The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel. The resolution -- adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions -- urges "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" -- wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month. At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack. It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity. Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be "shameful and wrong" to adopt the text. Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity." The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different. The resolution, which is non-binding, demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory. Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians. "Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed," said Slovenia's UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. "History is the harshest critic of inaction." - 'Price of silence' - That criticism was echoed by Algeria's deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: "The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow." Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations. "Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine," Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly's special session on the issue. "The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare," he said, calling for an end to the "impunity." After Wednesday's vote, he said "we will keep knocking on the doors of the Security Council and the General Assembly until we see an immediate and unconditional ceasefire put in place." The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present "proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability" by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience. The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011. A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions. Israel has voted to ban the organization starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas's devastating attack. abd/sst/jgc/nro/des
Biden uses remarks about Jimmy Carter's death to make not-so-subtle dig at TrumpA proposal to end an “invaluable” timber machining apprenticeship programme in Rotorua has left its tutor of 17 years worried for his students. The proposal at the Bay of Plenty tertiary institution Toi Ohomai – if confirmed – would have up to 20 jobs lost and the end of “highly valued courses”, its union said. A Te Hautū Kahurangi Tertiary Education Union statement on November 13 said courses at risk were across campuses in Taupō , Tokoroa , Rotorua, Tauranga and Whakatāne . They included forestry, timber machining, hairdressing, makeup and skincare, and social work. The union slammed the proposed cuts and said it might result in the closure of the Waipā campus in Rotorua – a dedicated training facility that operates a working wood manufacturing plant. Toi Ohomai said institutes of technology and polytechnics needed to become “financially viable” as the Government worked towards disestablishing Te Pūkenga and forming a new vocational education structure.Share Tweet Share Share Email In the world of digital finance, the market is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Every day brings new opportunities, and blockchain technology continues to reshape how businesses and individuals interact with the digital economy. As new players emerge, savvy investors keep a keen eye on innovative platforms driving the next wave of digital transformation. In recent news, two major cryptocurrencies have caught the attention of investors. Hedera (HBAR) displays strong bullish momentum, with analysts predicting an impressive breakout potential. Meanwhile, Litecoin (LTC) has also garnered attention, as veteran trader Peter Brandt forecasts a significant rally. However, the most exciting developments are occurring within Qubetics ($TICS), a revolutionary platform on the verge of shaking up the blockchain development space. This article will delve into the latest updates on Hedera, Litecoin, and Qubetics, highlighting why Qubetics is rapidly becoming one of the best cryptos with 1000X potential, especially as its presale reaches new heights. Qubetics: The Best Crypto with 1000X Potential for Developers Qubetics is setting new standards with its innovative QubeQode IDE, a cutting-edge visual development environment designed to simplify blockchain application creation. With drag-and-drop components, users can effortlessly integrate pre-built blockchain functionalities such as user authentication, token management, and data storage into their applications. Gone are the days of complex coding for these tasks. But it doesn’t stop there. The form-based configuration feature allows users to define application logic and smart contract parameters through intuitive forms, eliminating the need for intricate code editing. The ease of use is unmatched, and developers can streamline their processes like never before. The platform also leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to expedite development. AI assists in smart contract generation, ensuring that contracts are secure and efficient based on user specifications. It further aids in code completion and error detection, improving development speed and quality. Additionally, AI analyses application code and recommends optimisations for both efficiency and security. Qubetics recently launched its AMA session , providing even more insights into its revolutionary approach to blockchain development. The AMA provides a deeper dive into what makes this platform so promising. Hedera’s Bullish Momentum Signals Massive Upside Potential Hedera (HBAR) has been showing remarkable bullish momentum recently, with top analysts predicting a potential breakout target of $0.504. According to Javon Marks, this represents a massive upside movement of 192% and 306% from its current price level—essentially a 3x gain. The recent surge above a critical resistance zone has sparked widespread optimism, with traders and investors eager to capitalise on Hedera’s technical breakout potential. As prices remain above this key resistance level, the bullish trend is expected to persist, and market participants are watching closely for the next wave of gains. With Hedera’s strong fundamentals and growing market strength, many believe it’s poised for significant growth soon. Litecoin’s Potential Rally Echoes XRP’s Meteoric Rise Litecoin (LTC) is now in the spotlight, especially after veteran trader Peter Brandt shifted his focus to the coin. Brandt has predicted that Litecoin may replicate XRP’s meteoric rise, pointing to Litecoin’s breakout above the $115 resistance level. He forecasts a rally that could see Litecoin reach $420, representing a 250% increase from its current price. Analysts are backing Brandt’s optimism, with some even suggesting that Litecoin could be on the verge of a much larger rally. Analyst “SURF” has set an ambitious target of $5,000 for Litecoin, further adding to the excitement around the coin’s potential. Qubetics Presale Hits New Heights – Time is Ticking Qubetics is currently in Presale Phase 12, with each weekly phase bringing a 10% price hike, culminating in a 20% increase in the final stage. Currently, $TICS tokens are priced at just $0.031, and over $5.4 million has already been raised. This is the perfect time for early investors to seize the opportunity, as analysts predict Qubetics could see its value soar to between $10 and $15 per token after the mainnet launch. If $TICS tokens reach $10, investors in the current phase would see a jaw-dropping return on investment (ROI) of about 32,028.61%. If the price climbs even further to $15 per token, the potential ROI skyrockets to approximately 48,092.91%. These figures reflect the immense growth potential that makes Qubetics one of the best cryptos with 1000X potential . Conclusion: The Future of Blockchain – Qubetics at the Forefront In a world of high volatility and rapid technological advancements, analysts predict remarkable growth for all three cryptocurrencies. Hedera’s bullish breakout potential and Litecoin’s promising rally are certainly exciting, but Qubetics is arguably the most intriguing. Its presale success and innovative platform place it firmly in the spotlight as one of the best cryptos with 1000X potential. The opportunity to get in on the ground floor with Qubetics is rare, and as the presale continues to climb, so does the excitement surrounding its future. Investors should act now before the price surge when Phase 12 ends, as Qubetics has all the ingredients to become a game-changing force in the blockchain development space. For More Information: Qubetics: https://qubetics.com Telegram: https://t.me/qubetics Twitter: https://x.com/qubetics Related Items: Blockchain , Qubetic Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Qubetics Offers $96K Investment Potential | Tron Empowers Creators at $0.2651 | Filecoin Leads the Web3 Storage Revolution Solana ETF & Polkadot Face Hurdles — BlockDAG Shows No Sign of Slowing Down as Daily Revenue Hits $5M BlockDAG Coin Set to Reach $20? Exploring Hedera’s Trading Volume & Bitcoin Cash Market Growth Comments
Ikea has posted its slowest sales expansion since it opened its first India store six years ago with a 5% increase to ₹1,852 crore in FY24 while its net loss widened amid large-scale investments to solidify its footprint in the country. The world's largest furniture retailer saw its India business slowing as consumers tightened their wallets on discretionary spends across lifestyle categories. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Its net loss widened 15% to ₹1,303 crore in FY24. So far, the retailer known for its ready-to-assemble products has incurred a cumulative loss of ₹5,550 crore in India as it spent to buy and build distribution centres, a city outlet and three big box stores-each large enough to fit about four football fields. "Ikea in India maintained a solid sales growth despite no price increase and lowering the prices on certain products in FY24," a company spokesperson said. "Our losses largely reflect the investment we are making towards our omni-channel growth. We remain committed to our plan of opening more stores and serving 200 million people by 2025 through our high quality, affordable range." Last fiscal, Ikea cut costs after raw material prices softened, helping the company lower prices of several products by about 20% both in India as well as globally. Earlier this year, the flat-pack furniture giant said it is still trying to get a foothold in the Indian market and that it will take at least 8-10 stores to benefit from economies of scale. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program "The sooner we can get to that, the better," Jesper Brodin, global chief executive officer of Ingka Group that owns Ikea, told ET in February this year. "Chapter one was the sourcing and foundation and then getting the first door up and running. And then the intention is to get the company in top big cities. We are measuring out and laying out plans to see how we can do it for 1.4 billion people. And if I am certain about anything, it is that the economic outlook for India is looking good," he said. Ikea started sourcing from India in the 1980s and has more than five dozen suppliers in the country, most of them in textiles. Over a decade ago, the erstwhile Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) had approved Ikea's ₹10,500-crore investment proposal to open 25 stores in the country by 2025. It has since opened three large-format stores in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru and one smaller city store in Mumbai. It aims to open bigger stores in Gurugrma and Noida in the National Capital Region soon. The Swedish retailer, which opened its first India store in 2018 in Hyderabad, has been a runaway success in the country, outpacing local rivals Urban Ladder and Pepperfry in its first year of operations with that single outlet. During the year, Ikea's paid-up share capital was increased by ₹600 crore to ₹4.615 crore. "When we think about India, we think about size," Brodin told ET in February. "In terms of investment priorities, India ranks one, two and three. We have consciously decided we cannot financially afford to be in the startup phase in too many places. But India is the top priority for us now." Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )News junkies will find much to love in “September 5,” a fictionalized account of ABC’s live coverage of the hostage crisis during the 1972 Munich Olympics . There are spirited debates about reporting with only one source, use of words like “terrorism” and what to do if violence breaks out during a live shot. There are negotiations with rival networks over satellite usage, disguises and fake badges made to get reels of 16mm film in and out of the locked down Olympic village and plenty of confused men (and a few women) trying to keep up with an ever-escalating situation. The film is a moment by moment retelling of how a group of sports broadcasters brought this story to the world in real time, despite the technical limitations and their own inexperience across a confusing 22 hours. Everyone came to the studio that night ready for breaking sports news, scores and pre-packaged interviews. Even that was going to be a test for the man running the control room for the first time. Geoffrey Mason, portrayed by John Magaro , was a 28-year-old coordinating producer. Someone wonders about his experience and is assured that he’s covered minor league baseball games. But in the early hours of Sept. 5, 1972 , eight members of a Palestinian group called Black September broke into the Olympic village and attacked the Israeli delegation killing wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg and weightlifter Yossi Romano. Some escaped, but nine others were taken hostage. While the tragedy of the Munich Olympics has certainly been told many times, writer and director Tim Fehlbaum saw an opportunity in the team behind the live broadcast. And he commits fully to staying in the newsroom, with all of its glorious old technologies, from the walkie-talkies they used to stay in touch and to taking time to show how they had to manually add text to the screens. He and his screenwriter were able to reconstruct the events almost minute-by-minute, which helped shape the screenplay. The players are many in this large ensemble. Peter Sarsgaard , who’s looked right in a newsroom since “Shattered Glass,” gives gravitas to Roone Arledge, then-president of ABC Sports, and Ben Chaplin is operations engineer Marvin Bader. Leonie Benesch is Marianne Gebhardt, a German-speaking interpreter who is the only person there able to understand the language of the country. She might be a bit of a composite who checks off a lot of boxes as both an entrepreneurial woman and a younger German offering perspective and insight into what this moment might mean for the country trying to put on a good front in the aftermath of World War II. An actor (Benjamin Walker) plays broadcaster Peter Jennings, and real archival footage of anchor Jim McKay from that day is used in the film. And while they all rise to the occasion, mistakes are made – including a rather big one at the end, following imperfect secondhand information from the Fuerstenfeldbruck airfield. They don’t call it the first draft of history for nothing, after all, and it may be illuminating for audiences to see how it’s handled. The film looks of its time, but it also feels fairly modern in its sensibilities which makes it always seem more like a re-telling than an in-the-moment experience. This may be to its detriment, yet it’s still an undeniably riveting and compelling watch. The word thrilling doesn’t seem appropriate, however. This is not “Apollo 13” after all. The end is not a happy one. But at time when trust in the media is in crisis, this film is a great humanizer, reminding audiences that the media is far from a monolith, but a group of individuals under immense pressure to get the story right, get the story out and go back and do it again the next day. “September 5,” a Paramount Pictures release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for language. Running time: 94. Three stars out of four.If New Delhi is India’s national capital, Mumbai is the financial capital. Political control of both cities is essential for the stability and effectiveness of the Union government. The Prime Minister of India presides both over the country’s political and administrative institutions and over the national economy. His writ must run across the country and control of both New Delhi and Mumbai is a necessary qualification for this. Hence, the decisive mandate secured by the BJP and its allies, the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), in the state Assembly elections in Maharashtra will certainly help stabilise the Narendra Modi government in New Delhi. It will also boost his personal standing, wounded by the May 2024 Lok Sabha results. The BJP’s loss of its parliamentary majority in the Lok Sabha elections, requiring it to revive the National Democratic Alliance, securing the support of the Telugu Desam Party and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), had clearly impacted Prime Minister Modi’s standing and, perhaps, his own self-confidence. The party’s decision not to field him prominently in the Haryana campaign, where the BJP returned to power in the face of anti-incumbency, only helped to perpetuate the public impression that Mr Modi’s standing had eroded. That loss of elan, many believe, had softened up Mr Modi. The meeting between RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has been cited as evidence of the Sangh Parivar seeking a new mascot. It was Yogi Adityanath who gave the campaign slogan for Maharashtra, though this was rejected by elements within the BJP and by Ajit Pawar. As if to further dilute the relevance of the PM in the Maharashtra campaign, news reports appeared suggesting that Nitin Gadkari, a critic of Mr Modi, had been drafted into the Maharashtra campaign to boost the BJP’s chances. If, after all this, the BJP had lost power in Maharashtra, the government of Prime Minister Modi would have been reduced virtually to a lame duck government. Coming on top of the expose pertaining to businessman Gautam Adani in the United States, a BJP defeat would have grievously hurt Mr Modi’s standing. It would have been a major political earthquake perhaps necessitating a major Cabinet reshuffle in New Delhi. Political analysts were, therefore, watching the