
Vote counting for the by-elections on nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh commenced on Saturday at 8 am, maintained under stringent security, an official announced. This electoral battle, though not altering the state's 403-member Assembly, is viewed as a prestige contest between BJP and opposition factions. The elections occurred on November 20, encompassing constituencies such as Meerapur, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, and others. Voter turnout was potentially hindered by police actions, as alleged by the SP, prompting the Election Commission to respond with actions against five officers. The counting involves a three-tier security measure and variations in the number of counting rounds per area. Results from these polls are pivotal, impacting the political standing of 90 candidates, with the BJP currently holding a significant legislative presence. The races, drawing contestants from major and regional parties, observe alliances shifting, notably RLD's transition to the BJP-led NDA. Meanwhile, the BSP and AIMIM have independently contested several seats, positioning this event as a critical gauge of political alliances and influence. (With inputs from agencies.)Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday ruled out negotiations with US President-elect Donald Trump over control of the Panama Canal, denying that China was interfering in its operation. Mulino also rejected the possibility of reducing tolls for US vessels in response to Trump’s threat to demand control of the vital waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans be returned to Washington. “There’s nothing to talk about,” Mulino told a press conference. “The canal is Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians. There’s no possibility of opening any kind of conversation around this reality, which has cost the country blood, sweat and tears,” he added. The canal, inaugurated in 1914, was built by the United States but handed to Panama on December 31, 1999, under treaties signed some two decades earlier by then-US president Jimmy Carter and Panamanian nationalist leader Omar Torrijos. Trump on Saturday slammed what he called “ridiculous” fees for US ships passing through the canal and hinted at China’s growing influence. “It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!” If Panama could not ensure “the secure, efficient and reliable operation” of the channel, “then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,” he said. – ‘No Chinese interference’ – An estimated five percent of global maritime traffic passes through the Panama Canal, which allows ships traveling between Asia and the US East Coast to avoid the long, hazardous route around the southern tip of South America. The United States is its main user, accounting for 74 percent of cargo, followed by China with 21 percent. Mulino said the canal’s usage fees were “not set at the whim of the president or the administrator” of the interoceanic waterway, but under a long-established “public and open process.” “There is absolutely no Chinese interference or participation in anything to do with the Panama Canal,” Mulino said. On Wednesday, Trump wrote on Truth Social alleged, without evidence, that Chinese soldiers were “lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal.” Mulino denied that allegation, too. “There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal, for the love of God,” he added. Panama established diplomatic relations with China in 2017, after breaking off ties with Taiwan — a decision criticized by Trump’s first administration. On Tuesday, dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy in Panama City chanting “Trump, animal, leave the canal alone” and burning an image of the incoming US president.Morgan Rogers’ fourth goal of the season, an Ollie Watkins penalty and Matty Cash’s finish put Villa 3-0 up after 34 minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back for Brentford in the second half but the damage had been done as Villa ended their eight-match winless run in all competitions. Emery was relieved to end the unwanted streak but quickly turned his attention to the next fixture against Southampton on Saturday. “We broke a spell of bad results we were having,” the Villa boss said. “We started the first five or 10 minutes not in control of the game but then progressively we controlled. “Today we achieved those three points and it has given us confidence again but even like that it’s not enough. We have to keep going and think about the next match against Southampton on Saturday. “The message was try to focus on each match, try to forget the table. How we can recover confidence and feel comfortable at home. Today was a fantastic match.” Tyrone Mings returned to the starting line-up in the Premier League for the first time since August 2023. Emery admitted it has been a long road back for the 31-year-old and is pleased to have him back. He added: “Mings played in the Champions league but it’s the first time in the league for a year and three months. “I think he played fantastic – he might be tired tomorrow but will be ready for Saturday again. “It was very, very long, the injury he had. His comeback is fantastic for him and everybody, for the doctor and physio and now he’s training everyday.” Brentford fell to a sixth away defeat from seven games and have picked up only a solitary point on the road this season. They have the best home record in the league, with 19 points from seven matches, but they have the joint worst away record. Bees boss Thomas Frank is confident form will improve on the road. He said: “On numbers we can’t argue we are better at home than away, but on numbers it’s a coincidence. I think two of the seven away games have been bad. “The other games we performed well in big spells. I’m confident at the end of the season we will have some wins away from home.” Frank felt Villa should not have been given a penalty when Ethan Pinnock brought Watkins down. He added: “I want to argue the penalty. I don’t think it is (one). I think Ollie kicked back and hit Ethan, yes there is an arm on the shoulder but threshold and all that – but that’s not the reason we lost.”
