[File Photo] The government has acknowledged that there is still much work to be done in improving basic infrastructure such as roads and water supply. These issues are now being addressed in the National Development Plan (NDP). Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad says that the NDP was designed to fill critical gaps, lay the groundwork for sustainable growth and ensure essential services meet the needs of the population. The plan also focuses on promoting inclusive development, empowering communities and promoting economic growth across all sectors. Professor Prasad says the government is projecting a four percent economic growth driven by its policies. He adds that to tackle the cost of living, a three-pronged approach has been introduced. Professor Prasad also states that, despite claims from the opposition, Fiji’s economic performance is on a positive growth trajectory. This includes increases in social welfare, subsidies, and adjustments to prices for sugar and other sectors to support vulnerable groups. The NDP is structured in three phases: three, five and twenty years. The three-year phase will focus on delivering essential infrastructure. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka states that the government is committed to achieving significant progress over the next two years. He expresses confidence that the policies and strategies in place will lead to sustained growth beyond the current term. The National Development Plan 2025-2029 and Vision 2050 have been developed through consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring that the plans align with the needs and priorities of all sectors in society.
However, behind the glamorous facade, Liu Dabeili struggled with insecurities about her appearance and sought to enhance her beauty through cosmetic procedures. In a bid to achieve the perfect body shape, she opted for a liposuction procedure at a renowned hospital, hoping to further enhance her already enviable figure.
Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation's top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione's arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather's obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company confirmed to the AP. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone's lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!The 11-2 Minnesota Vikings are set to take the field on Monday Night Football this week, with a chance to lock in a playoff spot right in front of their home crowd. In fact, they might already have their playoff ticket punched before kickoff Monday night. The Vikings had a shot at locking in a playoff spot last week . They handled their business against the Falcons, but things didn’t fall into place with the other games. This week, though, the path to clinching looks a whole lot easier. How can the Minnesota Vikings clinch a playoff spot vs Chicago Bears? The simplest way for the Minnesota Vikings to lock in a playoff spot this week is pretty straightforward: just win. If they take down the Chicago Bears, the Vikings secure their place in the postseason. However, the Vikings could already have their playoff spot locked in by the time they play on Monday night. All they need is for one of two things to happen: either the Rams lose to the 49ers on Thursday Night Football or the Seahawks fall to the Packers on Sunday Night Football. The #Vikings can officially clinch a playoff berth in week 15 with any of these following outcomes occurring (eliminated ties): 1) #Rams loss to #49ers on TNF OR 2) #Seahawks loss to #Packers on SNF OR 3) #Vikings win against #Bears pic.twitter.com/oxqL29jQzO It’s kind of wild that all three scenarios are happening during primetime games. You’d think there’s a good chance at least one of the two teams loses, which would lock in a Vikings playoff spot before Monday night. But if that doesn’t happen, the Vikings will have the chance to clinch their playoff berth in front of the home crowd on Monday night. The Vikings also have a real shot at locking in the 6th seed this week, and honestly, it’s simpler than you’d expect. Here’s what needs to go down: Vikings beat that Bears Saints beat the Commanders If those two things happen, the Minnesota Vikings will lock in at least the 6th seed. With plenty of football left, there’s even a chance they could push for the number one seed, but that’s something to worry about in the weeks ahead. This article first appeared on Minnesota Sports Fan and was syndicated with permission.
NoneThe English Premier League has announced that Anthony Taylor will be the referee for this weekend's highly anticipated Manchester Derby between Manchester City and Manchester United. This decision has sparked a lot of interest and discussion among football fans and pundits alike, as Taylor's appointment is seen as a crucial element in ensuring a fair and well-officiated match between the two rivals.California , home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven't provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks' 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There's not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story." Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom , a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.
However, entering a new market requires thorough market research, understanding the local customer preferences, and adapting the brand's offerings to suit the unique characteristics of the county town. Chain hotels must strike a balance between maintaining their brand identity and meeting the specific needs of the local market to ensure long-term success and profitability.The Police Service Commission (PSC) Thursday promoted Hauwa Ibrahim Jibrin to the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP). Her promotion was part of the recent advancement of 27 senior officers, including 11 Commissioners of Police elevated to AIG and 16 Deputy Commissioners of Police promoted to substantive Commissioner of Police. Hauwa Ibrahim Jibrin, born on October 28, 1972, in Fagge local government area of Kano state, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in Security and Strategic Studies, and a Master’s degree in the same field. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. She is the first female northerner to be appointed as a Commissioner of Police. Before her promotion, Jibrin served as the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of administration at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command. The PSC, led by Hashimu Argungu, has introduced written and oral examinations as part of its promotion process to ensure competence and preparedness. Argungu stated the need for continuous improvement and ICT proficiency among officers. Jibrin’s promotion highlights her exemplary service record and reflects the PSC’s focus on professionalism in police advancement.
LG has that doubles as an indoor garden. The lamp, which LG will show off at CES in January, serves as an adjustable grow light for the tray of up to 20 plants beneath it, while also brightening up your room. It has two different lighting modes: downward-facing lighting during the day that helps grow your plants, and upward-facing lighting at night to help brighten up your home. The lamp comes equipped with a 1.5-gallon water tank and “automatically dispenses the right amount of water and nutrients for the number and variety of plants being grown,” according to LG. LG is also showing off a shorter, side table-style grow light at CES, which similarly puts a grow lamp above a bundle of plants. The devices are compatible with LG’s ThinQ app, letting you adjust light settings and manage cultivation schedules while you’re not at home. This isn’t the first time LG has dabbled in creating indoor gardening technology. The company launched an indoor cultivator , before with . LG says its new lamp has a larger water capacity than its previous indoor planters, but it doesn’t mention any details about how much it will cost, or when it will actually ship. /
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies and right-handed pitcher Joe Ross finalized a $4 million, one-year contract on Monday. Ross can earn an additional $1 million in bonuses for days on the active roster: $333,333 each for 60 and 120, and $333,334 for 170. The 31-year-old Ross made 10 starts and 25 total appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers last season. He went 3-6 with a 3.77 ERA. Selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2011 amateur draft, the 6-foot-4 Ross has pitched in 123 career games across seven seasons with the Washington Nationals and Brewers. In his career, he has combined for a 4.19 ERA with 469 strikeouts to 170 walks. He's 29-34 with a 4.19 career ERA. Story continues below video Ross is the latest in an offseason of minor moves for the NL East champs. The Phillies acquired left-hander Jesús Luzardo from the Miami Marlins and signed free-agent outfielder Max Kepler to a $10 million, one-year deal. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Together, Jack Ma and Fan Luyuan form a dynamic duo that embodies the yin and yang of entrepreneurship – the visionary dreamer and the methodical executor. Their complementary strengths and contrasting personalities have been instrumental in shaping Alibaba's unique culture and success story, earning them the moniker of the "Alibaba Flavor."
Central Stresses for 2025: Real Estate Market Must Stay Stable! Stronger Support ExpectedIn response to the growing demand for high-quality products and the need for more efficient distribution channels, the "Spring Dawn Initiative" has officially launched the "Factory Direct Sales" program. This innovative initiative aims to connect consumers directly with manufacturers, cutting out middlemen and providing a more cost-effective and transparent shopping experience.