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Time to revamp and relaunch the STI?The amendments, gazetted on Friday as the BroadcastingServices Amendment Bill, will also compel social media broadcasterstransmitting national events to register with the Broadcasting Authority ofZimbabwe (BAZ). In addition, the amendments seek to prohibit insurancecompanies from selling motor vehicle insurance to individuals who do not holdvalid ZBC radio licenses, while subscription broadcasting service providerswill also be obligated to carry up to three channels from public broadcastersas part of the reforms. The proposed legislative changes aim to align theBroadcasting Services Act with the Constitution and the Public EntitiesCorporate Governance Act while supporting media diversity, enhancing localcontent production and fostering sectoral investment. Under the proposed law, foreign ownership in broadcastinglicenses will be capped at 40 percent, ensuring local majority ownership whileattracting foreign investment into the capital-intensive sector. The amendments, which are part of the Second Republic’songoing media reforms, are intended shift the role of BAZ from controlling toregulating and managing broadcasting service bands. The Bill’s memorandum highlights this strategic realignmentstating that: “The objective of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill, 2024,is principally to align the Broadcasting Services Act with the Constitution andalso with the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act. “Clause 3 amends section 2A of the principal Act to providethat the role of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) is to regulateand manage the broadcasting service bands for sustenance rather than controlbroadcasting service bands.” “The intention is to move away from a perception that thelegislation is intended to stifle the freedoms guaranteed by section 61 of theConstitution and instead to focus on necessary regulation of the airwaves.” These changes are designed to dispel perceptions that theAct stifles freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Section 61 of theConstitution and to align with international standards, including the AfricanCharter on Broadcasting and the International Covenant on Civil and PoliticalRights. “Clause 21 amends the Sixth Schedule to the principal Actby deleting paragraph 2(2) and substituting it with a new section 2(2) whichprovide that a licensee with a sports channel shall broadcast 50 percent localcontent in view of the fact that sporting events are universal andinternational sports may bring commercial value to licensees,” reads thememorandum. “Amendments to paragraph 2(2) are to provide that a publicbroadcaster providing multiple channels shall broadcast 75 percent localcontent on all channels to ensure that they reflect the identity of thenation.” Sunday News
COLEEN Rooney took a cheeky swipe at her husband Wayne in front of her shocked I'm A Celebrity campmates. The WAG was being quizzed by McFly star Danny Jones on the football legend's new role as a manager. Wayne Rooney , 39, took over as the head coach at Plymouth Argyle Football Club in May. Discussing the move on I'm A Celebrity , Danny asked: “Is he loving managing?” Coleen Rooney , 38, responded: “Yeah, he does enjoy it, it’s hard though. I find it more nerve wracking him being a manager than I did... I feel more pressure.” Former boxer Barry McGuigan said of Wayne: “Well, he was very mature very quickly wasn’t he, he grew up very quickly?” READ MORE ON I'M A CELEB Coleen replied: “Well, I don’t know about that!” - leaving the shocked campmates in hysterics. Wayne has admitted to a string of infidelities since they first met as teens in their home city of Liverpool . But despite the ups and downs of their 16-year marriage — and him spending long periods away from home in his new job — she says they remain as strong as ever. She told former Strictly dancer Oti Mabuse in camp: “All he wanted to do was play football . He struggled with the fame side of it, he hated that. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 “If he could’ve just played football and had none of the fame, I think he would’ve been happier within life. "He’s made mistakes along the way, but from 16, obviously you’re going to, that’s life. But fans were in hysterics at Coleen's candid admission as they took to X - formerly known as Twitter . One wrote: "Coleen explaining how she gets nervous for Wayne’s games as manager.." "Coleen talk about anything other than Wayne challenge," sarcastically noted a second viewer. As a third added: "Wayne hearing Coleen say he didn’t mature quickly," along with a laughing emoji. COLEEN Rooney has revealed the embarrassing habit hubby Wayne reckons will annoy her I’m A celebrity campmates. She’s usually preened and perfect - but the WAG has confessed she snores. Coleen said: “I didn’t think I snored, but Wayne says I snore. “Not continuously though – just every now and again. “I have been in the public eye for over 20 years now and people take what they want from it. “I do think people will get a better idea of what kind of person I am.” I'm A Celebrity continues on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
Central Israel Rocked By Huge Car Bomb Explosion; Fire & Deaths In Ramle City | WatchTaoiseach Simon Harris said he also wanted to tell Nikita Hand, a hair colourist from Drimnagh, that her case had prompted an increase in women coming forward to ask for support. Ms Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor said in a post on social media on Friday that he intends to appeal against the decision. That post has since been deleted. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mr Harris said he told Ms Hand of the support she has from people across Ireland. “I spoke with Nikita today and I wanted to thank her for her incredible bravery and her courage,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that she knew how much solidarity and support there was across this country for her bravery. “I also wanted to make sure she knew of what the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had said yesterday – that so many other women have now come forward in relation to their own experiences of sexual abuse as a result of Nikita’s bravery.” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the case has had a “profound effect” on the people the charity supports, and that over the first 10 days of the High Court case, calls to its national helpline increased by almost 20%. It said that first-time callers increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, and were largely from people who had experienced sexual violence who were distressed and anxious from the details of case and the views people had to it. Mr Harris said: “I wanted to speak with her and I wanted to wish her and her daughter, Freya, all the very best night, and I was very grateful to talk with Nikita today. “Her bravery, her courage, her voice has made a real difference in a country in which we must continue to work to get to zero tolerance when it comes to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “I don’t want to say too much more, because conscious there could be further legal processes, but I absolutely want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her courage, for using her voice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee praised Ms Hand’s bravery and said she had shown “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. She said: “I just want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her determination and the leadership that she has shown in what has been – I’ve no doubt – a very, very difficult time for her and indeed, for her family. She added: “Because of wonderful people like Nikita, I hope that it shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there are supports available to people, and that there is justice at the end of the day.” Ms Hand said in a statement outside court on Friday that she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. Describing the past six years as “a nightmare”, she said: “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” During the case, Ms Hand said she was “disappointed and upset” when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to prosecute the case after she made a complaint to the Irish police. In a letter to her in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous. Asked about the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, Mr Harris and Ms McEntee stressed the importance of the DPP’s independence on whether to prosecute. “There are obviously structures in place where the DPP can meet a victim and can outline to them their reasons for not taking the case,” Mr Harris said. “But there’s also always an opportunity for the DPP in any situation – and I speak broadly in relation to this – to review a decision, to consider any new information that may come to light, and I don’t want to say anything that may ever cut across the ongoing work of the DPP.” Ms McEntee stressed that there should “never be any political interference” in the independence of the DPP’s decisions. “I have, since becoming minister, given priority to and enabled a new office within the DPP to open specifically focused on sexual offences, so that this issue can be given the focus and the priority that it needs,” she said.
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 17 of his 26 points after halftime to lead Memphis to a 99-97 overtime win against two-time defending national champion and second-ranked UConn on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational . Hunter shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range for the Tigers (5-0), who were 12 of 22 from beyond at the arc as a team. PJ Haggerty had 22 points and five assists, Colby Rogers had 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14. Tarris Reed Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Huskies (4-1). Alex Karaban had 19 points and six assists, and Jaylin Stewart scored 16. Memphis led by as many as 13 with about four minutes left in regulation, but UConn chipped away and eventually tied it on Solo Ball’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining. Memphis: The Tigers ranked second nationally in field goal percentage going into the game and shot it at a 54.7% clip. UConn: The Huskies saw their string of 17 consecutive wins dating back to February come to an end. The teams were tied at 92 with less than a minute remaining in overtime when UConn coach Dan Hurley was assessed a technical foul for his displeasure with an over-the-back call against Liam McNeeley. PJ Carter hit four straight free throws — two for the tech and the other pair for the personal foul — to give Memphis a 96-92 lead with 40.3 seconds to play. UConn had three players foul out. Memphis attempted 40 free throws and made 29 of them. Memphis will play the winner of Colorado-Michigan State on Tuesday in the second round of the invitational. UConn will play the loser of that game in the consolation bracket. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball .The Philadelphia Eagles showed why they are one of the best teams in the league after their dominant win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The defense held the high-powered Ravens offense to just 19 points, and the offense, led by quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley, showed why they are in the MVP conversation. Philadelphia Eagles Waive Receiver The Eagles waived veteran wide receiver Parris Campbell on Monday following their win, meaning he will likely be signed back on to the practice squad after playing in the game against Baltimore. The #Eagles waived veteran WR Parris Campbell. — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 2, 2024 Parris Campbell Career Campbell has been in the league since 2019 and has amounted to 1117 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his career. Before playing for the Eagles, the receiver was on the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants, but he has not yet shown that he can be a solid starter in the NFL. His best season came in 2022 with the Colts, when he was able to record 63 catches for 623 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Since then, he only has one touchdown that came this season with Philadelphia. Other team fans like the Washington Commanders have been calling for their favorite squad to look into signing Campbell, as he would add good depth to a roster. This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.By Tosin Tope Lucky Ojufo, a member of Otukpo Golf and Country Club, emerged as the best golfer at the 29th Tiger Amateur Golf Open Tournament and Pro Invitational organised by the Headquarters (HQ) 2 Division of the Nigerian Army. Ojufo emerged winner after playing 151 best gross men to defeat Victor Ogbeche of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Golf Club, Ibadan, and Sunday Aketoy of Tiger Gold Club. Messers Ogbeche and Aketoy both emerged 1st and 2nd runners up respectively at the tournament which was sponsored under the leadership of Major General Obinna Onubogu, the Patron of Tiger Golf Club. Declaring the tournament open, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede who was represented by Major General Gbemiga Adeshina, the Commander of the Nigerian Army Corps of Signals appreciated the Division for sponsoring the game of golf tournament and said the event was to promote the spirit of sportsmanship, honesty and integrity. Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. NEWS UPDATE: Nigerians have been finally approved to earn Dollars from home, acquire premium domains for as low as $1500, profit as much as $22,000 (₦37million+). Click here to start.PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ethan Gettman kicked what proved to be the game-winning field goal from 31-yards out midway through the fourth quarter and Brendan Bell added an insurance touchdown a minute later as Villanova pulled away from Delaware in the second half to post a 38-28 victory in the season finale on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats now have won 17 of their last 19 meetings with the Blue Hens, who played their final regular season game as an FCS-member. Delaware will join the FBS and join Conference USA for the 2025 season. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
BOLINGBROOK, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA) today announced that its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 will be released Thursday, December 5, 2024, after the market closes. The Company will host a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. CT to discuss the financial results. Investors and analysts who are interested in participating in the call are invited to dial (877) 704-4453. Participants may also listen to a real-time audio webcast of the conference call by visiting the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website located at https://www.ulta.com/investor . A replay will be made available online approximately two hours following the live call for a period of 30 days. About Ulta Beauty At Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA), the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest U.S. beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. In 1990, the Company reinvented the beauty retail experience by offering a new way to shop for beauty – bringing together All Things Beauty, All in One Place®. Today, Ulta Beauty operates more than 1,400 retail stores across 50 states and also distributes its products through its website, which includes a collection of tips, tutorials, and social content. For more information, visit https://www.ulta.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121549355/en/ CONTACT: Ulta Beauty Contacts: Kiley Rawlins, CFA Vice President, Investor Relations krawlins@ulta.comCrystal Carroll Senior Director, Public Relations Ccarroll@ulta.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: LUXURY WOMEN DEPARTMENT STORES SPECIALTY LIFESTYLE COSMETICS CONSUMER RETAIL ONLINE RETAIL SOURCE: Ulta Beauty, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 04:06 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121549355/enGettman kicks go-ahead FG as Villanova ends Delaware's FCS-era with a 38-28 win in finale
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A rape allegation against rapper Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation has produced some of the NFL’s entertainment presentations including the Super Bowl halftime show, will not affect the league’s relationship with the music mogul. “We’re aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that,” NFL (National Football League) commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday after the conclusion of the league’s winter meetings. “We know the litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.” A woman who previously sued musician Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 when she was 13 years old, amended the lawsuit on Sunday to include a new allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, said the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. The 24-time Grammy Award winner called the allegations “idiotic” and “heinous in nature” in a statement released by Roc Nation. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. Kendrick Lamar will perform the Super Bowl halftime show at The Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9. Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. Beyonce, who is married to Jay-Z, will perform at halftime of the Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans game at Christmas. “I think they’re getting incredibly comfortable not just with the Super Bowl but other events they’ve advised us on and helped us with,” Mr Goodell said. “They’ve been a big help in the social justice area to us on many occasions. They’ve been great partners.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump used his image as a successful New York businessman to become a celebrity, a reality television star and eventually the president. Now he will get to revel in one of the most visible symbols of success in the city when he rings the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday as he's also named Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Trump is expected to be on Wall Street to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, according to four people with knowledge of his plans. He will also be announced Thursday as Time's 2024 Person of the Year , according to a person familiar with the selection. The people who confirmed the stock exchange appearance and Time award were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who at times has treated the stock market as a measure of public approval and has long-prized signifiers of his success in New York's business world and his appearances on the covers of magazines — especially Time. Trump was named the magazine's Person of the Year in 2016, when he was first elected to the White House. He had already been listed as a finalist for this year's award alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Time declined to confirm the selection ahead of Thursday morning's announcement. “Time does not comment on its annual choice for Person of the Year prior to publication,” a spokesperson for the magazine said Wednesday. The ringing of the bell is a powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism — and a good New York photo opportunity at that. Despite his decades as a New York businessman, Trump has never done it before. It was unclear whether Trump, a Republican, would meet with New York's embattled mayor, Democrat Eric Adams , who has warmed to Trump and has not ruled out changing his political party. Adams has been charged with federal corruption crimes and accused of selling influence to foreign nationals; he has denied wrongdoing. Trump himself was once a symbol of New York, but he gave up living full-time in his namesake Trump Tower in Manhattan and moved to Florida after leaving the White House. CNN first reported Wednesday Trump’s visit to the stock exchange and Politico reported that Trump was expected to be unveiled as Time's Person of the Year. The stock exchange regularly invites celebrities and business leaders to participate in the ceremonial opening and closing of trading. During Trump’s first term, his wife, Melania Trump, rang the bell to promote her “Be Best” initiative on children’s well-being. Last year, Time CEO Jessica Sibley rang the opening bell to unveil the magazine's 2023 Person of the Year: Taylor Swift . After the Nov. 5 election, the S&P 500 rallied 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508 points, or 3.6%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3%. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks. The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise regardless of which party wins the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winning and losing industries underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean. Trump has long courted the business community based on his own status as a wealthy real estate developer who gained additional fame as the star of the TV show “The Apprentice” in which competitors tried to impress him with their business skills. He won the election in part by tapping into Americans' deep anxieties about an economy that seemed unable to meet the needs of the middle class. The larger business community has applauded his promises to reduce corporate taxes and cut regulations. But there are also concerns about his stated plans to impose broad tariffs and possibly target companies that he sees as not aligning with his own political interests. Trump spends the bulk of his time at his Florida home but was in New York for weeks this spring during his hush money trial there. He was convicted, but his lawyers are pushing for the case to be thrown out in light of his election. While he spent hours in a Manhattan courthouse every day during his criminal trial, Trump took his presidential campaign to the streets of the heavily Democratic city, holding a rally in the Bronx and popping up at settings for working-class New Yorkers: a bodega, a construction site and a firehouse. Trump returned to the city in September to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Manhattan tower and again in the final stretch of the presidential campaign when he held a rally at Madison Square Garden that drew immediate blowback as speakers made rude and racist insults and incendiary remarks . At the stock exchange, the ringing of the bell has been a tradition since the 1800s. The first guest to do it was a 10-year-old boy named Leonard Ross, in 1956, who won a quiz show answering questions about the stock market. Many times, companies listing on the exchange would ring the bell at 9:30 a.m. to commemorate their initial offerings as trading began. But the appearances have become an important marker of culture and politics -- something that Trump hopes to seize as he’s promised historic levels of economic growth. The anti-apartheid advocate and South African President Nelson Mandela rang the bell, as has Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone with his castmates from the film “The Expendables.” So, too, have the actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner for an “Avengers” movie and the Olympians Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. In 1985, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting U.S. president to ring the bell. “With tax reform and budget control, our economy will be free to expand to its full potential, driving the bears back into permanent hibernation,” Reagan said at the time. “We’re going to turn the bull loose.” The crowd of traders on the floor chanted, “Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!” The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed in 1985 and 1986, but it suffered a decline in October 1987 in an event known as “Black Monday.” Long reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.eXp Realty Launches Local Sponsor Partnership Program to Strengthen Global Agent SuccessSarah Boone was sentenced to life in prison in an Orlando courtroom Monday afternoon for suffocating her boyfriend in a suitcase, bringing a nearly five-year legal saga to a close — for now. The sentence was handed down by Orange County Circuit Court Judge Michael Kraynick, who could have given Boone a minimum of 221⁄2 years for her second-degree murder conviction, at the end of a nearly two-hour hearing. Before the sentence was announced, Boone spent nearly 20 minutes addressing the court, saying the ordeal had renewed her faith in God. She said she blames herself for not ending her relationship with Torres sooner when he mistreated her, but that she still loves Torres and will see him again in the next life. She begged forgiveness from his family, who sat in the front row of the courtroom. “I think of him every day and still speak to him when alone in the rec yard,” Boone said. “I ask his forgiveness and that he looks for me at the gates of heaven so I can tell him how sorry I am endlessly and that I never stopped loving him.” Boone, 47, was convicted on Oct. 25 by a jury of five women and one man after about 90 minutes of deliberations. Boone initially told police Torres, 42, died the night of Feb. 23, 2020, in their Winter Park residence as a result of a drunken game of hide-and-seek gone horribly wrong. But her defense team later argued that she was an abused woman suffering from Battered Spouse Syndrome and killed Torres in self-defense. The trial delved deeply into Boone’s personal life, showing her often violent relationship with Torres as well as their frequent consumption of alcohol, which was described as central to their lives. At one point in her address Monday, Boone appeared to blame Torres’ family, causing Jorge’s mother and sister to temporarily leave the courtroom. “I also forgive the Torres family, his mother and father, foremost, also his two ex-wives, and daughters, all for knowing who Jorge was, capable of and had done in the past, his history of violence and where he learned it, then keep turning a blind eye when I would ask for help,” she aid. She also blamed the Internet, social media, online content creators and the media for making her a pariah. Prosecutor Dave Cacciatore Jr. said the lack of responsibility or remorse from Boone meant she didn’t deserve a lesser sentence. Torres’ mother, sister and daughter all spoke about how his death had impacted them. Family members of Jorge Torres, Jr. react at the sentencing of Sarah Boone in a courtroom of the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, December 2, 2024. Boone was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, Jr., in 2020 by suffocating him in a suitcase. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Sarah Boone, convicted of second-degree murder in the suffocation death of her boyfriend inside a suitcase in 2020, was sentenced Monday to life in prison. The stiff sentence capped a near-five-year legal saga in which Boone went through nine attorneys and proceedings were delayed 16 times. She had rejected a 15-year plea deal prior to trial. Read the story at OrlandoSentinel.com or in the News Extra section of today's e-edition. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Sarah Boone takes a seat as she takes the stand to read from a prepared letter during a sentencing hearing at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. Boone was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, Jr., in 2020 by suffocating him in a suitcase. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Judge Michael Kraynick hands down a sentence of life in prison during a sentencing hearing for Sarah Boone at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. Boone was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, Jr., in 2020 by suffocating him in a suitcase. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Sarah Boone makes an expression as she answers a question during her sentencing hearing at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. She was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, Jr., in 2020 by suffocating him in a suitcase. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Sarah Boone, left, carries a prepared letter that she read to the court during her sentencing hearing at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. She was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, Jr., in 2020 by suffocating him in a suitcase. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Sarah Boone takes the stand to read a prepared letter during a sentencing hearing at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. She was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, Jr., in 2020 by suffocating him in a suitcase. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Family members of Jorge Torres, Jr. react at the sentencing of Sarah Boone in a courtroom of the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, December 2, 2024. Boone was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, Jr., in 2020 by suffocating him in a suitcase. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) His sister, Victoria, said that even five years later she still can’t shut a suitcase the entire way. His daughter, Anna, said she now has anxiety and depression, and her younger brother still wonders when he will see their father again. “Real love is missing. Sometimes when I look out the window, I’m waiting for him to come and say, ‘Mom, I love you,'” Torres’ mother said tearfully. Victoria and her mother embraced when Boone’s life sentence was announced. Several people spoke in Boone’s defense, including Diane Smith, a chaplain at the Orange County Jail, who said Boone enrolled in a Christian program there and has worked to do better over the past four years, including as a mentor to younger inmates. Boone’s bunkmate for about three years, Christina Piña, said she has been like a big sister to her. “[When] anybody need any help, or needed anything, they come to her, and even if they did wrong she would still go back and help them, and pray with them, and pray over them and everything,” she said. Lana Albert, a friend suffering from end-stage renal disease who Boone met online while in jail, appeared by Zoom from Minnesota to say that Boone offered to donate her a kidney. Boone’s attorney, James Owens, argued that Kraynick should give Boone less than the minimum 221⁄2 years for reasons including her mental illness. Forensic psychologist Dr. Julie Harper testified that the untimely death of Boone’s father when she was in high school affected her ability to form healthy relationships. Kraynick said an appellate attorney will be appointed for Boone. Owens says he believes there are good grounds for appeal and is meeting with Boone on Tuesday to discuss if they should file one. He is open to returning as Boone’s attorney if the appeals court grants her a new trial. She must appeal within 30 days.
Philadelphia Eagles Waive Veteran Receiver Following Win Vs RavensTaoiseach Simon Harris said he also wanted to tell Nikita Hand, a hair colourist from Drimnagh, that her case had prompted an increase in women coming forward to ask for support. Ms Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor said in a post on social media on Friday that he intends to appeal against the decision. That post has since been deleted. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mr Harris said he told Ms Hand of the support she has from people across Ireland. “I spoke with Nikita today and I wanted to thank her for her incredible bravery and her courage,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that she knew how much solidarity and support there was across this country for her bravery. “I also wanted to make sure she knew of what the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had said yesterday – that so many other women have now come forward in relation to their own experiences of sexual abuse as a result of Nikita’s bravery.” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the case has had a “profound effect” on the people the charity supports, and that over the first 10 days of the High Court case, calls to its national helpline increased by almost 20%. It said that first-time callers increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, and were largely from people who had experienced sexual violence who were distressed and anxious from the details of case and the views people had to it. Mr Harris said: “I wanted to speak with her and I wanted to wish her and her daughter, Freya, all the very best night, and I was very grateful to talk with Nikita today. “Her bravery, her courage, her voice has made a real difference in a country in which we must continue to work to get to zero tolerance when it comes to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “I don’t want to say too much more, because conscious there could be further legal processes, but I absolutely want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her courage, for using her voice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee praised Ms Hand’s bravery and said she had shown “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. She said: “I just want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her determination and the leadership that she has shown in what has been – I’ve no doubt – a very, very difficult time for her and indeed, for her family. She added: “Because of wonderful people like Nikita, I hope that it shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there are supports available to people, and that there is justice at the end of the day.” Ms Hand said in a statement outside court on Friday that she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. Describing the past six years as “a nightmare”, she said: “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” During the case, Ms Hand said she was “disappointed and upset” when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to prosecute the case after she made a complaint to the Irish police. In a letter to her in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous. Asked about the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, Mr Harris and Ms McEntee stressed the importance of the DPP’s independence on whether to prosecute. “There are obviously structures in place where the DPP can meet a victim and can outline to them their reasons for not taking the case,” Mr Harris said. “But there’s also always an opportunity for the DPP in any situation – and I speak broadly in relation to this – to review a decision, to consider any new information that may come to light, and I don’t want to say anything that may ever cut across the ongoing work of the DPP.” Ms McEntee stressed that there should “never be any political interference” in the independence of the DPP’s decisions. “I have, since becoming minister, given priority to and enabled a new office within the DPP to open specifically focused on sexual offences, so that this issue can be given the focus and the priority that it needs,” she said.As a rabbi who once lived as a Buddhist monk in the Far East, I've witnessed the transformative power of gratitude in the most unexpected places. Now, as Thanksgiving approaches, I'm reminded of how deeply this American holiday resonates with our Jewish values and practices. In Judaism, the very word "Jew" (Yehudi in Hebrew) stems from "Lehodot," meaning to acknowledge and thank. This linguistic connection isn't just coincidental; it's foundational to our identity. We Jews are put on this earth to acknowledge the good that the Almighty has done for humankind. It's why we make brachot (blessings) over everything we partake of—each one a moment to be grateful for what God has given us and thank the Almighty for everything we have in our lives. That is what prayer is as well, recognizing that everything we have comes from God. So much of Jewish tradition is steeped in thanksgiving. During my time working in orphanages in Sri Lanka and India, I encountered children who, despite suffering from polio and malnutrition, exuded a joy that surpassed that of many materially wealthy individuals. Their secret? A deep appreciation for what they had, rather than focusing on what they lacked. This experience taught me that the Jewish practice of constant acknowledgment isn't just a religious obligation—it's a pathway to genuine happiness. To enhance your Thanksgiving this year, I propose two approaches deeply rooted in Jewish wisdom: specificity and habitual thanksgiving. The first approach is to be in your expressions of gratitude. In Judaism, we don't just say a general blessing over food; we have specific and individual brachot for bread, wine, fruits and more. Similarly, instead of a generic "thank you for the meal," try saying, "I'm grateful for this delicious stuffing; I can taste the herbs you carefully selected." This level of detail shows that you've truly noticed and appreciated someone's efforts. They in turn appreciate being seen. The second approach is to not wait for the holiday to show our thanks, but rather to do it every day. Acknowledge the habitual. In Jewish tradition, we begin each day with the "Modeh Ani" prayer, expressing thanks for simply waking up. 2 View gallery ( Photo: Shutterstock ) On Thanksgiving, extend this practice by recognizing the everyday acts that often go unnoticed. Thank your spouse for picking up the kids from school every day, or for taking out the trash or doing the dishes and laundry, even if it's "just what they do." Thank your children for sharing their smiles with you, and thank your colleagues for their efforts in the office that make your day run more smoothly. Recognize that consistency in routine tasks is often more challenging than occasional grand gestures and takes more effort on behalf of the person doing the action. These practices align beautifully with the Jewish concept of hakarat hatov, recognizing the good. By focusing on specific details and acknowledging routine kindnesses, we train ourselves to see the myriad blessings in our lives, fostering a deeper sense of contentment and connection. Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv Moreover, this approach can strengthen our relationships, both with the Divine and with those around us. Just as our tradition teaches that expressing gratitude enhances our bond with God, showing appreciation to our loved ones can cement our familial and social ties. Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen Photo: Courtesy As I often tell my students, being grateful is great for any relationship—the more we thank Hashem, the better our relationship with Him will be. The same principle applies to our human relationships. This Thanksgiving, let’s be specific in our thanks and acknowledge the habitual blessings in our lives. By doing so, we can transform an otherwise secular holiday into a deeply spiritual experience, one that resonates with the very essence of what it means to be Jewish. If we are successful, we might just find that the joy we seek has been within our reach all along, waiting to be recognized in the simple moments of each day. Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen is an author, a senior lecturer at the Aish World Center in Jerusalem and founder of Living in Tune: Authentic Jewish Mindfulness which offers online courses and in-person retreats >