lodibet gaming online philippines
A top Manchester bakery which often goes viral with its creations has announced it will be remaining open on Christmas Day for a special reason that has been hailed by customers as ‘wonderful’. Loaf MCR , which is based on Oxford Road , started life in the pandemic when founder Aiden Ryan began baking to raise money for the NHS. Stocked in the likes of Selfridges, Aiden opened his city centre spot, which is kitted out in bright pink, in 2022. Known for his mini loafs featuring everything from Oreo and Lotus Biscoff, alongside his own Pink Panther and Manchester Tart flavours, his Instagram-worthy creations are often a hit online. Aiden has now announced that the Oxford Road bakery will open for five hours on December 25 to help reduce isolation and loneliness on Christmas Day. There will also be reduced drinks and cakes with the bakery not making a profit on its expanded hours. In a post on Instagram, he wrote: “Tomorrow, we’ll be open on Christmas Day for a very special reason... For many, Christmas is a time filled with love, presents, family, and friends. But for others, it can be an incredibly difficult time of year. Some people are alone, and some don’t even have a safe space to enjoy the season. Aiden said he had decided to open on Christmas Day so people could 'have a safe space to enjoy the season' (Image: Instagram: @loaf_manchester) “That’s why I want Loaf to remain a place for everyone—especially on Christmas Day! Our Oxford Street store will be open from 11am to 4pm, offering plenty of hot drinks and cakes at a reduced price—or free for those in need. We won’t be making a profit tomorrow; we’re just covering costs to make it possible to open our doors.” Aiden has also encouraged customers to spread the festive joy at Loaf MCR by donating any wrapped gifts, toiletries or clothes they can, which will then be donated to local charities. He said: “We’d love to welcome anyone today or tomorrow, whether it’s to stop by or to drop off wrapped gifts, hats, gloves, scarves, or toiletries. These will be shared with visitors on the day or donated to local charities supporting vulnerable people. Loaf MCR's creations are often shared across social media, including their Custard Cream loaf cake (Image: Supplied) “This has been a big part of my family’s Christmas tradition for years, and it’s wonderful to now offer not just gifts, but also a warm, kind space for those who need it most in the city centre. Everyone deserves warmth and kindness on Christmas Day!” The news was praised by many of Loaf’s followers. One person said: This is why we love you..... Merry Christmas xxx". Another said: "You are wonderful." Gran T Coffee House added: "You are truly a beautiful human". Loaf Mcr (Oxford Road, M1 6EG) will be open from 11am to 4pm on Christmas Day. More information on Instagram .Massachusetts Democrat Seth Moulton bashes local media for trying to ‘inflame’ LGBTQ remarks
is all-in on artificial intelligence at the fintech company. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Siemiatkowski said he's "of the opinion that AI can already do all of the jobs that we as humans do." "It's just a question of how we apply it and use it," he said. Klarna is a payment service that offers consumers "buy now, pay later" options. According to its website, the company is connected with more than 575,000 retailers. The increased attention around AI has raised concerns about how it will affect careers and the workplace. A 2023 report by McKinsey & Company estimated that 12 million American workers will have to as AI technology develops. During the interview, Siemiatkowski said Klarna stopped hiring last year. "I think what we've done internally hasn't been reported as widely. We stopped hiring about a year ago, so we were 4,500 and now we're 3,500," Siemiatkowski said. "We have a natural attrition like every tech company. People stay about five years, so 20% leave every year. By not hiring, we're simply shrinking, right?" Siemiatkowski said his company has told employees that "what's going to happen is the total salary cost of Klarna is going to shrink, but part of the gain of that is going to be seen in your paycheck." Although Klarna's website is advertising open positions at the time of writing, a spokesperson told Business Insider the company is not "actively recruiting" to expand its workforce. Rather, Klarna is backfilling "some essential roles," primarily in engineering. Read the original article onThis week, Minister of Racing Winston Peters announced the end of greyhound racing in the interests of animal welfare . Soon after, a law to criminalise killing of redundant racing dogs was passed under urgency in Parliament . The next day, the minister introduced the Racing Industry Amendment Bill to preserve the TAB's lucrative monopoly on sports betting which provides 90 percent of the racing industry's revenue. "Offshore operators are consolidating a significant market share of New Zealand betting - and the revenue which New Zealand's racing industry relies on is certainly not guaranteed," Peters told Parliament in support of the Bill. But offshore tech companies have also been pulling the revenue rug out from under local news media companies for years, and there has been no such speedy response to that. Digital platforms offer cheap and easy access to unlimited overseas content - and tech companies' dominance of the digital advertising systems and the resulting revenue is intensifying. Profits from online ads shown to New Zealanders go offshore - and very little tax is paid on the money made here by the likes of Google and Facebook. On Tuesday, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith did introduce legislation to repeal advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays. "As the government we must ensure regulatory settings are enabling the best chance of success," he said in a statement. The media have been crying out for this low-hanging fruit for years - but the estimated $6 million boost is a drop in the bucket for broadcasters, and little help for other media. The big bucks are in tech platforms paying for the local news they carry. Squeezing the tech titans In Australia, the government did it three years ago with a bargaining code that is funnelling significant sums to news media there. It also signalled the willingness of successive governments to confront the market dominance of 'big tech'. When Goldsmith took over here in May he said the media industry's problems were both urgent and acute - likewise the need to "level the playing field". The government then picked up the former government's Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, modelled on Australia's move. But it languishes low down on Parliament's order paper, following threats from Google to cut news out of its platforms in New Zealand - or even cut and run from New Zealand altogether. Six years after his Labour predecessor Kris Faafoi first pledged to follow in Australia's footsteps in support of local media, Goldsmith said this week he now wants to wait and see how Australia's latest tough measures pan out . (The News Bargaining Incentive announced on Thursday could allow the Australian government to tax big digital platforms if they do not pay local news publishers there) Meanwhile, news media cuts and closures here roll on. The lid keeps sinking in 2024 "I've worked in the industry for 30 years and never seen a year like it," RNZ's Guyon Espiner wrote in the Listener this week, admitting to "a sense of survivor's guilt." Just this month, 14 NZME local papers will close and more TVNZ news employees will be told they will lose jobs in what Espiner described as "destroy the village to save the village" strategy. Whakaata Māori announced 27 job losses earlier this month and the end of Te Ao Māori News every weekday on TV. Its te reo channel will go online-only. Digital start-ups with lower overheads than established news publishers and broadcasters are now struggling too. "The Spinoff had just celebrated its 10th birthday when a fiscal hole opened up. Staff numbers are being culled, projects put on ice and a mayday was sent out calling for donations to keep the site afloat ," Espiner also wrote in his bleak survey for the Listener . Spinoff founder Duncan Grieve has charted the economic erosion of the media all year at The Spinoff and on its weekly podcast The Fold . In a recent edition, he said he could not carry on "pretending things would be fine" and did not want The Spinoff to go down without giving people the chance to save it. "We get some (revenue) direct from our audience through members, some commercial revenue and we get funding for various New Zealand on Air projects typically," Greive told Mediawatch this week. "The members' bucket is pretty solid. The commercial bucket was going quite well, and then we just ran into a brick wall. There has been a real system-wide shock to commercial revenues." "But the thing that we didn't predict which caused us to have to publish that open letter was New Zealand on Air. We've been able to rely on getting one or two projects up, but we've missed out two rounds in a row. Maybe our projects ... weren't good enough, but it certainly had this immediate, near-existential challenge for us." Critics complained The Spinoff has had millions of dollars in public money in its first decade. "While the state is under no obligation to fund our work, it's hard to watch as other platforms continue to be heavily backed while your own funding stops dead," Greive said in the open letter. The open letter said Creative NZ funding had been halved this year, and the Public Interest Journalism Fund support for two of the Spinoff's team of 31 was due to run out next year. "I absolutely take on the chin the idea that we shouldn't be reliant on that funding. Once you experience something year after year, you do build your business around that ... for the coming year. When a hard-to-predict event like that comes along, you are in a situation where you have to scramble," Grieve told Mediawatch . "We shot a flare up that our audience has responded to. We're not out of the woods yet, but we're really pleased with the strength of support and an influx of members." Newshub shutdown A recent addition to the Spinoff's board - Glen Kyne - has already felt the force of the media's economic headwinds in 2024. He was the CEO of Warner Brothers Discovery NZ and oversaw the biggest and most comprehensive news closure of the year - the culling of the entire Newshub operation . "It was heart-wrenching because we had looked at and tried everything leading into that announcement. I go back to July 2022, when we started to see money coming out of the market and the cost of living crisis starting to appear," Kyne told Mediawatch this week. "We started taking steps immediately and were incredibly prudent with cost management. We would get to a point where we felt reasonably confident that we had a path, but the floor beneath our feet - in terms of the commercial market - kept falling. You're seeing this with TVNZ right now." Warner Brothers Discovery is a multinational player in broadcast media. Did they respond to requests for help? "They were empathetic. But Warner Brothers Discovery had lost 60-70 percent of its share price because of the issues around global media companies as well. They were very determined that we got the company to a position of profitability as quickly as we possibly could. But ultimately the economics were such that we had to make the decision." Smaller but sustainable in 2025? Or managed decline? Kyne did a deal with Stuff to supply a 6pm news bulletin to TV channel Three after the demise of Newshub in July. He is one of a handful of people who know the sums, but Stuff is certainly producing ThreeNews now with a fraction of the former budget for Newshub. Can media outlets settle on a shape that will be sustainable, but smaller - and carry on in 2025 and beyond? Or does Kyne fear media are merely managing decline if revenue continues to slump? "It's slightly terrifying because the downward pressures are going to continue into next year. Three created a sustainable model for the 6pm bulletin to continue. "Stuff is an enormous newsgathering organisation, so they were able to make it work and good luck to them. I can see that bulletin continuing to improve as the team get more experience." No news is really bad news If news can't be sustained at scale in commercial media companies even on reduced budgets, what then? Some are already pondering a 'post-journalism' future in which social media takes over as the memes of sharing news and information. How would that pan out? "We might be about to find out," Greive told Mediawatch . "Journalism doesn't have a monopoly on information, and there are all kinds of different institutions that now have channels. A lot of what is created ... has a factual basis. Whether it's a TikTok-er or a YouTuber, they are themselves consumers of news. "A lot of people are replacing a habit of reading the newspaper and listening to ZB or RNZ with a new habit - consuming social media. Some of it has a news-like quality but it doesn't have vetting of the information and membership of the Media Council ... as a way of restraining behaviour. "We've got a big question facing us as a society. Either news becomes this esoteric, elite habit that is either pay-walled or alternatively there's public media. If we [lose] freely-accessible, mass-audience channels, then we'll find out what democracy, the business sector, the cultural sector looks like without that. "In communities where there isn't a single journalist, a story can break or some someone can put something out ... and if there's no restraint on that and no check on it, things are going to happen. "In other countries, most notably Australia, they've recognised this looming problem, and there's a quite muscular and joined-up regulator and legislator to wrestle with the challenges that represents. And we're just not seeing that here." They are in Australia. In addition to the News Bargaining Code and the just-signalled News Bargaining Incentive, the Albanese government is banning social media for under-16s . Meta has responded to pressure to combat financial scam advertising on Facebook. Here, the media policy paralysis makes the government's ferries plan look decisive. What should it do in 2025? To-do in 2025 "There are fairly obvious things that could be done that are being done in other jurisdictions, even if it's as simple as having a system of fines and giving the Commerce Commission the power to sort of scrutinize large technology platforms," Greive told Mediawatch . "You've got this general sense of malaise over the country and a government that's looking for a narrative. It's shocking when you see Australia, where it's arguably the biggest political story - but here we're just doing nothing." Not quite. There was the holiday ad reform legislation this week. "Allowing broadcasting Christmas Day and Easter is a drop in the ocean that's not going to materially change the outcome for any company here," Kyne told Mediawatch . "The Fair Digital News Bargaining bill was conceived three years ago and the world has changed immeasurably. "You've seen Australia also put some really thoughtful white papers together on media regulation that really does bring a level of equality between the global platforms and the local media and to have them regulated under common legislation - a bit like an Ofcom operates in the UK, where both publishers and platforms, together are overseen and managed accordingly. "That's the type of thing we're desperate for in New Zealand. If we don't get reform over the next couple of years you are going to see more community newspapers or radio stations or other things no longer able to operate." Grieve was one of the media execs who pushed for Commerce Commission approval for media to bargain collectively with Google and Meta for news payments. Backing the Bill - or starting again? Local media executives, including Grieve, recently met behind closed doors to re-assess their strategy. "Some major industry participants are still quite gung-ho with the legislation and think that Google is bluffing when it says that it will turn news off and break its agreements. And then you've got another group that think that they're not bluffing, and that events have since overtaken [the legislation]," he said. "The technology platforms have products that are always in motion. What they're essentially saying - particularly to smaller countries like New Zealand - is: 'You don't really get to make laws. We decide what can and can't be done'. And that's quite a confronting thing for legislators. It takes quite a backbone and quite a lot of confidence to sort of stand up to that kind of pressure." The government just appointed a minister of rail to take charge of the current Cook Strait ferry crisis. Do we need a minister of social media or tech to take charge of policy on this part of the country's infrastructure? "We've had successive governments that want to be open to technology, and high growth businesses starting here. But so much of the internet is controlled by a small handful of platforms that can have an anti-competitive relationship with innovation in any kind of business that seeks to build on land that they consider theirs," Greive said. "A lot of what's happened in Australia has come because the ACCC, their version of the Commerce Commission, has got a a unit which scrutinises digital platforms in much the same way that we do with telecommunications, the energy market and so on. Here there is just no one really paying attention. And as a result, we're getting radically different products than they do in Australia." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.An urgent warning has been issued to all Australians ahead of Thursday’s $100m Powerball draw . The Powerball Draw 1489 Division One jackpot has hit the eye-watering amount after going unclaimed for four weeks. But with as many as a thousand Powerball tickets expected to sell every minute before tonight’s draw, players are being urged to take note of a crucial — but easy-to-miss — piece of advice from The Lott. The Lott has long encouraged players to seek guidance from a financial planner if they take home a significant win. “We strongly suggest seeking professional financial advice for major lottery wins to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from your good fortune,” it advises on its website. It’s further been claimed that one of the reasons that Division One winners have to wait two weeks to receive their jackpots is so they can receive professional guidance on how to manage their newfound wealth. “In Australia there is a two week provisional period before the money is paid to you,” one Reddit user said. “This is meant to be the time you seek financial advice from professionals. Tatts can put you in contact with ones that understand lotto and large windfall winnings.” Another said: “You have two weeks to coordinate a lawyer, a financial advisor, and draw up an NDA. “Keep your mouth shut and don’t tell anyone without them signing an NDA. Lawyers are bound by client confidentially already so start there, then make your financial advisor sign the NDA before engaging with them. “After two weeks you get paid out, and you better have things organised before you get door knockers. If you do things right, nobody will ever find out.” In a recent Reddit post, some Australian social media users shared their concerning experiences with money after winning jackpots. Many complained of old and long-lost acquaintances “coming out of the woodwork” wanting a cut of their winnings. “A friend won $1 million, they did not give him financial advisers but he had access to one,” one Reddit user said. “Too many people knocked on his door asking for money though as he found out while at work.” Another said: “I won a large amount of money on a TV quiz show. All the mother****ers came out of the woodwork. “Won the money when I was late 30s. Had a person I hadn’t seen since the last day of high school (like 20 f***en years ago) messaging me telling me she was about to lose the house and hundred acre property she inherited because she couldn’t work. “We’d been Facebook friends for a few years before this and she couldn’t work because she was a raging alcoholic. “Then the ‘I only need 10k’ message came. I said haha, yeah right. ‘No, I really need it, can you help.’ About four times in escalating levels of begging. “Then proceeded to call me all the c**** under the sun because I wouldn’t give her money. Harassed me for about a month via DM. Then proceeded to stalk me around mutual friends posts when I commented and called me a tight arse and selfish. “Was mostly people from school and very old acquaintances that I hadn’t seen for ages that hit me up. Family didn’t ask for a thing. Friends didn’t ask for a thing.” Another big winner said it can be easy to spend a large portion of your win without realising it. “We won the lotto. We are a smart and well-educated couple and we were determined it wouldn’t change us. It was an Oz Lotto between $1-10 million,” they said. “We paid our mortgage off, paid for my mum to move into a better nursing home, paid my in-laws mortgage off, paid for private school for our children until high school. “My husband invested a bunch. We weren’t going to be like those other people. Right? We both kept working (although when his contract ran out two years later he didn’t bother getting another client it because he didn’t have to). “I was able to afford nice clothes, nice outfits. Louis Vuitton hand bags, burberry coats, new car. We could eat at nice restaurants. Just for a change. “But that became our new normal. Until we couldn’t afford our new normal anymore. It hit us one day how much of our savings we’d gone through. It crept up on us. It wasn’t an overnight change. “It was a ‘We have millions I can splurge on a bag!’ And then it became a ‘I need a new back pack so I’ll see what LV has.’ “Thankfully we’ve managed to rein it in and get back on top of things. But it was crazy how quick there was a new and unsustainable normal.” The warnings come as an American man faces a messy legal challenge from family over his $1.35 billion Mega Millions win. The unidentified man won the huge jackpot in January last year, and is now locked in a bitter legal battle with family members. He’s been accused of refusing to share a portion of his winnings as promised, abandoning plans to set-up a million-dollar trust fund and refusing to pay medical expenses for his father. He has also claimed that the mother of his daughter violated a non-disclosure agreement by telling the rest of their family about his enormous win before their daughter’s 18th birthday in 2032. He went on to accuse the woman of trying to kidnap their daughter when he wouldn’t pay for a vacation for her and her boyfriend. The man also revealed how his relationship with his father deteriorated after he took home the major jackpot. “I made the mistake of telling my father that I had won the lottery without having him sign a confidentiality agreement,” the lotto winner said in court documents. “Our relationship deteriorated quickly thereafter. “I did not tell him what I was doing with my money, how I was going to benefit my daughter, or any facts other than the simple fact that I had won.” If you’re concerned about your gambling or the gambling of a friend or family member, log on to Gambling Help Online or make contact via phone on 1800 858 858. You can access online counselling as well as services in your state or territory and support for family and friends .
EJ Farmer scores 20 points and Youngstown State downs Toledo 93-87
A state senator who switched from the Democratic Party to the GOP earlier this year caused a legislative stir Monday by comparing state Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez to a Ku Klux Klan member in a social media post. We are on day 1 of the new session and Grand Wizard Gonzalez of the Latino Caucus is already in my face. She tried to kick me out of the Senate break room so she could have “privacy”. Uhhh nope. I am a CA State Senator just....like....you...ni que fuera tu pendeja #PowerTakeBackCA In Monday’s post, Marie Alvarado-Gil compared Democratic Sen. Lena Gonzalez — who is chair of the California Legislative Latino Caucus and also serves as Senate Majority Leader, to the head of the racist organization Ku Klux Klan, ending with an obscenity in Spanish. “We are on day 1 of the new session and Grand Wizard Gonzalez of the Latino Caucus is already in my face,” the post read. “She tried to kick me out of the Senate break room so she could have ‘privacy’. Uhhh nope. I am a CA State Senator just....like....you...ni que fuera tu pendeja #PowerTakeBackCA “ Democratic Sen. Lena Gonzalez — who is chair of the California Legislative Latino Caucus and who also serves as Senate Majority Leader — kicked Marie Alvarado-Gil out of the Latino Caucus earlier this year after Alvarado-Gil switched parties , leaving the Democratic Party for the Republican Party in the middle of her term. Legislators swiftly issued statements condemning Monday’s post. “The online racist attack by Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil yesterday targeting Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez is abhorrent and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by both sides of the aisle,” said Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire. “There is absolutely no excuse for a member of the California Legislature to invoke one of the worst terror organizations in our nation’s history. Words have meaning, and her hate speech is downright dangerous. We have launched our year-end campaign. Our goal: Raise $50,000 by Dec. 31. Help us get there. Times of San Diego is devoted to producing timely, comprehensive news about San Diego County. Your donation helps keep our work free-to-read, funds reporters who cover local issues and allows us to write stories that hold public officials accountable. Join the growing list of donors investing in our community's long-term future. “Senator Alvarado-Gil has enough troubles as it is and she has crossed yet another line, which will not be tolerated. She owes Senator Gonzalez and the people of California a public apology for her hate-filled tirade.” The “has enough troubles as it is” may refer to a lawsuit filed against Alvarado-Gil for alleged sexual harassment in September by former staffer Chad Condit . She filed a countersuit last month. Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, a Republican whose district stretches from Poway to Borrego Springs and who leads the Senate Republican Caucus, also released a statement . “Racism and personal attacks have no place in our political discourse or within any governing body on either side of the aisle,” the statement said. “Yesterday’s conflict stems from a history of ongoing tensions between some members that have escalated since Senator Alvarado-Gil switched parties.” Jones’ statement said that he urged all legislative members to “resolve workplace conflicts privately and professionally.” Get Our Free Daily Email Newsletter Get the latest local and California news from Times of San Diego delivered to your inbox at 8 a.m. daily. Sign up for our free email newsletter and be fully informed of the most important developments.P/E Ratio Insights for Arista Networks
THIS year has seen seismic change in the world of health and medicine. There have been leaps forward in how we might one day treat disease, and steps back in our efforts to prevent it. The journal Science named its breakthrough of the year as the development of lenacapavir. The promising new injectable drug provides six months of protection against HIV , which infects more than one million a year. Since January, there have also been “miracle” weight-loss jabs and anti-cancer vaccines . But childhood disease outbreaks and a stark rise in the number of under-50s diagnosed with cancer have meant major setbacks. READ MORE HEALTH NEWS We look back at some of the stories of the past 12 months . . . WEIGHT-LOSS JABS HARDLY a week went by without the likes of Ozempic , Wegovy or “King Kong” Mounjaro in the news. Popularity of the self-injected drugs exploded due to their extraordinary ability to help shed fat by mimicking a hormone to make you feel full. Research suggests they have many more uses than treating type 2 diabetes , which is what they were designed for, and millions of Brits could benefit. Most read in Health Professor John Deanfield, NHS cardiologist and University College London researcher, found semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, substantially cut risk of heart attacks or strokes even in people who did not lose weight. It adds to studies which suggest the “miracle” drugs might reduce the chances of dementia , kidney disease, cancer and drug or alcohol addiction. The Government now wants to roll out the medicines to overweight people across the UK. Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, tells Sun on Sunday Health: “Weight-loss medications have been hailed as one of the health breakthroughs of 2024. “They offer hope of tangible improvements in the lives of people with severe obesity but are not a long-term solution for everyone.” CANCER VACCINES THE NHS became one of the first to roll out cancer vaccines in the real world away from trials — and 10,000 patients are set to have them by 2030. The vaccines are made with mRNA technology — like that of the Pfizer Covid jabs — and work by matching killer antibodies to individual patients’ tumour cells. University lecturer and dad-of-four Elliot Pfebve, from Walsall, West Mids, was the first to get a shot in March. It was aimed at preventing the 55-year-old’s bowel cancer from returning after chemotherapy. Steve Young, a 52-year-old music teacher from Stevenage, Herts , also had a jab, tailored to his melanoma skin cancer . Professor Peter Johnson, NHS cancer director, says: “This is cutting-edge technology and a very important development.” DEMENTIA DRUGS THE UK’s first ever approval of drugs proven to slow and potentially stave off dementia was bittersweet. Lecanemab and donanemab, which clear toxic proteins from the brain to slow or halt Alzheimer’s disease , come too late for the one million people already living with dementia. But they offer a ray of hope for preventing it in future, if given at the first signs of cognitive decline. However, the NHS’s spending watchdog delivered a crushing blow, deciding they cost too much. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence said the estimated £20,000 per person per year would be an unjustifiable use of tax money. It could also not overlook evidence that the risks of stroke or brain damage are high. David Thomas, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, says: “It’s a step forward that we now have two drugs licensed but it’s hugely disappointing that NHS patients in England and Wales won’t be able to access them. “While these treatments are far from perfect, they open the door to future breakthroughs that will be safer and more effective, bringing us closer to a day when we can slow, stop and even reverse dementia.” PIG-TO-MAN TRANSPLANT IN March, Rick Slayman became the first living patient to ever have a genetically edited pig kidney transplanted into his body. Aged 62, he was suffering end-stage kidney disease after a transplanted human kidney failed. Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston said the pig organ appeared to work normally after the four-hour operation. Slayman later died but there was “no indication” it was as a result of the procedure. Scientists believe tweaking the DNA in the lab before transplant can prevent the human body from rejecting it. If the technique, known as xenotransplantation, can be perfected, it could slash waiting lists worldwide and potentially remove the need for human donors. VAPE CRACKDOWN NEW laws to crack down on vaping will be coming in next year. E-cigarette use has rocketed, with the Office for National Statistics in October estimating that 5.1million people are regular vapers and six million smoke tobacco. While widely regarded as safer than smoking , the science increasingly suggests e-cigs are not risk-free. A study by Manchester Metropolitan University in September found vapers’ cardio fitness was almost as bad as smokers’. READ MORE SUN STORIES Past research has shown the fumes can cause harmful inflammation in blood vessels and the heart, while patient horror stories have seen youngsters end up in hospital. Next year, new legislation will ban disposable vapes as well as colourful packaging and sweet flavours that appeal to children. RISING CANCER CASES DOCTORS highlighted a worrying rise in cancer diagnoses among young adults. Cancer Research UK found the rate in people aged 24 to 49 has jumped 24 per cent since 1995 – the fastest increase of any age group. Further research by the charity found that bowel cancer was rising among under-50s in 27 out of 50 countries studied. Breast and prostate cancers are among the others affected, and research suggests each new generation is more likely than the last to develop the disease. Experts reckon processed foods, rising obesity and less active lifestyles might all play a part, as well as genetics. CHILDHOOD DISEASE OUTBREAKS ENGLAND saw the worst outbreaks of measles and whooping cough in more than a decade. Ten children died from whooping cough, and 14,453 were confirmed to have been infected between January and October – a massive rise from 856 cases in 2023. Some 2,707 measles cases were confirmed in the same period. One child died. Both viral infections can be prevented with vaccines offered free on the NHS to babies and one-year-olds. Figures show uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab is at a 15-year low of 89 per cent. The six-in-one vaccine, which covers whooping cough, is also below the safe 95 per cent target, at 92 per cent.Why was Don Brown let go from his head coaching position at UMass Amherst? Is it really just all about wins? Personally, I think it is more about the program and the student athletes than a final score or a final season record of wins and losses. Don Brown is a class act. He always has been and always will be about his guys and building lasting relationships. When Coach Brown came in, half the players were on academic probation. Now no one is on probation. What took UMass Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford so long to get into a conference? Look at the schedule he worked out each year. Why is UMass playing a mini SEC schedule? Perhaps because it brought money into the program from the much bigger schools? It appears it may have been more important to put money first. Two years in a row UMass lost their starting quarterback to a season ending injury in an SEC game. Bamford said that because of Don’s renowned coaching reputation UMass is now in a conference positioned to accomplish their competitive goals. Bamford could not get the conference deal done before Coach Brown came on board. Now that Don has been an integral part in the success of UMass over the years, why not give him a chance to be successful in the new conference? Coach Don Brown deserves much better. Mark McGlone Plymouth, New Hampshire Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess
The best early Black Friday deals: Sales from Amazon, Madewell, and moreNitish Kumar to lead NDA in state polls: Bihar BJPAre you tracking your health with a device? Here’s what could happen with the data
Boise State naturally takes pride in its Fiesta Bowl heritage. The Broncos have been an FBS program for not quite three decades, but they have been to one of the grandest of the bowl games, the Fiesta, three times — and have won all three. All three of those trophies sit in the Bleymaier Football Center at Albertsons Stadium. Adding a fourth would be a significant step forward for a program that has re-emerged on the national stage. In the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff, No. 3 seed Boise State (12-1) will take on No. 6 Penn State (12-2) in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve, which is one of the quarterfinal games. The Nittany Lions have an impressive Fiesta Bowl legacy as well. They have been to the game seven times and won all seven. No team has won more — Ohio State and Arizona State each won five. “Our guys are very aware of our history here at Penn State,” head coach James Franklin said Monday morning. “And we spend a lot of time in the offseason talking about those things, or former players coming back to talk to our guys.” Penn State won its first Fiesta Bowl in 1977, defeating Arizona State 42-30 in the Sun Devils’ own stadium, where the game used to be played. Since then, the Nittany Lions emerged victorious in 1980, ‘82, ‘87, ‘92, ‘97 and 2017 — when they defeated Chris Petersen’s Washington team 35-28. The Broncos won their three Fiesta Bowls between 2007 and 2014. The first of those was a classic: a 43-42 overtime victory over the Adrian Peterson-led Oklahoma Sooners in 2007 that is considered one of the greatest college football games of the past 25 years. The Broncos’ other Fiesta Bowls were a 17-10 win over TCU in 2010 and a 38-30 victory over Arizona in 2014. They were underdogs in all three games and will be again on New Year’s Eve, with Penn State opening as 10.5-point favorites . Boise State remains the last non-Power 5 conference team to win the Fiesta Bowl. “We might not have what everybody else has, but we definitely have enough,” head coach Spencer Danielson said Monday. “And we’re going to continue to push forward.” Franklin, who briefly lived in Pocatello as Idaho State’s wide receivers coach in 1999, said Boise State has the “ingredients to succeed” that other schools often lack. “It’s in the university, it’s in the community, it’s embedded there. And that’s why you’ve seen so many people be able to go there and have success,” Franklin said. “... I’ve got a ton of respect for Boise, the university, the history, the traditions. We’re excited to play them.” The Broncos will have a big piece of that tradition on display in the game: the uniform combination they’ve had in every Fiesta Bowl victory. That consists of a blue helmet, white jerseys and orange pants. “I am a huge fan of the all-blues, the all-blacks and the all-whites. I have zero swag. I have zero feel of what people might want,” Danielson said with a laugh. “So I’m probably the wrong guy to ask, but I knew the second we were playing the Fiesta Bowl, (the uniform) wasn’t even going to be a conversation for me.” Fiesta Bowl, Boise State vs. Penn State When: 5:30 p.m. Mountain time Tuesday, Dec. 31 Where: State Farm Stadium (63,400, natural grass) TV: ESPN Radio: KBOI 670 AM and KBOI 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender) Records: Boise State 12-1; Penn State 12-2 Series: First meeting Vegas line: Penn State by 10.5 points Weather: Indoors This story was originally published December 24, 2024, 3:08 PM.
BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; and Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar, contributed to this report.Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3 — Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024 “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.U.N. nuclear agency’s board condemns Iran for the 2nd time this year for failing to fully cooperateZuma was initially suspended from the ANC in January forendorsing the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party for the May 2024 elections. He waseventually expelled in July and opted to appeal the party’s decision. Confirming Zuma’s suspension, ANC national spokesperson,Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, said Zuma's behaviour exemplified the highest form ofill-discipline and a direct assault on the historical mission of the ANC. “By establishing and leading a rival political party, heabandoned the core values of organisational loyalty and collectiveaccountability, converting himself into a tool for destabilisation,” she said. She added that as a former president of the ANC, Zuma wasexpected to embody the highest standards of disciplined leadership and advancedcadres who serve as guides and inspiration for all members of the movement andsociety. “Instead, his actions have undermined the unity andcohesion of the movement at a time when it is critical to consolidate and pushforward with organisational renewal and confront the pressing challenges facingSouth Africa. This severe breach of our organisational foundation necessitatedhis expulsion to safeguard the ANC's integrity and ensure that the unity of theorganisation remains in form and content,” Bhengu-Motsiri said. She said the ANC will never permit an individual,regardless of stature or historical contribution to undermine its mission tobuild a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, and prosperous society. IOL
Chinese Industry Associations Say US Chips ‘No Longer Safe’ to Buy
McCray added five rebounds, five steals, and four blocks for the Dolphins (6-5). Zimi Nwokeji scored 15 points while going 5 of 6 (4 for 5 from 3-point range) and added five rebounds. Kendall Munson shot 3 of 4 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line to finish with eight points. The Buccaneers (6-5) were led by John Buggs III, who recorded 15 points. East Tennessee State also got 13 points and five assists from Quimari Peterson. Jaden Seymour also put up nine points and two blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Democrats stick with Schumer as leader. Their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain
None
WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Namibia elected its first female leader as Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was declared the winner Tuesday of a presidential election last week that was tarnished by technical glitches that caused a three-day extension to allow votes to be cast, and rejected as illegal by opposition parties. The 72-year-old Nandi-Ndaitwah won with 57% of the vote, defying predictions that she might be forced into a runoff. Her ruling SWAPO party also retained its parliamentary majority, although by a very thin margin, and extended its 34-year hold on power since the southern African country gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Namibia, a sparsely populated country of around 3 million on the southwestern coast of Africa, has a reputation for being one of the continent's more stable democracies and the problems around the election have caused consternation. Last Wednesday's vote was marred by shortages of ballot papers and other problems that led election officials to extend voting until Saturday. Opposition parties have said the extension is unconstitutional, and some have pledged to join together in a legal appeal to have the election invalidated. The Electoral Commission of Namibia, which ran the election, rejected opposition calls for a redo of the vote. It has undermined Nandi-Ndaitwah's place in history. She is set to become her country's fifth president since independence and a rare female leader in Africa. She was a member of Namibia's underground independence movement in the 1970s and received part of her higher education in the then-Soviet Union. She was promoted to vice president in February after President Hage Geingob died while in office . Nangolo Mbumba, who became president after Geingob's death, didn't run in the election. The ruling SWAPO party won 51 seats in the parliamentary vote, only just passing the 49 it needed to keep its majority and narrowly avoiding becoming another long-ruling party to be rejected in southern Africa this year. It was SWAPO's worst parliamentary election result. A mood of change has swept across the region, with parties that led their countries out of white minority or colonial rule in neighboring South Africa and Botswana both losing their long-held political dominance. South Africa's African National Congress, which freed the country from the racist system of apartheid, lost its 30-year majority in an election in May and had to form a coalition. Botswana's ruling party was stunningly removed in a landslide in October after governing for 58 years since independence from Britain. Mozambique's long-ruling Frelimo has been accused of rigging an October election and has faced weeks of violent protests against its rule. SWAPO faced similar challenges as those countries, with frustration at high unemployment and economic hardship, especially among young people, driving a desire for era-ending change. In a brief speech after the results were announced late Tuesday night, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibians had voted for peace, stability and youth empowerment. “We are going to do what we promised you during the campaigns. Thank you for your confidence and trust in us," she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah was also due to address the nation on Wednesday morning. “SWAPO Wins. Netumbo Wins. Namibia Wins. Now Hard Work,” the ruling party posted on its official account on social media site X. Some opposition parties boycotted the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Namibia at its results center in the capital, Windhoek. The commission has been roundly criticized for its running of the vote, with many angry Namibians complaining they had to wait hours and sometimes over multiple days for the chance to vote. Just over 1 million votes were cast out of 1.4 million registered voters, according to the electoral commission. Panduleni Itula, the leading opposition candidate from the Independent Patriots for Change party, was second in the presidential election with 25% of the vote. His party won the second-largest number of seats in Parliament behind SWAPO. Itula and his party have led the criticism of the vote and said they will lodge their appeal against the election this week. Other opposition parties said they will join that legal challenge. Itula has said that thousands of voters may have been prevented from voting as only some polling stations allowed an extension. "This election has violated the very tenets of our Electoral Act. Namibians deserve the right to choose their leaders freely and fairly, not through a rigged process,” he said. Namibia is a former German colony that came under South African control after World War I and its Black majority was later subjected to some of South Africa’s apartheid policies. SWAPO was at the forefront of the battle for independence from South Africa. While the country has swaths of desert running through it, it has diamond and uranium resources and untapped oil and gas off its coast that is being explored by international companies and could make it a major producer of both. AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Zebra Technologies' chief accounting officer sells $75,979 in stockWarriors G Stephen Curry (both knees) missing Thunder clash