The ongoing dispute among Donald Trump supporters over immigration and the tech industry has laid bare internal divisions within his political movement. This rift offers a glimpse into potential conflicts that could emerge as Trump heads to the White House. The controversy involves a split between tech elites, including billionaire Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who are calling for more skilled workers, and Trump's 'Make America Great Again' base, which supports stringent immigration measures. This week, right-wing commentator Laura Loomer ignited debate when she criticized Trump's choice of Sriram Krishnan as an AI policy adviser, citing his pro-skilled immigration stance. The debate quickly spread across the social media platform X, owned by Musk, with contributions from influential figures like former PayPal executive David Sacks. Musk, who advocates for skilled immigration, underscored the tech industry's reliance on foreign workers to fill critical positions, emphasizing a shortage of local engineering talent. Trump's conflicting statements on immigration reflect the broader tensions within his movement. (With inputs from agencies.)NEW YORK : The Nasdaq Composite Index hit 20,000 for the first time on Wednesday, putting an exclamation point on a year in which excitement over artificial intelligence and expectations of falling interest rates fueled a searing rally in technology stocks. The tech-heavy index is up more than 33 per cent on the year, driven by a cluster of giant technology-focused companies including Apple, Nvidia, Google-parent Alphabet and in recent weeks, electric carmaker Tesla. Wednesday’s gains came after a U.S. inflation report that cemented expectations of a Fed rate cut next week. The index closed on Wednesday at 20,034.89, up 1.8 per cent on the day. While the rally has rewarded investors who went big on growth and tech, it has also stirred unease over rising valuations and the dominance of megacap stocks, which now have an increasingly heavier weighting in the index. "There is clearly an aspect of a chase into year-end, where the winners ... keep winning," said Cameron Dawson, chief investment officer at NewEdge Wealth. "The question is if this momentum can persist into 2025, where stretched valuations, positioning, sentiment, and growth expectations could all present high bars to jump over to keep above-average returns going." After plummeting in early 2020 when the pandemic brought global economic activity to a standstill, the index mounted a swift rebound as the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to near-zero and the U.S. unleashed waves of fiscal stimulus to help the economy. It endured a sharp drop in 2022, falling 33 per cent as inflation surged to 40-year highs and the Fed was forced to deliver a series of jumbo rate cuts. But higher rates did not bring on a widely-expected recession, and the index has soared by about 90 per cent since then, stoked in part by increasing excitement over the business potential of AI. Shares of Nvidia, whose chips are considered the industry's gold standard, are up more than 1,100 per cent from their October 2022 low. “The AI story still rings true and appeals to investors,” said Alex Morris, chief investment officer of F/m Investments. “These are the go-go stocks." While the Nasdaq's valuation has climbed, it is still far from levels it reached during the dot-com bubble more than two decades ago. The index trades at roughly 36 times earnings today, a three-year high and well above its long-term average of 27, according to LSEG Datastream. That is still well below the roughly 70 times the index's P/E ratio reached in March 2000, bringing a measure of comfort to investors comparing the two periods. "The Nasdaq Comp’s latest rally pales in comparison to the late 90s/early 2000 experience, rising more gradually and does not yet look unsustainable as a result," Jessica Rabe, co-founder of DataTrek Research, said in a note on Wednesday. Megacap stocks increasingly dominate the index. The top 10 companies by market value account for 59 per cent of the Nasdaq, compared to 45 per cent in 2020. The three biggest companies by weight are Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia, which account for 11.7 per cent, 10.6 per cent and 10.3 per cent of the index respectively. While their surging share prices have buoyed the Nasdaq, the heavy concentration could present a problem for investors should Big Tech fall out of favor. The selloff in 2022, for instance, saw shares of index heavyweights Meta and Tesla fall 64 per cent and 65 per cent for the year respectively. The Nasdaq has topped the other major U.S. stock indexes this year, propelled by big gains in heavily weighted names such as Nvidia, Amazon and Meta Platforms. The tech-heavy index's 33 per cent climb in 2024 compares with over 27 per cent for the S&P 500 and 17 per cent for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Over the past decade, the Nasdaq has gained more than 320 per cent, against a 200 per cent rise for the S&P 500 and a 150 per cent increase for the Dow.Eagles-Steelers Week 15 injury report, with analysisTens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in Barcelona
In a new study, an experimental obesity drug from Novo Nordisk called CagriSema allowed people to lose more than 20% of their body weight, on average, a result that caused the Danish company’s stock price to fall by as much as 29%. Yes, fall. For anyone not closely following the heated race for obesity drug dominance (there must be a few of you left?), it might look like we’re living in the upside-down. After all, if these same data were unveiled just three years ago, the market reaction would have been wildly different. The stock might have gone up and headlines would have heralded an advance in the fight against obesity. But we’re in a new era of obesity medicine. The bar for success, once quite modest, has quickly gotten extraordinarily high — especially so for CagriSema. Let me explain. Although Novo will still make a mind-blowing amount of money from its existing obesity drugs in the coming years (its collection of GLP-1 drugs is likely to become the most lucrative franchise in the industry next year), CagriSema was seen as essential for continued growth in 2030 and beyond. And the study results suggest it might not be the contender investors had hoped for. CagriSema is a combination of the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide, the ingredient found in Novo’s Ozempic and Wegovy, and cagrilintide, which mimics two hormones, amylin and calcitonin, that also help control feelings of satiety. So far, we only have top-line results rather than an in-depth analysis provided by a peer-reviewed journal article. But the headline is that CagriSema allowed people to lose 20.4% of their body weight on average — better than Wegovy, but about on par with what people can already achieve with Eli Lilly’s Zepbound. And the results fell below the 25% target Novo itself had dangled before investors as the trial’s likely outcome. Another reason investors reacted with such negativity is that the limited data suggests side effects might be hampering the drug’s full potential. The 68-week study gave participants the flexibility to control the dosage of the drug, and among those who were taking a higher dose by the end of the study, average weight loss was nearly 23%. But just 57% of participants stuck with the highest dose, leading investors to assume many took a step back to help manage common gastrointestinal side effects. (Though, to be clear, that’s still a guess — we need the full data to know for sure.) Meanwhile, people enrolled in the study who were given either semaglutide or cagrilintide alone were more likely to tolerate that higher dose. Cagrisema is one of a wave of treatments in development that each take a different twist on mimicking naturally occurring hormones that control blood sugar and a feeling of fullness. Companies are exploring different combinations of hormones, as well as differing approaches to tuning their activity. Each study on a new combination is intensely scrutinized to try to determine the best way forward in obesity medicine. And it’s not only about which causes the most weight loss. It’s also about controlling other health indicators, whether that’s blood sugar control or improved cholesterol levels. After Novo’s perceived stumble, stocks for companies developing alternatives, like Amgen, Viking Therapeutics and Structure Therapeutics, all saw modest gains. Lilly has been the biggest beneficiary from Novo’s disappointment. But then, it already had the upper hand. Earlier this month, Lilly said that Zepbound handily beat Wegovy in a head-to-head trial of the two drugs, with its drug offering 20% weight loss compared with Wegovy’s 14%. And CagriSema’s strong (but seemingly not strong enough) efficacy leaves more room for Lilly’s next-generation obesity drug, retatrutide. Moreover, earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration said supply issues for Zepbound were finally resolved, a situation that should in theory shut down the market for the compounded version of the drug by early 2025. That could force people to shift onto either Zepbound or Wegovy. Yet today’s stock drop also reflects a bevy of issues weighing on Novo’s future. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare is empowered to negotiate prices on certain drugs, and semaglutide is widely expected to be on its wish list for 2025 (negotiated prices wouldn’t kick in until 2027). And generics could be coming in the early 2030s, Bloomberg Intelligence noted Friday morning. Between those two issues, “the underwhelming result will likely pressure consensus, which sees the asset driving almost 20% of Novo’s sales in 2030,” Bloomberg Intelligence analysts said following the news. That will put added scrutiny on another nascent product, amycretin, which still is only in the early stages of clinical trials, they noted. Investors will no doubt continue to parse each scrap of data that comes out from companies developing obesity drugs to understand who will reap the most benefits from a market expected to be worth $130 billion in the next five years. But as stock prices fluctuate, it’s important to remember who the real winners should be: the tens of millions of Americans with obesity and related chronic health problems who need and deserve affordable treatments. Lisa Jarvis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, she was executive editor of Chemical &Engineering News.Bilawal vows to defeat foreign plots against missile programme
WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 26, 2024-- Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:EQBK), (“Equity”), the Wichita-based holding company of Equity Bank, will release its fourth quarter results on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, with a press release issued after market close. Equity Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brad Elliott and Chief Financial Officer Chris Navratil will hold a conference call and webcast to discuss earnings results on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 10 a.m. eastern time or 9 a.m. central time. A live webcast of the call will be available on the Company’s website at investor.equitybank.com . To access the call by phone, please go to this registration link and follow the registration instructions. Once you have registered for the call, dial-in information will be provided. Investors, news media, and other participants are encouraged to dial into the conference call ten minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. A replay of the call and webcast will be available following the close of the call at investor.equitybank.com . About Equity Bancshares, Inc. Equity Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Equity Bank, offering a full range of financial solutions, including commercial loans, consumer banking, mortgage loans, trust and wealth management services and treasury management services, while delivering the high-quality, relationship-based customer service of a community bank. Equity’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EQBK.” Learn more at www.equitybank.com . Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Equity’s management with respect to, among other things, future events and Equity’s financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “predict,” “potential,” “believe,” “will likely result,” “expect,” “continue,” “will,” “anticipate,” “seek,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “goal,” “target,” “would” and “outlook,” or the negative variations of those words or other comparable words of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Equity’s industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond Equity’s control. Accordingly, Equity cautions you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Although Equity believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Equity’s expectations include competition from other financial institutions and bank holding companies; the effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; changes in the demand for loans; fluctuations in value of collateral and loan reserves; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; and acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses; and similar variables. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. For discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in Equity’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 7, 2024, and any updates to those risk factors set forth in Equity’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Equity’s underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what Equity anticipates. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Equity does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us. In addition, Equity cannot assess the impact of each factor on Equity’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that Equity or persons acting on Equity’s behalf may issue. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220295260/en/ CONTACT: Media Contact:Russell Colburn Public Relations & Communications Manager Equity Bancshares, Inc. (913) 583-8011 rcolburn@equitybank.comInvestor Contact:Brian J. Katzfey VP, Director of Corporate Development and Investor Relations Equity Bancshares, Inc. (316) 858-3128 bkatzfey@equitybank.com KEYWORD: KANSAS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Equity Bancshares Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/26/2024 04:45 PM/DISC: 12/26/2024 04:45 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220295260/en
Influencer Candice Miller is reportedly in debt after her husband Brandon Miller ’s death earlier this year . Candice, 42, recently filed court papers obtained by The New York Times on Friday, December 27, claiming that Brandon had been $33.6 million in debt when he died in July. According to the former “Mama & Tata” social media star, she only has $8,000 in a bank account and is unable to repay Brandon’s loans. Candice also claimed that Brandon died without a will. News broke this summer that Brandon, a property developer, died by suicide. While Candice initially deactivated her social media following her spouse’s death, she claimed in the recent court papers that he now owes more than $20 million in unsecured loans from UBS Bank, BMO Bank and American Express. The Times further reports that Candice has also benefitted from $15 million worth of Brandon’s life insurance policies and sold their joint residence earlier in December. Per the outlet, Candice alleged that she had no knowledge of the financial situation ahead of his death. Candice has not publicly addressed the court battle, with the Times reporting that she declined to comment. Brandon had been found unconscious in the couple’s Hamptons estate in New York this summer. He was 43. “Candice is devastated by the loss of her soul mate, and her two young daughters’ lives are forever impacted by the loss of their beloved daddy,” a family spokesperson said in a statement at the time. In September, Candice was sued for $195,000 in unpaid rent on their Manhattan condo. The documents obtained by Us Weekly claimed that Candice failed to pay the monthly cost. Her lawyers argue in their newly filed response that Candice should not be involved since her name was reportedly never on the apartment lease. Candice and Brandon got married in 2009, later welcoming two daughters. Their family life was chronicled on her now-defunct “Mama & Tata” blog. “On most days, what I really look forward to is arriving home, and sitting for dinners with my husband and my girls,” Candice told Mini Magazine in 2019. “Followed by some very yummy snuggles before bedtime, where we all profess our love for one another over and over again. Literally, we do that!” Despite Candice and Brandon’s lavish lifestyle, they wanted their daughters to be “kind, good humans.” You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News “It’s important to me that I raise girls who are kind, good humans. Girls who are compassionate, sensitive, respectful, reliable, honest, and strong,” Candice told the outlet. “I want my girls to know that they can follow their biggest dreams and know to never give up. I want them to be confident in everything they do and know that they are SO loved and supported every step of the way.” She added, “I already know they will be wonderfully loving, compassionate, good humans, but I want them to always be themselves. I want them to be their own unique individuals, strong, independent, and fearless when it comes to voicing their mind.” If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is heading to the NFL draft after leading the Southeastern Conference in rushing and setting a handful of school records. The SEC Offensive Player of the Year announced on social media his intention Friday to leave after his junior season. He helped the seventh-ranked Vols go 10-3 with a first-round loss in the College Football Playoff where Sampson was limited by an injured hamstring. Sampson thanked his family, Tennessee coaches and fans, saying he learned so much and had the chance to be part of something special. Tennessee went 3-7 in 2020, and he leaves with the Vols having won 30 games over his three seasons. “I poured my heart and soul into this program and this community,” Sampson wrote. “With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.” Sampson set a school record running for 1,491 yards. He also set a program record with a league-best 22 rushing touchdowns, breaking a mark that had stood for 95 years. He was part of coach Josh Heupel's first full signing class in December 2021 out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also set school records for total touchdowns scored (22), points scored (132) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11). He led the SEC in nine different categories, including rushing attempts (258), rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, 100-yard rushing games with 10, averaging 114.7 yards rushing per game, points scored, points per game (10.2), all-purpose yards (1,638) and all-purpose yards per game (126.0). He finished this season tied for fifth all-time in the SEC ranks for rushing TDs in a single season with Leonard Fournette of LSU. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballStock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s health minister has been removed from his post following , government officials said Thursday. According to two government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject, Health Minister Duckenson Lorthe will be replaced by Justice Minister Patrick Pelissier until a new health minister is found. Two journalists and a police officer were killed Tuesday as who were there to cover the facility's reopening. It was one of the worst attacks on Haitian media in recent memory. Seven other journalists were wounded. Jean Feguens Regala, a photographer , said journalists had been invited to the hospital by the health ministry but there was little security at the site. “The fact that the minister of health invited us, you feel that preparations have been made already,” Regala told The Associated Press. “When we made contact with a police unit, the police told us they were not aware of the event." The health minister did not show up at the event, for reasons that have not been explained. Shortly after the attack, Johnson “Izo” André — considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince — posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Gang violence has worsened in Haiti, with crippling the country’s capital and plunging Haiti into an unprecedented crisis. Gangs are believed to control 85% of Port-au-Prince. The Caribbean country has struggled to organize an election that will restore democratic rule, and is currently governed by a transitional council made up of representatives of political parties, business groups and civil society organizations. Evens Sanon, The Associated PressBy JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Former head coach . According to reports, Belichick and the are in agreement on a contract that will make the six-time Super Bowl champion the successor to in Chapel Hill. The deal is three years for $30 million, . It's the first time in Belichick's decades-long football career that he'll coach at the college level. He started as a special assistant for the Baltimore in 1975 and rose up the ranks from there. He took his first NFL head coaching job for the in 1991 and eventually joined the in 2000. After the 2023 NFL season ended, Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways. When the 72-year-old didn't get a job in the ensuing hiring cycle, he settled for a one-year hiatus from coaching. For the last few months, Belichick has been a regular in ESPN's "Pat McAfee Show" and its "ManningCast" with Peyton and Eli Manning during "Monday Night Football" games. Going forward, Belichick will try to right the ship at UNC, where his dad was an assistant coach in the 1950s. This season, the finished 6-6 with a 3-5 conference record that was fifth-worst in the ACC. It was another year of regression after a 2023 season that saw UNC finish 4-4 in conference, failing to follow up on its 2022 ACC championship appearance. On Wednesday evening, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Belichick and UNC were finalizing their deal. The news sent waves across social media and generated a wide spread of reactions, ranging from excitement to disappointment and disbelief, and from quick, gut feelings to nuanced takes. Here are a few of them: Start the sleeve cutting in Chapel Hill! — DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) Holy smoke. — Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) Maybe naive about Belichick's college football acumen but I'm already worried about my team facing a plucky, overachieving UNC squad in the CFP next year — Chris DeVille ( ) — Ty Schmit (@tyschmit) If he is successful this is the new college football model at the P4. Unfortunately for incoming freshman it will mean less opportunities and more transfers. NFL front office structure and managed salaries for players. — Blake Beddingfield (@BlakeBedd) Do I understand why either side wants this? Absolutely not. Tell you what though, I’m intrigued — Henry Ettinger (@hedging_henry) No idea if this will work. Can't wait to watch. — Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) Good for Bill. Disappointing for those of us who wanted to see him back in the NFL — Ben Volin (@BenVolin) Potential hot take: Belichick coaching college football is more interesting than him returning to the NFL. — Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) A consensus from many of the reactions seems to be that, if nothing else, football fans will have a really good reason to watch UNC play next year.Arizona AG sues Saudi firm over 'excessive' groundwater pumping, saying it's a public nuisance PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says she is suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness over what she calls “excessive pumping” of groundwater. She alleges that the Fondomonte alfalfa farm in western Arizona is violating a public nuisance law even though the area has no groundwater pumping regulations. Mayes said Wednesday that Fondomonte's use of groundwater threatens the public health, safety and infrastructure of local communities in rural La Paz County. It's Arizona's latest action against foreign companies that use huge amounts of groundwater to grow thirsty forage crops for export. The Associated Press emailed Fondomonte seeking a response to the lawsuit. US inflation ticked up last month as some price pressures remain persistent WASHINGTON (AP) — Fueled by pricier used cars, hotel rooms and groceries, inflation in the United States moved slightly higher last month in the latest sign that some price pressures remain elevated. Consumer prices rose 2.7% in November from a year earlier, up from a yearly figure of 2.6% in October. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core prices increased 3.3%. Measured month to month, prices climbed 0.3% from October to November, the biggest such increase since April. Wednesday’s inflation figures are the final major piece of data Federal Reserve officials will consider before they meet next week to decide on interest rates. The November increase won’t likely be enough to discourage the officials from cutting their key rate by a quarter-point. Albertsons sues Kroger for failing to win approval of their proposed supermarket merger Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history has crumbled. The two companies accusing each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through, and Albertsons pulled out of the $24.6 billion deal on Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after two judges — a federal judge in Oregon and a state judge in Washington — issued injunctions to block the merger, saying it could reduce competition and harm consumers. Albertsons is now suing Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee, as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger says the claims are “baseless.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Supreme Court allows investors' class action to proceed against microchip company Nvidia WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing a class-action lawsuit that accuses Nvidia of misleading investors about its past dependence on selling computer chips for the mining of volatile cryptocurrency to proceed. The court’s decision Wednesday comes the same week that China said it is investigating the the microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. The justices heard arguments four weeks ago in Nvidia’s bid to shut down the lawsuit, then decided that they were wrong to take up the case in the first place. They dismissed the company’s appeal, leaving in place an appellate ruling allowing the case to go forward. Apple's latest iPhones get the gift of more AI as holiday shopping season heats up SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is pumping more artificial intelligence into the latest iPhones during the holiday shopping season. It comes in the form of a free software update that includes a feature that enables users to create customized emojis within a matter of seconds. The Wednesday release of the iPhone’s upgraded operating system extends Apple’s expansion into AI months after rivals such as Samsung and Google began implanting the revolutionary on their devices. The update builds upon another one that came out in late October. The latest round of AI tricks includes “Genmojis,” Apple’s description of emojis that iPhone users will be able to ask the technology to create and then share. EU targets Russia's ghost fleet shipping oil in a new round of sanctions BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union envoys have agreed a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine. The EU's Hungarian presidency said Wednesday that the measures will target in particular a vast shadow fleet of ships that Moscow is exploiting to skirt restrictions on transporting oil and fuel. The sanctions are aimed at about 50 of what are routinely decrepit ships. The sanctions will hit more officials and entities alleged to be helping Russia to improve its military technology by evading export restrictions. EU foreign ministers are set to formally adopt the sanctions package on Monday. Making a $1B investment in the US? Trump pledges expedited permits — but there are hurdles WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is promising expedited federal permits for energy projects and other construction worth more than $1 billion. But like other Trump plans, the idea is likely to run into regulatory and legislative hurdles, including a landmark law that requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impact before deciding on major projects. Environmental groups called the plan a clear violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. The chief policy advocacy officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council says Trump should be careful what he wishes for. She said, "What if someone wants to build a waste incinerator next to Mar-a-Lago or a coal mine next to Bedminster golf course?” Trump says he'll name Andrew Ferguson head of FTC and Kimberly Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has made another flurry of job announcements. He said Tuesday that he had selected Andrew Ferguson as the next chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Kimberly Guilfoyle as the ambassador to Greece and Tom Barrack as the ambassador to Turkey. Ferguson is already one of the FTC's five commissioners and will replace Lina Khan. She became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars’ worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. Guilfoyle became engaged to Don Trump Jr. in 2020, adn Tom Barrack is a longtime friend who was also the former Trump inaugural chair. Bank of Canada cuts interest rate by half a percentage point, highlights risk of Trump's tariffs TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s central bank lowered its key interest rate by half a percentage point while highlighting the risk of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's threat of tariffs on all Canadian products. The Bank of Canada’s decision marked the fifth consecutive reduction since June and brings the central bank’s key rate down to 3.25%. The central bank noted a number of risks to the economy, including U.S. tariffs. Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs.
AP Business SummaryBrief at 4:20 p.m. ESTArteta backs Martinelli to thrive in ‘bigger role’ at Arsenal after Saka injury
Tony Reali's reaction speaks volumes as Around the Horn set to be canceled by ESPNRussian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a law that allows those who sign up to fight in Ukraine to write off unpaid debts worth almost $100,000, the government announced. The new legislation will be a strong motivation for some to join up, experts said, as Russia seeks new ways to recruit fighters for the nearly three-year conflict grinding through troops. The new legislation will allow those who sign a one-year contract to fight in Ukraine after December 1 to free themselves of existing bad debts. It also covers their spouses. The law concerns debts where a court order for collection was issued and enforcement proceedings began before December 1, 2024. The total amount of unpaid debt that can be covered is 10 million rubles, around $96,000 at current rates. Parliament approved the bill earlier this month. The legislation will largely concern younger Russians of fighting age, since those in their 30s and younger are most likely to have loans. Russia has extremely high interest rates for loans and many Russians have almost no cash savings, although the proportion of home owners is relatively high. “Previously (for those fighting) there was only provision for taking repayment holidays on loans,” Sergei Krivenko of advocacy group Citizen Army Law told Vazhniye Istorii Telegram channel. The new legislation applies to those who are conscripted for national service and those mobilised for the so-called “special military operation”, Krivenko said. Conscripts cannot be sent to the front line but can choose to sign a contract to join the professional army and be sent to fight in Ukraine. Russian authorities “are strengthening the motivation to sign a contract,” political analyst Georgy Bovt wrote on Telegram. The legislation provides “another way to get rid of an unbearable burden of credit, at least for several hundred thousand people,” Bovt wrote. Over 13 million Russians have three or more loans, according to a central bank report released last month covering the first two quarters. This was up 20 percent on the same period last year. The average amount owed by those with three or more loans is 1.4 million rubles ($13,400 at current rates). Many start with a bank loan and then apply for further loans from microfinance organisations. Russians serving on the front line are already paid far more than the national average. Ukraine also has legislation allowing those fighting to get preferential terms for loans and in some cases to write off debts. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.CA school stops disciplining students for shirts protesting trans athlete as movement spreads to more schools
Ukraine will block Russian gas supplies via its territory in several days, effectively halting its transit to Slovakia, Moldova and, to some extent, Hungary. Kyiv said it would not renew an agreement on Russian gas transit expiring on December 31 as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted last week Kyiv would not let Moscow “earn additional billions on our blood”. – Strong dependence – Russian gas accounted for less than 10 percent of the European Union’s gas imports in 2023. In 2021, a year before the invasion started, it made up over 40 percent. But eastern European EU members still depend largely on Russian gas for geographical and political reasons. EU and NATO members Hungary and Slovakia have maintained close ties with the Kremlin despite the invasion. Russia has been delivering gas to Europe by two routes since a series of underwater explosions in 2022 damaged the Nord Stream pipeline that carried gas to northern Germany via the Baltic Sea. The TurkStream pipeline under the Black Sea and its mainland extension Balkan Stream supply Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary. Supplies via Ukraine are based on a five-year contract signed by Ukraine’s Naftogaz and GTSOU pipeline operator with Russian giant Gazprom in 2019, which will now expire. Official data put gas volume transported by this route in 2023 at 14.65 billion cubic metres, slightly less than half of all Russian gas flowing into Europe. – Slovakia on the front line – Austria, which still bought 90 percent of its gas from Russia last summer, terminated its deal with Gazprom in December after six decades. “Austria has solved it by quasi cancelling the Russian contract, citing its past non-performance,” Andras Deak, an energy security expert at Ludovika University in Budapest, told AFP. Neighbouring Slovakia is “sticking to the long-term contract, which, if the Ukrainians cut off transit, will not be... fulfilled,” he added. Slovakia’s nationalist-leaning Prime Minister Robert Fico visited Moscow last weekend to discuss supplies, following a spat with Zelensky at an EU summit in Brussels. Zelensky then said Fico “wants to help Putin earn money to fund the war”. Besides geopolitical reasons, Bratislava prefers to import Russian gas “because it is cheaper”, said Alexander Duleba from the Slovak Foreign Policy Association. He said Gazprom paid for gas transit through Ukraine, but if Slovakia bought gas from other suppliers, it would have to pay for transit itself. SPP, a company supplying gas to 1.5 million Slovak households, said it could find other suppliers. But “any other alternative will be significantly more expensive”, its spokesman Ondrej Sebesta told AFP. He put the extra cost at 150 million euros ($156 million), mainly in transit fees. – Moldova on alert – Moldova is already bracing for energy cuts despite taking steps to diversify supplies. The former Soviet republic gets 70 percent of its electricity from the Cuciurgan power station based in the separatist region of Transnistria, which uses Russian gas imported via Ukraine. Moldova’s pro-European President Maia Sandu recently said that there are other transit routes bypassing Ukraine that Russia could use to deliver the gas. “But it seems that Gazprom is not ready to keep its contractual obligations,” she added. Sandu slammed the Kremlin’s “blackmail” possibly aimed at destabilising Moldova several months before a general election in 2025. Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries, declared a 60-day state of energy emergency in mid-December. It will have to buy power from neighbouring Romania and pay more. – Hungary almost safe – Unlike its neighbours, Hungary receives most Russian gas via TurkStream. It gets only a fragment via Ukraine and will not be hurt by Kyiv’s decision to block the supplies. But Prime Minister Viktor Orban said last week that “we don’t want to give up” this route because of the reasonable price. While Budapest leads talks with Kyiv and Moscow, Orban suggested his country might play a “trick” as it would buy Russian gas before it enters Ukraine. “Then what comes through Ukrainian territory will no longer be Russian gas, but Hungarian,” he added. Energy security expert Deak said that Hungary risks being “left as the last Gazprom client in the EU”. It will then face mounting “political pressure” from the EU to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, he added.EU universal charger rules come into force
Royal Canadian Navy considers dropping traditional marching song over diversity issues
The Education Department of Meghalaya has proposed an ambitious plan to introduce 5,000 additional smart classrooms in schools across the state. Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Saturday said that the proposal has been submitted to the central government, and the state is currently awaiting approval. Sangma stated that smart classrooms have already been implemented in several institutions, and the government views this as a critical step in modernizing education. Recognizing the importance of integrating technology into learning, the initiative aims to make education more interactive and accessible to students. Additionally, the state plans to introduce QR (Quick Response) code-enabled textbooks for Classes 10 to 12 in key subjects such as Science, Mathematics, and Social Science from the next academic session. These textbooks will provide students with access to video lessons and solved exercises, offering a comprehensive learning solution designed to reduce the need for external tuition. This dual initiative of smart classrooms and QR code-enabled textbooks is expected to significantly improve educational outcomes and bring innovative tools to the learning process for students in Meghalaya. Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Education Department has firmly opposed the unauthorized declaration of school holidays by educational institutions. In a major effort to streamline and enhance the quality of education, the Department has released a detailed set of guidelines for the 2025 academic year.Chandigarh: Amid the ongoing protest of the farmers at Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (KMM) leaders have written to President Droupadi Murmu seeking an appointment with her to discuss farmers issues. It may be recalled that a large number of farmers have been camping at the two borders named above under the aegis of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the KMM since February 13 last to press the Centre for their demands including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for the crops. They had also repeatedly attempted to take out their ``Delhi chalo’’ foot-march towards Delhi but were stopped by the Haryana police by lobbing teargas shells and using water cannons which left several farmers injured. The SKM leaders in their statement issued on Thursday said they had urged the President for an appointment at an early date and time convenient to her, to share with her farmers’ concerns on the precarious situation and the rising unrest among the farmers. VIDEO | Protesting farmers call for 'Punjab Bandh' on December 30; here's what Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on this. "The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and Samyukta Kisan Morcha have announced a Punjab Bandh on 30th December. Emergency services will continue, and... pic.twitter.com/sb7zQCn0Ea VIDEO | Here's what Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan ( @Sandhwan ) said after meeting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal at Khanauri border. "PM Modi should set aside his ego, follow his 'Raj Dharma' and talk to the farmers who are giving their lives for the country.... pic.twitter.com/01MXjtU3kX ``In the context of the deteriorating health condition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and on other pressing issues confronting farmers, farm workers and the agriculture sector, including the introduction of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, the farmers across the country has observed protest in districts across the country on 23rd December 2024 under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)’’, the SKM leaders' letter read. ``Farmers across the country from more than 500 districts had submitted Memorandum to you (through District Magistrates) soliciting your urgent intervention to facilitate discussion between the Union Government and all the farmer organisations on the long pending genuine demands, the neglect to which has led to the present situation’’, it added. Meanwhile, the health of Dallewal, 70, who is a cancer patient and who has been on a fast-unto-death at Khanuari border since November 26, calling on the Centre to address the farmers’ demands, continued to worsen.