Over 1,600 students and faculty members from Harbin Engineering University came together to create a stunning snow sculpture depicting an aircraft carrier on the snow-covered grounds. This remarkable display of patriotism and creativity is a testament to the spirit and dedication of the university community.10 Things You Need To Know Before Buying A New Laptop (New Or Used)
Coal protest enters third day after activists chargedTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Luke Kromenhoek threw for 209 yards and tossed three touchdown passes as Florida State halted a six-game losing streak and routed Charleston Southern 41-7 on Saturday. Kromenhoek completed 13 of 20 passes in his first college start, including a 71-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas, as the Seminoles (2-9) won for the first time since Sept. 21. The true freshman also connected with Amaree Williams for a 4-yard TD and Hykeem Williams for a 10-yard TD. Florida State had the nation’s lowest scoring offense at 13.3 points. The Seminoles hadn’t scored more than 21 points or surpassed the 300-yard mark in 2024. But Florida State overwhelmed FCS Charleston Southern (1-11), accumulating 415 offensive yards. Kaleb Jackson completed 22 of 32 passes for 218 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Landon Sauers, and an interception for the Buccaneers. The takeaway Charleston Southern: While the Buccaneers found some success through the air, they couldn’t sustain drives and managed just 57 rushing yards on 29 carries. Florida State: The Seminoles picked up a season-best 176 rushing yards, scoring 17 points in the second quarter and 14 points in the third quarter to take control. Up next Charleston Southern’s season is over. Florida State plays host to Florida on Nov. 30. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
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Here's What's Open and Closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2024: Hours for Target, Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Whole Foods, and MoreLuke Humphries bid for back-to-back World Championship titles on track after winPlease enable JavaScript to read this content. To some, Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy Hassan Joho is an unprincipled man who changes like a chameleon to blend and survive with the prevailing political environment. His ardent supporters, however, believe Joho is a man who is unafraid to make tough decisions and stands even if it offends the status quo. Like the famous phrase that there are no permanent enemies in politics, history writers would spare a chapter for Joho, if the last few months of his relationship with Kenya Kwanza administration is anything to read from. Joho, alias Sultan, has made a 180-degree turn; from a fierce critic of President William Ruto to an ardent supporter ready to defend Kenya Kwanza with all his political might. Critics say Joho is following in the footsteps of past prominent leaders from the Coast, a region whose history is rich with cases of sycophantic elites who would say anything to please presidents. In the 1980s and 90s, there was Kanu stalwart, the late Shariff Nassir of mpende msipende clarion, later adopted by former Kwale Senator the late Boy Juma Boy. Joho and his supporters described his brand of politics as pragmatic. They say Joho is a flexible leader who prioritizes outcomes or benefits for his people over ideology. Crying more CS Joho claims to be a political disciple of ODM leader Raila Odinga, who has in the past joined his fierce opponents. He says, like Raila, he would be ready to build bridges. In the past few days, Joho’s maxim kama mbaya, ni mbaya. Kama ni noma ni noma (If it is bad, so be it. If it is chaos, so be it) in defence of Ruto has sparked debate on online platforms. He said government operatives will strongly respond to what is alleged. “We have mouths like you. You are on social media, but we are on the ground,” he said. In what the so-called online warriors have described as crying more than the bereaved, Joho said unpatriotic Kenyans were tarnishing Ruto and his government’s image overseas. He appeared irked by a section of Kenyans when he claimed that those loudest on social media attacking Ruto were using Wi-Fi provided by the government. Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter Joho mocked those cyberbullying or “greeting” via MPesa, challenging those sending him a shilling to increase the amount to Sh100. “I will come for you,” Joho told the online users. On Friday, Joho appeared to tone down, hinting that his outburst was because of the embarrassment he was subjected to in New York by investors who read only bad things about Kenya in the online space. He said it was important for every Kenyan to realize that they have a contribution to make in wooing investors into the country, saying that there was a need for all citizens to market the country positively. “Let us be responsible. It is our country, we cannot have another Kenya. One year wasted is far too long for future generations,” he said. Joho has used his docket to traverse the country and propagate Ruto’s agenda, defend the broad-based government, and attack former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for allegedly propagating tribalism. “You grow onions here, do you ask what tribe your buyers belong to or do you just take their money?” he charged. Joho’s praise of Ruto and his government is a stark difference from barely two years ago when he vowed not to support what he said was a “stone age wheelbarrow” ideology. “This is the only country where someone takes to social media anatengeza kaburi na kuombea viongozi mabaya, you will not remove this government using social media,” Joho said in part. In July 2024, after the Gen Z protests, Joho came out with guns blazing harshly criticizing Ruto and his government. He claimed in his life, he had never seen a liar, corrupt, and tribal person like Ruto. During the presidential campaign, in May 2022, Joho also branded Ruto as the most corrupt and dishonest person he had ever seen. “Maisha yangu tangu nizaliwe sijawahi ona mtu muongo, mfisadi, baradhuli...kama William Samoei Ruto,” he said in part. In November 2021, Joho harshly responded to claims of engaging Ruto ahead of the 2022 general election. He said he had nothing to discuss with the then DP. “I don’t even dream of engaging with DP Ruto. What will I discuss with him? What will he give me? A wheelbarrow? I played with a wheelbarrow a long time ago as a child,” he said. During his vetting, Joho was asked to explain how he would engage with President Ruto who he had harshly criticized in the past but noted that “only a fool does not change his mind.” “I have been a big critic of this government. Now, I have an opportunity to create a difference. I will do exactly that,” Joho responded. Critics say Joho’s political modus operandi presents him as unprincipled and guided by selfish interests due to his family business empire’s run-ins with the State agencies after Ruto rose to power. During the vetting for the Cabinet post, Joho disclosed that he is worth Sh2.36 billion spreading in the shipping and logistics business, property, valuables, cash in banks, and shareholding in the family business. His family’s business empire came under threat after State agencies like Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) cancelled leases and contracts worth billions of shillings linked to the port of Mombasa. Joho family’s Autoports Terminal Limited (APTL) and Kenya Railways Corporation (KR) deal for the transportation of cargo by the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) came under sharp focus. In the special audit report dated August 10, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) said the contractual agreement was not transparent and could expose the government and taxpayers to litigation risks. The report said KR could be losing revenue due to the government as a result of irregular leasing of the Nairobi Freight Terminal (NFT) to M/s Autoports Freight Terminal Limited. Joho’s family has also lost the battle to develop the second grain bulk handling terminal at the port of Mombasa after KPA decided to review all land leases at the port. The family empire seeks to develop the grain handling terminal at the port at Sh5.9 billion. Audit trail Currently, Portside and KPA are locked in a legal battle after the latter suspended the 20-year lease granted to the firm on June 30, 2022. KPA leased Shed Five, which is 100,000 square feet, and Shed Six which is 70,000 square feet, in a deal that was to start from July 1, 2022. Meanwhile, Autoports’ deal to transport South Sudan cargo by SGR from the port and handle it at the NFT leased from KR was also questioned with State agencies pushing for its cancellation. The audit highlighted irregularities in KR, as a procuring entity, entering into a contract with M/s Autoports on terms that were not approved by the board. It said that the procedure followed to have a contractual agreement between KR and M/s Autoports Freight Terminal Limited was not transparent and lacked the requisite documents with a clear audit trail as opposed to the similar agreement between KR and M/s Grain Bulk Handlers Limited (GBHL). Mombasa lawyer Abubakar Yusuf says Joho would do everything to ensure the success of Ruto because it would guarantee him a post in post-2027 polls. “What Joho is doing is nothing new in politics. Ruto and Raila Odinga attacked each other and have closed ranks. Raila and Uhuru fought fiercely and in 2018 they had a handshake,” Yusuf said. Coast Human Rights Coordinator Julius Ogogoh says Joho had the right to support whoever he wants, but as a public officer, he cannot threaten those with divergent opinions.
Don't miss out! Join Legit.ng's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now! Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events FCT, Abuja - Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has accused Peter Obi of being loudly quiet since prominent Biafran separatist, Simon Ekpa was arrested over alleged terrorist activists in Finland. Legit.ng recalls that a Finnish court detained Ekpa on suspicion of engaging in terrorist activities. Omokri said Obi always has something to say if it is something that concerns the Southwest or the North. PAY ATTENTION : Standing out in social media world? Easy! "Mastering Storytelling for Social Media" workshop by Legit.ng. Join Us Live! He stated this via his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) @renoomokri On Friday, November 22. The social media critic said Obi spoke up when the Labour Party Chairman, Julius Abure, and PIDOM Nigeria were arrested but has been quiet since Ekpa was arrested in Finland. “Why has Peter Obi been unusually and loudly quiet since Simon Ekpa's arrest on suspicion of engaging in terrorist activities by the Finnish government? Please fact-check me: When Julius Abure, the Labour Party Chairman, was arrested, Peter Obi spoke up within hours. When PIDOM Nigeria was arrested, Obi spoke up, calling Nigeria a "Banana Republic". Peter Obi even spoke up after being detained at London's Heathrow Airport. Read also Fake police officer dressed in camouflage shirt arrested for defrauding PoS operators “So, why is he quiet now over Ekpa's arrest? Is this not the same man who always has something to say if it is a matter that touches the Southwest or the North? Why this strange quietness?” Simon Ekpa's arrest: Nigerian Govt shares action It’ll take Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the federal government (FG) attributed the arrest of Ekpa to sustained diplomatic pressure on Finland by Nigeria . The acting spokesperson of the ministry of foreign affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said that the federal government would continue to track the progress of Ekpa’s legal case. It emphasised the importance of the proceedings in addressing the influence of IPOB and transnational actors on Nigeria’s national security. PAY ATTENTION : Legit.ng Needs Your Opinion! That's your chance to change your favourite news media. Fill in a short questionnaire Source: Legit.ngBest hair straighteners to gift this Christmas for each hair type– from Dyson to ghdBridging the Gap: How Kirkwood Community College Blends Traditional Degrees and Job-Specific Training to Serve Our Community
President-elect Donald Trump will bring legal baggage to the White House in January, even if he succeeds in pausing or getting rid of the four federal and state criminal indictments against him. Trump’s reelection is expected to end the two federal cases, given the Justice Department’s policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. His defense lawyers are arguing that the same immunity principles should apply to the two state prosecutions. But Trump still faces at least a dozen civil lawsuits, and the presidency won’t provide any special protections or way out. The U.S. Supreme Court has said that officeholders aren’t immune from being sued over their private conduct. Ongoing cases include attempts to hold him liable for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and his appeals of a $454 million New York civil fraud verdict and rulings that he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump has also continued to press ahead with lawsuits against news outlets and journalists that he alleges defamed or otherwise wronged him. On Wednesday, a Trump lawyer urged a judge to fast-track his suit against journalist Bob Woodward and publisher Simon & Schuster over the sale of an audiobook of recorded interviews from his first term. Trump’s upcoming inauguration made the dispute “timely and ripe” because of the “fear of further unaccounted for profit being made from the President’s voice,” his lawyer wrote. Asked about the pending cases, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that the election made it “abundantly clear that Americans want an immediate end to the weaponization of our justice system.” Here’s where the remaining civil litigation stands: Cases against Trump Jan. 6 Trump is a defendant in eight lawsuits over the Jan. 6 attack brought by law enforcement officers, congressional Democrats and the estate of a police officer who died. A federal judge in Washington rejected Trump’s argument that he was entitled to absolute immunity. Last year, an appeals court upheld that decision but said he could re-argue for immunity if he could present specific proof that he was engaged in official conduct at the time. The parties spent the past year gathering evidence, and the lawyers are set to appear before the judge on Dec. 6 to discuss next steps. Joseph Sellers, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said that Supreme Court precedent dating back to the Clinton administration on the limits of civil presidential immunity was clear. “I see no reason why there would be any different course,” Sellers said. A lead attorney for Trump declined to comment. Central Park Five Trump faced a new lawsuit shortly before the election over comments he made during the September presidential debate about five men who were wrongly convicted in a 1989 jogger rape case and came to be known as the “Central Park Five.” This week, Trump’s legal team filed a letter previewing that they planned to invoke Pennsylvania’s “anti-SLAPP” law that bars lawsuits targeting protected speech on “matters of public concern,” among other reasons they believe the case should be dismissed. 2020 election A few weeks after the 2020 election, voting rights advocates accused Trump of trying to disenfranchise Black voters by pressing false fraud allegations. Like the Jan. 6 liability lawsuits, the case became held up in a fight over whether Trump was entitled to immunity. After Trump lost that issue, the challengers hoped U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan would take action before the latest election, but that didn’t happen. Chutkan has yet to announce a new schedule. E. Jean Carroll Trump is appealing two verdicts finding he sexually abused Carroll decades ago and later defamed her when he accused her of fabricating the story to sell a book. A federal appeals court heard arguments in September in his challenge to the sex abuse verdict and a $5 million damages award. The other verdict, for more than $83 million in her earlier defamation case, is also on appeal. New York fraud In February, a Manhattan judge entered a $454 million verdict against Trump after finding he exaggerated his wealth by billions of dollars a year in order to secure more favorable loan terms. Trump is challenging that decision and a New York state appeals court heard arguments in late September. Cases brought by Trump Simon & Schuster Woodward and the publisher argue Trump doesn’t have a copyright interest in the interview recordings and have moved to dismiss the case. If the suit survives, Trump’s lawyer Robert Garson wrote in Wednesday’s letter that they expect the judge to handle the next phase in a way that creates “minimal interference” with Trump’s “obligations.” ABC A hearing is set for Nov. 27 in Trump’s lawsuit claiming an ABC host defamed him in describing the result of the Carroll litigation. Last week, the judge denied a joint request to delay upcoming deadlines. “With Election Day now behind us, there is no reason for any further delay,” U.S. District Chief Judge Cecilia Altonaga wrote. CBS Just before Election Day, Trump filed a case accusing CBS of deceptive practices by airing an edited version of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The network recently asked for an extension to formally respond to the lawsuit, but previously released a statement calling Trump’s allegations of deceit “false.” CNN Trump is appealing the 2023 dismissal of a lawsuit against CNN over use of the phrase the “big lie” in describing his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Trump’s lawyers filed their latest brief in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in September; the court hasn’t set a date for arguments. Twitter/Meta/YouTube Trump sued Twitter (now X Corp.), Meta and YouTube after he was kicked off social media platforms following the Jan. 6 attack. He appealed after a judge dismissed the Twitter case, and the Meta and YouTube fights were paused while that dispute went to the 9th Circuit. The appeals court heard arguments a year ago and has yet to rule. On Wednesday — just over a week after Trump announced that X’s owner Elon Musk would serve in his administration — lawyers for Trump and X alerted the court that they were negotiating a settlement.The AI Big Model Shuffle Year is expected to be a period of intense competition and rapid evolution in the AI industry, as companies and researchers scramble to develop the next generation of AI models that can outperform existing ones. This shift is likely to be driven by a number of factors, including advances in AI technology, increased investment in AI research, and growing demand for AI solutions across various sectors.During the Town of Amherst’s final town council meeting of the year on Dec. 16, a motion was passed approving funding for two initiatives. The Community Support Grants Policy, Social Equity Fund allowed for a $5,000 contribution to be made to the Amherst Community Christmas Dinner. The free dinner is open to anyone in the town and beyond providing an inclusive environment for anyone experiencing food insecurity. The welcome holiday meal is free and open to anyone. Another contribution was made on behalf of the Social Equity Fund in the amount of $3,100 being made to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Amherst. The library provides books to more than 220 children in the area to inspire their quest for learning. Council appointed Rae Burke as a citizen member of the Town of Amherst Audit Committee for a term ending on October 31, 2025. The seat was vacant following the election of Rob Small as mayor. An expression of interest was advertised in local media and on the Town of Amherst social media pages. Amherst Town Council believes involving youth in the community adds value to youth development. They also want to empower young people to be active participants in their community and democracy. Council believes the youth perspective is an important one in the decisions they make everyday and welcome their opinions. That’s why in June 2024 an expression of interest was highlighted for young people to join the Amherst Youth Town Council. The seats are capped at 15 members and there were seven interested applicants over the summer. Last week, two new students were recruited, bringing the total number of members to nine. Town Council appointed Isla Crocker and Hanna Brunt to the Amherst Youth Town Council last week. Town Council approved the purchase of 10 body-worn cameras for Town Police in the 2024/25 Capital Budget. The amount to purchase the devices was estimated at $50,000 but the prices have changed considerably since the approval. Staff are now recommending the equipment be leased now instead of purchasing it. Council passed a new motion to remove the purchase of 10 police body worn cameras from the 2024/25 Capital Budget and authorize the lease. The new lease will be for 12 police body-worn cameras at a cost of approximately $20,000 annually. This new approval will be funded from the Police Department Operating Budget. In leasing the equipment, the provider will make sure the existing technology, data storage in the cloud, repairs and equipment replacement will be up to date.