How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Stock market today: Stocks drift higher as US markets reopen after a holiday pause Stocks are drifting higher on Wall Street in light trading as U.S. markets reopen following the Christmas holiday. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite were up by less than 0.1% in midday trading Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1%. Gains in technology companies overall and retailers helped boost the market, despite a pullback by some heavyweight Big Tech stocks. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields rose. U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place near him, as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military didn't immediate respond to questions about the WHO chief's statement. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose. Finland stops Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finnish police say authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables. It was the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure. Police and border guards boarded the Eagle S and took control as they investigate damage to the Estlink-2 undersea power cable. The cable brings electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea. The cable went down on Wednesday. The incident follows damage to two data cables and the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Both have been termed sabotage. Russian ship that sank in the Mediterranean was attacked, owner says MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian operator of a cargo ship that sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria says it has been hit by a series of explosions in an act of sabotage. Oboronlogistica is a state-controlled company that operated the Ursa Major freighter. The company said the vessel was wrecked by three powerful explosions just above the water line in what it described as a “terrorist attack” that caused it to sink on Monday. The company said in a statement carried by Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday that the explosions left a hole in the ship’s starboard and filled the engine room with acrid smoke. That hampered the crew’s attempts to access it. Undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia hit by outage, prompting investigation FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finland’s prime minister says authorities are investigating an interruption in a power cable under the Baltic Sea between his country and Estonia. Petteri Orpo said on X that power transmission through the Estlink-2 cable suffered an outage Wednesday. Authorities have been on edge about undersea infrastructure in the Baltic after two international data cables were severed in November and the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany were blown up in September 2022. Japan to maximize nuclear power in clean-energy push as electricity demand grows TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese government panel has largely supported a draft energy policy calling for bolstering renewables up to half of Japanese electricity needs by 2040. It also recommends maximizing the use of nuclear power to accommodate the growing demand for power in the era of AI while meeting decarbonization targets. Cabinet is expected to formally approve the plan by March following a period of public consultation. The policy says nuclear energy should account for 20% of Japan’s energy supply in 2040, with renewables expanded to 40-50% and coal-fired power reduced to 30-40%. Working Well: Returning to the office can disrupt life. Here are some tips to navigate the changes NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of workers are facing an unsettling reality heading into 2025. After years of working from the comfort of home, they're being told it’s time to return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. That can bring a host of challenges, including losing time with family. Workers at Amazon, AT&T and other companies have been called back to the office five days a week. Experts have advice to share about how to navigate the changes when an employer calls you back to the office. Workers can convey what they need, seek flexibility and if all else fails, consider other options. US applications for unemployment benefits hold steady, but continuing claims rise to 3-year high WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. The US Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claim applications ticked down by 1,000 to 219,000 for the week of Dec. 21. That’s fewer than the 223,000 analysts forecast. Continuing claims, the total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits, climbed by 46,000 to 1.91 million for the week of Dec. 14. That’s more than analysts projected and the most since the week of Nov. 13, 2021. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs.
Geneva, Switzerland, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) ("SEALSQ" or "Company"), a company that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors, PKI and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products, today announced that it has completed a registered direct offer to several institutional investors of 13,157,896 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $1.90, for gross proceeds of $25.0 million (the “Offering”), before deducting commissions and offering expenses. This brings the total gross proceeds from financings completed this week to $60.0 million, before deducting commissions and offering expenses. The Company confirms that, given the terms of the financings completed in the last week, it does not currently expect to enter into any further registered direct offering of ordinary shares for at least the next 60 days as a result of the funds raised. Maxim Group LLC acted as the sole placement agent for the Offering. SEALSQ currently intends to utilize the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the deployment of its next-generation post-quantum semiconductor technology and ASIC capabilities in the United States, to support working capital and for general corporate purposes. Carlos Moreira, CEO of the SEALSQ, said, “We are delighted to have secured this financing, which enables us to focus on advancing our quantum strategy, particularly the development and market launch of our post-quantum chips. The funds raised over the past week will significantly support the achievement of our strategic goals. As we move into the new year, we look forward to sharing further details on the Company's next steps.” The securities described above were offered by the Company pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-283358) previously filed with and subsequently declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 27, 2024. A prospectus supplement relating to the securities issued in, and describing the terms of, the Offering was filed by the Company with the SEC. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the Offering, together with the accompanying prospectus, can be obtained at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by contacting Maxim Group LLC, at 300 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Syndicate Department, or via email at syndicate@maximgrp.com or by telephone at (212) 895-3745. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About SEALSQ: SEALSQ focuses on selling integrated solutions based on Semiconductors, PKI and Provisioning services, while developing Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products. Our solutions can be used in a variety of applications, from Multi-Factor Authentication tokens, Smart Energy, Smart Home Appliances, Medical and Healthcare and IT Network Infrastructure, to Automotive, Industrial Automation and Control Systems. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) refers to cryptographic methods that are secure against an attack by a quantum computer. As quantum computers become more powerful, they may be able to break many of the cryptographic methods that are currently used to protect sensitive information, such as RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). PQC aims to develop new cryptographic methods that are secure against quantum attacks. For more information, please visit www.sealsq.com. Forward Looking Statements This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning SEALSQ Corp and its businesses. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our business strategy, financial performance, results of operations, market data, events or developments that we expect or anticipates will occur in the future, as well as any other statements which are not historical facts. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include SEALSQ’s ability to implement its growth strategies; SEALSQ’s ability to successfully launch post-quantum semiconductor technology; SEALSQ’s ability to capture a share of the quantum semiconductor market; the growth of the quantum computing market; SEALSQ’s ability to expand its U.S. operations; SEALSQ’s ability to make additional investments towards the development of a new generation of quantum-ready semiconductors; SEALSQ’s ability to continue beneficial transactions with material parties, including a limited number of significant customers; market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; the growth of the quantum computing market; and the risks discussed in SEALSQ’s filings with the SEC. Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by SEALSQ with the SEC. SEALSQ Corp is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Press and Investor Contacts SEALSQ Corp. Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 info@sealsq.com SEALSQ Investor Relations (US) The Equity Group Inc. Lena Cati Tel: +1 212 836-9611 / lcati@equityny.com Katie Murphy Tel: +212 836-9612 / kmurphy@equityny.comKYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to know
Trump's federal cases are FINISHED: Jack Smith moves to drop January 6 and classified documents charges in brutal blow for Special Counsel READ MORE: Sign up for DailyMail.com's daily political email By GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY U.S. POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 13:32 EST, 25 November 2024 | Updated: 14:37 EST, 25 November 2024 e-mail 41 shares 393 View comments Special counsel Jack Smith has moved to have the federal election subversion charges against Donald Trump dropped. The president-elect was facing four charges in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 election that led to the January 6 attack on the Capitol . Smith asked U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to dismiss the case without prejudice because of policy prohibiting prosecuting a sitting president. The case has been seen is likely to fall away since Trump’s stunning win in the November elections. A grand jury indicted Trump August 1 last year in the case, but it stalled for months while the Supreme Court considered ‘immunity’ arguments raised by Trump’s lawyers. The court eventually ruled in a 6-3 decision by its conservative majority that Trump did enjoy broad immunity from prosecution for official acts as president. That prompted Smith, who Trump regularly calls ‘deranged’ and has vowed to fire, to file a superseding indictment that narrowed the charges. Trump was facing charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. It comes days after a New York judge moved to dismiss Trump's hush money case following his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. An existing Justice Department policy disallows prosecution of a sitting president. It ends a lengthy investigation that cost taxpayers $50 million and never made it to trial, in a case that prosecutors didn't charge until halfway through President Joe Biden 's term. Special counsel Jack Smith has moved to have the federal election subversion charges against Donald Trump dropped The start of Biden's term featured prosecutions of hundreds of people who enterted the Capitol on January 6, when Trump supporters stormed the building on the day Congress met to count electoral votes certified by the states. Then in another historic decision, AG Merrick Garland announced that he had apointed Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor, to probe 'whether any person or entity unlawfully interfered with the transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election or the certification of the Electoral College vote held on or about January 6, 2021.' Read More BREAKING NEWS Donald Trump's hush money sentencing is canceled as judge opens the door for case to be dismissed Smith also oversaw the classified documents case against Trump, who was accused of taking national security documents to Mar-a-Lago after he left the White House. Smith has already made it known that he plans to leave before Trump takes office. Incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung called the move a 'major victory for the rule of law.' 