Brazilian police formally accused Bolsonaro of an attempted coup. What comes next?
NoneBy MICHELLE L. PRICE NEW YORK (AP) — Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday he was withdrawing his name from consideration, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being nominated for a position requiring Senate confirmation. Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called “the honor of a lifetime.” “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote. He did not elaborate, and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Chronister follows former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz , Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general, in withdrawing his name for a post in the administration. Gaetz withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Trump’s pick of Chronister for the DEA job drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities.” In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the Covid virus. “Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” for the arrest. Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend. Related Articles National Politics | Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff National Politics | President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction National Politics | Democrats stick with Schumer as leader, their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain National Politics | Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs National Politics | Democrats’ outgoing chair says Trump’s win forces party to reassess how it reaches voters In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.” He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration. Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida contributed to this report.
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Ruben Amorim says he is “the smiling one” but Manchester United’s new head coach warned he can be ruthless when he needs to be. The 39-year-old takes charge for the first time in Sunday’s Premier League trip to promoted Ipswich having been confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s successor at the beginning of November. Amorim has made a positive impression since starting work at the United in an international fortnight that ended with an impressive first appearance in front of the media. 🆚 Ipswich Town.🏟️ Portman Road.⏰ 16:30 GMT. 🫡 We will be there. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/0eHCSDYmhE — Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 21, 2024 The Portuguese was gregarious, engaging and smiley throughout Friday’s press conference but that warmth comes with a ruthlessness edge if players do not adhere to his approach. “You can be the same person,” head coach Amorim said. “Be a positive person that can understand this is one place to be, then there is the dressing room, there are some places to have fun, there are some places to work hard. “So, I can be ruthless when I have to be. If you think as a team, I will be the nicest guy you have ever seen. If there is someone just thinking about himself, I will be a different person. “I’m not that type of guy that wants to show that he is the boss. “They will feel it in the small details, that I can be the smiling one but then when we have a job to do I will be a different person, and they understand that.” ‘The Smiling One’ follows ‘the Special One’ as United’s second Portuguese manager, with Jose Mourinho one of five managers to try and fail to reach the heights scaled by Sir Alex Ferguson. The Scot retired as a Premier League champion in 2013 and the Red Devils have failed to launch a sustained title bid since adding that 20th top-flight crown. Asked about whether he will lean on Ferguson to understand the history of United and whether he has met him, Amorim said: “No, not yet. I didn’t have that opportunity. “It’s hard to copy someone, so I have to be me. Of course I’m not the best person in here to show the history of Manchester United. “It should be the club first and also me because I’m always paying attention on those details and try to focus our players in the history of the club, not the recent history. “You have to be very demanding. This is a club that needs to win, has to win, so we have to show that to our players but it’s a different time. “I cannot be the same guy that Sir Alex Ferguson was. It’s a different time. “I have to have a different approach, but I can also be demanding with a different approach, so that is my focus.” Like Ferguson in 1986, Amorim starts life at United in the November of a season that started with a paltry points tally. The 39-year-old acknowledges the timing makes “it’s so much harder” for him to imprint his style at a club whose youth foundations look in safe hands. “It’s the project of Manchester United,” Amorim said. “Nowadays, you need young guys, guys from the academy for everything. “To bring that history of the club because they feel the club in a different way. “And also because you have all these rules with financial fair play, when a player from our academy is so much different to the players that we bought and then we sell. “So, everything is connected. I will try to help all the players, especially the young ones.” Amorim’s first match will be a fascinating watch for onlookers, who have kept a particularly close eye on his work during his farewell to Sporting Lisbon. The Portuguese managed three final matches after being confirmed as United head coach, including a 4-1 Champions League win against Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side have dominated English football in recent years and the City boss this week signed a new deal until 2027. “I think it’s a problem for everybody here, but we have so much to do, we cannot focus on anyone,” Amorim said. “We just have to focus on our club, improve our club and not focus on the other clubs, so let’s focus on Manchester United. “It’s amazing (the test) – if you can beat that team it’s a good sign but, like I said, we are focused on Manchester United.”
Syphilis originated in the Americas, ancient DNA shows, but European colonialism spread it widely
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella changed his cleats just 12 minutes into the game after his slips contributed to both of Tottenham's early goals in the teams' London derby in the Premier League on Sunday. The Spain international ceded possession by slipping on the turf at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the fifth and 11th minutes — and from the ensuing attacks, Spurs scored through Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski. Immediately after Kulusevski's shot hit the net to make it 2-0, Cucurella sprinted to the sideline while shrugging his shoulders and pointed to his cleats. He took them off and threw them away in disgust before putting on new ones. It seemed to work. Within six minutes, he provided the pass that led to Jadon Sancho scoring for Chelsea to make it 2-1. Chelsea went on to win 4-3 — and Cucurella posted a photo on social media after the match, showing the first cleats he wore nestled in a bin. “It almost slipped away,” Cucurella wrote on Instagram Stories, “but proud of the amazing team effort to turn things around.” AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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China and Hong Kong stocks fell sharply on Friday with blue-chip CSI300 and Shanghai Composite posting theirbiggest single-day losses since Oct. 9, dragged down bybig tech firms’ disappointing earningsand investors’ fears over U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s future policies on China. The Shanghai Composite index .SSEC closed3.06% lower at3,267.19. The CSI300 index .CSI300 lost 3.1%, its financial sector sub-index .CSI300FS eased 3.38%, the consumer staples sector .CSI000912 fell 2.96%, the real estate index .CSI000952 dropped 2.95% and the healthcare sub-index .CSI300HC shed 3.8%. ** Biotech firms .CSI399993 and brokerages .CSI399975 led the decline, slipping morethan 4% each. ** Hong Kong’s HangSeng index .HSI dipped 371.14 points, or 1.89%, to 19,229.97, Hang Seng China Enterprises index .HSCE slid 2.1% to 6,887.05 andHang Seng Tech Index .HSTECH lost 2.6%. ** “It doesn’t look like any single news triggered the major sell-off today...if you look at the sectors heavily hit, it appears market is a bit worried about more upcomingU.S. policy against China,” said Steven Leung, executive director of institutional sales at UOB Kay Hian. ** The Texas governor on Thursday orderedstate agencies to stop investing in China and sell assets there as soon as possible. ** A Reuters poll this week showed the Trump administration could impose nearly 40% tariffs on Chinese importsearly next year. ** Meanwhile, e-commerce giant PDD Holdings PDD.O and search engine operator Baidu 9888.HK posted lower-than-expected third-quarter results, indicating that the economy continues to facechallenges despite the recentstimulus measures. ** Baidu’s Hong Kong shares slumped 8.6% at close after the firm said it has not seen any notable improvement in advertising spending patterns or consumer spending yet. ** Investors are losing patience as there hasn’t been any further official measures afterthe fiscal stimulus failed to meet market expectations, Leung said. ** The smaller Shenzhen index .SZSC lost 3.54% and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index .CNT eased3.985%. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Summer Zhen; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Sumana Nandy)Bayern knocked out of German Cup, Neuer sees first red
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.The DailyWire+ satirical documentary Am I Racist? broke records by making more than $12 million at the box office. It also landed a session in Deadline’s awards-season showcase Contenders Documentary . In the movie, director Justin Folk films Matt Walsh infiltrating leaders in diversity movements and causing a scene in disguise. Walsh interrupted a Saira Rao dinner lecture decrying white women by dropping stacks of plates. While Walsh and Folk disagree with the sentiments expressed by activists like Rao, they also spoke with regular Americans in Black and white communities. Walsh said the message is that Americans want to move on from discussing race. “I think for a lot of people, they feel like, ‘Let’s move on. Let’s not dwell on these things,’” Walsh said. “By the way, that was the message we heard in the film, not just from white people. We went down south to Louisiana — a Black community in Louisiana, New Orleans — and we heard the same thing. They said, ‘Look, I’m not focused on this racism thing. Let’s just live our lives.’” Folk agreed that people want to move on, adding that many they spoke with entertained discussions of race out of politeness. “I think people in general, whether it be white men or white women or anybody in between, even minorities, they’re polite,” Folk said. “They don’t want to be called haters. They don’t want to be called bigots. They don’t want to be called racist, and I think they’ve taken advantage of that and pushed an agenda and overstepped with that.” Asked whether they acknowledged that there has been structural racism in the past, they concurred there has been. Walsh said credit is also due for correcting those systems. RELATED: Contenders Documentary — Deadline’s Complete Coverage “We are a country that had slavery at one point,” Walsh said. “That’s a pretty good example. Now, although slavery existed as an institution all across the world for thousands of years, in this country it certainly was a racist institution. Nobody denies that. But, in modern America as it stands today, there are no laws or policies on the books that have the intention of disadvantaging Black people, people that we call, quote unquote, people of color. That doesn’t exist today, and I think you have to allow society to progress.” Walsh also pushed back on the notion that the legacies of racist policies, such as Black soldiers being excluded from the GI Bill, still have impacts on minorities. He suggested that one wouldn’t have to go back far to find oppression in anyone’s lineage. RELATED: The 2025 Oscars: Everything We Know So Far About The Nominations, Ceremony, Date & Host “If my Irish ancestors, for example, were not horrifically discriminated against in the early part of the 20th century, where would my life be today?” Walsh said. “At a certain point you have to decide either we are going to stay dwelling on the past and trying to cash in on things that didn’t even happen to us but happened to people 100 years ago. Or we’re going to just move on and say, ‘Now is today. It’s the present moment, and we now live in a situation in a country where we can take charge of our own lives.’” Folk agreed with the goal to move forward “and not repeat the same mistakes of the past, which were mistakes made because of race.” Check back Monday for the panel video.Robert Lighthizer – a Washington veteran who served as Donald Trump's U.S. trade representative in his last term – is reportedly on the outs with the president-elect’s new transition team and may not join the administration at all, according to a new report. And that could come with a price for people who valued the economic policies that he successfully saw through in Trump’s first term, POLITICO reported. “It is a bitter blow to protectionists and a sign of the fluidity in Trump’s political camp that someone as respected and trusted as Lighthizer could be cast aside,” according to the report. “His exclusion from Trump’s Cabinet this time around gives the voices from Wall Street in the White House a much stronger hand in the incoming administration.” The revelation also calls into question Trump’s threats of imposing sharp new tariffs in his second term on imports from Mexico , Canada and China , the publication noted — Lighthizer was the architect of Trump’s first-term trade agenda and a key adviser of this year's campaign. ALSO READ: Will Trump back the FBI’s battle against domestic extremists? He won’t say. He reportedly sought the high-profile cabinet positions of Treasury or Commerce secretary and was unlikely to accept a lesser role along the lines of a potential “ trade czar.” “Lighthizer has been a champion of Trump for at least 15 years, and he’s been in the background, giving Trump ideas, and putting Trump in the spotlight. And I think he really felt like this was his turn to get rewarded,” one ex-Trump administration official close to Lighthizer told POLITICO. The official added that Lighthizer’s potential absence from the next administration means the tariff views of Trump’s picks to lead the Treasury and Commerce departments – Scott Bessent and Howard Lutnick – will likely win out, the report said. “It appears like he’s being frozen out,” one person close to the Trump transition team who supports a pro-tariff agenda told POLITICO.Stewart cooked critics with Superwoman strength
Ruben Amorim says he is “the smiling one” but Manchester United’s new head coach warned he can be ruthless when he needs to be. The 39-year-old takes charge for the first time in Sunday’s Premier League trip to promoted Ipswich having been confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s successor at the beginning of November. Amorim has made a positive impression since starting work at the United in an international fortnight that ended with an impressive first appearance in front of the media. 🆚 Ipswich Town.🏟️ Portman Road.⏰ 16:30 GMT. 🫡 We will be there. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/0eHCSDYmhE — Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 21, 2024 The Portuguese was gregarious, engaging and smiley throughout Friday’s press conference but that warmth comes with a ruthlessness edge if players do not adhere to his approach. “You can be the same person,” head coach Amorim said. “Be a positive person that can understand this is one place to be, then there is the dressing room, there are some places to have fun, there are some places to work hard. “So, I can be ruthless when I have to be. If you think as a team, I will be the nicest guy you have ever seen. If there is someone just thinking about himself, I will be a different person. “I’m not that type of guy that wants to show that he is the boss. “They will feel it in the small details, that I can be the smiling one but then when we have a job to do I will be a different person, and they understand that.” ‘The Smiling One’ follows ‘the Special One’ as United’s second Portuguese manager, with Jose Mourinho one of five managers to try and fail to reach the heights scaled by Sir Alex Ferguson. The Scot retired as a Premier League champion in 2013 and the Red Devils have failed to launch a sustained title bid since adding that 20th top-flight crown. Asked about whether he will lean on Ferguson to understand the history of United and whether he has met him, Amorim said: “No, not yet. I didn’t have that opportunity. “It’s hard to copy someone, so I have to be me. Of course I’m not the best person in here to show the history of Manchester United. “It should be the club first and also me because I’m always paying attention on those details and try to focus our players in the history of the club, not the recent history. “You have to be very demanding. This is a club that needs to win, has to win, so we have to show that to our players but it’s a different time. “I cannot be the same guy that Sir Alex Ferguson was. It’s a different time. “I have to have a different approach, but I can also be demanding with a different approach, so that is my focus.” Like Ferguson in 1986, Amorim starts life at United in the November of a season that started with a paltry points tally. The 39-year-old acknowledges the timing makes “it’s so much harder” for him to imprint his style at a club whose youth foundations look in safe hands. “It’s the project of Manchester United,” Amorim said. “Nowadays, you need young guys, guys from the academy for everything. “To bring that history of the club because they feel the club in a different way. “And also because you have all these rules with financial fair play, when a player from our academy is so much different to the players that we bought and then we sell. “So, everything is connected. I will try to help all the players, especially the young ones.” Amorim’s first match will be a fascinating watch for onlookers, who have kept a particularly close eye on his work during his farewell to Sporting Lisbon. The Portuguese managed three final matches after being confirmed as United head coach, including a 4-1 Champions League win against Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side have dominated English football in recent years and the City boss this week signed a new deal until 2027. “I think it’s a problem for everybody here, but we have so much to do, we cannot focus on anyone,” Amorim said. “We just have to focus on our club, improve our club and not focus on the other clubs, so let’s focus on Manchester United. “It’s amazing (the test) – if you can beat that team it’s a good sign but, like I said, we are focused on Manchester United.”The Benue State House of Assembly, on Thursday, directed the Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Grace Adagba to step aside from her official duties over alleged primary school teachers recruitment racketeering. The House ordered the SUBEB chairperson who is also being investigated for allegedly cornering a whooping N2,073,779,218.07 being the balance of the funds she received from the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs between December 2023 and June 2024′′ to immediately hand over to Permanent Commissioner 1 in the board, pending the conclusion of the investigation. Besides, the Assembly set up a seven-man ad-hoc committee chaired by Rt. Hon. Caphas Dyako is to investigate the activities of the board and report back to it in seven days. The Assembly gave the directive during plenary presided over by the speaker Chief Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh. Mover of the motion and member representing Katsina-Ala West State Constituency Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu informed the House that after the resolutions of the House directing the SUBEB chairman to suspend the ongoing recruitment of primary school teachers to allow for investigation into controversies surrounding the exercise were conveyed to the chairman, she went ahead to released a statement indicating that new cut off marks have been allocated to the CBT conducted by the board and subsequently shortlisted additional names for physical screening. Hon. Ipusu further explained that the statement released by the board is not only reactionary but disparaging of the honour of the Assembly and its resolutions. Contributing, the member representing Makurdi North State Constituency, Hon. Alfred Emberga, frowned at the SUBEB Chairman’s attitude, stating that the woman lacks the integrity to supervise the ongoing recruitment process and should immediately step aside. The lawmakers, in a statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr Terver Zamber, also directed the governing Council of Akperan Orshi Polytechnic Yandev to immediately stop the appointment of the Registrar, Bursar and Librarian of the Polytechnic until provisions of the law are satisfied. The Chairman and Council members of the polytechnic, Rector and Management of the School are also summoned to appear before the House on December 27th 2024. This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by a member representing Tarka State Constituency Hon. Manger Manger expressing concerns that the appointments were made without satisfying provisions of the law. Hon. Manger explained that the appointments are illegal and if allowed to stand shall set a bad precedent for the future. The House again summoned the immediate past Special Adviser to the Governor, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Dr. Dennis Akura to appear before it 27th of December, to explain why he diverted over N1.783 billion, funds meant for Local Government Areas for security purposes, thereby compromising the security architecture of the state. Also summoned included all DGSAs, Treasurers and Security Officers of various LGs to also appear on the same date to enable people of the state to establish the veracity of the report. The lawmakers called on Governor Alia to appoint substantive heads of MDAs and parastatals to enhance efficiency and service delivery. Also during Plenary, five bills enjoyed second reading on the floor of the House. They are, The Benue State University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Ihugh, The Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu University, The Benue State Financing and Appropriation, The Benue State Internally Displaced Pupils and Students Education Board and the Burial Rites Bill. Three of the bills were executive bills and were read on the floor of the House by the majority leader while Rt. Hon. Williams Ortyom and Hon. Elias Audu read the other bills respectively. Also, the Persons with Disability Bill scaled through the first reading at the house during the Plenary.
