Clippers’ Amir Coffey finding himself in spotlight more oftenKUWAIT CITY — The 45th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit will take place in Kuwait on Sunday, bringing together leaders and representatives from member states to discuss pressing regional and international issues. The summit, hosted at Bayan Palace, aims to bolster sustainable development, regional security, and stability. The summit will focus on a range of critical issues, including regional security, economic integration, and responses to mounting regional and international challenges. Leaders are expected to deliberate on enhancing the GCC joint market, fostering technology cooperation, advancing infrastructural linkages, and addressing political files such as Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. Established in 1981, the GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman, with an annual goal of strengthening cooperation across economic, political, and security domains. Experts and officials have highlighted the significance of the summit, particularly during a period of heightened regional and international instability. The GCC leaders are expected to reiterate their commitment to unity and collaboration, ensuring that the council continues to play a central role in addressing the region’s evolving challenges while fostering stability and prosperity for member states. — KUNA < Previous Page Next Page >A big shopping deadline is drawing near for some people, and it has nothing to do with the holidays. Millions of people use flexible spending accounts to help pay for health care, and some may lose money left in those accounts if they don’t spend it by year’s end. There are many ways to spend that use-it-or-use it balance __ think raiding the local drugstore __ but it’s important to understand FSA rules before going on a shopping spree. Here are some things to consider. What are fSAs? FSAs let you set aside money from your paycheck before taxes to cover a wide range of medical expenses like copays, deductibles, eyeglasses and other supplies. They are set up through your employer, and individuals can set aside up to $3,300 in these accounts. Figuring out the right amount to set aside can be tricky because it involves forecasting how much care you might need. And you have to use the money by a certain point or you lose it. What are the deadlines? They can vary by employer or plan administrator. In some cases, you may have to spend the money by Dec. 31 or you will lose it. But many plans offer a grace period in the new year to let people use their remaining funds or they allow participants to carry over some of the leftover balance. “Make sure you understand the clock and the rules,” said David Feinberg of Justworks, a technology company that helps small businesses with benefits. There are limits. The IRS, for instance, limits the balance carried over to $660 for 2025. Any amounts over that could be lost if they are still in your account by the plan deadline. How can I spend my FSA balance? Story continues below video Think of medical expenses not covered by insurance. The IRS keeps a huge list of eligible expenses for both FSAs and health savings accounts. But companies can limit the expenses they’ll reimburse, so employees should check with their employers. Eligible expenses can include travel costs to the doctor’s office, eyeglasses, bandages, sunscreen, condoms and tampons. FSA dollars may even be used to cover things like gym memberships or electric massagers if you have a doctor’s note stating that they are medically necessary. But they don’t cover things like health insurance premiums or certain cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening. Do you have any receipts from health care you could submit, like the copayment for a doctor’s office visit? That would qualify. Some plan administrators watch for stockpiling. Don’t buy a crate of aspirin to use up your balance. Limit purchases to about a year’s supply. Items can be bought in stores or online. What is an HSA? Health savings accounts, or HSAs, also allow you to set aside money before taxes. The difference is that you won’t lose the balance, you can keep the account if you leave your job, and some plans let you invest the money. HSAs can only be paired with high-deductible insurance plans. Account holders can contribute several thousand dollars each year, depending on the type of coverage they have. FSAs work with more types of coverage. And the help they offer can be more immediate. The money you decide to set aside over the course of the year is available right away.WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ:WSC) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages
In 2024, Pakistan narrowly avoided a sovereign default and managed to stabilize the economy on the back of yet another International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package. But the New Year is roaring with challenges of retaining duty-free access to European markets and handling any policy shift by the United States. Pakistan's marginalized salaried class was pushed to the edge after, in a highly unjustifiable decision, the government and the IMF increased its tax burden to an unbearable level of 39%, forcing many people to think about their plans for the future. As a result, in July through November, the salaried class's tax payments phenomenally jumped by 57% to Rs198 billion. The economic decision-making remained fragmented between the dwellers of the Q Block -the seat of the Finance Ministry, Prime Minister's Office and the Deputy Prime Minister Office. The government appointed Muhammad Aurangzeb as the country's new Finance Minister who secured Pakistani nationality after taking oath of office. But the banker turned politician lost significant control to Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar who gradually sneaked into the economic decision-making. Ishaq Dar is now taking decisions from gas imports to development budget approvals and taxation matters. Like the previous years, 2024 was not different in terms of economic challenges. The security and political problems compounded manifold, which made it difficult to bring in any foreign investment coupled with inconsistent economic policies. The Special Investment Facilitation Council too failed to bring any foreign direct investment in 2024 -its second year of existence. After prolonged parlays spanning over months, the board of the IMF approved a $7 billion Extended Fund Facility -the nation's 25th bailout package. The bailout did provide an umbrella to temporarily avoid default by seeking rollovers of about $17 billion or 70% of Pakistan's external debt related obligations. Both the IMF and the federal government took a shorter path of deferring the liabilities instead of taking the tough but sustainable route of debt restructuring. As a result, the default threat would keep looming and Pakistan will be compelled to stay in the IMF programme for a longer period to avert the eventuality. The government could not effectively negotiate with the IMF and signed on the conditions, many of which cannot be implemented without setbacks. Soon after the approval of the programme, the IMF had to send an emergency mission to Pakistan to review the implementation status. Various government departments have started speaking against the IMF conditions. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was the first one, which argued that its nearly Rs13 trillion tax target had been agreed on the basis of wrong assumptions. Resultantly, the first half's goal was missed by a wide margin. The Petroleum Division also came forward and told the Prime Minister that the condition related to ending subsidized gas to the industries was met despite its reservations. The Ministry of National Food Security and Agriculture also said that it was overruled on the issue of ending agriculture support price mechanisms. So were the provinces, which have shown reluctance to increase agriculture income tax rates to 45% under the IMF deal. One of the reasons for the current situation was lack of political wisdom and role in finalizing the IMF deal. The traders have again been protected despite the government agreeing with the IMF that it would collect Rs50 billion under a new scheme from them during the fiscal year 2024-25. The scheme has failed soon after its inception, so has the target. But the Finance Ministry has managed to keep the fiscal side under control on the back of higher non-tax payments. The expenditures are still growing at a rate of 20% and the Prime Minister's promise to reduce the size of the government remains unfulfilled. Not even a single ministry or division was closed down during the first 10 months of Shehbaz Sharif's government. The external sector shows some stability due to a controlled import regime and lower than actual value of the rupee that shut down the doors for the informal market of export and remittances receipts. The exporter and the foreign remitter received about Rs40 per dollar high price due to a Rs278 to a dollar parity. Experts like Ashfaq Tola former Minister of State -and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar have said that the rupee-dollar parity is not more than Rs240 to a dollar in 2024. But the stable rupee throughout the year irrespective of the price helped lower the inflation rate, which finally came down to an over six-year low level. This brought stability in the markets but the people did not get much relief due to the already elevated level of prices. There were no additional opportunities for employment creation and economic growth. The political and economic instability pushed many young people to leave the country. The government could not fix the power sector and the unbearable electricity bills, coupled with high taxation and low benefits, created serious troubles for Pakistan's low to upper middle income groups. The poorer remained poorer in the absence of any new economic opportunities. The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) only helped to lower the price pressure as the programme is never meant to lift people out of poverty. In self-inflicted wounds, the federal government spent Rs39 billion to erect a social media firewall, which slowed down the internet speed and damaged the digital economy. The freelancers and the service providers relying on the internet badly suffered. Pakistan's weak economic and political position coupled with geo strategic alignments further complicated matters. The European Union (EU) issued its first warning to review the duty-free access status of Pakistan after the military courts convicted dozens of political activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on charges of attacking military installations. The EU claimed that these convictions were in breach of Pakistan's commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Foreign Office (FO) denies that the government violated its commitments under the GSP plus regime. The upcoming Donald Trump administration may be a matter of concern for the Pakistani authorities. Pakistan completed its last Extended Fund Facility programme due to nearly one and half dozen waivers that it got with the help of the US authorities during the 2013-16 period. There are chances that the country may not be in a position to implement all the conditions agreed with the IMF under the new programme. The question is will there be a friendly government in Washington to help Islamabad secure favourable outcomes from the IMF board. The answer is not a straightforward one. The indications are that without any leverage, it will be difficult to win over Washington. The first test will be in February-March when the IMF will hold its first programme review. Overall, 2025 will not be different from 2024 because of low chances for any room to economically grow and create job opportunities. If the government tries to accelerate growth through debt funding, it will risk both the IMF programme and the hard-earned relative economic stability COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see ourOpinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• Minnesota legislators have a mighty challenge in front of them this session: how to address a looming $5 billion gap on the horizon. Their decisions will tangibly affect every person in our state. Legislators often base their decisions on metrics like spending levels and the number of people served. However, even when combined with promising ideas and good intentions, these measures fall short. To navigate the challenges ahead, lawmakers must prioritize one critical question in every hearing, floor session and hallway conversation: Are people better off because of this program? This question cuts through political noise and orients the work around impact. Too often, advocates of an intervention focus on inputs and outputs. If someone were treading in the icy waters of Lake Superior, rescuers would not scatter lumber and rope around the lake, hoping it helps; they would deliver a life raft. Legislators must similarly deliver outcomes by making results an expectation, not an ambition. How can legislators ensure that the “better off” question permeates their work this session? To help, my organization, Results for America — a national nonpartisan nonprofit — identified five steps that budget builders across the country and the political spectrum have used to deliver better outcomes for their residents. Twelve states are implementing at least one. For example, legislative branches in New Mexico and Mississippi have developed clear definitions of what “evidence” means and have added evidence indicators to their budget documents. Minnesota’s executive branch already does four of five steps: Define what qualifies as “evidence,” collect evidence information, and report this information before and after the legislative session. But the Legislature needs to adopt this approach to ensure that all authorized dollars have been considered for impact. This isn’t as wonky and disconnected as it may sound. Take Reading Corps, a Minnesota-born program that pairs AmeriCorps members with students for regular, short, focused phonics sessions during the school day — elements that research says are crucial for success. For the last two decades, legislators could have funded any program that might help young readers, but they made an intentional choice to invest in a proven approach. The result? Independent studies show Reading Corps improved literacy outcomes for thousands of Minnesota kids compared with business as usual. Once legislators have the “better off” information, they could modify statute to incentivize evidence in grant programs. A few years ago — at the Legislature’s direction — the state found only 6% of grant funds at the Department of Human Services were spent on an intervention with a proven track record of success. While policymakers have been appropriately focused on compliance and fraud recently, notably absent from these conversations is the top-line question: Are people better off because of these investments? Legislators have the authority and responsibility to identify what works and drive state resources to these strategies. Information on “what works” is available on general and topic-specific websites (like education , aging/long-term care and tax programs ). Tennessee’s Legislature recently demonstrated how embedding evidence can improve outcomes. Lawmakers required core components of effective summer learning programs. A rigorous evaluation later found participants scored higher in reading and attended school more consistently than non-participants. Tennessee used research as a guide and the students are better off because of it. Oregon takes another approach : It requires that 75% of programming at a few agencies be evidence-based . Based on the free technical assistance we provide to states, making these kinds of changes is not difficult. Where evidence does not yet exist, legislators should not shy away from building it. From state research teams to external academic and philanthropic experts, there is support for generating evidence where it’s missing. By demanding rigorous, comparative research, lawmakers can ensure they’re investing in solutions that work. This session the challenge is clear, but fortunately the path forward is, too. Legislators have the authority — and the responsibility — to ask for results. So, as hearings begin on potential changes to revenue and spending efforts that will balance the budget, one question should guide every choice: Are people better off because of this program? Patrick Carter is vice president and state practice lead at Results for America, a national nonpartisan nonprofit that helps advance evidence-based policymaking. Previously, he worked in a variety of nonpartisan roles with the state of Minnesota. He lives in St. Paul.Trent Alexander-Arnold sends subtle message as Liverpool future takes fresh twist
Northwestern hopes hot streak continues vs. Northeastern
One person died in Ecuador and ports closed across Peru as massive waves up to four meters (13 feet) high pummeled the region, officials said Saturday. Many beaches along the central and northern stretches of the Peruvian coastline were closed to prevent risk to human life, local authorities said. Waves there submerged jetties and public squares, sending residents fleeing to higher ground, according to images on local media. In neighboring Ecuador, the National Secretariat for Risk Management said a body was recovered in the coastal city of Manta. "The Manta Fire Department reported that, at 6:00 am, the body of a missing person was found lifeless in the Barbasquillo sector," the agency announced on social media. Peru closed 91 of its 121 ports until January 1, the National Emergency Operations Center said on its X social media account. The municipality of Callao, close to the capital Lima and the location of the country's main port, closed several beaches and barred tourist and fishing boats from venturing out. "These waves are being generated thousands of kilometers away from Peru, off the coast of the United States," navy Captain Enrique Varea told Channel N television. "They are waves generated by a persistent wind on the surface of the ocean that is approaching our coasts," he said. Dozens of small fishing boats and businesses near the sea were affected, according to images broadcast on television and social networks. axl/rmb/nro/acb
A combination Dunkin'/ Baskin Robbins opened in the middle of the super-regional mall at U.S. 30 and Mississippi Street in Hobart. The two Massachusetts-based chains teamed up to off er sweets to shoppers. Baskin Robbins is, of course, known for serving 31 flavors of ice cream at any given time, and has rolled out 1,300 diff erent flavors since it opened in 1948. Formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts, Dunkin' is a staple in the Calumet Region and greater Chicagoland that historically was best known for its donuts, but which has pivoted to focus more strongly on caff einating people on the go with a wide array of coff ee drinks, including many sugary options like the seasonal peppermint mocha. It's perceived by some as a more working-class and less pretentious alternative to Starbucks. "The brand-new kiosk is located on the lower level in Center Court," Southlake Mall Marketing and Business Development Manager Kristyn Filetti said. "We are excited for them to be open and off er coff ee to our shoppers again with such a strong, national brand. Along with coff ee and donuts, shoppers can also enjoy their favorite Baskin Robbins' sweet treats." Open Toni's Pizza, a longtime landmark pizzeria in East Chicago, is under new ownership. Uli Gom, an acclaimed chef who also runs the EC Cafe and is especially well-known for his previous Tapas Cafe restaurant, took over the pizzeria at 4724 Indianapolis Blvd. in downtown East Chicago. It's a homecoming of sorts as he had started working there as a teenager, getting his first taste of the kitchen. ""In fact, the first time I discovered pizza was from Toni's Pizza in EC," he said. "I wow myself indulging the flavors of this melted cheese, tomato and sausage baked pie. 'What is this?' I said. So I took a job as a cook here at Toni's. Actually, my culinary journey started here. I remember spending long hot summer days making pizza with my brothers Rim and Alberto while we all were students at Purdue University." The longtime institution, having opened in 1972, is known for its pan pizza slices and Chicago-style deep dish. "Two months ago, the previous owner of Toni's decided to retire from the pizza business so my brother Rim and I took the opportunity to take over the place and bring the old Toni's Pizza back to its glory days," Gom said. "It's been a challenge for us. Unfortunately, the threeyear Indianapolis Boulevard street reconstruction had a big impact to all of the small businesses in East Chicago. Fortunately, the whole street is back open for traffic, so we are taking the opportunity to promote and get the pizzeria back on track." He plans to bring old recipes back using homemade pizza dough, Italian sausage and sauce, while adding unique interesting items like chicken BBQ, pork pastor, barbacoa brisket, Buff alo and Italian meats pizzas, as well as baked pizza rolls Gom describes as ideal for game day. Toni's Pizza is open 4-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Coming soon The old Michel's Sports Eatery across from Lake Central High School at 8209 Wicker Ave. in St. John has been completely gutted for renovations. R-Bar in Highland, a sports bar in Highland known for its Serbian food, is taking over the space about five miles south. Michel's was a popular place to watch the game that closed after owner George Michel, a retired fire chief with the Schererville Fire Department, died earlier this year. "We've been looking to get into St. John for the last five or six years. We had other opportunities that didn't work out. This opportunity was a great fit, so we jumped on it," said Steve Ruzich, who runs R-Bar with his business partner Alex Romic. "We're got it gutted and have filled up four dumpsters. We're going to renovate the whole thing. It will be redesigned and laid out similar to our new bar. The blueprint's here. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." R-Bar's second location will have 40 new TVs, live music, trivia night, bingo parties and other events. It will encompass about 5,000 square feet and seat up to 200 people. It will have the same menu of Serbian food that includes cevaps, pljeskavica, shish kebab, smoked sausage, muckalica, burek, sopska salata, ajvar and kajmak. The traditional old world cuisine, which comes with authentic sides like raw onion, draws Serbs, Croatians and Eastern Europeans from across Northwest Indiana. Open Kabelin Ace Hardware opened a new store on Michigan City's east side. The family-owned retailer opened its eighth store and second in Michigan City at 2309 E. Michigan Blvd. in Eastgate Plaza. "This new location is more than just a store — it is a promise to support and uplift the East Side community by creating jobs, off ering essential products, and forming meaningful partnerships with other local businesses," Mackenzie Kabelin Watkins said. "Our goal is to enhance the quality of life for everyone who calls this area home." Chicago-based Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man and more than 5,700 locations across the