Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson suggested that his move to leave the Democratic Party last fall should have served as an early warning that a political reckoning was coming for the party of his youth. Many political pundits were stunned when President-elect Donald Trump led Republicans to sweeping wins earlier this month, breaking apart traditionally Democratic coalitions to clinch a second term and secure majorities in the House and Senate. The red wave didn’t shock Johnson, however, who said during a Fox and Friends appearance this week that “it turns out I was kind of a canary in the coal mine.” “I didn't think I was going to be some anomaly that everyone needed to worry about,” he said. “I thought that I was going to be a harbinger of things to come.” On Fox & Friends @Johnson4Dallas discussed how @GOP mayors across the country are excited to work with @realDonaldTrump to deliver on the promise of making our cities great again. pic.twitter.com/BsMaQuJbNg — Republican Mayors Association (@GOPMayorsAssn) Johnson governed one of the largest cities in the country as a Democrat for over four years before shocking colleagues by joining Trump’s MAGA movement. Citing desires to use conservative principles to restore urban centers like his own back to glory, the mayor said that too often, Democratic policies “exacerbate homelessness, coddle criminals, and make it harder for ordinary people to make a living.” In the months leading up to the election, Trump received sharp criticism for saying Democrats had destroyed former manufacturing bastions and big cities like Detroit and Milwaukee. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) was one such critic who claimed his comments about Detroit represented an attack on the city’s residents. But long a proponent for urban revitalization, Johnson said that Trump’s message on the campaign trail about restoring decaying cities to greatness resonated with voters, including many inner city minority voters traditionally in the Democratic camp. “Donald Trump won more votes in our urban areas than any Republican has in God knows how long, and that is because they really believed in what he said on the campaign trail, that we can actually do this, and that the Republican Party shouldn't give up on our cities,” he said. “Donald Trump has given the Republican Party a gift, and that gift is he has caused parts of the Democratic coalition that people thought would never, ever consider voting Republican to do exactly that," Johnson added. Trump grew support statewide in Texas by over 4 percentage points since 2020, and expanded support in urban areas across the Lone Star State by 4 percentage points since 2020, according to NBC exit polls. Trump also gained support from black voters, while Hispanic support for the president-elect in Texas was up a staggering 14 percentage points from 2020. In Johnson’s hometown of Dallas, Trump made gains of nearly 5 percentage points. Johnson said the data represented “an opportunity for the Republican Party to double down on his [Trump's] message, which is primarily in our cities, which is where 80% of our American population resides and where a large percent of our ethnic minorities live." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER He expressed optimism that the GOP could cement Trump's coalition as long as it follows through on an “agenda for urban America." “That agenda needs to center around making our cities safe again, supporting our police departments, funding them adequately, needs to focus on creating more opportunity, economic opportunity,” he said. “All the things that people have been asking for for generations from our cities that have been under Democratic leadership that have failed to deliver on those things.”12. Clemson Tigers 10-3 (7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season) What's next: First-round at No. 5 seed Texas, Dec. 21 Head coach: Dabo Swinney (17th season, 180-46 overall) About Swinney: The 55-year-old, who is 6-4 in the CFP, took over during the 2008 season and has won two national titles (2016, 2018). He will take the Tigers to the CFP the first time since the 2020 season and the seventh time overall. Resume The Tigers, the only three-loss team in the 12-team field, were in a must-win situation in the ACC championship game, prevailing on a last-second, 56-yard field goal to defeat SMU 34-31. Clemson lost two games to SEC opponents (Georgia and South Carolina) this season. The Tigers' other defeat came at home to Louisville. The matchup with Texas will be Clemson's first true road game against the SEC this season. Postseason history A nine-time winner of the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers notched a double-figure win total for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons. Along with its two national titles, Clemson reached the title game two other times (2019 and 2015). This will be the first Clemson-Texas matchup. The road to Atlanta It will be a tricky road for the Tigers to reach the CFP title game in Atlanta at a venue familiar to Clemson fans. The Tigers will take at least two and maybe three trips outside of their own time zone to qualify for the final. Names to know QB Cade Klubnik Klubnik, a Texas native, has been taking snaps in crucial situations since a limited role as a freshman in 2022, when he rescued the Tigers in an ACC Championship victory vs. North Carolina. Sporting a 19-8 career record as a starter, Klubnik has thrown for 3,303 yards and 33 touchdowns along with five interceptions this season. He tossed four TDs in the ACC title game Dec. 7 against SMU after receiving All-ACC honorable mention following the regular season. "He's battle-tested," Swinney said. "He has got a lot of experience under his belt. He has had some failure, which has made him better." RB Phil Mafah The senior has racked up 1,106 rushing yards with eight touchdowns this season and has 28 career scores. Mafah has averaged fewer than 17 carries per game, so he makes the most of his opportunities, and at 230 pounds he can be a load to bring down. DE T.J. Parker He's been disruptive on a regular basis, racking up 19 tackles for loss (11 sacks) this season. The 265-pound sophomore helped set the tone in the ACC title game when the Tigers feasted on early SMU mistakes. Parker is tied for the Division I lead with six forced fumbles this season. K Nolan Hauser The freshman joined the Tigers this season with great acclaim and produced a career highlight with a 56-yard game-winning field goal -- the longest in ACC title game history -- to beat SMU at the buzzer. --Field Level Media
NoneThe Panthers have placed running back Miles Sanders on injured reserve, per team reporter Darin Gantt . Sanders exited Carolina’s Week 10 victory over the Giants in the second quarter and has not practiced since. Despite signing a four-year, $25.4M contract with the Panthers in 2023, Sanders has played second fiddle to Chuba Hubbard in the backfield over the past two seasons. This year, Sanders has just 38 carries for 139 yards (3.7 yards per carry) compared to 818 yards on 161 attempts (5.1 yards per carry) by Hubbard. Sanders’ latest injury could spell the end of his time in Carolina, according to ESPN’s David Newton . Sanders has no guaranteed salary in the remaining two years of his contract, and the Panthers could save $9.8M in salary cap space in 2025 and 2026 with a dead cap hit of just under $3M, per OverTheCap . The Panthers signed wide receiver Deven Thompkins to fill Sanders’ spot on the active roster. He was elevated for Carolina’s last two games with Adam Thielen still working his way back from a hamstring injury, though the veteran is expected to play in Week 12. Carolina also used practice squad elevations for wide receiver Dan Chisena and linebacker Kenny Dyson , their first call-ups of the season. This article first appeared on Pro Football Rumors and was syndicated with permission.
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NoneKrishna Stanton was planning to end her running career at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games two decades ago. Within years, she questioned whether her life would be the same again due to crushing pelvic problems. or signup to continue reading The former Olympian and Commonwealth Games silver medalist was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005, and then subsequent forced her to withdraw from her farewell games. Her health wreaked havoc with her teaching career and . "I thought I was going to have a bag, a colostomy bag ... that was hard to swallow," she said. "I know lots of people do, and they manage their life very well, but I'd gone from being someone who was an athlete ... [who] got a silver medal a couple of years before at the Commonwealth Games. "This was a huge shock." Thanks to an advanced but little-known treatment option, Ms Stanton is now running marathons again. A case of food poisoning led to the diagnosis of a condition she had been unknowingly living with for most of her life. Initially, she assumed the illness would run its course, but it didn't get better, prompting her to see pelvic floor specialist Andrea Warwick. A colonoscopy confirmed she had celiac disease. It also revealed a section of her bowel was not working, and certain nerves had been destroyed. Bowel surgery revealed she had also sustained a 12-centimetre tear during childbirth in 1996. The celiac disease, nerve damage and tear led to multiple bowel prolapses and numerous surgeries, significantly impacting her quality of life. "That stress of thinking that I couldn't lead the life I'd planned or envisaged, that was really a trying time." She was teaching physical education (PE) at the time and had to devise strategies with her teaching partner so she could rush off to the toilet when needed. The condition also had a significant impact on her personal life. "I met my second husband during that time, and really, it was difficult. "I probably wasn't my normal bubbly self ... was really self-conscious." She learnt about neuromodulation technology during a chat with a friend and nurse. Neuromodulation uses electronic, chemical or mechanical processes to stimulate the nervous system, improving function and quality of life. After a discussion with Dr Warwick, she had a nerve stimulator implanted, and while it took a few months to get used to the device, in time it helped her return to a more regular lifestyle. The device made such a difference that she successfully ran the Gold Coast Marathon in 2016 in just under three hours. She ran the race in honour of Kerryn McCann and Jackie Fairweather (nee Gallagher) - her fellow medalists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, who had both died. "I did it. and that ... made me realise ... I could maybe finish my running off on my terms now and not, you know, for health reasons." She continued to run, and in 2022, she broke the women's world record in her age group at the London Marathon. The 58-year-old plans to keep running until she is 60 when she will rerun the Gold Coast Marathon before retiring from the sport. According to the Continence Foundation of Australia, one in four adults is affected by incontinence. Dr Warwick said many people living with incontinence were unaware of available treatment options because stigma prevented them from talking about their conditions. "The patients' whole lives can be affected by these problems. They may start by changing little things in their life and adapting to cope with their symptoms. Then they start making bigger changes, Dr Warwick said. "There are so many fantastic treatment options available now depending on the person's individual situation. "If neuromodulation is appropriate, up to 90 per cent of my patients experience significant improvements to their lives." Hi, my name is Rowan Cowley and I'm a reporter for The Senior newspaper. I have special interests in the areas of entertainment, the arts and history and would like to hear from anyone who feels they have a good story idea. Hi, my name is Rowan Cowley and I'm a reporter for The Senior newspaper. I have special interests in the areas of entertainment, the arts and history and would like to hear from anyone who feels they have a good story idea. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement
Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been shot and killed in what police say is a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference. The shooting rattled the city and set off a massive dragnet hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. Police say 50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire. Police have not yet established a motive. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk Wednesday became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had worked at the company for 20 years and had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit." The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is bringing Peter Navarro back to the White House for his second administration. Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social that Navarro will serve as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing. He was a trade adviser in Trump's first term. Navarro served four months in prison after being held in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump also chose Daniel Driscoll as Army secretary, Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator and Adam Boehler as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Palestinian health official said Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a camp housing displaced people in Gaza. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants. The strikes hit in the Muwasi area, a sprawling coastal camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people. It came after Israeli forces struck targets in other areas of Gaza. According to Palestinian medics, strikes in central Gaza killed eight people, including four children. The war in Gaza is nearly 14 months old and showing no end in sight, despite international efforts to revive negotiations toward a ceasefire. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. Yoon's move baffled many experts. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Yoon hasn't commented on the impeachment bid. But the political instability he unleashed could make it more difficult for his government to nurse a decaying economy. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers have joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. Donald Trump won more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, and he had with a big assist from dog owners. That's according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support Trump over Kamala Harris. Cat owners were evenly split between the two candidates. Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who own a cat but no dog. Past comments by Trump's running mate, JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue.
Last month, I stood before Aotearoa’s top researchers at the Royal Society Te Apārangi Research Honours Awards in three cities – Dunedin, Auckland, Wellington. As their poet and host, I did something different: I wove their scientific achievements into verse. For each brilliant mind in that room, I crafted a poem that captured their work, their passion, their impact. The response was humbling. Professors Richard Bedford, Geoff Chase, and the Royal Society’s Chief Executive Paul Atkins – leaders who’ve weathered countless ceremonies – said they’d never experienced anything like it. Researchers and their families were moved to tears, seeing their life’s work reflected back through poetry. Complex science became accessible, human, real. That’s why the Government’s announcement to remove funding for the humanities and social sciences from the Marsden Fund hits particularly hard. Let’s be clear about what this means: they’re cutting funding to the very disciplines where Māori and Pasifika researchers are most strongly represented. This isn’t just about disciplines – it’s about who gets to research, whose knowledge counts, whose stories matter. As a Pasifika woman scholar, I see this decision for what it is: another systemic barrier for women, Māori, and Pasifika researchers in academia. As Co-Director of the University of Auckland’s Centre for Arts and Social Transformation (CAST) with Professor Peter O’Connor, I’m steeped in evidence of how arts create more equitable societies. Since our establishment through the Chartwell Trust’s gift in 2019, we’ve been proving it. Our Creative Schools Index transforms learning environments. Our research guides schools in 140 countries in using arts-based approaches to bring children back to learning . Through Arts Beyond Borders, we watch students become engaged citizens through artistic expression. Just last week we launched groundbreaking research on the barriers Asian survivors of sexual violence face in accessing services. Our partners, Asian Family Services, see enormous value in research that challenges and moves thinking on deep rooted societal issues. When I crafted those poems for each awardee, I wasn’t just making art – I was demonstrating what CAST’s research proves: arts don’t just decorate knowledge, they deepen it. They don’t just entertain, they explain. They don’t just complement science, they complete it. As New Zealand’s Hub for the International Teaching Artist Collaborative (ITAC), we see this truth echoed globally. From creating mental health education programmes in over 200 schools with the Sir John Kirwan Foundation, to UNESCO partnerships, we’re showing how arts-based approaches tackle society’s toughest challenges. Here’s what’s at stake: when we cut arts funding, we don’t just lose poems and paintings. We lose ways of knowing, understanding, communicating. We lose tools for building empathy, fostering innovation, creating change. Those researchers at the awards functions? They didn’t just get poems – they got their work translated into language that makes hearts listen while minds learn. My evidence-based plea is simple: before we decide arts and humanities aren’t “real” enough for Marsden funding, come see what we do at CAST, in the Faculty of Arts and Education, in the rest of the world. Watch our research in action. See how arts transform classrooms, communities, conversations. Listen to the scientists who felt their work truly understood – maybe for the first time – when captured in verse. Because when poetry shows up, science shines brighter. When arts and humanities work alongside STEM, knowledge grows deeper. And when we fund both, New Zealand’s research community doesn’t just survive – it soars. The proof is in the poetry. Just ask the scientists who heard theirs.
The benchmark for world food commodity prices rose in November to its highest level since April 2023, increasing by 0.5 percent from October, driven by surging international vegetable oil quotations, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported Friday. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a set of globally-traded food commodities, averaged 127.5 points in November, up 5.7 percent from a year ago while still 20.4 percent below its March 2022 peak. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index increased by 7.5 percent in November from October, marking its second large increase in two months and 32 percent higher than its year-earlier level. Global palm oil prices climbed further amid concerns about lower-than-expected output due to excessive rainfall in Southeast Asia. World soyoil prices rose on global import demand, while rapeseed and sunflower oil quotations increased as tightening global supply prospects affected their respective markets. The FAO Dairy Price Index maintained its upward trajectory in November, increasing by 0.6 percent from October, driven by rebounding global import demand for whole milk powder. Butter prices reached a new record level amid strong demand and tight inventories in Western Europe, while cheese prices rose due to limited export availabilities. The other sub-indexes posted declines in November. The FAO Cereal Price Index dropped by 2.7 percent, down 8.0 percent below a year earlier. Global wheat prices declined due to weaker international import demand and increased supplies from the ongoing harvests in the Southern Hemisphere. World maize prices remained stable as strong domestic demand in Brazil and Mexico’s demand for supplies from the United States of America were offset by favorable weather in South America, reduced demand for Ukrainian supplies and seasonal pressure from the ongoing U.S. harvest. The FAO All-Rice Price Index declined by 4.0 percent in November, driven by increased market competition, harvest pressures and currency fluctuations. The FAO Sugar Price Index declined by 2.4 percent from October, impacted by the start of the crushing season in India and Thailand and eased concerns over next year’s sugarcane crop prospects in Brazil, where recent rains have improved soil moisture. The FAO Meat Price Index decreased by 0.8 percent in November, due mainly to lower quotations for pig meat in the European Union, reflecting abundant supplies and persistently subdued global and domestic demand. World ovine and poultry meat prices fell slightly, while international bovine meat quotations remained stable, with higher Brazilian export prices offset by lower Australia prices. Updated forecasts point to declining cereal stocks-to-use ratio According to FAO’s new Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, also released on Friday, global cereal production in 2024 is forecast to decline by around 0.6 percent from the previous year to 2 841 million tonnes, a downward revision from October, yet still the second-largest output on record. Global wheat output for 2024 is expected to be on par with 2023, at 789 million tonnes, while maize output is forecast to decline by 1.9 percent from the previous year to 1 271 million tonnes, due to lower-than-expected yields in the European Union and the United States of America. FAO’s forecast for world rice production in 2024/25 has changed slightly, pointing to a 0.8 percent annual increase to a record high of 538.8 million tonnes. For 2025, softer wheat prices may discourage area expansions of the winter wheat crop underway in the northern hemisphere. Below-normal rainfall in key wheat growing regions in the Russian Federation has led to low soil moisture levels, affecting planting operations. By contrast, favourable soil moisture and government support policies, along remunerative prices, should spur expanded plantings in China and India. Coarse grain crops are being planted in the southern hemisphere. Early indications suggest a contraction in maize sowings in Argentina due to dry conditions and the risk of stunt disease transmitted by leafhoppers. In Brazil, early planting intentions, encouraged by a return of rainfall, point to the same maize area for the 2025 crop. In South Africa, preliminary expectations point to an increase in white maize sowings, driven by record prices, offsetting a contraction in the yellow maize area. World cereal utilization is forecast to grow by 0.6 percent to 2 859 million tonnes in 2024/25, led by anticipated increases in food consumption of rice and wheat. A significant revision from October now forecasts that global cereal stocks will decline by 0.7 percent from their opening levels, resulting in a global cereal stock-to-use ratio of 30.1 percent for 2024/25, down from 30.8 percent in the previous year but still indicating “a comfortable supply level” globally. International trade in cereals in 2024/25 is now forecast at 484 million tonnes, down 4.6 percent from the previous year. Global wheat and maize trade volumes are expected to decline, while rice trade is predicted to increase. The Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS), hosted at FAO, also released its monthly Market Monitor on Friday, In addition to the regular analysis, the report featured a reflection on agricultural commodity markets in 2024 and discusses uncertainties that could affect global commodity markets in 2025. Source: FAO