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, /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Dow Jones Indices ("S&P DJI"), the world's leading index provider, today announced the results of the annual (DJSI) rebalancing and reconstitution. The DJSI are float-adjusted market capitalization weighted indices that measure the performance of companies selected using environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. The DJSI, including the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), were launched in 1999 as the pioneering series of global sustainability benchmarks available in the market. The index family is comprised of global, regional and country benchmarks. As a result of this year's review, the following top three largest companies based on free-float market capitalization have been added to and deleted from the DJSI World. All changes are effective on . Airbus SE, Schlumberger Ltd, BAE Systems Plc Alphabet Inc , UnitedHealth Group Inc, ASML Holding NV The full results and list of DJSI constituents will be available as of , at S&P Dow Jones Indices will be renaming a number of its sustainability and ESG-related indices (see ). As part of this update, the family of Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) will be renamed Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices. The changes will become effective on . The S&P Global CSA Scores will continue to be a key factor in selecting constituents for the DJSI when they are renamed Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices in . For more information about the DJSI methodology, please visit: . S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit: . Still member of DJSI World Enlarged and DJSI North America Still member of DJSI World Enlarged View original content: SOURCE S&P Dow Jones IndicesNEW YORK and AMSTERDAM , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Dow Jones Indices ("S&P DJI"), the world's leading index provider, today announced the results of the annual Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) rebalancing and reconstitution. The DJSI are float-adjusted market capitalization weighted indices that measure the performance of companies selected using environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. The DJSI, including the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), were launched in 1999 as the pioneering series of global sustainability benchmarks available in the market. The index family is comprised of global, regional and country benchmarks. As a result of this year's review, the following top three largest companies based on free-float market capitalization have been added to and deleted from the DJSI World. All changes are effective on Monday, December 23, 2024 . Additions: Airbus SE, Schlumberger Ltd, BAE Systems Plc Deletions: Alphabet Inc 1 , UnitedHealth Group Inc, ASML Holding NV 2 The full results and list of DJSI constituents will be available as of Monday, December 23 2024 , at https://www.spglobal.com/esg/csa/djsi-annual-review S&P Dow Jones Indices will be renaming a number of its sustainability and ESG-related indices (see Index Announcement ). As part of this update, the family of Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) will be renamed Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices. The changes will become effective on Monday, February 10, 2025 . The S&P Global CSA Scores will continue to be a key factor in selecting constituents for the DJSI when they are renamed Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices in February 2025 . For more information about the DJSI methodology, please visit: www.spglobal.com/spdji . ABOUT S&P DOW JONES INDICES S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit: www.spglobal.com/spdji . 1 Still member of DJSI World Enlarged and DJSI North America 2 Still member of DJSI World Enlarged S&P DJI MEDIA CONTACTS: spdji.comms@spglobal.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sp-dow-jones-indices-announces-dow-jones-sustainability-indices-2024-review-results-302331745.html SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

Argentine President Javier Milei insisted from Italy that Thursday's session during which Senator Edgardo Kueider was expelled from the Upper House after being arrested in Paraguay with US$ 200,000 of undeclared cash was not valid because it was chaired by Vice President Victoria Villarruel, who, at that time, was in charge of the Executive. Other analysts shared that view. In addition, a complaint was filed against Villarruel for breach of duty, it was also reported in Buenos Aires on Friday. It was established that the Vice President, who according to the Constitution, presides over the Senate and replaces the President in his absence, was aware of Milei's trip and could have not discharged any Legislative duties at that time. If she presides over a Congress session, she is working in the Legislative Branch but at the same time she is President, albeit interim, of the Nation so she would be holding two offices, and that violates the division of powers, Milei explained in a radio interview with a Buenos Aires broadcaster. The President also admitted there should be no problem holding a new session because, given the overwhelming majority favoring Kueider's dismissal, the outcome would not change. Congressman Damián Arabia of former President Mauricio Macri's Propuesta Republicana (PRO) went even further and claimed that Villarruel could have incurred in usurpation of office. An X account (Milei Emperador) believed by local media to belong to Presidential Advisor Santiago Caputo mentioned that Villarruel committed a gross breach of his duties. This new conflict once again rekindled . Villarruel's secretary Guadalupe Jones was reported to have received a document from Casa Rosada announcing Milei's departure on Thursday at around noon, so it is argued that she should have not been at the Senate. Jones received the message at 8:37 am Tuesday and replied ok twice. However, there was no formal ceremony transferring the presidential functions to Villarruel. Until they do not transfer power to me, I am vice president, she wrote on X. Former Senate Provisional President Eduardo Menem explained that any legislator, including Kueider himself, could request the nullity of the session. It was irregular and can be challenged, he said. However, Menem also stressed that the decision to expel Kueider, approved by a broad majority that included votes from Kirchnerism, PRO, UCR, and LLA, must be respected. The seasoned lawyer Menem, a brother of former President Carlos Menem and the father of current Lower House Speaker Martín Menem, also recalled that in 1996 then-Senator Eduardo Angeloz was suspended but reinstated after being acquitted. Hence the importance of respecting the Judiciary's times, Menem also noted. Meanwhile, Macri claimed that the measure against Kueider was an outrage to the Republic, in which the institutional processes were skipped, so that the wild beasts would calm down. Kueider's legal team insisted that the Senate should have been chaired by its Provisional President, Senator Bartolomé Abdala of Milei's La Libertad Avanza (LLA). They also pointed out that Kueider was deprived of his right to defend himself before the Constitutional Affairs Committee, which he ironically chaired. Also Friday, Kueider's solicitors filed an injunction citing irregularities in their client's dismissal. Kueider is under house arrest in Asunción and Paraguayan prosecutors estimate that the procedure against him could last up to six months. According to some Buenos Aires political analysts, the current scenario is similar to the one in the early 2000s. Fernando de la Rúa had defeated Eduardo Duhalde in the elections the year before and became President on Dec. 10, 1999. But his running mate Carlos Chacho Álvarez resigned the Vice Presidency on Oct. 6, 2000, amid the Banelco scandal involving the alleged bribery of several lawmakers to pass some labor reforms. Argentina's crisis deepened and with no fixed successor De la Rúa was forced to resign. By 2002, Duhalde -who became a Senator in 2001- was appointed President by the Legislative Assembly to fill the vacancy. In other words, as Argentines struggle to make ends meet under Milei's remorseless economic reforms, there is no social unrest because it would at most lead to Villarruel's promotion. Without a Vice President, the opposition would be inclined to stir the masses and favor Milei's impeachment. According to some political analysts in Buenos Aires, the current scenario is similar to that of the early 2000s. Fernando de la Rúa had defeated Eduardo Duhalde in the previous year's elections and became president on Dec. 10 1999. But his running mate, Carlos Chacho Álvarez, resigned as vice-president on Oct. 6, 2000, amid the Banelco scandal, in which several lawmakers were allegedly bribed to pass some labor reforms. Argentina's crisis deepened and, with no successor in place, De la Rúa was forced to resign. In 2002, Duhalde - who had been a senator since 2001 - was appointed president by the Legislative Assembly to fill the vacancy. In other words, as Argentines struggle to make ends meet under Milei's ruthless economic reforms, there is no social unrest because at most it would lead to Villarruel's promotion. Without a Vice President, the opposition would be inclined to stir up the masses and promote Milei's impeachment. It is suspected that the money that Kueider could not explain to the Paraguayan authorities comes from compensations from the libertarian government for approving the so-called Bases Law. Former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said it bluntly. (See also: and )

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WV News) — While it’s not a matchup of the top two seeds, No. 4 Herbert Hoover and No. 3 Bridgeport each enter Saturday’s Class AAA state championship game as undefeated teams who have dominated opponents. Bridgeport will head down on Saturday morning. No pep rally. No fluff. “Business,” Bridgeport coach Tyler Phares said. Bridgeport’s overall record in the playoffs is 70-33. The Indians have won 10 state championships, most recently in 2019, and are 10-1 in state title games. Saturday’s matchup is the first for a team coached by Phares, who took over in 2021. Herbert Hoover and Bridgeport have only met once, a 2002 playoff matchup at Wayne Jamison Field. Hoover won 13-6. The Huskies have an overall playoff record of 16-18. Saturday will be the second time in three seasons that the Huskies have played for a state championship, but they have never won. This season, Herbert Hoover has outscored its schedule 591-153, posting two shutouts. The Huskies are led by quarterback Dane Hatfield. He nears 2,000 rushing yards on the season while also eclipsing 1,600 passing yards. Hatfield will finish the season with over 50 touchdowns as one of the states’ best overall players, regardless of class. Hatfield is known best for his ability to read the opion. Hatfield does it better than just about anyone, and his running mate Blake Fisher is also capable of breaking free at a moment’s notice. The two combine for just about every touchdown that isn’t a kick return, which Fisher has also done, or a late-game punch. In the playoffs, Hatfield has scored 11 touchdowns. In the first round against Elkins, he showed that he’s not just legs. He had 342 passing yards while Elkins held him to 58 rushing yards. Fisher had four touchdowns on 213 receiving yards, and Hoover won 49-7. The next week, Hatfield had five total touchdowns, and Fisher added three more. At No. 1-seeded Princeton, Hatfield scored four times in a 35-12 romp. To stop Hatfield and Fisher is to stop Hoover, but that is far from a task anyone has been able to accomplish in a box score. “He’s a really great athlete,” Bridgeport coach Tyler Phares said of Hatfield. “The offensive line doesn’t get enough credit. They do a really good job of blocking in the second level. (Fisher) is tough. They put him in the slot and move him around. They’ve got talented skill players as well as a good line. Really good system. They are sharp in a lot of aspects.” But along comes Bridgeport, a team outscoring opponents 752-105. Bridgeport has had six shutouts this season and didn’t allow a touchdown from its first-team defense until mid-October. “Happy for the kids,” Phares said. “They work their tails off and do the little things that we ask them to do. It starts in January. We’re excited to be in this spot, and we hope to keep rolling.” Overall, the Tribe has only let up three rushing touchdowns this season and has only let teams into its red zone 11 times. Teams have only scored from it five times all season, no one more than twice in a single game. While the offense has set a single-season school record for scoring, the defense is also one of the best to ever take the field. Bridgeport played 14 games in 2000 and only allowed 118 points, winning the Class AA state championship. That team scored 516 total points and is the only team that will likely beat the 2024 unit in total points allowed for a 14-game season in school history, barring a shootout on Saturday. Statistically, the 2024 Tribe is one of Bridgeport’s all-time best. Josh Love leads the offense with 1,425 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns. Alex Moses is close behind with 1,023 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Tim Jeffress (12) and Jack Spatafore (17) join as double-digit TD scorers. Phares’ offense is akin to his coaching journey. It began as an offensive line coach at his alma mater, Elkins. He became the offensive coordinator there before moving to William Campbell (VA) as an OC from 2013-15. He moved back to the area for a pair of seasons as Morgantown’s offensive line coach before coming to Bridgeport. Has it always been hard-nosed? “When I’ve called the offense, yes,” Phares said. “I’ve switched it up a bit and done some different things. We ran a lot of spread in Morgantown. When I first got here, we ran the power pistol and a little bit of stick.” The fight within the trenches is the game within the game. If you establish the run and defend it well, you have a good chance of coming out on top. “That’s a big part of it,” Phares said of the line. “Who’s going to win in the trenches? We hope that we’re the better team there. That’s what we’ve trained for all year.” The only common opponent for the two teams is Nitro. Hatfield had two touchdowns, logging 156 rushing yards and 79 passing yards. Ultimately, Hoover won 13-7 in overtime in mid-September. Bridgeport faced Nitro in the state quarterfinals, winning 70-21. In that game, Bridgeport tied its mark for the most points in a playoff game in school history. Alex Moses had 191 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Josh Love had 128 yards and four touchdowns on eight carries. Bridgeport forced Nitro backwards at -39 rushing yards. Nitro quarterback Josh Moody played well with 375 passing yards and three touchdowns, but he was also sacked six times and lost two interceptions. Both teams saw comfortable victories in the state semifinals, and there are no underdogs in a state title game. The Class AAA state championship game begins at noon on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Laidley Field in Charleston.None

