
While public anxieties have loomed over the Northeast amid , one sighting will soon bring holiday cheer: Santa Claus. The North American Aerospace Defense Command is once again prepared to track Santa and his reindeer around the world. NORAD, which is responsible for protecting the skies over the United States and Canada, activates its Santa tracking system at 6 a.m. ET on Christmas Eve. Santa watchers can follow his journey on or they can call the command center at 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to participate in the yearly Christmas tradition. The tracking service can also be accessed through the NORAD Tracks Santa app, social media, Amazon Alexa, OnStar and SiriusXM, according to NORAD. This is the 69th year NORAD has tracked Santa’s yuletide journey around the world. It started by accident, , in 1955 when a local newspaper advertisement informed children they could call Santa directly — only the contact number was misprinted. Instead of ringing Old Saint Nick, a child called the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, who answered the child’s call, was quick to realize the mistake and assured the child he was Santa, according to the website. After more calls, Shoup assigned an officer to answer the calls, “and a tradition was born.” That tradition continued when NORAD was formed in 1958. The Santa tracker site receives millions of visitors from around the world each year, according to NORAD, and volunteers typically answer more than 130,000 calls.
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NoneFury as Labour were warned MONTHS ago by Vauxhall owners that electric car targets threatened Luton factory By DAVID CHURCHIL CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 17:32 EST, 27 November 2024 | Updated: 17:32 EST, 27 November 2024 e-mail View comments Ministers came under fire today after admitting they were warned months ago that a Vauxhall factory could close because of electric car sales targets. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the Commons that the boss of Stellantis, which owns Vauxhall, first warned him just 10 days after the election in mid-July. But he failed to launch a review of the EV sales mandate until this week - too late to save the Luton-based factory and up to 1,100 jobs. During a heated debate in the Commons, the Tories ’ business spokesman Andrew Griffith jumped on the admission, accusing the Government of ‘killing’ jobs by dragging its feet. It came as industry figures obtained by the Daily Mail revealed that less than one in five EVs have been sold to private buyers this year, plunging Labour’s net-zero plans deeper into chaos. Between January and October just 19.8 per cent of EVs were sold to private motorists, with businesses buying the rest. This was down from 23.5 per cent for the same period last year. It is a major blow for the Government’s target of banning new petrol and diesel car sales by 2030 - which it brought forward five years - because convincing more than 30million drivers to make the switch to EVs is one of the biggest hurdles it faces. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the Commons that the boss of Stellantis, which owns Vauxhall, first warned him just 10 days after the election in mid-July. But he failed to launch a review of the EV sales mandate until this week Today the chairman of Ford in Britain, Lisa Brankin (pictured), said the car giant supports the Government’s net-zero ambitions but that there currently ‘isn’t customer demand’ for EVs The Vauxhall factory in Luton. Ministers came under fire today after admitting they were warned months ago that a Vauxhall factory could close because of electric car sales targets Today the chairman of Ford in Britain, Lisa Brankin, said the car giant supports the Government’s net-zero ambitions but that there currently ‘isn’t customer demand’ for EVs, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘Without demand the [sales] mandate just doesn’t work.’ She called on the government to create financial incentives for private buyers to stimulate demand. By contrast, businesses enjoy tax breaks if they buy EVs. Stellantis announced the closure of the Vauxhall van-making factory on Tuesday, putting around 1,100 jobs at risk. The firm said the sales targets, known as the ‘ZEV mandate’ and initially introduced by the previous Tory government, were partly to blame. Ministers are now expected to drastically water down the mandate. Quizzed in the Commons about how long he’d known that the Vauxhall factory was under threat, Mr Reynolds said he was informed ten days after the election by Stellantis’s CEO. Mr Griffith replied: ‘The government’s policy on zero-emission vehicles is a jobs killer. They say they have been talking [to Stellantis] since July. ‘So why, Mr Speaker, this panicked U-turn when it’s already too late?’ He added: ‘The closure of the Luton plant, I fear, is just a downpayment on jobs that will be lost under this Government’s relentless attacks on industry, its neglect of the realities of business and its failure to meet its promise not to raise taxes.’ Vauxhall factory in Luton. Stellantis announced the closure of the Vauxhall van-making factory on Tuesday, putting around 1,100 jobs at risk During a heated debate in the Commons, the Tories ’ business spokesman Andrew Griffith jumped on the admission, accusing the Government of ‘killing’ jobs by dragging its feet Mr Reynolds hit back, saying the attack was ‘the single most dishonest statement I have heard’ because it was the Tories who introduced the ZEV mandate. But he was accused of hypocrisy by Tory MP Saqib Bhatti, who pointed out that Mr Reynolds voted in favour of the sales mandate when it went through the Commons. Under the mandate, at least 22 per cent of new cars sold by manufacturers in the UK this year must have zero-emission capability. For vans it is 10 per cent. This is set to increase to 28 per cent next year and will rise each year over the next decade - to 80 per cent in 2030 and 100 per cent in 2035. Labour Share or comment on this article: Fury as Labour were warned MONTHS ago by Vauxhall owners that electric car targets threatened Luton factory e-mail Add commentSubunit Vaccine Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report Forecast Period 2024-2031.
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The Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Kwara), has addressed misconceptions surrounding the four Tax Reform Bills currently before the National Assembly. In a statement released on Wednesday to mark the Christmas celebration, Senator Bamidele dismissed claims about the derivation model in the Bills as “utterly incorrect and unfounded.” “The proposed tax reform bills, described as executive legislation, include a review of derivations to states. Under the new model, Kano State’s share would rise from 0.89 per cent to 6.17 per cent, while Zamfara State’s allocation would increase from 0.05 per cent to 1.21 per cent. “However, Lagos State, which currently receives 80.26 per cent, would see a significant reduction to 15.28 per cent, representing an 81 per cent decrease. Rivers State’s share would also drop from 7.74 per cent to 4.6 per cent, marking a 41 per cent reduction,” he stated. Additionally, the Bills propose tax exemptions for employees earning ₦1,000,000 annually (₦83,000 monthly), as well as for start-ups, shared services, and technologically-driven businesses. They also recommend zero VAT on essential services and consumables. The reform Bills have sparked debates, particularly from northern governors, who have labelled them ‘anti-North’. Similarly, members of the National Assembly from across the country have expressed divergent views on the proposed VAT sharing formula in the proposed legislation. LEADERSHIP reports that the National Economic Council (NEC), led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, had earlier urged President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the Bills for further consultation. However, the President insisted that all concerns be addressed within the ongoing legislative process on the Bills. Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State recently criticised the reforms, claiming they would disproportionately benefit Lagos State, the President’s home state. However, Senator Bamidele emphasised that the reforms aimed to foster an environment conducive to business, investment, and economic growth. “We are committed to building an environment where businesses can operate seamlessly; where investors are confident, and where Nigerians can thrive without undue burdens,” he said. He noted that the reforms, including the Tax Reform Bills, National Minimum Wage Act, and Investment and Securities Act, were designed to reverse troubling economic indicators. He reassured Nigerians that the reforms were guided by principles of equity, fairness, and justice. “Contrary to misconceptions, the Tax Reform Bills exempt all employees earning ₦1,000,000 annually, support start-ups and technological services, and propose zero VAT on essential goods and services,” he clarified. Addressing the Christmas season, the Senate Leader highlighted the importance of gratitude, reflection, and compassion. He urged Nigerians to remember the needy, reflect on Christ’s mission, and pray for the country’s economic recovery, political stability, and unity. “As we celebrate, let us recommit to the development of our nation. This is not the time to search for greener pastures abroad but to join hands to rebuild and rebrand our homeland,” he stated. President Tinubu, during his recent Presidential Media Chat, affirmed his commitment to reforming Nigeria’s tax system, stressing that “tax amendments require negotiation and consensus.” He reassured Nigerians that while the reforms may be challenging, they were necessary to secure the nation’s future. Senator Bamidele concluded his message with warm wishes for the festive season: “With all my heart, I wish you all happy celebrations in this season of deep reflection. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance.”Lions head into NFC title game rematch vs. 49ers seeking top seed more than revenge
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has said he is hopeful that can lift the title this season, saying this campaign "feels different." Liverpool boss Arne Slot is in his first season in charge at Anfield, but he could equal the feat of Jürgen Klopp by delivering a league title to the club after moving seven points clear with a over on Thursday. Salah, who has repeatedly said he at the end of the season amid the , called for his Liverpool teammates to keep pushing for the title. "The most important thing is the team winning -- hopefully we win the Premier League," he told Amazon Prime. "It is great, but we focus on each game and hopefully we carry on like that. "[This year] it feels different, but the most important thing is we need to stay humble. This one is very special, hopefully we win the Premier League and for this club it is something I dream of." Salah netted the third goal against Leicester, his 100th home goal since joining the club in 2017. Liverpool were denied the title on several occasions by Pep Guardiola's imperious sides in recent seasons. However, City have been way off their best this term, with , and their biggest rivals for the title at present. Regarding his future at , the Egypt forward sidestepped a question asking for any update to his contract situation. As it stands, he will be free from Jan. 1 to talk to other clubs about a free transfer in the summer.Richard Parsons, Prominent Black Executive Who Led Time Warner and Citigroup, Dies at 76
The La Mirada boys basketball team trailed by 18 points and were down 16 at half to Texas’ Parish Episcopal in the first round of The Classic at Damien on Thursday before mounting an incredible comeback in the Platinum Division. La Mirada’s Julien Gomez (3) goes for a layup against Parish Episcopal’s Hudson Lucas (24) during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada walks off the court after defeating Parish Episcopal of Texas, 76-72, in the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s King Riley Owens (10) goes to the basket for a layup against Parish Episcopal during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Gene Roebuck (24) tries to maintain possession of the ball as he’s closely defended by Parish Episcopal’s defense during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s MJ Smith (2) drives to the basket against Parish Episcopal’s Antoine Almuttar (33) during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Gene Roebuck tries to release a shot against Parish Episcopal during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Jaydin Cox (50) tries to grab the rebound against Parish Episcopal’s Hudson Lucas (24) during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Gene Roebuck (24) releases the ball as he’s defended by Parish Episcopal’s Antoine Almuttar (33) during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Andrew Castro (35) comes up with possession of the ball after diving for it against Parish Episcopal’s Torrey Mitchell (5) during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s King Riley Owens (10) goes for a shot against Parish Episcopal during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Julien Gomez (3) releases a shot agains Parish Episcopal during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada Head Coach, Randy Oronoz, directs his team as they battle Parish Episcopal during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Julien Gomez (3) goes for a layup against Parish Episcopal during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Gene Roebuck (24) takes a shot as he’s surrounded by Parish Episcopal’s defense during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) La Mirada’s Julien Gomez (3) goes for a layup against Parish Episcopal’s Hudson Lucas (24) during the first round of the Classic at Damien High School in La Verne on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer) The Matadores pulled off a 76-72 victory to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals, where they will take on Redondo Union, a 93-78 winner over Destiny Christian. That game will tip-off at 4 p.m. in Damien’s Athletic Center. La Mirada was led by the dynamic backcourt duo of sophomore Gene Roebuck and senior Julien Gomez, who combined for 58 points. Roebuck connected on 13 of 21 shots to finish with a game-high 31 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter to spur the second-half comeback. Gomez finished with 27 points. “It’s hard coming in off the break,” Roebuck said. “At halftime we locked in and said we are better than this and we know we can beat them. We just locked in that second half.” La Mirada head coach Randy Oronoz said the message at halftime wasn’t complicated. “We just kept telling our guys, get stops and push, get stops and push and we made a couple more plays at the end than them,” Oronoz said. Oronoz also mentioned that playing the day after Christmas causes a lot of players to be more tight than usual. “Playing after Christmas is weird, guys are kinda lackadaisical, so they didn’t start off hot,” Oronoz noted. “We knew it was only a matter of time.” Gomez scored 14 of his 27 points in the second half. “When you’re down 16 at the half, usually it leads to a blowout, but we just stuck together and trusted each other,” Gomez said. “We got big stops and made big buckets at the end and we just came through.” Gomez attributed the Matadores slow start to an abundance of good food over the Christmas break. “The first half we were a bit slow, I’m not gonna lie, all of us ate a lot over Christmas break and we were just playing slow,” Gomez said as he cracked a chuckle. “Once we got our engines running and adrenaline pumping, we started locking in on defense and started getting boards and making shots.” It was a rocky first half for La Mirada defensively as it seemed like Parish Episcopal couldn’t miss. The Panthers came out and scored 43 points in the first half. La Mirada’s first half offensive effort was admirable as it put up 27 points, but were unable to make a dent into the Panthers’ lead. The third quarter saw La Mirada explode offensively for 25 points to cut the Parish Episcopal lead to just eight points. La Mirada guard King-Riley Owens had 16 points in the third quarter to help spur the Matadors along. “King-Riley in that third quarter was big for us,” Oronoz said. “But King-Riley really sparked that comeback for us.” The Matadores finally saw themselves in the lead late in the fourth quarter with under a minute to go as they took a 69-68 lead which eventually ballooned to a 73-68 lead after a technical foul was assessed to Parish Episcopal. Parish Episcopal guard Sawyer Batz had 19 points in the loss.
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Man accused in the burning death of a woman on a New York subway appears in courtNew Delhi: Bihar's deputy CM and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha on Wednesday said that a BJP government on its own will be a fitting tribute to the late former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee . ET Year-end Special Reads It's all Gucci for Indians' luxury craving even as economy shows wrinkles Investing in 2025: Will domestic funds continue to counter FPI sell-offs amid rising valuations? 2024 exposed the underbelly of India's Silicon Valley Paying homage to Vajpayee on his 100th birth anniversary in Patna, Sinha said: "BJP workers have liberated Bihar from jungle raj. But the mission is still not accomplished. Only when BJP has its own government in Bihar, we will be able to pay true tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee." "Only when BJP forms a government (on its own) in Bihar, the fire and yearning inside the hearts of the party workers will be pacified. Because, even today, the people of jungle raj are spoiling the social harmony of Bihar. Even today Bihar is suffering from their influence," he said. Incidentally, BJP is an alliance partner of Janata Dal (United), whose leader Nitish Kumar is the state's chief minister. Sinha's statements have come a day after Bihar BJP's core group announced that the party will contest the next assembly elections under Kumar's leadership. The statement is bound to create ripples in Bihar political circles. Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development C++ Fundamentals for Absolute Beginners By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Maximizing Developer Productivity: The Pomodoro Technique in Practice By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Web Development Master RESTful APIs with Python and Django REST Framework: Web API Development By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Fearing repercussions, Sinha came out with a video later in the day to reiterate that Kumar continues to be the leader of the NDA. "Nitish Kumar was the most favourite of Atalji and he was sent to Bihar to establish good governance. He played an important role in ending the jungle raj between 2005 and 2010... The people responsible for jungle raj will not get another chance in Bihar. The next government will be based on the ideology of Atalji and under the leadership of Nitish Kumar," he said. When contacted, JDU chief spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan told ET: "All the five parties in NDA in Bihar are in agreement that under the visionary leadership of Nitish Kumar, Bihar has witnessed transformation over the last two decades and he is the undisputed leader of NDA in Bihar. Therefore such statements are irrelevant." (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )PSX faces decline amid profit-taking