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NoneNew Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS): The BJP-led NDA (MahaYuti) secured a massive victory in Maharashtra, largely due to the trust voters placed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and leadership. The schemes and promises PM Modi highlighted during his rallies resonated deeply with the electorate, contributing to the BJP's strong performance in the assembly elections. However, the success of this campaign can also be attributed to the strategic efforts of Union Ministers Bhupender Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw. These two leaders played a crucial role in translating the PM’s message into action, ensuring it reached every corner of Maharashtra. They worked tirelessly to organise rallies, facilitate meetings with party workers, and engage with the public directly. The key schemes shared by the Prime Minister were effectively communicated to the masses in a simplified and relatable manner, thanks to the strategic approach devised and executed by Yadav and Vaishnaw. Their efforts ensured that the BJP’s message was reflected not just in speeches but at the grassroots level, making a significant impact on the electorate ahead of the assembly elections. It is said that they were the quieter architects behind what led to the BJP-led Mahayuti’s sweeping victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections. They helped the BJP-led ruling alliance storm back to power once again. Despite remaining largely out of sight for the public during the campaign or rallies, their strategic roles were crucial in securing the party's success in the key state of Maharashtra where the Lok Sabha results in June were not good news for BJP. Both Yadav and Vaishnaw, entrusted with the roles of in-charge and co-incharge respectively for the Maharashtra elections, played a crucial behind-the-scenes role, steering the party’s efforts from the shadows. Remarkably absent from public rallies and from media glare, the duo worked diligently, skillfully and efficiently to ensure that the BJP's strategy was effectively implemented at every level. When Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the BJP’s manifesto in Mumbai on November 10, Yadav and Vaishnaw were nowhere to be seen on the dais as was expected. They were seen in the audience then. However, their absence from the spotlight did not undermine their significant influence. They continued to work in the direction of reaching out to party workers and other supporters, sharing the required guidance and strategic inputs to strengthen the BJP's position. They worked meticulously to counter the caste and social engineering of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. They were instrumental in addressing key challenges, which included countering the strategies of the opposition MVA and maintaining party unity by resolving internal dissent. Their success in Maharashtra reminds one of their earlier performances in Madhya Pradesh, where they helped the BJP win decisively despite anti-incumbency sentiment. The BJP leadership recognised their skills and talents after their successful handling of the Madhya Pradesh election, where their strategic prowess paved the way for a victory in a state where many expected the BJP to hardly sail through. In view of this track record, the BJP entrusted them with Maharashtra in the month of June, and once again, they delivered results that exceeded expectations.COP29 and the climate crisis: greed versus needWomen more likely to need walking aids but less likely to use them – study
Narita International Airport now has a zero tolerance policy for abusive passengers. Other businesses are also reporting a rise in threats to employees. Is famously polite Japan becoming less tolerant? Tired of the angry outbursts, shouted threats and even incidents of violence, the operator of Narita International Airport has become the first in Japan to implement a zero-tolerance policy against harassment of its staff. The airport is not alone in acting to protect its employees, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government passing a local ordinance on October 4 designed to protect people working in the service sector from abuse, threats and unreasonable demands as such cases become more commonplace. The management of Narita Airport, which serves Tokyo, said it had been obliged to act due to an increase in confrontations between passengers and staff. The new policy defines harassment as any act that "harms the working environment of airport staff physically or psychologically" and includes insulting employees, yelling, verbal abuse, discrimination and defamation. Staff shocked at incidents A new ground handler at another major Japanese airport was taken aback by how often travellers lose their temper. "It happened to me again last week," said the woman, who declined to be identified as she did not have the permission of her employer to speak publicly. "A passenger's suitcase was over the weight limit and he became enraged that we would not allow him to check it in." "He was shouting, banging on the desk with his fist and kicking the case," she told DW. "This went on for about 15 minutes but we did not back down, so in the end he had to pay the excess baggage fee. It was not all that much and I do not understand why he became so aggressive." She noted that some ground staff give in to threats, which may encourage others to do the same. In June, the 1.8 million-strong UA Zensen Union published the results of a survey that indicated that 46.8% of workers in Japan's service industry had been the target of customers in the previous two years. Some had been so traumatized by the experience, the report said, that they had required