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Alaskans backed a measure to raise the minimum wage and establish sick leave. Now employers are trying to make it workNone
S&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points Tuesday, U.S. stock markets also lowerWorld reaches $300 bn climate finance deal at COP29
NoneRachel Reeves facing union showdown amid public sector strike warningsA new report from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) secretly obtained the phone call and text message records of 43 congressional staffers, two members of Congress in 2017 and 2018 and members of the news media. DOJ prosecutors obtained call and text logs from telecommunications companies and third-party providers including Apple through subpoenas, search warrants and court orders. It’s already known that President Trump’s DOJ tried to obtain communication records from Apple as part of an investigation into press leaks about stories that Trump associates made contact with Russian officials. The New York Times reported in 2021 that one of the subpoenas filed in 2018 demanded to see the accounts of 109 identifiers including Democratic Representatives Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell of California, congressional aides and family members including one who was a minor. Now it appears that the scope of those subpoenas was much larger. The IG’s report says prosecutors attached gag orders to the subpoenas to prevent Apple and other companies from notifying their customers about the information orders. Most of the non-disclosure agreements were extended at least once, some of which stretched up to four years. The communication logs only showed the names of the parties involved in the calls and text messages. Even though the OIG’s report found no political motivation for prosecutors’ requests, he noted the subpoenas and other legal means of obtaining communication logs “risks chilling Congress’s ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch.” The report also says the DOH failed to convene the News Media Review Committee , a Justice Department advisory committee formed as part of an overhaul of its news media policies in 2014, to review its information requests calling its actions “troubling,” according to the report. Apple also took steps to limit the scope of legal requests following news of the subpoenas filed on Reps. Schiff and Swalwell. The tech company placed a limit of 25 identifiers per legal request on customers’ communication information in 2021.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Spaghetti bolognese is a staple in many UK households, beloved for its scrumptious flavour and straightforward preparation. Yet, Michelin-starred chef Paul Foster has suggested we've been omitting an essential component - milk. The proprietor of the acclaimed Salt eatery in Stratford Upon Avon has divulged his exclusive recipe for the Italian staple. In a clip posted on his social media, he queried his audience: "Are you adding milk to your bolognese? If not, why not? If you want the best results based on authenticity, then follow my method – [this is] how to cook bolognese properly." Paul, who's active on TikTok under the handle @paulfosterchef, pleased his fans by revealing his detailed cooking instructions. "This recipe is based on my culinary knowledge, my nostalgia and also my experiences with the original recipes in Bologna [where the dish originated]." Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. He details that the foundation of the dish is key, beginning with a 'sofrito', which includes finely chopped onions, celery, and peeled carrots. These are prepared separately, while thyme is minced and garlic is grated, reports the Mirror . All these components are subsequently combined in a pan with hot olive oil and a liberal dash of salt. The initial step involves softly sautéing the onions, celery, and carrots for roughly three to four minutes without browning them. Following this, the minced thyme and grated garlic are added and cooked for about two more minutes, also without allowing them to brown. Firstly, set your cooked vegetables aside. Next, in the same pan, brown equal quantities of minced beef and pork over a high heat, stirring constantly. Once the meat is cooked through, pour in a generous amount of robust red wine and let it simmer until reduced. Then, stir in tomato puree, followed by the earlier prepared vegetables, some top-notch tinned tomatoes and chicken stock. Paul advises, "It's going to be quite wet so you want to cook this gently for about three hours to reduce it and concentrate it so it becomes thick and glossy." For a personal twist, he suggests adding milk—"This gives it that creaminess without adding cream – honestly, this is a game changer. Stir that in for a while and then check it for seasoning." Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday's inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they're correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It's hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. "The data have given the Fed the 'all clear' for next week, and today's inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion," according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year, with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street's biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It's a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share. Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster's Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn't do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it's seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants' merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy's slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea's Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week's political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law.
TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. The company filed in documents in Federal Court in Vancouver on Thursday. The government ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business in November after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform. That means TikTok must "wind down" its operations in Canada, though the app will continue to be available to Canadians. TikTok wants the court to overturn the government’s order and to place a pause on the order while the court hears the case. It is claiming the minister's decision was "unreasonable" and "driven by improper purposes." The review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to harm national security. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement at the time the government was taking action to address "specific national security risks," though it didn’t specify what those risks were. TikTok’s filing says Champagne "failed to engage with TikTok Canada on the purported substance of the concerns that led to the (order.)" The company argues the government ordered "measures that bear no rational connection to the national security risks it identifies." It says the reasons for the order "are unintelligible, fail to reveal a rational chain of analysis and are rife with logical fallacies." The company's law firm, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, declined to comment, while Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the order would "eliminate the jobs and livelihoods of our hundreds of dedicated local employees — who support the community of more than 14 million monthly Canadian users on TikTok, including businesses, advertisers, creators and initiatives developed especially for Canada." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. Darryl Greer and Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian PressMastercard Inc. stock outperforms competitors on strong trading day
George Washington 72, Illinois St. 64A planned blockade of the world's biggest coal port is stretching into a third day after multiple people involved in a paddle protest were arrested and removed from their kayaks. or signup to continue reading Officers told protesters to move away from a shipping channel due to safety concerns after they tried to disrupt coal ships at the Port of Newcastle. A woman, 26, and two men, 27 and 59, were arrested on Saturday and charged with not complying with a direction by an authorised officer relating to safety. Several others were "assisted by police when they struggled to return to shore", police said. Event organiser Rising Tide claimed a total of nine people were arrested on Saturday. An 84-year-old great-grandmother, 16-year-old student and a doctor were among those pulled from their kayaks by police after they went out into shipping lanes, the group said. NSW Police said their operation would continue on Sunday and warned they had a "zero-tolerance approach" to actions that threatened the safe passage of vessels, with unlawful activity attracting fines and imprisonment. "For their own safety and that of the other users of the port, police request that people refrain from entering the harbour with the intention to obstruct other users of the port," police said. "We also encourage all participants to follow the directions of police." Former environment minister and Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett performed at an associated festival on Saturday along with musicians including John Butler and Angie McMahon. He hit out at what he described as "overreach" from authorities, including the NSW government, for attempting to stop the peaceful protest event. Court challenges to the event had previously been told some protesters could seek to be arrested to attract publicity. Some 109 people were arrested at a similar event in 2023. 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. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement
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Putri Rafidah stresses that every prized piece manufactured by Mariwasa is a symbol of an individual’s contributions and services to the nation and the community, and awarded only to those deemed worthy. — Bernama photo PUTRI Rafidah Megat Noh beams with pride and satisfaction each time she looks at the gleaming honorary medals proudly adorned by recipients during an investiture ceremony. She has every reason to feel that way as the decorations are produced by her company Mariwasa Kraftangan Sdn Bhd, designed and crafted by her team of dedicated artisans. Their skilled workmanship is evident in the smallest detail etched into each medal right up to the perfectly finished product. This is why Putri Rafidah feels frustrated whenever she comes across reports of individuals receiving fake titles or awards through improper channels. “The honorary medals (conferred during investiture ceremonies) are not easy to produce and are not meant for just any person. “They are symbols of individuals’ contributions and services to the nation and their communities, and awarded only to those deemed worthy,” said the Mariwasa chief executive officer (CEO) during an interview with Bernama at its factory in Kuala Kangsar recently. Two factories Putri Rafidah said Mariwasa was set up in 1975 and was taken over by Megat Mohamad Abdul Wahab Megat Abu Bakar – the current owner of the company – 10 years later when the company ran into financial problems. Megat Mohamad Abdul Wahab managed to turn the company around after receiving orders for honorary medals and decorations from the federal and state governments. Mariwasa, now a leading manufacturer of awards and decorations for the federal government and nearly all state governments in Malaysia, also became a subcontractor for a prominent brand in England, producing decorations for the governments of Oman and Kuwait. It also supplies decorations to the Maldives government. Photo shows the sculpting process of an elaborately-designed piece. — Bernama photo From its humble beginnings when it operated out of a shop lot, Mariwasa now has two well-equipped factories, both located in Kuala Kangsar. “Over the years, the company has also diversified its offerings to include uniform accessories, handicrafts, silverware, jewellery