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Radical Jaguar rebrand and new logo sparks ire online NEW YORK (AP) — A promotional video for a rebrand of British luxury car brand Jaguar is being criticized online for showing models in brightly colored outfits — and no car. The rebrand, which includes a new logo, is slated to launch Dec. 2 during Miami Art Week, when the company will unveil a new electric model. But Jaguar Land Rover, a unit of India’s Tata Motors Ltd., has been promoting it online. The Jaguar brand is in the middle of a transition to going all-electric. “Copy Nothing,” marketing materials read. “We’re here to delete the ordinary. To go bold. To copy nothing.” Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations DALLAS (AP) — The nation is set to mark 61 years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade passed through downtown Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. Even after over six decades, conspiracy theories about what happened that day still swirl and the desire to follow every thread of information hasn’t waned. President-elect Donald Trump made promises over the summer that if reelected he would declassify the remaining records. At this point, only a few thousand of millions of pages of records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released. And those who have studied what's been released so far say that the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations even if the remaining files are declassified. Bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 as post-election rally rolls on NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin is jumping again, rising above $98,000 for the first time Thursday. The cryptocurrency has been shattering records almost daily since the U.S. presidential election, and has rocketed more than 40% higher in just two weeks. It's now at the doorstep of $100,000. Cryptocurrencies and related investments like crypto exchange-traded funds have rallied because the incoming Trump administration is expected to be more “crypto-friendly.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is hard to predict. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries The NFL has issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following recent burglaries involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the league says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets. Penn State wins trademark case over retailer's use of vintage logos, images PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer’s use of its vintage logos and images. A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages earlier this week over products made and sold by the firms Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc. Penn State accused the firms of selling counterfeit clothing and accessories. The defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with Penn State. At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, but the Pennsylvania case was the first to go to trial. Defense lawyers declined to comment on the verdict and whether they planned an appeal. Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum? NEW YORK (AP) — A previously unknown musical work written by composer Frederic Chopin appears to have been found in a library in New York City. The Morgan Library & Museum says the untitled and unsigned piece is the first new manuscript of the Romantic era virtuoso to be discovered in nearly a century. Robinson McClellan, the museum’s curator, says he stumbled across the work in May while going through a collection brought to the Manhattan museum years earlier. He worked with outside experts to verify the document's authenticity. But there’s debate whether the waltz is an original Chopin work or merely one written in his hand. Volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland is spewing lava from a fissure in its seventh eruption since December. Iceland's seismic monitors said the eruption started with little warning late Wednesday and created a long fissure but looked to be smaller than eruptions in August and May. Around 50 houses were evacuated after the Civil Protection agency issued the alert, along with guests at the famous Blue Lagoon resort, according to the national broadcaster. The repeated eruptions over the past year have caused damage to the town of Grindavík and forced people to relocate. Australian teen and British woman who drank tainted alcohol in Laos have died, bringing toll to 5 VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — An Australian teenager and a British woman have died after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos in what Australia’s prime minister said was every parent’s nightmare. Officials earlier said an American and two Danish tourists also had died following reports that multiple people had been sickened in town popular with backpackers. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament that 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng, Laos, for treatment in a Thai hospital. Her friend, also 19, remains hospitalized in Thailand. Later Thursday, Britain said a British woman also died and the media in the U.K. identified her as 28-year-old Simone White. US ahead in AI innovation, easily surpassing China in Stanford's new ranking The U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index. There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers have made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across a variety of dimensions, from how much research and investment is happening to how responsibly the technology is being pursued to prevent harm. Following the U.S. and China were the United Kingdom, India and the United Arab Emirates. Pop star Ed Sheeran helps favorite soccer team sign player before getting on stage with Taylor Swift It turns out British pop star Ed Sheeran is also good at recruiting soccer players. Sheeran is a minority shareholder at English soccer team Ipswich Town and it needed his help over the summer to get a player to join the club. Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton tells a Soccerex industry event in Miami: “Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground, just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift. Hopefully that was a key part in getting the player across the line.” Ashton didn’t disclose the player in question, saying only: “He’s certainly scoring a few goals.”Al-Sisi, Frederiksen discuss strengthening Egypt-Denmark relations(Reuters) -The U.S. government has approved the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips to a Microsoft-operated facility in the United Arab Emirates as part of the company’s highly-scrutinized partnership with Emirati AI firm G42, Axios reported on Saturday, citing two people familiar with the deal. Microsoft invested $1.5 billion in G42 earlier this year, giving the U.S. company a minority stake and a board seat. As part of the deal, G42 would use Microsoft’s cloud services to run its AI applications. The deal, however, was scrutinized after U.S. lawmakers raised concerns G42 could transfer powerful U.S. AI technology to China. They asked for a U.S. assessment of G42’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party, military and government before the Microsoft deal advances. The U.S. Commerce Department, Microsoft and G42 did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. The approved export license requires Microsoft to prevent access to its facility in the UAE by personnel who are from nations under U.S. arms embargoes or who are on the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security’s Entity List, the Axios report said. The restrictions cover people physically in China, the Chinese government or personnel working for any organization headquartered in China, the report added. U.S. officials have said that AI systems could pose national security risks, including by making it easier to engineer chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. The Biden administration in October required the makers of the largest AI systems to share details about them with the U.S. government. G42 earlier this year said it was actively working with U.S. partners and the UAE’s government to comply with AI development and deployment standards, amid concerns about its ties to China. Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company, the UAE’s ruling family and U.S. private equity firm Silver Lake hold stakes in G42. The company’s chairman, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the UAE’s national security advisor and the brother of the UAE’s president. (Reporting by Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Paul Simao) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday organised the largest parent-teacher meeting across the state, with 45,094 government and government-aided schools participating in it, an official statement said. More than 35 lakh students, 71 lakh parents and 1,88,266 teachers, besides over 50,000 public representatives took part in the mega parent-teacher’s meeting all over the state. Speaking at the parent-teacher meeting held at the municipal high school at Bapatla, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu called upon the students to stay updated with technology and focus on learning new things. “One can reach greater heights only through constant learning,” he said. Stating that conducting parents-teachers meetings on such a grand scale is the first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, the chief minister said the coordination among parents, teachers, students and the government heralded transformative changes in the education system. “Together, we can achieve remarkable goals. From now on, we will organise these meetings every year on December 7,” he said. Naidu said the government would soon provide health cards, progress cards, and attendance details of students to parents through mobile phones. “Parents and teachers must continuously monitor the students and see that the children would not fall prey to mobile addiction,” he said. He advised the parents to ensure that children are not enslaved by smartphones. “Similarly, they must remain vigilant about cybercrimes. Young people are ruining their lives by sending messages to unknown people and watching obscene content on phones. Technology should be used for development and not for degradation of values,” he said. The chief minister also cautioned the parents and teachers to be watchful over the growing drug culture in the educational institutions. “Some people are cultivating cannabis in their homes, like growing vegetables in their gardens. To effectively combat illegal drug and cannabis trafficking, we have introduced the ‘Eagle’ system in the state. We aim to make the word ‘drugs,’ which destroys human relationships, unheard of in the state,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Naidu’s son and state education minister Nara Lokesh assured of filling up the vacant teacher posts in the next six months by conducting a mega recruitment test through district selection committees (DSC). He also announced that all political events would be discouraged in schools. No political photos and colours would be used in schools anymore, he said. The minister also spoke about the importance of inculcating values, morals and morality in young students. In this regard, necessary changes are being incorporated in the curriculum, he added.
When Russia launched its unprovoked attack on Ukraine in February 2022, one of the first energy resiliency cracks to emerge was the vulnerability of the Ukrainian nuclear fleet. Now, even as the war approaches its fourth year, energy planners in Ukraine are turning to wind power and other renewable resources for energy security, resilience, and integration with the European green hydrogen economy. Building new energy facilities in wartime can be a Sisyphean task. However, wind power is a special case. In a typical wind farm, turbines are scattered over long distances. Knocking one out with a missile is just a temporary setback. Putting every turbine in a wind farm out of commission is not worth the expense, time, and risk. In the case of Russia, the missile strategy has focused on breaking down willpower by attacking hospitals, schools, and other civilian targets, not taking down a wind turbine or two. Substations and transmission lines are still vulnerable, but the repair and replacement timeline is shorter for those types of infrastructure than repairing the significant damage to a fossil energy power plant, let alone a nuclear facility. “Despite all the cheerleading for nuclear energy over at the COP28 climate talks, national security risks have taken center stage ever since Russia launched its unprovoked attack on Ukraine,” CleanTechnica observed last year. Nuclear advocates have raised the tempo since then. However, as of last year, Ukraine was already well on its way to making a mark in the wind power field, with plans for building the largest onshore wind farm in Eastern Europe. Almost as a sort of test case for wind power resiliency, early in the war, the Ukrainian energy firm DTEK Renewables began building a 19-turbine, 114-megawatt wind farm just 60 miles from the front line, in the Mykolaiv region near the Black Sea. The wind farm went into operation last May as the Tyligulska Wind Power Plant, billed as the only facility of its kind to be completed in an active conflict zone. DTEK also signaled its intention to expand the wind farm to 500 megawatts with a commitment to order 64 additional turbines from its partner, Vestas. “ This wind farm has become a symbol of resilience and faith in the Ukrainian energy sector, as it was built by Ukrainians during a full-scale war just 100 km away from the front,” DTEK observed in an update on the project earlier this year. DTEK also noted that the new wind power plant incorporates new technologies aimed at increasing the capacity of Ukraine’s transmission connections with Europe. “Ukraine needs distributed generation, including wind power, more than ever,” DTEK emphasized. They did not let the grass grow under their feet. In 2023, the company also began planning for the 650-megawatt DTEK Poltavska Wind Power Plant, to be located on lands of the Hlobyne territorial community in Poltava Oblast. The wind farm, including environmental studies , is moving forward, with construction slated for 2025. Vestas is just one of the non-domestic energy stakeholders supporting Ukraine’s transition to wind power and other renewables. Another example is the UK firm Elementum Energy , which is focusing on operations in western Ukraine. Last year, the company added 60 megawatts of wind power to the Ukrainian grid with the completion of Phase 2 of the Dnistrovska Wind Farm. This year, the company took the final steps towards acquiring a group of wind power projects totaling 200 megawatts, described in an email to CleanTechnica earlier this week. “This project demonstrates the critical role of business in recovery and sustainable development during uncertain times,” explains the Elementum’s Managing Director, Olga Rybachuk. In addition to its own investment, Elementum expects funding from international development banks and credit agencies as well as local banks. The entire group of projects is on the fast track for construction-readiness by the end of next year. In a poke at nuclear advocates, Elementum also emphasizes that “wind farms also offer a practical and resilient solution to energy needs during crises” due to their study-to-commissioning development cycle of just three years. Wind power is just one element in Ukraine’s plans for a green recovery . Energy planners are leveraging biomass and other renewable energy resources , too, with the aim of joining the European Union as a strong contributor to decarbonization and economic development rather than coming hat in hand as a supplicant seeking aid. Considering the EU’s focus on building a new green hydrogen economy , it’s not surprising to find Ukraine focusing on green hydrogen as well. Aside from the potential for exporting green hydrogen to Europe, Ukraine will also need a robust green hydrogen industry to decarbonize its steel industry in accordance with EU standards. In a recent analysis posted by the World Economic Forum, energy analysts point out that pre-war Ukraine was the 14th largest producer of steel in the world, but it was “also one of the dirtiest in the world.” “In 2020, the Ukrainian steel industry was responsible for 48 Mt CO2, 15% of the country’s entire carbon dioxide emissions,” write Oxford University Associate Professor Vlad Mykhnenko and Alli Devlin, Senior Decarbonisation Advisor for the organization ResponsibleSteel . Mykhnenko and Devlin note that Ukraine has already developed a near zero emission roadmap to decarbonize its steel industry with the assumption that it will join the EU. “This makes Ukraine’s steel decarbonisation non-negotiable,” they emphasize. With EU accession in mind, the two analysts also make the case for shifting the primary location of the Ukrainian steel industry from the eastern part of the country to the west, taking advantage of both land and sea transportation routes to the EU. As one of several ripple