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DALLAS (AP) — The Washington Nationals will have the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft next summer after winning the lottery in a drawing of ping-pong balls at the winter meetings Tuesday. Unlike last year, when the Nationals were ineligible after initially coming out with the top spot, they will get to make the first pick in July in Atlanta, the site of the All-Star Game. Washington was ineligible for a top-six pick last year because the collective bargaining agreement states a team that pays into the revenue-sharing plan cannot have a lottery selection in back-to-back years. The Nationals chose outfielder Dylan Crews with the No. 2 pick in 2023. The Los Angeles Angels have the second pick for next summer. Seattle, Colorado, St. Louis and Pittsburgh round out the top six. A weighted lottery among the 18 teams that failed to make the playoffs this season determined the order of picks for the third year in a row. The Nationals went in with a 10.2% chance, the fourth-best odds, for getting the No. 1 pick. Colorado and Miami, both 100-loss teams, had the best odds at 22.45%, ahead of the Angels at 17.96%. Miami instead ended up with the seventh pick. Seattle got the No. 3 overall pick after having a 0.53% chance to get the No. 1 pick, the second-worst odds among 16 eligible teams. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox, who had the most losses of any major league club since 1900, were not eligible for the draft lottery since they had one of the top six picks last year (No. 5) and is a team that pays into the revenue-sharing plan. The CBA also doesn’t allow teams that receive money in revenue sharing to have lottery picks three years in a row. That made the Athletics (69-93) ineligible for the lottery — they picked fourth last year after having the No. 6 selection in 2023. Chicago instead got the 10th pick, one spot ahead of Oakland — the highest possible positions for those two teams because of their recent lottery picks. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBFerguson is already one of the FTC’s five commissioners, which is currently made up of three Democrats and two Republicans.
By LOLITA BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump’s proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
Lawsuit for Investors who Lost over $100,000 in shares of DMC Global Inc. (NASDAQ: BOOM) between May and Nov. 2024 announced by Shareholders FoundationWyoming QB Kaden Anderson questionable for season finale
Employee-directed giving program, Making Change, brings joy to furry friends this giving season FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 'Tis the season of giving, and MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNSB & MNSBP), the financial holding company for MainStreet Bank , is spreading holiday cheer by making a significant impact on the lives of animals in the local community. Through a combination of corporate giving and employee volunteerism, the bank is actively supporting local animal rescues and organizations, ensuring a brighter holiday for those with paws, claws, and whiskers. This year, MainStreet Bank employees embraced the season by participating in two volunteer events at local animal shelters. Adding to the festive spirit, 10% of all donations from the bank's unique employee-directed giving program, Making Change , have been dedicated to providing comfort and care to animals in need. MainStreet Bank launched the Making Change program in the spring of 2023. Making Change empowers every full-time employee to direct $1,000 in donations to a local cause close to their heart. This innovative approach allows smaller organizations, often overlooked in traditional corporate giving programs, to receive much-needed support, especially during the holiday season. "Making Change goes beyond traditional corporate giving by empowering our employees to be the philanthropists," said Jeff Dick , Chairman and CEO of MainStreet Bancshares Inc. and MainStreet Bank. "This grassroots approach mirrors how MainStreet Bank prioritizes customers who desire a more personalized banking relationship than larger banks can offer." One example of this holiday spirit in action is an $11,000 contribution to Friends of Homeless Animals in Aldie, Virginia. This no-kill shelter provides a safe haven and lifelong care for cats and dogs facing a variety of challenges on an expansive 40-acre property. Inspired by the organization's dedication, a MainStreet Bank employee not only made a personal donation but also rallied colleagues to join in a group donation, bringing holiday joy to the animals by covering nearly half of the organization's annual pet food budget. Further demonstrating their commitment to animal welfare, MainStreet Bank partnered with Friends of Homeless Animals and Homeward Trails Animal Rescue in Fairfax Station for employee volunteer days. Homeward Trails, also a recipient of a Making Change donation, focuses on rescuing cats and dogs from under-resourced shelters throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, ensuring they too experience the warmth of the season. Since its inception in the spring of 2023, the Making Change program has donated $27,000 to local animal organizations, including: "Our employees love that they can make a direct impact on the lives of animals," says Trish Smith, MainStreet Bank's Chief Human Resources Officer. "Making Change gives them a chance to give back to their community in a way that truly aligns with their values, and that's something we're incredibly proud of this holiday season." BACKGROUND: MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNSB & MNSBP), is a small-cap financial holding company trading in the Nasdaq Capital Market index. The financial holding company owns 100% of MainStreet Bank, a business-focused community bank headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. The Bank engages a branch-lite model with six full-service financial centers in Herndon, Fairfax, McLean, Leesburg, Clarendon, and Washington, D.C. MainStreet Bank has 55,000 free ATMs and a fully integrated online and mobile banking solution. The Bank is not restricted by a conventional branching system, as it can offer business customers the ability to Put Our Bank in Your Office®. With robust and easy-to-use online business banking technology, MainStreet has "put our bank" in well over 1,000 businesses in the metropolitan area. In 2021, the Board and management decided to make an investment in technology that would best serve clients requiring Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS). The Avenu BaaS solution was officially released into service on October 1, 2024. The ability to digitally offer banking services in a safe and compliant manner allows the Company to reach new customer deposit segments, diversify revenue streams and generate additional income. The BaaS market is currently underserved, and the opportunities for a well-developed solution are robust. The Avenu business model is in line with the Company's physical branch-lite strategy. MainStreet Bank has a robust line of business and professional lending products, including government contracting lines of credit, commercial lines and term loans, residential and commercial construction, and commercial real estate. MainStreet Bank is an SBA Preferred Lender. From sophisticated cash management to enhanced mobile banking and instant-issue Debit Cards, MainStreet Bank is always looking for ways to improve our customer's experience. MainStreet Bank was the first community bank in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to offer a full online business banking solution. MainStreet Bank was also the first bank headquartered in the Commonwealth of Virginia to offer CDARS – a solution that provides multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance. Further information on the Bank can be obtained by visiting its website at mstreetbank.com . MainStreet Bank provides a full-stack embedded banking solution that connects fintech partners and their apps directly and seamlessly to the purpose-built Avenu core. Avenu's clients are fintechs, social media solutions, application developers, money movers, and entrepreneurs. They all have one thing in common: They are in search of a reliable partner to help innovate how money moves—solving real-world issues and helping communities thrive. MainStreet Bank is that reliable partner dedicated to providing a best-in-class solution to sustain long-term business relationships. MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. has an investment grade rating of "A" from Egan-Jones Rating Company. This release contains forward-looking statements, including our expectations with respect to future events that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expect," "plan," "project," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "pursuant," "target," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations include: fluctuation in market rates of interest and loan and deposit pricing, adverse changes in the overall national economy as well as adverse economic conditions in our specific market areas, future impacts of pandemic outbreaks, maintenance and development of well-established and valued client relationships and referral source relationships, and acquisition or loss of key production personnel. We caution readers that the list of factors above is not exclusive. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and we may not undertake steps to update the forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of any circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements are made. In addition, our past results of operations are not necessarily indicative of future performance. Contact: Debra Cope Director of Corporate Communications Desk (703) 481-4599 Mobile (202) 468-3814 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mainstreet-bank-spreads-holiday-cheer-with-pawsitive-impact-on-local-animals-302321265.html SOURCE MainStreet Bancshares, Inc.Australia-bound Chinese EV brand launching hybridsTrump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia
FARMINGTON — Looking for a single college course, a series of courses, or a complete academic program that helps you meet your career and personal goals? Registration for the University of Maine at Farmington’s winter term and spring semester courses is now open to the public. UMF offers a broad range of course formats to help meet individual’s scheduling needs including fully online classes without required meeting times, online courses at specific days and times, hybrid, hyflex, or in-person classes. Both winter and spring sessions include courses that may be of particular interest to students of all ages including adult learners, individuals interested in returning to school for d egree completion and high school students interested in the Early College Program where they can earn college credits and initiate a college transcript while still in high school. Winter term courses run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 17, 2025, and provide an accelerated course structure to help students concentrate their efforts and complete a course in three weeks. Fully online courses include anthropology, art, business, English, environmental science, health, political science, psychology, and rehabilitation. Spring semester courses run from Jan. 21 to May 8, 2025, and provide an opportunity for in-depth study. Fully online courses include education, environmental science, geography, geology, health, mathematics, political science, rehabilitation, and special education. Also available online during the spring semester are three technology courses that provide exposure to the building blocks of computer coding. These introductory courses include TEC 102 (SQL), TEC 103 (Python) and TEC 104 ® and require no prior programming knowledge. Students will work on several projects during the semester that teach them programming skills popular in math and data science applications and many others. Each two-credit asynchronous course is designed to be completed in four to 15 weeks or at the student’s own pace. To see all the courses available, go to https://www.umf.maine.edu/continuing-ed/take-classes/ . To request a course, click on the “Request a Course” link and submit your course selection and contact information and a member of the UMF Graduate and Continuing Education office will assist you. For additional information, contact the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education at UMFContinuingEd@maine.edu. Early College students can contact Kirsten Petroska, director of the UMF Early College program, at kirsten.petroska@maine.edu.
The Dow topped 45,000 for the first time but Wall Street’s main indexes fell on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq leading declines as technology stocks slumped ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, investors focused on the Federal Reserve’s next move following an in-line inflation reading . In afternoon trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 100 points points, or 0.3%, to 44,732. The blue-chip index had closed at record highs for three straight sessions. The S&P 500 lost 0.4%, and the Nasdaq slipped 0.8%. Data showed consumer spending increased solidly in October, suggesting the economy maintained its strong pace of growth early in the fourth quarter, but progress on lowering inflation appears to have stalled in the past months. Traders added to bets the Fed will lower borrowing costs by 25 basis points at its December meeting, according to CME’s FedWatch. However, they anticipate the central bank leaving rates unchanged at its January and March meetings. Dell and HP fell 10.5% and 10.1%, respectively, after downbeat quarterly forecasts and weighed on the Information Technology sector, which led sectoral declines and lost 2%. The sentiment spread to megacaps such as Nvidia and Microsoft, which dropped 3.5% and 1% respectively, while the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index slid 3.2% to hit a more than two-month low. Investors also assessed data earlier in the day which showed the economy grew at a solid clip in the third quarter, while weekly jobless claims fell again last week, leaving the door open for another interest-rate cut from the Federal Reserve in December. “Inflation has proven to be a little stickier than the Fed would have liked, which may give them pause with respect to cutting rates,” said Scott Welch, chief investment officer at Certuity. “There are questions around the effects of Trump’s stated tariff policy, which, if implemented could be pretty inflationary and so the Fed is going to have to balance itself between the economic data and the incoming administration’s policy agenda.” Minutes from the Fed’s November meeting, released on Tuesday, showed policymakers were uncertain about the outlook for interest-rate cuts and how much the current rates were restricting the economy. Concerns include President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tax cuts and tariff policies , including his latest stance on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, which could push up prices, spark a trade war and weigh on growth globally. The benchmark S&P 500 is on track for its biggest one-month rise in a year and its sixth month of gains out of seven, as markets price in the probability of Trump’s policies benefiting local businesses and the overall economy. Among others, Workday lost 7.7% after forecasting fourth-quarter subscription revenue below expectations, hit by weaker client spending on its human capital management software.
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Kylian Mbappe hoped his move to Real Madrid would finally see him end his wait to win the Champions League. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Kylian Mbappe hoped his move to Real Madrid would finally see him end his wait to win the Champions League. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Kylian Mbappe hoped his move to Real Madrid would finally see him end his wait to win the Champions League. Instead, the France international and defending champion Madrid are in danger of being eliminated from European club soccer’s elite tournament at the first stage after Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool leaves them in a fight just to make the playoffs for the next round. And if Madrid does make an early exit, Mbappe may look back on a miserable night at Anfield where he was humbled by a young defender and then missed a penalty that would have leveled the score. World Cup winner Mbappe looked a shadow of himself against a Liverpool team that leads the way in the Premier League and the Champions League this season. He was brought crashing down by a crunching tackle from 21-year-old right back Conor Bradley when threatening to burst through on goal in the first half — sparking a huge cheer from the home crowd. It got worse for Mbappe after the break when he had the chance to make it 1-1 from the penalty spot after Alexis Mac Allister had given six-time European champion Liverpool the lead. But with Caoimhin Kelleher to beat, he saw his effort pushed away by Liverpool’s back-up goalkeeper. Mohamed Salah also missed a spot kick of his own, but substitute Cody Gakpo doubled the home team’s advantage. Record 15-time European Cup winner Madrid is 24th in the new-look 36-team league phase of the Champions League. The top eight teams advance to the round of 16, while teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a playoff. Victory saw new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot manage something his predecessor Jurgen Klopp never could by beating Real in the Champions League. His team extended its perfect record in the competition and is top of the standings after five games. Each team plays eight games in the opening phase. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Madrid plays Atalanta next month and Liverpool faces Girona. ___ James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Advertisement Advertisement
North Korean nationals indicted in scheme using IT workers to funnel money for weapons programs
