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NoneEVENTS Santa Paws is Coming to Town — Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus at 9 a.m., family and dog friendly events, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 7, Under the Sun Dog Training & Daycare, 6540 Vincent Drive. Breakfast is $10, free for dogs and children younger than 2. Reservations required by Tuesday for breakfast: utsdog.com/index.php/santa-paws-2024 . Santa Paws Photos and Holiday Boutique — Get your pet's photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus and shop for gifts for pets and people, to benefit Harley's Hope Foundation, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 7, Hanks K9 Social Club, 815 S. Sierra Madre St., $15 donation for digital photos; harleys-hopefoundation.org . ADOPTION Comfort & Joy Cat Café — Tasty and healthy food and adoptable cats, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays-Mondays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 615 S. Nevada Ave., $12 and up. Book a session: comfortandjoycatcafe.com . NEED HELP? Harley’s Hope Foundation — Provides financial assistance for major veterinary care and behavior-modification services, access to a list of Colorado pet care resources, and educational information on preventive pet care and safety: 719-495-6083, harleys-hopefoundation.org . AVAILABLE Adopt a Shelter Pet license plates — $80 one-time fee for new or replacement plates in addition to other taxes and fees, $25 renewal fee. Part of funds benefit the Pet Overpopulation Fund; dmv.colorado.gov/group-special-license-plates . Pet Licensing — Offered by the Humane Society of the Pikes Region in partnership with DocuPet. Go online for fees: hsppr.org/law/license-your-pet . Safe Place for Pets — Finding homes for pets of terminally ill owners. For information on rehoming pets or to find available pets for adoption, call 719-359-0201 or go to safeplacepets.org . LOOKING TO HELP? 9 Lives Rescue — Foster homes needed. Supplies and medical care provided; 719-591-4640; colorado9lives.com . Happy Cats Haven — Volunteer cleaners and adoption help needed as well as donations of Costco, grocery and office supply gift cards; gently used cat equipment accepted; 719-362-4600, happycatshaven.org . Rescued Hearts Unique Boutique — Proceeds benefit local animal rescues, 3314 Austin Bluffs Parkway; 719-466-9797, rescued-hearts.org . SLV Animal Welfare Society — Volunteers needed for dog adoptions and events in Colorado Springs; 719-588-5560; facebook.com/slvaws . WHAT TO DO IF? If an animal bites you, your pet runs away or you find a stray, call the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region , 719-473-1741. To list a lost or found pet, go to hsppr.org . — Email adoption fairs and pet events at least two weeks in advance: listings@gazette.com .
Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti says police have made arrests after an explosion hit a canal that sends water to its two main power plants, an incident officials in Pristina labelled a "terrorist act" by neighbouring Serbia. Login or signup to continue reading Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic denied what he said were "baseless accusations" about his country's involvement. "Police have carried out raids. There are arrests," Kurti told reporters from the scene near the northern town of Zubin Potok, where he repeated allegations that elements in Serbia were responsible for the attack. He said that police had found evidence, and that all those involved would "face justice". It was not clear if those arrested were directly involved in the blast. A Reuters witness saw special police forces carrying out raids in northern Kosovo. The explosion has increased tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. Ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising against its rule but Serbia has not recognised Kosovo as an independent state. Relations remain especially frayed in the north where the blast occurred, and where the Serb minority refuses to recognise Kosovo's statehood and still sees Belgrade as their capital. The explosion occurred about 7pm on Friday. The exact cause was not clear. Kosovo's Security Council, which held emergency talks early on Saturday, said it had activated armed forces to prevent similar attacks. Security was already heightened after two recent attacks where hand grenades were hurled at a police station and municipality building in northern Kosovo where ethnic Serbians live. "The Security Council has approved additional measures to strengthen security around critical facilities and services such as bridges, transformer stations, antennas, lakes, canals," the council said in a statement on Saturday. The NATO military alliance, which has maintained a peacekeeping force in Kosovo since 1999, condemned the attack in a statement on Saturday. Its personnel have provided security to the canal and the surrounding area since the blast, it said. A Reuters reporter visited the site on Saturday, where silt had poured through a hole in the canal's concrete wall. Workers had installed a series of large tubes to bypass the leak. Power supplies appeared to be largely intact but drinking water supply was disrupted to some areas. Energy minister Artane Rizvanolli said Kosovo was co-ordinating with Albania's power company to provide more electricity. She said water will be trucked to affected areas. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!
