A glittering celebration of corporate leadership took place on Wednesday at the Sheraton Oman Hotel in Muscat, where the inaugural Business Today CXO Awards 2024 honoured thirty-one of Oman’s top-performing C-level executives. The prestigious gala ceremony, attended by over 200 corporate leaders from Oman’s key sectors, was an evening of celebration, inspiration, and recognition of exceptional leadership. The ceremony was graced by H E Sayyid Dr Munther al Busaidi, Vice-Chairman of the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-Up Unit, as the Chief Guest. H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi and Saleh Zakwani, Executive Chairman of Apex Media, presented the awards to the deserving winners. In his welcome speech, Saleh Zakwani said, “Apex Media has always been at the forefront of recognising and celebrating the corporate leaders who have been driving business success and contributing to the broader economic development of our country. The CXO Awards aim not only to recognise individual excellence but also to underscore Oman’s broader commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, leadership and sustainable growth in alignment with Vision 2040.” Organised by Interactive Apex and , the Business Today CXO Awards is a premier corporate recognition event honouring top-performing executives across industries. The awards celebrate not only individual excellence but also the transformative impact of visionary leaders who drive progress within their organisations and industries. The awards serve as a tribute to those who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to shaping the future of business. The winners were selected from C-level executives responsible for overseeing key functions within their organisations across various sectors. Recipients were evaluated on both qualitative and quantitative factors, including leadership excellence, demonstrated by their ability to lead teams and drive organisational success. They were also judged on their contributions to setting and achieving strategic objectives, initiatives that have significantly impacted their businesses or industries, exceptional financial performance, and significant achievements in industry growth, thought leadership and community development. The CXO Awards recognised excellence across various C-suite roles, including Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Commercial Officer, among others. Delivering the opening address at the event, H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi emphasised the critical importance of leadership at every level of society, from families and sports teams to businesses and national governance. “Leadership is what glues everything together,” he said. “We might have the right people and the right systems, but we need that one person who makes it all work and connects the dots.” Speaking about the essence of leadership, H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi provided a perspective on what it takes to be a true leader. “There are three main pillars,” he explained. “First, a leader must set the direction and tell us where to go. Second, they must guide us on how to get there, focusing on the best paths to success. And third, they must bring out the best in us – fostering talent and making people the best versions of themselves.” As part of his speech, H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi spoke directly to the business leaders in attendance, commending them for their achievements. “The leaders who have been awarded today, I am confident, have earned and deserved this recognition,” he said. “I hope you continue this journey because leadership is not a destination; it’s a continuous journey.” He also emphasised the importance of alignment with Vision 2040 as a key to future success. “For Vision 2040 to succeed, both the government and private sectors must align with its objectives,” he explained. “And there must be a common platform where knowledge and experiences are shared, so we can learn from one another.” Another highlight of the evening was the keynote speech by Khalid Ansari, Founder and CEO of KMA & Partners, renowned for his innovative insights and thought leadership in the industry. Ansari emphasised the critical role of innovation and ethics in ensuring business sustainability and success. He delivered a powerful message about the fundamental importance of a company’s value system, particularly in terms of integrity. “Innovation remains the crucial driver of success in the business landscape,” Ansari began, adding that “innovation comes with responsibility—and that responsibility is ethics.” He argued that while cutting-edge technology and efficient processes are important, without a strong ethical foundation, businesses cannot achieve lasting success. He stressed that integrity is the cornerstone of any thriving business. “You may have the best systems and processes, but without integrity, a company cannot be sustainable. For executives at the C-level, integrity is non-negotiable. It is something you cannot learn anywhere else or buy from outside – it must come from within and from the core values of the organisation.” Infiniti, represented in Oman by Al Hashar Automotive, was the event’s official Luxury Auto Partner. The event also included an electrifying performance by the sensational music band ‘Los Amigos’.
In the weeks since Republicans decisively won the White House as well as both chambers of Congress, Democrats and pundits alike have voiced countless theories for their defeat. However, the even more critical question is, where do Democrats go from here? Do Democrats double down on the “resistance” that has defined the party for the better part of a decade? Or do Democrats try a different approach and return to the center in order to win back millions of voters who have abandoned the party? Ever since 2016, the Democratic Party’s platform can almost entirely be defined by one word: resistance. Whatever President-elect Donald Trump supported, Democrats rejected and organized in resistance to, often at the expense of formulating their own competing policies. Now, with the politics of resistance soundly rejected, if Democrats want to remain politically viable, they need to return to the center and develop policies for actual issues. They need a specific agenda to address inflation, create jobs, and better manage the economy. This should include a strong position on border security with a viable pathway to citizenship for migrants already here, instead of the open border advocacy that the resistance wing, led by the progressive “Squad” loudly called for during Trump’s first term. On the economy, Democrats should reject progressives’ preference for overbearing taxes and an expansive welfare state. Instead, moderate Democrats must work with the GOP to achieve less regulations, agree to job-boosting tax cuts, and cutting inflationary yet wasteful government spending. To be clear, the 2024 election exposed the hollowness of resistance politics. Voters made it clear that they want elected officials who will address the actual issues, not those who are defined solely by what – or who – they oppose. Indeed, rather than articulating an agenda to address voters’ concerns about the economy, cost of living, immigration, or crime, Democrats – and Vice President Kamala Harris in particular – almost entirely campaigned on the need to stop Trump, lest his “fascism” destroy our democracy. Yet as we saw, this was a costly mistake. Trump won because voters felt he had actual solutions to kitchen-table issues, and Democrats’ appeals largely fell flat with moderate and swing voters. Put another way, as Brett Stephens noted in the New York Times, adherence to resistance politics “led Democrats astray...It distracted them from the task of developing superior policy responses to the valid public concerns he was addressing.” Fortunately for Democrats, they should look to the past to develop a roadmap for the party’s future. Four decades ago, also in the wake of a devastating election loss – former Vice President Walter Mondale’s in 1984 – Democrats, led by then-Governor Bill Clinton, created the Democratic Leadership Council to bring the party back to the center and push back against the growing influence of the party’s left-wing. The DLC advocated for policies that many leftwing Democrats today would shudder at – balancing the budget, welfare reform, and a tougher stance on crime – but that was what Democrats needed then, and that is what they need now. In that same vein, what made the DLC effective was its focus on commonsense values that appealed to the majority of Americans – smaller government, fiscal responsibility, safe cities, and border security. Comparatively, the resistance playbook seeks to divide Americans via progressive identity politics, promotion of an unpopular “woke” agenda, and a refusal to compromise on solutions to challenges facing all Americans. The fact that Donald Trump won the popular vote with one of – if not the – most racially diverse coalition assembled by a Republican in decades underscores the ineffectiveness of progressives’ resistance platform, as well as its toxicity to the Democratic Party as a whole. To that end, the dangers to Democrats posed by progressive-led resistance politics are backed by the data. Beginning in 2016, progressives have driven Democrats significantly further to the left than the average American voter, risking the overall party’s viability should they continue diverging. An analysis from the Financial Times shows that in the last eight years, Democrats hard left turn on supporting increased immigration has taken them nearly 60-points to the left of the average voter. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | California’s political clout will fade as long as population growth remains slow Opinion Columnists | Here’s to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises Opinion Columnists | Grand DOGE promises of massive cuts to the federal government are unlikely to materialize Opinion Columnists | Republican populism goes all in for the Nanny State Opinion Columnists | After botched Gaetz nomination, Trump should pivot on Cabinet picks As John Burn-Murdoch wrote, the data “suggests that Trump’s election radicalized the left, not the right.” And while this analysis was done prior to the 2024 election, there is little reason to believe Democrats have made up the lost ground. The first step for Democrats’ new approach should be to move back to where the average voter is. They can start by committing to working with centrist Republicans for commonsense solutions to the problems we face. Doing so is also smart politically. Working with – rather than against – Trump, will benefit Democrats if his second term does in fact produce a strong economy, secure borders, a more stable geopolitical environment, and overall prosperity. Ultimately, where Democrats go from here remains to be seen, but the 2024 election was a stinging rebuke of a party with little to offer aside from stubborn opposition to Donald Trump. If Democrats want to avoid being consigned to minority status for years to come, it is critical that they shun calls to double down on the politics of resistance and begin offering genuine, centrist solutions that address Americans’ concerns. Douglas Schoen is a longtime Democratic political consultant.Frenchman who sleeps with alligators seeks refuge for venomous menagerieAlex Scott 'scared to leave house' after horrifying threats
The Union government has amended the Conduct of Election Rules,1961, to restrict default public access to certain election material such as CCTV camera footage. Based on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Union law ministry on Friday amended Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of “papers” or documents open to public inspection. The earlier rule stated that “all other papers relating to the election shall be open to public inspection”. This has now been restricted to “papers as specified in these rules”. According to experts and ECI officials, this means that all election papers that are not mentioned in the CoE Rules or specifically listed by ECI cannot be made available to the public without a court order, allowing district election officers and other public authorities to deny access under different laws, including the Right to Information Act. Two senior officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said ECI made the proposal to amend the rules to the law ministry last week. The proposal came after the Punjab and Haryana high court, on December 9, directed ECI to provide advocate Mehmood Pracha with videography, CCTV footage and copies of forms 17C Part I and II related to the conduct of Haryana state elections within six weeks. ECI had opposed Pracha’s plea and said that since he did not contest the assembly elections and not is a resident of Haryana, he was seeking the documents “for malicious intent and purposes”. “Earlier, under Rules 93(2), we could have gone to the DEO and asked for documents such as Form 17C Part I and II. Now, they can potentially deny it as the amendment does not specifically list out the papers that can be provided,” Anjali Bhardwaj, a transparency activist and co-convener of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, said. One of the officials cited above said that candidates and their agents will continue to get all statutory papers, as required under the law. Bhardwaj said that election papers were meant to be accessible to any citizen, not just candidates and their agents, and were not meant to be limited by constituency. This official said that when the CoE Rules were envisaged, CCTV footage was not a factor, and since it is not paper, it could not be included in election papers. The aim of this amendment, this person said, was to only exclude CCTV footage, this person said. This first official said that sharing CCTV footage from the polling booth posed a serious risk to voter secrecy and privacy. “In sensitive areas such as Jammu and Kashmir, such footage exposes voters and their voting habits, including time of departure and arrival, to the terrorists. Same is the case with Manipur and areas affected by left-wing extremism,” the official said. “There is also the risk of this footage from poll booths being used to train artificial intelligence models that can then create fakes. Even fact checkers will not be able to detect them,” this person said. In January, citing voters’ privacy, the ECI had instructed National Informatics Centre Services Incorporated to cancel its tender seeking proposals from companies to provide surveillance equipment – including facial recognition tools for voters and drones – to monitor voters during the then upcoming general and state elections. The poll body had said that that the tender was floated without ECI’s approval. To be sure, it is not clear how privacy concerns would extend to CCTV footage from strongrooms that hold electronic voting machines (EVMs). Prateek Waghre, technology policy researcher and former executive director of Internet Freedom Foundation who had written to the ECI about NICSI’s tender, raised concerns about the timing of the amendment given the Pracha case. “The changes are highly likely to enable the evasion of accountability as they can be used to deny the public the ability to inspect records related to the conduct of elections, other than those specified in the rules. Invoking privacy concerns as an excuse to impose very broad limits on public inspection and weaken election integrity mechanisms is problematic,” Waghre said, as he decried “blanket denial of information against existing transparency measures”. Was the amendment required? Rule 93(2) allowed for all election related papers to be inspected by the public. Only seven types of documents (such as packets of used ballot papers, packets with the register of voters, etc.) listed in Rule 93(1) were exempted and required a court order. The new amendment specifies that only those papers “specified” in the CoE Rules are open for public inspection. “The amendment is an enabling provision and the ECI will soon release a list of papers that can be accessed via Rule 93(2),” the first official said. The second official cited above explained that effectively, all the papers not included in Rule 93(1) – which need court order for access – will now need specific ECI instructions on how they need to be dealt with, how long they can be retained, how they should be destroyed, etc. These revised instructions should be released in a week or two, this person said. Rule 93(2) can now not be used as a default to get access to election-related papers, the official explained. “Why was the amendment required then? They could have earlier also denied access to papers not there in CoE Rules,” Bhardwaj said. “The amendments made by the central government are extremely regressive and violates people’s right to information as they take away the right of the people to access critical records such as copies of Form 17C, and videography of the election process,” she said. Congress’s Jairam Ramesh, in a tweet, said that this amendment supported the party’s claims “about the rapidly declining integrity of the electoral process managed” by the ECI. He said that the ECI’s “move” will “soon be legally challenged”.NHIA reports 40% increase in health insurance coverage in one year
Man City crisis deepens with loss to Juventus in Champions League as Barcelona and Arsenal win
Dejan Kulusevski cannot wait for the opportunity to play against Manchester City again after Tottenham ran riot at the Etihad Stadium. The Sweden midfielder hailed Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of the champions as the best game of his career. The 24-year-old delivered an outstanding performance as Spurs shattered the champions’ 52-game unbeaten home run, helping start the rout with a superb cross for James Maddison’s opening goal. Kulusevski said: “I believed (we would win) this because in the past years, we’ve come here and played really well. “So this is the game I look forward to most in the year and, once again, it happened – glory to God. “I’d say it’s the best result ever in my career. It’s a big night for the whole club, for the coach, for the players. “Because City have a lot of the ball sometimes, we can rest when we defend. There’s also so much space up there, we play one against one and then it’s always dangerous because we have a lot of quality. “It’s always great to play great teams because they always want to play football. When you play lower teams, sometimes it’s not. There’s not much football played because they are a lot of fouls, a lot of injuries and it’s slow going.” Maddison stole the show with two goals in quick succession in the first half while Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson later got on the scoresheet. Kulu-chef-ski cooked 👨🍳 📊 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) Yet Kulusevski’s performance was also eye-catching and the player himself believes there is plenty more to come from him. Asked if his form made him feel “unstoppable”, Kulusevski said: “I feel like that. I feel very good and I’m trying to keep this way. I’m very happy, I’m trying to improve. “I started the season good but there is over half of the season left and I hope I can do much better. “I think I have something that no other player has. With my engine, with my heart – I don’t get tired – I feel like I can do a lot still in my career.” Spurs have won more matches against Pep Guardiola's Man City than any other side 👀 — Premier League (@premierleague) Tottenham’s scintillating performance marked a spectacular return to form after their dismal loss to Ipswich in their previous Premier League outing. Kulusevski said: “We have to be much more consistent. It’s not a turning point. We just have to be better in other games. “This game suited us perfectly but we have a lot of improvement to make in the other games.”WOOD carvers from Tugaya, Lanao del Sur, known for their intricate wood carving and brasswares featuring Okir and other Maranao patterns, are set to enhance their craft through technical training programs under an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) of the DOST has partnered with Tugaya’s local government and Bangsamoro agencies of the Ministry of Science and Technology-BARMM (MOST-BARMM) and the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism-BARMM (MTIT-BARMM) in launching the “Likhain at Linangin Obra mula sa Kahoy [LiLOK]: Valuing the Wood Carving Industry in the Philippines” program. The project aims to improve the quality, marketability, and sustainability of Tugaya’s wood carving industry, while preserving its cultural heritage. “We are confident that the LiLOK program will significantly contribute to the development of the local wood carving industry in the Philippines. Indeed, there are science-based solutions even for challenges related to arts and culture,” DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said. Several key challenges identified by artisans include issues with wood drying, finishing and preservation, alongside the dwindling supply of raw materials and declining interest in carving among women and youth. Based on the US Foreign Agricultural Service’s report, the Philippines relies on imports for 75 percent of its wood and wood products, with the bulk of these consisting of plywood, veneered panels, laminated wood, and both coniferous and non-coniferous wood, either sawn or chipped lengthwise. Further data from the Climate Change Commission indicated that from 2001 to 2022, the country experienced a loss of 1.42 million hectares of forested land, marking a 7.6 percent decline in its overall tree cover. The LiLOK program will address these concerns through “science-based interventions, technical training, and value chain mapping,” which will document Tugaya’s cultural history and suggest strategies for market expansion. “Again, this is another milestone project for DOST-FPRDI as we continue our commitment to use science, technology and innovation to protect and preserve our local culture,” DOST-FPRDI Director Rico J. Cabangon said. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the initiative was signed on December 2, at the Provincial Tourism Office in Marawi, Lanao del Sur, led by DOST-FPRDI Director Cabangon, MOST Lanao del Sur Provincial Director Alinader Sarangani, MTIT BARMM Lanao del Sur Provincial Director Mohammad Aquil A. Mamanite, and LiLOK Project Leader Jennifer M. Conda. The initiative will also collaborate with partners, such as the University of the Philippines Open University and UP Los Baños Forestry Development Center, to harmonize policies on the wood carving sector and provide technical support. Funded by the National Research Council of the Philippines, the program will extend its reach to other carving communities across the country, including those in Hungduan, Ifugao; Guagua, Pampanga; Paete, Laguna; Palawan; and Mogpog, Marinduque. Image credits: DOST-FPRDI PHOTOIn the weeks since Republicans decisively won the White House as well as both chambers of Congress, Democrats and pundits alike have voiced countless theories for their defeat. However, the even more critical question is, where do Democrats go from here? Do Democrats double down on the “resistance” that has defined the party for the better part of a decade? Or do Democrats try a different approach and return to the center in order to win back millions of voters who have abandoned the party? Ever since 2016, the Democratic Party’s platform can almost entirely be defined by one word: resistance. Whatever President-elect Donald Trump supported, Democrats rejected and organized in resistance to, often at the expense of formulating their own competing policies. Now, with the politics of resistance soundly rejected, if Democrats want to remain politically viable, they need to return to the center and develop policies for actual issues. They need a specific agenda to address inflation, create jobs, and better manage the economy. This should include a strong position on border security with a viable pathway to citizenship for migrants already here, instead of the open border advocacy that the resistance wing, led by the progressive “Squad” loudly called for during Trump’s first term. On the economy, Democrats should reject progressives’ preference for overbearing taxes and an expansive welfare state. Instead, moderate Democrats must work with the GOP to achieve less regulations, agree to job-boosting tax cuts, and cutting inflationary yet wasteful government spending. To be clear, the 2024 election exposed the hollowness of resistance politics. Voters made it clear that they want elected officials who will address the actual issues, not those who are defined solely by what – or who – they oppose. Indeed, rather than articulating an agenda to address voters’ concerns about the economy, cost of living, immigration, or crime, Democrats – and Vice President Kamala Harris in particular – almost entirely campaigned on the need to stop Trump, lest his “fascism” destroy our democracy. Yet as we saw, this was a costly mistake. Trump won because voters felt he had actual solutions to kitchen-table issues, and Democrats’ appeals largely fell flat with moderate and swing voters. Put another way, as Brett Stephens noted in the New York Times, adherence to resistance politics “led Democrats astray...It distracted them from the task of developing superior policy responses to the valid public concerns he was addressing.” Fortunately for Democrats, they should look to the past to develop a roadmap for the party’s future. Four decades ago, also in the wake of a devastating election loss – former Vice President Walter Mondale’s in 1984 – Democrats, led by then-Governor Bill Clinton, created the Democratic Leadership Council to bring the party back to the center and push back against the growing influence of the party’s left-wing. The DLC advocated for policies that many leftwing Democrats today would shudder at – balancing the budget, welfare reform, and a tougher stance on crime – but that was what Democrats needed then, and that is what they need now. In that same vein, what made the DLC effective was its focus on commonsense values that appealed to the majority of Americans – smaller government, fiscal responsibility, safe cities, and border security. Comparatively, the resistance playbook seeks to divide Americans via progressive identity politics, promotion of an unpopular “woke” agenda, and a refusal to compromise on solutions to challenges facing all Americans. The fact that Donald Trump won the popular vote with one of – if not the – most racially diverse coalition assembled by a Republican in decades underscores the ineffectiveness of progressives’ resistance platform, as well as its toxicity to the Democratic Party as a whole. To that end, the dangers to Democrats posed by progressive-led resistance politics are backed by the data. Beginning in 2016, progressives have driven Democrats significantly further to the left than the average American voter, risking the overall party’s viability should they continue diverging. An analysis from the Financial Times shows that in the last eight years, Democrats hard left turn on supporting increased immigration has taken them nearly 60-points to the left of the average voter. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | California’s political clout will fade as long as population growth remains slow Opinion Columnists | Here’s to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises Opinion Columnists | Grand DOGE promises of massive cuts to the federal government are unlikely to materialize Opinion Columnists | Republican populism goes all in for the Nanny State Opinion Columnists | After botched Gaetz nomination, Trump should pivot on Cabinet picks As John Burn-Murdoch wrote, the data “suggests that Trump’s election radicalized the left, not the right.” And while this analysis was done prior to the 2024 election, there is little reason to believe Democrats have made up the lost ground. The first step for Democrats’ new approach should be to move back to where the average voter is. They can start by committing to working with centrist Republicans for commonsense solutions to the problems we face. Doing so is also smart politically. Working with – rather than against – Trump, will benefit Democrats if his second term does in fact produce a strong economy, secure borders, a more stable geopolitical environment, and overall prosperity. Ultimately, where Democrats go from here remains to be seen, but the 2024 election was a stinging rebuke of a party with little to offer aside from stubborn opposition to Donald Trump. If Democrats want to avoid being consigned to minority status for years to come, it is critical that they shun calls to double down on the politics of resistance and begin offering genuine, centrist solutions that address Americans’ concerns. Douglas Schoen is a longtime Democratic political consultant.
Commentary: Giving thanks for America and opportunity76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left kneeTaylor Swift wipes away tears at latest Eras Tour concert after receiving standing ovation Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By ALESIA STANFORD FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 19:00 GMT, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 19:09 GMT, 24 November 2024 e-mail 9 shares View comments Taylor Swift grew emotional on stage during her concert in Toronto on Saturday night. The multi-hyphenate, who recently enjoyed a girls night with Faith Hill and Este Haim , was performing at the Rogers Centre when she became a little teary while talking to the sold-out audience. In a video posted on social media, the 34-year-old hitmaker was moved after receiving a standing ovation following her performance of Champagne Problems from her Evermore album. 'Toronto, we're at the very end of this tour so you doing that, you have no idea how much it means to me and to my ...' she began before having to stop to compose herself. The All Too Well singer was wearing a fiery red gown with slowing sleeves and leaf-inspired cutouts. 'This tour ... I don't even know what I’m saying anymore,' she explained as the audience continued to cheer, adding, 'That was ... uh, I'm just having a bit of a moment so...' Taylor Swift grew emotional during her sixth and final concert in Toronto on Saturday night after receiving a standing ovation for her performance of Champagne Dreams. 'Toronto, we're at the very end of this tour so you doing that, you have no idea how much it means to me..' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Swift Updates (@taylorswift.updates13) Read More Influencer flies to Toronto to see Taylor Swift without tickets and goes into absolute meltdown 'It's not even the last show!,' Swift said composing her self, and continuing, 'My band, my crew, all of my fellow performers, we have put so much of our lives into this,' she said referring to the tour that began March 17, 2023. She then told the crowd, 'And you've put so much of your lives into being with us tonight and to giving us that moment that we will never forget.' Saturday's show was the last of six performed in the city. During her time there the giant friendship bracelet that had adorned the Superdome in New Orleans and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, had been passed on to the Rogers Centre. 'We've loved our time in Toronto, it's been so amazing,' said while wiping her eyes. 'I love you guys. Thanks so much for that.' After stumbling over her words a tearful Swift told her fans, ' I’m just having a bit of a moment so...' adding that she and her crew had put 'so much of our lives into this,' referring to the tour that began March 17, 2023 The Anti-Hero artist's fans were feeling all the feels as well. 'It's really hitting me that the end is near,' commented one follower. 'Who knows when she'll be touring making millions of fans happy to dance and sing a long again. I never got to go but hopefully next time, she’ll come back even better and I’ll get to enjoy with other Swifties.' 'I'm so happy i got to witness this historical tour in Singapore,' wrote another. She concluded saying 'We’ve loved our time in Toronto, it's been so amazing,' said while wiping her eyes. 'I love you guys. Thanks so much for that' 'I was crying with her,' noted an empathetic fan. After that bonding moment, Swift later performed two surprise acoustic mashups. She then sang Sparks Fly and Message in a Bottle, on guitar, followed by You're Losing Me and How Did It End on piano. Video shared online revealed boyfriend Travis Kelce's dad Ed was in the VIP section trading friendship bracelets with fans, along with Swift's mom Andrea. Swift will take a break over the US Thanksgiving holiday before her final shows. The Eras tour will come to an end with shows in Vancouver, BC December 6, 7, and 8 (Pictured in Toronto November 14) Swift will take a break over the US Thanksgiving holiday before her final shows. The Eras tour will come to an end with shows in Vancouver, BC December 6, 7, and 8. Swift has completed more than 140 shows across five continents. She recently sparked speculation she will be teaming up with Faith Hill for a re-recording of her debut album after she was seen enjoying a night out with her and Este Haim last week. Taylor Swift Share or comment on this article: Taylor Swift wipes away tears at latest Eras Tour concert after receiving standing ovation e-mail 9 shares Add comment
By JILL COLVIN NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. Related Articles National Politics | Unique among ‘Person of the Year’ designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazine National Politics | Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA’s idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it ‘absurd’ National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don’t change their clocks at all.Report: NFL warns players of burglary rings targeting pro athletes
Share Tweet Share Share Email The meme coin craze is showing no signs of slowing down, and December 2024 is proving to be an exciting month for anyone looking to cash in on the next big opportunity. The latest developments in the crypto world have sparked a new wave of excitement, as the presales of some meme coins are already making waves. One of the standout names in this space is BTFD Coin, which has experienced a meteoric rise during its presale. But BTFD is not alone in this race—projects like Memecoin and Sudeng are also gaining traction, each with its unique features and market potential. Meme coins have come a long way since the days of Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, with new projects offering innovative features that appeal to investors and gamers alike. As meme coins continue to evolve, it’s clear that their utility goes far beyond just hype. One of the most exciting new players in the meme coin world, BTFD Coin, is blending meme coin energy with the growing demand for Play-to-Earn (P2E) gaming, staking rewards, and community involvement. With its presale hitting new milestones, BTFD Coin is poised to take meme coins to the next level in 2024. The combination of real-world utility and a highly engaged community is setting BTFD apart from other meme coins, making it one of the best meme coin presales to buy in December 2024. But while BTFD is making headlines, other meme coins like Memecoin and Sudeng are also building momentum. Let’s take a closer look at why these projects are worth considering for your next investment. BTFD Coin: The Meme Coin for a New Era of Investors BTFD Coin isn’t just riding the wave of meme coin hype—it’s building an ecosystem that blends meme culture with the rapidly growing Play-to-Earn (P2E) gaming market. The coin, currently in its 12th presale stage, has already raised over $4.2 million, with more than 57 billion coins sold. This impressive presale success highlights BTFD’s growing popularity among investors and its potential for exponential returns. But BTFD is more than just a promising meme coin with explosive growth potential. The coin is actively developing a Play-to-Earn (P2E) game, which is currently in beta, offering gamers and crypto enthusiasts a way to earn rewards through gameplay. The game is expected to attract a lot of attention once it goes live, adding significant utility to the BTFD token and increasing its demand. Additionally, the 90% APY staking rewards make BTFD an attractive option for long-term holders, providing multiple avenues for growth. The community around BTFD is another key factor driving its success. With over 6,100 holders and the ever-growing Bulls Squad community, BTFD is creating a movement of like-minded investors who are all committed to making the most of the current dip in the market. It’s not just about buying and holding—it’s about being part of a bigger mission to reshape the meme coin space. Why did this coin make it to this list? Simple: BTFD Coin is offering something unique—a blend of meme coin culture, gaming, and real-world utility that few other projects can match. Sudeng: The Playful Rising Star While Sudeng might not yet carry the same level of fame as heavyweights like Dogecoin or Shiba Inu, don’t let that fool you—this coin is a serious contender. Sudeng is steadily making its mark in the meme coin world with a focus on community engagement and a fun, light-hearted branding that resonates with a wide range of investors. What sets Sudeng apart is its patient, steady approach to growth. Rather than rushing for quick fame, it’s focusing on nurturing a strong, loyal community that believes in its long-term vision. If you’re tired of the rollercoaster ride of high-risk, high-reward coins, Sudeng presents a refreshing alternative—a meme coin designed to grow alongside its investors, rather than leaving them hanging. With its playful branding and clear, strategic roadmap, Sudeng is shaping up to be one of the best new meme coins to buy for 2025, especially for those looking for a bit more stability in a typically unpredictable market. Memecoin: The Fun and Lucrative Contender in the Crypto Market Memecoin is a cryptocurrency that has managed to blend the world of internet memes with blockchain technology, creating a unique and engaging presence in the crypto space. Inspired by the success of coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, Memecoin brings a sense of humour and fun to an otherwise serious market. While it may have started as a joke, Memecoin is rapidly gaining popularity, with its community-driven growth and playful branding making it one of the most talked-about meme coins in recent times. What makes Memecoin stand out is its community focus. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies that often focus on technical utility, Memecoin thrives on viral moments, meme culture, and active engagement from its supporters. Its value largely depends on the collective enthusiasm of the community, who continue to create viral memes, challenges, and discussions surrounding the coin. This social media-driven approach has helped Memecoin establish a loyal following, turning what could be a passing trend into a long-term investment opportunity for those who believe in its potential. As it grows, Memecoin is laying the groundwork for continued success by maintaining its playful nature while also expanding its presence in the wider crypto market. With more people getting involved, Memecoin could become the next big thing, riding the wave of meme culture while also attracting serious investors who see the potential for substantial returns. Whether you’re a casual investor, a meme enthusiast, or someone looking to diversify your crypto portfolio, Memecoin is a contender worth watching in the meme coin race. Which Meme Coin Is the Right Investment for You? Based on our research and market trends, BTFD Coin stands out as one of the best meme coin presales to buy in December 2024. With its unique Play-to-Earn game, staking rewards, and strong community backing, BTFD is poised for long-term growth. The presale success, with over $4.2 million raised and a listing price of $0.0006, makes it an attractive opportunity for investors looking to capitalise on the dip and ride the wave to substantial profits. BTFD’s combination of gaming, staking, and community engagement makes it the clear leader in the race for the best meme coin presale of December 2024. Join the BTFD Coin presale today and secure your spot in the next big meme coin success story. The presale is nearing its final stages, so don’t miss your chance to be part of something truly special. Find Out More: Website: https://www.btfd.io/ X/Twitter: https://x.com/BTFD_COIN Telegram: https://t.me/btfd_coin Related Items: Blockchain , BTFD Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Blockchain Simplified: Qubetics’ IDE, Algorand’s Sustainability, and Arweave’s Permanent Storage – What Is Best Crypto To Buy Now Shiba Inu News: Shibaswap Fails to Save SHIB As Investors Switch For Viral $0.12 Altcoin Top Cryptos to Watch Now: Market Trends Suggest High-Growth Potential In 2025 Comments76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left kneeAlex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. The Capitals updated Ovechkin’s status Thursday after he was evaluated by team doctors upon returning from a three-game trip. The 39-year-old broke the leg in a shin-on-shin collision Monday night with Utah's Jack McBain, and some of his closest teammates knew it was not good news even before Ovechkin was listed as week to week and placed on injured reserve. Recommended Videos “Everyone’s bummed out,” said winger Tom Wilson, who has played with Ovechkin since 2013. “We were sitting there saying: ‘This is weird. Like, it’s unbelievable that he’s actually hurt.’ It’s one of those things where like, he’s going to miss games? I’ve been around a long time, and it’s new to me.” Ovechkin in his first 19 seasons missed 59 games — and just 35 because of injury. Durability even while throwing his body around with his physical style is a big reason he is on track to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals that once looked unapproachable. “He doesn’t go out there and just coast around,” Wilson said. “He’s played 20 years every shift running over guys and skating. He’s a power forward, the best goal-scorer ever maybe, and he’s a power forward that plays the game really hard.” Ovechkin surged to the top of the league with 15 goals in his first 18 games this season. He was on pace to break the record and score No. 895 sometime in February. “You know when goal-scorers start scoring, it’s dangerous,” said defenseman John Carlson, who has been teammates with Ovechkin since 2009-10. “There was a bit of that in the downs that everyone was feeling about it too, of course. We see him coming to the rink every day, we know what’s at stake. You never want anyone to get injured, but there’s a lot to it and certainly he was playing his best hockey in years.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
HARRISBURG — Votes won’t be cast in the State Capitol until after lawmakers are sworn in next month but the new legislative session is underway and legislators have submitted hundreds of co-sponsorship memos seeking support for initiatives concerning elections, gun rights, economic development and so much more. The 2025-26 Legislative Session officially opened Dec. 1, however, lawmakers aren’t sworn-in until Jan. 7. Floor sessions, committee meetings and voting won’t begin until then. In the interim, lawmakers are circulating co-sponsorship memos to rally support for bill proposals. Hundreds have been submitted in the House and Senate, some new and some reintroducing bills that didn’t pass into law in past sessions. Some memos will come and go without the underlying bill being introduced, for lack of support or another reason. The memos address high-profile issues like amendments to the Election Code to enact universal voter ID, legalize recreational marijuana, repeal mail-in voting, expand voter registration periods and institute pre-canvassing allowing county election staff more time to handle votes cast by mail ahead of Election Day. There are memos proposing ways to increase the stock of affordable housing, protect abortion access, enact gun safety laws or restrict any changes considered infringements on Second Amendment rights, eliminate school property taxes, institute term limits for state lawmakers and end Daylight Savings Time. Other memos propose social media protections for kids, institute workforce initiatives to expand the labor force for nursing, long-term care and mental health, regulate short-term rentals, enact local taxes to fund emergency services and legalize syringe services as a measure to address the ongoing opioid epidemic. Democrats control the House and Republicans are in charge of the Senate. Leadership of the chambers’ respective majority dictate which bills are considered in committee and on the chamber floor. The General Assembly again is under partisan divide, making it difficult for those in the majority and the minority to see their bills advance. Last session, a combined 239 bills were enacted into law, the lowest total since 2009-10, which was the last time the Legislature was divided. Emergency services are struggling to recruit and retain manpower, especially volunteers, and obtain funding to keep operations in order. Rep. Abby Major, R-Armstrong/Westmoreland, proposes that Third Class Cities be authorized to levy a specific tax, up to 0.5 mills assessed on properties, to supplement funding for emergency medical services. State law allows certain boroughs and townships to levy such a tax but not Third Class Cities. There are 53 such cities spread across Pennsylvania including Harrisburg, Johnstown, Meadville, Titusville, New Castle, Farrell, Hermitage, Sharon, Shamokin, Sunbury, Franklin and Oil City. Hiring teachers and support staff as well as addressing academics that statewide assessments show fall short of pre-pandemic performance has been a legislative focus in the General Assembly. Legislators have pressed that the physical condition of school buildings and infrastructure, too, needs to be addressed. A group of Democrats in the House propose the creation of a School Facilities Office within the Pennsylvania Department of Education to aid school officials in assessing facility conditions and leveraging funding from all levels of government to improve physical environments of school buildings. A separately planned proposal from Democratic Reps. Ronni Green and Tarik Khan of Philadelphia would reintroduce a bill from last session seeking to establish a grant program — up to $10 million annually across three years — to replace drinking fountains in schools with lead-filtering water stations by 2026. The effort last session was bipartisan with a Republican proposal introduced in the Senate, too. Neither bill received attention at the committee level. Clean water advocates have criticized Pennsylvania’s laws around school drinking water as being too lax. Rep. Dallas Kephart, R-Cambria/Clearfield, announced his intent to bring forward a bill proposing the elimination of Pennsylvania’s inheritance tax. Direct descendants and lineal heirs pay 4.5% in “death taxes” on inheritance. Depending on the relationship, the tax can reach as high as 15%. More than $751 million in inheritance taxes have been collected so far in fiscal 2024, according to data from the Pennsylvania Treasury. In a related memo, Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, R-Butler, circulated a memo calling for Tuition Account Programs (529 plans) to be exempted from the inheritance tax. A bipartisan group of lawmakers intend to again support legislation proposed by Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, an emergency physician, to create a Medical Debt Relief Program. The program would allow the commonwealth to directly purchase bad hospital debt for “pennies on the dollar” — $4 million to buy $400 million in debt headed to collections. The debt would then be forgiven for thousands of Pennsylvanians for a fraction of a percentage of the commonwealth’s overall budget. Democrats and Republicans supported the proposal last session including Rep. Jim Rigby, R-Cambria/Somerset, and Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Crawford/Warren/Forest, but it didn’t make it into law. Pennsylvania’s existing Contractor Registration Law would be amended under an initiative by Rep. Brad Roae, R-Crawford/Erie. The law prevents contractors convicted of defrauding customers — for example, accepting a down payment for work and never doing the job — to operate a contracting business in the commonwealth. Roae seeks to close a loophole where a spouse could open a contracting business and hire their spouse who’s barred from doing the same, effectively picking up where they had left off. Rep. Michael Stender, R-Northumberland/Montour, announced plans to reintroduce a bill proposing to allow motorists to check a box and donate to local fire departments as they may already do for veterans, organ donation and breast cancer research. According to his co-sponsorship memo, the Pennsylvania Fire Commissioner would be responsible to disburse the collections on a quarterly basis. Ten female senators announced their intent to renew a push to keep trans women out of women’s high school and college sports. They’re planning to reintroduce the Save Women’s Sports Act that was put forward in the 2021-22 session. Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-Northumberland/Snyder/Montour/Columbia/Luzerne, joined Brooks and others on the new co-sponsorship memo. The original bill cleared both the House and Senate before being vetoed by former Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat. At the time, both chambers were controlled by Republican majorities. This session, however, Democrats control the House, and another Democrat, Josh Shapiro, holds the governor’s office, making it likely a more difficult environment to adopt such a proposal. A push last session to expand Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania fell short. Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, announced he’ll reintroduce a proposal to allow the state Game Commission to add Sundays to Pennsylvania’s hunting calendar as it sees fit. Sen. Elder Vogel, R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence, co-sponsored a bill proposing a property tax exemption for disabled military veterans. Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria/Clearfield/Centre, intends to introduce a measure that would raise the statutory cap for monetary awards paid by local and state government in civil lawsuits. Without action, Langerholc says existing state law risks being declared unconstitutional. Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Lycoming/Union/Bradford/Sullivan/Tioga, will again pursue energy initiatives including establishing a Independent Energy Office for the commonwealth and enhance penalties for vandalism of the electric grid.
Andrew met the individual through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement from his office said. The businessman – known only as H6 – lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. He brought a case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) after then-home secretary Suella Braverman said he should be excluded from the UK in March 2023. H6 was described as a “close confidante” of The Duke. Judges were told that in a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials claimed H6 had been in a position to generate relationships between prominent UK figures and senior Chinese officials “that could be leveraged for political interference purposes”. They also said that H6 had downplayed his relationship with the Chinese state, which combined with his relationship with Andrew, 64, represented a threat to national security. A statement from Andrew’s office said: “The Duke of York followed advice from His Majesty’s Government and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised. “The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed. “He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.” At a hearing in July, the specialist tribunal heard that the businessman was told by an adviser to Andrew that he could act on the duke’s behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, and that H6 had been invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020. A letter referencing the birthday party from the adviser, Dominic Hampshire, was discovered on H6’s devices when he was stopped at a port in November 2021. In a ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Bourne, Judge Stephen Smith and Sir Stewart Eldon, dismissed the challenge.Judges warn of ‘serious logistical problems’ with assisted dying bill
Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco offi Matt O'brien, The Associated Press Dec 21, 2024 11:36 AM Dec 21, 2024 11:50 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Suchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. (Balaji Ramamurthy via AP) Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said a statement from OpenAI. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said “appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation.” The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a “happy, smart and brave young man” who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT. “Suchir’s contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn’t have succeeded without him,” said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what made him such an exceptional engineer and scientist was his attention to detail and ability to notice subtle bugs or logical errors. “He had a knack for finding simple solutions and writing elegant code that worked,” Schulman wrote. “He’d think through the details of things carefully and rigorously.” Balaji later shifted to organizing the huge datasets of online writings and other media used to train GPT-4, the fourth generation of OpenAI's flagship large language model and a basis for the company's famous chatbot. It was that work that eventually caused Balaji to question the technology he helped build, especially after newspapers, novelists and others began suing OpenAI and other AI companies for copyright infringement. He first raised his concerns with The New York Times, which reported them in an October profile of Balaji . He later told The Associated Press he would “try to testify” in the strongest copyright infringement cases and considered a lawsuit brought by The New York Times last year to be the “most serious.” Times lawyers named him in a Nov. 18 court filing as someone who might have “unique and relevant documents” supporting allegations of OpenAI's willful copyright infringement. His records were also sought by lawyers in a separate case brought by book authors including the comedian Sarah Silverman, according to a court filing. “It doesn’t feel right to be training on people’s data and then competing with them in the marketplace,” Balaji told the AP in late October. “I don’t think you should be able to do that. I don’t think you are able to do that legally.” He told the AP that he gradually grew more disillusioned with OpenAI, especially after the internal turmoil that led its board of directors to fire and then rehire CEO Sam Altman last year. Balaji said he was broadly concerned about how its commercial products were rolling out, including their propensity for spouting false information known as hallucinations. But of the “bag of issues” he was concerned about, he said he was focusing on copyright as the one it was “actually possible to do something about.” He acknowledged that it was an unpopular opinion within the AI research community, which is accustomed to pulling data from the internet, but said “they will have to change and it’s a matter of time.” He had not been deposed and it’s unclear to what extent his revelations will be admitted as evidence in any legal cases after his death. He also published a personal blog post with his opinions about the topic. Schulman, who resigned from OpenAI in August, said he and Balaji coincidentally left on the same day and celebrated with fellow colleagues that night with dinner and drinks at a San Francisco bar. Another of Balaji’s mentors, co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, had left OpenAI several months earlier , which Balaji saw as another impetus to leave. Schulman said Balaji had told him earlier this year of his plans to leave OpenAI and that Balaji didn't think that better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence “was right around the corner, like the rest of the company seemed to believe.” The younger engineer expressed interest in getting a doctorate and exploring “some more off-the-beaten path ideas about how to build intelligence,” Schulman said. Balaji's family said a memorial is being planned for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California, not far from his hometown of Cupertino. —————- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. —————-- The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives. Matt O'brien, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Science News No farm, no problem: Young farmers get their start in the industry in other ways Dec 21, 2024 3:00 AM Amazon and Starbucks workers are on strike. Trump might have something to do with it Dec 20, 2024 3:44 PM Mystery drone sightings continue in New Jersey and across the US. Here's what we know Dec 20, 2024 3:40 PM