country. It's a cooperative of local hardware stores like Kabelin Hardware, which started in 1912. The chain also has locations in LaPorte, New Carlisle, Granger, Walkerton and South Bend. It's calling its latest location the Michigan City East store. The store has a 4,000-square-foot open-air garden center as well as a wide array of hardware, home improvement supplies and the expert advise Ace is known for. "We have been hard at work for months bringing this new store together. I couldn't be prouder of the team involved and their commitment to making sure we provide the highest level of quality and service to our new neighbors," Store Manager Lisa Conley said. Reopened Tarimoro Fruits reopened in Hammond after suff ering a fire in November. The neighborhood grocery store at 1301 Chicago Ave. in Hammond stocks fresh fruit, produce and meat and a wide array of imported goods from Mexico like nopales, tortillas and clay pots. It also has many vendors who serve freshly prepared meals like chicken tamales in green sauce with hot champurrado. The butcher serves many Mexican favorites like barbacoa, carnitas and cow tongue. Ethnic fare like ceviche and Puerto Rican cuisine draws customers from a wide area, including neighboring East Chicago and the south suburbs. If you would like your business to be included in a future column, email joseph.pete@nwi.com .Once again, the last column of December (or the first of the next year, depending on how the dates line up) is a final look backward at the past year’s legal tomfoolery, monkeyshines, hijinks, and shenanigans. (Okay, I’m out of synonyms for “mischief.”) And so, once again: • Some years ago, the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was confronted by a reporter as he left church one Sunday. Scalia responded to the reporter’s question by flicking the four fingers of his hand under his chin. The gesture was apparently Scalia’s “commentary” that someone — even a reporter – shouold not have had the temerity to approach him while he was, um, off-duty. Scalia later claimed that it was simply a gesture of dismissal because he didn’t like being “ambushed” that way. On the other hand, the Boston Herald claimed that it was an “obscene gesture.” That’s the problem with gestures; they can all be interpreted so many different ways. But the State of Hawaii decided to wade into the field of nonverbal communication this past June, when its governor signed legislation making the “shaka” Hawaii’s “Official State Gesture.” The gesture is defined in the legislation as “. . . extending the thumb and smallest finger while holding the three middle fingers curled, and gesturing in salutation while presenting the front or back of the hand; the wrist may be rotated back and forth for emphasis.” This comes in the wake of New Mexico having made “the fragrance of roasting green chilies” its “official state aroma” in 2023, and California adopting the Dungeness crab as the “official state crustacean,” in 2024. But hearkening back to Justice Scalia, I don’t recommend making the “shaka” gesture while visiting Italy, where it has a . . . somewhat different meaning. • A federal judge in Florida heard a motion for sanctions — that is, a fine against the attorneys and/or their client — for bringing a frivolous lawsuit against discount retailer Big Lots. A woman named Peggy Durant sued Big Lots under a Florida consumer protection law, claiming that she was unable to brew 210 cups of coffee from a given container of beans, despite what was claimed on its label. The judge first dismissed the case (in a ruling that should likely be its own column) because the facts of the case didn’t support the allegations of the lawsuit. He later granted the motion for sanctions because, among other things, the attorneys had apparently filed more or less the same lawsuit in New York, where it had also been dismissed. Then they refiled essentially the lawsuit in Florida with a new client. But not only was this case dismissed, too, the trial judge added the sanctions because he found they had acted in bad faith. Big Lots’ ringing victory was undermined somewhat, however, when it ended the year by filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closing most if not all of its stores. This apparently had nothing to do with being sued in frivolous lawsuits, however. • Remember the doctor who “appeared” for his traffic ticket via Zoom while dressed in scrubs and standing in an active operating room? Or the attorney who appeared in court via Zoom but looked like a cat because he couldn’t figure out how to turn off the filter that made him appear that way? Ain’t technology amazin’? Well, 2024 added to that lore with the well-publicized case of Michigan resident Corey Allen, who appeared in court while driving his car. He was just pulling into a parking space when he activated his Zoom link. But the judge noted that the appearance was itself for a “driving on a suspended license” citation. And Mr. Allen was clearly driving when he signed on to the court Zoom. Oops. The case then took an odd turn, however, because in later proceedings, Allen at first claimed that his suspended license case had been resolved, and that the citation was issued in error because the court failed to reinstate his driving privilege by updating its records timely. But then, during a later appearance, the judge stated that Mr. Allen could not have been driving “on” a suspended license — because he had actually never had a driver’s license (at least in Michigan). Ever. (Even if someone has never had a license, the court’s records will simply note that the person’s “privilege to drive” has been suspended, whether they’ve ever had a license or not.) Another “oops.” Because Allen was in court the second time when the second startling revelation was made, however, that time the judge ordered him into custody. Frank Zotter, Jr. is a Ukiah attorney.