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FOX45: Raskin launches bid for ranking member of House Judiciary CommitteeESPN Reporter Mina Kimes Turned Heads With NFL Christmas Day Outfit( MENAFN - Investor Brand Network) Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ: RUM) stock has dropped 11% in value over the past week, leading to a significant market valuation decrease of $255 million. However, company insiders appear to have avoided the pain of this loss by selling their shares earlier at a much higher price. Over the past year, Rumble insiders sold $6.1 million worth of shares at an average price of $6.07 per share. The most notable sale came from Robert Arsov, Rumble's Lead Independent Director, who sold $711,000 worth of shares at around $7.02 per share. Arsov sold a total of a million shares over the... Read More>> About BillionDollarClub BillionDollarClub (“BDC”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on the biggest and brightest companies covered by IBN. It is one of 70+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers : (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries ; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets ; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact ; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers ; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions . With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, BDC is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists, and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, BDC brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. BDC is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge. To receive SMS alerts from BillionDollarClub, text“Billion” to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information, please visit Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BillionDollarClub website applicable to all content provided by BDC, wherever published or re-published: /Disclaimer BillionDollarClub Los Angeles, CA 310.299.1717 Office [email protected] BillionDollarClub is powered by IBN MENAFN27122024000224011066ID1109036206 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
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I'm afraid there's a Helldivers 2 sex game, and yes it is called SexdiversKeir Starmer channels Winston Churchill by insisting he does not have to choose between the US & Europe
RUKBAN CAMP, southern Syria — For almost a decade, thousands of displaced Syrians trapped in the desert struggled to survive in one of the most remote camps in the world; left without aid or medical care and largely forgotten by the outside world. The Syrians — some of them soldiers and relatives of the U.S. -backed Syrian Free Army forces against now-deposed President Bashar al-Assad — arrived fleeing ISIS when the militant group swept into Iraq and Syria in 2014. They massed in a desolate corner of southeastern Syria up against the Jordanian border and hemmed in by Syrian regime and Russian forces on the other side. With the fall of the Syrian regime this month, the more than 7,000 camp residents are finally free to leave. But the years of deprivation and isolation have taken a heavy toll. The existence of the community speaks to the complicated regional politics and the low-profile U.S. military role in Syria, as well as the possibility of dramatic transformation in seemingly unchanging conflicts. When Jordan sealed its border in 2016 after an ISIS attack killed six Jordanian soldiers, most of the Syrian civilians were trapped — unable to move forward or go back through roads controlled by the Syrian regime or even move through a desert laid with land mines. NPR traveled to the camp, about a five-hour drive from Damascus — the first journalists to ever go there, according to the main relief organization here, the U.S.-based Syrian Emergency Task Force . The camp is about 30 miles from the U.S. military's al-Tanf garrison , established in 2016. In January, Iran-backed Iraqi militia drones attacked a U.S. military support base — Tower 22 — just a few miles over a sand berm and across the border in Jordan, killing three American troops. Tanks abandoned by regime forces line the main M2 highway, the roadside dotted with cast-off uniforms. Past the U.S. base, the road turns into a rough desert trail of tracks through the black rock. "Before 2014 there were no people here at all," says Abu Mohammad Khudr, who dispenses medication from a tiny pharmacy established two years ago by Syrian Emergency Task Force. "We thought maybe the neighboring countries would help us but they didn't." The first residents came with tents, which were no match for the constant wind, searing heat and bitter cold of the desert. "After a while we decided we had to use the soil and water — so we made bricks and then we made walls and we built houses," he says. After the suicide bombing, Jordan sealed the border — preventing even aid agencies from delivering food to Rukban. Water though is still provided by UNICEF, pumped from Jordan. The sun-dried clay bricks, made by hand, are still the only building material for homes here. Instead of glass, small sheets of clear plastic cover the small window openings. With Syrian regime forces and Russian troops controlling the road out of the camp, food was in short supply and sometimes consisted only of dried bread or lentils and rice. "Most families ate just one or two meals a day," says Khudr. In one home, Afaf Abdo Mohammed says when her children were infants she used plastic bags instead of diapers. Her 16-year-old daughter, She'ala Hjab Khaled, was born with a spinal defect and spends the entire day sitting in a battered wheelchair. Syrian Emergency Task Force opened eight schools here two years ago, staffed with volunteer teachers from the camp. But She'ala has never been. "I can't get there," she says. Now free to leave, with the fall of the Syrian regime, very few residents have money for transportation to leave. Many are not sure if their homes still exist. Among Syria's many and complex tragedies, the camp has been a particular preoccupation of Mouaz Moustafa, an activist and the director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. Two years ago he began organizing aid shipments for al-Tanf through a provision that allows humanitarian aid to be carried in unused space on U.S. military aircraft. He started bringing in American medical volunteers on two-week missions and persuaded the base commander at the time to visit the camp. Since then he says, U.S. forces have been involved in distributing aid there and when they are able, providing emergency medical care. "It really brought everyone together more," says Moustafa. Syrian Emergency Task Force is funded by donations and staffed largely by volunteers. He says some of the soldiers who helped with the aid missions came back to Rukban to volunteer after being discharged. That humanitarian assistance is not something the U.S. military publicizes. The U.S. military command over the years has declined to bring in visiting journalists to its nearby base — the only access route before the fall of the regime. Syrian fighters funded and trained by the United States raised families in Rukban, according to a senior U.S. military commander. He requested anonymity to be able to speak about the camp because he was not authorized to speak publicly about it. He said doctors on the base had delivered at least 100 of their babies at the base in the case of high-risk pregnancies. The al-Tanf garrison, originally a special forces base, is now part of the anti-ISIS mission in Iraq and Syria. The presence of the U.S. military there helped protect residents from potential attacks by regime forces, he said. Near the water pipes that supply the camp, boys come to fill up smaller tanks and to chase each other in the desert. The environment here is filled with snakes and scorpions — but no trees. Some of the children have never tasted fruit. They've never seen in real life bright flowers or butterflies like the ones painted on the walls of the mud-brick schools set up by the Syrian American organization. Winter here is particularly cruel. Those who can afford to buy sticks of wood to burn in small metal stoves for heat. In one of the clay houses, Fawaz al-Taleb, a veterinarian in his home city of Homs, said he couldn't afford to buy wood this year. "We burn plastic bags, bottles, strips of old tires," he says. "This has been our life for years." Respiratory and other diseases are rampant here. For almost a decade, without a single physician in this camp, when children died, their parents often didn't know why. Outside Taleb's home, there are the beginnings of a garden started with seeds distributed by Moustafa's organization to camp residents. There isn't much that grows in the barren ground here, but Taleb points out fledgling mint, garlic and potato plants. Next to them are lillies and a rose bush. "I've been trying to plant hope," he says. "We want to live, we don't want to say 'we were born here and might die here.' No matter how bad the situation, we still want to live."Xona Expands Business Footprint into Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia to Secure Region's Operational Access to Critical Infrastructure
DOVER, Del. — A Delaware judge has reaffirmed her ruling that Tesla must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick on Monday denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. McCormick also rejected an equally unprecedented and massive fee request by plaintiff attorneys, who argued that they were entitled to legal fees in the form of Tesla stock valued at more than $5 billion. The judge said the attorneys were entitled to a fee award of $345 million. The rulings came in a lawsuit filed by a Tesla stockholder who challenged Musk’s 2018 compensation package. McCormick concluded in January that Musk engineered the landmark pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent. The compensation package initially carried a potential maximum value of about $56 billion, but that sum has fluctuated over the years based on Tesla’s stock price. Following the court ruling, Tesla shareholders met in June and ratified Musk’s 2018 pay package for a second time, again by an overwhelming margin. Defense attorneys then argued that the second vote makes clear that Tesla shareholders, with full knowledge of the flaws in the 2018 process that McCormick pointed out, were adamant that Musk is entitled to the pay package. They asked the judge to vacate her order directing Tesla to rescind the pay package. McCormick, who seemed skeptical of the defense arguments during an August hearing, said in Monday’s ruling that those arguments were fatally flawed. “The large and talented group of defense firms got creative with the ratification argument, but their unprecedented theories go against multiple strains of settled law,” McCormick wrote in a 103-page opinion. The judge noted, among other things, that a stockholder vote standing alone cannot ratify a conflicted-controller transaction. “Even if a stockholder vote could have a ratifying effect, it could not do so here due to multiple, material misstatements in the proxy statement,” she added. Meanwhile, McCormick found that the $5.6 billion fee request by the shareholder’s attorneys, which at one time approached $7 billion based on Tesla’s trading price, went too far. “In a case about excessive compensation, that was a bold ask,” McCormick wrote. Attorneys for the Tesla shareholder argue that their work resulted in the “massive” benefit of returning shares to Tesla that otherwise would have gone to Musk and diluted the stock held by other Tesla investors. They value that benefit at $51.4 billion, using the difference between the stock price at the time of McCormick’s January ruling and the strike price of some 304 million stock options granted to Musk. While finding that the methodology used to calculate the fee request was sound, the judge noted that the Delaware’s Supreme Court has noted that fee award guidelines “must yield to the greater policy concern of preventing windfalls to counsel.” “The fee award here must yield in this way, because $5.6 billion is a windfall no matter the methodology used to justify it,” McCormick wrote. A fee award of $345 million, she said, was “an appropriate sum to reward a total victory.” The fee award amounts to almost exactly half the current record $688 million in legal fees awarded in 2008 in litigation stemming from the collapse of Enron.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — After plenty of talk in recent weeks about Terry McLaurin lining up only on the left side, the Washington Commanders’ first offensive snap was a throw by Jayden Daniels to his top receiver — on the right side, of course. OK, Kliff Kingsbury. Well played. Beyond that not-so-subtle answer to criticism, Washington’s offensive coordinator went back to a tried-and-true recipe to get his unit back on track: running the ball early and often. Brian Robinson Jr. returned from a sprained ankle to account for 103 of a season-high 267 yards rushing in a 42-19 rout of Tennessee on Sunday that ended a three-game losing streak and showed what this offense can do when clicking in all facets. “It’s a beautiful thing to see,” said Robinson, who had the longest rushing touchdown of his three-year NFL career, a 40-yarder. “It’s a beautiful thing to do. Just glad we were able to really put it back out there and show the potential we have in our room and our running game. We have a serious run game, and we just got to believe in it.” A balanced attack with Daniels handing the ball off 36 times, throwing it 30 and running nine allowed the Commanders to dominate time of possession and improve to 8-5 going into their bye week. “It opens up a lot, obviously, to be able to get guys to move the line of scrimmage and get to the second level and let our backs do what they do,” said Daniels, who ran for 34 yards to go along with 206 yards passing. “We’re getting to those times of the season where in December, January when you’ve got to be able to control the line of scrimmage and run the ball.” Robinson playing makes a big difference. His teammates are 1-2 without him this season, and Austin Ekeler going on injured reserve Saturday because of a concussion put everything on Robinson’s shoulders. Averaging 6.4 yards on 16 carries got the job done. “Man, is he a difference maker,” coach Dan Quinn said. “When Brian can kick through and step and get onto the next level, he’s really difficult to tackle.” What’s working: The defense thrived while needing to be on the field for less than 20 minutes, forcing a turnover and keeping Tennessee off the scoreboard until late in the first half. It was already 28-0 at that point. Rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil — who celebrated his alma mater, Michigan, upsetting Ohio State a day earlier by asking McLaurin about the result while the Buckeyes product was forced to sit in the interview room after their game with Sainristil’s Wolverines jersey — forced and recovered Tony Pollard’s fumble in the first quarter. The Commanders made it 21-0 three plays later. “Offense, defense, special teams we all feed off one another,” said six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, who joined London Fletcher as the only players with 100-plus tackles in 13 consecutive seasons. “Whether it’s us getting turnovers, special teams getting turnovers or the offense going down the field and scoring, we all got to feed off of that and I felt like we did a good job of that.” What needs help: The kicking game continues to struggle. Zane Gonzalez missed two field goal attempts while filling in for Austin Seibert, who went on injured reserve earlier in the week. Seibert reported a groin injury the day after missing an extra point that would have tied the score in the final minute against Dallas. If there are any Cyber Monday deals on kickers, the Commanders are in the market for a new one. They’ve had six on the roster since March. Stock up: With starting right tackle Andrew Wylie out because of a concussion, Cornelius Lucas took his spot and did not miss a beat. Lucas opened the season splitting time at left tackle with rookie Brandon Coleman, and the journeyman lineman’s quick adjustment in Wylie’s absence helped the offense get on track. “I thought that’s a guy that was ready for the challenge,” Quinn said. Stock down: Defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis was a healthy scratch against the Titans after Carl Davis was elevated from the practice squad. Quinn called it a coaching decision. Sitting the 2022 second-round pick is another blow to the four drafts Ron Rivera oversaw from 2020-23. Every first-round pick is now gone after cornerback Emmanuel Forbes’ release Saturday, and Mathis already has been passed on the depth chart by rookie Johnny Newton. Injuries: Attrition added up through 13 consecutive games, and Ekeler and Seibert are out at least the next three games following the bye: at New Orleans on Dec. 15, against Philadelphia on Dec. 22 and against Atlanta on Dec. 28 or 29. Dealing with a hamstring injury, cornerback Marshon Lattimore has not played since the Commanders acquired him at the trade deadline from the Saints, so his debut for them could come against his old team. Next steps: Rest up. As McLaurin said before leaving the stadium, “I’m going to enjoy this bye week.”Here at The Mirror, we're big fans of Christmas traditions. Whether it's a family tree decorating session or a must-watch film on Christmas Eve, nothing beats these rituals for getting into the holiday spirit. A popular tradition for many is donning matching festive pyjamas on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - with family, partners or even pets. Sure, they might be cheesy, and some might find them cringe-worthy, but there's no denying the charm of families in their festive PJs, whether they're hanging decorations, watching films or opening gifts. And it seems we're not alone in our appreciation of a coordinated set. Over the years, celeb families from Kim K to Stacey Solomon and Vogue Williams have perfected the Christmas pyjama party . To help you get into the holiday mood, we've compiled some of the best matching sleepwear sets inspired by famous families. Prepare for festive cuteness... Molly Mae Just recently, Molly-Mae treated her Instagram followers to a series of Christmas decor photos, including an adorable snap of her and her daughter, Bambi, in matching gingerbread motif pyjamas, reports OK! . After some sleuthing, we found out they're from Skims' limited-edition holiday collection . Bambi's baby pyjamas in the cherry blossom gingerbread colourway are still up for grabs for £28 here. . Regrettably, the matching women's version in cherry blossom is currently out of stock. However, the caramel gingerbread set is still in stock for £110 here . As these pyjamas hail from Skims, they do come with a heftier price tag and can often be sold out, so we've sourced a few festive alternatives for you to consider. Chelsea Peers is renowned for their festive pyjamas, and this year, they've truly excelled with vintage Christmas tree and wreath-printed family sets. The women's set can be found for £55 here , while the children's set, which ranges from age 1 to 12, is available for £45 here . If you're seeking something a bit more low-key, Boohoo offers an adorable pair of teddy bear-printed matching pyjamas. The women's pair is selling for £30 here , and the kid's sizes are available for £18 here . Stacey Solomon Stacey Solomon , the undisputed Queen of Christmas, always goes all out for her festive celebrations, and her family's collection of matching pyjamas is no exception. The presenter is the latest celeb to jump on the festive matching pyjamas bandwagon, and the exact set she wore with her daughters is still in stock in all sizes for both adults and kids. Stacey recently flaunted her matching Boux Avenue PJs with daughters Rose and Belle on Instagram, engaging in a chat while all three sported identical cosy PJs. The exact sets they donned were the Polar Bear Fleece Pyjamas in a Bag , available for both adults and children . Despite selling a pair every 30 seconds, they're still up for grabs on the Boux Avenue website in all sizes. Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews One of our favourite celebrity duos, Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews, put on an adorable family show as they displayed their matching Christmas pyjamas last year. Alongside some relatable behind-the-scenes snaps of trying to capture the perfect photo, Vogue also revealed exactly where she sourced the outfits so you can snag a similar pair. As this photo is from last year, the exact ones from M&S are currently out of stock. However, M&S launched a new version of the PJs this year , featuring the same silhouette and navy colour but with a slightly different print. Instead of disco Santa motifs like Vogue and Spencer's, the PJs showcase Christmas jumpers and animals adorned with Santa hats. With prices ranging from £12 to £25, you can shop the women's , men's and children's sets here. Kim Kardashian Kim Kardashian delighted fans two years ago when she shared a cute snap of herself and her nieces all wearing matching red and white Christmas onesies. The festive PJs featured a white fair isle print from top to bottom, complete with cosy long sleeves and full-length legs. While Kim didn't reveal where she got the matching sets from, we've found a similar option at Next. The Little Tailor Reindeer Christmas Fairisle Pattern pyjamas are strikingly similar to Kim's. Prices range from £22 for baby sleepsuits to up to £36 for women's sets and £24-£25 for kids , so the whole family can get involved in the festive fun. If you're looking for a budget-friendly way to start a new Christmas tradition, you can also find matching Christmas family pyjama sets at Boohoo , Primark , and TU Clothing.
President-elect Donald Trump’s late-Saturday announcement he will replace the current FBI Director with agency outsider Kash Patel was mostly met with signals of support from leading Republicans, while those at odds with the former president voiced concern over the Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s top law enforcement and counterterrorism agency. Patel, a former national security prosecutor and public defender who served in several high-level positions during Trump’s first administration, has long spoken out against the “weaponization” of the Justice Department and their investigation and pursuit of charges against the former president. His appointment, according to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, is not in keeping with decades-old rules for the role, which is supposed to be shielded from politics. “The FBI director is a unique player in the American government system,” Sullivan said during a Sunday appearance on NBC. “They’re appointed for ten-year terms, not terms just for the duration of a given president.” FBI Director Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee, served throughout the Biden administration, Sullivan noted, on account of a “longstanding norm that FBI directors serve out their full terms.” “Joe Biden didn’t fire him. He relied upon him to execute his responsibilities as the director of the FBI, and allowed him to serve out the fullness of his term over the course of the Biden administration. So that’s how we approach things, and we would like to ensure that the FBI remains an independent institution, insulated from politics,” he said. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who’s in line to become chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when the new congress convenes, said in a post on X that Patel, “must prove to Congress he will reform & restore public trust in FBI.” Grassley also took a shot at Wray, who he said, “has failed at fundamental duties of FBI Dir.” “He’s showed disdain for cong oversight & hasn’t lived up to his promises It’s time 2 chart a new course 4 TRANSPARENCY +ACCOUNTABILITY at FBI,” the senior Senator continued. According to the Trump, Patel was picked because he’s “a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People.” “Kash did an incredible job during my First Term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council,” Trump wrote in his announcement. The position is subject to Senate approval, and on Sunday some GOP lawmakers signaled they are ready to let the president move forward with his choice to reshape the agency. “After years of horrible leadership and political witch hunts led by corrupt officials, Kash will reform the FBI into a nimble, efficient organization solely focused on national security,” Ohio’s incoming freshman U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno said. Florida’s U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said that “the FBI has lost the trust of the American people and needs to be shaken up and driven back to its mission.” “We must end the political witch-hunts, protect Americans and make sure President Trump can Make America Great Again! Kash will do just that,” he said. U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican representing South Dakota, said that as far as he’s concerned there is nothing wrong with the current FBI director, but added the caveat that he understands Trump’s desire to appoint people he considers loyal to his agenda. “I think the president picked a very good man to be the director of the FBI when he did that in his first term,” Rounds told ABC. If Trump does formally nominate Patel after he takes office in January, “then the president gets, you know, the benefit of the doubt on the nomination, but we still go through a process, and that process includes advice and consent,” Rounds said. Connecticut’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said Patel’s nomination could be “damaging” to U.S. democracy. Trump, Murphy said, has promised to turn the nation’s top law enforcement agency into a tool of retribution to be leveraged against his political enemies, and Patel will be more than willing to help. “He said that the greatest threat to America is the enemy within. And who he said was the enemy within was us, was journalists, were his political opponents. Kash Patel’s only qualification is because he agrees with Donald Trump that the Department of Justice should serve to punish, lock up, and intimidate Donald Trump’s political opponents, and so the cost to the American public is pretty simple,” Murphy told NBC. Connecticut’s U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, said in social media posts that the choice of Patel represents “another test of the Senate’s power of advice and consent.” “Patel needs to prove to the Senate Judiciary Committee that he has the right qualifications and, despite his past statements, will put our nation’s public safety over a political agenda focused on retribution,” Coons said. Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, who served as the 45th president’s third-but-not-last first term National Security Advisor, went so far as to say that Trump had found his own personal Lavrentiy Beria in nominating Patel, comparing the former prosecutor to a Stalin-era Soviet Union secret police chief infamously known for mass rape and murder. “The Senate should reject this nomination 100 to 0,” Bolton said in a statement shared by NBC News.
Iran's government on Tuesday said it had lifted a ban on access to WhatsApp and Google Play after more than two years, the official IRNA news agency reported. The report said the country’s Supreme Council of Cyber Space made the decision in a meeting led by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has vowed to remove restrictions on social media. Iran’s telecommunication minister Sattar Heshemi in a post on X called the decision a “first step” in removing restrictions and said “the path will continue" — indicating the possibility of unblocking other services. Many people reached by The Associated Press across the capital, Tehran , and other cities said they had access to the services on computers but not yet on mobile phones. WhatsApp has been the third most popular messaging platform in Iran after Instagram and Telegram. The ban on WhatsApp and Google Play was put in place in 2022 during mass protests against the government over the death of a woman held by the country’s morality police for allegedly violating the strictly enforced dress code. The protests calmed in 2023 after a crackdown by police and security forces that led to the death of hundreds of people and the imprisonment of thousands. Iran has blocked access to various social media platforms over the years but many people in the country use proxies and VPNs to access them.
TORONTO (AP) — Two Canadian Cabinet ministers met with President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago on Friday as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian products if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States — even though far fewer of each cross into the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened. “Minister LeBlanc and Minister Joly had a positive, productive meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Howard Lutnick and Doug Burgum, as a follow-up to the dinner between the Prime Minister and President Trump last month,” said Jean-Sébastien Comeau, a spokesman for LeBlanc. Comeau said both ministers outlined the measures in Canada's billion-dollar plan to increase security at the border and reiterated “the shared commitment to strengthen border security as well as combat the harm caused by fentanyl to save Canadian and American lives.” Comeau said Lutnick and Burgum agreed to relay the information to Trump. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Further discussions are expected in the coming weeks. Joly will also have dinner with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday. Trump has been trolling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media in recent weeks by calling him the Governor of the 51st state. Trudeau has not directly responded, but did post a link Thursday to a six-minute video on YouTube from 2010 in which American NBC journalist Tom Brokaw “explains Canada to Americans.” “Some information about Canada for Americans” Trudeau wrote in the post on X. The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, the massive trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian military in World War 2 and Afghanistan. “In our darkest hours Canada has been with us,” Brokaw says in the video. “In the long history of sovereign neighbors there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada.” Trudeau has told Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products . About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Alberta alone sends 4.3 million barrel s of oil per day to the U.S which tends to consume about 20 million barrels a day. Trump has also made an issue of the U.S. trade deficit with Canada, erroneously calling it a subsidy. Canada’s ambassador to Washington, Kirsten Hillman, has said the U.S. had a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year. But she noted a third of what Canada sells into the U.S. are energy exports and said there is a deficit when oil prices are high. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian dollars ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs are vastly different at the U.S.’s two land borders. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time.NoneI like Martha Stewart. Always have. Two recent documentaries, “Martha” on Netflix and the CNN series “The Many Lives of Martha Stewart,” follow the Greek drama that make Stewart a cultural fascination to this day. They recount the jihad against this visionary who came under attack for being a woman with fierce ambition. Admittedly, Stewart’s hard-edged perfectionism and nuclear-powered drive had created some tension with her product, the “soft” home arts of cooking, flower arranging and chair reupholstering. But did she have to be destroyed? Sure, Stewart engaged in some insider trading that may have seemed nothing more than an innocent stock tip. She shouldn’t have lied about it to the FBI. But did journalist Dominick Dunne have to call her the “Goddess of Greed” over a transaction that saved the creator of a billion-dollar business only $45,673? It sure didn’t merit five months in prison. In 1987, the cultural hyenas jumped on her for signing a $5 million contract with Kmart. Stewart was allegedly “selling out” the domestic lifestyle she had cultivated, moving away from authenticity toward mass production and profit. Heaven forfend. The year before, The Disney Co.’s CEO walked off with a $90 million severance check after 14 months of undistinguished performance. She was tenacious. So what? Male executives wore that badge proudly. This woman built a business empire based on creating artistic cheese trays and making wreaths from dry leaves. Try that, Elon Musk. Some of her trouble came in the sub-message that our home lives had turned slovenly because Americans had stopped caring about family dinners and dust balls under the sofa. Some translated that not as a call to do better but as an indictment. But Stewart had no army. Those who accused her of creating unrealistic expectations for women juggling work and family should have been asked: Whose expectations? One could simply enjoy watching her on TV or reading her magazine, Martha Stewart Living. Her projects were properly labeled “aspirational.” I once tried to follow her instructions for coloring cloth with natural vegetable dyes. Two hours later, I ended up with blotchy fabric and hands stained by beet juice. I tried, I failed, and I had a funny story to tell. I was intrigued by her demonstration on how to roll an ironed tablecloth in parchment paper to prevent wrinkles. And how nice that she could whip up 80 perfectly iced little cakes in no time. I can’t do a single backflip. Must I resent Simone Biles for executing a triple-double in one move? It took Superwoman strength to plant an orchard with 122 trees and who knows how many rose bushes. One interviewer noted that people living in Detroit or New York City couldn’t do rose gardens. She responded, “But yes, they want roses.” The fantasy was more than half the point. Women were among her leading inquisitors. One called her “the most intimidating homemaker on earth.” Another female interviewer tells her, “Either they worship you or they say you make us crazy.” There was a third possibility — that they found her entertaining. Stewart can lay claim to two heroic feats: She played a big part in improving the quality of American homelife. And she rebuilt a business that had been left for dead. Above all, Martha was a great tough broad. You saw how TV’s Larry King kept badgering her about her failed marriage in a way that would have seemed bizarre had the executive been a man. “I had sacrificed a marriage because of the allure of a great job,” she finally relented. And she didn’t regret it? She did not. I like Stewart, still going strong at 83. More than ever. Harrop, who lives in New York City and Providence, Rhode Island, writes for Creators Syndicate: fharrop@gmail.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
San Diego federal judge nominee now a political pawn in run-up to Trump inaugurationUNITED NATIONS (AP) — Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s main airport as a civilian Airbus 320 with hundreds of passengers on board was landing and a U.N. delegation was waiting to leave, the U.N.‘s top humanitarian official in Yemen said Friday. Julien Harneis told U.N. reporters that the most frightening thing about the two airstrikes on Thursday wasn’t their effect on him and about 15 others in the VIP lounge at the international airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, including the head of the U.N. World Health Organization. Rather, it was the destruction of the airport control tower as a Yemenia Airways plane was taxiing in after touching down. “Fortunately, that plane was able to land safely and the passengers were able to disembark, but it could have been far, far worse,” said Harneis, who was with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in the lounge . He said one airstrike landed approximately 300 meters (330 yards) south of the VIP lounge and another about 300 meters to the north around 4:45 p.m., while about five members of the U.N. team were outside the building. “Not only obviously did we have zero indication of any potential airstrikes, but we cannot remember the last time there were airstrikes in Sanaa during daylight hours,” Harneis said in a video news conference from Sanaa. The U.N. said at least three people were killed and dozens injured in the strike. Among the injured was a crew member from the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service, which was about to fly the U.N. delegation of some 20 people out of Sanaa. He suffered a serious leg injury from shrapnel and lost a lot of blood, Harneis said. Immediately after the airstrikes, Harneis said, U.N. security officials moved the delegation out of the VIP building and into five armored cars where they waited for approximately 40 minutes to ascertain what happened and help the injured crew member. He was taken to a hospital in Sanaa and underwent four hours of surgery while the rest of the delegation spent the night in a U.N. compound, Harneis said. The U.N. plane with Tedros and the U.N. team, including the injured crew member, was able to depart for Jordan on Friday afternoon – without an operating control tower. The United Nations said the injured crew member was taken to a hospital in Jordan, and Tedros was heading back to Geneva, where WHO is based, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who control Sanaa and much of the country’s north, have gone after Israel since it started attacking Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Gaza’s Hamas militants on southern Israel. The Houthis have attacked ships in the Red Sea, disrupting one of the world’s main maritime routes, and recently stepped up missile and drone attacks on Israel . Israel has escalated its response. The Israeli army said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief or U.N. delegation were at the Sanaa airport on Thursday. Israel said it bombed the airport because it is used by the Houthis and Iran. Harneis responded, stressing that the airport is civilian, not military, and is used for transporting U.N. and other humanitarian workers, and for one civilian flight — Yemenia to and from Amman, Jordan. The flight operates as a result of an international agreement, and thousands of Yemenis have used the flight to get advanced medical treatment abroad, he said. Yemen is the Arab world’s poorest nation and has been engulfed in a 10-year civil war between the Houthi rebels, who control Sanaa and much of the country’s north, and the internationally recognized government forces in the south. Tedros was in the country to discuss its worsening humanitarian crisis and to seek the release of about 50 people detained by the Houthis since June from the U.N., nongovernmental organizations and civil society. Harneis said 18 million Yemenis — about half the country’s population — need humanitarian assistance this year, and the U.N. expects the number to increase to 19 million next year because of the worsening economy . In addition to airstrikes on the Sanaa airport, Israel has been attacking the country’s key port of Hodeida, in western Yemen. Harneis said Yemen relies on imports through Hodeida for 80% of its food and more than 90% of its medical supplies to the north. A recent Israeli airstrike destroyed two tugboats and is estimated to have reduced the harbor’s capacity by 50%, the U.N. official said, while damage from Thursday’s airstrikes hasn’t been assessed yet. As for the detainees, Harneis said he joined the WHO chief at meetings with the Houthi prime minister, foreign minister and a member of the group’s Supreme Political Council. He said they received commitments on the detainees’ possible release and a pathway to it, and on conditions under which they are being held.
