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In a massive blow to the Northern Territory's ambitious space program, Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) has ceased operations of the Arnhem Space Centre and announced it would relocate the spaceport to a new site in Queensland. or signup to continue reading The ELA-run spaceport saw NASA launch rockets from Arnhem Land in 2022 - for the first time from a commercial port outside of the US. Now, ELA has laid the blame on the Northern Land Council for having been "forced" to make its decision to abandon the NT site on Gumatj land near the town of Nhulunbuy. "This decision has been forced by the inability of the Company to finalise a lease for the expansion of the Arnhem Space Centre," the company said in a statement. "The decision came after the Northern Land Council (NLC) failed to meet its own specified deadline for the approval of the Head Lease for the fourth time over the last 12 months in October 2024." ELA claims it had made "desperate appeals", together with the Northern Territory Chief Minister's Department and the Gumatj Corporation since February 2024, but the NLC "would not issue a Head Lease or provide any official reasons for the delays". "Accordingly, Management and the Board of ELA were left with no option other than to act in the best interest of its customers and shareholders, abandon negotiations, and seek an alternate equatorial site in Queensland." But the Northern Land Council has hit back to "set the record straight on falsehoods shared by Equatorial Launch Australia". "ELA provided inaccurate, unrealistic timelines and unfairly blamed the NLC for delays as the reason for their decision," the Land Council said in a statement. "The NLC has engaged proactively and positively to facilitate a substantial, swift and, most crucially, safe agreement being made between ASC and Traditional Owners." Under its statutory obligations, the NLC is required to facilitate land use agreements between Aboriginal people and entities wishing to conduct business on their land, across the Top End of the NT. The Land Council said since September 2023 it had been in negotiations with ELA in regards to the planned space centre expansion in Arnhem Land, "consistently request(ing) essential information and terms to be provided, so that it could facilitate informative consultations with all Traditional Owners affected, including progressing the work of independent expert consultants". The NLC said negotiations had been "complicated", alleging ELA's "attempts to circumvent sacred sites protection requirements, breaches of previous agreement conditions, requiring confidentiality agreements, and significantly delaying responses to crucial correspondence". Matthew Ryan, NLC Chair, said it was "vital for Countrymen, and in the interest of all Australians", that sacred and cultural sites are protected and at the same time Aboriginal people are included in and benefit from economic developments on their Country". "Our people will not be pushed into cutting corners for outside business timelines, nor can we jeopardise cultural obligations, our Country, or the hard-won Land Rights of our people," he said. "We stand with our East Arnhem-based Council Members and all the clans of East Arnhem Land, when we say that we are very disappointed with how ELA has handled this. Especially the false timeline they are sharing and how they have obviously been working behind-the-scenes with Queensland - where they don't have the Aboriginal Land Rights Act to make sure Aboriginal Lands are respected and protected, and where they already have that appointed coordinator to dangerously rush things through." Mr Ryan said the NLC had "worked hard" to keep the Arnhem Space Centre's agreement moving, acknowledging the "opportunities the ASC could present to Aboriginal people across the Top End in terms of economic development and education". ELA said it had worked with the Queensland Government to move its spaceport to Weipa, hoping it will have regulatory clearances for contracted launches in late 2025. Meanwhile, the NT Government - a financial supporter of the space port - said it was "exploring legal options regarding our 5 per cent shareholding in ELA", which is believed to be worth about $5 million. I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books. I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. 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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 AdvertisementWicked star Ariana Grande says she and Cynthia Erivo were ‘insufferable’The holiday season means festive gatherings, meals with family, winter activities with friends and office parties. If you’re among the 38 per cent of Canadian adults aged 20-79 who experience hearing loss, it can also be a very isolating time. “The reason we’re getting together is to eat a lot of food and get together with friends, family, and catch up. And we don’t want to miss any part of their stories. We don’t want to be in those positions where we’re asking for repetition or not able to laugh at that joke,” says audiologist Kathy Pineo from HearCANADA. For those with hearing loss, navigating social situations can become tricky and stressful. “When you can’t participate in those settings, when that conversation no longer is flowing, it’s very frustrating. You’re going to start withdrawing, you’re not going to participate in those conversations and you may not feel great about yourself,” explains Pineo. “One of the things that hearing loss is associated with is clinical depression and we want to make sure that we’re interacting, that we’re being social. Humans are very social creatures, so when you’re not able to, you’re missing out and you may withdraw, isolate, and that’s not good for our brain health in any way.” She says straining to hear those around you can also lead to fatigue and with hearing loss comes an increased risk of falling. It has also been linked to dementia, diabetes and heart health as well. She stresses the importance of getting a hearing test at the earliest signs of hearing loss and regularly thereafter. Pineo says there are some telltale signs that you may be experiencing hearing loss. “You might notice that you really have to look at someone to be able to hear what they’re saying. Maybe your TV volume is creeping up and up and up. Maybe you’ve started even using closed captioning on shows that you’ve never used before. Maybe when you’re going to restaurants, you’re finding all of that extra noise very distracting, and you’re not able to hear what that person across from you is saying,” she says. “If you’re concerned about a loved one, usually again, you’re going to notice that TV volume go up. They’re going to ask for a lot of repetition. They might even stop going out because they don’t want to be in those situations where they’re not able to hear.” For those with parents or other loved ones who are embarrassed or resistant to getting a test, she suggests approaching them with empathy and compassion. “No one wants to be kind of called out. Say ‘You know what? We get our eyes checked every year, we get our teeth done. Why don’t we both go and get our hearing checked so we can make sure everything’s working well?’ And then, when you’re both at the appointments, you’re going to be that social support for your parent or partner,” she says. “You’d be surprised how important it is to make this about the family, about your partners, because we know that if you’re not hearing well, it can really affect those relationships as well.” If hearing aids are required, she says the best way to bring reluctant loved ones around is to have them try it. Hearing aid technology has come a long way and many are surprised by how unobtrusive they can be. “One of the first things I do is I put hearing aids on them. It’s very important because I can tell you about how great it’s going to be, how you’re going to hear better, how they’re very discreet. But until you have them on, that’s going to be kind of theoretical. It’s like, I can describe chocolate to you, but until you taste it, you’re not going to really understand it. Same with hearing aids,” she says. “A lot of times people come back after wearing their hearing aids for a few weeks and you see a transformation. They’re even reporting being less tired, their partners are happier. It’s a very, very positive experience.” Despite the success stories, the stigma attached to hearing loss and requiring hearing aids can lead many to delay getting care. Since hearing loss can be progressive, putting off a test can make matters worse. “I’d love to normalize getting a hearing assessment. We don’t want people to wait until let’s say it’s really ‘bad.’ [It’s important] that we do something about that hearing loss as soon as possible to help in those challenging situations so that we can socialize, we can have those communication skills up to snuff,” says Pineo. “Normalize it. It’s not because you’re older, it’s not because there’s anything wrong. This is part of your wellness. This is going to support you with your cognitive health as well in the long run.” What to expect during a hearing test Hearing tests usually start with questions regarding overall health, medical history and any experience with hearing loss. A hearing care professional will then check the patient’s ears by looking inside each one and check that each eardrum is moving correctly with a device called a tympanometer. Thereafter the patient is usually asked to step into a soundproof booth. “You’re going to listen to some beeps, you’re going to listen to some speech sounds. And once all of that is done, your hearing care professional is going to explain the results in a way that links all of your experiences to that test,” says Pineo. If any hearing loss is detected, the specialist might suggest hearing aids based on the patient’s specific needs and type of hearing loss. Many hearing centres offer free hearing screenings. The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) only covers hearing tests conducted by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor. The province’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) under OHIP covers 75 per cent of the price of a hearing aid, up to $500 for each ear.
Beth Dooley | (TNS) The Minnesota Star Tribune The holidays loom large. Parties, gift-shopping, school programs, recitals, family gatherings — there’s really no time to cook. Related Articles Restaurants Food and Drink | Roasted orange delivers big flavor in this smoky chicken traybake Restaurants Food and Drink | Winter can be a time of culinary abundance. Experts share tips on eating nutritiously Restaurants Food and Drink | Holiday beers in Philly region help heighten the spirit of the season Restaurants Food and Drink | Recipe: How to make Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits your pup will love Restaurants Food and Drink | Simple fixes give after-dinner cocktails some holiday flair. Here are 5 recipes from the pros But there is! Here are three quick and easy recipes you can hustle to the table in 30 minutes or less. Relax, take a deep breath and know that dinner is served. Serves 4. Making grilled cheese for more than one can be tricky. Here, the sheet pan does the work; the sandwiches are ready all at once. Try our suggested fillings or just enjoy them plain in all their gooey deliciousness. From Beth Dooley. Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the butter to the edge of 4 slices of bread. Place the slices butter-side down on the sheet pan. Top with the sliced cheese and add a layer of the filling, then top with the remaining slices of bread. Put the pan in the oven and cook until the butter is thoroughly melted and bottom slices are turning golden and the cheese is melting, about 8 to 10 to minutes. Flip the sandwiches. Continue cooking until the top layer of bread begins to turn golden and the cheese is melted. Turn the oven to broil and toast the top layer, watching closely, this goes quickly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the bread and toast the other side, about 15 to 20 seconds or so. Remove, cut and serve. Quick Skillet Chicken with Lemon, Tahini and Warm Spices will come together quickly and can be served on a bed of greens or pasta. (Ashley Moyna Schwickert/For the Minnesota Star Tribune) Serves 4 to 6. A simple marinade of pantry staples — lemon, tahini, olive oil and a little honey — keeps the chicken moist and becomes the sauce for finishing the dish. Serve on a bed of dark greens or cooked rice. From Beth Dooley. Directions In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon, tahini, honey and olive oil. Measure out 1⁄2 of the mixture into a separate bowl. This is to sauce the chicken after it’s cooked. If it seems too thick, whisk in a little water. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and pound with the flat edge of a knife to even out the width a bit. Put the chicken into the bowl of marinade and turn to coat. Film a heavy skillet with more oil and set over high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook, flipping after about 5 to 7 minutes, and continuing, until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. (The chicken should reach 165 on an instant-read thermometer when done.) Remove the chicken from the skillet, set on a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes. Slice the meat in long strokes against the grain. Serve on a bed of greens or rice, garnished with a drizzle of sauce, chopped herbs and a few thinly sliced lemons. Pass additional sauce on the side. One-Pot Pasta with Sausage, Tomato and Spinach is a quick but hearty meal for busy, chilly nights. (Ashley Moyna Schwickert/For the Minnesota Star Tribune) Serves 4 to 6. You only need one pot for this simple pasta. The sausage adds the seasoning, the onions turn sweetly golden, cherry tomatoes burst into a luscious sauce. A squeeze of lemon at the end livens things up. From Beth Dooley. Directions Film a large heavy pot or Dutch oven with the oil and set over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it turns limp and golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage, breaking apart with a spatula until it crumbles, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the stock, scraping up the bottom of the pan to release browned bits that stick to the bottom. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring well and continue boiling for about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to a brisk simmer, stirring to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the sauce becomes too thick and the pasta begins to stick, stir in water, about 1⁄4 cup at a time. Simmer until the sauce is mostly absorbed and the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, then stir in the cheese. Add lemon juice to taste. Serve garnished with the chopped parsley. Beth Dooley is the author of “The Perennial Kitchen.” Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com. ©2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Lost 'friend, philosopher and guide', says Sonia Gandhi on Manmohan Singh's demiseCracks emerge in Trump's MAGA coalition
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NEW YORK (AP) — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time," said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins were ready to deal veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline until Mike McDaniel stepped in. “I may or may not have thrown an adult temper tantrum,” Miami's coach said, confirming the news first reported by NFL Network Sunday morning. The Dolphins were 2-6 and had lost three straight at that point. They'd played four uninspired games without their starting quarterback, going 1-3 after Tua Tagovailoa went on injured reserve on Sept. 17 with a concussion. Campbell would have had a chance to rejoin the contending Ravens, and Miami would have received a 2026 fifth-round pick in return, NFL Network reported. McDaniel argued that Campbell was too valuable to lose. “I was happy that they brought me into the conversations," Campbell said after Miami's 34-15 win over the New England Patriots . “They didn't have to say anything to me at all. We had a really good conversation about what we think about this team, where we are. We felt like we had a good shot to get back into the fight.” Added McDaniel: “I think it wasn’t like it was (GM) Chris (Grier) versus me. ... That’s the tricky thing about Chris’ job is he has to look long-term and short-term at the same time, what’s the best for the organization.” Campbell, a 17-year veteran, signed with the Dolphins after playing for Atlanta last season. Players and coaches have praised the 38-year-old's contributions on the field and in the locker room. “There’s no one’s game I’ve come to respect more than Calais up front on the D-line,” defensive tackle Zach Sieler said, “being with him this year and just the energy, the attitude and the mindset he brings every week. It can’t be matched, and that’s the reason why he is who he is today and doing what he’s doing at 17 years.” Campbell leads the team with four sacks. With back-to-back sacks in Weeks 10 and 11, he became the eighth player 38 or older to record sacks in consecutive games since the 1970 merger. He also has nine tackles for loss, giving him at least five tackles for loss in 15 of his 17 seasons. He played for Baltimore from 2020-2022, totaling 11 sacks and 113 tackles. “I think he means a great deal to not only the defensive line room, but the entire defense as well as the entire team,” McDaniel said earlier this week. “It’s rare for a guy to get here when he did, and then be voted, with such conviction, captain. I think the way that he operates to be a pro, I think has had a substantial impact on a lot of players that hadn’t been fortunate enough to be around someone with sustained success like he’s had.” The Dolphins have won three straight games since the deadline. Miami's defense held the Patriots scoreless until the fourth quarter on Sunday. Campbell broke down the team's pregame huddle as he has done before most games this season. He was also seen coaching up rookie linebacker Chop Robinson, who is always seeking pointers from the six-time Pro Bowler. “My job is to speak on behalf of what’s the best thing for the 2024 Dolphins,” McDaniel said. “I’m just fortunate to work in an organization where myself and the GM can be transparent and work together. “And he didn’t want to see any more adult temper tantrums.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
By Clarissa-Jan Lim Former Rep. Matt Gaetz , whose political career was dramatically upended in the past month, has lined up a new gig as a political talk show host on the conservative One America News Network (OAN). The network, announced on Tuesday that “The Matt Gaetz Show” will run every weeknight starting in January 2025. Gaetz will also begin co-hosting a podcast with OAN’s Dan Ball, which will cater to a younger audience next year, the network said. Gaetz’s pivot to right-wing talk show host is not totally out of left field; the former congressman has a reputation for pushing baseless claims about the Jan. 6 attack , insulting his opponents, and stirring up drama with his colleagues . News of his latest gig follows a tumultuous few weeks in his career. In mid-November, President-elect Donald Trump sent shockwaves throughout Washington, D.C., when he announced he would nominate the Florida Republican as his attorney general. Gaetz, who was being investigated by the House Ethics Committee at the time, abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump's announcement, effectively ending the panel’s jurisdiction over him. But the ethics investigation remained an issue for Gaetz, and his former House colleagues were divided along party lines about whether or not to release the ethics report on the probe. (A separate Justice Department investigation into allegations that Gaetz engaged in sex trafficking ended last year without any charges being brought against him. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.) As the pressure over the report’s release grew, Gaetz withdrew from consideration for attorney general . He subsequently said he would not join the new Congress , despite having easily won re-election in November. Gaetz has not appeared to have completely abandoned his political aspirations, however. He has amplified a follower’s suggestion on social media that he run for governor of Florida, even though he has publicly denied that he was interested in the position. In the meantime, Gaetz seems intent on staying in the spotlight, judging by his recent moves. Aside from his upcoming job as a talk show host, he joined the platform Cameo two weeks ago, making personalized videos for fans for hundreds of dollars apiece. Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking/trending news blogger for MSNBC Digital. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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(KTEN) — US 75 had steady traffic north and south on Wednesday as motorists filled up their tanks for a Thanksgiving trip. "We enjoy driving; we enjoy stopping at Buc-ee's," said Rudy Aldama, who was traveling from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to El Paso, Texas. With less than 24 hours until Thanksgiving, people packed their patience early Wednesday morning as they passed through Texoma. Sandra Hanson — traveling from Tulsa to Dallas — said she was up before the crack of dawn. "I wanted to try and get away from all the traffic, and so far it has been good," she said. Travelers told us that driving was not only more cost efficient, but more practical this year. "You can carry more in your car; you get to just travel the way you want to, and it's too expensive to fly right now," said Caroline Peaslee, who was on the road from Dallas to Missouri. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! Thanksgiving dinner brings family and friends together across the country. Dallas resident Kishna Banks was on her to a Chicago get-together. "Everybody is there, so we're doing a huge Thanksgiving dinner," she said. "It will be probably about 40 to 50 people." But if you're not flying, those miles can add up on a long trip to El Paso. "It's between 12 and 13 hours, so it's going to be a while," Aldama said. "We'll stop when we get tired; we'll get out and walk around." As for the best part of Thanksgiving? "Just being with family," said Banks. "The laughter, the fun, the games... it's just joy."Pauline Hanson runs past Lidia Thorpe in the Senate chamber (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas) THORPE SUSPENDED Lidia Thorpe’s suspension from Parliament got significant coverage overnight, with AAP reporting the independent senator received the punishment after she threw pieces of paper at One Nation’s Pauline Hanson as a row over racism erupted. On Wednesday Hanson had attempted to refer Senator Fatima Payman to a parliamentary committee over her dual Afghan citizenship, questioning her eligibility to sit in the upper house. Payman said in response to Hanson’s actions yesterday morning: “You’re not just vindictive, mean, nasty, you bring disgrace to the human race. No dignity whatsoever as a senator,” the ABC reports. Thorpe, in supporting Payman, shouted “convicted racist” at Hanson and threw torn-up documents at her, AAP said. Labor Senate leader Penny Wong later moved a motion to suspend Thorpe due to “the gravity of the conduct”. The government, Coalition, Hanson, David Pocock and Ralph Babet voted in favour of the motion while the Greens voted against it. Coalition Senate leader Simon Birmingham called the motion a “line in the sand” and accused the Greens of a “shameful double standard”. While that was going on, WA Premier Roger Cook was saying in a press conference he was confident the government’s “nature positive” legislation would not be progressed in its current form. Turns out he wasn’t wrong, with Guardian Australia among others flagging how Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stepped in to kill it at the 11th hour even though negotiations between Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Greens’ environment spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young “were progressing this week towards a compromise”. Elsewhere, the site flags Jacqui Lambie and Tammy Tyrrell are involved in an administrative spat over the typography and map of Tasmania they both use in their respective logos. Finally, the AAP highlights that up to half of the country’s adult population is “lining up for a share of $100 million in the sixth largest lottery jackpot in the nation”. The draw closes at 7.30pm AEST. FINAL MAD SCRAMBLE Another calm and sensible day awaits us in Canberra with the government attempting to ram almost 40 bills through the Senate in the last scheduled sitting day of the year. Guardian Australian reports the Albanese government hopes to pass key legislation on migration, electoral reform, privacy, the social media ban for under 16s, and to implement a new Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) structure. The site reckons at least 37 bills will be attempted to be pushed through the Senate on Thursday. Yesterday’s scenes in the chamber, which saw independent senator Lidia Thorpe suspended for the remainder of the parliamentary sitting week, could have an impact on the government’s plans. Guardian Australia flags Thorpe’s suspension leaves the government “short of the numbers required for the guillotine motion which would truncate the usual debate time and bring on rapid-fire votes”. Apparently independent Senator David Pocock has offered his support “but at a high price”, the site says and reports crossbenchers are considering voting as a bloc to oppose all of the government’s legislative wishlist in protest at the frantic end to the sitting week. The ABC had led overnight on the suggestion the government’s election finance reforms are potentially in trouble after a breakdown in negotiations with the Coalition at the last minute. The broadcaster said sources claim the opposition has concerns over the proposal to limit election donations and spending. The apparent concerns are regarded by some as a tactic to drag talks beyond the end of the week and therefore potentially the end of the parliamentary term, if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls the election for early next year. If unable to come to an agreement with the opposition, the government will try to pass parts of the legislation with the help of the crossbench, the ABC adds. With that said, the Nine papers reckon that the reforms actually look set to pass the Senate “after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton held informal talks with Labor powerbroker Don Farrell to negotiate the deal”. The papers add Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court has held last-minute talks with Farrell to warn against the plans, while mining billionaire Clive Palmer raced to Canberra to try and intervene. In another example of mixed messaging, the ABC reckons the government is still negotiating over its earnings tax on super funds with balances over $3 million. At the same time, Guardian Australia has led overnight with the reform being “all but abandoned” while (as flagged in Tuesday’s Worm ) the AFR said at the weekend it looks unlikely to pass before the next election, even if this Parliament does return on February. So who knows, everything is changing all the time. For example, the AFR flags the plans to reform the Reserve Bank of Australia’s board were declared “effectively dead” back in September but are now back in contention after the government reopened discussions with the Greens yesterday as part of the plans to push through as much legislation as possible today using the guillotine motion. Brace for endless twists and turns with plenty of blatant tactics playing out in Parliament House over the next 24 hours. ON A LIGHTER NOTE... A cat that got lost in Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park has made it back to its home in California after an epic 900-mile journey. The Associated Press reports Benny and Susanne Anguiano took their two pet cats to Yellowstone’s Fishing Bridge RV Park on June 4. Not long after arriving one of the felines, Rayne Beau, got startled and ran into the trees. After a fruitless four-day search Benny and Susanne had to return home to Salinas, California, without him. A whole two months later in August, the couple were informed by a microchip that Rayne Beau was at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Roseville, California, almost 900 miles from Yellowstone, the newswire said. A woman had spotted the cat wandering the streets of the northern California city and taken him to the local SPCA after feeding and watering him. The Anguianos then went and picked him up. The couple say they have no idea how Rayne Beau travelled the 900 miles and are hoping people will come forward and provide details if they saw him on his odyssey. Say What? LinkedIn simply does not have content interesting and appealing to minors. LinkedIn The career networking site told the Senate inquiry it is too boring to be included in the government’s plans to ban under-16s from certain social media. CRIKEY RECAP Marles the mediocre floats free of media scrutiny BERNARD KEANE Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas) Two scandals continue to bubble away that reflect poorly on Richard Marles , the deputy prime minister and, as head of the Defence portfolio, both the biggest spending minister and most important manufacturing figure in the government. Neither, however, looks set to damage him. Marles has led a charmed life over the past two parliamentary terms. He is only Labor’s deputy leader because, due to Anthony Albanese’s ascendancy, the deputy leader couldn’t be from the Left faction or from NSW. He has sailed through numerous problems in his portfolio that would have bogged down other ministers. Renewables are exceeding expectations — but so are emissions. Why? KETAN JOSHI It is bad enough that 2024 was a record high for global greenhouse gas emissions. It is extra bad because the number we’ve ended up at is higher than all of the old projections of what this year would end up at. That is to say: we are overestimating our ability to stop using fossil fuels. There have been incredible advances in renewables and climate policies, but also, “fossil fuel subsidies remain at an all-time high and funding for fossil fuel-prolonging projects quadrupled between 2021 and 2022”. Why? What is justifying this weird refusal to back away from the fossil fuel economy? It’s many things, but a big one is the false promise of a machine that cleans up fossil fuels, rather than us needing to find a replacement for them. Back in 2022, I contributed an essay to Greta Thunberg’s Climate Book . It was about the weaponised false promise of carbon capture and storage (CCS). I wanted to talk about it not as a technological phenomenon but a rhetorical one. A tactically deployed promise that is never meant to come true . Failure as a feature, not a bug. The secret to a million-dollar newsletter in a feeble news market? Admitting when you mess up CHARLIE LEWIS The subject line of the November 25 edition of US politics newsletter Tangle , which came out a few hours before I spoke to founder Isaac Saul , was “A trans bathroom controversy in Congress”. But that was not the subject of the lead item. The first thing a subscriber would read that day were two corrections to the publication’s recent coverage, featuring not just the facts that had been printed erroneously, but a candid explanation as to how those errors came about. The correction ends by noting that these represent the “120th and 121st corrections in Tangle’s 277-week history”. This is as good an introduction to Tangle — which calls itself “an independent, nonpartisan, subscriber-supported politics newsletter” — as one is likely to get. “It all comes to the question, ‘how do we improve trust in media?’” Saul told Crikey . “We show our work. If we screw something up, putting it as a footnote and ghost-editing the piece is not a way to build trust.” READ ALL ABOUT IT As Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes hold, Biden heralds new push for truce with Hamas in Gaza (CBS News) Two presidents, two policies, one superpower: America in transition ( The New York Times ) ($) China’s CO2 emissions have peaked or will in 2025, say 44% of experts in survey ( The Guardian ) Laos detains foreign hostel staff over backpacker methanol poisonings as families and travellers demand answers (CNN) The rest is not even close: Inside Gary Lineker’s goalhanger revolution ( Esquire ) Drake takes legal action over song’s ‘sex offender’ claim (BBC) THE COMMENTARIAT Why I’ve changed my mind about the social media bill — Andrew Wilkie ( Guardian Australia ): There is also the fact that, despite all the histrionics about protecting children from harm, the government has dropped plans to ban gambling advertising, shelved their Environmental Protection Agency, kicked environmental law reform into the long grass and continues to cheer on fossil fuels. Surely our kids deserve protection from predatory gambling companies and the climate emergency too. If we truly want to get serious about protecting our kids online we could better regulate social media companies and their algorithms. We could put the onus on them to implement safety by design. And we could steer kids towards more respectful behaviour. This proposed ban is a blunt instrument being rushed through before an election. It ignores the nuances and restricts young people rather than focusing on those responsible for the harm. There are any number of things the government could be doing if they were serious about preventing harm, but I reckon in this case they are just playing pre-election games and the opposition is more than happy to go along for the ride. Karen Webb’s response to Clare Nowland verdict shows some lessons have been learned — Lia Harris (ABC): “Hindsight is a wonderful thing.” That was the response from NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb when asked if she wished she had handled things differently after 95-year-old Clare Nowland was tasered by a police officer last year. And based on the speed with which she fronted the media on Wednesday afternoon, less than four hours after senior constable Kristian White was convicted of Mrs Nowland’s manslaughter, it certainly seems some lessons have been learned. It was a pivotal moment in a case that has plagued the last 18 months of commissioner Webb’s leadership.
AP News Summary at 4:48 p.m. EST
NonePolls close in Uruguay’s election, with ruling coalition and opposition headed for photo finish
Late kickoff return TDs by Turpin and Thomas spark the Cowboys as they end their 5-game skidMike McDaniel stepped in to keep Dolphins from trading veteran DT Calais Campbell to RavensNow 36, she already has a World Cup title and won an Olympic gold medal this year in France. She considered the mental, physical and emotional toll of a new cycle and decided it was time to step away . “Honestly, I think I’ve been somebody that has given everything I’ve had to this team. I don’t do anything halfway. It’s kind of, if you can give 100% to it, then keep going," she said. “With that in mind, I kind of just felt like this was the right time coming off of the Olympics, having the year that we had, entering into a new cycle, a new stage for this team.” Naeher is the latest veteran to announce she's stepping down from the national team as the next generation takes over under coach Emma Hayes. Among those who have wrapped up their soccer careers in the past couple of years include World Cup winners Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Kelley O'Hara and Ali Krieger. Naeher will be with the team for two more matches in the coming week. The Americans play England at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and then the Netherlands in The Hague on Tuesday. Naeher said she's excited about the next generation of goalkeepers. In addition to Naeher, Mandy Haught of the Utah Royals and Phallon Tullis-Joyce of Manchester United are on the roster for the upcoming matches. Other goalkeepers who have been on recent rosters include Casey Murphy and Jane Campbell. “I think the beauty of goalkeeping is that it’s not really a one-size-fits-all kind of position," she said. "The more that you can understand — that's going to be the challenge any young goalkeeper coming up, is really taking the time to understand what your strengths are and make them really, really elite and separate yourself.” Naeher spoke on Wednesday from London after announcing her retirement on social media Monday . Naeher made her senior debut with the national team in 2014 and was a backup to Hope Solo at the 2015 World Cup, which the United States won. She became the team’s regular starter following the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and was on the squad that repeated as World Cup winners in 2019. Naeher won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before the U.S. earned gold this year in Paris. She made a key one-handed save in stoppage time to preserve the Americans’ 1-0 victory over Brazil in the Olympic final. For her career, Naeher has appeared 113 games with 110 starts, 88 wins and 68 shutouts. She had four shutouts over the course of the Olympic tournament in France. While she's leaving the national team, she'll play one more year for her club team, the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women's Soccer League. “I hope that I can be remembered as a good teammate, as a competitor, as somebody that was looked on as someone that could be relied upon on the field and supported those players around me,” she said. “I think it’s just been a really special team to be a part of. And I’m very proud of what we have been able to accomplish over the years.” AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerANDERSON COUNTY, Texas — The Texas attorney general’s office is deliberately running out the clock on a soon-to-expire House committee to avoid cooperating with its demand that death row inmate Robert Roberson be able to testify before the committee in person, according to the two lawmakers spearheading that effort. “What the attorney general’s office, I feel like is doing right now, is trying to delay, as much as possible, and not work with us,” state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, told The Texas Tribune during a Friday event exploring the committee’s intervention in the Roberson case. “They’re basically ignoring the Supreme Court’s order, knowing that in a month or so, when the new legislative session convenes, our committee goes away,” he said. Leach, a member of the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, and the committee’s chair, state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, appeared Friday at a Texas Tribune event to discuss the historic legislative intervention that halted Roberson’s Oct. 17 execution. The committee is planning for Roberson to testify in person at the Capitol on Dec. 20, two months after the committee forced a delay of his execution through an extraordinary legal intervention. The committee is awaiting confirmation from Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office on whether it will voluntarily comply with the panel’s order and allow the state criminal justice department to transport Roberson from prison to the Capitol so he can testify. Moody discussed how the Texas Supreme Court has told the legislative and executive branches of state government to cooperate on this matter on three separate occasions. But after asking the executive branch if it would agree to produce Roberson, Moody said, its representatives “couldn’t answer the simple question of, can we agree or do you want me to issue a subpoena?,” Moody said. “They have refused to answer that very simple question.” As a result, Moody set the hearing for Dec. 20 and gave the attorney general’s office until the end of the day Friday to answer. If they don’t, Moody said he will issue a new subpoena for Roberson. “I’ve been in this business long enough — that’s just a foot drag,” Moody said. “So I set the hearing and I gave him a deadline.” He said he hopes that Texans question the delays by Paxton’s office. “Why don’t they want to hear from Robert? Why do they not want the Legislature to do this? Why?” The Texas attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to the comments made by Leach or Moody. It’s the latest in the dramatic back and forth between the two government branches over Roberson’s testimony. The day before Roberson’s scheduled Oct. 17 execution, the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence held a hearing airing his claims of innocence and lack of due process. The panel’s surprise move to subpoena Roberson on Oct. 16 then successfully forced a delay in his execution. Roberson, who has maintained his innocence in the death of his child for more than 20 years, became a political lightning rod in recent months as members of the bipartisan Criminal Jurisprudence Committee — convinced that the courts had not properly applied a 2013 junk science law to his case — waged a controversial campaign to buy him more time. Roberson was convicted of capital murder in 2003 for the death of his 2-year-old daughter Nikki, who was diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome. He has sought to use the junk science law to vacate his conviction, arguing that new scientific evidence debunked Nikki’s shaken baby diagnosis and showed that she died of undiagnosed pneumonia, not abuse. The committee’s subpoena prompted the ongoing battle between lawmakers and Paxton’s office over securing Roberson’s testimony. The subpoena also created a separation of powers conflict between the state’s legislative and executive branches, prompting the Texas Supreme Court to stay Roberson’s execution on Oct. 17 as it worked through the legal dispute. In an Oct. 28 Texas Supreme Court brief, members of the criminal jurisprudence panel accused Paxton’s office of stonewalling and refusing to comply with the subpoena. “The executive branch has shown no willingness to work out its differences with the legislative branch or meet its statutory duty to assist the Committee,” the brief states. The criminal jurisprudence panel held a hearing on Oct. 21 with plans for Roberson to give his testimony in person. But Paxton quashed those plans, saying that the inmate would only testify via video, “in the interest of public safety.” Both the committee and Roberson’s attorney objected to a virtual set-up, saying that Roberson’s autism and lack of technological experience due to his more than two decades in prison meant that he could not testify effectively over video. Lawmakers then sought to visit Roberson on death row to take his testimony there. But according to the lawmakers’ brief, Paxton’s office again scuttled those plans, telling Moody that “the executive branch would no longer permit any form of hearing with Roberson.” Instead, the brief states, the executive branch proposed a joint letter in which Moody and Leach “admit that Roberson was a murderer, that they had overstepped their authority, and that no legislative committee should ever act similarly in the future.” At the Tribune event, Moody said they had no intent of signing such a letter. “I’ve got to censor myself when talking about that letter because I thought someone was joking with me when they sent it to me,” Moody said. “That was a letter that was sent to us, knowing that we would never sign it. It is written in a way that says, make sure that they never sign this, because it was saying, you know, we’re idiots, we made a mistake, we’re so sorry, Robert’s a murderer.” Paxton, meanwhile, has accused the lawmakers of “sidelining” the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s legal counsel, and said that nothing compelled the executive branch to bring Roberson to the Capitol. On Nov. 15, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that legislative subpoenas could not be used to block death warrants, clearing the way for Roberson’s execution. But the court noted that there was now plenty of time for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to produce Roberson for testimony. The prosecuting district attorney has not yet requested a new execution date, which could not be set within 90 days of the request. “If the committee still wishes to obtain his testimony, we assume that the department can reasonably accommodate a new subpoena,” the court said. “So long as a subpoena issues in a way that does not inevitably block a scheduled execution, nothing in our holding prevents the committee from pursuing judicial relief in the ordinary way to compel a witness’s testimony.” Leach hinted that fighting the committee after the Supreme Court’s decision will have consequences. “Our AG is doing a lot of really good work,” Leach said. “But look, if you’re going to ignore the Legislature and say, ‘We don’t care about you and we’re not gonna do what the Supreme Court told us to do’ — then if we have to, we’ll be back in front of the Supreme Court. And I don’t think ... that should be necessary.
The South Carolina women's basketball team has been defeated for the first time since March 31, 2023. The No. 1 Gamecocks fell Sunday in Los Angeles as Lauren Betts posted a double-double effort to lead No. 5 UCLA to a 77-62 triumph. The Gamecocks (5-1) suffered their first defeat after 43 consecutive victories, dating back to the loss to Iowa 77-73 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals. South Carolina defeated Iowa last season for the national championship. Betts finished with 11 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks to power the Bruins (5-0) to a historic victory. UCLA also got 15 points from Londynn Jones on 5-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, 13 points from Elina Aarnisalo and 11 each from Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jacquez. It's the first time UCLA has beaten South Carolina since 1981. The Bruins lost twice to the Gamecocks in the 2022-23 season, including in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Te-Hina Paopao had 18 points for South Carolina on 4-of-4 3-point shooting, while Tessa Johnson had 14 points. UCLA won the rebounding battle 41-34, marking the second time this season the Gamecocks have been outrebounded. South Carolina also got outscored in the paint 26-18. It's rare that a Dawn Staley-coached team -- units that typically revolve around dominant centers from A'ja Wilson to Aaliyah Boston to Kamilla Cardoso -- gets beat in the paint and on the glass, but with 6-foot-7 Betts, UCLA had the recipe to outmuscle the Gamecocks in those areas of the game. South Carolina never led after UCLA began the game with an 18-5 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Jones. The Gamecocks cut the deficit to nine points in the second quarter, but the Bruins responded with a 17-5 run and entered halftime ahead by 21 points. Aarnisalo scored seven points during that run. From there, the Gamecocks never got within single digits of the lead in the second half. It's the first time in 21 tries that UCLA has beaten an AP-ranked No. 1 team. And it's the first time South Carolina lost a true road game since 2021, a streak of 33 games. The schedule doesn't get any easier for South Carolina. While UCLA faces UT Martin next on Friday, the Gamecocks play No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday. --Field Level MediaRaiders Fans in Shambles After Shedeur Sanders Myth Is BustedStock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.