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Guwahati: MPs of Mizoram and Manipur are engaged in a verbal volley over the situation in Manipur. Mizoram MP Vanlalvena had suggested a two-step solution to end the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur : the immediate imposition of President's Rule and creation of separate administrative units for the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities . This was strongly opposed by Rajya Sabha MP from Manipur, Leishemba Sanajaoba , who said Vanlalvena should not interfere in Manipur's issues and asked him to not "cross the line". Vanlalvena, a leader of Mizo National Front (MNF), sought the removal of the N Biren Singh government and the imposition of President's rule in Manipur as the "the first and immediate step" to contain the violence that has claimed over 250 lives since May 2023. Reacting to this, Manipur's Leishemba Sanajaoba, posted on X, "My friend, don't cross the line. Please confine to your state issues...Stop interference in Manipur's issues..Be a good neighbour". (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens were also traveling to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
Chef Tam Kwok Fung is synonymous with Cantonese cuisine, having won many accolades for his culinary skills. The executive chef at Wynn Palace Cotai in Macau opened Chef Tam's Seasons in October 2023. It's a conceptual restaurant inspired by the 24 solar terms of traditional Chinese wisdom that govern minute changes in temperature and humidity. "My culinary philosophy is to be true to traditional Cantonese cooking techniques, though with an open mind. I like using high-quality seasonal products; it's all about the cuisine of my style, which is Cantonese cuisine through the marriage of seasonal ingredients and finely balanced flavour profiles," says chef Tam. "I can best describe my cooking as Cantonese spoken in an intentional language." At the restaurant, he revitalises Cantonese cuisine by matching global ingredients with contemporary culinary techniques, which earned him the distinction of becoming the first chef in Macau to be named Chef Of The Year at the 2023 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. "In today's world, things change so fast. We cannot just stand at one point. We can all say this is a recipe from 200 years ago, but in reality it doesn't work. The food sources itself, in terms of quality. Plus, changing lifestyles add to it. As a restaurant operator, as a chef, you have to provide people with the latest of everything, be it service or food. The only thing that cannot be changed at the end of the day is having a service mind," says chef Tam of his restaurant, which is known for menu changes every two weeks. Steamed shrimp dumplings with bamboo shoots. Wynn Palace Cotai "In the beginning, we discussed having a new dish from time to time, much like other restaurants. But since we are not that big a restaurant and do only 70-80 covers, we can be brave and more attentive; have a more tailor-made menu. So we told the world that we follow the traditional Chinese solar system, which means that the menu changes every 15 days. We keep learning and form our menu with up-to-date seasonal products. "This is the restaurant's signature, that the menu changes all the time. That's number one. Number two is that as a Cantonese person, I provide the dishes that are seasonal offerings of what's the absolute best in the market. That's our goal." Serving seasonality on a plate is also difficult given that we live in a world defined by climate change. However, the chef says it is easy, due to technology. "Today everyone has a mobile phone and a computer. I have at least 20 group chats related to produce and seasonal products. Some food suppliers are extremely good at updating their lists online. Our purchasing team updates us every week and some producers update us every two or three hours about the future produce using material food sources," says chef Tam. Chef Tam's menu prep is planned four weeks in advance. "I don't change just a few dishes. In Cantonese cuisine, the seasonal produce have their own character. In our vegetable showcase, we already have more than 10 items that are seasonal, so I can play around with the different produce, using different techniques and different seasonings. This means that the changes in the menu can be endless," he says. Crispy bean curd with bird's nest. Wynn Palace Cotai However, dishes are repeated during the seasons and are brought back to the menu. "I do use dishes that I have served before. Though I have a consistent menu, we also have a micro seasonal menu. I don't stand at one point. We are what I would describe as 'transitional Cantonese philosophy'. We have hundreds of years of philosophy and lifestyle passed down through generations. For