684 jili super ace
Brian Hogan’s whole life changed in the blink of an eye after a single punch attack from a stranger on a night out left the then 32-year-old blind and in a wheelchair. Now, 15 years later, he will ring in the New Year in a new house of his own. It has been a long road, and one in which Brian was, in his own words, ‘rescued’ from a nursing home, where he spent three years. But thanks to Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Ireland, he moved into assisted living housing in Ennis, Co. Clare , where his rehabilitation continued, before he finally got the keys to his own home in Ennis through Anvers Housing , a partner organisation of ABI Ireland, this year. Now living independently for the first time – with help from carers and assistive technology – he feels ‘ecstatic’ and ambitious about the future. ‘I’m a very, very driven person,’ he said. ‘I’ve always been interested in wanting to do as much for myself as I can, and to get more and more independent. ‘Before my assault, I was fiercely independent, living in my own home and working full-time as a senior quantity surveyor, working in the UK, and then when you get a knockback, from a stranger, you find yourself needing full-time care. ‘Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, they rescued me out of a nursing home, set me up, gave me goals and milestones to reach. ‘Even something as simple as learning to get dressed myself in the morning, those little small steps. Each time I achieved something, I felt more independent. They saw it, and they would encourage me.’ He said that with charity’s help, over the course of 11 years, he had gone from walking one length of a 25-metre corridor, to two lengths, to 250 metres, as he got mentally and physically stronger. ‘I was always wanting to do more,’ he said. ‘Then I got my new home. The benefit is not just for me. My parents see their son, and my siblings see their brother, winning his life back, being his old self again. The smile is back on my face and that is priceless.’ It was while heading home from a club in the UK on a Saturday night in July 2009, when he was just 32 years old, that a single punch ended one way of life and began another for Brian. He was out with a group of people, and they decided to go back to his house for a nightcap. One man, a stranger to the group, started chatting with one of the girls and she invited him back to Brian’s home for a drink. ‘When I politely told him he wouldn’t be joining us, he punched me hard in the face – and that was it,’ he said. He was knocked unconscious when his head hit the ground but quickly came round. Believing he would be OK, he didn’t seek immediate medical attention and went home, not realising his brain was bleeding. When friends found him the following morning, covered in vomit and unconscious in his bed, they knew something was seriously wrong and called an ambulance. A scan revealed a massive brain bleed, which had built up in pressure overnight. After five hours in surgery, he was put into an induced coma for three months, to allow his condition to stabilise, while his family kept vigil at his bedside. He spent a year in a rehabilitation centre in the UK, where he learned how to walk and talk again. With the help of his family, he moved to a nursing home in Limerick. While closer to his childhood home, it wasn’t the right place for a man in his 30s. Speaking from his new home, he now wants to do more to raise awareness about how much ABI Ireland does for people, and also help people learn more about brain injury, and how easily it can happen. ‘If I had been more careful, and gone into hospital on the night I was assaulted, rather than going home and further compounding it [the injury], life could have been better for me now,’ he explained. ‘Also, being careful about who you socialise with. Making sure you are associating with someone who is going to look out for you.’ He added: ‘Where there’s life, there’s hope, and Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, they’ve kept that light of hope burning in my heart. They have really spurred me on.’ To learn more about the work of ABI Ireland and to find out how to help, visit the website at ABIIreland.ie .
