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roulette 747 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he was caught off guard by reports early Tuesday that linebacker Shaq Barrett wants to unretire. The two-time Super Bowl winner signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in March, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media in July, just days before the start of Miami's training camp. “Just to be candid, obviously there's a reason why you target and sign somebody," McDaniel said Tuesday afternoon. “I was fully caught off guard, or caught by surprise this morning as I found out.” McDaniel indicated the Dolphins have not had any conversations with Barrett recently. Miami holds the 32-year-old’s contractual rights. ESPN first reported the news. “It was kind of news as you guys got it,” McDaniel said. He also said he hasn't had a chance to think about Barrett potentially rejoining the team, and that his immediate focus is on Miami's Thursday night game at Green Bay. “The team is counting on me to think about the Packers,” he said. "I'll get with (GM) Chris (Grier), and we'll work through that. There's a ton of implications that go along with it in terms of team and roster stuff, so we'll work through that as we just got the news today.” Barrett has 400 tackles, 59 sacks, 22 forced fumbles and three interceptions in nine seasons — four with Denver and five with Tampa Bay. He was a second-team All-Pro with the Buccaneers in 2019, with a league-high 19 1/2 sacks. The Dolphins waived veteran safety Marcus Maye on Tuesday and activated rookie safety Patrick McMorris from injured reserve. Maye, who signed with the Dolphins in June, played in 11 games with three starts for Miami this season. He had 30 tackles and a tackle for loss. He could re-sign to the team's practice squad if he clears waivers. Maye previously played for New Orleans, but was cut in a money-saving move in March after two seasons with the Saints. Maye's release made room on the roster for McMorris, who was drafted in the sixth round by Miami in April. He began the season on injured reserve because of a calf injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflBath City Council member Louis “Roo” Dunn (right) asks questions about the city’s climate resiliency plan, which unanimously passed at the special City Council meeting Wednesday, Nov. 20. Paul Bagnall / The Times Record Bath City Council has approved a new climate action plan aimed at resiliency in the face of a changing climate. City councilors unanimously passed the Bath Climate Action and Resiliency Plan Wednesday night. Bath Climate Action Commission Co-Chairperson Paul Perkins, who has held the role for the past four years, spoke in support of the climate action plan at the City Council meeting. During the meeting, Director of Sustainability and Environment Rod Melanson said that for the past eight months, the city’s Office of Sustainability and Environment has developed the plan and received community feedback. “I want to recognize the huge body of work that’s done by staff, community volunteers, and community membership,” said City Councilor Louis “Roo” Dunn. “It shows it’s a genuine product of participatory government.” The key initiatives of the plan include a renewable energy transition, such as solar and wind power for municipal facilities and the community, as well as energy-efficiency programs. These programs aim to implement energy-saving measures in municipal buildings while providing resources to help Bath residents and businesses improve their buildings. Other initiatives include enhancing public transit, promoting electric vehicles, developing safer pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and assessing and strengthening the city’s infrastructure to withstand the effects of rising sea levels and increased storm frequency and intensity. Finally, the plan dictates that community engagement should be used to encourage the involvement of all residents by hosting workshops and calls for participation in sustainability initiatives. Along with the initiatives are the five guiding principles to help shape the planning process and establish priorities for implementing the Resilient Bath Plan: • Reducing greenhouse gases. • Addressing challenges disproportionately affecting underrepresented communities. • Proactively reducing current and future economic impacts due to climate shocks and stressors. • Ensuring honest transparency around the allocation of Bath’s resources. • Increasing the capacity of social, economic and natural systems. The actions identified for each focus area are clean energy and efficient buildings, resilient and healthy communities, connected transportation and mobility, vibrant natural resources, and smart waste and water management. Implementing these focus areas is intended to be completed within the next five to 10 years to put Bath on the pathway to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Bath Director of Sustainability and Environment Rod Melanson speaks briefly about the pathway and work that went into the climate action plan while answering questions from City Council members. Paul Bagnall / The Times Record The plan also highlights an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 through transforming buildings, transportation and industrial systems to be as clean and energy efficient as possible. In 2022, Bath generated 87,656 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, with 27% from residential buildings, 12% from commercial buildings, 40% from industrial energy, 19% from transportation, 2% from solid waste, and 1% from water and wastewater. “As I think most of us are aware, although that’s questionable recently, the science of climate change tells us that climate indicators are headed in the wrong direction,” Perkins said. “Globally, the 10 hottest years are the last 10 years, [with] 2023 being the hottest and 2024 likely to be even hotter.” During the City Council special meeting, Perkins said the climate action plan has been greatly expanded and updated from earlier climate plans in 2008 and 2018, which resulted from extensive research and community engagement. The climate action plan will become a living document that has been amended and expanded over the years as climate science unfolds. It is based on the best available climate science from Maine’s scientific community and the national and global climate community. “As Paul was indicating, this is really a living document that lives with the community,” said Bath City Council Chairperson Mary Ellen Bell. The Climate Action Commission follows up the Resiliency Plan on a 2022 City Council Climate Resolution, a major goal of the 2023 Comprehensive Plan focusing on climate action. Perkins said the commission’s recent unanimous endorsement of the climate action plan pushed it forward to be approved by Bath’s City Council. Before Bath’s climate action plan passage, Dunn mentioned that most community members were not in a position to shift to climate solutions immediately, and the current granting opportunities and rebates may not survive the next four years as the legislative environment changes. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. donors gave $3.6 billion on Tuesday, an increase from the past two years, according to estimates from the nonprofit GivingTuesday . The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, now known as GivingTuesday, has become a major day for nonprofits to fundraise and otherwise engage their supporters each year, since the 92nd St Y in New York started it as a hashtag in 2012. GivingTuesday has since become an independent nonprofit that connects a worldwide network of leaders and organizations who promote giving in their communities. “This just really shows the generosity, the willingness of American citizens to show up, particularly collectively,” said Asha Curran, CEO of the nonprofit GivingTuesday. “We are just seeing the power of collective action and particularly collective giving over and over and over again.” This year, about 18.5 million people donated to nonprofits and another 9.2 million people volunteered, according to GivingTuesday's estimates. Both the number of donors and the number of volunteers increased by 4% from the group's 2023 estimates. “For us, it’s not just about the number of dollars," Curran said. "It’s about the number of people who feel like they have agency over the way their communities progress forward into the future.” The nonprofit GivingTuesday estimates the amount of money and goods donated and the number of participants using data from donor management software companies, donation platforms, payment processors and donor-advised funds. Curran said they are purposely conservative in their calculations. Nonprofits in the U.S. raised $3.1 billion in both 2022 and 2023 on GivingTuesday. That mirrored larger giving trends where the overall amount of donations dropped in 2022 and mostly held steady in 2023 after accounting for inflation. It’s never easy to predict current giving trends, but Una Osili, associate dean at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, said there were economic forces pushing in both directions. “At the very same time, there’s a lot of uncertainty, especially around prices, the cost of living, the supermarket toll that people are expecting to continue even though inflation has moderated,” she said. Donating or volunteering with nonprofits aren't the only ways people participate in their communities. Many give to crowdfunding campaigns , political causes or support people directly in their networks. But tracking charitable donations is one way that researchers use to understand people's civic engagement. “This country is undeniably in a lot of pain and very divided right now,” Curran said. “And so to have a day that felt as hopeful and as optimistic as yesterday did, I’m sure was not only comforting to me, but to many, many millions of people.” Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy .The US brokerage industry saw its first disruption in decades when Robinhood pioneered commission-free trading in 2013. NEW YORK - Robinhood Markets will expand into Asia next year, with its local headquarters to be in Singapore, chief executive officer Vlad Tenev said. “We plan to be serving customers across Asia soon,” Mr Tenev said on Dec 4 at the firm’s investor day in New York. The global expansion announcement comes on the heels of the US-based company entering the UK this year, offering some though not all of its trademark services to those customers. Mr Tenev also said the retail brokerage will expand its contracts offerings linked to specific events - potentially even to sports competitions - building on the firm’s success with those tied to this year’s US presidential race. Long dominated by high-profile names like Vanguard, Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments, the US brokerage industry saw its first disruption in decades when Robinhood pioneered commission-free trading in 2013. It has been credited with bringing change to the US stock market industry by making trading of certain stocks and exchange-traded funds accessible by app 24 hours a day, five days a week. The 11-year-old trading app, which became synonymous with mom-and-pop investors in 2021, is now seeking to mature into a full-fledged financial services provider and compete with established brokerages that serve institutional investors. The company had 11.8 million monthly active users and 1.98 million premium customers, as of June 30. Robinhood’s shares climbed 3.5 per cent to $40 in New York on Dec 4. They have more than tripled this year. BLOOMBERG, REUTERS Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

LONDON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - KfW (KFW.UL) will provide a 24 billion euro ($25 billion) loan to help develop a future hydrogen network in Germany, the state lender told Reuters, at a time when companies have warned that the technology will take longer than expected to take off. Germany is betting on hydrogen, which can be used in part to replace natural gas, as it seeks to decarbonise the economy and find ways to absorb intermittent renewable supplies into the power grid. A core 9,040-kilometer network for hydrogen, to be built by 2032, is an essential part of the planned shift to the fuel. While existing natural gas pipelines will make up 60% of the network -- connecting ports, industry, storage facilities and power plants -- their operators and owners will still have to shoulder billions of euros in investments to either retrofit lines for hydrogen or build new ones. In order to keep user fees for the network at an acceptable level, KfW will compensate operators via a so-called amortisation account, with plans to have the costs paid back by 2055, KfW said. As revenue from network fees increase in the future, surplus income will be redirected to the amortization account, facilitating gradual repayment of the loan, KfW added. If the amortization account is not balanced by the planned end of the hydrogen ramp-up in 2055, the federal government will assume 76% of the risk with the remaining 24% to be borne by the core network operators. KfW's announcement comes amid growing scepticism among German companies about whether Berlin's plans to rely more heavily on hydrogen to cut emissions are realistic and affordable. In September, Norway's Equinor (EQNR.OL) , opens new tab scrapped plans to export hydrogen to Germany, citing high costs and insufficient demand. Earlier this month, German state-owned utility Uniper (UN0k.DE) , opens new tab warned it was likely to slow down a planned 8 billion-euro investment in cleaner fuels amid slower than expected demand for hydrogen from industry. ($1 = 0.9514 euros) Sign up here. Reporting by Christoph Steitz; Writing by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Bernadette Baum Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tabProvidence, Oklahoma hope key players are back in Bahamas24th annual Bell Capital Cup returns to arenas across Ottawa

ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, ex-defense minister and a Hamas leaderIssa brothers closing in on £13bn New York listing

Zimbabwe is exploring the possibility of generating electricity at multiple points along the Zambezi River, using the same water at different points as it flows down, instead of relying solely on the Kariba Dam, a Cabinet Minister has said. Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo told delegates at the ongoing Zimbabwe-Zambia Energy Projects Summit about Harare's intentions. He said Zimbabwe envisions universal access to modern, reliable, and affordable energy services, while promoting economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability. "As we gather here today, our two countries share a very important resource, which is the Zambezi River. Of greater importance is the potential of power generation that lies along the river," said Minister Moyo. "To date, we have managed to harness the hydropower of the waters at the Kariba Dam, which is our largest. This resource has been hard hit by the effects of climate change which has resulted in less rainfall in Zambia and Zimbabwe," said the Minister. Because of the droughts, the hydropower plants in Kariba Dam have been operating below capacity, but the Zambezi River, on its course, still has immense potential. "We can use the same water to generate power on multiple points along the river's length and thus fully use the hydropower resource. I would encourage you all to explore the possibility of investing in the potential of the river," said Minister Moyo. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Zimbabwe Water Submit By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. _ready.push(function($) {if ( ! loadjs.isDefined( 'newsletter-signup-assets' ) ) { loadjs( ["https://cdn01.allafrica.com/static/js/jquery/jquery.serialize-object.min.js?v=2024110900","https://cdn05.allafrica.com/static/js/newsletter-signup.min.js?v=2024110900","https://cdn05.allafrica.com/static/css/newsletter-signup.min.css?v=2024110900"], 'newsletter-signup-assets', { async: true, });} // the newsletter widget calls storageAllowed(), which is imported with // the cmp bundle. passing an array of bundle names to loadjs triggers // the callback only after all of the listed bundles have fired. loadjs.ready( [ 'cmp', 'js-cookie', 'events', 'newsletter-signup-assets' ], function() { $('.newsletter-signup.inread.collapse.w-background.w-background-color.blue').newsletterInRead({ maxShowCount: 10, maxCloseCount: 3, maxSuccessCount: 1, alternateCallback: function() { activateAdSenseSlots( [ 'responsive-aans-view-b-container' ] ); }, }); }); }); He said Zimbabwe is an attractive investment destination, leveraging innovative and profitable renewable energy solutions. Minister Moyo said Government is focusing on expanding solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy capacity to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. He also called for increased energy access through enhancing electrification rates, particularly in rural areas. "We recognise the critical role of the private sector in driving energy development and invite investors to partner with us in unlocking Zimbabwe's energy potential," said Minister Moyo. "Together, let us harness the power of renewable energy to fuel our economic growth, improve livelihoods, and protect our environment. We also intend to ensure that all appliances bought, built and used in the country, adhere to minimum energy performance standards as stipulated by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe." All these policies, said the Minister, support the country's National Energy Policy of 2012 which is currently under review. Read the original article on The Herald .Daily Post Nigeria Falana SAN ya nemi diyyar mutanen da su ka rasu a turmutsitsi Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Hausa Falana SAN ya nemi diyyar mutanen da su ka rasu a turmutsitsi Published on December 27, 2024 By Kabeer Bello Lauyan nan mai fafutukar kare hakkin dan Adam Femi Falana SAN ya bukaci Gwamnatin Tarayya da ta biya diyya ga iyalan wadanda suka rasa rayukansu a hatsarin da ya faru kwanan nan a sassan kasar. Mr. Falana ya bayyana hakan ne a ranar Juma’a a Akure, yayin wani shiri da Gwamnatin Jihar Ondo ta shirya mai suna Akeredolu Leadership Lecture Series don karrama marigayi tsohon gwamnanan jihar Rotimi Akeredolu. Kamfanin Dillancin Labarai na Najeriya (NAN) ya ruwaito cewa taken taron ya kasance: Gyaran Fannin Tsaro Wajen Inganta Zaman Lafiya, Kwanciyar Hankali da Ci gaba; a Jihar Ondo. Mr. Falana ya zargi ‘yan sandan Najeriya da rashin kulawa da ya kai ga hatsarin da ya faru a Ibadan, Anambra, da Abuja, inda sama da mutum 65 suka rasa rayukansu a yayin karbar tallafi. A cewarsa, ‘yan sanda sun kasa samar da isasshen tsaro ga jama’a yayin tarukan. “Rashin tsaro ne ya haifar da wannan asarar rayuka, ba talauci ba,” in ji lauyan. “Idan akwai wani tsari ko taro, wajibi ne ‘yan sanda su samar da tsaro,” ya kara da cewa. Mr. Falana ya ce Jihar Ondo ta zama abin koyi ga sauran jihohin kasar wajen tabbatar da zaman lafiya, ta hanyar kafa Ondo State Security Network, wanda aka fi sani da Amotekun, a karkashin jagorancin Akeredolu. Related Topics: Bola Tinubu Femi Falana SAN Oyo Don't Miss Kotu ta yi martani ga boren wasu lauyoyi a Kano You may like Makiyaya sun nemi daukin gwamnati a Kano Gwamnan Bauchi ya ce kudirin haraji zai jawo babbar matsala ga Arewa Resist any attempt to divide Oyo residents along religious line – Makinde begs Muslim leaders Alkali ya tura wadanda su ka shirya taron Ibadan zuwa gidan yari Tinubu blames Abuja, Oyo, Anambra stampedes on organisers’ error Yan jima kadan Tinubu zai tattauna da ‘yan jarida kai tsaye Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 18 points as Temple beat Buffalo 91-71 on Sunday. Mashburn shot 6 for 10 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Owls (8-5). Zion Stanford scored 15 points while going 4 of 9 and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. Quante Berry had 15 points and shot 7 of 8 from the field and 0 for 4 from the foul line. The Bulls (5-7) were led by Tyson Dunn, who posted 11 points and four assists. Anquan Boldin Jr. added 11 points and three steals for Buffalo. Noah Batchelor also had nine points and six rebounds. Temple took the lead with 5:38 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 39-29 at halftime, with Shane Dezonie racking up seven points. Temple outscored Buffalo in the second half by 10 points, with Mashburn scoring a team-high 13 points after intermission. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Qatar tribune Agencies Investors are expecting more gains for the US stock market in 2025 after two straight standout years, fueled by a solid economy supporting corporate profits, moderating interest rates and pro-growth policies from incoming president Donald Trump. The benchmark S&P 500 up over 23 percent year-to-date, even with a recent speed bump, and is on pace for its second straight year of gains exceeding 20 percent, lifted by megacap tech stocks and excitement over the business potential of artificial intelligence. Investors are more confident about the economy than this time a year ago, with consumers and businesses having absorbed higher interest rates and the Federal Reserve now lowering them - albeit by not as much as hoped. Corporate profits are also expected to be strong, with S&P 500 earnings projected to rise 14 percent in 2025, according to LSEG IBES. On the other side of the ledger, inflation remains stubborn, and Wall Street is wary of a rebound that could lead the Fed to change course on its easing cycle. Indeed, stocks pulled back sharply on Wednesday after the central bank projected fewer rate cuts next year as it braced for firmer inflation. Such prospects could become more likely if Trump implements tariffs on US imports that lead to higher consumer prices. Stock valuations, meanwhile, are around their steepest levels in more than three years, leaving greater potential for turbulence. “We’ve been on quite the tear coming off the lows back at the end of 2022. It’s been pretty eye-watering,” said Garrett Melson, portfolio strategist at Natixis Investment Managers. “Animal spirits... are certainly running pretty wild right now, but you might need to temper that a little bit as you start to move through the year,” said Melson, who thinks the stock market could still produce solid gains of around 10 percent in 2025 if not the returns of the prior two years. Wall Street firms are mostly projecting gains for the market next year, with S&P 500 year-end targets ranging from 6,000 to 7,000. The index was last hovering around 5,900. Optimistic investors can point to a bull market that is neither old nor over-extended, by historic measures. The current bull market for the S&P 500 that began in October 2022 is less than half as long as the average length of the 10 prior ones, according to Keith Lerner, co-chief investment officer at Truist Advisory Services. The S&P 500’s roughly 64 percent gain during this latest run trails the 108 percent median gain and 184 percent average rise of the prior bull markets, according to Lerner. “If you zoom out a little bit, yes, we have a lot of gains, but if you look at a typical bull market, it suggests that we still have further gains to go,” Lerner said. Other historic signs also bode well. The S&P 500 has gained an average of 12.3 percent following the eight instances of back-to-back 20 percent annual gains since 1950, according to Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, compared to a 9.3 percent overall average increase over that time. The index increased six of the eight times. Bolstering the upbeat sentiment is the prevailing sense on Wall Street that the economy has weathered the rate hikes the Fed implemented starting in 2022 to quell inflation. A Natixis Investment Managers survey conducted in recent weeks found 73 percent of institutional investors said the US will avoid a recession in 2025. That’s a sharp turnaround from a year ago, when 62 percent projected such a downturn in the coming year. Citigroup’s economic surprise index, which measures how economic data performs versus expectations, has been solidly positive for the past two months, another rosy sign for investors. Adding to expectations of a solid economy, Trump is expected to pursue an agenda that includes tax cuts and deregulation that supports growth. “We’re leaving 2024 on pretty good footing, and we think there is some re-acceleration in 2025,” said Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “Markets tend to front-run the economy, so they will position for that economic re-acceleration sooner rather than later.” However, stocks are also leaving 2024 at elevated valuations: The S&P 500 is trading at nearly 22 times expected earnings over the next 12 months, according to LSEG. That is well above its long-term average of 15.8, and not far from the 22.6 level it reached earlier this month, its highest since early 2021. Investors maintain that valuations can stay high for long periods and do not necessarily indicate imminent declines. But future gains may rest more on earnings growth, while higher valuations could make stocks more easily rattled by any disappointments. Risks include policy uncertainty such as Trump’s expected push to raise tariffs on imports from China and other trading partners, which analysts estimate could hurt corporate profits. Higher tariffs could also increase inflation, which is another worry for investors. The pace of inflation has fallen dramatically since hitting 40-year highs in 2022, but remains above the Fed’s 2 percent target. The latest reading of the consumer price index found a 2.7 percent annual inflation rate. “How low we can get rates is really going to be dependent on how low we can get inflation,” said Michael Reynolds, vice president of investment strategy at Glenmede. “If we see inflation settling out to the 3-ish percent range, we think the Fed’s not going to be as aggressive next year.” Glenmede is recommending investors take a neutral posture on overall portfolio risk, including for equities. “Investors should be what I would call cautiously optimistic,” Reynolds said. “We ... have an economy that’s showing signs of late-stage expansion alongside valuations that are pretty rich.” Copy 30/12/2024 10

Travelers may face yet another 'tourist tax' when visiting certain citiesMillionaires Are Increasingly Renting Palatial Homes Instead of Buying – Here's Why

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sara Puckett had 17 points and Ruby Whitehorn scored 16 as No. 15 Tennessee walloped Winthrop 112-50 on Sunday, earning the Lady Volunteers the seventh 12-0 start to a season in program history. Puckett made 6 of 10 shots with a 3-pointer and all four of her free throws, adding eight rebounds for Tennessee, which is unbeaten through 12 games in its first season under head coach Kim Caldwell — and for just the second time in the past 19 seasons. Whitehorn made 7 of 13 from the floor and both of her foul shots. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Godaddy chief accounting officer sells $151,409 in stock

Michelle Obama slammed for gloomy New Year's message as Trump prepares to take office By KELLY GARINO FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:48, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 21:48, 27 December 2024 e-mail View comments Michelle Obama was heavily criticized for a New Year's message shared with her followers just weeks ahead of Donald Trump 's return to the Oval Office. The former first lady took to Instagram on Friday afternoon with a minute-and-a-half-long video message wishing her followers a happy holiday season as 2024 officially comes to a close. But the internet wasn't so keen about her words of encouragement for the American people. The video, which has amassed hundreds of comments within just the first three hours of being posted, showed the former first lady against a white background as she began to address the lens. 'Happy holidays!' she gleefully began. She then took a few moments to speak of the year just ahead - and how the nation may be feeling about the near future. 'I know it's been a difficult few months for so many of us - and folks are feeling a little bit anxious and uncertain,' she said. 'But even during these tough times, there are plenty of reasons to stay hopeful.' Former First Lady Michelle Obama was heavily criticized for a New Year's message she shared to Instagram early Friday afternoon after she wished her followers a happy holiday season and spoke of the uncertain year ahead of the country The video message, which has amassed hundreds of comments within the first three hours of being posted, was filled with comments of people who believe it was a dig at Trump's landslide presidential victory and official return to the Oval Office in just a few weeks The former first lady then spoke of the hope she personally sees through the people she works with through the Obama Foundation. 'I wanted to share some reflections on the work the Obama Foundation is doing to lift up the young change-makers around the world,' she captioned the video. 'Take a look.' The rest of the clips showcased all different kinds of people - including her husband, Former President Barack Obama - and some of the work they have done throughout the last 12 months. This included the construction of the Obama Presidential Center being built in the south side of Chicago. But many thought her 'gloomy' message to the internet was taking aim at Trump's landslide victory over Kamala Harris in the presidential election just last month. And hundreds of viewers flooded the comments with their own opinions on what's in store for 2025. 'Twenty-four more days and we are out of this nightmare you and your husband created for the American people!' one commenter wrote. Another agreed, adding: 'What a joke. Trump can hopefully fix the mess your husband has gotten this country into. The subway in your video, how ironic.' 'It has not been difficult for most of us! Most of us voted for Trump!' wrote another. 'We are good!' Another comment read: 'The only sad person is you and your butt buddy Obama.' 'I am so happy Donald Trump won and life will go back to normal,' one person wrote. 'The homeless needed and New York City people are on the street and all you did was put the money in your pockets.' 'Thank God that Donald Trump won, they’ll be no kids unfed fed,' the same person added. 'Boys will be boys girls would be girls.' 'You’re showing a building that you put up but what about the people that are starving and their dying on the street what about our safety? What about our lives? What about everything? Why don’t you worry about that for a change?' they continued. 'We are so happy that Donald Trump is in the office because we’ll all be equal.' Read More Michelle Obama slams Trump for portraying Harris as a 'bimbo' in fiery plea for voters to dump him Others were quick to agree with the long-written statement - noting how she should be happy Trump will be returning to the White House in January. Some comments also questioned how she could be nervous about the next four years without taking a step back to look at how the last four played out. The Obama couple got increasingly involved in the 2024 race and hit the campaign trail for Kamala Harris in the final weeks leading up to November 5. At a Harris campaign three days before the election, the former first lady gave a speech in Pennsylvania where she hyped the vice president and urged people to get out and vote while slamming Donald Trump - all without once uttering his name. She argued that in America 'we rise more than we fall' but warned of those who are trying to tell another story about the country. She noted how during dark and difficult times, the country needs someone who will 'connect with people's pain and address the systemic issues at their root, not leaders who stoke our fears and focus our fury on one another.' 'Once you open up that gasoline can, once you wink at hate and make it normal to call somebody a bimbo, or low IQ or human scum, look, you cannot control how fast or far that fire of hate will spread,' she warned, referring to some of the names Trump and allies have called Harris. The former first lady got increasingly involved in the 2024 race and hit the campaign trail for Harris in the final weeks leading up to November 5 A few days after the election last month, the Obama's put out a joint statement on X following Trump's presidential victory - congratulating him while also acknowledging that 'this is obviously not the outcome we hoped for' 'All of a sudden someone feels emboldened to say that our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico come from an "island of garbage,"' she continued, noting the ex-president's rally in New York City where a comedian made a racist joke about the territory. She also referred to Trump as a conman, a small man trying to make himself feel big, and Kamala's opponent, but she did not mention him by name. But just days after the election, the Obamas finally broke their silence on Trump's victory , congratulating the president-elect while also acknowledging that 'this is obviously not the outcome we hoped for.' The joint statement from Barack and Michelle Obama noted that 'America is not immune' to having an electorate that reacts accordingly to the conditions of the country, which ultimately led to sweeping victories for Republicans across the country and in national and state-wide races. 'America has been through a lot over the last few years,' the former first couple wrote. 'In a country as big and diverse as ours, we won't always see eye-to-eye on everything,' the statement admits. 'But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace – even to people with whom we deeply disagree.' The statement was shared to X shortly after Harris told her tearful fans in D.C. to keep fighting as she conceded. Instagram Michelle Obama Chinese New Year Share or comment on this article: Michelle Obama slammed for gloomy New Year's message as Trump prepares to take office e-mail Add commentPHILADELPHIA — Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said he was “shocked” by President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of anti-vaccine activist and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the Department of Health and Human Services. Calling Kennedy an “agent of chaos in the vaccination world,” Offit asserted that under Kennedy, a vaccine denier , “children could suffer that chaos.” Trump announced Kennedy’s selection last week. The move follows Kennedy’s decision in August to endorse Trump and withdraw his own independent candidacy in key states, including Pennsylvania. “I’m going to let him go wild on health,” Trump said of Kennedy at an October rally in New York. “I’m going to let him go wild on food. I’m going to let him go wild on medicines.” For years, Kennedy, a conspiracy theorist, has said that vaccines cause autism , a falsehood that has been disproven multiple times by dozens of scientists around the world. “RFK Jr. is a dangerous man,” Offit said. “This decision is completely and utterly depressing.” Offit and Kennedy connected 20 years ago when Kennedy called to ask whether thimerosal , a compound safely used as a preservative in vaccines, caused cancer. “I assured him it was untrue — that it had been removed from all vaccines by 2001,” said Offit, coinventor of the rotavirus vaccine, which attacks the virus that can lead to fatal diarrhea in children. But Kennedy disregarded Offit’s expertise, and has been blaming vaccines for autism ever since. “RFK Jr. has become a science denialist,” Offit said. “If you present him with science, he’ll ignore it if it goes against a bias he has.” Kennedy’s team did not comment after receiving a list of questions, as well as Offit’s statements. As head of HHS, Kennedy wouldn’t have direct authority to ban vaccines, according to reporting by The Hill . But Offit and others say he’ll stay have powerful influence over the agencies that regulate vaccines, with the authority to reduce funding, or remove protections vaccine makers usually have. Kennedy has promised to “ Make America Healthy Again ,” imitating Trump’s slogan. Aside from his pledge to “expose the flaws in vaccine science,” Kennedy said he’d battle chronic disease in America by “breaking the stranglehold of the processed food lobby,” and working to “clear out corruption” at America’s health agencies, which could involve eliminating entire departments. Kennedy has also proposed combating the chronic disease epidemic by addressing the root causes such as poor diet, environmental toxins, and inadequate healthcare. He’s also called to reduce harmful chemicals and toxins from America’s food, water, and air. In October, Kennedy said in a post on the social platform X the he won’t “take anyone’s vaccines away from them. I just want to be sure every American knows the safety profile, the risk profile, and the efficacy of each vaccine. That’s it.” Offit doesn’t find reassurance in this promise, arguing that Kennedy’s selection will help amplify anti-vaccine rhetoric. “Just the mere fact he’s being considered for this job will validate some parents’ fears about vaccinations. Even now in kindergarten, measles and whooping cough vaccines are being refused by parents in some cases.” Kennedy has spread other health misinformation , saying: the use of vaccinations is akin to the Holocaust ; the coronavirus vaccine is the “ deadliest” created by man; drinking water can change children’s gender identity ; fluoride in water can lower IQ ; the coronavirus was “ethnically targeted” to prevent Jews and Chinese people from succumbing to COVID-19; WiFi causes cancer; drinking raw milk, which can contain E. coli and listeria, should be encouraged ; and antidepressants are to blame for school shootings. Kennedy will sometimes further confuse people by denying saying things he has. For example, he recently said he’s “never been anti-vaccine,” and that “no vaccine” is safe and effective. But last November, FactCheck.org , part of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, said that’s incorrect . The nonprofit discovered a Lex Fridman podcast Kennedy had done in July 2023 in which he said, “There’s no vaccine that is, you know, safe and effective.” Offit said he can’t understand Kennedy’s nomination. “Why would you put this person in charge of agencies based on science? He makes things up. He’s just a liar.” ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.