows what she’s doing and doesn’t. Dickinson exudes a disarming intensity; his chemistry with Kidman, despite their quickly forgotten age gap, is visceral. As their affair evolves, Samuel’s sense of control expands and he begins to threaten a call to HR. That he could destroy her doesn’t necessarily make Romy any less interested in seeing him, though there are some delicious post-#MeToo ironies in their clandestine CEO-intern relationship. Also in the mix is Romy’s executive assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde, also very good), who’s eager for her own promotion. Where “Babygirl” heads from here, I won’t say. But the movie is less interested in workplace politics than it is in acknowledging authentic desires, even if they’re a little ludicrous. There’s genuine tenderness in their meetings, no matter the games that are played. Late in the film, Samuel describes it as “two children playing.” As a kind of erotic parable of control, “Babygirl” is also, either fittingly or ironically, shot in the very New York headquarters of its distributor, A24. For a studio that’s sometimes been accused of having a “house style,” here’s a movie that goes one step further by literally moving in. What about that automation stuff earlier? Well, our collective submission to digital overloads might have been a compelling jumping-off point for the film, but along the way, not every thread gets unraveled in the easily distracted “Babygirl.” Saucers of milk will do that. “Babygirl,” an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong sexual content, nudity and language.” Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four. Advertisement AdvertisementJustin Herbert threw three touchdowns as the Los Angeles Chargers booked their place in the NFL playoffs with a blowout 40-7 win at the New England Patriots on Saturday. The Patriots, who suffered a sixth straight loss, were booed off the field by the remaining fans at Gillette Stadium as they fell to 3-13 on the season. But for the Chargers it was a job well done as the confident Herbert ensured a second post-season place in three seasons with another accomplished quarterback display. Herbert completed 28 of 38 passes and threw for 281 yards against a Patriots defense that caused few issues against the passing game. The Chargers took the lead late in the first quarter thanks to a beautiful 23-yard Herbert pass, superbly caught by the diving Derius Davis. After a Cameron Dicker field goal early in the second, Herbert found rookie receiver Ladd McConkey at the back of the end-zone with a pinpoint pass to make it 17-0. Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye had been forced out of the game in the first quarter after suffering a hit to the head by Cam Hart when running down the sideline. But Maye, who had been cleared to return for the second quarter, showed he was in good shape with a fine 36-yard touchdown pass to DeMario Douglas to give the Patriots some hope. More from this section But the Chargers ran away with the game with Herbert again connecting with McConkey, this time with a 40-yard pass down the middle and a two-yard rush from J.K Dobbins in the fourth completed the rout. Herbert's performance meant he set a new record for the most passing yards in the first five years of an NFL career -- passing Peyton Manning's tally of 20,618 yards. But the quarterback, who has yet to win a playoff game, was quick to give credit for his achievement to his team-mates. "It says so much about the guys we had catching those passes and a great offensive line giving me the time to get the ball off and (the defense) getting me the ball back," he said. "I couldn't have done it without them," he added. The Denver Broncos can clinch a place in the playoffs when they face the Bengals in Cincinnati later on Saturday. sev/nf

Hunter shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range for the Tigers (5-0), who were 12 of 22 from beyond at the arc as a team. PJ Haggerty had 22 points and five assists, Colby Rogers had 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14. Tarris Reed Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Huskies (4-1). Alex Karaban had 19 points and six assists, and Jaylin Stewart scored 16. Memphis led by as many as 13 with about four minutes left in regulation, but UConn chipped away and eventually tied it on Solo Ball’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining. Memphis: The Tigers ranked second nationally in field goal percentage going into the game and shot it at a 54.7% clip. UConn: The Huskies saw their string of 17 consecutive wins dating back to February come to an end. The teams were tied at 92 with less than a minute remaining in overtime when UConn coach Dan Hurley was assessed a technical foul for his displeasure with an over-the-back call against Liam McNeeley. PJ Carter hit four straight free throws — two for the tech and the other pair for the personal foul — to give Memphis a 96-92 lead with 40.3 seconds to play. UConn had three players foul out. Memphis attempted 40 free throws and made 29 of them. Memphis will play the winner of Colorado-Michigan State on Tuesday in the second round of the invitational. UConn will play the loser of that game in the consolation bracket. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball .

 

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PLYMOUTH ARGYLE fans trolled manager Wayne Rooney after a disastrous five days that saw his team concede a staggering TEN goals. Plymouth suffered a miserable 6-1 loss at Norwich on Tuesday in the Championship. And then the Pilgrims sustained a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Bristol City at Ashton Gate. That means, Rooney, 39, has now officially lost nine out of 19 matches during his short six-month stint in charge of Plymouth, winning only five games along the way. And some fans took to social media joking that at this pace the Manchester United record goalscorer may soon be free to fly to Australia and find his wife Coleen. The England legend's missus is currently competing in the hit reality show I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! which takes place Down Under. One fan tweeted: "Think he will be able to go to Australia, if this carries on." Another commented: "Should have gone to the jungle." A third wrote: "He'd of been better off going in the jungle and let Coleen run the team." This fan said: "That's really tough for him." BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER S And that one stated: "Tough week for Wayne Rooney." Rooney switched to management after rolling credits on his glittering 19-year football career in 2021. The legendary striker underwent a two-year spell with Derby County and spent a year with DC United as well as Birmingham City before moving to Home Park.What did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends show

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NoneREGINA - Saskatchewan’s fall legislative sitting ended with political barbs traded across the aisle after Premier Scott Moe promised a better tone two weeks ago. The swipes began when Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck told the assembly Moe should offer immediate affordability relief, including suspending the 15-cent-a-litre gas tax and scrapping the provincial sales tax on ready-to-eat grocery items and children’s clothing. In reply, Moe said there is no sales tax on groceries and that Beck should go speak to federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Crown Investments Minister Jeremy Harrison also said New Democrats don’t know how to grow the economy. The remarks drew ire from Opposition members, with one saying Moe’s government deserves a lump of coal for Christmas. Moe had promised in late November better civility in the house after former Speaker Randy Weekes accused government members of bullying and harassment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024.

 

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Luigi Mangione's bizarre rant after trip to Japan: 'Sex toys and vending machines should be banned' READ MORE: How alleged assassin Luigi Mangione went 'absolutely crazy' Do you know Luigi Mangione? Email laura.parnaby@mailonline.com By LAURA PARNABY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:46, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 21:58, 10 December 2024 e-mail 10 View comments Since the shock slaying of UnitedHealthcare heavyweight Brian Thompson in New York City rocked America last week, people who knew the alleged assassin have been sharing surprising nuggets of information about his past. Luigi Mangione - a 26-year-old Ivy League engineering graduate hailing from a wealthy Maryland family - spent time in Japan earlier this year, where he appears to have made strong friendships with natives and travelers. One person posted a photograph of the detainee enjoying a laid-back meal with a group of half a dozen young men on Reddit captioned: 'I had dinner with Luigi Mangione in Japan last year'. Mangione is smiling broadly in the forefront of the photo, wearing a navy rain jacket while leaning over a table scattered with empty plates with chopsticks, glasses with cut lemons, and cigarettes. On TikTok , a woman posted a video of herself joking around with Mangione in a grocery store. The pair were seen giggling while wearing Covid masks as Mangione held up a box of ice-cream flavored with mochi - Japanese rice cakes. Gurwinder Bhogal, a UK-based writer who told DailyMail.com he spoke with Mangione over video call in June while he was still in Tokyo, described him as 'one of the nicest people I've ever met'. But beyond his benevolent, carefree exterior, Mangione was also deeply political and concerned with some of the things he witnessed in Japan - and all the while he was estranged from his American family. One person posted a photograph of the detainee enjoying a laid-back meal with a group of half a dozen young men on Reddit captioned: 'I had dinner with Luigi Mangione in Japan last year' On TikTok , a woman posted a video of herself joking around with Mangione in a grocery store. The pair were seen giggling while wearing Covid masks as Mangione held up a box of ice-cream flavored with mochi - Japanese rice cakes Luigi Mangione, 26, was taken into custody on firearm charges Monday afternoon Mangione aired his views at length on his X account. 'Modern Japanese urban environment is an evolutionary mismatch for the human animal,' he wrote in April this year. 'The solution to falling birthdates isn't immigration. It's cultural. Encourage natural human interaction, sex, physical fitness and spirituality.' Mangione gave a list of suggested improvements - including banning sex toys like 'Tenga fleshlights' and 'custom pornstar pocket pussies' , and replacing 'conveyor belt sushi and vending machine ordering with actual human interaction with a waiter'. He also said Japan should 'replace 24/7 eSports cafes where young males earn false fitness signals via Tekken fighting and Overwatch shooting games, with athletics in school'. The alleged assassin went on to rip into 'lonely salarymen' who ' pay young girls to dress as anime characters and perform anime dances for them' in another criticism of the east Asian nation. Mangione also spoke about his worries via email with Bhogal, saying Japanese citizens appeared overly-obedient to the point of being 'NPCs' - 'non playable characters' in video games which are not controlled by a player but by the wider environment. 'Japan is peak NPC-ville,' Mangione wrote in the email, which was screenshotted and shared on X by his friend. 'Scary lack of free will in this country,' he continued. 'I'll have to tell you a story from my morning today, where I saw a dude have a seizure on the street and ran two blocks to the police station. 'They followed me to help, but refused to walk across any empty streets if the spotlight was red even while the guy was seizing on the ground.' Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson at point-blank range on December 5 Mangione spoke about his worries via email with the man he met in May, saying Japanese citizens appeared overly-obedient to the point of being 'NPCs' - 'non playable characters' in video games which are not controlled by a player but by the wider environment When asked for more information about Mangione's views on Japan, Bhogal told DailyMail.com: 'All I recall is him complaining about how people in Japan don’t really live their lives. 'Most of the young men are addicted to video games, pornography, and other shallow entertainments. 'He believed these were stopping Japanese people from dating and starting families, and he worried about declining birthrates. Gurwinder Bhogal, a UK-based writer, spoke with DailyMail.com about Mangione 'He also mentioned Japanese culture was too rigid and rulebound for his liking.' The Reddit photograph appears to have been posted by Japanese poker player Obara Jun, who elaborated on their meeting on X. 'I live in Japan and was having a fun meal with a friend at a restaurant in Tokyo that day. He came in by himself, and we talked to him and treated him to a meal and drinks because we wanted him to enjoy Japan. 'He said he was on vacation from Hawaii, and we ate together for about 30 minutes before parting ways.' Jun said he knew nothing about Mangione apart from this, and said he was hopeful for his arrest, while expressing condolences for Thompson's family. The 2020 University of Pennsylvania graduate was arrested on Monday morning moments after eating a hash brown at a McDonald's in an Altoona, PA. Cops closed in on the alleged killer after an employee at the restaurant recognized him from surveillance images NYPD shared online in the wake of the Midtown Manhattan shooting. New York City police had been searching for the shooter for days before Mangione was arrested He reportedly gave police a fake ID when they started to question him He was later charged with second-degree murder over the slaying of Thompson, 50, just before 7am on Wednesday outside the Hilton hotel where the exec had been set to make a speech to finance heavyweights later that day. Mangione led police on a 280-mile manhunt from New York City's 6th Avenue to the small Pennsylvania city of Altoona, around 100 miles east of Pittsburgh. He left a trail of overt clues about his motive, including ammunition etched with the words 'delay' 'deny' and 'depose' and a bag of Monopoly board game money in his backpack left in Central Park. Officials believe the bullet etchings refer to the 'three Ds of insurance' - tactics used by American insurance giants to reject patients' claims. This motive appeared to be even more clearly outlined in a handwritten manifesto cops seized from Mangione during his arrest on Monday, which the NYPD's chief of detectives Joseph Kenny said expressed 'ill will toward corporate America.' 'To the Feds, I'll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country,' Mangione wrote in the three-page document. 'To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn't working with anyone.' Mangione (pictured in his mugshot) will next appear in court in New York at a later date 'I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done,' Mangione added in the document. 'Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.' Mangione also allegedly had a ghost gun believed to be the rare World War Two era-inspired 9mm pistol used in Thompson's murder, which the New York Post reported was a Swiss-made Brugger & Thomet VP9, and a silencer. He was denied bond and not represented by an attorney during his arraignment in the Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania on Monday night. Mangione will next appear in court in New York at a later date. Reddit Japan Luigi Mangione Share or comment on this article: Luigi Mangione's bizarre rant after trip to Japan: 'Sex toys and vending machines should be banned' e-mail Add comment

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Offering riders the best of both worlds with the ability to use pedal power or electrical assistance, e-bikes are a relatively new but popular addition to the biking world. There are plenty of things to consider before buying an e-bike , with one of the most important considerations being which bikes are suitable for riding in your local area. Laws and licensing requirements differ by state, so it's always best to check first. Once you have, it's time to decide what kind of bike you want. Some riders will want the fastest and most powerful e-bike available , while others will want to prioritize ride comfort and practicality instead. Buyers who fit more into the latter camp will want to look for a bike aimed at commuters or cruisers, ideally those that deliver just the right mix of power and usability. Finding one can be a challenge, but following the recommendations of trusted institutions like Consumer Reports can give you a head start. These top-rated picks all received a rating of 80 or higher from Consumer Reports, and they make a solid starting point when considering what kind of e-bike is the right one for you. In our ranking of the best major e-bike brands , Cannondale came in third, winning praise for its build quality and wide-ranging lineup. Cannondale is far from the cheapest brand on the market, but that's for good reason. The Cannondale Adventure Neo 4 is not one of the brand's cheapest models either, and at a retail price of $2,875, it's one of the more expensive e-bikes on this list. For their money, buyers get a bike that's built for urban commutes, with an aluminum frame that helps reduce weight and a comfort-oriented saddle. Both the battery and motor for the e-bike come from Bosch, with the former being a 400Wh unit and the latter being an Active Line 250W model. The bike can reach a top speed of 20 mph and boasts up to 65 miles of range, so for most commuters, charging won't be a daily affair. Getting on and off the bike is straightforward too, thanks to the step-thru frame -– a common feature on many e-bikes designed for this kind of use. Much like the Cannondale Adventure Neo 4, the Marin Fairfax E boasts an aluminum frame and a top speed of 20 mph. Its range is not quite as impressive as the Cannondale, with Marin estimating it to be anywhere between 19 and 62 miles depending on how the bike is used and the size of the rider. Then again, it's also significantly cheaper, with a retail price of $1,599. When the bike's battery is flat, it will take six hours to recharge. The Fairfax E features a 340Wh battery and a Bafang 250W motor, producing a maximum of 40 Nm of torque. Riders can control how much assistive power is deployed through a small screen mounted to the handlebars, and can see a summary of their ride through the Bafang companion smartphone app. The app also provides a number of extra readouts and tips, including traffic information and heart rate monitoring . The Fairfax E's look is a particularly sleek one, with the slimline integrated battery meaning that it's not immediately noticeable as an e-bike at first glance. With a 750W motor and a 672Wh battery, the Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus offers plenty of punch for its $1,699 asking price. According to the brand, it can manage between 28 and 50 miles on a single charge, depending upon which of the five electric assistance levels riders choose. The step-thru frame is designed to make it as easy as possible to get onto the bike, even for shorter riders, with the brand noting that all riders between 4'8” and 6'0” should be suited to the bike. Unlike some of its rivals, it's only available in one size. As a Class 1 e-bike, it's limited to 20 mph by law. Its name makes it pretty clear what it's been designed for — unsurprisingly, the RadCity 5 Plus is best at home in the city. Specifically, it was created with commuters in mind, and so features shock absorbing front suspension and a rear cargo rack to make workday journeys as convenient and comfortable as possible. The brand also notes that larger containers or child seats can be strapped to the rear of the bike if needed. Battery degradation is an inevitable worry with any e-bike, but the makers of the Heybike Cityrun claim that the bike's batteries will retain 80% of their original capacity after 600 recharges. Given that the bike offers a maximum range of 55 miles, that means that, in theory, it should be capable of more than 30,000 miles without degradation starting to really bite. In other aspects, the bike looks just as impressive, with a 1,000W peak motor and a 720Wh battery. The Cityrun retails for $1,699, but those with a little extra cash spare could also pick up one of the brand's range of accessories, including a front or rear cargo basket or a phone mount. The bike is offered in one size only and Cityrun says that its frame will suit riders between 5'4” and 6'5” in height. A minimum inseam length of just over 32” is also recommended. The Lectric One retails for $2,666, but it packs the power and features to back up its asking price. Its motor boasts a peak output of 1,310W and the bike can reach speeds of up to 28 mph — although it's always worth checking local laws before testing that out, since some states do not permit the use of e-bikes that can reach speeds over 20 mph. Depending upon usage, Lectric quotes a maximum range of up to 60 miles. The bike's centrally mounted display is larger than some of its rivals and offers readouts for speed, distance, and battery levels. The display is IP65 rated against dust and water ingress, and so can be safely used in all weathers. E-bikes can sometimes be uncomfortably heavy thanks to their batteries, but the 55 pound weight of the Lectric One is around average for the segment. That's partly thanks to the liberal use of aluminum, with the frame, front fork, cranks, and more made from the metal. Although the Aventon Pace 500.3 e-bike is available in both step-over and step-thru guise, it's the latter that won high praise from Consumer Reports. The bike features a 500W motor and a range of up to 60 miles, providing a good balance between power and longevity. Like the Lectric One, the Aventon Pace 500.3 Step-Thru offers a top speed of 28 mph, although laws over how and where that speed can be deployed vary by state. The bike is available in multiple sizes with the regular size accommodating riders as short as 4'11” and the large size accommodating riders up to 6'1". Like most of the e-bikes here, the Aventon is designed primarily with commuters and road users in mind, and as such, it features built-in turn signals for added safety. The bike also offers a wide range of accessories, including a hitch rack, fenders, and a double child seat trailer, all available at an extra cost. It's worth noting that the bike lacks the suspension found on some of its rivals, and so users planning on riding over rougher terrain will have to factor in the cost of the $130 suspension seatpost on top of the bike's initial $1,799 retail price. While it also makes a capable commuter bike, the Blix Sol Eclipse is built with cruising in mind. The wide tires make it suitable for a variety of surfaces, while the large saddle prioritizes comfort over performance. The bike is powered by a 500W motor and offers a range of up to 45 miles thanks to the 614Wh battery. That battery will take around six hours to fully charge from empty according to the brand. The bike's retro-inspired design includes a built-in bell, which notably isn't included as standard in some of the other top-rated bikes here. Small devices such as smartphones can also be charged via the USB port built into the bike's display. A range of accessories is also offered that includes cargo baskets and a front or rear rack. Fenders are also available for any riders who are really trying to lean into the retro look. They can be bought for $60, while the bike itself retails for $1,899. A budget alternative to the e-bikes from leading brands, the Ancheer 350W Electric Bike offers a surprising amount of capability considering that it's available for under $1,000. It received high marks from Consumer Reports and it's not hard to see why, since its 350W motor and 499Wh battery mean a top speed of 20 mph and an officially quoted maximum range of up to 50 miles. It's backed by a one year warranty — far from the longest on the market, but not unsurprising given its price point. Rather than being integrated like many of its most expensive rivals, the Ancheer's battery is removable. That results in it being one of the less elegant looking bikes here, and that's not the only downside. It also lacks disk brakes — a feature that's very common among other top-rated bikes — instead relying on rim brakes at both the front and rear. A slim rear cargo rack is included as standard, but the Ancheer also lacks the accessory list that other, pricier bikes benefit from. The Blix Sol Eclipse might be best suited to cruising on a budget, but the company's pricier bikes have commuters covered too. Consumer Reports gave high marks to the Blix Aveny Skyline , which retails for $1,999. Much like the Sol Eclipse, it boasts a 614Wh battery and a 500W motor, resulting in an estimated range of up to 45 miles. Also like its stablemate, the Aveny Skyline will take six hours to recharge. Various colors are available, but only one size is offered. Disc brakes come standard at both the front and rear of the bike, while a simple display lets riders keep tabs on their speed and distance traveled. Multiple mounting points are available on the front and rear of the bike to fit a variety of accessories, but with or without those extras, the classic styling of the Aveny Skyline makes it arguably one of the best looking bikes in its class. E-bikes are, by nature, bigger and bulkier than their human powered counterparts, but some e-bikes do a better job of compensating for that than others. The Lectric XP Step-Thru 3.0 is a folding e-bike, making it easier and more compact to store away when it's not in use. It doesn't compromise on power either, with the bike featuring a motor with a peak outlet of 1,000W and a range of up to 65 miles with the long-range battery fitted. The long range variant of the bike retails for $1,653, while the standard range bike — offering a still-decent 45 miles of range — retails for $1,453. It's available in either black or white, and like many of its top-rated competitors, a range of accessories can also be bought for buyers looking for extra storage capacity or upgraded headlights. Hydraulic disk brakes are fitted at both the front and rear of the bike. The battery is integrated neatly within the frame of the bike, but its utilitarian design won't appeal to those looking for an aesthetically pleasing cruiser. Instead, the XP Step-Thru 3.0 delivers on performance and practicality, and at a price that undercuts several of its key rivals to boot.Furthermore, the case has raised concerns about the ethical implications of offering large cash prizes for self-discipline challenges. Some critics argue that monetary incentives may incentivize risky behavior and encourage participants to prioritize financial gain over personal development and growth. They suggest that organizers should consider alternative ways to promote self-discipline and healthy habits without resorting to monetary rewards.