Jurrien Timber and William Saliba scored from corners to give Arsenal a 2-0 victory over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, cutting the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool and ending Ruben Amorim’s unbeaten start. The Gunners threatened from set pieces but little else in a strangely subdued first half, with Thomas Partey unable to direct a dangerous Declan Rice corner that injured defender Gabriel may well have converted. United goalkeeper Andre Onana twice needed to punch clear from corners, with the second presenting a half-chance for Gabriel Martinelli who sliced his shot high and wide. The visitors were content to slow the game down and retain possession, but went close before the break as Diogo Dalot dragged his effort wide from a tight angle. Arsenal were sharper after the restart and took the lead from another Rice corner in the 54th minute, with Timber heading in from a tight angle. United nearly levelled from a set piece of their own shortly after, but David Raya produced a superb fingertip save at full stretch to claw away Matthijs de Ligt’s goalbound header. Arsenal put the game to bed in the 73rd minute when Partey’s header from a Bukayo Saka delivery bounced off Saliba and in for Arsenal’s 22nd league goal from a corner since the start of last season. “Until the set pieces the game didn’t have too many opportunities for both sides, the set pieces killed the game,” Amorim told the BBC. Rice nearly added a third before substitute Mikel Merino headed past the post from the resulting corner, as each set piece generated a roar of expectation. ARSENAL CLOSE GAP Arsenal saw the game out to capitalise on Liverpool’s draw at Newcastle United, with the victory putting them third behind Chelsea on goal difference on 28 points from 14 games — with the gap to the leaders now seven points. During a small wobble while influential captain Martin Odegaard was injured, critics had questioned Arsenal’s title credentials but Rice said that was premature. “People get carried away with the title talk,” he told Amazon Prime. “I was involved in my first one last year and you just need to be in and around it in February time.” His manager Mikel Arteta told reporters: “It’s true that we went through a lot in that period ... you have to react. It’s about trying to do it next. “Today, now we’ve won four in a row — it doesn’t matter, we have to go to Fulham and be better than them.” Amorim’s first loss as United manager — and his first league defeat since his former club Sporting were beaten by Vitoria de Guimaraes in December, 2023 — left them 11th on 19 points. Amorim saw positives from United, especially in the first half. “I make the evaluation of a game regardless of the result, he told reporters. “The 4-0 (win against Everton), you can take positive things but you have to improve and you already knew that. “You can feel it in the first half, especially at the end of the first half, you can feel that they were not comfortable, you can feel it in the stadium, so you can take that.”Meta on Tuesday said fears that artificial intelligence would unleash a torrent of misinformation to deceive voters around the world did not come true as elections played out around the world this year. Defenses against deceptive influence campaigns at the networking giant's platform held firm, with no evidence that such coordinated efforts got much attention online, Meta president of global affairs Nick Clegg told reporters. "I don't think the use of generative AI was a particularly effective tool for them to evade our trip wires," Clegg said of those behind coordinated disinformation campaigns. "The delta between what was expected and what appeared is quite significant." Meta says that most of the cover influence operations it has disrupted in recent years were carried out by actors from Russia, Iran and China. Meta has no intent of lowering its guard, however, since generative AI tools are expected to become more sophisticated and more prevalent. Clegg referred to 2024 as the biggest election year ever, with some 2 billion people estimated to have gone to the polls in scores of countries around the world. "People were understandably concerned about the potential impact that generative AI would have on elections during the course of this year," Clegg said during a briefing with journalists. "There were all sorts of warnings about the potential risks of things like widespread deep fakes and AI enabled disinformation campaigns." Preventing the malicious use of generative AI in elections became an industry-wide effort, according to Clegg. Clegg said he was not privy to whether Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and president-elect Donald Trump discussed the tech platform's content moderation policies, when Zuckerberg was invited to Trump's Florida resort last week. Trump has been critical of Meta, accusing the platform of censoring politically conservative viewpoints. "Mark is very keen to play an active role in the debates that any administration needs to have about maintaining America's leadership in the technological sphere...and particularly the pivotal role that AI will play in that area," Clegg said. Clegg added that hindsight has led Meta to conclude that it "overdid" content moderation during the Covid-19 pandemic and that the tech company is "redoubling" efforts to improve the precision with which it targets content for removal based on its policies. "Our content rules evolve and change all the time," Clegg said. "We will definitely continue to work on all of that, mindful of the fact that we're never going to get it perfectly right and to everybody's satisfaction."

MANCHESTER, England -- Manager Pep Guardiola was keen to stress in the build-up to 's visit to the Etihad Stadium that 's return to the team will not solve all of 's problems. After six defeats and a draw, the midfielder cannot fix everything. But making his first City start since suffering an abdominal injury in mid-September, De Bruyne had a goal and an assist inside the first 30 minutes of his comeback. While he's not the solution to all the issues currently affecting Guardiola's champions, he's pretty good at papering over the cracks. City to record their first victory in any competition since beating on Oct. 26. De Bruyne will be 34 next summer and the last 18 months of his career have been decimated by injury. Still, Guardiola's team is still better with him in it. "I'm so happy for him," said Guardiola. "Last season, he was many months injured, this season as well. I'm so happy he's back. He fought a lot. He played 75 fantastic minutes. We needed to win. The club, the players, everyone needed to win." On Tuesday, Guardiola was forced to deny suggestions that he's fallen out with De Bruyne after restricting him to a bit-part role in the to on Sunday. The City manager insisted the Belgian must be eased in gently after six weeks on the sidelines. Against Forest, he decided the time was right to throw him back in. It took De Bruyne just six minutes to create his first chance of the night, fizzing in a cross from the right which was hammered goalwards by and saved by goalkeeper . After eight minutes, he had his assist. crossed from the left, De Bruyne guided a header back across goal and added a simple finish on the line. City need to solve their over-reliance on Haaland's goals and it was the first time Silva has found the net since the Community Shield against in August. De Bruyne has struggled for goals too, but he was gifted his third of the campaign by a Forest defence that seemed determined to allow him as much space as possible. After collecting a pass from in the centre of the penalty area, he had an eternity to pick his spot and whip a right-foot shot past Sels. After a bruising month, it was exactly what City needed. De Bruyne could have had a hat trick in the second half. He saw a low free kick flash past the post and then had his head in his hands when Sels somehow clawed away a shot that looked to have found the corner of the net. With 16 minutes still to play, Guardiola decided it wasn't worth the risk to leave him on any longer ahead of tough trips to and in the next seven days. De Bruyne walked off -- the game won -- to chants of "Oh Kevin De Bruyne" ringing round the Etihad. "He played really good," said Guardiola. "Defensively he helped us a lot. Very good. I'm really pleased. He's an incredible person. What he's done these years with us have been outstanding. When he's fit, maybe he can't play every three days, but hopefully he can help us like he has since coming from Germany. "We'll see how he recovers after a long time injured but we will see how he feels in three days." It's too early to say De Bruyne is back to his best and the same goes for City. A first win in eight games will be a welcome relief for Guardiola, but there are still problems to address. Forest had 12 shots and should have scored at least once. had a golden chance to make it 1-1 midway through the first half but fluffed his finish. The defensive vulnerability which has been a theme of City's disastrous run hasn't been cured just yet and it won't help that and were both forced off with injuries. "The problems continue with Manu and Nathan but we prove what an incredible group of players we have at our disposal," added Guardiola. "I'm sad for Nathan. Manu, we'll see. Maybe not Selhurst Park but Turin. Nathan I think will be longer. We played good, we still missed some easy things and lost some passes. It was better than [the defeats to] Liverpool and but quite similar to the other games that we didn't win. Today we won. That's all." Still battling against a debilitating injury list and frailty at the back, Guardiola knows De Bruyne is not the answer to all of his problems. But it certainly helps to have him back.Principal Technologies to acquire SyndermixYOUR favorite childhood toys might still be on store shelves today - but the price tag could give you sticker shock. While a number of iconic toys from decades past are still being sold, hefty price tags on some beloved items might stop buyers in their tracks this holiday season thanks to rising costs due to inflation . Silly Putty, a stretchy material that debuted in 1955, cost just $1 when it first arrived on the scene in an ounce container. Now, shoppers can get their hands on the blobs for $21.24, which is a 2000% price jump. Today's price adjusted for inflation would be $11.73, meaning it's $9 more than its original cost, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index inflation calculator. Silly Putty isn't the only nostalgic toy affected by "toyflation," according to ABC affiliate WMTW. READ MORE ON TOYS MOVIE-THEMED TOYS Star Wars action figures were a hit after the first movie came out in 1977. At the time, the toys retailed at an average price of $2.28 per toy, which would come out to $10.68 in today's adjusted price. The individual items now go for about $16 each on Amazon , while sets of three cost about $30. Transformers toys ranged between $3 and $5 in 1984, which would be about $12 adjusted with today's prices. Most read in Money Now, the toys cost about $25 each on Amazon. SILLYBANDZ Even Sillybandz, a more modern toy first released in 2009, has fallen prey to toyflation. The rubber bands cost $2.50, about $3.65 in today's prices, per 12-pack at the height of their popularity when kids would collect different shapes of the bracelets and trade them on playgrounds. A six-pack of Sillybandz now cost $3.95 each. While toyflation has upped the cost of Sillybandz and Transformers, other toys have gotten cheaper throughout the years. RUBIK'S CUBE The famously confusing Rubik's Cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian puzzler Erno Rubik and immediately found global popularity among kids and adults alike. Beloved toys have become more expensive over the years thanks to rising costs. Some of the nostalgic items hit by toyflation include: Silly Putty Star Wars action figures Transformers Sillybandz Lego sets Source: Hearst Television The puzzle's original price in 1980 was $7.49, which would be $27.65 today. However, shoppers can find it for $9.36 on Amazon. LITE-BRITE The Lite-Brite, which allowed kids to create glowing artwork with light-up pegs, was introduced in 1966. The popular toy was marketed by Hasbro as a "magic light box" and sold for $7.98 in 1967, which would be a whopping $74.53 today. Shoppers can get a Lite-Brite set for $15.49 on Amazon. POTATO HEAD When Mr. Potato Head debuted in 1952, his plastic body parts came with a real potato as a head. After parents complained about their kids' toys rotting, toymakers made the move to plastic in 1964. The iconic toy continued to be popular throughout the years as it was featured in the Toy Story movies, which first came out in 1995 starring Tom Hanks . The toy, including the real spud, cost less than a dollar when it debuted in 1952. Today's adjusted price would be about $11.59. Read More on The US Sun Potato Head , which rebranded and dropped the "Mr." in 2021, is now on Amazon for $7.99 each. The whole family set is available for $19.99.

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law late Tuesday before backing down, placing the military in control of all government and judicial functions in a power grab that came after months of political stalemate. The hours of crisis and chaos have thrown the future of his presidency into doubt. As the military and police sought to contain protesters who had poured into the streets around the National Assembly, the president announced he would lift the order as soon as he could convene his Cabinet, heeding a defiant vote from the opposition-led legislature. The Cabinet met before dawn Wednesday local time, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, as protesters chanted for Yoon’s impeachment. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.How did leaders of the Army Reserve respond to the many, clear warning signs about the Lewiston shooter, a part-time soldier who was in a dangerous, downward spiral? And why didn’t they take further action? The Army has acknowledged some failures but also cast blame elsewhere. Maine Public Radio , in partnership with the Portland Press Herald and Frontline PBS, presents “Breakdown:” a limited-series podcast about the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history. In Episode 3, we look at questionable medical decisions, missed communication and lack of follow up by the Army. Finally, we’ll learn why the shooter’s family believes the military could do more to prevent brain injuries in troops. Audio transcript KEVIN MILLER, HOST: A note to listeners: this episode deals with gun violence and suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available 24 hours a day by calling or texting the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8. [sound of knocking on door] FIRST TROOPER, UNIDENTIFIED: “Robert? Robert, this is [redacted] with the State Police. Can you open the door for me, please?” [ambient guitar music fades up] HOST: It is July of 2023 and a crew of New York state troopers is at a military hotel near West Point. [sound of knocking again, door opening] FIRST TROOPER: “Thank you, my man. You wanna throw a shirt on and come in and talk to you?” HOST: Leaders of an Army Reserve unit have called the troopers to help with a reservist who’d been hearing voices and picking fights. He’s locked himself in his room. And he insists that everyone — friends, family and total strangers — are spreading lies that he’s gay and a pedophile. SECOND TROOPER, UNIDENTIFIED: “What, what was it that caused the issue last night?” In this image taken from New York State Police body camera video, troopers interview Army reservist Robert Card at Camp Smith, in Cortlandt, N.Y., July 16, 2023. New York State Police ROBERT CARD: “Uhhh, they keep saying shit behind my back, I confront them and they pretend like I’m hearing stuff.” SECOND TROOPER: “OK. ... You say that they’re talking about you behind your back, but you actually hear them saying these things, or ... ?” ROBERT CARD: “Yeah, I’m hearing ’em.” HOST: Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Robert Card sits perched on the edge of the bed in a cinder block room strewn with clothes and shoes. He’s a 20-year veteran, lean and fit. He’s wearing matching Army shorts and T-shirt — plus a fresh buzzcut. His unit is on a two-week training stint at West Point. Card’s specialty is showing hundreds of cadets, one by one, how to toss live hand grenades. Card’s mental health has been deteriorating for at least six months now. And something is clearly off with him this weekend. ROBERT CARD: “It’s happening everywhere. I’m hearing bits and pieces of all of it and it’s just getting old. And I confront people and it doesn’t stop.” SECOND TROOPER: “OK, we’ve talked to a few of them today and they’re — they’re saying like nothing like that is happening.” HOST: The troopers tell Card that he’s been directed by his Reserve commanders to get a psych evaluation — that very day. It’s an order, not a request. [ambient music fades up] CARD: “Is it going to help anything? No. I would rather have people stop talking, stop looking at me. I’m a fucking private person. I don’t like fucking my shit out there.” HOST: And then this exchange happens. THIRD TROOPER, UNIDENTIFIED: “These guys, I mean, I hope you understand that they are concerned enough about your welfare that they called us.” ROBERT CARD: “Because they’re scared because I’m gonna friggin’ do something. Cause I am capable.” HOST: “I am capable.” The state trooper seizes on the phrase. THIRD TROOPER: “Like, what do you mean by that?” ROBERT CARD: “Huh?” THIRD TROOPER: “What do you mean by that?” ROBERT CARD: “Nothing. No.” HOST: “I am capable.” In the months leading up to this, Robert Card had been making threats. Just about everyone he was close to was worried about him. And months later, he would go into two nightspots in Lewiston, Maine, with an assault rifle. He’d kill 18 people and wound 13 more in the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history. Two days later, he’d be found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This police body cam footage, released by the New York State Police in response to a public records request, is one of the only recordings of Card to surface publicly since the shooting. And when a coworker and I watch it, we both get chills hearing those words from the future gunman. Reserve 1st Sgt. Kelvin Mote was in the hallway that day at the hotel near West Point. He overheard what Card said. KELVIN MOTE, COMMISSION: “’I am capable.’ That was enough for me. At that moment, I decided he was going to the hospital, one way or the other.” Army Reserve First Sgt. Kelvin Mote gives testimony Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press [xylophone music fades up] HOST: Last episode, we heard about the missed opportunities — especially among local police — to prevent the tragedy in Lewiston. In this episode, we focus on the military. I’m Kevin Miller and for the past year my colleagues and I have been looking into how the Army Reserve responded to the many clear warning signs about a soldier in a dangerous, downward spiral. We were there as members of the Army and Army Reserve testified under oath for more than 15 hours about that July incident. We talked to dozens of people about what happened in the months before — and after. We analyzed investigative reports from the Army and a state commission. And we spoke to members of Congress who are pressing the military for changes after Lewiston. Army Reserve leaders have acknowledged some failures. They’ve also cast blame onto local police and criticized a private psychiatric hospital. And that July morning ... This could have been a turning point. Reserve unit leaders took the initiative to get Card help. But the help never came. Instead, what followed were questionable medical decisions ... months of miscommunication and military red tape — with tragic consequences. Those mistakes have raised questions about how the Army manages mental health concerns within its ranks. And it’s highlighted disparities between the regular military and the Reserves. JODY DANIELS, BRIEFING: “I mean, I, we’re doing the best that we can in terms of understanding what did transpire and then make changes for the future.” ED YUREK, COMMISSION: “It’s clear that it wasn’t just a hunch and that Sgt. Card had legitimate issues.” CARA LAMB, INTERVIEW: “None of us should be allowed to say that we did enough in this scenario, in this situation.” HOST: From Maine Public Radio, the Portland Press Herald and Frontline PBS, this is Breakdown. Episode 3: Dereliction of duty. Like most reservists, members of the 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment typically spend one weekend a month in uniform plus a two-week “active training” mission. For the 304th, that mission happens at West Point. [archival tape about West Point, ambient piano music fades up] HOST: The two-century old military academy overlooking the Hudson River has churned out scores of future generals and even a few presidents. And for several decades now, those future military leaders learn how to literally shoot straight with help from the Maine-based 304th. Robert Card was regarded as a quote “solid and reliable” member of the unit and an Army Reserve evaluation from earlier in 2023 described him as a “consummate professional.” But he had been losing his hearing for years. And Card’s mental health was already on the radar of his unit leaders by the time he arrived at West Point that July. Two months earlier, in May, a sheriff’s deputy in Maine had contacted a Reserve leader after Card’s ex-wife and son raised concerns that he seemed to be hearing voices, and about his erratic behavior and his access to guns at home. As we heard in previous episodes, there was talk of getting him treatment and working with other family members to remove his guns. But ultimately little was done and Card continued showing up for drills. Yet Card had tried to get out of the West Point training. He had served 20 years in the Reserve and was eligible for retirement. And Card had already accused other unit members of talking trash about him. The state troopers who showed up at Card’s room that day gave him two options for getting to West Point’s military hospital: either ride quietly with other reservists — or in handcuffs with troopers. FIRST TROOPER: “Yeah, we don’t, we don’t want to do that, alright? So if you give me your word that you’ll go with them.” ROBERT CARD: “I have over 20 years, I shouldn’t even be here. I fucking tried to get out of this fucking AT. ‘No, you have to fucking come.’ Ugh.” HOST: Card is driven to the hospital in an SUV with three other noncommissioned officers. It’s part of a four-vehicle caravan that includes two state police cruisers. Card tears up at one point. He’s otherwise silent as he stares out of the window. Maj. Matthew Dickison appears remotely in July 2024, before the commission investigating the mass shooting in Lewiston last fall. Zoom screenshot At Keller Army Community Hospital, Card tells psychiatric nurse practitioner Maj. Matthew Dickison that people everywhere are talking about him, calling him a pedophile and gay. He’s angry. Card doesn’t make specific threats, but Dickison remembers him saying that if people don’t stop, quote, “something was going to happen.” [soft piano music fades up] Dickison spoke publicly at a commission created by Maine’s governor and attorney general that spent months looking into the shooting. DAN WATHEN, COMMISSION: “We have convened this evening for the purpose of interviewing and hearing from Maj. Matthew Dickison, who I believe is with us.” HOST: For months, my colleagues and I pressed military officials for specifics about their dealings with Robert Card and his mental health treatment. They wouldn’t agree to interviews but shared general information. This past summer, they also released a 115-page internal investigation that identified multiple failures, which we’ll get to a bit later. And we have hours of public testimony before the state commission from members of the Army and Army Reserve. Maj. Matthew Dickison testified that it took him less than a hour to declare Robert Card unfit for duty. MATTHEW DICKISON, COMMISSION: “Mr. Card was exhibiting psychosis and paranoia. And I actually had safety concerns because he was actually assigned with his unit, running a range where he had access to weapons and munitions. ... My recommendation was that he be moved to a higher level of care for further assessment.” HOST: Keller hospital wasn’t equipped at the time to offer Card the intensive, around-the-clock psychiatric care that Dickison says he needed. So Card was transferred to a private facility, called Four Winds Hospital, located about an hour away. Master Sgt. Ed Yurek was attending the West Point training that weekend, too. ED YUREK, COMMISSION: “It’s clear that it wasn’t just a hunch and that Sgt. Card had legitimate issues and it was getting addressed. We were all high-fiving each other because it was the perfect scenario: we got him to where he needed to be, they identified it, ‘Yeah, you are right,’ and they brought him to a place where he was supposed to be treated. We were very happy with the way it turned out, as far as the unit was concerned.” U.S. Army Reserve Ed Yurek gives testimony in front of the commission investigating the Lewiston mass shooting Thursday, April 25, 2024. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald [ambient music fades up] HOST: Here’s where things start to get murkier. We know that Card spent 19 days at the private hospital. But the details remain sketchy a year after the shooting and his suicide. That’s because the Army couldn’t force Four Winds Hospital to participate in its investigation. Maine Public Radio, the Portland Press Herald and FRONTLINE’s team reached out to the hospital more than a dozen times. They responded twice, referring us to a communications staffer and an outside attorney, neither of whom replied. Members of Maine’s shooting commission did talk to the psychiatrist who treated Card at Four Winds. But that questioning took place in private because, even though the former patient had died, there were quote, “legal concerns” stemming from New York state’s medical privacy laws. A commission spokesman also confirmed that Four Winds shared Card’s medical files, but up until now, the panel hasn’t released those documents publicly. In its 215-page final report, the commission devoted just a few paragraphs to Card’s time at Four Winds and their interview with the psychiatrist. As for why, Commission chairman Dan Wathen hasn’t publicly said. DAN WATHEN, COMMISSION: “We set forth the facts as we determined them to be and they are in the report. And I’d let the report speak for itself in that regard.” [piano music] HOST: Here’s what we do know, though, based on details in the Army and state commission reports. Card’s hospital intake paperwork said he was suffering from paranoia, psychosis, auditory hallucinations, aggression and “homicidal ideations.” He also told Four Winds staff he kept a quote, “hit list.” Card occasionally cooperated at Four Winds. But the Army’s internal investigation shows that Card became quote, “irritable and agitated” when Four Winds staff asked about the guns he had at home — at least 10 of them. He said he struggled with social anxiety and might consider taking medication. He denied any serious mental health problems — yet insisted that even hospital staff were talking about him. The state commission report says that more than a week into his stay at Four Winds, Card let the staff know that he wanted to leave. In response, the hospital asked a court to make him stay. They wanted to involuntarily commit him. But the day before the court hearing, both Card and the hospital dropped their competing requests. So on Aug. 3rd, Robert Card walked out of Four Winds. He had his discharge instructions — but no follow-up appointments scheduled. Had he been involuntarily committed, federal law would have prohibited Card from owning guns when he was eventually released. His sudden departure shocked many, including the Army nurse practitioner, Maj. Dickison, who first evaluated him. MATTHEW DICKISON, COMMISSION: “For me personally, yeah, sure I was a little surprised.” HOST: and Master Sgt. Yurek, who heard the news from Card’s older brother, Ryan. ED YUREK, COMMISSION: “We thought that he was going to be there for a very long time. And when Ryan Card called me and said he was out, I said, ‘That can’t be true.’ And he said — actually how naive I was, I said. ‘Well then he’s all better.’ And he said, ‘No no, he’s still the same.’ And I said ‘I don’t believe that the hospital released him the same way they got him, I just don’t believe that.’ And he said ‘He is the same.’” [guitar strumming music] HOST: According to the state commission, Card’s attending psychiatrist said she didn’t think a court would agree to have him committed. Card had shown progress, said he would take his meds and participate in therapy after release. Four Winds staff worked out a quote, “safety plan,” with members of Card’s family. However, details of that plan have not been released. They also tried several times to reach him, according to the Army report, but were not successful. One answer may come from Card himself. Sean Hodgson drove six and a half hours from Maine to pick up his fellow reservist and friend. SEAN HODGSON, INTERVIEW: “I thought I had to go talk to somebody and I pulled up and I saw him waving through the window and the door. Thought that was odd. And I was like, Alright, I parked my car. And I walked up. And they just let him out the door with his bags. And he’s like, ‘You want me to drive?'” In May 2024, Sean Hodgson, the friend who warned officials of the threats Robert Card made against the Army a month before the Lewiston shooting, visits the site where Card ditched his car on the night of the shootings. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald HOST: On the way home, Card bragged about “playing the game” to get released. He told Hodgson how he threatened to sue and how hospital staff were quote, “abusing his rights” by keeping him there. SEAN HODGSON, INTERVIEW: “He just started telling me everything all over again, and what happened in the hospital, how he pretty much played them, played the game. He told them straight out. He knew exactly what to say to get out.” [ambient music fades up] HOST: Card arrived back in Maine 20 days after he left for New York. The commission report states that, before his release, Card assured Four Winds staff that he would take the prescribed drugs, get treatment and seek support from family and friends. But they were all empty promises. He never made any appointments and stopped taking his medications within days of getting home. Robert Card lived with his dog in Bowdoin, Maine. It’s a farming community about 40 miles from Portland — but a world away, with about 3,000 people and one convenience store. Card was raised there. His family owns hundreds of acres of farmland and woods in the tight-knit community. Card got home from the hospital in New York 12 weeks before the mass shooting. He was back in civilian life. And according to the Army’s own investigation, that was a failure by the military. [guitar music fades up] HOST: To better understand why, I need to explain the difference between the Reserves and active-duty military. The regular Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard is a full-time job. You can be deployed at any time. You are subject to military law. That’s why when an active-duty soldier or sailor is busted for, say, driving drunk on a Saturday night, the military justice system might demote or imprison them. They could be ordered to undergo treatment or even kicked out. That’s active-duty. Reservists, on the other hand, are only soldiers part time. During weekend “battle assemblies” or the annual two-week training, reservists are “on duty.” That means they’re under the command of their unit leaders and anyone above them. But as soon as they arrive home, they become civilians again and their Reserve leaders have no real authority over them. And that’s what happened with Robert Card. Card was on “active duty” during the 19 days he spent at the hospital. That ended when he reached his home in Maine. JODY DANIELS, BRIEFING: “A U.S. Army Reserve soldier is only in a duty status for about 38 days per year. And outside of that duty status, unit commanders have no legal authority to compel soldiers to undergo medical treatment, to execute follow-on care or surrender personally owned weapons regardless of the circumstances. This is a complex challenge ...” Lt. General Jody J. Daniels, administers the oath to new members of the military during a ceremony at an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in Landover, Maryland. Julio Cortez / Associated Press HOST: Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels was the top-ranking general of the U.S. Army Reserve Command in July. That’s when the Army released a report after they investigated Card’s case. The report found that Reserve leaders or staff at Keller Army hospital should have kept him on active-duty status. Card was hospitalized for more than 24 hours while on a training mission, so under military rules that should have triggered an investigation. If his mental illness was caused or aggravated by his service, the government should have kept paying for his care. But none of that happened. What did happen next reveals alarming gaps in the mental health support system for soldiers and their families. [piano music fades up] HOST: Roughly a week after returning home, Card stopped answering calls and messages from an Army psychological health case manager. They were supposed to keep tabs on his progress and help connect him with services. But he ignored them. And at the end of August, the case manager simply closed Card’s file. The Army investigator criticized that decision. But they also acknowledged that it was entirely consistent with Army Reserve policy. At that time, the Reserve’s psychological health program could close a case after five unsuccessful attempts to reach someone over three weeks. So again — five unanswered calls, emails or text messages, and it’s case closed. SUSAN COLLINS: That program is supposed to follow up with soldiers who have mental illness. HOST: Sen. Susan Collins is the senior member of Maine’s congressional delegation and the top Republican on the powerful Senate committee that controls military spending. Collins says it was quote, “inexplicable” that the psychological health case manager would close the case or that the policy would allow it. SUSAN COLLINS: And yet to me, it’s difficult to think of a greater warning sign than his failure to respond to repeated inquiries from medical professionals. That suggested that he was not taking his medication and that he was not complying with the discharge orders. HOST: Lt. Gen. Daniels told reporters during the July press conference that the Army Reserve has since changed that policy in response to what happened in Maine. JODY DANIELS, BRIEFING: “Just because someone is non-responsive doesn’t mean that we don’t need to have additional contact with them. ... So we don’t want to close it just because they didn’t, didn’t, answer the phone. So we’re making that change.” [ambient music fades up] HOST: But the Army’s own report laid out more than a half-dozen other failings in the months before the mass shooting in Maine. Four Winds and the military hospital each thought the other was responsible for making sure Card was taking his medication and continuing therapy. The result, according to the Army investigator, was “no one adequately followed up” on Card’s care after his release. West Point’s military hospital should have formally “handed off” Card to his Reserve unit. That’s what’s supposed to happen after a Reservist is commanded to get a psychological evaluation. But it didn’t. And the Army report says that Card’s unit leaders didn’t try reaching the military hospital in West Point either. And there were also delays in communication. It took the private hospital eight days to fax Card’s psychological assessment and treatment recommendations to the Army hospital. And then it took the military hospital another 10 days to upload those documents into the military health system. There were also weak links within the Reserve unit’s chain of command. Here again is Lt. Gen. Daniels. JODY DANIELS, BRIEFING: “While unit leadership took several consistent and sustained actions to address Sgt. Card’s deteriorating mental health ... there were also a series of failures by unit leadership.” HOST: According to the Army investigator, Card’s commanders were supposed to investigate after he was hospitalized for more than 24 hours. They should have filed a critical information report or notified the Army’s “insider threat” program after Card threatened to shoot up the Reserve complex. None of that happened. Card’s commanders believed that the federal health policy law known as HIPAA prevented them from accessing his medical files. But it doesn’t. In the end, three leaders of Card’s unit were charged with “dereliction of duty.” Their names were redacted throughout the report, and when pressed by reporters, Daniels would not elaborate on their punishments other than to say she had taken quote, “administrative actions” that could prevent those officers from advancing further in their military careers. They could also be discharged. [guitar strumming music] HOST: Like the Army’s internal review, the special commission in Maine investigating the mass shooting found plenty of fault in how the Reserves handled Robert Card’s deteriorating mental health. The commission created by Gov. Janet Mills weeks after the shooting was stacked with retired judges, prosecutors, criminal investigators and mental health experts. Mills, who is a former attorney general, also made sure Maine lawmakers granted the commission the power to use subpoenas to make people testify. Ellen Gorman (center) and the commission investigating the Lewiston shootings listen to testimony in April. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald HOST: I sat through dozens of hours of these commission hearings. They were solemn and oftentimes tense affairs as the panel heard from law enforcement who responded to those horrific scenes and led the ensuing two-day manhunt. They heard from people who survived the shootings — and loved ones of those who didn’t. And Robert Card’s family testified tearfully about their unsuccessful attempts to get him help. These kinds of investigations aren’t unusual after a mass shooting. What is unusual about the process in Maine is that the public could watch most of the testimony because it was live streamed and open to the press. Over a half-dozen meetings, the commission heard from members of the Army and the Army Reserve. The proceedings sometimes felt like court trials. DAN WATHEN, COMMISSION: “Do you swear that the testimony you will give in the matter now in hearing will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” MATTHEW DICKISON, COMMISSION: “I do.” HOST: One by one, commanders from the Army and Army Reserve raised their right hands and swore to truthfully answer the commission’s questions. Often, they had military lawyers, or JAG officers, sitting beside or close behind. On occasion, they brought their own attorneys. Some of the tensest exchanges involved the commanding officer of Card’s Reserve unit, Capt. Jeremy Reamer, who was subpoenaed twice by the commission. Member and retired judge Ellen Gorman pressed Reamer on what HE should have done to ensure Card was getting help after he left the hospital. ELLEN GORMAN, COMMISSION: “You have said on a couple of occasions that you expected the law enforcement here in Maine to do their job.” JEREMY REAMER, COMMISSION: “Mmm hmm.” ELLEN GORMAN, COMMISSION: “Was it your job to complete the developmental counseling form?” JEREMY REAMER, COMMISSION: “That was a requirement of me, yes.” Capt. Jeremy Reamer, center, of the Army Reserve in Saco, sits before the Lewiston Commission taking questions in April 2024. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald ELLEN GORMAN, COMMISSION: “Did you do that?” JEREMY REAMER, COMMISSION: “I did not.” ELLEN GORMAN, COMMISSION: “And was it your job to ensure that Card followed through with the mental health treatment that had been ordered him, that he had been ordered to comply with by the Army? ... That was your job.” JEREMY REAMER, COMMISSION: “Part of my job. Yes.” ELLEN GORMAN, COMMISSION: “Did you do that?” HOST: Reamer goes quiet here. His lips move but he hesitates as he appears to scan his memory, searching for an answer while under oath. After about ten seconds, with a pained expression on his face, he says. [guitar and piano music fades up] JEREMY REAMER, COMMISSION: “I, personally, did not follow up with him regarding that.” HOST: Reamer has not spoken publicly beyond the commission testimony and did not respond to messages requesting comment for this episode. He did testify that he didn’t have the power to force Card into mental health treatment and that he believed that local police and Card’s family would remove Card’s weapons. This exchange took place in April and by this point Capt. Reamer was no longer leading the Reserve unit. He told the commission that it was his time to cycle out of that position. Reamer is never named in the Army report. Lt. Gen. Daniels said one of the three unit leaders punished for dereliction of duty was a captain. The Reserves made other changes, big and small. As of late-October, the Pentagon is still reviewing whether to stop working with Four Winds and a contracting agency for potential sub-standard care and for not following procedures. And no more five tries and you get to close a case. Even if they can’t reach a reservist who’s in their care, Army health care providers have to consult with unit leaders first — and notify other higher-ups — before closing a case. Lt. Gen. Daniels says she also directed Reserve leaders to be re-trained in the HIPAA health privacy law and about their options for safely storing private guns at Reserve facilities. JODY DANIELS, BRIEFING: “I mean, We are doing the best that we can in terms of understanding what did transpire and then make changes for the future.” HOST: Maine Sen. Angus King says the Army has quote “made all the right noises” with its planned changes. But King, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, says he wants more than just rhetoric. ANGUS KING: I had a call with the Secretary of Defense about a month ago and that was my blunt message: The reports are good, the recommendations are good, but I want to be sure that the word gets down all the way to the command level, that this isn’t just something that just sitting in a report somewhere in the Pentagon. So I will reserve judgment until I see the actions that are taken as a result of all of this work. [guitar strumming music] HOST: In mid-October, less than two weeks before the one-year anniversary of the shooting, attorneys representing dozens of survivors and families of Card’s victims formally notified the federal government of their intent to sue the Army and West Point’s military hospital over how the Army handled Card’s deteriorating mental health. Attorney Travis Brennan: TRAVIS BRENNAN, PRESS CONFERENCE: “The Army bureaucracy failed Robert Card. The Army bureaucracy failed this state and community and it failed our clients.” HOST: Robert Card’s ex-wife, Cara Lamb, is infuriated by the finger-pointing she’s seen among law enforcement and Reserve leaders. CARA LAMB, INTERVIEW: “None of us should be allowed to say that we did enough in this scenario, in this situation.” Cara Lamb, ex-wife of Robert Card, in July 2024. Michele McDonald/Portland Press Herald HOST: Lamb, along with Robert Card’s son, then a high school senior, were the first to alert local police to their concerns about Card’s deepening paranoia and access to guns. That was in May of 2023 — more than five and a half months before his rampage. CARA LAMB, INTERVIEW: “All of these people saying that it wasn’t their, their job because it’s such a different life between military and civilian life, that you only have so much control over the soldiers after they leave drill. But you do have a say, you do have a connection to that person still. And you have a requirement, many requirements.” HOST: In tearful testimony, other family members like Robert