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 The global business travel insurance market, which was valued at $3.61 billion in 2020, is forecast to reach $20.19 billion by 2030. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2% from 2021 to 2030, according to a new market analysis report by Allied Market Research. The market expansion is driven by several factors, including increasing demand for business travel insurance, the rise of multi-trip coverage, and technological advancements in insurance services. Factors Driving the Growth of the Business Travel Insurance Market One of the primary factors contributing to the growth of the business travel insurance market is the rising need for immediate coverage for business-related travels. This insurance not only covers personal belongings and business equipment but also offers security against unexpected damages or interruptions during business trips. As business travel continues to increase globally, so does the demand for travel insurance that covers risks and mishaps while employees are abroad or traveling domestically. Another driving factor is the significant increase in spending by businesses on different types of insurance policies. Companies recognize the importance of protecting their workforce during international and domestic business trips, thereby fueling the demand for comprehensive insurance packages. Additionally, with advancements in digital tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), global positioning systems (GPS), and data analytics, insurance providers are able to offer more affordable and tailored policies that meet the specific needs of business travelers. COVID-19 Impact and Recovery The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the business travel sector, leading to a sharp decline in global travel and, consequently, in the demand for business travel insurance. With travel rules fluctuating and a global sense of uncertainty, the market for business travel insurance saw a notable dip. However, as global travel restrictions ease and business travel resumes, the market is expected to recover and experience rapid growth in the coming years. The increasing resumption of international and domestic business travel, combined with the introduction of more flexible and robust insurance products, has encouraged businesses to invest in insurance solutions. The market is now poised for a strong recovery, as both businesses and employees recognize the need for adequate protection during their trips. Segments and Trends Shaping the Market The business travel insurance market is segmented based on coverage type, distribution channels, and applications, which help provide a clearer understanding of the evolving market landscape. Opportunities and Challenges in the Market The growing adoption of digital tools by insurance providers offers significant opportunities for the market. Technologies like AI, machine learning, and big data analytics are helping insurers create more personalized and flexible insurance plans for business travelers. The use of these technologies also streamlines the claims process, providing a more efficient experience for travelers and businesses alike. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in raising awareness about the importance of business travel insurance. Many businesses still do not have adequate insurance policies in place for their employees, particularly for domestic and regional travel. The lack of knowledge about available policies and coverage options impedes the growth of the market to some extent. However, increased education and marketing efforts by insurers are expected to address this issue over time. Key Market Players and Strategies The global business travel insurance market is highly competitive, with several key players leading the market. These companies include: These market leaders are focusing on strategies such as partnerships, collaborations, and product innovations to strengthen their position in the industry. Many of these companies are leveraging new technologies and digital platforms to reach business clients more effectively and offer tailored insurance solutions. Conclusion As business travel rebounds globally, the business travel insurance market is set to experience substantial growth. With a projected market size of $20.19 billion by 2030, businesses are increasingly recognizing the value of protecting their employees during trips. The multi-trip segment, along with advancements in digital tools and AI-powered insurance services, will continue to drive this market forward, offering both opportunities and challenges for stakeholders in the coming years.
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Edwards Lifesciences Corporation Investors: Please contact the Portnoy Law Firm to recover your losses. December 13, 2024 Deadline to file Lead Plaintiff Motion.NEW YORK, Dec. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of ordinary shares of ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) between January 24, 2024 and October 15, 2024, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important January 13, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased ASML ordinary shares during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the ASML class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31159 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 13, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the issuers being faced by suppliers, like ASML, in the semiconductor industry were much more severe than defendants had indicated to investors; (2) the pace of recovery of sales in the semiconductor industry was much slower than defendants had publicly acknowledged; (3) defendants had created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to customer demand and anticipated growth, while also downplaying risk from macroeconomic and industry fluctuations, as well as stronger regulations restricting the export of semiconductor technology, including the products that ASML sells; and (4) as a result, defendants’ statements about ASML’s business, operations, and prospects lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the ASML class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31159 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com