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Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly donated $1m to Donald Trump's inaugural fund, marking the latest twist in the complicated relationship between the tech boss and the Republican president-elect. The donation has been confirmed by the Silicon Valley company, according to The Wall Street Journal, and comes despite Trump threatening the Facebook founder with jail just months earlier, if he attempted to influence the 2024 election. The move is the latest example of a tech CEO moving to make a conciliatory gesture towards Trump now that his return to the White House has been confirmed and his party have secured control over both chambers of Congress. Trump has been enjoying a very public "bromance" with Elon Musk in recent months while Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, a long-time enemy of the blustering New York property tycoon, praised his November 5 win as "an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory." "What I've seen so far is that he is calmer than he was the first time and more confident, more settled," Bezos recently told a New York Times conference. Now Zuckerberg appears to be continuing on his goal to build bridges with the president-elect. The Meta boss dined at Trump's... Joe SommerladPreview: Port Vale vs. Crewe Alexandra - prediction, team news, lineups
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The Energy Industries Council (EIC) has awarded premium multipurpose, heavy lift carrier AAL Shipping (AAL) the Innovation & Digital Award at the World Energy Supply Chain Awards (WESCA) 2024 APAC. The award recognises AAL’s contribution to the energy sector, particularly the innovations from the past year that has enabled the shipping operator to increase its scope in energy projects of all kinds while bringing greater levels of efficiency and emissions reductions to its operations and clients. A particular highlight for AAL has been the delivery and deployment of the newbuild Super B-Class fleet, of which four vessels out of the eight-strong order are now busy plying their trade supporting energy customers worldwide. A critical design change compared to the other multipurpose, heavy lift ships in the fleet is the revolutionary retractable weather deck extension system, the ‘AAL ECO-DECK’. This boosts the clear deck space to over 5,000 sq m and brings a host of benefits for energy clients including greater economies of scale, which in turn reduces the number of voyages required and thus the costs, fuel, time and emissions. Emissions reduction is a core feature of the Super B-Class. In addition to the superior cargo intake capabilities reducing the number of voyages, the dual fuel vessels meet the highest possible emission standards and are methanol ready. Further fuel-efficiency measures from AAL include the use of digital solutions such as the Performance and Optimisation Control Room (POCR), in partnership with sister company Columbia Shipmanagement, offering routing technology to enhance sailing efficiency. “We at AAL regularly reinvest in new innovations to enhance our services and offering to our global energy customers – be it digital solutions for emissions reduction or larger investments in the future of the energy sector with the Super B-Class vessels,” said Kyriacos Panayides, CEO of AAL Shipping. “Not only have these vessels been purpose-built to handle the energy components being moved today, but their design also anticipates the future requirements of the sector, ensuring they can be relied upon for years to come. “It is a great honour to be recognised by the EIC with the Innovation & Digital Award 2024 and be amongst the energy sector’s top supply chain players. It is recognition for our teams’ hard work and their solution-driven approach.” Source: AAL ShippingUltra Low Carbon Concrete Market Outlook and Future Projections for 2030
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AQABA, Jordan (AP) — Top U.S. officials were in the Middle East on Thursday, pushing for stability in Syria and an end to Israel’s 14-month war in the Gaza Strip in a last-ditch diplomatic push by the outgoing Biden administration before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in a few weeks. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Jordan and Turkey for talks on how to ensure a peaceful transition of power in Syria following the ouster of longtime President Bashar Assad , while White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was in Israel in a bid to wrap up a ceasefire with Hamas militants. A ceasefire would give President Joe Biden a final diplomatic victory after a turbulent term in which his administration has been unable to halt a brutal war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives in Gaza and plunged the territory into a humanitarian crisis. Trump has demanded the immediate release of hostages , threatening on social media that otherwise there would be “HELL TO PAY,” and has urged the U.S. not to get involved in Syria , where some 900 troops are based to combat the Islamic State militant group. Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Sullivan expressed cautious optimism that conditions were ripe for halting the long-running conflict before the Biden administration leaves office. “I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t think this thing was just waiting until after January 20,” he said of when Trump will be inaugurated. The war erupted with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took 250 others hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, caused widespread displacement and led to severe hunger across the territory. U.S.