and various metal-based products including souvenirs and specially-commissioned gift items made from costly metals such as gold and silver. “We are also collaborating with companies from England, Germany, Austria and Italy to supply premium banqueting items and interior decorations (produced by Mariwasa), catering to clients such as royal palaces and dignitaries,” said Putri Rafidah. She added that Mariwasa had also designed and produced uniforms and accessories such as badges, collar badges and buttons for several government departments and agencies. “We have also been entrusted with managing various royal ceremonies at palaces, ranging from engagement and wedding events to birthdays and even funerals,” she said, adding Mariwasa had 110 employees, all Malaysians, whom she described as the ‘lifeblood of our company’. Photo shows several pin badges manufactured by Mariwasa, including one that depicts the ‘Coat of Arms of Malaysia’. — Bernama photo She said most of their employees started with zero skills, but had become skilled workers through the training provided to them. “We encourage our employees to continue working even after reaching retirement age, as long as they are capable of contributing to the company. “Some of them are 75 years old and are still able to contribute their energy and skills,” she added. Putri Rafidah says most of Mariwasa employees started with zero skills, but now, they have become skilled workers through the training provided to them. — Bernama photo Production process According to Putri Rafidah, every item produced by the company is bespoke – specially-crafted to suit the tastes and needs of its clients. The company also provides after-sales services to ensure customer satisfaction. Every item produced by the company is bespoke – specially-crafted to suit the tastes and needs of its clients. — Bernama photo “For example, for medals and decorations (for investiture ceremonies), we take the measurements of the sash for each recipient on rehearsal day. “We do this because each award recipient has a different measurement... and we take pride and satisfaction in ensuring that the medal fits perfectly on the wearer.” She said the company staff also provided assistance on the day of the award ceremony, adding: “I believe this service is only offered by our company.” The production process for the medals begins with the preparation of the moulds for various designs, as well as 3D drawings in software and 3D metal modelling, followed by medal stamping, laser-cutting, polishing and finally, packaging the finished products. While the medals are hand-crafted and hand-finished, the more complex part of the production work is carried out with the help of high-technology tooling and cutting techniques, with the machines imported from Germany at a cost of RM1.4 million. The medals undergo the final process of manufacturing, which is drying. — Bernama photo Putri Rafidah also said that the medal designs and decorations were based on the specifications and identity of the state concerned, as well as special requests from clients. “For example, a recent Pahang honorary medal that we crafted was inspired by Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah, who requested the inclusion of elements like the coffee flower and symbols of the state’s previous sultans. “For Kedah, the honorary medal features the ‘bunga padi’ symbol, while for Perak, the medal has nine points to represent the nine districts of the state when the medal was first introduced,” she said. Putri Rafidah also said the metal or type of precious stone used to produce and embellish the medals would depend on clients’ requests. Usually, gold or diamonds would be requested for the highest-ranking medals, and copper or rhodium for lower-ranking medals. “A new order takes at least three months to complete. However, if there is a request to speed up the process, we accept the challenge. “For example, for a recent investiture ceremony in Pahang, we had only 30 days to complete the design and production from scratch. But, with the commitment of our staff, we were able to finish it on time.” A Mariwasa artisan shows the latest gold- and silver-coated medals made at its factory in Kuala Kangsar. — Bernama photo As for the company’s future plans, Putri Rafidah said they planned to transform Mariwasa into an innovative company, utilising advanced technology while preserving traditional craftsmanship values and safeguarding the nation’s heritage. “And, as skilled artisans are becoming increasingly rare, we plan to establish training centres to help them hone their skills, and (open) job opportunities to ensure they have a good future,” she added. — Bernama
NoneBurnt-out hillsides on the road to Marathon in Greece. AS this year draws to a close, it is time to reflect upon the world’s climate in 2024 and to anticipate what is likely to be in store for us in 2025. The warming global climate has wreaked a vast number of disasters throughout the world this year, causing famine, crop failures, flash flooding from huge deluges of rain, coastal settlements inundated by stormy seas, wildfires, and the melting of the world’s glaciers and the calving of sea ice in Antarctica and so on. The list is endless! In early December, a huge iceberg, over twice the area of Greater London, broke off from the Antarctic sea ice and is now floating away in the southern Atlantic Ocean bypassing the island of South Georgia. Only a fortnight ago apocalyptic scenes were observed on Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean island that was hit by the subtropical cyclone Chico. This island is located off the East African coast, with a population of 320,000. A third of the island’s population live in flimsy shacks with corrugated iron roofs, which were ripped off like tissue paper in wind speeds of 225kph. It is estimated that several thousand people have died with many thousands injured by flying debris. Western Europe has not escaped from batterings by severe storm-force winds in late November and earlier this month when three cyclones, in rapid succession, from the Atlantic Ocean raced over the UK. The last cyclone, Donaghh, recorded wind speeds of 315kph. Needless to say, much damage was done, with roofs damaged, flooding