-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Elon Musk on Wednesday called for the elimination of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency that was founded in 2010 with a broad mandate to protect Americans from unfair and predatory financial practices. “Delete CFPB," Musk wrote in an X post Wednesday morning, calling the Federal Reserve-funded agency an example of “too many duplicative regulatory agencies” in the federal government. That reasoning has been questioned by numerous experts, who note that the CFPB was founded precisely because none of the overlapping financial watchdogs at the time focused on consumer protection. "But there's no reason to think facts or evidence have anything to do with Musk's views," Robert Weissman, co-president of consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, said in a statement . "Asking the world's richest person, with a direct interest in a wide range of business lines, to run a project to review the federal government's overall operations is absurd and fundamentally corrupt — and this issue highlights exactly why." Related Consumer rights are worthless without enforcement Musk's opinions on government reorganization carry more weight now that he has been appointed co-leader of the so-called "Department of Government Efficiency" by President-elect Donald Trump with a charge to cut federal spending across the board — with as little input from Congress as possible. The billionaire owner of SpaceX did not specify why he objects to the CFPB, but it has often incensed the nation's most powerful banks, credit unions, debt collectors and other financial entities. And Musk takes advice from other wealthy members of Trump's circle like venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who earlier this week accused the CFPB of "terrorizing financial institutions" in an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast . Andreessen’s firm has supported a number of technology companies that have run afoul of the CFPB, including a LendUp Loans, which the agency shuttered in 2021 on the grounds that it misled customers about its loan policy and overcharged military service members. The CFPB distributed nearly $40 million to consumers who had borrowed from that company. That's a fraction of the $19.6 billion in compensation, canceled debts and other kinds of relief that the CFPB has secured since its founding in wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Under President Joe Biden, CFPB director Rohit Chopra has issued rules that would require banks to give consumers their financial data free of charge, shield consumers from medical debt and limit overdraft fees. Last week, the agency finalized a rule to scrutinize tech companies dealing with digital funds, a business where Musk is expanding his own footprint. In response to CFPB oversight, many large companies have sued the agency, complaining that it had exceeded its legal authority. Musk's desire to eliminate the CFPB echoes calls by Trump's former aides who were involved with the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025. But even if Musk fails in this objective, Trump has other ways to render the CFPB impotent. Many of his top aides are looking for candidates to lead the agency that would rescind recent rules, cancel investigations and soften its enforcement. During Trump's first term, the CFPB under then-interim Director Mick Mulvaney, struck down rules targeting payday lenders, cancelled a number of lawsuits and requested a budget of zero dollars from the Federal Reserve. Read more about this topic "Democrat propaganda": Marjorie Taylor Greene plans to team up with Musk to defund NPR Musk and Ramaswamy are banking on the Supreme Court letting Trump unilaterally slash spending Merkel calls Musk's role in Trump's second term a "huge concern" By Nicholas Liu Nicholas (Nick) Liu is a News Fellow at Salon. He grew up in Hong Kong, earned a B.A. in History at the University of Chicago, and began writing for local publications like the Santa Barbara Independent and Straus News Manhattan. MORE FROM Nicholas Liu Related Topics ------------------------------------------ Donald Trump Elon Musk Related Articles Advertisement:

Cook Islands health ministry launches new policy to promote breastfeedingMALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner won matches in singles and doubles to lead defending champion Italy to a 2-1 comeback victory over Argentina on Thursday, earning a return trip to the Davis Cup semifinals. “I’m here trying to do the best I can in the singles,” Sinner said. “If they put me on the court in doubles, I’ll also try my best.” On Saturday, Italy will face Australia in a rematch of last year's final, but this time it will only be for a chance to play for the championship. Australia eliminated the U.S. 2-1 earlier Thursday to reach the final four at the team competition for the third consecutive year. The other semifinal, to be contested Friday, is the Netherlands against Germany. The Dutch got past Rafael Nadal and Spain in the quarterfinals earlier in the week, sending the 22-time Grand Slam champion into retirement. Italy fell behind 1-0 in the quarterfinals when Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1 on an indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martina Carpena in southern Spain. But then in stepped Sinner, whose season already includes two Grand Slam trophies — at the Australian Open and U.S. Open — plus the title at the ATP Finals last weekend in Turin, Italy. First he overwhelmed Sebastián Báez 6-2, 6-1. Then Sinner teamed with 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the deciding doubles match to win 6-4, 7-5 against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez. “He carried me today,” Sinner said about Berrettini. After arriving late to Malaga from Turin, Sinner did not get a chance to practice on the Davis Cup competition court before taking on Báez and stretching his streak to 22 sets won in a row. “In three minutes, he was perfectly comfortable on court,” Italy captain Filippo Volandri said. “He’s a special one.” Volandri swapped out his original doubles team, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, for Sinner and Berrettini, and the change paid dividends. Story continues below video Australia, the Davis Cup runner-up the last two years, advanced when Matt Ebden and Jordan Thompson beat the surprise, last-minute American pairing of Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-4 in that quarterfinal's deciding doubles match. The Shelton-Paul substitution for Paris Olympics silver medalists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram was announced about 15 minutes before the doubles match began. Ebden and John Peers beat Krajicek and Ram in the Summer Games final in August. The Australians broke once in each set of the doubles. In the second, they stole one of Shelton’s service games on the fourth break opportunity when Ebden’s overhead smash made it 5-4. Thompson then served out the victory, closing it with a service winner before chest-bumping Ebden. The 21st-ranked Shelton made his Davis Cup debut earlier Thursday in singles against 77th-ranked Thanasi Kokkinakis, who emerged from a tight-as-can-be tiebreaker by saving four match points and eventually converting his seventh to win 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (14). No. 4 Taylor Fritz , the U.S. Open runner-up, then pulled the Americans even with a far more straightforward victory over No. 9 Alex de Minaur , 6-3, 6-4. When their match finally ended, on a backhand by Shelton that landed long, Kokkinakis dropped onto his back and pounded his chest. After he rose, he threw a ball into the stands, then walked over to Australia’s sideline, spiked his racket and yelled, before hugging captain Lleyton Hewitt. “I don’t know if I’ve been that pumped up in my life. I wanted that for my team,” said Kokkinakis, who won the 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles title with Nick Kyrgios. “It could have gone either way, but I kept my nerve.” AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Helios Technologies officer sells $215,920 in common stockA key pillar to President-elect Donald Trump’s economic prosperity plan for America involves helping American companies better compete with Chinese competitors in ways that he hopes will ultimately lead to a resurgence in making and manufacturing more in the United States. The plan is supported with his first administration implemented in 2018 on billions of dollars worth of Chinese imports. Many goods fully or partially made in China are subject to these duties to enter and be sold in America. While these are mandatory, and both Chinese and American companies are required to pay what is applicable, there are indications that some Chinese companies may not be paying what they owe. Congress and the Office of U.S. Trade Representative should therefore ensure that President-elect Trump’s plan is not being undermined by any company, not the least of which are Chinese companies that appear to be propped up by the Chinese government and skirting the rules to gain a competitive advantage over American companies. If and when a Chinese company cheats, its American competitor could be unfairly disadvantaged. Over time this leads to financial loss, layoffs, factory closures, and even going out of business. It’s not always obvious which brands might be Chinese and which are not. Iconic American brands such as Smithfield Foods, GE Appliances, and American Multi-Cinema (AMC Theatres) have come under Chinese ownership, control, or influence, which has various effects on their operations, pricing, and adherence to ethical standards. Unfortunately, some of these foreign-owned brands operate under trade practices that may exploit regulatory loopholes or undermine U.S. economic interests. Milwaukee Tool is one of the examples of this trend, and it is now part of the same Chinese company as Hoover, Dirt Devil, and Oreck — all vacuum companies that many may presume are still American. Though Milwaukee Tool retains a name synonymous with America, being named after an American city, it is owned by , a Hong Kong-based with ties to the . This ownership raises concerns about market competitiveness and ethical practices, especially with that the company for in its manufacturing facilities in . This allegation, if proven, implies a clear economic advantage over companies abiding by fair labor standards. Data analyzed by Trade Alliance to Promote Prosperity suggests that TTI’s Milwaukee Tool might use transshipment tactics to avoid U.S. , potentially undercutting American companies paying full tariffs on Chinese-made goods. In an analysis of over 2,200 commercial records, TAPP researchers found that 91 percent of Milwaukee Tool/TTI shipments by value were not subject to Section 301 tariffs. Further, the analysis found that 7 percent of imports were from , despite what appears to be the absence of a manufacturing footprint. This pattern suggests possible transshipment of Chinese goods through other countries, possibly avoiding the costs that . This is why TAPP has called on Congress to launch an investigation to determine if there is fire where we smell smoke. Milwaukee Tool is not alone. Recently, reported on a 12-year campaign by Chinese solar firms to avoid the reach of U.S. tariffs by moving aspects of manufacturing to non-tariff countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. The Chinese government’s policy to push Chinese firms to avoid U.S. tariffs, allowing them to offer lower prices than American-owned competitors, is the heart of the issue. These companies, bolstered by state support, can operate with advantages that U.S. firms may find challenging to match, leading to unfair competition in both pricing and availability. The issue goes beyond economics; potential national security concerns arise with foreign-controlled brands involved in sensitive technology. For example, Milwaukee Tool’s previous involving thermal imaging cameras– products controlled for national security reasons — illustrate how these foreign-owned brands may pose security risks. This risk intensifies with , where commercial technology could be leveraged for military purposes. To safeguard U.S. interests and to ensure the integrity of President-Elect Trump’s tariff regime, Congress should investigate whether accused companies adhere to trade and security standards. Recently, TAPP called on the House Select Committee on the CCP and the Congressional-Executive Committee on China to investigation into Milwaukee Tool for potential Section 301 violations related to their import practices. Addressing these concerns goes beyond protecting American businesses: It’s about upholding the integrity of U.S. trade policy and ensuring that companies benefiting from American consumers are also respecting American rules. In the United States, we expect companies to play by the rules. Congressional oversight and enforcement will help ensure they do, protecting American values, fair competition, and, ultimately, national security. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. .

 

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casino dice games Social media users are misrepresenting a report released Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general's office, falsely claiming that it's proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The watchdog report examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report's finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That's false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau's informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day's events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney's office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office's counterterrorism division told the inspector general's office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D'Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report's findings. “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!" reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray's resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray's announcement Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a fringe conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump's 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. Wray called such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. Asked for comment on the false claims spreading online, Stephanie Logan, a spokesperson for the inspector general’s office, pointed The Associated Press to a press release about the report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI's involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.” — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .

Swift's daily impact on Vancouver may have exceeded 2010 Games, says industry figure

S&P/TSX down more than 100 points, U.S. markets mixed ahead of rate decision TORONTO — Canada's main stock index fell more than 100 points Friday, led by losses in base metal and telecom stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed ahead of next week's interest rate decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press Dec 13, 2024 1:50 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message The TMX Market Centre is shown in Toronto, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paige Taylor White TORONTO — Canada's main stock index fell more than 100 points Friday, led by losses in base metal and telecom stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed ahead of next week's interest rate decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve. This week, the Bank of Canada announced another outsized interest rate cut of half a percentage point while also signalling it plans to slow the pace of cuts going forward. Allan Small, senior investment adviser at iA Private Wealth, said the central bank is juggling a lot of balls heading into the new year, including a faltering economy, a housing market that’s poised to heat up, and a U.S. Fed likely to cut much slower next year. “If (the Bank of Canada) continues to cut when the U.S. doesn’t, where does that leave our dollar?” asked Small. “They’re flying by the seat of their pants.” The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 136.41 points at 25,274.30. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 86.06 points at 43,828.06. The S&P 500 index was down 0.16 points at 6,051.09, while the Nasdaq composite was up 23.88 points at 19,926.72. The Fed has done a better job of tamping down inflation while not harming the economy too much, said Small. The Fed is expected to cut by a quarter-percentage point next week, and its path is clearer than the Bank of Canada’s, said Small. “I don’t think they have much room to cut more,” he said, noting this week saw U.S. inflation data tick up from the month before. “Most people think they’ll go 25 (basis points) and pause for a little while,” said Small. “Would I be surprised to see them not cut at all? No, but I think the market would take that negatively.” Heading into the last few weeks of the year, Small said if there’s a so-called Santa Claus rally, it may be more muted than usual. “It's quite possible we've taken some gains that we normally would have had in December, brought them forward into November, and now December might not be as strong as we normally see,” he said. On Wall St., the Nasdaq did a little better than its U.S. peers as semiconductor company Broadcom saw its stock gain more than 24 per cent after reporting earnings. “I think the commentary on the conference call really caused the stock to shoot up," said Small. The company gave a bright forecast for investors on the back of expected growth in artificial intelligence. This week, Broadcom and Apple also announced a deal to develop a chip for AI. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.27 cents US compared with 70.48 cents US on Thursday. The January crude oil contract was up US$1.27 at US$71.29 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down 18 cents at US$3.28 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$33.60 at US$2,675.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was down five cents at US$4.15 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix Trump's strategy is to create economic uncertainty in other countries: Freeland Dec 13, 2024 2:21 PM National chief urges MPs to send water bill to Senate before holiday break Dec 13, 2024 2:07 PM Paula Abdul settles lawsuit alleging sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe Dec 13, 2024 2:00 PM Featured FlyerMysterious drone sightings in New Jersey raise questions about regulations. Here are 5 things to know

No one’s mourning Wicked – it is a wonderful movie that near-flawlessly adapts one of the greatest musicals of all time, and it deserves its box office glory. However, its drab, needlessly grounded aesthetic left me with... what’s this feeling? Loathing, unadulterated loathing. I never doubted Jon M. Chu. Sure, he’s had some misses (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jem and the Holograms), but he also directed Step Up 2: The Streets (one of the most underrated movies of the 2000s), Now You See Me 2 (absolutely preposterous, but undeniably slick), and Crazy Rich Asians (an all-timer rom-com). However, I was worried about the cinematic translation of the show, especially after Chu made the bold decision to split Wicked into two films ; when Part 2 comes out, its total runtime could be twice the length of the original production. Thankfully, Part 1 assuaged those concerns: it is a thrillifying adaptation worth rejoicifying over, complete with two extraordinary performances courtesy of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, superbly choreographed numbers, and most importantly, it is astonishingly well-paced. By the time ‘Defying Gravity’ hits – and boy, it hits – you won’t realize that almost three hours have flown by. Alas, it makes one huge misstep: for the most part, its flat lighting and horrendible color grading are more befitting of a car commercial than a big-budget musical movie. Pinks aren’t that pink, greens aren’t that green, and scenes are relentlessly backlit to their detriment; ‘Dancing Through Life’ is a particularly frustrating offender. Speaking to the Globe and Mail , Chu was asked why the movie looks so desaturated. In his eyes, “there’s color all over it.” Related: “I think what we wanted to do was immerse people into Oz, to make it a real place. Because if it was a fake place, if it was a dream in someone’s mind, then the real relationships and the stakes that these two girls are going through wouldn’t feel real,” he explained. It gets worse: because we’ve seen Oz as a “matte painting” and “video game digital world” before, he wanted the audience to “feel the dirt... I want to feel the wear and tear of it.” Ah, yes, because that’s what people want from Oz: realism! As Glinda sang, “I hope you’re happy how you’ve hurt your cause forever, I hope you think you’re clever.” To give Chu some credit, he also said the color contrast “goes up over time because that is what Elphaba brings to this world.” This rings true in the movie’s final scene, particularly as Elphaba belts out her final, tear-jerking note and hovers high in the sky with lightning crackling all around her. It’s the best shot of the film (it should have cut to the ‘To be continued’ card straight after), but it isn’t representative of everything that comes before. I also understand his point: he wanted his film to have a unique visual perspective of Oz and the Emerald City. He accomplishes that with CGI (the monkeys look incredible, and the effects are generally spectacular), but it’s so much harder to appreciate when: 1) it fails to evoke the magic of its wondrous setting and 2) its iconic predecessor is one of the best-looking movies ever made, and it came out 85 years ago. The Wizard of Oz showcased the irreplaceable beauty of Technicolor in all of its splendor. It was mostly abandoned by the ‘70s, mostly due to its expense and complexity (especially the three-strip process), and the technology is now considered obsolete, if not lost altogether. However, that doesn’t mean movies can’t mimic its aesthetic; Pearl, La La Land, The Love Witch, and even Quentin Tarantino’s films pulled it off. Wicked was never going to escape comparisons to The Wizard of Oz, so it should have leaned into its legacy, at least a little bit; I didn’t need it to look that good. I just wished it looked better. Keep up to date with Wicked’s box office , when to pee during Wicked , where to stream Wicked , and what we know about Wicked: Part 2 so far.

TORONTO, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Edesa Biotech, Inc. (Nasdaq:EDSA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing host-directed therapeutics for immuno-inflammatory diseases, today reported financial results for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 and provided an update on its business. During the fiscal year, the company pivoted the in-house development of its anti-TLR4 drug candidate, EB05 (paridiprubart), to a U.S. government-funded study investigating novel threat-agnostic host-directed therapeutics in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Given this opportunity, Edesa is also amending a development and drug manufacturing project for the same asset that is supported by the Government of Canada. The company said that the goal is to maximize synergies between the two government-funded projects. For its anti-CXCL10 program, Edesa intends to manufacture EB06 and submit related data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as part of an investigational new drug (IND) application. The manufacturing of clinical-grade drug batches and initiation of the patient enrollment is subject to funding. Edesa anticipates topline results for this Phase 2 study could be available within as few as 12 to 18 months following regulatory clearance in the U.S. The study is currently approved in Canada. “This year, Edesa maintained its momentum despite the headwinds in the drug development sector, and we once again validated our TLR4 technology with a third competitive government award,” said Par Nijhawan, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Edesa Biotech. “I have maintained my strategic support financially and I believe that our team can continue to advance and expand our development pipeline and partnerships.” Edesa’s Chief Financial Officer Stephen Lemieux reported that financial results for the fiscal year benefited from prudent use of working capital and effective financial management, including a more than 20% decrease in operating expenses. “Following the end of the fiscal year, we strengthened our balance sheet, and with two governments now funding the advancement of our anti-TLR4 technology, we have improved our position for future financing, potential strategic arrangements as well as other opportunities to advance our pipeline.” Total operating expenses decreased by $2.2 million to $7.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2024 compared to $9.2 million for the prior year: Total other income was unchanged at $0.8 million for the years ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 as a $0.1 million increase in reimbursement funding from the Canadian government’s Strategic Innovation Fund was offset by a $0.1 million decrease in interest income. For the year ended September 30, 2024, Edesa reported a net loss of $6.2 million, or $1.93 per common share, compared to a net loss of $8.4 million, or $2.93 per common share, for the year ended September 30, 2023. At September 30, 2024, Edesa had cash and cash equivalents of $1.0 million and negative working capital of $0.2 million. Subsequent to the fiscal year end, the company received $1.5 million in gross proceeds under a securities purchase agreement with an entity affiliated with Edesa’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder, and $0.6 million in net proceeds, after deducting sales agent commissions, from common shares sold under an at-the-market offering program. Edesa management plans to participate in one-on-one meetings during JP Morgan week, which begins on January 13, 2025, in San Francisco, California. Attendees interested in meeting with management can request meetings through the conference organizers or by contacting Edesa directly at . (Nasdaq: EDSA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative ways to treat inflammatory and immune-related diseases. Its clinical pipeline is focused on two therapeutic areas: Medical Dermatology and Respiratory. In Medical Dermatology, Edesa is developing EB06, an anti-CXCL10 monoclonal antibody candidate, as therapy for vitiligo, a common autoimmune disorder that causes skin to lose its color in patches. Its medical dermatology assets also include EB01 (1.0% daniluromer cream), a Phase 3-ready asset developed for use as a potential therapy for moderate-to-severe chronic Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD), a common occupational skin condition. The company’s most advanced Respiratory drug candidate is EB05 (paridiprubart), which is being evaluated in a U.S. government-funded platform study as a treatment for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening form of respiratory failure. The EB05 program has been the recipient of two funding awards from the Government of Canada to support the further development of this asset. In addition to EB05, Edesa is preparing an investigational new drug application (IND) in the United States for EB07 (paridiprubart) to conduct a future Phase 2 study in patients with pulmonary fibrosis. Sign up for . Connect with us on and .

FBI Director Wray walked a tightrope with Trump. Here’s how it went wrongNo-grow zone LABOUR cannot shirk the blame for our ­dismal economic figures. In the first half of 2024, under Rishi Sunak , UK growth led the G7 . Under the new “growth-focused” Government, we have shrunk for two straight months. On taking power Labour chose not to talk Britain’s prospects up but to trash the Tories, exaggerate our problems and conjure up a “£22billion black hole”. How did they imagine investors would react to a Government saying the country was on its knees? They fled. And our firms froze with fear about the Budget. READ MORE SUN SAYS The crippling tax rises that they unleashed, including the job-wrecking National Insurance hike, are likely to trigger more woe in November’s figures. Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she has rolled the pitch for bumper long-term growth. The OBR is more pessimistic. We must hope she’s right and the economists are wrong. Wrecker Ed IT is arguable that Russia might never have invaded Ukraine were it not for Ed Miliband’s ­political parlour games. Most read in The Sun In 2013 he whipped Labour to defeat Tory plans to join the US in bombing Syria to stop it using chemical weapons. Without us, President Obama backed off. Assad continued his savagery, his ally Putin saw the West had lost its nerve and months later he attacked Crimea. So Health Secretary Wes Streeting is right to call out our “hesitation”, meaning his Cabinet colleague’s opportunism. These days Miliband’s unbending ignorance is driving us off a Net Zero cliff. High time Keir Starmer stopped him inflicting the same carnage on our energy supply as he may have done on all those lives in Syria and Ukraine . Name them NO ONE failed Sara Sharif as egregiously as the family court which handed her over to her monstrous father and stepmother. A judge and social workers made that ruling in 2019 despite knowing Urfan Sharif’s appalling record of abuse. Now, incredibly, another judge has ordered they must remain anonymous to dodge criticism. But they SHOULD be accountable for the error which proved a death sentence for little Sara. How else to stop them making another? Andy sums WHERE is disgraced, jobless Prince Andrew getting his money ? Cut off by the King after the Epstein paedo scandal, he can still afford the huge bills on the vast Royal Lodge. READ MORE SUN STORIES His top business advisor is an alleged Chinese spy — and people are snuck into and out of his mansion “unnoticed”. Are these murky dealings remotely in the national interest? Or just Andrew’s?

Earth just experienced its second-warmest November on record — second only to 2023 — making it all but certain that 2024 will end as the hottest year ever measured, according to a report Monday by European climate service Copernicus. Last year was the hottest on record due to human-caused climate change coupled with the effects of an El Nino. But after this summer registered as the hottest on record — Phoenix sweltered through 113 consecutive days with a high temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit — scientists anticipated 2024 would set a new annual record as well. In November, global temperatures averaged 14.10C (57.38F). Last year's global average temperature was 14.98C (59F). FILE - People are silhouetted against the sky at sunset Nov. 12 as they run in a park in Shawnee, Kan. Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Cape Cod, who wasn't involved in the report, said the big story about November is that "like 2023, it beat out previous Novembers by a large margin." This also likely will be the first calendar year in which the average temperature was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, the report said. The 2015 Paris Agreement said human-caused warming should be limited to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and ideally below 1.5. In the following years, the world's top scientist said limiting to 1.5 was crucial to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, such as increasing destructive and frequent extreme weather events. Scientists say the main cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. That "does not mean that the Paris Agreement has been breached, but it does mean ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever," said Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess. A young family visiting Washington cools off from the warm weather in a fountain Nov. 6 at the base of the Washington Monument. Francis said the new records are "terrible news for people and ecosystems." "The pace of warming is so fast that plants and animals cannot adapt as they always have during previous changes in the Earth's climate. More species will go extinct, which disrupts natural food webs they're a part of. Agriculture will suffer as pollinators decline and pests flourish," she said, also warning that coastal communities will be vulnerable to sea-level rise. Heat waves over the oceans and a loss of reflective sea ice and snow cover probably contributed to the temperature increase this year, experts said. Copernicus said the extent of Antarctic sea ice in November was 10% below average, a record. Oceans absorb about 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases, later releasing heat and water vapor back into the atmosphere. Last year's record heat was caused partly by an El Nino — a temporary natural warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather worldwide. People walk Nov. 27 on an autumn-colored ginkgo tree-lined avenue in Tokyo. But that ended this year and a cooling effect that often follows, called La Nina, failed to materialize, leaving the scientific community "a little perplexed by what's going on here ... why temperatures are staying high," said Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. One explanation is that an El Nino releases more heat to the atmosphere because of warmer ocean waters, then "we're not getting the cooling effect that often in decades gone by helps bring the temperature back down," Overpeck said. "So it does look like this could be contributing to the acceleration of global warming. But this year, he said, "is such a big jump following yet another jump, and that's a scary thing." It's no secret that a warming world will drive food prices higher, a phenomenon increasingly known as " heatflation ." What's less known, but a growing area of interest among economists and scientists alike, is the role individual extreme weather events — blistering temperatures in Texas , a destructive tornado in Iowa — may have on what U.S. consumers pay at the supermarket. At first glance, the answer might seem logical: A drought or flood that impacts agricultural production will, eventually, drive up prices. But it's not that simple, because what consumers pay for groceries isn't only reflective of crop yields or herd sizes, but the whole supply chain. As Grist reports, that's where it gets interesting: Economists are beginning to see a growing trend that suggests weather forecasts play a part in sticker shock. Sometimes the mere prediction of an extreme event — like the record-breaking temperatures, hurricanes, and wildfires forecasters are bracing for this summer — can prompt a spike in prices. It isn't the forecast itself to blame, but concerns about what the weather to come might mean for the entire supply chain, as food manufacturers manage their risks and the expected future value of their goods, said Seungki Lee, an agricultural economist at Ohio State University. "When it comes to the climate risk on food prices, people typically look at the production side. But over the last two years, we learned that extreme weather can raise food prices, [cause] transportation disruptions, as well as production disruptions," said Lee. How much we pay for the food we buy is determined by retailers, who consider the producer's price, labor costs, and other factors. Any increases in what producers charge is typically passed on to consumers because grocery stores operate on thin profit margins. And if manufacturers expect to pay more for commodities like beef or specialty crops like avocados in the future, they may boost prices now to cover those anticipated increases. "The whole discussion about the climate risks on the food supply chain is based on probabilities," Lee said. "It is possible that we do not see extreme temperatures this summer, or even later this year. We may realize there was no significant weather shock hitting the supply chain, but unfortunately that will not be the end of the story." Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are among the reasons food prices have climbed 25 percent since 2020 . Climate change may be contributing as well. A study published earlier this year found " heatflation " could push them up by as much as 3 percentage points per year worldwide in just over a decade and by about 2 percentage points in North America. Simultaneous disasters in major crop and cattle producing regions around the world — known as multi-breadbasket failure — are among the primary forces driving these costs. Crop shortages in these regions may also squeeze prices, which can create volatility in the global market and bump up consumer costs. Historically, a single, localized heat wave or storm typically wouldn't disrupt the supply chain enough to prompt price hikes. But a warming world might be changing that dynamic as extreme weather events intensify and simultaneous occurrences of them become the norm. How much this adds to consumers' grocery bills will vary, and depends upon whether these climate-fueled disasters hit what Lee calls "supply chain chokepoints" like vital shipping channels during harvest seasons. "As the weather is getting more and more volatile because of climate change, we are seeing this issue more frequently," he said. "So what that means is the supply chain is getting more likely to be jeopardized by these types of risks that we have never seen before." An ongoing drought that plagued the Mississippi River system from the fall of 2022 until February provides an excellent example of this. The Mississippi River basin, which covers 31 states, is a linchpin of America's agricultural supply chain. It produces 92 percent of the nation's agricultural exports, 78 percent of the world's feed grains and soybeans , and most of the country's livestock. Vessels navigating its roughly 2,350 miles of channels carry 589 million tons of cargo annually . Transportation barriers created by low water, seen above, hampered the ability of crop-producing states in the Corn Belt to send commodities like corn and soybeans, primarily used for cattle feed, to livestock producers in the South. Thus emerged a high demand, low supply situation as shipping and commodity prices shot up , with economists expecting consumers to absorb those costs . Past research showing that retail prices increase alongside commodity prices suggests that the drought probably contributed to higher overall food costs last year — and because droughts have a lingering impact on production even after they end, it may be fueling stubbornly high grocery prices today. But although it seems clear that the drought contributed to higher prices, particularly for meat and dairy products, just how much remains to be gauged. One reason for that is a lack of research analyzing the relationship between this particular weather event and the consumer market. Another is it's often difficult to tease out which of several possible factors, including global trade, war, and export bans , influence specific examples of sticker shock. While droughts definitely prompt decreases in agricultural production, Metin Çakır, an economist at the University of Minnesota, says whether that is felt by consumers depends on myriad factors. "This would mean higher raw ingredient costs for foods sold in groceries, and part of those higher costs will be passed onto consumers via higher prices. However, will consumer prices actually increase? The answer depends on many other supply and demand factors that might be happening at the same time as the impact of the drought," said Çakır. In a forthcoming analysis previewed by Grist, Çakır examined the relationship between an enduring drought in California, which produces a third of the nation's vegetables and nearly two-thirds of its fruits and nuts , and costs of produce purchased at large grocery retailers nationwide. While the event raised consumer vegetable prices to a statistically significant degree, they didn't increase as much as Çakır expected. This capricious consumer cost effect is due largely to the resiliency of America's food system . Public safety nets like crop insurance and other federal programs have played a large part in mitigating the impacts of adverse weather and bolstering the food supply chain against climate change and other shocks. By ensuring farmers and producers don't bear the brunt of those losses, these programs reduce the costs passed on to consumers. Advanced agricultural technology, modern infrastructure, substantial storage, and efficient transport links also help ensure retail price stability. A 2024 study of the role climate change played on the U.S. wheat market from 1950 to 2018 found that although the impact of weather shocks on price variability has increased with the frequency of extreme weather, adaptive mechanisms, like a well-developed production and distribution infrastructure with sufficient storage capacity, have minimized the impact on consumers. Still, the paper warns that such systems may collapse when faced with "unprecedented levels of weather variability." Last year was the world's warmest on record , creating an onslaught of challenges for crop and livestock producers nationwide. And this year is primed to be even more brutal , with the transition from El Niño — an atmospheric phenomenon that warms ocean temperatures — to La Niña , its counterpart that cools them. This cyclical change in global weather patterns is another potential threat for crop yields and source of supply chain pressures that economists and scientists are keeping an eye on. They will be particularly focused on the Midwest and stretches of the Corn Belt, two regions prone to drought as an El Niño cycle gives way to a La Niña, according to Weston Anderson, an assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Those growing regions for corn and soybeans are what he'll be watching closely as La Niña develops. It's something Jennifer Ifft, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, is also thinking about. "If you have a very severe drought in the Corn Belt ... that's going to be the biggest deal, because that's gonna raise the cost of production for cattle, hogs, poultry," said Ifft. "So that would probably have the largest inflationary impacts." As of January , U.S. beef herd inventory was at its lowest in 73 years, which multiple reports noted is due to the persisting drought that began in 2020 . Americans, the majority of whom are already spending more on groceries than last year, are poised to soon see "record" beef prices at the supermarket. Food prices are also expected to rise another 2.2 percent in 2024 , according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. In a world enmeshed in extremes, our already-fragile food supply chain could be the next system teetering on the edge of collapse because of human-caused climate change. And costlier groceries linked to impending risk is the first of many warning signs that it is already splintering. This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox!THE Miami Dolphins have parted ways with a Super Bowl winning wide receiver. Odell Beckham Jr. is no longer on the Miami Dolphins' roster. Beckham played in just nine games this season before being released from the team. He missed both Dolphins practices this week for "personal reasons" before the release. The release was mutual, according to ESPN. Beckham signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Dolphins in may that could improve up to $8.25 million with incentives. Read more on the NFL However, he had knee surgery in the offseason and started the year on injured reserve. Beckham's first start didn't come until Week 5 against the New England Patriots. Beckham was signed by the Dolphins to take over the WR3 spot behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but a new receiving option emerged over the course of the season. Tight end Jonnu Smith has exploded onto the scene, taking a massive target share in the offense. Most read in American Football This season, Beckham has just nine catches for 55 yards and no touchdowns. Smith now has 61 catches for 692 yards and five touchdowns. Beckham will now be free to sign with a new team this season. It is unclear if any teams will be interested in Beckham though, and his time in the NFL could be coming to a close. NFL fans shared their opinions on social media on what could be next for the former superstar receiver. "And just like that, Odell is officially washed," one fan said. "I really want to see Odell Beckham Junior have one more season that reminds us who he once was," another fan said. August 1 - Hall of Fame Game - Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears August 8 - Pre-season begins August 27 - Deadline for 53-man rosters September 1 - Final day of pre-season September 5 - Season opener - Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs November 5 - Trade deadline January 5 - Week 18 of regular-season January 11 - Playoffs begin February 9 - Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana "He’s a Chief," a third fan said. "Falloff has to be studied," a fourth fan said. "Bring him to the @Commanders," a fifth fan said. Read More on The US Sun Beckham is in his 10th NFL season in 2024, spending time with the Giants, Browns, Ravens, Dolphins, and Rams. He has 7,987 career receiving yards and 59 touchdowns.

