The Montreal Canadiens received a bit of good news this week when their starting goaltender, Sam Montembeault was named to the Team Canada roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. Canada's roster for the #4Nations Face-Off is set! pic.twitter.com/9W9lw6LR40 However, like a bad soap opera, there is rarely a day without some kind of controversy around the Canadiens. This time, it is being stirred up from outside the city with questions swirling around why Montembeault was added to Team Canada. Yet, the 28-year-old goaltender does have the pedigree to warrant such a position. Team Canada Controversy During a podcast with Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now, NHL insider John Shannon said that he believes that Hockey Canada’s decision to include the Canadiens’ starter might have been politically motivated. His reasoning? That Hockey Canada is politically motivated and that because there was no representation from Quebec, they had to add one player to the roster to cover that region. While more than half of the games of the Four Nations Face-off tournament are scheduled to be played in Montreal, that doesn’t mean there was a need or any consideration that went into having a Montreal Canadiens on the roster. Even if it were, there was representation on Team Finland (Patrik Laine and Joel Armia) and Team Sweden (Canadiens’ 2024 seventh-round pick Rasmus Bergqvist). The host of the Edmonton-based podcast, David Staples, had argued against the selection due to the lack of star quality coming out of Quebec, despite some very good NHL talent currently available. Even arguing that Mackenzie Blackwood (San Jose Sharks) is a better selection, which is somewhat ironic as there was hope last season for the local Edmonton Oilers to trade for Montembeault to solidify their goaltending situation. However, the longstanding language issue seen in Quebec is likely why Shannon felt that this was a politically-motivated selection. That would likely be the only reason he would feel Hockey Canada would need to play politics to placate an entire region. It is true that the Canadiens are a cultural touchstone for the Quebec culture, that they are expected to represent the French language as well, and selecting a Quebec-born player from their roster would definitely check off all the boxes. Also, Canada is putting a team together they feel can win the mini best-on-best tournament, not to fulfil some language requirement. According to several well-placed sources, Montembeault’s selection being fill a political agenda is patently false. Canadiens Goaltender Earned Position Citing unnamed sources close to Hockey Canada, Marco D’Amico of RG.Org wrote that Montembeault’s French Canadian roots had nothing to do with his selection. “If this kid was from Ontario, he’d still be on the team. To watch people dissect this on the basis of politics is deflating for hockey and for that young man,” the source told RG.org. The same source highlighted the 28-year-old’s standout performance at the 2023 World Championships, where he posted an impressive .939 save percentage (SV%) and 1.42 goals against average (GAA), adding that Montembeault has been on the national side’s “radar for a while now”. That’s confirmation the position was earned, not gifted. Something that should be remembered is that Hockey Canada tends to pass over players who have turned down playing for them in the past. Darren Dreger confirmed this on TSN690 when discussing the fact Canadiens’ start forward Nick Suzuki didn’t even get a call about being left off the roster. One of the sources scoffed, stating that they had seen fans and media alike blaming Montembeault for why Montreal didn’t finish even lower in the standings last season. Of note is that he had performed at a high level in the most pressure-packed NHL environment, Montreal. The two Team Canada goaltenders selected above Montembeault are Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues) and Adin Hill (Vegas Golden Knights). Both have a .900 SV%, sport a 2.87 and 2.67 GAA respectively, and both are starters on better teams than the Canadiens at the moment. Likely also a major factor in the selections is that they are proven performers, having both won the Stanley Cup. As for Montembeault, who backstopped Canada to a World Championship gold medal in 2023, has got a .906 SV%, a 2.86 GAA, and a record of 8-10-2 in 20 games, which includes three shutouts, the latest one coming on the heels of his addition to the Team Canada Roster. He is the starter on a team in a full rebuild. Because of this, he has the youngest, and most inexperienced blueliners in front of him of the three, and has somehow found a way to equal or outperform them statistically. One statistic that can level the playing field somewhat among goaltenders is the goals saved above expected (GSAx). Hill is 11 th in the NHL with a 5.6 GSAx, Montembeault is 15 th in the NHL with a 5.1 GSAx. Lagging far behind them is Binnington with a 1.6 GSAx, placing him 32 nd . It does look as though he fits right in with them on stats, international experience. and winning pedigree. It’s hard to look at their numbers and state that Montembeault was less worthy than his two counterparts. This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.Special counsel moves to abandon election interference and classified documents cases against Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors have moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. In court filings on Monday, the prosecutors cited longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president who firmly won election this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. Israel launches new airstrikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to a ceasefire with Hezbollah BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes are hitting Lebanon with airstrikes as negotiations progress toward a ceasefire between the country and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants. Lebanon reported that at least 12 people were killed Monday as explosions lit up the sky and airstrikes hit targets in Beirut and Tyre, a southern port city. After about a year of exchanging low-level attacks across the Israel-Lebanon border with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli troops launched a ground invasion of Lebanon in October. More than 3,700 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced since. The fighting has amplified worries about direct conflict between Israel and Iran. International mediators are seeking to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to end the fighting. What's blocking a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah? BEIRUT (AP) — Diplomats and other officials say there have been several sticking points in ceasefire talks in the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, even as conditions for an agreement appear to be ripe. Israel’s military has killed nearly all of the militant group’s top leaders. Tens of thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from the border months ago are pressuring their government to go home. And the world wants to stop regional conflict from spreading after more than a year of fighting. But there remain sticking points over how Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the border area will be monitored and whether Israel will have freedom to strike the militants. Thanksgiving Travel Latest: Airport strike, staff shortages and weather could impact holiday travel Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike. Scuffles in Serbian parliament as deadly station collapse sparks anger at the government BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Scuffles and fistfights broke out between ruling party and opposition lawmakers in Serbia’s parliament on Monday over a deadly rail station roof collapse that has ignited tensions in the Balkan state. The opposition wanted to discuss who is responsible for the crash that killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad on Nov. 1. The collapse has fueled widespread anger toward the government and protests, becoming a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia’s authoritarian rule. Judge in LA pushes back decision on resentencing Menendez brothers until late January LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has pushed back to January his decision on whether to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion 35 years ago. The judge said he needed time to review 17 boxes of documents. Still he let the brothers' aunts take the stand. They both testified on their behalf as the brothers seek to have their 1989 convictions reexamined in the shotgun murders of their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez. They argued the convictions should be reexamined because of new evidence of sex abuse by the brothers' father. The brothers were sentenced to life without parole. Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to graphic cigarette warning labels WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to a federal requirement that cigarette packages and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking. The high court declined to hear the case in a brief written order handed down Monday. The warnings include pictures of smoke-damaged lungs and feet blackened by diminished blood flow. Nearly 120 countries around the world have already adopted graphic warning labels. It’s not clear when new labels might appear in the U.S., however. Some legal claims remain and the FDA has said it doesn’t plan to enforce any new requirements until December 2025. Russia reportedly captures a Briton fighting for Ukraine as Russian troops advance Reports say the Russian military has captured a Briton fighting with Ukrainian troops who have occupied part of Russia’s Kursk region. Russia also began launching daylight drone attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine and its ground forces accelerated gains along parts of the front line. Russian state news agency Tass says the captured fighter was in the British army for four years and then joined the International Legion of Ukraine, formed early on in the nearly 3-year-old war. On the battlefield, a think tank says Russian forces recently have gained ground at “a significantly quicker rate” than they did in the whole of last year. Judge rejects request to sideline a San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender A judge has rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she’s transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship in Las Vegas this week. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players who are suing the Mountain West Conference challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the presidential election, the upcoming marking of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the holiday season could be a boon for some - a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones, hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives, another chapter in a lifetime of memories.For others, though, that same scenario, particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign, is something to dread, with the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words and raised voices looming large.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Northern California was under a rare and brief tsunami warning alert Thursday that tested local emergency notification systems after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook part of the state. The National Weather Service canceled its alert after roughly an hour and before the tsunami was expected to arrive. In that hour, some cities and counties ordered evacuations while others relied on social media and text messages to inform people of the warning. Some people headed for higher ground, while others drove to the beach to get a better view. People took to social media to figure out why a warning was issued and then canceled so quickly, and how the NWS determines when to send alerts. Here are answers to more questions. What exactly is a tsunami? The word for tsunami comes from the Japanese characters for harbor and wave. It’s a series of extremely long waves set in motion when energy from an earthquake causes the ocean floor to suddenly rise or fall, according to the National Weather Service . RELATED COVERAGE USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus Alternative healer gets 10 years in UK prison for death of woman at slap therapy workshop In California’s ‘earthquake country,’ a 7.0 temblor prompts confusion and a tsunami warning How common are they in California? Since 1800, California’s shores have been struck by more than 150 tsunamis, most of them minor, according to the California Geological Survey. Phones buzzed Thursday when the National Weather Service issued its warning just minutes after the quake struck west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County. It read in part: “You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now.” Why was there an alert if there wasn’t a large tsunami? The National Weather Service Bay Area posted on the social platform X early Friday that the region doesn’t get tsunami alerts often and “there are lot of questions, frustration, and even some anger” about Thursday’s event. A warning alert is the most serious of four tsunami alerts, including a watch alert for a possible tsunami and an advisory alert telling people to stay out of the water and away from the shore. The last time California received a warning alert was 2011 when an earthquake in Japan caused about $100 million in damages along the California coast. Basically, a distant, offshore earthquake or other trigger event gives scientists more time to analyze data and confirm that a large tsunami was generated before sounding a warning. But Thursday’s earthquake was local and close to the coast, forcing a hasty high-level alert in order to give people the maximum time to prepare as tsunami waves can travel very fast, up to 500 mph (800 kph) in the deep ocean, the NWS wrote. “By the time we actually observe it, it may be too late, because it’s right there in our back doors,” said Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with NWS Bay Area, on Friday. Scientists used the time Thursday to monitor buoys and get more information on the earthquake itself, he said. They canceled the alert after seeing little sea-level change and determining the quake was a strike-slip type of temblor that shifts more horizontally and is less prone to cause tsunamis, he said. “These things happen so infrequently for us, I think it just caught a lot of people off-guard,” he said. How did Northern California respond? Authorities in Eureka, the biggest city in Humboldt County, sent texts and went door-to-door to order businesses in high-risk areas to evacuate, said City Manager Miles Slattery. He said only a small portion of the city was at risk, and Thursday’s test run showed evacuees need to work on leaving by foot, rather than by car. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the commuter light-rail system known as BART stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland for nearly an hour, and the San Francisco Zoo’s visitors were evacuated. Responses varied as fire and police in Berkeley evacuated certain areas of the city while in San Francisco, officials sent alerts and messages on social media telling residents to stay away from water, beaches, harbors, marina docks, and piers. “Move at least one block inland,” said the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. Emergency personnel in vehicles with public address systems also went to make sure no one was on beaches and other low-lying areas. But some critics said San Francisco should have sounded its loud emergency sirens, which have been off-line since 2019 for repairs. In San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, officials considered but decided against sounding its tsunami warning sirens after receiving more comprehensive information from the NWS that any tsunami would affect coastlines north of the Golden Gate Bridge, said Michelle Durand, a spokesperson for the county. Fire and police cleared the beaches while emergency personnel gathered to monitor the situation, she said, which “prioritized both public safety and the prevention of unnecessary panic.”
By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Related Articles Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70By KATE BRUMBACK ATLANTA (AP) — A judge is weighing whether a Georgia state Senate committee has the right to subpoena testimony and documents from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as it looks into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. The Republican-led committee sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify at its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. The committee was formed earlier this year to examine allegations of “various forms of misconduct” by Willis, an elected Democrat, during her prosecution of Trump and others over their efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss in Georgia. Willis’ attorney, former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, told Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram during a hearing Tuesday that although the Georgia General Assembly has subpoena power, that power is not automatically conferred on a single legislative chamber or its committees. Even if the committee did have such power, he argued, the subpoenas in question are overly broad and not related to a legitimate legislative need. Barnes said the focus on Willis and her investigation into Trump shows that the committee was politically motivated and not a legitimate inquiry into the practices of district attorneys’ offices: “What they were trying to do is chill the prosecution of Donald Trump and find out what they had.” Josh Belinfante, a lawyer representing the lawmakers, said there is nothing in the Georgia Constitution that prohibits the Senate from issuing a subpoena. The duly formed interim committee is looking into whether new legislation is needed to regulate the practices of district attorneys’ offices in the state, he argued. “They are investigating and making an inquiry into these allegations that may show that existing state laws, including those establishing the processes for selecting, hiring and compensating special assistant district attorneys, are inadequate,” Belinfante said. The resolution creating the committee focused in particular on Willis’ hiring of special prosecutor Nathan Wade , with whom she had a romantic relationship , to lead the prosecution against Trump and others. It says the relationship amounted to a “clear conflict of interest and a fraud upon the taxpayers” of the county and state. One of the committee’s subpoenas orders Wills to produce documents related to Wade, including documents related to his hiring and payment, documents related to money or items of value that Wade and Willis may have exchanged, text messages and emails between the two, and their phone records. The committee also requested any documents her office sent in response to requests from the U.S. House, as well as communications Willis and her office had with the White House, the U.S. Justice Department and the House relating to the 2020 presidential election. And they asked for documents related to federal grant money Willis’ office has received. Before the deadlines in the subpoenas, Willis challenged them in court. Willis’ challenge was pending in mid-September when she skipped a hearing during which the committee members had hoped to question her. In October, the committee asked Ingram to require Willis to comply with the subpoenas. The committee’s lawyers wrote in a court filing that Willis’ failure to do so had delayed its ability to finish its inquiry and to provide recommendations for any legislation or changes in appropriations that might result. Barnes also argued that once the regular legislative session has adjourned, which happened in March this year, legislative committees can meet to study issues and come up with recommendations but do not have the power to compel someone to appear or produce documents. Belinfante rejected that, saying the state Constitution expressly permits the creation of interim committees and allows them to make their rules. Even if these subpoenas were validly issued, Barnes argued, they ask for too much, including private and personal information that is not a legitimate target of a legislative subpoena. Belinfante said the lawmakers are simply trying to do their jobs. He asked that Willis be ordered to appear before the committee in early January. He also asked that she be ordered to provide the requested documents and explain what privilege justifies any that are excluded. With a glaring lack of state case law on the issue of the General Assembly’s subpoena power, that’s one issue Ingram will have to address. She said she will consider the arguments and release her order as soon as she can. Willis and Wade have acknowledged that they had a relationship but have said it began after he was hired and ended before the indictment against Trump was filed. Trump and other defendants argued that the relationship created a conflict of interest that should disqualify Willis and her office from continuing with her prosecution of the case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis’ actions showed a “tremendous lapse in judgment,” but he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He said she could continue her prosecution as long as Wade stepped aside, which he did. Trump and others have appealed that ruling to the Georgia Court of Appeals, and that appeal remains pending.
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NEW YORK (AP) -- President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional "disruptions to the institution of the Presidency." In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump's lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. "Wrongly continuing proceedings in this failed lawfare case disrupts President Trump's transition efforts," the attorneys continued, before citing the "overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024." Trump's lawyers also cited President Joe Biden's recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges. "President Biden asserted that his son was 'selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,' and 'treated differently,'" Trump's legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned." Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump's second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a "ridiculous suggestion." Following Trump's election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump's prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse the conviction, which involved efforts to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn't set a timetable for a decision. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump's historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump's parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, just before the 2016 presidential election, to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump's company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses - concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work.
NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans police arrested on Friday a man accused of killing two people during a large parade where two separate shootings within an hour left two dead and at least 10 wounded. Curtis Gray, 19, faces two counts of second-degree murder tied to the Nov. 17 shootings along a crowded parade route, according to a news release from the New Orleans Police Department. Gray allegedly fatally shot Rasean Carter, 21, and Malachi Jackson, 19, at the Almonaster Avenue Bridge, authorities say. Carter, an aspiring photographer who lived in Marrero just across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, had planned to document the Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club's annual outing and was accompanied by Jackson, his friend and uncle, Nola.com reported. The parade was part of New Orleans' long-running tradition of “second-lines” where revelers follow brass bands marching through the streets and has deep ties to the city's Black culture. The deaths of Carter and Jackson were among a series of recent lethal shootings in New Orleans. While most violence has been on the decline in the city since mid-2023 , there were three people killed and eight wounded in six shootings over the past weekend according to Nola.com . On Thursday, New Orleans police arrested two men, Darrell Fairley Jr., 18, and Cornelius G. Tillman, 19, in connection with a Nov. 30 double homicide in New Orleans East.Pakistan’s bond with South Asian nations is weakening despite shared cultural heritage and historical ties. The enduring India-Pakistan rivalry has also affected Pakistan’s relations with other South Asian countries, especially in areas like economic connectivity and people-to-people exchanges. One of the few positive connections remaining is the popularity of Pakistani TV dramas, which, thanks to social media and YouTube, continue to attract audiences across India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It remains to be seen how long the drama industry alone can sustain this cultural bridge amid escalating regional tensions. With no resolution in sight for the India-Pakistan conflict, Pakistan risks further isolating itself from South Asia. Pakistan’s regional connectivity remains limited, with flights only to Colombo and no links to other South Asian capitals. Meanwhile, Pakistan is fostering ties with Central Asia, where better flight connectivity signals economic opportunities. The Middle East is a key labour market and a cornerstone of its foreign relations. Pakistan maintains strong economic and political ties with the region despite the Gulf states’ growing alignment with India due to its rising global influence. For Pakistan’s elite and intelligentsia, the West is the West and always remains the primary focus, and no serious efforts have been made to explore alternatives or shift this orientation. The West dominates the global knowledge economy, reinforcing its appeal. However, China is emerging as a significant neighbour, with growing people-to-people exchanges and an increasing number of Pakistani students pursuing education there, alongside expanding trade relations. The extent of China’s influence on Pakistan’s sociocultural and political landscape still needs to be explored. How this influence shapes Pakistan’s middle- and lower-income classes, engaging with China through education and trade, remains to be seen. The impact of these evolving ties could bring significant transformations to the country’s socioeconomic fabric. However, disconnecting from South Asia would not be a simple path for Pakistan, as deep civilisational and cultural roots are not easily severed. Pakistanis living abroad often find themselves naturally associating with South Asians despite political tensions. Shared cultural elements, such as movies, dramas, music, and cricket, continue to forge bonds that are difficult to break. South Asia’s rich culinary heritage, while rapidly evolving through fusion, still captivates taste buds across the region and beyond. The region’s linguistic and ethnic diversity, while a source of political friction, also serves as a unique communication channel. It helps South Asians express shared experiences and contrasting narratives, in ways that reflect the region’s unity and complexity. It is often argued that Pakistan is distancing itself from its South Asian origins due to ideological and political motivations, with religious identity serving as a critical factor in aligning more closely with the Middle East and Central Asia. However, this rationale does not hold in the case of Pakistan’s relations with China or the West. If faith were the defining factor, it is worth noting that South Asia itself is home to a larger population of Muslims, particularly in India, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, than many of the regions Pakistan seeks to align with. These South Asian nations and their Muslim communities maintain stronger people-to-people ties and cultural integration – ties that Pakistan increasingly lacks due to limited communication and interaction. This disconnect has fostered misperceptions about Pakistan in the region. Despite this, there remains a deep affection for Pakistani culture, sustained by shared traditions and the continued popularity of its dramas, music, and cricket. These cultural elements act as bridges, preserving a sense of connection between Pakistan and its South Asian neighbours, even amidst political and ideological divides. Pakistan’s strained relations with India drive its detachment from South Asia. India’s strategy of exerting diplomatic and political pressure on Pakistan to isolate it regionally has compelled Pakistan to seek alternatives beyond South Asia. Geographically, Pakistan shares no borders with its western South Asian neighbours apart from India, and when tensions escalate between the two nations, they inevitably impact Pakistan’s relations with other South Asian countries. From Pakistan’s perspective, diplomatic and political engagement with South Asia, excluding India, yields limited returns compared to its investments in the Middle East and, more recently, in Central Asia. The Middle East remains a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy due to economic ties and labour market opportunities, while Central Asia offers new avenues for trade and connectivity. This strategic shift reflects Pakistan’s prioritisation of regions where it perceives more significant economic and political dividends, even as its links to South Asia continue to erode under the weight of unresolved conflicts with India. There is a prevailing perception in Pakistan that western South Asia is heavily influenced by India, leaving limited scope for fostering meaningful political and economic relationships with countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. The political landscape of South Asia is complex and often influenced by regime changes, which can significantly alter the dynamics of regional engagement. A recent example is Bangladesh, where the exit of Sheikh Hasina’s government poses challenges for India while presenting an opportunity for Pakistan to rebuild and strengthen its ties with Bangladesh. Such shifts highlight the fluidity of regional politics and the potential for Pakistan to recalibrate its relationships despite India’s overarching influence in the region. Pakistan should prioritise South Asia in its core external policies for the future and avoid falling into India’s trap of curtailing its regional ties. India’s arrogance and irrational approach towards Pakistan are evident on the global stage. A recent example is its controversial decision not to send its cricket team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy – a move widely criticised within the South Asian region. Pakistan’s leadership acknowledges the need to ease tensions with India and has consistently expressed a willingness to resume dialogue. However, India has yet to reciprocate these efforts. Pakistan, along with other South Asian nations, could collectively pressure India to reconsider its stance towards its neighbours and adopt a more constructive approach, but for this purpose, Pakistan would have to take up the tasks that the Pakistani dramas have taken up. The writer is a security analyst. This article was first published on Dawn.com .
By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70
Political analyst Mark Halperin expressed doubt on Tuesday about Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom launching a 2028 presidential campaign. Newsom holds 7% support among Democratic 2028 primary voters for who they would like to be their party’s presidential nominee in 2028, trailing only Vice President Kamala Harris , who is at 37%, according to a November Emerson College poll. However, Halperin , on “American Agenda,” suggested Newsom may lack both the ambition and circumstances necessary to mount a White House bid. (RELATED: MSNBC Reporter Says Undecided Voter Chose Trump Over Harris Because She Didn’t Go On Joe Rogan Podcast) WATCH: “A lot of what Democrats want to see is someone who will be tough and take the fight directly to [President-elect] Donald Trump in a telegenic way ... I think objectively he has some of those skills. I will say, I continue to believe people overstate his willingness to make the personal sacrifices to run for president,” Halperin said. “And also running for president from California geographically in the space time continuum is not easy to do. And again, I think if you combine that with the personal challenges, I think people, again, are overstating the likelihood that he’ll be a major player in ’28.” “He’s got young kids. He’s got a wife who, by all accounts, is not super enthusiastic about this ... I think it’s an under-discussed reality that a lot of the governors, including Governor Newsom, who are talked about as potential ’28 candidates ... they’re just more ambivalent,” he added. “They don’t have the drive. Most people I know who run for president effectively wake up every morning and say, what are the 10 things I need to do today to increase my chances of winning? And if one of them is chew through handcuffs, they’ll do it. I just don’t get the sense that that’s where Gavin Newsom’s head is at.” Halperin recently asserted on “ The Morning Meeting ” that Vice President-elect JD Vance’s willingness to conduct interviews across a variety of platforms gives him “a huge advantage” over other possible 2028 presidential contenders. “I think one of the smartest things JD Vance could do to consolidate his position ... is to go on those shows regularly. He can do it. He can develop personal relationships with those people, and people in the media, contrary to popular perception, are human beings,” Halperin said. “And if the vice president of the United States is stopping by your podcast every month and giving you time, you’re gonna be favorably disposed towards that person.” However, former CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza also recently speculated about the possibility of Donald Trump Jr. running for the White House in 2028, suggesting he could inherit his father’s “political movement” rather than Vance. “Look, I just think there will be an attempt at some point to hand off Trumpism, and Donald Trump will want to be in control of that handoff,” Cillizza said. “And the fact that his eldest son is standing right there, is someone who has shown that he gets the MAGA base in a way very few Republicans do, who has shown that he, in his own right, is extremely popular online, who gets the kind of social media trolling that goes hand in hand with being a Trump supporter, that he is related by blood to Donald Trump — these are all things that I think you cannot rule out Don Jr. of running in 2028.” All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024 and launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam here on Monday. The ICA Global Cooperative Conference and the ICA General Assembly are being organised in India for the first time in the 130-year-long history of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), the premier body for the global cooperative movement. The global conference, hosted by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), in collaboration with the ICA, the Government of India and Indian cooperatives AMUL and KRIBHCO, will be held from November 25 to November 30. Modi will inaugurate the ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024 and launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam at around 3 pm on Monday. The theme of the conference -- "Cooperatives Build Prosperity for All" -- aligns with the government's vision of "Sahkar Se Samriddhi" (prosperity through cooperation), according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The event will feature discussions, panel sessions and workshops, addressing the challenges and opportunities faced by cooperatives worldwide in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas such as poverty alleviation, gender equality and sustainable economic growth. The prime minister will also launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025, which will focus on the theme, "Cooperatives Build a Better World", underscoring the transformative role cooperatives play in promoting social inclusion, economic empowerment and sustainable development. The UN SDGs recognise cooperatives as crucial drivers of sustainable development, particularly in reducing inequality, promoting decent work and alleviating poverty, the statement said. The year 2025 will be a global initiative aimed at showcasing the power of cooperative enterprises in addressing the world's most pressing challenges, it said. Modi will also launch a commemorative postal stamp, symbolising India's commitment to the cooperative movement. The stamp showcases a lotus, symbolising peace, strength, resilience and growth, reflecting the cooperative values of sustainability and community development. The five petals of the lotus represent the five elements of nature ("Panchatatva"), highlighting cooperatives' commitment to environmental, social and economic sustainability. The design also incorporates sectors like agriculture, dairy, fisheries, consumer cooperatives and housing, with a drone symbolising the role of modern technology in agriculture. Prime Minister of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji Manoa Kamikamica and around 3,000 delegates from more than 100 countries will also be present, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)