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State Rep. Susan Valdés, a former school board member who was reelected as a Democrat last month, said on X that she is “tired of being the party of protesting.” Valdés ran to be chairperson for her local county’s Democratic executive committee earlier this month. She won her current term by nearly 5 percentage points but can't run for reelection again because of term limits. Republicans have controlled the governor’s office and both branches of the Legislature since 1999. Valdés is serving her final two years before leaving office due to term limits. Republicans now have an 86-34 majority in the House. “I got into politics to be part of the party of progress,” Valdés wrote. “I know that I won’t agree with my fellow Republican House members on every issue, but I know that in their caucus, I will be welcomed and treated with respect.” House Speaker Daniel Perez reposted Valdés’ statement and welcomed her into the House, where Republicans have a supermajority of 86-34. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said she was surprised and disappointed by Valdés’ announcement. “It is sad that she has elevated her own aspirations above the needs of her district,” Driskell wrote in a statement on X.
Dear Abby: Widow has no interest in an intimate relationshipThe leader of Ireland’s Labour Party has held talks with the Taoiseach and Tanaiste as efforts to form a new coalition government intensify. Ivana Bacik had separate meetings with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris on Tuesday afternoon. Fianna Fail, which won 48 seats in last month’s general election, and Fine Gael, which secured 38 seats, headed up the last coalition in Dublin and are expected to continue that partnership into the next mandate. However, with a combined 86 seats, they are just short of the 88 required for a majority in the Dail parliament. If they wish to return to government together, they would need one smaller party as a junior partner, or a handful of independents. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have ruled out doing business with Sinn Fein, which won 39 seats. The centre-left Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party, both of which won 11 seats in the election, are seen as the only two realistic options if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael seek to convince a smaller party to join the coalition. In a statement, the Labour Party said Ms Bacik outlined key policy priorities in her meetings with Taoiseach Mr Harris and Tanaiste Mr Martin. “There was discussion in both meetings on policies and manifesto commitments on housing, health, climate, workers’ rights and disability services among other issues,” said the statement. “The parliamentary party will meet at 1pm on Friday where the party leader will provide an assessment of engagement to date and consider the outcome of these meetings.” A spokesman for Mr Harris said there had been a “constructive engagement” with Ms Bacik. “The Taoiseach is grateful for the time and engagement on a range of substantial policy issues,” he said. The spokesman said Mr Harris had also met independent TDs who are aligned together in what is called the regional group. “These meetings have been productive,” he added. Mr Harris and party colleagues are due to meet the Social Democrats on Wednesday. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers and Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee met on Tuesday evening for discussions on government formation, with the parties’ full negotiating teams set to meet on Wednesday. Fine Gael said the meeting between Ms McEntee and Mr Chambers was “positive” and focused on the “structure and format” of the substantive negotiations going forward. When the two parties entered coalition for the first time after the last general election in 2020, there was only a three-seat difference in their relative strength. That resulted in an equal partnership at the head of the coalition, with the Green Party as the junior partner. The two main parties swapped the role of taoiseach halfway through the term. With Fianna Fail’s lead over Fine Gael having grown to 10 seats following this election, focus has turned to the future of the rotating taoiseach arrangement and whether it will operate again in the next mandate and, if so, on what basis. There are similar questions around the distribution of ministries and other roles. While Mr Martin has so far refused to be drawn on the specifics, he has suggested that he expects Fianna Fail’s greater strength of numbers to be reflected in the new administration. However, Mr Harris has insisted that Fine Gael’s mandate cannot be taken for granted when it comes to government formation. Richard Boyd Barrett from People Before Profit-Solidarity, which won three seats, urged Labour not to “prop up” up a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael administration. “We think that’s a huge mistake,” he told reporters in Dublin. “They shouldn’t do it. They should learn the lessons of the past and actually work with other parties of the left to form a decent left opposition to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and campaign on the issues that matter.” His party colleague Paul Murphy pointed to the experience of the Green Party, which lost all but one of its 12 seats in the election. “In reality, what is going to happen is a changing of the mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael,” he said. “And for those who are now auditioning to be a new mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, there is a very, very sharp and stark lesson in what happened to the Green Party – obviously almost entirely wiped out. “We think it is a very major mistake for anyone who has the perception of being left, with the votes of people who are looking left, to seek to go into coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.” We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.American Airlines grounded all flights nationwide for exactly one hour due to a technical glitch, but the airline is back up and running just in time for Christmas and holiday travel. The Federal Aviation Administration ordered all American Airlines flights grounded just before 7 a.m. Tuesday after the airline reported a technical problem affecting its entire system. "A vendor technology issue briefly affected flights this morning," an American Airlines spokesperson said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "That issue has been resolved and flights have resumed. We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience this morning. It’s all hands on deck as our team is working diligently to get customers where they need to go as quickly as possible." The grounding occurred as millions of travelers plan to fly out to see families and loved ones for the Christmas holiday. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through the holiday and through Jan. 2, 2025. As holiday flights are typically booked up with all seats taken, any delays in flights can lead to cancellations that take days to clear up. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER American Airlines's temporary grounding comes two years after Southwest Airlines left 2 million travelers stranded . Southwest had to pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million settlement due to a federal investigation into the 2022 Christmas strandings. Earlier this year, Delta Airlines also suffered a four-day meltdown following the CrowdStrike worldwide technology outage in July, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.
Proposed Grand Bend community centre features variety of amenities, with a cost of $20 million
Ivana Bacik had separate meetings with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris on Tuesday afternoon. Fianna Fail, which won 48 seats in last month’s general election, and Fine Gael, which secured 38 seats, headed up the last coalition in Dublin and are expected to continue that partnership into the next mandate. However, with a combined 86 seats, they are just short of the 88 required for a majority in the Dail parliament. If they wish to return to government together, they would need one smaller party as a junior partner, or a handful of independents. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have ruled out doing business with Sinn Fein, which won 39 seats. The centre-left Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party, both of which won 11 seats in the election, are seen as the only two realistic options if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael seek to convince a smaller party to join the coalition. In a statement, the Labour Party said Ms Bacik outlined key policy priorities in her meetings with Taoiseach Mr Harris and Tanaiste Mr Martin. “There was discussion in both meetings on policies and manifesto commitments on housing, health, climate, workers’ rights and disability services among other issues,” said the statement. “The parliamentary party will meet at 1pm on Friday where the party leader will provide an assessment of engagement to date and consider the outcome of these meetings.” A spokesman for Mr Harris said there had been a “constructive engagement” with Ms Bacik. “The Taoiseach is grateful for the time and engagement on a range of substantial policy issues,” he said. The spokesman said Mr Harris had also met independent TDs who are aligned together in what is called the regional group. “These meetings have been productive,” he added. Mr Harris and party colleagues are due to meet the Social Democrats on Wednesday. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers and Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee met on Tuesday evening for discussions on government formation, with the parties’ full negotiating teams set to meet on Wednesday. Fine Gael said the meeting between Ms McEntee and Mr Chambers was “positive” and focused on the “structure and format” of the substantive negotiations going forward. When the two parties entered coalition for the first time after the last general election in 2020, there was only a three-seat difference in their relative strength. That resulted in an equal partnership at the head of the coalition, with the Green Party as the junior partner. The two main parties swapped the role of taoiseach halfway through the term. With Fianna Fail’s lead over Fine Gael having grown to 10 seats following this election, focus has turned to the future of the rotating taoiseach arrangement and whether it will operate again in the next mandate and, if so, on what basis. There are similar questions around the distribution of ministries and other roles. While Mr Martin has so far refused to be drawn on the specifics, he has suggested that he expects Fianna Fail’s greater strength of numbers to be reflected in the new administration. However, Mr Harris has insisted that Fine Gael’s mandate cannot be taken for granted when it comes to government formation. Richard Boyd Barrett from People Before Profit-Solidarity, which won three seats, urged Labour not to “prop up” up a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael administration. “We think that’s a huge mistake,” he told reporters in Dublin. “They shouldn’t do it. They should learn the lessons of the past and actually work with other parties of the left to form a decent left opposition to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and campaign on the issues that matter.” His party colleague Paul Murphy pointed to the experience of the Green Party, which lost all but one of its 12 seats in the election. “In reality, what is going to happen is a changing of the mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael,” he said. “And for those who are now auditioning to be a new mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, there is a very, very sharp and stark lesson in what happened to the Green Party – obviously almost entirely wiped out. “We think it is a very major mistake for anyone who has the perception of being left, with the votes of people who are looking left, to seek to go into coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.”
Redefining motion capture with innovative flying action cameras and the award-winning HOVERAir Beacon LAS VEGAS , Dec. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently , Zero Zero Robotics , a pioneering tech company in intelligent devices, announced their participation at CES 2025, where the company will showcase its HOVERAir X1 series of self-flying cameras at booth # 56045 , Venetian, Level 2, Halls A-D. Designed to simplify aerial cinematography, the HOVERAir lineup includes the pocket-sized HOVERAir X1, the action-focused HOVERAir X1 PRO, and the Professional grade HOVERAir X1 PROMAX. Zero Zero will also celebrate its 2025 CES Innovation Awards Honoree title in Audio/Video Components & Accessories for the HOVERAir Beacon, an intelligent modular controller that redefines precision tracking and control. The introductory model in the HOVERAir lineup, HOVERAir X1 , weighs just 125g and delivers an effortless aerial photography experience with no controller or app required. With over five pre-programmed flight paths, including Hover, Follow, Zoom Out, Orbit, and Bird's Eye, it's perfect for capturing cinematic moments in everyday life. Its 2.7K video resolution, palm launch capabilities, and robust computer vision algorithms make it the ultimate everyday and travel companion. Building on the success of the X1, Zero Zero introduced the HOVERAir X1 PRO and HOVERAir X1 PROMAX in August 2024 to meet the demands of action enthusiasts and professional creators. The X1 PRO offers 4K/60fps video with a 104° field of view for versatile shooting conditions. The X1 PROMAX delivers stunning 8K /30fps video with 4K /120fps slow-motion capabilities, a 1/1.3" CMOS sensor, and 14 stops of dynamic range for cinematic footage. Both models feature advanced AI tracking, Level 5 wind resistance, and a lightweight, durable HEMTM frame. "Our vision has always been to create flying cameras that are effortless, intelligent, and fun to use," said MQ Wang, Founder & CEO of Zero Zero Robotics. "The HOVERAir series puts professional-grade aerial cinematography in the palm of your hand, whether you're capturing casual moments or pushing creative boundaries." Adding to these innovations, the HOVERAir Beacon enhances control and precision for the series. The Beacon features a patented Tri-state modular design with two detachable joysticks, enabling one-handed and full-featured two-handed controls. It activates HoverLinkTM for precise tracking with up to a 1 km transmission range, while the 1.78" OLED display allows real-time footage monitoring. Equipped with AI-powered noise cancellation, the Beacon sets a new standard for audio and video recording during aerial shoots. "We're excited to bring the HOVERAir X1 series and Beacon to CES 2025, where we're redefining how motion is captured, tracked, and controlled," continued Wang. "These tools empower creators and adventurers to document their journeys with breathtaking precision and ease." Zero Zero Robotics invites attendees to stop by Booth #56045 to experience the HOVERAir X1 series in action and witness its unparalleled performance. Media wishing to interview Zero Zero Robotics personnel should contact Borjana Slipicevic. About Zero Zero Robotics Zero Zero Robotics was co-founded in 2014 by Stanford PhDs MQ Wang and Tony Zhang , specializing in embedded AI technology for intelligent devices. Known for its innovative machine vision and high-precision control systems, ZeroZero has team members who are dreamers, engineers, inventors, and builders hailing from top universities and research institutions around the world. Zero Zero Robotics holds more than 140 core patents and has pioneered technologies like fully enclosed portable propeller designs and bi-copter designs, cementing its place as a leader in intelligent device development.None
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A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House saysIvana Bacik had separate meetings with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris on Tuesday afternoon. Fianna Fail, which won 48 seats in last month’s general election, and Fine Gael, which secured 38 seats, headed up the last coalition in Dublin and are expected to continue that partnership into the next mandate. However, with a combined 86 seats, they are just short of the 88 required for a majority in the Dail parliament. If they wish to return to government together, they would need one smaller party as a junior partner, or a handful of independents. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have ruled out doing business with Sinn Fein, which won 39 seats. The centre-left Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party, both of which won 11 seats in the election, are seen as the only two realistic options if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael seek to convince a smaller party to join the coalition. In a statement, the Labour Party said Ms Bacik outlined key policy priorities in her meetings with Taoiseach Mr Harris and Tanaiste Mr Martin. “There was discussion in both meetings on policies and manifesto commitments on housing, health, climate, workers’ rights and disability services among other issues,” said the statement. “The parliamentary party will meet at 1pm on Friday where the party leader will provide an assessment of engagement to date and consider the outcome of these meetings.” A spokesman for Mr Harris said there had been a “constructive engagement” with Ms Bacik. “The Taoiseach is grateful for the time and engagement on a range of substantial policy issues,” he said. The spokesman said Mr Harris had also met independent TDs who are aligned together in what is called the regional group. “These meetings have been productive,” he added. Mr Harris and party colleagues are due to meet the Social Democrats on Wednesday. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers and Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee met on Tuesday evening for discussions on government formation, with the parties’ full negotiating teams set to meet on Wednesday. Fine Gael said the meeting between Ms McEntee and Mr Chambers was “positive” and focused on the “structure and format” of the substantive negotiations going forward. When the two parties entered coalition for the first time after the last general election in 2020, there was only a three-seat difference in their relative strength. That resulted in an equal partnership at the head of the coalition, with the Green Party as the junior partner. The two main parties swapped the role of taoiseach halfway through the term. With Fianna Fail’s lead over Fine Gael having grown to 10 seats following this election, focus has turned to the future of the rotating taoiseach arrangement and whether it will operate again in the next mandate and, if so, on what basis. There are similar questions around the distribution of ministries and other roles. While Mr Martin has so far refused to be drawn on the specifics, he has suggested that he expects Fianna Fail’s greater strength of numbers to be reflected in the new administration. However, Mr Harris has insisted that Fine Gael’s mandate cannot be taken for granted when it comes to government formation. Richard Boyd Barrett from People Before Profit-Solidarity, which won three seats, urged Labour not to “prop up” up a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael administration. “We think that’s a huge mistake,” he told reporters in Dublin. “They shouldn’t do it. They should learn the lessons of the past and actually work with other parties of the left to form a decent left opposition to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and campaign on the issues that matter.” His party colleague Paul Murphy pointed to the experience of the Green Party, which lost all but one of its 12 seats in the election. “In reality, what is going to happen is a changing of the mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael,” he said. “And for those who are now auditioning to be a new mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, there is a very, very sharp and stark lesson in what happened to the Green Party – obviously almost entirely wiped out. “We think it is a very major mistake for anyone who has the perception of being left, with the votes of people who are looking left, to seek to go into coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.”None
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Money sent home is the second largest financial inflow, with those receiving remittances often experiencing an improvement in their economic standing, whether they’re family, friends, or the wider community. Sending money internationally is no longer a messy process plagued by delays, manual paperwork, or hidden charges. Companies in the money transfer sector are continually developing new and improved solutions to enhance the overall satisfaction of customers and, of course, operational efficiency. Individuals and small-to-medium-sized businesses can leverage faster, cheaper, and value-added foreign money transfers. When planning, understanding the options is of the essence. Though a bank seems like a good option as regards cross-border payments, it’s not the most effective way to transfer money to and from different countries and regions because the exchange rate can vary significantly, transfer speeds can be slower, often taking several business days to complete, and you must pay higher fees. Ripple, whose network uses the XRP cryptocurrency, processes transactions in a few seconds at the same cost. The XRP prediction tends to be optimistic despite high market uncertainty. Ripple created XRP as an alternative to SWIFT, offering considerable advantages in terms of speed and cost. The overall value of remittances has increased steadily over the past decades, and it’s expected to reach $913 billion by 2025, according to Statista, picking up after a growth decline. Wire transfers are the most expensive payment type because payments are made through a global network administered by financial intermediaries (banks and money service agencies); fees are charged because banks are exposed to various risks to make money accessible. Businesses are charged a lower base fee based on volume, amount, and banking relationship. International money transfer is a large and competitive industry, and banks are facing the highest pressure from the G20 and the United Nations to reduce fees. Growth can be attributed to blockchain and cryptocurrency integration, improved security measures, partnerships and alliances, and transfer automation. Money transfer operators still dominate the market. Western Union, which has more than double the market share, has a long-standing collaboration with Ripple, having adopted its blockchain technology and integrated the XRP token. Countless banks and financial institutions are test-driving Ripple, including but not limited to Santander Bank, SBI