Preview: Tranmere Rovers vs. Barrow - prediction, team news, lineups
S&P/TSX composite, U.S. markets end the trading day lower FridayPhoto: RNZ/Nate McKinnon The blaze, which started on Thursday morning, has burned through nearly 1000 hectares at Bridge Hill, northwest of Springfield. Incident Commander Colin Russell said on Saturday afternoon it was not safe to contain the fire on its perimetre due to rugged terrain and cliffs. Instead, he said crews were trying to control it by suppressing hotspots and flare-ups. Russell said more than 100 firefighters were battling the blaze on Saturday, as well as three diggers and four helicopters. Strong winds and higher temperatures were earlier forecast for Saturday afternoon. Firefighters were battling to get the blaze under control in Saturday morning's more favourable weather conditions. Russell earlier said while it was still not yet contained, it was remaining within its 17km boundary and not expected to grow in size. Residents around Castle Hill were on standby to evacuate should the blaze spread. The fire started early on Thursday morning, closing State Highway 73 and burning through more than 1000 hectares at Bridge Hill, northwest of Springfield. The Holloway Lodge, near the peak of Bridge Hill, was destroyed. Russell said 110 FENZ staff were still working to contain the blaze as the weather turned. "This afternoon the wind is forecast to strengthen, and temperatures will be in the mid- to high-20s. This will be less favourable conditions for getting this fire contained and the risk of breakouts will be higher so we will be closely monitoring the fire." All recreational areas between Castle Hill and Lake Pearson were closed to the public, FENZ said on social media. "This is still an active fire zone and with the winds increasing the risk of a breakout fire is higher. Please do not move cones and signs that are blocking off these areas. When you do this it ties up valuable resources trying to sort evacuations, when we should be working on the fire ground." Seven FENZ crews had monitored the site overnight. Fire retardant lines had been placed around at-risk properties and crews would be focusing on the ground. There had been five helicopters helping to battle the blaze, and FENZ was expected to do an aerial reconnaissance flight on Saturday morning to assess any damage and the extent of the fire's spread. Sunday is shaping up to be one of the windier days we’ve had in a while as strong northwesterlies cover the country💨💨 Gusts of 150 km/h are possible in parts of the Canterbury High Country and 140km/h in areas in Wellington. Watches and Orange Warnings in place🟠🟡 pic.twitter.com/1xMZ7U1h8d — MetService (@MetService) December 6, 2024 SH73 had reopened, but stop/go signs were in place and traffic was being taken through the affected area in piloted convoys. "We'd like to thank all the road users for their patience and adhering to the traffic restrictions in place," Russell said. "It has meant we can keep the road open in a safe manner so people can continue to pass through." Strong wind warnings were in place for much of the South Island from early on Sunday, with northwesterly gusts picking up on the east coast through Saturday. Another fire breaks out in region Meanwhile FENZ shift manager Simon Lyford said crews were fighting another scrub fire in North Canterbury, just south of Culverden. Crews from three stations were trying to get on top of the fire, but the wind was not helping, he said. "We do have a helicopter on standby ready to respond, but at this stage the crews are saying that they believe that they will be okay." It was more than 90 kilometres away from the Bridge Hill blaze, he said.
WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump’s defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host’s personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill and conducted a radio interview to deny allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking, insisting he was “not backing down one bit” and that Trump still supports him. The president-elect’s team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Hegseth paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault at a California hotel in 2017 after Hegseth had given a speech at a Republican event. His lawyer said the payment was to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit. The Trump transition team was increasingly concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and actively looking at potential replacements, a person familiar with the matter said. Three other people said DeSantis, who competed against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, was being discussed as an option if Hegseth’s nomination does not move forward. The people spoke on condition of anonymity. Beyond DeSantis, there have also been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was chosen by Trump for national security adviser, to the Defense Department, according to another person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. As he made the rounds on Capitol Hill, Hegseth told reporters that he had received a fresh message of support from Trump. He ignored questions about the allegations he faced. Hegseth, accompanied by his wife, held talks in private with GOP senators before shifting to the House to meet with legislators there. While House members have no direct role in the confirmation process, conservatives can hold outsize influence on the debate. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Eileen Mitchell said her 19-year old sister, Katie - who is non-verbal, autistic and has learning difficulties - was removed from a branch of the second-hand electronics shop CEX in Lisburn on December 19. After the incident was shared online, several political representatives expressed concern. This afternoon, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said her party had contacted police on the matter. “Many will be aware of a very troubling incident recorded in Lisburn before Christmas,” she said. “Many have contacted me, sending the clip and expressing serious concerns. "Please be assured, we have reached out and also have contacted the PSNI in relation to the incident.” Earlier, explaining what happened, Ms Mitchell said her sister had entered the shop after she spotted a DVD she wished to purchase, but was told by staff that a sale was not possible as the registers had been taken off due to closing. She shared an image of Kate standing at the till, alongside a video in which she is being carried by several police officers out the front door of the shop. Watch: Police remove autistic girl from Lisburn shop The post has nearly 10,000 likes and over 8,000 shares, while the group NI Disability and Carers shared the post saying they “have no words” and tagged Chief Constable Jon Boutcher asking him if the response from the officers in the video was acceptable. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Eileen said Katie didn’t understand the situation which occurred after she spotted a DVD she wished to purchase of her favourite cartoon series Thomas the Tank Engine, and hit out at how it was handled by the retailer. “It’s shocking, it’s like something you would have expected 20 years ago, but it’s coming into 2025 and things like this are still happening to vulnerable people,” said Eileen who said she believes it was her parents who called the police in the hopes of helping de-escalating the situation. CEX has been contacted for comment. “To be honest, Katie was very traumatised over this for a long time, it was the shock of it. We don’t know what long term impact it will have, we’re scared Katie will now react if she sees a police officer when out shopping, or if she sees another one of these shops. “I don’t think we can take her shopping in Lisburn either, it’s so traumatic for her. “You just assume that you can call the police in a crisis, and they’ll be able to help and be aware of how to handle vulnerable people, and help the situation.” After the incident, Eileen claims her sister was carried outside of the shop, before she was set down. The police and shop staff then left, as Katie and Eileen’s father attempted to help her. She also said her father stepped in after the incident because he was concerned that due to her low weight, Katie would be hurt when being carried by the officers. “The worst part of it was that she was just left outside the store and everyone just walked off,” she added. “We did hear from the police on Christmas Day who contacted us who told us that it was basically my mum and dads fault - as well as Katie’s fault. They were blaming them.” The family said they have not received any further response from the police. “I shared the video because of how my parents and Katie have been since, they’re really in shock about it all. The fact that several police officers needed to remove a young girl because of a £2 DVD. At the time when Katie wanted to buy it, my mum also said she begged with the shop to do anything that would help, like bringing back the DVD the next day to scan it, or letting them keep the box so the sale could be processed in the morning. “I think we just need more common sense, and a better approach for disabled and vulnerable adults.” The incident comes weeks after the . An aspect of the training was to “focus on understanding and responding to the needs of autistic members of the public whilst on duty.” At the time, Autism NI praised the partnership and said it was “ great to see” the organisation's “commitment to supporting both autistic members of the public and autistic staff members”. A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police were called to assist in a shop in the Bow Street area of Lisburn at 6.15pm last Sunday, 22nd December. Officers attended and removed a 19-year-old female from the shop." Sinn Féin councillor Gary McCleave said he had contacted the PSNI over the incident. “I have made contact with the PSNI regarding this incident,” he said. “This incident highlights the importance that shops and people who work in the public sector receive appropriate training. “I will be speaking with my colleagues who will be raising it with the policing board.” Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood also said she had contacted the family. "Folks, regarding a video of an incident last week in Lisburn, I've made contact with all parties concerned this evening,” she said. “In order to respect privacy and process, I will not be commenting further. Please rest assured that we are supporting the family and will be following through.”ET Wealth collaborates with Value Research to analyse top mutual funds. We examine the key fundamentals of the fund, its portfolio and performance to help you make an informed investment decision. AXIS GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND BASIC FACTS DATE OF LAUNCH 22 OCT 2018 CATEGORY EQUITY TYPE LARGE & MIDCAP Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI 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 Data Analysis Learn Power BI with Microsoft Fabric: Complete Course By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Design Microsoft Designer Guide: The Ultimate AI Design Tool By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Learn InVideo AI: Create Videos from Text Easily By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Entrepreneurship Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Entrepreneurship Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer 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 MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Tabnine AI Masterclass: Optimize Your Coding Efficiency By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Legal Complete Guide to AI Governance and Compliance By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program AUM* Rs.13,780 crore BENCHMARK NIFTY LARGE MIDCAP 250 TOTAL RETURN INDEX WHAT IT COSTS NAV** GROWTH OPTION Rs.32.6 IDCW Rs.22.1 MINIMUM INVESTMENT Rs.100 MINIMUM SIP AMOUNT Rs.100 EXPENSE RATIO# (%) 1.69 EXIT LOAD For units in excess of 10% of the investment, 1% will be charged for redemption within 365 days. *AS ON 31 OCT 2024 **AS ON 3 DEC 2024 #AS ON 31 OCT 2024 FUND MANAGER SHREYASH DEVALKAR/ HITESH DAS 1 YEAR, 3 MONTHS EACH Recent portfolio changes New entrants Berger Paints India , GE Vernova T&D India, Kalyan Jewellers India (Sep). HDFC Asset Management Company , Hyundai Motor India (Oct). Complete exits Coal India , Go Digit General Insurance , Oberoi Realty , Petronet LNG (Sep). AIA Engineering , Astral , Avenue Supermarts , Dabur India , Global Health , United Breweries , Zydus Lifesciences (Oct). Should You Buy This fund leans towards quality and growth style, targeting market leaders in emerging industries or higher growth businesses in established sectors. Apart from its large-cap and mid-cap bias, it also invests in overseas equities as a diversification strategy. The fund runs a highly diversified portfolio with around 120 stocks, allowing modest positions in its top bets. The fund has built a decent track record in its running time of six years, beating the index and its peers. However, its return profile has slipped slightly in recent years as the growth theme has withered. It can be expected to recover ground once the market conditions favour its investing style.
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza cease-fire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. Wednesday's strike in Muwasi — a desolate area with few public services that holds hundreds of thousands of displaced people — wounded at least 28 people, according to Atif al-Hout, the director of Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. An Associated Press journalist at the hospital counted at least 15 bodies, but said reaching a precise number was difficult because many of the dead were dismembered, some without heads or badly burned. In the morgue, an infant's blackened hand and face peeked out from beneath a heavy blanket used to transport bodies to the hospital. “It was like doomsday,” said a wounded woman, Iman Jumaa, who held back tears as she described how the strike killed her father, her brothers and her brothers' children. Videos and photos of the strike shared widely on social media showed flames and a column of black smoke rising into the night sky, as well as twisted metal tent frames and shredded fabric. Palestinian men searched through the still-burning wreckage, shouting, “Over here guys!” Further away, civilians stood at a distance, observing the destruction. The military said the strikes had set off secondary blasts, indicating explosives present in the area had detonated. It was not possible to independently confirm the Israeli claims, and the strikes could also have ignited fuel, cooking gas canisters or other materials in the camp. Shortly after the strike, Al-Awda Hospital said two people had been killed and 38 wounded in an attack on a residential block in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The military had no immediate comment on the strike, but said earlier strikes in central Gaza had hit “terrorist targets." Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths, saying the militants often operate in residential areas and are known to position tunnels, rocket launchers and other infrastructure near homes, schools and mosques. Previous Israeli strikes on tent camps in Gaza have drawn widespread international outrage, such as when a wounded student’s last moments were caught on video as he burned to death in a tent outside a hospital. In northern Gaza, dozens of Palestinian families said Israel's expanding offensive had forcibly displaced them from schools-turned-shelters. Associated Press footage showed people on the road Wednesday leaving Beit Lahia, many crowded onto donkey carts with their belongings in their arms. Others walked on foot. “This morning a quadcopter (drone) detonated four bombs at the school. There were people injured, human remains — we left with nothing,” said Sadeia al-Rahel. The 57-year-old said her family has been eating grass, leaves, and animal feed for two months due to the lack of food aid in the north. The amount of aid entering Gaza plunged in October, and hunger is widespread across the territory, even in central Gaza where aid groups have more access. Humanitarian organizations say Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of law and order make it difficult to deliver assistance. Israel has said it is working to increase the flow of aid. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,500 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 250 people were abducted. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. On Wednesday, Israel said its forces recovered the body of a hostage who was captured alive during the Oct. 7 attack. Israel believes Itay Svirsky was killed by his captors. The families of hostages held in Gaza have grown increasingly concerned that their loved ones are at risk so long as the war continues. Israel’s military released on Wednesday the findings of a probe into the circumstances behind the deaths of six hostages whose bodies were recovered in August, determining they were probably shot by their captors after a nearby Israeli strike in February. Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report.In a segment on his podcast, Warriors legend Draymond Green gave his candid take on LeBron James . According to Green, while Father Time is finally catching up to the King after 21 years, he's not quite "done" being one of the best players on the planet. "Is father time catching up to him? Absolutely," said Green . "Because Father Time catches up to everyone. However, where I disagree is people are saying, 'Oh, we just saw it. Now he's done!' I disagree with that and the reason I disagree with that is that it looks like to me right now that he's a little tired. But we have to remember the [Lakers] played into the playoffs last year, they fought an uphill battle to make it there and then he comes in and does the Olympics with no time off. I think LeBron [James] has hit a little bit of a wall right now." As someone who has battled LeBron at the peak of his powers, Draymond knows all too well the kind of impact that James has on the floor. Even now, in year 22, LeBron is the center of everything for the Lakers and they need him at full strength to compete in the West. So after dragging them to the playoffs, and losing to the Nuggets in the first round, it would have been better for James to rest and prepare his body for the upcoming season. Instead, James took it upon himself to compete in the Olympic Games this summer where he logged heavy minutes as a focal point of the team. To say that LeBron has been overworked over the past six months might be an understatement at this point given his age and the frequency with which he comes to save the day for the Lakers This season, however, LeBron has been struggling to play up to his usual standards. With averages of 22.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game on 48.2% shooting (34.5% from three), James is having his worst scoring season in years and it has put the Lakers in a difficult position. LeBron's ongoing shooting slump is perhaps the worst of his career so far and many Lakers fans believe it's the start of his natural decline as one of the best players in the game. Draymond Green has problems of his own to worry about on the Warriors but he has defended LeBron before and it's no surprise to see him to it again here. And while Green cannot deny LeBron's losing battle against time, he will deny that his glory days are completely over. Even now, at 39 years old, LeBron James can still be an effective player for the Lakers both on the court and in the locker room. But if the team wants any hope of making a lasting run, they'll need to shift their focus to Anthony Davis and rebuild everything around him. With one or maybe two more years left, LeBron knows that the end is near but he's hoping to end things on good terms, with his team still in the championship picture. Tonight, LeBron and the Lakers will have another chance to set things right against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center at 7:30 PM EST. Their East road trip continues on Friday, December 6th, against the Hawks at 7:30 PM EST in State Farm Arena. Finally, the Lakers are back home for their matchup against the Trail Blazers on Saturday, December 8th, at 9:30 PM EST. This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.
Georgia pro-EU protesters defiant as thousands rally for 11th day TBILISI: Thousands of pro-Europe protesters rallied on Sunday in Georgia against the government ́s decision to shelve European Union accession talks, marking the 11th consecutive day of demonstrations amid a post-election crisis. The country ́s pro-Western opposition and the president rejected the ruling Georgian Dream party ́s claimed victory in October 26 parliamentary polls and tens of thousands had taken to the streets against alleged electoral fraud. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze ́s shock decision last week that EU-candidate Tbilisi will not seek the opening of accession talks triggered a fresh wave of protests, which met with a tough police response. Kobakhidze has labelled the protesters as opposition-controlled “violent groups”, claiming their attempted revolution “has failed” and -- using language reminiscent of Kremlin rhetoric against its political opponents -- threatened to punish “liberal fascists”.Siddaramaiah misused police authority in MUDA case, claims Karnataka BJP
Key Takeaways This week's tragic shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York has raised concern about the security of corporate leaders. CNN says , "UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing shows why companies spend millions to protect their top executives." A Forbes columnist predicts that "after the shooting... security personnel will be in demand." And, according to this Wall Street Journal report , his killing "prompted an immediate re-evaluation of longstanding security practices across corporate America," and "dozens" of security chiefs from large U.S. companies convened together on a call to discuss the situation. "The environment is explosive right now," a former Boston police commissioner who now (no surprise) consults with large companies on mitigating security risks told the Journal. "The threats are evolving and getting more violent." Okay, let's calm down, shall we? Related: Unsolved Murder of UnitedHeathcare Exec Causes Panicked Health Insurance Companies to Take Down Website Leadership Pages Of course, there's reason behind this concern. Corporate executives are not only more in the spotlight than ever before, but they are also not too hard to find. They attend public events, shareholder meetings and social functions all over the world. Often, companies make their schedules public or publish press releases noting where they'll be. Getting hold of their home addresses is a few steps online. Digging into their personal relationships takes minutes, thanks to LinkedIn, X and Facebook. If you're a corporate executive, you can easily be targeted by someone who, say, wants to right a wrong or impersonate a social justice warrior for 15 minutes of fame. But this is not a new thing, is it? Uber's former CEO, Travis Kalanick, was egged in Taiwan in 2017. Bill Gates was hit with a pie in the face during an overseas visit in 1998. Rubert Murdoch and the CEOs of Qantas Airlines and the now defunct Enron Corporation also got pie-ed. Frankly, lots of business leaders and celebrities have been "involuntarily" pied over the years. But the murder of a CEO is, obviously, much more serious. Thankfully, these situations have not only been few and far between but almost non-existent. An advertising executive was murdered in New Jersey in 1994, but that turned out to be the Unabomber's doing. A Microsoft executive was shot and killed in Florida in 2022, but the culprit turned out to be his ex-wife's husband. George Tiller, who owned a women's health clinic in Kansas, was murdered by an anti-abortion extremist at a church service (his clinic was the target of "multiple attacks" previously). I don't want to downplay or trivialize the gravity of what happened to Thompson. But I've searched Google and various chatbots like Perplexity and ChatGPT for examples of other CEOs who have met the same fate and come up short. There are currently 55,000 publicly held companies in the world, and the U.S. has more than six million employee-owned businesses alone. These companies are led not only by CEOs and business owners but by teams of senior executives who would all make enticing targets for the attention seeker. And yet, there are very, very few incidents like this. Senior executives seem more at risk of succumbing to a skiing accident or going down in a plane crash than some random person shooting them point blank on a busy New York City street. Which is why we should all calm down for a minute. The media loves to exploit the worst of our fears and anxieties to get clicks. So they write things like "security will be in demand" and "the environment is explosive." Posts like these from irresponsible "journalists" certainly do not help either. It's a great marketing moment for security firms. But should corporations be making knee-jerk decisions to all-of-the-sudden start spending significant sums for security over what seems to be an isolated incident? If your CEO is Mark Zuckerberg, a celebrity, I get it. But for all others? I'm not so sure. Related: Here's How Entrepreneurs Can Protect Their Company From Cyberattacks Why? Because people don't go around shooting other people. Our systems — while they don't catch everyone — are pretty good at isolating those with criminal histories or who need watching. Guns can be obtained both legally and illegally, but pulling off a shooting requires patience, skill and planning. Of course, people in public positions need to be careful in today's world. CEOs who get political or involved in social issues or support certain controversial causes are increasing their risk of assault from a tiny fraction of lunatics that oppose them. Executives who run firms that are involved in life and death matters, such as healthcare, also need to be careful. All leaders have to be aware of their surroundings. If they receive threats — as Thompson allegedly did — they must take them seriously. Those are the situations where added security measures are needed, be it provided by local police or through private firms. But as you can see from the numbers, these situations are few and far between. So, no one should be panicking. Corporations don't need to surround their CEOs with secret service-type agents in sunglasses. Some do, and they pay millions for the privilege. But for the vast majority of corporate executives, they can take heart that we haven't gotten to that point. And I don't think we will ever get to that point — at least not in the foreseeable future. Thompson's shooting was tragic. But it was a rare event. An anomaly. We should mourn for this man. But, with apologies to the security industry, we shouldn't be overreacting.
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire and fellow entrepreneur and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Related Articles Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
The meeting of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Department, Ikramullah Khan here Friday approved various development projects of improving infrastructure, education, health and social welfare sector. The approved projects include approval of Rs. 3 billion for Ehsaas Hunar Program, Rs. 2.9 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation of a 26-kilometer road from Arandu to Kalkatak Lowari in Chitral district, improvement of flood protection structures in Swat and adjacent rivers, rehabilitation of CRBC and Paharpur Canal System in Dera Ismail Khan and feasibility studies for solar lift irrigation schemes across the province. The forum also approved Establishment of a Government College of Commerce in Duggar, Buner, reconstruction of the Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) in Mingora, Swat, upgrading of Hayasrai Primary Health Center to a Category-D Hospital in Lower Dir and construction of a Thalassemia Department at District Headquarters Hospital, Batkhela. The meeting also approved construction and rehabilitation of roads in South Waziristan, Tank, Batkhela and Upper Chitral, purchase of land for cemeteries and construction of model religious schools and computer labs in registered religious schools. The PDWP also approved projects to enhance governance and research capacity, including establishment of a Chief Minister’s Policy Office, Sector Reforms Unit in Public Health Engineering Department and Monitoring and Evaluation System for development projects. The meeting was attended by PDWP members and officers from various departments.The Freedom Fighter. Meet Harriet Tubman and learn about this leader's attributes in this Civilization 7 trailer for the upcoming turn-based strategy game. Sid Meier's Civilization 7 will be available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam (which also supports Mac and Linux) and the Epic Games Store on February 11, 2025. Cross-play multiplayer is fully supported. In Civilization 7, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement. Construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, improve your civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations as you explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Pursue prosperity in an immersive solo experience or play with others in online multiplayer.SafeSport Center changes targeted in new bill aimed at sex abuse in sports
MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé admitted he is going through a difficult moment as he missed another penalty kick and Real Madrid lost ground to Barcelona in the Spanish league after a 2-1 loss at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Mbappé had his penalty saved by Athletic goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala in the 68th minute, and later Federico Valverde gifted a late goal by losing possession on defense to allow an easy winner by Gorka Guruzeta in the 80th. “Bad result,” Mbappé posted on Instagram. “A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it's the best time to change this situation and show who I am.” Mbappé sent the penalty shot to his right and Agirrezabala dived that way to make the stop. “We knew that he is a good penalty taker,” Agirrezabala said. “He missed the last one and I believed that he was going to choose the same side and luckily that’s what happened.” Mbappé, who had a goal disallowed for offside in the 13th, had also missed a penalty in Madrid’s 2-0 loss at Liverpool in the Champions League last week. He didn’t take the one for the club in a Spanish league match on Sunday, but he scored in the 2-0 win over Getafe to ease some of the pressure on him and the club. But it was another lackluster outing for the France star, who continues to struggle in his first season since finally joining the Spanish powerhouse. “I won’t evaluate the performance of a player because of a missed penalty. Obviously he is sad and disappointed, but you have to move on,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said about Mbappé. “He is not at his best level, but you have to give him time to adapt. You have to give him time to be able to do better.” Ancelotti also downplayed the bad play by Valverde, saying that mistakes can happen to anyone. Valverde had control of the ball but gave it away while trying to get past a couple of Athletic players instead of passing it to a teammate, leaving Guruzeta with an easy run into the area for his goal. Álex Berenguer had put the hosts ahead in the 53td and Jude Bellingham equalized for Madrid in the 78th. The defeat left Madrid four points behind Barcelona, which on Tuesday ended a three-match winless streak in the league with a 5-1 rout at Mallorca. Madrid, which has a game in hand, had won three consecutive league games since a 4-0 loss at home in the “clasico” against Barcelona. Madrid has lost five of its last 11 matches in all competitions. Athletic moved to fourth place with the victory, its fourth consecutive across all competitions. Both matches on Tuesday and Wednesday were moved forward in the schedule because the clubs will be playing in the Spanish Super Cup in January. In the Copa del Rey, first-division clubs Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Real Betis all advanced over lower-division teams in the second round, but Villarreal lost 1-0 to fourth-division club Pontevedra