counselling. "Japan has such high standards of polite service, but with that comes similarly expected norms for customers," said Roy Larke, senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Waikoto, New Zealand, and an expert on retailing and consumer behavior in Japan. "When these expectations break down, even if only in a few well reported cases, it will be quite shocking for many," he told DW. Cafe in Japan aims to include people with dementia To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Educating the customer "In the same way that e-commerce firms are now attempting to educate the customer to accept slower deliveries and how some supermarkets companies are introducing chairs for cashiers for the first time," said Larke, adding that there may be a need for "lower expectations from customers when shopping." "I would hypothesise that the combination of increased pressure is the main factor behind increased customer frustration," Larke said. Regardless of the cause, more companies are taking precautions. The nation's two largest air carriers, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, in July unveiled new guidelines on passengers' behaviour, identifying abusive and aggressive language as unacceptable, along with threats, physical assaults of staff, unreasonable demands and sexual harassment. Technology developer Softbank Corp has developed a voice-altering phone technology that employs artificial intelligence and makes a furious caller sound calm to the company employee listing to a complaint. Supermarket chain Ito-Yokado Co has created a manual for dealing with difficult customers and introduced training on reporting violent behavior to the police and maneuvering threatening individuals into positions where they are recorded on CCTV. Manga, myths & homeopathy — Arts Unveiled To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Training of store staff Similarly, 24-hour convenience stores are training staff on how to respond to abusive customers and many outlets have introduced signs warning that misbehavior will not be tolerated and that the premises are monitored by security cameras. Morinosuke Kawaguchi, a technology analyst and consultant who was previously a lecturer at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, says Japanese society has become something of a minefield of potential harassment pitfalls as more people grasp what constitutes harassment and are willing to report incidents. "Japan is an extremely polite nation and society, but all the cases we hear about make it appear that we are becoming impolite," he told DW. "I think a big part of the problem is that everything is now being recorded on mobile phones so we are just seeing more cases." "This sort of behavior used to be the sort of thing young street thugs did, but virtually no one saw it happening," he added. "Now we have social media, it has become a big issue. I do not believe that Japan, as a society, really has become more impolite or aggressive." Edited by: Keith Walker
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defence that sacked Canadian quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. “In life, all good things come to an end,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. Late in the first half, Indiana punter James Evans fumbled a snap and was buried at his own 7-yardline with the Buckeyes taking over. That turned quickly into a 4-yard TD run by Henderson that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead. Early in the second half, Caleb Downs fielded an Evans punt at the Ohio State 21, raced down the right sideline, cut to the middle and outran the coverage for a TD that put the Buckeyes up 21-7. It was the first time a Buckeye returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. “Our guys just played with a chip today, and that’s the way you got to play the game of football,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. Indiana scored on its first possession of the game and its last, both short runs by Ty Son Lawson, who paced the Hoosiers with 79 rushing yards. Rourke, a 24-year-old from Oakville, Ont., is the brother of BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke. He was 8 for 18 for 68 yards. “We had communication errors, pass (protection), every time we dropped back to pass, something bad happened," Cignetti said. Indiana's 151 total yards was its lowest of the season. And it was the most points surrendered by the Hoosier's defence. The takeaway Indiana: Its special season was blemished by the Buckeyes, who beat the Hoosiers for the 30th straight time. Indiana was eyeing its first conference crown since sharing one with two other teams in 1967. That won't happen now. “Ohio State deserved to win,” Cignetti said. “They had those (third quarter scores), and we just couldn’t respond.” Ohio State: Didn't waste the opportunities presented by the Hoosiers when they got sloppy. The Buckeyes led 14-7 at the break and took control in the second half. An offensive line patched together because of multiple injuries performed surprisingly well. “We know what was at stake," Day said. “We don't win this game, and we have no chance to go to Indianapolis and play in the Big Ten championship. And that's real. We've had that approach for the last few weeks now, more than that.” Poll implications Some voters were obviously unsure of Indiana because it hadn't played a nationally ranked team before Ohio State. After this one, the Hoosiers will drop. All about Will Howard made history by completing 80% of his passes for the sixth time this season. No other Ohio State quarterback has done that. He completed his first 14 passes in a row and finished with a 85% completion rate. “I think Buckeye nation is now seeing, after 11 games, that this guy is a winner, he's tough, he cares about his teammates, he's a leader,” Day said. Up next Indiana hosts Purdue in the regular-season finale next Saturday. Ohio State hosts rival Michigan on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Mitch Stacy, The Associated PressWASHINGTON—A watchdog complaint alleges that a Biden administration official violated federal ethics law by actively maintaining a “Kamala Wins” X account supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign earlier this year. “This is a straightforward case where Wolf is a government employee covered by the Hatch Act and is strictly prohibited from making political social media posts during work hours or while in government buildings,” the FACT complaint stated. “Yet, a political account directly controlled by Wolf (‘Kamala’s Wins’) and potentially several other accounts (under the ’Democratic Wins Media' umbrella) were actively posting political content during federal government workdays,” the complaint continued. “Involvement by Wolf of any kind with any of these accounts would be a Hatch Act violation. Given the prominence of Wolf’s political account, his political activity could easily be seen as coercive and hostile to other employees.” The FACT complaint listed multiple examples of “Kamala Wins” posts on X posted during official work hours that advocated the vice president’s election against former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee. The X account was titled “Biden Wins” prior to President Joe Biden’s July decision to withdraw his candidacy for a second term and endorse Harris, who was then selected as the party’s nominee by the Democratic National Convention in August. Wolf was appointed in 2023 to the ITC position as a Schedule C political appointee. Political appointees, unlike career employees, can be fired at will, but they are covered fully by the Hatch Act. Zachary Kurz, an OSC spokesman, confirmed to The Epoch Times that the FACT complaint had been filed, and said that Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger could not comment on the case. Wolf said, according to the complaint, to not be the sole poster on the “Kamala Wins” X account. “He has not provided any details about his work with the account or who was actually making the posts and when. The account continued to be active at all times of the day and posted blatant political content during the government workday,” the complaint alleged. Wolf is the second political appointee in the Biden administration to be accused of Hatch Act violations. In November, the OSC filed a Hatch Act complaint with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) against Neera Tanden, Biden’s White House Domestic Policy Adviser. The OSC said that on Aug. 30, 2024, Tanden took down an X post she had put up the day before, encouraging contributions to Democratic congressional candidates.Match Awards from FC Bayern’s strong-ish 3-0 win over FC AugsburgDeion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are headed to the Alamo Bowl after a phenomenal college football season in the Big 12. The Buffaloes finished the year as the No. 4 team in the Big 12 standings. They'll face BYU, a conference opponent, in their bowl game on Dec. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET in San Antonio, Texas. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.
‘We have never lived this’: Pep Guardiola details concern after yet another Man City defeat
Assad's fall leaves UK with political dilemmaGuggenheim Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Walmart (NYSE:WMT) StockLarry Wilson: Mr. Schiff goes to Washington, again
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India News | UP Bypolls: Adityanath Asserts Authority with 7-2 Victory; 'batenge to Katenge" to Remain Central ThemeLaolu Akande Knocks Obasanjo Over Remarks On Nigerian LeadersMultiple cases registered against Imran Khan's wife for her alleged remarks on Saudi Arabia
The NFL's security division is warning players to be aware of professional burglars targeting the homes of pro athletes. The Athletic reported Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams that outlines the threat. "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," read the memo, which was obtained by The Athletic. "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days." NBC News reported Wednesday that law enforcement is working to figure out whether an international crime syndicate is involved. The Athletic reported that the memo includes tips for home security and also gives recommendations about the use of social media, such as not posting photos of items that would attract thieves. Players also learned via the memo how homes are targeted and how burglars enter. Mahomes hasn't said much about the burglary, other than to call it "disappointing" and "frustrating." "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing," he said. "But obviously something that you don't want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself." It's not clear what was stolen from Mahomes' home in Belton, Mo., during the Oct. 6 incident. But Kelce apparently lost $20,000 in cash in the burglary at his home in Leawood, Kan., the following day when the Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football," according to a police report. The burglary at the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis in River Hills, Wis., occurred Nov. 2 during the Bucks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He said the perpetrators "took most of my prized possessions" and is offering a reward for the return of his property. "Any info that leads to the return of any of my belongings will be rewarded handsomely," Portis said. "Let me know, thank you." --Field Level MediaTexas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary Game And 4K Blu-Ray Bundle Gets Nice Discount
( MENAFN - PR Newswire) BEIJING, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The closely watched Central Economic Work conference was held in Beijing from Wednesday to Thursday as Chinese leaders decided priorities for the economic work in 2025. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the annual conference. According to the meeting, despite the "complex and severe situation of growing external pressures and increasing internal difficulties," China has ensured the overall stability and steady progress of the economy, and the major goals and tasks for economic and social development in 2024 are expected to be accomplished. It stressed that China must adopt more proactive macro policies, expand domestic demand, and promote the integrated development of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation to do a good job in economic work in 2025. Efforts must also be made to secure the steady development of the real estate and stock markets, guard against and defuse risks and external shocks in key areas, and stabilize expectations and stimulate vitality so as to promote sustained economic recovery, said the meeting. From fiscal policy to monetary policy According to the meeting, China will also adopt a "more proactive" fiscal policy, including an increase in the ratio of deficit and in the issuance of ultra-long special treasury bonds and local government special-purpose bonds. China's government debt-to-GDP ratio, according to the Ministry of Finance, stood at 67.5 percent at the end of 2023, much lower than the average 118.2 percent among G20 members and 123.4 percent for G7 countries estimated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). China's fiscal deficit has long been below 3 percent, significantly lower than other major economies. With a low government leverage ratio, China's central budget has room for increased borrowing and deficit expansion, Minister of Finance Lan Fo'an said in October. The Central Economic Work Conference said China will adopt a "moderately loose" monetary policy and lower the reserve requirement ratio and interest rates when necessary to ensure adequate liquidity. It marks the first "prudent" to "moderately loose" transition in the country's monetary stance since 2011. Since the beginning of 2024, the People's Bank of China, the central bank, has cut the reserve requirement ratio twice, by 1 percentage point in total, for financial institutions, releasing approximately 2 trillion yuan (about $274.8 billion) in long-term liquidity. From domestic demand to opening up The Central Economic Work Conference listed priorities for economic work in 2025 in nine aspects, from stimulating consumption and developing new quality productive forces to preventing and addressing risks in key areas, consolidating poverty alleviation achievements and boosting green development. The meeting stressed the need to vigorously boost consumption, improve investment efficiency and expand domestic demand on all fronts. China remains one of the largest markets in the world. From January to October this year, China's total retail sales of consumer goods approached 40 trillion yuan, while last year's total exceeded 47 trillion yuan, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. A national program aimed at promoting consumer goods trade-ins, unveiled in March, has demonstrated the untapped room of China's domestic demand. Over 30 million participants have been attracted to the program, contributing total sales of over 400 billion yuan. The two-day meeting also called for more efforts to further promote high-level opening up and secure the steady growth of foreign trade and foreign investment. "China's development is open and inclusive," said Xi while meeting leaders of major international economic organizations, including the IMF, in Beijing on Tuesday, one day before the start of the annual conference. China will put in place new systems for a higher-standard open economy, provide more opportunities for the development of other countries and share more development benefits with the world, Xi told the leaders at the Great Hall of the People. Starting December 1, China has granted zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent of tariff lines to all least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations. That will help more products from these countries enter the Chinese market, sharing opportunities and boosting development, said Lyu Daliang, an official from China's General Administration of Customs. For more information, please click: SOURCE CGTN MENAFN12122024003732001241ID1108988690 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Article content The hardest movie ticket to get this weekend was for a film audiences have been able to watch at home for years: Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar.” The science fiction epic starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway earned $4.5 million from only 166 screens in the U.S. and Canada. Its 70mm IMAX film presentations sold out in minutes, leaving theatres scrambling to add more and people paying up to $300 on the re-sale market. Those 10 film screens alone had a staggering $70,000 per theatre average, one of the highest of the year and usually the bragging rights of acclaimed arthouse movies playing on only four screens. Ten years after “Interstellar” was given a film release as a special exception at time when its studio, Paramount, was committing to a digital future, film is not only back but driving audiences to theatres. “I was just so gratified by the response,” Nolan said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. “It’s really thrilling when people respond to your work at any point. But 10 years later, to have new audiences coming and experiencing it in the way that we’d originally intended it on the big IMAX screens and in particular on those IMAX film prints? It’s really rewarding to see that it continues to have a life.” How Nolan fought for film and the re-release “Interstellar” had been a labor of love, with Nolan fighting against the tides of a changing industry to use film, certain of its value. Like McConaughey’s Cooper, an astronaut clinging to skills that were all but obsolete in his dust bowl reality, “Interstellar” was made by a celluloid-loving filmmaker when the format was least valued. “Celluloid film was very threatened. Digital was taking over everything,” Nolan said. “We put an enormous amount of work and effort into the IMAX 70mm film format release at the time feeling like we didn’t know how much longer we’d be able to do that.” During its time, “Interstellar” was received warmly and an unambiguous success, but it also had its detractors. Its five Oscar nominations and win were all for crafts. And yet in the decade since, “Interstellar” has become beloved, a true classic. Nolan observed that it was the film that people kept wanting to talk about, telling him what it meant to them and asking if it was ever going to be re-released. Those grand emotions and sentimental themes of love, family and exploration that were a liability with some are now its most cherished qualities. “A lot of these people were younger people who, it was clear to me, had seen the film in the home and hadn’t had the chance to see it on the big screen,” Nolan said. While there have been “Interstellar” rereleases internationally, in China and at the Science Museum in London, Nolan saw an opportunity and spoke to IMAX and Paramount, now under a new regime, about a proper North American re-release for its 10th anniversary. The prints, Nolan said, hadn’t aged a day. IMAX hardly needed convincing: They’ve had the anniversary date circled on the calendar. For years, “Interstellar” was by far the biggest request on their social channels. “We saw this coming from the beginning,” IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond said. “It reminded us in a small way of the frenzy around ‘Oppenheimer.’ But the result is far beyond our expectations.” “Interstellar” is now the ninth highest-grossing IMAX release of all time and is closing in on eight (currently occupied by “The Last Jedi.”) The company is currently exploring options for re-releases in different territories. What should Hollywood learn from the weekend? The “Oppenheimer” effect was real in redeeming film’s value for the business. IMAX screens accounted for some 20% of the nearly $1 billion this year’s Oscar best picture winner made globally (it ranks at No. 5 for IMAX). While filmmakers have long cherished film stock, “Oppenheimer” had studios, distributors and theatres taking note of the demand. Earlier this year the film showings of “Dune: Part Two” were sold out for four weeks. And there’s more to come: Ryan Coogler’s new film “Sinners,” opening in March 2025, was shot with IMAX cameras. The “Interstellar” release was fairly “low key” when it came to promotion, but it also didn’t need much — fans made sure of that. Before IMAX had even announced that tickets were on sale, some noticed that AMC had made them available. News spread on socials and overnight every 70mm IMAX showing at the Lincoln Square location in New York had sold out. It wasn’t just the “primetime” slots either: The 1 AM showtimes were at capacity too. After the weekend’s turnout surpassed expectations, they added more 70mm IMAX screenings through the week which also filled up quickly. While Nolan is in some ways an anomaly, as the rare filmmaker whose name alone can draw crowds for original fare, there are lessons to be learned from the weekend. “It just shows our industry once again that audiences truly understand the difference between a communal, big screen theatrical experience that they crave even on films that they’ve had the opportunities to see in the home,” Nolan said. “That theatrical experience that we all know and love is so powerful and so exciting. It’s a very clear demonstration of it, especially coming amidst all the great successes right now, “Wicked,””Gladiator II,””Moana 2.” “Audiences are coming out in droves for that experience that we all love so much.” Dreaming big for the future and appreciating the past Before the weekend, Nolan was able to see the film again on the big screen for the first time since the original release, accompanied by his Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema. “Interstellar” was their first collaboration and Hoytema’s introduction to IMAX cameras (where he proved that they could be handheld if you tried hard enough). “It was really, really fun,” Nolan said. He also approved the new 4K UHD “Interstellar” set that’s now available. Since “Oppenheimer’s” big night at the Oscars and Nolan’s best director win, there’s been much speculation about his next film with near daily rumors circulating about casting and genre, none of which have been officially confirmed. It’s not something he’s speaking publicly about yet. One thing he will say, however, is that he’s in the throes of intensive testing for a new film technology with IMAX to use in the next production. “They have an incredible engineering staff, really brilliant minds doing extraordinary work,” he said. “It’s wonderful to see innovation in the celluloid film arena still happening and happening at the highest level possible.” And he’s still making time to go to the movies Over the weekend, Nolan went to see “Wicked” at a theatre in Burbank where he also peeked into one of the IMAX presentations of his film. “It was pretty magical to see a full house on that film,” he said. “It was a very special thing to see, 10 years later.”Virgo Daily Horoscope Today, Dec 10, 2024 predicts positive attitude
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CINCINNATI (AP) — Saturday's wild overtime win over the Denver Broncos was the most important in what has been a mostly disappointing season for the Cincinnati Bengals. Not only did the Bengals (8-8) win their fourth straight for the first time this season and keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but they also finally made enough plays late to win a close game. Seven of their previous eight losses were by one score. And Cincinnati also got a win over one of the league's better teams. Its seven previous victories came against sub-.500 teams. Joe Burrow, in the midst of the best season of his career, threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins with 1:07 left in overtime to win it 30-24. The final drive followed two critical stops by the Cincinnati defense. “We’ve known we had a good football team all along,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “And those (close) games are disappointing that we came up short, but they didn’t change our process. They didn’t change what our guys believed in. We didn’t have to change everything we did. We still believed in what we were doing. And now we’ve won four in a row, and we have to make it five in a row.” The playoffs are still a long shot. To get there, the Bengals will have to go into Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers next weekend in the regular-season finale and also count on other bubble teams losing. What's working The Bengals are playing their best football of the season. Burrow, battered by the Denver pass rush, completed nearly 80% of his passes in piling up 412 yards and three touchdowns. It marked his eighth straight game with at least 250 yards and three touchdown passes, extending his NFL record. ... Receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who had nine catches for 102 yards against the Broncos, could finish the season with the receiving triple crown — most catches, yards and touchdowns. What needs help The offensive line continues to struggle, even with the return of starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Burrow rarely had a clean pocket, was constantly on the run and was sacked seven times and hit 15 times. Stock up The Cincinnati defense, much maligned this season, forced two Denver punts in overtime. The second one led to the Bengals' game-winning drive. Linebacker Germaine Pratt intercepted Bo Nix to end a Denver drive in the fourth quarter. “For them to rise up and get those two stops and allow the offense a shot to go win it (is) big-time stuff,” Taylor said. Higgins caught 11 passes for 131 yards and was the recipient of all three of Burrow's touchdown passes. "Everybody can see what kind of player he is," Burrow said of Higgins, who is playing this season with the franchise tag. “He elevates us to a different level when he’s playing like that.” Stock down Kicker Cade York, who was signed in early December to fill in for the injured Evan McPherson, had a chance to win the game with 2:49 left in overtime, but his 33-yard field-goal attempt bounced off the left upright. Injuries RB Chase Brown sprained his ankle in an awkward slide as the Bengals tried to run out the clock in regulation. ... OT Amarius Mims suffered an injury to his right hand. Key number 499 — total yards by the Bengals against Denver. Next steps The Bengals finish the season at Pittsburgh. The Steelers beat them 44-38 on Dec. 1. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Mitch Stacy, The Associated PressThe secondary bond market started off last week on a positive note, following news that Fitch Ratings had issued credit rating upgrades on Sri Lanka’s foreign currency and local currency debt issuances. This coincided with the stock market continuing to rally and hitting new all-time highs. Initially, as a knee-jerk reaction, yields declined sharply driven by aggressive buying interest. However, this was short-lived, as momentum shifted and profit-taking pressure led to a reversal, pushing yields up. Activity and transaction volumes, which were observed at healthy levels at the start of the week, began to moderate, leaving the market at a virtual standstill for much of the latter part of the week. In conclusion, market two-way quotes closed broadly steady on a week-on-week basis as renewed buying interest was seen kicking in at the higher levels curtailing further upwards movement. As a result, the yield curve was also seen remaining practically unchanged as compared to the week prior. This was against the backdrop of the lull typically associated with the Christmas holiday season and market participants adopting a wait-and-see approach ahead of the upcoming Rs. 80 billion Treasury bond auction. The 15.02.28 maturity was seen closing at the two-way quote of 10.10%/10.15%, after initially hitting intraweek lows of 10.00% and rebounding back up to touch intraweek highs of 10.15%. The other 2028 tenors followed a similar V-shaped trading pattern. The 01.05.28 and 01.07.28 maturities settled at the closing two-way quotes of 10.30%/10.35% and 10.35%/10.45% respectively. Earlier in the week, the same maturities hit lows of 10.07% and 10.20%, before reversing course and climbing to highs of 10.40% and 10.50% respectively. The 15.09.29 maturity traded up from an intraweek low of 10.65% to a high of 10.70%. The 15.05.30 maturity was seen changing hands at the rates of 11.00%-11.05%. The 01.07.32 maturity was seen trading within the narrow band of 11.47%-11.50%. At the weekly Treasury bill auction conducted last Wednesday (25 December), weighted average rates declined across all three maturities for the third consecutive week. As such rates were seen continuing on a downward trajectory with a reduction in yields observed on at least one tenor over the last seven weeks. Accordingly, the weighted average rates on the 91-day tenor dropped by 4 basis points to 8.62%, the 182-day tenor by 04 basis points to 8.77% and the 364-day tenor by 6 basis point to 8.96%. Total bids received exceeded the offered amount by 2.13 times, and the entire Rs. 120.00 billion on offer was successfully raised at the first phase in competitive bidding. An additional amount of Rs. 12.00 billion was raised at the second phase, being the maximum aggregate amount offered, out of a total market subscription of Rs. 63.28 billion. This comes ahead of a round of Treasury bond auctions scheduled to be held today, 30 December. The round of auctions will have a total amount of Rs. 80 billion on offer. This will comprise of Rs. 45 billion from a 15 October 2028 maturity bearing a coupon rate of 11% and Rs. 35 billion from a 1 June 2033 maturity bearing a coupon rate of 9%. This will be the final bond auction for the year 2024. For context, the Rs. 132.50 billion Treasury bond auction conducted on 12 December successfully raised Rs. 130.77 billion or 98.70% of the total offered amount. A 15.09.29 maturity (bearing an 11% coupon) recorded a resoundingly bullish outcome, being issued at a weighted average yield of 10.75%. The Rs. 77.50 billion on offer was raised during the first phase of subscription through competitive bidding. Additionally, the 01.06.33 maturity (bearing a 9% coupon) was issued at a weighted average yield of 11.47%, raising 96.86% or Rs. 53.27 billion of the Rs. 55.00 billion offered across both phases. For the week ending 26 December 2024, the foreign holdings in Sri Lankan rupee-denominated Treasury securities saw a net inflow for the second consecutive week amounting to Rs. 2.71 billion. As a result, total foreign holdings were seen increasing to Rs. 69.26 billion reaching the highest level since mid-June this year. The daily secondary market Treasury bond/bill transacted volumes for the first three days of the week averaged at Rs. 31.40 billion. In money markets, the total outstanding liquidity surplus increased to Rs. 148.27 billion as at the week ending 27 December, from Rs. 136.15 billion recorded the previous week. The Domestic Operations Department (DOD) of Central Bank injected liquidity during the week by way of a seven-day term reverse repo auction at the weighted average rate of 8.11%. The weighted average interest rate on call money and repo ranged between 7.99% to 8.00% and 8.06% to 8.13% respectively. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL) holding of Government Securities was registered at Rs. 2,515.62 billion as at 27 December 2024, unchanged from the previous week’s level. In the forex market, the USD/LKR rate on spot contracts was seen appreciating, to close the week at Rs. 292.40/292.70 as against its previous week’s closing level of Rs. 290.15/290.30 and subsequent to trading at a high of Rs. 292.00 and a low of Rs. 297.40. The daily USD/LKR average traded volume for the first three trading days of the week stood at $ 90.58 million. (References: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Bloomberg E-Bond trading platform, Money broking companies.)
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears hoped the first in-season head coaching change in the founding NFL franchise’s history would be the parachute a free-falling team needed. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears hoped the first in-season head coaching change in the founding NFL franchise’s history would be the parachute a free-falling team needed. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears hoped the first in-season head coaching change in the founding NFL franchise’s history would be the parachute a free-falling team needed. Turns out, the issues go beyond that. A listless showing in a 38-13 loss at San Francisco on Sunday stretched their losing streak to seven — and counting — in their first game since Thomas Brown replaced the fired Matt Eberflus on an interim basis. “I believe in the people,” Brown said Monday. “I think it’s all about the guys we have in the locker room, the coaches that we have. I understand our mentality and our approach going forward. As I said at the beginning, we don’t have cowards in the locker room. We don’t have cowards in our coaching staff. Regardless of circumstance we will come to battle every single day.” The Bears (4-9) sure didn’t show much fight Sunday in a loss that was as embarrassing as any. It ensured they will finish with a non-winning record for the 12th time in 14 seasons. They were outgained 319-4 in the first half for the ninth-largest discrepancy since 1991 and trailed 24-0 at the break. They managed one first down while punting on their first five possessions. Chicago set a season high for points allowed and matched its second-worst total by giving up 452 yards. It all added up to the Bears’ most lopsided loss since a 41-10 blowout at Kansas City in Week 3 last season. It obviously wasn’t what they envisioned when they decided to buck their own history and fire Eberflus on Nov. 29. The tipping point came at Detroit on Thanksgiving, when Chicago ran out of time for a potential tying field goal despite having one timeout remaining, just the latest in a string of bad late-game decisions. Beyond that, there are clearly issues with the roster. Though team president Kevin Warren said last week that Ryan Poles will remain the general manager and lead the search for a new coach, it’s fair to wonder if a few more losses like this would change those plans. The last-place Bears’ next two games are against the top two teams in the NFC North, with a Monday night game at Minnesota (11-2) followed by a home game against division-leading Detroit (12-1). Chicago then hosts NFC West leader Seattle (8-5) before the season finale at Green Bay (9-4). What’s working It’s hard to say anything worked when the Bears were so thoroughly dominated. What needs help Offensive line. The Bears were once again dominated in the trenches and allowed rookie Caleb Williams to get sacked seven times, bringing his league-leading total to 56. It’s the most for a Chicago quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Yes, Williams hangs onto the ball too long at times. But too often, the blockers aren’t giving him enough time. They’re not creating holes for the running backs, either. Things were particularly bad against San Francisco. And that was against a defense missing the injured Nick Bosa. Stock up LB T.J. Edwards. The veteran recorded Chicago’s lone sack and his second of the season to go with two tackles for loss. He led the team with 10 tackles. Stock down Williams. The No. 1 overall draft pick completed 17 of 34 passes for 134 yards with two late touchdowns to Rome Odunze. Though he played his seventh straight game without an interception, he lost a fumble. In the first three games with Brown calling plays after former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired, Williams was 75 of 117 for 827 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 99.2. Injuries Brown had no update on returner DeAndre Carter (hamstring) and RB Travis Homer (head) after they left Sunday’s game. Key number Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 20 — The defense allowed nine plays of 20 yards or more, the most against Chicago in the past nine seasons. Next steps The Bears have a tough task trying to right themselves at Minnesota. The Vikings have won six straight, including an overtime victory at Soldier Field in Week 12, after Chicago scored 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Advertisement AdvertisementThe National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that Nigerians will now be required to pay for the newly introduced multipurpose national identity card. According to Peter Iwegbu, NIMC’s head of card management services, this decision stems from the federal government’s limited revenue, which makes it challenging to fund the production of the cards. The announcement was made during a two-day press conference in Lagos. Iwegbu explained that charging for the cards aims to ensure that only individuals who truly need them will request them, thereby reducing waste. Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 16 (Feb 10 – May 3, 2025 ) opens registrations; register today for early bird discounts. Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations here. Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and i nvest in Africa’s finest startups here . “Before we stopped due to funding, we produced more than two million cards, but a lot of them are still in our office because people didn’t need them,” he said. This move also seeks to address inefficiencies observed in previous attempts to distribute free identity cards, where many remained uncollected. To make the process more convenient, NIMC is collaborating with banks across the country. Nigerians can visit any participating bank to request and pick up their cards. Additionally, special provisions have been made for less privileged individuals who cannot afford the card but require it for essential government services. Lanre Yusuf, director of information technology at NIMC, highlighted this effort, stating, “The government has implemented programmes to make the card accessible to less privileged Nigerians who cannot afford it but require it to access government support.” The new ID card, described as a “post-paid identity card,” will serve multiple purposes, including identity verification, payments, and access to government services. The card is powered by AfriGO in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System. Yusuf confirmed that sample test cards had already been received, suggesting the card’s readiness for rollout. The initiative is part of a broader federal government strategy to digitize identification and streamline access to services across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). However, there is growing concern that the decision to charge for the cards could lead to public apathy. Some argue that requiring payment could deter many Nigerians, especially those already facing economic hardship, from obtaining the card. This could undermine the government’s goal of broadening access to identification services. Experts also warn that apathy could mirror the challenges of past distribution efforts, where over two million cards produced for free remained uncollected. Charging for the cards, they say, risks exacerbating this trend, particularly in rural areas where disposable income is limited, and the perceived need for the card may be low. While NIMC has justified the fees as a necessary response to limited government funding, the policy raises questions about its alignment with inclusivity goals. To combat potential apathy, experts suggest increasing public awareness of the card’s multipurpose functionality and its benefits, such as facilitating payments and access to government services. These features, they note, could incentivize more people to view the card as an essential tool rather than an optional expense. While the initiative aims to reduce waste and improve efficiency, the government has been urged to address public skepticism and economic barriers to ensure widespread adoption. How this policy is received will likely set the tone for future reforms in national identification and other public service programs.Trump's 'fraught' day one plans could anger even MAGA supporters: conservative analyst