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slot game cleopatra NoneJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu. The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aide to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. The announcement did not mention Mrs. Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Ministry declined further comment. But in a video released earlier Thursday, Netanyahu listed what he said were the many kind and charitable acts by his wife and blasted the Uvda report as “lies.” “My opponents on the left and in the media found a new-old target. They mercilessly attack my wife, Sara,” he said. He called the program ”false propaganda, nasty propaganda that brings up lies from the darkness.” It was the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahus — highlighted by the prime minister's ongoing corruption trial . The pair have also had a rocky relationship with the Israeli media. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media. The report obtained correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide to the prime minister who died of cancer last year. The messages indicated that Sara Netanyahu, through Bleiweiss, encouraged police to crack down violently on anti-government protesters and ordered Bleiweiss to organize protests against her husband's critics. She also told Bleiweiss to get activists in Netanyahu's Likud party to publish attacks on Klein. Klein is an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and has testified in the corruption case about her role in delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts to Netanyahu for her boss. According to the report, Bleiweiss also was instructed to organize demonstrations outside the homes of the lead prosecutor in the corruption case, Liat Ben-Ari, and then Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who had issued the indictments, and protests and social media campaigns smearing political opponents. According to the report, Bleiweiss was a loyal aid to Netanyahu for decades. But while she was ill, it said Sara Netanyahu mistreated her, prompting her to share the messages with a reporter shortly before her death. Sara Netanyahu has been accused of abusive behavior toward her personal staff before. This, together with accusations of excessive spending and using public money for her own extravagant personal tastes, has earned her an image as being out of touch with everyday Israelis. In 2019, she was fined for misusing state funds. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees police and has repeatedly said the attorney general, Baharav-Miara should be fired over a series of grievances against her, said the latest announcement was another reason for her to be dismissed. “Someone who politically persecutes government ministers and their families cannot continue to serve as the attorney general,” he said. And Justice Minister Yariv Levin, another Netanyahu ally and critic of Baharav-Miara, accused her of focusing on “television gossip.” “Selective enforcement is a crime!” he said in a statement. AP correspondents Eleanor H. Reich in New York and Isaac Scharf in Jerusalem contributed reporting.

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South Korea’s suspended president Yoon Suk-yeol authorised the military to fire their weapons if needed to enter parliament during his failed bid to impose martial law, according to a prosecutors’ report seen by AFP yesterday. The 10-page summary from former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun’s prosecution indictment report, which was provided to the media, also says Yoon vowed on December 3 to declare martial law three times if necessary. Yoon, who was stripped of his duties by the National Assembly this month, is under investigation for his short-lived attempt to scrap civilian rule, which plunged the country into political turmoil and led to his impeachment. Yoon’s lawyer Yoon Kab-keun dismissed the prosecutors’ report, telling AFP it was “a one-sided account that neither corresponds to objective circumstances nor common sense”. As lawmakers rushed to parliament on December 3 to vote down Yoon’s martial law declaration, heavily armed troops stormed the building, scaling fences, smashing windows and landing by helicopter. According to the prosecution indictment report, Yoon told the chief of the capital defence command, Lee Jin-woo, that military forces could shoot if necessary to enter the National Assembly. “Have you still not got in? What are you doing? Break down the door and drag them out, even if it means shooting,” Yoon told Lee, according to the report. Yoon also allegedly told the head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, General Kwak Jong-keun, to “quickly get inside” the National Assembly since the quorum for the martial law declaration to be lifted had not been met. “So quickly get inside the National Assembly and bring out the people inside the chamber, and break down the doors with an axe if necessary and drag everyone out,” the report quotes Yoon as saying at the time. After lawmakers rushed inside parliament and voted 190-0 to nullify Yoon’s declaration in the early hours of December 4, the report says Yoon told Lee, “Even if it’s lifted, I can declare martial law a second or third time, so just keep going.” The report also included screenshots of senior defence officials’ messages from the day of the martial law declaration. It said there was evidence that Yoon had been discussing declaring martial law with senior military officials as early as March. The declaration followed a budget tussle between Yoon’s party and the opposition. Days later, Yoon in a speech apologised for the “anxiety and inconvenience” and promised there would not be a second declaration of martial law. Ex-defence minister Kim was arrested over his role in the failed martial law bid. Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo said in a statement on Saturday that “the prosecution has laid bare the undeniable ugly truth about Yoon Suk-yeol, the treasonous ringleader”, adding that he must be “arrested immediately”. South Korea’s Constitutional Court held its first preliminary hearing on the validity of Yoon’s impeachment on Friday. The court will also decide the fate of Yoon’s replacement, Han Duck-soo, who was impeached Friday over his refusal to complete Yoon’s impeachment process and bring him to justice. Tens of thousands of Yoon supporters and opponents held rival mass rallies in central Seoul on Saturday. “The martial law was legal, and president Yoon did it because of the insurrectionary opposition Democratic Party,” said 31-year-old Danny Ko, holding the slogan “Legal martial law, Invalid impeachment!” “The Democratic Party will impeach (acting president) Choi Sang-mok like Han, and the country will go mad.” An anti-Yoon crowd was gathered nearby holding signs such as: “A new leader for the new year” and “Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol”, with many singing along to K-pop songs and John Lennon’s “Imagine”. “I felt so relieved when Han was impeached, he was also part of the insurrection” Kwak Min-jeong, 25, told AFP. Holding a glow stick, Kwak said she would keep protesting until “democracy was achieved”. “We are holding it to show our commitment, and unlike a candle, it will never go off,” she said. Related Story At least eight injured in bus shooting near West Bank Israeli settlement Al Majd Law Firm holds workshop on combating counterfeit auto partsTwo Sydney to Hobart sailors have died at sea amid wild weather that forced mass retirements overnight, but organisers say the race will continue denying conditions had been unsafe for the fleet. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading A sailor aboard Flying Fish Arctos and one on Bowline were fatally struck by their respective boat's boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail. Both yachts have since retired from the race - two of the 16 that had pulled out by 7.30am on December 27 after a west-southwesterly change brought strong winds to the southern NSW Coast and Bass Strait. The deaths are the first in the 628-nautical miles race since the tragic 1998 Hobart, which claimed the lives of six sailors in storms and triggered mass reforms to safety protocols. David Jacobs, vice-commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, said the race would "absolutely" continue, with the first boats expected to arrive in Hobart later on Friday or early Saturday morning. "The conditions are challenging, but they're not excessive," he told ABC. "So we've got sort of winds at about 25 knots coming from the north seas around about two metres or thereabouts, so the conditions that most of the sailors would normally easily handle." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the sailors who lost their lives. "We have sadly awoken to tragedy in the Sydney to Hobart with the awful news two sailors have lost their lives," he said. "Our thoughts are with the crews, their families and loved ones at this deeply sad time." The incident aboard Flying Fish Arctos occurred around 30nm east-south east of Ulladulla on the NSW south coast late on Thursday night. Crew members attempted CPR but could not revive their teammate, notifying the Australian Maritime Safety Authority of the incident around 11.50pm. Flying Fish Arctos has since altered her course to arrive at Jervis Bay on the morning of December 27. The crew member aboard Bowline was struck approximately 30nm north east of Batemans Bay around 2am and fell unconscious, with CPR also unsuccessful. A police vessel escorted the boat to Batemans Bay. Flying Fish Arctos, a NSW-based 50-footer, has contested 17 previous Hobarts since being built in 2001. She was designed for round-the-world sailing and is currently used by Flying Fish, a sailing school that operates in Mosman, a suburb on Sydney's north shore. The crew this year comprised 12 members, a mix of Hobart veterans and internationals, and was skippered by seven-time Hobart sailor George Martin, her most experienced Hobart sailor. Bowline had been racing in her third Hobart when tragedy struck her crew of seven. One of only four South Australian yachts in this year's race, she