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Hegseth meets with moderate Sen. Collins as he lobbies for key votes in the Senate
Srinagar, Nov 23: National Conference (NC) President Dr Farooq Abdullah and party Vice President and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have paid rich tributes to the journalist and the father figure of press in Kashmir Khwaja Sonaullah Bhat on his 15th death anniversary, a press release said. Dr Farooq Abdullah said, “Khwaja Sahib was a pioneer of objective journalism, introducing street sales of newspapers. A true trendsetter, he never wavered in his commitment to truth and human values. Khawaja Sahib’s daily column in the Aftab newspaper, ‘Khazar Souchta Hai Wular Kay Kinaray,’ addressed numerous societal issues. I offer my heartfelt tributes to him and pray that the Almighty elevates his status in Jannat.” Omar Abdullah, praised Khwaja Sonaullah Bhat as one of the trailblasers of journalism in Kashmir. He emphasised that his contributions to journalism will serve as a guiding light for future generations. He concluded by offering his prayers for his soul to rest in the highest realms of Jannat. Among others Party’s General Secretary Ali Muhammad Muhammad Sagar, Additional General Secretary Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, State Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, Provincial President Showkat Mir, social media and media cell functionaries have also paid glowing tributes to Khawaja Sanaullah Bhat and prayed for peace to his soul in the highest echelons of Jannat. Meanwhile, Chief Patron Jamait-e-Hamdani Moulana Riyaz Hamdani and Publicity Secretary G M Mir Saqi paid rich tributes to Khawaja Sonaullah Bhat and recounted his immense contribution to journalism in J&K.House Republicans say the Biden administration buried a 2023 analysis that cautioned against imposing its January 2024 pause in processing new liquified natural gas (LNG) export permits and continues to dodge congressional requests to provide documents that justified the decision. “Reports indicate that before the ban, the White House met with activists and TikTok influencers—I’m not making that up—who were adamant the administration take radical steps to address climate change and eliminate fossil fuels,” said the subcommittee’s chair, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas). Despite a year of committees requesting documents relevant to the pause with little success, Fallon said it was upsetting to learn through a nonprofit’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that 97 documents totaling 4,354 pages of LNG analyses were not provided by DOE in response to queries. “As it turns out, there may have already been a 2023 study in existence that the department kept under wraps and is still fighting to withhold,” Fallon said. “It appears possible that when the information ... did not fit the narrative pushed by the White House, that information was buried in an attempt to clear the way for a more politically favorable analysis.” Assistant U.S. Secretary of Energy for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Brad Crabtree denied knowledge of any such study. “I’ve not been presented with the document, so I’m not aware of what you’re referring to,” he said, noting that if it exists, it is among many studies that prompted the pause. Under the Natural Gas Act, DOE must review applications to export LNG to ensure they are “consistent with the public interest,” primarily if exports would raise domestic prices and cause environmental damage. DOE last conducted such a study in 2018. Regardless of the study, the permit pause is set to be lifted on Jan. 20, 2025, after President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Repealing the pause is among a flurry of “Day One” executive orders he vows to issue. Crabtree confirmed the report would be published in “mid-December” and would include a 60-day comment period. House Republicans maintain that the Biden administration has never been transparent about the data it used to justify the pause. The nonpartisan nonprofit says that to support the permit freeze, the administration tossed analyses by DOE’s National Energy Technology Lab and the U.S. Energy Information Administration and, instead, relied on a 2023 study that was not peer-reviewed and has since been rebuffed. “The work of Dr. Howarth played no role in the decision,” Crabtree said. “Our methodology is fundamentally different from that of Mr. Howarth.” GAO’s FOIA seeks “any LNG export study transmitted by the National Energy Technology Lab to DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management between Jan. 1, 2023 and Oct. 31, 2023.” DOE, however, “has unilaterally reinterpreted” what documents GAO is seeking “as applying only to records [DOE] asserts are ‘final’ or ‘ready for release’ for the public’s view,” it maintains. Reps. Russell Fry (R-S.C.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), and Clay Higgins (R-La.) interrogated Crabtree about the undisclosed documents and why DOE is not releasing them. “It is my understanding our team that works on document production has been in cooperative engagement with the committee,” Crabtree said, adding “four document distributions” fostered by GAO’s FOIA have been released and “the next one, I understand, is planned for Friday.” He said 2,000 pages had been made public since September but that he’s “not part of the process” “So I can’t speak to the details of that process. In my role, I have no involvement in it. But if you feel that the department has not been responsive to the committee, I’m happy to take any specific concerns back to that team,” he said. Boebert said Crabtree’s responses “may be the reason why we have to create a ... Department of Government Efficiency, to have actual oversight and accountability on bureaucrats.” “These are questions I would have asked him,” he said. “How many times did he meet with TikTok influencers on climate issues leading up to or following the announcement of the LNG export ban? Was the White House relying on TikTok influencers for policy advice when it pushed the LNG ban? Did the White House vet them for foreign influence or sponsorship?” John Podesta’s brother, Tony Podesta, “is known to have lobbied for foreign LNG companies, including one co-owned by a Qatar state-run energy company,” he said. Since the pause was imposed, Qatar has “secured long-term LNG export contracts, invested in export infrastructure, and increased capacity, while the United States falls behind competitively,” Fallon said. Crabtree said he knows nothing of such meetings and said Qatar’s increased LNG capacity “was years in the making.” Ranking member Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-Colo.) called the hearing “a rehash of a topic we’ve already covered,” describing the uproar as “a politically manufactured non-issue” stewing in irony. It’s “interesting” that Republicans “are suddenly very concerned about having social media influencers involved in government decision-making. I hope that will extend to the new subcommittee that a certain billionaire social media owner is hoping to intersect with right here in this committee in the coming years,” she said. She said she’s “intrigued” that colleagues “are suddenly very concerned about foreign influence over American energy production,“ alleging that ”Russian disinformation” is heard daily inside the committee.
The Detroit Lions have won a franchise record 11 straight games. Thursday night's 34-31 win over the Green Bay Packers saw the team clinch the playoffs despite giving up a 17-7 halftime lead in the second half. Detroit's premier play of the game came in the final seconds to set up the game-winning field goal. Dan Campbell opted to go for 4th and inches with 43 seconds to go, and David Montgomery converted despite Jared Goff's slip after snapping. Jake Bates then nailed the kick to seal the result and move Detroit to 12-1, while Green Bay fell to 9-4. Let's analyze the game further with winners and losers: Goff continued to be unplayable in a dome setting. Despite a second-half pick that could've been costly, Goff rebounded well to finish with 283 passing yards on 32 of 41 completions and three touchdowns while only being sacked once. Detroit's defense did succumb to second-half pressure from Green Bay, but Goff assembling these types of performances should give the team confidence of a deeper playoff run. It was a tale of two halves for Green Bay. Jordan Love only completed three passes for 31 yards at halftime. He then opened the second half with a deep bomb to Christian Watson for 59 yards. Love went on to end the game with 12 of 20 completions for 206 yards, one touchdown and no picks. However, had Love and the offense moved the ball better in the first half, they have been able to pull off the road upset. Instead, Detroit repeated what it did in the first half, minus the pick, and got the job done in the end. Jacobs continued having an underrated season despite the loss. He joined Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry in the 1,000-yard-plus rushing list this season, en route to logging 18 carries for 66 yards. Jacobs also added three rushing scores, making it seven touchdowns in his last three games. He also had a three-touchdown game two weeks ago in a rout of the San Francisco 49ers . The Packers have a deep receiving room filled with young talent, which will lead to inconsistent targets and production. That's happening with 24-year-old Jayden Reed, who also continued with oscillating showings. Reed was targeted just once in the loss but didn't have a single catch. He's had three 100-yard-plus receiving games this campaign, but his struggles have continued for three-plus weeks. Prior to tonight, he had total receptions of two, three and three in Green Bay's last three affairs. Matt LaFleur will need to make some tweaks for the youngster. Detroit finished the 2023 season with a 12-5 record and won the division. It has already matched that win total with four more games to go, along with clinching a playoff berth. Winning the division isn't a guarantee yet with the Minnesota Vikings and Packers still in the mix, but the team's growth under Campbell has been nothing short of spectacular. However, the Lions don't have an easy run-in for their next four games. They host the Buffalo Bills next before travelling to face the Chicago Bears and 49ers. They host the Vikings to end the regular season. The first step to a Super Bowl run has been achieved, but securing the No. 1 seed is even more important given their form at home.Politico reporter Jonathan Martin on Sunday dispelled a claim — perpetuated by House Republicans — that President-elect Donald Trump "dragged" the Senate "into the majority," as GOP infighting takes center stage leading up to Trump’s second term. CNN on Sunday reported a rift between Senate and House Republicans over the “sequencing” of Trump’s agenda. Meanwhile, Trump is trying to push a slate of controversial Cabinet picks through the U.S. Senate. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MI) on Thursday tweeted a “message to GOP senators who don’t want to confirm Trump’s nominees.” READ MORE: 'Much bigger lift': Trump bets on 'huge slate of lawyers' to overcome GOP’s 'nothing-margin of control' “Trump took a bullet to the head and then dragged you into the majority,” Burlison wrote on X. “The American people sent a mandate and the American people are watching.” That message was boosted by Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), who claimed Burlison’s assessment was “spot on.” But as Martin explained Sunday, while “Trump should get credit for helping pick up" Pennsylvania for Republicans, “the bottom line is if Trump had longer coattails,” the president-elect’s nominees “would be a lock.” Indeed, while Trump claimed an “ unprecedented and powerful mandate ” after his 2024 victory, “Trump’s margins — both in raw votes and in percentages — were small by historical standards, even for the past quarter century, ” PolitiFact reports. READ MORE: 'Landmines loom over' GOP agenda as senator warns Congress not 'on the same page' with Trump’s agenda “Anyone [with] an undergrad level of knowledge of politics grasps the polarization of Senate races,” Martin wrote. READ MORE: GOP senator lashes out at 'hypocritical' CNN over audio of Hegseth 'talking about drinking at 10 a.m.'NoneWong: Tg Embang port, KIA projects set to elevate Sarawak status as key global economic player
Deep BlueDot, Inc. (CEO Donghee Lee) announced its participation in “COMEUP Stars 2024.” COMEUP Stars 2024, the core event of the global startup festival COMEUP 2024, will feature competitive IR pitching sessions in “Startup Valley.” A total of 50 teams, including 30 Rookie League companies, 10 Runners League companies, and 10 selected from the Rocket League through recommendations by the advisory committee, will compete. Finalists from 13 countries, including South Korea, the U.S., the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, India, and Türkiye, highlight the event’s global scope. Deep BlueDot specializes in AI-powered Voice of Customer (VOC) analysis solutions. The company leverages AI-driven automation and optimization features to sort and analyze large volumes of customer feedback data, providing actionable business insights. At COMEUP Stars 2024, Deep BlueDot will introduce its VOC analysis solution ‘Syncly.’ Syncly aggregates scattered VOC data and uses AI to quickly and accurately analyze it, transforming the information into meaningful business insights. Syncly processes data from various sources such as chat, email, reviews, phone calls, and surveys. Automating traditionally labor-intensive tasks minimizes manual workloads and enhances operational efficiency. The solution prevents data quality degradation caused by human errors and monitors customer sentiment embedded in feedback. This enables proactive responses to potential customer churn, minimizing associated revenue loss. Additionally, Syncly supports intuitive, AI-powered search functions. It allows users to access VOC data easily, generate relevant charts and dashboards, and facilitate effective team collaboration and data sharing. A company representative highlighted Syncly’s successful deployment at major corporations like LG CNS and Kyobo Life and fast-growing firms such as MyRealTrip, FastFive, and Flex. Based in San Francisco, Deep BlueDot has expanded its customer base across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The representative added that Deep BlueDot aims to expand its business through COMEUP Stars 2024. Building on its success in the UK, the company plans to strengthen its presence in the EU and nearby regions while introducing its new SaaS solutions to Japan. COMEUP 2024 will occur on December 11–12 at Coex in Seoul, featuring innovative startups and investors from over 40 countries. This year’s theme, “Innovation Beyond Borders,” highlights startups’ roles in driving global innovation across boundaries of nations and technology. The event will feature conferences, pitching sessions, and exhibitions focusing on deep tech, inbound innovation, and SIS (Sustainable Innovation by Startup).
The University of Michigan announced it will no longer require applicants for faculty jobs, promotions and tenure to submit statements on their commitment to diversity. Provost Laurie McCauley made the decision following a recommendation from an eight-member faculty group, according to the school. The group reviewed “public literature” on the topic and analyzed nearly 2,000 responses to a faculty survey on the matter. “Most responding faculty agreed that diversity statements put pressure on faculty to express specific positions on moral, political or social issues,” the university said of the survey. “Slightly more disagreed than agreed that diversity statements allow an institution to demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by cultivating DEI in the faculty.” The diversity statements were criticized for the way they potentially “limit freedom of expression and diversity of thought on campus,” the school wrote. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university. Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people,” McCauley wrote in a statement on the school’s decision. “As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.” Though the university had not previously issued strict rules about requiring diversity declarations, it noted they arose due to a “decentralized and heterogeneous culture” surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts on campus. “Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the faculty group’s report reads. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.” The working group also recommended the school incorporate DEI content into “research and service statements” and provide faculty members with training on how to write these materials. The university did not implement those recommendations, it said. “The provost’s office will continue to work with campus leaders and faculty to identify ways to help foster a welcoming and inclusive environment in classrooms, labs and performance spaces,” the school added. The move comes amid sweeping changes to diversity initiatives across higher education. The University of Kentucky and University of Nebraska in August each disbanded their diversity offices. Other schools have also abandoned their diversity statement requirements this year, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Content from The National Desk is provided by Sinclair, the parent company of FOX45 News.