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(The Center Square) – Adoption of institutional neutrality is supported by better than 6 in 10 tenured and nontenured faculty at the University of North Carolina, Wake Forest University and Duke University, a report says. Nationally, 66% of faculty say “colleges and universities should not take positions on political and social issues,” says Silence in the Classroom, the 2024 FIRE Faculty Survey Report. At Duke, the percentage is 71%, at Carolina 65%, and at Wake 64%. Higher education is facing mounting challenges, from the costs to the positions it favors. Silencing students or faculty has drawn sharp criticism from Capitol Hill to every corner of the nation sending people to the ballot box. Carolina, established in 1789, is the nation’s oldest public university. It also earlier this year became embattled in free speech controversy tied to the war between Hamas and Israel. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression , as FIRE is more formally known, is a nonprofit nonpartisan organization billing itself as “defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought.” Surveys on topics related to free expression and academic freedom were made of 6,269 tenured, tenure-track and nontenure faculty at 55 four-year colleges and universities in America. In North Carolina, the sampling was of 145 at Carolina, 80 at Duke, and 55 at Wake Forest. For each campus, respondents said the top “difficult issue to discuss” is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Asked for top three issues, the Middle East saga was 79% at Carolina, 71% at Wake Forest and 68% at Duke. Each campus was split on the second and third choices. At Duke, 57% said affirmative action and 51% transgender rights. At Carolina, 54% said affirmative action and 53% racial inequality. And at Wake, 63% said racial inequality and 55% transgender rights. All were talking points of various candidates, particularly the presidential race, in the election cycle climaxing last month. In response to faculty feeling “they could not express their opinion because of how others would respond,” the choices of “occasionally,” “fairly often” and “very often” drew a combined 69% at Wake Forest, 69% at Duke and 67% at Carolina. Fairly often and very often were 35% at Duke. Statements pledging commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is rarely or never justified of faculty job candidates, said 61% at Duke, 44% at Carolina and 42% at Wake Forest. Nationally, the response was 50%. Academic freedom leaned more toward secure than not at all three institutions on a split of about 60%-40%. As for faculty feeling a need to “hide their political beliefs from other faculty in an attempt to keep their job,” answers of “never” were chosen by 43% at Duke, 42% at Carolina and 36% at Wake Forest. Among the national findings of the FIRE survey: • More faculty (35%) than during the McCarthy era (9%) say they toned down their writing for fear of controversy. • Threats of discipline for teaching, research, academic talks or other off-campus speech was incurred by 14%. • Faculty feeling unable to speak freely for fear of how others would respond was 27%. • Fear of damaged reputations because of misunderstandings with something said or done was 40%. • Fear of losing jobs because of misunderstandings with something said or done was 23%.
AP News Summary at 3:12 p.m. EST
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 2:06 p.m. ESTCHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson passed the point of no return following a 4-2 loss to Boston on Wednesday night. That's when he decided to replace coach Luke Richardson. “I don’t think once you cross that threshold in your own mind, you can go back,” Davidson said. “And so I crossed that point after the Boston game the other night.” The aftermath of that decision began in earnest on Friday, when Chicago practiced for the first time under interim coach Anders Sorensen — a day after the Richardson move was announced by the organization. The big task for Sorensen is turning around a team that wasn't exactly built for a playoff run this season, but one Davidson feels is better than its NHL-worst 8-16-2 record. The offensively challenged Blackhawks have lost four in a row and eight of 10 overall going into Saturday's game against Winnipeg. “I don’t believe this is a last-place group. And that’s where we find ourselves,” Davidson said in his first media session since Richardson was fired. “Do I believe we deserve better in some games that we didn’t get a point or two points out of this year? Yes. But dissect that. Why didn’t we get those points? I feel like there were things that could be cleaned up. And maybe some things kept popping up here and there that, again, probably should have been improved upon.” Richardson, 55, had a 57-118-15 record in two-plus seasons with Chicago. The coaching change comes with the Blackhawks set to host the Winter Classic on Dec. 31 against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field. In a statement released by the team, Richardson said he was grateful for the opportunity to coach the Blackhawks and wished the team and its fans the best for the rest of the season. Sorensen, 49, was the head coach at Rockford in the AHL before he got the interim job, making him a familiar face for many of the Blackhawks. He was hired by the organization as a development coach ahead of the 2013-14 season. He joined the IceHogs staff as an assistant coach beginning in 2018-19. Sorensen becomes the first Swedish-born head coach in NHL history. “I think for me, I’ve been a big believer in where my two feet are is where I’m going to work and try to get better and we’ll see what happens,” Sorensen said. “Obviously, like you said, you want to strive to improve and get up to higher levels. It’s surreal right now, trying to digest.” Asked what he needs to do to secure the job long-term, a chuckling Sorensen responded: “Win games.” “We want to see progress with a lot of our younger players,” he continued. “We want to make sure we’re kind of building off this and progressing and that’s the biggest thing.” Connor Bedard’s development has always been the most important part of this season for Chicago, and it seemed as if his progress had stalled a bit with Richardson in charge — at least offensively. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft has five goals and 14 assists in 26 games after he had 11 goals and 10 assists at the same point last season. While he has been more responsible defensively, the 19-year-old Bedard and the Blackhawks were hoping for more offensive production in his second year. “He’s one of those guys we have to get him up the ice and get skating,” Sorensen said. “That’s when he’s at his best. We all see what he can do when the puck’s on his stick. We have to get a way for him to get the puck in motion. That’s the biggest thing right now.” Bedard called Richardson “a really good guy” and said he was sad seeing him go. But he also was looking forward to working with Sorensen. “It’s good to have the first skate and get comfortable and talk to him,” Bedard said. “It’s good we all know him a little bit from being at training camps and stuff like that, so it was a good first day.” While Bedard attracts the most attention, Chicago's offensive trouble runs a lot deeper than its young center. The Blackhawks signed Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen in free agency , and the two forwards have combined for just 11 goals and 11 assists. Chicago is averaging 2.42 goals per game, ranked No. 31 in the NHL ahead of only Nashville going into Friday night’s games. The Blackhawks finished with a league-low 178 goals last season. “Everyone needs to take ownership of this,” captain Nick Foligno said. “The sad part is one person maybe takes the fall, but it’s all of us that need to be better in here. We’re excited to get to work with Anders, and I think Luke would want us to forge ahead, too. He cares a lot about this group and this organization so the best we can do is get moving ahead here and show we can be that team.” AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
From a 10-year-old to a Muppet to a president-elect, NYSE bell-ringers range from famous to obscure
SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed on Thursday to fight “until the very last minute” in a defiant address defending his shock decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country’s parliament last week. The South Korean leader is barred from foreign travel as part of a probe into his inner circle over the dramatic events of December 3-4 that stunned Seoul’s allies and threw the country into some of its deepest political turmoil in years. Yoon, staring down an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, vowed to “fight with the people until the very last minute”. He went on the attack against the opposition, accusing it of pushing the country into a “national crisis”. “The National Assembly, dominated by the large opposition party, has become a monster that destroys the constitutional order of liberal democracy,” Yoon said in his televised address. Yoon also doubled down on his justification of declaring martial law, which he had said was taken to safeguard South Korea “from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements”. “I apologize again to the people who must have been surprised and anxious due to the martial law,” he added. “Please trust me.” Saturday’s impeachment vote will take place at around 5:00 pm (0800 GMT). PPP leader Han Dong-hoon urged party members on Thursday to attend the meeting and vote “according to their conviction and conscience”. “President Yoon Suk Yeol is no longer able to fulfil his duties as president, and I think that has become clearer and clearer,” he said. The opposition formally submitted a second impeachment motion against Yoon on Thursday, following last week’s failed attempt to remove him from office after ruling party lawmakers largely boycotted the vote. The bloc needs eight MPs from the ruling party to vote in favour of the impeachment, and several ruling lawmakers have indicated their intention to do so in the next vote, scheduled for Saturday. To impeach Yoon, two-thirds of the parliament must vote in favour. Police meanwhile attempted another raid on Yoon’s presidential office compound, Yonhap news agency reported, a day after a similar attempt was blocked by security guards. The main opposition Democratic Party has said it would file legal complaints for insurrection against the president’s staff and security if they continued to obstruct law enforcement. Yonhap said Thursday’s raid focused on the headquarters of the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, which reportedly agreed to cooperate with the investigation. ‘I want to witness history’ South Korea’s capital has been rocked by daily protests since last week, with thousands gathering to demand Yoon’s resignation. Kim Jae-hee, 34, told AFP she would be hitting the streets on Saturday to protest for Yoon’s impeachment. “I want to witness history,” she said. “I also know a lot of friends who are doing the same.” And members of Yoon’s inner circle have come under intense scrutiny for their alleged role in last week’s martial law declaration. Police said on Thursday they had raided the headquarters of the military’s capital defence command, which was deployed during the martial law declaration. Former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is accused of urging Yoon to impose martial law, tried to kill himself in prison on Tuesday, authorities said. Kim was first detained on Sunday and later formally arrested on charges of “engaging in critical duties during an insurrection” and “abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights”. The former interior minister and the general in charge of the martial law operation are also barred from foreign travel. The PPP has said that, pending Yoon’s resignation, he has agreed to hand power to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and party chief Han. In North Korea, AFP footage showed students scrolling through photos of anti-Yoon protests posted on the website of ruling party daily the Rodong Sinmun. Pyongyang’s state media—which has long hurled insults against Yoon—has described the South as being in “chaos” following his decision to impose martial law. — AFP
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The Irish Times view on government formation: one clear route comes into focusMercer International vice president Eric Heine sells $167,612 in stockr stock price high just three years ago. However, the tides have turned. This month, Intel lost its spot on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and some headlines even suggest it might be acquired by another company. But how did "Team Blue" find itself in this precarious position? Let's dive into the details. The Impact of Instability Issues: Overstated? Intel's recent struggles are often attributed to the instability of its 13th and 14th-gen chips within the gaming PC community. While these issues were well-publicized, their financial impact on Intel was minimal. The problematic chips represented a small subset of high-end models, while Intel's bread-and-butter business lies in selling mid-range chips to major computer manufacturers like Dell and Lenovo. So, the roots of Intel's decline lie elsewhere. The Turning Point: Intel's 10nm Struggles To truly understand Intel's predicament, we need to go back to 2015, when the company's attempts to produce chips on the 10-nanometer process hit a roadblock. Achieving 10nm would have enabled more powerful and energy-efficient chips—critical for staying competitive. However, Intel chose not to invest in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a manufacturing technology that simplifies creating chips with smaller transistors. This decision wasn't just about technical conservatism. At the time, Intel faced little pressure from competitors. AMD was still struggling with its underwhelming Bulldozer CPUs, and Apple was a loyal customer for Intel processors in its Macs. Yet, the landscape began shifting rapidly after 2015. Competition Heats Up AMD's Renaissance : AMD's Zen architecture, launched in 2017, was an immediate hit. AMD began clawing back market share with competitive performance and pricing. : AMD's...
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Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The list even includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. President-elect Donald Trump joined that list Thursday when he opened trading at the famous stock exchange on Wall Street. He was accompanied by his wife, Melania, who interestingly enough received the honor before her husband. As first lady, she rang the bell in 2019 as part of her “Be Best” program. Bell-ringers are more commonly founders and executives chosen primarily from the exchange's more than 2,300 listed companies. Over the last few months, the guests have included executives from Alaska Air Group, Bath & Body Works, and Ally Financial. Stock trading around the location of the NYSE's current home has deep roots that trace back to the Dutch founding of New Amsterdam and when Wall Street had an actual wall. The NYSE traces its direct roots to the “Buttonwood Agreement” signed in 1792, which set rules for stock trading and commissions. The NYSE moved into its first permanent home in 1865. The first bell in use was actually a gong. The exchange moved into its current iconic building in 1903 and started using an electronically operated brass bell. That has evolved into synchronized bells in each of the NYSE’s four trading areas.By Nicholas Tan Many are hoping that the looming TikTok ban could be stopped by Donald Trump or Joe Biden. On Friday, December 6, a U.S. federal appeals court upheld the TikTok ban law introduced by The Department of Justice and signed by Biden in April. This means that ByteDance, the Chinese owner of the popular social media app, will need to divest its stake in the platform by the deadline of January 19, 2025 or be banned. Here’s whether Trump or Biden can do anything about the TikTok ban before (or after) that happens. While it will be tough for Donald Trump to overturn the TikTok ban through legal action, he could affect how the law is enforced. Biden can also extend the deadline by up to 90 days, though this doesn’t seem likely given that he is responsible for the legislation in the first place. As pointed out by Reuters , ByteDance would have a “heavy burden” to show the Biden administration that it had made “significant progress toward a divestiture needed to trigger the extension.” Barring that, it would fall upon Trump to reverse the decision in some way. One of the main difficulties of Trump halting the ban comes from the January 19 deadline coming a day before his official inauguration, as noted by Al Jazeera . While Trump attempted to ban the platform outright by executive order in 2020, it faced numerous legal challenges and by the time it reached the Biden administration it was transformed into the law in question. Since then, though, Trump stated during his 2024 presidential campaign that he has vowed to save it and even joined the platform , where he has over 14 million followers and more than 100 million likes. In addition, his nominees of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence are both on TikTok and don’t agree with the ban. If Trump wants to follow through with his promise, he has several options in preventing TikTok from being banned outright over time. Anupam Chander, an expert on global tech regulations at Georgetown Law, says that in the long term the president-elect could help ByteDance change its policies on TikTok to consider security concerns. Trump could also assist in having the company find a US buyer to comply with the law. Another expert, staff attorney George Wang at Columbia University, similarly told Vox that the language in the ban law is broad enough that it grants “the president some leeway to decline to enforce the ban if TikTok or ByteDance comes to some sufficient solution.” Chinese officials would be more open to a sale if Trump lowers his threat to impose additional tariffs on China , according to James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studios via NPR . Trump could also greatly influence how the TikTok ban law is enforced, effectively neutering its effect. Civil liberties director David Greene from the Electronic Frontier Foundation says the incoming president could “instruct the US Justice Department to drop or modify its defense in the lawsuit with ByteDance or instruct the US Department of Commerce not to enforce the law.” TikTok is expected to appeal this decision by the federal appeals court to the Supreme Court. Free speech organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union says that the ruling “blatantly violates the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans.” It’s unclear, however, whether the Supreme Court would be able to hear the appeal and decide on the case before the January 19 deadline comes to pass. Still, if the appeal is granted, Trump could influence and modify how the DOJ argues its case before the Supreme Court in its defense. Nick Tan is a SEO Lead Writer for GameRevolution. Once upon a time, his parents took away his Super Nintendo as a punishment. He has sworn revenge ever since. Share article
Investing.com -- India's stock market has entered its longest bull run, surpassing the 2003-08 rally in duration but have delivered only a third of its cumulative returns. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) analysts believe the current market, marked by low volatility and strong relative gains against emerging markets, still has room to grow. The ongoing rally, which began in March 2020 during the pandemic's early uncertainty, has been supported by several macroeconomic factors and structural shifts. Key factors driving the next phase include a declining primary deficit, democratisation of investing and credit, robust consumption, improved social equity with higher female workforce participation, and an energy boom. Morgan Stanley views current market valuations as reasonable, given that the earnings cycle is only midway. India's nominal GDP is expected to grow by 10-11% annually over the next five years, with corporate earnings likely compounding at 18-20%. Improving corporate balance sheets, rising private investments, and favourable external dynamics, such as reduced oil dependence, bolster the earnings outlook. Morgan Stanley favours cyclicals over defensives, highlighting financials, consumer discretionary, industrials, and technology as preferred sectors. Whereas sectors like Consumer Staples, Utilities, and Healthcare are expected to underperform. The bull market is transitioning from macro-driven growth to stock-picking opportunities, Morgan Stanley said. Small and mid-cap stocks, which have recently underperformed, are set to regain momentum. Emerging themes include private capital expenditure in areas like energy mobility, defense, and semiconductors, alongside traditional industries like cement and real estate. India’s improving macroeconomic stability and structural reforms suggest its equity market still has potential for further gains, with Morgan Stanley emphasizing the importance of sectoral and thematic plays to navigate the next leg of the rally. Related Articles India's longest bull market has more room to run - Morgan Stanley Boeing plans to increase 787 production to 10 per month by 2026 Contact lens maker Bausch + Lomb says it is exploring sale