placed 33rd and 79th on handicap in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the bluewater classic, respectively. She has been skippered by Ian Roberts on all three occasions and is a previous winner of the Haystack Island Race in South Australia. As a result of the wild weather a crew member was also swept overboard from Porco Rosso, which won the race on handicap as Victoire in 2013, but the sailor was recovered before the boat retired. The twin tragedies came as line honours favourite Master Lock Comanche withdrew from the race 63nm off Green Cape in the early hours of December 27, having sustained damage to her mainsail while leading the fleet. Her retirement has rocketed rival 100ft supermaxi LawConnect into favouritism for back-to-back line honours titles. As of 7.30am, Christian Beck's boat was 8nm ahead of second-placed Celestial V70 sailing through the Bass Strait. Four-time line honours champion Comanche, one of the most impressive monohull yachts in the world, has never retired before in eight previous runnings of Syd-Hob. Comanche had been chasing atonement for last year's race when LawConnect ambushed her in the River Derwent to claim line honours victory by only 51 seconds. The fleet stands at 88 competitors as of 7.30am, reduced from 104 starters, after URM Group, Zeus, Bacchanal and Alive were among the leading handicap contenders to have retired. URM Group had enjoyed a dominant lead-up to the race and placed second overall last year behind Alive, which succumbed to engine issues only three hours into the race. RETIRED BOATS AS AT 7.30AM ON FRIDAY: Alive (26/12, 16:10) - engine issues Transcendence Ruby Project (26/12, 18:20), dismasted Ciao Bella (26/12, 20:14), steering issues URM Group (26/12, 22:15), dismasted Philosopher (26/12, 23:14), dismasted Flying Fish Arctos (26/12, 23:50), fatality Master Lock Comanche (27/12, 00:30), mainsail damage Wild Oats (27/12, 01:10), rigging damage Calibre 12 (27/12, 02:15), mainsail damage Bowline (27/12, 02:15), fatality Centennial 7 (27/12, 03:15), mainsail damage Porco Rosso (27/12, 04:45), man overboard - since recovered Mayfair (27/12, 05:00) broken gear Zeus (27/12, 06:03) foil damage Rum Rebellion (27/12, 06:26) TBA Bacchanal (27/12, time TBA) broken boom Australian Associated Press More from National Sport News Newsletters & Alerts DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. 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DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!The NBA has issued a warning to its players after multiple players from the NBA and NFL have been the victims of high-profile burglaries. In a memo sent to team officials from the NBA , which was obtained by the Associated Press , the FBI has said that recent burglaries were connected to "transnational South American Theft Groups." According to the FBI, the groups are "reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices." The memo additionally said that the theft rings are "primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags." "The FBI reported that, in most of the incidents, the homes were equipped with alarm systems that were not activated. The FBI also reported that the homes were all unoccupied and, in most cases, no dogs were present." This echoes the same warning sent earlier this week by the NFL . "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," the NFL memo said. "It is important for players to maintain situational awareness, practice social media safety, and implement home security measures to reduce risk of becoming a target." More NBA: How Many Points Did Lakers' Bronny James Score in Loss to Magic? So far, four well-known athletes have been directly affected by the thefts: two from the NBA and two from the NFL . Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.'s home was broken into on Sept. 15 while he was attending a Minnesota Vikings game. Officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that jewelry was taken. Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. had his home broken into on Nov. 2. He has offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the robbery. "They took most of my prized possessions," Portis said. More NBA: Joel Embiid, Paul George 'Furious' Someone Leaked Team Meeting Info In the NFL , Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce 's homes were broken into on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7, respectively, as they were preparing for their game against the New Orleans Saints. "Obviously, it's frustrating, disappointing," Mahomes told reporters, per David K. Li and Andrew Blankstein of NBC News . "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing. But obviously it's something that you don't want to happen to, really, anybody but obviously yourself." "I can't speak too much about the details of everything, just with the investigation going on," Mahomes continued. "But I'm sure at some point that will be talked about." More NFL: 49ers' Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa Ruled Out Against Packers For more NBA and NFL news, head on over to Newsweek Sports .