Maharashtra result with bated breath. While exit polls had predicted a win for the BJP-led alliance, both public and experts’ faith in exit polls has been considerably eroded. A widely held view among political analysts was that the Maharashtra verdict would either produce a hung Assembly or at best give a wafer-thin majority to the BJP-led alliance. In the event, the BJP-led alliance has secured a decisive victory. It is even possible that a BJP leader will now be elected chief minister. Given the importance of the state and its capital for the national economy, this result should help stabilise the Narendra Modi government and boost the Prime Minister’s personal standing at home and overseas. Whatever doubts were raised by the BJP’s loss of its majority in the Lok Sabha elections will now be cast aside. Mr Modi will remain Prime Minister for the rest of his term. This fact alone can help focus national attention on the agenda for economic development and growth. One can only hope that Mr Modi will make the best use of this reassurance granted to him by the Maharashtra electorate. The fact is that the global environment remains fraught and, therefore, requires careful and sober management at home. Two recent developments have improved the global environment for India. First, the election of Donald Trump as America’s next President, who still retains a certain warmth towards Mr Modi and India. Second, the improvement in the relationship with China thanks to the sustained efforts of both New Delhi and Beijing. Despite these two positive developments with respect to the two most important global players, the US and China, the global environment is still full of uncertainties. The conflicts in Europe and West Asia are nowhere near finding a resolution. Many hope that Mr Trump will facilitate a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and rein in the globally isolated Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. However, neither outcome appears imminent. India has to brace itself for actions on the trade front by a protectionist Trump and for continued pressure on oil prices. The superficial bravado about Indian economic growth numbers hides real concern about continued subdued income and employment growth and consumer demand. Exports remain sluggish and the rupee is under added pressure. The Prime Minister would also be well advised to take a close and sharp look at the two issues that have caused considerable global embarrassment for India -- the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun affair and the Gautam Adani affair. While the Trump administration is unlikely to push on both issues beyond a point, both are now caught in the intractable US judicial system. Whatever the Indian official stance and whatever the final outcome, the fact is that both these affairs have cut close to the powers that be in New Delhi. Neither affair should have happened. It is possible that in both cases the Prime Minister had no knowledge of what had happened. Yet, he must act firmly so that such incidents are not repeated in future. This will require management changes both in the Union government and at the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The newly re-empowered Mr Modi, with the Maharashtra result in hand, has the mandate and the power to act. He must. Given the external and domestic economic situation, the political reassurance secured by Prime Minister Modi should hopefully help him focus on getting the economy on track. Equally important is the domestic security front. It is time the Prime Minister paid greater attention to the situation in Manipur and the Northeast in general; restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and revive the National Development Council (NDC) and the National Integration Council (NIC). The electorate in Maharashtra has given Prime Minister Modi an opportunity to secure his place in history not as India’s “Divider-in-Chief”, as America’s magazine put it in 2019, not as a disruptor and destabiliser but as a national “stabiliser” who finally brings the nation together and takes it forward. Cynics will pooh-pooh this hopeful statement but it is a desirable outcome one can still hope for this weekend.
Key details about the man accused of killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEOFAU 86, Oklahoma St. 78
1% Club fans were left shocked after all EIGHT final contestants walked away empty handed after failing to answer the last question correctly. Eight men were the last players standing out of 100 in Tuesday night's show after successfully making it to the 1% question. 5 Lee Mack returned for another episode of The 1% Club on Tuesday evening Credit: ITV 5 But the final players were left stumped by the 1% question Credit: ITV But after being asked the big-money earner by The 1% Club's host Lee Mack , they all got it wrong and missed out on a share of the £97,000 prize pot. The question, which in theory only one per cent of the UK population will be able to answer, was based on a graphic. Lee asked: "What word is represented by this picture?" The graphic showed the number eight in the middle of an ice cube. READ MORE ON THE 1% CLUB BAD START 'What muppets' cry 1% Club fans as 20 players are immediately wiped out Comeback ITV confirms return of The 1% Club after six months off air - but there's a twist The final constants had just 30 seconds to figure it out before locking in their answers. Lee then announced: "Your time is up. Let's see who got it right." After a tense pause, the entire studio was illuminated in red - indicating that no one answered correctly. "I'm afraid you all got it wrong," Lee told the disappointed players. Most read in Reality NO A-POLL-OGIES MAFS UK's Polly reveals truth behind fiery off camera feud with co-star Star Power Coleen and Wayne Rooney at centre of bidding war for reality show Cameras Off This Morning's Cat Deeley and Alison Hammond party at boozy Christmas bash Strictly Snub Toyah Willcox reveals the TWO Strictly pros she refused to dance with The TV funnyman then revealed the answer: Incubate (in-cube-eight). There was a loud groan from the audience as they realised none of the eight players had joined the 1% Club. What muppets' cry 1% Club fans as 20 players are immediately wiped out on 'simple' first question Only one contestant walked away with any money - a chap called Jonathan, who was awarded £1,000 for not using his 'pass' card to skip any earlier questions. "Commiserations," Lee told the group. "You didn't make it into the 1% Club but you can at least walk away knowing you did better than everyone else tonight." Fans at home who had been playing along shared their surprise at the final eight's fall. One wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Not one person got it..!" Another added: "The wheels on the brain bus well & truly fell off." And a third said: "Oh what a pity. None of them got it right, meaning that everyone leaves with absolutely nothing...apart from Jonathan, who keeps his £1k." Other fans shared their own guesses, including 'infinite', 'eight squared' and 'eight cubed'. The 1% Club has returned to ITV this week for a special four-episode run, airing each night from Monday (December 9) to Thursday (December 12). Two 1% Club Christmas specials will also air this month, while Lee is also due to front another episode in support of Soccer Aid. The 1% Club first hit screens in 2022 and has fast become one of TV's most popular game shows. Read more on the Scottish Sun SCOT MY FIRST RODEO! Popular music festival coming to three Scots cities for first time CHILL OUT Scots to be gripped by grim -10C freeze as weather map reveals temperature plunge In September, it won Best Quiz Game Show at the National Television Awards for the third year in a row. It faced stiff competition but still beat The Wheel, Beat The Chasers, Richard Osman’s House of Games, and Ant and Dec’s Limitless Win. 5 None of the eight finalists could work out what the graphic represented Credit: ITV 5 The number 8 in the ice cube symbolised the world 'incubate' Credit: ITV 5 Only one player - Jonathan - won any money and it was not using his free pass earlier in the show Credit: ITVMP CM Mohan Yadav Announces Bridge Project, Highlights Rural Development At Rural Technology Conference In Khargone (WATCH)On Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London, Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham. Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage. — Meta (@Meta) December 11, 2024 By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: downdetector.co.uk/status/facebook/map .
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — While other teams around the NFL are seeing their injury lists grow as the season winds down, the Green Bay Packers appear to be getting healthy at just the right time. Not only is quarterback Jordan Love looking like himself after dealing with early-season left knee and groin injuries, but the rest of the roster is getting better, too. “I think every team that can realize their potential needs to be as healthy as they can be. And injuries are a part of this business,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It is what it is in terms of the next man up, but obviously, you want the guys that are your starters to be available — especially as you get closer to the end of the year.” Love certainly has been rolling of late, completing 67.1% of his passes for 904 yards with six touchdowns and one interception (118.8 passer rating) over the past four games, owing some of his hot streak to simply being healthy again. “The name of the game is trying to stay as healthy as possible, especially late into the season,” Love said. “There’s definitely injuries that stack up and guys being out. To have everybody relatively healthy and to be able to have our top guys out there would be huge for us." The Packers (9-4) head into their Sunday night matchup with the Seahawks (8-5) in Seattle with only one player having been unable to take part in Wednesday’s practice at all: safety Javon Bullard. LaFleur said Bullard is week-to-week with an ankle injury he suffered in the team’s Dec. 5 loss at Detroit . The Packers got full participation from Jaire Alexander, who has missed four of the team’s last five games with a knee injury suffered at Jacksonville on Oct. 27, and wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who has missed the last two games with a concussion he suffered against San Francisco on Nov. 24. Although Alexander had practiced on a limited basis in recent weeks, he has missed the last three games and pulled himself out of the team’s Nov. 17 win at Chicago because of his knee. Getting Alexander back to face Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba would give a major lift to the Packers’ pass defense, currently ranked 21st with 222.2 yards per game allowed. “When I was watching him, he looked like he was moving around well, and we’ll just see how it transpires throughout the course of the week,” LaFleur said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to roll.” LaFleur said Doubs and rookie safety Evan Williams, who left the Packers’ 34-31 loss to the Lions because of a concussion, are still in the concussion protocol. But Williams was able to practice on a limited basis. Meanwhile, tight end Luke Musgrave, who hasn’t played a snap since injuring his left ankle during a a Sept. 29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, has been designated for return from injured reserve. Musgrave took part in practice for the first time since undergoing surgery in early October to repair a torn ligament in the ankle. He said he only did individual drill work Wednesday, making it unlikely he would be activated this week. “Just going to ease back into it, but I feel good,” Musgrave said. “Still getting the cutting back, but overall, it feels good.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflPenn State lands No. 1 Pa. prospect in last-minute 2025 recruiting win over Michigan
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It wasn't that long ago when cigarettes and soda were go-to convenience store vices, glamorized in movies and marketed toward, well, everyone. Then, lawmakers and voters raised taxes on cigarettes, and millions of dollars went into public education campaigns about smoking's harms. Decades of news coverage chronicled how addictive and dangerous cigarettes were and the enormous steps companies took to hide the risks and hook more users. The result: a radical shift in social norms that made it less acceptable to smoke and pushed cigarette use to historic lows, especially among minors. New UC Berkeley research suggests sugar-sweetened beverages may be on a similar path. The city of Berkeley's first-in-the-nation soda tax a decade ago, along with more recent Bay Area tax increases on sugar-sweetened drinks, have not only led to reduced sales. They are also associated with significant changes in social norms and attitudes about the healthfulness of sweet drinks, said Kristine A. Madsen, a professor at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health and senior author of a paper published Nov. 25 in the journal BMC Public Health. Over the span of just a few years, taxes coupled with significant media attention significantly affected the public's overall perceptions of sugar-sweetened beverages, which include sodas, some juices and sports drinks. Such a shift in the informal rules surrounding how people think and act could have major implications for public health efforts more broadly, Madsen said. "Social norms are really powerful. The significant shift we saw in how people are thinking about sugary drinks demonstrates what else we could do," Madsen said. "We could reimagine a healthier food system. It starts with people thinking, "Why drink so much soda?" But what if we also said, "Why isn't most of the food in our grocery stores food that makes us healthy?'" Madsen and colleagues from UC San Francisco and UC Davis analyzed surveys from 9,128 people living in lower-income neighborhoods in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco and Richmond. Using data from 2016 to 2019 and 2021, they studied year-to-year trends in people's perception of sugar-sweetened beverages. They wanted to understand how the four taxes in the Bay Area might have affected social norms surrounding sugary beverages—the unwritten and often unspoken rules that influence the food and drinks we buy, the clothes we wear and our habits at the dinner table. Although social norms aren't visible, they are incredibly powerful forces on our actions and behaviors; just ask anyone who has bought something after an influencer promoted it on TikTok or Instagram. Researchers asked questions about how often people thought their neighbors drank sodas, sports drinks and fruity beverages. Participants also rated how healthy several drinks were, which conveyed their own attitudes about the beverages. The researchers found a 28% decline in the social acceptability of drinking sugar-sweetened beverages. In Oakland, positive perceptions of peers' consumption of sports drinks declined after the tax increase, relative to other cities. Similarly, in San Francisco, attitudes about the healthfulness of sugar-sweetened fruit drinks also declined. In other words, people believed their neighbors weren't drinking as many sugar-sweetened beverages, which affected their own interest in consuming soda, juices and sports drinks. "What it means when social norms change is that people say, "Gosh, I guess we don't drink soda. That's just not what we do. Not as much. Not all the time,'" Madsen said. "And that's an amazing shift in mindsets." The research is the latest from UC Berkeley that examines how consumption patterns have changed in the decade since Berkeley implemented the nation's first soda tax. A 2016 study found a decrease in soda consumption and an increase in people turning to water. Research in 2019 documented a sharp decline in people turning to sugar-sweetened drinks. And earlier this year, Berkeley researchers documented that sugar-sweetened beverage purchases declined dramatically and steadily across five major American cities after taxes were put in place. The penny-per-ounce tax on beverages, which is levied on distributors of sugary drinks—who ultimately pass that cost of doing business on to consumers—is an important means of communicating about health with the public, Madsen said. Researchers tallied more than 700 media stories about the taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages during the study period. That level of messaging was likely a major force in driving public awareness and norms. It's also something Madsen said future public health interventions must consider. It was part of the progress made in cutting cigarette smoking and seems to be working with sugary drinks. And it's those interventions that can lead to individual action. "If we change our behaviors, the environment follows," Madsen said. "While policy really matters and is incredibly important, we as individuals have to advocate for a healthier food system." More information: Emily Altman et al, De-normalizing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: effects of tax measures on social norms and attitudes in the California Bay Area, BMC Public Health (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20781-6“Oppenheimer” star Nick Dumont is transgender and nonbinary, a spokesperson for the actor told TMZ on Thursday. Dumont, 30, recently changed their Instagram profile to list their pronouns as they/them and their name as Nick Dumont. Their handle on the social media platform remains @EmmaDumont. “They identify as a trans masculine non-binary person,” a representative for Dumont told TMZ in a statement Thursday . “Their work name is still going to be Emma Dumont, but they will go by Nick with friends and family.” HuffPost has reached out to Dumont for comment. The North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology describes transmasculinity as encompassing “those who identify as transgender men and those who identify on the masculine side” of the gender spectrum. (Someone who is nonbinary identifies as neither strictly a man or a woman.) Dumont has yet to publicly address the change themself, but shared a carousel of new Instagram photos Tuesday showing them in casual T-shirts, a leather jacket and shorter, medium-length hair. The former child actor nabbed their first major role in Paul Thomas Anderson ’s “Inherent Vice” (2014) opposite Joaquin Phoenix. A two-season run on Fox’s “The Gifted” earned them a spot on IndieWire’s 2017 list of “25 Breakout Stars Poised To Make It Big.” Dumont was later cast in Anderson’s follow-up, “Licorice Pizza.” Over the summer, they appeared as the titular character’s sister-in-law, Jackie Oppenheimer, in Christopher Nolan ’s 2023 blockbuster — which, alongside Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” became a cultural phenomenon . Dumont previously opened up about their decision to become an actor, telling Issue Magazine in 2018 that they “always knew I wanted to be a performer because I love to make people laugh. I need a lot of attention. Let’s just say that.” Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone. Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Dumont added at the time that, while “you give up so much” by becoming a professional actor — such as family time and friendships — acting is “really fulfilling because you’re making stuff that hopefully means something to you and might change people’s lives.” The actor will next appear in the horror film “New Me,” which per a synopsis follows a newfound mother who “struggles to emotionally connect with her baby and husband” — and goes on to find out why “at a terribly haunting price.” A release date for “New Me” has yet to be announced. Related From Our PartnerAP News Summary at 1:32 p.m. EST
Walmart has slashed the price of the LG 65′′ Class 4K UHD OLED Web OS Smart TV by more than $300 this weekWith the 47th Parliament now in its final sitting week of 2024, the government is aiming to amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 - laws core to Australian democracy, as they regulate House and Senate elections and call for members of Parliament to be "directly chosen by the people". or signup to continue reading Following the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters' inquiry into the 2022 election, the government chose to focus on some of the Committee's recommendations - including introducing gift caps, expedited disclosure of gifts and reducing the 'disclosure threshold' to $1000. While on their face these measures improve some aspects of our democracy, they also happen to further strengthen the major parties' advantage over the smaller parties and independents in running election campaigns. This is because of potential loopholes, including exemptions for what constitutes a gift, the $90 million major party expenditure limit, the $11 million expenditure cap for associated entities like the ACTU or Advance, and the $30,000 administration fund for each MP. ACT Senator David Pocock has queried these loopholes and the haste in which the government is attempting to rush them through Parliament without further scrutiny. Bolstering the major parties with initiatives of this sort is part of why many electors are cynical about the party system producing good policy. The need for electoral reform is clear but the government has prioritised maintaining structures that embed major party domination in Australia's Parliament rather than ensuring fair processes for all candidates. It is not that the major party system is inherently problematic - it's the way the major parties exercise power that is causing concern - and may indeed be one of the reasons why, as Bill Shorten noted in his valedictory speech last week, that young people currently feel that politics disenfranchises, disengages and dismisses them. It's not only young people. At a November 15 press conference, Don Farrell, Minister of State responsible for the Electoral Act amendments said: "What these changes will do is take big money out of Australian politics. It will strengthen our democracy. The Westminster system has served Australia federally very well for the last 125 years." But has the Westminster system served well over the last 125 years? If we look at the composition of the 47th Parliament, we still do not have equal numbers of women and there are many other spheres in which our Parliament is far from representative. Importantly, the demands of parliamentary life, its pressure-cooker existence and lengthy sittings in Canberra, mostly away from those near and dear, is not conducive to representatives leading healthy balanced lives or to a healthy democracy. There is little evidence that the culture of Parliament has improved. In the first Parliamentary Workplace Support Service there were 339 complaints between October 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024 with 30 of them of serious wrongdoing, including rape, sexual assault and harassment. One way, and not the only way, to improve the quality of our democracy and the quality of Parliament as a workplace, is to embrace the initiative of Lucy Bradlow and Bronwen Bock who are running as a job-share Senate candidate for Victoria at the next federal election. A job-share candidature enables people who would not otherwise consider running for politics because of its full-time demands to share the role with another person of similar skills and capacity and with whom they share similar values and work style. In Lucy and Bronwen's case, two highly capable women, one a finance professional, governance expert and gender equality consultant and mother of three, the other a lawyer and communications specialist who has worked in Parliament House, propose to share the role by working one week on, one week off, but other job sharers could determine completely different arrangements. Their trail-blazing initiative has the potential to model a new form of representation and thus diversify the range of people present in Parliament and help to regenerate our democracy. It would help to take ego out of representation and would provide a working example of teaming together to provide the best outcome for those represented. For the job sharers, it would allow them to be both a representative and also to tend to their other commitments of family, health and wellbeing, and living a more rounded, balanced life. It would thus strengthen our democracy. While the Electoral Commission has publicly announced it does not see such a nomination as valid, the ACT Women's Legal Service and I will be acting on the job-sharing candidate's behalf, to argue that it is currently allowed under the Electoral Act and that it would be unconstitutional to not allow "the people" to choose to vote for them. Ultimately, the job-sharing candidate must convince the voters they are the best candidate as their single candidate, exercising only one vote, and sharing the power as a single representative in Parliament. Indeed, perhaps someone like Gavin Pearce, retiring Braddon Liberal MHR from Tasmania, may have considered not retiring at the end of this 47th Parliament if he had been able to find someone with whom he could job-share, and convince his voters that together, each of them part-time, could best represent the electorate. It could also have been an excellent way for Gavin to mentor a colleague in the process. For Gavin Pearce is . That is the reason he is quitting politics, so he can spend more time with his family. It's time now, to enable those who have initiatives to improve the quality of our democracy, to take job-sharing representation to the people - for their choice - and to ensure that the Westminster system benefits all the people, not just the present incumbents of major parties continuing to do things their way and only their way. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. 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Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes Sunday and the Jacksonville Jaguars earned a season sweep of the visiting Tennessee Titans with a 20-13 victory. Jones connected on 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards, finding Parker Washington and rookie Bryan Thomas Jr. for scores, as Jacksonville (4-12) left Tennessee (3-13) behind in the AFC South cellar. Cam Little booted field goals of 48 and 44 yards. Mason Rudolph hit 19 of 31 attempts for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Titans, which dropped their fifth consecutive game. Tyjae Spears rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries, playing in place of Tony Pollard (flu/ankle). Jones' 11-yard scoring strike to Thomas with 7:05 left in the game gave the Jaguars a 20-10 lead but Tennessee responded with Matthew Wright's 28-yard field goal at the 2:02 mark. After getting a three-and-out, the Titans had a chance to force overtime and reached the Jacksonville 26. But Rudolph's fourth-down pass intended for Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was knocked down at the goal line with nine seconds left. The pregame storyline concerned which team could benefit most from a loss. Both entered a game behind the New York Giants for the potential No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL Draft. Jacksonville initiated scoring on the game's opening drive, needing to drive only 38 yards on nine plays to set up Little for his first field goal at the 10:46 mark. The Jaguars got into the end zone for the first time with 8:59 left in the half on Jones' 2-yard touchdown pass to Washington, coming five plays after Rudolph tossed a tipped-ball interception. Little's second field goal upped the margin to 13-0 with 2:02 remaining before Tennessee pieced together a two-minute drive that set up Wright for a 39-yard field goal as time expired, making it 13-3 at halftime. The Titans started the second half with their best drive of the game, chewing up 85 yards and eight minutes before Rudolph hit Nick Vannett with an 8-yard strike to cut the margin to 13-10. --Field Level MediaCebu biology students learn to create popularized science content
A few days after losing re-election in 1980, President Jimmy Carter attended a tribute to Aaron Copeland that included his Fanfare for the Common Man . If any president embodied that work, it was Carter. Citizen, veteran, farmer, governor, president, Sunday school teacher, peace promoter, home builder for those without shelter. Carter was the antidote to the disgraced president Richard Nixon and all the damage he inflicted on America’s democracy. Carter projected honesty, compassion, religious rectitude, morality, racial justice and public service. Rosalynn, his life partner in marriage and governance, his wife of 77 years and First Lady, was as devoted to public service as her husband. President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with wife Rosalynn and their daughter Amy to the White House following his inauguration on January 20, 1977. Credit: AP//Suzanne Vlamis Carter’s virtues embroidered his presidency. He worked so hard. His ambitions were noble. Carter’s approval rating was 75 per cent in his first months in office in 1977. But a series of events overtook him. Carter’s highest priority, a national energy plan, took 18 months to enact and was only a marginal success. In 1979, the US was hit with an oil shock spurred by Iran and OPEC that cut supplies and drove up prices. There were petrol lines everywhere. That summer, the country was gripped by a sense of profound drift. For 10 days, Carter retreated to Camp David for meetings and consultations with experts and citizens to help him find answers to the country’s deepening malaise. Carter came down from the mountain and delivered a sermon to the country on what was wrong: “It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America.” Loading A few days later, Carter fired five members of his cabinet. His approval rating sank to 30 per cent. The American people’s loss of confidence was in the president and his ability to govern. In November 1979, following the return of Ayatollah Khomeini and the overthrow of the Shah, who was aligned with the West, the US Embassy in Tehran was seized and 52 American diplomats were taken hostage. A rescue mission failed spectacularly in April 1980, with American service members lost when their helicopters crashed in the desert. The Iranians, intent on further humiliating America and its leader, did not release the hostages until moments after Carter ceased being president. Those were the depths of Carter’s presidency. The fights over his policy agenda were agonising. It got to a point where many Democrats in Congress took more relish in attacking and criticising the White House than in attacking and beating the Republicans. Inflation would hit an all-time high of 14.6 per cent in the election year of 1980, accompanied by even higher interest rates.None