Philadelphia star quarterback Jalen Hurts remains in concussion protocol and has been ruled for Sunday's game against the visiting Dallas Cowboys, with the Eagles expected to start Kenny Pickett. Hurts missed practice all week, and head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed before Friday's session that Hurts remains in the concussion protocol, adding, "It's going to be tough for him to make it this week." Hurts and Pickett (ribs) were both injured during last weekend's 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders, but Pickett was a full participant in Thursday's practice and was limited on Friday. The Eagles also have Tanner McKee as the emergency third quarterback and signed Ian Book to the practice squad this week. Pickett, who grew up as an Eagles fan in Ocean Township, N.J., will have a chance to help Philadelphia (12-3) clinch the NFC East title in his first start for the franchise. "I'm very excited. It's a big opportunity," he told reporters Thursday. "I've been working hard to stay ready and I felt like I was in a good position last game with my preparation and now having a week to practice, I'll feel even better going into the stadium. So, I'm excited. I just want to get the win." Pickett relieved Hurts in the first quarter against Washington and completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Prior to that, he had appeared in three games in mop-up duty. "He's done a great job," Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown said on Friday. "He did a great job last week. I know he had a few hiccups, but overall he's doing a great job. It's not his first rodeo. We have a lot of confidence in him, I do, and I'm excited. "(He's) poised, confident. He comes in, he's commanding the huddle and that's what you want to see." Pickett, 26, compiled a 14-10 record as the starter for the Steelers from 2022-23 after being drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round (20th overall) in 2022. After the Steelers acquired Russell Wilson in March, Pickett was traded along with a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-rounders. Pickett has completed 62.3 percent of his pass attempts for 4,622 yards with 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 29 career games. He has rushed for 303 yards and four scores. Hurts, 26, has completed 68.7 percent of his passes this season for 2,903 yards with 18 TDs and five picks in 15 starts. He has rushed for 630 yards and is tied for the NFL lead with 14 rushing touchdowns. --Field Level MediaStrive for peace and development through unity

Role of education in eradicating illiteracy stressedCNBC Daily Open: Tech firms take center stage

TOKYO, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: MRM) announces that its subsidiary MEDIROM MOTHER Labs Inc. raised to date an aggregate total of 260.3 million yen (approximtaely USD $ [1.7] million calculated at an exchange rate of JPY[153.64] to US$1) at a pre-money equity valuation of JPY9 billion (approximately USD $ [58.6] million calculated at an exchange rate of JPY[153.64] to US$1) in its Series A equity financing. NFES Technologies Inc. is the lead investor in the financing round, and several public companies in Japan, including M3, Inc. (TOKYO PRIME: 2413) and Elematec Corporation (TOKYO PRIME: 2715), as well as certain individual investors are also participating. The Series A equity financing round is still ongoing. MEDIROM MOTHER Labs has closed financings with six investors to date and intends to conclude the financing round by December 31, 2024. “We are very excited that our MEDIROM MOTHER Labs subsidiary has received such significant validation from strategic partners as our lead investor NFES Technologies Inc. as well as M3,Inc and Elematec Corporation. The pre money valuation of 9 billion yen is approximately multiples of MEDIROM’s current NASDAQ listing market capitalization which I believe further validates our technology, business model and growth potential.” said Kouji. The MOTHER Bracelet® is currently in commercialization. From July 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024, MEDIROM MOTHER Labs received purchase orders for an aggregate of over 25,000 units from its B2B sales channel. “We believe the MOTHER Bracelet® to be the world’s first fitness tracker that requires no electric charging by utilizing an innovative technology that enables the user’s body heat to generate electricity. We co-developed it with Matrix Industries, based in Silicon Valley and believe its features are cutting-edge technology with rich features and ease of use to track fitness levels, sleep patterns, pulse and body temperature We will continue to target markets such as hospitals, nursing homes and gyms, where such data is vital,” said Yoshio Uekusa, CEO of MEDIROM MOTHER Labs. ABOUT MEDIROM MOTHER Labs Inc. A subsidiary of MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: MRM) (“MEDIROM”), MEDIROM Mother Labs Inc. focuses on the health-tech sector. The company’s core activities include the "Specific Health Guidance Program" offered through the "Lav" health application and development and sales of the 24/7 recharge-free MOTHER Bracelet®︎ smart tracker. By leveraging the features of the recharge-free MOTHER Bracelet®︎, MOTHER Labs offers customizable health management solutions across diverse sectors, including caregiving, logistics, manufacturing, and similar industries. Forward-Looking Statements Regarding MEDIROM and MOTHER Labs Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include estimates or expectations about MEDIROM’s possible or assumed operational results, financial condition, business strategies and plans, market opportunities, competitive position, industry environment, and potential growth opportunities. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “design,” “target,” “aim,” “hope,” “expect,” “could,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “goal,” or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements relate to future events or to MEDIROM’s future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause MEDIROM’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond MEDIROM’s control and which could, and likely will, affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects MEDIROM’s current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to MEDIROM’s operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release include: More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect MEDIROM’s business, reputation, results of operations, financial condition, and stock price is included in MEDIROM’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including in the “Risk Factors” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” sections of MEDIROM’s most recently filed periodic report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings, which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov . MEDIROM assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. NASDAQ Symbol: MRM Tradepia Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan Web https://medirom.co.jp/en Contact: ir@medirom.co.jp MEDIROM MOTHER Labs Inc. Tradepia Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan For more information visit: https://mother-bracelet.com

DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad , gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey, which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, U.S. officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria's new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has worked to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned about extremist jihadis among the rebels. Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after, we will work to build this country, and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Syrians celebrate in the historic heart of Damascus Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed the historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. Syrian state television reported that the sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria were tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. “I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011," because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.” Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come. But there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.” Blocks away in Damascus' biggest roundabout, named Umayyad Square, thousands gathered, including many families with small children — a sign of how, so far at least, the country's transformation has not caused violent instability. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” the crowd chanted. Some shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centers of Assad’s security forces. One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine — originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted — said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze.” The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition's enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels were bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Similar scenes of joy unfolded in other major cities, including in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Raqqa. US and its allies try to shape a rapidly changing Syria Al-Sharaa, HTS' leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will impose a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds . Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria's Kurds. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s Embassy in Damascus would reopen Saturday for the first time since 2012, when it closed due to the Syrian civil war. The U.S. has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad's fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. It has also seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the U.S. on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey's borders a terrorist group, as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the U.S. A U.S. official said that in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan both told Blinken that Kurdish attacks on Turkish positions would require a response. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic talks. The U.S. has been trying to limit such incidents in recent days and had helped organize an agreement to prevent confrontations around the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which was taken by Turkey-backed opposition fighters from the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces earlier this week. In Baghdad, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, saying both countries wanted to ensure the Islamic State group — also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh — doesn't exploit Syria's transition to re-emerge. “Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out, and we’re determined to make sure that that doesn’t happen," Blinken said. The U.S. official who briefed reporters said that Blinken had impressed upon al-Sudani the importance of Iraq exercising its full sovereignty over its territory and airspace to stop Iran from transporting weapons and equipment to Syria, either for Assad supporters or onward to the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. ___ Lee reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report. Albert Aji And Matthew Lee, The Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — If anybody knows Deion Sanders' mind, it might be Travis Hunter. And the two-way Colorado star says Coach Prime is indeed staying put with the Buffaloes. “I got a lot of insight. He ain’t going nowhere. He’s going to be right where he's at right now,” Hunter said Friday in Manhattan, where he's a heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. In his second season at the school, Sanders coached No. 20 Colorado to a 9-3 record this year and its first bowl bid since 2020. Hunter, Sanders and the Buffaloes will face No. 17 BYU (10-2) in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28. Sanders' success and popularity in Boulder has led to speculation the flashy and outspoken former NFL star might seek or accept a coaching job elsewhere this offseason. Sanders, however, has dismissed such talk himself. Hunter followed Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering string of individual accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. The junior wide receiver and cornerback plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft and is expected to be a top-five pick — perhaps even No. 1 overall. But he backed up assertions from Sanders and his son, star Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, that both will play in the Alamo Bowl rather than skip the game to prepare for the draft and prevent any possible injury. “It's definitely important because, you know, I started this thing with Coach Prime and Shedeur and most of the coaches on the coaching staff, so I want to finish it off right,” Hunter said. "I didn't give them a full season my first year (because of injury), so I'm going to go ahead and end this thing off right. It's going to be our last game together, so I'm going to go out there and dominate and show the loyalty that I have for him. “Definitely looking forward to it. I'm just excited to go out there and play football one more time before the offseason.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballBritain is failing to prepare itself for war with Russia, top general warns

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Two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter is who were revealed on Monday. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami quarterback Cam Ward will join Hunter in New York on Saturday for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, where the winner will be revealed. Hunter, who plays wide receiver and cornerback for Colorado, has emerged late in the season as the favorite for the award. Jeanty has gained ground as his projected top competition as Jeanty challenged Barry Sanders' single-season FBS rushing record. Either would represent an unorthodox selection in the modern college football landscape. Just once in the last eight seasons and twice in the last 14 has a non-quarterback . Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith was the last non-quarterback to win the award in 2020. Alabama running back Derrick Henry was the last running back to secure the Heisman Trophy in 2015. Either Gabriel or Ward would have to emerge as an upset winner to continue the trend of quarterbacks claiming the Heisman Trophy. Hunter's produced a season like few others, if any, that we've seen before. As Colorado's top offensive weapon, Hunter leads the Big 12 in receptions with 92 for 1,152 yards and a league-best 14 touchdowns. As a cornerback, he's one of the nation's best who's accounted for four interceptions, one forced fumble, 32 tackles and a Big 12-best 11 passes defended. He's pick for his anticipated ability to play either position — but not likely both — at the next level. Jeanty has emerged in the Heisman Trophy conversation thanks to a monster season that's helped . The two-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, Jeanty leads the FBS in both rushing yards (2,497 on 7.3 yards per carry) and rushing touchdowns (29). For comparison, North Carolina's Omarion Hampton is a distant second in rushing yards with 1,660. With at least one more game to play, Jeanty has Sanders' all-time record (Oklahoma State, 1988) for rushing yards (2,628) in his sights. In his first season at Oregon since transferring from Oklahoma, Gabriel has led the Ducks into the CFP as the No. 1 seed and the nation's only undefeated team (13-0). He has completed 73.2% of his passes for 3,558 yards with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. He's added 192 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Gabriel has quarterbacked the Ducks to wins over then-No. 2 Ohio State and over No. 3 Penn State in . Ward was among the early Heisman Trophy favorites, but fell off in the eyes of analysts in recent weeks alongside Miami's fortunes. The Hurricanes lost two of their last three games to Georgia Tech and Syracuse to fall out of the CFP picture. Regardless, Ward posted a stellar season, completing 67.4% of his passes for 4,123 yards, an ACC-best 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a Miami team that finished 10-2 and is ranked No. 15 in the nation heading into its Pop-Tarts Bowl matchup against Iowa State.Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria falloutcasino game paypal

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NASA Accelerates Space Exploration, Earth Science for All in 2024Creating some of the most memorable monsters in gaming can't be easy, but Capcom seems to nail it time and time again with its Monster Hunter series. Really, these fearsome beasts are the star of the show, but it's not just their designs that catch the eye — it's the way they move, the way they're so deliberately animated. Capcom actually uses motion capture as a basis for its creatures, which results in some truly fascinating behind-the-scenes footage. It just doesn't get much better than seeing a motion capture actor get down on all fours are roar towards the sky (and yes, they really do roar). A quick video from PlayStation Access perfectly sells the process. It shows some previously unseen motion capture performances for Monster Hunter Wilds , and it's a thoroughly entertaining watch. Capcom's dedication to motion capturing Monster Hunter's often absurd animations is commendable — and it's worth pointing out that the company's spent a lot of money on state-of-the-art studios and technology. Last year, Capcom opened a huge motion capture studio in Osaka, Japan, and we're pretty sure it's the same studio that you can see in the above video.On a day Air Force added recruits for the future, it saw one of the key players of the present slip away. Defensive back Linoln Tuioti-Mariner, a standout of the defense during the second half of the season, announced on Twitter that he will enter the transfer portal when it opens on Monday. Assuming there is not change of direction, the sophomore’s final game with the program was Saturday’s 31-20 victory at San Diego State in which he had 10 tackles — four for loss — as the team closed the year with its fourth consecutive victory. "I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the United States Air Force Academy football for an incredible journey over the last three years,” he wrote on social media. "This experience has shaped me in ways I’ll carry forever. “I’m truly grateful for my close friends and teammates who I’ve played with during my time at USAFA. It has been [a] journey that I will remember for the rest of my life.” Tuioti-Mariner went on to thank coaches — particularly Alex Means, Nick Toth and Brian Knorr — and friends and family. The departure of an established contributor is rare for Air Force football. Cadets can leave the academy without penalty until the beginning of their junior year. Because the Falcons almost never play freshmen and only occasionally see sophomores rise to featured roles, those players don’t generally see their stock rise at a time when they might be tempted to test the portal. Also, the cadet experience is frontloaded in terms of the most difficult parts, so many understandably feel invested and don’t wish to depart. But Tuioti-Mariner will certainly attract attention after averaging more than seven tackles over the final seven games with 6.5 TFL, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and two passes defended. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound native of Las Vegas who took a two-year church mission prior to joining the Falcons played the nickel or “spur” linebacker position in Air Force’s defense. Though the departure isn’t common in football, other sports have routinely seen players leave early — including 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes in baseball and current basketball players Jake Heidbreder (Clemson) and Rytis Petraitis (California). As movement in the portal becomes more frequent with fewer detriments to student-athletes, it could continue to become a hindrance for service academies that can lose players to transfer but not bring them in without that player starting over as a freshman with basic training. Others may be weighing the same decision. In a year marked by Air Force’s roster inexperience and then a rash of injuries that contributed to a 1-7 start, multiple young players saw action. Over the final stretch Tuioti-Mariner, quarterback Quentin Hayes, guard Alec Falk, outside linebacker David Santiago and safety Houston Hendrix were all starting as sophomores and fullback Owen Allen ran for more than 100 yards in a game.

Foreign nationals are told to use expired documents to prove their right to live and work in Britain amid another Home Office IT fiascoMiddle East latest: Israel agrees to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon starting at 4 am

An Israeli airstrike flattened a multistory building in central Gaza, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more, according to Palestinian medical officials, after strikes Thursday across the Gaza Strip killed at least 28 others. The latest deadly strike hit the urban Nuseirat refugee camp just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem that the recent ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for a potential deal to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the deadly strike in Nuseirat. Israel says it is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine in some of the hardest-hit parts of the territory. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: DAMASCUS, Syria — Mohammad Salim Alkhateb, an official with the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces — an internationally backed group of the opposition in exile — said his group wants to see a transitional government formed via a United Nations-backed process in the wake of Bashar Assad ouster. It is not yet clear if Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel group now in control of Syria, will pursue such a process. The insurgents have said an interim government headed by Mohammad al-Bashir, who is also the head of the “salvation government” of HTS in its former stronghold in northern Syria, will oversee the country until March but have not made clear how the transition to a new, fully empowered government would take place. “The transitional governing body should be formed in Geneva to have international legitimacy,” said Alkhateb, who is now in Damascus. “The transitional governing body, whatever its form, whether it is the ‘salvation government’ or any other, what matters is that it has international recognition.” Alkhateb said that the unexpectedly rapid fall of Damascus and departure of Assad after opposition forces launched their offensive had created confusion and a governance vacuum. A day before the insurgents pushed into Damascus, diplomats from countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Iran and Russia met in Qatar to discuss the situation in Syria. Alkhateb said that they had discussed a scenario in which the rebels would halt their advance, keeping the territory they had captured so far in the north — including Syria’s largest city, Aleppo — and the opposition and Assad’s government would go to Geneva for talks on a political settlement to the conflict. However, he noted, “there were no Syrians in that meeting.” Assad fled to Russia before the rebel forces arrived in Damascus but has not officially announced his resignation, which is “why we are living in a vacuum rather than a political transition,” Alkhateb said. He added that creating a professional army should be a priority of the transitional government. “We do not want a civilian who was trained during the revolution to carry military weapons to become the military,” he said. Israel bombed hundreds of military sites in Syria this week in a wave of airstrikes that destroyed “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wave of airstrikes in neighboring Syria was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s stunning collapse . WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Peirre says Austin Tice, an American journalist missing in Syria for 12 years, “is a top priority for this president.” During a briefing with reporters on Thursday, Jean-Pierre said of Tice, “There is no indication that he is not alive. There’s also no indication about his location or condition.” “What our goal is, is to bring him home. And so, we hope certainly that he is alive and, as we have stated many times before, we are talking through this with the Turks and we want to do everything we can to bring him home,” she said. BEIRUT — Amnesty International said Thursday that four Israeli airstrikes between September and October that killed at least 49 civilians in Lebanon “must be investigated as war crimes.” The rights organization said in a new report that the four strikes targeted homes in the Bekaa Valley, northern and eastern Lebanon, and municipal offices in the south. “These four attacks are emblematic of Israel’s shocking disregard for civilian lives in Lebanon and their willingness to flout international law,” said Amnesty International’s Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns. The rights group said this report was part of its ongoing investigation into violations of the laws of war in Lebanon. Amnesty International investigated four Israeli airstrikes, including one on Sept. 29 in al-Ain that killed all nine members of the same family. On Oct. 21, a strike in Baalbek city in eastern Lebanon killed six members of the same family. Another on Oct. 14 in the village of Aitou in northern Lebanon killed 23 displaced people, including a 5-month-old baby. A fragment from the attack site in Aitou was identified by an Amnesty weapons expert as likely part of a Mk-80 series aerial bomb, weighing at least 500 pounds. These munitions are primarily supplied to Israel by the United States, Amnesty said. The fourth strike Amnesty investigated was the strike that hit the municipal headquarters in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, on Oct. 16, killing 11 civilians including the mayor. “The air strike took place without warning, just as the municipality’s crisis unit was meeting to coordinate deliveries of aid, including food, water and medicine, to residents and internally displaced people who had fled bombardment in other parts of southern Lebanon,” Amnesty said. The rights group said it interviewed survivors and witnesses, examined evidence, and found no military targets near the sites of the four strikes. The Israeli military gave no warnings and did not respond to Amnesty’s inquiries, the group said. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike hit the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 25 Palestinians and wounding dozens more, Palestinian medics said, just hours after President Joe Biden’s national security adviser raised hopes about a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza. Photos from the scene of the blast that circulated on social media showed a completely collapsed building with people walking through its mangled and charred remains, smoke rising from piles of belongings strewn over the rubble. Officials at two hospitals in the Gaza Strip, al-Awda Hospital in the north and al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, reported they received a combined total of 25 bodies from an Israeli strike on a multistory residential building in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp. Palestinian medics also reported that over 40 people, most of them children, were receiving treatment at the two hospitals. The al-Aqsa Hospital said that the Israeli attack also damaged several nearby houses in Nuseirat. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the deadly strike. Israel is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory. UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. food agency is trying to deal with massive needs in Syria not only from escalating war-related food insecurity and an upsurge in displaced people fleeing Lebanon but also the dramatically new environment following the ouster of Bashar Assad, a senior U.N. official says. “It’s a triple crisis and the needs are going to be massive,” said Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, in an interview with The Associated Press late Wednesday. The WFP estimated that 3 million people in Syria were “acutely food insecure” and very hungry. However, that estimate was made before the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon pushed many Syrian refugees back to their home country, plus the instability caused by the overthrow of Assad. Due to funding cuts, the WFP had been targeting only 2 million of those people, he said. Because WFP has been working in Syria during the 13-year civil war, he said, it has pre-positioned food in the country. It has 500 staff in seven offices nationwide and has operated across conflict lines, across borders, and with all different parties, he said. Skau said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel group now in control of Syria, has promised to provide security for WFP warehouses. Humanitarian aid supplies had been looted at U.N. warehouses in the disorder after Assad fell. “We’re not really up and running in Damascus because of the continued kind of uncertainty there,” he said. WFP initially thought of relocating non-essential staff but the situation in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, has been “quite calm and orderly," he said. In the short term, Skau said, “what we’re seeing is that markets are disrupted, the value of the currency dropped dramatically, food prices are going up, transport lines don’t work,” and it’s unclear who will stamp required papers for imports and exports. This means that a bigger humanitarian response is needed initially, he said, but in the next phase, the U,N. will be looking at contributing to Syria’s recovery, and ultimately the country will need reconstruction. Skau said he expects a new funding appeal for Syria and urged donors to be generous. JERUSALEM — President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem on Thursday that Israel’s ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for another deal to end the war in Gaza. He plans to travel next to Qatar and Egypt — key mediators in the ceasefire talks — as the Biden administration makes a final push on negotiations before Donald Trump is inaugurated. Sullivan said “Hamas’ posture at the negotiating table did adapt” after Israel decimated the leadership of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon and reached a ceasefire there. “We believe it puts us in a position to close this negotiation,” he said. Sullivan dismissed speculation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was waiting for Trump to take office to finalize a deal. He the U.S. believes there are three American hostages still alive in Gaza, but it’s hard to know for sure. He also said “the balance of power in the Middle East has changed significantly” since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, especially with the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally of Hezbollah and Iran. “We are now faced with a dramatically reshaped Middle East in which Israel is stronger, Iran is weaker, its proxies decimated, and a ceasefire that is new and will be lasting in Lebanon that ensures Israel’s security over the long term,” he said. KHIAM, Lebanon — An Israeli strike killed at least one person Thursday in the Lebanese border town of Khiam, the Health Ministry said, less than a day after Israeli troops handed the hilltop village back to the Lebanese army in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers, Khiam is the first Lebanese town Israel has pull out of since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants began two weeks ago, and marks an important test of the fragile truce . Lebanon's Health Ministry and state news agency did not provide details on who was killed, and did not report airstrikes elsewhere on Thursday. The Israeli military said the airstrike in Khiam targeted Hezbollah fighters. Lebanese troops deployed in the northern section of the town on Thursday morning and were coordinating with U.N. peacekeepers to finalize Israel’s withdrawal before fully entering into other neighborhoods. An Associated Press reporter who visited Khiam on Thursday observed widespread destruction, with most houses reduced to rubble. Entire neighborhoods were flattened, with collapsed walls and debris scattered across the streets. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, sharply criticized Israel for striking the town less than 24 hours after the Lebanese army returned, saying it was “a violation of the pledges made by the parties that sponsored the ceasefire agreement, who must act to curb Israeli aggression.” The truce was brokered by the U.S. and France. Israel has previously said the ceasefire deal allows it to use military force against perceived violations. Near-daily attacks by Israel during the ceasefire, mostly in southern Lebanon, have killed at least 29 people and wounded 27 others. Khiam, which sits on a ridge less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the border with Israel, saw some of the most intense fighting during the war. The Lebanese army was clearing debris and reopening roads in the northern section of the town. Civilian access to other areas remained challenging as the army clears roads and works alongside the U.N. peacekeepers to ensure the area is free of unexploded ordnance. AQABA, Jordan -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging the many players in Syria to avoid taking any steps that could lead to further violence. Blinken spoke to reporters in Jordan on Thursday shortly after meeting King Abdullah II as he opened a trip in the region to discuss Syria's future after former President Bashar Assad's ouster. Blinken will next visit Turkey, a NATO ally and a main backer of Syrian rebel groups. Blinken called this “a time of both real promise but also peril for Syria and for its neighbors.” He said he was focused on coordinating efforts in the region “to support the Syrian people as they transition away from Assad’s brutal dictatorship” and establish a government that isn’t dominated by one religion or ethnic group or outside power. Blinken was asked about Israel’s incursion into a buffer zone that had been demilitarized for the past half century. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the move is temporary and defensive, but also indicated Israel will remain in the area for a long time. Blinken declined to say whether the U.S. supports the move, but said the U.S. would be speaking to Israel and other partners in the region. “I think, across the board, when it comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that, we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts,” he said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, arrived in Damascus on Thursday, according to Turkish media reports. Kalin was seen arriving at the Umayyad Mosque to pray, surrounded by a large crowd, according to video shown on Turkish television. The visit is highly symbolic. Turkish officials, who supported the opposition against Syria’s government, had predicted at the start of the civil war in 2011 that President Bashar Assad’s government would fall, allowing them to pray at the Umayyad Mosque. JERUSALEM — Paraguay reopened its embassy in Jerusalem Thursday, becoming one of a small handful of nations to recognize the city as Israel’s capital and marking a diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel’s international isolation has increased as the war in Gaza drags on, and Paraguay was the first country to move its embassy to Jerusalem since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that kickstarted the war. The United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Kosovo, and Papua New Guinea are among the few countries with Jerusalem embassies. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in 1967 but it wasn’t recognized by the international community, and most countries run their embassies out of Tel Aviv. Spirits were high at the ceremony marking the embassy’s inauguration Thursday, with Netanyahu and Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar lavishing praise on Paraguayan President Santiago Pena. “My good friend Santiago,” said Netanyahu, addressing Pena. “We’re a small nation. You’re a small nation. We suffered horrible things but we overcame the odds of history...we can win and we are winning.” Paraguay had an embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, under Former President Horacio Cartes. That embassy was moved back to Tel Aviv by Cartes’ successor, Mario Abdo Benitez, prompting Israel to close its embassy in Asuncion. Saar said Israel and Paraguay shared a “friendship based not only on interests but also values and principles.” He and the Paraguayan foreign minister, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, signed a series of bilateral agreements and Saar said he would soon visit Asunción with a delegation from the Israeli private sector. “Israel is going to win and the countries we are standing next to Israel, we are going to win," Pena said. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is renewing calls for Syria’s new leadership to respect women and minority rights, prevent extremists from gaining new footholds in the country and keeping suspected chemical weapons stocks secure as he makes his first visit to the Mideast since the weekend ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad . Making his 12th trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war erupted lasted year but amid fresh concerns about security following the upheaval in Syria, Blinken emphasized Thursday to Jordan’s King Abdullah II U.S. “support for an inclusive transition that can lead to an accountable and representative Syrian government chosen by the Syrian people,” the State Department said. Blinken also repeated the importance the outgoing Biden administration puts on respect for human rights and international law, the protection of civilians and stopping terrorist groups from reconstituting. Blinken met with the monarch and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Aqaba before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on the situation in Syria and the urgency of securing a long-elusive deal to release hostages and end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Abdullah told Blinken that “the first step to reach comprehensive regional calm is to end the Israeli war on Gaza." GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria is calling on authorities to save evidence from detention centers that were a hub of “unimaginable barbarity” that Syrians have faced for many years and cooperate with international investigators looking into such crimes. Geir Pederson referred to new images from the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of the capital, Damascus, after President Bashar Assad fled Syria as armed groups stormed in to overthrow his government over the weekend. “The images from Saydnaya and other detention facilities starkly underscore the unimaginable barbarity Syrians have endured and reported for years,” Pedersen said in a statement. Documentation and testimonies “only scratch the surface of the carceral system’s horrors,” he added. Pedersen urged authorities to cooperate with U.N. bodies like an independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which was created in 2011, and an independent group known as the IIIM that was set up five years later to also compile evidence of crimes. ROME — Leaders of the Group of 7 industrialized nations offered their full support for an inclusive political transition in Syria and invited all parties to preserve the country’s territorial integrity. In a message released by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office, the leaders said they were ready to support a transition that “leads to a credible government, inclusive and not sectarian, that guarantees respect for the state of law, universal human rights, including rights for women, (and) the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities.” The leaders also underlined the importance that ousted President Bashar Assad’s government is held responsible for crimes, citing “decades of atrocities.” They said they would also cooperate with groups working to prohibit chemical weapons “to secure, declare and destroy” remaining chemical arms in Syria. Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G-7, which also includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it struck Hamas militants in two locations in the southern Gaza Strip who planned to hijack aid convoys. Palestinian Health officials had earlier said that the two strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees established to secure aid deliveries. The committees have been organized in cooperation with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza. It was not possible to independently confirm either account of the strikes, which occurred overnight into Thursday. Israel has long accused Hamas of hijacking humanitarian aid deliveries, while U.N. officials have said there is no systemic diversion of aid . U.N. agencies and aid groups say deliveries are held up by Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid and movement within Gaza, as well as the breakdown of law and order more than 14 months into the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, which maintained internal security before the war. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, the main aid provider in Gaza, said a U.N. convoy of 70 trucks carrying humanitarian aid in southern Gaza “was involved in a serious incident,” resulting in just one of the trucks reaching its destination. It did not provide further details on the incident but said the same route had been used successfully two days earlier. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has caused vast destruction and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, leaving the territory heavily reliant on international food aid. DAMASCUS, Syria — An American who turned up in Syria on Thursday says he was detained after crossing into the country by foot on a Christian pilgrimage seven months ago. Travis Timmerman appears to have been among thousands of people released from the country’s notorious prisons after rebels reached Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing President Bashar Assad and ending his family’s 54-year rule. As video emerged online of Timmerman on Thursday, he was initially mistaken by some for Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria 12 years ago. In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket in what appeared to be a private house. A group of men in the video said he was being treated well and would be safely returned home. The Biden administration is working to bring Timmerman home, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Aqaba, Jordan, without offering details, citing privacy. Timmerman later gave an interview with the Al-Arabiya TV network, saying he had illegally crossed into Syria on foot from the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle seven months ago, before being detained. He said he was treated well in detention but could hear other men being tortured. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Jordan on his 12th visit to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year and his first since the weekend ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad that has sparked new fears of instability in a region wracked by three conflicts despite a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Blinken was meeting in Aqaba with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on Friday. The meetings will focus largely on Syria but also touch on long-elusive hopes for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Blinken is the latest senior U.S. official to visit the Middle East in the five days since Assad was deposed as the Biden administration navigates more volatility in the region in its last few weeks in office and as President-elect Donald Trump has said the U.S. should stay out of the Syrian conflict. Other include national security adviser Jake Sullivan and a top military commander who traveled there as the U.S. and Israel have launched airstrikes to prevent the Islamic State militant group from reconstituting and prevent materiel and suspected chemical weapons stocks from falling into militant hands. Blinken “will discuss the need for the transition process and new government in Syria to respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance, prevent Syria from being used as a base of terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that chemical weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed,” the State Department said. The U.S. would be willing to recognize and fully support a new Syrian government that met those criteria. U.S. officials say they are not actively reviewing the foreign terrorist organization designation of the main Syrian rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, which was once an al-Qaida affiliate, but stressed they are not barred from speaking to its members. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will remain in a Syrian buffer zone until a new force on the other side of the border can guarantee security. After the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israeli forces pushed into a buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. The military says it has seized additional strategic points nearby. Israeli officials have said the move is temporary, but Netanyahu’s conditions could take months or even years to fulfill as Syria charts its post-Assad future, raising the prospect of an open-ended Israeli presence in the country. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Thursday that Assad’s overthrow by jihadi rebels created a vacuum on the border. “Israel will not permit jihadi groups to fill that vacuum and threaten Israeli communities on the Golan Heights with October 7th style attacks,” it said, referring to Hamas’ 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. “That is why Israeli forces entered the buffer zone and took control of strategic sites near Israel’s border.” The statement added that “this deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed.” The buffer zone is adjacent to the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed. The international community, except for the United States, views the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said Thursday that the attacker who fatally shot a 12-year-old Israeli boy in the occupied West Bank overnight turned himself in to authorities. The attacker opened fire on a bus near the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit, critically wounding the boy, who hospital authorities pronounced dead in the early morning. Three others were wounded in the attack, paramedics said. The shooting took place just outside Jerusalem in an area near major Israeli settlements. JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesian government has evacuated 37 citizens from Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, officials said Thursday. The evacuees were taken by land from Damascus to Beirut, where they boarded three commercial flights to Jakarta, said Judha Nugraha, director of citizen protection at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus said all 1,162 Indonesian citizens in Syria were safe. Indonesian Ambassador to Syria Wajid Fauzi said the situation in Syria has gradually returned to normal. “I can say that 98% of people’s lives are back to normal, shops are open, public transportation has started running,” Fauzi said, adding that most Indonesian nationals living in Syria had chosen to stay. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 28 people in the Gaza Strip, including seven children and a woman. One of the strikes overnight and into Thursday flattened a house in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies at the hospital’s morgue. Two other strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees established to secure aid convoys . The committees were set up by displaced Palestinians in coordination with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. The Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis received the bodies and an AP reporter counted them. The hospital said eight were killed in a strike near the southern border town of Rafah and seven others in a strike 30 minutes later near Khan Younis. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory. UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved resolutions Wednesday demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and backing the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban . The votes in the 193-nation world body were 158-9 with 13 abstentions to demand a ceasefire now and 159-9 with 11 abstentions to support the agency known as UNRWA. The votes culminated two days of speeches overwhelmingly calling for an end to the 14-month war between Israel and the militant Hamas group . General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they reflect world opinion. There are no vetoes in the assembly. Israel and its close ally, the United States, were in a tiny minority speaking and voting against the resolutions.

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. stock rises Tuesday, still underperforms market

$1 million per homer? $27,000 a point? $229 per second? Sports is loaded with money oddities If Juan Soto replicates his 2024 performance throughout his $765 million, 15-year deal with the Mets, he'll make roughly $1.2 million for every home run he hits. He's hardly the only superstar athlete earning outrageous sums for each of his accomplishments. Some NFL quarterbacks make more than $3 million per game. Stephen Curry could make roughly $161,000 per 3-pointer. This past regular season, Lionel Messi earned $229 for every second he was on the field with Inter Miami. Is the College Football Playoff bracket fair? Here are some tweaks that would have changed things The committee that chose the 12 contenders for college football’s national title was only worried about ranking the teams. Where those teams landed in the bracket was based on a formula created by conference commissioners. That jumbled up the pairings and made a strong case for tinkering in the future. Some possible tweaks, like reseeding after the first round or not giving conference champions automatic byes, would have resulted in a vastly different tournament this year, Belichick says he's had 'good conversations' with UNC chancellor amid Tar Heels' coaching search Former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick says he had “a couple of good conversations” with North Carolina Chancellor Lee Roberts amid his discussions about the Tar Heels’ head-coaching job. Belichick appeared on ESPN's “The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday. He said he had spent the 11 months since his departure from the Patriots taking a “longer look” at the college level. He said he had learned a lot and had “a couple of good conversations" with Roberts. UNC fired the program's all-time winningest coach in Mack Brown last month. Cowboys set to host Bengals under open roof after falling debris thwarted that plan against Texans ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys has opened without incident and will stay that way for a Monday night meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals. It will be the first game with the roof open at AT&T Stadium since Oct. 30, 2022. The roof was supposed to be open three weeks ago for Houston’s 34-10 victory on another Monday night. A large piece of metal and other debris fell roughly 300 feet to the field as the retractable roof was opening. The roof was then closed for that game. Tennessee grabs No. 1 in AP Top 25 after shakeup; No. 3 Iowa State has highest ranking since 1950s Tennessee is the new No. 1 in men's college basketball after a massive shakeup in the AP Top 25. The Vols are No. 1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Auburn remained No. 2 and No. 3 Iowa State has its highest ranking since 1956-57. Kentucky rounds out the top five. Tennessee is off to its best start since opening the 2000-01 season 9-0. Georgia QB Carson Beck's status for Sugar Bowl uncertain as he considers treatment options on elbow ATLANTA (AP) — Quarterback Carson Beck’s status for No. 2 Georgia’s Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal is uncertain after he suffered an elbow injury in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game win over Texas. Georgia announced Monday there is no timetable on Beck’s return as he and his family explore treatment options. Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Sunday the team was awaiting results of tests. The school did not announce details of the injury. Punter Brett Thorson will need season-ending surgery after injuring his non-kicking leg. Backup Gunner Stockton likely would start in the Sugar Bowl if Beck is unable to play. Another final-second victory puts the Chiefs in prime spot to secure AFC's No. 1 seed: Analysis A thunderous doink helped the Kansas City Chiefs gain some breathing room in the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC after the Buffalo Bills fell short despite Josh Allen’s spectacular performance. The fight for the top spot in the NFC stayed close as the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles kept pace with the Detroit Lions. Four weeks remain in the NFL regular season to determine the playoff picture. There’s a clear leader in the fight for the AFC’s bye. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs are 12-1 and in excellent position to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs after a 19-17 win with a last-second field goal over the Los Angeles Chargers. No. 19 Tennessee back in women's AP Top 25 after year out of poll; UCLA, UConn remain 1-2 Tennessee is back in the AP Top 25 at No. 19, ending the school’s longest drought in the 48-year history of the women’s basketball poll. The Lady Vols (7-0) had not been ranked since Nov. 27, 2023, a span of 22 polls. Since the rankings began in 1976, Tennessee has been in the Top 25 in 779 of 870 total weeks. UCLA, UConn and South Carolina remain the top three teams and Oklahoma has cracked the top 10. Georgia Tech and N.C. State entered the rankings while Illinois, Louisville and Alabama fell out. College football transfer portal opens as Oklahoma's Arnold, other top players look for a move The college football transfer portal has opened a day after the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff field was released. The portal period closes on Dec. 28. Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold, Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi, Miami (Ohio) wide receiver Reggie Virgil and Ohio State QB Devin Brown were among the first players who entered the portal. The sophomore Arnold passed for 1,984 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions and ran for 560 yards and four scores at Oklahoma. Mahdi led the nation with 2,169 all-purpose yards last season. Brown entered the transfer portal after three years as a backup. Saquon Barkley is chasing Eric Dickerson's NFL season rushing record. Can he do it? PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is closing in on the NFL season rushing record. Barkley set the Eagles' franchise record when he rushed for 124 yards and pushed his season total to 1,623 yards in a win against Carolina. Barkley also maintained his pace to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace and with one more game to play than Dickerson had, Barkley would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. Barkley is on pace for 2,122 yards, just 17 yards beyond Dickerson’s 2,105 total.Canadians' confidence in a strengthening economy has taken a hit since president-elect Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election Nov. 5 , according to new polling data from Nanos. There are now almost four times as many Canadians who think the economy is likely to get weaker in the next six months, rather than stronger, the Weekly Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index found. One month ago, about twice as many Canadians thought the economy would get weaker within six months, rather than stronger, according to Nanos' research. Trump on Nov. 25 threatened to slap a 25-per-cent tariff on all imports from Canada and from Mexico until those countries stemmed what he said is a tide of drugs and illegal immigrants coming into the U.S. – something that no doubt added to chilled consumer confidence, according to Nanos' chief data scientist Nik Nanos. Nanos surveyed 1,000 Canadians in months leading up to Dec. 6, with its survey dropping 250 responses each month and adding 250 new ones to create a rolling total. Its index for expectations dropped below 50 per cent for the first time in about a year, and was at 48.69, as of Dec. 6. That is nearing the year low of 46.03, one year ago . Concerns about jobs are on the rise, and are becoming more significant than are fears of inflation or housing, Nanos said. Nanos separately tracks what the company calls a pocketbook index, which is based on perceptions of personal finances and job security. When that index is mixed with the expectations index, it creates what the company calls an economic mood index. The newest measure for that index is 51.54 out of 100 Canada-wide. British Columbians have a slightly more sour economic mood than do counterparts in the rest of Canada, given their score of 50.3 out of 100, according to Nanos. The finding that British Columbians are feeling less confident than other Canadians about their economic futures conforms with what other surveys have found. B.C. small-business owners are the least confident in Canada that their ventures will perform better in the next three months, according to a Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) survey conducted in October for a November report . Their responses determined that they were also the second least confident in Canada that their businesses will perform better in 12 months than they are today, according to the survey. Only Newfoundland-based small-business owners in October said that they were less confident than counterparts B.C. for that year-ahead outlook. What makes the low confidence about economic improvement within 12 months most striking is that B.C.’s small-business confidence rate for one year in the future has historically, on average, been No. 1 among provinces, B.C.-based CFIB policy analyst Emily Boston told BIV. “It's not just the comparison over time, it's comparison to where we are relative to other provinces in Canada,” she said. [email protected] @GlenKorstrom glenkorstrom.bsky.socialAmeren Corp. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsEven when Luigi Mangione was surrounded by people who cared about him, he was isolated by a spinal defect that gave the athletic young man crippling pain and contributed to a jaundiced view of the US healthcare system. Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Credit: nna\josh.hohne Authorities have charged Mangione, 26, with murder in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York and police said on Wednesday they believe the motive was animosity toward the health insurance industry and corporate America. New York police found a three-page, handwritten document on Mangione that expressed disdain for the health business, they’ve said. Mangione foreshadowed that scepticism about the healthcare industry on Reddit in April as he offered advice for getting a doctor to perform spinal surgery. “Tell them you are ‘unable to work’ / do your job,” he wrote. “We live in a capitalist society. I’ve found that the medical industry responds to these key words far more urgently than you describing unbearable pain and how it’s impacting your quality of life.” Mangione’s Reddit posts, under the name mister_cactus, had once linked to his personal programming site and offered numerous matching personal details. Reddit declined to confirm whether the account, which was deactivated this week, belonged to him. Reporters reviewed the posts in an internet archive. A poster depicting Luigi Mangione hangs outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel in New York. Credit: AP Nothing in his Reddit posts reviewed by The Washington Post presaged violence. Authorities have not laid out their case for what they think drove Mangione to escalate his frustration with the health system, which is common in the United States, into an allegedly premeditated murder of a prominent executive. Thomas M. Dickey, an attorney for Mangione, didn’t respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Mangione’s arrest has stunned his friends and family, most of whom appeared to have lost touch with him in the last six months. “We all condemn violence of any kind,” said Josiah Ryan, a spokesman for Surfbreak HNL, a co-living community in Honolulu where Mangione lived for six months in 2022. He added: “There’s sadness because he was a person who was well-loved and no one saw this coming.” Ryan said Mangione’s back pain was well-known within the Surfbreak community. “It was a real problem for him, and he had to think about that in a way that most 24-year-old young men living in Hawaii would not have to worry about their health,” Ryan said. Mangione at the police station in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Credit: Pennsylvania State Police/AP Mangione’s struggles with his back pain offer a glimpse into the interior life of a man who outwardly lived a charmed existence – the scion of a wealthy family in Maryland who was valedictorian of his prestigious private school in Baltimore and earned degrees in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania. In archived Reddit comments, Mangione doesn’t express anger toward UnitedHealthcare or other health insurers. But the posts chronicle his struggle over the years to deal with back pain that became increasingly debilitating. “From childhood until age 23, my back would always ache if I stood too long, but it wasn’t too bad,” he wrote in February. But as he entered his mid-20s, the pain began to disrupt his life. He once described the sensation of an unstable spine as being able to “feel the bones moving/grinding.” He also struggled with cognitive issues, according to his posts. In a Reddit group focused on brain fog, he wrote, “The people around you probably won’t understand your symptoms – they certainly don’t for me.” By January 2022, Mangione was living at Surfbreak in Hawaii, where a surfing accident exacerbated his spinal condition, according to his Reddit posts and interviews with friends. He had a spinal fusion surgery – a procedure that stabilises the spine with surgical screws – in July 2023, according to his Reddit posts, and he seemed pleased with the results for months afterward. “Haven’t had a bad day since,” he wrote in November 2023. Mangione’s discussion of surgery aligns with an image of an X-ray prominently displayed on his profile for the social media platform X. An orthopedic surgeon who reviewed the image for The Post described it as a “lumbar spine with posterior spinal instrumentation, possible fusion”. It’s a common procedure for people with spondylolisthesis, a condition where a vertebra shifts forward and can cause excruciating pain in the lower back. He found a community on Reddit dedicated to spondylolisthesis, which he described as “my injury” in handwritten notes uploaded to his profile on the book-review site Goodreads in 2019. Mangione regularly offered advice to others, sometimes with an edge of bitterness about the reluctance of the medical profession to provide the care he considered necessary. To persuade doctors reluctant to perform surgery, he suggested an extreme option would be to “fake a foot drop” (difficulty lifting the front part of the foot) “or piss yourself. This is the absolute nuclear option, but there comes a point where it’s just ridiculous that people won’t operate on your broken spine.” His struggles drew empathy from people close to him. Surfbreak’s owner RJ Martin told the New York Times that Mangione “knew that dating and being physically intimate with his back condition wasn’t possible”. In a text message to The Post , Martin said he was overwhelmed and exhausted and deferred comment to Ryan, his spokesman. Martin found Mangione “to be a really special person,” Ryan said. “He expected to have a lifelong friendship with him.” Mangione’s arrest “was pretty devastating for him”. Marc McCoy, 59, owner of Moped Garage, a store near Surfbreak, said that he sold Mangione a moped and that they had multiple conversations. The Maryland native was eager to talk to McCoy, who has lived in Hawaii for a half-century, about how to fit in and respect the local culture and not be an ugly American stereotype, McCoy said. “He was well-spoken, intelligent, conscientious,” he said. “I’m in complete shock.” Mangione spent some time in Japan this year. A picture posted to X in late February by Japanese professional poker player Jun Obara shows him appearing to enjoy a meal at a Tokyo restaurant with a smiling Mangione and others. “He came in by himself and we talked to him and treated him to a meal and drinks because we wanted him to enjoy Japan,” Obara wrote in a subsequent post this week. “He said he was on vacation from Hawaii.” Most friends and family appear to have lost touch with Mangione since May. That appears to be when he last posted to his accounts on Goodreads and Reddit, where he linked to a video shared by another user in a group for discussing Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. Members of the New York police crime scene unit photograph bullets lying on the footpath. Credit: AP His apparently last post on X, formerly Twitter, was a retweet of a podcast episode on how smartphones and social media impact mental health on June 10. June 10 also was the last time Gurwinder Bhogal, a UK-based writer, said he received a message from Mangione, who was seeking advice about curating his social media feeds. The two had struck up a correspondence in April after Mangione subscribed to his Substack publication. They discussed politics, said Bhogal, who recalled him complaining “about how expensive health care in the U.S. was.” In comments circulated to reporters, Bhogal wrote, “Overall, the impression I got of him, besides his curiosity and kindness, was a deep concern for the future of humanity, and a determination to improve himself and the world.” United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson. Credit: AP He added, “He was so polite and thoughtful it was hard to conceive of him murdering someone.” Mangione’s movements in the summer and fall are still not clear. Mangione’s mother, Kathleen Mangione, called the San Francisco police on Nov. 18 and said her son had not been heard from since July, according to local media reports. A source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Post that a missing-person report was filed. The San Francisco Police Department declined to comment on the case and referred questions to New York police. An NYPD spokesperson declined to comment on the missing-person report. Washington Post Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .

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It has been quite a week across the world. South Korea’s president placed the country under martial law but was rebuffed by parliament, which is now taking steps to impeach him. In France, the prime minister and his government received a vote of no confidence for the first time in more than 60 years. These seemingly disparate events do have a common underlying theme: a crisis of democratic institutions. On the face of it, South Korea is an amazing success story. Its economy boomed by more than 5% for five consecutive decades, a record matched by only one other place on the planet: Taiwan. South Korea today is richer than Japan in terms of gross domestic product per person. And yet it has been roiled by deep polarization and vicious political battles. The backdrop for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law announcement was 21⁄2 years of deadlock between the liberal opposition and the conservative president. The opposition accused him of using the government’s powers to attack his opponents and the media. He accused the opposition of misusing its powers by trying to impeach members of his administration. The feud will probably end with his own impeachment.Kirk LaPointe: Surrey directors sound alarm over Metro Vancouver governanceAmazon has introduced a handful of robots in its warehouses that the e-commerce giant says will improve efficiency and reduce employee injuries. Two robotic arms named Robin and Cardinal can lift packages that weigh up to 50 pounds. A third, called Sparrow, picks up items from bins and puts them in other containers. Proteus, an autonomous mobile robot that operates on the floor, can move carts around a warehouse. The bipedal, humanoid robot Digit is being tested to help move empty totes with its hands. And there’s also Sequoia, a containerized storage system that can present totes to employees in a way that allows them to avoid stretching or squatting to grab inventory. Amazon says Robin is currently being used in dozens of warehouses. The others are in a testing stage or haven’t been rolled out widely. But the company says it's already seeing benefits, such as reducing the time it takes to fulfill orders and helping employees avoid repetitive tasks. However, automation also carries drawbacks for workers, who would have to be retrained for new positions if the robots made their roles obsolete. In October, Amazon held an event at a Nashville, Tennessee, warehouse where the company had integrated some of the robots. The Associated Press spoke with Julie Mitchell, the director of Amazon’s robotic sortation technologies, about where the company hopes to go from here. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. A: This journey that we’ve been on has taken a couple of years. Luckily for us, we’ve been at this for over a decade. So we have a lot of core technology that we can build on top of. We started these particular robots - Cardinal and Proteus - in this building in November 2022. We came in and began playing around with what it would look like to pack and move a production order. Less than two years later, we are at scale and shipping 70% of the items in this building through that robotics system. A: We talk about “build, test and scale” and that’s about a two-year cycle for us right now. A: As you can probably imagine, we have so many items, so it’s an exceptional challenge. We rely on data and putting our first prototype in a real building, where we expose it to all the things we need it to do. Then we drive down all the reasons that it fails. We give it a lot of sample sizes in a very short period of time. For example, a couple of years ago, we launched our Robin robotics arm – a package manipulation robot – and we’re at 3 billion picks. So the ability to launch into our network, rapidly collect data, scale and iterate has enabled us to go fast. The challenge itself can be boiled down to three simple things: you need to perceive the scene, plan your motion and then execute. Today, those are three different parts of our system. Artificial intelligence is going to help us change all of that, and it’s going to be more outcome-driven, like asking it to pick up a bottle of water. We’re on the verge, so that’s why I’m personally excited to be here at the onset of generative AI and use it to dramatically improve the performance of our robotics. A: With the technology we’ve deployed here, we’re creating new roles for individuals that can acquire new skills to fulfill those roles. And these new skills are not something that is too difficult to achieve. You don’t need an engineering degree, Ph.D. or any really technical skills to support our robotics systems. We designed the systems so they’re easy to service and train on the job to be a reliability maintenance engineer. We are working backwards from the idea that we want to employ more skilled labor. These opportunities are obviously higher paid than the entry level jobs in our buildings. And partnering with MIT has helped us understand what matters most to our team as we’re deploying these technologies across our network. A: Not in the adoption. We’re integrating it. But these are complex systems and this is the real world, so things go wrong. For example, we had bad weather due to the storms in the Southeast. When I look at the robotics systems data, I can tell the weather is bad outside because that dramatically affects how the ship dock works. When trucks don’t arrive on time or when they can’t leave, you see bottlenecks in the building in strange ways. Containers build up, we have to put them in different places, and then humans need to recover them. So communication between what our robotics system is doing and what we need employees in the building to do to recover is important. It's a collaboration of automation and humans to deal with real-world problems. It’s not a matter of having robotics take over but making it one system of humans and robotics working together to accomplish the goal of shipping the product.

 

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- Enhanced liquidity through issuance of Second Lien Notes - Obtained amendment to credit agreement and extended note payable - Fourth quarter fiscal 2024 revenue down 7.3% to $130.4 million - Full year fiscal 2024 revenue down 14.3% to $490.7 million - Conference call begins today at 4:30 pm ET WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inotiv, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOTV) (the "Company”), a leading contract research organization specializing in nonclinical and analytical drug discovery and development services and research models and related products and services, today announced financial results for the three months ("Q4 FY 2024”) and twelve months ("FY 2024") ended September 30, 2024. Revenue by Segment (in millions of USD) September 30, change September 30, change Robert Leasure Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The fourth quarter was productive for Inotiv, including completing previously announced site optimization plans, some recovery of NHP sales with existing and new customers, raising capital and amending our credit agreement. Going forward, we are planning further integration and cost reduction initiatives, we will continue to focus on improving the customer experience, and we will continue to evaluate opportunities to improve our balance sheet. We look forward to seeing results from initiatives we have implemented during the last two years. Moreover, addressing the challenges we have faced over the past two years has made many aspects of our business stronger. "Overall, with the exception of the volatility we saw in the NHP business in 2024, we have seen financial improvements in some other aspects of our business. In addition to improving our financial performance, our goals for 2025 include reducing volatility in our NHP business and a continued focus on the customer, compliance and animal welfare. We will continue our customer-driven strategy that has a strong scientific foundation and fuels innovation as One Inotiv. We've grown stronger, adding key partners and building new services and products that have expanded our scientific expertise, services, and offerings. By integrating these efforts over the last two years, we're streamlining our systems and processes to create a more unified customer driven approach across our global footprint." Highlights Q4 FY 2024 Highlights 2 "Q3 FY 2024" refers to the three months ended June 30, 2024. Operational and Capital Resources Highlights Revenue decreased 7.3% to $130.4 million in Q4 FY 2024 as compared to $140.7 million in Q4 FY 2023. The lower total revenue in the fourth quarter was driven by a $5.6 million decrease in DSA revenue and a $4.7 million decrease in RMS revenue. DSA revenues decreased primarily due to a decrease in safety assessment services of $3.4 million, which was primarily due to decreased revenue from general toxicology services as a result of a change in the mix of studies conducted, and a decrease in discovery service revenue of $2.0 million as a result of the decline in overall biotech activity in the market. The decrease in RMS revenue was due to the lower non-human primate ("NHP") related product and service revenue of $1.6 million mainly as a result of lower pricing for NHPs. Additionally, in Q4 FY 2024, there was a decrease of $1.7 million in RMS revenue as a result of the sale of our Israeli businesses in Q4 FY 2023. The remaining decrease in RMS revenue in Q4 FY 2024 was primarily due to a decline in small animal model sales. Operating loss was $13.2 million in Q4 FY 2024 as compared to operating income of $2.5 million in Q4 FY 2023. RMS operating income decreased by $10.7 million, or 91.1%, driven by the decrease in revenue discussed above and an increase in cost of revenue of $6.8 million. The increased RMS cost of revenue was primarily due to increased costs associated with NHP-related product and service revenue of $10.4 million, partially offset by decreases from the impact of the sale of our Israeli business of $1.2 million, as well as decreases in restructuring costs, transportation costs and costs related to sites closed in connection with our optimization plan. DSA operating income decreased by $4.8 million, or 71.5%, primarily due to the decrease in revenue noted above. Full Year Fiscal 2024 Financial Results (Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2024) Revenue decreased 14.3% to $490.7 million in FY 2024 as compared to $572.4 million in FY 2023. The lower total revenue in FY 2024 was primarily driven by a $76.7 million decrease in RMS revenue and a decrease in DSA revenue of $5.0 million. The decrease in RMS revenue was due primarily to the negative impact of lower NHP sales of $60.4 million. Additionally, there was a decrease of $10.6 million in RMS revenue as a result of the sale of our Israeli businesses in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. The remaining decrease in RMS revenue in FY 2024 was due primarily to decreases in small animal model sales and RMS services in the U.S., partially offset by an increase in diet, bedding and enrichment product sales and an increase in small animal model sales outside of the U.S. and RMS services outside of the U.S. The decrease in DSA revenue in FY 2024 was primarily driven by a $5.0 million decrease in discovery services revenue as a result of the decline in overall biotech activity in the market. Operating loss was $86.4 million in FY 2024 as compared to $81.5 million in FY 2023. The higher total operating loss in FY 2024 was due to an increase in RMS operating loss of $7.0 million and a decrease in DSA operating income of $6.5 million, partially offset by a decrease in unallocated corporate expenses of $8.6 million. The increase in RMS operating loss was primarily driven by the negative margin impact resulting from the decrease in RMS revenue noted above and included the $28.5 million charge incurred during FY 2024 related to the Resolution Agreement and Plea Agreement, partially offset by the $66.4 million non-cash goodwill impairment charge related to our RMS segment in FY 2023 that did not recur in FY 2024. DSA operating income decreased primarily due to the decreased revenue noted above. Unallocated corporate expenses decreased primarily due to decreases in professional fees, acquisition and integration costs, stock compensation expense and compensation and benefits expense, partially offset by an increase in information technology expenses. Cash and cash equivalents of $21.4 million at September 30, 2024, compares to $35.5 million at September 30, 2023. Cash used by operating activities was $6.8 million for FY 2024, which included payments of $6.5 million related to the Resolution Agreement and the Plea Agreement, compared to cash provided by operating activities of $27.9 million for FY 2023. For FY 2024, capital expenditures totaled $22.3 million compared to $27.5 million for FY 2023. Total debt, net of debt issuance costs, as of September 30, 2024, was $393.3 million. As of September 30, 2024, there were no borrowings on the Company's $15.0 million revolving credit facility. Webcast and Conference Call Management will host a conference call on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 4:30 pm ET to discuss fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2024 results. Interested parties may participate in the call by dialing: https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1697836&tp_key=5c08e65813 For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, an online replay will be available in the Investors section of Inotiv's web site at: https://ir.inotiv.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx . Note on Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release contains financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP), including Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of total revenue for the three and twelve months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 and selected business segment information for those periods. Adjusted EBITDA as reported herein refers to a financial measure that excludes from consolidated net loss, statements of operations line items interest expense and income tax benefit/provision, as well as non-cash charges for depreciation and amortization of intangible assets, stock compensation expense, acquisition and integration costs, startup costs, restructuring costs, unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss, amortization of inventory step up, (gain) loss on disposition of assets, other unusual, third party costs, the charge in connection with the Resolution and Plea Agreements, gain on sale of subsidiary, gain on extinguishment of debt, and goodwill impairment loss. The adjusted business segment information excludes from operating loss and unallocated corporate operating expenses for these same expenses. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included in this press release. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors. Among other things, they may help investors evaluate the Company's ongoing operations. They can assist in making meaningful period-over-period comparisons and in identifying operating trends that would otherwise be masked or distorted by the items subject to the adjustments. Management uses these non-GAAP measures internally to evaluate the performance of the business, including to allocate resources. Investors should consider these non-GAAP measures as supplemental and in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. Management has chosen to provide this supplemental information to investors, analysts, and other interested parties to enable them to perform additional analyses of our results and to illustrate our results giving effect to the non-GAAP adjustments. Management strongly encourages investors to review the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety and cautions investors that the non-GAAP measures used by the Company may differ from similar measures used by other companies, even when similar terms are used to identify such measures. About the Company Inotiv, Inc. is a leading contract research organization dedicated to providing nonclinical and analytical drug discovery and development services and research models and related products and services. The Company's products and services focus on bringing new drugs and medical devices through the discovery and preclinical phases of development, all while increasing efficiency, improving data, and reducing the cost of taking new drugs and medical devices to market. Inotiv is committed to supporting discovery and development objectives as well as helping researchers realize the full potential of their critical research and development projects, all while working together to build a healthier and safer world. Further information about Inotiv can be found here: https://www.inotiv.com/ . This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, statements regarding our intent, belief or current expectations with respect to ( i) our strategic plans; (ii) trends in the demand for our services and products; (iii) trends in the industries that consume our services and products; (iv) market and company-specific impacts of NHP supply and demand matters; (v) compliance with the Resolution Agreement and Plea Agreement and the expected impacts on the Company related to the compliance plan and compliance monitor, and the expected amounts, timing and expense treatment of cash payments and other investments thereunder; (vi) our ability to service our outstanding indebtedness and to comply or regain compliance with financial covenants, including those established by the Seventh Amendment to our Credit Agreement; (vii) our current and forecasted cash position; (viii) our ability to make capital expenditures, fund our operations and satisfy our obligations; (ix) our ability to manage recurring and unusual costs; (x) our ability to realize the expected benefits related to our restructuring and site optimization plans; (xi) our expectations regarding the volume of new bookings, pricing, operating income or losses and liquidity; (xii) our ability to effectively fill the recent expanded capacity or any future expansion or acquisition initiatives undertaken by us; (xiii) our ability to develop and build infrastructure and teams to manage growth and projects; (xiv) our ability to continue to retain and hire key talent; (xv) our ability to market our services and products under our corporate name and relevant brand names; (xvi) our ability to develop new services and products; (xvii) our ability to negotiate amendments to the Credit Agreement or obtain waivers related to the financial covenants defined within the Credit Agreement, including those detailed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Further discussion of these risks, uncertainties, and other matters can be found in the Risk Factors detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed on December 12, 2023, as well as other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except per share amounts) (Unaudited) September 30, September 30,A judge has once again rejected Musk's multi-billion-dollar Tesla pay package. Now what?Food and agriculture will not be on the table in any trade deal talks with US, says Business Secretary

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A divisive election. At least two major wars raging in Europe and the Middle East. And the ever-present pitfalls of internal family politics. Together, they might make for one of the nation’s tensest Thanksgivings yet — or you could consider eating some psychedelic mushrooms to up your overall sense of love and sail right through it, two experts told The Baltimore Sun. The legality of doing that in Maryland saw a major boost forward this year, when Gov. Wes Moore signed into law, enacting the Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances, which will look at how to enact a legal framework for introducing sales of psychedelics into the state. “The Task Force will study naturally derived substances such as psilocybin, psilocin, dimethyltryptamine, and mescaline and is tasked with making recommendations on use, permitting, education and safety, access to treatment, and regulated support to enable equitable and affordable access to psychedelic substances,” health care provider Healthesystems said. How Marylanders respond to legalized psychedelics is yet to be determined. But two industry experts told The Sun that in places where mushrooms are legal, they‘re an excellent fit for creating less stressful holidays. Gary Logan, ATCD, and Robert Grover, MSc., are founders of The Journeymen Collective, an alternative wellness collective that conducts guided retreats for clients during psilocybin trips. Conducted in the mountains outside of Vancouver, Canada, Logan and Grover say that taking “magic” mushrooms is a logical choice for stressed-out Americans looking for ways to make an already tense Thanksgiving a much calmer, thankful affair. “It can open up a greater perspective to more easily recognize the blessings we’ve been given,” Logan said. “There is often a new appreciation for personal and professional relationships.” That America has recently been through what one political analyst told The Sun was a “painful slog of an election season” is in no doubt. With voters almost as closely divided as they were in 2016, and a Democratic administration flipping back to another Trump administration, political scientists said they are concerned about how civil this year’s national gathering may be. Flavio Hickel Jr, assistant professor of American Politics at Washington College, told The Sun that while it depends on the individual group’s personal and political dynamics, the stress and worry that permeated much of the election could now condense into one super feud in families that had members who voted each way. In fact, Hickel said even single-party voting families may find it hard to stay civil on Thanksgiving. “In general, yes, I expect Thanksgivings to be more tense this year. It was a very contested election,” Hickel said. “Even in a group where everyone is a Democrat, discussions of why Democrats lost can invoke strong feelings and breed tension, let alone the strong feelings and tensions that could emerge if Democrats and Republicans discuss the election results and future around the dinner table,” he said. Logan, the psychedelic guide and founder, said that while he wouldn’t advise actually eating mushrooms at the meal, the properties that come along with this type of plant-based substance are ideal for defusing events that might go into confrontational areas. “While it certainly would be interesting to mix in the mashed potatoes at the Thanksgiving table, we wouldn’t advise that,” Logan said. Nor should Baltimoreans or Marylanders look to swap the traditional American Thanksgiving drinks table for psilocybin, although it might change their attitude toward drinking later. “We definitely wouldn’t suggest replacing your alcohol use with psilocybin. We have had people come in and have a guided journey then go home and say they didn’t feel the need to drink anymore,” he said. “I’d also say that the mushroom is a fungi that grows in the forest and we see it as a medicine from nature. We certainly believe it is better for your mind, body and spirit than alcohol.” He said that for Marylanders, looking into guided experiences might be the first step toward having an even better holiday season in 2025. “So, if this year you started looking into a guided retreat now, by next time you sat down at the Thanksgiving table you may have an entirely different outlook on the people around it, yourself, and the holiday,” he said. Matt McDermott, president of Humble & Wallop, a strategy and creative firm in Hampden, told The Sun that in Baltimore, as in anywhere else in the U.S., this is a particularly delicate year for avoiding or confronting politics at gatherings like Thanksgiving. As these issues have become more personal to people, they are more likely to see a debate centered around them. “The fear that this administration has a mandate that could lead to the greatest assault on human rights since Jim Crow. Women’s rights,” McDermott said. “Trans rights. Immigrant rights. We’re not talking about economic policy or defense budgets,” he said. “We’re talking about a right to exist, [like] life, liberty, happiness. As a husband of a strong, successful woman and a father of a trans teen, I couldn’t shrug off a dinner-table hot take that argues against their rights.” Hickel gave the following tips for Baltimoreans across all political backgrounds for Thanksgiving, regardless of whether legal alcohol or substances are being used. “If political conversations are unavoidable, try to remember that it is unlikely you will be able to convince a partisan opponent through one conversation/argument,” Hickel said “If you aren’t trying to win the argument, then you are less likely to get irritated when you can’t.” If using all those tips and avoiding a conversation isn’t possible, then perhaps consider just bringing up taking or buying legalized mushrooms as a topic for the whole gathering to consider, Grover suggested. “Again, I wouldn’t suggest just trying it at your Thanksgiving table but it might make for an interesting conversation to tell your family you were thinking of trying a guided magic mushroom journey,” he said. “They might not understand it but in reality many of them could probably benefit from it,” Grover said. “And if you put the work into one you could definitely have an entirely different perspective on life and the family in it by the next Thanksgiving dinner.” And if that still doesn’t work? Well, there’s always a foolproof way to make yourself thankful and welcome at holidays this year. “Bring pie, but leave the politics at home,” McDermott advises.

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Crawford Central, Pa., Schools Shut Down Biomass SystemNew Memoir Offers a Candid Look at Leadership, Resilience, and Reform in Law Enforcement 12-03-2024 11:00 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: SEO Prohub UK Image: https://www.getnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1733158736.jpeg In Sheriff: Holding the Thin Blue Line in a Deep Blue State [ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP7KZTZL ], Alex Villanueva delivers a compelling and unfiltered memoir that chronicles a life of public service spanning four decades. From humble beginnings in Rochester, New York, to becoming the 33rd Sheriff of Los Angeles County, the author provides readers with a front-row seat to the challenges of leadership, reform, and resilience in one of the nation's most complex and politically charged environments. The memoir takes readers on a journey through the author's unique life story. Growing up in both New York and Puerto Rico, he navigated cultural challenges, economic hardship, and personal loss to emerge as a decorated Air Force veteran, athlete, and leader in law enforcement. This candid account weaves together gripping anecdotes, including his role in spearheading a groundbreaking smoking ban in Los Angeles County jails, his rise through the ranks of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and his experiences leading the nation's largest sheriff's office during turbulent times. A Story of Reform and Integrity In Sheriff: Holding the Thin Blue Line in a Deep Blue State , the author sheds light on the often-misunderstood world of law enforcement, offering a behind-the-scenes perspective on controversies, reforms, and political pressures. With a focus on transparency, he shares how he balanced the demands of public service with a commitment to integrity and the well-being of his community. "Leadership isn't about following the path of least resistance-it's about standing firm on principles, even when it's unpopular," the author says. "This book is a reflection of my journey and the lessons I've learned along the way, from the military to law enforcement and beyond." Why This Book Matters Now At a time when trust in law enforcement is being reexamined, this memoir provides an insider's view of the complex challenges facing modern policing. From navigating the intricacies of public safety in a politically divided environment to addressing systemic issues within the justice system, Sheriff is both a personal story and a call to action for reform and accountability. Praise for the Author's Leadership Colleagues and community leaders have commended the author's dedication to service and willingness to take on tough issues. His legacy includes championing initiatives that improved workplace conditions, advanced public safety, and strengthened ties between law enforcement and the communities they serve. About the Author Alex Villanueva is a unique American politician, from humble origins, who survived a career challenging a corrupt political establishment, overcame adversity, and ultimately succeeded in becoming the 33rd Sheriff of Los Angeles County, unseating an incumbent sheriff for the first time in over a century. Here is his story... Book Name: Sheriff [ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP7KZTZL ] Author Name: Alex Villanueva ASIN Number: B0DP7KZTZL Kindle Version: Click Here [ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP7KZTZL ] Media Contact Company Name: American Publishers Inc Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=new-memoir-offers-a-candid-look-at-leadership-resilience-and-reform-in-law-enforcement ] Phone: +1(818)483-1118 Address:12100 Wilshire Boulevard, 8th Floor City: Los Angeles State: CA 90025 Country: United States Website: https://americanpublishersinc.com/ This release was published on openPR.

The View host's embarrassing attempt to defend Biden pardoning HunterANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Vladislov Goldin and Nimari Burnett scored 17 points apiece and Tre Donaldson and Danny Wolf posted double-doubles to lead Michigan to a 112-64 romp over Western Kentucky on Sunday night, snapping a six-game win streak for the Hilltoppers. Goldin made 7 of 8 shots with two 3-pointers and 1 of 2 free throws for the Wolverines (10-3), whose three losses this season have been by a combined five points. Burnett did most of his damage on 5-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Donaldson totaled 12 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, while Wolf finished with 12 points and 10 boards for his sixth of the season. Sam Walters scored 13 off the bench for Michigan and Roddy Gayle Jr. pitched in with 11 points and four assists. Don McHenry sank three 3-pointers and scored 18 to lead Western Kentucky (9-4). Julius Thedford scored 11 on 3-for-16 shooting. Enoch Kalambay added 10 points. Gayle and Goldin both had 11 points to guide Michigan to a 59-31 advantage at halftime. The Wolverines shot 57.6% from the floor and made 11 of 21 from 3-point range in posting their highest scoring half of the season. The Wolverines topped the century mark on 3-pointer by Danny Wolf with 6:05 remaining for a 102-52 lead. It was the first time the two teams squared off in 17 years. Michigan has won 4 of 6 all time against the Hilltoppers. Michigan travels to play Southern California on Saturday in a Big Ten Conference matchup. Western Kentucky travels to play Liberty on Thursday in a Conference USA opener. ____ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-toWp-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

 

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CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer has no doubt about where his surging, 16th-ranked Gamecocks belong in the postseason — chasing a national championship. “It's hard for me to say we're not one of the 12 best teams in the country,” a giddy Beamer said Saturday after watching his team pull off another late miracle, courtesy of quarterback LaNorris Sellers, to defeat No. 12 Clemson 17-14. Sellers scored his second touchdown , this one from 20 yards out with 1:08 to play, for South Carolina's sixth straight victory, four of them in that run coming over ranked opponents. Are you paying attention, College Football Playoff selectors? “If the committee's job is to pick the 12 best teams, you tell me,” Beamer said. It would be hard to pick against the Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3 SEC; No. 15 CFP) with Sellers, a confident, poised freshman, playing as well as he is. He finished with 166 yards rushing and 164 yards passing. Two games ago, he set career bests with 353 yards passing and five TD throws in twice rallying the Gamecocks from fourth-quarter deficits to defeat Missouri 34-30. This time, Sellers shrugged off his interception near Clemson's goal with less than 11 minutes left to lead his team to a field goal and then his game winner. Sellers spun away from defender Peter Woods in the backfield, broke through the line and cut left to reach the end zone. Sellers hears defenders get angry when they get their hands on but can't bring down the speedy, 6-foot-3 passer in his first year since taking over for Spencer Rattler. How does he do it? “I don't really know,” Sellers said. Beamer had an answer to that one, too. “He's a competitor, he's a warrior,” Beamer said. “He doesn't get too high or too low. He's out there having fun.” The Gamecocks hope to have more fun in a week so, confident they'll hear their name called among the expanded field of 12 that will play for a national crown. They know, too, they'll have Sellers leading the way. “He's a magician, man,” Gamecocks linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. said. “LeMagic, LeComeback, whatever you want to call him.” Clemson (9-3, 7-1 ACC, No. 12) had a final chance and drove to the South Carolina 18 with 16 seconds left — well within reach of a tying field goal — when Cade Klubnik was intercepted by Knight to end things. The Gamecocks were 3-3 after losing at Alabama in mid-October and then pulled off their longest winning streak since 2012. The Tigers also were hoping to play their way into the CFP's 12-team field. But their offense had too many costly mistakes and their defense could not corral Sellers. “He's a great player and made great players,” Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter said. Still, there could be postseason hope for Clemson, which will cross its fingers and pray Syracuse can pull off an upset over No. 8 Miami later Saturday that would get the Tigers into the Atlantic Coast Conference title game next week against SMU. Both teams came in on highs, the Tigers having won three straight and the Gamecocks five in a row, including three consecutive over ranked opponents Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Missouri. But neither team found its offensive rhythm in the opening half. Sellers was sacked by T.J. Parker and turned the ball over as Parker recovered with South Carolina inside the Clemson 20. The Tigers drove to the South Carolina 11 and turned down a chip-shot field goal to go for it on fourth-and-1. But Mafah was stopped way short by Jalon Kilgore and Knight. Klubnik had scoring runs of 13 and 18 yards for the Tigers. South Carolina: What a run by the Gamecocks, who before the season were picked 13th in the SEC and now may find themselves part of the national championship playoff field. Clemson: The Tigers lost to both ranked SEC opponents they faced this season, first to No. 1 Georgia to start the year and then to rival South Carolina. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney was proud of his team's regular season but knew the loss might leave it short of getting back to the playoff. “We could've had a great year,” he said. "We got better this season, a lot of positives to build on. “But this one is tough. It's tough. It hurts,” he continued. Shane Beamer knew what a big week it was when he got a voicemail from his old boss, former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. “Beamer, you're doing great,” said Spurrier, who coached the Gamecocks from 2005-2014. “This might be the biggest game in the history of South Carolina.” South Carolina and Clemson both await their postseason games. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballThe Sixers will take wins in any form, including the 'weird-good' games

Gamers Now Watch More Than They Play — How Publishers Can Reclaim Lost Revenue: Report - Benzinga

Ryan Day makes feelings clear on Ohio State brawl with Michigan after criticismOTTAWA — Donald Trump ’s comment to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about Canada becoming “a 51st state” was a “joke” made in a good-humoured social context and not a serious comment, says Dominic LeBlanc, the only cabinet minister at a Mar-a-Lago dinner Friday night. Citing two unnamed sources, Fox News reported Monday night that Trump said he would levy his threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canadian products if his concern about border security and trade deficits isn’t resolved. Fox News further reported that when Trudeau replied it would kill the Canadian economy, Trump said if Canada can’t survive unless it is ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion, it could become “the 51st state” and Trudeau could become governor. Fox News also reported that so-called nervous laughter ensued with someone at the table saying Canada would be a very liberal state, and Trump suggesting it could become two — one conservative and one liberal. The details reported by Fox News report were not confirmed by the Canadian government, but nor was the statement attributed to Trump denied. Before a cabinet meeting Tuesday, LeBlanc was asked if it shows Trump thinks Canada is a joke. He responded defensively, saying, “Not at all, not at all. That was not the context at all. In a three-hour social evening at the president’s residence in Florida on a long weekend of American Thanksgiving, the conversation was going to be lighthearted. The President was telling jokes. The President was teasing us. It was, of course, on that issue, in no way a serious comment we had.” LeBlanc repeated the government’s lines since Saturday that the two leaders and a handful of advisers had a wide-ranging conversation about trade and border security issues “that was very productive.” “But the fact that there’s a warm, cordial relationship between the two leaders and the President is able to joke like that for us was a — we don’t have a transcript. Nobody, if you look carefully at the picture, nobody had pads that were taking notes. It was a social evening,” LeBlanc insisted. “It wasn’t a meeting in a boardroom with 10 bureaucrats keeping notes ... And there were moments where it was entertaining and funny, and there were moments where we were able to do, we think, some good work for Canada.” On Tuesday, Trump posted a photoshopped image on his Truth Social platform, of him standing next to a large Canadian flag overlooking a mountain range, dominated by what looked to be (and Google Lens said was) the Matterhorn in Switzerland, with the message: “Oh Canada!” It was not clear what Trump’s intention was. On Tuesday, Trump posted a photoshopped image on his Truth Social platform, of him standing next to a large Canadian flag overlooking a mountain range, dominated by what looked to be (and Google Lens said was) the Matterhorn in Switzerland, with the message: “Oh Canada!” Neither Trudeau nor Chrystia Freeland, his deputy and finance minister who was not on the trip, commented to reporters Tuesday about the so-called joke about the 51st state. Former Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose in an interview with the CBC said while it’s not clear exactly what was said, she didn’t take it as a joke. “It’s not funny, and it’s not funny to be threatened with a 25 per cent tariff across the board for a country that is so dependent on trade with the U.S.,” said Ambrose. Ambrose previously sat on Trudeau’s outside advisory council during the renegotiation of NAFTA, and doesn’t believe that Trudeau and Trump have the kind of rapport that will exempt Canada from tariffs. “I don’t think that there’s a special relationship between the two leaders, and that’s unfortunate, because I think relationships do make a difference.” But she said the “saving grace” may be that many premiers and U.S. governors, and business leaders do have the ability to “bring to bear some pressure on President Trump.” No Canadian media were at Mar-a-Lago or even aware of the trip before internet flight trackers published the prime minister’s plane was en route to Florida. The prime minister’s team said Trump’s advisers had insisted the meeting remain confidential until the dinner started. Canadian accounts of what was said after their meeting, including the Star’s, relied on brief comments by LeBlanc over the weekend, and on confidential sources — who spoke on condition they not be identified in order to talk about the private discussions. The Star reported Saturday on what Trump and Trudeau discussed, and on Monday, the Star reported Trudeau’s team believes it may be possible for Canada to get a reprieve on the threatened tariffs if it addresses the border concerns of the incoming Trump Administration. A senior Canadian official said Trump was clear his focus is on stopping illegal immigration, any flow of illegal drugs — especially fentanyl — and also that he likes tariffs and dislikes trade deficits. But sources did not reveal Trump’s 51st-state comment before Fox News published it. Several Canadian cabinet ministers declined comment Tuesday. “I’ll pass, thank you,” said Jenna Sudds, the minister of families, children and social development. “I think he was trying to joke, but I wasn’t there,” said International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen. J Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne insisted the meeting itself is important. “The one thing that you should take note is that Prime Minister Trudeau was the first leader of the G7 to be hosted by President Trump. I think that is really significant. That is a testament to the strategic nature of our relationship.” With a file from Ryan Tumilty

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes meanwhile carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate a wider problem in the armed forces. Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Defense, wasn’t alone. The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page highlighted the same report as evidence that extremists in military communities were “phantoms” created by a “false media narrative.” The X account for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee posted that the study showed the focus on extremism in the military was a “witch hunt.” But The Associated Press has found that the study relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. Trump's threat to impose tariffs could raise prices for consumers, colliding with promise for relief DETROIT (AP) — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists and industry officials say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The president-elect floated the tariff idea and an additional 10% tax on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday threatening tariffs on his first day in office could be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. Mexico suggests it would impose its own tariffs to retaliate against any Trump tariffs MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has suggested Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own, after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican goods if the country doesn’t stop the flow of drugs and migrants across the border. Sheinbaum says she is willing to engage in talks on the issues, but said drugs were a U.S. problem. She says "one tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses,” referring to U.S. automakers that have plants on both sides of the border. After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition team to coordinate with the existing federal workforce ahead of taking office on Jan. 20. The overdue agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House has issued appeals in both public and private for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in the process meant to ensure an orderly transfer of power at noon on Jan. 20 and limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without being aware of ongoing programs and operations. Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report says SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a Federal Police report that has been unsealed. Brazil’s Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. Bolsonaro called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, that would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The proposal, which would not be finalized until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, could cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. It would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some people have labeled them miracle drugs. New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. That's according to a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. It's expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. The practice is supported by a decade of research, during which 500 transplants of kidneys and livers from HIV-positive donors have been done in the U.S. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision. Ukraine says Russian attack sets a new record for the number of drones used KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Ukrainian air force says Russia launched 188 drones against most regions of Ukraine in a nighttime blitz, describing it as a record number of drones deployed in a single attack. It said Tuesday that most of the drones were intercepted, but apartment buildings and critical infrastructure such as the national power grid were damaged. No casualties were immediately reported in the 17 targeted regions. Russia has been hammering civilian areas of Ukraine with increasingly heavy drone, missile and glide bomb attacks since the middle of the year. The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, issued a rare official acknowledgement of its assets being hit on its own soil by U.S.-made longer-range missiles that the U.S. recently authorized Ukraine to use.None

Ministers have been accused of "burying their heads in the sand" about the potential benefits of a youth mobility scheme with the EU . Despite repeatedly citing economic growth as a number one priority , the Treasury and Home Office have refused to conduct an assessment of how a deal for young people to live and work across the bloc could boost the economy. Despite repeated requests, Sir Keir Starmer ’s cabinet have refused to look into the potential economic benefits of a deal with Brussels, or with the countries Britain has already signed agreements with. Liberal Democrat EU spokesman James MacCleary said: “It’s astonishing that ministers are burying their heads in the sand over the potential benefits of a youth mobility scheme with the EU. Such a scheme would not only deliver economic benefits but also help businesses address labour shortages in key sectors such as hospitality. “Young people contribute significantly to the economy while living and working here, and for a government that claims to prioritise growth, refusing even to assess this opportunity is deeply disappointing.” Asked to conduct an impact assessment of the UK’s existing youth mobility schemes, which include ones with Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Home Office minister Seema Malhotra declined. She said the schemes are “not designed, nor intended, to be a route for economic growth or to address any specific labour shortages”. It comes after the EU’s former chief negotiator piled pressure on Sir Keir to strike a deal with Brussels that would allow young people to live and work in Europe as part of his much-hyped post- Brexit reset. In a policy brief setting out the potential future EU-UK relationship, Ignacio Garcia Bercero called on the prime minister to strike an agreement on youth mobility and cultural facilitation as part of a series of deals with Brussels to complement the existing trade and cooperation agreement (TCA), which currently governs trade with the bloc. Sir Keir has so far ruled out agreeing to such a scheme, which would let under-30s live, study and work across the bloc for a period, despite it being one of the EU’s top priorities in renewed talks. When Britain was part of the EU, freedom of movement allowed people to live and work freely across the bloc. The deal on offer from Brussels would let British people live and work in Europe, with Europeans welcome to do the same in Britain, for two or three years. Emma Knaggs, Deputy CEO, European Movement UK, said: "The potential benefits of a Youth Mobility deal are huge. There is no price you can put on the opportunity for young people to experience cultural, educational and social exchanges by living and studying in other countries. That does not mean there aren’t also measurable economic benefits for the UK to be found in such a scheme, and it’s right that the Government should assess the potential economic boost that reaching an agreement with the EU could bring. “The UK has youth mobility schemes with 13 other countries - including Australia and Japan - so it makes sense to have one with our nearest neighbours and closest partners. And it makes sense to analyse the boost that could bring to our struggling economy. Dismissing the idea of reciprocal youth mobility simply means letting down British young people who face all sorts of difficulties and have seen their horizons curtailed by Brexit. Young people want and deserve the chance to study or work in Europe. The government owes it to them to make sure they get that chance." A government spokesman said: “There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme and we will not return to freedom of movement.”From deep breathing gadgets to melatonin dermal patches , I've spent a lot of time testing and reviewing sleep products. As such, I'm always on the hunt for unique sleep products geared toward solving a serious sleep barrier. That's what the Perfectly Snug smart topper is. This topper uses air to give sleepers on-demand temperature control. Temperature is one of the biggest sleep problems for people. Whether it's hot flashes or sleeping at a different temperature than your partner, body temperature can really mess with your sleep. Perfectly Snug aims to reduce night sweats and keep you cool at night. While it does that, I found that Perfectly Snug can be used for more than just cooling. Here's my experience using it for the last few months. What is the Perfectly Snug topper? The Perfectly Snug smart topper is a thin and flexible topper that gives you control over the temperature of your bed at night. This 2-inch thick topper has a dual-zone design that lets you and your partner sleep at the temperatures that work best for your sleep. On each side is a power switch and an up or down temperature button. With so much tech in this smart topper, I thought it would be complicated. But the Perfectly Snug topper is one of the most to-the-point sleep tech products I've seen. Using either the buttons on the side or the app, you choose your temperature and are ready to sleep. The smart topper uses built-in sensors to ensure the topper (and you) stay at your set temperature all night. Say you set your topper to cool; if the sensors detect that you're heating up, it will adjust to bring you back to temperature. Perfect Snug specifications: The Perfectly Snug smart topper is a unique product. In the cooling sleep tech space, some competitors reach the same goal, though not in the same way. For instance, the Eight Sleep Pod requires a water tank to cool you at night. Perfectly Snug just uses air, so there's no maintenance to remember. You just turn it on and go to bed. The first night I used the Perfectly Snug topper, I set it to as cold as it would go and then went to brush my teeth. When I came back into my bedroom, I was surprised to see my sheets hovering above the bed because of the cooling force of the topper. It reminded me of an air hockey table. The dual-zone model has two fans per side at the foot of the topper. I occasionally hit the fan unit with my foot when sleeping, though I got used to it being there with time. My cats enjoyed sleeping on the fans at the corners of the bed. Using the Perfectly Snug topper When I first unboxed the Perfectly Snug smart topper, I was intrigued. As the first smart topper I've tested, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. The first thing that struck me was the feel. The Perfectly Snug topper has an almost net-like mesh texture, which I felt while sleeping. It wasn't uncomfortable, though it was something that required getting used to. Thicker sheets helped me eliminate the feeling but still get the benefit of the active airflow. After a few weeks, I barely noticed the texture anymore. The topper came folded in a very tall box. It was a little hard to move, but not bad. Being my first smart topper, there were a few things I didn't expect. First, how heavy the topper was. I was able to move it by myself, though there's definitely some weight to it that likely comes from the internal components that allow for the cooling. Plenty of people will be able to set it up alone, though I can see it being a two-person job for some. Another thing that I noticed was that there are labels near the top of the topper. The first few nights, the labels did trip me up when I would run my hand over it, but I got used to it. Given the technology in this topper, I expected it to be a little harder to set up, but it's truly as simple as plugging it up and installing the app on your phone. There is a plug on either side of the topper that you connect to the split power cord. On each side, a control panel allows you to turn it on or off and adjust the temperature. I found that it was best for small adjustments, but I much preferred to use the app to plan my temperatures for the night. Though I liked the inclusion of the physical buttons. Setting up the Perfectly Snug topper is as easy as plugging it in and turning it on. The app leaves something to be desired. It's almost too straightforward, so much so that it actually took my brain a second to realize there were no extra buttons to push. The main interface is a graph where you set your temperature for falling asleep, sleeping and waking. I wouldn't say it's the most obvious way to present the information. That said, you can set your preferences across the board or make a weekly schedule. The best part of this topper is that each side of the bed can control its temperature -- from the side panel or the app. My boyfriend is a hot sleeper, so he set his temperature down from the second he got in bed until he got out. I used my side a little differently. I used the Perfectly Snug topper to fix my sleep schedule Like you, there are times in which my sleep schedule can get thrown off. Sometimes, it's from jet lag or sickness or revenge bedtime procrastination . When I started testing the perfectly snug topper, I was in the thick of a stint of poor sleep. On the first few nights of testing, when I was pushing the topper to the absolute limits of its cooling potential (which is quite cool because I keep my bedroom cool), I noticed something. I fell asleep easier than I had in a while. I wasn't quite ready to attribute it to the topper yet, not before I had a few more days adjusting the temperatures to find what was most comfortable for me. The app homepage is a graph that allows you to drag the line up and down to set your temperatures. Yes, the Perfectly Snug smart topper is a great option for people who sleep hot and need to cool down enough to sleep well, but I found the ability to warm myself the most essential. Let me explain. An essential part of sleep is our body's natural thermoregulation process, or the rise and fall of our body temperature. Our body temperature drops a degree or two when we're falling asleep. That's why it's best to sleep in a cooler room to help the process along. Body temperature naturally varies by sleep stage , though it rises when it's time to wake up, which is why hot sleepers can have such a tough time sleeping. There are ways you can hack your body temperature for better sleep, such as timing your showers before bed . Or you can use the Perfectly Snug topper. By setting my initial temperature down and having it rise about 30 minutes before I wanted to wake up, I was able to get my sleep schedule back on track. Waking up was easier than it had been in weeks. Using the Perfectly Snug smart topper has become a part of my nightly routine. The best part is that I set my temperatures and forgot about the app. I found what worked for me, so there was no need to continuously adjust the settings. Like the initial setup, I set it and then forgot about it. Perfectly Snug won't be for everyone I enjoyed my experience testing the Perfectly Snug topper and was surprised by the different ways I could use it. Not to mention, I liked the hum of the fan that became a sort of white noise machine at night. That said, there are a few things to consider that I can't ignore. Unlike traditional toppers that are used to change the feeling or firmness of your old mattress , the Perfectly Snug topper is designed for temperature control, not adding comfort to your bed. That's not inherently a bad thing, but it's important to remember that distinction. The website states, "If you have a super soft mattress, it will firm it up, or if your bed is very firm, it may soften up the feel. If your mattress is medium firmness, you may not notice a difference." Inside the Perfectly Snug topper is a thin foam layer. That's pretty vague and honestly not what I experienced. My mattress is firmer, and the Perfectly Snug topper didn't make it softer. If anything, it might have even been a little firmer. How this topper will feel partially depends on how firm your bed is, but there was no way around it for me; I thought the Perfectly Snug topper was pretty firm. As such, I can't recommend it for strict side sleepers who want a really plush topper. Though as a combination of a side and stomach sleeper, I slept fine and thought it was comfortable. I don't think this takes anything away from the topper. It's absolutely going to give you temperature control, but it's not going to change the firmness of your bed like other options. A queen dual zone Perfectly Snug topper is $1,899 before sales. That's how much a Big Fig mattress costs, our best overall recommendation for heavy people . It's an expensive topper that many people won't be able to afford without some budgeting. This isn't a mark against Perfectly Snug; the price aligns with other mattress cooling technology like the Eight Sleep Pod and cooling mattresses , which tend to be slightly pricer than traditional options. Cooling sleep products just cost more because of the technology used in them. That said, there's no getting around the cost. It's going to be a barrier to entry for many people. The people who need temperature control will love it The Perfectly Snug topper is expensive and very different from traditional toppers, but that doesn't mean it's not worth your money. I found it to be an incredibly effective product. It does exactly what it says: It heats or cools you on demand. I was surprised by how well it worked since it uses air instead of water like other cooling products. However, because of that, it does have less of a temperature range than those products, because Perfectly Snug relies on ambient air. A close-up of the mesh texture. Some mornings, I woke up with it imprinted on my skin. Though I don't think the average person could rationalize the cost of this topper, people who struggle with their temperature through the night might. Take people who struggle with hot flashes: The ability to turn down the temperature to combat the hot flash from interrupting their sleep will be hugely beneficial. It could also be a practical solution for couples who sleep at drastically different temperatures and fight over blankets or the thermostat setting. Too long; didn't read? I was skeptical about this topper, especially when I unboxed it and felt that mesh texture. Then again, when I set it up, I found the tag on the top of the bed. Not to mention the components at the bottom that I could feel with my feet. However, the benefits of the Perfectly Snug topper outweighed any nitpicky concerns I had. It delivers on all temperature claims it makes. It's a neat product that definitely does what it markets. That said, I don't think the average person would want to buy this based on the price. I got used to the net texture and the tags and the fact that it made my bed firmer, but there were many little things I had to get used to. And at the price, I'm not sure people would want to deal with that. Thankfully, there is a 30-day trial that will give you a chance to decide if it's right for you. Who should buy the Perfectly Snug topper: Who shouldn't buy it:Don Lindich | Tribune News Service Home entertainment holiday specials: These offers are readily available, not a “limited quantity doorbuster.” I do not know how long the various promotions run, but the industry buzz is we will see repeats between now and Christmas so if you miss the deal first time around, keep checking. There is a good chance you will see it offered again. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, $32.99: Normally $59.99, this streaming device is practically an entire entertainment system. In addition to streaming apps, it has an AI art mode that generates unique art by voice command. It also supports Xbox Live, so you can play Xbox games without buying an expensive console. Just add an Xbox controller, subscribe to the service and enjoy. amazon.com Apple 10.2-inch iPad, $199: The ninth-generation iPad is older but still works well. It is reduced from the $329 MSRP. apple.com Cambridge Audio AXN10/MXN10 Network Players, $399: A network player connects directly to the internet to play music and internet radio from streaming sources. They are a must-have for anyone with a component audio system, and these two players from Cambridge are best-in-class with their exquisite construction, fine sound quality and easy-to-use, comprehensive StreamMagic app. Reduced from the introductory price of $599. cambridgeaudio.com Related Articles Technology | Are you tracking your health with a device? Here’s what could happen with the data Technology | How to get started with Bluesky Technology | US gathers allies to talk AI safety. Trump’s vow to undo Biden’s AI policy overshadows their work Technology | Trump team is seeking to ease US Rules for self-driving cars Technology | Replacing passwords with passkeys for an easier login experience Klipsch RP-600M II bookshelf speakers, $499/pair: You will not find a better speaker under $500. You will probably not find a better speaker for the $649 list price, either. The RP-600M II has received great praise from Stereophile magazine, a high-end audiophile publication that routinely tests audio products selling for $100,000 or more. After hearing the RP-600M II, I can understand why. They don’t require much power and the sound is transparent, rich, forward, lively, engaging and dynamic without coming across as over-boosted or unnatural. They dig solidly into the bass registers without a subwoofer and vividly bring any kind of music to life. Available online and in stores. klipsch.com Nebula Cosmos 4K SE projector, $999: A few weeks ago I praised this new 4K Google TV smart projector with a dual Laser-LED light source. It can throw a beautiful 4K image that rivals what you see in a good movie theater, is easy to use and the $1,299 price is a breakthrough. At $999 a lot more people should get a projector and experience how life-changing it can be for movies, sports, television and gaming. seenebula.com Samsung Q80D QLED televisions, $749-$1,749: The Q80D sale makes it possible to get a truly stunning high-end TV for little more than the cost of something ordinary. The 85-inch for $1,749 is a particular standout, a savings of $1,550. samsung.com ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered the removal of Special Assistant to Chief Minister Mashal Yousafzai from her position, it emerged on Saturday. A letter from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to the secretary of the KP government’s administration department, dated November 29 and seen by Dawn.com , said: “CM KP has directed that Miss Mashal Azam, special assistant to CM KP, may immediately be de-notified.” It ordered that necessary action regarding the matter be taken at the earliest under intimation to the secretariat. The development comes following an interview of Yousafzai, who is also the spokesperson for PTI founder Imran Khan’s spouse Bushra Bibi, on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ a day ago. Speaking on the show about the events surrounding the November 24 protest called by PTI, she spoke about Bushra Bibi’s participation in the protest and subsequent return to KP. Asked whether Bushra Bibi was taken forcefully from the protest, Yousafzai had said: “This is correct that she didn’t want to go from there, the reason she came back [from the site of the protest] was that there was direct firing on her car. “Still, she didn’t want to go but then there was some chemical thrown on her car’s windscreen which blurred it and nothing was visible. She was told the cars would be changed and she would be brought back to the party workers but the version after that I don’t know.” Yousafzai also denied reports of Bushra being in contact with anyone in the party or attending and chairing any party political committee meeting after her return from the protest. Questioned about criticism by PTI leaders on Bushra’s decision to persist with the location of D-chowk for the protest amid suggestions of Sangjani as an alternate venue, Yousafzai responded that she was an eyewitness to the discussions between the former first lady and PTI leaders when Bushra was told that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif had gone to meet Imran at Adiala Jail. She added that Bushra had retorted that Imran had taken a promise from her to reach D-chowk no matter the circumstances and wanted to talk to him directly to receive confirmation. Mashal quoted Bushra as saying that she would have gone to Sangjani if Imran had ordered her. Government ministers had mocked CM Gandapur and Bushra in the early hours of Wednesday for fleeing as law enforcement agencies took action to disperse PTI protesters from Islamabad’s D-Chowk. Protesters had managed to gather at the site for the party’s protest to demand Imran’s release, among other things, amid reports of intense tear gas shelling by security forces to curtail the large crowds. The PTI convoys had been plying roads countrywide since Nov 24. It was a day of pitched battles between security forces and PTI protesters across the federal capital which ended in a hasty retreat of the party’s top leadership and supporters from the Red Zone in the early hours of Wednesday. At least six lives were lost in the three days of protests, which included a policeman and three Rangers officials who were knocked down by a speeding vehicle, officials and hospital sources said. The late-night retreat by the PTI leadership, including Bushra Bibi and Gandapur, came after the latter was heard telling the protesters “to go home, have dinner and return tomorrow”.