The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver’s North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after two international visitors became stranded while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. Allan McMordie with North Shore Rescue managed the Sunday night rescue of a man from Goat Ridge, a backcountry area behind Grouse Mountain. He said the man told rescuers he had not been expecting snow, despite two of the local ski hills opening with fresh powder last month. “All you had to do was look at the top of the mountains from Vancouver and know there’s snow up there,” he said in an interview. “To be in running shoes and not even expecting any snow was pretty naive.” The man from France had set out on a marked route, then decided to make his way through very rough, steep terrain to a separate trail at significantly higher elevation. “This is rugged backcountry,” McMordie said. “It’s almost impassable.” McMordie could not confirm which apps the hikers in both recent rescues were using, but said a lack of any marked route or trail reports is a good indication not to use the application. In any case, he said trip planning should involve multiple sources for information. If the man from France had done any research, McMordie said he would have discovered the backcountry area where he was rescued is closed for the winter. In both recent cases, he said there are signs at each trailhead with maps showing trails and topography, along with reminders about key steps in trip planning, he said. Both men were lucky to have been able to make 911 calls, McMordie added, as service is patchy in the area and their phone batteries had nearly run out. Above all, he said hikers should tell someone else where they’re going and when they expect to return, so that person can alert local authorities if necessary. “Absolutely nobody knew where this person was and what he was doing that day,” McMordie said of the man from France. “If he had not been able to get that (911) call out, he would still be there.” Sunday’s rescue on Goat Ridge came three days after a similar call, when another man”seriously underestimated the difficulty” of a route marked in an online hiking app, North Shore Rescue said in a statement posted to social media. The group said there is “barely a trail” in the summer and “nothing whatsoever” in the winter, making for “full mountaineering conditions” at this time of year. The man called for help after hiking for eight hours that left him “tired, soaked (and) hypothermic” as the sun was setting,” it said. It’s doubtful the man would have survived the night in the Mount Seymour backcountry if he hadn’t been able to make the call, the rescue group added. The man had been staying in a short-term accommodation and had taken an Uber to the trailhead. Only his girlfriend in Norway knew where he was, and he was not wearing or carrying adequate gear for the conditions, McMordie said. Vancouver-based Stephen Hui, the author of several B.C. hiking guidebooks, said the rough, mountainous terrain steps away from urban Metro Vancouver and the extent of the snowpack in winter is a surprise for many visiting hikers. Hui said online apps can be helpful and often provide commentary about trail conditions from other hikers, but it’s crucial to look at additional sources of information, including complete maps and provincial and national park websites. He said local authorities and outdoor groups have some responsibility for people heading into the backcountry, and there is room for more signage and education. Ultimately, though, he said people must be responsible for themselves. “We can’t handhold everybody,” he said. “There’s always going to be dangers in hiking.”

Major banks and business groups sued the Federal Reserve on Tuesday, alleging the U.S. central bank's annual "stress tests" of Wall Street firms violate the law. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ohio, claims the Fed's practice of determining how big banks perform against hypothetical economic turmoil, and assigning capital requirements accordingly, do not follow proper administrative procedure. Plaintiffs included the Bank Policy Institute, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Bank Association. The lawsuit marks the latest example of the banking industry growing bolder and challenging in court their regulators' powers, particularly in the wake of recent Supreme Court rulings placing fresh restrictions on administrative authority. In June, the Supreme Court dealt a major blow to such power by overturning a 1984 precedent that granted deference to government agencies in interpreting laws they administer. The so-called "Chevron doctrine" had called for judges to defer to reasonable federal agency interpretations of U.S. laws deemed to be ambiguous. While the 2010 Dodd-Frank law passed following the global financial crisis broadly requires the Fed to test banks' balance sheets, the capital adequacy analysis the Fed performs as part of tests, or the resulting capital it directs lenders to set aside, are not mandated by law. Specifically, the groups are calling for the Fed to make public and subject to feedback the now-confidential models the regulators use to gauge bank performance, as well as details of the annual scenarios they create to test for weaknesses. The groups said they did not want to kill the stress testing program, which provides an annual bill of health to the nation's biggest firms, but argue the process needs to be more transparent and responsive to public feedback. On Monday, the Fed announced plans to pursue similar changes ahead of the 2025 exams, citing recent legal developments, but the industry opted to proceed with its lawsuit. A Fed spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit on Tuesday. "The opaque nature of these tests undermines their value for providing meaningful insights into bank resilience," Rob Nichols, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association, said in a statement. "We remain hopeful the Fed will address long-standing issues with the stress tests, but this litigation preserves our ability to seek legal remedies if the Fed falls short.” These tests, which banks have complained for years are opaque and subjective, are a central piece of the U.S. regulatory bank-capital structure. The Fed has long resisted calls to completely open up the testing process, due to concerns that it could make it easier for banks to clear the exams. How banks perform on the test informs how much capital they must set aside to meet their obligations and dictate the scope of dividend payouts and stock buybacks.DDPAI Partners with Battery World to Bring Smarter Dashcam Solutions to Australian Drivers

GUNTER: Governor General should avoid hastening Trudeau’s departureSAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — As reached historic highs, e, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele was triumphant on Thursday about his big bet on the cryptocurrency. The adoption of bitcoin — which has been — never quite matched the president’s enthusiasm, but the value of the government’s reported investment now stands at more than $600 million. Bitcoin has last month, exceeding the $100,000 mark on Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to nominate of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Just two years ago, bitcoin’s volatile value fell below $17,000. Bitcoin fell back below the $100,000 by Thursday afternoon, sitting just above $99,000 by 3 p.m. E.T. Bukele on Thursday blamed his beleaguered political opposition for causing many Salvadorans to miss out on the bonanza. There were in June 2021, though that move was not the only motivation for the protesters. The tiny Central American country has long used the dollar as currency, but Bukele promised bitcoin would provide new opportunities for El Salvador’s unbanked and cut out money transfer services from the remittances Salvadorans abroad send home. The government offered $30 in bitcoin to those who signed up for digital wallets. Many did so, but quickly cashed out the cryptocurrency. “It’s important to emphasize that not only did the opposition err resoundingly with bitcoin, but rather, differently from other issues (where they have also been wrong), this time their opposition affected many,” Bukele wrote on Facebook. Bukele drew an “impressive” comment from Elon Musk on the social media platform X Thursday. El Salvador’s former Central Bank President Carlos Acevedo pointed out on Thursday that while there has been a gain, it remains an unrealized one until the government’s bitcoin is sold. That said, he credited Bukele’s administration with doing well on the bitcoin move, especially in light of Trump’s election. Acevedo said “the markets’ optimism that a Trump administration will be friendly with the markets and particularly with bitcoin” explained its sustained rally over the past month. But the cryptocurrency’s volatility was a persistent risk, he said. “The average Salvadoran doesn’t use bitcoin, but obviously there are Salvadorans with economic resources who even before had already invested in bitcoin, but it is a small group,” Acevedo said. Esteban Escamilla, a worker in a clothing store in Santa Tecla, outside the capital San Salvador, said he had cashed out the original $30 of bitcoin offered in 2021. “I don’t use bitcoin because I don’t have (money) to invest and speculate with, but I know it has gone up a lot,” he said, recognizing that he would have more money now if he had kept it in bitcoin. Josefa Torres, 45, said as she was doing her grocery shopping that she didn’t have any bitcoin either. “I took out the money and used it for household expenses,” she said. At the conclusion of meetings between the International Monetary Fund and El Salvador’s government in August, the IMF issued a statement that mentioned the country’s bitcoin holdings. “While many of the risks have not yet materialized, there is joint recognition that further efforts are needed to enhance transparency and mitigate potential fiscal and financial stability risks from the Bitcoin project,” the IMf said. Marcos Alemán, The Associated Press

Colby Rogers made 6 of 9 3-pointers and scored 28 points as host Memphis defeated No. 16 Ole Miss 87-70 on Saturday afternoon. Rogers fouled out and finished one 3-pointer and one point short of his career-highs in both categories and Memphis never trailed. PJ Haggerty added 17 points, Dain Dainja had 16 and Moussa Cisse, an Ole Miss transfer who's in his second stint with the Tigers (10-3), had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Sean Pedulla scored 13, Jaylen Murray had 12 and Malik Dia added 11 to lead the Rebels (11-2), who had won their last five games. Memphis scored the first five points of the second half to increase its lead to 43-36. Pedulla made a layup for Ole Miss' first points, but Nicholas Jourdain made consecutive field goals to push the lead to nine. Mikeal Brown-Jones made two free throws for the Rebels before Haggerty made a 3-pointer and Cisse added a tip-in for a 52-40 lead. Pedulla made a jumper before Brown-Jones was ejected for committing a Flagrant 2 foul. Haggerty made both of the technical free throws and Rogers added two 3-pointers to push the lead to 16. Ole Miss got within 11 points four times, but couldn't get any closer until Matthew Murrell's dunk trimmed the lead to 76-67 with five minutes remaining. Rogers answered with a 3-pointer and Dainja added two field goals to increase the lead to 16. Murray made a free throw, but the Rebels didn't make a field goal during the final 5:32. The Tigers scored the first four points of the game and Haggerty had four as they opened a 9-2 lead. The Rebels made consecutive field goals before Memphis scored eight straight points for a 17-6 lead. Eduardo Klafke made a 3-pointer to end the run, but Rogers' 3-pointer helped the Tigers increase the lead to 27-14. Ole Miss scored the next seven points before Cisse's basket ended the run. The Rebels closed within four points four times Brown-Jones made two free throws to trim the lead to 38-36 at halftime. --Field Level MediaIn the continuing saga of billionaires and big rockets comes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos with his latest space vehicle, New Glenn. The rocket, which stands taller than the Statue of Liberty, is named after NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first person to orbit Earth in 1962. Though much shorter than SpaceX 's towering Starship , it is about the size of NASA's mega moon rocket, the Space Launch System . Years in the making, the commercial rocket is on the verge of its maiden flight. On Friday, while strapped firmly to its launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, New Glenn nailed its final dress rehearsal, firing all seven of its engines for 24 seconds. It was the first time Bezos' company, Blue Origin, had operated the entire stacked rocket as an integrated system. Flashes from the engines pierced through billows of steam, like cracks of lightning amid storm clouds. "Next stop launch," said Bezos in a post on X, the social media platform owned by his space launch competitor, Elon Musk . Despite their rivalry, Musk replied with a wish for godspeed. A video of the test, called a hot fire, can be watched in the above post. The demonstration involved a complete fueling and practice countdown. New Glenn's booster runs on methane and liquid oxygen, while the second stage of the rocket, which propels a spacecraft further into space, runs on liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. When all seven booster engines are firing in concert, they produce enough horsepower for two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers at full tilt, said David Limp, Blue Origin's CEO. For 13 seconds of the hot fire test, New Glenn was operating at 100 percent of its thrust capacity. Bezos started Blue Origin in 2000, but its first small rocket, New Shepard, has primarily focused on space tourism, providing short flights for wealthy passengers to the cusp of space and back. Star Trek actor William Shatner, one of the most familiar space figures in pop culture, became a real space traveler in October 2021. But the company has aspirations to do much more. It's building a lunar lander for NASA, to be named Blue Moon , that will perform several uncrewed test flights with the New Glenn rocket, before ferrying Artemis V astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface of the moon. It's also building a commercial space station, dubbed Orbital Reef . NASA awarded Blue Origin a $130 million contract to build it as the U.S. space agency tries to transition to a new model of space research, wherein businesses own and operate space labs in low-Earth orbit and NASA becomes one of their many customers. Just prior to Friday's test, the Federal Aviation Administration issued Blue Origin a launch license for New Glenn, its final administrative approval. Though the company hasn't yet announced when it will attempt a liftoff, an FAA operational advisory indicates a tentative plan of a launch window opening at 11:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 31, with a backup window at the same time on New Year's Day. "Well, all we have left to do is mate our encapsulated payload...and then LAUNCH!" Limp said on X . "Congrats to the many Blue folks on today's test." Blue Origin will attempt to use a sea-based landing platform, named Jacklyn, to save New Glenn boosters. The license allows Blue Origin to launch New Glenn from the Space Force station at Cape Canaveral, as well as land its reusable booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. That sea-based landing platform, named Jacklyn , is one of the largest remotely operated vessels in the world. The company hopes to be able to reuse a single booster at least 25 times. Reusability is an important facet of the burgeoning commercial space industry, significantly lowering the cost per launch. Blue Origin wanted to get to this point months ago. The inaugural flight was slated for October, which would have included two Mars orbiters built by Rocket Lab for NASA. Had New Glenn launched then, the twin spacecraft would have taken advantage of the planetary alignment that shortens the travel time to the Red Planet, an average of 140 million miles away from Earth. NASA and Blue Origin are now in talks for a potential launch for that mission, known as Escapade , no earlier than spring 2025.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As workers were picking up the pieces of the fallen Capitol Christmas Tree Thursday morning due to high winds, lawmakers and legislative staff were trying to determine how to conduct a last-minute special session. By Thursday evening, however, a source in the governor’s office confirmed there would not be a special session and that further details would be forthcoming Friday. Lawmakers first took to social media Wednesday night after a letter was sent to members alerting them to a possible special session to be called by Gov. Jim Justice for Saturday. Members of the state Senate and House of Delegates provided further confirmation Thursday morning. “We were notified on yesterday evening to prepare for the possibility of being called into an extraordinary session by the Governor this weekend,” said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, in a statement. “As with all extraordinary sessions, the Legislature may only convene outside of regular session upon the Governor’s proclamation.” “There was a letter that went out that suggests that there may be a special session starting approximately 6 o’clock (Saturday),” said House Finance Committee Chairman Vernon Criss, R-Wood, by phone Thursday. According to Criss, the proposed special session would have been for consideration of a bill making changes to the Certified Industrial Business Expansion Development program on behalf of the Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE) Renewables and Precision Castparts Corp. (TIMET) titanium melt facility/solar microgrid project being built in Jackson County, though he was not aware of the specifics of the bill. Created by Senate Bill 4001 in a special session in September 2022, the program is meant to incentivize investment and construction of high-impact industrial plants and facilities that require access to renewable energy. BHE Renewables and TIMET purchased more than 2,000 acres at the former Century Aluminum site in Jackson County to build a modern titanium melt facility powered by a solar energy microgrid – a $500 million investment. A request for comment from representatives of BHE Renewables/TIMET was not returned for this story. SB 4001 created no more than two 2,250-acre, certified high-impact industrial business development districts that must be on land sold or leased by the state. Any renewable energy project in these districts would not be subject to approval by the Public Service Commission as far as rates, obtaining a certificate of convenience and necessity, conditions of service or complaints. The bill being discussed for a special session would have allowed for an additional district, or a maximum of six districts with approval of the Department of Economic Development, though no more than three districts can be within the same service territory of an investor-owned electric utility in the state. “The Berkshire Hathaway Energy District in the Ravenswood area needs to be modified for some kind of an investment,” Criss said. “I don’t know the details other than that’s the concept and hopefully we’ll hear more or actually see the call later today.” According to a draft bill, the legislation would remove the requirement that certified high-impact industrial business development districts be established on land sold or leased by the state. It would increase the acreage from 2,250 acres to no greater than 5,000 acres as long as it was large enough to support between 500 megawatts and 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy generation. The draft bill would require completion of economic development projects in a certified high-impact business development district within five years. It would also allow electric-generating units in these districts to be taxed at salvage value for property tax purposes, lower than the fair market value. West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman and Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, criticized Justice for creating confusion by proposing a special session and for wasting taxpayer dollars. Special sessions held outside of coinciding legislative interim meetings can cost as much as $35,000 per day. “Governor Justice is squandering taxpayer dollars to hold a special session to pass a sweetheart deal for a special interest, out-of-state corporation,” Pushkin said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “This is an outrageous abuse of power and a blatant disregard for the people of West Virginia, who deserve a government that prioritizes their needs—not backroom deals for corporate cronies.” The bill was also opposed by at least some on the conservative right. A group called West Virginia Constitutional Conservatives, sent out an email Wednesday urging fellow conservatives to oppose the bill and pressure Justice not to call a special session. “West Virginians shouldn’t have to foot the bill for political stunts that prioritize special interests over hardworking families,” wrote Laura Anders, wife of incoming Delegate S. Chris Anders, R-Berkeley. “Our tax dollars should be used responsibly, not squandered on projects that increase costs and threaten the livelihoods of those in traditional energy sectors.” The possible special session would have created a new set of problems. According to the state Constitution Article 4 Chapter 7, the terms for new lawmakers begin on the first day of December. After last month’s general election, the 100-member House of Delegates will be getting 14 new members, including 13 Republicans and one Democratic lawmaker. In the 34-member Senate, there will be seven new members, including six Republicans and one Democrat. Over the years, legislators will often have informal swearing-in ceremonies in December, with a formal swearing-in ceremony when the Legislature first convenes in January. During a year when a new governor takes office, the Legislature convenes on the second Wednesday in January (Jan. 8 in 2025) to elect leadership and open election returns delivered by the secretary of state. The Legislature then adjourns until the second Wednesday in February (Feb. 12) to begin the regular 60-day legislative session. When a special session was on the table, the question facing staff of the House and Senate clerk’s offices was who would participate? Would it be considered a lame-duck session with members of the 86th Legislature participating, or would new members of the incoming 87th Legislature be seated? According to the Secretary of State’s Office, the only times a special session was called after an election and prior to the start of the next regular legislative session were in 1913 and 1936. In a statement, Deputy Secretary of State and Chief of Staff Donald “Deak” Kersey said state code was amended after 1913 requiring the secretary of state to deliver the election returns to the Legislature of the first session following the election. “In 1936, a special session was called after the election but before the regular session, and the Secretary of State, following the amended law, delivered the certificates to the Legislature at the start of the special session,” Kersey said. “This is still the case today under current law.” “Therefore, if there is (a special) session, the Secretary of State is to deliver the certificates of election to the Legislature at the next ensuing session, which would be the (special) session and the newly elected legislators from the 2024 General Election would take office (so long as they’re in attendance and take the oath),” Kersey said. County clerks had until 30 days following the end of the Nov. 5 general election, or Thursday, to transmit certificates of election results to the Secretary of State’s Office. Joey Garcia, the two-term Democratic delegate representing Marion County, won election in November to represent parts of Marion and Monongalia County in the 13th Senatorial District for a four-year term. Garcia said the current 11-member House Democratic caucus found out indirectly about the special session. “I’m honestly a little bit disappointed in the lack of communication that we’ve received from, I think, House leadership because we found out about this through an email that didn’t come to any of our members,” Garcia said. The state Constitution states that in odd-numbered years each body will elect its officers when it convenes on Jan. 8. According to state Republican Party Chairman Matt Herridge, the GOP members of both bodies are scheduled to have caucuses Sunday afternoon to elect their nominees for House speaker and Senate president, who will be voted on by the respective chambers next month. House members are expected to reelect Delegate Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, as speaker. But with Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, losing his GOP primary in May, there is a race for the president’s gavel. Known candidates include Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha; Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Chairman Randy Smith, R-Tucker; and Tarr. “I don’t know yet,” said Tarr when asked whether a proposed special session could speed up the timetable for selection of a new Senate president. “I’m trying to get definitive answers on that as well.” Garcia, who took his ceremonial oath of office Wednesday, said it was important for legislative staff to get to the bottom of these issues, otherwise it could lead to possible litigation if someone believes the state Constitution was not being followed. “Whether I would be involved in this as a House member or a Senate, I expected that I was going to come into the Senate on Jan. 8 and take my oath of office then,” Garcia said. “Either way, we really need to know. They need to work this out, and then I’m ready to do whatever needs to be done. “If it’s good policy, if it’s good legislation, if it needs to be done now, it needs to be done later: whatever that may be, I’m here to try to make sure we do what’s right for the State of West Virginia,” Garcia continued.

PROSPECT – Almiro “Miro” da Fonseca, 86, of Prospect, passed away peacefully on Nov. 2, 2024, in Chaves, Portugal. He was the beloved husband of Maria Albina, affectionately known as “Bina.” Born on Jan. 5, 1939, in São Julião de Montenegro, Chaves, Portugal, Almiro was the son of the late Luis and Maria (dos Prazeres) da Fonseca. Almiro completed his military service in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to Maputo, Africa, during the years of 1962 to 1975, like many Portuguese emigrants. In 1975, Almiro moved to Connecticut, where he worked as a steelworker for Ansonia Copper & Brass. He dedicated more than 30 years to his job. Known for his unparalleled dedication, he never missed a day of work until his retirement in 2008. Miro was a man of immense kindness, integrity, and strong values. Family and friendship were at the heart of his life. After long workdays, he was known to cultivate beautiful vegetable gardens every year, sharing its fruits with friends and loved ones. He also took pride in his culinary skills, crafting homemade wine and curing his own presunto (ham). He enjoyed simple things in life such as watching Portuguese soccer games, singing, and dancing. A lover of the ocean, Miro cherished summers spent clamming and enjoying the beauty of the coastline. His joyful demeanor and hardworking spirit left an indelible mark on all who knew him. At the end of his life, he sought peace and comfort, surrounded by his cherished family, especially his wife, Bina. Almiro is survived by his daughters Lucia Fonseca of Prospect, Natalia Batista and her husband Brian, of Middlebury, and Nancy Cacciola and her husband Anthony, of Franklin Lakes, N.J. He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Alexander and Ines Batista, and Leo and Vivian Cacciola. Among his siblings, he is survived by Auriza, Mira, Avelino, Aderito, Odete, and Ze Manuel (Joe). He was predeceased by his older brother Delphim. Miro was laid to rest in Mosteiró de Cima, Portugal. A memorial service to honor his life will take place on Jan. 5, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 2071 Baldwin St., Waterbury. In loving memory, Miro’s family invites all who knew him to celebrate the life of a man who lived with love, purpose, and grace.

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