casino online game gcash
As the coordination of the transition details gets underway, it is essential for all stakeholders to remain committed to the principles of democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights. By upholding these values and working together in a spirit of cooperation, the government and the opposition can set a positive example for other countries facing similar political challenges.How to get started with BlueskyNebraska saw a football player announce a transfer for a third straight day Wednesday, this time a rotational member of the defensive line. Kai Wallin will move on after two seasons as a Husker, he announced on social media. He appeared in 11 games this fall with four tackles and recorded half a sack at Purdue. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder said he “deliberated, consulted and prayed” about his decision. “While I hope to continue to grow and evolve and make an impact on a new field, I will never forget the honor it was to wear a Nebraska jersey,” Wallin wrote in part. Wallin played a year of junior-college ball before arriving at Nebraska in 2023. The Sacramento native redshirted his first season before logging 89 snaps this year including 13 against Wisconsin. He saw single-digit snaps in five games behind a senior-heavy starting line. The defender has two years of eligibility remaining. Wallin is the 10th Husker to announce his intent to enter the transfer portal since Nov. 25. Migration among defenders has been higher as defensive coordinator Tony White and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton both left in recent days for Florida State. NU coach Matt Rhule said earlier Wednesday the roster churn – especially attrition – will continue in earnest as the team continues to trim closer to next season’s mandated limit of 105. “There’s going to be more,” Rhule said. “Everybody’s journey is different.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Putin signs law letting Ukraine fighters write off bad debts
Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83It looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. Recommended Videos This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. “The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more,” Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. “There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie,” said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction.” Something in the kitchen was contaminated In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation , did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the “no-fault findings,” as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report , Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist “saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities.” But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's “decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable.” But how did the drugs get into the kitchen? A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug “then entered the market through illegal channels,” he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles,” Li said. “The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice.” New information sent to WADA ... eventually This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. “Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated,” he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. “It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. “Which clearly it has not.” ___ AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-gamesFormer pharma exec was allegedly part of $38M insider trading scheme, feds say
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's annual Christmas message encourages Canadians to give thanks for "all that is good in the world" and check in on those who have not had an easy time this year. "As we reflect on the past year and look to the future, let us continue to show love and kindness — to ourselves and to those in need." Trudeau also gave thanks to the brave members of the Canadian Armed Forces, first responders, essential workers and volunteers. Questions loom over Trudeau's future The annual message comes amid a vulnerable time in his leadership, where he is believed to be reflecting on his political future. In the week since Chrystia Freeland's sudden resignation from Cabinet, calls for the prime minister to resign have echoed across the country. To date, 21 Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to go. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on at the start of a cabinet swearing in ceremony for Dominic LeBlanc, not shown, as Finance Minister at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Dec. 16. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press) At a virtual meeting of the Ontario Liberal caucus on Saturday morning, more than 50 Liberal MPs came to a consensus that Trudeau needs to step down as party leader, multiple sources told CBC News. The prime minister so far has not addressed Canadians about the growing calls for him to step down, or spoken publicly about the resignation of Freeland. Analysis Trudeau shuffles the deck while the nation waits for him to make up his mind Ontario Liberal MPs want Justin Trudeau to step down: sources Most Liberals in caucus want Trudeau to go, says longtime loyalist Trudeau stopped briefly to speak to reporters following a cabinet meeting on Friday. Offering that it was an "excellent" meeting, "almost entirely focused on the Canada-U.S. dynamic," Trudeau did not answer any questions about the future of his leadership. "We have a lot of work to do and that's what we're focused on," Trudeau said. WATCH | PM addresses media for first time following Freeland resignation: Trudeau speaks to reporters for first time since Freeland left cabinet 4 days ago Duration 0:24 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed reporters for the first time since his deputy Chrystia Freeland resigned Monday. Trudeau did not take any questions following a cabinet meeting Friday. CBC's Poll Tracker suggests a widening lead for the Conservatives, comfortably ahead of the Liberals by more than double the points. Read the prime minister's full Christmas statement below. Prime minister's Christmas message "Merry Christmas, everyone! This is such a special time of year. A time to gather with loved ones, to celebrate the spirit of the season, and to give thanks for all that is good in the world. "For Christians, it's a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and think about his story of kindness, forgiveness, and faith. The lessons of his life are universal, and they inspire and comfort people every time they're told — and retold. "For you, the holidays may be a time of big family gatherings and feasts, of gifts and celebrations. But maybe it's a very hard time. If you're grieving, worried, or alone, this can be the toughest time of the year. It can be the loneliest. So let's all check in on the people in our lives who have not had an easy time this year, and who may need us more than we know. "As we reflect on the past year and look to the future, let us continue to show love and kindness — to ourselves and to those in need. Let us also take a moment to thank those who give so much of themselves to make Canada the place we are proud to call home, including the brave members of our Canadian Armed Forces, the dedicated first responders and essential workers, and the countless volunteers. Thank you, to all of you. "I wish joy to everyone who is celebrating today, and comfort to those who are suffering. Wherever you are, I hope you find light and hope for the year ahead. Merry Christmas." This message is also available here .
Dashville favourites dominate first line-up for 20th anniversary Gum BallBy WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS NEW YORK (AP) — Sneaking a little ahead of line to get on that plane faster? American Airlines might stop you . In an apparent effort to reduce the headaches caused by airport line cutting, American has rolled out boarding technology that alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group. This new software won’t accept a boarding pass before the group it’s assigned to is called, so customers who get to the gate prematurely will be asked to go back and wait their turn. As of Wednesday, the airline announced, the technology is now being used in more than 100 U.S. airports that American flies out of. The official expansion arrives after successful tests in three of these locations — Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport. The initial response from customers and American employees “has exceeded our expectations,” Julie Rath, American’s senior vice president of airport operations, reservations and service recovery, said in a statement. She added that the airline is “thrilled” to have the technology up and running ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday . American got lots of attention when it unveiled its gate-control testing last month. Analysts say that isn’t surprising. It’s no secret that line cutting in airports hits a nerve. Whether intentional or not, just about every air traveler has witnessed it, noted Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group. It can add to frustrations in what can already be a tense environment, with particular anxiety around passengers wanting to sit together or rushing for some overhead bin space. Harteveldt doesn’t see American’s recent move as “shaming” customers who cut the line. “What it is intended to do is bring order out of chaos,” he said. “And I hope it will defuse any potential flare ups of anger (from) people who simply think they’re entitled to board out of turn .... It’s just not fair.” Harteveldt added that he thinks this change will enhance the experiences of both customers and gate agents. Others say more time will tell. Seth Miller, editor and founder of air travel experience analysis site PaxEx.aero, said he can see the benefits of more orderly and universal gate-control enforcement, particularly for airlines. But he said he isn’t “100% convinced this is perfect for passengers” just yet. Families, for example, might be booked on several different reservations across more than one group, he said. Airlines typically have workarounds for that, and American noted Wednesday that customers traveling with a companion in an earlier group can simply have a gate agent “override the alert” to continue boarding. Still, Miller said, “you have to go through the extra hoops.” And a difficult customer still might choose to hold up the line and argue when they’re not allowed to board, he added. Related Articles National News | Bob Casey concedes Pa. Senate race, congratulates Dave McCormick on win National News | A Mexican cartel leader arrested in the US faked his death and assumed a phony name, prosecutors say National News | Major storm drops record rain, downs trees in Northern California after devastation further north National News | SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down National News | ACLU sues government for records detailing Trump’s mass deportation plan Another question is whether customers who encounter a beep will walk away feeling embarrassed. But Harteveldt said he was happy to learn that American’s alert is “not a bellowing sound that can be heard throughout the terminal,” or accompanied by your name read over a loudspeaker, noting that this is important to avoid feelings of shame. Expanding this technology just a week before peak Thanksgiving travel could be “both good and bad,” Harteveldt adds. On one hand, the tech could help significantly improve the boarding process during such a busy time, he said, but airport employees might also have appreciated more time to prepare. Both Miller and Harteveldt said they wouldn’t be surprised if other carriers soon follow American’s lead. Headaches over airport line cutting are far from new. While maybe not to the extent of American’s new tech, Miller noted he’s seen gate agents from other airlines ask people to leave a line and wait for their group. Harteveldt added that he’s been to some airports in Asia and Europe with “sliding doors” that ensure passengers are in the right group before boarding a plane. The more than 100 airports that American is now using its gate-control technology in are all spoke, or non-hub, locations — including Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airline says it expects to further expand to its hubs and other airports in the coming months.