in coastal areas as the winds built up huge breakers, trees, and electricity power lines were brought down. I feared for the 150-year-old triple Roman tiles on the roof of my house, sited on an exposed hillside in Southwest England. These tiles were last ripped off in a severe storm in 1987, but I was lucky for the windspeeds here only reached 125kph! The five very high trees in my garden bent over to at least 20 degrees from the vertical and thankfully remained rooted. Why are such disasters more frequent? Last year saw the warmest year on record with the 1.45 degrees Celsius rise in global average temperatures since pre-industrial levels. It is suspected this year, in 2024, that the global average temperature has risen to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius, making it the 12th year in succession that the temperatures have reached at least one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The Copernicus Climate Change Service, based in Reading, UK; Bologna, Italy; and Bonn, Germany have found that the global average temperature from January to November this year was 0.72 Celsius above the 1991 to 2020 average, and 0.14 Celsius above the same time in 2023. Undoubtedly the major contribution to this warming is the ever increasing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere together with an elevation caused by the recent El Nino effect. The latter creates warmth in the tropical Pacific Ocean which is transferred to the atmosphere. Across the globe, sea surface temperatures have been seen to be warmer than average leading to the northern migration of some species of tropical fish including sharks to areas in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. At present, meteorologists worldwide are studying other contributory factors, other than the previous ones mentioned, in their attempts to explain this 1.5-degree Celsius plus rise in temperature. At the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremen, Germany, meteorologists have discovered that fewer clouds in the sky led to heatwaves last year, which shot up the global temperature records in China, the Mediterranean countries, and in the USA, all of which experienced bluer skies. Satellite observations revealed fewer lower altitude clouds in the tropics and northern mid-latitudes, thus less solar heat is reflected back into space. Photo shows damaged homes in the city of Mamoudzou on the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, after the cyclone Chido hit the archipelago on Dec 22, 2024. — AFP photo Wildfires Experts, from the UK Met Office and Vrije University in Brussels, Belgium, have attributed climate change directly to the amount of burnt area on the globe. The researchers considered climate, vegetation, and population density and found that there has been a decline in wildfires in the African savannah grasslands due mainly to an increase in human activity in these areas resulting in changes in land use. As these areas become more fragmented, it is more difficult for lightning caused fires in tropical storms to spread. However, it is thought that prolonged periods of drought and higher temperatures are increasing the number of fires in California, Western Siberia and in Mediterranean Europe, thus, it is highly probable that the impact of climate change on wildfires will increase significantly in the years to come. My son, living in Athens, drives to Marathon often with his family and they have observed the change of scenery due to forest fires this summer. An aerial view of a closed area near Mount Baldy trail in the Bridge Fire burn recovery zone on Dec 19, 2024, near Mount Baldy, California. – AFP photo Effects of global rise in temperature on food production Have you noticed that the price of food in all shops has increased dramatically this year? Essentially this is not due to inflation, but more to climate change and scarcity of food as an affected country must import more from overseas. In China, July this year was the hottest month for decades and there, the country faced at least 26 large scale floods, thus cutting rice harvests. Delayed monsoons this year in India caused massive crop losses, resulting in an export ban of most types of rice. In the Mediterranean countries, droughts and heatwaves caused a fall in the production of olives by 33 per cent resulting in the higher prices of olive oil on supermarket shelves. Wine production in some parts of France has declined owing to torrential rain during the grape harvesting time. Grapes are susceptible to certain types of mildew, occasioned by heat and high humidity. West African production of cocoa has fallen, through more frequent heatwaves, drought and heavy rainfall, resulting in soaring prices for a bar of chocolate. Tea and coffee prices have escalated in Europe this year owing to droughts and flooding in the main tea production areas in China, India, and Kenya, whilst the coffee countries of Vietnam and Brazil have been similarly affected. With frequent rain at harvest time this year in the UK, cereal production has fallen together with certain vegetables. When two decades ago, as a family we could buy locally-produced vegetables from shops, I now find that my vegetables are grown in such places as Morocco, Kenya, and Peru – all at high prices! Thus, I cannot escape from climate change! What has 2025 in store for us? The UK Met Office forecasts that this coming year will see a global temperature rise of between 1.29 degrees Celsius to 1.57 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period owing to the additional effect of the developing La Nina effect producing slightly cooler conditions. We should wait with bated breath to see what exactly is in store for us wherever we live in this world, for this coming year could well provide us with one of the warmest years for global average temperatures. Let us hope and pray that all countries are seeking ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through advanced technological ways. I am optimistic that this can be achieved for the benefit of us as humans and our wildlife, but it will take many years to come about. May 2025 be a better year weather-wise and climate-wise for us all!
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