example, during the winter we eat more turnip and green leafy vegetables, in the summer we eat more squash in various forms -- from appetisers to soups to braised and even stir-frys and desserts," explains chef Tam. "Since the beginning Cantonese cuisine has never stopped changing. The market and consumers are different. Today's generation are used to consuming more spicy dishes. We, as chefs, automatically change little by little. Before even the produce was localised compared to today, where we are using beef from Argentina, US and Japan. Today if we look for beef, there will be around 100 types to choose from. As a chef, you have more produce to try out. This reflects on our cooking, which also offers more variety. "My inspiration for cooking has also changed, but the technique doesn't change and the way of seasoning doesn't change. I blend Eastern and Western influences and introduce modern concepts and techniques, infusing traditional Cantonese dishes with new vitality." Double-boiled pork shank with conch, American ginseng and dendrobium. Wynn Palace Cotai Baked chicken puff with spring onion. Wynn Palace CotaiA Cougar quarterback named Gesser is going to Husky Stadium. No, this isn’t a flashback to the 1999 or 2001 Apple Cup game featuring then-Washington State quarterback Jason Gesser. Instead, Seton Catholic junior quarterback Kolten Gesser, his eldest son, and the No. 2 seed Cougars are off to Seattle’s Husky Stadium for Friday’s Class 1A state football championship game against No. 1 Royal, a clash of two undefeated teams who met in last year’s state semifinals. For Seton Catholic to fulfill a season-long goal of reaching the program’s first state title game, Kolten Gesser has shined as the conductor of a Cougars team averaging 46 points through 12 games. The third-year starting QB has thrown for 2,351 passing yards with 41 touchdowns and just one interception. “For all these guys on this team, they’re making my job really easy because the defense is getting the ball back in our hands and our O-line is giving me plenty of time. I’m just getting the ball in playmakers’ hands,” Kolten Gesser said. Gesser has become a student of the game in the process, diligently watching game film, learning how to read and anticipate opposing defenses while having the confidence to put the ball on the money for his receivers. To break it all down, often the first person in Gesser’s ear walking off the field is his dad, Seton Catholic’s associate head coach and offensive coordinator. “He’s put in so much work, off the field as well as on the field, and doing all the right things that, when you see the rewards start coming from it, you feel very proud of him and very excited for him,” Jason Gesser said. “To be out here firsthand, helping him along the way and seeing him go out there just thriving and really kind of just coming into his own, words can’t describe it as a dad.” Kolten Gesser and his teammates insist Friday’s state championship tilt at the 70,000-seat stadium is just another game in a long season, but it’s a moment many kids dream of growing up playing the sport. In Gesser’s case, the backdrop for those early memories were snow-covered fields in Pullman playing tackle football during elementary school recess, plus flag football games in the fall, often during daytime hours because most fields didn’t have lights. As the son of a former collegiate and professional quarterback, perhaps it was a given Kolten Gesser would follow in his father’s footsteps, though he said he gravitated to the sport naturally. He had an obvious talent for throwing the ball, and he learned early how much he enjoyed the chess match in sports, whether he was pitching a baseball game, or playing quarterback trying to deceive a defense. That aspect has been especially fun for Gesser and the Cougars this season. “With our O-line giving us a lot of time, we can actually get into progressions and reads, moving guys over and figuring out how to read defenses and kind of play games with them,” Gesser said. “That’s been super fun for me, learning that stuff, because I love the mental side of the sport.” Tapping into his dad’s football knowledge has also been a huge help. Jason Gesser said he tried to gradually introduce concepts to Kolten Gesser when he was younger. By the time he reached middle school and the family moved to Clark County, it was common for the two to be playing Madden or watching a game on TV when his dad would pause it to point out a detail. “You see how this corner is playing this? Or you see how this safety is playing that?” Jason Gesser explained. “That’s where we kind of started it, and then really over these last two years, he’s just excelled. I’ll be up late at night watching film, he’ll be downstairs and I’ll text him, ‘hey, you still up?’ “He’ll be like, ‘yeah, I’m doing homework.’ And I’ll pop down for 5, 10 minutes and I’ll go through some things that I’m seeing or, ‘hey, here’s how they’re playing, here’s how we gotta attack this.’ He’s constantly getting things.” Father and son share a bond over football, and as offensive coordinator and quarterback in the same household. Though the two are in sync most of the time, Kolten Gesser said understanding how his dad communicates helps a lot, which has led to a familiar saying in their house. “I have to listen to what he’s saying, not how he’s saying it,” Kolten Gesser said. “He’s very nitpicky and likes to fix things right away when something is broken, so trying to have that patience with him, and then he has to have the patience with me because I’m the same way.” Some of it comes with the territory of being a coach’s son. “They’re always giving me crap at home — ‘listen to what he says, not how he says it,’ ” Jason Gesser said. “The thing is, like, whenever you’re the coach of your kid (and) your kid is the quarterback, you’ve gotta be sensitive, because everybody thinks, oh, it’s the coach’s kid. I’m always harder on him than anybody else, and he’s hard on himself already.” Kolten Gesser first grabbed the reins as Seton Catholic’s starting quarterback just two games into his freshman season after teammate Joe Callerame suffered an injury. The move eventually paved the way for Callerame, this year’s Trico League MVP, to carve out a unique role as a multifaceted skill player. Meanwhile, Gesser and a youthful Seton squad took their lumps that fall 2022 season, going 5-5 and falling to Montesano in a Week 10 playoff game. Then came last year’s surprise state playoff run to the semifinals with games at King’s, Cashmere and lastly, Royal, which went on to win the state title. Still young, albeit immensely talented, the Cougars started believing in themselves even more. “The more we won games, the more we realized how good we can be,” Kolten Gesser said. “The more it kind of flipped to, we know we’re going to win, even when we’re down, like, we know we can find a way to win the game.” Led by a quarterback who exudes that confidence, the Cougars are in good hands. “More than anything, he just loves to compete. He’s a frickin’ competitor,” Jason Gesser said. “That’s the fun part of seeing him, whether he’s on that day or not, he’s going to compete.”
Providers of supported living services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are asking the Legislature for more funding to increase wages in an increasingly difficult-to-staff field. People with disabilities can sometimes require intensive 24/7 care to help them live as independently as possible. Those who meet certain eligibility guidelines can qualify for in-home or group home care with costs covered by the state. But workers who provide these services, known as direct support professionals, often earn low pay, leading to high turnover, staff shortages and long waitlists. Advocates are asking lawmakers to increase rates for these workers by 9.5% in both 2026 and 2027, which would cost the state roughly $99 million a year. That’s based on recommendations from a 2023 Department of Social and Health Services rate study report that found providers were severely underpaid compared to living wage benchmarks. At the time, the average hourly wage for a direct support professional was $20.12. “Pay is one of the most needed things to stabilize supported living,” said Randy Hauck, executive director at Community Living, a nonprofit that provides supportive living services. Most of the funding for direct care professionals comes from Medicaid. The money flows mostly through the Department of Social and Health Services Developmental Disabilities Administration which determines the rate at which staff get paid based on need and available funding. The Department of Social and Health Services has not submitted a 2025 budget request to Gov. Jay Inslee for the rate increase. Other efforts to secure the funding could run into a roadblock as lawmakers are facing a deficit over the next four years estimated to be in the $10 billion to $12 billion range. Washington has about 14,000 direct care professionals who serve about 4,600 people. But the turnover rate in this field is high, currently around 37%. That can be especially problematic for people with developmental disabilities who rely on consistent relationships. “If you bring in 10 people that you’re training, you look around the room and know three or four of them are going to be gone by the end of the year,” Hauck said. Aaron Pickus, a communications specialist for supported living groups, said there was about a 388-person waitlist with people who were approved for services but can’t get a placement as of October. Most of those – about 185 people – are looking to move out of a family home. Another 54 are in