-led ceasefire efforts have repeatedly faltered throughout the war, with the warring sides blaming each other for the failure. Israel has said it is seeking the destruction of Hamas’ governing and military capabilities, at times pressing ahead with the offensive in the face of U.S. calls for restraint. Hamas, meanwhile, has stuck to its demands that any ceasefire include a permanent end to the fighting and full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The U.S. has backed Israel with key military and diplomatic support. But at times, it also has appeared helpless in urging Israel to minimize civilian casualties and to enable the delivery of more humanitarian aid into Gaza . Sullivan said the rapid-fire changes across the region have improved the chances for success. He said Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah last month, ending more than a year of fighting, the collapse of Syria’s government and the heavy blow Israel has inflicted on Hamas have all changed the negotiating climate. He also said there has been good cooperation with the incoming Trump administration , with widespread agreement between them. “The surround sound of these negotiations is different today than it has been in the past,” Sullivan told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I got the sense from the prime minister that he’s ready to do the deal,” Sullivan added. “We see movement from Hamas.” Sullivan is now scheduled to head to Qatar and Egypt, which have served as mediators throughout the war. Any deal would include the release of hostages held by Hamas, an exchange of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and a surge in badly needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel says Hamas is holding about 100 hostages — at least one-third of whom are believed to have died. As Sullivan was in Israel, Blinken met with Jordanian and Turkish leaders to push for a peaceful transition of power in post-Assad Syria. “We’re back in the region at a time of both real promise but also peril for Syria and for its neighbors,” Blinken told reporters in Aqaba, Jordan, after meeting with King Abdullah II. He said the U.S. was working with its regional partners to help Syria “transition away from Assad’s brutal dictatorship” and toward a new government that isn’t dominated by any single religious or ethnic group, by an outside power or the Islamic State militant group. “We’re determined to do everything we can, working in close coordination with partners, to help the Syrian people realize that aspiration,” Blinken said. Syria is home to an array of armed groups with competing interests and allies. In northern Syria, U.S.-backed Kurdish separatists are battling to fend off fighters supported by Turkey. In the country’s center and northeast, the extremist Islamic State group maintains a presence that generates concern for the U.S. And the rebels, hailing mainly from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, face the daunting task of creating a transitional government for the war-ravaged country. The leader of Syria’s biggest rebel faction is a former al-Qaida commander whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group is poised to chart the country’s future. The U.S. and the U.N. have designated the hardline Sunni Islamist group a terrorist organization. The goal of creating a free and pluralistic Syria will be a challenge given the bad blood stretching across Syria’s sectarian lines after over half a century of Assad family rule and more than 13 years of civil war that claimed an estimated 500,000 lives. Blinken started his trip in Jordan, a close U.S. ally whose fragile economy has been strained over the years by an influx of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. He then went to Turkey — a backer of Sunni rebels but a foe of the Kurds. In a late-night meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a VIP lounge at Ankara’s airport, Blinken pressed the importance of keeping up the fight against IS. Officials called it an effort to urge the Turks not to launch military operations against U.S.-backed Kurdish rebels who Washington believes have been critical to battling IS. Blinken “emphasized the need to ensure the coalition to defeat ISIS can continue to execute its critical mission,” the State Department said, using another acronym for the Islamic State group. Israel, meanwhile, has sent troops into Syria — its northern neighbor — and seized a former buffer zone that had been demilitarized since a 1974 truce. Israel has described it as defensive, meant to protect its border and prevent armed groups from seizing weapons left behind by Assad’s army. Netanyahu said Thursday that the move was temporary. But he said Israel would remain inside Syria until another party can secure the border, raising the likelihood of a prolonged and open-ended presence. Sullivan tried to play down the Israeli move, noting that Assad was toppled just days ago and it is too early to jump to any conclusions. But Blinken was more cautious as he called for restraint by all regional players with interests in Syria. He said the U.S. is “already talking to Israel” and others about the future of Syria. “Across the board, when it comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts,” he said. Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed from Washington.Ange Postecoglou criticised Timo Werner’s performance in Tottenham Hotspur’s as “unacceptable”. Werner was replaced by goalscorer Dejan Kulusevski at half-time, following a miserable first 45 minutes that made Postecoglou furious. “He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” said Postecoglou. “When you’ve got 18-year-olds [on the pitch], it’s not acceptable to me. “I said that to Timo. He’s a senior international, he’s a German international. In the moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.” Werner is on loan at Tottenham from RB Leipzig and has been criticised for his performances by the club’s fans. Asked how Werner responded to the brutal assessment on Thursday night, Postecoglou said: “[I] don’t really know. It’s not really of great concern. “We need everybody including him to be contributing. Because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they’re performing poorly. We need them to play their part. Especially the senior guys. When I’m asking younger guys to do massive jobs, I expect a level of performance from some of the senior guys. And today wasn’t that.” Kulusevski’s goal rescued a draw for Tottenham, who had fallen behind against Rangers and were indebted to goalkeeper Fraser Forster for a brilliant late save. Postecoglou said: “We were not anywhere near our best, but in a period of games we’re grinding through with a depleted squad, asking players to get up week in, week out. In the context of that, it’s a good outcome. “The subs made a difference and scored a good goal. A great save by Fraser gives us an important point. It is the result, what’s fair and unfair is for others to judge.”
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Chicago mayor releases 2023 tax returnsThe last time President-elect Donald Trump used tariffs to wage the US-China trade war, it upended US ports. Suppliers rushed to frontload inventory ahead of implementation dates, straining infrastructure ill-equipped to handle the volume surge. The COVID pandemic only accelerated the untangling of global supply chains. Logistics firms say the lessons from those experiences and the changes implemented since may help cushion the blow if Trump makes good on promises to hike tariffs on US imports . “What I think people learned was not to make huge volume rash decisions,” said Paul Brashier, vice president of global supply chain for ITS Logistics, referring to the 2018 trade war. “[There was] a lot of knowledge and infrastructure that was put in place to be able to handle situations like this that still exists so it mutes the overall effect when there are these changes in booking behavior.” To be clear, some businesses are rushing to get ahead of any tariff hikes. At the country’s largest port, cargo volume was up 16% year on year in November, according to Port of Los Angeles director Gene Seroka, although he attributed much of that spike to geopolitical issues and a strong economy. Read more: How do tariffs work, and who really pays them? But as firms dust off their 2018 tariff playbooks, many are confronting a very different global trade landscape that is more diversified to withstand potential shocks. For example, while China’s share of US imports amounted to 20% in 2017, today that share has declined to a 20-year low of 13.5%, according to research by Goldman Sachs. That shift has been especially pronounced in sectors like technology, where firms have increasingly distributed manufacturing outside of China to regional hubs like Southeast Asia and Mexico . Earlier this year, Mexico overtook China as America’s largest trading partner for the first time in decades. Brashier has personally overseen the supply chain changes for ITS Logistics. Since 2018, the firm has opened new distribution facilities in Indianapolis, Reno, Nev., and Fort Worth, Texas. It expanded operations to 4 million square feet and added 3,500 additional transportation assets, including tractors, trailers, and chassis. “There's a lot more infrastructure now that allows folks to ebb and flow and respond to what's going on with these kinds of headwinds that we see almost, it seems like, regularly,” he said. “I think that's the biggest thing that came out of 2018 and post-COVID.” Those reinforcements are sure to be tested as US ports brace for what could be the perfect storm. In addition to the impact of potential tariff hikes, companies are bracing for disruptions that could stem from possible dockworker strikes at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports and the annual surge ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in Asia. Seroka said front-loading started in the third quarter of the year, but unlike in 2018, many businesses are taking a wait-and-see approach. "We know there's a long way from the campaign trail to the implementation of public policy," he said. "What we need now is a clear line of sight as to where and when this policy may take shape." US policy concerns only add to the long list of challenges shippers have had to navigate this year, particularly in response to disruptions in the Red Sea , where 12% of global trade used to pass through. Companies have spent much of the year building inventories in the face of frequent delays and service reconfigurations, even as demand for container shipping remained strong. Container volumes for November are projected to be up 14.4% year on year, according to Global Port Tracker . The Port of Los Angeles is on track to process 10 million container units for only the second time in its history, Seroka said. Brashier has already begun mapping out contingency plans with importers for additional disruptions that are likely to emerge. That includes finding alternative points of entry into the US and monitoring the traffic flow. The ability to track freight the minute it hits water overseas gives imports a four- to six-week buffer, he said. Brashier said other firms have begun seeking out additional warehouse space to store inventory. Overseas suppliers are also weighing their options and negotiating lower prices for goods ahead of additional tariffs. They are concerned about losing business like they did in 2018. One New Jersey-based home goods importer, who did not want his name used, said US firms are in a stronger position to "hit suppliers," particularly in China, since growth in the world’s second-largest economy has stagnated. He has no plans to reroute his supply chain, even if it means passing down higher costs to consumers. “There [are] certain commodities that the infrastructure of China cannot be beat on, whether it's the raw material, access to ports, access to ships, access to transportation, access to a labor force,” he said. “We're not selling products at a loss. We're a for-profit entity.” Click here for the latest economic news and indicators to help inform your investing decisions Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
By Tom Westerholm Jaylen Brown and the Celtics survived a tough afternoon challenge from the Timberwolves on Sunday, claiming a 107-105 victory that came down to the final possession. Here are the takeaways. Jaylen Brown started incredibly hot. Jaylen Brown hit his first 3-point attempt of the game on the Celtics’ second possession of the game. On the next possession, Brown hit his second 3-point attempt of the game. On the next possession, Brown hit his third. Precisely a minute later, he hit his fourth. After picking off a steal, Brown mixed Rudy Gobert up with his handle and buried his fifth. Just three-and-a-half minutes into the game, Brown already had 15 points. Jaylen Brown with FIVE straight 3s to start the game pic.twitter.com/jPhK6DXWQV Brown finally attempted a heat check that was a little too difficult which missed, and he held up a hand to apologize, although there couldn’t have been too many people in the arena upset with his decision-making at that point. Brown cooled off a bit after that, finishing with 29 points on 10-for-18 shooting. He had a couple of nice drives, a couple of nice post-ups, and a decent evening on the defensive end. He also hit maybe the biggest shot of the game with 1:15 remaining – a transition 3-pointer that pushed a tenuous two-point lead to five. Jaylen Brown steps into his 7th three of the game! Celtics lead by 5 with 1:15 remaining! MIN-BOS | NBA League Pass 📲: https://t.co/ovv3alftmh pic.twitter.com/0BfNzQ5aKa But for the first 3.5 minutes, Brown put together one of the hottest stretches we’ve seen from a Celtics player so far this season. Sometimes a star just catches a heater, and we all get to watch. The Celtics survived a chaotic final possession. The Celtics were the better team for lengthy stretches and built a lead as high as 19, but the Timberwolves ground their way back into the game multiple times and created a very solid opportunity for themselves on the final possession – Anthony Edwards drove into the paint and kicked out to Jaden McDaniels in the corner. McDaniels was open because Jrue Holiday was playing free safety on the set, and Jayson Tatum rotated over to defend McDaniels, who swung it to Naz Reid for what would have been the game-winner. McDaniels’ pass was a little low, and Reid had to collect and hoist a tough shot with Jrue Holiday flying out at him. He missed wide left off the rim. The Celtics defended the possession very well – Brown forced Edwards far enough under the rim that the Timberwolves star would have had a tough time sneaking in for a layup, Tatum read the play beautifully, and Holiday’s ability to see the entire play developing remains unmatched. Still, credit to the Timberwolves who are now just .500 but in the early going be remain one of the NBA’s tougher teams for the Celtics to deal with and are due for a run once they find themselves. Something new from Derrick White? Early in the fourth quarter, White finished off one of the nastier moves we’ve seen from him recently. Driving as fast as he could down the floor, White pulled a move out of Edwards’ bag – hitting the brakes hard and slowing down to allow two defenders to fly by as he stopped and dropped in a little jumper. White finished with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting to go with nine rebounds, five assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. He scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and was a team-high +8. The Celtics picked on Rob Dillingham. The Timberwolves have a massive defensive advantage with Rudy Gobert in the paint, and the Celtics were cognizant of him whenever he was on the floor. But Minnesota also has the type of guard the Celtics love to exploit in Rob Dillingham – a very talented but physically challenged rookie who is listed at 175 pounds. Dillingham came alive in the second half and finished with 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting, but the Celtics’ job offensively was much simpler whenever he was on the floor. The Timberwolves are an interesting Western Conference opponent given their combination of size, talent and defensive prowess at the wing – both Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are well above average defending on the perimeter with size and length. Dillingham’s presence, however, might simplify things a little too much for the Celtics for the Wolves to play him significant minutes the next time the two teams meet. More solid minutes for Xavier Tillman. One game after being dusted off against the Wizards, Tillman once again played a more extensive role on Sunday. He played 14 minutes and scored three points with four rebounds, but he was solid on the defensive end and once again looked like he might merit more playing time as the season progresses. A back-to-back and a break. The Celtics return to action on Monday evening when they take on the Clippers at 7:30 p.m. They will have two days off before traveling to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Friday in their final game of NBA Cup group stage play. We will have more takeaways later this evening. Sign up for Celtics updates🏀 Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during basketball season. Be civil. Be kind.Titans vs. Jaguars Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread – Week 17
Imphal: A gunfight erupted between two armed groups in Imphal East district, Manipur, on Wednesday morning, December 25 according to police. According to reports, armed individuals fired from the hilltops of Kangpokpi district, targeting Sinam Kom village. In response, armed ‘village volunteers’ stationed at the foothills fired back, sparking the clash. Additional security forces have been deployed to the area, but no injuries have been reported. Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on December 25 said the state was on the right trajectory of development and good governance before violence broke out on May 3, 2023, and had hosted multiple international and national events, including G-20 meetings, the Miss India competition, and the tri-nation football tournament. Earlier on Tuesday night, a separate gunfight occurred between armed men and security forces in Thamnapokpi and nearby Uyok Ching in Imphal East. Since May last year, ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur has claimed over 250 lives and displaced thousands. (With inputs of PTI)‘Nasarawa tech village attracted 12bn investments’
Walmart shoppers in Texas may want to think twice before — the interaction could be captured from an up-close-and-personal camera angle. The retail giant is testing body-cams for store employees in the Dallas area. A Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider the goal of the pilot is to improve worker safety and evaluate the results before making long-term decisions about a wider rollout. "While we don't talk about the specifics of our security measures, we are always looking at new and innovative technology used across the retail industry," the spokesperson said. One shopper told they saw a receipt-checker in Denton, Texas, wearing a yellow-and-black camera earlier this month, and an image of a rack of 16 similarly colored cameras was posted last month to the forum on Reddit. A Walmart-branded poster in the image instructs users in ways to wear the camera, how to stop and start recording an event, and a reminder to remove the camera when visiting break rooms or restrooms. The charging station for the cameras is marked with the Axon brand, which is most widely known for supplying body cameras for law enforcement officers. Axon declined to comment. Earlier this year, Axom a line of cameras designed for retail and healthcare workers, which look similar to the ones in the Reddit image. In a survey, Axon found nearly half of retail workers said they had seen or been a victim of physical or verbal violence while on the job. Of those, most surveyed said they had experienced multiple incidents. The company said one retailer who used the cameras in an early trial saw the number of incidents cut in half, and another found the cameras to be highly effective at de-escalating confrontations. Over the summer, as a method to deter crime. "We hope that these body cameras will help us de-escalate incidents, deter crime, and demonstrate to our Associates and customers that we take safety in our stores seriously," a spokesperson said at the time. Read the original article on
Walmart is reportedly giving some of its workers body cameras to wear as a way to increase their safety. The move is part of a pilot program in some stores across the United States, CBNC reported on Tuesday, noting it was not clear how many stores were taking part during the Christmas season. However, according to witnesses and images shared online, some of the locations display signs stating “body-worn cameras in-use” at store entrances. In June, Breitbart News reported that the parent company of T.J. Maxx was giving its workers body cameras to try and stop shoplifters. According to the CNBC article, a Walmart spokesperson said, “While we don’t talk about the specifics of our security measures, we are always looking at new and innovative technology used across the retail industry. This is a pilot we are testing in one market, and we will evaluate the results before making any longer-term decisions.” Walmart is mimicking smaller retailers who implemented body cameras in their stores. Walmart reportedly wants to use the devices to keep workers safe. The CNBC report continued: In a document titled “Providing great customer service while creating a safer environment,” staff are instructed on how to use the devices, according to a photo of the document posted on an online forum for Walmart employees and customers. It instructs employees to “record an event if an interaction with a customer is escalating” and to not wear the devices in employee break areas and bathrooms. After an incident occurs, staffers are told, they are to discuss it with another team member, who can help them log the event in the “ethics and compliance app,” according to the document. In October 2023, Walmart workers complained of more “safety issues” linked to encounters with shoplifters, Breitbart News reported at the time. A few months later, the outlet said retailers were rethinking their self-checkout systems due to theft incidents plaguing the industry.