When will Donald Trump dump Elon Musk? “Morning Joe” panelists predict the exact time
Cowboys G Zack Martin, CB Trevon Diggs out vs. Commanders"We the People" competitions require student competitors to write and present speeches that address key issues of government, the Constitution and world politics. After their four-minute presentations, students face six minutes of questions from a panel of expert judges. Students are required to answer extemporaneously without referring to notes or materials. The “We the People” Constitution Program is sponsored by the Justice Resource Center (JRC) in partnership with the Law, Youth, and Citizenship Committee of the New York State Bar Association. “I am proud of the performance of Johnstown students in New York City this year and the hard work they did preparing for the competition,” said Sean Russo, a social studies teacher and "We the People" coach. “In their reflections after the event, the students told me that they now have a much better understanding of government. They also feel their public speaking skills and overall confidence has improved through this experience.” In addition to the overall team placing fifth statewide, students Nicholas Valachovic and Austin Harrington won the Unit 2 award at the competition, Russo said. James Madison High School in Brooklyn won top place in this year's "We the People" competition. In 2020, Johnstown High School's team of seniors Calyer Fagan, Brianne Hansen and Kiersten Pelosi was awarded top honors in of the disciplines.
The Nike Air Max Plus Golf is arriving in a bold "Sunset" colorway. This release brings the iconic gradient of orange and yellow hues to the golf course. The vibrant design captures the essence of the original Air Max Plus while introducing new performance features. First, the upper replaces the classic mesh with durable leather, offering added resilience and a premium look. This change ensures the shoes can handle the wear and tear of the greens. The "Sunset" iteration includes a spikeless outsole designed for reliable traction. This feature makes it perfect for golfers who want stability without sacrificing comfort. Additionally, the Tuned Air technology in the midsole provides superior cushioning and support for long days on the course. The shoe’s wave-like design remains intact, giving it a dynamic and stylish edge. Transitioning seamlessly from course to casual wear, the Air Max Plus Golf balances performance and style . Its vibrant gradient ensures it stands out, while the updated materials enhance functionality. Golfers and sneaker enthusiasts alike will appreciate the blend of nostalgia and innovation. With its bold look and practical features, the Nike Air Max Plus Golf "Sunset" is a must-have for those looking to elevate their game. Read More: Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low Drops In Cool “Ocean Fog” Image via Nike These sneakers feature a black spikeless sole paired with a white midsole. Also, the midsole includes multiple air bubbles, a signature element of the Nike Air Max family. Further, the uppers are crafted from gradient leather, with hades of orange for a striking effect. Black laces complement the design, and a small Nike Swoosh adorns the sides. Overall, this pair boasts a vibrant, sunset-themed colorway that looks stunning on foot. Sneaker Bar Detroit reports that the Nike Air Max Plus “Sunset” will be released sometime in the Fall of 2024. Also, the retail price of the sneakers will be $180 when they are released. Image via Nike Image via Nike Read More: Official Look At Ja Morant’s Nike Ja 2 “Twelve Time”
No David Montgomery, no problem. The Lions continued their prolific ways offensively on Sunday, scoring 34 points and amassing 475 yards of total offense in a winning effort against the Chicago Bears. Related Articles Detroit Lions | ‘We know who we are’: Lions top Bears for franchise-record 13th win Detroit Lions | Takeaways from 34-17 win, as Lions’ offensive stars shine in win over Bears Detroit Lions | Photo gallery from the Lions’ 34-17 road win over the Bears Detroit Lions | Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu active for Lions against Bears Detroit Lions | Lions’ Brandon Joseph was in police custody Saturday, released It marked Detroit’s 13th game in 2024 with 345-or-more total yards, plus the team’s eighth game this season with at least 31 points. The Lions also have now scored 493 total points, the most points ever scored by the franchise in a single season. Along with all that, the Week 16 matchup featured a variety of commonalities for Ben Johnson’s offense. For starters, Jared Goff was “the straw that stirred the drink,” completing 72 percent of his passes and leading the Lions on four touchdown drives (three of which ended with touchdown throws). The veteran quarterback has now thrown a career-best 33 touchdowns. Johnson’s unit also produced its customary series of explosive plays. And on Sunday, it was courtesy of running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Jameson Williams. Gibbs more than shouldered the workload out of the backfield in the place of Montgomery. He eluded defenders all game long, en route to accumulating 109 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Plus, he added another 45 yards as a pass-catcher. In totality, the second-year back amassed 154 all-purpose yards, marking his ninth game this season with north of 100 yards from scrimmage. It’s a feat that was last accomplished by a Lions back in 1997, when Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders did so on the way to earning MVP honors. Meanwhile, Williams was the very definition of electric on Sunday. Most notably, he displayed his game-changing speed on his 82-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, easily running past Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson and safety Jonathan Owens on his way to the end zone. “It looked good in practice. That was better than practice,” Lions head man Dan Campbell said of Goff’s deep strike to Williams. “It was a hell of a throw, excellent protection, and man, just a great job on his landmark, hitting it with speed, trusting it, great catch. It was big time.” With the touchdown, the third-year wideout now has totaled four TD receptions of 50-plus yards this season. He is one of only three players in Lions franchise history to achieve the feat in a single season. The others: Detroit legend Calvin Johnson in 2011 and Cloyce Box in 1950. Williams finished the NFC North divisional tilt with five catches and a game-high 143 yards and a score. Unsurprisingly, Amon-Ra St. Brown also played an integral role in the Lions’ triumph over the Bears. Termed the team’s “binky” on offense by Campbell, St. Brown was once again his ultra reliable self. The fourth-year receiver caught six of his eight targets from Goff, including a screen pass late in the second quarter on which he impressively slipped past several Bears defenders into the end zone. He finished the Week 16 contest with six catches for 70 yards and the one score. With the output, St. Brown now holds the distinction of being the only player in Lions franchise history to amass 100 receptions and 10 receiving touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. Plus, on Sunday, he became just the second player in NFL history to record multiple seasons with 100-plus catches, 1,000-plus yards and 10-or-more touchdowns in one’s first four seasons. The other player to accomplish the feat: former longtime Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. The Lions, equipped with difference-making pass-catchers like St. Brown and Williams and an explosive back like Gibbs, are able to attack opposing defenses in a multitude of ways. Goff can beat the opposition both short and deep with those weapons – along with tight end Sam LaPorta – at his disposal. And Gibbs, with his immense talent, has the ability to break off a big run at any point in a game. As if that weren’t already enough for Detroit’s opponents to handle, Johnson’s offense also has mastered the ability to throw off defenses through the element of surprise. Whether a fake punt or a goal-line pass drawn up for an eligible offensive lineman (e.g. Dan Skipper), you never quite know what Johnson has up his sleeve. And on Sunday, the play-caller went into his bag of tricks once again, and pulled out his most creative play design of the season thus far. It came on the opening possession of the second half. After starting off on their own 21-yard line, Goff & Co. had driven all the way to the Bears’ 21-yard line in a mere four plays. It set up arguably the fake of the season not only for the Lions but also for the entire NFL. On the play, Goff, with Detroit lined up in the singleback formation, appeared to stumble upon taking the snap while Gibbs fell to the Soldier Field grass. All the while, you could hear members of Detroit’s offense yelling, “Ball, ball, ball, ball” and “fumble, fumble.” It all proved to be intentional, however, and a fine display of acting from Johnson’s unit. Goff never lost possession of the football, and remained on his feet as he found a wide-open LaPorta for a 21-yard TD pass. It was a stroke of genius from Johnson, and executed to perfection by the Lions’ veteran signal-caller and the offense. “I think that part where Gibbs, where he dives, really sells the play,” Goff said in the postgame. “I’m only doing half of it. It worked like a charm, and it was nice to score there.” No ifs, ands, or buts about it, the Lions delivered a masterful offensive performance Sunday. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for Detroit’s fanbase, which needed a huge pick-me-up after the team’s loss to the Bills a week ago. Sure, this offensive output came against the lowly Bears, and doesn’t guarantee success for Campbell’s injury-ravaged squad the rest of the season (and in the playoffs). However, in the spirit of the Christmas season, it’s time to drop the negativity (at least temporarily), and to celebrate the one thing that has remained constant for the team in 2024: its offensive productivity. Lions fans absolutely should cherish the “gift” that is Detroit’s high-powered offense this Christmas. This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lionsThe Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level MediaBALTIMORE — Business leaders praised an executive order signed by Gov. Wes Moore last week in an effort to bump Maryland’s economic growth while state officials face a $3 billion budget shortfall. Moore signed the order, which establishes multiple initiatives seeking to make the state more friendly to business development, at a Friday ceremony in downtown Frederick, against the backdrop of an ongoing hotel and conference center project. It came alongside a rosy November jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with preliminary numbers released on Friday showing that Maryland’s total employment grew by about 7,100 jobs last month. It also came as Maryland lawmakers prepare for a session in which “everything is on the table” as far as addressing a ballooning budget deficit. A number of the state’s economic growth indicators have lagged since 2017, the state comptroller’s office noted in a report early this year, though the state’s budget has increased significantly since then. The order establishes the Governor’s Office of Business Advancement, a new agency within the Department of Commerce that Moore’s office said in a news release will provide “concierge, white-glove service to businesses seeking to relocate or expand in Maryland.” It also creates a new council that aims to streamline permitting and environmental review for major projects. A subcabinet under the governor will focus on economic competitiveness and directs state agencies to leverage their resources to support growth in a number of industries, including life sciences, information technology, aerospace and defense, computational biology, and quantum technology. The Maryland Chamber of Commerce praised Moore’s executive order, with the statewide chamber’s president and CEO, Mary D. Kane, calling it an “an important step forward for Maryland’s businesses, communities, and workforce” in a statement. In a September guest column for The Baltimore Sun, Kane called Maryland’s fall to 31st place in CNBC’s 2024 Top States for Business rankings “a glaring warning sign about our state’s economic competitiveness” that demanded “immediate attention and decisive action.” Moore said in a statement that with his order and partnership with lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly’s upcoming legislative session, the state has “an opportunity to change the trajectory of the downward decline that our state’s economy has experienced over the past several years.” He said that Maryland must create the climate necessary for business growth and find impediments to growth “for Maryland to win the decade.” The order also requires state agencies to review certain business licensing programs, as well as tax credits and other incentive programs, and issue recommendations on their effectiveness. It establishes a “loaned executive” program that aims to “cultivate a culture of innovation and excellence” at the Maryland Department of Commerce by temporarily assigning private sector executives to the state agency. The November jobs report noted that Maryland’s unemployment rate remained lower than the national average last month despite rising by 0.1%, a minor bump that Maryland labor officials said in a news release was attributed to the state’s labor force growing by an estimated 2,700 new workers. The public sector, as well as professional, scientific, and technical services; the health care and social assistance industry; and retail trade fields grew the most in November, according to the BLS. The administrative and support industry and the waste management and remediation field lost the most jobs. ---------- ©2024 The Baltimore Sun. Visit at baltimoresun.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Is anything more gratifying than an unexpected gift from a stranger? The answer is “yes,” but we’ll get to that. Several days ago, a friend was shopping at a local dollar store, buying small items to place in gift boxes for children. Her church had given her a debit card with a $150 allowance, and she went through the aisles placing dozens of toys and school supplies in her cart, keeping a running amount in her head. When she got to the checkout, she told the clerk to stop when the total got close to her spending limit. The clerk, a big rough-looking man, started scanning the items. “You sure have a lot of stuff here,” he said. My friend explained what she was doing, that everything would go to children who do not get any other presents for Christmas. He smiled and kept scanning. When the register total came to just shy of $150, he paused. “What about those?” He pointed to the handful of things left in the cart. “That’s OK,” my friend said. “They can go back on the shelf.” “I’ll pay for them,” he said. My friend objected at first, but the clerk was insistent. “I was one of those kids,” he said. “My dad never got us presents for Christmas, and I don’t have any kids of my own.” He scanned the rest of the items, then reached into his pocket for a crumpled wad of bills to pay the balance. Then he put everything into bags and her cart. “God bless you,” he said with a smile. “Every gift requires two freedoms,” author Peter Kreeft wrote, “the giver’s and the receiver’s.” We must be careful to respect the privilege of giving, for it is in giving that we feel our humanity most deeply. As technologies make life more automated, our interaction with strangers is declining. That might seem good to some. But the overall effect is to increase anxiety by depriving us of daily exercise in social skills, something necessary for a healthy democracy. It also removes opportunities to give and to receive. One of the great misfortunes of a prosperous society is that giving and receiving become transactional rather than relational: A class of people deliver goods and services, and a class of people receive them. One group funds the local shelter and the soup kitchen, and another group goes there to get housing and nourishment. One is the host, the other the guest. Many less prosperous societies still follow the ancient practice of bringing a stranger into one’s home for shelter and meals together. The guest and host get to know each other. It is not easy to say who benefits most, because both provide something to each other: the need to receive and the need to give. This practice of relational giving and receiving is retained in the gift exchanges among family and friends during the holidays. It is a chance to remind one another of our interdependence. Yet for those who have no one close with whom to celebrate, this time of year can be especially sad and lonely — not just because they receive no gifts but because they have nobody to whom to give. Their loneliness is a symptom of disconnection at a time of year when relationships with family, friends and neighbors are lifted up and celebrated everywhere one turns. It doesn’t have to be that way. Every community is filled with people who need something. Churches have giving trees. Schools and nursing homes need volunteers. And just about everybody has a neighbor who could use a small box of cookies and a smile. Every year I rewatch “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It just might be the best movie ever made. Watching it reminds us that the greatest contribution a person can make in life is to lovingly tend to the relationships where you are. A pivotal moment in the movie comes shortly after George Bailey pulls Clarence out of an icy river. As they are drying off, Clarence explains he is an angel sent to save him. George is understandably skeptical. “Save me!?” he responds. Clarence explains, “I knew if I were drowning, you’d try to save me, and that’s how I saved you.” The gift Clarence gave to George was an opportunity to be useful when he thought the world would be better off without him. Like many of us, George overvalued the worth of his contributions and undervalued the worth of his presence. Even those who have great needs can be raised up by an opportunity to give. It is through the mutuality of both giving and receiving that we experience the grace that shines on every act of shared kindness. Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
A Las Vegas judge increased bail on Tuesday for a 72-year-old former Palo Verde High School teacher and coach facing child sexual abuse charges. Michael “Luke” Atwell was indicted this month on 17 counts of lewdness with a child under 14, six counts of sexual assault against a child under 14, two counts of battery with the intent to commit sexual assault against a child under 16, open or gross lewdness in the presence of a child or vulnerable person, and two counts of child abuse. His bail was previously set at $300,000. His defense attorney, Jess Marchese, filed a motion for a judge to decrease the bail, while prosecutors filed a countermotion to raise it to $1 million. District Judge Eric Johnson sided with prosecutors on Tuesday and raised Atwell’s bail to $500,000, Marchese said. Marchese said he was surprised the judge raised the bail, given his client’s military history and lack of criminal record. Atwell has been accused of sexually assaulting multiple victims when they were children: a boy when he was between 11 and 14 years old; a woman who is now an adult in her 30s; that woman’s daughter; another former student who is now in her 30s; and that woman’s son. However, Atwell was only indicted on charges related to two of the alleged victims who are still children. Prosecutors have said that the statute of limitations affected some charges that were dropped. A police report indicated that officials were unable to charge Atwell in relation to an alleged previous sexual relationship with a student because a law banning such relationships was not yet active. Prosecutors argued in the motion to increase Atwell’s bail that one of the victims was abused “hundreds” of times, and that the judge should find that Atwell is “an extreme danger to the community as a sexual predator.” According to the motion, one victim met Atwell when the child and her mother moved into his house, and another victim knew Atwell from his neighborhood and from church. Atwell previously taught history, criminal justice and social studies and coached boys cross country and girls softball at Palo Verde. State records indicate he also taught at Becker Middle School between 1999 and 2003. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1971 and then transferred to the Air Force, which he retired from in 1997 as a lieutenant colonel. A jury trial for Atwell is scheduled for May 5.CLEVELAND (AP) — Germain Ifedi became the fourth left tackle to start this season for the Cleveland Browns, lining up Thursday night against the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. Ifedi moved up the depth chart and into the lineup after starter Dawand Jones broke his left leg last week at New Orleans and had surgery. He'll be responsible for blocking quarterback Jameis Winston's blindside. Jedrick Wills Jr., who had lost his starting job to Jones, figured to start against the Steelers (8-2), but was ruled out Wednesday with a knee injury that has bothered him for weeks. A first-round pick in 2020, Wills recently caused a stir by saying he made a “business decision” to sit out a game on Oct. 27 against Baltimore because of his knee. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Wills used a “poor choice of words.” James Hudson started Cleveland's first two games at left tackle while the Browns (2-8) waited for Wills to recover from knee surgery in December. The first-place Steelers were without outside linebacker/edge rusher Alex Highsmith, who missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina's current governor and his successor tacked on another lawsuit Monday disputing a key provision within a GOP law that erodes the powers of several incoming Democratic state leaders — the latest in a longstanding power struggle between North Carolina's executive and legislative branches over who controls the state's elections. The lawsuit challenges one of the law's core power shifts that move the ability to appoint members of the North Carolina State Board of Elections from the governor's authority to the state auditor's office — which will be run by Republican Dave Boliek next year. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Gov.-elect Josh Stein, who currently serves as the state attorney general, filed the suit in Wake County Superior Court on Monday, saying in the complaint that the provision is unconstitutional and violates the separation of powers. The change to state election board appointments will take place next spring if it isn't blocked in court. The state elections board would likely remain under GOP control for the next few years and would trickle down to county boards as well. “We have had the same structure for our state board of elections for nearly a century and it has served North Carolina well, with fair and secure elections across our state through every cycle,” Cooper said in a news release Monday. “These blatantly partisan efforts to give control over elections boards to a newly elected Republican will create distrust in our elections process and serve no legitimate purpose.” The suit from Cooper and Stein is the second challenge the pair has levied against the GOP-controlled state legislature concerning the law. Cooper and Stein are also contesting another provision that prevents the governor from choosing his State Highway Patrol commander. Those alterations to the governor's powers were part of a larger swath of changes to several statewide offices that Democrats won in November and will preside over next year — such as attorney general, state schools superintendent and lieutenant governor. If the law withstands the court challenges, it would further underscore the GOP-led legislature's tightened grip over the other two branches of government since Republicans took control of the General Assembly more than a decade ago. Last year, GOP supermajorities in both the House and Senate firmed up power even more. Pending legal disputes in a few outstanding races , Republicans could lose their supermajority if Democratic challenger Bryan Cohn's attempt to oust incumbent Republican Rep. Frank Sossamon proves successful. That would give Stein a slightly more effective veto stamp on future Republican legislation if Democratic lawmakers stay unified. Republican legislators passed the law in both chambers earlier this month — not without scathing disapproval from crowds of protesters in the building. The bill drew the ire of House and Senate Democrats, as well as some community organizers, who denounced it as a “power grab.” They also criticized Republican lawmakers for tying the power shifts to disaster relief funding for western North Carolina in Hurricane Helene's aftermath. Most of the $252 million in recovery funds included in the law can't be spent until the next time the General Assembly acts. But GOP legislators defended the bill, with incoming House Speaker Destin Hall saying during the House vote that the changes are within the legislature's constitutional right. Republicans also point to previous Democratic actions , such as weakening the state’s first GOP governor in 1972, as reasons necessitating the legislation. Spokespeople for Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore — who are both defendants listed in the lawsuit — did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday evening. A state elections board spokesperson also did not immediately respond. Changes to the state elections board aren't a first for GOP lawmakers. Previous attempts have been blocked by courts , including a suit last year that would move board appointment authority from the governor to the General Assembly . Berger and Moore's attorneys moved to dismiss that case last week, and the new lawsuit from Cooper and Stein seeks to replace it. Makiya Seminera, The Associated Press
Chirco: Lions’ offense is gift that keeps on giving
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has scripted a landslide victory in Maharashtra. It has won (leading) in over 130 seats on its own while the Mahayuti alliance got 225 seats - way more than the required halfway mark of 145. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Election Results Jharkhand Election Results Bypoll Election Results This was in stark contrast to BJP's big setback during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Just six months back, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP had an ambitious target of 400 plus seats. But the party failed terribly and the saffron party could not even cross the majority mark, winning only 240 seats in the Lok Sabha, down from 303 in 2019. However, BJP's recent historic wins in Haryana and Maharashtra reflect a strategic shift in its approach, focusing on local dynamics and effective leadership. Focus on State Leadership Moving beyond its reliance on the "Modi wave," the BJP recalibrated its strategy by emphasizing state leadership and regional issues. PM Modi, who previously spearheaded most campaigns, adopted a more restrained role this time. In Haryana, he conducted four rallies, and in Maharashtra, 10 rallies, while balancing his schedule with a three-country trip during the campaign’s final phase. In Haryana, the BJP replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Saini as CM just months before the elections. Saini's development-focused governance paid off, leading the party to victory. Similarly, in Maharashtra, the campaign highlighted the Eknath Shinde-led state government’s achievements and welfare schemes. Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrow's Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) ChatGPT Mastery from Zero to Hero: The Complete AI Course By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Leadership Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Leadership Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Finance Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Executives By - CA Raja, Chartered Accountant | Financial Management Educator | Former AVP - Credit, SBI View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program The RSS-BJP Collaboration A major shift in BJP’s strategy was mending ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which had strained during the Lok Sabha elections. BJP chief JP Nadda emphasized better coordination, and in Maharashtra, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis actively sought RSS support. The RSS mobilized small teams of swayamsevaks across the state to engage with local communities. These teams held group discussions on topics like Hindutva, governance, and public welfare without overtly endorsing BJP, subtly shaping public opinion in its favor. Leveraging Hardline Hindutva BJP brought Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath into the campaign, who energized supporters with his fiery rhetoric, including the slogan “Batenge toh katenge.” PM Modi also rallied voters with his call, “Ek hi toh safe hai,” consolidating the party’s core voter base. Welfare Politics Taking cues from its Madhya Pradesh win, the Eknath Shinde-led government launched the populist Ladki Bahin Yojana, targeting women voters. The scheme aimed to benefit 2.25 crore women, representing 55% of the total female population. Mahayuti leaders, including Shinde, Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar, emphasized that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would halt welfare programs if elected. This narrative helped consolidate voter trust in BJP’s development agenda. In Haryana, Nayab Saini’s brief tenure as CM saw significant welfare measures. These included increasing gram panchayat spending limits from ?5 lakh to ?21 lakh and reforming electricity billing by eliminating minimum charges. Saini also introduced the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna, providing free rooftop solar installations for economically weaker sections. BJP’s strategic pivot—from focusing solely on PM Modi’s popularity to leveraging state leadership, welfare initiatives, and RSS support—has delivered impressive results. These wins in Haryana and Maharashtra underline the party’s adaptability in addressing local voter concerns while maintaining its ideological core. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Poll Results Highlights 2024 Jharkhand Poll Results Highlights 2024 (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )ANOTHER cohort of Solomon Islands media leaders have completed the highly prestigious University of New South Wales Australian Graduate School of Management program, supported by the Australian Government. President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands and co-owner , Ofani Eremae, co-owner , Ms Elizabeth Osifelo and administrator of , Benjamin Afuga spent ten days in Australia. This is the third cohort of media leaders from Solomon Islands to complete the programme. The Australian Graduate School of Management’s programme focuses on leadership and business skills and helps executives refine leadership capabilities, functional knowledge and strategic insight to drive organisational performance. The 25-person cohort included business executives from Australian companies including Rio Tinto, Woolworths, Standards Australia, and Santo, as well as international participants from New Zealand. Australian High Commissioner Rod Hilton said Australia is the nambawan media partner in Solomon Islands. “Our support for the Solomon Islands media sector is long standing; working with all media organisations in Solomon Islands, from print, to radio, to online,” High Commissioner Hilton said. “Mr Eremae, Ms Osifelo and Mr Afuga are leaders in the media sector and strong executives will lead a strong, independent media sector, which is a central pillar of democracy.” Mr Eremae said the training offered the opportunity to learn new management and leadership skills, while providing the opportunity to mingle and interact with some of Australia’s senior managers and company executives. “The five-day training opened a whole new world of management and decision-making processes for someone like me, because I am new to managing a news outlet and I am leading the Media Association of Solomon Islands at the same time,” Mr Eremae said. Ms Elizabeth Osifelo said the programme was timely because it gave her the opportunity to step back from ‘business as usual’ and look at Tavuli News through a different lens. “Being in the same room with other CEOs gave me insights which will benefit Tavuli News in the long term. I appreciate the cultural programme before the training too as I learned more about Australian history and culture,” Ms Osifello said. “The training has been beneficial, looking at the current systems in place within the organisation and keeping up with the evolving technology and adapting to best practices in the workplace. Sincere thank you to the Australian Government for enabling this opportunity,” she said. Mr Afuga said the General Manager programme at the Australian Graduate School of Management was an invaluable experience. “[It offered] fresh perspectives and practical strategies that I can immediately apply in my work,” Mr Afuga said. “The insights gained will not only enhance my leadership capabilities, but also contribute positively to the growth and development of Solomon Islands. I’m grateful for the opportunity and look forward to leveraging these learnings for lasting impact.”. Mr Eremae, Ms Osifelo and Mr Afuga served as ambassadors for Solomon Islands while on the course, deepening the partnership between Solomon Islands and Australia by giving other participants a better understanding of Solomon Islands’ history, culture, and ambitions for the future. Before the commencement of the Australian Graduate School of Management General Manager programme, these three leaders participated in a cultural programme showcasing Australian arts and sport in Sydney. Such people-to-people links are key to the closeness of the Solomon Islands – Australia Partnership.
OpenAI Preps AI Model With Improved Humanlike Reasoning
UCF, LSU face off with improved focus in mindAfter two months since going on a labor strike, the union representing mental health workers and Kaiser Permanente will return to the bargaining table on Jan. 9, officials announced Monday. Nearly 2,400 Kaiser mental health therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and psychologists — represented by National Union of Healthcare Workers — began their strike on Oct. 21 and held their last negotiating session two days later. Due to mounting political pressure from state elected leaders within recent weeks, Kaiser is ready to renegotiate, union officials said during an online media briefing. “Kaiser is creating a patient care crisis by keeping patients away from their therapists, and there is still no sign that it sees any urgency in reaching a fair agreement to end the strike,” Sal Rosselli, president emeritus of the union, said. “It’s deeply troubling that Kaiser still seems intent on slow-walking negotiations when it has never been clearer that patients are suffering from Kaiser’s refusal to bargain in good faith,” he added. According to the union, the key issues remain Kaiser’s “unwillingness” to provides its mental health professionals in Southern California the “same amount of time for critical patient care duties that can’t be done during appoints as their counterparts in Northern California — as well as the same wage levels and retirement benefits as comparable workers throughout the Kaiser system.” In a statement, the company called the strike “unnecessary” and maintained patients are receiving timely access to mental health care and services through an “extensive, high-quality” network of 13,000 therapists across SoCal. Kaiser noted more than 45% of its therapists have returned to work and are caring for patients and members. “NUHW continues to demand that we settle a contract agreement so therapists would spend almost 50% of their time in non-patient care,” Kaiser said in its statement. “This is not logical and would result in 15,000 clinical appointments per month not being staffed.” The company argued that the union’s demand would result in its members receiving more than 40% above their peers in the market — describing it as “not logical.” Employees already earn at market or up to 10% above the market rate, according to Kaiser. Therapists are paid at 18% above the market, and the company is offering more. We have launched our year-end campaign. Our goal: Raise $50,000 by Dec. 31. Help us get there. Times of San Diego is devoted to producing timely, comprehensive news about San Diego County. Your donation helps keep our work free-to-read, funds reporters who cover local issues and allows us to write stories that hold public officials accountable. Join the growing list of donors investing in our community's long-term future. The company also refuted a claim made by the union that therapists do not receive a pension. Kaiser Permanente said they offer a pension plan in which they match up to 9% almost double the national average. A majority of state senators and assembly members have signed letters urging Kaiser CEO Greg Adams to settle negotiations. California Treasurer Fiona Ma and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond have sent similar letters. Kaiser said it appreciates that “they have asked both sides to reconvene and seek a solution.” “We have been deeply disappointed by the union’s lack of engagement in bargaining to this point,” Kaiser said in its statement. “We are pleased that they have agreed to return to the bargaining table on Jan. 9.” “We hope that NUHW is returning to the bargaining table with a sincere interest in reaching an agreement that is good for our therapists and members,” the statement continued. According to the union, there will be no picket lines on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Other than those days, picket lines will continue as scheduled weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a lunchtime rally with community and elected leaders at all strike locations including San Diego County. A full list of picket line locations is available here . Get Our Free Daily Email Newsletter Get the latest local and California news from Times of San Diego delivered to your inbox at 8 a.m. daily. Sign up for our free email newsletter and be fully informed of the most important developments.Claro Enterprise Solutions Expands Technology Service Offerings to Accelerate Mergers and Acquisitions IntegrationsFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department’s operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. “Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.” Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation. “I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘Don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,'” he said. Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007. Before Biden’s commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states. “The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said. A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty. Berman said Trump’s statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape. “That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said. Before one of Trump’s rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line. One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before. The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl’s mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings. Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden’s decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision. Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Story by Adriana Gomez Licon, Associated Press. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker contributed to this report. More articles from the BDN