effects, the new green steel industry will also propel the demand for both green hydrogen and green ammonia fuel for steelmaking. In that context, Elementum Energy’s investment in wind power across the western region of Ukraine is particularly significant. Another investor of note is the German firm NOTUS Energy, which unveiled a plan last year to repurpose the site of the notorious Chernobyl nuclear disaster for wind power and other renewables in partnership with the Ukrainian transmission stakeholder Ukrenergo. NOTUS’s initial studies yielded the potential for a 1-gigawatt wind power opportunity. “A wind farm of this size would make a substantial contribution to the expansion of renewable energies in Ukraine and strengthen the independence and decentralization of the Ukrainian energy supply,” explained the Ukrainian branch of the firm, NOTUS energo Ukraina. Next steps include radiation and environmental analyses as well as an assessment of the transmission infrastructure. That could take a while, so stay tuned for more on that. Despite the lessons of Chernobyl, Ukrainian energy planners have not entirely ditched the idea of expanding nuclear capacity. At COP28 last year, Ukraine joined the US and 20 or so other nations in endorsing a declaration calling for a tripling of nuclear energy globally . Nevertheless, the US and other members of the international community have raised grave concerns about nuclear power plant security in the face of Russia’s continued attacks on civilian infrastructure. Against this backdrop, wind power advocates and other renewable energy stakeholders have a strong case to make for transitioning to a low carbon economy without the risk of another nuclear disaster. Follow me via LinkTree , or @tinamcasey on LinkedIn and Bluesky. Photo (cropped): Wind power continues to add megawatts of clean power to the Ukrainian electricity grid, even as Russia continues its drive to demolish the country’s energy infrastructure (Dnistrovska wind power plant courtesy of Elementum Energy, via email). CleanTechnica's Comment Policy LinkedIn WhatsApp Facebook Bluesky Email RedditCHATHAM, N.J. — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It’s unclear if it’s drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving, the saga of the drones reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights. This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter: Lawmakers are demanding (but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what’s behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X. More drone sightings have been reported in New York City, and Mayor Eric Adams says the city is investigating and collaborating with New Jersey and federal officials. And then President-elect Donald Trump posted that he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on his social media site. But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies, none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they’re looking into what’s happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else. Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on. In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group. The Facebook page, New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it , has more than 53,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there. One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.) Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she’s glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said. “I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said. She doesn’t buy what the governor said, that the drones aren’t a risk to public safety. Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” “How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.” Then there’s the notion that people could misunderstand what they’re seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots. Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they’re looking at. Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories. “It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.” Federal officials echo Austin’s view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy. That’s not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects. For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions. “My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said. “Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added.
Kathmandu, Dec 14: Deputy Secretary General of CPN UML, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has directed the party leaders and cadres to take ahead the party activities in an innovative manner. Addressing a programme organized by the UML Lamjung-Kathmandu Liaison Forum in the federal capital on Saturday, Gurung urged the party leaders to devote to expanding party organization and public agenda. "Make resolution of new work and take leadership accordingly," he said, stressing the need for honesty and dynamism. According to him, studiousness and industriousness lead to success, Gurung reminded. Gurung, who is also the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, said the attack against party leadership and government should be foiled effectively, which warrants activism from cadres. He observed that the awareness assembly organized by the party in the federal capital some weeks back was not satisfactory. So, time has come for the party to revive its strength.(RSS)
Judge hears closing arguments on whether Google's advertising tech constitutes a monopolyA Sydney business is looking to clean up Pacific beaches with a unique recycling process, turning plastic litter into power poles and Frisbees. While labour-intensive sorting and cleaning makes most recycling processes financially unviable, a new pilot, developed by Brookvale firm Talon, shreds and melts down mixed plastics, meaning any collected materials can be used. Sam Melrose and university intern Lily Bilston showing how a toy truck containing a cocktail of different plastics can be shredded and reused. Credit: Louie Douvis Geoff Germon, an adjunct professor of design at Canberra University and Talon’s chief executive, said the system was an opportunity to remove and reuse vast quantities of plastic littering Pacific beaches. Talon opened a micro-processing plant in Fiji last month. Known as the LPM Project , and supported by the University of Southern Queensland and the British government, its process breaks down mixed plastics into shreds just a few centimetres in size. Those shreds are “consolidated” using heat and pressure into a large mass or matrix that can be pressed into a shape. Early trials on plastics collected from Fiji have included power poles, dog bowls and Frisbees. Sydney plastics recycling firm Talon has opened a micro-processing plant near Suva in Fiji. Credit: The matrix is covered with a laminated fabric layer made of cotton and recycled plastic bags to make it stronger and more marketable. “Conventionally, you would have to sort waste into polyethylenes and polypropylenes, which are the common packaging plastics,” Germon said. “Then you might have some car parts, which are ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and some polycarbonates and some PT (Polyethylene terephthalate), which is all the clear plastic bags and bottles.” Stages of the process from shredded plastic (left), composite matrix bowl (multicoloured, top), laminated fabric and finished bowl (right). Credit: Louie Douvis Germon said those processes meant that at present only about 13 per cent of materials were recycled. “Everything else goes to landfill,” he said. “We collected 220 kilos from a one-kilometre beach; it took about 40 kids an hour to do it, but then it would be a full day of sorting it with people who know what they are doing. It’s not viable.” Lead project manager Sam Melrose said their process could manage the several different types of plastic in, for example, a discarded swimming pool filter. “It all goes in the shredder, and we use the material that comes out. Even if the item has a paper label on it, it doesn’t affect us.” Canberra University industrial design students were presented with the raw recycled material. Lily Bilston, now an intern at Talon, devised a fence post system, while others designed vertical gardens to be used alongside motorways and a module for artificial reefs. Fiji’s Centre of Appropriate Technology and Development is training workers for the project. The centre’s director, Aporosa Silatolu, said the technology would “make a significant difference to the wellbeing of Fijians, particularly those in rural communities”. A recycled pole manufacted from plastic waste on Fiji. Germon said Talon wanted to make big, heavy and thick products to use up large amounts of plastic, with street poles the current focus. “We are making things that replace steel or concrete,” he said. “The mission is about trying to suck the plastic out of the community. We have got the tech solution and enough marketing to show it has potential, we don’t necessarily have the skill set to take it to a global level.” The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here .CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He's been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he's in the clear with the league, Watson's future with Cleveland isn't so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson's backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he's put some life into Cleveland's offense, which didn't score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. ___ AP NFL: Tom Withers, The Associated Press
Tripura police detains 10 Bangladeshi nationals, belonging to Hindu communityHow music therapy soothes your soulFAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GovCIO is honored to be included in Inc.'s 2024 Best in Business list in the Government Services and Veteran Support categories. Inc.'s annual Best in Business Awards recognizes companies that have made significant contributions and driven meaningful impact within their industries and organizations. GovCIO is a leading government contractor providing advanced technology solutions for the federal government. The company stood out as one of two companies listed in Veterans Services and one of five honored in Government Services. This recognition reflects the company's ongoing excellence in delivering innovative solutions to the federal government and supporting Veterans. GovCIO has made a significant impact driving cybersecurity, data analytics and AI solutions across national security, Veterans, health and civilian sectors. GovCIO leaders work together with our partners to drive modernization in key programs such as the National Cemetery Administration's Kiosk Software, U.S. Courts Judiciary IT Services and Global Command Terrestrial Communications IV. "We are honored to be recognized as a leader in both government services and Veteran support," said Jim Brabston, GovCIO CEO. "We look forward to what the future holds and how we can work with our government partners to continue making an impact." GovCIO offers additional support for Veterans and transitioning military including quarterly Veteran resume reviews for job-seekers. Company leaders have also established a Veterans of GovCIO Employee Resource Group (ERG). This ERG creates a supportive community for Veterans, offering mentorship, networking, and professional development, while also engaging in community service. For more information or to view the full list of honorees, please visit inc.com/best-in-business . Visit GovCIO to discover how the company is leading government IT transformation through digital innovation and fostering a veteran-friendly workplace. About GovCIO GovCIO is a rapidly growing provider of advanced technology solutions and digital services for the federal government. Combining our extensive federal experience with the latest innovations in IT and disruptive approaches, our experts develop comprehensive solutions to meet the most pressing demands of today's government agencies. From the U.S. military and Veterans Affairs to Health and Human Services, we have an impressive track record of helping our customers optimize their operations. GovCIO is transforming government IT, empowering our federal customers to meet the challenges of today while building the government of tomorrow. Let us show you what we can do. Visit www.govcio.com for more information. Media Contact Emyly Hall Sr. Communications and Marketing Specialist emyly.hall@govcio.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/govcio-named-to-incs-2024-best-in-business-list-in-government-services-veteran-support-302321327.html SOURCE GovCIO
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes continues to build great chemistry with his tight end — just not the one you might think. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes continues to build great chemistry with his tight end — just not the one you might think. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes continues to build great chemistry with his tight end — just not the one you might think. Mahomes threw two touchdown passes to Noah Gray for the second straight week as the Kansas City Chiefs held off the Carolina Panthers 30-27 on Sunday. A week after losing at Buffalo, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (10-1) maintained their position atop the AFC. Mahomes completed a 35-yard touchdown strike to Gray on the game’s opening possession and found him again for an 11-yard TD in the second quarter. Gray has four touchdown catches in the last two weeks — twice as many as nine-time Pro Bowler Travis Kelce has all season — and has become a weapon in the passing game for the Chiefs, who lost top wide receiver Rashee Rice to a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Kelce was still a factor Sunday with a team-high six catches for 62 yards, although the four-time All-Pro looked dejected after dropping one easy pass. Kelce has 62 receptions for 507 yards this season, while Gray has 26 catches for 249 yards. But Gray’s development is a good sign for the Chiefs — and he’s on the same page with Mahomes. On his second TD, Gray said Mahomes “gave me the answer to the test there” before the play. “He told me what coverage it was pre-snap,” said Gray, who had four receptions for 66 yards. “That’s just the blessing you have of playing with a quarterback like that. Offensive line did a great job blocking that up and the receivers did a great job running their routes to pop me open. Really just a group effort right there on that touchdown.” Gray said that’s nothing new. “Pat’s preparation, his leadership is just something that I’m fortunate enough to play alongside,” Gray said. “I love it. It gets me motivated every time we go out there for a long drive. Having a leader like that, that prepares every single week in-and out, knows defenses, knows the game plans. 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. “I’m just fortunate enough to play alongside a guy like that.” Mahomes completed 27 of 37 passes for 269 yards and three TDs, and he knew what to do on the second TD to Gray. “It’s not just me, it’s the quarterback coaches and the players, we go through certain checks you get to versus certain coverages,” Mahomes said. “I was able to see by the way they lined up they were getting into their cover-zero look. I alerted the guys to make sure they saw what I saw and I gave the check at the line of scrimmage.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement AdvertisementPlease enable JavaScript to read this content. Just a day after the National Treasury released Sh5 billion for the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), a proposal to save the kitty, which has since been declared unconstitutional by the courts, has been tabled at the National Assembly. Legislators Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) and Otiende Amolo (Rarieda), in a renewed bid to circumvent the court ruling, have introduced a proposal to amend the Constitution of Kenya 2010 to entrench the NG-CDF kitty and further introduce a Senate Oversight Fund. It also seeks to embed the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) into law. The legislative proposal, to be known as the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2024, was tabled in the National Assembly on Thursday, and seeks to alter the name of the kitty from the National Government Constituencies Development Fund to the National Government Constituencies Decentralized Fund in a move meant to ring-fence it and shield it from legal disruptions. “The entrenchment of the National Government Constituencies Decentralised Fund in the Constitution will ensure that the critical role the Fund currently plays in promoting the participation of the people in the identification and implementation of priority national government programmes is safeguarded, as well as ensuring reasonable access to such services in all parts of the Republic of Kenya, as envisaged in Article 6(3) of the Constitution,” reads the proposal in part. Oversight fund The proposal also advocates for the setting up of a kitty for senators, the Senate Oversight Fund, to be anchored in the supreme law of the land and which Chepkonga and Amolo argue will ensure that the Senate is adequately empowered and resourced to perform its oversight functions as stipulated in Article 96 of the Constitution. “The Senate Oversight Fund shall be a national government fund consisting of monies appropriated from the national government’s share of revenue as divided by the annual Division of Revenue Act enacted pursuant to Article 218 of the Constitution,” further reads the proposal. “The establishment of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund seeks to ensure that affirmative action groups including women, youth, persons with disabilities, vulnerable children and elderly persons have access to minimum financial facilities required for the promotion of enterprise development and provision of social development services at the constituency and county levels,” the Bill further states. Notably, the proposal comes against the backdrop of a court ruling declaring NG-CDF unconstitutional. A three-judge bench in September sounded the death knell for the kitty, noting that it had violated the separation of powers. Justices Kanyi Kimondo, Mugure Thande and Roselyne Aburili also cited failure by the National Assembly to consult the Senate as grounds for the kitty’s un-constitutionalism. They said the fund and all its projects, programmes and activities shall cease to operate on June 30, 2026. They, however, noted that it was not in the interest of the nation or justice to bring it to an abrupt closure. And during his communication to the House on Thursday, Speaker Moses Wetangula acknowledged having received the proposal by the legislators and committed it to the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs (JLAC). “I wish to bring to the attention of the House that I have received a legislative proposal intending to amend the Constitution to entrench NG-CDF, the Senate Oversight Fund and NGAAF in the Constitution. The proposal is co-sponsored by Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga and Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo,” the speaker said. Acknowledging a similar proposal which had been introduced before the House by Matungulu MP Stephen Mule and his Gichugu counterpart Githinji Gichimu in November 2022, Wetangula explained that a joint parliamentary ad hoc committee considering the proposal had been unable to conclude its work and table a report despite a 90-day extension and that the numerous court cases on NG-CDF had prompted the introduction of the new proposal. The earlier proposal by Mule and Gichimu had sought to increase the NG-CDF kitty to at least five per cent of the total national revenue. The law currently sets aside 2.5 per cent of the total revenue raised nationally to be shared among the 290 constituencies. Each constituency receives at least Sh137 million which legislators have been using for community development projects. It had also called for the channelling of 0.001 per cent of all the national government share of revenue as divided in the Division of Revenue Act to the Senate Oversight Fund. Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter “This proposal and the earlier proposal introduced by Mule and Gichimu shall thereafter stand committed to the Justice and Legal Affairs committee for consideration. The committee shall expeditiously invite and consider submissions from the Attorney-General, the commissions and independent offices under Chapter 15 of the Constitution and any other body with a law reform mandate,” submitted the speaker. The JLAC committee is now expected to submit its recommendations on the proposals by February 11, 2025, when the House resumes from the two-month-long recess it is on now. Meanwhile, during the debate proceedings on Thursday, members of Parliament gave their input on the new proposal. MP Chepkonga spoke on the protracted battle between the courts and Parliament over the constitutionality of the NG-CDF kitty. “When we appeared before the three-judge bench on the NG-CDF case, it was unknown to me that the young lawyers present were beneficiaries of NG-CDF. Mr Speaker, you can see what people are seeking to do. To disenfranchise members of our communities. We must not accept this. We must entrench these funds in the Constitution to secure the future of our children,” he argued, adding: “The courts have constantly pronounced themselves in a manner we have never agreed with. Now that we are being told that NGCDF is unconstitutional, we are going to make it constitutional and nobody will ever again say it is unconstitutional.” He also credited the kitty for being behind any meaningful development at the constituencies, and, in the process, chided county governors, accusing them of being behind the “adverse” court rulings on NG-CDF. ALSO READ: Parliament moves to increase NG-CDF by Sh10b; Here's why “When you go to our constituencies, the only visible development you will be able to see is that from NG-CDF. The governors, who we actually think have had a hand in these court decisions, have not done much with all the billions they get.” Chairperson of the NG-CDF Committee, Musa Cherutich, also went out to push for the kitty. “The CDF has been very instrumental in terms of construction of schools, school fees for our children and, Mr Speaker, all those who are against it are people who are retired and do not have children in school. They should continue taking care of their grandchildren so that they can appreciate the use of NG-CDF,” Cherutich said. “Without any fear of contradiction, I can say that the only projects which make sense to Kenyans are those done at the constituency level, especially on the education and security sectors. As MPs, we are not part of the management of the CDF funds in this country. We are only patrons and play our role on oversight,” Mule held.