Holdings, and Bank of America. Money transfer operators are required to navigate ever-changing consumer needs, to say nothing of the mounting pressure to reduce fees, largely exerted by international organizations that require transparency in the market. New rules require online and card providers to disclose the total costs of sending money upfront so that consumers can undertake comparison shopping. International payment isn’t the most important service a bank offers its customers, whereas for money transfer operators, it’s the ultimate purpose. New entrants compete with existing firms and, ultimately, take the market share. As mentioned earlier, Ripple is faster and more economical compared to present systems, using an advanced database mechanism to pass transactions on the peer-to-peer network. Within a couple of seconds, payment is credited to the beneficiary’s account. It guarantees 24/7 access to international payments, including holidays and weekends, and it’s virtually invulnerable to power outages. Ripple operates within the financial technology industry, which makes it not only possible but also easy to move money between people, organizations, and countries. According to McKinsey, three trends will shape the next phase of growth, namely radical digital transformation, expanding the financial services ecosystem, and funding to address prospective challenges. International transfers are expected to increase by 2027, driven by previously unbanked populations that now have access to financial tools for the first time. Moving money across borders, whether it’s a family member sending remittances home or large corporations conducting business overseas, is fundamental for the global economy. New technologies help seize the day. Fintech solutions offer a lot more convenience, as they can be initiated from anywhere, anytime, which translates into the fact that there’s no need for physical visits, saving time and effort. In the next few years, there will be attempts to sync national or regional payment systems together. If you send money from a bank account in one country to a recipient in a different country, it’s called a global money transfer. There are countless reasons why someone may wish to send money internationally, which may encompass family support, business transactions, education, travel and tourism, charity, gifts, and so forth. Transferring funds by way of physical cash, wire, bank draft, or money order isn’t going anywhere, but there are much better alternatives. The best option varies based on your personal circumstances. How quickly do you need to send the money? Does the recipient need the money in cash? In case you didn’t already know, cryptocurrencies can be sent anywhere in the world, irrespective of time zone and location. Blockchain technology functions around the clock, the cost of transacting is negligible, and, above all, settlement is full and final. The use of XRP is an excellent way to handle payments, but attention must be paid to the fact that the XRP Ledger requires a minimum balance to participate in the network – the base reserve is one XRP. Perhaps equally important is the fact that cryptocurrency’s volatility creates risk and uncertainty, so think thoroughly before deciding. There’s a pressing need for innovation in the money transfer sector, where progress on modernization tends to be slow, and more needs to be achieved in terms of speed, cost, transparency, and access. One of the most promising solutions for enhancing cross-border payments is financial technology, which offers essential services for people in rural or remote areas, striving to be more inclusive. The adoption of new solutions is set to further enhance the competitive landscape, but it’s vital to ensure a level playing field.
South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach the acting President, Han Duck-soo, plunging the country deeper into a political crisis that has caused policy deadlock and damaged its international reputation. The National Assembly approved an impeachment motion introduced on Thursday by the main Opposition party by a 192-0 vote. The chamber has 300 MPs, but members of the ruling People Power party (PPP) boycotted Friday’s vote. Han took over as President after his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached over his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 03. The move triggered six hours of chaos that, for many older South Koreans, brought back memories of the country’s bloody transition from military rule to democracy in the 1980s. The main Opposition Democratic party – which has a majority in the National Assembly – targeted Han after accusing him of participating in Yoon’s botched imposition of martial law, which ended when MPs forced their way into the parliament building to overturn Yoon’s decree. The opposition parties needed a number of Yoon’s own party to vote with them to impeach the disgraced former president a fortnight ago. Other senior South Korean officials, including Han – the former prime minister – can be impeached with a simple majority. Han angered Opposition MPs this week when he refused to immediately appoint three justices to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether or not to approve the impeachment vote against Yoon. Han said appointing justices would exceed his powers as acting President. In response, the Democrat party leader, Lee Jae-myung, accused Han of “acting for insurrection”. The Guardian