Damien Duff's decision not to impose 'ridiculous' booze ban is reaping rewardsNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan said Wednesday that wide receiver Treylon Burks , who's been on injured reserve since mid-October with an injured knee, recently had surgery to fix a partially torn ACL. “It was a loose ACL that wasn’t fully torn, and so they had to go see a specialist, so some weeks went by after he went on IR and he eventually had to have ACL surgery,” Callahan said. “The surgery was a couple of weeks back, and the time from when he went to IR until he had the surgery was also a couple of weeks.” Burks was hurt in practice the week after the Titans lost to Indianapolis on Oct. 13 and placed on injured reserve on Oct. 19. The 2022 first-round pick is no stranger to injuries. He suffered concussions in both 2022 against Philadelphia and last year against Pittsburgh. Burks missed six games in each of his first two seasons with the Titans and played in just five games this season before being placed on injured reserve. He finished 2024 with four receptions for 34 yards. For his three NFL seasons, Burks has 53 receptions for 699 yards and one touchdown catch. The Titans (3-9) host Jacksonville (2-10) on Sunday. Window opened The Titans opened the three-week practice window for offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan to return from injured reserve. Duncan has started two games, the second against Buffalo on Oct. 20 at right tackle and lasted four snaps before hurting his hamstring. He was placed on injured reserve Oct. 26. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Terry Mccormick, The Associated PressThe year in money: inflation eased, optimism ticked upward
The following fall graduates of Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, received student achievement awards: Sara A. Halligan, Mohnton, Academic Vice President and Provost’s Award; Matthew Deane, Oley, and Cameron S. Musser, Gilbertsville, Lewis H. Bardo Memorial Award; Amanda E. Pennington, Wernersville, Hospitality Faculty Award. U. of Nebraska Isabella Rose Benson, Reading, graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a master of arts degree. Items are submitted by the colleges involved.Meta to build $10 billion AI data center in Louisiana as Elon Musk expands his Tennessee AI facility
Lagos will conduct LG, LCDA election in 2025 – APCDecember 26, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source written by researcher(s) proofread by Irmine Keta Rotimi, The Conversation Videos of children opening boxes of toys and playing with them have become a feature of online marketing—making stars out of children as young as two. Twelve-year-old influencer Ryan Kaji , for example, earns US$30 million a year on YouTube leading one of the most popular children 's channels. His empire was built on toy unboxing. An influencer (child or adult) with more than 1 million followers can earn upwards of $20,000 for one sponsored post, while a person with under 100,000 followers on a social media platform may still earn as much as $4,000 for each sponsored post. But the rise of kidfluencers around the globe raises questions about the blurred lines between play and labor, independence and control, privacy, profit and online success. Our research examines these questions. By analyzing existing research to clearly identify the challenges faced by child toy unboxers , we can guide future researchers and governments to best support children who are living parts of their lives online. YouTube as a career goal A 2023 global survey of children aged between 8 and 12 found they were three times more likely to aspire to be a YouTuber (29%) than an astronaut (11%). Advertisers have taken note. Social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube collectively earned nearly $11 billion in advertising revenue in 2022 from United States-based users younger than 18. Toy unboxing has emerged as particularly popular, generating massive revenue and global audiences. These types of videos involved children who unbox, play and review toys. Unboxing videos became popular in the 2010s , with content creators unpacking products such as tech gadgets and fashion items. Toy unboxing is now one of the highest-earning genres on YouTube. Work, play or somewhere in between At first glance, unboxing videos seem to follow a simple entertainer-audience relationship. The kidfluencers emotionally engage with young viewers, who are then inspired to create their own toy wish lists. But behind the fun is a world of complexity often not obvious for young viewers (and sometimes older viewers too). These children are hired by companies—and managed by their parents—to promote toys and other products in a job-like arrangement. This has raised concerns about child exploitation, privacy risks and unethical work practices. But current child labor laws in New Zealand and elsewhere do not see child influencers as a type of "child worker." And it is difficult to do so. While kidfluencers seem to be genuinely playing with the sponsored toy, their content is managed by contracts with advertisers, and expectations set by their parents. Therefore it can't fully be labeled as "play." At the same time, calling these practices purely "labor" ignores the real excitement children feel when creating sponsored content. In 2020, the French government labeled kidfluencers a "gray zone"—where the child is not officially working, but nevertheless spends a significant amount of time making videos, or derives a significant level of income from them. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . Protecting children Another complexity is that some social media platforms require users to be over 13, yet some kidfluencers are toddlers , with parents creating and managing their accounts, including producing and posting their children's online content. While parents play a big role in managing their child's online presence, the child drives the toy sales, creating tension between parental control and a child's independence. And behind this all is the issue of money. A child's involvement—and success—is driven by the wants and needs of advertisers. This raises questions about how much of a say the child really has in terms of creating content. Privacy and online safety are two key issues facing the kidfluencer industry. The more content a child toy unboxer posts online, the more popular and profitable they can become. But at the same time, popularity brings very real risks. Young female unboxers—and female kidfluencers in general—have been targeted by online predators . To stay safe, some kidfluencers use fake names and don't share their location. But these strategies are not perfect . Current (and proposed) policies rarely balance protecting child stars with supporting their success in sponsored content. In recent years, however, France and individual states in the US have created laws to protect the kidfluencers' earnings. All governments should follow suit and create policies that recognize the challenges of the kidfluencer industry, and which support and protect the children involved. Provided by The Conversation This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .