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‘Not a saint but a human being’: the political and personal side of Alex SalmondPeaky Blinders creator teases the upcoming film ‘won’t be the end’ for the drama
Canada's Trudeau says he had an 'excellent conversation' with Trump in Florida after tariffs threat‘Forcible evacuation’ of fasting farmer leader will lead to ‘collateral damage’: Punjab to SCDear Your Excellency, Radosław Sikorski, foreign minister of the : Or do you mind if I call you Radek? We don’t know each other well, but we’ve met, and you’ve been a guest on my “Foreign Podicy” podcast. So I’m going to be informal. And I’m going to ask you a few questions. To wit: What the hell are you thinking? You know what I’m talking about. On Jan. 27, there will be a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where roughly 1 million Jews were slaughtered by the Nazis. Your deputy foreign minister said last week that if , prime minister of Israel, shows up, he’ll be arrested for alleged “crimes against humanity” pursuant to a warrant issued in November by the International Criminal Court, or ICC. Seriously? Look, Radek, you’re a smart guy, but you’re not seeing the big picture. Right now, two free nations are fighting brutal defensive wars. As you well know, Vladimir Putin wants to make Ukrainians subjects of the Russian empire, which for several decades was disingenuously rebranded as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The other free nation under attack is, of course, Israel. Iran’s ruler, Ali Khamenei, wants to exterminate Israelis and fold their land into an Islamic empire disingenuously branded as the Islamic Republic of Iran. Two months ago, Mr. Putin and Mr. Khamenei announced their intention to sign a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” meaning closer military cooperation with Tehran — meaning Iran sending Russia more Iranian drones and missiles to kill Ukrainian men, women and children. In October, the Israeli military knocked out much of Iran’s missile production facilities, limiting the supply that will be available to Mr. Putin. For that, might you want to give Mr. a pat on the back rather than a slap in the face? Now, let’s get political. The incoming Trump administration will be the most pro-Israel in history — the same of the Republican-controlled House and Senate. European animus toward Israel is among the reasons some Republicans are advising President-elect Donald Trump to leave it to the European Union to save Ukraine — or not. Of course, you understand that if Mr. Putin prevails in Ukraine, his troops and tanks will soon be on your border — and maybe making tracks over your border. Under Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty, the U.S. would be committed to assisting in your country’s defense. Do you think Mr. Putin won’t test the strength of that commitment? I suspect you will repeat what your deputy said: “We are obliged to respect the provisions of the International Criminal Court.” Here are three reasons you’re not obliged. One: The arrest warrants against Mr. were issued by ICC prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan based on disinformation he was only too happy to receive from Hamas and other terrorist proxies of Iran. Two: For the ICC to issue warrants against the leader of a nation that is not a member of the ICC — such as Israel — violates the treaty under which the ICC was established. So the ICC’s warrants represent an illegal usurpation of power. Three: Mike Waltz, Mr. Trump’s incoming national security adviser, pointed out: “First it’s the leaders of Israel’s democracy, then it’s the leader of any democracy that doesn’t fit the ICC’s agenda.” In fact, the ICC already has an open investigation of the U.S. — even though the U.S. has also declined to join. So you’re really saying that is “obliged to respect” the ICC but not the U.S. Do you think that’s wise? Let me remind you that in his first term, Mr. Trump issued an executive order threatening sanctions against anyone participating in ICC investigations or arrests of Americans, Israelis and others who do not recognize the ICC’s authority. President Biden rescinded that order. I’ll bet you a zloty it will be revived next year. Finally, do you not grasp that the Israelis are doing what is necessary to deter and hopefully defeat their enemies? Isn’t that what you’ve been advocating for Ukrainians — that they be given a chance to fight hard enough to make Mr. Putin back off? Over the past year and to the surprise of most experts, the Israelis have largely incapacitated Hamas, Hezbollah and their patron in Iran. They achieved these results while scrupulously abiding by international law. If you don’t get that, read the assessments by John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at West Point, and retired British Col. Richard Kemp, who has been on the battlefields of Gaza for months. Their bottom line: The Israeli military has done more to minimize civilian casualties than any army in history You should also be familiar with ex-paratrooper and former Sandhurst senior lecturer Andrew Fox. The bottom line of the report he recently pulled together for the Henry Jackson Society in Britain: The Israelis have succeeded in that effort as never before in an urban conflict — despite Hamas’ blatantly illegal practice of using civilians as humans shields. The report finds that the facts have been egregiously misrepresented by much of the media. Final question: Why is Mr. Khan, the prosecutor, propagating the lie that Mr. has been committing “crimes against humanity”? Final answer: Because this is the form antisemitism takes in the 21st century. Consider what you will be saying about if you effectively bar the prime minister of the small, genocidally threatened nation-state of the Jewish people from a commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz, where genocidal antisemitism reached its zenith in the 20th century. Please call me anytime to discuss this or other issues. Until then, Slava Ukraini! Cliff Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. .
Holmen police chief rejects county's Civilian Review BoardCanada's Trudeau returns home after Trump meeting without assurances that tariffs are off the table
Taylor Swift has reportedly made life-altering decision, moving there fulltime to get closer with Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. The pair who started dating 12 months ago keep attracting public attention due to their increasingly close relationship and rumors about possible engagement. ET Year-end Special Reads Take That: The gamechanger weapon's India acquired in 2024 10 big-bang policy moves Modi government made in 2024 How governments tried to rein in the social media beast Taylor Swift Relocates to Nashville After the end of her massively popular Eras Tour, Taylor Swift's attention turned to her private life. According to Page Six, Swift has relocated to Nashville, bringing her closer to Kelce's Kansas home," observes the writer. The new setup also gives her the flexibility to be at more of his games, as Swift is already a fixture at Chiefs games. Also Read : Donald Trump's worries mount after the MAGA war; now this: Low-income voters worry he'll cut benefits on which they rely The step happens at a pivotal stage in their relationship, that has been accompanied with sightings on the streets and also mutual back rubs. Just the other week Swift was seen cheering on Kelce as the Chiefs took on the Texans on December 21, confirming her level of commitment. According to reports, Kelce reportedly threw an epic celebration of Swift's 35th birthday in the form of an Eras Tour-themed surprise party in Kansas City. Friends and family came for the party, with themed decorations and friendship bracelets and references to Swift's hit albums. They reported that Swift was "blown away" by Kelce's generous act and said it was "thoughtful. 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While engagement rumors are swirling, neither Taylor nor Travis has confirmed any engagement news. How did Travis Kelce celebrate Taylor Swift's birthday? Travis Kelce surprised Taylor with a themed party inspired by her Eras Tour, which included friends, family, and creative details that left her "blown away." (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )North Dakota regulators OK underground storage for proposed Midwest carbon dioxide pipeline
By Lisa Baertlein and Eric Beech LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to back the anti-automation stance of some 45,000 union dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, whose labor talks are at an impasse over that polarizing issue. The ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group are facing a Jan. 15 deadline to finalize talks, which stalled over automation. That cutoff comes just five days before Trump's inauguration. The ILA says automation kills jobs while employers say it is necessary to keep U.S. ports competitive in a rapidly changing global economy. "The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen," Trump said of automation projects in a post on Truth Social. That message followed a meeting with Harold Daggett, who leads the International Longshoremen's Association union that represents the port workers, Trump said. The union and employers agreed to end a three-day strike on Oct. 3 after the union won a 62% wage hike over six years with significant involvement by the White House and other officials from President Joe Biden's administration. Employers, which include the U.S. operations of Switzerland's Mediterranean Shipping Company, Denmark's Maersk and China's COSCO Shipping, have been booking record profits in part due to access to U.S. markets, Trump said on Thursday. "I'd rather these foreign companies spend it on the great men and women on our docks, than machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced," Trump said. ILA President Daggett thanked Trump for his support in a separate message in which union Vice President Dennis Daggett also said he hoped Trump's message would encourage USMX to remove any language on automated or semi-automated equipment in their proposals moving forward. "It's clear President-elect Trump, USMX, and the ILA all share the goal of protecting and adding good-paying American jobs at our ports," USMX said in a statement. "We need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains," the employers said, adding that dockworkers make more money when seaports handle more goods. (Reporting by Eric Beech in Washington and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Jasper Ward, Bill Berkrot and Michael Perry)Australia's proposal to ban under-16s from social media platforms is "rushed", social media companies claimed Tuesday, expressing "serious concerns" about potential unintended consequences. The landmark legislation would force social media firms to prevent young teens from accessing their platforms or face fines of up to Aus$50 million (US$32.5 million). Platforms such as X, Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta have criticised the 24-hour time frame given for stakeholder comments, claiming a lack of consultation and inadequate details about how the legislation would work. X said in its submission that it had "serious concerns" the ban would have "a negative impact" on children, adding it breached their "rights to freedom of expression and access to information". The company added that the proposed law was "vague" and "highly problematic" and that there was "no evidence" that it would work. Australia is among the vanguard of nations trying to clean up social media, and the proposed age limit would be among the world's strictest measures aimed at children. The proposed laws, which were presented to parliament last week, would also include robust privacy provisions that require tech platforms to delete any age-verification information collected. The government is trying to approve the law this week, before parliament breaks for the rest of the year. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said in its submission the ban would "fail" in its current form because there was not enough consultation with stakeholders. "More time should be taken to get this bill right," it said. TikTok raised concerns over the privacy provisions -- including that they overlapped and contradicted other legislation -- and the limited time to consult stakeholders. "Its rushed passage poses a serious risk of further unintended consequences," the company's submission said. Key details about how social media companies are expected to enforce the ban remain unclear. Some companies will be granted exemptions from the ban, such as YouTube, which teenagers may need to use for school work or other reasons. Once celebrated as a means of staying connected and informed, social media platforms have been tarnished by cyberbullying, the spread of illegal content, and election-meddling claims. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insisted Tuesday that "social media is causing social harm". "It can be a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators," he wrote in an opinion piece. "And because it is young Australians who are most engaged with this technology -- it is young Australians who are most at risk." The laws would give families "peace of mind" that their children's well-being and mental health were being prioritised, he said. If the proposed law passes, tech platforms would be given a one-year grace period to figure out how to implement and enforce the ban. The proposal comes just months before Australians go to the polls in a general election that must be held in the first half of 2025. lec/arb/fox
NEW YORK — U.S. stocks rose Monday, with those benefiting the most from lower interest rates and a stronger economy leading the way. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to pull closer to its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 440 points, or 1%, to its own record set on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Treasury yields also eased in the bond market amid what some analysts called a “Bessent bounce” after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Bessent has argued for reducing the U.S. government’s deficit, which is how much more it spends than it takes in through taxes and other revenue. Such an approach could soothe worries on Wall Street that Trump’s policies may lead to a much bigger deficit, which in turn would put upward pressure on Treasury yields. Related Story: 10-Year Treasury Yield Falls Back After climbing above 4.44% immediately after Trump’s election, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell back to 4.26% Monday, down from 4.41% late Friday. That’s a notable move, and lower yields make it cheaper for all kinds of companies and households to borrow money. They also give a boost to prices for stocks and other investments. That helped stocks of smaller companies lead the way, and the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped 1.5%. It finished just shy of its all-time high, which was set three years ago. Smaller companies can feel bigger boosts from lower borrowing costs because of the need for many to borrow to grow. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks the market’s expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with overnight interest rates, also eased sharply. The Fed began cutting its main interest rate just a couple months ago from a two-decade high, hoping to keep the job market humming after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. But immediately after Trump’s victory, traders had reduced bets for how many cuts the Fed may deliver next year. They were worried Trump’s preference for lower tax rates and higher spending on the border would balloon the national debt. A report coming on Wednesday could influence how much the Fed may cut rates. Economists expect it to show that an underlying inflation trend the Fed prefers to use accelerated to 2.8% last month from 2.7% in September. Higher inflation would make the Fed more reluctant to cut rates as deeply or as quickly as it would otherwise. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle expects that to slow by the end of next year to 2.4%, but he said inflation would be even lower if not for expected tariff increases on imports from China and autos favored by Trump. Related Story: Bath & Body Works Jumps, Macy’s Stock Falls In the stock market, Bath & Body Works jumped 16.5% after delivering stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The seller of personal care products and home fragrances also raised its financial forecasts for the full year, even though it still sees a “volatile retail environment” and a shorter holiday shopping season this year. Much focus has been on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. Last week, two major retailers sent mixed messages. Target tumbled after giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart, which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Another big retailer, Macy’s, said Monday its sales for the latest quarter were in line with its expectations, but it will delay the release of its full financial results. It found a single employee had intentionally hid up to $154 million in delivery expenses, and it needs more time to complete its investigation. Macy’s stock fell 2.2%. Related Story: Among the market’s leaders were several companies related to the housing industry. Monday’s drop in Treasury yields could translate into easier mortgage rates, which could spur activity for housing. Builders FirstSource, a supplier or building materials, rose 5.9%. Homebuilders, D.R. Horton, PulteGroup and Lennar all rose at least 5.6%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 18.03 points to 5,987.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 440.06 to 44,736.57, and the Nasdaq composite gained 51.18 to 19,054.84. In stock markets abroad, indexes moved modestly across much of Europe after finishing mixed in Asia. In the crypto market, bitcoin was trading below $95,000 after threatening to hit $100,000 late last week for the first time.
Pakistan's housing crisis needs innovation
WASHINGTON — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request. The airline said in an email that the problem was caused by trouble with vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. An American Airlines employee wearing looks toward quiet check-in counters Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the system known as FOS. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. People are also reading... New director transitioning to role at community food pantry Beatrice man pleads guilty to receiving child sex abuse images Former Beatrice man sentenced for sex assault of runaway Is John Dutton real? Meet the powerful rancher seemingly inspiring the 'Yellowstone' legend At the courthouse, Dec. 21, 2024 Gage County says board had authority to deny permit for broadband provider Meyn, charged in death of 4-month-old, has case continued to March Sex offender arrested for not reporting change in employment Downtown Beatrice festive for the holidays Nebraska volleyball libero Lexi Rodriguez signs with LOVB's Omaha team At the courthouse, Dec. 14, 2024 Main Street welcomes new director Matt Rhule and Nebraska football plan Pinstripe Bowl practice in Central Park As Brenda Lee turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple Milke pre-trial hearing in Beatrice shooting death continued to March Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Out of the 3,901 domestic and international American Airlines flights scheduled for Tuesday, 19 were canceled. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights departed within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — arrived at their destinations as scheduled. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 3,712 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 55 flights canceled. It did not show any flights from American Airlines. Cirium said Dallas-Fort Worth, New York's Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Travelers wait in line for security checks Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms developed in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. Any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have "interline agreements" that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. An American Airlines employee wearing a Santa Claus hat walks through the American terminal Tuesday at Miami International Airport in Miami. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. Finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. American Airlines employees check in travelers Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. "Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation's highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. Flight nightmare? Here's how to get compensated Flight nightmare? Here's how to get compensated "It's not the destination, it's the journey," said American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph clearly was not among the travellers on one of more than 350 cancelled or 1,400 delayed flights after a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrike's "Falcon Sensor" software in July of 2023. U.S. airlines carried nearly 863 million travellers in 2023, with Canadian carriers accounting for another 150 million, many of whom experienced lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, or were bumped off their flights. It's unclear how many of them were compensated for these inconveniences. Suffice it to say, posting a crabby rant on social media might temporarily soothe anger, but it won't put wasted money back in pockets. Money.ca shares what to know in order to be compensated for the three most common air travel headaches. Lost Luggage Bags elected to go on a vacay without you? Check off the following: Alert the airline, both in person and in writing, of any missing bags. Remember, the clock starts ticking immediately. After 21 days, the baggage is considered lost and the airline is liable for it and its contents. Contact the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) or Canadian Transportation Agency , who will query the airline on your behalf and give them a 30-day deadline to respond. Usually, the airline will resolve the issue, but if it doesn't, or if you're unsatisfied with the offer, the next level is mediation. Beyond that, the case could move to adjudication, a court-like process with a panel deciding on the outcome. On international flights, you have up to two years to file litigation. If you expect a large payout, think again. Tariffs (air carrier contracts) limit the compensation amounts for "loss of, damage to, or the delay in delivery of baggage or other personal property." In the case of Air Canada, the maximum payout is $1,500 per passenger in the currency of the country where the baggage was processed. To raise that limit, purchase a Declaration of Higher Value for each leg of the trip. The charge is $0.50 for each $100, in which case the payout limit is $2,500. For Delta Air Lines, passengers are entitled to up to $3,800 in baggage compensation, though how much you'll receive depends on your flight. Delta will pay up to $2,080 for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage for international travellers, almost half of what U.S. domestic passengers can claim. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. Delayed/Cancelled Flights Different air carriers and jurisdictions have their own compensation policies when flights are delayed or cancelled. For example, under European Union rules, passengers may receive up to 600 Euros, even when travelling on a non-EU carrier. Similarly, the DOT states that travellers are entitled to a refund "if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel." However, US rules regarding delays are complicated. Some air carriers, such as Air Canada, do not guarantee their flight schedules. They're also not liable for cancellations or changes due to "force majeure" such as weather conditions or labour disruptions. If the delay is overnight, only out-of-town passengers will be offered hotel accommodation. Nevertheless, many airlines do offer some compensation for the inconvenience. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. Flight Compensation in the U.S. In terms of cash compensation, what you'll get can differ significantly based on things like departure location, time, carrier, and ticket class. The DOT offers a helpful delay and cancellations dashboard designed to keep travellers informed about their compensation rights. The dashboard is particularly helpful because, as the DOT states on its website, "whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances." Flight Compensation in Canada The Canadian Transportation Agency is proposing air passenger protection regulations that guarantee financial compensation to travellers experiencing flight delays and cancellations, with the level of compensation varying depending on the situation and how much control the air carrier had. The proposed regulations include the following: A plane must return to its gate after three hours on the tarmac. Minimum requirements will be set for procuring food, drink, lavatories, ventilation, and access to electronic communications during the delay. For larger airlines, payouts will range from $400 for a 3-6 hour delay, to $700 for 6-9 hours, and $1,000 for more than nine hours. For smaller carriers, the compensation would be $125, $250, and $500, respectively. Here's the loophole: If the delay is related to the air carrier's maintenance problems, no compensation is required. The airline is obligated to complete the passenger's itinerary. If the new ticket is for a lower class of service, the air carrier would have to refund the cost difference; if the booking is in a higher class of service, passengers cannot be charged extra. If the passenger declines the ticket, the airline must give a full refund, in addition to the prescribed compensation. For overnight delays, the air carrier needs to provide hotel accommodation and transportation free-of-charge. Again, if you are unsatisfied, the Canadian Transportation Agency or Department of Transportation may advocate on your behalf. Bumped Off the Flight Passengers get bumped because airlines overbook. When this happens, the air carrier must compensate you. For international flights in the US, the rate is 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $675 maximum. If the airline does not make travel arrangements for you, the payout is 400% of your one-way fare to a maximum of $1,350. To qualify, you must check-in by the stated deadline, which on international flights can be up to 3 hours ahead. Keep in mind that if you accept the cash, you are no longer entitled to any further compensation, nor are you guaranteed to be rebooked on a direct flight or similar type of seat. Don't be too quick to give up your boarding pass. Negotiate for the best compensation deal that would include cash, food and hotel vouchers, flight upgrade, lounge passes, as well as mileage points. But avoid being too greedy—if the gate attendant is requesting volunteers and you wait too long, you'll miss the offer. According to Air Canada's tariff, if a passenger is involuntarily bumped, they'll receive $200, in cash or bank draft, for up to a two-hour delay; $400 for a 2-6 hours delay; and $800 if the delay is over six hours. (Air Canada was forced to raise its payouts in 2013 due to passenger complaints.) The new rules would raise the payout significantly: $900 for up to six hours; $1,800 for 6-9; and $2,400 for more than nine hours, all to be paid within 48 hours. Statistically speaking, Delta Airlines is the carrier most likely to bump. A few years ago, Delta raised its payout maximum to $9,950, while United Airlines tops out at $10,000. This story was produced by Money.ca and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been a spot used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Eddie Howe says ‘a lot more to come’ from Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
(Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he would sign an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all products coming in to the United States from Mexico and Canada. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries clamp down on drugs, particularly fentanyl, and migrants crossing the border illegally. (Reporting by Jasper Ward)
Follow The Baltimore Sun's live coverage of Monday night's NFL Week 12 game between the Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers.In a disturbing incident, a Hindutva group allegedly tied two middle-aged women to a tree and harassed them for celebrating Christmas in Odisha’s Jajpur district on Wednesday, December 25. Deva Sena group, accompanied by local villagers, committed a shocking act of public harassment. The women, whose identities have been withheld for safety reasons, were reportedly celebrating Christmas in their locality when the mob confronted them. According to reports, the group accused the women of luring villagers into Christianity under the guise of festivities. Despite having no proof of the allegations, the mob dragged the women and tied them to a tree in public view, subjecting them to verbal abuse and humiliation. A video of the assault that captured the entire traumatic incident surfaced on social media platforms on Saturday, December 28 showing the women bound to a tree, surrounded by an aggressive crowd. The clip further shows the group leader making inflammatory comments and accusing them of engaging in religious conversion activities, labelling them as “dangerous for society” for their perceived association with Christianity. “We cannot let what happened in Bangladesh here also,” the man said. Onlookers present there were watching as spectators and recording the scene on their phones. On December 25th, in #Jajpur , #Odisha , a #Hindutva group called #DevaSena , along with other villagers, tied two women to a tree and harassed them for celebrating #Christmas , accusing them of promoting religious conversion. pic.twitter.com/XVptKPZGJH Local reports suggest that Deva Sena has a history of radical actions and has been increasingly active in the region, targeting minority communities and those they consider to have gone astray from their Hindu roots. The incident has sparked widespread public outrage with the people demanding strict action against the perpetrators. Activists have also flagged concern about the growing environment of fear among religious minorities in certain parts of the country. However, this is not an isolated incident, several anti-Christian reports of attacks have emerged during this year’s Christmas celebrations across India. Reports suggested that these attacks orchestrated by right-wing Hindutva outfits and their affiliates have carried out a systemic campaign of harassment and intimidation targeting Christian communities to express their strong opposition to the Christmas festival. The right-wing campaigning activities include disruptions of Christian gatherings, public vigilantism, conducting raids in schools to stop Christmas functions, and harassing people for wearing Santa Claus dresses. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself attended Christmas hosted by a senior Orthodox Church Bishop at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in Kerala indicating political strategies which are quite far from the Christian plight in India today.