and Girona fell on penalties to fourth-tier team Logrones. AP soccer:Buck Pierce is back where his CFL career began. It's been about 20 years since the quarterback from Crescent City, Calif., hopped into the car with his dad and took the long, winding drive up the West Coast to a B.C. Lions' free agent camp in Portland, Ore., hoping to land a role with the team. This week, Pierce was named the Lions' head coach. "From that free agent camp, I signed with the B.C. Lions about a week later," he told reporters Wednesday. "To think about 20 years later, for that to come full circle and for me to be sitting here today is truly a surreal experience. It feels like a dream come true for me." Pierce's hiring comes after the Lions dismissed head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell last month. B.C. finished the 2024 regular season with a 9-9 record, ending their campaign with a loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West Division semifinal. Choosing a new coach — the 28th in franchise history — was an "exhaustive process" where the Lions' front office went through eight candidates, said newly minted GM Ryan Rigmaiden. B.C. Lions fire head coach and co-GM Rick Campbell as part of sweeping changes Former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive co-ordinator named as new head coach for B.C. Lions "We wanted somebody that had leadership skills, accountability for coaches and players and then somebody that could bring in the mental and physical toughness that we felt like we had to make a jump with," he said. "Buck started his career as a quarterback here. He led from the huddle. And now he's going to lead us into a new era of B.C. Lions football." The Lions inked Pierce as a free agent in 2005, and he spent five seasons playing for B.C., winning a Grey Cup in 2006. The 43-year-old former QB grew emotional Wednesday reflecting on those memories. Quarterback Buck Pierce appeared in 94 games over two stints with the B.C. Lions. In nine seasons with B.C. and Winnipeg, he passed for 15,289 yards. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press) "To be back in this building, to see so many familiar faces around this room, reconnect with the community that I was so proud to be a part of, it's a very special feeling for me," he said. "To come back here and have this opportunity with an organization that I believe has the right people and is being built the right way is surreal, humbling. And I'm filled with gratitude." After leaving the Lions, Pierce played parts of four seasons for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before being dealt back to B.C. midway through 2013. He then announced his retirement and joined the Bombers' coaching staff. Pierce has spent the last decade on Winnipeg's sidelines and capped his fourth season as the team's offensive co-ordinator with a Grey Cup appearance last month. Pierce helped the Bombers hoist Grey Cups in 2019 and 2021 by guiding star quarterback Zach Collaros and 2024's most outstanding player, running back Brady Oliveira. The Bombers offence has been the envy of the CFL in recent years, said Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke, who was on hand for Pierce's introduction Wednesday. Video A look back at the B.C. Lions winning the 1964 Grey Cup "They've proven that they can be an explosive offence. They can be a consistent offence, and that's ultimately what I want to be," he said. "I think that for the last couple of years, Winnipeg and Zach [Collaros] have set the standard for what the league is, especially in the West. And we're always chasing that. "We want to win the West. We want to win the Grey Cup. And I'm excited to learn and develop and get better within that offence." Vision for the club, 'toughness, grit, integrity': Buck Pierce Having a former quarterback as head coach is always great, added Rourke, who grew up watching the CFL and remembers seeing Pierce play. Getting the most out of the offence, though, is all about communication, according to Rourke. "In all the quarterback rooms that I've been in, the successful ones, it's a great dialogue, not just between the starter and the play caller, but with all the quarterbacks," he said. "And I think that that's something that he's striving for. And I think it's important." Who will join Pierce's staff remains to be seen. The new head coach said Wednesday that he'll be the one calling plays, but he'll take his time to round out his coaching roster. "Our vision for this club is an identity of toughness, grit, integrity and accountability," he said. "The standard will be set early, and we will hold ourselves and our players to that standard." New B.C. Lions head coach Buck Pierce, left, reaches to shake hands with co-general manager and director of football operations Neil McEvoy, right, as quarterback Nathan Rourke watches after a news conference at the CFL football team's practice facility, in Surrey, B.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press) For now, Pierce's priority is reaching out to his new players and getting to know them. Some, including Rourke, are already locked up for next season, while others — including last season's leading receiver Justin McInnis — require new deals. The new head coach knows he'll face challenges in the weeks and months ahead, but wasn't about to speculate on what might be the toughest hurdle he'll face. "You don't know what you don't know as a first-time head coach," Pierce said. "But I do know this — I'm excited for the opportunity. What I know is adversity will show, and we're ready for that."
After the postponement of their Boxing Day League Two clash against Accrington Stanley, Tranmere Rovers welcome Barrow to Prenton Park for their matchday 24 encounter. Thursday's fixture was called off due to foggy weather over Merseyside, with the match scheduled for 3pm but cancelled about an hour before kickoff. Tranmere's last league outing was a 3-1 away loss to Doncaster Rovers on gameweek 22, leaving them 19th in the standings with 21 points from 20 games, four points above the drop zone, though they have two games in hand over 23rd-placed Morecambe. In that match, Tom Davies was sent off as Doncaster took control with goals from Joseph Olowu , Patrick Kelly , and substitute Kyle Hurst , before Sol Solomon pulled one back for Nigel Adkins 's side with an 83rd-minute strike. That defeat was a setback for Rovers, especially after they had ended a five-game winless run the week before with a 2-1 victory over Harrogate at Prenton Park. Back on their ground this weekend and with fresh legs, Tranmere will aim to avoid another prolonged spell without a win, with their strong home record against Barrow – having won seven of the last eight meetings – offering encouragement. Tranmere's underwhelming performance in the first half of the season has been largely due to their struggles in the final third, with the Super White Army managing just 15 goals so far – the joint-fewest in the division – and averaging less than a goal per game in their home matches. Meanwhile, Barrow, buoyed by their recent successes against the hosts, winning the last two meetings between the sides, will be looking to put an end to their disastrous run on the road, having failed to win any of their last 10 away games across all competitions, including eight in the league. The Bluebirds, under former head coach Pete Wild , missed out on a playoff spot by just one point last term, failing to secure a win in any of their last seven games in the fourth tier, with their record on the road even worse, as they ended the campaign without victory in their final 10 trips. The departure of Wild at the end of the season by mutual consent ushered in the arrival of current boss Stephen Clemence , and while Barrow have managed to break that winless streak in this campaign with back-to-back victories against Harrogate and Grimsby Town, they have not tasted an away triumph in the competition in over three months. Their two wins, two draws, and seven defeats in 11 away matches have left them with the second-worst away record in the division, ahead of only Sunday's opponents. The Bluebirds head into the weekend encounter on the back of a humbling 3-0 defeat to Salford on Boxing Day, leaving them in 17th place with 26 points from 21 matches, eight points adrift of the playoff spots. While a win could revive hopes of surpassing last season's position, their meagre five goals on the road – the lowest away tally in the league – offers little cause for optimism. Tranmere will be without Davies for the match, as he serves a suspension following his red card against Doncaster. With the 32-year-old defender sidelined, Declan Drysdale will likely step into the starting lineup, partnering Lee O'Connor , Jordan Turnbull and 28-year-old Connor Wood in the back four, while Luke McGee will continue in goal. In terms of injuries, Tranmere are still missing midfielders Brad Walker , Regan Hendry and Saidou Khan , who remain unavailable, while 31-year-old forward Luke Norris will miss his seventh consecutive game. Barrow's Sam Foley , back from a muscle injury sustained in early November, returned to the starting lineup in their last outing and is expected to retain his place this weekend. Emile Acquah , who has started Barrow's last three league matches, will aim to add to his three goals this season as he looks to continue his impact in attack. Tranmere Rovers possible starting lineup: McGee; O'Connor, Drysdale, Turnbull, Wood; Finley, Merrie; Dennis, Jennings, Patrick; Saunders Barrow possible starting lineup: Farman; Feely, Vassell, Stokes, Jackson; Foley, Gotts; Spence, Mahoney, Newby; Acquah Both sides have struggled this season, with their inefficiency in the final third hindering the prospect of a high-scoring encounter. Although the hosts have enjoyed more success in this fixture recently, their home record of just three wins from 10 games offers little assurance of securing all three points. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .Watch Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics free live stream