Card’s sister, Nicole Herling, told the state commission that they wished the family had pushed harder. Even after Card answered their knocks on his door with a gun. And especially after he gradually stopped communicating with most family members. NICOLE HERLING, COMMISSION: “I acknowledge my responsibility as Robbie’s sister. I wish I had done everything in my power to get him the help he needed. My pride prevented me from seeking help after facing rejection.” HOST: Herling and her other brother, Ryan, had tried to get him into treatment. She told the state commission about the countless hours trying to navigate the assistance programs that are supposed to be available to military personnel and their families. NICOLE HERLING, COMMISSION: “Despite exhaustive online searches, I couldn’t find clear information on where to report my concerns. The information I did come across was outdated. And despite leaving numerous voicemails, none were returned.” HOST: She and her husband, James, told commission members that Card was a quiet but loving father, brother and uncle before something went horribly wrong inside his head. Before he became convinced that even his family was part of a massive conspiracy against him. JAMES HERLING, COMMISSION: “This is not an excuse for the behavior and action that Robbie committed. It was a wrongful act of evil. My brother-in-law was not this man. His brain was hijacked.” [ambient piano music] HOST: Exactly what happened to Card’s brain has been the subject to a lot of debate and speculation. Maine’s medical examiner sent Card’s brain tissue to a lab at Boston University’s medical school that studies brain injuries among athletes, like pro football players, and among military personnel. The lab found Card had significant degeneration, inflammation and damage within his brain, and those results were consistent with injuries in other veterans who were repeatedly exposed to blasts. The Boston University lab would not discuss Robert Card’s brain tissue analysis for this series. In a statement earlier this year, lab director Dr. Ann McKee said she could not say “with certainty” that Card’s behavioral changes were caused by the damage her team observed. But she added that based on the lab’s previous work, quote, “brain injury likely played a role in his symptoms.” It’s not possible, scientists say, to definitively link brain injuries to specific behaviors. But Card’s family believes his injuries likely led or at least contributed to his mental health deterioration. The Army’s internal investigation agrees that Card likely suffered a traumatic brain injury — but it raises a different theory. Card fell from his roof and broke his neck in 2008, the report says, quote, “possibly leading to a traumatic brain injury.” Military experts are still reviewing Card’s case. And during her July press conference, Lt. Gen. Daniels deferred to Army medical experts on the issue. But she also seemed to dismiss the possibility that hand grenade blasts may have injured Card’s brain. JODY DANIELS, BRIEFING: “So the fall from the house on a ladder, I believe, is that injury that took place. The amount of exposure that he had to other shock is relatively minor.” HOST: Since then, the Pentagon has announced new safety provisions for soldiers including quote, “baseline cognitive assessment” for all new military recruits — including Reservists. Nicole Herling told the commission that her brother may have been exposed to up to a thousand shockwaves from grenade blasts during his years training West Point cadets. Now, she and other family members say they are working to raise awareness about mental health in military personnel and are encouraging other veterans to get involved with a national nonprofit that advocates on brain injuries. The goal is to push the military to do more to protect all service members both during combat and training. [piano music fades up] NICOLE HERLING, COMMISSION: “They fought for us. Now we fight for them. This is our call to action.” Nicole Herling and her husband, James, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald HOST: In the aftermath of the Lewiston mass shooting, Maine lawmakers passed a slate of gun reform measures, but they stopped short of overhauling the state’s process for keeping guns away from dangerous people. DAVID TRAHAN, INTERVIEW: “It wasn’t the system that failed, it was the people in the system.” JANET MILLS, PRESS CONFERENCE: “This tragedy was caused by a colossal failure of human judgment by several people on several occasions.” HOST: Next time on Breakdown, we’ll explore the political dynamics over gun control in Maine — a place where firearms and hunting are ingrained in the state’s culture and history. Breakdown is a collaboration between Maine Public Radio, the Portland Press Herald and Frontline PBS, with support from Rock Creek Sound. Our reporters are Susan Sharon, Steve Mistler and Patty Wight. The producer is Emily Pisacreta. The show is edited by Ellen Weiss and Keith Shortall. Our executive producers are Mark Simpson and Erin Texeira. Sound design and mixing are by Benjamin Frisch. Fact checking by Nicole Reinert. Legal support from Dale Cohen. Rick Schneider is the President and CEO of Maine Public Radio. Lisa Desisto is the CEO and Publisher of the Portland Press Herald. Raney Aronson-Rath is the executive producer and editor-in-chief of FRONTLINE. Breakdown is produced through FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative, which is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. For an upcoming video translation of the podcast in American Sign Language, go to frontline.org. For additional reporting about Lewiston, visit mainepublic.org/breakdown, pressherald.com and frontline.org, where you can also stream an upcoming documentary. If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. We’re a new podcast and the best way to help us get discovered is to leave a five-star review wherever you get our show, and tell your friends. I’m Kevin Miller, thanks for listening. This story is part of an ongoing collaboration with FRONTLINE (PBS) and Maine Public that includes an upcoming documentary. It is supported through FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative , which is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Breakdown: Turning anguish into action | Podcast Ep. 1: Did we really survive this? Breakdown: Turning anguish into action | Podcast Ep. 2: ‘I believe he is going to snap’ Watch ‘Breakdown: Turning anguish into action,’ a discussion on Lewiston shooting Breakdown: Read our series on Maine’s deadliest shooting Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »ALPINE, Texas (AP) — Three U.S. Army soldiers at Fort Cavazos, Texas, have been arrested on human smuggling charges, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said Thursday. Soldiers Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, 20, and Enrique Jauregui, 25, were arrested after a vehicle allegedly driven by Palma and carrying Mendoza Lopez, a Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals was stopped Nov. 27 by law enforcement in Presidio along the border with Mexico, about 500 miles (805 kilometers) southwest of Dallas. Mike Lahrman, a spokesman for Esparza, said he did not know the soldier’s ranks or whether action had been taken against them by the military. A spokesman for Fort Cavazos did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “Mendoza Lopez and Palma allegedly traveled from Fort Cavazos to Presidio for the purpose of picking up and transporting undocumented noncitizens,” Esparza said in a statement. “Jauregui is alleged to be the recruiter and facilitator of the human smuggling conspiracy,” according to Esparza. “Data extracted from Palma’s phone through a search warrant revealed messages between the three soldiers indicating collaboration in the smuggling operation.” Related Articles National News | Two children wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California school National News | Abandoned mines in the US pose dangers to people and property when land gives way National News | Dog food recalled in 7 states for salmonella risk after puppy litter gets sick, FDA says National News | White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign National News | Powell: Fed’s independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions Mendoza Lopez was arrested at the scene of the Nov. 27 traffic stop while Palma, who prosecutors said fled the scene of the traffic stop, and Jauregui were arrested Tuesday at Fort Cavazos, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) south of Dallas, Lahrman said. Mendoza Lopez’s attorney, Shane Chriesman, said he is awaiting more information, known as discovery, from prosecutors on the charge. “Once I get discovery and have a chance to assess the case we’ll develop a plan of attack” and will try to get a bond set for Mendoza Lopez, who is currently jailed without bail, Chriesman said. No attorneys are listed in jail records who could speak for for Palma and Jauregui, who are awaiting their first court appearance on Friday, according to Esparza.

Pak-China joint academia-industry liaison to be set up LAHORE : China-Pakistan Industry-Education Dialogue has taken place offline and online first time in the history of Pakistan and China marking a milestone onset for establishing robust relationship between education institutions and Industries. According to a press release issued on Friday, Pasand Khan Buledi, Chairman of the Gwadar Port Authority of Pakistan, Yu Bo, Chairman of China Overseas Ports Holding (Pakistan) Co., Ltd., Ahmed Manzoor, Principal of the Pakistan-China Vocational and Technical College, Zhong Jingzhi, Deputy Director of the Vocational Education Office of Shandong Provincial Department of Education, Zhang Baozhong, Director of the China Peace Development Foundation, and Zhang Zhidong, Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Business Vocational College, among other leaders, attended the event and delivered speeches. Besides, inaugural ceremony of the Pakistan-Ban Mo Academy (hereinafter referred to as ‘Ban Mo Academy’) was also held simultaneously in Gwadar Port, Pakistan, and Jinan, Shandong on 19th November. The Pakistan-China Vocational and Technical College, the Gwadar Port Authority of the Pakistan Maritime Department, and China Overseas Ports Holding (Pakistan) Co., Ltd. signed a memorandum of cooperation to jointly build the ‘Pakistan-Ban Mo Academy simultaneously in Pakistan as well as in China. Principal of the Pakistan-China Vocational and Technical College Gwadar Mr Manzoor affirmed the milestone achievements of the Pakistan-China Vocational Institute and expressed gratitude for the support provided by Shandong Business Vocational College in professional construction, teacher training, and online teaching. He mentioned that in August, more than 60 students from the Pakistan-China Vocational Institute had graduated smoothly and entered local enterprises and government institutions. Currently, the Pakistan-China Vocational Institute has completed the enrolment of the second batch of three-year degree students in majors such as e-commerce, software technology, and port management. He expressed hope to use the ‘Ban Mo Academy’ platform to provide more digital educational resources and technical skills training for local youth in Gwadar and Balochistan. He stated that after the completion of the teacher training project in Pakistan, local teachers will join the teaching team of the Pakistan-China Vocational Institute in the spring semester, allowing Chinese vocational education wisdom and experience to benefit more local students in Pakistan. Yu Bo, Chairman COPHC shared the significant changes in the Gwadar area, stating that COPHC attaches great importance to cooperation with Shandong Business Vocational College and will fully support and cooperate with all aspects of the ‘Ban Mo Academy’.Marner, Stone among players added to Team Canada for 4 Nations Face-Off

Hong Kong, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Click Holdings Limited (“Click Holdings” or “we” or “us”, NASDAQ: CLIK) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) , a human resources solutions provider based in Hong Kong, announced its unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2024. In the first half of 2024, total revenue increased by approximately 14.3% We achieved steady growth over the past six months and continued to consolidate its market position in the human resources solutions sector. In the first half of 2024, the Company achieved total revenue of approximately $3.2 million. In the first half of 2024, net income increased by approximately 25.0% We have realized an improvement in our gross profit margin within our business. During the first half of 2024, the Company reported a net income of approximately $0.5 million, marking a notable increase of approximately 25.0% compared to that of approximately $0.4 million for the same period in 2023. Updates on principal sectors Professional solution services: This sector contributed approximately 31.7% of the Company’s total revenue, amounting to approximately $1.0 million. The services provided by us include (i) the secondment of senior executives such as chief financial officers and company secretaries to perform compliance, financial reporting and financial management functions for customers; (ii) the provision of accounting and audit professionals to perform audit work under the instruction of Certified Public Accountant firms; and (iii) the provision of corporate finance experts to assist in drafting of documents including circulars, announcements and others for Hong Kong listed companies and listing documents for private companies planning to go public. Nursing solution services : This sector generated approximately $0.7 million in revenue, representing approximately 21.3% of the Company’s total revenue. We provide human resources solutions to social service organizations and nursing homes by matching both temporary and permanent vacancies with candidates in our extensive talent pool. Logistics and other solution services : This sector brought in approximately $1.5 million in revenue, representing approximately 47.0% of the Company’s total revenue. We provide human resources solutions by matching workers such as packaging staff and movers from our talent pool with both temporary and permanent vacancies offered by our customers. The strong growth in revenue from this sector of approximately 72.6% reflected the rapid expansion of this sector during the six months ended June 30, 2024 in particular the additional demand for placement of works from a major customer starting in April 2024. Outlook Amid a challenging but promising market environment in Hong Kong, we will continue to focus on enhancing service quality and fulfillment capabilities to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. Furthermore, we will actively pursue fresh business prospects to extend its market presence. Moving forward, our management holds a positive outlook on the long-term potential of the Company. About Click Holdings Limited We are a human resources solutions provider, specializing in offering comprehensive human resources solutions in three principal sectors, namely (i) professional solution services, (ii) nursing solution services, and (iii) logistics and other solution services. We are primarily focused on talent sourcing and the provision of temporary and permanent personnel to customers. Our primary market is in Hong Kong and our diverse clientele includes accounting and professional firms, Hong Kong listed companies, nursing homes, individual patients, logistics companies and warehouses. For more information on the Company and its filings, which are available for review at www.sec.gov . Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov . For enquiry, please contact: Click Holdings Limited Unit 709, 7/F., Ocean Centre 5 Canton Road Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Hong Kong Email: admin@clickholdings.com.hk Phone: +852 2691 8200Mellow Mushroom Now Open in Grant Park

LEIPZIG, Germany (Reuters) – Aston Villa substitutes Jhon Duran and Ross Barkley bagged second-half goals to salvage a 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig on Tuesday in a Champions League match marked by a stunning error from keeper Emi Martinez that gifted Leipzig a goal. With 13 points after six games, Unai Emery’s men are just a win away from booking their berth in the Champions League last 16. John McGinn put Villa on the scoresheet inside three minutes when he fired in Ollie Watkins’s header past Peter Gulacsi. But Lois Openda levelled against the run of play in the 27th minute when Martinez ventured well out of his net but misjudged the bounce of the ball, allowing Openda to nudge it past him and score. Duran put the visitors up in the 52nd minute when he latched on to a pass from Youri Tielemans before unleashing a blistering shot from nearly 30 metres out. The home side levelled 10 minutes later when Openda floated the ball to the back post for Christoph Baumgartner to steer in with a volley. But, two minutes after he entered the game, Barkley bagged the winner in the 85th when his long shot took a big deflection off defender Lukas Klostermann and went in. (Reporting by Lori Ewing; editing by Clare Fallon) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );REGINA - Saskatchewan's fall legislative sitting ended with political barbs traded across the aisle after Premier Scott Moe promised a better tone two weeks ago. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! REGINA - Saskatchewan's fall legislative sitting ended with political barbs traded across the aisle after Premier Scott Moe promised a better tone two weeks ago. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? REGINA – Saskatchewan’s fall legislative sitting ended with political barbs traded across the aisle after Premier Scott Moe promised a better tone two weeks ago. The swipes began when Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck told the assembly Moe should offer immediate affordability relief, including suspending the 15-cent-a-litre gas tax and scrapping the provincial sales tax on ready-to-eat grocery items and children’s clothing. In reply, Moe said there is no sales tax on groceries and that Beck should go speak to federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Crown Investments Minister Jeremy Harrison also said New Democrats don’t know how to grow the economy. The remarks drew ire from Opposition members, with one saying Moe’s government deserves a lump of coal for Christmas. Moe had promised in late November better civility in the house after former Speaker Randy Weekes accused government members of bullying and harassment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. AdvertisementState Rep. Susan Valdés, a former school board member who was reelected as a Democrat last month, said on X that she is “tired of being the party of protesting.” Valdés ran to be chairperson for her local county’s Democratic executive committee earlier this month. She won her current term by nearly 5 percentage points but can't run for reelection again because of term limits. Republicans have controlled the governor’s office and both branches of the Legislature since 1999. Valdés is serving her final two years before leaving office due to term limits. Republicans now have an 86-34 majority in the House. “I got into politics to be part of the party of progress,” Valdés wrote. “I know that I won’t agree with my fellow Republican House members on every issue, but I know that in their caucus, I will be welcomed and treated with respect.” House Speaker Daniel Perez reposted Valdés’ statement and welcomed her into the House, where Republicans have a supermajority of 86-34. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said she was surprised and disappointed by Valdés’ announcement. “It is sad that she has elevated her own aspirations above the needs of her district,” Driskell wrote in a statement on X.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former South Carolina Sen. Kay Patterson, who rose from cleaning offices at the segregated Statehouse to serving as a state legislator for over 30 years died Friday. He was 93. The South Carolina Democratic Party announced Patterson's death saying he “left an indelible mark on our state. Senator Patterson commanded everyone’s attention with his wit and wisdom.” The statement did not list a cause of death. Patterson was born in 1931 in Darlington County and raised by his grandmothers. They recalled his hardheaded spirit early, recommending he not take jobs as a golf caddy or shoe shiner because he was likely to mouth off to white people in segregated 1940s South Carolina and get in trouble. Instead, Patterson served in the military and then got his teaching degree through the GI Bill at Allen University. While in college, he cleaned offices at the segregated capitol where he and other Black people couldn't be unless they were working. "When I was a janitor, Black people couldn’t go in the Statehouse," Patterson said in a 2004 interview with the University of South Carolina. “And then one day I came back down here as a member of the House and then in '84, I came back sitting in the Senate as a senator. Now that’s a hell of a long way to come.” Patterson spent 30 years in education and was elected to the South Carolina House in 1974 and the Senate 10 years later after U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn urged him to run for the upper chamber seat. In a statement, Clyburn called Patterson “a trusted leader, a tireless champion for civil rights, and a treasured friend. He was a person of strength, determination, wisdom, and a long proponent of removing the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Statehouse dome .” Patterson was also the first Black person to serve on the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees since Reconstruction. Patterson was a key member of both the House and Senate, He served on the budget committees in both chambers and was a major voice in support of civil rights, public education and helping poor people. He adamantly demanded the Confederate flag be removed from atop the Statehouse dome and inside the House and Senate chambers long before they were taken down in 2000. The lifelong Democrat said the final years of his political career were the toughest after Republicans took over state government. His seniority no longer mattered and he felt many newer Republicans were religious hypocrites who claimed to help others but only cared for people just like themselves. A few years before he retired from the Statehouse, Patterson said it was important to respect elders and supervisors, but not be afraid to speak up if bothered or something was on one's mind. “That’s just my hallmark ever since I was a little child. It will get you in trouble now, but you can sleep well at night. And learn to treat everybody as human beings with respect,” Patterson said in the interview with the university's Champions of Civil and Human Rights in South Carolina program. “You can sleep real good at night. Right now, I’m 73 years old and sleep like a log when I go to bed because I know I’ve done no wrong to my fellow man,” Patterson said.Ruben Amorim impressed with Arsenal’s corners after first defeat as Man Utd bossJEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia's decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different — and the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday. The award — and the glitzy festival itself — is a sign of Saudi Arabia's commitment to shaping a new film industry. “My heart is attached to cinema and art; I have always dreamed of a moment like this,” Dakheelallah, who still works a 9-5 job, told The Associated Press before the awards ceremony. “I used to work in voluntary films and help my friends in the field, but this is my first big role in a film.” The reopening of cinemas in 2018 marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy that had instituted the ban 35 years before, under the influence of ultraconservative religious authorities. It has since invested heavily in a native film industry by building theaters and launching programs to support local filmmakers through grants and training. The Red Sea International Film Festival was launched just a year later, part of an attempt to expand Saudi influence into films, gaming, sports and other cultural fields. Activists have decried the investments as whitewashing the kingdom’s human rights record as it tightly controls speech and remains one of the world’s top executioners. With FIFA awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia this week, Lina al-Hathloul, a Saudi activist with the London-based rights group ALQST, said Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman “has really managed to create this bubble where people only see entertainment and they don’t see the reality on the ground.” These efforts are part of Vision 2030, an ambitious reform plan unveiled in 2016 to ease the economy's dependence on oil. As part of it, Saudi Arabia plans to construct 350 cinemas with over 2,500 movie screens — by this past April, across 22 cities, it already had 66 cinemas showing movies from the local film industry, as well as Hollywood and Bollywood. (The Red Sea International Film Festival attracts a host of talent from the latter industries, with Viola Davis and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also picking up awards Thursday.) The country's General Entertainment Authority last month opened Al Hisn Studios on the outskirts of Riyadh. As one of the largest such production hubs in the Middle East, it not only includes several film studios but also a production village with workshops for carpentry, blacksmithing and fashion tailoring. “These facilities, when they exist, will stimulate filmmakers,” said Saudi actor Mohammed Elshehri. “Today, no writer or director has an excuse to imagine and say, ‘I cannot implement my imagination.’” The facilities are one part of the equation — the content itself is another. One of the major players in transforming Saudi filmmaking has been Telfaz11, a media company founded in 2011 that began as a YouTube channel and quickly became a trailblazer. Producing high-quality digital content such as short films, comedy sketches and series, Telfaz11 offered fresh perspectives on Saudi and regional issues. In 2020, Telfaz11 signed a partnership with Netflix to produce original content for the streaming giant. The result has been movies that demonstrate an evolution on the storytelling level, tackling topics that were once off-limits and sensitive to the public like secret nightlife in “Mandoob” (“Night Courier”) and changing social norms in “Naga.” “I think we tell our stories in a very simple way, and that’s what reaches the world,” Elshehri says of the changing shift. “When you tell your story in a natural way without any affectation, it will reach every person.” But the films were not without their critics, drawing mixed reaction. Social media discoursed ranged from pleasure that Saudi film were tackling such topics to anger over how the films reflected conservative society. As Hana Al-Omair, a Saudi writer and director, points out, there are still many stories left untold. “We certainly have a long time ahead of us before we can tell the Saudi narrative as it should be,” she said, acknowledging that there are still barriers and rampant censorship. “The Goat Life,” a Malayalam-language movie about an Indian man forced to work without pay in Saudi Arabia, is not available on Netflix's platform in the country. Movies that explore political topics or LGBTQ+ stories are essentially out of the question. Even “My Driver and I,” featured at the Red Sea festival alongside 11 other Saudi feature-length films, was initially too controversial. It centers on a Sudanese man in Jeddah, living away from his own daughter, who feels responsible for the girl he drives as her parents are absent. It was initially blocked from being made because of the relationship between the girl and the driver, filmmaker Ahd Kamel has said, even though it's not a romantic relationship. Now in 2024, the film is a success story — a symbol of the Saudi film industry's evolution as well as the growing role of women like Kamel behind the camera and Dakheelallah in front of it. “I see the change in Saudi cinema, a very beautiful change and it is moving at a wonderful speed. In my opinion, we do not need to rush,” Dakheelallah said. “We need to guide the truth of the artistic movement that is happening in Saudi Arabia.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — An Argentine court on Tuesday dropped aggravated sexual assault charges against two professional French rugby players accused of raping a woman after playing a match in the country earlier this year. The judge in Mendoza, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) west of the capital, Buenos Aires, dismissed the case against the 21-year-old athletes, Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jégou, citing insufficient evidence. “The facts under investigation do not constitute a crime," the court said. The explosive case began in July, when a 39-year-old Argentine woman filed a police complaint alleging that she was beaten, choked and repeatedly raped by the rugby players in their Mendoza hotel room. The rugby players have admitted to having sex with the plaintiff — whom they met at during an alcohol-fueled club night after their July 7 victory against Argentina’s Pumas — but insisted that the encounter was consensual. They were held in preventive custody, then placed under house arrest, for a month. The defense said the dismissal reinforced their faith in the justice system. “I think it will be a turning point,” Germán Hnatow, an attorney representing one of the two players, told Radio Mitre Mendoza, a local radio station. "There are many false accusations in terms of sexual crimes, in terms of gender violence, which cause harm.” The plaintiff can appeal the ruling. She has not said whether she intends to and her defense lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. Over the past few months, the case slowly unraveled as the defense punched holes in the woman’s description of events. Citing questionable evidence presented before the court — including WhatsApp voice messages the plaintiff sent to her friend joking and boasting about the rough sex she had with them — the prosecution in September approved the athletes' return to France under certain conditions . The plaintiff's lawyer has explained any inconsistencies in her account as the result of her “shock and extreme stress.” She underwent physical examinations as part of the investigation and was found to have an acute bleeding ulcer and other injuries that she claimed were related to her assault. Dragging on for several months, the investigation has stunned the French rugby world. The French Rugby Federation expressed its “relief and satisfaction" with the judge's decision. It said the athletes, who had been suspended due to the seriousness of the allegations, would be eligible to return to the national team “if their sporting performances allow for it.” It wasn't the only scandal to hit the touring French team during its stay in Argentina. The federation separately fined and suspended French fullback Melvyn Jaminet for 34 weeks over a racist outburst that he posted on social media. The federation said that this close shave with the law served as a reminder “of the need to create new conditions to prevent and avoid risky behavior in high-level rugby, in order to train responsible and exemplary players.” Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-americaBy JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. Related Articles On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.Fresh out of the FIBA break, Perth Wildcats coach John Rillie issued import Dylan Windler a challenge: stop the same player that dropped an NBL record 51 points just a fortnight ago. Watch every game of every round this NBL Season LIVE on ESPN, via Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. “You don’t just pick anyone for that job,” Rillie said, and of course there is no such thing as stopping Brisbane Bullets sharpshooter James Batemon. But you can limit his effectiveness. And Windler did just that, with Batemon going just 4-for-10 from the field to finish with just 10 points as the Wildcats cruised to a comfortable 117-89 home NBL victory. “What everyone is starting to see with Dylan is that he’s starting to understand the league,” Rillie added. “He’s getting healthy and you can see he’s a really good player, which is the reason he was a first-round draft pick.” But five years after being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 26th overall pick, Windler finds himself out of the NBA after playing 101 games across four seasons. Why? Well, for the most part it was circumstances beyond his control — constant injury setbacks which cruelled an NBA career which Windler didn’t even see in his future until late in his teenage years. In fact, Windler didn’t have a single scholarship offer until after his junior year of high school when he played his first and only season of AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) travel basketball. In that sense, Windler’s route to the NBA — and now to the shores of Scarborough — was far from traditional and as much as he admits to going through some of “the toughest times” of his life when injured, he said those setbacks early in his career “made me the player I am today”. Foxsports.com.au recently spoke with Windler to reflect on his unlikely basketball rise that almost never was and how he has found his new home, at least for now, in Perth. ‘PHONE WAS BLOWING UP’: HOW WINDLER WENT FROM UNKNOWN TO IN-DEMAND Windler was “never” one of the kids who was playing AAU all summer, every summer. That meant, for the most part, he flew under the radar and, if it wasn’t for one tournament where by chance he got an opportunity to play in an expanded role, Windler may not even be here talking to foxsports.com.au from his condo he now lives in right across from Scarborough beach. But more than anything else, doors started to open for Windler when he got his first taste of the summer AAU circuit, which is particularly important in America for identifying top basketball prospects. Until then the scarcely-recruited Windler thought his future was on the links instead of the courts despite attending Perry Meridian High School in basketball-crazed Indianapolis. “I was playing a lot of golf tournaments in the summer so that kind of conflicted with basketball and I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do past high school, what I wanted to pursue,” Windler told foxsports.com.au . In fact, he had been looking towards a collegiate scholarship in golf instead of basketball after his freshman and sophomore years of high school. “I knew I wanted to play something in college and pursue something at the next level and just kind of see where it would take me,” Windler added. For so long, basketball didn’t look like it was going to take him that far. But then, after his junior year of high school when he was 17 years old, he finally made it onto the Indiana Elite AAU team. Although he didn’t start for the team and he wasn’t getting many minutes either, at least enough to make the kind of impression he needed to get the attention of scouts. But one weekend in July, that all changed when three of Indiana’s top players went to the Adidas Unrivaled camp in Chicago. Finally, Windler was about to get an extended look and at a local tournament too — the Spiece Run n’ Gun in Indianapolis. He played “lots of minutes” and Indiana ended up winning the tournament too. Before that weekend, Windler didn’t have any scholarship offers. By the end of it, his phone was “blowing up” and he had 10 to 15 Division I offers. “From that point on it was kind of written for me that basketball was going to be what I was going to do,” Windler said. Among those 10 to 15 Division I schools was Belmont. They were one of the first teams to reach out and followed Windler closely after the tournament too. He went on a visit and, in Windler’s own words, “it just felt right”. Although as straight-forward as the process may seem, it was anything but for Windler, who was forced to “grow up really fast”. “It was new to me,” Windler said. “I really hadn’t had a bunch of coaches calling me or I wasn’t getting recruited very heavily because I hadn’t really played AAU up until that point and in the States you kind of have to, that’s where all the coaches come and all the scouts and evaluators are at those AAU tournaments in the summer. “It all hit me really quick and you’ve got to grow up really fast. You’re taking calls from head coaches all over the country and they’re asking all types of questions and you’ve got to figure out what teams you want to visit with and it was a lot all happening in a very short period of time.” Only adding to the pressure was the fact Windler was so late in the process, with it being after his junior year. Essentially, he didn’t have much time to make a decision anyway given spots on rosters were already filling up by that point. “So, I went on that visit (to Belmont) and had to really narrow down my list pretty quick and within a couple of months,” added Windler. “It’s kind of a whirlwind looking back but I kind of just trusted my gut with Belmont after I made the visit and I could have visited 10 other schools but, like I said, I just kind of trusted my gut and it ended up working out.” All because of that one tournament in Indianapolis that put Windler on the path to become the first Belmont player taken in the NBA’s first round and just the second drafted in school history. “And now we’re in Australia but who knows without that tournament,” Windler said. “I had no offers up until that point so if I wasn’t given that opportunity I never really know where it could have taken me after that.” But of course, even if Windler finally knew which sport his future was in, that hardly meant anything was guaranteed — especially for a player who, by his own admission, has been on “a much different path” from the start. THE SUMMER STATEMENT THAT WAS WINDLER’S TURNING POINT There are some players who, even from a young age, always seemed destined for the NBA. Players like Wendell Carter Jr. who had a plan, as early as the third grade, of making it to basketball’s biggest stage or even someone like Michael Porter Jr. who, while later having the early stages of his career derailed by injuries, was heavily recruited by colleges before that. But Windler? “I was never really that kid,” the 28-year-old said. “I think a lot of guys in the NBA today, the elite basketball players, were kind of moulded to be a basketball player. You know, the day they came out of the womb, their parents raised them to be NBA players. “I had a much different path.” Windler did enjoy playing basketball, but he enjoyed playing sports full stop. In fact, his parents put him in “pretty much every sport you can think of” as a kid. He played organised soccer, basketball, golf, football, baseball. Even in high school he tried volleyball. It meant that while Windler didn’t necessarily specialise in one sport, at least early on, he did quickly become a really well-rounded athlete. “I can pretty much pick up anything really fast,” Windler said. “I think all those sports that I played growing up helped me to be a better basketball player. I never had jump off the paper athleticism or anything. I was never able to jump out of the gym or dunk when I was 12 years old or anything like that. “I kind of just slowly developed the game over time by putting in a lot of work. And, you know, once I decided that basketball was going to be what I wanted to do, I really just kind of got obsessed with it and my competitive nature kind of took over.” But in his first few years at Belmont, Windler wasn’t really able to show that competitive nature or, at least, he was only able to unleash it in small spurts. As a freshman he was just an energy guy coming off the bench, playing 10 minutes or so, not doing much. By the end of his sophomore year Windler had earned more minutes, headlined by a 21-point and nine-rebound game against Georgia in Postseason NIT, but he was still left feeling he had plenty more to give. A series of strong games to close out the year only furthered that point and while the Bruins didn’t end up making the NCAA tournament, Windler said that period was where “it all turned” for him. Although it was as much about what Windler did in the summer of his junior season, when he and his teammates were only obligated to show up for around one month of their time off. But Windler stuck around for pretty much the whole summer. “I didn’t go home much at all,” he said. “I kind of just wanted to get even more familiarised with everything we’re doing in the program and just wanted to be around the coaches and staff as much as I could. “So I pretty much stayed there the entire summer between my sophomore and junior year and just grinded. I got really close with the weight staff and was always doing extra strength and conditioning work and then just making sure I wasn’t missing workouts in the gym.” It showed on the court. Windler went from averaging 9.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his sophomore season to 17.3 and 9.3 as a junior before taking his game to another level in his final year at Belmont, averaging 21.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals — all career-high numbers. That senior campaign included one game against Austin Peay where Windler scored 20 straight points in seven minutes to put the Bruins on his back, inspiring a 96-92 win. Although reflecting on that game nearly six years later, Windler said he “didn’t even realise it in the moment”. “I had absolutely no idea,” he laughed. “I just thought we kind of made a run as a team.” By the end of his junior year Windler had started to generate some NBA interest. Scouts were in the building. Suddenly, it was all starting to get real and when Adam Silver called out his name with the 26th pick of the 2019 draft, it was official. Dylan Windler was an NBA player. What followed was a dream come true and then, not long after, “one of the toughest times” in Windler’s life. OVERCOMING DARK DAYS... AND THE AUSSIE IN HIS CORNER Just a few weeks earlier Windler had been Cleveland’s headline act at Summer League, the only one of the Cavaliers’ three first-round picks to play in the NBA’s pre-season tournament. He had posed for photos, proudly standing with his new jersey — the No. 9 and Windler stitched on the back — alongside lifelong friend Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr. Windler was officially an NBA player. Everything was going to plan — until it wasn’t. Until a lower leg stress fracture that had developed through the pre-draft process became too much, forcing Windler to undergo surgery. “They put the rod in my leg and tibia, I have a few screws and hardware in there,” Windler explained. “Then the world shut down shortly after with COVID and kind of put a halt to my rehab and everything.” Windler described it as “definitely one of the toughest times I faced in my life”. “Not only as an athlete, but just anything in general,” he added. He eventually made his NBA debut in December 2020 but just nine minutes into that game Windler fell hard, fracturing his hand. Another month on the sidelines followed. So, Windler worked his way back again until he started to find his feet and then made nine-straight 3-pointers in two games. Everything was coming together — again, until it wasn’t. Windler had played through pain in his left knee and by that point late in his second season it had all become too much and he needed a second consecutive season-ending surgery. “I had to get a follow up clean up on my knee from where they cut through and put the rod in,” Windler said, with his second season in the NBA now cut 27 games short. “Physically it was tough, rehab and all of that trying to get back and play basketball at a high level... but mentally it was the hardest part for me. “I’ve never really been through any type of injuries growing up in my life before that, never had any surgeries. Putting that together with being a rookie in the NBA and trying to prove yourself and being limited physically, it was really tough for me mentally trying to get over that. “I obviously wanted to be the best player I can be and I had that competitive nature and wanted to get that respect and it’s tough battling through those injuries and trying to rehab it.” Teammates could offer their support, although very few could actually understand what Windler was going through — having the start to his NBA career derailed by circumstances beyond his control. That is, except for Australian Danté Exum, who missed his entire sophomore season after suffering an ACL tear before a string of injuries hampered the former No. 5 overall pick’s development from that point. “I actually got to be really good friends, even to this day, staying in pretty good contact with Danté,” Windler said. “We created a pretty good relationship over that time he was in Cleveland. We still stay in contact today playing video games or whatever. He was definitely somebody I could talk to going through all that process. “Obviously, he had been through stuff similar in the past and early on in his NBA career, he had to deal with injuries and expectations. He was definitely somebody that was super helpful for me throughout my process.” And as hard as those early seasons in Windler’s career were, he said that ultimately it is what “made me the player I am today”. The same goes for his years spent grinding away in the G League. Windler was assigned to the Cleveland Charge six times in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons before signing with New York the following year, where he played for its G League affiliate the Westchester Knicks, breaking the all-time record for rebounds (33) in one game. Last season he signed with the Lakers, playing eight games in the NBA and three for the South Bay Lakers in the G League before being waived in March. A few days later he was offered a two-way contract by the Atlanta Hawks, playing six games to close out the season before eventually finding his way to the NBL and the Perth Wildcats. Even if Windler was finally healthy, those years spent bouncing around from team to team, in and out of the NBA, were a different kind of challenge. It forced Windler to go back to his roots and “find that love for the game again”. “I’d say going back to high school, or even middle school, was the last time I played in front of the amount of fans that go to those games,” Windler said. “It’s definitely a big step back when you go from playing competitive basketball at a Division 1 level and obviously in the NBA. “When you’re going into games and you’re playing in front of a couple hundred people and the brutal travel schedules that comes along with that, a lot of lower end facilities, you’re taking a big step back in a lot of areas playing in the G League. “... You’ve got to be able to look past it and over to the other side. The G League is not a place you want to be your whole career but it can be that stepping stone to get in a lot of better situations. “So you’ve kind of got to look at it from a business perspective and just grind and use it to propel yourself forward and end up in better situations.” Like the NBL and Wildcats. HOW WINDLER WAS RECRUITED... AND FINDING A NEW HOME IN PERTH Windler has been loving his new life in Perth. He was staying in a rental apartment that the Wildcats provided him with for the first month or so before finding another space, a little condo in a “great spot” right across the beach. It is a very different lifestyle to the one during his time in Cleveland too. Windler isn’t immediately heading straight home after practice sessions to escape the cold like he used to. Instead, it is all sunshine, beaches and golf courses, with a particularly nice one right near the Wildcats training facility, which Windler often goes to with teammates Ben Henshall, Hyrum Harris, Keanu Pinder and Michael Harris. “The pace is a little bit more relaxed and slower, especially living right on the beach,” Windler said. But there is nothing relaxed or slow about the pace the Wildcats play at, with Windler getting an early glimpse of what his new life would be like playing with Bryce Cotton at HoopsFest. “Obviously I knew he’d been a MVP multiple times in this league and an elite scorer averaging over 20 pretty much every season he’s been here,” Windler said. “But to see it right off the bat in that first game and especially behind such an electric crowd that we have at RAC was definitely a great way to start my career here.” It was just an early taste of what was to come too, with Cotton scoring a modern NBL record 59 points on the weekend in Perth’s 123-112 win over the New Zealand Breakers. Windler, meanwhile, started to look more comfortable before the FIBA break and carried that momentum into his first two games since the league resumed, scoring a combined 30 points. The Wildcats spent months looking to secure the former NBA first-round pick, with Windler eventually signing on to what ended up being Perth’s final roster spot for the 2024-25 season. Wildcats general manager Danny Mills had been familiar with Windler’s game for a long time, having watched plenty of the versatile wing at Belmont while he was Director of Scouting at the Philadelphia 76ers. Mills, who was appointed to the general manager role at Perth in 2021, knew Windler’s two-way eligibility was running out ahead of this year’s Summer League. In other words, he knew the former first-round NBA pick would have to look overseas if he wasn’t offered a guaranteed contract. So, the Wildcats started speaking with Windler’s representatives and stayed in touch for the following month trying to recruit him. Mills certainly knew what Perth had in Windler, but what was their selling point? “I think it was just the stability of coming down here knowing you’ve got a really good coaching staff and medical performance team that can make sure he’s 100 per cent healthy to have a consistent season and not be disrupted by injuries and would give him the time to do that,” Mills told foxsports.com.au . “We’re a shorter season, it’s an easier adjustment coming to a city like Perth from the US as opposed to maybe going to Europe and having to go into a cold, Northern Hemisphere winter and 10-month season and two-a-day practices, which may not have been the best transition for him right away. “So for us, we felt like it was a perfect situation.” Windler, meanwhile, said he knew from speaking with Exum and Melbourne United’s Ian Clark that the NBL was a “competitive” league and, most importantly, that it could be his ticket back to the NBA. “I know NBA scouts and everybody look at this league with high respect and praise and I know it’s a league that if you perform well people are always watching,” Windler said. “It’s definitely a league that people can get called up back to the NBA from as we’ve seen before. I think it’s up there with the Euro League and the elite leagues over in Europe, so I just knew it was going to be a good enough league and good enough competition that’s respected by the NBA that if I play well, I’ll get looks to come back.” He is definitely playing well as of late. Beyond that lockdown effort against Batemon, Windler also averaged 11.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in November. Although according to Mills, a lot of what Windler does well isn’t necessarily reflected in the box score. “He’s just a really smart, cerebral player,” Mills said. “He’s a really good off-ball cutter and then he’s a really disruptive defender and can rebound the ball at an elite level from the wing position, so he kind of fills a lot of the areas we were looking for in a recruit and filling some of the gaps we were looking to address from last year’s team.” And that is just the impact Windler has on the court. Off it, he is also proving a valuable sounding board for Perth’s younger players. Again, as much as Windler would love to be able to reset his career and start over again, he can’t. And even if he did, he wouldn’t be the player and person he is today. Because as testing as those early years may have been, there were plenty of lessons learned along the way and even if Windler may not be in the NBA for now, no one has forgotten who he once was, who he is and who he can still become. “There’s a level of respect everyone has for Dylan when he walks in the room,” added Mills. “His resume speaks for itself. Just the way he approaches the day-to-day, he’s a great teammate but also very approachable for the young guys. “There’s definitely leadership qualities within him. He had that when he was in Belmont his last two years and I think as he’s got more comfortable here he’s starting to realise he can really have an impact in this league.” Watch every game of every round this NBL Season LIVE on ESPN, via Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

Investors’ rush into artificial intelligence stocks this year has overplayed the near-term potential of the technology, raising the risks of a “correction” in share prices, asset management powerhouse Vanguard has warned. Joe Davis, Vanguard’s chief economist, said investors have gone too far in their bets on AI’s potential, even if the technology proves to have similar effects to the personal computer, which has revolutionised productivity and jobs since the 1980s. The cautious remarks from the world’s second-largest asset manager add to the fierce debate among investors over whether groups that rode the AI wave are overvalued after huge gains in recent months. “We see roughly 60 to 65% odds that AI is more impactful than the personal computer. The US stock market today is pricing roughly a 90% probability,” said Davis, who leads the US$10 trillion ($17t) asset manager’s investment strategy group. Productivity gains from PCs, and optimism about their potential helped fuel a powerful surge in equities prices in the second half of the late 1990s that culminated in the dotcom bubble bursting in 2000.NEW YORK : The Nasdaq Composite Index hit 20,000 for the first time on Wednesday, putting an exclamation point on a year in which excitement over artificial intelligence and expectations of falling interest rates fueled a searing rally in technology stocks. The tech-heavy index is up more than 33 per cent on the year, driven by a cluster of giant technology-focused companies including Apple, Nvidia, Google-parent Alphabet and in recent weeks, electric carmaker Tesla. Wednesday’s gains came after a U.S. inflation report that cemented expectations of a Fed rate cut next week. The index closed on Wednesday at 20,034.89, up 1.8 per cent on the day. While the rally has rewarded investors who went big on growth and tech, it has also stirred unease over rising valuations and the dominance of megacap stocks, which now have an increasingly heavier weighting in the index. "There is clearly an aspect of a chase into year-end, where the winners ... keep winning," said Cameron Dawson, chief investment officer at NewEdge Wealth. "The question is if this momentum can persist into 2025, where stretched valuations, positioning, sentiment, and growth expectations could all present high bars to jump over to keep above-average returns going." After plummeting in early 2020 when the pandemic brought global economic activity to a standstill, the index mounted a swift rebound as the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to near-zero and the U.S. unleashed waves of fiscal stimulus to help the economy. It endured a sharp drop in 2022, falling 33 per cent as inflation surged to 40-year highs and the Fed was forced to deliver a series of jumbo rate cuts. But higher rates did not bring on a widely-expected recession, and the index has soared by about 90 per cent since then, stoked in part by increasing excitement over the business potential of AI. Shares of Nvidia, whose chips are considered the industry's gold standard, are up more than 1,100 per cent from their October 2022 low. “The AI story still rings true and appeals to investors,” said Alex Morris, chief investment officer of F/m Investments. “These are the go-go stocks." While the Nasdaq's valuation has climbed, it is still far from levels it reached during the dot-com bubble more than two decades ago. The index trades at roughly 36 times earnings today, a three-year high and well above its long-term average of 27, according to LSEG Datastream. That is still well below the roughly 70 times the index's P/E ratio reached in March 2000, bringing a measure of comfort to investors comparing the two periods. "The Nasdaq Comp’s latest rally pales in comparison to the late 90s/early 2000 experience, rising more gradually and does not yet look unsustainable as a result," Jessica Rabe, co-founder of DataTrek Research, said in a note on Wednesday. Megacap stocks increasingly dominate the index. The top 10 companies by market value account for 59 per cent of the Nasdaq, compared to 45 per cent in 2020. The three biggest companies by weight are Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia, which account for 11.7 per cent, 10.6 per cent and 10.3 per cent of the index respectively. While their surging share prices have buoyed the Nasdaq, the heavy concentration could present a problem for investors should Big Tech fall out of favor. The selloff in 2022, for instance, saw shares of index heavyweights Meta and Tesla fall 64 per cent and 65 per cent for the year respectively. The Nasdaq has topped the other major U.S. stock indexes this year, propelled by big gains in heavily weighted names such as Nvidia, Amazon and Meta Platforms. The tech-heavy index's 33 per cent climb in 2024 compares with over 27 per cent for the S&P 500 and 17 per cent for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Over the past decade, the Nasdaq has gained more than 320 per cent, against a 200 per cent rise for the S&P 500 and a 150 per cent increase for the Dow.

The leader of Ireland’s Labour Party has held talks with the Taoiseach and Tanaiste as efforts to form a new coalition government intensify. Ivana Bacik had separate meetings with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris on Tuesday afternoon. Fianna Fail, which won 48 seats in last month’s general election, and Fine Gael, which secured 38 seats, headed up the last coalition in Dublin and are expected to continue that partnership into the next mandate. However, with a combined 86 seats, they are just short of the 88 required for a majority in the Dail parliament. If they wish to return to government together, they would need one smaller party as a junior partner, or a handful of independents. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have ruled out doing business with Sinn Fein, which won 39 seats. The centre-left Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party, both of which won 11 seats in the election, are seen as the only two realistic options if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael seek to convince a smaller party to join the coalition. In a statement, the Labour Party said Ms Bacik outlined key policy priorities in her meetings with Taoiseach Mr Harris and Tanaiste Mr Martin. “There was discussion in both meetings on policies and manifesto commitments on housing, health, climate, workers’ rights and disability services among other issues,” said the statement. “The parliamentary party will meet at 1pm on Friday where the party leader will provide an assessment of engagement to date and consider the outcome of these meetings.” A spokesman for Mr Harris said there had been a “constructive engagement” with Ms Bacik. “The Taoiseach is grateful for the time and engagement on a range of substantial policy issues,” he said. The spokesman said Mr Harris had also met independent TDs who are aligned together in what is called the regional group. “These meetings have been productive,” he added. Mr Harris and party colleagues are due to meet the Social Democrats on Wednesday. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers and Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee met on Tuesday evening for discussions on government formation, with the parties’ full negotiating teams set to meet on Wednesday. Fine Gael said the meeting between Ms McEntee and Mr Chambers was “positive” and focused on the “structure and format” of the substantive negotiations going forward. When the two parties entered coalition for the first time after the last general election in 2020, there was only a three-seat difference in their relative strength. That resulted in an equal partnership at the head of the coalition, with the Green Party as the junior partner. The two main parties swapped the role of taoiseach halfway through the term. With Fianna Fail’s lead over Fine Gael having grown to 10 seats following this election, focus has turned to the future of the rotating taoiseach arrangement and whether it will operate again in the next mandate and, if so, on what basis. There are similar questions around the distribution of ministries and other roles. While Mr Martin has so far refused to be drawn on the specifics, he has suggested that he expects Fianna Fail’s greater strength of numbers to be reflected in the new administration. However, Mr Harris has insisted that Fine Gael’s mandate cannot be taken for granted when it comes to government formation. Richard Boyd Barrett from People Before Profit-Solidarity, which won three seats, urged Labour not to “prop up” up a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael administration. “We think that’s a huge mistake,” he told reporters in Dublin. “They shouldn’t do it. They should learn the lessons of the past and actually work with other parties of the left to form a decent left opposition to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and campaign on the issues that matter.” His party colleague Paul Murphy pointed to the experience of the Green Party, which lost all but one of its 12 seats in the election. “In reality, what is going to happen is a changing of the mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael,” he said. “And for those who are now auditioning to be a new mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, there is a very, very sharp and stark lesson in what happened to the Green Party – obviously almost entirely wiped out. “We think it is a very major mistake for anyone who has the perception of being left, with the votes of people who are looking left, to seek to go into coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.”

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