'The American People re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. Today’s decision by the DOJ ends the unconstitutional federal cases against President Trump and is a major victory for the rule of law,' Cheung said in a statement. 'The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country,' he said. Smith also moved to end the classified documents case against Trump, where Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon has already dismissed. Prosecutors were appealing her decision that Smith's appointment was unconstitutional. However the DOJ continues to prosecute two Trump aides, former White House valet and aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. They are charged with conspiring to help Trump obstruct the FBI and retain classified material. Both have pleaded not guilty. More than 500 people have been sentenced to jail in connection with January 6, according to the Justice Department. Trump, by virtue of DOJ policy on sitting presidents not being charged, is having his case dismissed Smith wrote in the January 6 filing to Judge Chutkan, 'It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that the United States Constitution forbids the federal indictment and subsequent criminal prosecution of a sitting President. But the Department and the country have never faced the circumstance here, where a federal indictment against a private citizen has been returned by a grand jury and a criminal prosecution is already underway when the defendant is elected President.' Judge Tanya Chutkan is still sorting through the Supreme Court's union After consulting with DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel, 'after careful consideration' DOJ decided that the OLC's prior opinions and the Constitution's ' prohibition on federal indictment and prosecution of a sitting President apply to this situation and that as a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated.' 'That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,' Smith wrote in a parting shot. Smith sought dismissial 'without prejudice' and wrote about the 'temporary nature' of Trump's presidential immunity, in theory suggesting he could be charged after he leaves office, if Trump doesn't entertain a controversial self-pardon. 'Accordingly, the Department’s position is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated. And although the Constitution requires dismissal in this context, consistent with the temporary nature of the immunity afforded a sitting President, it does not require dismissal with prejudice. Cf. id. at 255 (“immunity from prosecution for a sitting President would not preclude such prosecution once the President’s term is over or he is otherwise removed from office by resignation or impeachment”)' he wrote. 'This outcome is not based on the merits or strength of the case against the defendant,' he added. Politics Share or comment on this article: Trump's federal cases are FINISHED: Jack Smith moves to drop January 6 and classified documents charges in brutal blow for Special Counsel e-mail 41 shares Add comment
Joe Biden was in a jovial mood as he carried out his final Thanksgiving turkey pardoning, telling the two lucky birds, “Your prayers are going to be answered today.” The president , 82, addressed crowds from the South Lawn on Monday morning, giving out pardons to Peach and Blossom. The birds are from Minnesota and are roughly 17 weeks old, according to a National Turkey Federation (NTF) press conference Sunday. The two names are meant as an homage to Biden’s home state of Delaware and its state flower, the peach blossom. Biden kicked off the ceremony by cracking a joke about the size of the crowd gathered for the event. “They tell me there’s 2,500 people here today...looking for a pardon,” Biden said, prompting laughter. The president was joined by NTF president John Zimmerman and his 9-year-old son, Grant, who brought Peach out onto the stage. After the turkey let out a quiet gobble, Biden joked: “What did you say Peach? Peach is making a last-minute plea here.” President Harry Truman started the tradition of turkey pardons 77 years ago in 1947 when the National Turkey Federation presented him with a turkey that he spared from mealtime. “The last four years, I’ve had the honor to continue that tradition by pardoning Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate and Chip, Liberty and Bell and today, Peach and Blossom,” Biden said. Peach weighs around 41 pounds, loves to eat hotdish topped with tater tots, and lives by the motto “keep calm and gobble on,” the president told the crowd. Blossom’s goal is to do a road trip to all 10,000 Minnesota lakes. The bird reportedly loves watching boxing and lives by the motto, “no ‘fowl’ play,’” he added. The two VIPs (very important poultry) spent the evening before their big day staying in a luxurious suite at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, with the NTF posting photos to social media the night before. The organization also posted a “Get Ready With Us” video of the two arriving at their turkey-proofed accommodation. While being transported from Minnesota to Washington DC they reportedly listened to a playlist including Livin’ On a Prayer by Bon Jovi, Biden said. “Well, fellas, your prayer is going to be answered today,” the president told the birds. “Based on your temperament and commitment to being productive members of society, I hereby pardon Peach and Blossom.” Following their pardons, the two turkeys will become agricultural ambassadors and enjoy retirement on a farm in southern Minnesota, according to the NTF. Biden concluded the ceremony on a more serious note. “This event marks the official start of the holiday season here in Washington,” he said. “It’s also my last time to speak here as your president during this season and give thanks and gratitude. So let me say to you, it’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful.” The president added that he and his wife Dr Jill Biden would be traveling to Staten Island in New York for a Friendsgiving with members of the Coast Guard and their families “to demonstrate our gratitude for their service and sacrifice.”
AP News Summary at 6:48 p.m. ESTWhen and where a vote takes place is a decision reserved for the municipal clerk, but the method is up to council, which settled on an online only election. The Municipal Elections Act sets out limits on what council can decide – only the method of the vote. It also outlines the many responsibilities of the clerk. Grey Highlands Clerk Amanda Fines-VanAlstine said that the help centre at the municipal office in Markdale will be open throughout the election period. Details on help centres in other locations will be released when those decisions are made. People who are confident with technology can just vote on their own devices after inputting a code that will be mailed out. DIFFERING OPINIONS The method had to be chosen now, so that the municipality could put out a tender for contracted services for the 2026 election. Originally, council considered a motion for telephone and internet voting. Coun. Tom Allwood shared that he heard criticisms of the phone voting, as did others, so that option was dropped. The vote to limit the vote to internet only with no polling stations and paper ballots was a narrow one – 4 to 3. Mayor Paul McQueen, Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen and Coun. Dan Wickens were opposed. The Deputy Mayor said that while internet was a good option, he strongly supported that in-person voting be kept in a rural municipality such as Grey Highlands. “We need to have a voting booth on voting day – it’s a strong part of the democratic pride in our voting system,” he said. Mayor McQueen observed that many people like to vote on “Election Day”, even though there is a wider window for voting with alternate methods. And on the last day in the 2018 election, the only polling station open was at the municipal office. Mayor McQueen said he had heard from voters who turned out to spots where there had been prior help centres but there was nothing there. Clerk Fines VanAlstine said that communication would be a big part of the lead-up to the election. She said that, on election day itself, it’s easier if it’s one location. Computers to use for voting will be provided at other help centres and at the municipal office, as well as any assistance needed. The clerk commented that the electronic voting received many compliments when used at Grey Gables in 2022. Election Day is a Monday, when libraries are normally closed, Coun. Paul Allen noted. The clerk steered the conversation away from the topics of the operations side of the election, which for reason of impartiality is placed in the hands of the municipal clerk. MORE DISCUSSION Coun. Dan Wickens also argued in favour of the paper ballot. “I think there’s a large part of the population that are not comfortable even with telephone voting,” he said. “They don’t trust it – they want to see that piece of paper go in the box and they want to see a person count it”. With paper ballots tabulators are often used, and the clerk said those communicate online with voters’ lists, and there are very few suppliers. Mayor Paul McQueen said that both provincial and federal elections are in-person and that is what people are accustomed to, so keeping it consistent has advantages. While it has been argued that internet voting could increase participation levels in elections, that has not been the case. In 2018, there were server issues that caused long delays. An emergency was declared and the voting period extended. Another voting method that has been used in Grey Highlands in the past is a mail-in ballot. Both that method and computer voting are attempts to make it easier for property-owners who don’t live in the municipality to vote. The clerk said she had heard recently that there was one other municipality which had not chosen its voting method. All the others were using internet and telephone voting except Chatsworth, which is strictly the mail-in ballot, she said. During the discussion, Coun. Paul Allen asked if any member was opposed to computer voting, and no one spoke. So, it was really what if any alternatives would be provided that constituted the debate. The pricing for various options was provided in the staff report Internet voting is cost-effective, but councillors also raised participation levels and people’s trust in the process as other concerns. Coun. Joel Loughead said he finds the electronic voting at a help centre much like a paper ballot – “it’s about the act of being there and pressing the button”. Deputy Mayor Nielsen commented before the final vote, that going to a singular electronic voting method was a mistake. “I think this will turn off a segment of our population – I think the goal is to get as much buy-in and response as possible.” Coun. Wickens agreed. “I do think we will be alienating – maybe only a small portion of voters – but I think there are lots of people out there that do not trust the internet.” He said that using people to count ballots mean the vote would be independent of any possible interference or technical glitches. When facing the same decision for the election of 2022, members of the 2018 to 2022 council commented that with codes being issued by mail, they could go to the wrong households or be used by other individuals than those to whom they are addressed,. Other questions they raised were: -How many people thought they had voted, who actually hadn’t? -How many people gave up who would otherwise have voted? -How many were blocked by the system, because it had the wrong year of birth information or for some other reason? -If there were fraudulent votes cast – for example, by people voting in place of other household members, who would be able to prove it? What does acquiring assistance do to the principle of a secret ballot?None
KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to knowWake Forest still experimenting ahead of Detroit Mercy game
Happy holidays from Bad Bunny , who announced Thursday he will release a new album Jan. 5. “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” which translates to “I should have taken more photos,” is his sixth studio album and follows in his tradition of releasing new music on unexpected dates. His debut album, 2018’s “X 100PRE," arrived around Christmas and 2020's “El Último Tour del Mundo” near Thanksgiving. The January release date is just before “Día de Reyes,” or Three Kings Day, and is a Sunday — unlike the industry's standard Friday release date. The Puerto Rican musician announced the news on Instagram in a short video featuring filmmaker Jacobo Morales. He also released a new single, “PIToRRO DE COCO.” A day before, Bad Bunny teased a 17-track list on social media, with each song titled “BOMBA,” perhaps in reference to the Puerto Rican musical style and dance. “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” follows 2023's “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana” (“Nobody Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow”), which was met with mixed reviews. On that album, Bad Bunny's reggaeton offerings were limited, returning instead to the Latin trap of “X 100PRE” in songs like “MONACO” and “GRACIAS POR NADA.” The announcement caps a busy year for El Conejo Malo. Bad Bunny made headlines after he threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris shortly after a comedian at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally made crude jokes about Latinos and called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” He also canvassed North America on his “Most Wanted Tour,” which made The Associated Press' list of the best concerts of the year.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jason Zucker scored a tiebreaking power-play goal with 9:30 remaining and the Buffalo Sabres notched their third straight victory by beating the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Sunday. Jiri Kulich extended Buffalo’s lead with a breakaway goal that went between Blues goalie Jordan Binnington’s legs with 3:41 to play. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist against his former team as the Sabres won in St. Louis for just the second time in 12 years to sweep the season series. Zucker had a goal and an assist, and Jack Quinn had two assists for Buffalo. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 shots. Brayden Schenn and Nathan Walker scored for the Blues. Binnington had 12 saves. Buffalo scored on two of its first three shots, including its first of the game. Buffalo: After a 13-game losing streak (0-10-3), the Sabres have scored 17 goals while winning three straight. St. Louis: The Blues, who are tied for an NHL-low five power-play goals at home, went 0 for 4 with the man advantage. After Walker pulled the Blues even with 14:04 left in the game, rookie Zack Bolduc took a cross checking penalty midway through the third period that led to the decisive goal. The Sabres had scored on only six of 43 road power plays (14%) this season before going 2 for 3 on Sunday. Buffalo ranked 27th out of 32 NHL teams. The Blues play Chicago in the Winter Classic on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Buffalo will play at Dallas on Tuesday night. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhlRinnai America Joins Forces with Homes For Our Troops to Aid Injured Veterans