Nova Scotia charity serving 600 free turkey dinners for ChristmasBy JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. Related Articles National Politics | Will Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirling National Politics | Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump invites China’s Xi to his inauguration even as he threatens massive tariffs on Beijing National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November’s election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”By JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. Related Articles National Politics | Will Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirling National Politics | Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump extends unprecedented invites to China’s Xi and other world leaders for his inauguration National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November’s election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”By BEN FINLEY The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018 , and this year . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada —- known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.
Tenants at Two Rent-Controlled Buildings Suffer Through an Unheated Christmas
While commentating on an NFL Week 16 "Monday Night Football" matchup between the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, famed broadcasters Joe Buck and Troy Aikman praised Indiana and SMU's college football seasons. Buck, who attended Indiana for 3.5 years but did not graduate , praised coach Curt Cignetti for his instant turnaround in Bloomington. The turnaround halted last Friday in South Bend with a 27-17 loss to Notre Dame. Buck eventually received an honorary doctoral degree from Indiana in 2016, long after his sportscasting career had been established. "You and I [Troy Aikman] have been talking about Indiana all year long," Buck said. "With the job Curt Cignetti did in just turning that program around. It didn't go the way he or they hoped with that first playoff game at Notre Dame, but my hat is off to a man and a program that got everybody who went there excited again." Buck and Aikman bounced off one another, agreeing that not only did the Hoosiers and Mustangs deserve playoff eligibility, but discounting their seasons as failures is unfair when both lost to better competition. "I would put SMU in that category as well," Aikman said. "I think the disappointment is for those that want to question whether those teams belonged in the [College Football] Playoff. I think to make those comments after they had devastating losses by the amount they did, I don't know if that's fair to anybody." Aikman went on to say that some Super Bowl teams, without naming specific years, deserved to play in the game but lost similarly to the Hoosiers and Mustangs. Regardless, both agreed that college football fans will always be dissatisfied with aspects of the playoff field's format. The quarterfinals continue on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Matchups include Ohio State vs. Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Georgia vs. Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, Texas vs. Arizona State in the Peach Bowl and Penn State vs. Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. As for the NFL, Week 17 begins Wednesday with a Christmas Day doubleheader featuring two all-AFC matchups: the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens, followed by a traditional slate for the remainder of the week.
Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn’t install more automated systems
Alberta passenger rail plan will draw on experts and public opinion, province says‘China Corner’ established at ISSI: CPEC expansion assured, says Fatemi Tariq Fatemi says there is something fascinating about Pakistan-China ties that has puzzled scholars for years Ambassador Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (Foreign Affairs). — APP/File ISLAMABAD: Beijing has assured that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will not only continue to move forward, but will also be expanded. This was reaffirmed by the Chinese leadership during their latest meetings with the visiting prime minister. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); Ambassador Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (Foreign Affairs), stated this on Thursday with reference to the meetings between the Prime Minister and the Chinese leadership after attending the meetings. Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the ‘China Corner’ at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), China Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC), he explained that there is something fascinating about the Pakistan-China relationship that has puzzled scholars of international relations abroad for years. Despite significant differences between the people and philosophies of the two countries, their relationship has continued to strengthen. Pakistan was among the first to recognise China and advocate for Chinese membership in the UN, he noted. Tariq Fatemi emphasised that through CPEC, Pakistan has been fortunate to be the first symphony in the Chinese orchestra of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Recognizing the cooperation between the two countries is beneficial not only for them but for the entire region. Pakistan’s Ambassador for China, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, and Shi Yuanqiang, the deputy head of mission at the Chinese embassy, attended the ceremony as guests of honor. This is the first ‘China Corner’ established in a think-tank in Pakistan. In his welcome address, former Foreign Secretary and chief of the ISSI, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, highlighted that ISSI has been a vital hub for research on China in Pakistan, with multiple institutional collaborations with Chinese think tanks and universities. The ISSI is also a dialogue partner for the Pakistan-China Think Tank Forum with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) as part of the Joint Working Group of CPEC on International Cooperation. He informed that the ‘China Corner’ has a collection of over 600 physical and 5000 electronic books, journals, newspapers, and monographs related to China studies, available for scholars to utilise. He stressed that since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Pakistan-China relationship has progressed into an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, becoming an indispensable factor of stability in the region and beyond. It encompasses diplomatic, political, economic, security, defense, technological, educational, cultural, and people-to-people domains. Ambassador Khalil Hashmi stated that the Pakistan-China relationship has moved beyond traditional inter-state relations to become a comprehensive and unique partnership built on mutual trust, mutual support, and mutual respect as its foundational principles. The establishment of the ‘China Corner’ at ISSI is not only about studying China but also about building bridges and creating synergy between the two countries to collaborate effectively. It has great potential as a space where ideas can flourish and support the future of the Pakistan-China bilateral relationship. He encouraged students, scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to make full use of this platform. Shi Yuanqiang said that Pakistan and China are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and iron-clad friends. The friendship between the two countries has endured the test of time and is as solid as a rock and as stable as Mount Tai. The importance of the bilateral relationship is recognized by the highest levels of leadership in both countries, and China is prepared to work with Pakistan to build a Pakistan-China community of shared future. Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director of CPSC, stated in his inaugural remarks that the ‘China Corner’ will provide comprehensive access to information and resources about China’s governance model, economic policies, and diplomatic strategies. This repository will be a resource for fostering knowledge, dialogue, and collaboration, demonstrating a commitment to understanding China’s development narrative and leveraging this understanding for shared progress and prosperity.
Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn’t install more automated systems
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale costs in the United States picked up sharply last month, signaling that price pressures are still evident in the economy even though inflation has tumbled from the peak levels it hit more than two years ago. The producer price index — which tracks inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 0.4% last month from October, up from 0.3% the month before. Measured from 12 months earlier, wholesale prices climbed 3% in November, the sharpest year-over-year rise since February 2023. Higher food prices helped fuel the November wholesale inflation reading, which was higher than economists had expected. Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people. The legislation has passed the House. The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which are already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. The measure would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports. He posted on social media Thursday that he met with union leaders and that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. He wrote that the “amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. The Maritime Alliance says the technology will improve worker safety and strengthen our supply chains, among other things. IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes. The announcement comes under the backdrop of a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority over both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency will help the incoming administration and new Republican majority congress achieve its goals of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. From a 10-year-old to a Muppet to a president-elect, NYSE bell-ringers range from famous to obscure The first guest invited to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The even list includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. Trump is named Time's Person of the Year and rings the New York Stock Exchange's opening bell NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange after being recognized by Time magazine as its person of the year. The honors Thursday for the businessman-turned-politician are a measure of Trump’s remarkable comeback from an ostracized former president who refused to accept his election loss four years ago to a president-elect who won the White House decisively in November. At the stock exchange, Trump was accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Trump grinned as people chanted “USA” before he opened the trading day and raised his fist. Ontario to restrict electricity exports to US and bar American-made alcohol if Trump tariffs applied TORONTO (AP) — A senior official in Canada’s most populous province says that Ontario could bar American-made alcohol and restrict electricity to three U.S. states if President-elect Donald Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products. The states are Michigan, New York and Minnesota. An official in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government said Thursday that it's contemplating restricting Ontario's liquor control board from buying American-made alcohol. Ontario is also considering restricting exports of Canadian critical minerals required for electric vehicle batteries. Stock market today: Wall Street’s rally stalls as Nasdaq pulls back from its record NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell following some potentially discouraging data on the economy. The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% Thursday for its fourth loss in the last six days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7% from its record set the day before. Reports in the morning showed more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits than expected, while inflation was hotter at the wholesale level than economists had forecast. Adobe helped drag the stock market lower after giving forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Average rate on 30-year mortgage hits 6.6%, its third straight weekly decline The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. has eased for the third week in a row. That's a welcome trend for prospective homebuyers during what’s typically a less competitive time of the year for the housing market. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate dropped to 6.6% from 6.69% last week. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.95%. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including the moves in the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to price home loans. YouTube TV is hiking its monthly price, again. Here's what to know NEW YORK (AP) — Are you a YouTube TV subscriber? Your monthly bills are about to get more expensive again. YouTube has announced that it’s upping the price of its streaming service’s base plan by $10 — citing rising content costs and other investments. The new $82.99 per month price tag will go into effect starting Jan. 13 for existing subscribers, and immediately for new customers who sign up going forward. YouTube TV has rolled out a series of price hikes over the years. When launched back in 2017, the going price of its streaming package was $35 a month. By 2019, that fee rose to $50 — and has climbed higher and higher since.New coach Chris Holtmann has been tasked with rebuilding DePaul to the point where it can return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Northern Illinois coach Rashon Burno knows what it takes to steer DePaul to the NCAAs because he was the starting point guard on the 2000 team that made the tournament -- the Blue Demons' only other NCAA appearance since 1992. Perhaps they can compare notes Saturday afternoon when Burno leads the Huskies (2-3) back to his alma mater as DePaul (5-0) hosts its sixth straight home game in Chicago. Last season, Burno's NIU squad helped accelerate DePaul's need for a new coach -- as the Huskies waltzed into Wintrust Arena and owned Tony Stubblefield's Blue Demons by an 89-79 score on Nov. 25. The Huskies built a 24-point second-half lead before coasting to the finish line. Can history repeat for NIU? There's just one problem with using last year's game as a potential barometer for Saturday's rematch: Almost no players on this year's teams were part of last year's squads. At DePaul, only assistant coach Paris Parham remains as Holtmann had the green light to bring in an all-new roster. UIC graduate transfer Isaiah Rivera (16.0 ppg, .485 3-point rate) and Coastal Carolina transfer Jacob Meyer (15.4 ppg, .406 on 3s) lead a balanced attack that focuses on getting half its shots from beyond the arc. At NIU, Burno retained only two players who competed against DePaul last year -- Ethan Butler and Oluwasegun Durosinmi -- and they combined for three points in 26 minutes in that game. The Huskies' main players used the transfer portal to join such programs as Kansas, Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado State, James Madison, Georgia State and Niagara. With every starting job open, Butler has jumped into the lineup and produced 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Transfers Quentin Jones (Cal Poly) and James Dent (Western Illinois) pace the Huskies with 14.4 and 14.0 points per game. NIU is on a two-game losing streak, most recently a 75-48 home defeat at the hands of Elon on Wednesday. Holtmann hopes to have Arkansas transfer Layden Blocker for Saturday's game. Blocker missed Tuesday's 78-69 win over Eastern Illinois with a quad injury. With the combo guard unavailable, point guard Conor Enright handed out a career-high 11 assists in a season-high 38 minutes. "We need (Blocker)," Holtmann said. "I don't want to play Conor 38 minutes." --Field Level Media
GLASGOW, Scotland -- head coach Ange Postecoglou gave a scathing assessment of Timo Werner's performance in the team's 1-1 Europa League draw with Rangers on Thursday, saying the forward's performance "wasn't acceptable." Werner, who is playing in his second season on loan at Spurs from , was replaced by after enduring a difficult first half at Ibrox. Asked if the substitution was made for purely tactical reasons, Postecoglou said: "Yeah, he wasn't paying anywhere near the level he should." Spurs conceded within two minutes of Kulusevski's introduction, but the Sweden international went on to score his team's equaliser. "I think Rangers played very well. We struggled a bit. 1-1, it is what it is. We didn't play well enough to win the game," Kulusevski said after the match. "It's always important to score, but we've got to start winning games. "We haven't won in a couple of weeks. Everybody needs to do a little bit more than we're doing right now." Postecoglou also referenced the performances of two Spurs 18-year-olds -- and . In the injury-enforced absence of Spurs' senior defenders -- Cristain Romero, and -- Gray filled in at centre-back in Glasgow and drew glowing praise from his manager who described him as "outstanding." Bergvall was introduced as part of a 75th-minute triple substitution that proved pivotal in helping Spurs earn a vital point from their trip to . Postecoglou, who has seen his role as Spurs head coach come under serious pressure after a succession of disappointing results in recent weeks, pointed to the impact made by the teenagers when asked if he needed Werner and other senior players to make a bigger contribution to the team. "I think when you've got 18-year-olds, I think it's not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo, he's a senior international, a international. In the moment we're in right now, it's not like we've got many, kind of, options. "I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn't acceptable." Asked what he put Werner's performance down to, Postecoglou said: "I don't really know. It's not really of great concern. Like I said, we just need everybody, including him, to be contributing because we don't have the depth to sort of leave people out if they're performing poorly, we need them to play their part. "And like I said, especially the senior guys, when I'm asking younger guys to do massive jobs, I expect the level of performance from some of the senior guys and today wasn't that." The draw at Ibrox saw Spurs remain ninth in the Europa League table, one place below Rangers, who occupy the last automatic qualification spot for the knockout rounds.Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund ( NYSE:EVT – Get Free Report ) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 58,900 shares, an increase of 55.8% from the November 30th total of 37,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 102,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.6 days. Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund Price Performance Shares of NYSE EVT opened at $24.07 on Friday. Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund has a twelve month low of $21.82 and a twelve month high of $25.83. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $24.80 and a 200 day simple moving average of $24.20. Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 23rd will be given a $0.1646 dividend. This represents a $1.98 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.21%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 23rd. Institutional Inflows and Outflows About Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund ( Get Free Report ) Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Eaton Vance Management. The fund invests in public equity markets across the globe. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across the diversified sectors. The fund primarily invests in dividend paying value stocks of companies that qualify for favorable federal income tax treatment. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .