Michigan aims to cap lost season by beating Ohio State
Which free agent would you rather have: Teoscar Hernández or Anthony Santander? Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer?
Killer whale mum who carried her dead baby for 17 days gives birth to new calfBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson kept the overall lead in fan voting numbers revealed Monday for the NFL Pro Bowl Games with Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley a close second. Jackson topped vote-getters with 82,402 and Barkley was next, only 320 votes behind. Barkley was 4,079 votes back of Jackson in last week's first voting results. Eagles star Barkley, who set a team one-season rushing record on Sunday in a victory over Carolina, leaped ahead of Ravens rusher Derrick Henry, who fell to third on 76,582. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was fourth on 73,627 with Detroit Lions rusher Jahmyr Gibbs fifth on 73,617. The Lions garnered the most votes from NFL fans overall followed by Baltimore, two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City, Philadelphia and Minnesota. The NFL's all-star event will be staged February 2 in Orlando, Florida, for the second consecutive year as 88 players take part in skills competitions, including a flag football showdown with former NFL star quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning serving as coaches. Fan voting concludes on December 23. No other voting totals were revealed but top vote-getters at their position in the AFC and NFC also were revealed, including NFC rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels of Washington and wide receivers Justin Jefferson of Minnesota in the NFC and Ja'Marr Chase of Cincinnati in the AFC. js/bbIsrael strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. New York to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Large fossil fuel companies would have to pay fees to help New York fight the effects of climate change under a bill signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor signed the new law Thursday. It requires companies responsible for substantial greenhouse gas emissions to pay into a state infrastructure fund for repairs or projects that help avoid future damage from climate change. Lawmakers approved the bill earlier this year. It's meant to make big oil and gas companies contribute to the cost of repairs after extreme weather events or for resiliency projects. Such projects may include restoring coastal wetlands or upgrading roads, bridges and water drainage systems. Legal challenges to the new law are expected. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Why this Mexican American woman played a vital role in the US sacramental peyote trade MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — Amada Cardenas, a Mexican American woman who lived in the tiny border town of Mirando City in South Texas, played an important role in the history of the peyote trade. She and her husband were the first federally licensed peyote dealers who harvested and sold the sacramental plant to followers of the Native American Church in the 1930s. After her husband's death in 1967, Cardenas continued to welcome generations of Native American Church members to her home until her death in 2005, just before her 101st birthday.
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Wall Street's main indexes rose in a truncated trading session before Christmas, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq up for the third consecutive day, helped by gains in a handful of megacap and growth stocks. Broadcom and Nvidia provided the biggest boost to the indexes on Tuesday, advancing 2.7 per cent and 0.7 per cent, respectively, while Consumer Discretionary and Technology led gains among S&P 500 sectors. With few major catalysts, thin trading volumes expected in the final days of the year raised the prospect of choppy trading. Stock markets will shut at 1pm local time on Tuesday and will be closed for Christmas on Wednesday. In early trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 32.38 points, or 0.08 per cent, to 42,939.33, the S&P 500 gained 21.68 points, or 0.36 per cent, to 5,995.75, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 116.55 points, or 0.59 per cent, to 19,881.43. "Investors are breathing a sigh of relief that maybe the hawkish rate cut last week combined with the softer PCE reading indicate that inflation is not that big of a re-emerging threat," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist of CFRA Research. "As a result, maybe this market will end up creeping higher between now and the end of the year." After a stellar run to record highs following the November election, which sparked hopes of pro-business policies under US President-elect Donald Trump, Wall Street's rally hit a bump this month as investors grappled with the prospect of higher interest rates in 2025. The US Federal Reserve eased borrowing costs for the third time this year last Wednesday, but signaled only two more 25-basis-point reductions next year, down from its September projection of four cuts, as policymakers weigh the possibility of Trump's policies stoking inflation. Traders expect the Fed to leave rates in the range of four per cent to 4.25 per cent by the end of 2025, from between 3.75 per cent and four per cent about 10 days ago, according to CME's FedWatch tool. Markets are currently in a historically strong period called the "Santa Claus rally". The S&P 500 on average has gained 1.3 per cent in the last five days of December and first two days of January, according to data from the Stock Trader's Almanac going back to 1969. However, market participants are questioning if US stocks' climb to new record highs will be attainable in the coming days, amid concerns about sky-high valuations and the market's overall health. The benchmark S&P 500 fell about one per cent in December but the equal-weight S&P 500, a proxy for the average index stock, is down 5.8 per cent. NeueHealth soared 64 per cent after the healthcare provider said New Enterprise Associates, its largest shareholder, and a group of existing investors will take the company private in a $1.3 billion ($A2.1 billion) deal. American Airlines' shares were down 1.9 per cent after the carrier briefly grounded all its flights in the United States due to an unspecified technical issue. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.21-to-1 ratio on the NYSE, and by a 1.07-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted two new 52-week highs and no new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 17 new highs and 31 new lows.
A t the end of the year, newsrooms are generally half-empty. Many journalists happily go away on holiday, leaving news editors patrolling deserted aisles and staring at empty news lists and blank pages, wondering how to fill them. The panicked editors sometimes terrorise the few unfortunate reporters left behind, who then furiously start working the lines. It is especially at this difficult hour that people with capacious minds and precise memories come to our rescue. They have no billowing capes, no colourful spandex costumes, no shields, and no swords, but they are our saviours. In a reporter’s lexicon, they are ‘dial a quote’ sources — subject experts who can weigh in on any problem and provide context for stories. Two days ago, I went around the newsroom speaking to reporters. My colleagues said they swear by a student leader-turned-activist-turned-politician, who is now an academic, for quotes on anything from the travails of the homeless in Delhi’s bitter cold winters, to trade union protests, to trouble at universities. For the security beat reporters, former officers of the Army, Air Force, and Navy are the go-to guides. They explain the topography of a border area where a conflict has broken out or the torturous process of buying weapons than may span over decades. Their on-the-record comments add gravitas to the story. Then there are historians. Every time a road is renamed or a heritage structure comes crumbling down, they take us through the dusty bylanes of a bygone era. Without them, our stories would have no roots and simply become dull ‘he said, she said’ exchanges. While writing about rural development, I lean on activists who spend months in the field and are in touch with the workers every day. They trawl through the gigabytes of data on government websites to spot trends. Often, I feel guilty for sponging off their hard work, but we reporters draw solace from the fact that as the medium, we have successfully managed to put the message across. Political commentators are always ready to talk. Generally, the more they are sidelined within their party, the more enthusiastic they are to be quoted. ‘Dial a quote’ is not a new fad; it is as old as newsrooms. The scientist, J.B.S. Haldane, was a darling of journalists and would be ready to comment on anything under the sun, from weather to submarines. In Haldane’s biography, A Dominant Character , Samanth Subramanian quotes an apocryphal story about him. A journalist, probably on a slow news day, called Haldane to ask him what his studies about nature had taught him about the Creator. Haldane replied, “He has an inordinate fondness for beetles.” If dial-a-quoters are witty, it is an added bonus. Editors, of course, hate some of these stock names that appear often in stories. Once, a harried news editor, tired of seeing the same names crop up in copies on cost of living, gave a standing instruction: the names of the people who supply tea and snacks should never find their way to print. Also, the views of these sources can sometimes be jaded and out of date. So, we keep searching for new ‘dial a quote’ sources who offer newer and different perspectives. The most invaluable sources are those whose names never appear in print, but who provide background information; the scaffolding that supports our stories. During elections, they provide tutorials on caste equations, political rivalries, and the shifting loyalties of local leaders in various constituencies. There are also those who we may not call for months, but still go the extra mile to arrange interviews. The dial-a-quote sources may come from different fields but they have some things in common. They are passionate about their area of expertise, kind enough to pick our call at any time, and answer basic queries with patience. They are also brave enough to be quoted on record. As we take stock of the year gone by, we would like to pay our gratitude to all our ‘dial a quote’ sources — thank you. sobhanak.nair@thehindu.co.in Published - December 27, 2024 03:12 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit news mediaSpecial counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against TrumpA European Commission spokesman reportedly said Monday (Nov. 25) that social media platform Bluesky is breaching European Union (EU) rules by not disclosing how many users it has in the EU and where it is legally established. Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said all platforms in the EU are required to have a dedicated page on their website that includes that information, and Bluesky does not, the Financial Times (FT) reported Monday. Regnier said the commission has not yet contacted Bluesky directly and that it wrote to the EU’s 27 national governments to see “if they can find any trace” of the company, according to the report. Bluesky did not immediately reply to PYMNTS’ request for comment. Founded in 2019, Bluesky is a U.S. public benefit company with a platform resembling that of X , with short messages and images posted by users, per the report. Bluesky must have more than 45 million monthly users in the EU before the commission can directly regulate it, according to the report. It was reported Sunday (Nov. 24) that usage of Bluesky’s social media app in the U.S. and Great Britain jumped by nearly 300% to 3.5 million daily users in the time since the U.S. election and the victory of Donald Trump, who is supported by X owner Elon Musk. This growth has narrowed the gap between Bluesky and Meta -owned Threads , which was conceived as an alternative to Twitter before its name change to X. While Threads had five times the number of daily U.S. users as Bluesky before the election, it now has just 1.5 times as many. Bluesky’s growth comes after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg chose to scale back the prominence of political content across Meta’s apps, which also include Facebook and Instagram . Bluesky also experienced a surge of popularity in February when it dropped its invite-only requirement. The social media app attracted nearly 800,000 new users on its first day open to the public. The decentralized and open-source platform’s journey began with an invite-only beta in 2023 that generated significant interest and even led to invites being sold on eBay for $400.
BEAVERTON, Ore., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advantage Media Partners, a top digital marketing agency in Beaverton, Oregon, announces the addition of 15 new team members to strengthen its services, with a primary focus on search engine optimization (SEO). This strategic expansion reflects the company's commitment to helping businesses improve their online visibility, drive organic traffic, and achieve higher rankings on search engines. The new hires will enhance SEO capabilities and support key departments, including Google Advertising, Web Development, and Sales. This growth positions Advantage Media Partners to meet the rising demand for robust digital marketing solutions. "SEO is essential for businesses to stand out in today's competitive online environment," said Nathan Baker, VP of Advantage Media Partners. "Our expanded team enables us to deliver even better results for our clients." Why SEO Matters Advantage Media Partners specializes in delivering SEO strategies that drive measurable results, from increased website traffic to improved search rankings. The agency focuses on in-depth keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and analytics to provide a comprehensive SEO experience. Local businesses also benefit from the agency's expertise in Local SEO, designed to dominate local search results in Beaverton and beyond. These services are tailored to small and medium-sized businesses looking to grow their digital presence effectively. About Advantage Media Partners Located at 8700 SW Creekside Pl, Beaverton, OR, Advantage Media Partners is a trusted digital marketing agency offering SEO, web design, and social media marketing. Known for its client-focused approach, the company consistently delivers customized strategies that align with business goals. Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Contact: (888) 475-7532 Website: www.AdvantageMediaPartners.com SEO-Related FAQ 1. Why is SEO important? SEO improves visibility, drives organic traffic, and builds credibility for businesses. 2. Who benefits from your SEO services? Businesses of all sizes, including local service providers and national brands. 3. How can I schedule an SEO consultation? Call (888) 475-7532 or visit our website to book a free consultation. Keywords: SEO services, local SEO experts, boost website traffic, search engine optimization Beaverton. For media inquiries, contact: Eric Wade Advantage Media Partners Email: eric@advantagemediapartners.com Phone: (888) 475-7532 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said dealing with incoming president Donald Trump and his thundering on trade will be “a little more challenging” than the last time he was in the White House. Speaking at an event put on by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Trudeau said that’s because Trump’s team is coming in with a much clearer set of ideas of what they want to do right away than after his first election win in 2016. Even still, Trudeau said the answer is not to panic and said Canada can rally together to address the tough scenario the nation will face following Trump’s inauguration in January. Trump has threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canada and Mexico, if the two nations do not beef up their borders to his satisfaction. On the weekend, Trump appeared in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where the president-elect said he can’t guarantee the tariffs won’t raise prices for U.S. consumers but that eventually tariffs will “make us rich.” “All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field,” he said. Trudeau warned that steep tariffs could be “devastating for the Canadian economy” and cause “just horrific losses in all of our communities,” and that Trump’s approach is to introduce “a bit of chaos” to destabilize his negotiating partners. But he also said that Canada exports a range of goods to the U.S., from steel and aluminum to crude oil and agricultural commodities, all of which would get more expensive and mean real hardship for Americans at the same time. “For years, Americans have been paying more for their homes than they should because of unjust tariffs on softwood lumber. Maybe this level of tariffs will actually have them realize that this is something they are doing to themselves,” Trudeau said. “Trump got elected on a commitment to make life better and more affordable for Americans, and I think people south of the border are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive.” Experts, including Canada’s former top trade negotiator Steve Verheul, have warned the country needs to be ready to respond if Trump goes through with his tariff threats. The prime minister said his government is still mulling over “the right ways” to respond, referencing Canada’s calculated approach when Trump hit Canada with steel and aluminum tariffs. “It was the fact that we put tariffs on bourbon and Harley-Davidsons and playing cards and Heinz ketchup and cherries and a number of other things that were very carefully targeted because they were politically impactful to the president’s party and colleagues,” he said. That’s how Canada was able to “punch back in a way that was actually felt by Americans,” he added. Trudeau also said the country needs to rally together and work past its political differences. He offered up some rare words of praise for Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe — a frequent political thorn in his side and “no big fan of mine” — as one of Canada’s strongest voices during that tumultuous time period when NAFTA was under threat. “His voice with governors down south, his making the case for Canadian workers and Canadian trade in a way that complemented the arguments that we were making, did a better job of showing what Canadian unity was and (what) Canada’s negotiating position could be to a United States that has a political system that is incredibly fractured and fractious,” Trudeau said. On Sunday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said “every single Conservative would tell every single American” that tariffs on Canada would be a bad idea — and also took time to bill Trudeau as a weak leader. One member of his caucus, Conservative MP Jamil Jivani, said he had dinner with incoming vice-president JD Vance and British Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch over the weekend in Arlington, Va. He said it’s crucial right now to be building “strong relationships with our allies.” — With files from The Associated Press, Kelly Geraldine Malone and Rosa Saba in TorontoStock Market Today: Wall Street Holds Near Breakeven Ahead of Christmas
Yankees have these 2 free agents at the top of their bullpen wish listMichigan aims to cap lost season by beating Ohio StateBiden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful government panel has failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase U.S. Steel. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on Monday sent its long-awaited report to President Joe Biden, a longtime opponent of the deal. Some federal agencies represented on the panel were skeptical that allowing a Japanese company to buy an American-owned steelmaker would create national security risks. That's according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. Both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump opposed the merger and vowed to block it. Nippon Steel says it is confident the deal will go ahead. Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Survey: Small businesses are feeling more optimistic about the economy after the election A survey shows small business owners are feeling more optimistic about the economy following the election. The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ Small Business Optimism Index rose by eight points in November to 101.7, its highest reading since June 2021. The Uncertainty Index declined 12 points in November to 98, following October’s pre-election record high of 110. NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said small business owners became more certain about future business conditions following the presidential election, breaking a nearly three-year streak of record high uncertainty. The survey also showed that more owners are also hoping 2025 will be a good time to grow. Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue just as the Christmas travel season kicks into overdrive and winter weather is threatening more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. American flights were cleared to fly by federal regulators about one hour after a national ground stop order was issued by federal regulators Tuesday. The American groundings couldn’t come at a worse time for the millions of travelers expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers over the holidays and through January 2. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. Stock market today: Wall Street holds near breakeven ahead of Christmas Stock indexes are edging higher in morning trading on Wall Street as gains for some Big Tech stocks make up for weakness elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 was up 0.4% Tuesday. Chip company Broadcom was again helping to pull the index higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite was up 0.7%. American Airlines fell 1.2% after the airline briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue. Treasury yields rose. U.S. markets will close at 1 p.m. Eastern and stay closed Wednesday for Christmas. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Honda's U.S.-listed shares rose sharply after the company said it was in talks about a combination with Nissan in a deal that could also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market.