Beans are kind of like the your best friend from high school — nearly forgotten but always ready to step back into the limelight and help out an old pal when needed. As gorgeously (and tantalizingly) demonstrated in Rancho Gordo’s new cookbook, “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans” (Ten Speed, $35), beans are indeed a magical fruit, though not in the way you heard as a kid. Classified as both a vegetable and a plant-based protein in the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, beans and other legumes can be the ingredient you build an entire vegetarian or veggie-forward meal around. Or, they can help an economical cook stretch a dish twice as far with nutritious calories. A healthful and shelf-staple plant food — they last for years when dried — beans have been among a home cook’s most reliable pantry items for a very long time. (Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are thought to have been grown in Mexico more than 7,000 years ago.) That’s why, for some, they’re often something of an afterthought, especially if the only time you ate them as a kid was when your mom tossed kidney beans into a pot of beef chili or made baked beans (with brown sugar and bacon, please!) for a family cookout. Vegetarians have always appreciated their versatility and nutritional punch, and because they’re cheap, they also were quite popular during the Great Depression and World War II as C rations. Sales also peaked during the coronavirus pandemic, when shoppers stockpiled long-lasting pantry essentials. It wasn’t until Rancho Gordo, a California-based bean company, trotted out its branded packages of colorful heirloom beans that the plant began to take on cult status among some shoppers. Unlike the bean varieties commonly found in even the smallest grocery stores, heirloom beans are mostly forgotten varieties that were developed on a small scale for certain characteristics, with seeds from the best crops passed down through the generations. The result is beans that are fresher and more colorful than mass-produced beans, and come in different shapes and sizes. They also have a more complex and intense flavor, fans say. “The Bean Book” dishes up dozens of different ways to cook Rancho Gordo’s 50 heirloom bean varieties, which include red-streaked cranberry beans, mint-green flageolets, black and classic garbanzos and (my favorite) vaquero — which wear the same black-and-white spots as a Holstein cow. Other gotta-try varieties (if just for the name) include eye of the goat, European Soldier, Jacob’s Cattle and Good Mother Stallard, a purple bean with cream-colored flecks. “The very good news is that you have to work extra hard to mess up a pot of beans, and it’s not difficult to make an excellent pot,” Steve Sando writes in the book’s foreword. “The even better news is that you become a better cook with each pot you make.” Not convinced? Here are five reasons to jump on the bean bandwagon: Even the smallest grocery store will have a selection of dried and canned beans. Common varieties include black, cannellini (white kidney), Great Northern, pinto, navy, kidney, Lima and garbanzo (chickpea) beans. Even when they’re not on sale, beans are a bargain at the supermarket. Many varieties cost less than $1 a can, and dried beans are an economical way to build a menu. I paid $1.25 for a one-pound bag of cranberry beans, a smooth and velvety bean with a slightly nutty flavor, at my local grocery store. Rancho Gordo’s heirloom beans cost substantially more. (They run $6.25-$7.50 for a one-pound bag, with free shipping on orders over $50.) But they are sold within a year of harvest, which makes them more flavorful and tender. A bag also comes with cooking instructions and recipe suggestions, and the quality is outstanding. Plus, after cooking their beans with aromatics, “you are left with essentially free soup,” Sando writes in the cookbook. “If you drain properly cooked and seasoned beans, the liquid you are left with is delicious.” Beans are a great source of plant-based protein and both soluble and insoluble fiber, and they include essential minerals like iron, magnesium and potassium. If you’re watching your weight or following a particular diet, beans are naturally free of fat, sodium and cholesterol and are rich in complex carbohydrates. They also contain antioxidants and folate. And if you’re vegan or vegetarian, most types of dry beans are rich sources of iron. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 1-3 cups of legumes, including beans, per week Dry beans have to be soaked overnight, but cooking them is easy. They can be cooked on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, in the pressure cooker and in the oven. Canned beans are even easier — just rinse and drain, and they’re ready to go. Beans can be used in so many different dishes. They can be made into soup, salad or dips, top nachos, add some heft to a casserole or be mashed into the makings of a veggie burger. You also can add them to brownies and other baked goods, toss them with pasta, add them to chili or a rice bowl or stuff them into a taco or burrito. Check out these four recipes: PG tested This light and creamy vegetarian soup benefits from a surprising garnish, roasted shiitake mushrooms, which taste exactly like bacon. For soup 1/4 cup olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 medium carrot, scrubbed and chopped 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or pressed 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 cups vegetable broth 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed For bacon 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps cut into 1/8 -inch slices 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt To finish Plant-based milk Chili oil, for drizzling Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make soup: In large pot, heat oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fragrant and tender, 8-10 minutes. Add vegetable stock and beans, increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, 12-14 minutes. Meanwhile, make the bacon: Spread shiitake mushrooms into a single layer on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake until browned and crispy, 18-20 minutes, rotating pan front to back and tossing mushrooms with a spatula halfway through. Let cool in pan; mushrooms will continue to crisp as they cool. To finish, add some milk to the soup and use an immersion blender to puree it in the pot, or puree in a blender. (Cover lid with a clean kitchen towel.) Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Divide soup among bowls and top with shiitake bacon. Garnish with thyme sprigs and a drizzle of chili oil. Serves 4-6. — “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking” by Joe Yonan PG tested Velvety cranberry beans simmered with tomato and the punch of red wine vinegar are a perfect match for a soft bed of cheesy polenta. This is a filling, stick-to-your-ribs dish perfect for fall. 1/4 cup olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, juice reserved 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 4 fresh sage leaves Salt and pepper 4 cups cooked Lamon or cranberry beans 2 cups uncooked polenta 6 ounces pancetta, diced Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving In large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and red wine vinegar. In a small bowl, dissolve tomato paste in the broth and add to pan. Stir in sage and season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Add beans to tomato sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare polenta according to package instructions. Place pancetta in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel to drain. To serve, spoon polenta into serving dishes. Ladle the beans over the polenta and top with the pancetta. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with grated Parmesan. Serves 6. — “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans” by Steve Sando PG tested Beans and seafood might seen like an unusual pairing, but in this recipe, mild white beans take on a lot of flavor from clams. Spanish chorizo adds a nice contrast. 4 cups cooked white beans, bean broth reserved 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 white onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/2 cup finely chopped Spanish-style cured chorizo 2 plum tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 pounds small clams, scrubbed well Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish Country-style bread and butter, for serving In large pot, heat beans in their broth over medium-low heat. In large lidded saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic and salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo and cook gently until some of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine and cook to allow the flavors to mingle, 5-6 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add clams. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Uncover the pan and cook until all of the clams open, another few minutes. Remove pan from heat, then remove and discard any clams that failed to open. Add clam mixture to the bean pot and stir very gently until well mixed. Simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to mingle but not get mushy. Ladle into large, shallow bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Set out a large bowl for discarded shells and encourage guests to eat with their fingers. Pass plenty of good bread and creamy butter at the table Serves 4-6. — “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen” by Steve Sando with Julia Newberry PG tested So easy to pull together for your next party! 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 small garlic clove, minced Generous pinch of salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 or 3 tablespoons water, if needed 2 fresh basil leaves, chopped, optional 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped, optional In a food processor, pulse cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt and several grinds of pepper until combined. If it’s too thick, slowly add the water with the food processor running until it is smooth and creamy. Blend in the basil and/or rosemary, if using Serve with veggies, pita or bruschetta. Makes 1 1/2 cups — Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette ©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Michelle Rowland once confessed she had a vice. It was “excessive online clothes shopping”, Rowland told this masthead in 2021 , when she was Labor’s communications spokeswoman. “I blame Instagram.” Now the communications minister with responsibility for regulating social media, Rowland is doing something to curb its influence. The politician known for having such a lawyerly, cautious approach that she reads from notes even in private meetings has taken the audacious step of banning under 16s from social media . The move has outraged technology giants and generated headlines around the world. “We would like that something very similar could be put in place, enforced in Europe,” French Education Minister Anne Genetet said. “We absolutely urgently need something to be put in place.” Michelle Rowland has strong backroom relationships. But they have not been enough to advance major parts of the government’s agenda that she is overseeing. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen That Australia is out ahead of any other country is all the more striking because two of Rowland’s other priorities – a bill to ban lies online and a crackdown on gambling ads – are dead or dying. Rowland’s critics blame the minister for that. “Minister Rowland seems to operate under the belief that she doesn’t have to bring anyone along with her on her legislation and policies,” Greens communications spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young says. “For the communications minister, she’s not a great communicator.” But the wooden exterior belies a different Rowland. Behind the closed doors of the Labor Party, colleagues know her as funny (the type of minister who leaves odd snacks on staff desks), sharp and influential. Advertisement Rowland, they say, is in her dream job. She is the first sitting MP since Paul Keating to serve as NSW party president, a role in which she has helped keep internal NSW Labor dramas off the front page as the state branch won an election after more than a decade in opposition. The former communications and regulatory lawyer, who worked with star lawyer Danny Gilbert and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb, cares about her portfolio and knows it inside out. Loading Growing up in the western Sydney electorate of Greenway that she represents, Rowland rose through the ranks of Young Labor before marrying Michael Chaaya, a corporate lawyer who could not speak English when he started school in Mount Druitt. The pair regularly attend a Maronite church together, grounding her views in favour of religious freedom and against antisemitism. In 2009, Rowland was a senior lawyer at Gilbert+Tobin when an electoral redistribution flipped Greenway from a safe Liberal seat to a winnable prospect for Labor. Rowland won it the next year and began a steady rise through the party that has won her fans in Labor’s most senior ranks. Treasurer Jim Chalmers secured her a position on the powerful cabinet expenditure review committee that signs off on government spending – a rarity for a communications minister. “She is very smart, very thorough and very tough,” one senior minister says. “She has a lawyer’s sense of the detail and a marginal member’s sense of the politics, and that makes her very influential.” Advertisement And she has personal bonds, too. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rates not only her political judgment as a voice from suburban Labor comfortable on Sky News, but also her health advice. He followed Rowland’s diet (she lost about 40kg – roughly half her body weight – on the strict meal-prepping plan in 2020 and still gets up at 4.30am for Pilates) to lose weight before the 2022 election, declaring it made him “match fit”. Yet, those backroom relationships have not been enough to advance major parts of the government’s agenda that Rowland is overseeing in a portfolio that deals with politically influential organisations such as media companies and sporting codes. On some other issues, such as modernising Australia Post, updating rules to preserve major sport on free-to-air TV, reshaping the National Broadband Network, and letting users find broadcast stations on smart TVs, Rowland has confronted issues that her Coalition predecessors left alone. But rules to require more Australian content on streaming services such as Netflix, which sit both in Rowland’s patch and the arts portfolio, are nowhere to be seen. Labor’s anti-misinformation bill , which would have let the media regulator pressure social media companies to take down falsehoods circulating online, attracted a chorus of critics, from human rights groups to religious institutions. Intended to prevent conspiracy theories about events such as terrorist attacks, it left experts baffled about who would determine what was true and how. Rowland abandoned her second attempt to pass the law late last month. Advertisement Gambling reform has fared scarcely better. More than a year after the late Labor MP Peta Murphy delivered bipartisan recommendations from a parliamentary committee for a blanket ban on gambling advertising, no laws have been introduced and a government commitment to respond by the end of this year has been all but abandoned. Anti-gambling advocates have accused the government of betraying Murphy’s memory. That is despite Rowland privately briefing interested parties on a full digital ban on gambling ads online and a cap on those airing on television, less than the proposal Murphy backed, but further than the sports, gambling and media sectors wanted and beyond what any previous government has floated. Loading But Rowland has done little to convince the public of the significance of the reforms. In press conferences, Rowland is disciplined to the point of appearing stilted. Those who have spoken with her in private say her habit of referring to notes, which is unusual for a politician but more common in the law, has the same effect. It is, one former minister says, an “insult to the craft”. Rowland’s allies admit her attitude towards the gambling sector changed after this masthead reported in February 2023 that she had received donations and a Rockpool dinner from Sportsbet before the 2022 federal election, leading to crossbench calls for her resignation. Teal MPs and anti-gambling advocates portrayed Rowland as captured by corporate interests. That perception has meant her proposed set of policies, which would hurt media companies and sporting codes’ finances, won no friends. “The reputational damage done by the Sportsbet stuff meant she was always on the back foot on the gambling issue,” one gambling industry source says. “People like [Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate] Tim Costello were always going to paint her as weak if she ended up anywhere other than a full blanket ban.” Advertisement With the prime minister publicly suggesting poker machines are a greater problem and privately convinced there is little electoral benefit in prosecuting the crackdown, Rowland’s problem is unlikely to go away unless she can muster the rhetoric to convince the public that a middle path works. That more charismatic Rowland has peeked through before. Asked her favourite TV show in that 2021 Q&A with this masthead , Rowland named the Netflix show Vikings . It’s full of “heavily tattooed Nordic beefcakes in sweaty battle scenes”, she said. “I’m only human.” Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter .