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Bangladesh journalists ‘sacked on students’ demand’, media associations in India flag ‘mob threat’
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a law that allows those who sign up to fight in Ukraine to write off unpaid debts worth almost $100,000, the government announced. The new legislation will be a strong motivation for some to join up, experts said, as Russia seeks new ways to recruit fighters for the nearly three-year conflict grinding through troops. The new legislation will allow those who sign a one-year contract to fight in Ukraine after December 1 to free themselves of existing bad debts. It also covers their spouses. The law concerns debts where a court order for collection was issued and enforcement proceedings began before December 1, 2024. The total amount of unpaid debt that can be covered is 10 million rubles, around $96,000 at current rates. Parliament approved the bill earlier this month. The legislation will largely concern younger Russians of fighting age, since those in their 30s and younger are most likely to have loans. Russia has extremely high interest rates for loans and many Russians have almost no cash savings, although the proportion of home owners is relatively high. "Previously (for those fighting) there was only provision for taking repayment holidays on loans," Sergei Krivenko of advocacy group Citizen Army Law told Vazhniye Istorii Telegram channel. The new legislation applies to those who are conscripted for national service and those mobilised for the so-called "special military operation", Krivenko said. Conscripts cannot be sent to the front line but can choose to sign a contract to join the professional army and be sent to fight in Ukraine. Russian authorities "are strengthening the motivation to sign a contract," political analyst Georgy Bovt wrote on Telegram. The legislation provides "another way to get rid of an unbearable burden of credit, at least for several hundred thousand people," Bovt wrote. Over 13 million Russians have three or more loans, according to a central bank report released last month covering the first two quarters. This was up 20 percent on the same period last year. The average amount owed by those with three or more loans is 1.4 million rubles ($13,400 at current rates). Many start with a bank loan and then apply for further loans from microfinance organisations. Russians serving on the front line are already paid far more than the national average. Ukraine also has legislation allowing those fighting to get preferential terms for loans and in some cases to write off debts. bur/twWin a festive four-pack of tickets to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Childsplay Theatre
Retail Investors Are Flocking! See Why Nvidia’s $30 Billion Milestone Matters.Halifax security forum: United States senator questions Canada's military spending
Trump trolls Trudeau as 'governor' of Canada
Over half of Canadian businesses regret recent software purchases according to a new survey. Yet a significant 69 percent still plan to increase their software spending in 2025, highlighting a growing reliance on technology to drive growth and efficiency. This is according to a survey from the firm Capterra . Technological advancements, particularly in areas like generative AI, have emerged as the most influential external factor shaping business goals, with 59 percent of Canadian companies citing it as a key driver. This influence surpasses even the pressures of competition and labour market challenges, highlighting a clear shift in strategic priorities (by 53 percent and 40 percent of Canadian professionals, respectively). The survey indicates that businesses anticipate growth, with 82 percent of decision-makers expecting increased revenue, there’s a noticeable alignment between business expansion and tech investments. Companies are focusing on software that supports scalability and operational performance, with learning management, business intelligence, and IT support tools leading the charge. Over the past 12 months, Canadian businesses have invested heavily in software that supports employee development, collaboration, and learning—all essential capabilities for a growing company. The most widely adopted software type was learning management (55 percent), followed by business intelligence (BI) software (54 percent), and help desk and IT support (53 percent). The journey has potential hurdles. For example, a significant 56 percent of decision-makers report regretting at least one tech purchase in the past 18 months. Security concerns, data management, and compatibility issues are among the primary challenges they face. Many of these issues can be avoided by being mindful of key challenges associated with purchasing software. Canadian businesses say the top three challenges they face in buying software include security concerns (48 percent), data management (35 percent), and compatibility with existing systems (35 percent). Among software buyers who expressed dissatisfaction with a purchase, 36 percent report that this stems from the software being more expensive than expected. Beyond the subscription cost, businesses should consider the total cost of ownership, which may include fees for implementation, customization, data migration, user training, or customer support. Another 34 percent of regretful buyers cited difficulties with training and onboarding, and 31% cited poor technical support. This demonstrates the need for businesses to set clear expectations for customer support requirements with potential vendors early on in the evaluation process. Additionally, the importance of vendor reputation and comprehensive customer support has become increasingly evident, as businesses strive to avoid buyer’s regret. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.
India Inc to boost hiring by at least 10% next year vs 2024, estimates CIEL HR
: The South Zone Inter-University Table Tennis Tournament for Men was inaugurated at Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) on its campus here on Tuesday. According to a press release, T. Arumugam, vice-chancellor, Thiruvalluvar University, inaugurated the tournament in the presence of G. Viswanathan, founder and chancellor, VIT; N.V. Thiyagachanthan, Director, Department of Physical Education; and Sankar Viswanathan, vice-president. In his presidential address, G. Viswanathan said that participating in sports and games was more important than winning, as they help maintain physical and mental health. “Sportsmanship means that sportspersons will not entertain enmity if somebody wins the game. You (Sportsperson) will not become an enemy of anybody. Sportspersons know how to behave with others and how to be a team player. These are the aspects you learn when you participate in various sports,” he said. Thiruvalluvar University vice-chancellor Mr. Arumugam said that the role of sports was key in moulding one’s personality. “Sports and games are an integral part of a human being’s daily life. So, sportspersons should make use of the opportunity to develop their game of interest, physique, and mind-set,” he said. In the five-day competition, 103 teams from universities in South India will participate, the release said. Published - December 11, 2024 02:04 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit
Novak Djokovic has appointed a new member to his coaching team as he prepares to compete for his 25th Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open in January. The new member's name? Andy Murray. Yes, that Andy Murray. The UK tennis player who won two Grand Slam trophies and retired from the sport this past summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Helping coach up his former rival is his first move since ending his professional career. “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open," "I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” Djokovic and Murray, who are both 37 (they were born within one week of each other in 1987), were on-court rivals during Murray's heyday in the early and mid 2010s. Djokovic has the edge in their 36 career face-offs, winning 25 to Murray's 11. If you just look at head-to-head finals, Djokovic beat Murray 11 times while Murray beat Djokovic eight times. But at Grand Slams, Djokovic absolutely owned Murray with an 8-2 record. There are more secrets hiding in that 25-11 record. Murray lost to Djokovic four times in six years at the Australian Open final (2011, 2015, 2015, 2016), which is why some may be raising their eyebrows at this move. But beating a player doesn't mean you don't have anything to learn from them. Murray never won the Australian Open, but he did make the final five times, which meant he was doing something right. Djokovic mentioned his Australian Open history with Murray in his statement. “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach." "Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy, with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on Australian soil.” That Aussie Open history, as well as their shared personal history as longtime competitors, are two things Djokovic mentioned in a hype video Djokovic narrated and posted Saturday on social media, and were likely important factors in Djokovic's decision to bring Murray aboard. He never liked retirement anyway. 🙌 — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) The Australian Open begins Jan. 12, 2025.Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione’s arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione’s family and upbringing Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather’s obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione’s education and work history Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company confirmed to the AP. Time in Hawaii and reports of back pain From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone’s lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Police report a darker turn Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. ___ Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
Mike Wilson predicts 'flat-ish' S&P 500 returns over the next decade due to high valuations. Current Shiller CAPE ratio levels suggest annualized returns in the 2-3% range over 10 years. But Wilson sees potential in energy, materials, and emerging markets like India and China. With a price target of 6,500, Mike Wilson thinks the S&P 500 has relatively modest upside of around 9% in 2025. But over the next 10 years, expect the benchmark index's annualized returns to be roughly flat, the Morgan Stanley CIO says. There's a simple explanation for why: valuations, which account for much of how equities perform over a 10-year period, are historically elevated, he said. Wilson made the comments in an interview with the economist David Rosenberg earlier this month, and then reiterated his outlook in an interview with Business Insider this week. "My comment on the podcast is not a controversial view based on valuations," he told BI. "That is a very common view, that given where valuations are today, over the next 10 years, the returns from point A to point B will be basically flat-ish, and on a real basis, maybe negative." Below are a couple of valuation measures that Wilson cites. On the left is the forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio. On the right is the Shiller cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio, which compares the current prices to a 10-year rolling average of earnings to normalize outliers. Both measures are approaching levels seen at the peak of the internet bubble in 2000. The Shiller CAPE ratio has proven very dependable in predicting long-term returns. Current levels around 37 put 10-year return expectations in the 2-3% range, according to the analysis below from Michael Finke , a professor of wealth management at The American College of Financial Services. As Wilson alluded to, he's not the first to warn of a sort of lost decade ahead for the broader market. Goldman Sachs' David Kostin said in October that he sees the S&P 500 delivering 3% average annualized returns over the next decade. Compare that to 4.59% risk-free yield on 10-year Treasurys. Smead Capital Management's Bill Smead, a top-2% value investor, has also recently warned of poor annualized returns in the coming decade. Some think calls like Kostin's are too bearish, however. "There's no denying the stark relationship between P/E ratios and long-term forward returns, but an annualized return of 3% over the next ten years is likely too low," said Jeff Buchbinder, the chief equity strategist at LPL Financial, in an October 29 note. "Productivity gains from technology investments (artificial intelligence and otherwise) are likely to boost the profitability of S&P 500 companies and support both earnings growth and valuations." While Wilson has a sour long-term outlook on the index level, he thinks certain areas of the market are better positioned than others to deliver robust returns in the years ahead. "There will be plenty of opportunities to make money over that time in sectors and stocks even if the index is flat," he said. Two underappreciated sectors right now are the energy and materials sectors, with their valuation levels relatively depressed. While the S&P 500's trailing 12-month PE ratio sits at 29.5, the same measure for the iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF is 21.6, and the iShares U.S. Energy ETF is 10.7. "If you were to be adding certain energy assets or materials assets here, yes, I think your odds of making pretty good money over the next 3-5 years are quite high," Wilson told BI. Spending on AI infrastructure will benefit the sectors, he said. "It doesn't happen magically without energy and materials," Wilson said. Wilson also said international stocks, particularly some emerging markets, are trading at attractive prices. India is one that he believes is in a bull market trend. And China could start to turn around eventually, he said. "China is the one that everyone's kind of trying to figure out," he said. "I don't know when it starts, but I wouldn't count the Chinese stock market out completely, and I think there will be opportunities there." As of November 29, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index traded at a 15.3 trailing 12-month PE ratio.Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation's top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione's arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather's obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company confirmed to the AP. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone's lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
Prolific offender will remain in jail, but promises to stay clean for his daughter once releasedLos Angeles Chargers (7-4) at Atlanta (6-5) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.
GANDERBAL, Dec 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened a video conference meeting with all district across Jammu and Kashmir to review snow clearance operations and restoration of essential services following heavy snowfall in the Kashmir Valley. The meeting held at the video conference hall in Ganderbal, was attended in person by Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Shyambir, ADC Ganderbal, and other senior district officials. Chief Secretary, Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, and Deputy Commissioners from all districts participated via video conferencing. The snowfall, which began yesterday, has disrupted normal life in many districts across the valley. During the meeting, Deputy Commissioners presented updates on snow clearance, restoration of power and water supply and emergency response to deal with inclement weather. The Chief Minister directed Deputy Commissioners to personally supervise snow clearance operations, emphasizing the need to obtain photographic evidence of cleared areas to ensure thorough removal and prevent freezing road condition as temperatures drop. He called for a proactive approach, urging officials to deploy adequate manpower and machinery on the ground. District administrations were instructed to provide two-hourly updates to the CM’s office and the Chief Secretary’s office to keep the government apprised of the situation. The Chief Engineer of Public Health Engineering (PHE) informed the CM that 90% of the water supply across the valley has been restored, with efforts underway to address the remaining 10%. The Divisional Commissioner of Jammu reported that power and water supply in Jammu districts remain unaffected, while the Chief Secretary confirmed steady progress in restoring electricity feeders and assured that district hospitals are functioning smoothly. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of ensuring 100% attendance of doctors and paramedical staff at all district and sub-district hospitals to effectively manage emergencies. Special instructions were issued to the Deputy Commissioner Budgam to coordinate with airport authorities to assist stranded tourists and to provide transportation, if required. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir assured that sufficient stocks of essential commodities, including food and other civil supplies, are available in all districts. Commending officials for their efforts, the Chief Minister urged them to remain vigilant, proactive, and responsive to the needs of the people during this challenging period. He emphasized the importance of seamless coordination and uninterrupted services to mitigate the impact of the snowfall on the public.Yoon Suk-yeol's latest political gambit undoubtedly did not unfold as he expected. After abruptly declaring martial law on Dec 3, South Korea's scandal-plagued president was forced to lift the order within hours in the face of public protests and legislative opposition. He now faces an impeachment motion filed by the opposition Democratic Party, which has condemned his "insurrectionary behaviour". As of this writing, the opposition is eight votes shy of what it needs to oust Mr Yoon. But given the artful design of South Korea's 1987 constitution and the country's recent experience with impeachment, the opposition has an advantage, and it stands on firm legal ground. Mr Yoon's removal would serve as a global example -- in stark contrast to the United States -- of how democracies can and should deal with those who abuse the privileges of incumbency. A South Korean president can be impeached for violating "the constitution or other laws in the performance of official duties". While a simple majority in the National Assembly can propose an impeachment bill, it must then be approved by a two-thirds supermajority. As in the US, the constitution limits the effect of impeachment to removal from office, and expressly leaves open the possibility of a criminal prosecution. But unlike in the US, a Korean president who faces impeachment immediately passes his or her duties to the prime minister. And in another departure from the American model, the impeachment motion then goes to the Constitutional Court for final approval. This design has resulted in two successful impeachments in the last two decades. In 2004, president Roh Moo-hyun was impeached, but the court held that the charges against him were inadequate to justify his removal. Roh went on to finish his term, but later committed suicide while facing corruption charges. Then, in December 2016, Park Geun-hye was impeached, and this time the Constitutional Court confirmed the decision. In 2018, Park was convicted on corruption and abuse-of-power charges and jailed. Since the vote in the Park case was bipartisan, members of Mr Yoon's People Power Party cannot take refuge in simply voting along party lines. Precedent demands that they take their constitutional responsibility seriously, as others before them have done. The Constitutional Court's certification of their decision -- in effect, checking the legality of their work -- also serves an important function, shielding legislators from accusations of partisan impropriety. In 2004, the court made clear that while the National Assembly had a political and fact-finding role to play, judges would ultimately decide whether the facts presented met the constitution's threshold for removal. Nor can legislators be accused of acting undemocratically. After all, a fresh election necessarily follows from a successful impeachment vote. Far from overruling the people, they are preventing the people's trust from being abused. The Constitutional Court's final review and the quick triggering of new elections are both missing in the US system. Thanks to wise choices made by the drafters of the South Korean constitution, impeachment functions as a "hard reset" of the democratic system. When malign incumbents show their true colours, they can be shown the door before public confidence in the system is lost. The court ruling in Roh's case made this point. Given this standard, there is a powerful case for concluding that Mr Yoon's actions -- even more so than Park's -- fit the bill. Under the 1987 constitution, the president may declare martial law solely "to cope with a military necessity or to maintain the public safety and order by mobilisation of the military forces in time of war, armed conflict, or similar national emergency". Mr Yoon's decision not only fell far short of this standard; it made a mockery of it. In declaring martial law, Mr Yoon did not bother to cite any "military necessity" or credible threat to "public order". Instead, he offered an intemperate word salad of complaints about legislators' fiscal decisions, investigations into his scandals, and unsubstantiated claims about "threats of North Korean communist forces and ... shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces". Far from meeting the constitutional standard for imposing martial law, Mr Yoon's behaviour and plain disregard for the facts revealed a disregard for the democratic system. At a moment when leaders in other backsliding democracies seem to enjoy impunity, South Korea's latest impeachment saga is a reminder that democracy, once established, can easily be lost through inattention or venality. The authority of a president must not be confused with the naked flexing of power by someone who once won an election. ©2024 Project Syndicate Aziz Huq, Professor of Law at the University of Chicago, is author of 'The Collapse of Constitutional Remedies' (Oxford University Press, 2021).CHICAGO — Scotty Pippen Jr. had a career-best 30 points with 10 assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies past the Chicago Bulls 142-131 on Saturday night. Jaylen Wells added 26 points as Memphis won its second straight. Pippen, playing in the arena where his Hall of Fame father’s retired number hangs, had 26 points in the first three quarters for Memphis, which has won three of its last four. Memphis led 109-98 after three quarters and broke the game open with an 8-3 run in the opening minutes of the final period. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 23 points, and Santi Aldama added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis, which led 64-60 at halftime and outrebounded the Bulls 49-35. The Bulls fell despite 29 points from Zach LaVine, which included 26 in the second half, and 26 points and eight rebounds from Nikola Vucevic. Takeaways Grizzlies: Memphis improved to 5-3 during Ja Morant’s absence. The two-time All-Star remained out of action with a hip injury. Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. posts up on Chicago Bulls' Jalen Smith as Coby White handles the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Chicago. Credit: AP/Charles Rex Arbogast Bulls: Taking more 3-pointers has been a priority this season, but Chicago wasn't able to earn a win despite shooting 45.2% (19 of 42) from 3. Key moment Up 91-84 midway through the third quarter, Memphis got consecutive 3-pointers from Jay Huff and Luke Kennard that pushed the lead into double digits and forced a Chicago timeout. The hosts got the deficit under 10 points just twice the rest of the night. Key stat The Bulls shot 37% from the floor and managed just 22 points during the first quarter as Memphis took a lead it never lost. Up next The Grizzlies host Portland on Monday night, and Chicago visits Washington on Tuesday.
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The first time I tracked my blood sugar, I wrote about how it humbled me and knocked my wellness socks clean off , before eventually bringing me around to the idea that glucose monitoring -- tracking the ebbs and flows of blood sugar throughout the day and over time -- can be very telling of overall health in ways you may not realize. For the past few weeks, and with a break or two between sensors, I've been wearing the Lingo continuous glucose monitor , also known as a CGM, made by Abbott, one of two diabetes care "big wigs." (The other diabetes tech giant is Dexcom, whose Stelo CGM I wore for my first time tracking blood sugar.) Like Stelo was for Dexcom, Lingo is the result of Abbott turning a medical device that once required a prescription into consumer tech cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for use by any adult who doesn't need insulin and wants a deeper dive into how their diet and lifestyle affects blood sugar. This is important, as glucose levels can tell you about your diabetes risk and overall metabolic health, giving you a leg up and some agency to make changes or get care as you see fit. Lingo is a small, circular biowearable that sticks to the back of your arm and tracks your glucose in real time through a teeny sensor that reads glucose levels in interstitial fluid , which leaks out of surrounds cells and gives away their blood sugar contents. While there have been workarounds for people without diabetes to get a prescription for CGMs through biohacking companies like Nutrisense and Levels , having blood sugar biosensors cleared directly for the general wellness market by the FDA is a big deal, since glucose remains a crucial health marker that smartwatches, smart rings and any other regular consumer wearable can't touch yet . Apple is getting closer to adding glucose tracking to its smartwatches, reports from Bloomberg suggest, but it won't be our reality in the near future, as the only tech that can reliably track blood sugar so far needs to (literally) get under our skin. So, how does the Lingo -- marketed specifically for general wellness consumers -- compare to the Stelo, whose target customer base is those with Type 2 diabetes or those in the prediabetes zone? Here's what I found, what I like about the Lingo app and where I think it can improve. Also, we'll take this moment to debrief what current scientific evidence says about glucose as a measure of our metabolic health -- the very function of our bodies and how they use energy. Why you should care about blood sugar or glucose When we eat, our body converts food (mostly glucose or "sugar") into energy, which our body breaks down, uses and stores. So naturally, we get a little uptick or energy boost after a meal -- especially from carbohydrates, which are made up of simple sugars -- and our body releases the hormone insulin in response to help convert energy and bring blood sugar down. People with diabetes have a disrupted insulin response, and people with Type 1 diabetes, as well as some with Type 2 diabetes, need to take insulin as medication. However, in people without a diabetes diagnosis, blood sugar that stays too high for too long can also pose health problems or indicate an underlying problem, such as illness or even prolonged stress or sleep disturbances. It can also mean insulin resistance, where the body has to work harder to produce enough insulin to clear blood sugar from the blood, which can lead to prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes if not managed. Diabetes or too-high blood sugar becomes a problem because blood sugar can damage nerves, hurt kidneys and more. Fortunately, prevention or management of diabetes is possible, which is where CGMs come in. Dr. Scott Isaacs, a board-certified endocrinologist and president-elect of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, told me last summer during my first stint monitoring my blood sugar that CGMs have a leg up against traditional blood sugar tests, such as the A1C test you may get as part of typical blood work , because they give you a days-long range of information. You can also get actionable insights into how different habits or choices impact glucose. For example, I've found that walking around after a meal not only makes me feel better but reduces the severity of my glucose spike after eating. I've also tried to eat a little more protein ( nothing too dramatic ), as research has shown that starting with protein or less sugary foods also helps stabilize blood sugar. All of this health insight, and more, is available on the Lingo app, so you can learn as you watch your glucose levels naturally rise and fall throughout the day. Read more: TikTok Spotted My Diabetes Before I Did. 2 Gadgets I Now Use Daily Getting started with Lingo Abbott originally announced Lingo at CES 2022 as part of a line of biosensors that will, one day, the company says, be able to track not only glucose but other metrics like ketones (bodily acids that break down fat for energy) as well. With all this build-up, I've been itching to try the Lingo. A single biosensor, which will give you two weeks of data, costs $49 . A whole month (two sensors) costs $89, and if you're really in it for the long haul, you can opt for a three-month subscription of $249. Unfortunately for Android users, Lingo only works with iPhone currently. If you're an Android user and want to track your blood sugar or glucose, you should get the Stelo by Dexcom , which works for both Android and iPhone. Because I'd already worn a CGM for about a month earlier this year, I had an idea of what to expect this time around. In my experience, setting up Lingo was virtually painless, less loud than the noise Stelo makes when being injected into my arm and easy to do. The first step is to download the Lingo app and create an account. Then, sterilize the back of your arm where you'll be attaching the biosensor -- Abbott recommends you use soap and water first, then an alcohol wipe. Lingo comes in a box with two components: a gray biosensor applicator and a white biosensor pack that comes with a peel-off lid. To prepare your biosensor for your arm, peel off the biosensor pack lid. Then, unscrew the applicator cap and line it up with the biosensor pack per the instructions. Push it firmly down so the biosensor attaches to the applicator. Once your biosensor is loaded, follow the applicator instructions and push firmly on the sterilized part of your back arm. Then, scan the biosensor with your phone so it pairs. It takes about an hour to warm up and officially start measuring your glucose or blood sugar. Lingo comes with an applicator and a biosensor that you need to connect before sticking it to your arm. Pros and cons of Lingo app I appreciated the relative transparency of the Lingo app and what are good glucose goals to aim for. On the "today" screen, which shows a graph of real-time glucose information, you'll see dotted lines outlining the "healthy range." This range -- between 70 and 140 mg/dL -- serves as a parameter for people who haven't been diagnosed with diabetes to stay between. Many reports say that 96% of the time, you should aim to keep it below 140 mg/dL. I also liked how Lingo/Abbott has a "common questions" section under the "challenges" tab, which gets into what the target range means and what it indicates if you "see spikes." The app explains how spikes are normal after eating but should return to baseline about 90 minutes later. While there's very little official health word on what your graphs or numbers should look like as someone without diabetes, this guidance seems to run with how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses 140 mg/dL as a cut-off for a prediabetes diagnosis during the fasting glucose test -- that is, two hours after consuming glucose, your body should bring your blood sugar down below 140. I appreciated the extra health context Lingo provides. Now for something I want to like but can't get behind yet: the Lingo Count. I don't get it. It's a number that supposedly represents your glucose spikes throughout the day. Everyone's "target" starts at 60, but you can adjust it higher or lower based on your own goals. You'll see it go up throughout the day, and you can look at how your counts stack up as the week goes on. The goal is to stay under your target count. Pamela Nisevich Bede, a registered dietician, nutritionist and senior manager of medical affairs at Abbott, said that the Lingo count is meant to provide more context for people who haven't had any experience tracking their glucose before and may want an easier score to go after. But Bede said it's something they're always looking at, as blood sugar tracking in people without diabetes is still a new concept. "It's a value that we're always playing with," Bede said about Lingo Count. "We're always looking for new research into individuals without diabetes -- what's that going to look like in five years? I think, 'more to come'." While it does feel similar to a wearable readiness score, I prefer just looking at the graph and seeing how my glucose goes up and down throughout the day. I should also say, while I love my Oura data, I only look at the actual data (sleeping time, temperature trends, etc), and barely give the numerical Readiness Score a glance. So maybe someone who finds the more holistic wearable scores or briefings useful will appreciate Lingo Count. However, the Lingo app does give you a list of Lingo Counts throughout the day that prompt you to log an event (food, most likely), and I find this helpful to make note of the "big" glucose events so that you don't have to sweat the small snacks or activities. As I wrote for my first CGM review, I'm not a fan of food logging, even when it's not asking for calories, because I think it sets a potentially harmful precedent and you can get yourself into the swing of checking the app/your glucose graph periodically throughout the day to see how it may affect you. My least favorite thing about the Lingo experience has been its motivational wording in the "Today" tab when you open the app. On this particular day, my Lingo app told me to do some squats because my Lingo Count was going up post-coffee. Another thing I didn't love about the Lingo app is the attempted motivational wording it uses in the "Today" tab. It's possible I'm reaching and not everyone will feel this way, but praising phrases like "Good job today" when the app is centered around eating and diet feels weird and makes my spidey senses for disordered eating potential tingle. I also laughed out loud when I looked at my glucose measurements after my first coffee of the day recently (I added oat milk and sugar) and the app suggested I get up and do 20 squats because my Lingo Count was going up. Other things I didn't appreciate: When the Lingo app told me to do calf raises and put some "tunes" on while I cleaned up after dinner. Glucose tracking 2.0: Lingo vs. Stelo CGM I was more prepared, and less scared, during my testing of Lingo than I was when I first attached Stelo. During the latter's testing, I was flying blind in terms of what "normal" glucose fluctuations were supposed to look like. I also experienced (what seemed to be) markedly different glucose levels from the start of my Stelo run to the end. I have had no formal diagnosis or medical conclusion drawn around any of this. Still, my hypothesis for why this happened is that I was sick and recovering from a virus when I first started using Stelo, combined with generally high stress. Comparatively, my Lingo glucose levels have been lower, though that may be credit to both companies' apps and biosensors doing their job of teaching me subtle ways to help regulate blood sugar, such as taking more walks and being mindful about eating protein or fattier, more satiating foods before the high-carb or sugary stuff. App-wise, in addition to Abbott more clearly defining what's "okay" vs. what should prompt you to reach out to your doctor for more information or guidance, I liked the graph set up more on the Lingo app, since you can toggle along the dotted line and go back days to see how your glucose has risen and fell. However, I personally find the motivational language a bit ridiculous (while well-meaning), so I think the copy could be improved in future versions of the app to be more hands-off and less micro-managy. In this sense, I think Stelo is superior. Importantly, whether you should go with Stelo or Lingo hinges mostly on whether you've been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (but aren't taking insulin) or if you think you're prediabetic. If either apply, you'll probably want to try the Stelo CGM, as it offers a higher target range up to 180 mg/dL and is generally less competitive/annoying with challenges and prompts. Of course, a big con to Lingo is that it is (currently) only available on iPhone, so it makes for an easier choice for Android users. Read more: Apple Watch Now Pairs Directly With Dexcom G7 in Diabetes Tech First My blood sugar had more "lows" with Lingo, so I investigated a crash An example of what the Lingo app looks like tracking your glucose. You'll see that my glucose levels were fairly low over night while I was sleeping -- the spike you see is when I had my first coffee of the day. For my first documentation of blood-sugar tracking with the Stelo CGM, I spent most of my time obsessing over highs and getting to the bottom of spikes. But my glucose levels have been lower with Lingo, so I want to spend time on a different, related phenomenon: the blood sugar crash. Something about 3:30 PM on a weekday makes me feel extremely unwell. On one occasion, I felt so tired and headachey, post-lunch, that I decided to check in with Lingo and see what my nifty glucose sensor had to say and if there was any correlation. Indeed, while I was feeling particularly "blah," my blood sugar had dipped below the bottom range of 70 mg/dL -- surprisingly low for me. In a person with diabetes or someone who takes insulin, this may be concerning and prompt some type of action. However, I don't have diabetes, so this was less a medical concern and more a head-scratching event to pick apart. What's more, I'm wearing the Lingo, which is a consumer wearable device -- not one approved for medical purposes. All that being said, here are some of my guesses at the culprits of my crash: I was drinking a Diet Dr. Pepper right before The Crash. I usually only drink soda (artificially sweetened) when I go into the office because the bright fluorescent lights overhead tire me out and give me a headache (yes, I'm a wimp), and I've usually burned through my coffee quota earlier in the day. Could artificial sugar be the problem? I haven't found any evidence to suggest it would. I was munching on bread -- more of it than I normally have when not paired with other food. Bread is delicious and absolutely part of a well-rounded diet, but it's very carby. Before the naan bread and Diet Coke, I had a banana, half a can of lentil soup and a bite of a red bean rice cake. While I wouldn't call this an unhealthy meal, it was pretty carb-heavy and not padded by a dose of protein up front, so I may've been doomed to crash. Tiredness. The two nights before, I'd had pretty poor sleep. About five and a half hours the previous night and about six and a half the night before that, according to my Oura ring data. Could I once again be victim to my own poor sleep choices? Probably. Taking all of this into account, the things I can do differently next time to avoid this crash lean on the same general advice when it comes to helping your body process blood sugar and, therefore, energy after eating. I could've taken a quick, leisurely walk after lunch (nothing crazy, and no sweating) and considered eating protein before the more carby foods. Maybe I could've added a slice of cheese to the soup or eaten the banana after. Who should use Lingo or try a CGM? I regret to inform you that, after spending weeks with two different models of CGMs, I think it's a good idea for everyone to use one to track their glucose levels at least one time -- preferably once a year for as long as your box of biosensors will serve you, just to check in with how your body's handling blood sugar and to play around with your wellness routine. And this is coming from someone who is adamantly against calorie counting or similar types of food logging for most people. To reiterate: I disagree with the current app designs around consumer CGMs and don't think you need to log every single food item to learn how different foods impact blood glucose. My grandpa has Type 2 diabetes. In this photo, he's wearing the Stelo. Consumer technology that gives the general public earlier and easier access to glucose information and how it's directly impacted by diet, movement and more, is a big deal in my mind. People who have diabetes or prediabetes (and who don't need insulin) may benefit from wearing one more often (you should get the Stelo, or ask your doctor whether you can get a prescription for another one). However, whether you need to "continuously" use a continuous glucose monitor is totally up to your preferences and what benefits your overall well-being. That includes how stressed it makes you feel and whether you think it's actually helping you make meaningful changes to your routine. If it's not helpful, forget it. For those who think they may have prediabetes or people who are worried about what their graphs may show: I feel you. Whether you want to wear a CGM or check your blood sugar ever is completely up to you, but given that the resources available for people to catch potentially chronic diseases early are sparse -- and the noise around diet trends or wellness hacks purporting to make you healthier is loud and confusing -- you may find that a tool that gives you direct information about your health can help you make tweaks that'll actually be helpful. It may also prompt you to get care earlier if you can benefit from health care or medication, minimizing the risks of health problems later on in life. I offer the yearly glucose check-in advice for most people because that's what I plan on doing, and based on some Reddit threads and general comments from doctors, using a CGM to check in every once in a while seems to be more in line with how others view it as well. While I was provided CGMs from both Abbott and Dexcom for testing, I'll probably buy a single Lingo biosensor roughly a year from now, just to see how my blood sugar is trending, purely based on the fact Abbott sells a two-week sensor for a more affordable $49, instead of a month-long sensor pack for $99. In the meantime, I plan on overhauling my sleep routine and working on bringing down my stress levels, so I'm focusing on those gradual changes that can reap big, rippling health results.