Mauritius demands £800million a year and billions in reparations for controversial Chagos Islands deal By DAVID CHURCHILL, CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR THE DAILY MAIL Published: 22:42 GMT, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 23:14 GMT, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Mauritius has been demanding £800million a year and ‘billions of pounds in reparations’ as part of the beleaguered Chagos Islands talks, it emerged today. Sir Keir Starmer has been facing calls to abandon his surrender of the archipelago after Mauritius’ new government rejected a proposed deal and started demanding more money. Downing Street has refused to reveal how much it has offered to pay Mauritius for a 99-year lease of the crucial Anglo-American military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos atolls. But a source familiar with the talks told the Sunday Times: ‘They wanted crazy money. ‘They were talking £800million a year for as long as we wanted to keep the base there, plus billions of pounds in reparations.’ Sources close to David Lammy , the current Foreign Secretary , said UK negotiators have never ‘considered’ paying these amounts. But they did not deny that they have ever been demanded. And they refused to say how close to the demands that they have settled, simply saying that the proposed deal was ‘underpinned by a financial package which will support a new era of economic partnership between the UK and Mauritius’. Critics of surrendering sovereignty of the archipelago fear Labour is trying to rush a deal before Donald Trump re-enters the White House . Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands. Mauritius has been demanding £800million a year and ‘billions of pounds in reparations’ as part of the beleaguered Chagos Islands talks, it emerged today Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) has been facing calls to abandon his surrender of the archipelago after Mauritius’ new government rejected a proposed deal and started demanding more money Protesters voicing their opposition to the deal outside Parliament. Downing Street has refused to reveal how much it has offered to pay Mauritius for a 99-year lease of the crucial Anglo-American military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos atolls The president-elect’s pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has warned that the deal posed ‘a serious threat’ to US national security by handing over the islands to a country allied with China. Last week new Mauritian leader, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, had a phone call with outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is also keen to get the deal across the line. The prime minister told his MPs afterwards: ‘I made him understand that we do not agree with certain things contained in the agreement concluded on October 3 by the former Mauritian prime minister and informed him that we have made a counter-proposal which will be transmitted to him.’ Days earlier his deputy had suggested that Mauritius is demanding more money to allow the continued operation of the base on Diego Garcia. Mauritius’s deputy prime minister Paul Berenger told constituents: ‘This base existed on our land, on our territory... but not only it is [about] our sovereignty. The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) or Chagos Islands (formerly the Oil Islands) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago ‘There are some things you can’t accept if you’re a true patriot. They are trying to make us sign and they are quibbling on a small amount.’ The Labour government insists the deal is not dead and that the new Mauritian administration is willing to do a deal. A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘An amount this high has not been considered at any point in negotiations between the UK and Mauritius.’ Keir Starmer Labour David Lammy Downing Street Share or comment on this article: Mauritius demands £800million a year and billions in reparations for controversial Chagos Islands deal e-mail Add comment

 

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BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader said Sunday it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans to dissolve his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview with Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. Al-Sharaa said it would take time to hold elections because of the need for Syria’s different forces to hold political dialogue and rewrite the country’s constitution following five decades of the Assad dynasty’s dictatorial rule. Also, the war-torn country’s battered infrastructure needs to be reconstructed, he said. “The chance we have today doesn’t come every 5 or 10 years,” said al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani. “We want the constitution to last for the longest time possible.” Al-Sharaa is Syria’s de facto leader until March 1, when Syria’s different factions are set to hold a political dialogue to determine the country’s political future and establish a transitional government that brings the divided country together. There, he said, HTS will dissolve after years of being the country’s most dominant rebel group that held a strategic enclave in the country’s northwest. Earlier, an Israeli airstrike in the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday killed 11 people, according to a war monitor, as Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure even after the ouster of Assad. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrike targeted a weapons depot that belonged to Assad’s forces near the industrial town of Adra, northeast of the capital. The observatory said at least 11 people, mostly civilians, were killed. The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrike Sunday. Israel, which has launched hundreds of airstrikes over Syria since the country’s uprising turned-civil war broke out in 2011, rarely acknowledges them. It says its targets are Iran-backed groups that backed Assad. Unlike his criticism of key Assad ally Iran, al-Sharaa hoped to maintain “strategic relations” with Russia, whose air force played a critical role in keeping Assad in power for over a decade during the conflict. Moscow has a strategic airbase in Syria. The HTS leader also said negotiations are ongoing with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, and hopes that their armed forces will integrate with the Syrian security agencies. The Kurdish-led group is Washington’s key ally in Syria, where it is heavily involved in targeting sleeper cells belonging to the extremist Islamic State group. Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have been clashing with the SDF even after the insurgency, taking the key city of Manbij, as Ankara hopes to create a buffer zone near its border in northern Syria. The rebels attacked near the strategic northern border town of Kobani, while the SDF shared a video of a rocket attack that destroyed what it said was a radar system south of the city of Manbij. In other developments: — Syrian state-run media said a mass grave was found near the third largest city of Homs. SANA said civil defense workers were sent to to the site in al-Kabo, one of many suspected mass graves where tens of thousands of Syrians are believed to have been buried during a brutal crackdown under Assad and his network of security agencies. — An Egyptian activist wanted by Cairo on charges of incitement to violence and terrorism, Abdulrahman al-Qardawi, was detained by Lebanese security forces after crossing the porous border from Syria, according to two judicial and one security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to to talk to the press. Al-Qardawi is an Egyptian activist residing in Turkey and an outspoken critic of Egypt’s government. He had reportedly visited Syria to join celebrations after Assad’s downfall. His late father, Youssef al-Qaradawi, was a top and controversial Egyptian cleric revered by the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. He had lived in exile in Qatar for decades. — Lebanese security forces apprehended an armed group in the northern city of Tripoli that kidnapped a group of 26 Syrians who were recently smuggled into Lebanon, two Lebanese security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information with the media. The Syrians included five women and seven children, and security officials are working to return them to Syria. Kareem Chehayeb, The Associated Press

About ten years ago, while working at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in the Swiss town of St Moritz, I was shocked to learn a guest once requested an elephant be brought in to deliver a birthday gift to his wife. And the hotel made it happen, squeezing the elephant into the lobby. This over-the-top gesture symbolised what luxury travel once meant: wealth and power, expressed through grand displays. Think millionaires and billionaires in lavish suites and on private yachts, enjoying exclusive services most of us would never dream of, let alone actually ask for. Consulting group McKinsey defines the luxury traveller as someone prepared to spend US$500 or more per night on accommodation. But luxury tourism is evolving. Thanks to demographic shifts, sustainability concerns, and a post-pandemic desire for connection, luxury travel has become more personal and meaningful. And luxury travellers these days aren’t always the super rich elites. Despite the cost-of-living crisis, luxury travel is booming . So, what’s driving this growth and how is luxury travel changing? A trillion dollar industry The luxury travel sector has shown remarkable resilience, even during economic downturns and the COVID pandemic. Globally, it is projected to grow from US$1.4 trillion in 2024 to $2.2 trillion by 2030. The Asia-Pacific region is leading the surge at a compound annual growth rate of 8.6% (a way of measuring growth that assumes profits are reinvested) from 2024 to 2030. In Australia, the trend is similar: the luxury travel market generated US$37.4 billion in 2023 and is forecast to reach US$70 billion by 2032. This growth is driven not just by affluence among the wealthy but by younger travellers. As Forbes magazine points out, these travellers are often non-millionaires who may not earn enormous salaries or even own their own homes – but are willing to pay top dollar for meaningful experiences. And some are splurging on trips to make up for time and opportunities lost due to the pandemic – a trend industry experts sometimes refer to as “revenge” and “ revelry ” travel. As one luxury travel industry observer put it: We’re seeing travel at all costs, where people are determined to have the experience they want, regardless of what that price is. Many consumers are prioritising luxury travel experiences over other discretionary items, including luxury goods. Luxury can have many meanings Today’s luxury travel isn’t just about extravagance; it can also include forking out for meaningful experiences. Luxury travellers are willing to pay up for holidays that promise authenticity, wellness and connection with people and places. It can mean access to something rare, like an uncrowded natural environment or an authentic cultural experience that feels deeply personal. It can also come from expertise – like appreciating the nuances of a rare bottle of wine, or touring a place with an expert or celebrity guide who has been there many times before. Where it was once defined by price and status symbols, luxury travel today is about stories worth sharing (on social media and in real life) and experiences that align with personal values. Wellness, adventure and the digital detox In my 17 years of working in and researching luxury travel, I have seen a lot of different luxury holidaymakers. Everything from humble retirees relishing the rewards of their hard work to VIP celebrities who send 32 pages of requests before even stepping foot in the hotel. While older high-net-worth individuals from North America and Europe remain a significant demographic, a growing proportion of luxury travellers are millennials, Gen Z, and tourists from emerging markets like Asia and the Middle East. Traditional hallmarks of luxury travel – like presidential suites and private islands – are still popular among high-net-worth individuals. But a growing number of travellers seek cultural experiences, adventure, and small, intimate group trips. These travellers are opting for off-peak seasons and less-visited destinations to avoid crowds, and may be more vocal about sustainable tourism. The future of luxury travel lies in its ability to adapt to evolving consumer values. Wellness retreats, slow travel (including by train), and sustainability-focused experiences are becoming central to the luxury travel narrative. In a hyper-connected world, luxury travel marketing is now often linked with the idea of a digital detox . The chance to disconnect and fully immerse in the moment has become a modern indulgence. Luxury travellers today use their trips to explore and learn , and to reconnect with the world , their relationships, and themselves.

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball switched a pair of series involving the Tampa Bay Rays to the first two months of the season in an attempt to avoid summer rain at open-air Steinbrenner Field, their temporary home following damage to Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay is scheduled to play 19 of its first 22 games at home and 37 of 54 through May 28, then play 64 of its last 108 games on the road. The Rays are home for eight games each in July and August. A series scheduled at the Los Angeles Angels from April 7-9 will instead be played at Tampa, Florida, from April 8-10, MLB said Monday. The second series between the teams will be played at Anaheim, California, from Aug. 4-6 instead of at St. Petersburg, Florida, from Aug. 5-7. Minnesota's first series against the Rays will be played at Steinbrenner Field from May 26-28 and the Twins' second will be at Target Field in Minneapolis from July 4-6. Tampa Bay heads into the All-Star break with a 10-game trip to Minnesota, Detroit and Boston, and has a 12-game trip to the Angels, Seattle, Oakland and San Francisco from Aug. 4-17. Tropicana Field, the Rays’ home since the team started play in 1998, was heavily damaged by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9 , with most of its fabric roof shredded. The Rays cannot return to the Trop until 2026 at the earliest, if at all. Tampa's average monthly rainfall from 1991 to 2020 was 2.25 inches in April and 2.60 in May , according to the National Weather Service, then rose to 7.37 in June , 7.75 in July and 9.03 in August before falling to 6.09 in September . The Class A Tampa Tarpons, the usual team at Steinbrenner Field, had six home postponements, two cancellations and four suspended games this year from June 21 through their season finale on Sept. 8. The Rays are now scheduled to play their first six games at home against Colorado and Pittsburgh, go to Texas for a three-game series, then return for a 13-game homestand against the Angels, Atlanta, Boston and the New York Yankees. The Tarpons will play their home games on a back field.An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalitionWest Ham win at Newcastle to ease pressure on Lopetegui

By Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times A recent study that recommended toxic chemicals in black plastic products be immediately thrown away included a math error that significantly overstated the risks of contamination, but its authors are standing by their conclusions and warn against using such products. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere , experts from the nonprofit Toxic-Free Future said they detected flame retardants and other toxic chemicals in 85% of 203 items made of black plastic including kitchen utensils , take-out containers, children’s toys and hair accessories. The study initially said the potential exposure to chemicals found in one of the kitchen utensils approached the minimum levels the Environmental Protection Agency deemed a health risk. But in an update to the study, the authors say they made an error in their calculations and the real levels were “an order of magnitude lower” than the EPA’s thresholds. The error was discovered by Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society in Canada. In a blog post, Schwarcz explained that the Toxin-Free Future scientists miscalculated the lower end of what the EPA considered a health risk through a multiplication error. Instead of humans being potentially exposed to a dose of toxic chemicals in black plastic utensils near the minimum level that the EPA deems a health risk, it’s actually about one-tenth of that. Though Schwarcz said the risks outlined in the study aren’t enough for him to discard his black plastic kitchen items if he had them, he agreed with the authors that flame retardants shouldn’t be in these products in the first place. “The math error does not impact the study’s findings, conclusions or recommendations,” said Megan Liu, a co-author of the study who is the science and policy manager for Toxic-Free Future . She added that any traces of flame retardants or toxic chemicals in cooking utensils should be concerning for the public. Flame retardants are getting into commonly used items because black-colored products are being made from recycled electronic waste, such as discarded television sets and computers, that frequently contain the additives. When they’re heated, the flame retardants and other toxic chemicals can migrate out. If you’re wondering whether your old black plastic spoon or other utensils are a part of this group, Liu shared some more guidance. It’s nearly impossible to know whether a black plastic product is contaminated. That’s because these products that include recycled e-waste don’t disclose a detailed list of all ingredients and contaminants in the product. Liu said it’s also unclear how many types of flame retardants are in these black plastic products. Some of the products that researchers tested in this recent study “had up to nine different harmful chemicals and harmful flame retardants in them,” she said. Anytime you’re looking for the type of recycled plastic a product is made of you’re going to look for a number within the chasing arrows (that form a triangle) logo. Recycling symbols are numbered 1 to 7 and we commonly associate the numbers with what we can toss in our blue recycling bins. The 1 through 7 numbers stand for, respectively, polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or Styrofoam, and miscellaneous plastics (including polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene, fiberglass and nylon). The study found higher levels of toxic flame retardants in polystyrene plastic, which is labeled with the number 6, said Liu. There isn’t a definitively timeline of when recycled electronic-waste started to be incorporated into black plastic products specifically, but e-waste started to get recycled in the early 2000s, Liu said. The way computers, cellphones, stereos, printers and copiers were being disposed of previously was to simply add them to a landfill without reusing salvageable parts. But as the National Conference of State Legislatures notes, electronics production required a significant amount of resources that could be recovered through recycling. Recovering resources such as metals, plastics and glass through recycling used a fraction of the energy needed to mine new materials. However, the study pointed out that flame retardants and other chemical contaminates have been detected in and near e-waste recycling facilities, in indoor air and dust at formal e-waste recycling facilities in Canada, China, Spain and the U.S. It also noted contamination in soil samples surrounding e-waste recycling sites in China and Vietnam. The safest nontoxic material options for kitchen utensil are wood and stainless steel. ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Our soccer writers bring you the latest transfers of the League of Ireland off-season. Sunday, December 8 Derry City have secured the services of midfielder Adam O'Reilly until the end of the 2026 season. The Cork native had interest from around the league and did spend time training with Leyton Orient but positive discussions with Tiernan Lynch influenced his decision to stay put with the Brandywell club. Lynch is also trying to keep midfielder Will Patching who is likely to make a decision on his future in the coming week. It was anticipated that Patching would move on but he has spoken with the new boss about extending his stay. Sligo Rovers are considering a move for midfielder Evan McLaughlin whose future is up in the air after turning down a contract offer from Cork City. The 22-year-old had been in talks with the Leesiders about staying after impressing in their First Division title win and being voted onto the team of the season but he now looks set to move on due to a difference of opinion on terms. However, interested clubs will have to pay a fee as McLaughlin is under the age of 23 and was retained by City. Sligo Rovers are exploring the possibility. Dundalk have added experienced defender Conor O'Keeffe to their expanding panel with the securing of a First Division licence allowing manager Ciaran Kilduff to recruit players with a knowledge of that level. O'Keefe joins from Galway United where he dropped out of favour last term. Dundalk have signed midfielder Harry Groome from Bray and striker Dean Ebbe from Athlone Town with Kilduff working off a competitive budget for the division. The Lilywhites have also sealed a deal to bring in promising attacker Gbemi Arubi from Waterford. Versatile Drogheda player Luke Heeney is understood to be a target. Waterford's new recruit Matty Smith says his decision to return to the club was influenced by Keith Long's repeated attempts to sign him. The Scot started his League of Ireland journey at Waterford in 2020, but moved on to St Patrick's Athletic, Derry City and Shelbourne where he contributed to title success under Damien Duff before being told he could go. Long tried to sign Smith when he was Bohemians manager. "He's been onto me probably since I've come here," said Smith, "Over the past four years he's been trying to sign me. After meeting with him, I can't wait to get going." – DMcD Friday, December 6 Shamrock Rovers: The Hoops are set to make another bid to sign Darragh Burns on a permanent basis after an initial offer to MK Dons was rejected, writes Daniel McDonnell. Burns has made a good impression on loan with the Hoops this year and Rovers want to tie the 22-year-old down for the long term. His contract with the League Two side expires this summer, and there are no indications that he has a future there so Rovers are keen to get the deal done – especially as there is likely to be a reasonable level of squad turnover the winter. Their European campaign is set to continue into February and they technically only have the facility to make three changes to their squad list for the playoff round. Burns has been involved throughout their run so keeping him would be a bonus. Celtic striker Johnny Kenny has starred during his loan spell, but he’s understood to be keen on trying his luck in England while the out of contract Neil Farrugia is expected to have offers from overseas to consider after the game with Chelsea on December 19. St Patrick’s Athletic have made a strong play to sign Sean Hoare whose deal is also up and his fellow defender Sean Kavanagh is also likely to move on after playing a peripheral role this term. Shelbourne and Bohemians are both interested in the 30-year-old. Richie Towell has no future with the Hoops after reacting badly to being an unused sub in October’s league win over Shelbourne. His next destination is unclear; it’s understood he has spoken with Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic but both of those clubs are reasonably well stocked in the midfield department. Wednesday December 4 Derry City Derry City boss Tiernan Lynch says the club have put their best foot forward in their pursuit Gavin Whyte, as well as in their attempts to resign Adam O’Reilly and Brian Maher. The Candystripes are also interested in signing former Northern Ireland international Shane Fergsuon, with Lynch admitting the 33-year-old is a player who ticks all the boxes for him. Last month the Irish Independent reported that Derry had made a strong push to attract Northern Ireland midfielder Whyte, who is currently a free agent after departing Portsmouth in August. “Is Gavin someone I’d love to bring to Derry City? One million percent,” Lynch told Drive105. “He’s a kid I know really well and who I had at a really young age. He’s hugely talented. Getting him now is another challenge. As a club we feel like we’ve put our best foot forward and we’ll see where it takes us.” Asked about the club’s interest in 57-times capped Ferguson, who is without a club having left Rotherham last summer, Lynch added: “Is he someone we admire as a footballer? Absolutely. “Is he someone who ticks all the boxes as a person, the experience he has? One million percent. Is he a Derry player? The answer is no and until he is there’s very little I can do about that With the club also hoping to convince goalkeeper Maher and midfielder O’Reilly to stay at the Brandywell for the 2025 campaign, Lynch said: “The club has put their best foot forward and they are players we definitely want to keep.” City also have confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Arlo Doherty on an initial 18-month deal. The 21-year-old cut his teeth at the academies of Manchester City, Norwich and Leicester before he was released by the latter last summer. Capped for Ireland up to U-19 level, Doherty has now committed his future to the Candysripes having been training with the club since September. “I’m very ambitious and I’m very proud of my Irish heritage. I have a lot of hard work to do but I’m ready,” said Doherty, whose grandparents hail from Dublin and Limerick. “I want to be here beyond 2025 and in helping Derry City, I also hope to use my time here to help push me into the Ireland U-21 set up as well. It’s a challenge, I can’t wait to start.” St Patrick’s Athletic Jason McClelland has committed his future to St Patrick’s Athletic, penning a contract extension to remain at Richmond Park for a sixth year. The 27-year-old has made 128 appearances for the Inchicore club to date although he found starts hard to come by last term with just five in the league. "Jason has been an integral part of St Patrick's Athletic for the last five seasons, so we're pleased that he's agreed to extend his stay with us,” said Saints boss Stephen Kenny. “He has an extremely high level of professionalism, his attitude to training is always first class and he is a brilliant team-mate.” Shelbourne: Shels have confirmed that winger Rayhaan Tulloch will remain at the club for the 2025 campaign. As reported by the Irish Independent last week, the Englishman was absent from a list of retained players last month but was expected to agree a deal to remain at Tolka Park for the Reds' title defence. The 23-year-old scored a crucial winner in their penultimate league game against Drogheda United. Bohemians: Bohs academy product Nickson Okosun has earned a move to Championship side Watford, it has been confirmed. The 18-year-old rose through the ranks at Bohs after arriving from St Kevin’s making his senior debut in 2023 and signing his first professional contract that same year. The Ireland U-19 cap made 12 senior appearances for the Dalymount Park club, and will now join Watford on January 1. Irish players on the Hornets’ books include senior cap Festy Ebosele (on loan from Udinese) and U-21 star Rocco Vata. Tuesday December 3 Shamrock Rovers: The Hoops are in advanced negotiations to complete a deal for goalkeeper Ed McGinty and are also keen on resurrecting the career of Danny Grant . We revealed last month that the Hoops had targeted Sligo Rovers favourite McGinty to strengthen their goalkeeping department. He spent the 2024 season back on loan at the Showgrounds with the club where he made his name before earning a move to Oxford that hasn't gone to plan, with the Scottish born stopper surplus to requirements. It's understood that Rovers and Oxford have worked out a deal in principle but personal terms need to be agreed before the 25-year-old opts to continue his career in Tallaght. Meanwhile, Rovers have made a move to try and sign Grant after his release from Bohemians. The 24-year-old failed to make an impact in his second stint at Bohs after relocating from Huddersfield in the summer of 2023. Grant was voted PFAI Player of the Year in 2020 before leaving for England but a serious hamstring issue severely hindered his progress. He was made one of the highest earners at Dalymount when they saw off competition from elsewhere to bring the winger back to Phibsborough but he struggled to capture his previous form. It was expected that Grant would look at options outside of Dublin when champions Shelbourne passed up the opportunity to pursue a deal, but Rovers have now entered the picture, believing that they can get the best out of the Dubliner. They may be left short in the attacking midfield department with the out of contract Neil Farrugia exploring the idea of going overseas at the end of this calendar year. St Patrick's Athletic: The Saints have confirmed the signing of midfielder Barry Baggley from Fleetwood Town. Last month, the Independent reported that Stephen Kenny was very keen on Baggley who impressed on loan with Fleetwood's sister club Waterford last term. The Saints have moved assertively to negotiate a permanent deal with Fleetwood for a player who has been capped with Northern Ireland through the age groups. Baggley (22) has signed a long term deal. "I think the type of football Stephen plays will suit me," he said. News of the deal could be good news for Derry City. They want to retain Adam O'Reilly who was on the radar of Pat's but fell behind Baggley in the pecking order of targets. Sligo Rovers: John Russell has added to his squad for 2025 by recruiting Jad Hakiki from Dundalk on a two year deal. Hakiki joined Dundalk from Shelbourne midway through the season just gone but the Lilywhites' relegation from the top flight opened up the possibility that he would be able to move on. Hakiki has signed a two year deal at The Showgrounds. "He has bags of ability," said Russell, who has already rated the Ireland U-21 international. "He's able to carry the ball and beat players which is exactly the type of player we need.” Bohemians: James Talbot will spend a seventh season at Dalymount Park as the goalkeeper has signed up for the 2025 campaign. The 27-year-old took a temporary step back from football prior to the 2024 season to deal with mental health challenges, before returning to the Bohs squad at the end of last March. The Dubliner’s only two appearances of last season came in the final two games as Bohs finished in eighth. Monday, December 2 Derry City: The Candystripes have confirmed the departure of another experienced squad member with Ciaran Coll opting to reunite with former City boss Declan Devine at Glentoran. Coll had just completed his sixth season at the Brandywell, with injury ruling him out of run-in and the FAI Cup final. Earlier today, new Derry boss Tiernan Lynch confirmed our report from last week on the club's interest in free agent Gavin Whyte. However, he added that reported competition from Shamrock Rovers could be a difficulty. "Gavin is someone I've worked with before and have a good relationship with," Lynch told the Derry Journal. "He's someone we would love to try and bring to Derry City. Whether we can get him, whether we can lure him here or can get into that rat race because apparently Rovers are also very interested and I think if you can see the type of money Rovers are throwing around, it might come down to finance."- Daniel McDonnell Romal Palmer has penned a new two-year contract at St Patrick’s Athletic and hailed the impact Stephen Kenny has made in building up his confidence at Richmond Park. The midfielder arrived in Inchicore last February on loan from Turkish side Goztepe and appeared 25 times for the Saints across 2024. The 26-year-old netted two key goals in their Conference League qualifying campaign against Vaduz and Sabah, but missed their play-off second-leg defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir with a knee injury in late August. He returned from injury for the final stages of the Premier Division season and helped St Pat’s close out the campaign with a remarkable run of nine successive wins as Kenny’s side finished third and clinched European qualification for 2025. After committing his future to the club, the ex-Manchester City youth player admitted the move was a “no-brainer” for him. "It feels amazing, signing a new deal has been in the works for a while now. It was a no-brainer for me really,” said Wigan native Palmer. "Stephen Kenny coming in helped me a lot, confidence wise and building me up and I feel like that’s what I need at this point of my career, to get back playing games and try to be the best version of myself. I feel like I can do that at St Pat's." “He's a brilliant midfield player, with a high level of technical ability, combined with a really strong work ethic. If he can stay fit, Romal can have a real impact on the season ahead," added Saints boss Kenny. – SOC Friday, November 29 Cork City: As Cork City prepare for their return to the Premier Division for 2025, the Leesiders have announced the signing of left-back Benny Couto this evening. Couto (21) cut his teeth at Oldham Athletic, rising through the ranks at the National League club before he made 28 appearances for their first team. The Lisbon native joined Ashton United last August but his time at the non-league side, who play in the seventh tier, was short lived as has now opted for a fresh start in the League of Ireland. “Benny is a very exciting young player and is someone that I’m very pleased to have on board. He is a player with massive potential, and despite his age, brings experience from the English Football League which is exactly what we are looking for,” said Cork boss Tim Clancy. Sligo Rovers: Striker Cian Kavanagh has today departed St Patrick’s Athletic and signed a two-year deal with Sligo Rovers, the club has confirmed. The Baldoyle man (21) returned home after a spell in Scotland in 2021 and spent time at Waterford and Derry City before arriving at Richmond Park last January. But he found starts hard to come by at the Saints last term, making just two in the league in 2024 with his 15 other appearances all coming off the bench as he sat behind Aidan Keena and Mason Melia in the pecking order in Inchicore. "I want to be on the team sheet every week,” said Kavanagh, who officially joins John Russell’s side on December 1. “That's going to come down to me putting in a good pre-season and performing day in, day out. I want to score as many goals as I can and hopefully we'll finish in a high position. "After I met with John, he told me about his plans for Rovers for the next few years and how things have been run here, it was a no-brainer for me. I felt straight away how much he wanted to bring me here and that he believes in me and that's what I need right now." – Sean O’Connor Drogheda United: FAI Cup champions Drogheda United have confirmed that midfielders Warren Davis and Steve Zishim Bawa and defensive duo James Bolger and Aaron Harper-Bailey will all remain at Weavers Park for the 2025 Premier Division season. Wednesday, November 27 Drogheda United have paid tribute to their captain Gary Deegan this evening as the 37-year-old departs the Louth club. Having signed from Shelbourne in 2021, the Dubliner made 134 appearances for Drogheda in total with his final display coming in their FAI Cup triumph over Derry City at Lansdowne Road earlier this month. “I want to thank Gary from the bottom of my heart for his four seasons with the club, in particular the last three years since I became manager and made him club captain,” said Drogheda manager Kevin Doherty, as the midfielder departs following the expiration of his contract. “He is an example to every player with his work ethic and the dedication he brings, showing what it takes to be a successful professional footballer. I wish him nothing but success in the future.” Tuesday, November 26 Derry City: Derry have made a strong push to sign Northern Ireland international Gavin Whyte who is a free agent after his recent departure from Portsmouth, writes Daniel McDonnell. The 28-year-old has interest from clubs on both sides of the border as he considers the next move with a weekend interview indicating that the 30-times capped attacking midfielder is open to playing his football on this island. New Derry boss Tiernan Lynch is looking to make a splash in the transfer market after the departure of key players from the dressing room – including skipper Patrick McEleney – and the Candystripes are willing to make the Belfast native a high earner. But they face strong competition for his signature from multiple Irish League clubs with Shamrock Rovers also monitoring the situation. Whyte had a long association with Crusaders in his youth before earning a move to Oxford United. Cardiff paid a seven figure fee for his services, but it didn’t quite work out with loan spells at Hull and back at Oxford functioning as the bridge to a move to Portsmouth last summer. He departed the club by mutual consent in August, citing family reasons. Lynch needs fresh bodies as he presides over a dressing room overhaul but there remains confidence around the club that goalkeeper Brian Maher and midfielder Adam O’Reilly can be persuaded to stick around. Derry sources believe that Maher will stay put unless an overseas option emerges, while midfielder O’Reilly has long standing interest from his former club St Patrick’s Athletic but it’s understood that Stephen Kenny is exploring other options in that position. Fleetwood midfielder Barry Baggley is a Saints target after impressing on loan with Waterford and it’s possible that remaining with Derry will be the best option on the table for O’Reilly. St Pat’s: Pat’s confirmed on Monday night that centre half Tom Grivosti has signed a new two year deal with the club. His partnership with Joe Redmond was central to the resurgence under Kenny in the second half of the season. The Saints are still keen on the versatile Sean Hoare, who is out of contract with Shamrock Rovers and taking time to consider his options. He started his senior career with the Saints before Kenny brought him to Dundalk. Saints have the under-contract Conor Keeley and Luke Turner as defensive back-up but Drogheda want to bring Keeley back to Weaver’s Park, while Cork City are one of a number of clubs tracking Turner’s situation. City confirmed the capture of Alex Nolan from the Saints yesterday; he had a longer-term deal on the table from Sligo Rovers but opted for the Leesiders. The First Division champions are also believed to be close to bringing in a goalkeeper from Europe. The retirement of Dave Webster has made the recruitment of a centre half a high priority for Drogheda who are also admirers of Dundalk’s Mayowa Animasahun. Dundalk captain John Mountney is expected to sign for Bohemians after confirming the end of his stay with the Oriel Park club as they enter a new era under Ciaran Kilduff. Monday, November 25 St Patrick’s Athletic: The Saints have confirmed that defender Tom Grivosti has penned a new two-year deal with the Inchicore club. “Tom has shown immense character having been a full calendar year out injured, to have the fortitude to go through that and come back into the team and play at a very high level is exceptional,” said Saints boss Stephen Kenny. “Tom defends with real intelligence and his decision making is excellent. He is extremely calm and decisive in possession so we're really pleased that he has signed a new contract.” – SOC Cork City: The Rebels have bolstered their squad ahead of their return to the top-flight next season, with 21-year-old winger Alex Nolan arriving from St Pat’s. “Alex is a very exciting young winger who has been in high demand, so we’re delighted to get this deal done,” said City boss Tim Clancy. “Although he is still a very young player, he has been a part of a Cup winning side and has featured in a European campaign, so he knows the standards that are expected as we return to the Premier Division.” – SOC Waterford FC: The Blues have announced the signing of midfielder Sam Glenfield on a multi-year deal this evening. The 19-year-old joined the Blues on loan from sister club Fleetwood Town last summer and having impressed during that stint at the RSC, the Belfast native has now joined the Premier Division club on a permanent basis as Keith Long continues to build his squad for the 2025 campaign. Sam Glenfield of Waterford “Sam is a player who is an extremely important member of our squad – a player who we really only saw a snapshot of what he can really be last year,” said Long of Glenfield, who has been capped at Under-19 level for Northern Ireland. – SOC Friday November 22 St Patrick’s Athletic: Axel Sjoberg has signed a new deal with the Saints. The Swedish full-back enjoyed a successful end to last season under manager Stephen Kenny after overcoming a series of injuries. The 24-year-old has now put pen to paper on a new deal in what will be his third season at Richmond Park. The defender has played 33 times for St Pat’s and is excited to get going again next season. He said: “It’s great news, I’ve signed a new deal with St Pat’s and I’m really looking forward to the new season as we hope to continue on from how we finished last season. "We have built a great team and a strong environment for all the players and the connection with the fans too. We had a good European campaign in 2024 and I hope we will next year as well, we want to keep going and have a great year together.” – AF Shelbourne: ​The Reds have also shored up their defence for the 2025 season with a new deal for full-back Seán Gannon. Gannon won the 11th league title of his career last season with Shels but he has opted for another push for honours next term as he follows the lead of teammates like Mark Coyle and Seán Boyd by extending his contract. – AF Thursday November 21 Shelbourne: Shels defender Tyreke Wilson has committed his future to the club, signing a multi-year deal after appearing in all but two games across their title-winning campaign last term. And midfielder JJ Lunney has today signed a new deal to keep him at Tolka Park until 2027. "It means the world to sign back with Shels. Tolka is home for me and I'm thrilled to sign back for 2025," he said. Two more of Damien Duff's men have also committed their futures to the club with Harry Wood and Paddy Barrett penning new deals this evening, the latter signing a multi-year contract. This evening, Shelbourne captain Mark Coyle also penned a new long-term deal with the champions while forward Evan Caffrey has signed for the 2025 campaign too. – SOC Wednesday November 20 Shelbourne: Shelbourne striker Sean Boyd insists the club’s 2024 league triumph should be the standard, as he penned a new deal at Tolka Park today. The 26-year-old played a crucial role in the Reds’ title run-in with three goals in their final three games to help Damien Duff’s men clinch a first Premier Division title since 2006. The Dubliner enjoyed a purple patch in May too, hitting five goals in six games, while he also picked up the Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month award for October. “Thrilled to be at this club for another year,” said Boyd this evening. “It’s been an amazing journey from when the gaffer took over three years ago to now. Last year was special but that should be the standard for the club. See you all in Tolka next season. Up the Reds.” Goalkeeper Conor Kearns has also committed his future to Tolka Park this evening, having helped the club to the best defensive record last season. "I've loved every minute of my time at Shels since coming here and continuing that journey was a no-brainer," said the 26-year-old, who won the joint golden glove (along with Galway's Brendan Clarke) last term keeping 16 clean sheets in 36 games. "Last year was a special one that will live long in the memory of everyone involved at the club. But there's plenty more work to be done to continue the rise that has taken place over the last couple of years." – SOC Friday November 15 Shelbourne: The Reds have announced the exit of three members of their title winning squad, including long serving defender Shane Griffin and Scottish striker Matty Smith, a keynote signing in Damien Duff's first season in charge. Dean Williams has also left Tolka Park after his contract expired, a well-travelled striker who made minimal impact this term. Griffin was one of Duff's first signing at Shels, but the left-sided defender made just 12 league appearances this term. Smith was signed on loan from Derry in 2022 before the move was made permanent, and he was involved in some big moments this year, playing a starring role in a 2-0 win away to Shamrock Rovers in May. However, he did struggle for goals, scoring just twice in 30 appearances with 12 of those outings coming off the bench. His final outing for Shels showcased the good and the bad with Smith scoring a brilliant equaliser in the thrilling Tolka Park derby with St Patrick's Athletic only to get sent off for a petulant stamp in the aftermath of the Saints bagging a late winner. Duff made no excuses for it and Smith played no part in the rest of the season, serving a three-game ban before he was an unused sub in the decider in Derry. – DMcD Galway United: The Tribesmen have confirmed that Greg Cunningham is sticking around for the 2025 season. The former Irish international impressed upon his return home in the summer before his campaign was cut short by a late tackle in the costly 1-1 draw with Dundalk. Garry Buckley, Jimmy Keohane and Bobby Burns have also extended their contracts. Sligo Rovers: The Bit O’ Red have suffered with departures in the off-season but local centre-half John Mahon has penned a new two-year deal. Mahon has thanked the club for showing faith in him with a new contract even though he missed most of the 2024 season through injury. “It feels great to get the deal across the line”, Mahon says. “John (Russell) has shown huge faith in me in offering me a deal for next season and I want to repay that faith.” Cobh Ramblers: The Cork side are looking for a new manager after announcing the departure of Gary Hunt. The club have recently been taken over by USA-based group FC32. Wednesday November 13 Waterford FC: Former Ireland international Andy Boyle admits it was a tough decision to leave crisis club Dundalk as he completed his move to Waterford which guarantees him top flight football for next season. The 33-year-old won eight major trophies in his two spells with Dundalk, but with that club condemned to an uncertain future due to their financial situation and have been relegated, he needed to move on and Waterford boss Keith Long has swooped for the Dubliner, adding to his squad in a week when the Blues released eight members of the 2024 squad. – AF Monday November 11 St Patrick’s Athletic: New Saints signing Simon Power admits the chance to work under his former Ireland Under-21 boss Stephen Kenny was a major factor in his decision to sign a two-year contract at Richmond Park. The 26-year-old winger arrives in Inchicore from Sligo Rovers where he scored four times in 19 appearances across an injury-hit campaign. – SOC

On the first day of the new legislative session, Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1 (ACA 1). The proposal would double the amount of state funds that could be placed in the Budget Stabilization Account (BSA) from 10% to 20% of the annual budget. The ostensible reason for the increase is to address the very real problem of revenue volatility. Because California is overly reliant on high income earners who generate massive amounts of capital gains and stock option funds in boom years, it is vulnerable to big drop-offs in revenue during the bust years. Indeed, revenue volatility has been such a large problem that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger created the California Commission for the 21st Century Economy to come up with solutions. Regrettably, while there was a broad consensus that something should be done about the boom and bust cycle, the commissioners could not agree on what to do about it. The goal of placing more funds in reserve because of volatility makes sense, if it can be accomplished without violating the letter and the spirit of Gann spending limit. Unfortunately, ACA 1, in its current form does just that. Here’s how. Just a year after Proposition 13’s passage in 1978, California voters approved the Gann spending limit which, like Prop. 13, sought to restrain the size and growth of government. But unlike Proposition 13, which was a direct limit on taxation, Gann attempted to limit government spending. It limited the growth of state and local government expenditures to a base-year level adjusted annually to reflect increases in population and inflation. Initially, the Gann limit performed as designed and resulted in a modest rebate to taxpayers in 1987. But subsequent measures backed by special interests weakened the Gann limit by creating exceptions for education and transportation spending as well as substituting a far more generous inflation factor. Ironically, after these changes, most public finance observers – including yours truly – wrongfully assumed that California would never again bump up against the limit. But a big surplus in fiscal year 2022-23 put the state on the brink of reaching that limit. While that collision was briefly avoided due to COVID-19, California once again is confronted with a Gann issue that can no longer be ignored. For taxpayers, the best outcome would be to let the Gann limit run its course and return money to taxpayers “by a revision of tax rates or fee schedules within the next two subsequent fiscal years.” Cal.Const., Art. XIIIB, Section 2(a)(2). This is consistent with the plain language of Gann and is more than warranted given California’s heavy tax burden. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | End the IRS’s worldwide tax grab Opinion Columnists | Mass deportations are bad for everyone’s liberties Opinion Columnists | The draconian penalties that Hunter Biden escaped affect people whose fathers can’t save them Opinion Columnists | California politicians suddenly discover inflation in aftermath of election Opinion Columnists | How California ranks as the most active political state But ACA 1 might prevent taxpayer refunds due to the change in treatment of transfers into the budget stabilization account. Under Gann, the state and local governments may create reserve accounts, like the BSA, but those transfers are subject to Gann’s spending limits. On the other hand, spending out of a reserve account is not so limited. As currently drafted, it appears that ACA 1 would exempt transfers out of the reserve account – currently permissible under Gann – but would also exempt appropriations into the BSA: Section (i) provides, “Transfers to the Budget Stabilization Account pursuant to this section do not constitute appropriations subject to limitation as defined in Article XIII B.” This appears to create a fund into which unlimited funds can be appropriated, guaranteeing that taxpayers will never get a refund of their tax dollars. There are better ways to address revenue volatility without injury to the goal of the Gann Spending Limit, which was enacted to provide a modicum of spending restraint in a state that doesn’t have any. California taxpayers need something more than a rainy day fund that’s all slush. Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

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Discovery of ancient walls offers insights into China’s earliest dynastyIowa moves on without injured quarterback Brendan Sullivan when the Hawkeyes visit Maryland for a Big Ten Conference contest on Saturday afternoon. Former starter Cade McNamara is not ready to return from a concussion, so Iowa (6-4, 4-3) turns to former walk-on and fourth-stringer Jackson Stratton to lead the offense in College Park, Md. "Confident that he'll do a great job," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of Stratton on his weekly radio show. "He stepped in, did a really nice job in our last ballgame. And he's got a good ability to throw the football, and he's learning every day. ... We'll go with him and see what we can do." Iowa had been on an upswing with Sullivan, who had sparked the Hawkeyes to convincing wins over Northwestern and Wisconsin before suffering an ankle injury in a 20-17 loss at UCLA on Nov. 8. Stratton came on in relief against the Bruins and completed 3 of 6 passes for 28 yards. Another storyline for Saturday is that Ferentz will be opposing his son, Brian Ferentz, an assistant at Maryland. Brian Ferentz was Iowa's offensive coordinator from 2017-23. "We've all got business to take care of on Saturday," Kirk Ferentz said. "I think his experience has been good and everything I know about it. As a parent, I'm glad he's with good people." Maryland (4-6, 1-6) needs a win to keep its hopes alive for a fourth straight bowl appearance under Mike Locksley. The Terrapins have dropped five of their last six games, all by at least 14 points, including a 31-17 loss at home to Rutgers last weekend. "It's been a challenging last few weeks to say the least," Locksley said. The challenge this week will be to stop Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who leads the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,328) and touchdowns (20), averaging 7.1 yards per carry. "With running backs, it's not always about speed. It's about power, vision and the ability to make something out of nothing," Locksley said. "This guy is a load and runs behind his pads." Maryland answers with quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (285.5) and completions (268). His top target is Tai Felton, who leads the conference in catches (86) and receiving yards (1,040). --Field Level MediaLONDON — A woman who claimed mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor "brutally raped and battered" her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) on Friday by a civil court jury in Ireland. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced the woman to do anything against her will and said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. His lawyer had called Hand a gold digger. The fighter, once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship but now past his prime, shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men found him liable for assault after deliberating about six hours in the High Court in Dublin. He was mobbed by cameras as he left court but did not comment. He later said on the social platform X that he would appeal the verdict and the "modest award." Hand's voice cracked and her hands trembled as she read a statement outside the courthouse, saying she would never forget what happened to her but would now be able to move on with her life. She thanked her family, partner, friends, jurors, the judge and all the supporters that had reached out to her online, but particularly her daughter. "She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice," she said. "I want to show (her) and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served." The Associated Press generally does not name alleged victims of sexual violence unless they come forward publicly, as Hand has done. Under Irish law, she did not have the anonymity she would have been granted in a criminal proceeding and was named publicly throughout the trial. Her lawyer told jurors that McGregor was angry about a fight he had lost in Las Vegas two months earlier and took it out on his client. "He's not a man, he's a coward," attorney John Gordon said in his closing speech. "A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is." Gordon said his client never pretended to be a saint and was only looking to have fun when she sent McGregor a message through Instagram after attending a Christmas party. He said Hand knew McGregor socially and that they had grown up in the same area. She said he picked her and a friend up in a car and shared cocaine with them, which McGregor admitted in court, on the way to the Beacon Hotel. Hand said she told McGregor she didn't want to have sex with him and that she was menstruating. She said she told him "no" as he started kissing her but he eventually pinned her to a bed and she couldn't move. McGregor put her in a chokehold and later told her, "now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times," referring to a UFC match when he had to admit defeat, she said. Hand had to take several breaks in emotional testimony over three days. She said McGregor threatened to kill her during the encounter and she feared she would never see her young daughter again. Eventually, he let go of her. "I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn't tell anyone so he wouldn't hurt me again," she testified. She said she then let him do what he wanted and he had sex with her. A paramedic who examined Hand the next day testified that she had never before seen someone with that intensity of bruising. A doctor told jurors Hand had multiple injuries. Hand said the trauma of the attack had left her unable to work as a hairdresser, she fell behind on her mortgage and had to move out of her house. Police investigated the woman's complaint but prosecutors declined to bring charges, saying there was insufficient evidence and a conviction was unlikely. McGregor, in his post on X, said he was disappointed jurors didn't see all the evidence prosecutors had reviewed. He testified that the two had athletic and vigorous sex, but that it was not rough. He said "she never said 'no' or stopped" and testified that everything she said was a lie. "It is a full blown lie among many lies," he said when asked about the chokehold allegation. "How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings." McGregor's lawyer told jurors they had to set aside their animus toward the fighter. "You may have an active dislike of him, some of you may even loathe him – there is no point pretending that the situation might be otherwise," attorney Remy Farrell said. "I'm not asking you to invite him to Sunday brunch." The defense said the woman never told investigators McGregor threatened her life. They also showed surveillance video in court that they said appeared to show the woman kiss McGregor's arm and hug him after they left the hotel room. Farrell said she looked "happy, happy, happy." McGregor said he was "beyond petrified" when first questioned by police and read them a prepared statement. On the advice of his lawyer, he refused to answer more than 100 follow-up questions. The jury ruled against Hand in a case she brought against one of McGregor's friends, James Lawrence, whom she accused of having sex with her in the hotel without consent. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

HALIFAX - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating an incident involving a plane at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, which one passenger described as a rough landing that sparked flames. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! HALIFAX - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating an incident involving a plane at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, which one passenger described as a rough landing that sparked flames. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? HALIFAX – The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating an incident involving a plane at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, which one passenger described as a rough landing that sparked flames. Nikki Valentine, a Halifax woman who was on the PAL Airlines flight, said passengers felt a “massive rumble” upon landing Saturday night. “The cabin tilted, we saw sparks and then flames and then smoke started getting sucked into the cabin,” she told The Canadian Press in a direct message over social media. Airport spokesperson Tiffany Chase said Saturday an Air Canada Express flight operated by PAL Airlines, arriving from St. John’s, N.L., experienced an incident upon landing at approximately 9:30 p.m. Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick said late Saturday that the plane experienced a “suspected landing gear issue” after arrival and was unable to reach the terminal. Fitzpatrick said the crew and 73 passengers were off-loaded by bus and nobody on board was injured. A Nova Scotia RCMP spokesperson said on Saturday that some minor injuries were reported, but clarified Sunday that in fact no one was injured. Valentine said she is “especially thankful the pilot was able to get ahold of the situation very fast.” The incident temporarily halted flight activity at the airport. As of Sunday afternoon, Valentine and other passengers were still without the bags they were instructed to leave on the plane. Valentine said she contacted Air Canada, who told her that it could be up to three more days before their bags are returned as the investigation into the incident continues. “A lot of people have things like house keys or wallets they needed and couldn’t get,” she said. “It’s all proper procedure, and I’d rather the inconvenience (of missing bags) than if anything bad had happened, of course, but it’s still tough.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024. AdvertisementPanama: Protesters say ‘enemy’ Trump must leave canal aloneNARSS, GIZ discuss research cooperation projects