Falcons drafting Penix no longer a head-scratcher with rookie QB shining in place of benched CousinsThe US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s health minister has been removed from his post following , government officials said Thursday. According to two government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject, Health Minister Duckenson Lorthe will be replaced by Justice Minister Patrick Pelissier until a new health minister is found. Two journalists and a police officer were killed Tuesday as who were there to cover the facility's reopening. It was one of the worst attacks on Haitian media in recent memory. Seven other journalists were wounded. Jean Feguens Regala, a photographer , said journalists had been invited to the hospital by the health ministry but there was little security at the site. “The fact that the minister of health invited us, you feel that preparations have been made already,” Regala told The Associated Press. “When we made contact with a police unit, the police told us they were not aware of the event." The health minister did not show up at the event, for reasons that have not been explained. Shortly after the attack, Johnson “Izo” André — considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince — posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Gang violence has worsened in Haiti, with crippling the country’s capital and plunging Haiti into an unprecedented crisis. Gangs are believed to control 85% of Port-au-Prince. The Caribbean country has struggled to organize an election that will restore democratic rule, and is currently governed by a transitional council made up of representatives of political parties, business groups and civil society organizations. Evens Sanon, The Associated Press
Take a moment, first, to celebrate the fall of a regime of surpassing evil even by the demanding standards of the Middle East. Father and son, the Assad regime oppressed and abused the Syrian people for 53 years, and now it is gone in a week. Even the American-backed puppet regime in Afghanistan did not fall that fast. The Russians, the Iranians and Hezbollah in Lebanon supported Bashar al-Assad through the last 13 years of hot and cold civil war in Syria, but in the end they let him go. Hezbollah has been gutted by the Israelis, Moscow is too distracted by its war in Ukraine, and Iran is frightened of a joint attack by Israel and a Trump-led United States. The big winners at this point, therefore, seem to be Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the one hand, and the rebranded jihadis who have now taken control of Damascus and most of Syria's other big cities on the other. But it was Mr Netanyahu's triumph over Hezbollah that indirectly helped the jihadis into power in Syria, and he may regret it. The current name for the Islamist group that has just gained control of most of Syria's population is Hayat Tahrir-al Sham (HTS). That means "Organisation for the Liberation of the Levant", a neutral name for what now claims to be a broad nationalist front -- but HTS's roots lie in al-Qaeda and the murderous head-choppers of Islamic State. "Once a jihadi, always a jihadi," some would say, and HTS remains classed as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations, the United States, Turkey and Russia. US officials have even called HTS "a vehicle to advance [al-Qaeda's] position in the Syrian uprising". However, it is possible that the leopard really has changed its spots. So far, in its victory march across Syria, HTS has lived up to its promise not to impose shariah law on Syria's many and diverse sects. Even the Christian, Druze and Alawite minorities are being treated with respect -- although for the Alawites, at least, that may not be convincing enough. Alawites are no more than 10% of Syria's population, and for most of the region's history they were an obscure agrarian minority. But the French recruited their colonial army in Syria largely from the Alawite community precisely because it was a marginal and powerless group -- and when the French left, the Alawite soldiers took over the country. For more than half a century, the Alawites dominated Syria and benefited greatly from the Assad clan's monopoly of power. They now fear that they will be held collectively responsible for the regime's crimes, and they will be strongly tempted to cut their own territory free from the ruins of the Syrian state. They might actually achieve that if they move fast enough, particularly if they can get tacit Russian support for their separation from the rest. Their home territory includes almost all of Syria's Mediterranean coast and is home to Russia's air and naval bases in the region -- and so far, HTS's march south has not impinged on the core Alawite territory. Further fragmentation of Syria is possible if the Kurds in the east and the Druze in the south (near the Israeli border) try to go their own way, but the Turks, erstwhile sponsors of HTS, will strive to prevent that. Which way the United States will jump (under new management) remains to be seen. And the biggest change, which Western observers seem constrained from mentioning by some misplaced cultural sensitivity, is the collapse of Shia power and influence in the region. Iran is 95% Shia, and Iraq at least 70% Shia, but Lebanon and Syria had also become part of a larger Shia bloc, although neither has a Shia majority. That is now at an end. As for the question of the leopard's spots, it really is too soon to tell. Even if Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, the leader of HTS, is secretly the extremist that his early associations suggest, it would make good tactical sense for him to pretend to moderation until his relatively small group has established a secure position at the heart of Syrian politics. That moment may never even come. The Syrian political stage is suddenly crowded with many other players with their own agendas, and the largely peaceful and non-violent nature of the Assad regime's collapse has created no conquering hero whose charisma overshadows all potential rivals. We could imagine a different future for Syria in which the half of the population who have become internal or external refugees return safely to their homes, all but the worst of the criminals who served the Assad regime are pardoned and rehabilitated, and the country begins to rebuild a future worth having. That may be a fantasy, but don't write the country off before it has a chance. Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries. His latest book is 'Intervention Earth: Life-Saving Ideas from the World's Climate Engineers'. Last year's book, 'The Shortest History of War', is also still available.