state-run institutions, and another 36 are in a hospital or state-run psychiatric hospital. Once someone is approved for benefits, it can take more than 100 days for them to get placed. The more time someone spends in a state-run institution, the higher the cost can be for the state, Pickus said. “This underscores a need to invest taxpayer dollars as efficiently as possible so that those with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to find a home that best fits their needs in the community,” Pickus wrote in an email. It may be an expensive request now, but pushing off a pay increase will be more expensive for the state in the long run, Hauck said. The rate study report, which used 2022 data, determined providers were about 10% underfunded. With inflation, that’s now about 18% – hence the 9.5% increases advocates are asking for in each of the next two years. “The state could save lots of money if they put a little bit of money into making sure we have staff,” Hauck said. It’s the second year in a row that care providers and their allies have asked for this funding. Last year’s request resulted in a 2.5% increase – or about a 50-cent-per-hour bump in pay . Lawmakers tend to be inconsistent with funding increases for supported living, Hauck said. Some years, they’ll get a big boost, but then for years afterward, they will only get meager increases like last year’s 2.5% increase. With the multi-billion dollar deficit looming , Hauck acknowledged the request may be difficult to get through. Budget leaders in the governor’s office are already asking agencies to propose cuts in programs and services. Gov. Jay Inslee will release his budget proposal in mid-December. That will be the starting point that lawmakers use to write their budget by the end of the legislative session in April. The Washington State Standard is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet that provides original reporting, analysis and commentary on Washington state government and politics. We seek to keep you informed about Washington’s most pressing issues, the decisions elected leaders are making, how they are spending tax dollars and who is influencing public policy. We’re part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.You can forget about checking that numbered triangular code as you gather plastic bottles, jugs and containers for recycling in North Platte. The city now is accepting all seven types of plastics at its seven dropoff sites across town, City Administrator Layne Groseth said Thursday. It’s one of the first fruits of the City Council’s Oct. 1 vote to send recyclable plastics, tin cans and paper products to Western Resources Group of Ogallala. The city had used ABC Recycling of North Platte exclusively since 2020. The dropoff sites continue to accept cardboard, tin and aluminum cans, newspapers and magazines and other paper products as well as plastics. ABC’s plastic markets accepted only sorted No. 1 and No. 2 plastics, Groseth said, forcing residents to throw other types of plastics into the regular trash. WRG handles all plastic types and doesn’t care if different types are mingled, he added. North Platte’s new blue dropoff bins, decorated with colorful photos of local attractions, haven’t yet been updated to indicate that all seven types of plastics now can be left there, Groseth said. “We’ll work with Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful in the next few months to do more public education on that,” he said. The city hopes to soon begin accepting recyclable glass, because WRC also has a marketer for those products, he said. Since the October switchover, the city’s Public Service Department has been taking cardboard from the dropoff sites to be mulched with wood, brush and other yard waste at North Platte’s transfer station near Lake Maloney. City workers are taking aluminum cans deposited at the dropoff sites to Alter Recycling of North Platte, Groseth said. The tin cans go to WRG in Ogallala with the plastics and paper. Since the ABC Recycling contract expired, he said, recyclables from the dropoff sites are being collected at one of the Public Service Department’s white-roofed, Quonset-shaped buildings. An application for a federal grant of just over $1 million, endorsed by the council Tuesday, aims to fund a permanent city sorting and transfer building. Groseth said the desired Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant would pay for that structure, a new recycling truck and forklift, two rolloff recycling bins and five rolloff cardboard bins. That would let the city add a couple more recycling dropoff sites, he said. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in 2022 sets aside $275 million nationally to better equip local recycling programs. City Hall hopes to learn by the end of July if it gets the $1 million-plus grant, Groseth said. A new sorting and transfer building likely would rise on the city’s sand and gravel lot across East 12th Street (U.S. Highway 30) from Garden Glove and The Coffee Bin. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Special projects reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
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The Christmas season is upon us and that means all sorts of parties. At least one of the parties you’ve been invited to is either an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party or has ugly sweaters as the uniform. No matter what, there’s at least one even this year you’ll need an ugly sweater for and we’ve got what you’re looking for! From hilarious sweaters to sweaters that don’t even realize how ugly they are, we’ve got options for everyone and every situation. Don’t let the holiday season pass without getting your hands on at least one of these holiday must-haves. This beige reindeer snowflake midi is a classic take on the ugly look. Perfect for staying cozy while spreading festive cheer, this jumper combines holiday spirit with a comfortable fit. At an impressive savings, it’s a great choice to stand out without splurging. Embrace the season and let your style shine with this delightfully festive piece! This is perfectly ugly. 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The loose fit and long sleeves make it easy to pair with jeans or leggings, offering both style and warmth for the season. This holiday features a fun Santa graphic you’re going to love. Made from a soft, breathable fabric, it’s comfortable for all-day wear. Perfect for Christmas parties or as a gift for the season. The casual loose fit ensures a relaxed, stylish look. Machine wash with cold water for best care. This ugly sweater features a cute and is designed with a crewneck and long sleeves. It’s the perfect blend of trendy and festive, making it a standout piece for holiday gatherings. Soft and comfortable, it’s ideal for casual wear and can be paired with jeans or leggings. A great choice for a funny Christmas giftor holiday party. This features an adorable reindeer design, perfect for celebrating your little one’s first Christmas. The crewneck sweatshirt is cozy and warm, ensuring comfort during the holiday season. 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Available in various styles like unisex sweaters, hoodies, and zip hoodies, as well as kid-sized options. Made from soft, comfortable fabric, these come in sizes for adults and families, so everyone can join in the Christmas spirit. Ideal for lounging, Christmas morning photos, family movie nights, or festive gatherings, these matching sets are easy to care for and perfect for making cherished holiday memories.
Alberta minister wants to see $100B in data centre infrastructure in next five years
A NANNY state plot to slap cigarette-style warnings on chocolate bars and crisp packets was last night branded “crackpot” by critics. Downing Street also distanced itself from the joyless plans cooked up by former government food tsar Henry Dimbleby. The healthy eating campaigner is calling for sweeping restrictions on junk food including forcing supermarkets to display them less prominently . He told the BBC: “If you walk into a supermarket, the first thing you’ll see is a huge amount of fruit and veg. “And then you have aisles and aisles of food-like substances - you have Kit Kat cereal next to Crave cereal being marketed at children with discounts, because that is the food that it’s easier to make money selling that food. “The food would still be there but be displayed less prominently, you’d have black marks on it to say this is not a good thing to eat... a mandatory label saying this is bad for you in a big visible way.” READ MORE ON POLITICS Although Labour is pressing ahead with a ban on junk food advertising, Sir Keir Starmer’s processing said “we have no plans” for the smoking-like disclaimers. Chris Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the IEA said: "Mr Dimbleby seems to think that the normal rules of policy-making shouldn't apply to his crackpot ideas about food. "He wants politicians to ignore public opinion, forget about the economic costs and not worry about whether the policies will work or not.” It came as a study found that listing calorie counts next to items on pub and restaurant menus does not result in punters eating less. Most read in Politics Liverpool University researchers studied 3,300 people at 330 eateries in 2021 and again in 2022 after mandatory labelling was introduced by the Government. Writing in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, they found people said they read the information but did not significantly reduce their calorie intake. Mr Snowdon added: “Yet another nanny state policy crashes and burns.”
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Controversial billionaire Elon Musk responded to speculation that MSNBC could be put up for sale , asking on Friday how much the cable news network would set him back. The Comcast media conglomerate announced Wednesday it planned to spin some of its NBCUniversal properties — including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen and E! — into “a new publicly traded company.” The announcement prompted some social media users, including Donald Trump Jr., to suggest the world’s richest man should buy MSNBC . Many of the left-leaning network’s hosts, including Joe Scarborough, Rachel Maddow and Mika Brzezinski, have been critical of Musk and the MAGA movement he supports . “Hey @elonmusk I have the funniest idea ever!!!” Trump Jr. posted on Friday alongside a graphic joking that MSNBC would sell for the “best offer.” “How much does it cost?” replied Musk, whose net worth was estimated to have reached a record high of $321.7 billion on Friday. Musk’s response was very similar to the one he gave in 2017 when some social media users suggested he buy Twitter. Five years later, he spent $44 billion to purchase the platform , which he renamed X and has since used to promote his right-wing ideology and conspiracy theories . “I mean it can’t be much,” Trump Jr. wrote back. “Look at the ratings.” MSNBC viewership reportedly plummeted 38% after Election Day, according to The Wrap. Musk’s banter with Trump Jr. continued, with the entrepreneur writing, “The most entertaining outcome, especially if ironic, is most likely.” While Comcast made no mention of selling MSNBC to Musk , the big-spending tech wiz has proven he can take over companies despite resistance from their board of directors, just as he did with Twitter. Speculation about Musk buying a progressive cable news network comes a week after satirical site The Onion announced it had purchased Alex Jones’ far-right “InfoWars” empire in a bankruptcy auction. Jones was forced to sell the disgraced brand to satisfy a judgment against him in connection with the lies and conspiracy theories he pushed about the 2012 massacre at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School . A Texas judge has delayed that acquisition while a court reviews details of the bidding process.
Judge grants dismissal of election subversion case against TrumpHead coach Vanni Sartini paid the price Monday for the Vancouver Whitecaps’ mediocre results this past season and subsequent first-round playoff exit. His firing came about two weeks after the Major League Soccer team won a play-in game before falling to top-seeded Los Angeles FC in a three-game series that went the distance. “The desperation on my side is absolutely there,” said Axel Schuster, the Whitecaps’ sporting director and chief executive officer. One of the reasons for the change, he said, is everyone in the organization, including himself, needs a reminder that playoff success next year is imperative. “We cannot not get there.” The Whitecaps haven’t reached the conference semifinals since 2017. In a one-hour availability with reporters, Schuster noted the team had the second-worst home record in the Western Conference this year and recorded just two points over its last seven regular-season games. He referenced the need for fresh energy from a new coach and added there was no firm timeline in place for a replacement to be named. “I had to make a professional decision (for) how we can get the biggest impact to make this step forward and to get to a progression,” he said. The Whitecaps’ late-season slump dropped them to eighth place in the West with a record of 13-13-8. Vancouver won a play-in game at Portland before dropping a 1-0 decision at LAFC in the deciding game of the series. Vancouver also won its third-straight Canadian championship this season, beating Toronto FC 4-2 on penalties after the final ended in a 0-0 tie. “I took my time with this decision, and it was not taken lightly,” Schuster said. Sartini, a 47-year-old from Florence, Italy, took over coaching duties on an interim basis in August 2021 after the Whitecaps dismissed Marc Dos Santos. He was officially named head coach that November. “For the last three years and three months, it has been an absolute honour to be the head coach of Vancouver Whitecaps FC,” Sartini said in a release. “I will always be grateful to Axel Schuster and ownership for entrusting me to be the technical lead of this club in such an important time. “Vancouver will always have a special place in my heart and my wife’s heart,” he added. He posted a record of 57-51-39 across all competitions. The exuberant Italian made headlines in November 2023 when he publicly criticized a referee following a playoff game and made a joke about being a suspect if the official were to be found dead. He was suspended for the first six games of the 2024 MLS campaign, fined US$20,000 and ordered to complete a league-approved behavioural assessment. The coach later apologized for the comments and his suspension was cut to four games. Sartini came to Vancouver in 2019 as Dos Santos’ assistant coach and spent two seasons with the first team before being named the club’s “director of methodology” and taking over coaching the U-23 team in 2020. Before joining the Whitecaps, he worked as a coach educator for the Italian Football Federation and the U.S. Soccer Federation, and coached several different clubs in Italy.