On The Road: Feelings run high after controversial points deduction plunges Gartcairn into relegation fight Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By HUGH MACDONALD Published: 19:35, 8 December 2024 | Updated: 19:47, 8 December 2024 e-mail View comments It is an ill wind that rattles the mesh fence at Gartcairn’s park and chills the brave souls huddled in a desperate solidarity. It is hard to divine what good it can do rather than emphasise that peculiar togetherness that semi-professional football not only espouses but lives. It is game day in Airdrie. The match against Glenafton would have been once envisioned as a chance for Gartcairn to continue pushing at the top of the Premier Division of the West of Scotland Football League. But on Storm Darragh Saturday this aspiration has been blown aside. Gartcairn are now — suddenly but undeniably — in a relegation fight. As volunteers dash from freight containers to pitch, as pies are being heated and balls are being fetched, the talk is of points deducted, loan registrations and what happens next in a row that has embroiled the league, hit sponsorship and caused dismay within the club. The point at issue is the registration of Robert Thomson, the striker who was signed from East Kilbride this season and played as a trialist for eight games. Gartcairn's defeat by Glenafton was played amid a bitter dispute over registration rules He goes about his business with commendable effort on Saturday. His impact, though, has caused more turbulence off the field. Gartcairn announced last week that the club had been deducted 15 points and fined £500 for playing an ineligible player, Thomson, to whom no blame is attached. The West of Scotland Football League ruled that under its protocols he was only entitled to play three games as a trialist. Gartcairn insist he was registered properly and its evidence was considered. A league committee decided no appropriate registration form had been submitted. A statement from the WoSFL last week said an investigation showed the player was thus not registered and this was not due to any fault in the system. This is a reference to the Comet registration system, brought in this year to leagues across Scotland. It must be said that the Comet system is a good one. Gartcairn’s contention is, though, that they provided information, though the league investigation has decided otherwise. ‘We believe we did everything right and have been treated unfairly,’ says Craig Armstrong, the club secretary. ‘We believe, too, that the Comet system is a good one and, given time, it will work.’ An exchange of public statements between the club and the league laid bare the extent of the row. Armstrong is managing director of Indigo Communications, a sponsor of the league. He pulled that sponsorship immediately. ‘It is worth about £10,000,’ he says. ‘I had not paid this year’s money yet but I felt it was inappropriate to do so. 'What I will do is set aside that cash and if any other clubs have problems and incur fines then that money could help them out. A fine of a couple of hundred quid could be a disaster to some clubs.’ Greenversity, another company in which he is involved, will, however, continue to sponsor the league. Leave to appeal the WoSFL decision to the SFA has been denied following a review of the case. So there the matter lies. There is no way for the club to contest it further and the WoSFL statement says it is merely applying the punishment demanded by its rules. That statement ended with the WoSFL saying no further comment would be made. A spokesman confirmed last night that the league considered the matter closed. Gartcairn are accused of fielding striker Robert Thomson when he was ineligible to play Gartcairn claim many other clubs have issues. The WoSFL said in its statement that ‘there have been three investigations at clubs regarding player ineligibility due to possible player registration offences, including Gartcairn, and no others are in the pipeline’. Gartcairn, though, are believed to have surveyed other clubs in the league and the results of this may be published this week. There was a sense in below-zero Airdrie that many in the ground were nursing their wrath to keep it warm. One supporter, muffled up against the cold and declining to give his name, said: ‘I feel the punishment does not fit what was at worst an administrative error. I mean, we are hardly bringing Thomson in under the radar. We put a signing announcement up on social media, so it wasn’t a secret.’ The club also says it alerted the authorities to a possible problem over the cancellation of the loan status. Read More On The Road: Spiders etch out another chapter in their proud Scottish Cup history with shootout triumph ‘We believe the support to this new way of working is terrible,’ said Armstrong. ‘Guys who have been in football for many years, using paper copies etc, are finding this difficult. It is a massive change to everything they once knew.’ Both the WosFL and the SFA point out that courses to help officials were arranged and well attended. The SFA says it has rolled this out across other leagues without significant problems, though at the start of the system there were complaints from some in grassroots about the time taken to migrate from the old system to the new one and the lack of support offered to those struggling to make the change. ‘The reason I am withdrawing my sponsorship is that Indigo is an IT company with 500 customers throughout Scotland, a lot of them football clubs,’ says Armstrong. ‘I can’t be putting my money into an institution that I believe does not put its customers first. We need more support with all of this.’ He added: ‘I cannot emphasise this enough: I do believe this system is for the best and that it will work. I just think it will take time.’ Indeed, the Comet system is used by 44 other countries, including Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. It was introduced because it was felt that the old system was redundant and no longer viable. The authorities decided to address issues over the changeover by running courses. Armstrong strongly advocates better, continuing support. He added: ‘I can tell you that this is not just a Gartcairn problem. Other clubs have come to me with their concerns. We at Gartcairn have been portrayed as a bad, tinpot club. I don’t care about that criticism. ‘If there are people who will benefit from me taking this stance on this, then I will take the flak. Again, I don’t think it is a bad system, I just think they have underestimated the issues and we should work together to solve them. These are mostly to do with support.’ A 15-point deduction has left Gartcairn coach Mick Dunlop fighting a relegation battle The club now has to face a relegation battle. It is unclear how the row will proceed off the pitch, but the issue on it is stark. Gartcairn now sit second bottom of the Premier Division. Martin Peacock, club chairman, said of the sanction: ‘I think it’s been harsh. We brought this issue up, after all. 'Our whole intention was to ask a question and it feels as if we have self-incriminated. That is disappointing. I don’t think the severity of our punishment can be justified.’ The club has 900 players, from children through to over-35s, and a thriving women’s team. ‘We are trying to put everything into the club here,’ he added. ‘It’s tough when things like this happen. We are trying to do everything as well as we can and we feel as if we have been hammered.’ He was adamant in one aspect, adding: ‘We need to move on quickly on the park. We can use this as motivation or whatever but we must start picking up points. It must be back to football today.’ This warming sentiment offered scant comfort as the chill wind refused to abate and the team came up short, losing 1-0 in a tightly-contested match. A late goal from Chris Erskine settled affairs for Glenafton as a spectacular sunset unfolded behind the park. It produced an extraordinary light. Gartcairn will be hoping it is the harbinger of a brighter dawn to come. Share or comment on this article: On The Road: Feelings run high after controversial points deduction plunges Gartcairn into relegation fight e-mail Add commentMohave County Historical Society | Plans in motion to preserve Mohave County’s historic jailThe has awarded SK Hynix $458 million in direct funding for the company’s project to build an in West Lafayette, Indiana. The funding will support the South Korean company’s $3.87 billion investment to establish a facility for artificial intelligence products, advanced packaging fabrication, and chip research and development efforts, the said Thursday. Table of Contents AI Hardware Supply Chain Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo noted that the federal investment will strengthen the U.S. AI hardware supply chain, generate hundreds of new jobs and ensure that Indiana will play a critical role in advancing the country’s economic and national security. “By investing in companies like SK Hynix and communities like West Lafayette, the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act continues to supercharge America’s global technology leadership,” she added. Domestic HBM Manufacturing Capacity Funded by the CHIPS and Science Act, the investment will bring high-bandwidth memory, a.k.a. HBM, manufacturing capacity to the United States, courtesy of SK Hynix, according to NIST. The project is estimated to create over a thousand new jobs in Indiana and promote partnerships. Specifically, the company will work with Purdue University to research, develop, produce and package HBMs within the United States. Apart from the direct funding, whose disbursement will be determined by construction, technology, production and commercial milestones, the CHIPS Program Office will also provide up to $500 million in loans to SK Hynix.
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