Walmart’s DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump’s election victory
Minnesota looks to stop skid vs. Bethune-CookmanNoneThe 2024 state budget projects receiving GEL 105 million from the European Union. The state budget received a total of GEL 1.4 billion in EU grants between 2013 and 2023, averaging GEL 127 million annually. However, the estimated EU grant amount has been reduced to GEL 7 million in the draft budget for 2025. Contrary to the MP’s claim, the reduction in funding was not due to opaque spending – the main reason for the decrease was political disagreements and the Russian-style law. Furthermore, whilst a reduction of GEL 100 million in a GEL 27 billion budget will not threaten the functioning of the country, it will result in a loss of trust and potentially investments, in addition to the aforementioned GEL 100 million. Given the factual inaccuracies, lack of context, or possible intentional distortion of the actual picture, FactCheck concludes that Irakli Kadagishvili’s statement is FALSE. Analysis Whilst commenting on the potential reduction of the funding from the European Union, a member of the tenth convocation Parliament from the Georgian Dream political party claimed : “It is regrettable that the actual investment from the European Union to Georgia over the past 34 years has not exceeded GEL 100 million. This is on the backdrop of the Georgian budget, amounting to GEL 28 billion. The Georgian government has been spending both the GEL 28 billion and this GEL 100 million absolutely transparently. It is interesting whether Mr Borrell thinks that NGOs should spend this GEL 100 million as transparently as the Georgian government does or should it turn into ‘black money?’” Prior to Irakli Kadagishvili’s aforementioned statement, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell suggested that civil society, rather than state agencies, might receive EU financial assistance. The EU grant has been reduced from GEL 105 million to GEL 7 million as compared to 2024 in the draft state budget for 2025. The Ministry of Finance presented the first version of the budget on 30 September whilst Deputy Minister Giorgi Kakauridze asserted that the grant volume would likely increase in the final version. Whilst the third revised version of the budget must be approved by the third Friday of December (20 December), the second revised version still reflects the same GEL 7 million from the EU as of 22 November. Despite Irakli Kadagishvili using the word “investment,” it is clear from the context that the MP was referring to grants rather than foreign direct investment. The MP likely referred to the 2024 consolidated budget (the state budget as well as the budgets of municipalities and autonomous republics) whilst mentioning the GEL 28 billion figure. Total revenues for 2025 are projected at GEL 26.9 billion, with the consolidated budget set at GEL 31 billion, according to the draft. Irakli Kadagishvili simultaneously refers to “34 years” and cites figures for the budget and grant received in a single year. It is difficult to determine whether he meant that the EU grant averages GEL 100 million annually or if the total grant over the 34 years constituted GEL 100 million. However, in either case, the statement is inaccurate. Leaving aside the entire period of independence, the state budget received GEL 1.4 billion in grants from the EU during the 11 years of the Georgian Dream’s governance from 2013 to 2023. This corresponds to an annual average of GEL 127 million. How are these funds utilised? A total of GEL 2 million was spent on the development of Ajara’s water supply, GEL 16 million on the development of the economy and business and GEL 9 million in agriculture in 2023. Furthermore, GEL 116 million was allocated to the agricultural development programme. The MP claims that GEL 100 million is not a significant amount considering a GEL 28 million budget. Whilst GEL 100 million is not a small figure, it constitutes less than 0.5% of the total budget, suggesting that its absence will not threaten the functioning of the country. Financing for the army and the police, issuing social benefits and implementing infrastructure projects will continue without disruption. However, the real issue is more political, as this situation underlines that it is Brussels as a whole that is critical regarding the current policy of the Georgian government rather than just a few members of the European Parliament. Graph 1: Grants from the European Union in the State Budget Source : Ministry of Finance Moreover, Irakli Kadagishvili claims that Georgia has been spending the funds received from the EU transparently which could create the impression that opaque spending or corruption was the reason for the reduction in funding. However, this is inaccurate. Josep Borrell pointed to a deviation from the European path as the reason rather than the opaque spending of past grants: “The process of [EU accession] is being put on hold, it is stopped, until the Georgian government goes back to the [European] track. To go back on track, a lot of things have to change. In the meantime, we will use the money that was allocated to the government for the people who are fighting for their freedom [and European values].” Additionally, the EU and its financial institutions also provide Georgia with low-interest loans. Georgia owes the EU EUR 133 million directly, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) EUR 204 million and the European Investment Bank (EIB) EUR 1 billion as of 31 October 2024, totalling a debt of over EUR 1.3 billion . Georgia’s debt to France amounts to EUR 730 million and to Germany EUR 555 million amongst bilateral creditors. Georgia’s debt to the European Union, EU financial institutions and specific EU member countries exceeds EUR 2.5 billion. Another part of the aforementioned statement addressed the funding of NGOs where the MP questioned whether they would spend the received grants transparently like the government budget. However, donor organisations have not raised concerns about the transparency of NGO expenses. The main reason for the confrontation between the Georgian government and the West is the Russian-style law. Whilst the Georgian Dream political party has argued and continues to assert that the only objective of the law is to enhance transparency, many people in both Georgia and the EU view the law differently. Thousands of people in Tbilisi held almost continuous rallies for 1.5 months from the introduction of the law at the first hearing until the veto was overcome. Budget grants from the EU reached GEL 1.4 billion from 2013 to 2023, constituting an annual average of GEL 127 million just during the Georgian Dream’s governance and excluding the entire period of independence from the analysis. The reduction in funding was not due to opaque spending, rather the primary reason for it was political disagreements and the Russian-style law. Furthermore, whilst the absence of GEL 100 million in a GEL 27 budget will not threaten the functioning of the country, it will result in a loss of trust and potentially investments, in addition to the aforementioned GEL 100 million. Given the factual inaccuracies, lack of context, or possible intentional distortion of the actual picture, FactCheck concludes that Irakli Kadagishvili’s statement is FALSE.By CORA LEWIS and ADRIANA MORGA NEW YORK (AP) — With the end of 2024 around the corner, you might be reflecting on financial goals for 2025. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated, said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate for Credit Karma. “Entering a new year doesn’t erase all our financial challenges from the prior year,” Alev said. “But it can really help to bring a fresh-start mentality to how you’re managing your finances.” If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Here are some tips from experts: Think about how you currently deal with finances — what’s good, what’s bad, and what can improve. “Let this be the year you change your relationship with money,” said Ashley Lapato, personal finance educator for YNAB, a budgeting app. If you feel like money is a chore, that there’s shame surrounding the topic of money, or like you were born being “bad at money,” it’s time to change that mentality, Lapato said. To adjust your approach, Lapato recommends viewing money goals as an opportunity to imagine your desired lifestyle in the future. She recommends asking questions like, “What do my 30s look like? What do my 40s look like?” and using money as a means to get there. Liz Young Thomas, head of SoFi Investment Strategy, added that it’s key you forgive yourself for past mistakes in order to move into the new year with motivation. When setting your financial resolutions for 2025, it’s important to establish the “why” of each, said Matt Watson, CEO of Origin, a financial tracking app. “If you can attach the financial goal to a bigger life goal, it’s much more motivating and more likely you’ll continue on that path,” Watson said. Whether you’re saving to buy a house, pay off credit card debt or take a summer vacation, being clear about the goal can keep you motivated. Watson also recommends using a tool to help you keep track of your finances, such as an app, spreadsheet, or website. “After three years of inflation, your pay increases are likely still playing catch up to your monthly expenses, leaving you wondering where all the money is going,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. “Make that monthly budget for 2025 and resolve to track your spending against it throughout the year.” McBride said that you may need to make adjustments during the year as certain expenses increase, which would require cutting back in other areas. “Calibrate your spending with your income, and any month you spend less than budgeted, transfer the difference into your savings account, ideally a high-yield savings account,” he said. “Interest rates aren’t likely to come down very fast, so you’re still going to have to put in the hard work of paying down debt, especially high-cost credit card debt, and do so with urgency,” McBride said. Start by taking stock of how much debt you have now relative to the beginning of the year. Hopefully you’ve made steady progress on paying it down, but, if you’ve gone in the other direction, McBride encourages making a game plan. That includes looking into 0% balance transfer offers. “You have more power over credit card interest rates than you think you do,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. “Wielding that power is one of the best moves you can make in 2025.” A 0% balance transfer credit card is “a good weapon” in the fight against high card APRs, or annual percentage rates, he said. A low-interest personal loan is an option as well. You may simply be able to pick up the phone and ask for a lower interest rate. LendingTree found that a majority of people who did that in 2024 were successful, and the average reduction was more than 6 points. When planning for your financial resolutions, it’s important to consider how you’re going to make your goals sustainable for your lifestyle, said Credit Karma’s Alev. “It really is a marathon, not a sprint,” Alev said. Alev recommends setting realistic, practical goals to make it easier to stick with them. For example, instead of planning to save thousands of dollars by the end of the year, start by saving $20 a paycheck. Even when your plans are achievable, there are times you’ll get derailed. Maybe it’s an unexpected medical bill or an extraordinary life event. When these situations happen, Alev recommends trying not to feel defeated and working to get back on track without feeling guilty. “You can’t manage what you can’t see, so set a New Year’s resolution to check your credit score monthly in 2025,” said Rikard Bandebo, chief economist at VantageScore. “Be sure to pay more than the minimum on your credit accounts, as that’s one of the best ways to boost your credit score.” Bandebo also advises student loan borrowers to make all payments on time, as servicers will begin to report late payments starting in January, and missed payments will affect borrowers’ credit scores. Automated changes, like increasing workplace 401(k) plan contributions, setting up direct deposits from paychecks into dedicated savings accounts, and arranging for monthly transfers into an IRA and/or 529 college savings accounts all add up quickly, McBride said. Your financial goals can encompass more than just managing your money better — they can also be about keeping your money safe from scams . A golden rule to protect yourself from scams is to “slow down,” said Johan Gerber, executive vice president of security solutions at Mastercard. “You have to slow down and talk to other people if you’re not sure (whether or not) it’s scam,” said Gerber, who recommends building an accountability system with family to keep yourself and your loved ones secure. Scammers use urgency to make people fall for their tricks, so taking your time to make any financial decision can keep you from losing money. Your financial goals don’t always have to be rooted in a dollar amount — they can also be about well-being. Finances are deeply connected with our mental health, and, to take care of our money, we also need to take care of ourselves. “I think that now more than any other year, your financial wellness should be a resolution,” said Alejandra Rojas, personal finance expert and founder of The Money Mindset Hub, a mentoring platform for women entrepreneurs. “Your mental health with money should be a resolution.” To focus on your financial wellness, you can set one or two goals focusing on your relationship with money. For example, you could find ways to address and resolve financial trauma, or you could set a goal to talk more openly with loved ones about money, Rojas said. —— The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.
Who is the National Party's new leader in Victoria and what does he stand for?President-elect Donald Trump promised to expand oil drilling in the U.S. — good news for political leaders in Alaska, where oil is the economic lifeblood and many felt the Biden administration obstructed efforts to boost the state’s diminished production. A debate over drilling on federal lands on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope likely will be revived, particularly in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which environmentalists long sought to protect. The largest wildlife refuge in the U.S. covers an area of northeast Alaska roughly the size of South Carolina. It boasts mountains and glaciers, tundra plains, rivers and boreal forest, and it is home to wildlife including polar bears, caribou, musk ox and birds. The fight over whether to drill in the refuge’s coastal plain along the Beaufort Sea goes back decades. Drilling advocates say development could create thousands of jobs, generate billions of dollars in revenue and spur U.S. oil production. While the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said the coastal plain could contain 4.25 billion to 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil, there is limited information about the amount and quality. It’s unclear whether companies will want to risk pursuing projects that could become mired in litigation. Environmentalists and climate scientists pushed for a phase-out of fossil fuels to avert the worst consequences of climate change. The refuge is east of the oil fields in Prudhoe Bay and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, where the Biden administration approved the controversial Willow oil project but made about half the petroleum reserve off-limits to oil and gas leasing. An exploration well was drilled in the 1980s on lands where Alaska Native corporations held rights, but little information was released about the results. Still, opening the coastal plain to drilling has been a longtime goal for members of Alaska’s congressional delegation. In 2017, they added language to a tax bill mandating two oil and gas lease sales by late 2024. The first sale took place in the waning days of the last Trump administration, but President Joe Biden quickly called on Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to review the leasing program. That led to the cancelation of seven leases acquired by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, a state corporation. Litigation is pending. Smaller companies gave up two other leases. The Biden administration released a new environmental review ahead of the deadline for the second required sale. It proposes offering what the Bureau of Land Management said would be the minimum acreage the 2017 law allows — a proposal Alaska’s Republican U.S. senators cast as a mockery of the law. Some Alaska Native communities welcome potential new revenue while others worry about how drilling will affect wildlife in an area they consider sacred. Gwich’in officials in communities near the refuge said they consider the coastal plain sacred. Caribou they rely on calve there. Galen Gilbert, first chief of Arctic Village Council, said the refuge should be off-limits to drilling. Arctic Village is a Neets’aii Gwich’in community. “We just want our way of life, not only for us but for our future generations,” Gilbert said. Leaders of the Iñupiat community of Kaktovik, which is in the refuge, support drilling. They vowed to fight attempts to designate the lands as sacred. Josiah Patkotak, mayor of the North Slope Borough, which includes Kaktovik, said in an October opinion piece that the land “has never been” Gwich’in territory. “The federal government must understand that any attempt to undermine our sovereignty will be met with fierce resistance,” he wrote. Oil is vital to the economic well-being of North Slope communities, said Nagruk Harcharek, president of Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, a nonprofit advocacy group whose members include leaders from that region. Responsible development long coexisted with subsistence lifestyles, he said. Trump named Chris Wright — a fossil fuel executive and advocate of oil and gas development — to serve as energy secretary. In a video posted on X by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Trump said he would work to ensure a natural gas pipeline project long sought by state political leaders is built. The project, opposed by environmentalists, floundered over the years due to changes in direction under various governors, cost concerns and other factors. Dunleavy said Trump could undo restrictions imposed by the Biden administration on new oil and gas leasing on 13 million acres of the petroleum reserve. Harcharek’s group sued over the restrictions, arguing the region’s elected leaders were ignored. Get local news delivered to your inbox!New Delhi: The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) on Saturday announced a cash award of Rs 25 lakh for young Nitish Reddy, acknowledging his maiden Test century effort, which was crucial to India’s fightback in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The 21-year-old Reddy scored a resilient unbeaten 105 to steer India to 358 for nine on the third day of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “It is a fortunate day and a happiest moment for the Andhra Cricket Association. We are very happy that a boy from Andhra has been picked for the Test format and international T20 format. As an honour, on behalf of the Andhra Cricket Association, Rs 25 lakh prize money is being given to Nitish Kumar Reddy,” (ACA) President Kesineni Sivanath said. Reddy, who has been a standout performer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, showed his grit again in the fourth Test, sharing a crucial 127-run partnership with Washington Sundar (50 off 162 balls). Reddy’s remarkable innings was praised by cricketing legends with Sunil Gavaskar describing it as one of the greatest Test knocks in India’s Test history.
Gaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in the Senate
Fall is the best time to think about cooking soup. Here’s 5 recipes you’ll want to try
Chennai: On International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women , political party leaders on Monday expressed concern about crimes against women and children and called for govt action to create a safer environment. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said he repeatedly highlighted the lack of safety for women in the DMK regime. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who went where and for how much IPL 2025: Complete list of players of each franchise He said women were afraid to even walk on roads. "There is still no remedy," he said, urging the state govt to take decisive action to prevent violence against women , recognising that women's progress is equivalent to social progress. "Let us pledge to create a safe atmosphere for women to live without fear." DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi pointed out that violence against women was increasing at all levels of society, from homes to public spaces. "Women, like men, have built all the levels of social stratification with their knowledge and hard work," she posted on X. TVK leader Vijay expressed distress over reports of violence against women and children in a state that promotes women's empowerment. He urged the state to establish a dedicated web portal for reporting sexual crimes against women and children, as recommended by Madras high court. DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakant encouraged women to be courageous, confident, honest, and dignified in facing challenges and achieving success.
The latest development came hours after thousands of his supporters, defying government warnings, broke through a barrier of shipping containers blocking off Islamabad and entered a high-security zone, where they clashed with security forces, facing tear gas shelling, mass detentions and gunfire. Tension has been high in Islamabad since Sunday when supporters of the former PM began a “long march” from the restive north-west to demand his release. Khan has been in a prison for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases that his party says are politically motivated. Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, led the protest, but she fled as police pushed back against demonstrators. Hundreds of Khan’s supporters are being arrested in the ongoing night-time operation. Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters that the Red Zone, which houses government buildings and embassies, and the surrounding areas have been cleared. Leaders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, have also fled the protest site. Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan’s army took control of D-Chowk, a large square in the Red Zone, where visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is staying. Since Monday, Mr Naqvi had threatened that security forces would use live fire if protesters fired weapons at them. “We have now authorised the police to respond as necessary,” Mr Naqvi said Tuesday while visiting the square. Before the operation began, protester Shahzor Ali said people had taken to the streets because Khan had called for them. “We will stay here until Khan joins us. He will decide what to do next,” Mr Ali said. Protester Fareeda Bibi, who is not related to Khan’s wife, said people have suffered greatly for the last two years. “We have really suffered for the last two years, whether it is economically, politically or socially. We have been ruined. I have not seen such a Pakistan in my life,” she said. Authorities have struggled to contain the protest-related violence. Six people, including four members of the security services, were killed when a vehicle rammed them on a street overnight into Tuesday. A police officer died in a separate incident. Dozens of Khan supporters beat a videographer covering the protest for the Associated Press and took his camera. He sustained head injuries and was treated in hospital. By Tuesday afternoon, fresh waves of protesters made their way unopposed to their final destination in the Red Zone. Mr Naqvi said Khan’s party had rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city. Information minister Atta Tarar warned there would be a severe government reaction to the violence. The government says only the courts can order Khan’s release. He was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament. In a bid to foil the unrest, police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services in some parts of the country. Messaging platforms were also experiencing severe disruption in the capital. Khan’s party relies heavily on social media and uses messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. The X platform, which is banned in Pakistan, is no longer accessible, even with a VPN. Last Thursday, a court prohibited rallies in the capital and Mr Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible because of shipping containers blocking the roads. All education institutions remain closed.
Walmart’s DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump’s election victory
Ireland blamed Northern Ireland Office for ‘damaging leaks’, records show