3 reasons to involve your kids in Small Business Saturday
Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points. Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 voting . He didn’t pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Ohtani joined Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. He was the first player to twice become an unanimous MVP. He had combined with Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023 for the first year both MVPs were unanimous. Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title , playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder . “The ultimate goal from the beginning was to win a World Series, which we are able to accomplish,” he said through a translator. “The next goal is for me to do it again and so right now I’m in the middle of rehab and working out and getting stronger.” When Ohtani returns to the mound, could he win MVP and the Cy Young Award in the same year? “That would obviously be great, but right now my focus is just to get to get back healthy, come back stronger, get back on the mound and show everybody what I can do,” Ohtani said. Ohtani became the first primary DH to win an MVP in a season that started with the revelation his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, had stolen nearly $17 million from the star to fund gambling. Ohtani is the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each). Balloting was conducted before the postseason. Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 31 stolen bases and 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs. When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. Judge had discussed the MVP award with Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, the NL winner in 2015 and ’21. “I was telling him, `Man, I’m going to try to catch up to you with these MVPs here, man,’” Judge recalled. “He’d say, hopefully, he could stay a couple ahead of me, which I think he’ll do.” When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. He is the Yankees' 22nd MVP winner, four more than any other team. Judge was hitting .207 with six homers and 18 RBIs through April, then batted .352 with 52 homers and 126 RBIs in 127 games. “March and April were not my friend this year.” Judge said. “Just keep putting in the work and things are going to change. You can’t mope. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. So you just got to go out there and put up the numbers?”
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The Nigerian Army's 6 Division has dismantled 34 illegal refining sites, arrested eleven suspected oil thieves, and seized over 80,650 litres of stolen products in the Niger Delta These operations, conducted from November 18 to 24, 2024, involved coordinated efforts across Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, and Akwa Ibom states, resulting in significant seizures and arrests The General Officer Commanding, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, commended the troops for their resilience and assured continued efforts to thwart criminal activities in the region CHECK OUT: Don't let unemployment hold you back. Start your digital marketing journey today. The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army has successfully destroyed 34 illegal refining sites, arrested eleven suspected oil thieves, and seized over 80,650 litres of stolen products in the Niger Delta. This achievement follows several coordinated clearance operations conducted alongside other sister agencies in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, and Akwa Ibom states between November 18 and 24, 2024. Detailed Operations and Seizures Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, disclosed these details in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday. Read also JUST IN: 109 foreign nationals remanded in Kuje prison, reason emerges PAY ATTENTION : Standing out in social media world? Easy! "Mastering Storytelling for Social Media" workshop by Legit.ng. Join Us Live! He outlined the comprehensive operations, particularly in Rivers State , where over eight illegal refining sites in Buguma Creeks, Asari-Toru Local Government, were deactivated, and dugout pits containing over 25,000 litres of stolen products were handled. Additionally, at Iyalama/Bakana in Buguma, a Wellhead used by criminals as a loading point was discovered, leading to the confiscation of several cooking pots, receivers, and four wooden boats with over 8,000 litres of stolen products. Danjuma also noted that troops intercepted a wooden boat stocked with over 6,000 litres of condensate and two wooden boats loaded with over 3,000 litres of stolen crude in the Ogaji-Ama area of Buguma South East River. Successes in Other States The operations extended to Bonny LGA, where an illegal refining site with over 10,000 litres of stolen crude was discovered in Asaramatoro Creek. Similar successes were recorded in Ahoada West LGA, where a wooden boat with over 2,000 litres of stolen products was intercepted. In Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, over 3,000 litres of stolen crude concealed in sacks were recovered. Read also War against oil theft: Group faults Tompolo's allegations, hails Nigerian Navy Additionally, an armed vandal was neutralized at Oboburu in ONELGA, with one pump action gun and five cartridges recovered. Navy Cracks Down on Illegal Refinery Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Navy has dismantled an illegal refinery located along the Isaka/Ogoloma River in Rivers State , which had the capacity to produce over two million liters of automotive gasoline oil (AGO) daily. This operation, led by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, involved the destruction of more than 500 crude oil processing drums using a swamp buggy. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ng
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The South Carolina women's basketball team has been defeated for the first time since March 31, 2023. The No. 1 Gamecocks fell Sunday in Los Angeles as Lauren Betts posted a double-double effort to lead No. 5 UCLA to a 77-62 triumph. The Gamecocks (5-1) suffered their first defeat after 43 consecutive victories, dating back to the loss to Iowa 77-73 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals. South Carolina defeated Iowa last season for the national championship. Betts finished with 11 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks to power the Bruins (5-0) to a historic victory. UCLA also got 15 points from Londynn Jones on 5-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, 13 points from Elina Aarnisalo and 11 each from Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jacquez. It's the first time UCLA has beaten South Carolina since 1981. The Bruins lost twice to the Gamecocks in the 2022-23 season, including in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Te-Hina Paopao had 18 points for South Carolina on 4-of-4 3-point shooting, while Tessa Johnson had 14 points. UCLA won the rebounding battle 41-34, marking the second time this season the Gamecocks have been outrebounded. South Carolina also got outscored in the paint 26-18. It's rare that a Dawn Staley-coached team -- units that typically revolve around dominant centers from A'ja Wilson to Aaliyah Boston to Kamilla Cardoso -- gets beat in the paint and on the glass, but with 6-foot-7 Betts, UCLA had the recipe to outmuscle the Gamecocks in those areas of the game. South Carolina never led after UCLA began the game with an 18-5 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Jones. The Gamecocks cut the deficit to nine points in the second quarter, but the Bruins responded with a 17-5 run and entered halftime ahead by 21 points. Aarnisalo scored seven points during that run. From there, the Gamecocks never got within single digits of the lead in the second half. It's the first time in 21 tries that UCLA has beaten an AP-ranked No. 1 team. And it's the first time South Carolina lost a true road game since 2021, a streak of 33 games. The schedule doesn't get any easier for South Carolina. While UCLA faces UT Martin next on Friday, the Gamecocks play No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday. --Field Level Media
There is a seemingly endless stream of news headlines about plummeting birth rates. Many have alarmist narratives about the perils of “baby busts” and “population decline”. This reflects a deep-seated anxiety about what declining birth rates mean for the future of society. In 2023, Australia’s birth rate declined to the lowest level ever recorded of 1.5 births per woman. But declining birth rates have long been an issue of public concern. Even as early as 1903, the New South Wales government established a Royal Commission on the decline of the birth rate. But what real issue does a low birth rate pose, and for whom? Birth rates are not just numbers; they are intertwined with the fabric of societies. Alarm about low fertility is grounded not just in economic concerns, but political and ideological worries, too. Declining birth rates affect the economy Initially, a declining birth rate will mean a relatively larger proportion of people of working age and fewer children. This pattern provides countries with an opportunity to grow their economy. More people of working age means more economic productivity and activity, and a larger tax base. Over time, however, sustained declines in the birth rate leads to fewer people moving into the productive (and reproductive) years. The working age demographic bulge moves into older ages. This is known as population ageing. In the absence of positive net migration , this will eventually lead to depopulation if fertility is low enough. There is widespread recognition declining birth rates can contribute to economic decline , as a result of a shrinking workforce. This can lead to labour shortages, reduced economic output, and a smaller tax base to support welfare systems. But it doesn’t automatically spell disaster However, some experts challenge the idea population decline means economic disaster. Population decline, they argue, can actually be beneficial for per capita consumption and living standards. Other potential benefits include: less resources being consumed less pollution more investment in the education and well-being of a smaller number of children. Beyond the economic sphere, declining birth rates often become entangled with broader social and political anxieties. Non-economic fears Low birth rates often accompany fears of national decline, cultural homogenisation, and even “ civilizational doom ”. These fears are often exploited by political actors seeking to promote nationalist agendas and restrict immigration . The focus on increasing birth rates as a solution to these perceived threats can also lead to policymakers undermining human rights, particularly women’s reproductive rights. Policies that pressure women to have children are often justified in the name of national security and demographic stability . These policies may promote traditional gender roles, and restrict access to reproductive healthcare. Beyond the macroeconomic and geopolitical narratives, however, people’s decisions about childbearing are deeply personal. Many people want more kids than they have Research repeatedly shows there is a gap between people’s fertility intentions and the number of children they end up having. Many people who want kids face barriers such as: economic insecurity gender inequality limited access to formal and informal childcare, and high housing and education costs. This underscores the need to address the systemic issues that make it difficult for people to have the number of children they want. The persistent focus on declining birth rates is the product of a complex and often emotionally charged intersection between the public and private spheres. The economic and social challenges associated with low fertility are real and deserve careful consideration. But demographic policies need not specifically address only childbearing. Demographic resilience Many countries are framing their population futures under a “ demographic resilience ” framework. This framework recognises that there is a need for constructive solutions to the rapidly ageing or declining populations we see today, without a distracting focus on policies to increase the birth rate. Policies that do aim to support childbearing should respect people’s individual autonomy and reproductive choices. A human rights-based approach recognises that the goal is not to dictate reproductive choices. It is to ensure the conditions under which individuals can freely exercise those choices. This could include policies that ensure people can: access affordable childcare and housing achieve work-life balance through flexible work arrangements access robust parental leave policies. Supporting child-free lifestyles is equally important; society should affirm the right not to have children is a valid choice. The challenge for policymakers lies in balancing societal concerns with respect for individual autonomy. The low fertility discourse should move beyond “crisis” to focus on creating supportive environments where people can make informed, empowered decisions about parenthood.PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (AP) — Ketron Shaw scored 30 points to lead Maryland Eastern Shore past Bryn Athyn 91-65 on Saturday. Shaw also contributed seven rebounds and six assists for the Hawks (2-11), who ended a seven-game slide with the win. Chris Flippin added 22 points and five rebounds. Evan Johnson had 14 points. Isaac Marshall and Jalen Cary both scored 15 to lead the Lions. Jalen Parker had 14 points, two steals and two blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .