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After Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised the AfD in an article published by a German daily, the leading candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, hit back, decrying Musk's interference as "intrusive and pretentious." A senior German politician dismissed Elon Musk's public support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as unprecedented interference, labeling it "intrusive and pretentious." Friedrich Merz , the center-right candidate for chancellor in Germany's February 23 legislative election , lashed out at the Tesla CEO on Sunday, a day after Musk used an op-ed to describe the populist party as the "last spark of hope for this country." In the article published in German, Musk also praised the AfD's approach to regulation, taxes and market deregulation. The remarks have been fiercely criticized and a senior editor at Welt am Sonntag , the newspaper that published Musk's commentary, resigned in protest. The AFD is currently polling second behind Merz' conservative alliance — the same group that Angela Merkel led until 2021. German president announces early election in February 2025 To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video What did Merz say? "I cannot recall, in the history of Western democracies, that there has been a comparable case of interference in the electoral campaign of a friendly country," Merz, the head of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, told the Funke media group. Merz said: "Imagine for a brief moment, the — justified — reaction of Americans to a comparable article by a prominent German businessman in the New York Times backing an outsider in the US presidential election campaign." He added that Tesla's first gigafactory in Europe — built east of Berlin — would not have been approved if the far-right party was in power, "because it was the AfD that put up the most fierce resistance to this plant." Musk has insisted he has a legitimate interest in German politics because of the investments the electric carmaker has made. German democracy 'cannot be bought' Saskia Esken, co-leader of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), also called out interference in the German election by the world's richest man. "In Elon Musk's world, democracy and workers' rights are obstacles to more profit," Esken told the Reuters news agency. "We say quite clearly: Our democracy is defensible and it cannot be bought." Another SPD lawmaker, Matthias Miersch, told the Handelsblatt business daily that it was "shameful and dangerous" that the Springer publishing house — which owns Welt am Sonntag — gave Musk "an official platform to promote the AfD." German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach on Saturday wrote on X: "The fact that political power is now increasingly easy to buy will cause great damage to democracy. If newspapers join in, they are digging their own graves." mm/dj (dpa, EPD, Reuters)The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Mamma MiaWhat to Watch the Weekend of Friday the 13th (Like You Have to Ask)
Insurers Urged to Safeguard Data Amid Rising AI Adoption and Privacy Risks, Says Info-Tech Research GroupChristmas Books for Little Kids by various authors and illustrators c.2024, various publishers $14.99 to $18.99 various page counts You’d better watch out. And you know why: pretty soon, you’re going to have a visitor come down your chimney or through a window or door of your house and leave you presents, if you’ve been good. No doubt, you’re excited for that, and for the twinkly lights and the holiday music. Christmas can’t some soon enough, so why not spend your time waiting by reading these great books... For any kid who’s asked for a new pet from Santa, “A Stray Dog for Christmas: How Suzy was Adopted” by Jack Jokinen, illustrated by Wendy Tan (Sourcebooks Kids, $14.99) is the book to read. It’s the story of a puppy without a name who was accidentally locked in a house. There are people who live there. Will they like her? Will they be her friend? Will they give her a name, once and for all, of her very own? Animal-loving kids ages three to six will want to find out! Be sure to check out the afterword, too, and meet the real Suzy. You can’t go wrong with a classic Christmas tale, and “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” adapted by the Poem by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Jane Chapman (Sourcebooks Kids, $18.99) is that, with a twist. Here, Pa, and Ma in her kerchief are bears, as is Santa, whose sleigh is pulled by eight kinds of dogs sporting antlers on their heads. As the story unfolds, other animals join the tale and it’s adorable on steroids. Kids ages five to eight who love Christmas won’t want you to put this book away with the decorations. They’ll want to have it read to them year ‘round. Children who are familiar with the “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” books will be happy to see “Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho” by William Boniface, illustrated by Julien Chung (Beach Lane Books / Simon & Schuster, $18.99) on the top of their Christmas book TBR pile. Here, A talks to B, and B convinces C to meet in the Christmas tree, which starts a tale of decorations and presents and “oh, no!” Kids ages two and three, those who are just learning their alphabet, will have fun with this picture book, and the shiny illustrations inside are very appealing. Older children (ages four and five) will love that the story reads so much like a jazzy, be-bop rhyme that they might even be tempted to make up a tune to go with it. And if these, and your personal favorite childhood Christmas books, aren’t enough for your youngster, be sure to check with your favorite bookseller or librarian and ask for new favorites and new traditions. Anyone at the bookstore or library can steer you toward even more picture books – literally, there are dozens of new ones for small children released ever year – and they’ll be happy to show you what’s new in holiday books for older kids and teens, and books for you, too. As for the above titles, though... you’d better watch out for them.None
Orange County is still tallying votes, but overall, the results are clear — O.C. is more purple (purple- er ?) than ever. LAist talked to political scientists and analyzed trends to come up with five big takeaways from the November election results in this political middle-ground. Here goes: In some of the biggest races, ballots are nearly evenly split between the Democrat and Republican candidate. It appears some voters also "split tickets." For example, as of last count, a slim majority wanted Democrat Kamala Harris to represent them in the White House and Republican Steve Garvey to rep the state in the Senate. Garvey has also gotten more votes than President-elect Donald Trump. This kind of ticket-splitting, among other factors, makes O.C. one the purplest counties in the U.S., said Jon Gould, a political science professor at the University of California Irvine. Gould said O.C., with its shifting demographics, and especially its large population of non-white, college-educated voters, is a glimpse of where the nation is headed. “What you're seeing here that I think we will all be looking at is a harbinger for the future of the rest of America,” he said. The congressional district that includes the largest Vietnamese diaspora community outside of Vietnam could have its first Vietnamese American representative — and a Democrat, at that. Derek Tran has been steadily widening his still-miniscule lead against Republican incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel. As of Saturday night , Tran was ahead by 545 votes. The lead is especially notable because O.C.’s Vietnamese community has, until recently, been considered reliably Republican, and because Steel won against her previous Democratic challenger, in 2022, by more than 10,000 votes. If Tran’s lead holds, it could be an indication that Asian American voters in O.C. are moving toward the political center or even left, Gould said. Several other factors could be at play in Tran’s lead, Gould said, including that Tran is Vietnamese American (Steel is Korean American) and has roots in the community — his parents, like most of their generation in Little Saigon, fled the Communist regime and settled in O.C. Political consultant Mike Madrid noted that Tran is getting a large percentage of votes even in some previously “hardcore” GOP strongholds in Little Saigon. “That's, like, crazy,” he said. Madrid said it shows that ethnicity and corresponding political leanings are not static. “Ethnicity changes generationally,” he said. Among the closest watched ballot initiatives in O.C. was Measure DD , which would have allowed non-U.S. citizens in Santa Ana to vote in city elections. Had it passed, Santa Ana would have become the first city in California to allow non-U.S. citizens to vote in its municipal elections. (Non-U.S. citizens in San Francisco and Oakland can vote in school board elections.) It was, in part, a test case of the Santa Ana City Council’s increasingly liberal agenda, and of Latino voters’ willingness to extend voting rights to their non-citizen neighbors (the city’s population is nearly 80% Latino/Latina, according to census data). The measure was defeated , with nearly 60% of the votes. Madrid said the results were simultaneously “jaw-dropping” and not all that surprising. “Latino voter attitudes on immigration are profoundly, profoundly different than they were a generation ago,” he said. Whereas previous generations of Latino voters were made up of many more foreign-born, naturalized citizens, today, most Latino voters in O.C. were born in the U.S. and have different concerns. “They're not animated at all by the immigration issue, they're residents,” he said. All of the school bonds and the majority of local tax hikes on the November ballot passed with comfortable margins. Gould said the results show the county today is a far cry from the tax-allergic Republican stronghold of old. “Orange County is not the county you all think it is,” he said, sounding a bit exasperated. Plus, he said approving of taxes at the local level is different than at the state or federal level. “These are things that matter to people in their day-to-day lives here in the county and it shows that people are willing to spend money to improve the quality of life where they live,” he said. Madrid called O.C.’s anti-tax reputation “a relic of Reagan country, of Orange County in the 80s,” he said. Plus, he noted, President-elect Donald Trump “ran on the largest tariff, meaning tax, increase in the history of the country,” referring to Trump’s promise to tax Chinese imports. “And he won overwhelmingly with Republicans,” Madrid said. “So the idea that Republicans won't vote for taxes ... those days are gone.” Huntington Beach voters appear to have ousted three incumbents in favor of a staunchly conservative slate of newcomers. Candidates Chad Williams, Butch Twining, and Don Kennedy — self-dubbed the “HB3” — will replace the city council’s left-leaning, minority block: Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton. They’ll join the four-person council majority that, since elected in 2022, has banned flying the Pride flag on city property, restricted children’s access to library books about puberty, voted to require ID at the polls, and repeatedly clashed with the state over housing law. Republicans make up 41% of registered voters in the city. Huntington Beach is the largest city in O.C. that doesn’t have district elections, meaning members are elected through citywide votes (a practice the city is getting sued for in an effort to force it to switch to district elections). This election, voters had the option of choosing three out of eight candidates. The crowded field meant there were multiple ways to “split” the vote — which is when usually smaller or similar candidates draw support away from major ones, making it more challenging to win. At last count, the “HB3” members had a little over half of total votes combined . Williams had the highest percentage at 19.33%. This is the city’s first major election since the council significantly upped the campaign contribution limit in local races — from $620 to now $5,500 for individual donors. Huntington Beach already had a conservative majority on the council, but now it looks like it’ll be full-steam ahead on what Madrid described as “culture war” issues. You’ll likely see less, if any, split council votes. Apart from housing and voter access, there’s also the yet-to-start parent-guardian review board for children’s library books ( with a related lawsuit there ), and another challenge to the state’s law prohibiting schools from requiring teachers to disclose a kids’ gender identity to their parents. Did LAist help you vote? Member support made these voter guides possible. Our election coverage is focused on you: helping you understand the results of these races and their impact on our everyday lives. And we don’t stop there, even after results are in, you need a source of trusted reporting that will hold those in power to account and shine a light on issues important to our communities. Even after the last ballot is cast, LAist reporting and voting guides are here for you. But we need to hear from you now with your support to know that this work we’re doing is important. We cannot do this essential work without your help. We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you. At a time when the need for local journalism has never been greater, many newsrooms are facing cutbacks, including LAist. Member support — your support — is what will sustain a free press in Southern California. LAist’s mission is to be here for you, so please be here for us now with a donation to power our trusted local reporting. Step up right now and make the choice to give. Because that’s exactly what it is — a choice. It's a choice with consequences. If readers do not choose to step up and donate, the future of fact-based news in Southern California will not be as strong. No matter what happens in the world, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Thank you for your generous support. Sincerely,Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema forcefully defends Fighting Illini’s Week 13 hero in Rutgers win after award snub | Sporting NewsNone
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants snapped a franchise-record 10-game losing streak and ended the Indianapolis Colts' slim playoff hopes Sunday as Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes and ran for another in a 45-33 victory. New York earned its first home win of the season and it no longer has control of the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Lock sandwiched touchdown passes of 31 and 59 yards to Malik Nabers around TD passes of 32 yards to Darius Slayton and 5 yards to Wan'Dale Robinson in leading the Giants (3-13) to their first win since beating Seattle on Oct. 6. Ihmir Smith-Marsette had a 100-yard return on the second-half kickoff on a day the league's worst offense set a season high for points. Jonathan Taylor scored on runs of 3 and 26 yards for Indianapolis (7-9), while Joe Flacco, subbing for the injured Anthony Richardson, threw touchdown passes of 13 yards to Alec Pierce and 7 yards to Michael Pittman, the last bringing the Colts within 35-33 with 6:38 left in the fourth quarter. Lock, who finished 17 of 23 for 309 yards, iced the game by leading a nine-play, 70-yard drive that he capped with a 5-yard run. The 45 points were the most for New York since putting up 49 in a 52-49 loss to the Saints in 2015. It’s the Giants most in a win since a 45-14 rout against Washington in 2014 and most at home since a 52-27 win against the Saints in 2012. Nabers finished with seven catches for a career-high 171 yards. Flacco was 26 of 38 for 330 yards with two interceptions, the second by rookie Dru Phillips shortly after Lock's TD run. Taylor, who rushed for 218 yards in a win over Tennessee last weekend, finished with 125 yards on 32 carries. Pierce had six catches for 122 yards. Nabers and running back Tyrone Tracy become the third pair of rookies to have more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in the same season. The previous duo was running back Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston of the Saints in 2006. Colts: Richardson was inactive with foot and back injuries sustained against Tennessee. Giants: DL Armon Watts (knee) was ruled out in the first half. Colts: Finish the regular season by hosting Jacksonville. Giants: At Philadelphia to face Saquon Barkley and the Eagles. AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLSmith's career-high 205 yards rushing carries San Diego past Morehead State 37-14
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NoneFor most TikTok users, creating and posting videos is a fun pastime. But, for three Lake County Public Library staffers, it’s a job responsibility they never expected. LCPL staff created a library TikTok account near the end of 2022, and almost two years later, the page has nearly 4,000 followers and has gotten almost 169,000 likes. The social media account was created to help reach younger patrons, said Kelley McDonnell, assistant branch manager. Max Jackson, assistant librarian, Demi Marshall, assistant librarian, and McDonnell are the three main library employees who create videos for the TikTok account. TikTok is a social media platform where users can post and react to short videos. It was the most downloaded entertainment app in 2022, with 99 million downloads through iOS and Google Play app stores, according to Apptopia . Jackson and McDonnell were creating content for the library’s Instagram account when they had the idea for a TikTok page. They had series including “First Page Fridays,” where someone would read the first page of a book to drum up interest. The two librarians would typically read from young adult books to target teenage patrons, Jackson said. Demi Marshall, assistant librarian, discusses the post she helped to create on TikTok. The library is trying to attract new patrons through TikTok at the Lake County Public Library in Merrillville on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (John Smierciak / Post-Tribune) “We were already doing creative content like that,” he added. “So when TikTok became more prevalent, we were like, ‘Hey, we should transition over and start doing TikToks as well.” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the two librarians tried even harder to push for a TikTok account, McDonnell said. McDonnell attended a conference with another librarian that included a session focused on another library’s TikTok account, and she brought that information back to work with her. LCPL’s TikTok follower count is higher than Instagram but lower than Facebook, said Robin Johnsen, technology marketing specialist for the library. TikTok relies more on the viral aspect of videos, Johnsen said, so the library’s views on each video could be greater than the number of followers. “It’s been very interesting,” Johnsen said. “As the TikTok takes off, our other social media accounts become more popular as well. So, we often cross-post TikToks to our other platforms.” LCPL’s social media staff aims to post at least once a week, McDonnell said, but sometimes it can be longer. In the future, she wants to create a more consistent schedule for posts. Although Jackson, Marshall and McDonnell are the three main librarians who post on TikTok, McDonnell said other staff members help generate ideas and help make videos. “Generally, we look at what’s currently trending on TikTok,” McDonnell said. “We look at what other libraries are doing on their accounts and then our own general interests.” Kelley McDonnell assistant branch head librarian, laughs as she relates the various ways the library is trying to attract new patrons through TikTok at the Lake County Public Library in Merrillville on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (John Smierciak / Post-Tribune) Compared to other social media platforms, the library gets more comments on its TikTok account. Marshall, one of the librarians running the account, said she enjoys reading comments on videos. Marshall’s favorite video features multiple librarians, all wearing cardigans and glasses and waving at the camera. The video implies that while librarians might not have a uniform, they all dress similarly. As of Friday morning, the video had more than 93,000 likes and nearly 500 comments. “It brought out a lot of really sweet comments from people,” Marshall said. “People were like, ‘This is what you see at the gates of heaven,’ or, ‘I feel so safe here...’ I loved that one because of the response it got from everybody.” McDonnell’s favorite video features Jackson and a song by Natasha Bedingfield, “Pocketful of Sunshine.” The video highlights books by romance author Emily Henry and is captioned, “When sci-fi/fantasy fans dip their toes into romance.” McDonnell likes the video because Jackson “did a great job editing,” she said. The video had more than 10,000 likes and 225 comments, as of Friday morning. Jackson’s favorite videos are the book recommendations, which he said the staff made more often when they first created the account. He also likes how Marshall edits the videos. Although the TikTok page is more lighthearted, Jackson said it’s important that each video ties back to the library. Videos can spark interest in library services and available books. “While it always ties into the library in some way, a lot of times we’re just trying to have fun with it, engage viewers and just be ourselves,” Jackson said. “There are plenty of times where I’m like, ‘I’m not teaching anybody anything with this video. I just think it’s a fun idea.’” mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
Christmas Books for Little Kids by various authors and illustrators c.2024, various publishers $14.99 to $18.99 various page counts You’d better watch out. And you know why: pretty soon, you’re going to have a visitor come down your chimney or through a window or door of your house and leave you presents, if you’ve been good. No doubt, you’re excited for that, and for the twinkly lights and the holiday music. Christmas can’t some soon enough, so why not spend your time waiting by reading these great books... For any kid who’s asked for a new pet from Santa, “A Stray Dog for Christmas: How Suzy was Adopted” by Jack Jokinen, illustrated by Wendy Tan (Sourcebooks Kids, $14.99) is the book to read. It’s the story of a puppy without a name who was accidentally locked in a house. There are people who live there. Will they like her? Will they be her friend? Will they give her a name, once and for all, of her very own? Animal-loving kids ages three to six will want to find out! Be sure to check out the afterword, too, and meet the real Suzy. You can’t go wrong with a classic Christmas tale, and “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” adapted by the Poem by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Jane Chapman (Sourcebooks Kids, $18.99) is that, with a twist. Here, Pa, and Ma in her kerchief are bears, as is Santa, whose sleigh is pulled by eight kinds of dogs sporting antlers on their heads. As the story unfolds, other animals join the tale and it’s adorable on steroids. Kids ages five to eight who love Christmas won’t want you to put this book away with the decorations. They’ll want to have it read to them year ‘round. Children who are familiar with the “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” books will be happy to see “Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho” by William Boniface, illustrated by Julien Chung (Beach Lane Books / Simon & Schuster, $18.99) on the top of their Christmas book TBR pile. Here, A talks to B, and B convinces C to meet in the Christmas tree, which starts a tale of decorations and presents and “oh, no!” Kids ages two and three, those who are just learning their alphabet, will have fun with this picture book, and the shiny illustrations inside are very appealing. Older children (ages four and five) will love that the story reads so much like a jazzy, be-bop rhyme that they might even be tempted to make up a tune to go with it. And if these, and your personal favorite childhood Christmas books, aren’t enough for your youngster, be sure to check with your favorite bookseller or librarian and ask for new favorites and new traditions. Anyone at the bookstore or library can steer you toward even more picture books – literally, there are dozens of new ones for small children released ever year – and they’ll be happy to show you what’s new in holiday books for older kids and teens, and books for you, too. As for the above titles, though... you’d better watch out for them.US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer
Share Tweet Share Share Email In the face of a nationwide opioid crisis, the demand for life-saving interventions has never been more urgent. Overdose deaths, primarily from opioids like fentanyl, continue to rise, claiming thousands of lives every year. It’s a crisis that calls for creative, compassionate solutions. Enter ZEM Life—a tech company with a mission to address overdose prevention head-on, providing a life-saving answer to an epidemic that has touched far too many families. Co-founders Steven Muth and Dr. Joanna Sawyer have developed ZEM Life’s signature smartwatch, a wearable device poised to save lives through real-time monitoring, alerting, and intervention, ultimately helping people avoid preventable deaths. For Steven Muth, ZEM Life’s mission is intensely personal. In 2021, he lost his son, Zachary Ernest Muth, to an accidental fentanyl overdose. This devastating event became a catalyst for Steven, sparking a vision that would turn his pain into purpose. Wracked with grief and a profound sense of guilt, he wondered if there was a way to help prevent such tragedies for other families. Could there be a device to monitor someone’s health and intervene at the critical moment of overdose? At first, this idea was just a glimmer—a desperate thought rooted in the hope that other parents might be spared the same anguish. Fate introduced Steven to Dr. Joanna Sawyer, an anesthesiologist with expertise in pain management and pharmacology, on a blind date. Though no romance blossomed, a powerful partnership was born. When Steven shared his story of loss and his idea for a life-saving device, Joanna responded with an idea that would turn vision into reality. She explained that an auto-injector could be built into a wearable device, automatically delivering Narcan if an overdose was detected. Steven and Joanna founded ZEM Life, named in Zachary’s honor, and committed themselves to building a groundbreaking device. The ZEM Life smartwatch was designed with advanced technology that monitors critical health indicators like pulse and oxygen levels. When the device detects an overdose, it triggers an alert, prompting the user to respond. If there’s no response, the smartwatch auto-injects Narcan—an emergency opioid antagonist—and sends the user’s GPS location to emergency services, all in a matter of seconds. This technology is vital since many overdoses happen when people are alone, rendering conventional Narcan kits ineffective. With ZEM Life’s smartwatch, however, individuals at risk of overdose gain a lifeline, allowing intervention even when they’re isolated. Beyond overdose prevention, ZEM Life’s smartwatch has the potential to save lives across a range of medical emergencies. The team envisions expanding the device’s capabilities to address conditions like anaphylactic shock, heart attacks, and venomous bites, creating a wearable health solution that could change the face of emergency response. The device may even be adapted for timed medication dispensing for patients managing chronic conditions such as infertility. This broader vision speaks to ZEM Life’s commitment to flexibility and adaptability, ensuring its technology remains relevant and life-saving for a variety of health concerns. By combining advanced medical technology with a profoundly human purpose, ZEM Life aims to reduce preventable deaths, offering peace of mind not only to those at risk of overdose but to their loved ones as well. In honor of his son, Steven Muth’s journey has turned the unbearable weight of loss into a legacy of hope and action, supported by the expertise and dedication of Dr. Joanna Sawyer. Together, they are shaping a future where wearable technology helps people access medical care when they need it most. To learn more about ZEM Life’s life-saving technology, visit https://www.zemlifedevice.com/ . Related Items: Tragedy Into a Solution , Zem Life Share Tweet Share Share Email CommentsOpenAI’s legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI ‘dictatorship’